Dealers

Harley struggles to fire up new generation of riders with electric bike debut

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by Rajesh Kumar Singh from https://www.reuters.com/ CHICAGO (Reuters) – Harley-Davidson Inc (HOG.N) is betting on electric motorcycles to attract the next generation of younger and more environmentally conscious riders to reverse declining U.S. sales. But as Harley ships its first “LiveWire” bikes – priced at $29,799 – to dealers, there is little evidence the 116-year-old brand is catching on with new young customers. The problem lies mostly with this “super-premium” product’s price. The bike costs nearly as much as a Tesla Model 3, and aims for a market that does not really exist: young, “green” and affluent first-time motorcyclists. The sleek sport bike has been available for preorder in the United States since January. However, the bulk of the orders are coming in from existing and old riders, according to interviews with 40 of the 150 dealerships nationwide that are carrying the bike this year. The dealers Reuters spoke with account for little over a quarter of LiveWire dealerships and are spread across Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, California, Nevada, New Jersey and New York. Harley has for years failed to increase sales in the United States, its top market accounting for more than half of its motorcycles sold. As its tattooed, baby-boomer base ages, the Milwaukee-based company is finding it challenging to woo new customers. In 2018, Harley posted the steepest sales decline in four years in the United States. U.S. sales are tipped to fall again this year. Harley Davidson’s U.S. Retail Sales Grappling with an ageing customer base and the waning charm for its big bikes, Harley has failed to post sales growth in the United States – its biggest market – in the past four years. The heavyweight motorcycle maker’s stock price has declined by 42% in the past five years. By comparison, the S&P 500 […]

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5 Seattle-area motorcycle dealerships close unexpectedly

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by Suzanne Phan from KOMO News SEATTLE – Five motorcycle dealerships in the Puget Sound region closed unexpectedly last week and now customers are scrambling to figure out how to get their bikes back. The NobleRush dealerships include two in Lake City, one in Redmond and two in Auburn. Employees have even been working without pay to help out their loyal customers. On Tuesday afternoon, several people were at a Seattle dealership with trailers to tow away their motorcycles. One man paid for repairs before they were finished. Another motorcycle owner, Tim Nelson, was worried about his motorcycle when he got no answer from Ducati Redmond for the past week. At one point he thought, “I’m going to call the police because it’s being held captive there, basically.” His motorcycle was at the business for service when word got out about the closures. “I didn’t even know it had happened until I read it on Facebook,” said Nelson. Nelson and others are left wondering where to go next. “It’s hard enough to get a Ducati serviced. But now, with even fewer places to take it, I don’t know what I’m going to do,” said Nelson. “This affects a lot of people,” added Tom Mehren. Mehren is the publisher of “Sound Rider”, a monthly online motorcycle magazine. “I feel bad for the 100+ of people that lost their jobs; I feel bad for the motorcycling community,” said Mehren. None of the customers got an explanation by phone or online about why the five shops suddenly closed. “It happened abruptly. You went on the website. There’s nothing on there that said, ‘sorry, we’re out of business,’ ” said Mehren. We reached out to the owner for comment but got no response. “We had somebody that owned too many motorcycle shops who did

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Triumph recalls 1,000 motorcycles in India for minor upgrades

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Affected model include Headstock Tidy, Street Scrambler, Street Twin, Bonneville T100 and Bonneville T120. NEW DELHI: British motorcycle manufacturer Triumph Motorcycles Ltd has announced a recall of certain models, affecting around 1,000 motorcycles in India. Affected model include Headstock Tidy, Street Scrambler, Street Twin, Bonneville T100 and Bonneville T120. Changes and upgrades in indicator, main beam malfunction and a possible loss of engine power caused by the clutch cable contacting the main harness, resulting in damage to the wiring within the main harness will be carried out. “Any concerned customers are asked in the first instance to contact their local Triumph Dealer as soon as possible, who will be able to carry out all necessary work as required at no cost to the owner,” the company said in a statement.

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Blue Collar Bikernet Weekly News for for March 21, 2019

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It’s all about doing it the hard way We have always been a blue-collar effort. The world is changing fast, but we will remain the guys who build shit and ride our stuff into the sunset. Even our Salt Torpedo is not being built by engineers. It’s the first Streamlined trike to be registered for Bonneville Salt Flats racing. The Bikernet Weekly News covers industry news, events, products, services, bragains, contests, swaps, giveaways and more. Join the Cantina for just $24 – CLICK HERE to Read the Weekly News. Bikernet.com is celebrating 24 years of Riding Free as the online website of choice for motorcycle news, tech and adventure. Bikernet Blog has a Free Weekly Newsletter.

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Harley-Davidson Acquires Company That Makes Electric Bikes for Kids

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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.

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The 2019 Ducati Model lineup arriving to American Dealerships

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Season Opening Events Taking Place March 22 – 24 at Showrooms Nationwide Mountain View, Calif. (February 22, 2019) – Ducati North America is celebrating the warm riding weather just around the bend by bringing its national Season Opening to participating dealerships March 22 – 24. The annual event offers Ducati owners and new fans their first opportunity to experience the Italian brand’s new line of motorcycles in person, which includes 10 new models for 2019, built for every riding level and encompassing all the Ducati worlds, ranging from Racetrack, Travel, Lifestyle and Scrambler, to Sport & Fun. For details, motorcyclists – or anyone interested in learning how to ride – can sign up here to learn more about the 2019 bikes or can locate their nearest Ducati dealership online at: https://www.ducati.com/us/en/dealers One relevant addition to the 2019 Ducati stable is the all-new Diavel 1260, the first significantly new Diavel since its debut in 2010, with a new 1262 cc engine and muscular styling – making it a completely new motorcycle. It’s perfect for experiencing summer winds along the coast, refreshing spring breezes down winding mountain roads or cruising with style down the backroads of America. Power and technology mix in the new Diavel 1260 to create the most advanced Diavel to date and, with low monthly payments, financing for the Diavel 1260 can be priced starting as low as $265.95 per month. Sign up here to learn more about the new Diavel 1260: https://contact.ducati.com/ww/en/season-opening-2019/light/s Also, existing 2018 models can be available with APR as low as 0% through Ducati Premier Financing, or with special offers on Ducati Apparel and Ducati Accessories. For more information, clients should contact their nearest Ducati dealership. Ducati 2019 Season Opening Motorcycles Scrambler Icon [As Low As $118.17 Per Month] – The Scrambler brand was launched

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