National News

WASHINGTON – The patriotic Rolling Thunder ride on Memorial Day weekend, which annually draws thousands of riders from across the country to the District of Columbia, will be no more after 2019. After 32 years, the plug’s being pulled on the massive event due to costs and communications problems with …

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Almost two years after shutting down, EBR Motorcycles is back in business with limited production. The American-made superbike line created by Erik Buell and built in East Troy, WI is now being hand-built by two of its former assemblers at a facility here. “We are going …

ROUND LAKE, IL – It will certainly need new tires and other rubber parts if it’s to be taken out on the road after all these years, and turning it into a show piece, either in a museum or a living room, might be a better idea. But a new …

Any hopes that fans of Kawasaki’s venerable KLR650 had that the recently-discontinued model would get an immediate replacement have been dashed. As expected, Kawasaki announced four new models at the EICMA trade show in Milan, Italy on Tuesday, but none fit the dual sport bill. Before getting to the new …

MILWAUKEE – Harley-Davidson said today that it’s recalling nearly a quarter-million motorcycles due a clutch problem. Affected are about 238,000 of 2017 and 2018 model-year Touring, Trike and CVO Touring models as well as some 2017 Softails. The problem involves the hydraulic clutch assembly. Harley-Davidson announced the recall in a …

MILWAUKEE – Sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the U.S. tanked in the third quarter of 2018, dropping 13.3 percent from the same period a year ago, earnings results released this morning revealed. The company sold 36,220 motorcycles in the U.S. during July, August and September, down from 41,793 in 2017. …

WOODCLIFF LAKE, NJ – Just a couple of weeks after Harley-Davidson announced the launch of an online store in conjunction with Amazon, BMW Motorrad USA has unveiled its own web shopping presence (www.shopbmwmotorcycles.com) for owners to buy parts, accessories and gear. Unlike Harley-Davidson’s direct-to-consumers approach, BMW reports, “Individual purchases are …

PICKERINGTON, OH – The American Motorcyclist Association has locked in July 5-7, 2019 as the dates for next year’s AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, OH. Honda will be the featured marque as well as sponsor of the event, which includes vintage racing in …

COLOGNE, GERMANY – Indian Motorcycle today unveiled two new non-cruiser models for 2019 and used the INTERMOT trade show here to do it. The flat track-inspired FTR 1200 and FTR 1200 S models will arrive in dealer showrooms next spring with MSRPs of $12,999 and $14,999, respectively. Both models are …

MILWAUKEE – In a move announced today that’s bound to have a negative impact on its dealers, Harley-Davidson has opened an online store with retail giant Amazon. It’s offering “select Harley-Davidson apparel and riding gear.” Merchandise is available as of today, with two-day shipping for Amazon Prime members. Harley-Davidson expects …

BIRMINGHAM, AL – The American-made premium sport bike brand Motus has lost its financing and abruptly shut down. Its founders announced in a Facebook post on Friday night that the company has ceased operations after 10 years, a move that stunned dealers and owners when the news began spreading today. …

BEDMINSTER, NJ – A day after welcoming “Bikers for Trump” into the crystal-chandeliered ballroom at his golf club’s clubhouse here, President Donald Trump has gone on the offensive again against U.S. manufacturer Harley-Davidson, saying in a Sunday morning Tweet that many of the brand’s “owners plan to boycott the company …

MILWAUKEE – With a goal of “unlocking new markets and segments” and creating “a more diverse rider base,” Harley-Davidson today announced plans for new models that embrace the sport bike, adventure touring and electric categories of motorcycles. In the pipeline are a Streetfighter model for sport bike enthusiasts, a Pan …

MINNEAPOLIS – Polaris Industries confirmed this week that it will begin building Indian motorcycles at its factory in Opole, Poland that currently makes off-road vehicles. Production of Indians destined for the European market will begin in 2019. The company had hinted at the possibility a month ago after the European …

MILWAUKEE – Sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles continue to sink in the U.S. The company announced this morning that Q2 sales dropped 6.4 percent from 2017, while sales for the first half of the year were off 8.7 percent from a year ago. Harley-Davidson sold 46,490 motorcycles in the U.S. in …