Indian Motorcycle has gone with Metzeler Cruisetec tires as original equipment for its 122 hp and 128 ft-lbs of torque Pursuit Dark Horse and Pursuit Limited. Indian and Metzeler have also extended their partnership to include the recently added Scout Rogue and Rogue Sixty models.
Indian Motorcycle Leipzig, Germany, (aka ReWa Mobile GmbH) has signed on as an official Zero Motorcycles dealer - two years after Polaris signed a ten-year exclusive 'rEV'd up' electric powertrain technology partnership agreement with Zero. At the time Polaris stated that it intended "to be in a position to offer customers an electric vehicle option within each of its core product segments by 2025." The first result of the collaboration was the all-new full-size electric RANGER UTV in 2021. Expect to see many more Indian Motorcycle dealers signing up with Zero in the years to come.
What is believed to be the last batch of original $30k/€ 30 LiveWire bikes has been sold by the four-store authorized H-D Factory Group dealership in Germany. They are being offered with a choice of one of five add-on incentive packages worth € 5k - one of which, the 'Electric package', includes a free Serial 1 e-bike. With LiveWire headed for SPAC heaven, the first iteration of a new model for the brand as an independent (though still 74% H-D owned) business is slated for a July 8th public debut at the Irvine, Ca., IMS Outdoors. That will likely be an S2 middleweight iteration of its proprietary and scalable 'Arrow' drivetrain platform architecture named the Del Mar.
Lexus Europe has unveiled a Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle (ROV) concept - "a unique hydrogen-powered vehicle offering near zero-emissions driving combined with extreme off-road capability. It reflects a commitment by Lexus to ensure exhilarating driving can co-exist with a carbon-free society centered on responsible mobility. For demanding off-road driving, the first Lexus hydrogen ICE will meet all the carmaker's stringent requirements for QDR (Quietness, Durability, Reliability)."
A January SEMA Future Trends research report examined supply chain disruptions, their impact on the specialty-equipment industry and provided industry trends and forecasts for the future. Conclusions included an expectation that supply chain issues that have impacted the automotive [and motorcycle] industry should largely have eased by the end of 2022. Nearly three-quarters (74%) of industry companies expect sales growth in 2022. Over 80% of SEMA members report supply chain disturbances severely or moderately impacting their business in 2021. However, prices are likely to remain high into 2023. Product shortages, shipping and transport delays and higher rates (shipping container rates are up 400% compared to October 2019), along with elevated input and commodity prices (steel is up 262% from October 2019), will be factors to watch in the automotive market.
After a successful debut at Atlanta in 2021, Powersports Business magazine has announced Orlando, Florida for its second annual Powersports Business Accelerate Conference on November 14-16, 2022, designed to "bring together dealers and industry leaders to focus on key issues, business growth and future planning."
RawHyde Adventures is celebrating its 20th year "serving the adventure motorcycle community." Founded and still operated by Jim Hyde, Las Vegas based RawHyde is "the nation's premier adventure motorcycle training & tour organization. We have trained nearly 20,000 motorcyclists to become more proficient and confident in their riding skills since we started and have led hundreds of guided adventure tours worldwide." The company has multiple strategically located properties, including its 100-acre, California City, California facility on the edge of the Mojave Desert. This property was transformed into the Zakar Terrain Park and Event Center.
Lighting specialist J.W. Speaker has announced an Official Lighting Partnership with Gard Hollinger and Keanu Reeves' Hawthorne, California based ARCH Motorcycle Company. J.W. Speaker will provide its premium LED headlights for all ARCH Motorcycle units built in 2022, including the ARCH KRGT-1 and the upcoming ARCH 1s and ARCH Method 143 models. They will also partner in developing customized LED lighting technology for future ARCH models.
Sources: AMD, IDN, FT, Reuters, PSB, MPN, BDN, MCN, AP, Bloomberg, MSNW, Electrek, electricmotorcycles.news, RideApart.com, Motor1.com, Cycle World, motorbikewriter.com