Mercedes-Benz Is Buying 25% Of Italy’s MV Agusta. Mercedes signed a long-term marketing and distribution partnership together with the stake purchase, the unit of Stuttgart-based Daimler AG and the Italy Varese-based motorcycle maker said in a statement last Friday. The companies didn’t disclose financial terms. This announcement follows luxury-car competitor Audi entry into the motorcycle market.Mercedes once had a marketing partnership with motorcycle maker Ducati, which ended when Volkswagen AG’s Audi unit bought the Italian brand in 2012. Today’s deal gets Mercedes back into the market with motorcycles like MV Agusta’s Brutale racing bike and new Stradale 800 tourer.
Easy Rider Chopper “Captain America” Now Officially In Guinness World Records’ Record For Most Expensive Sold At Auction. As you all know, the star-spangled Harley Davidson Panhead supposedly ridden by actor Peter Fonda in the 1969 road movie Easy Rider sold for US$1.35 million ($1.62 million including auction fees), eclipsing the price of the most expensive motorcycle ever sold (the US$1 million “Bathing Suit” Vincent Black Shadow) and more than than double the price of the previous most expensive motorcycle ever sold at auction (a Y1910 Winchester)
Triumph Motorcycles America Ltd. Sued For Defective Suspension. The company was Hit Wednesday October 29 with a putative class action in California federal court accusing the British motorcycle maker of knowingly selling vehicles with defective suspension systems that can cause the motorcycles’ rear wheel to lock up. The lawsuit alleges the company misled consumers by marketing their Daytona and Street Triple model motorcycles as reliable and safe, despite knowing that the motorcycles suffer from a systemic safety defect in their suspension systems that can cause accidents, and that Triumph has actively concealed.
Motorcycle Racer Valerie Thompson Sets New Personal Best Top Speed With 217.7 Mph Run At Texas Mile Speed Festival. Thompson, seven-time land speed record holder and one of the world’s fastest BMW racers, returned to Beeville Texas October 24 – 26 for this year’s second Texas Mile top speed competition. She made seven runs on her BMW S 1000 RR during the three day extravaganza of speed, each over 200 mph, making her one of two females with a best top speed on a motorcycle.
Harley-Davidson (HOG) Earns BBB Credit Rating from Morningstar. Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG) has been given a “BBB” credit rating by Morningstar. The research firm’s “BBB” rating suggests that the company is a moderate default risk. They also gave their stock a four star rating. Other equities research analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Harley-Davidson has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $72.35.
MIC Announces 2015 Board Of Director Election Results. The Motorcycle Industry Council members have elected Arnold W. Ackerman and Andy Leisner to each serve two-year terms on the 2015 MIC Board of Directors. In addition, Don Emde has been reelected to the MIC board to serve a two-year term and will be returning for his 14th year of service to the board.
Mercedes buying into MV Agusta ; OK … first VW-Audi catches a serious case of BMW Envy and buys Ducati . So now Mercedes has caught the bug as well .. buying into MV Agusta ?
Why is it I get the very distinct feeling both VW-Audi and Mercedes’s catching the BMW Envy bug is going to wind up in tears .. for both the auto and the M/C companies in question ?
RE:
“… US$1.35 million [captain America bike] …”
So i guess if some one anted to buy themselves into the Ginnis Book of Records all they’d have to do is spend $1.351 million on a 1956 Vespa.
-nicker-
Couldn’t find the capt America in Guinness Web Site
Probably because the website is not updated.
$1.35 million is absolutely correct for the Captain America bike and yes it is ‘ officially ‘ in the Guinness book of World Records regardless of whether Guinness has updated their site as Cyril [ and crew ] have stated .
Though for the life of me i have no clue why . Why anybody was willing to pay that much for the bike that is 😉