Chief Executive Officer and President of Harley-Davidson Keith E. Wandell To Retire May 1. 2015. Wendell, 65, has been CEO and President since May 1, 2009. Harley-Davidson, Inc. has named Matthew S. (Matt) Levatich, currently President and Chief Operating Officer of Harley-Davidson Motor Company, to succeed Keith Wandell as President and Chief Executive Officer of Harley-Davidson, Inc. upon Wandell’s retirement. Levatich has also been elected, through Board action, to the Harley-Davidson Board of Directors. Levatich, 50, joined Harley-Davidson in 1994. Prior to becoming President and COO of Harley-Davidson Motor Company in May 2009, he held wide-ranging roles in the U.S. and Europe. Past leadership roles include Vice President and General Manager of Harley-Davidson’s Parts and Accessories business, Vice President of Materials Management, and President and Managing Director of the Company’s former MV Agusta business.
Polaris Industries Filed For A “Victory Charger” Trademark On January 27, 2015. Of course, this trademark is about “Electric Motorcycles And Their Components.” Can we expect very soon (this year? In 2016?) a production electric motorcycle assembled in Spirit Lake, Iowa using the Brammo technology? Will it be a competitor to the LiveWire electric motorcycle that Harley-Davidson wants to mass produce as fast as possible?
Progressive Insurance. Motorcyclists Are Their Own Worst Enemy On The Road. Insurer Progressive states that single-vehicle mishaps accounted for more motorcycle-related claims last year than any other event, the company said Thursday. The insurer processed 3.5 times more of such claims than for rear-end crashes, the next-most common motorcycle incident. Excess speed is the most common rider-related factor in fatal motorcycle accidents. Riding while intoxicated on alcohol or controlled substances is another leading cause of motorcycle accident where another vehicle is not involved.
in 2013, motorcyclists made up 14 percent of all vehicle-related fatalities, up from about 9 percent in 2004, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.
Washington State Contemplating The Legalization Of Lane Splitting. Allowing motorcycles to pass between lanes has always been a controversial issue. But Washington State lawmakers are discussing a bill to legalize lane splitting – sometimes called “stripe riding” – under certain traffic conditions. The goal is to reduce congestion by allowing motorcyclists to legally pass between cars in traffic jams. The proposed law would allow motorcyclists to occasionally ride between cars when traffic is moving under 25 mph. Because it would be limited to traffic jams, bikers could not travel more than 35 mph at their top speed when passing between lanes.
Triumph Motorcycles Has Overtaken Rival Harley-Davidson In Domestic Sales In India. A year after setting foot in India, Triumph clocked 954 units sales in the more than 500cc, during the period May-December 2014. Harley Davidson, the world’s largest manufacturer of premium cruiser bikes, clocked sales of 936 units during the same period. Triumph presently has a market share of 36% in the above 500cc category. Harley Davidson, which began sales operation in India in 2010, has a share of 35%. Both Triumph and Harley have 12 motorcycles on sale in India. Triumph has 11 dealerships in Indian, Harley-Davidson 17. Both companies have local assembly plants.
Motorcycle Mechanics Institute (MMI) To Train Students On 2015 Harley-Davidson Motorcycles. At the request of Harley-Davidson Motor Company, MMI has been crafting this all new curriculum for the past year. It will cover the new technical features on these models, from the Rushmore Twin-Cooled™ big twin engine, and the Revolution X™ engine in the new Street model, to customer set-up procedures on the BOOM!™ Box Infotainment System. The curriculum will ensure that technicians will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to deliver the service that Harley-Davidson customers have come to expect. Classes began this fall at MMI facilities in Phoenix and Orlando.
Honda Motorcycle Is The Best-Selling Motorcycle Brand in Canada In 2014. Honda achieved nearly 20 per cent market share, with total sales of 10,930 motorcycles, more than 1,000 units ahead of the closest competitor. This marks Honda’s return to the top sales position in Canada for the first time since 2007.Honda was the top selling brand in Off Road recreation, Dual Sport and Sport categories in 2014. In the highly competitive world of entry-level sport bikes, Honda also took top market share with the CBR500R and MSX125 leading the way.
On the ‘ Progressive Insurance ‘ article . One look at the way far too many of us are riding on public roads these days makes these statistics no surprise to anyone what so ever with ‘ Eyes Wide Open ‘ . Too many of us becoming self entitled idiots once we’ve thrown our legs over the tank . So …
Ride Responsibly ..
… because if you don’t
Don’t be too surprised down the road if your privilege/right to ride is taken away .
If you have any idea whats going on behind the scenes in many states … you’ll know how close we are for that to become a very real possibility 😉
Congratulations Matt Levatich! I’m looking forward to seeing your leadership in action. With H-D’s current market position in an increasingly competitive environment, it will be interesting to see the realization of your strategy as you balance customer priorities with the needs of your investors and suppliers.
TJ Martin
If you have any idea what’s going on behind the scenes in many states … you’ll know how close we are for that to become a very real possibility – See more at: http://cyrilhuzeblog.com/2015/02/05/fast-motorcycle-industry-news-179/#comments.
TJ . What’s going on behind the scenes and where, by who
RE:
“… Motorcyclists Are Their Own Worst Enemy On The Road …”
What….? This is supposed to be a surprise….???
I think NOT.
Actually the headline should read:
“Today’s motorcyclists are clueless on the road.”
Let’s hope flying doesn’t become the next “I wan-a be somebody Fad.”
Cause then you’d see some real carnage.
-nicker-
1. Anyone is going to be more welcome than Wandell…
Maybe he’ll let some of those workers made to go part time back into full time,
and just maybe all those product defects will start to go away ???
2. Victory Charger ? Same as LiveWire…
Thanks but No Thanks !!!!
3. Agree with T.J. & nicker on this one:
Ride Responsibly or Don’t ride at all
4. Hope they follow the Cali. example
5, Good for Triumph, but I don’t care what happens over there
6. Ok, MMI that’s great but what about all of the pre-Rushmore bikes out there still on the road
if you don;t teach them, how are your students suppose to work on a older H-D
(Some of us still have them, you know) & some still go to the shops for some of the work.
(although most guys I know that have older H-D’s tend to work on them themselves)
7. Way to go Honda!!! North of the Border but still good to know
Thanks Cyril !!!!!
fuji – There are moves afoot in many states across the US being put forth by multiple politicians and supported by the insurance industry etc to potentially ban motorcycles from the road . Fact is many cities including Denver Colorado are already trying to ban motorcyclists from riding in specific areas with the overall goal of banning bikes from the city center all together . Fact is .. if you dig ever so slightly the warning bells are being sounded here as well as in the EU to gradually remove bikes as we know them from the road . Will they succeed ? Well … if bikers keep insisting on riding irresponsibly , showing little or no concern for those they share the road with …… maybe
TJ Martin.
I appreciate your response. I’am interested in learning more.
Where do I find sources for this information.
Thanks, will be looking for an assist
nicker.
Good shooting from the Hip. You hit the target.
Three deaths and one injury in my area in the last three weeks.
Two by hitting a car in front of them another trying to pass on the right and one missing a turn.
Two were alcohol one high speed and none were sport bikes.
Biggest complaint that I hear are remarks of loud annoying pipes. loud pipes save lives…? or portray the [ negative ] wrong image of bikers.
We preach safe riding all the time on the show. Ok only a handful of riders listen compared to the number out there who don’t.
The fact remains all the stats we have looked at over the years by Insurance Companies, State Safety Persons, WSP officers and Safety trainers we’ve had on the show is 60% or more deaths/accidents are rider inflicted and has nothing to do with something or someone else other than their poor riding skills.
If riders paid more attention to riding, there would be a steep reduction in self inflicted deaths and accidents. If you need evidence I will dig it up and post.
I think this is a good start to a conversation. Besides motorcycles I also enjoy a few other moderately dangerous activities. Bicycles, snow skies, and wave runners. A big difference I see is in those other activities we “police our own” It’s not cool to do dumb shit as far as other cyclists, skiers, or boaters are concerned. Being cool in those communities means wearing proper gear, following some common sense paratices, and saving the drinks for afterwards. But for some strange reason in motorcycles doing 100 mph on a home made rigid with a sleeveless t-shirt and a plastic beanie strapped to one’s head going from bar to bar is “badass”. Until fellow motorcyclists set riders like that strait we can expect politicians to attempt to fill the void. Police our own or others will eventually do it for us. I prefer the former.
RE:
“… There are moves afoot in many states across the US being put forth by multiple politicians and supported by the insurance industry etc to potentially ban motorcycles from the road …”
Well, a few years back Joan Claybrook (SOT for Carter?) had her sights set on us nationally.
And currently, in CA we’re getting closer & closer to getting-em “ban from trail riding.”
But Al Gore (pronounced Algore) upon election had targeted the Automobile industry for deconstruction, till some industry types went to DC and explained to that troll what part of the GNP was involved in cars.
How’s Obama’s war against the coal industry doing.
-nicker-