COVID-19

How The Pandemic Has Kick-Started a Motorcycle Boom

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by Emila Smith It is hard to think about silver linings amidst a devastating pandemic. However, despite the crumbling health systems and faltering businesses, many people have found ways to keep their heads up. They are taking this as an opportunity to enjoy a COVID-triggered breath of fresh air. The pandemic has kick-started a global motorcycle boom. More people are turning to their two-wheelers to break away from the stress and fears, enjoy the outdoors, and ease movement. According to a Bloomberg report, motorcycle industry leaders are optimistic. Eric Pritchard of the Motorcycle Industry Council looked forward to the best run since 2016. Like tech-based companies, motorcycle companies look forward to explosive growth during this COVID-19 season. But what are the reasons behind this motorcycle boom? As the experts at McKinsey would say, “The pandemic reshaped what consumers buy and how they go about getting it.” Previously, motorcycle sales were low because people considered it a risky affair. Bike riders had a disproportionately high number of accidents, and people were grey concerning handling injury and claims. But it looks like the tide is turning. The pandemic has somehow caused a shift in how people perceive motorcycling. It is no longer a stressful, hair-raising activity, but one pursued its health benefits. Read on and learn how wellness-craving buyers are causing a motorcycle boom. A COVID-Triggered Breath of Life Before the pandemic, dark clouds were hanging over the motorcycle industry in the US. There were not enough new buyers to replace those who were giving up their two-wheelers. According to  Statista.com, sales peaked in 2015 when industry sales stood at about 500,000 units. But the figures plummeted in subsequent years. Motorcycle companies like Harley Davidson were on the deathbed for a long time. But then COVID-19 happened. Lockdowns, social distancing, and other […]

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Laconia Motorcycle Week prepares for return of bigger crowds, vendors

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by Andy Hershberger from https://www.wmur.com LACONIA, N.H. — Laconia’s Motorcycle Week will have a very different look and feel than it did in 2020 The declining COVID-19 numbers are making a big difference this year as Laconia gets ready for the 98th annual Motorcycle Week. “It means we’re getting back on to life and back on to what we all do best in the hospitality industry, so we were grateful to have it last year, but this year is especially important,” said Cynthia Makris, Motorcycle Week president. There was a rally last year, but it was a completely different event. It was held in August instead of June, crowds were down and the normal carnival atmosphere suffered. One difference this year will be the vendor tents. Last year, just four nonprofits were allowed to set up shop in Laconia. This year, there will be more than 200 tents selling everything from T-shirts to leather goods. Officials said that alone will be a big draw for the event. “It’s huge this year, especially after all our businesses have gone through in the last 12 to 15 months,” said Scott Myers, Laconia city manager. “And this really kicks off the summer season. It gives it a jump start because schools aren’t quite out yet and it’s not really family vacation time.” Officials say safety measures will be in the form of awareness, hoping visitors are mindful of where the state and the country are at in terms of the pandemic. “We’re encouraging everyone to still remain socially distant when possible,” said Jennifer Anderson, of the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association. “We’re going to have handwashing stations and sanitizer stations available.” Officials said the best way to be socially distant is for people to get on their bikes and ride.  

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The Crazy Bikernet Weekly News for June 10th, 2021

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Life is Nuts, So Let’s Party We are about to publish a story about the motorcycle boom during the Covid era. It’s interesting how our industry flourished when the world was shut down. I’m about to finish a Life and Times piece about our move to the Badlands. I’m hoping it will help others, who are grappling with similar decisions. It was a stressful challenge but well worth every box of crap we hauled out here. I’m working on a Cantina Episode, a few bike features, and a girls of bikernet feature. In the meantime, ride free forever! –Bandit Click Here to Read the Weekly News only on Bikernet. Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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Royal Enfield presents Rupees 20 Million to State for Covid-19 relief works

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from https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com Approximately US $ 276,000 was presented to State of Tamil Nadu, India which is the home of Royal Enfield. Its commitment to extend support to the state government is being accompanied by other initiatives in the region, the company said. Chennai: Royal Enfield, part of Eicher Motors Ltd, has committed INR 20 million to the Tamil Nadu Disaster Relief Fund for the Covid-19 relief works in the State. The cheque for this was handed over to Chief Minister M K Stalin by Vinod K Dasari, CEO, Royal Enfield, at the Secretariat on Tuesday. “Tamil Nadu is the home of Royal Enfield motorcycles and we are committed to supporting the State in all its efforts to combat the devastating second wave of the pandemic. Our commitment to extend support to the state government today is being accompanied by a host of initiatives that Royal Enfield is undertaking in the region for the community. We continue to assess the situation closely and will extend further support to the relief and rehabilitation efforts in the long run,” Dasari said.

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Royal Enfield will have the highest number of new models

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by Swaraj Baggonkar from https://www.moneycontrol.com Royal Enfield will have the highest number of launches this year: CEO Vinod Dasari This year, Royal Enfield is ready to introduce more models annually than ever before as the niche bike maker looks to further strengthen its iron grip on the middleweight motorcycle segment The Eicher Motors-controlled company that specialises in building bikes with engine sizes of 350cc to 650cc, currently, has its order backlog full. This can keep its factories running for the next 2-3 months without any new bookings. Speaking to analysts, Vinod Dasari, CEO, Royal Enfield, said: “We have a very exciting (product) pipeline. This year will probably see the highest number of new models that is ever seen from Royal Enfield in a year. And that is just the beginning of the pipeline.” Over the last few months, Royal Enfield launched the Meteor 350 and the new Himalayan, besides offering new colours on the 650 twins – Continental GT and Interceptor. Dasari did not provide details on the models that can be expected from Royal Enfield. “We will continue to have one new model every quarter. Because there is a delay due to COVID right now, I don’t think we will squeeze everything in but there are some very big models coming in. We are very excited about it. We will have to do all the marketing and market preparedness for that,” Dasari added. While sales of the 650 twins in India nearly halved to 10,256 units in FY21, largely due to COVID-19 disruption, Royal Enfield believes that there is space for more 650cc products. “Yes, there is a need to think about every platform. Not just the Twins, but Himalayan, Meteor and Classic. So we should think about every platform on how we can meet other kinds of customer

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Harley-Davidson Hometown Rally in Milwaukee Labor Day weekend

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Harley-Davidson hosting a Hometown Rally in Milwaukee Labor Day weekend by Sarah Hauer from https://www.jsonline.com/ Harley-Davidson motorcycle riders are being invited back to Milwaukee this summer for a Hometown Rally during Labor Day weekend. Harley-Davidson, Inc. announced Wednesday it would host the Hometown Rally from Sept. 2 to 6 after stepping back from large events in Milwaukee last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Harley-Davidson said the company’s museum at 400 W. Canal St., will serve as the central rally point with six nearby dealerships offering additional events. The Harley-Davidson Museum will have free live concerts, food and beverage sites, stunt exhibitions and skills demonstrations across its 20-acre campus during the rally. The museum will also show off 2021 motorcycles. Born Free and V-Twin Visionary will host motorcycle showcases. The museum will be open for general admission. “The Hometown Rally is an event no Harley-Davidson fan will want to miss,” said Jochen Zeitz, chairman, president and CEO of Harley-Davidson, in a news release. “It will be a celebration of all things Harley, a chance to re-connect with other riders who share the desire for adventure, freedom and community that is the real heart of the Harley-Davidson experience.” Around 100,000 people attend the company’s Milwaukee events in anniversary years and the crowd is smaller in off years like this one — the company’s 118th anniversary. Hometown Rally schedules will be finalized throughout the summer with updates at H-D.com/hometownrally. Participating dealerships include House of Harley-Davidson in Greenfield, Milwaukee Harley-Davidson, Suburban Motors Harley-Davidson in Thiensville, Uke’s Harley-Davidson in Kenosha, West Bend Harley-Davidson and Wisconsin Harley-Davidson in Oconomowoc. The Milwaukee Rally was one of the few events that weren’t canceled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Local dealerships took the lead in planning the annual celebration. The motorcycle company did not host any

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Veterans plan Memorial Day motorcycle ride despite roadblock

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by Angie Angers from https://www.baynews9.com It’s a Memorial Day tradition for tens of thousands of veterans to ride their motorcycles to the nation’s capital. Pentagon had blocked their permit request, but vets say they are going regardless This time, the event was nearly in jeopardy. Every May for more than 30 years, veterans from all over the country have made the trip to honor those gone and those still missing in action. “Not only continue the tradition of holding Congress and the government accountable for trying to find these over 82,000 missing veterans, but also for veteran suicide,” said organizer Tom McNamara with AMVETS. McNamara says they’re expecting roughly 100,000 veterans and they’d received nine out of the 10 permits needed to make the trip happen. But just recently, defense officials denied their application to use the Pentagon’s parking lot like they have for the last three decades. “Using our satellite views on how we’re going to stage motorcycles, and a month ago they came back and said, ‘No, we’re not gonna do it, and didn’t give us an answer as to why,’” McNamara said. Officials of the Pentagon later cited COVID safety concerns and left AMVETS scrambling for another plan. Now Rep. Brian Mast is involved and is accusing leaders of blocking the tradition. He sent a strongly-worded letter to Congress pushing them to reconsider. McNamara says — either way — the veterans are using their constitutional right to protest and will be coming to D.C. no matter what. “As our First Amendment right, these people are coming anyway, we’re going to be there anyway. So now, we’re just lining up on the streets,” he said. They just want to keep the tradition alive. “Let’s just say Congress will know about it,” McNamara said with a laugh. The ride

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Tom Cruise rides a Motorcycle Off a Cliff for Mission: Impossible 7

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by Zack Sharf from https://www.indiewire.com Tom Cruise Rode a Motorcycle Off a Cliff for ‘Mission: Impossible 7,’ His Most Dangerous Stunt Ever A motorcycle. A cliff. A daredevil actor. What’s the worst that could happen? Tom Cruise found himself jumping out of airplanes and hanging off the side of cliffs during the making of “Mission: Impossible — Fallout,” but apparently all of that is child’s play compared to what’s in store for “Mission: Impossible 7.” During an interview with Empire magazine, Cruise confirmed that one sequence in the next “M:I” installment features him riding a motorcycle off a cliff and is the most dangerous stunt of his career so far. “If the wind was too strong, it would blow me off the ramp,” Cruise said about the stunt. “The helicopter [filming the stunt] was a problem, because I didn’t want to be hammering down that ramp at top speed and get hit by a stone. Or if I departed in a weird way, we didn’t know what was going to happen with the bike. I had about six seconds once I departed the ramp to pull the chute and I don’t want to get tangled in the bike. If I do, that’s not going to end well.” While free-falling off a cliff on a motorcycle sounds insane, Cruise maintained that relief was one of the biggest sensations he was feeling during the stunt because there was a time during the pandemic where the production’s future was in question. “All those emotions were going through my mind,” the actor said. “I was thinking about the people I work with, and my industry. And for the whole crew to know that we’d started rolling on a movie was just a huge relief. It was very emotional, I gotta tell you.” “Mission: Impossible

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Fritchie Classic motorcycle race to return to fairgrounds July 4

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by Mary Grace Keller from https://www.fredericknewspost.com The 100th Anniversary of Barbara Fritchie Classic There’s a short list of factors that can prevent the country’s oldest continuous dirt track motorcycle race — the Great Depression, World War II, rain and most recently, COVID-19. But not this year. The Barbara Fritchie Classic will return to the Frederick Fairgrounds July 4 after the pandemic led to its cancellation in 2020. This year will mark 100 years of tradition at the location since the series started in 1922, according to race organizer Richard Riley. “The race is on,” he said. The event will look a little different from years past. The plan is to limit the grandstands to 1,500 spectators (half capacity), COVID-19 safety protocols will be in place, visitors will notice extra cleaning throughout the event, and hand sanitizer will abound. Riley isn’t worried about reducing the capacity in the grandstands, since they usually see 1,500 to 1,800 spectators, and many of them stand around the racetrack’s fence. “It’s just good dusty fun,” Riley said. New this year, the event will offer a STACYC exhibition for youngsters competing on electric bikes. More details are to come, but Riley said the event will probably be geared toward kids ages 4 to 6. “The kids got to get out,” he said. “They can’t stay in the house all day.” He also hopes to display restored vintage racing bikes from the era of the first race. Riley’s been involved in the race in some way since 1977 and first attended in 1968. For decades of his life, the Fritchie Classic has been synonymous with celebrating Independence Day. Last Fourth of July, Riley found himself staring at the empty fairgrounds. He nearly cried when he had to cancel the event. “I just looked in there. Everything was

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Pentagon rejects permit request by veterans group for Memorial Day motorcycle ride

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by Nikki Wentling from https://www.stripes.com WASHINGTON – The Defense Department rejected a request from organizers of a traditional Memorial Day weekend motorcycle ride in the nation’s capital, throwing logistics of the event into uncertainty just weeks before it is scheduled to take place. Motorcyclists typically use the Pentagon’s parking lot as a staging area for the ride, but defense officials denied the permit application Friday for this year’s event. Officials cited the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the size of the expected crowd as the reason. Despite the denial, thousands of motorcyclists are planning to gather in Washington during Memorial Day weekend. As of Monday, organizers didn’t know where to gather the riders before and after they drive along the National Mall. AMVETS, a national veterans organization, is coordinating the motorcycle ride. The group said it was committed to still running the event on May 30 and organizers were searching Monday for a backup plan. “There are no options with as much space and convenient routes to the memorials, meaning it will be more difficult, disruptive, and expensive than if the Pentagon parking lots were available,” said Joe Chenelly, national executive director of AMVETS. The group criticized the Pentagon’s slow decision-making process. Chenelly said he applied in July to use the Pentagon parking lot on May 30. He was expecting to hear back by January. Chenelly told the Pentagon last month that he needed an answer by April 16. Officials called with their decision on Friday. “The biggest disappointment in the Pentagon’s denial was that AMVETS was ignored for months as its professional staff in Washington requested numerous times an opportunity to hear the Defense Department’s concerns and present a [coronavirus] safety plan,” Jan Brown, the national commander of AMVETS, said in a statement. AMVETS leaders said they were confident they

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