Fast Motorcycle Industry News

In 2016 Harley-Davidson Financial Service Loan Losses Shot Up Year Over year. The 1.9% retail credit losses came amid a 2.3% year-over-year decline in loan originations. It’s a high unseen since the fourth quarter of 2010, when loan losses hit 2.11%. “The increase in losses was due to higher defaults across the portfolio, especially from those loans given in oil-dependent areas, and also lower used-bike values at auction” said John Olin, Harley-Davidson Inc.’s senior vice president and chief financial officer. For a motorcycle manufacturer, the recovery value is always a function of the used-bike price. As used-bike prices have come down, credit losses have gone up at Harley-Davidson Financial Services.

New Official Daytona Bike week Website. To coincide with the 2017 Official Bike Week event managed by the Daytona Regional Chamber’s Bike Week Task Force, the new website serves as the year-round online hub for information related to the event. This new website boasts a responsive design which allows an ease of use on any device. The website also features a sticky navigation, known in the industry as persistent navigation, that works to help visitors find what they are looking for with the least amount of clicks. The website was created by local company “Architechs for the Web” “

Indian May Finally Assemble Bikes In India. Polaris is looking to expand its dealerships footprint and planning to assemble the Indian motorcycles in the country itself. The company is reportedly scouting for locations to start assembly for the complete Indian Motorcycle range. Currently, the lineup includes the Chiefs, the Springfield, the Roadmaster and the Scout.

American Motorcyclist Association Announces Recipients Of 2017 AMA Awards. The individuals and organizations selected by the AMA Board of Directors have made outstanding contributions to the motorcycling community and their efforts support the AMA mission to promote the motorcycle lifestyle and protect the future of motorcycling. The AMA Dud Perkins Lifetime Achievement Award is the most prestigious of the awards and is presented for 2017 to John Ulrich of Lake Elsinore, Calif. Ulrich, a competitive road racer, team owner and publisher, was elected to the AMA Board of Directors in 2005 and served with distinction until 2015. Other 2017 award recipients include: • AMA Outstanding Road Rider Award: Denny “Budman” Kobza Jr., Palo Alto, Calif. • AMA Outstanding Off-Road Rider Award: Russ Ehnes, Great Falls, Mont. • AMA Bessie Stringfield Award: Michelle Kumbier, Colgate, Wisc. • AMA Hazel Kolb Brighter Image Award: Backcountry Discovery Routes, Seattle. • Friend of the AMA Award: Perry King, Kool, Calif.; Louisville Vintage Motorworks, Louisville, Ky.; Nitro Circus, San Clemente, Calif.; Kelly Inman, Huntington Beach, Calif.; David O. DeWitt, Fort Wayne, Ind.

Connecticut Revisits 1976 Repeal Of Motorcycle Helmet Law. The uptick in distracted driving is prompting Connecticut legislators to revisit whether the state should reinstate a law repealed in 1976 that once required all motorcyclists wear protective helmets. Connecticut once required anyone riding a motorcycle, including a passenger, to wear an approved helmet. That law was repealed in 1976. In 1989, the legislature passed what’s considered a “partial helmet law,” requiring anyone under the age of 18 to wear a protective helmet, whether they are the driver or passenger. Thirty-one states currently allow adults to choose whether to wear a helmet.

Miguel Duhamel To Be Inducted Into Canadian Motorcycle Hall Of Fame. Miguel Duhamel will be honored at the 11th annual Induction Banquet and Reunion which takes place February 25, 2017 at the Sheraton Montreal Airport Hotel in Montreal. Montreal’s Miguel Duhamel, now based in Las Vegas, is certainly one of the best road racers ever produced in Canada. Miguel, along with older brother Mario and sister Gina, learned to ride on mini bikes at an early age, in public, at race events where father Yvon was working. From there, Miguel climbed the dirt bike competition ladder, eventually winding up in Super Cross. Duhamel stepped up to Pro, earning Top Rookie Honors in 1988 aboard a wide selection of Monette Sport Kawasakis. Duhamel became the winningest Super Sports rider in history in 1996, with his 28th career win on his way to the title. Miguel remains the most successful racer in the history of the Super Sport category. Perhaps Duhamel’s most impressive career stat are his five Daytona 200 wins, tied atop the all-time victory list with former rival Scott Russell.

6 Responses to “Fast Motorcycle Industry News”


  1. 1 Boots Feb 28th, 2017 at 9:40 am

    OK, I don’t quiet understand the Indian information. They are hopeful to start “assembly” of all Indians in India? This company touts its an American motorcycle company but its going to be put their motorcycles together in a foreign country? Are the motorcycles being assembled in India just for foreign sales only?
    Hopefully I’m missing something or there is additional info that I’m not aware of !

  2. 2 Nick azoulay Feb 28th, 2017 at 10:35 am

    No. Assembled in India are bikes for the Asian market.

  3. 3 BobS Feb 28th, 2017 at 10:58 am

    Boots, it’s called CKD, complete knock down, manufacturing. The article is a bit vague on if Polaris is doing this. Harley does and I’m betting this is also what Polaris is doing. They take a fully assembled bike that rolls off the assembly line in the states. Then they take it apart and ship it disassembled to India, where it’s then reassembled in an Indian “factory”. This is done to avoid paying steep import tariffs.

  4. 4 James just another crazy kiwi Feb 28th, 2017 at 8:12 pm

    Dose the New Zealand and Australia markets come under Asia as allot of companies put us (dicks)

  5. 5 Sheridan Mar 1st, 2017 at 12:23 am

    I sure hope not James just another crazy kiwi!!

  6. 6 DJM Mar 6th, 2017 at 3:31 pm

    Unfortunately James Australia and New Zealand do get grouped into the Asia/Pacific, or APAC region simply due to geographic proximity. I have never agreed with this practice myself as it seems to me that cultural uniqueness and trends in markets are very much out of phase with the rest of the Asian region. I have always felt that Australia and New Zealand should stand out as it’s own region, but no one seems to care what I think!

    As for Polaris “assembling” bikes in India, I have mixed feelings about it. On one hand It makes good business sense to leverage a loophole that allows them to save money and provide an opportunity for the people of India, but it does in spirit dilute the “Made in USA” image, even if those bikes are specifically for the APAC market. And I would be angry indeed if those bikes wound up for sale here in America at the cost of even ONE american job. But I put nothing past this disingenuous and greedy corporation, given their past track record of deceit and contempt for its own customer base.

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Cyril Huze