Briggs & Stratton has announced it is to move production of its Vanguard small and big block V-twin engines to facilities in Georgia and Alabama from Japan.
In Austria Harley was in 14th place in total PTW registration market share terms for the first three quarters of 2017, having sold 923 units, down from 1,060 for the same period of 2016.
The Freestyle class win at the Long Beach, California round of the 2017/18 J&P Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show was taken by Ryan McQuiston with a 1941 WR Flathead 45”, “45 Magnum”; with Christian Sosa, Sosa Metalworks, second with a 1946 Knucklehead Bobber, “Space Traveler”. The Mod Harley class win went to Doug Ide, Ide Innovations (“Rising Sun” – a 2009 Road King); Modified Retro was won by Tom Day with a 1976 Triumph, built by David Bird; Taber Nash was second with a drag springer. The Custom Street class win was taken by Dale Crawford with “Mahakala”, a Motone Customs (UK) 2006 Triumph Hardtail Bobber.
With North American operations headed up out of Milwaukee by ex-Harley man Rod Copes, Royal Enfield unveiled its much-anticipated and apparently highly tuneable new air-cooled parallel twin Interceptor and Continental GT 650cc models at EICMA/’Milan’ Show in November. The company says they should be on sale in the U.S. in the second half of 2018 with a price tag starting at around $7,000.00.
Indian Motorcycle was in 14th place in market share terms in Germany for the 10 months to October 2017, posting 662 units sold YTD for a 0.65% market share.
The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame is to double in size in the next three years, with the HOF having its own campus – thanks in no small part to a generous donation of land by local man Scott Peterson of Scott Peterson Ford. The new HOF site will be visible from the I90 and adjacent to exit 32. Law Tigers have jump-started the construction fund with a $100,000 donation.
Harley CEO Matt Levatich is reported to have sold nearly 20,000 of his shares in The Motor Company at the end of October for around $48 a share. He may be kicking himself - by early December they were selling in the region of $52 and trending north!
Indian conglomerate Mahindra & Mahindra is to open what will be the first ever Indian automotive plant in the United States. They will build off-road utility vehicles in Detroit.
Flat Track racing is returning to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds with the Donnie Smith Show (Midwest Extravaganza, Bike, Car & Tattoo Expo) hosting Indoor Flat Track back at its Twin Cities spiritual home. In the 1970s the renowned Minneapolis Armory hosted “indoor” Flat Track races that “people of a certain age” still remember fondly!
Construction industry equipment manufacturer Caterpillar has announced plans to enter the utility vehicle market via a deal with Textron Specialized Vehicles, the owner of Arctic Cat since their acquisition in early 2017. It will sell Cat UTV models through Caterpillar dealerships, starting in 2018.
In Switzerland Harley is in third spot in market share terms for the period January – October 2017, having sold 2,794 units YTD; down from the 2,896 for the same period in 2016. Harley is behind Yamaha and BMW, but ahead of the likes of Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Triumph, Ducati, Suzuki et al.
Triumph has announced a diversification with a limited edition run of 500 hi-specification all-terrain bicycles – the Triumph XCX.
Monday October 1, 2018 is confirmed as “move-in” day for the XIII AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building at INTERMOT ‘Customized’, Cologne, Germany. Tuesday 2 is press day; Wednesday 3 is the international trade and VIP visitor preview day; with public admission from Thursday 3 through Sunday 7. Judging is Saturday 6, with the awards ceremony at 3:00 pm on Sunday 7. In 2016 INTERMOT ‘Customized’ attracted some 150,000 visitors.