Category: Motorcycle Brand

Motorcycle pioneer Erik Buell launches new brand of electric motorcycles “Fuel”

Motorcycle Brand

Renowned motorcycle designer Erik Buell today unveiled his new brand of electric motorcycles. Along with a futuristic-looking new electric motorcycle design, the company has also launched a tech-infused e-bike.

Erik Buell is known in the industry as a pioneer in motorcycle racing technology. A former Harley-Davidson engineer, he founded Buell Motorcycles, which was eventually acquired by Harley-Davidson.

Today, the prolific designer unveiled his latest venture, electric mobility brand Fuell.

But Buell is not going it alone.

He teamed up with legendary engineer Frédéric Vasseur, Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team principal and founder of Spark Racing Technology (which builds Formula E drivers).

With Vasseur’s EV experience and Buell’s motorcycle design proficiency, the team represents a powerful mix of skills needed for any new e-mobility startup.

Together, they’ve unveiled two new electric rides, the Flow Electric Motorcycle and the Fluid Electric Bike.

Fuell Flow Electric Motorcycle

The Fuell Flow electric motorcycle will be available in two variants: 11 kW (14.8 hp) or 35 kW (47 hp).

Despite the founders’ racing pedigrees, the Flow electric motorcycle is designed primarily for urban applications. This has been a common theme in many new electric motorcycle unveilings of late.

A rear hub motor is mounted in a single-sided swingarm with an off-center rear monoshock.

While the hub motor can add unsprung weight that would be less than desirable for high performance racing, its advantage in a commuter is that it frees up cargo space in the bike. The Flow is expected to have 50 liters (1.75 cubic feet) of cargo space. That’s huge in the motorcycling world, where space for a pair of gloves or sunglasses is often considered a luxury.

Charging should also only take 30 minutes on a public 20kW charger.

fuell-flow

The Flow appears to lack a foot brake, but also has an empty left bar where a rear handbrake would otherwise rest, meaning a single right brake lever could control the front hydraulic disc brake and braking regenerative at the back.

Fuell says the Flow should start at $10,995.

Fuell Fluid Electric Bike

Fuell’s new e-bike is innovative in itself.

It sports not one but two 500 Wh batteries for 1 kWh of total energy storage on board. Fuell claims that should be enough for 125 mi (201 km), although we assume that’s in ECO mode with pedal assist. Even so, it’s a serious range.

The e-bike has a mid-drive motor that uses a belt drive to transfer 100Nm of torque to the rear wheel.

fuell-fluid

The Fuell Fluid will be available in 20 mph (32 km/h) and 28 mph (45 km/h) versions. The bike should start at $3,295. That’s high compared to some $500 e-bikes we’ve tested, but actually quite reasonable considering the high battery capacity, mid-drive motor, and belt drive. Other belt-drive bikes we’ve ridden cost even more and don’t have nearly the same aesthetics as the Fuell Fluid.

Fuell plans to have a fully functional website by next month when they will start taking orders for the fluid. The company plans to begin deliveries of the Fluid e-bike this year. Don’t expect to see a Fuell Flow electric motorcycle in your garage until at least 2021.

What do you think of Fuell’s new electric two-wheelers? Let us know in the comments below!

FTC: We use revenue-generating automatic affiliate links. Continued.

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Motorcycle brand Buell relaunches production in Grand Rapids

Motorcycle brand Buell relaunches production in Grand Rapids

Motorcycle Brand

GRAND RAPIDS – Executives of an iconic American superbike brand are breathing new life into the company and relaunching production of “boutique†motorcycles in Western Michigan.

By establishing low volume production of EBR motorcycles in Grand Rapids, owner Bill Melvin hopes to bring sustainability to the company founded by famed motorcycle rider Erik Buell 35 years ago.

The discontinuation of a high volume business keeps EBR Motorcycles in the market and allows the brand to maintain its “panache” as a specialty limited edition manufacturer, Melvin said.

“It’s the only US-built superbike, a 185 horsepower track street bike that you can go right to the track and compete with a Ducati,†he said.

Melvin’s Liquid Asset Partners LLC, a Grand Rapids liquidation, auction and appraisal company acquired the assets of East Troy, Wis. Erik Buell Racing LLC in 2016 for $ 2 million after the company went into receivership.

Former parent company Harley-Davidson Inc. had designed the East Troy plant for high volume production of approximately 10,000 units per year. After operating the business for about a year after the purchase, Melvin realized the business needed to downsize.

“We made a big push in Wisconsin, we tried the old college and went with the full plant and trying to increase production volumes,†said Melvin, who has shut down production and switched in the fall of 2017 to an electronic commerce. Grand Rapids based model to support motorcycle parts orders.

“The high-volume factory is a great proposition,†he said, noting that the company is now taking a page of bespoke supercar makers, most notably Lotus or Koenigsegg, with production of handcrafted motorcycles and in limited series. “What we’ve done now is something more durable and special – and now they’re being built in Grand Rapids, Michigan. ”

As of late 2018, the company has built three EBR 1190 superbikes that cost around $ 20,000 and are capable of exceeding 185 mph when racing. As word of the new production series began to spread, the company had a list of more than 30 people interested in buying a motorcycle, according to Melvin, who expects demand to continue to exceed. the production.

“Erik Buell and his designs are highly regarded,†he said. “With the volumes that we do, they will fly away.”

EBR Motorcycles serves a small, high-end niche market in an industry that continues to be dominated by heavy touring motorcycles. Harley-Davidson, which discontinued the Buell Motorcycle lineup in 2009, remains the market leader in the United States, where it accounts for 46% of all motorcycle sales.

In recent years, however, the company’s sales have plummeted as customers shifted from heavy motorcycles to smaller, more affordable models, analysts said. As a result, Harley-Davidson sales fell 10% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2018, the most recent data available.

Meanwhile, sales of motorcycles with engines below 600cc are on the rise, according to a report by the United States International Trade Commission, reflecting the fact that more millennials are coming of age and looking for entry-level models. and baby boomers are aging out of the market. .

KEEP SMALL

For the initial production of three units late last year in Grand Rapids, EBR worked with a team of eight, including two former Wisconsin builders, to build each motorcycle.

“We start directly from the crank. It’s all put together and put together in town, â€said Melvin.

The superbikes all feature a handcrafted 1190cc V-twin engine capable of 10,600 rpm and a top speed rivaling “America’s fastest production vehicles”, according to Melvin.

The company sources worldwide from its historical suppliers, but uses a custom paint shop in Grand Rapids, which will allow the company to fulfill orders for specialty paint to meet customer needs, a- he declared.

By moving production to Grand Rapids, Melvin said the company now has better visibility and cost control over the manufacturing process.

“We’re from here, so we have more oversight, a more manageable cost structure,†he said. “We have a great team here who can help support the brand. ”

For 2019, the company plans to continue to introduce various upgrades to the EBR models, which still use Buell’s unique design, such as a fuel tank integrated into the motorcycle’s aluminum frame to help lower the center of gravity. and improve handling.

Melvin expects production at Grand Rapids to increase, albeit at a manageable level for the company.

“I think it’s really cool that we’re doing it in Grand Rapids. I think it’s exciting for Michigan to have a superbike being built in Michigan, â€said Melvin. “It’s an iconic brand and the design is super exotic. You put him on a race track next to the fastest production vehicles built and he’ll beat them. “

A former Harley-Davidson exec is creating a new brand of motorcycles in the United States

Motorcycle Brand

Rod Copes cut his teeth as an executive at Harley-Davidson, the motorcycle company synonymous with freedom-seeking two-wheeled Americanness.

But now he runs the North American operations of Royal Enfield, a manufacturer born in 1901 that sells hugely popular bicycles in India. Hardly anyone in the United States who wasn’t a motorcycle had heard of the brand, which entered the US market in 2015 and now has 90 dealerships, with headquarters in Milwaukee, Harley’s home territory.

“It’s hard for a brand to come to the United States without a legacy,” he conceded in an interview with Business Insider. “It’s really difficult.”

But Royal Enfield has a strategy, and it’s not following the leader. Copes spent 20 years with Harley, so he knows what makes it such a dominant brand – but he also knows that motorcycle sales in the United States have declined and Harley is struggling to find new riders. Of course, selling expensive bikes to older, well-heeled customers means the company can continue to make money. But the demographics suggest a long-term challenge.

“Every motorcycle company in the United States has been chasing the big guys,” Copes said.

But the United States is the opposite of every other market in the world, he pointed out. Expensive, big-bore bikes dominate the road here, and even Japanese manufacturers have been beefing up their offerings of powerful cruisers and sportbikes.

Don’t run after the big guys

A Royal Enfield Classic 500.

Matthieu DeBord/BI

But elsewhere in the world, motorcycles are a cheaper form of urban transport. It is also the main means of getting around, whereas in the United States it is a hobby.

Royal Enfield sells middleweight motorcycles in the United States and has expanded its model line to four bikes. The Interceptor GT and Continental GT cost less than $6,000, and the smaller Classic costs around $5,000. That’s thousands less than the cheapest Harleys, and Royal Enfield’s bikes feature a retro style that would be considered vintage or heritage – except the designs have been consistent for decades.

The company’s significant economies of scale in India give it a major price advantage (total production runs into 1 million). And for the American market, Royal Enfield has style to burn, along with straightforward engineering and a fun spirit that’s less of a leather biker vest wearer and more of an intrepid explorer of local roads. These are the kind of bikes that are made for riders who don’t want to roar around town or dress like a shiny superhero while crumpled up on a sport bike.

“There is a need,” Copes said. “People are interested if you offer them the right product at the right price.”

sometimes-dead-is-better-why-every-motorcycle-brand-does-not-need-to-be-reanimated-2

Why Not All Motorcycle Brands Need Reviving

Motorcycle Brand

The appeal of bicycles of yesteryear is almost irresistible. Bikers, I think, are romantic by nature anyway, so the mystique of big names like Norton, Vincent or Matchless is only heightened by the decades that separate them from us. We love a good sad story, but the only thing better than a tragic story of demise is one of ultimate resurrection and triumph (pardon the choice of word). Reviving an old brand of motorcycles has never been more popular, but in an already fractured and confused motorcycle market, it’s a perilous business. While some revived brands are enjoying a shiny new life, others are staggering in search of their brains.

The same thing has been happening in the automotive space for quite some time, of course, sometimes successfully (the Mini Cooper), sometimes not (the Thunderbird), sometimes just inexplicably (the Dodge Dart). Think of all the resurrected muscle car models, most of which are pretty cool and popular. It’s the era of the reboot.

Triumph, of course, is the big achievement of the motorcycle revival. From receivership 30 years ago, today they are a major global full-range player. Indian is back and better than ever under Polaris management. Meanwhile, others seem to continue to struggle. Here are some common sense thoughts on what separates these groups.

The brand still needs to have a motto. Do you remember Excelsior? Horex? Bite? No? Even if you’ve heard of them, they probably don’t resonate personally with most people. Penton is probably more valuable as a pure brand than those names. If part of what you exchange is the emotional connection with the brand, it should always be warm in people’s hearts.

The bikes have to be competitive. The market for motorcycles over $30,000 is extremely small, and producing modern machines at a marketable price requires serious engineering and manufacturing power. It was a challenge for the new Vincent, the new Norton and for the pre-Polaris Indian, and it will be a challenge for anyone starting out.

The pilot’s experience is essential. Triumph primarily rebuilt its brand around the Speed ​​Triple, a hot, forward-looking bike that pushed the naked sector forward, not just around the new Bonnevilles. No matter how revered a name may be or no matter how many mentions of deceased celebrities, it will only bring the customer to the store; the ride will make the sale.

Offer something unique. The quality and variety of bikes available today is unparalleled, and the market is tight, so the consumer is in the pilot’s seat. We need more than just a performance roadster or clone cruiser to get excited enough to walk away from the many excellent options already available.

“Glory Days, well, they’ll pass you by.” Bruce Springsteen knew that nostalgia is a trap. Yesterday’s wine is today’s rotten liquor. “Boring Stories from the Glory Days.” Our love of motorcycle history and heritage must be more than nostalgia, because those days are also glory days. I’d love to see all of these brand revivals succeed, but they can’t do it on legacy alone. They need to expand the market with innovative, reasonably priced bikes that are fun to ride.

Now if I can just find some investors to help me buy DKW…

On:

Carter A. Edman teaches “Motorcycles and American Culture” at Case Western Reserve University and has taught a variety of creative culture courses. He rides a modified 2008 Triumph Bonneville and restores a 1970 BSA. As the founder of Moto Sapiens, he explores the ever-changing motorcycle culture that is unapologetic, unpredictable and sometimes strange.

Follow Carter on Twitter: @Moto_Sapiens

This article was originally published in 2013 and has been updated.

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Audi CEO gives up selling Ducati motorcycle brand

Motorcycle Brand

INGOLSTADT, Germany (Reuters) – Germany’s Audi NSUG.DE has given up selling its Italian motorcycle brand Ducati, its chief executive Rupert Stadler said, in a sign of confidence that the manufacturer expects to be able to bear the costs of its transformation.

The logo of Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati is seen in Dietlikon, Switzerland October 11, 2016. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann

Measures to cut costs by 10 billion euros ($11.8 billion), cut red tape and deepen ties with other Volkswagen owners VOWG_p.DE The Porsche brand is “gradually increasing our financial and organizational leeway for strategic realignment,” chief executive Rupert Stadler told reporters.

So there is no economic need to sell Ducati, Stadler said. Volkswagen asked banks to assess options for Ducati and transmission maker Renk earlier this year as they seek to become more nimble in their transition to electric and self-driving cars in the wake of its car fraud scandal. diesel emissions.

“I can assure you that Ducati belongs to the Audi family,” said Stadler. “Ducati is the perfect implementation of our premium philosophy in the motorcycling world.”

Plans were already stalled this summer when powerful VW unions, backed by the ruling Porsche-Piech families, argued against the logic and need to sell assets given the group’s financial resilience.

Investors and potential Ducati buyers, however, expect VW to change its mind again and possibly decide to sell the asset they believe is of least strategic importance to VW.

“For Volkswagen’s powerful works council, this could be an easy bargaining chip to push through something completely different,” said a person familiar with the matter.

Investors have long favored divestments to simplify VW Group’s structure and strengthen its management’s ability to push through structural changes against the will of unions.

Audi, which owns Ducati and Italian supercar maker Lamborghini, reported higher operating profit and revenue for the first nine months last month, helped by growth in auto demand in higher-margin markets. high in Western Europe and the United States.

While pushing the costly shift to zero-emissions and autonomous technologies, retaining the profitable Ducati division and the lucrative Lamborghini brand has become more important, Stadler said.

“Caring for a high-end bouquet is as difficult as a gardener’s job,” Stadler said. “Therefore, I’m happy with every new flower, every promising new branch,” he added, predicting Lamborghini’s sales would double thanks to its new sport utility vehicle.

Separately, Stadler said Audi will spend almost half a billion euros over the next eight years to train staff for the digital age, with steps to develop and hire experts such as designers of automotive applications and automotive robotics specialists.

To contain costs, Audi wants to keep its workforce stable, at least for the next 2-3 years, even though it plans to have more than 20 electrified vehicles on the market by 2025 and to move into services. digitized mobility, said the CEO.

With two-thirds of Audi’s roughly 60 models by 2025 still slated to be combustion-engine cars, tighter carbon dioxide (CO2) rules will pose the ‘greatest risk’ in years to come , he said, adding that Audi would face 1 billion euros. fines if the average CO2 emissions of its fleet do not exceed EU limits by more than eleven grams per kilometre.

Audi has revised its whistleblower system to make it easier for national and international staff to report illegal behavior and has set up a permanent investigation office.

Audi plans early next year to disband a task force set up to monitor patches for 850,000 diesel-powered cars that the automaker said in July needed updates with engine control software. emissions to avoid possible driving bans.

“It’s a sign that we can slowly transition from crisis mode to standard operation,” Stadler said, predicting the health checks will be complete by the end of the first quarter.

Additional reporting by Arno Schuetze; edited by Alexander Smith

Audi CEO abandons plan to sell Ducati motorcycle brand

Motorcycle Brand

INGOLSTADT, Germany (Reuters) – German Audi NSUG.DE has abandoned plans to sell its Italian motorcycle brand Ducati, chief executive Rupert Stadler said, in a sign of confidence the automaker expects to be able to bear the costs of its transformation.

The logo of the Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati can be seen in Dietlikon, Switzerland on October 11, 2016. REUTERS / Arnd Wiegmann

Steps to cut costs by 10 billion euros ($ 11.8 billion), cut red tape and deepen ties with other Volkswagen owners VOWG_p.DE The Porsche brand “is gradually increasing our financial and organizational leeway for strategic realignment,” Managing Director Rupert Stadler told reporters.

So there is no economic need to sell Ducati, Stadler said. Volkswagen asked banks to assess options for Ducati and transmission maker Renk earlier this year as it seeks to become more nimble in its transition to electric and self-driving cars following its fraud scandal on vehicles. diesel emissions.

“I can assure you that Ducati belongs to the Audi family,†said Stadler. “Ducati is the perfect implementation of our premium philosophy in the motorcycle world. “

Plans were already at a standstill over the summer when VW’s powerful unions, backed by controlling Porsche-Piech families, objected to the logic and the need to sell assets given financial resilience. of the group.

Investors and potential buyers of Ducati, however, expect VW to change its mind again and possibly go for the sale of the asset that they believe is of least strategic importance to VW.

“For Volkswagen’s powerful works council, this could be an easy bargaining chip that they could come up with to push through something completely different,” said a person familiar with the matter.

Investors have long favored divestitures to simplify the structure of the VW group and strengthen the ability of its management to push through structural changes against the will of the unions.

Audi, which owns Ducati and Italian supercar maker Lamborghini, reported higher operating profit and revenue for the first nine months last month, helped by growing automotive demand in higher-margin markets. Western Europe and the United States.

While pushing the costly shift to zero-emission and autonomous technologies, clinging to the profitable Ducati division and the lucrative Lamborghini brand has become more important, Stadler said.

“Caring for a high-end bouquet is as difficult as the job of a gardener,†Stadler said. “Therefore, I am satisfied with every new flower, every promising new branch,” he added, predicting that Lamborghini sales would double on the back of its new sport utility vehicle.

Separately, Stadler said Audi will spend nearly half a billion euros over the next eight years to train staff for the digital age, with stages of development and hiring of experts such as automotive application designers and automotive robotics specialists.

To keep costs under control, Audi wants to keep its workforce stable, at least over the next 2-3 years, even though it plans to have more than 20 electrified vehicles on the market by 2025 and is embarking on the services of digitalized mobility, said the CEO.

With two-thirds of Audi’s sixty or so models by 2025 still expected to be combustion-engine cars, tighter carbon dioxide (CO2) rules will pose the “biggest risk” in the years to come. coming, he said, adding that Audi would face 1 billion euros. fines if the average CO2 emissions of its fleet exceed EU limits by no more than eleven grams per kilometer.

Audi overhauled its whistleblower system to make it easier for national and international staff to report illegal behavior and set up a permanent investigation office.

Audi plans early next year to disband a task force set up to monitor patches for 850,000 diesel-powered cars that the automaker said needed updates with engine control software in July. emissions to avoid potential driving bans.

“This is a sign that we can slowly move from crisis mode to standard operation,” Stadler said, predicting that the checks should be completed by the end of the first quarter.

Additional reporting by Arno Schuetze; edited by Alexander Smith

honda-gold-wing-2

Dailey Relaunches Honda’s Gold Wing Motorcycle Brand With ‘What Lies Beyond’

Motorcycle Brand

Dailey, which has been the go-to agency for Honda Powersports (motorcycles, ATVs, etc.) since 1979, launched a campaign for Honda’s Gold Wing motorcycle brand, relaunching the brand to celebrate its first major overhaul in 17 years.

A 90-second anthem ad titled “What Lies Beyond” features the new tagline, which also functions as an answer to the question of why bikers hit the road in the first place. Set to a generic millennial folk soundtrack, the voiceover celebrates exploring “what lies beyond” as the reason to set off on a three-day weekend trip and explore unknown roads leading to unknown dive bars.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H8GNPYbGTw
Another spot, “Beyond the Screen,” sees a couple ditch their phones to connect with friends in person. A third ad celebrates the brand’s history, from 1975 to the present day, while the product-focused “Beyond the Gold Wing” highlights the redesign’s technological innovations. A fifth place finish will follow next month. All spots are hosted on the campaign microsite.

“The big challenge for us was to create a bike and a campaign that appealed to our existing customer base while attracting a customer new to touring,” said Honda Powersports Marketing Director. Lee Edmunds said in a statement. “We think Dailey has really hit the mark with the ‘Beyond’ campaign with both customer-pleasing videos and a sense of exploration that everyone will enjoy.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0pOrwgoUoM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJbI56VL2Ck
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk-a92SAGxk
Credits:American Honda Motor Co., Inc.Senior Manager, Marketing – Michael SnyderManager, Publicity and Press – Lee EdmundsManager, Experiential Marketing – Keith DowdleAssistant Director, Publicity – Sean McFillinAssociate Director, Experiential Marketing – Peter Runsten

Advertising Specialist – Ben Hoang

DailyECD – Marcus WessonCD/Writer – Michael MillerArtistic Director/CD – Mark RouseCD/Digital – Manaf Al-NaqeebACD/writer – Mark LindemannCDA/Art Director – Jin KimAccount Manager – Steve MitchellAccount Manager / Digital – Trisha FerreiraAccount Supervisor – Denise PeltonExecutive Producer – Autumn ChildressDigital Production Manager – Don LupoExecutive Digital Producer – Christine RheeDigital Producer – Laura LeeProject Manager – Jessica UribeStudio Artist – Steven MitchellChief Technology Officer – Mitchell Malpartida

Director of Commercial Affairs – Judi Chandler

Production company – Derby ContentDirector – Roberto SerriniProduction Company Producer(s) – Mary Crosse & Eli AshCanadian Production Company – Pink BuffaloCanada Production Company Producer(s) – Shawn Angelski & Martin FisherProduction Design – Scott MoultonDirector of Photography – Chris Wiseman

Photography – Blake Jorgenson & Bruce Benedict

Editorial Company – Derby ContentEditorial Company Producer(s) – Olivia Johansson; Linzy Anderson; Mary Crosse

Editor(s) – Roberto Serrini

Music company – NoiselabMusic Producer – Pinky TurzoPost Production Company – The Mill-NYCEngineering – Sound Lounge NYCAudio – Sound Lounge NYC

CG – Thomas J Wilson

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Here’s your chance to buy an entire motorcycle brand

Motorcycle Brand

Starting a new business is tough, especially when it comes to vehicles. In addition to establishing a brand, you need to design a chassis, powertrain and more, all before you sell anything. But if you’re looking to start building motorcycles, Mecum Auctions offers a possible shortcut to get started, as the auction house sells the Excelsior-Henderson brand of motorcycles.

In case you are unfamiliar with the business, Excelsior-Henderson dates back to the early 1900s and was operated by the Schwinns of past and present fame. According to Mecum, the company remained in business until the Great Depression, when it closed the motorcycle line in 1931. While in operation, the company built a wide range of motorcycles in four-cylinder and twin-cylinder configurations in V, and built a few racing bikes, some of which had engines close to 1000 cc in displacement.

The company’s closure in 1931 was not the end. A man named Dan Hanlon started working at a motorcycle company that would build bikes with stock frames and drivetrains in 1993. According to his company’s website, he started the company as of Hanlon Manufacturing before renaming the defunct Excelsior-Henderson company in 1996. The company’s first and only motorcycle, the Super X, named after and inspired by an old Excelsior-Henderson bicycle, was revealed in 1996 at Sturgis and went into production in 1998. You can see one of the company’s employees doing a burnout on one in the video above. According to Mecum, the company built just under 2,000 before closing in 1999.

Now, as to how this is a potential shortcut for budding motorcycle industrialists, buying the Excelsior-Henderson brand comes with every bit of the company’s intellectual property. This includes various marketing elements such as logos, branding and websites, but it also includes complete chassis and engine designs used by the company, as well as expired patents. All of these things would be a boon for a new motorcycle company, as it would provide a bit of a starting point, rather than starting completely from scratch. The brand and its associated intellectual property are up for sale at the Mecum Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction which runs from January 23, 2018 through January 27, 2018.

Related video:

Does loyalty to the motorcycle brand still exist?

Motorcycle Brand

Thoughts on Motorcycle Brand Loyalty

It used to be conceivable that if you were happy with buying a new (or even used) motorcycle, you would be more inclined to buy a newer model from the same manufacturer. But after seeing most of my cycling friends not following this trend, I started to question this thought process. This led to the inevitable question: “Is there still such a thing as motorcycle brand loyalty? In fact, I didn’t have to look very far to find an answer, I was a perfect candidate. I have owned many motorcycles over the years and have moved from an older model to a newer model made by the same manufacturer only once (eg a 1987 Kawasaki Ninja 750R to a Kawasaki ZX-7 of 1992).2017-motorcycle-brand-loyalty-400x274-1So my answer to the proposed question would be a “no”. Whether it was style, price, technology, or a number of other factors, I chose to buy a competitor’s product from the current brand I was driving at the time. Now, if I said “yes” to that question, I’d probably be on my third or fourth generation Honda by now. But I am not. And I wondered what it would take for a company to build a brand that not only attracts customers, but also retains those customers three, four or five years later? Nowadays, motorcycle manufacturers have to accomplish both of these tasks. (and more) to increase their income and stay financially stable. That said, only a few in today’s market have a well-known and respected brand and have built a substantial relationship with their customers. For example, I would put Ducati on my list of super recognizable brands. The Italian brand understands how to not only market their product, but also the need for their customers to have a connection to the business…a family if you will. Jason Chinnock, CEO of Ducati North America, spoke about it at the launch of Ducati’s XDiavel: “The passion for two wheels, twin engines and beautiful roads is shared by everyone…as riders, we are part of a tribe, but we also embrace our individuality.

2016-ducati-record-breaking-sales-1-1024x681-1 Ducati XDiavel

Similar to Ducati, Harley-Davidson would absolutely be on the super recognizable list. While they may not be leading the landscape with cutting-edge technology, there’s no denying the fact that Harley-Davidson has built a brand and it’s recognized around the world. As Willie G. Davidson said, “When you look up the word ‘motorcycle’ in the dictionary, there’s a picture of a Harley next to it..“You could draw comparisons to other companies (BMW Motorrad is one that comes to mind), but these embody and embrace customer obsession. To test this view, I conducted an informal and asked poll: “Would you buy another [insert current motorcycle manufacturer here] and why/why not“The results? Ducati and Harley-Davidson riders are more likely to buy another ‘Duke’ or ‘Hog’ than say a rider who is only interested in maximum horsepower. I will point out that almost all the major players were represented (minus the MV Augustas and Benellis of the world. Aprilia, KTM, etc.) held their own despite their reduced marketing budgets I accept that these results may be skewed due to the small number of applicants and obviously does not reflect the shopping habits of the motorcycling community as a whole.What it does do however, is an insight into how important brand recognition is to a business.

2017-harley-davidson-street-glide-special-review-motorcycle-touring-6 Harley-Davidson Street Glide Special

Which brings us back to the original question:Is there still such a thing as motorcycle brand loyaltyI guess it depends on how you define loyalty. If you define it by “number of units sold to existing customers” and your numbers are off the charts, then yes, there is (and you have) brand loyalty. If however you define it as “the brand that has the cheapest product a customer would buy”, then no, there is no brand loyalty. operating costs are high and profit margins are slim Whether or not you drink one manufacturer’s Kool-Aid and spend your hard-earned cash on another motorcycle from the same manufacturer that you currently ride totally depends on you. In the meantime, it will be interesting to see which companies adapt their branding and marketing campaigns to an ever-changing atmosphere, in order to produce another model year of motorcycles and grow in the process.

A New Motorcycle Brand, Vanguard, Is Growing In Brooklyn – Robb Report

Motorcycle Brand

If you are going to call your new motorcycle brand Avant-garde (vanguard.nyc) and build vanguard bikes, then Brooklyn seems like a suitable place to set up shop. Vanguard was co-founded in 2013 by Edward Jacobs, lead designer of Confederate Motorcycles from 2005 to 2011. Its business partner is former management consultant François-Xavier Terny, a supply chain management expert who served on the Confederate Board of Directors. When Vanguard begins producing bikes, it will assemble them at a facility in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

The company unveiled a running prototype of its first model, the $30,000 Roadster, in December at the Manhattan International Motorcycle Show. It plans to begin production in 2018 and eventually offer two additional models built on the same powertrain platform as the Roadster: the Cruiser and the Racer.

The Roadster is powered by a modified SS X-Wedge engine, a 117 cu in V-twin that Vanguard projects will generate 110 lb-ft of torque. It is a stressed member engine, which means it is also a structural member that improves the stiffness of the bike and helps keep the weight down to 550 pounds. In addition to the engine configuration, distinguishing features of the prototype include a unified crankcase, integrated exhaust system and a tablet-sized digital instrument cluster that, among other functions, displays video of a reversing camera.