Motorcycle News

American Brands Issue Latest Sales Reports

American Brands Issue Latest Sales Reports Harley-Davidson and Indian motorcycle companies both issued their 2018 earnings statements last week, and their reports were a mixed bag. Harley’s statement showed sales down 10.2 percent in 2018 and down 6.1 percent worldwide, and their 4th-quarter profit was less than half a million dollars, compared to $8.3 million a year before.   Polaris, the owner of Indian Motorcycle, also posted 4th quarter sales drops in their motorcycle division to the tune of 15 percent, mostly due to the plummeting sales of their three-wheeled Slingshot roadster. Their Indian sales were a bit more encouraging,…
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2019 Great American Motorcycle Show

2019 Great American Motorcycle Show Born To Ride joined motorcyclists from across the southeast for the Great American Motorcycle Show at the Cobb Galleria Convention Center in north Atlanta January 26-27, for the chance to browse the latest bikes, gear, accessories, and miscellaneous farkles. Dealerships and bike shops from across the South debuted the latest in two-wheeled wonders from Harley-Davidson, Indian, BMW, Ducati, and the Japanese "Big Four", but also newer and/or lesser known brands such as MV Augusta, Moto Guzzi, Hyosung, and one of the oldest moto companies in the world, Royal Enfield- among the largest manufacturers on the…
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Kawasaki Confirms 2019 American Flat Track Contingency Program

Kawasaki Confirms 2019 American Flat Track Contingency Program DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (January 23, 2019) – Kawasaki announced today its 2019 American Flat Track Contingency Program totaling $424,850 – boasting a 19% increase over its 2018 program. The per-race and championship contingency payouts are available to riders in all three classes, broken down as follows: Finishing Position AFT Twins AFT Production Twins AFT Singles 1. $5,000 $1,500 $1,500 2. $4,000 $1,000 $1,000 3. $3,000 $750 $750 4. $1,000 $500 $500 5. $750 $250 $250 6. $500 $200 $200 7. $300 $150 $150 8. $200 $100 $100 9. $150 $100 $100 10.…
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Triumph Bonneville Icons Tour

Triumph Bonneville Icons Tour   Triumph North America has been busy this winter, offering press releases and first looks of their new 2019 Bonnevilles, set to hit dealerships soon. The company has set a precedent of touring their “Bonneys” across America every winter since the complete remodel of the line for 2016, and now other motor companies have begun doing the same thing, Ducati being the most notable. Dubbed the “Bonneville Icons Tour” this year, Triumph has been giving up-close and personal encounters with their all-new Speed Twin models, their new Scrambler XE and XC, the Speedmaster cruiser, and the…
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American Motorcyclist Association-sanctioned Supercross Futures is new advancement platform for Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship

American Motorcyclist Association-sanctioned Supercross Futures is new advancement platform for Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship New amateur national championship kicked off Jan. 13 PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The inaugural season of Supercross Futures, an AMA National Championship, got underway Jan. 13, the day after the second round of the 2019 Monster Energy AMA Supercross, an FIM World Championship, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. The eight 2019 Supercross Futures events and the Supercross Futures AMA National Championship event replace the AMSOIL AMA Arenacross Series as the official advancement platform of Monster Energy AMA Supercross. "The AMA has…
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Cell Phone Restrictions Save Lives

Cell Phone Restrictions Save Lives The threat of distracted drivers has increased in recent years; so much so that nearly all states have passed various laws restricting handheld cell phone use and texting. Two Florida-based college professors, Gulcin Gumus and Michael T. French questioned if these laws made motorcyclists safer, and decided to look at government statistics from 2005 - 2015. Previous studies had not shown much of a link between overall traffic fatalities and laws restricting handheld cell phone use and texting, but the professors thought the story might be different for motorcyclists, who are more vulnerable to distracted…
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DUCATI LAUNCHES 2019 “READY FOR RED” CROSS-COUNTRY TOUR

DUCATI LAUNCHES 2019 “READY FOR RED” CROSS-COUNTRY TOUR 17-City Tour to Bring World’s Most Powerful Production Motorcycle Along With New 2019 Ducati Lineup to U.S. Cities From Coast to Coast Mountain View, Calif. (January 16, 2019) – Beginning this Friday, January 18, Ducati North America will be hitting the road with a distinctive selection of their 2019 models, including the world’s most powerful production motorcycle, the Panigale V4 R. The “Ready For Red” tour will share the Italian brand’s technological and performance innovation with audiences across the United States with 17 stops in major metropolitan areas throughout the nation. The…
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Bike Hero Not For Sale – Night Train

January is “Human Trafficking Awareness Month.” Meet Sally. Sally is a survivor of human trafficking. Yep! As an avid biker, she is one of us. An icon representing courage in the communities and people she touches. She is also a seasoned professional model who you probably have seen in biker-related media before. Sally is a true warrior. Her story and what she went through is gut-wrenching. I am privileged to be her friend. Sally is the mother to six children and a grandmother of two. She is currently Co-Director of “Fighting Against Trafficking Organization.” Sally also strongly focuses on her…
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Seven-time National MX Champ Jeff Ward to race American Flat Track TTs in 2019

NEWPORT BEACH, CA (Jan. 8, 2019) – Jeff Ward, a seven-time AMA Motocross champion, AMA Supermoto champion, IndyCar and NASCAR racer, Motorcycle Hall of Famer and one of the most versatile and successful competitors in the world of motorsports, will return to the racetrack to compete in American Flat Track events in 2019. Ward will compete in the AFT Singles division at all five TT races – and maybe even a Short Track or two – aboard KTM 450 SX-F machinery with support from fellow racer and Moto Anatomy riding-school owner Johnny Lewis, Blackmore Ranch, KTM, Troy Lee Designs, Malcolm…
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Messy Opening Round of Supercross 2019

Messy Opening Round of Supercross 2019 With the beginning of a year, a new season of motorcycle racing kicked off over the weekend with the 2019 Monster Energy Supercross Series, at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. And what a crazy kickoff it was.     Southern California is prone to early January rains, and true to form, the sky opened up over the city and stadium, dumping hours and inches of rainfall on the track and riders. This made an already technical course a slough of muck and mire.     Opening heats and qualifiers on Friday in both the…
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How to stand out in a crowd. Confessions of an Isle of Man-iac

I must confess, the Isle of Man TT has pulled me in deep. Unless you have gone to the greatest race on earth, it is hard to explain. Being a photographer, I have thousands of photographs that blend all together in the sea of photographers. I started looking at my pictures and could see that I needed to stand out in the crowd. I have an art background and all the tools I needed, so I let my brain take over. It didn’t take long to finish my first work of art, well actually it did and 6 months later,…
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An Amazing Year-In-Review

As I’m writing this, I’m reflecting on what an astounding year 2018 was, both in motorcycling and in my own life. The memories, experiences, and stories come rushing back into my mind, and I’m grateful for each one. The MIC report that showed women riders in America is up to 19% is fantastic news, decades in the making. The “Give A Shift” initiative, among others, to encourage more people to take up motorcycling is showing signs of having a positive effect. The legendary Royal Enfield Motorcycle Company has entered the American market, and all of the major brands are stepping…
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Mr. Bikefest

Trying to determine the exact point where Mr. Bikefest was created is tricky. Ron was always an entertainer; he created a fun and welcoming atmosphere everywhere he went. His personality combined with a passion for conquering new challenges means he was always getting into something. The defining moments leading to Mr. Bikefest started in 2001. My dad and I had just finished the 1941 flathead and decided to debut that beauty at Daytona. With no preparation and little knowledge about that famous beach town, it was by chance that I entered and won the Daddy Rat ride in bike show.…
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“A Biker’s Love Affair: A Story of Salvation”

“A Biker’s Love Affair: A Story of Salvation” By Dolores Elam A cancer diagnosis. A fire. The death of a beloved spouse. Anyone of these would be enough to make someone question their faith, but after experiencing all three in the past two years my faith is stronger than ever. I’ve claimed my miracle and every day I see the undeniable presence of God. It started on February 5, 2015, when my husband Wayne was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. I slipped my hand into his and squeezed as we walked out of the hospital. The doctors told us…
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Brandon Robinson to Return to Kennedy Racing in 2019

PHOENIX, AZ. (January 3, 2019) - After a two-year absence, Kennedy Racing is returning to the 2019 American Flat Track (AFT) series in the AFT Twins presented by Vance & Hines class. With veteran rider and proven race winner Brandon Robinson, and former AMA Pro Racing Tuner of the Year Brent Armbruster, the team already poses a formidable threat to other AFT Twins competitors.   "Having a realistic shot at winning the 2019 AFT Twins Championship is the only reason we put this team back together," said Jerry Kennedy, team owner of Kennedy Racing.   Kennedy Racing will compete on…
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Triumph Revamps the Rocket III for 2019

Triumph Revamps the Rocket III for 2019 Triumph Motorcycles appears to be developing and delivering an all-new Rocket III beast in 2019, lining up Ducati’s new Diavel in it’s crosshairs. An official design sketch was revealed at the annual Triumph dealers conference back in the fall, with a brief glimpse of a “test mule” ridden across the stage to corroborate the artwork mock-up. That was it- no further info was offered at the time. Now some spec details are emerging, and the upgraded bike looks to be a muscular marvel indeed. Triumph asserts the new Rocket III will make in…
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