BMW unveiled its first autonomous motorcycle technology demonstrator at its Miramas testing ground Techday in southern France. Developed by a team led by graduate engineer Stefan Hans, a R 1200 GS was shown to be able to independently drive off, accelerate, circle a winding test track and independently slow down safely to a stop.
BMW continues to run the Harley playbook - its new “Rent A Ride” program is a dealership based short-term rental service that operates via a website with smartphone capability, enabling customers to select the model of their choice and check availability at all participating Rent A Ride partner dealerships in real time.
Fiat Chrysler has confirmed reports that it is offloading its high-tech parts division Magneti Marelli. Japanese car parts maker Calsonic Kansei, owned by private equity giant KKR, will buy the unit for $7.1bn, creating the world's seventh largest independent components supplier. Last year KKR was reported to be one of the bidders offering to buy Ducati from Volkswagen Audi.
The Custom motorcycle market in Germany (“Choppers” - as defined by the German motorcycle industry trade association) was worth 10.66 percent of the total 92,402 unit motorcycle market for the first eight months of 2018 at 9,849 units; a +21.29 percent increase for the sector over the same period in 2017. The data includes Harley, Indian and other large and low volume manufacturer models, as well as one-off build registrations.
Harley had a 10.18% market share in Germany through August with 9,405 units sold for a 22.68% improvement in share over the first eight months of 2017. BMW is market leader, followed by Kawasaki, Honda, KTM and Yamaha, but Harley finds itself above the likes of Suzuki, Ducati and Triumph. Its top-seller YTD had been the Street Bob with 739 units sold, making it the 29th most popular motorcycle in Germany; followed by the Fat Bob 114, XL 1200X, Breakout 114 and Sports Glide.
Mid-Ohio H-D, Springfield, Ohio, has been purchased by Jim and Lynn Loomis, who also own dealerships in Napoleon, Plain City and Piqua, Ohio. The name will change to Revved Up H-D. The new owners started their first dealership in Napoleon in 2011. They purchased the Piqua location in 2015 and the Plain City dealership in 2017.
Harley is in fifth place in market share terms in Switzerland for the first eight months of 2018 with 2,277 units sold - ahead of KTM, Triumph, Ducati and Suzuki, among others. Yamaha is market leader, with BMW second, followed by Honda and Kawasaki. Their top sellers are the Breakout and the XL 1200 X Forty Eight.