December 2020 saw the motorcycle market in India achieve record growth for new motorcycle sales with most manufacturers seeing double digit growth there. India is already the largest motorcycle market in the world. Despite the implementation of the new B26 standard in April 2020, among the successes, India's 1.353 billion population gave Royal Enfield +35% (65,492 units in December), Yamaha +33% growth (39,224 units) and TVS (who bought Norton in 2020) +13% for a 285,000 unit annual total.
Originally planned for May, then October 2020, Europe's biggest off-road rally - the Hellas Rally - is now planned for 23 - 30 May 2021, at Nafpaktos, Greece. The Rally will cover 2,000 km (1,242 miles) in total. Each day riders will follow roadbook directions for that day's route, Dakar style. Except for one extra-long day, most days will be a loop that ends back in Nafpaktos. The Rally offers FIM classes, amateur classes, and an Adventure Raid class for larger adventure bikes. There is also an Enduro Cup class, which does 70% of the total route, plus ATV and SXS/UTV classes. Riders are allowed GPS backup.
Andrea Merloni, the man responsible for reviving Italy's historic Benelli motorcycle brand, died at his home in Milan in November; he was 53 years old. A noted 'playboy' and motorcycle racer, Merloni bought the then defunct Benelli business in 1995. The purchase and subsequent relaunch was bankrolled by his billionaire father Vittorio Merloni's Indesit and Hotpoint domestic appliance business. Merloni got Benelli back into business with scooters, then launched the Ricardo engine 900 cc Tornado Tre superbike (2001). Vittorio Merloni eventually made his son sell the struggling motorcycle business to China's Qianjiang Group in 2005. Production has been in China ever since, but the brand HQ has remained in Italy.
In the UK, riders rights group MAG (Motorcycle Action Group) says it has received confirmation that motorcycles are 'not in scope' for the UK government's November 2020 announced plan to end the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles (Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles) by 2030.
Indian conglomerate Bajaj is now said to be the most valuable motorcycle manufacturer in the world - despite not being directly present on the North American or European markets. As the 47.97% owner of the KTM Group and manufacturer of several of its machines for Asian and South American consumption, in addition to its own brand offerings (in India in particular), the company says that it has now recorded the highest ever market capitalization for a motorcycle manufacturer at around USD $13.6bn. A fourth factory is expected to be commissioned in India later this year where production will include the small displacement Triumph models that will be sold worldwide.
Zero Motorcycles is to team up with Reneos for battery collection and recycling in Europe. Reneos is a European partnership comprised of several major battery recycling and reconditioning companies. With effect from October 2020, Zero dealers in Benelux, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, the U.K., Ireland, Austria and the Czech Republic can now take spent Zero batteries and recycle them in safe and efficient ways.
As Asian and especially Indian manufacturers continue to add to their burgeoning portfolio of European and North American motorcycle brands, it looks like Excelsior-Henderson may be the next to be resurrected. RideApart reports, having secured the trademark for the Excelsior-Henderson name in the motorcycle design class (which includes vehicles, service and parts) in 2018, December 2020 saw KTM shareholder and Triumph collaborator Bajaj register a second Excelsior-Henderson trademark (with the EUIPO) for motorcycle apparel and gear.
It is reported that in December 2020 FBI Agents raided Ducati's Mountain View, California North American headquarters - they are said to have entered the building, guns drawn, with a search warrant. At press time in early February Ducati had remained silent on the reasons for the raid or any likely outcomes from the action. However, suggestions that the raid involve around 30 agents may be exaggerated, but additional reports are emerging that suggest that the homes of some senior DNA executives were also raided.
Sources: AMD, IDN, FT, Reuters, PSB, MPN, B&B, BDN, MCN, AP, Bloomberg, MNW, electricmotorcycles.news, RideApart.com, Motor1.com
