Fast Motorcycle Industry News

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Polaris Motorcycles To Benefit From Harley Ads? Harley-Davidson increased its 2016 marketing budget by 70% and is currently running a “Live Your Legend” advertising campaign to convince new riders to join the brand. On April 21st during a conference call to announce Polaris 1st-quarter results, its CEO Scott Wine stated “We do think that with the increased Harley advertising and promotion there’s a chance that there’s going to be a tailwind for the industry and we expect to benefit from that. Nice when somebody else pays for your advertising…”

Court Allows Indian Motorcycle To Be Registered For Clothing In Switzerland. While the term “Indian Motorcycle” was regarded as descriptive for motorcycles of Indian origin as far as it was applied for motorcycles, the term could not be regarded as descriptive for clothing. However, the question arose whether the term “Indian Motorcycle” for clothing would trigger the geographic expectation that the respective products would stem from India so that it could only be registered for clothing with the limitation “[clothing] of Indian origin.”

The Swiss Federal Supreme Court concluded that the combination of the terms “Motorcycle” and “Indian” for clothing did not produce an association between the claimed products—clothing—and the country of India. The trademark INDIAN MOTORCYCLE could therefore be registered for clothing without being limited to goods of Indian origin.

Bikers With Pre-2000 motorcycles Banned From Paris Streets. From July 1 all private cars registered before January 1, 1997 (for gas) and 2001 (for diesel) and all two-wheelers before June 1, 2000, will be banned from Paris streets on weekdays as part of the city’s efforts to cut pollution that has at times seen the air in the capital more polluted than Beijing. The anti-pollution measures will be progressively extended so that by 2020 Paris will ban all cars registered before 2011 and all motorcycles before July, 2004.

“Walking Dead” Actor Norman Reeds And Friends Will Be Riding Motorcycles In His New AMC Series. “Ride With Norman Reedus” will see the 47-year-old actor traveling the U.S. on a motorcycle with friends from across the lands. But the show is not about motorcycles! The AMC series, which features six installments, will follow Reedus as he and various riding comrades explore a different city by motorcycle each week. Meant to teach fans about motorcycle culture and the excitement of travel, Reedus assures it’s not a show for gearheads. “I take a person and we go on a journey, and we experience things together. They show me their town on motorcycles, and we explore new towns on motorcycles.” Riding With Norman Reedus airs on AMC in June.

13 Responses to “Fast Motorcycle Industry News”


  1. 1 Matt. W Apr 23rd, 2016 at 11:28 am

    It makes sense that if you focus your marketing on a “lifestyle” rather than your product it may also boost attention and sales to your competition as well. Everybody wins! 😉

  2. 2 Clay Manson Apr 23rd, 2016 at 4:47 pm

    Well, Harley is working for Indian..

  3. 3 Patrick Bunel Apr 23rd, 2016 at 4:52 pm

    How Indian was able to resolve the issue of name with Native Americans.

  4. 4 Jerrman Apr 24th, 2016 at 10:42 am

    As I said when their new ads were first featured, HDs campaign, while nicely shot, has a generic message. It’s more about the enjoyment of riding than it is about why buy a Harley vs. other motorcycles. As such, it’s not unlikely their campaign will benefit other brands as well. It’s normal for the category leader to do this but when sales are declining (although still above 50% of the big bike market), it can be a slippery slope. Their marketing efforts need to both celebrate the joys of riding as well as convince new riders it’s better done on a Harley. That also has to go along with new and better products for these newer riders.

  5. 5 Roger Mont Apr 24th, 2016 at 11:07 am

    the word indian is the englished “misnomer” amisapplied or inappropriate name or designationof the word indio, the depiction the spanish explorers made for the natives of all tribes they encountered in their conquest of the western hemisphere

  6. 6 X HD Rider Apr 25th, 2016 at 11:06 am

    why don’t Victory or Indians dealers cary parts. Everything is a two week wait or more.
    The price of replacement parts is outrageous. $109 bucks for a clutch cable or throttle cables
    Polaris is only interested in selling bikes and to bad for us if we need parts.

  7. 7 New York myke Apr 25th, 2016 at 11:26 am

    So X HD Rider, you ask a great question which can be inverted to get the best answer to why do HD dealers have the parts you need and the knowledge of how to install those parts or the experienced technitions to install them for you. The answer to that is that Harley corporate has worked for many years to help develop a dealer network that is not only a way to sell motorcycles but a way that the Harley rider can be assured that he or she will be well taken care of anywhere they ride, especially in the USA! There are always issues, and I can’t answer for Polaris, but as a HD dealer I can assure you we’d like to earn your return to our brand. There are over 600 of us ready to answer any Harley questions you have and I’m sure welcome you back to our great American brand!

  8. 8 Steal Your Face Apr 25th, 2016 at 12:04 pm

    Banning older vehicles from the city streets based on age alone is BS. I realize it is Paris, but can see this lefty, green, environment worship coming here. None of my vehicles are newer than 1989, and I bet they run as clean as most newer ones. How can you ban on age alone? And I live in CA.

  9. 9 Knucklehead Apr 25th, 2016 at 6:46 pm

    I don’t see where this CEO is coming from. Harley is still #1 and will remain so. MOST all of us here dreamed of having a Harley one day. They still make a damn fine product.

  10. 10 Woody's Apr 25th, 2016 at 9:27 pm

    Interesting spin on the Harley ads, and rather hard to buy into. Harley has been selling the concept over the machine for decades with amazing success, why would, “it’s not a bike, it’s the Harley lifestyle” suddenly translate into increased sales for the competition?

  11. 11 James just another crazy kiwi Apr 26th, 2016 at 12:52 am

    In Switzerland you have to be registered for flatulance or was that opulance.
    Their just up-tite Germans lol……….

  12. 12 James just another crazy kiwi Apr 26th, 2016 at 12:54 am

    Mind you reading that the French are not far behind……..fun piglets are every where

  13. 13 Woody's Apr 26th, 2016 at 12:51 pm

    They’re gettin’ quite a toe hold in the US, also

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Cyril Huze