by Dries van der Walt from https://www.wheels24.co.za/
Let’s take a step back in time to 1981 when Suzuki caused a sensation with the most outrageous bike the world had seen up to then: the revolutionary GSX1100S Katana.
When the Katana was launched, it changed street motorcycle trends in one fell stroke. In fact, the Katana’s influence is still evident in motorcycle designs 38 years down the line.
Tickling the fancy
Design by German design legend Hans Muth (who turned the ungainly-looking BMW ‘/5’ series bikes into classic beauties), the Katana was the stuff that my teenage dreams were made of, and when the new iteration came around I wasn’t going to allow the opportunity to test its modern iteration, so I added my name to a lengthy waiting list for the opportunity to review one.
The new Katana, launched earlier this year but classified as a 2020 model, was also penned by an independent designer, Rodolfo Frascoli, who was also responsible for Triumph’s Speed Triple and Tiger 1050.
Frascoli’s 2017 design concept tickled Suzuki’s fancy, and they greenlighted the GSX-S1000-based concept for production with very little revision to the underlying platform.
Hitting the sweet spot
Design-wise the new Katana is a worthy successor to the original. The lines that were so radically different in 1981 have aged well, and several younger onlookers who had never seen the original remarked positively on the bike’s looks.
One unintended compliment that summarised how well the bike has captured its predecessor’s appearance came from a young hipster, who said: “I love it, except for the headlamp – it looks so… eighties!”Like the GSX-S1000, the Katana is a practical everyday sportbike.
The seating position hits the sweet spot between sporty and neutral so that you only need to lower your upper body to transition from your commuting position to crouching for the twisties.
Ridden hard, the bike is responsive to light steering inputs and stable both through corners and at speed, and offers reassuring grip.The new Katana is nowhere near being the fastest bike in production, but that’s hardly the point of this exercise. That said, with 110kW on tap, it is no slouch either.
Back in time
In the upper rev range, it goes like the proverbial stink, but as is common with everyday sportbikes, it also offers decent punch in the rev range where you spend most of your riding.
With its abbreviated tail, the Katana doesn’t offer much in the way of luggage room, making a backpack just about the best option for carrying your daily paraphernalia.
As far as long-distance riding is concerned, you would probably be best advised to send your luggage ahead or have a support car to do the heavy-lifting duties.
But none of these caveats, I suspect, will matter to potential buyers. The older ones will most likely be the ones who buy it to have a modern version of the bike they fondly remember from when they wore youngsters’ clothes, and the younger ones will likely do it to own a bike that stands out from the crowd with just enough retro cool to make a statement.
For either group, it will be a win, because they not only get what they are looking for, but they also get a thoroughly modern sportbike with all the mod cons we have come to expect, clothed in a body that is both timeless and exceptionally beautiful.
SPECIFICATIONS
Manufacturer: Suzuki
Model: Katana
Engine
Type: Inline-4
Displacement: 999cm³
Maximum Power: 110kW @ 10 000rpm
Maximum Torque: 108Nm @ 9 500rpm
Fuel supply system: Electronic fuel injection
Fuel type: Premium Unleaded
Transmission
Type: 6-speed constant mesh
Final drive: Chain
Dimensions
Overall length x width x height (mm): 2 130 X 835 X 1 110mm
Kerb weight: 215kg
Capacities
Passengers: 1+1Fuel tank: 12 L
Brakes
Front: Twin Disc
Rear: Single Disc
Suspension
Front: Fully adjustable 43mm KYB fork
Rear: Linkage-assisted shock w/ adjustable spring-preload and rebound damping
Sales remained aloft longer than its rival, but now even its sales are falling.
As much as falling motorcycle sales at Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG) have been attributed to its core customer aging out of the market while the next generation of riders seems uninterested in buying the big bikes it produces, Indian Motorcycle sidestepped most of the same pitfalls even though it produces many of the same kinds of motorcycles as Harley does.
Since being resurrected from bankruptcy by Polaris Industries (NYSE:PII) and returned to the market in 2014, Indian has been a steady performer with retail sales often rising in the double-digit percentages. That has allowed it to steal market share from Harley, whose sales often contracted at similar percentages.
Yet with Polaris’ third-quarter earnings report released last month, investors may have to accept that Indian Motorcycle now has its own Harley-Davidson problem.
A worsening sales decline
Polaris Industries is not transparent at all when it comes to telling you how its motorcycle business is performing. Where Harley breaks down sales and shipments by geographic region and type of motorcycle, Polaris provides vague percentage increases or declines, maybe calling out a model once in a while, but never giving investors any real insight into how Indian’s various motorcycles are performing.
What we do know is that despite double- and even triple-digit sales growth early on, Indian Motorcycle sales are now quickly spiraling down. Even as Polaris obscures the actual numbers, a mid-teen-percentage decline in retail sales that far eclipses the contraction of the broader motorcycle market suggests that this is becoming a big problem for the bike maker.
Worse, the downdraft is accelerating. In the second quarter, Polaris said Indian retail sales were down by almost 10%, while in the first quarter they were down by high single-digit rates. In last year’s fourth quarter they were down by low double-digit amounts, which was a big drop since they had been positive the quarter before.
That doesn’t bode well for when Polaris reports results the next time around. Even though the bar has been lowered considerably on sales, there’s no reason to think it will be able to rebound — precisely because Indian is still making the same kinds of heavy, big-bore bikes as Harley.
It just released its newest touring motorcycle, the 2020 Challenger, that houses its bigger, more muscular liquid-cooled PowerPlus engine that evokes images of Harley’s Road Glide.
Looking to reverse direction
Certainly both bike makers are hoping to change the equation. Harley has gone all-in on electric motorcycles — a field Polaris rejects, saying they’re unprofitable — along with two new styles it recently unveiled that represent a big change for the bike maker: the Bronx streetfighter and the Pan America adventure bike. They’re smaller, lighter, and meant for a different kind of riding than typified by Harley’s cruisers.
Polaris has also introduced a new bike, the FTR 1200, which was inspired by its racing team’s success on the flat-track circuit. While many enthusiasts had hoped for a street version of the FTR 750 that was tearing up the track, Polaris came out with a somewhat bigger, more powerful bike that it also hopes changes the conversation about its products.
But the introduction of the FTR 1200 was flawed in several respects. Polaris was late to market with the bike, so it missed a good part of the sales season, and then misjudged demand for the different models, believing more buyers would want the base model when in reality there was higher demand for the race replica version.
The new model helped lift international sales in the quarter, but it may be a while before we see any impact here at home. Motorcycle sales typically dry up during the winter months, and it’s still unknown what kind of demand will be there come the spring.
The outlook isn’t bright for biking
Polaris Industries, unlike Harley, is more than just a motorcycle maker. It also makes side-by-side recreational vehicles, snowmobiles, utility vehicles, and more recently boats. They help the powersports vehicle maker smooth out sales over the year. And motorcycles only account for 9% of total revenue.
Yet with motorcycle sales deepening even further into the red, Indian is mimicking the worst aspects of its rival at just the wrong time, and its problem could only get worse.
The Piaggio Group has presented a number of exceptional new motorcycles and scooters from its exclusive brands. The highly anticipated new Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, Vespa and Piaggio models were unveiled in preparation for next year.
It’s a new era for Aprilia. Created around a totally new technical base, defined by the 660 parallel twin, comes a new generation of lightweight, high-performance bikes that are sophisticated in design. A return to the mid-sized engine, supported by the electronics and technology of the Aprilia Racing department, to rediscover the pleasure and joy of everyday riding.
The first born in this brand-new generation is RS 660 – premium technical content and advanced but unvarnished performance to rediscover the pleasure of dynamic riding on the road. A sportbike to suit all motorcyclists and that requires no particular experience level or ability. The innovative concept behind the RS 660 project can be summed up by its excellent weight/power ratio that makes for enjoyable riding, whether relaxed or more sports-orientated: 169 kg plus 100hp is the perfect formula for enjoyment on the road.
The Tuono 660 Concept best expresses the new concept of sports versatility introduced by Aprilia with the new family of motorcycles designed around the new 660 cc twin-cylinder that, with the Tuono 660 Concept, is able to deliver 95hp. Thanks to highly sophisticated semi-active suspension, the fastest, most powerful and lightweight RSV4 becomes even more efficient on track and enjoyable on the road. The control unit that governs the Öhlins Smart EC 2.0 suspension has access to all the bike’s electronic systems, meaning it is able to recognise all riding phases and therefore adapt calibration of the fork, shock absorber and steering damper hydraulics thanks to the development of an algorithm, the fruit of collaboration between Öhlins and Aprilia.
Tuono V4 1100 Factory is the most exclusive version in the Tuono range, dedicated to an extremely demanding public and equipped with components that largely derive from the Aprilia RSV4 superbike. The front mudguard, engine cover and side panels of the Factory are now in carbon fibre, a prestigious material that, as well as being lightweight and resistant, is able to boost the level of construction quality, now at a peak. The Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 Factory offers, as standard, the most advanced and efficient electronic suspension system currently available.
Following the critical and public acclaim achieved by the V85 TT, Moto Guzzi presents the Travel version, ready to take to the road with its complete dedicated range of equipment. Featuring, as standard, a higher Touring windshield, a pair of very spacious panniers, a set of heated hand grips, a pair of additional LED lights, and the Moto Guzzi MIA multimedia platform that allows a smartphone to be connected to the vehicle, extending the instrument cluster functions. The Sabbia Namib colour is exclusively dedicated to V85 TT Travel. Making its debut is Moto Guzzi V7 III Stone S, a sportier and more sophisticated interpretation of the Mandello best-seller.
There are also various new models from Piaggio. Piaggio Medley combines the agility of an urban vehicle with the dynamic performance of a high wheel model and the comfort and loading capacity of a big GT scooter. The new design puts the emphasis on sportiness, with a totally redesigned front end, at the centre of which the new vertical element stands out, characterised by a 3D honeycomb grille. Making its debut on the Piaggio Medley is the latest evolution in the family of Piaggio i-get engines, with 125 and 150 cc engine capacity: both are liquid-cooled, with four-valve distribution and electronic injection, and deliver 11 and 12.1kW respectively.
Piaggio Beverly, a leader in the high wheel scooter segment, presents its new 2020 range, available with 300 and 350 cc engines. The latter is the innovative engine with record performance introduced for the first time in 2011 with the top-of-range SportTouring version and now extended to the entire Beverly family, composed of Beverly, Beverly S and the brand-new Beverly Tourer.
Vespa Primavera Sean Wotherspoon is a special edition that expresses all the creative energy linking Vespa and Sean Wotherspoon, one of the most creative and influential designers on the American landscape. Sean takes the steel body of Vespa Primavera and creates a new style dedicated to young urban tribes, but one that can also appeal to a wider audience.
by Robin-Leigh Chetty from https://www.htxt.co.za/
While Harley-Davidson is not the first name that springs to mind when it comes to electric vehicles, every time we’ve written about the company, it’s had to do with one of its EVs.
This time around is no different, as the company offered up the first looks at its new trio of pedal-assisted electric bikes at 2019 EICMA Motorcycle Show in Milan earlier this week.
Electrek was on hand to take a closer look at the bikes, and you can check out a full gallery of images on its site.
With the trio of electric bikes yet to have official names, we’re more interested in what Harley-Davidson’s plans are moving forward, and luckily the firm has offered up some insight in that regard.
An unnamed spokesperson has noted that Harley-Davidson will be gauging the interest and demand for pedal-assisted electric bikes in coming months, with a view to launch them some time in 2020.
Based on the concept models shown in Milan, it looks the company is targeting a more premium customer, with The Verge believing that a price tag around the $1000 mark is not out of the question. This makes sense considering the electric LiveWire motorbike goes for a cool $30 000 on pre-order.
These bikes are not the only EVs that Harley-Davidson is working on, with the company also revealing an interesting looking e-bike concept last year, but sadly no word on whether that will go into production.
It’s also unclear which regions outside of the US the firm plans to launch these upcoming electric bikes, or indeed its LiveWire. With a number of dealerships locally, there is certainly a demand for the brand, and perhaps some of its future EVs too.
The Ultimate combination of Performance, Comfort and Technology.
Dominating passing power from our all-new, liquid-cooled PowerPlus V-twin engine. All-day comfort from a chassis-mounted fairing and power adjustable windscreen. Next-level riding experience with Smart Lean Technology™ and new Ride Command system with real-time traffic and weather overlays.
Challenge everything you know about American motorcycles with best-in-class performance, comfort, and technology all wrapped in distinctive, aggressive styling.
Take Your Indian Challenger to the next level by adding Authentic Accessories from the new Rogue and Tour Collections.
Pack up. Ride out. Get the room you need without sacrificing the style you want. Any Indian Motorcycle bagger is a great choice for wherever the day takes you.
Indian Motorcycle unveils its new Challenger to Harley heavyweight
by David Schuyler from https://www.bizjournals.com
Indian Motorcycle has revealed its newest model for 2020 — the Indian Challenger – and it’s likely to look very familiar to many Harley-Davidson riders.
The Indian Challenger comes in three variants, the Challenger, Challenger Dark Horse and Challenger Limited, with base prices of $21,999, $27,499 and $27,999, respectively.
Indian, the vintage motorcycle brand that Medina, Minnesota-based parent company Polaris Inc. has positioned as an alternative to the heavyweights from Harley-Davidson Inc. (NYSE: HOG), teased the new motorcycle last week when it released details on the new PowerPlus engine that’s at the heart of the Challenger.
With its big liquid-cooled, 108-cubic-inch V-twin power plant, Indian’s newest model is perhaps the brand’s deepest incursion yet into Harley-Davidson’s market. And there’s one big reason to look at it that way,
Even before Tuesday’s official roll-out, more than one motorsports industry writer compared some earlier leaked images of the Challenger to Harley-Davidson’s Road Glide, a big touring bike that represented a sizable portion of the sales mix for Milwaukee-based Harley-Davidson Inc. back in 2013, when the iconic motorcycle manufacturer put Road Glide on a hiatus that lasted all of one year.
When teasing the new Challenger model last week, Indian described at as a “fixed-fairing bagger,” a term that aptly describes the Road Glide. With the Challenger, Indian is clearly targeting one of Harley-Davidson’s biggest market spaces. Upon reintroducing an updated Road Glide for the 2015 model year, Harley’s chief financial officer John Olin said in January 2014 that Road Glide accounted for 9 percent of the company’s sales volume. Cutting into that chunk of the industry could hurt.
So can the Challenger slice into that market? Here’s the scoop on the Challenger:
The PowerPlus V-twin pushing 128 ft-lbs of torque is packed onto cast-aluminum frame with inverted front suspension and adjustable rear shock, Brembo brake system and large 18-gallon capacity saddlebags. Additional features include electronic cruise control, full LED lighting, anti-lock brakes and keyless ignition.
The Limited and Dark Horse models include Indian’s Smart Lean technology, which enhances braking, traction control and handling, and the Indian Ride Command infotainment system featuring weather and traffic overlays, key vehicle information, and Bluetooth and USB mobile pairing.
How does it compare with the Road Glide? The 2020 Road Glide is powered by iconic brand’s Milwaukee-Eight 107 or 114 engine with 111 to 122 ft-lbs of torque. Cruise control, ABS, LED lighting and Brembo brakes are also part of the Road Glide package. Price? Road Glide starts at $21,699 and goes up to $28,299 for the Road Glide Limited.
The Indian Challenger’s PowerPlus engines are made at a Wisconsin plant in Osceola, while assembly of the Challenger takes place at the company’s plant in Spirit Lake, Iowa.
Indian Motorcycle Pushes American V-Twins Forward With the All-New 2020 Challenger – the Ultimate American Bagger
by Associated Press from https://www.oaoa.com
The bar for American motorcycles has officially been elevated. Indian Motorcycle, America’s First Motorcycle Company, has dramatically redefined the American bagger with its introduction of the 2020 Indian Challenger – a striking combination of American muscle, next-level technology, and premium comfort to deliver a truly unmatched riding experience.
Indian Motorcycle, America’s First Motorcycle Company, has dramatically redefined the American bagger with its introduction of the 2020 Indian Challenger. From left to right: Indian Challenger Dark Horse, Indian Challenger Limited, Indian Challenger (Photo: Business Wire)
Designed for the most knowledgeable and discerning riders, Indian designers stopped at nothing to ensure that the Challenger out-classed its competition and delivered the highest performing, fully loaded bagger on the market.
“The Indian Challenger delivers a new level of performance for riders who understand that the seemingly small details make a huge difference,” said Reid Wilson, Vice President of Indian Motorcycle. “Our mindset was to leave no stone unturned and deliver a bagger that exceeds the standards in categories like power, handling, comfort, and technology.”
It starts with the all-new Indian PowerPlus engine, Indian’s first liquid-cooled large displacement motor (108 cubic-inch, 60-degree V-twin) that packs a best-in-class 122 horsepower and 128 ft-lbs. of torque. The new powertrain also features a six-speed transmission with true overdrive, assist clutch to reduce clutch effort, and hydraulic valve lash adjusters and camshaft chain tensioners for a low maintenance, reliable powerplant. The PowerPlus’ overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder deliver incredible V-twin performance and power. Riders can customize the bike’s throttle mapping by selecting one of three ride modes, including Rain, Standard and Sport – resulting in one motorcycle with three distinct performance personalities. Each ride mode has been engineered with its own distinct traction control setting to align with each mode’s specific throttle mapping.
Starting at $21,999, the Challenger features all the premium touring amenities riders expect from Indian Motorcycle, including electronic cruise control, full LED lighting, a long-haul seat, ABS, keyless ignition, and weatherproof saddlebags with over 18 gallons of storage space. In addition, a modern and aggressively styled chassis-mounted fairing sits over the Challenger’s inverted front suspension. This, combined with the bike’s lightweight cast aluminum frame and hydraulically adjustable FOX ® rear shock, delivers unrivaled handling and rock-solid stability.
Race-spec radially-mounted Brembo ® brakes provide superior stopping power, and new performance touring Metzeler ® Cruisetec ® tires offer supreme traction. Challenger’s chassis-mounted fairing features an adjustable windscreen with nearly three inches of travel and adjustable air vents – delivering unprecedented rider protection from all elements. With menacing LED running lights, a central headlamp, and a redesigned and modernized Indian Motorcycle headdress adorning its front fender, the Challenger presents an unmistakable profile day and night.
A true state-of-the-art bagger, the Limited and Dark Horse variants of Challenger are equipped with Indian Motorcycle’s intuitive Smart Lean Technology™, keeping riders confidently grounded by utilizing a Bosch IMU to add cornering control to the dynamic traction control and ABS, as well as Drag Torque Control. These models also feature Indian Ride Command, the largest, most-customizable touchscreen infotainment system on two wheels. The Challenger’s seven-inch Ride Command system features weather and traffic overlays, key vehicle information, Bluetooth ® and USB mobile pairing, and an all-new quad-core processor for faster response.
For its inaugural year, the Challenger lineup is accompanied by a variety of Indian Motorcycle Authentic Accessories that allow riders to upgrade their ride based on their preferences. With the Indian Challenger Rogue Collection, riders can improve sound and add blacked-out styling with the black stage 1 slip-on muffler and black PowerPlus stage 1 air intake. While a gloss black mid-rise handlebar, a tinted curved windshield and gloss black front highway bars add a premium blacked-out finish.
For an added measure of comfort over longer hauls there’s the Indian Challenger Tour Collection, including a 16-inch windshield, quick release passenger sissy bar, passenger backrest and passenger floorboards, an extended reach seat, rider backrest pad, infinite highway pegs and pinnacle heel shifter. Riders can also upgrade the Indian Challenger’s audio experience with the PowerBand Audio Plus system, which delivers exceptional sound and clarity from high-output fairing and saddlebag speakers that are 50% louder than the Challenger’s stock audio system.
With its modern, aggressive look, and a seemingly unlimited array of performance, comfort and technological features, the Indian Challenger stands alone as the ultimate bagger.
“While we are grounded in our iconic history, we are focused and driven to break new ground and establish a higher standard for riders; and the Challenger is a testament to that,” said Steve Menneto, President of Indian Motorcycle. “The amount of technology and level of detail packed into this bike is incredible, and it’s something we’re extremely proud of.”
Pricing for the 2020 Indian Challenger, available in Titanium Metallic paint, starts at $21,999, while the Challenger Dark Horse, starting at $27,499, is available in Thunder Black Smoke, Sandstone Smoke, and White Smoke. The Indian Challenger Limited starts at $27,999, and is available in Thunder Black Pearl, Deepwater Metallic, and Ruby Metallic.
The Indian Challenger will be assembled at Indian Motorcycle’s production facility in Spirit Lake, Iowa. Learn more about Indian Motorcycle and the 2020 Indian Challenger by visiting IndianMotorcycle.com and following along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
It’s an evolution of the world’s best-selling superbike
Over a thousand attendees wildly cheered as Ducati boss Claudio Domenicali unveiled the 2020 Streetfighter V4, a racing-inspired motorcycle that weighs less than a Chevrolet big-block engine yet packs more power than a Subaru BRZ. It’s revving proof that jaw-dropping horsepower and eye-catching design are still the guiding lights in the motorcycle industry.
The Streetfighter V4 is a Panigale V4 (the world’s best-selling superbike) stripped down to the bare essentials. In car terms, it’s like if Audi dropped the powertrain from the R8 LMS into a purer, simpler variant of the car. While that sounds relatively simple, Domenicali explained striking the right balance between performance, usability, and design was much more difficult than anyone anticipated. The company’s engineers put the Streetfighter through its paces all over the world — even at Pikes Peak.
“We test prototypes once a month. About one year ago, we were in Sardinia and we were very unhappy [with this bike]. We were worried, but we totally changed the situation. It has taken one year of hard work, but in the last tests we’ve carried out, you can really feel the difference,” he explained.
Andrea Ferraresi, Ducati’s lead designer, instructed his team to draw inspiration from the Joker; yes, that Joker. The Streetfighter’s face was extremely important during the development process, because it’s a model without any side fairing. The drivetrain is fully exposed, hence why this type of motorcycle is called naked. The front end consequently has to convey the bike’s identity on its own, yet it still needs to house the headlights, plus a growing list of electronics.
Stylists bent the rules to add biplane wings near the front. Domenicali conceded it was a contentious decision, but the winglets ultimately stayed because they add nearly 62 pounds of downforce at 170 mph. An unexpected wheelie is the last thing you want if you’re traveling at that speed.
The Streetfighter V4 can get there, too, and it will make it look easy. Its specs are bewildering, especially if you’re used to seeing horsepower and torque curves in the automotive world. The 1,103cc V4 engine screams its heart out until it produces 208 horsepower at 12,500 rpm and 90 pound-feet of torque at 11,500 rpm. Riders who want more can order a racing-spec Akrapovič exhaust that bumps the four’s output to 220 horses, which is eight less than the 2019 Volkswagen GTI. And yet, the Streetfighter weighs 392 pounds in its lightest configuration.
While Ducati developed the Streetfighter V4 with performance and style in mind, it couldn’t build it without a generous serving of technology; Domenicali underlined the importance of safety. It consequently features a six-axis inertial measurement platform that monitors its pitch, roll, and yaw angles and does its best to step in if something looks amiss. The suite of electronic riding aids also includes a power launch function, traction control, and cornering ABS. These life-saving features are slowly but surely seeping into motorcycles from the car world, and riders are accepting them.
“For a while, ABS was very special for riders. We’d hear it all the time. Customers would say ‘oh, I have it in my fingers, I have it in my hands.’ No way. ABS is very important,” Domenicali stressed.
Ducati will offer the Streetfighter V4 in two variants when it releases the model in early 2020. The more hardcore V4 S version gains an upgraded Öhlins suspension and weight-saving forged rims provided by Marchesini. Pricing start at about 16,000 euros, a sum that converts to nearly $18,000, but full information about the American version will be released in early 2020.
TOKYO, Oct 9 — Japanese manufacturer Kawasaki has announced an updated version of its Ninja 650 for 2020.
For 2020, the medium-weight sportbike has a new TFT color display on which the fuel gauge, gear position indicator, speedometer, “Economical Riding Indicator,” even a connection status with a smartphone via Bluetooth are shown digitally. The screen’s brightness varies according to surrounding light conditions.
Among the motorcycle’s other new features are a passenger seat designed for more comfort, new LED headlights both in front and back of the bike, and standard Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 tyres.
For the rest, the frame hasn’t changed, keeping a manoeuvrability that works for everyone from beginners to the most experienced riders. There are new colours, however: Lime Green/Ebony, Metallic Spark Black and Pearl Blizzard White.
The starting price for the new Kawasaki Ninja is US$7,399 (RM31,000). — AFP-Relaxnews
Harley-Davidson is trying to attract a new generation of riders at a very young age. The iconic motorcycle company announced Tuesday that it was buying StaCyc, which makes two-wheel electric bikes for kids.
StaCyc has two models — the 12eDrive and 16eDrive — that the company describes as “the perfect choice for little rippers” between the ages of 3 and 7.
The bikes have a top speed of about 10 miles per hour and sell for a range of $649 to $699.
Harley-Davidson said in a statement that Harley-Davidson branded versions of StaCyc’s two models will be available at select Harley-Davidson dealers in the United States in the third quarter of 2019.
“The StaCyc team shares the same vision we have for building the next generation of riders globally and we believe that together, we will have a significant impact in bringing the fun and enjoyment of riding to kids everywhere,” said Heather Malenshek, Harley-Davidson senior vice president of marketing and brand, in the statement.
Harley-Davidson is increasing its bets on electric vehicles as sales of traditional bikes slow.
The company has already announced plans to launch the LiveWire premium electric motorcycle this fall. It is also developing other electric bikes that it plans to start selling in 2021.
Harley-Davidson needs new growth opportunities as the company struggles to deal with tariffs from the Trump administration that have hurt earnings.
Sales and profits are expected to fall this year and revenue is only expected to rebound slightly in 2020.
Shares of Harley-Davidson have rallied this year with the rest of the market, rising 10% so far in 2019. But the stock is trading nearly 20% below its 52-week high.
Harley-Davidson is trying to attract a new generation of riders at a very young age. The iconic motorcycle company announced Tuesday that it was buying StaCyc, which makes two-wheel electric bikes for kids.
