Save-the-Date: Emboldened by what it sees as a successful start to the radically reimagined INTERMOT Expo at Cologne, Germany, organizer Koelnmesse (the Cologne Exhibition Centre) has moved to confirm its 2025 date - 4-7 December. The move from October to pre-Christmas was bold, but the change to an annual frequency was some 20 years too late. Some industry observers had been calling on the motorcycle industry trade association in Germany (IVM, the show owner) to take the event annual ever since EICMA (The 'Milan' Show) broke the established biennial cycle (and broke its agreements with the IVM) and itself became an annual expo; www.intermot-cologne.com
Long established British shock absorber manufacturer Hagon Products (founded in 1958) has announced that it is looking to add select additional importer/ distributors and dealers to its worldwide network; www.hagon-shocks.co.uk
It has emerged that there actually is someone at Harley-Davidson who thinks that selling off its Harley-Davidson Financial Services (HDFS) unit is a good idea. In an era in which recurring income is the holy grail of corporations in all sectors of global capitalism, Harley is looking at trousering a one-off $1bn bonus instead of keeping control of its retail finance brand relationships. For a business that currently has a declining customer base and market Cap of less than $3bn, selling off such a versatile prize asset is madness. A sign of desperation. A sign of short-term bonus and dividend culture driving a failed business plan. Kick sand in the face of your dealers why don’t you!
Reuters reports that according to Eurostat data, EU exports to USA increased by 22.4% in February compared to the year ago - marking the highest exports growth rate in 13 months and totalling € 51.8bn (~ $60bn); imports from the U.S. rose by 2.4% year-on-year to € 28.2bn (~$32bn). In February 2025, the EU as a whole posted a trade surplus of €23bn (~$26bn) compared to a deficit of €5.6bn (~$6bn) in January 2025. In 2024 EU exports to the U.S. had increased by 5.5% compared to a year earlier, while imports declined by 4.0%.
American credit card delinquencies have suddenly shot up and are now running at a 13 year high. Recent data published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York show that the proportion of American credit card debt in serious delinquency - balances at least 90 days overdue - surged to 11% in Q4, 2024. That figure has risen by four percentage points over the past two years and is back to a level last seen in 2011, when unemployment was twice as high as it is today. The proportion of overdue debt for car purchase loans has also climbed, to a four-year high of 5%.
The famous (infamous!) high speed, 12.9-mile Nürburgring racetrack in Germany has finally moved to ban motorcycles. Always a scary and exhilarating bucket list item, it is a combination public road and race circuit. The ban means no more motorcycles on the public access 'tourist days' - limiting PTW riders to the few track days, club days and organized race school days that are permitted each year.
Do you remember the popular range of Koni shock absorbers? Yes, of course you do! Manufactured in The Netherlands, the original 1857 founded owner (A. de Koning) established Koni in 1928 and started making friction type shocks in 1932. The company started making motorcycle shock absorbers as Koni B.V. in 1967, and was bought by the American ITT Corporation in 1972. It owned and operated Koni until 2001 when the Australian Importer (Proven products Pty Ltd., NSW - Geoff and Louise Lowe) bought the technology and designs but not the brand name - turning the Koni motorcycle suspension product line into IKON Suspension. The iconic (!) IKON coil-over shock range is still made in Australia, and is distributed in USA by Roger Kirwin; ikonsuspensionusa.com