National News

WASHINGTON – Motorcycle deaths in the United States declined in 2018, dropping 4.7 percent from 2017, according to data released this week by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. A total of 4,985 motorcycle fatalities were reported in 2018, compared to 5,229 in 2017. However, motorcycle deaths rose slightly in …

Kawasaki this morning announced two new models for 2020 – the retro W800 and the naked Z H2. The W800 is a throwback to the 1960s and joins the existing W800 CAFE. It’s powered by an air-cooled, 773cc vertical twin engine and features an upright riding position and pea-shooter exhausts. …

MILWAUKEE – Sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles continued to decline in the third quarter of 2019, dropping 3.6 percent in the United States and 1.2 percent worldwide, as reported in a company earnings statement issued Monday. Harley-Davidson sold 34,903 motorcycles in the U.S. in the months of June, July and August, …

MINNEAPOLIS – Indian Motorcycle today released details on a new 108 cubic inch/1,769cc V-twin engine that will power the new 2020 Challenger model. The liquid-cooled PowerPlus engine, named after the Indian model that the original company built between 1916 and 1924, will deliver 122 horsepower and 128 foot-pounds of torque. …

MILWAUKEE – Harley-Davidson has resumed production of its new LiveWire electric motorcycle model, less than week after shutting down the assembly line for a “non-standard condition” involving the charging system. The company announced Friday that a problem involving one motorcycle caused the assembly stoppage, but that the manufacturing and delivery …

MILWAUKEE – Production of Harley-Davidson new’s electric LiveWire model has been short-circuited. A “non-standard condition” discovered as the first bikes were being shipped to dealers has caused a temporary shutdown of the assembly line.  After noting a glitch in the final quality checks, the company determined that additional testing and …

MILWAUKEE –  How much longer will Harley-Davidson dealers remain patient and quiet when faced with the reality of the company’s continually collapsing sales? Maybe they have no choice. What are their options? Sell out? Close up shop? If I were a dealer, I’d be starting to get very itchy; unless …

It’s the Week in Review for Aug. 4 through 10 – news items and other motorcycle-related info: MA Traffic At Tipping Point Massachusetts traffic is a mess. It can only take a fender bender or a bit of bad weather to disrupt traffic flow in Massachusetts, causing commute times to …

It’s the Week in Review for July 28 through Aug. 3 – news items and other motorcycle-related info: Hit-And-Run Driver Strikes Riders on I-95 In MA Sharon, MA – Two motorcyclists have been released from the hospital after being hit by a car on I-95 around 10:30 p.m. Thursday. State …

MILWAUKEE – Harley-Davidson continues to struggle as sales sagged again in the second quarter of the year. The company this morning reported a sales dropped 8.0 percent in Q2 compared to a year ago. A total of 42,762 motorcycles were sold, compared to 46,490 in the second quarter of 2018. …

POOLESVILLE, MD – Some Sunday morning rituals cannot be abandoned just because one’s on a short vacation. For worshippers of the Church of Two Wheels that means riding a motorcycle or at least mingling with those who are. A trip to visit friends near Washington D.C. last month had me …

SANTA MONICA, CA – The Progressive International Motorcycle Shows tour will expand by one city in 2019-2020, with Denver joining the schedule that includes a New York stop Dec. 6-8 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, it was announced this morning. The eight-city tour kicks off Nov. 22-24 in …

MUNICH – BMW Motorrad today unveiled a concept electric model dubbed the Vision DC Roadster that was designed to show how the company might transition its iconic boxer heritage in future years. “The boxer engine is the heart of BMW Motorrad – an absolute stalwart of its character. But BMW …

MILWAUKEE – Nearly a year after announcing its intention to find a partner and build small motorcycles in China, Harley-Davidson today announced that it will link with Qianjiang Motorcycle Co. to produce a 338cc model that will be sold in China beginning in 2020. Reuters reports that Harley-Davidson picked Qianjiang …

LONDON – Nothing ticks off non-riders more than excessive motorcycle noise and now the government in the U.K. has come up with a prototype “noise camera” to detect drivers and riders who break legal noise limits. In a press release issued today, Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said, “Noise pollution makes …