Another sales quarter, and another report of dwindling sales from Harley-Davidson. The details of the news are the same as well, as sales in the United States continue to disappear, while sales abroad improve modestly.
As such, Harley-Davidson is reporting a 13.3% sales drop on motorcycle retail sales in the United States (36,220 units), with international sales up 2.6% (23,006 units), both compared to Q3 2017. This means that Harley-Davidson’s total sales are down 7.8% for Q3 2018, with 59,226 units sold.
Comparatively, the relative market for Harley-Davidson (bikes 601cc or more in displacement) were down in sales for Q3 2018, to the tune of 9.8% – though we should note that the Bar & Shield brand accounts for roughly half of this relevant market.
Yamaha SR400 owners should take notice, as Yamaha Motor USA has issued a recall for the model, from the 2015 model year through 2018.
The issue stems from the engine oil line flare nut, which may be insufficiently tightened, and allow oil to leak onto the rear tire. In total, just over 1,900 units are affected by the recall.
Suzuki has a recall out on 6,928 motorcycles because of a fuel pump O-ring that have been twisted during installation, and therefore is causing fuel leaks on three motorcycle models from the Japanese brand. The affected bikes include the Suzuki GSX-R1000 family (2017), the Suzuki V-Strom 650 family (2017-2018), and the Suzuki GSX-S750 (2018).
We have been waiting for the 2019 Triumph Scrambler 1200 for some time now, and the day is finally here that we get to see this heavyweight dual-sport.
The Triumph Scrambler 1200 comes in two flavors: the XC model (below) is more street-focused in its design, while the XE model (above) offers a more off-road oriented package for riders, along with more premium features.
Both bikes are based around the Bonneville’s “high power” 1,200cc parallel-twin engine, which means that the Triumph Scrambler 1200 makes 89hp and 81 lbs•ft of torque.
The Scrambler 1200 XC tips the scales at 452 lbs (dry), while the Scrambler 1200 XE model is four pounds heavier, at 456 lbs (dry) – making both bikes quite heavy for their stated purpose.
Hello from sunny SoCal, where we are about to go ride the new KTM 790 Duke, which is finally coming to the United States as an early 2019 model.
The first of KTM’s parallel-twin middleweights, the new Duke packs a lot of features into an affordable body, with promises of being a potent streetfighter.
To test that theory, the Austrian brand has brought us near its base of operations in the United States, and today we will tackle the roads along the Oceanside coast, and then head up to the famous Palomar mountain for some twisty fun.
The KTM 790 Duke has been on our short-list of bikes we have wanted to swing a leg over, ever since we saw the concept for the machine debut two years ago at EICMA.
MV Agusta is set to retire the MV Agusta F4 superbike, but not before one last farewell. A final homage to the venerable machine, and a nod to the man who helped create it, the MV Agusta F4 Claudio is the supreme example of the Varesini company’s focus on performance and art. As such, only 100 examples will be produced.
The special edition model is based off the MV Agusta F4 RC platform, which means a 212hp inline-four engine when the dual-tipped race exhaust from SC-Project is installed. Peak torque hits 85 lbs•ft at 9,300 rpm, with a redline that reaches to 14,200 rpm. The bike still manages 205hp in street-legal trim.
Bad news from San Francisco today, as we learn that Alta Motors has ceased business operations, effective immediately, sending the company’s staff home as the electric motorcycle manufacturer looks for future funding.
Talking to an anonymous source, Asphalt & Rubber has been told that Alta Motors is in the midst of a strategic wind down, as it looks for an outside acquisition or investment.
Episode 85 of the Paddock Pass Podcast is out, and in it we see David Emmett, Neil Morrison, and Steve English on the mics for this racing double-header.
Covering both the MotoGP round in Thailand, as well as the WorldSBK round in Argentina, the show talks about two inaugural rounds for these racing series.