National News

Haven’t we seen this movie before? Here’s the plotline. Harley-Davidson diverts from past design practice and unveils a concept of a sporty, non-cruiser model and seeks public response. Time passes and, well, nothing comes to fruition. At least not in 2019 or 2020. Here it is 2026 and Harley-Davidson is …

BROOKLYN, NY – Interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and not staged since, the popular Split’n Lanes Dodgin’ Gutters classic motorcycle show is getting revived at the Brooklyn Bowl bowling alley in 2026. The invitational event, which has drawn show bikes and spectators from Connecticut, will be staged from …

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – In a shocker of an announcement today, Polaris Inc. said it’s getting rid of Indian. It plans to separate Indian Motorcycle into a standalone business and will sell a majority stake to the private equity firm Carolwood LP. The transaction is expected to close in the first …

MILWAUKEE, WI – Harley-Davidson this morning named a new president and chief executive officer to replace the departing Jochen Zeitz. Artie Starrs comes to the motorcycle maker from Topgolf Callaway Brands where he has served as CEO of its Topgolf International subsidiary. Between 2013 and 2021 he worked for Yum! …

MILWAUKEE – Harley-Davidson has never been known for manufacturing small or affordable motorcycles, but with sales crashing and its customer base aging out of riding, the company now plans to offer low-cost, entry-level models. Again. While this strategy has failed in the past, Harley-Davidson said Wednesday that it hopes to …

Has there ever a better show about motorcycling than the “Long Way…” series involving friends Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman? They’ve gone the “Long Way Round” the globe, the “Long Way Down” through Africa and the “Long Way Up” through South America. Now, they’e going the “Long Way Home.” Apple …

MILWAUKEE – After five years of trying to revive an American motorcycle brand that’s struggling with plummeting sales, German-born Jochen Zeitz plans to retire as CEO of Harley-Davidson. The 62-year-old Zeitz will leave sometime in 2025, the company said Tuesday morning. Zeitz, who formerly helped resuscitate German footware brand Puma, …

It appears that Norton Motorcycles is on the verge of putting its products back in the United States. This observation is based on the fact that the U.K. company has hired Steve Radt, the former longtime owner and general manager of Ducati and Triumph franchises in New York City, to …

MILWAUKEE – In a move that certainly raises questions about motivation, Harley-Davidson on Friday reduced the price of its entry-level Nightster model, bragging the “model is now available for under $10,000.” Not much under $10,000, though. Actually, just a measly $1 less. The base Billiard Gray version of the Nightster …

There hasn’t been an announcement, but RIDE-CT can report that the revived BSA motorcycle brand appears to be very close to selling models in the U.S. with one dealer saying Wednesday morning that sales may commence within two months. This news follows a speculative RIDE-CT story back in late November …

MILWAUKEE – If you’ve ever thought that Harley-Davidson motorcycles are expensive (and who hasn’t?), well, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. The company on Tuesday announced the release of a limited-edition, King of the Baggers-inspired 2025 CVO Road Glide RR with a price tag of $110,000. Harley-Davidson calls the 153-horsepower model …

How a motorcyclist views the current state of the motorcycle industry may depend upon the brand of bike a person owns and/or on their loyalty to a specific brand. If a rider’s brand is doing well, that person might think all is rosy. If the opposite is true, concern might …

Honda nudged out Harley-Davidson to become the best selling motorcycle brand in the United States in 2024, according to recent data released from Statistica. The Japanese brand held a 20 percent market share, based on unit sales, compared to a 19.9 percent share for American brand Harley-Davidson. Three other Japanese …

HARWINTON, CT – Is BSA’s return to the U.S. finally about to happen? Or has it already occurred behind a curtain of secrecy and no one’s spilled the beans? It appears that a return is quietly moving forward and just hasn’t been publicly revealed, but will an official announcement be …

MILAN, ITALY – No specs were divulged. No prices were revealed. And the first model won’t be available until spring 2026. Royal Enfield also didn’t say whether it can be expected in the U.S. from the get-go, but what the company from India did do Monday was announce an electric …