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UK considers scrapping Trump-era tariffs on US whiskey and motorcycles

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by Stefan Boscia from https://www.cityam.com The UK will review its tariffs on US products like whiskey, tobacco and motorcycles in a bid to get Joe Biden to drop Trump-era tariffs on British steel. International trade secretary Liz Truss announced today that she would launch a six-week consultation with British businesses to consider “re-balancing measures” that could see some of the tariffs scrapped. Truss said she wanted to “de-escalate trade tensions” so that the “US and UK can move forward to the next phase of their trading relationship”. The UK’s tariffs on US goods were in retaliation for Donald Trump’s Section 232 tariffs on British steel and aluminium. Trump’s White House said the trade barriers were required for national security reasons, however the policy was widely thought to be a part of the ex-president’s attempt to boost US manufacturing. “We now have the power to shape these tariffs so they reflect UK interests, and are tailored to our economy,” Truss said. “The UK will do whatever is necessary to protect our steel industry against illegal tariffs that could undermine British industry and damage our businesses. “Ultimately, however, we want to deescalate these disputes so we can move forward and work closely with the US on issues like WTO reform and tackling unfair trade practices by non-market economies.” Truss successfully got the US to agree to suspend US tariffs on Scotch whisky and other products earlier this year in a large step toward de-escalating trade tensions. City A.M. exclusively reported in March that Truss and her allies believed this milestone could provide a path to the US scrapping other Trump tariffs. Read more: Exclusive: UK to begin backdoor push to get Joe Biden to dump Trump’s steel tariffs Resolving the trade dispute with the US over steel tariffs could mark another step […]

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Harley’s shares hit 3-year high on EU-US trade truce

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by Michael Taylor from https://www.forbes.com Harley-Davidson Stock Soars As EU Decides Against 56% Tariff Surge The Harley-Davidson stock price surged this morning after the European Union deferred a tariff plan that would have seen the classic American motorcycle maker face a 56% entry ticket into the European market. Harley-Davidson Inc would have been one of the biggest losers if the tariff increase from the current 31% had gone through, though whiskey distillers and boat makers would also have taken a hit. “We are encouraged by today’s announcement that tariffs affecting our products will not escalate from 31% to 56%,” Harley-Davidson Chief Executive Jochen Zeitz said. “Harley-Davidson employees, dealers, stakeholders and motorcycles have no place in this trade war. These tariffs provide other motorcycle manufacturers with an unfair competitive advantage in the EU. “European motorcycles only pay up to 2.4% to be imported into the US. We want free and fair trade,” he said. The tariff hike was set to come into effect on June 1, but it has been shelved as both the US and the EU set about negotiations on steel and aluminum tariffs. It is estimated that the tariff would have impacted US$4 billion in exports from the US. The tariffs were initially imposed in 2018 in retaliation to a Trump administration tariff on steel (25%) and aluminum (10%), with further tariff retaliation slated to begin in June. “We did not want to be in this position,” European Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said in June 2018. “However, the unilateral and unjustified decision of the U.S. to impose steel and aluminum tariffs on the EU means that we are left with no other choice.” The company may have dodged the tariff bullet, but it is still fighting on another front in Europe after having its Binding Origin Information (BOI)

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Why Harley-Davidson Closed Shop in India

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From Ground-Zero of a Marketing Failure Is there a market for big bikes in India? All the big names have dealerships here in India – Triumph, Indian, BMW, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Honda and now some Italian brands too. India is the world’s largest market for two-wheelers overtaking China. Motorcycles and scooters can be seen everywhere in every city, suburbs and villages. It is the most popular choice of transport for the common man. Why would one of the world’s most popular brands decide to shut shop in India after spending a decade building dealerships and relationships? Harley-Davidson came to India before Indian and Triumph set foot here. In a way their sales figures induced other motorcycle brands to sell their larger models in India. Before Harley-Davidson the Japanese giants Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki did not consider bringing their superbikes to Indian dealerships. They were content with their small commuter bikes and scooters selling in large numbers. So how does the trailblazer brand decide they don’t like what they have accomplished? The answers are complex and the answers may be closer to home in US of A than in India. CLICK HERE to read this Report on Bikernet. Join the Cantina – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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Jawa Motorcycles to launch in Europe – Rival Royal Enfield

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by Abhinand Venugopal from https://www.rushlane.com Jawa Motorcycles’ European exports will start with Jawa 300 aka Jawa Classic Classic Legends, owned by Mahindra & Mahindra group, brought down Jawa Motorcycles to the Indian market back in November 2018. As a first, two motorcycles were launched as direct rivals to Royal Enfield’s ‘350’ range: Jawa 42 and ‘Jawa’ (a.k.a. ‘Jawa Classic’ or ‘300’). Prices for the initial BS4 single-channel ABS models stood at Rs 1.55 lakh and Rs 1.64 lakh, respectively. Either motorcycle was recently updated to BS6 specifications and prices increased to Rs 1.74 lakh and 1.83 lakh, respectively, for their dual-channel ABS variants. Meanwhile, Jawa Perak bobber was launched towards 2019 end as the Czech-origin brand’s first BS6 product, at a price tag of Rs 1.95 lakh. All prices mentioned here are ex-showroom. Jawa Motorcycles India plans to commence its European export operations soon with Jawa Classic as a start. The motorcycle has been already homologated for European roads. Compared to its original Indian specifications, Euro-spec Jawa 300 has received some minor updates to comply with local motor vehicle norms. Visually, there are no changes and Jawa Motorcycles is expected to introduce the same colour choices available in India. There is a good demand for classic motorcycles in Europe and the market has already proved to be a success for modern classics. For the same reason, major names in industry have introduced a range of interesting products in this genre. Honda Motorcycle could even bring back iconic CB series in the not-too-distant future. Coming back to Jawa Motorcycles, both its entry-level products are powered by a 293cc liquid-cooled DOHC single-cylinder motor derived from Mahindra Mojo’s power plant. The engine, in its latest BS6 format, makes 27bhp and 28Nm of torque while mated to a 6-speed transmission. Jawa Perak gets a

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Royal Enfield withdraws from Japan until new importer takes charge

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by Abhinand Venugopal from https://www.rushlane.com Royal Enfield’s Japan operations were carried out by the importer, Wingfoot Chennai-based motorcycle manufacturer Royal Enfield operates in more than 50 countries across the globe. The automaker has a huge fan following in many parts of the world, especially for its single-cylinder ‘Classic 350’ model. In India, the company has updated most of its products to BS6 specifications while readying to launch the next-gen ‘UCE 350’ models, starting with the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 (which replaces the Thunderbird range). Wingfoot Co. Ltd., Royal Enfield’s official importer in Japan has announced a business termination with the British-origin motorcycle manufacturer. The official statement stated that it has “finished all business related to the import and export of Indian-made Royal Enfield motorcycles” after ending the contract with Eicher Motors — the parent company of Royal Enfield. In other words, Royal Enfield has temporarily withdrawn from the Japanese market until a new importer takes charge. Royal Enfield Japan’s official website will be taken down by the end of this month while its social media handles will be deleted on May 15. In a matter of days, Eicher Motors might announce a new partner to commence operations in Japan. Royal Enfield has not been a strong player in Japan since the country has its own compelling alternatives from the likes of Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki. Even in India, Japanese two-wheeler brands often come at the top of monthly sales charts while Royal Enfield mostly remains at the bottom of the top 10. However, it is no secret that India is a volume-sale market and six-digit numbers need not always tell the story of a brand’s success or struggles. As mentioned before, Royal Enfield has already made a smooth transition to BS6 emission norms. In the process, the company has

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Yamaha Expects India to Become its Largest Production Base in 5 yrs

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Markets in Indonesia, Vietnam saturating; India priority No. 1, says top executive. Japanese auto major Yamaha Motor Company (YMC) expects India to overtake Indonesia to emerge as its largest base in terms of production output in the next five years. “India sells more than 20 million two-wheelers annually and the numbers are growing. Our company’s market share is in single digits. We want to improve this. There is a lot of opportunity,” says Yamaha India Chairman Shitara. Two-wheeler sales in India increased 6.95% to 19,740,727 units till February this fiscal. In the same period, India Yamaha Motor’s sales remained largely flat at around 732,006 units. The company additionally exported 226,010 units. Yamaha Motor India’s group chairman Motofumi Shitara was speaking on the sidelines of the launch of MT-15 priced at ₹1.36 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). “India is priority number one for us worldwide. We aim to have production volume of 2.5 million units in India in the next five years,” he said. Going ahead, Shitara said the company would steer clear of the mass segment and focus on launching premium motorcycles in the domestic market. The company has also commenced a study on introducing electric two-wheelers in India. Shitara is currently defining the mid-term roadmap for the company till 2025 to lay the foundation on how the brand Yamaha takes shape the country. Apart from growing volumes, Shitara said a focus area for him is to project a strong image for the Yamaha brand in the local market. Yamaha MT-15 was launched on Friday – a 155cc bike with liquid-cooled four-stroke engine mated to a six-speed transmission. MT-15 is priced at Rs 1.36 lakh ex-showroom. It has ABS and fuel injected variable valve actuation (VBA). On the idea of electric motorcycles, the Yamaha Chairman says – “Three points are important, one

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