Heritage Global Partners (HGP) put the remaining assets of the Erik Buell-endorsed, NYC-headquartered Fuell Motorcycles up for sale in an auction that ended in August. Assets included completed and partially built Fuell models, IP (including patents), machinery, inventory, parts and tools.
Dealer registration is now open for the National Powersports Dealer Association's annual networking and educational event DealerConnect. A meeting for dealers, by dealers, the annual session is set for September 21-23, 2025 at the Hilton Columbus Downtown. "This isn't a trade show," insists Tigra Tsujikawa, NPDA Membership Marketing Director. "It's not about walking aisles and collecting brochures. It's about making sure our side of the industry is represented, heard and taken seriously;" www.npda.org
A record 127,000 riders participated in The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride (DGR) this year, raising $7.6m USD for men's health. The top three fundraisers each received a brand-new Triumph Modern Classic motorcycle. Officially the world's largest charity event for classic and vintage motorcycle enthusiasts, 1,038 rides took place in 108 countries simultaneously on Sunday 18 May 2025. The overall winner, who is rewarded with a Bonneville Scrambler 1200 Icon Edition, was Canadian Joseph Mancinelli. He raised $62,625 this year riding in Hamilton, Ontario, bringing his total raised since his first ride in 2017 to an incredible $550k. Also winning their choice of a Triumph Modern Classic motorcycle, were Andrew Cook from Idaho, US, who raised $56,640, and Nick Politis from Florida, US, who raised $46,999. The 2026 Ride is slated for May 17; www.gentlemansride.com
Despite revenue coming in ahead of Wall Street investor expectations, Harley's Q2 global unit shipments declined 28%, and the company's net income fell to $108m - down over 50% year-over-year. Those expectations must have been really bad!
Continuing the downward trend in the Harley dealer eco-system, another dealer shuttered its doors permanently in June. After 25 years in business, High Country Harley-Davidson, with locations in Frederick, Colorado and Cheyenne, Wyoming, has closed both its stores - merely the latest to find itself impaled on Harley's hubris. Several high-profile stores closed in 2024 alone, including legacy locations in San Francisco, New York City, and Illinois. Reasons cited ranged from economic challenges to ownership changes and corporate restructuring. Reporting the news PSB said that "despite having more than 650 dealerships nationwide, the closures reflect broader challenges in the powersports retail sector as brands, dealers, and customers adjust to changing market conditions."
Polaris is to donate $1m to advance ATV and UTV safety through its home state's 4-H Youth Development program - part of University of Minnesota's plan to expand critical all-terrain and utility vehicle safety education and training programs. 4-H adult volunteers will also have the opportunity to be certified in the ATV Safety Institute's "Train-the-Trainer" safety certification.
Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII) declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.67 per share payable on September 15, 2025, to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 2, 2025.
Dainese, the Italian motorcycle gear and apparel company, has been sold by Carlyle Group for € 1 to London based Arcmont Asset Management and HPS Investment Partners. The transfer of ownership follows a period of financial losses at Dainese, with the company reportedly being some € 300m in debt. The new owners have acquired Dainese as part of a restructuring plan - essentially a debt for equity swap (aka a 'debtor in possession' acquisition) that gets Carlyle off the hook for part of their original acquisition cost only. This is the latest stage in a fall from grace at the hands of sequential Private Equity investors. Founder Leo Dainese first sold the business he had loving built to Investcorp (the Bahrain Sovereign Wealth Fund) for € 285m in 2014. Investcorp financed that acquisition with credit provided by Arcmont and HPS. Investcorp flipped Dainese to Carlyle Group for an eyewatering enterprise value of € 630 million in 2022.
An 11-year-old youth motocross racer - Raycin Kyler of Florida - made history as the first female to capture the AMA National Championship in an open class (65 cc, 10-11 Limited class) at the 44th Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship (the world's single-largest motocross event) at the Loretta Lynn ranch.
At the end of July, Zero Motorcycles announced that it had made the first dealer deliveries of its X Line models to dealers. "The delivery of the first X Line bikes is a major milestone for Zero and for the future of off-road EV performance," said CEO Sam Paschel. "It's the start of a new chapter in how adventure riding is experienced. With the XB [$4,395] and XE [$6,495], we're making electric motorcycles more accessible and approachable for riders everywhere. Over the next two years, we will introduce six new models priced under $10,000 across multiple new vehicle segments, expanding access to more riders."