Yamaha has become the first OE to confirm its participation in this year's AIMExpo at Orlando, Florida, October 16-19 2014. Yamaha were the first motorcycle manufacturer to
sign up for last year's inaugural AIMExpo, and the brand "is looking to expand its presence at the 2014 event", according to the organisers. Now slated for four days, AIMExpo is a joint trade and consumer expo with over 200 exhibitors already confirmed for this year.
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Data released in the United States by the MIC (Motorcycle Industry Council) – which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year – reveal that motorcycle sales ended 2013 with a 1.4 percent overall increase compared to 2012. Dual sport was up by 7.8 percent at 32,979 units; street motorcycles were up by 2 percent at 324,691 units; off-highway motorcycle sales were up 5.7 percent at 73,371 units. Scooter sales were down 15.5 percent, but the sector only represents 7.4 percent of overall US sales.
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British brake specialist DP Brakes has announced ATV sponsorships in the United States that will see the company continuing to support “outstanding riders who appreciate the high performance products that DP Brakes offers”, said Larry Mills, President of DP Brakes North America. “Many of our sponsored riders have chosen to use DP Brakes products year after year and provide us with the feedback needed to maintain our performance leadership in brakes and clutches.” The company has also announced brake pad upgrades for Can-Am Spyders, which Mills has described as delivering “fade-free performance under all conditions”.
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EPM Performance Imports of Englishtown, New Jersey, is the exclusive US importer of Dutch made Hyperpro suspension products, and has announced that it is offering Hyperpro’s new BMW Telelever Street Box Suspension Kit to its US dealers. An all-in-one boxed set of Hyperpro’s advanced emulsion-type front and rear shocks, the kit was introduced at EICMA in November 2013 and is said to “have everything needed to replace the worn out parts of high-mileage shocks”.
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BMW Motorrad USA reported that its dealer network delivered an increase of 19.9 percent in December 2013, with the company finishing the year with 14,179 units sold, up 17.6 percent over 2012. With 5 new models to hit the US market in 2014, the company says it is already looking forward to an all-time record this year.
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Xinhua, China based Taotao Group, which is said to be China’s biggest ATV producer, is reported as saying it wants to expand its product variety and upgrade technology management by buying American powersports businesses. The US is said to account for 70 percent of Taotao Group’s export volume, with the group’s products accounting for 70 percent of China’s total ATV exports to the United States, put at 120,000 ATVs and motorcycles last year for a 30 percent market share.
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Erik Buell Racing (EBR) has announced its first 60 domestic dealers, giving the company a network that will cover the top motorcycle markets and metropolitan areas in 26 states. There will be 9 EBR dealers in Florida, which is one of America’s sport bike heartlands, with 6 in Texas, 5 in Pennsylvania and 4 in California and New Jersey.
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Harley-Davidson reported 2013 fourth quarter sales up 6.3 percent in the United States and up 4.7 percent internationally (up 5.5 percent in Europe, Middle East and Africa). For the full year, the company sold 260,839 new Harley-Davidson motorcycle worldwide (compared to 249,849 in 2012) – up 4.4 percent in the US, but down by 1 percent in EMEA. The company’s total revenue from motorcycles and related products was $5.258 billion (up from $4.942 billion in 2012).
