Having grown from $37.18bn in 2024 to $47.89bn in 2020 ($46,20bn in 2019), SEMA is projecting annual retail sales of automotive "specialty-equipment" products in USA (aftermarket P&A) to have been worth $49.38bn in 2021. They forecast further growth to $50.36bn in 2022, $52.38bn in 2023, rising to $55.00bn in 2024.
Two years ago, Triumph announced that it would move the bulk of its production for all markets to Thailand, with arising lay-offs at its Hinkley, UK factory (with still further subsequent pandemic triggered UK job losses in June 2020). Triumph now appears set to respond to what it says is a big rise in UK and European sales by increasing target UK production to 20,000 or more bikes a year (from approx. 4,500 largely specials at present) and hiring 100 new production staff to build them! CCO Paul Stroud says: "Sales were just over 81,500 motorcycles in 2021, 29% growth on the previous year."
Brembo reports 2021 full year revenues +25.8% at € 2,777.6m (+7.2% compared to 31 December 2019), with net profit +57% to € 215.5m and EBITDA at € 502.7m on a margin of 18.1%. Brembo decreased net financial debt by € 71.5m and made net investments of € 236.2m, completing two significant acquisitions, adding SBS Friction (Denmark) and J.Juan (Spain); inaugurated its Inspiration Lab in Silicon Valley, Ca., and introduced a new intelligent braking system called SENSIFY.
December 2021 saw sales of electric cars in Europe overtake diesel models for the first time, with the switch to battery-powered vehicles enjoying record growth on the back of government subsidies and emissions regulations. More than 20% of new cars sold across 18 European markets, including the UK, were powered exclusively by batteries, while diesel cars, including diesel hybrids, accounted for less than 19% of sales. Some 176,000 battery EVs were sold in western Europe during December, an all-time record and more than 6% up on the year-ago number.
For the first time in nearly a decade, Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER will compete alongside the Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S and Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines classes at the "World's Fastest Mile" when the series arrives at the Illinois State Fairgrounds for the Springfield Mile I & II on September 3-4. The "crown jewel of the annual AFT calendar, the first Springfield Mile was staged in 1937."
AFT has announced Daytona Beach based Solar-Fit as the Official Solar Installer for 2022 of Progressive AFT for the upcoming season.
KTM will again be an Official OEM AFT Partner for the 2022 season. Since its inaugural season of factory participation in 2019, KTM, led by the Red Bull KTM Factory Race Team, has been a genuine force in the hotly contested Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER class. Last season, KTM 450 SX-F-mounted riders accounted for a full eight of the 16 available Main Event wins and placed second and third in the championship fight. KTM looks set for another huge season in 2022, as back-to-back championship runner-up Max Whale will be joined on the factory squad by 2021 Progressive AFT Rookie of the Year Kody Kopp. KTM is also supporting the initiative by Wally Brown Racing to develop a Mission Production Twins racer based around the KTM 890 Duke - piloted by 2020 class champion James Rispoli. KTM will back up its ever-increasing paddock presence with a scaled-up contingency program, which will jump up by more than $200,000 to reach a potential payout of $537,200 across all three Progressive AFT classes in 2022.
Thom Duma Fine Jewelers (TDFJ) will remain the Official Jeweler of Progressive AFT for a ninth consecutive season - handcrafting custom-designed championship rings, commemorating the achievements of the class champions in the Mission SuperTwins presented by S&S Cycle, Mission Production Twins presented by Vance & Hines and Parts Unlimited AFT Singles presented by KICKER.
Sources: AMD, IDN, FT, Reuters, PSB, MPN, BDN, MCN, AP, Bloomberg, MSNW, Electrek, electricmotorcycles.news, RideApart.com, Motor1.com, Cycle World, motorbikewriter.com