Bell Helmets has changed ownership, again. This time round to Vista Outdoors Inc., an American Private Equity investor owned by an even bigger fish called Revelyst. Vista has been split in two and has flipped a portfolio of powersports brands that also includes Giro, Bushnell, Camelbak, Fox Racing, QuietKat and others to another PE investor, called Strategic Value Partners. The remaining parts of the business have been packaged into a newly named entity called Kinetic Group, which has sold off the Group's ammunition division to the Prague based 'Czechoslovak Group' (CSG - formerly The Excalibur Group), whose 100 plus portfolio of investments features adjacent businesses that appear to be a more compatible home for an ammo manufacturer.
Honda is to add further to its already dominant motorcycle manufacturing estate with a new production facility in Turkey. Honda Turkiye A.S. (HTR) will establish in a new factory in Aliaga, Izmir, aimed at supporting growth in the local motorcycle market and boosting global sales. The Turkish market saw a new PTW unit sales record set in 2024, reaching 162,000 motorcycles. Production is scheduled to begin in mid-2026. Initially, the plant will operate with an annual capacity of 100,000 motorcycles, with plans to increase production capacity to 200,000 units in the future. The total investment amount for the facility and equipment is approximately € 17.3m. The plant is expected to create employment opportunities for around 300 people.
Polo Motorrad in Germany has placed its future in the hands of DWFB, a German advertising agency with the brief to execute a comprehensive re-brand, repositioning itself as a "modern, digital and strong omnichannel provider". Polo operates 89 of its own stores in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Group revenue is put at some $300m and, since 2023, Polo has been in the hands of Los Angeles headquartered Ares Private Equity as majority owner/B&B.
The post-racing brainchild of former British motocross professional and star of the 1960s Scramblers racing scene in Britain Dave Bickers (1938-2014) would have been proud. The parts, accessory and Maxxis tyre distributor founded in 1975 that still bears his name celebrated its 50th anniversary in April this year. Moving forward the Felixstowe, England based company is now known as Bickers Powersports; www.bickers-online.co.uk
Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025, Italian Brakes conglomerate Brembo has announced that it has entered the intensely competitive bicycle brakes sector for the first time. It has done so via a first ever collaboration in mountain bike Racing competition - the Downhill World Cup - in partnership with Specialised Bicycles' Gravity Team - an internationally recognised MTB race outfit. The official debut took place during the race in Val di Sole, 20-22 June, as part of the 2025 UCI MTB World Series calendar - the same weekend as the Brembo Italian MotoGP.
Indian electric vehicle brand Ultraviolette made its debut in June 2025 at Berlin's Reload.Land EV-fest with its A1 license segment high-performance electric motorcycles being distributed in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy by Zero Center AG, based at Radolfzell on Lake Constance in southern Germany.
Following its divestiture from the bankrupt clutches of KTM, Italian 'boutique' motorcycle manufacturer (and former H-D subsidiary) MV Agusta Motor S.p.A. has confirmed the successful closing of the transaction that returns 100% ownership of the company to the Sardarov's investment vehicle Art of Mobility - "reaffirming its strategic independence and long-term vision." After the two year "partnership" with KTM, former COO and Deputy CEO Luca Martin has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Additional board appointments include confirmation of Hubert Trunkenpolz as Chairman of the MV Agusta Board of Directors. The 'T' in KTM, Trunkenpolz must have found Italy to his liking - he is the grandson of KTM founder Hans Trunkenpolz. KTM's original name, when founded in 1934 was Kraftfahrzeug [Motor Vehicle] Trunkenpolz Mattighofen - that being the town in Austria where KTM's principal facilities are still located to this day.
Norton parent company TVS Motor Company has announced that the brand that it bought out of bankruptcy for around € 19m in 2020 has confirmed that the iconic, 1898 founded brand is to enter (re-enter?) the Indian market by the end of 2025, with up to six new models expected by 2027. Speculation suggests that Indian customers can expect to be offered small displacement Indian market-oriented models at some stage. Norton is also set to re-enter the German market.
