US Highland has announced that rather than manufacturing its current engine designs itself, it will instead "actively pursue" partners that are currently seeking pre-tested engine programs to whom they can licence their technology and intellectual property for proprietary build projects. The company has also said that it will seek to add to its portfolio through acquisitions of additional powersports brands.
First seen in 2007, with manufacturing starting in 2008, BRP has announced that it has sold its 100,000th Can-Am Spyder "reverse three-wheeler".
Just prior to taking over as CEO at Harley-Davidson, Matt Levatich was awarded with an "Earth Day" leadership award by the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council - in recognition of his efforts to have Harley product designers and factories "look into environmental, profit and loss statements."
Following its bankruptcy petition, rumors are swirling concerning the relationship between EBR and its $25 million/49.2 percent investor/owner Hero MotoCorp of India. Hero's stock price has plummeted since the start of the year, is facing stiff competition in its home market and has reportedly had greater difficulty in getting technology partners to help it to develop larger displacement models and fuel injection systems than its releases would have the market believe. Indeed, one media report has suggested that the $20 million shortfall that forced EBR's closure is largely the result of unpaid expenses for engineering and design work done by EBR for Hero on new domestic Indian market models.
Indian Motorcycle parent company Polaris Industries is already involved in a manufacturing plant joint venture in India with the owners of Enfield Motorcycles. However, the company's Managing Director in India has been quoted by local media there as saying that they are also exploring the possibilities of having CKD (completely knocked down kit) assembly there in the next 3-5 years, to strengthen its competitive position with Harley-Davidson, which has had a CKD assembly plant in Haryana, near Delhi in northern India, for a while.
Arctic Cat has reported a net loss of $21.5m (from $2.6m loss in Q1 2013/2014) on net sales of $98.9m (-32 percent) for its 4th quarter (ending March 31st 2015); net earnings were $4.9m on full year (2014/2015) sales of $698.8m vs. net earnings of $39.4m on net sales of $730.5m for the prior year.
Former President and CEO of Harley-Davidson Keith Wandell has been named Chairman Of Exide Technologies, a company currently in bankruptcy reorganization. Wandell, 65, was CEO of Johnson Controls, a rival battery manufacturer, before he joined Harley.
Harley-Davidson has earned a “BBB” credit rating from Morningstar, which signals that the research firm thinks the company is a "moderate default risk". They also gave Harley stock a three-star rating - a 5-star stock is said to be a "good value" at its current price; a 1-star stock isn't.
BMW has become the latest motorcycle manufacturer to sign up to exhibit at AIMExpo, Orlando, Florida, October 15-18, 2015. This year will be the third outing for the four-day long combined trade/public expo concept. More than 270 exhibitors have already committed to the event, and registrations are now open - www.AIMExpoUSA.com
