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Tag: motorcycle

  • Rev Up for the Harley Davidson X440T: Next-Gen Motorcycle Sneak Peek Ahead of Official Debut

    Rev Up for the Harley Davidson X440T: Next-Gen Motorcycle Sneak Peek Ahead of Official Debut

    In December 2024, Hero MotoCorp announced through a Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) filing a continuation of its partnership with Harley-Davidson beyond the X440, revealing plans for new variants. Now, one year later, the first of these new additions, the X440T, is set to make its debut. This new motorcycle retains the familiar features of its X440 predecessor while introducing several key improvements.

    Design Distinctions of the New Harley-Davidson X440T

    Among the noticeable revisions on the X440T is an entirely restyled rear three-quarters section. A longer cowl graces the tail of the X440T, likening its design to that of other commuter motorcycles. While Harley-Davidson has yet to release a front-angle image of the new model, it is anticipated to bear a close resemblance to the original X440. Additional changes include bar-end mirrors and a fresh color palette featuring red, black, blue, and white options.

    Anticipated Advancements in the X440T

    Beyond the aesthetic upgrades, the X440T is expected to unveil several feature enhancements. Among these is the possibility of a ride-by-wire system, which could introduce additional riding modes and switchable traction control, among other advancements.

    As yet, further details remain undisclosed. However, it is predicted that the X440T will share much of its hardware with the X440, such as the chassis, engine, suspension, wheel sizes, and braking setup. For reference, the existing Harley-Davidson X440 is equipped with a 440 cc, oil-cooled, 2-valve SOHC single-cylinder engine that produces 27 bhp at 6,000 rpm and 38 Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm, coupled with a 6-speed transmission.

    History of the Hero-Harley Partnership

    The Hero-Harley alliance was forged in 2020 when the American motorcycle brand joined forces with Indian two-wheeler powerhouse Hero MotoCorp to manage local sales and service networks and co-develop high-end models. The first motorcycle resulting from this collaboration was the H-D X440 introduced in 2023, followed by Hero’s Maverick 440 in early 2024.

    There is yet to be a decision on whether the new X440T will replace the existing X440, or if both models will be sold concurrently. The Hero equivalent on this platform is still listed on the company’s website despite reaching the end of its production run. Currently, only selected dealerships with remaining stock are selling the Maverick 440.

    Questions & Answers

    What are the anticipated feature enhancements of the new X440T?
    The X440T is expected to introduce several feature advancements, such as a ride-by-wire system, potentially offering additional riding modes and switchable traction control.

    What is the current status of the Maverick 440?
    While the Maverick 440 has reached the end of its production run, it is still listed on the company’s website and is available at select dealerships with remaining stock.

    Will the existing X440 be replaced by the new X440T?
    It is not yet decided whether the X440T will replace the X440 or if both models will be sold concurrently.

  • Honda Unveils Exclusive Naked Bike in Vietnam, Priced at $21,000 – A Must-See for Enthusiasts!

    Honda Unveils Exclusive Naked Bike in Vietnam, Priced at $21,000 – A Must-See for Enthusiasts!

    Four Honda CB1300SF Final Edition motorcycles made in Japan have been imported and are on sale at around VND550 million (US$21,000). In an exciting development for motorbike enthusiasts, four rare Honda CB1300SF Final Edition motorcycles have been imported into Vietnam, each priced at approximately VND550 million (US$21,000). These are part of the final production run, with only 3,400 units crafted in February before Honda concluded the model in response to evolving exhaust regulations.

    A Tribute to a Legend

    The CB1300SF Final Edition pays homage to the revered CB1000SF, a model that played a crucial role in establishing the Honda CB series as a global favorite in the 1990s, earning a devoted following among riders. As if Honda has sent a love letter to its fans, this motorcycle blends nostalgia with modern engineering.

    Timeless Design Meets Modern Performance

    The CB1300SF sports an upgraded design, retaining its iconic look while boasting an engine displacement of 1,300cc. It features a long, streamlined seat and elevated handlebars that ensure a comfortable riding experience. With a 21-liter fuel tank proudly displaying the Final Edition badge, this bike signifies not just closure but also celebration, offering 113 horsepower at 7,250 RPM.

    Riding Dynamics That Cross Generations

    While competitors in the market target younger riders with sporty designs, the CB1300SF speaks to a broader demographic, drawing both younger enthusiasts and seasoned riders with its classic aesthetic and relaxed riding dynamics. It’s a bike that says, “Age is just a number; let’s hit the road together!”

    Questions & Answers

    What makes the Honda CB1300SF Final Edition a special motorcycle?
    The Honda CB1300SF Final Edition is part of the last production run before Honda discontinued the model due to new exhaust regulations, making it a rare collector’s item and a tribute to the beloved CB1000SF.

    What are the key features of the CB1300SF Final Edition?
    This motorcycle features a nostalgic design with modern performance upgrades, including a 1,300cc engine, comfortable seating, and a distinctive Final Edition badge, all contributing to its appeal across different age groups.

    Why did Honda decide to discontinue the CB1300SF model?
    Honda discontinued the CB1300SF as part of its compliance with stricter exhaust regulations, marking the end of an iconic model that has captured the hearts of motorcycle enthusiasts for decades.

  • Honda Sees Impressive Growth in Motorcycle and Auto Sales Across Vietnam

    Honda Sees Impressive Growth in Motorcycle and Auto Sales Across Vietnam

    Honda Vietnam is riding a wave of success, announcing substantial sales growth for April across both its motorcycle and automobile divisions. The figures reveal an impressive year-on-year increase of 6.9% in motorcycle sales and a remarkable 18.9% in car sales, showcasing the brand’s resilience in a dynamic market landscape.

    Motorcycle Sales Break New Ground

    In April alone, Honda Vietnam sold an astonishing 170,986 motorcycles, marking the kickoff of the 2025–2026 fiscal year on a high note. Despite lingering market uncertainties, this robust figure signals a steady appetite for motorbikes among consumers. Honda isn’t just making waves domestically; the company exported 17,953 motorcycles to various international markets, underscoring its expanding global reach.

    Automobile Segment Booms

    The automobile sector also celebrated a spectacular performance, with 2,142 units sold in April—a dynamic increase of 18.9%. This surge reflects a lively recovery in the domestic automobile market, highlighting the effectiveness of Honda’s product strategies and innovative marketing campaigns. The company’s incentive programs have clearly struck a chord with consumers eager for quality and reliability.

    As Honda continues to throttle forward, one can only wonder what new heights await. Will they unleash a surprising new model? Only time will tell!

    Questions & Answers

    What were Honda’s motorcycle sales figures in April?
    Honda Vietnam sold 170,986 motorcycles in April, reflecting a 6.9% increase from the previous year.

    How many motorcycles did Honda export in April?
    The company exported 17,953 motorcycles to various international markets last month.

    What was the sales performance of Honda’s automobile segment?
    In April, Honda sold 2,142 automobiles, which marks an impressive 18.9% increase year-on-year.

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  • Motorbike sales decline in 2023

    Motorbike sales decline in 2023

    Vietnam Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers members sold 2.5 million vehicles in the domestic market last year, down 16.2% from 2022.

    Its five members are Honda, Yamaha, Piaggio, Suzuki, and SYM. They sold 634,688 motorcycles in Q1 of last year, 588,926 in Q2, 610,635 in Q3, and 681,963 in Q4.

    The Vietnamese motorcycle market also has other brands such as VinFast, Kymco, BMW Motorrad, Ducati, Triumph, Kawasaki, Royal Enfield, Harley-Davidson, KTM and Yadea.

    Within Southeast Asia, Vietnam has the highest motorcycle ownership rate at 72.8%, while Singapore has the lowest rate, at 2.4%, according to Seasia Stats, an integral part of the Seasia.co platform that provides statistical data and infographics.

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  • South Korea’s Hyosung motorbikes come to Vietnam

    South Korea’s Hyosung motorbikes come to Vietnam

    South Korean motorbike brand Hyosung has come to Vietnam with the GV300R, a 300 cc vehicle whose prices start at VND148 million (US$6,200).

    It has a 29.5-horsepower engine, a smart key, an LCD screen, and a pillion that costs around VND5 million.

    The motorbikes are manufactured in China.

    Hyosung belongs KR Motors, a company established in 1978 in South Korea.

    At first it partnered with Japan’s Suzuki and assembled the latter’s products. But it established its own research and development unit in 1986 and has since been making its own motorbikes.

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  • Honda Vietnam’s motorcycle, automobile sales continue to drop in February

    Honda Vietnam’s motorcycle, automobile sales continue to drop in February

    Honda Vietnam has reported its fall in motorcycle and automobile sales at 36.8% and 7.3% respectively in February.

    That is the second month in a row the company recorded sale falls after seeing a growth of nearly 19% for motorcycles and 62% for the automobile last December.

    In February, it sold 140,669 motorcycles, down 36.8% compared to the previous month. Specifically, the sale of Wave Alpha – its best-seller semi-automatic model, decreased by 42.6% compared to that in January.

    Similarly, Vision – its best-seller scooter model – also saw a sales decrease of 34.9%, and Winner X clutch 27% compared to the previous month.

    Previously, the Vietnam Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (VAMM) forecasted that the Vietnamese motorcycle market had entered a period of saturation and was shifting from manual transmission motorbikes to automatic ones. Currently, the automatic transmission motorbike lines account for more than 45% of the market share and will be a strongly growing segment soon when Vietnam’s per capita income increases.

    In February, Honda Vietnam also exported 23,917 motorcycles.

    Meanwhile, the Japanese manufacturer last month sold 1,385 automobiles, down 7.3% from the previous month. Honda City and Honda CR-V continued to be the two best-selling models of Honda Vietnam with 1,235 vehicles, accounting for 89.2% of its total car sales in February.

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  • Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India To Launch Flex-Fuel Engined Motorcycle

    Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India To Launch Flex-Fuel Engined Motorcycle

    Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) confirmed that will launch motorcycles with flex-fuel engines in the next two years. Atsushi Ogata, President, MD & CEO, HMSI, said that the company’s internal target is to launch at least one commuter motorcycle with flex-fuel engine by the end of 2024, although he did not mention which model will it be. Honda already has motorcycles with flex-fuel engines, which it sells in Brazil.

    TVS Motor Company was the first two-wheeler company to launch a flex-fuel motorcycle, which was the Apache RTR 200 Fi E100 in July 2019, which could run on petrol as well as Ethanol. It had an E100 200 cc single-cylinder engine which has a power output of 20.7 bhp at 8,500 rpm and peak torque of 18.1 Nm at 7,000 rpm. TVS claimed a top speed of 129 kmph. The ethanol powered Apache gets electronic fuel injection with twin-spray-twin-port system that ensures better power delivery while burning cleaner and emitting up to 50 per cent less Benzene and Butadiene gases.

    HMSI’s announcement comes at the same time as Toyota showcasing the Corolla Altis Flex-Fuel model, earlier this month, which will be launched soon. The new Corolla Altis is powered by a 1.8-litre flex fuel engine paired with the company’s self-charging strong hybrid system. The debut marks the return of name plate to India after Toyota pulled the plug on the previous generation model in 2020. The flex fuel

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  • Honda runs out of motorcycle parts, buyers take hit

    Honda runs out of motorcycle parts, buyers take hit

    Honda, which has an 80 percent share of the motorbike market in Vietnam, faces a shortage of parts. After years of using a semi-automatic motorcycle, Huy Manh of Hanoi decided to buy an automatic one, a Honda Vision listed at VND32-35 million (US$1,400-1,530).

    But the price quoted at HEADs (Honda Exclusive Authorized Dealers) was VND44 million, and he has to wait for two or three weeks for delivery.

    The production shortage and long queues in HCMC mean many showrooms have stopped taking deposits since they cannot guarantee delivery in time. It used to take buyers only around two or three days, and up to two weeks in case of special options, to get a Honda bike delivered. The waiting time is now two weeks to a month.

    Honda blamed it on a global disruption in the supply of parts and materials. Its locally assembled models like Vision, Lead and SH Mode are the worst affected. It is impossible to know when supply would return to normal levels, it said, adding it is trying its best to ensure supply to dealers.

    Buyers have to pay 20-30 percent more than the listed prices for a motorbike. They had been hiked by 1-5 percent only last month.

    Honda sold two million vehicles last year, or 80 percent of the market share, according to the Vietnam Association of Motorbike Manufacturers, whose members include all major companies.

    Supply is more stable for other producers, but their shares are too small to satisfy the market.

    Honda’s shortage not only affects its own sales but also related businesses such as accessories, painting and maintenance.

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  • Triumph Motorcycles Unearths 1901 Prototype

    Triumph Motorcycles Unearths 1901 Prototype

    A vintage Triumph collector has found the very first prototype motorcycle built by Triumph in 1901, just before Triumph started official sales in 1902. Dick Shepherd, the vintage Triumph collector came across the motorcycle and restored it to its former glory. Unveiled at the Motorcycle Live event in Birmingham this year, the 1901 Prototype machine will be showcased at a dedicated 120-year anniversary display at the Triumph Factory Visitor Experience. The 1901 Prototype will be started up and ridden in public for the first time in over 100 years on December 14, 2021.

    Speaking on the discovery and unique history behind the prototype, Dick Shepherd said, “Having been approached by a friend of a collector, who had sadly recently passed away, to evaluate an old Triumph I was incredibly excited to discover that the bike they had featured unique details that were not present on the first production Triumphs. Along with the bike, the collector had also received a letter from Triumph, dated in 1937, that outlined the bike’s unique origins and provided key details.”

    “With an engine number that is consistent with references in Minerva’s engine records of a 1901 first Triumph engagement, the historic significance of this motorcycle became incredibly clear.”

    “As a lifelong passionate fan of the history and achievements of this incredible British brand, to have discovered this amazing survivor and restored it to the glorious condition it would have been in when it first went on display in 1901, has given me an immense amount of satisfaction.”

    The 1901 Prototype was long rumoured to exist and referenced within advertising and reviews that appeared in 1901. It was developed from a standard Triumph bicycle, with an engine from Belgian manufacturer Minerva, in order to generate interest and gauge the public’s demand for a Triumph motorcycle.

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  • BSA Motorcycles Returns To Life, Reveals New Gold Star Retro Motorcycle

    BSA Motorcycles Returns To Life, Reveals New Gold Star Retro Motorcycle

    Iconic British bike maker, BSA Motorcycles has come back to life, and the brand was resurrected at a special event in Birmingham in the UK. Classic Legends, part of the Mahindra Group, revived the classic motorcycle brand, and also showcased the first model that will be sold under the BSA name. The BSA Gold Star was originally sold between 1938 and 1963 and was powered by a range of engines between 350 cc and 500 cc. The 2022 BSA Gold Star retains much of the classic lines of the original but power is likely to come from the newly-developed 650 cc single-cylinder DOHC engine.

    More details on the new BSA Gold Star will be revealed during the public debut on December 4, 2021, at the Motorcycle Live Show in the UK. The new BSA motorcycle has been designed and developed in the UK and will also be built there, confirmed Anupam Thareja, co-founder, Classic Legends Pvt. Ltd. Thareja also revealed that special attention was given to every detail right from the lines to the font to the tires.

    “We’d spend hours, in the end, looking at the font, the size, the color, the shape. How it looks in the day and the night. And all I can say is it went into a dizzy. But what came out of this harmonious chaos is this absolutely stunning, beautiful piece of artwork,” said Thareja.

    Classic Legends plans to produce the BSA Gold Star in Birmingham itself, the brand’s original home. Plans for the same were previously disrupted due to the pandemic. The company has already set up a technical center in Coventry to develop motorcycles. The brand is also working on electric offerings at this facility. It was also awarded a 4.6 million pound grant from the UK government for the development of zero-emission motorcycles.

    Birmingham Small Arms Company Ltd or BSA was founded in 1861, for the production of firearms. The brand’s motorcycle division was set up in 1903, and the first motorcycle was introduced in 1910. The brand went on to become the largest supplier of motorcycles to the Allied Forces during the Second World War. By the 1950s, BSA was the world’s largest motorcycle maker, with one in every four motorcycles sold worldwide sporting the BSA badge. BSA ceased operations in the 1970s after going into bankruptcy. It was acquired by Classic Legends in 2016.

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  • OX One Electric Motorcycle Production Begins In Spain

    OX One Electric Motorcycle Production Begins In Spain

    Spanish EV brand OX Motorcycles has begun serial production of the OX One electric motorcycle in the QuaZZar Technology Centre, in Madrid. The production of the OX One begins after the start-up spent two years of development and creating prototypes with factories in China. The agreement with QuaZZar Technologies to manufacture the OX one in Spain is intended to guarantee highest levels of quality, while also providing a boost to the motorcycle industry in Spain, a statement from OX Motorcycles said.

    “After two years of working with factories in China, learning from the number-one electric vehicle industry in the world, we have decided to move our production-unit to Spain, putting in value the national capacities and promoting sustainable industry. In addition, we have managed to lower operating costs and provide a closer, local and personalized customer experience. Undoubtedly, our clients are the maximum beneficiaries of this decision and this was the most important key to making this decision,” said Adrian Gonzalez, CEO, OX Motorcycles.

    OX Motorcycles will have a production capacity of 2,000 units per year, and intends to expand its operations across the European market by the third quarter of 2021. The OX One has a maximum speed of 110 kmph, and up to 100 km of range, powered by a 6 kW motor and single removable and easy-to-carry battery. In Spain, the OX One is priced at 4,100 Euros, and can be booked online in Spain on the OX Motorcycle official website.

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  • Honda Gold Wing Tour First Batch Sold Out In India In 24 Hours

    Honda Gold Wing Tour First Batch Sold Out In India In 24 Hours

    Honda 2Wheelers India launched the 2021 Gold Wing Tour in the country last month and the first batch of the motorcycle has been sold out. The manufacturer’s flagship offering flew off the shelves as soon as bookings opened with all units sold in just one day. Honda though has not disclosed the number of units that were allocated for India under the first batch. It’s unclear at the moment when the company plans to introduce the second batch of the tourer.

    Power on the new Honda Gold Wing Tour comes from the BS6-compliant 1833cc, in-line six-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that develops 124.7 bhp at 5500 rpm and 170 Nm of peak torque at 4500 rpm. The motorcycle gets two transmission choices – a 6-speed manual and a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic. Colour options on the motorcycle include the Pearl Glare White as well as Gunmetal Black Metallic with Matte Morion Black.

    The feature list is comprehensive on the 2021 Honda Gold Wing Tour that is aimed to maximize comfort on the road. It gets A 7-inch TFT-screen with gyrocompass navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto connectivity, upgraded audio and speaker system, and Smart Key operation. The tourer is also loaded on the safety front and packs Hill Start Assist, ABS, Honda Selectable Torque Control, Dual Combined Brake System, and Idling Stop. There are four riding modes – Tour, Sport, Rain and Econ.

    The new Honda Gold Wing Tour also received visual upgrades over the older model. This includes sharper styling, all-LED lighting, and new alloys. The bike also gets a revised pillion seat for added comfort and a bigger top box. The Gold Wing is underpinned by a die-cast, aluminum frame, and a double-wishbone front suspension along with a preload-adjustable pro-link mono-shock at the rear. Braking duties are performed by twin discs at the front and a single disc at the rear with Combined Braking System.

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  • Honda Motorcycle And Scooter India To Halt Production Temporarily

    Honda Motorcycle And Scooter India To Halt Production Temporarily

    Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) will temporarily halt manufacturing at its four plants in India, from May 1, 2021 to May 15, 2021 keeping in mind the current COVID-19 scenario in the country. The company said it will utilize these days to carry out maintenance activities at all its plants. Keeping an eye on the fluid COVID-19 situation, HMSI will review its production plan accordingly, in the coming months. The company also said that all Honda office associates will continue to work from home and extend all possible support to customers and business partners. Only essential staff will be working at its plants and offices across the country. Honda has four manufacturing facilities in India in Manesar in Haryana, Tapukara in Rajasthan, Narsapura in Karnataka, and Vithalapur in Gujarat.

    Other automotive manufacturers such as Hero MotoCorp have decided to temporarily halt manufacturing operations in view of the escalating COVID-19 situation in India. In a press statement, Hero MotoCorp said that the company has decided to proactively halt operations temporarily at all of its manufacturing facilities across the country, including its Global Parts Centre (GPC).

    Maruti Suzuki India too announced that it has advanced its annual maintenance shut down from June to May 2021. This coincides with the Government of India’s call for companies to free up industrial oxygen consumption, which could instead be used for medical purposes. The carmaker will shut both its Gurugram and Manesar plants, in Haryana, from May 1 to May 9, 2021. In fact, the company has also said that Suzuki Motor Gujarat, the wholly-owned plant of Maruti’s parent company Suzuki Motor Corporation has also taken the same decision for its factory.

  • Honda Motorcycle Scooter India Sets Up New Overseas Business Vertical

    Honda Motorcycle Scooter India Sets Up New Overseas Business Vertical

    Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) has announced setting up a new overseas business vertical with the aim to promote India as a global export hub for Honda. HMSI says that the new vertical will spearhead the company’s ambition to export two-wheelers to other global markets. The new overseas business vertical aims to unlock new synergy by integrating Honda 2Wheeler India’s export-import sales function with quality, purchase, development, homologations, manufacturing and logistics. It will be located at HMSI’s Manesar facility.

    Elaborating on Honda’s vision for the new overseas business expansion, Mr. Atsushi Ogata – Managing Director, President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, “With an eye on the future, Honda 2Wheelers India aims to further consolidate its No. 1 position in Honda’s global motorcycle business while unlocking the next chapter of ‘Make in India, for India & the World’ in the BS-VI era. With this major organizational restructuring, the company is strengthening its business constitution and improving competitiveness to meet the high expectations from Global Honda”.

    HMSI started exporting its two-wheelers with the launch of Honda Activa in 2001. It was in 2015 that Honda reached the 10 lakh milestone for two-wheeler exports. Currently, HMSI exports to 35 markets across Europe, Central & Latin America, Middle-East, Japan and the SAARC nations. Honda also says that the recent mid-size motorcycle launches in India, like the CB500X, CB650R and the CBR650R have solid potential to further help the company to establish India as hub for global markets.

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  • Harley Unveils Turnaround Plan As Shares Nosedive On Disappointing Results

    Harley Unveils Turnaround Plan As Shares Nosedive On Disappointing Results

    Harley-Davidson Inc’s shares plunged more than 20% on Tuesday after the motorcycle maker unexpectedly swung to a quarterly loss, overshadowing a new turnaround plan that targets low double-digit earnings growth through 2025.

    Since the middle of last year, the Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based company has shifted focus back to big bikes, traditional markets like the United States and Europe, and older and wealthier customers.

    Harley has trimmed its workforce and global dealer network eliminated slow-selling models, and exited markets where weak sales and profits do not justify the investment.

    Chief Executive Jochen Zeitz, who took charge last year, is focused on enhancing Harley’s brand and has done away with promotional offers, tightened supplies and reduced inventory, enabling dealers to charge the sticker price for the company’s bikes.

    This more than halved dealer inventory last year and drove up prices for pre-owned bikes, which used to be a drag on new-bike sales. The leaner inventory as well as a switch in the introduction of new models to January from August, however, took a toll on the bike sales in the quarter through December.

    Fourth-quarter revenue dropped 39% versus a year earlier as motorcycle shipments almost halved, leading to a loss of 63 cents per share. Analysts surveyed by Refinitiv, on average, expected the company to report a profit of 14 cents a share.

    Harley’s shares, which had gained 38% since July when the company shared an earlier plan to reboot its business, fell as much as 22% on Tuesday morning and were still down 18.8% at $32.62 at midday.

    “Many investors had thought the turnaround plan was leading to better profitability faster than the plan the company laid out today,” said Brian Yarbrough, an analyst at EdwardJones.

    “While they are shrinking the business currently to drive more sustainable growth longer term, we continue to be concerned about lack of demand for Harley products longer term.”

    Retail sales in the United States – the company’s biggest market – fell for the 16th straight quarter, resulting in an 8 percentage-point decline in big-motorcycle market share.

    The decline comes at a time when motorcycle sales have gone up on the back of a demand for socially distanced recreational outdoor activity.

    Polaris Inc last week said retail sales of its Indian brand of motorcycles in North America were up more than 30% in the December quarter. In contrast, Harley’s sales in the region declined 15.4% year-on-year.

    Harley’s new leadership, however, remains steadfast in the strategy of keeping inventories tight as it prefers building

    The decline comes at a time when motorcycle sales have gone up on the back of a demand for socially distanced recreational outdoor activity desirability of the brand to expanding market share.

    “We are going to continue to manage inventory in line with demand,” Chief Commercial Officer Lawrence Hund told investors on an earnings call.

    As part of the five-year turnaround plan unveiled on Tuesday, the 118-year-old company would lean on combustion motorcycles to increase sales in touring, large cruiser and trike bike segments to achieve revenue growth in the mid-single digits.

    The company, which launched its first electric motorbike in 2019, will create a separate division focused on the development of electric vehicles. It also intends to make forays in premium low displacement bikes via partnerships.

    The latest turnaround strategy from the company, which has struggled for years to expand sales beyond baby boomers, comes after a decade-long effort to increase business overseas and draw younger riders with cheaper and newer models.

    Overall, Harley would invest between $190 million and $250 million a year over the next five years.

    It forecast a 5%-7% operating margin, or profit from sales, for 2021 on the back of a 20%-25% growth in motorcycle revenue.

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