Deliveries of BMW Motorrad premium motorcycles and maxi scooters in the first half of the year were close to the extremely high level achieved last year. In the year-to-date, a total of 86,975 units were delivered to customers, a decrease of 1.6% year-on-year. BMW Motorrad is significantly refreshing its model line-up in 2018, with nine new models being introduced, and the related adjustments in production are affecting deliveries. BMW Motorrad continues to strive for sales growth across the full calendar year.
KTM Industries AG reported a record first half for 2018 with motorcycle sales of 126,808 units (+15%). At € 821.8m, revenues were +8% with EBIT +19% at € 78.4m – the KTM balance sheet position was boosted by the sale of the Pankl-Group to Pierer Industrie AG-Group for € 103.5m. KTM EBITDA was up at € 126.2m from € 105.8m and says its market share in Europe was up by +36% (YoY) to a market share of 11.3%, stimulated by the successful launch of the two-cylinder 800 cc KTM 790 Duke and the 401 Svartpilen/Vitpilen and 701 Vitpilen Husqvarna road models.
Indian manufacturer and former Eric Buell collaborator Hero Motor Corp has splashed the cash on a new $3m Global Design Center in Manchester, England.
For students of vendor longevity, raise a glass for Central Wheel Components of Birmingham, England. Founded in 1897, the company has celebrated 120 years of continuous operation. The company stocks more than 15,000 motorcycle wheel rims and 500,000 spokes and nipples at any one time, most manufactured in-house. Its SM Pro Platinum rim is widely recognised as the world’s strongest and lightest aftermarket MX/off-road rim. These days the company is based at Coleshill, England, near the UK’s National Motorcycle Museum.
The Dakar Rally has been provisionally slated for Peru (only) in January 2019, with countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and others either increasingly less enthusiastic or being over-eager about hosting the event. The Rally found its way to south America in 2009 after cancellation of the 2008 race when it required rescuing from the difficulties it faced in Africa. Speculation is rife that it may well now return to something akin to its Paris-Dakar route origins in 2020.
CF Moto and KTM broke ground on the building of their new joint venture production facility in China in March. CF Moto GM Minjie Lai is quoted as saying the joint venture will bring CF Moto’s R&D and manufacturing capability “to a whole new level. CF Moto will benefit from KTM’s advanced technology and experience; KTM recognise how our manufacturing capacity, supply chain management and channel development could help them to implement their global strategy”.
