Comoto Holdings

Comoto Donates Goggles

While waiting for supplies of medical personal protection equipment, dirt bike riding nurses from Central California reached out to Rodger O'Keefe, Cycle Gear's Vice President of retail store operations, and told him that doctors and nurses could actually use motorcycle goggles in the interim to help protect them from the novel coronavirus. 

 
That set things in motion at Comoto Holdings, parent company of Cycle Gear, J&P Cycles and RevZilla. Ken Murphy, the company's President and CEO, decided Comoto would donate $50,000 worth of inventory to hospitals and emergency management offices to help in the COVID-19 fight.
Not long after, Daniel Gómez with UCLA Health called the Cycle Gear store in Lomita, California, and asked about buying goggles in bulk – 2,000 of them. Store Manager Anthony Thacker, who had heard about the donation plan, sent the request up the chain. A team quickly kicked into high gear to get the inventory picked, packed and shipped, free of charge.

Spanish PTW motorcycle registrations

Spain: Total PTW Registrations -43.66% for March 2020

Always the quickest to compile its data, the latest new PTW registration numbers from ANESDOR, the motorcycle industry trade association in Spain, is the first to be seen that give us an insight into how any of the major markets performed in March 2020, and they do not make pretty reading.

Jose Maria Riano, General Secretary of ANESDOR: "March was going quite well in Spain, until around March 13, which was when the Spanish Prime Minister effectively declared a state of emergency - the market became paralyzed straight away."

 
Spanish PTW motorcycle registrations were +12.17% in 2019, with 194,663 units registered, compared to 173,545 in 2018 - the best market performance in Spain since before 2008. They even grew by +8.34% in December, having been +27.28% in November.
The year was off to a good start, with January +13.45% and February +21.43%, with over 14,000 new PTWs sold in each of the first two months of the year. Compare this to the 16,201 registrations recorded in March 2019, March 2020 gives us a glimpse of the damage being done by the pandemic with registrations down by -43.66% at 9,128 units.
For the year to date, the first quarter of 2020, the market in Spain is -6.88% cumulatively (38,047 units), having been +18.69% (40,858 units) for Q1 of 2019 (34,425 units/+18.85% for Q1 of 2018).

'coordinated solutions - social and economic'

Statistically, the figures are even worse in Spain when looking at motorcycles alone. The market there was -46.64% (7,997 units) in March, having been +19.28%/12,825 units in February and +11.96%/12,373 units in January.
For the first quarter as a whole, the motorcycle market in Spain is -9.79% (33,188 units), having been +18.13% (36,789 units) for Q1 2019 and +24.49% (31,144 units) for Q1 2018.
Moped registrations in Spain were -6.91% for March (1,131 units), having been +39.76% (1,761 units) for February and +23.78% (1,973 units) for January. For the YTD they are +19.42% at 4,895 units for Q1.

Jose Maria Riano, General Secretary of ANESDOR, says that March was going quite well in Spain until around March 14, which was when the Spanish Prime Minister effectively declared a state of emergency - the market became paralyzed straight away.
In percentage terms, ANESDOR says that it should be noted that until March 13 growth was running at +37.8% and then fell by -89% in the second half of March.
Riano said: "With every day that passes with the market closed, any recovery becomes more difficult for the companies in the sector. In this emergency we are going through, it is necessary to take the appropriate measures to minimize the social and the economic impact. It is necessary to think about a crash plan to recover the automotive and motorcycle sectors if we want to preserve jobs.
"All kinds of motorcycles, which make up the bulk of the market here in Spain, have seen a decline of -45.7% from +34.4% through to March 13.
"ANESDOR is keeping the communication channels open with the Government of Spain and, through ACEM in Brussels, with the European Commission with the objective of seeking coordinated solutions in this situation of health crisis - social and economic."
Honda is market share leader with a 19.8% share, followed by Yamaha (15.7%), Kymco (10.0%), with BMW 4th and Piaggio 5th. The top seller YTD is the Kymco Agility City 125, followed by the Honda PCX 125 and the Silence S02.

Industry Expos

Question Marks Over Industry Expos

With the announcement that both BMW and KTM are both to pull out of INTERMOT (Cologne, Germany, October) and EICMA/Milan (Italy, November) there are now serious question marks over whether or not either show will be able to go ahead.
BMW are one of the senior members of the IVM, the German Trade Association that owns INTERMOT and so is, in effect, one of the owners of INTERMOT. Koeln Messe, the Cologne Exhibition Center where INTERMOT is staged, is not involved in the INTERMOT ownership equation. However, at this time, Koeln Messe is closed until further notice by its owners - the City of Cologne and the North Rhein-Westphalia state governments. The Milan Rho exhibition center that hosts EICMA every November is currently being used as a field hospital for the hard hit city of Milan and province of Lombardy.

 

In their statement (April 2nd) BMW stated that "This decision was made in order to counteract current planning uncertainty at an early stage" and "in the interests of the greatest possible security, predictability and transparency."

BMW Motorrad will instead present the world premieres and product highlights planned for these motorcycle shows on alternative platforms in autumn 2020. In doing so, the company will increasingly rely on its own formats and digital communication channels.

 

For BMW to announce it is withdrawing (also from EICMA/Milan) will be a serious body blow to both shows. BMWs absence will dramatically affect visitor numbers and result in an even greater reduction in aftermarket exhibiting vendor numbers than there has already been - especially those for who BMW models represent the majority of their business, of which there are usually many at INTERMOT.

KTM's announcement came 48 hours after BMW's and it is hard to think that the there wasn't coordination between two manufacturers who have a track record of working closely on strategic issues.

Europe's largest motorcycle manufacturer by unit volume (over 280,000 in 2019), KTM said that they had "assessed their overall strategy for the rest of 2020 and we have decided to make several key decisions in the wake of COVID-19 impacting public health, communities, the motorcycle industry and business on a global scale.

"In the best interest of our employees and customers, the company will withdraw from global trade shows for the rest of the year, including INTERMOT in Cologne, Germany and the EICMA exhibition in Milan, Italy".

Hubert Trunkenpolz, CMO at KTM AG said that - “Trade shows are key business milestones for the entire motorcycle industry but given the situation, public health and the welfare of our staff are higher priorities over the coming months. We have taken this course of action with a great deal of thought and, as a company, KTM AG would be pleased and interested if show promoters, EICMA in particular, would consider moving dates to 2021, where we hope and expect the situation to be settled and back to normal.”

 

While neither manufacturer specifically name checked AIMExpo, planned for Columbus, Ohio in September, they did both state, quite clearly, that they are withdrawing from ALL exhibitions. So those question marks must now hover over the USA's principal industry Expo too - following what can only be described as a clarion call for Expo postponement by Trunkenpolz other OEM's are highly likely to follow BMA and KTM's lead in Europe, USA and elsewhere.

Industry Expos

Question Marks Over Industry Expos

With the announcement that both BMW and KTM are to pull out of INTERMOT (Cologne, Germany, October) and EICMA (Milan, Italy, November), there are now serious question marks over whether or not either show will be able to go ahead.

BMW is one of the senior members of the IVM, the German trade association that owns INTERMOT, and so is, in effect, one of the owners of INTERMOT. Koelnmesse, the Cologne exhibition centre where INTERMOT is staged, is not involved in the INTERMOT ownership equation. However, at this time, Koelnmesse is closed until further notice by its owners, the City of Cologne and the North Rhein-Westphalia state government. The Milan Rho exhibition centre that hosts EICMA every November is currently being used as a field hospital for the hard hit city of Milan and province of Lombardy.

In its statement (April 2nd) BMW stated "this decision was made in order to counteract current planning uncertainty at an early stage" and "in the interests of the greatest possible security, predictability and transparency."

BMW Motorrad will instead present the world premieres and product highlights planned for these motorcycle shows on alternative platforms in autumn 2020. In doing so, the company will increasingly rely on its own formats and digital communication channels.

For BMW to announce it is withdrawing (also from EICMA/Milan) will be a serious body blow to both shows. BMW's absence will dramatically affect visitor numbers and result in an even greater reduction in aftermarket exhibitor vendor numbers than there has already been - especially those for whom BMW models represent the majority of their business, of which there are usually many at INTERMOT.

KTM's announcement came 48 hours after BMW's, and it is hard to think that there wasn't coordination between the two manufacturers, who have a track record of working closely on strategic issues.

Europe's largest motorcycle manufacturer by unit volume (over 280,000 in 2019), KTM said that it had "assessed their overall strategy for the rest of 2020, and we have decided to make several key decisions in the wake of COVID-19 impacting public health, communities, the motorcycle industry and business on a global scale.

"In the best interest of our employees and customers, the company will withdraw from global trade shows for the rest of the year, including INTERMOT in Cologne, Germany, and the EICMA exhibition in Milan, Italy."

Hubert Trunkenpolz, CMO at KTM AG, said: "Trade shows are key business milestones for the entire motorcycle industry, but given the situation, public health and the welfare of our staff are higher priorities over the coming months. We have taken this course of action with a great deal of thought and, as a company, KTM AG would be pleased and interested if show promoters, EICMA in particular, would consider moving dates to 2021, when we hope and expect the situation to be settled and back to normal."

While neither manufacturer specifically name-checked AIMExpo, planned for Columbus, Ohio, in September, they did both state, quite clearly, that they are withdrawing from ALL exhibitions. So those question marks must now hover over the USA's principal industry Expo too, following what can only be described as a clarion call for Expo postponement by Trunkenpolz, other OEMs are highly likely to follow BMW's and KTM's lead in Europe, USA and elsewhere.

BMW

Is This the Shape of Cruisers to Come?

BMW is saying that its new BMW R 18 marks its entry into the cruiser segment of the motorcycle market. In fact, BMW is theoretically already there with the hugely versatile R nineT, from which a myriad of factory versions has emerged and dozens, if not hundreds, of spectacular custom specials - not least by Winston Yeh (Rough Crafts, Taiwan).
Indeed, many BMW 'standard' street bikes and tourers have been cruiser kissing cousins, not least the current 'standard' R 1250 R - as much cruiser as it is street bike.

The R 18 has been much trailed during the past 18 months, with two initial design concept iterations and specials by Revival Cycles in the USA and Custom Works Zon in Japan. However, the BMW story that brought the German manufacturer to this place goes back several more years than that.

David Robb

Back in 2008, legendary head of the BMW Design Studio David Robb (from Boston) unveiled what was then described as the BMW 'LoRider' - a design concept for a Boxer 1200 engined modular custom cruiser program. Robb's team had taken hints of muscle bikes and streetfighters and combined them with lashings of Italian-esque roadster to come up with a naked cruiser that was clearly intended to add yet another new direction for the manufacturer as Robb determinedly continued to drive BMW motorcycles away from the 'pipe & slippers' image of its past.
That Robb succeeded in his mission is the stuff of record, but sadly the 'LoRider' was not one of his success stories. I saw him unveil it at EICMA in 2008, and he concluded his remarks at the press unveiling with the now legendary statement of intent - "Harley - we are coming after you!".
Unfortunately, the timing (just four weeks after the 'Lehman Apocalypse') wasn't helpful, and the project appears to have languished for a few years as BMW, indeed all manufacturers, held on to the tiger by the tail waiting for the financial crisis recession to find the bottom of its ocean.
 
More Torque Than the Wife

It is rumored that one of a series of fierce arguments between Robb and his employers that prompted him to quit in 2012 was over the direction that BMW wanted to head in with the 'LoRider' as they eyed blowing the dust off the project.
Whatever the plans, without Robb's energy, and with the market still only two thirds of the way to its 2014 seabed, the 'LoRider' never did see the light of day. What the story does tell us though is just how seriously BMW has been coveting a share of Harley's action and for how long.
The mission behind the R 18 is avowedly to rain on Harley's parade, and with initial press reactions and test reports having nothing but good to say, then maybe, as Harley (theoretically) gets ready to play in BMW's Adventure Tourer/Dual Sport backyard, just maybe the R 18 could finally be the model to gain BMW some traction in Harley's backyard.

Described as borrowing from famous BMWs of old, such as the legendary R 5 (1937 - 1939) with an essentials only "purist, no-frills technology," don't be fooled by the apparent simplicity of the R 18 - this a very advanced, rider-centric mile eater, "offering a riding experience that is as cultivated as it is emotional."
The centerpiece of the new BMW R 18 is a newly developed air cooled two-cylinder boxer engine - the "Big Boxer" - the most powerful two-cylinder boxer engine ever used in motorcycle series production with a displacement of 1,802 cc and peak output of 91 hp (67 kW) at 4,750 rpm, with over 150 Nm of torque available at all times between 2,000 to 4,000 rpm for "elemental pulling power combined with a full, resonant sound."
The 'Boxer' engine layout is a naturally smooth, low center of gravity configuration, and on the R 18 is housed in a double-loop steel tube frame and rear swingarm with enclosed axle drive and a rigid-frame look with mid-mount pegs.
The suspension elements of the R 18 deliberately dispense with electronic adjustment options. Instead, a 49 mm telescopic fork and a directly mounted central suspension strut with travel-dependent damping and adjustable spring preload "ensure superior wheel control and suspension comfort." Suspension travel is 120 mm at the front and 90 mm at the rear; the braking system consists of a twin disc brake at the front and a single at the rear with four-piston fixed calipers.
There are three riding modes ("Rain", "Roll" and "Rock") along with ASC and MSR - disengageable Automatic Stability Control and Engine Drag Torque Control as standard and Reverse Assist and Hill Start Control as ex-factory options.
The new R 18 will be offered worldwide as an exclusive R 18 First Edition right from launch, with a standard model reserved additionally for certain markets.
Customizing parts offered by BMW include RSD 'Machined' and '2 Tone Black' collections, as well as co-branded BMW/Mustang seats and Vance & Hines exhaust systems.

Vance & Hines

Vance & Hines 2020 AFT Singles Contingency Program   

In more Vance & Hines AFT news, the Californian exhaust manufacturer announced a 2020 AFT Singles Contingency Program, granting AFT Singles competitors who compete using a Vance & Hines exhaust system contingency benefits in the upcoming season.

This generous contingency offering comes in addition to the existing Vance & Hines AFT Production Twins package, bringing the company's total AFT contingency support to over $60,000 in 2020, $25,000 of which is available exclusively to the AFT Singles class. "We are a company born in racing, and AFT is important to us. This contingency program is a great complement to our support for AFT SuperTwins and the Harley-Davidson Racing Program," said Mike Kennedy, President of Vance & Hines.
Piloting a machine powered by his expertly tuned Vance & Hines exhaust system, Dalton Gauthier was a dominant force in the 2019 AFT Singles class, eventually winning the championship. In 2020, Gauthier will compete for a shot at the AFT SuperTwins title, aptly, under the Harley-Davidson/Vance & Hines banner.
V&H contingency offerings for the AFT Singles class per race break down as follows:

• 1st Place = $500
• 2nd Place = $300
• 3rd Place = $200
• 4th Place = $100
• 5th Place = $50
• Championship Winner = $5,000

News Briefs

Following news of its acquisition of J&P Cycles, RevZilla and Cycle Gear owner Comoto Holdings of Philadelphia has hired/acquired "visionary content producers Ari Henning, Zack Courts and Spenser Robert [On Two Wheels and Throttle Out] to the company's content and media team for Comoto's family of brands to educate today's riders and inspire those of tomorrow." Comoto was formed in 2016 by Boston area based private equity investor J.W. Childs.

A bipartisan group of United States Congress House representatives recently introduced the Recreational Trails Program Full Funding Act, which would boost funding for trails to at least $250 million. The MIC has worked closely with the Outdoor Recreation Roundtable in strongly pushing for this legislation. "The RTP is a critical program to ensure the development and maintenance of trails for motorcycles, ATVs and side-by-sides," said Scott Schloegel, the MIC's Senior Vice President, government relations.

Just as Harley prepares to get its wheels wet in the ADV Touring (Dual Sport) market, the competition is hotting up. BMW's dominance is well documented, and the Honda Africa Twin has pulling up trees worldwide since it was brought back into production five years ago. Triumph's Tiger ADV model has sold well for many years, but the British manufacturer has now launched two new tech-rich special edition Tiger 1200 models - the Desert Edition and the Alpine Edition. The 1,215 cc triple engine delivers peak power of 139 hp at 9,350 rpm and maximum torque of 90 lb-ft at 7,600 rpm. Features include semi-active suspension and shift assist.

 

MIC members elected two new directors for the organization's board, and re-elected secretary/treasurer Jim Woodruff for another two-year term. Dealernews Editor Robin Hartfiel, who has served on the MIC Aftermarket Committee since 1992, was elected to take the seat of Eric Anderson, of VROOM Network, whose term expired. Rod Lopusnak, General Manager of Triumph North America, was elected to take the seat vacated by Mike Peyton of BMW Motorrad USA.

Montreal, Quebec based distributor Motovan was forced to obtain the Canadian equivalent of a bankruptcy protection filing in December, reporting that it does not have the liquidity to purchase the levels of inventory necessary to support its operations. The company expanded outside of Canada in 2015 through the acquisition of US-based Motorcycle Tires & Accessories LLC (MTA), but the acquisition has not proven to be successful - the US company generating negative EBITDA since its purchase, and the shift in management's focus from the Canadian operations to the integration of MTA negatively impacted Canadian revenues as well.

 

BMW has filed a patent for wireless electric motorcycle charging. Its concept has a wireless charging receiver built into the pad at the base of the electric motorcycle’s side stand - the only non-rubber component that comes into contact with the ground. When the rider parks the electric motorcycle, the side stand’s pad would land on the wireless charger (which houses an AC coil). Wireless charging power is correlated to the distance between the charger and receiver, so works best when the two are in nearly direct contact - the BMW design does exactly that.

According to PSB, Wells Fargo Securities analyst Tim Conder is forecasting side-by-side sales to continue to grow in 2020: "We are cautiously optimistic for steady powersports market growth in 2020 (subject to weather) given recent retail momentum, clean channel positioning and constructive consumer fundamentals. We expect motorcycle units to be down by low single digit percentage. Heavyweight declines will likely be less bad (more in line with the market), but we do not see any catalysts that could reverse the segment's structural headwinds."

Royal Enfield

Royal Enfield and AFT Forge Partnership

American Flat Track proudly has announced the inaugural year of partnership with Royal Enfield North America with a multi-faceted plan to grow the visibility of the manufacturer within the sport.

In addition to becoming an Official OEM Partner of American Flat Track, Royal Enfield will be bringing its fleet of motorcycles right to the fans within AFT's Fan Zone activations at select rounds of the 2020 season. Those with motorcycle endorsements will even be able to take a spin on the RENA machines (Royal Enfield North America) with exclusive fan demo ride opportunities at eight AFT events, with the potential for additional rounds to be added and announced at a later date.
As an added element of entertainment for fans, Royal Enfield's recently announced BUILD TRAIN RACE program will bring its all-female flat track motorcycle program to select AFT rounds in 2020. Using the Royal Enfield INT 650 as a base, four women will customize and race their machines across the country, showcasing their various levels of ingenuity and skill.
AFT fans can look forward to the premiere of all four bikes and their builders at the 2020 Yamaha Atlanta Short Track presented by Law Tigers on March 28 at Dixie Speedway. The quartet of riders/builders will again compete at the So-Cal Half-Mile on May 9 at Southern California Fair and round out their cross-country exhibition at Laconia Motorcycle Week for the Laconia Short Track on June 13.
"This partnership represents a major step for Royal Enfield's efforts in North America," said Breeann Poland, Marketing Lead - Americas. "As we continue to grow our awareness, getting our motorcycles in front of enthusiasts is critical, and AFT has offered us a fantastic opportunity to do just that."