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BRIEFS
Harley-Davidson became an Official Partner of the 2021 MotoAmerica Series in April . The hook was the three-round Mission King Of The Baggers series as well as Kyle Wyman ' s Screamin ' Eagle Road Glide entry .
Michelin has announced its ' Scorcher Adventure ' as a " tailor-engineered " stock tire for the H-D Pan America 1250 , for 80 % road and 20 % trail use , plus the ' Anakee Wild ' as an authorized Harley dealership available option for high-performance trail use . More than 40 % of the motorcycles manufactured by Harley are equipped with the French firm ' s products .
The biennial Tokyo Motor Show has been canceled for the first time in its 67-year history . First staged in 1954 , it drew 1.3 million visitors in 2019 and had been due to be staged again in October this year . Japan is facing a surge in COVID-19 cases , driven by more infectious variants of the virus , and was expected to declare a state of emergency for Tokyo , Osaka and two other prefectures from 25 April to 11 May .
In contrast , April saw the world ' s first major global car exhibition go ahead since the start of the pandemic . Auto Shanghai 2021 , the biggest motor show in China , was open to the public , but with attendees having to take COVID-19 tests to gain entry . Described as a " Petri dish for Electric Vehicles ," the show is a bellwether for the change of direction in the car industry . Some 1.3 million EVs were sold in China in 2020 - around 40 % of the global market .
Following its ill-starred dalliance with Mercedes Benz , storied Italian boutique motorcycle manufacturer and former H-D subsidiary MV Agusta has been under Russian investor ownership since 2018 . The company has now unveiled a " new brand strategy " to develop its business in the United States , Canada and LATAM . Headed up by Christian Henderson as Managing Director Americas , " the focus will be on the development of a premium support network , the application of the latest business technology , and the launch of exciting new products and services to create a thrilling customer experience ."
<<< Continued from cover and dynamic nature of the internal combustion engine experience . However , Harley is not alone in needing to ' talk a good game ' where electric motive power is concerned . The future-facing changes that are already upon the industry affect all motorcycle manufacturers and cannot be ignored - in terms of electrification or of automation . Jochen Zeitz is quoted as saying : " One of the six pillars of the HardWire strategy is to lead in electric - by launching LiveWire as an all-electric brand , we are seizing the opportunity to lead and define the market in EV . " With the mission to be the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world , LiveWire will pioneer the future of motorcycling , for the pursuit of urban adventure and beyond . LiveWire also plans to innovate and develop technology that will be applicable to Harley-Davidson electric motorcycles in the future ." Now that is the important bit ! See this month ' s comment on page 4 . The first LiveWire branded motorcycle is scheduled to launch on July 8 , 2021 and to premiere at the International Motorcycle Show on July 9 , 2021 [ IMS Outdoors at Irvine , California ]. LiveWire is described as drawing on its DNA as an " agile disruptor from the lineage of Harley-Davidson , capitalizing on a decade of learnings in the EV sector and the heritage of the most desirable motorcycle brand in the world . " With an initial focus on the urban market , LiveWire will pioneer the electric motorcycle space , and beyond . Innovating by design and attracting industry-leading talent , LiveWire will be headquartered virtually , with initial hubs in Silicon Valley , CA , ( LiveWire Labs ) and Milwaukee , WI . " From launch , LiveWire [ the brand ] will work with participating dealers from the Harley-Davidson network as an independent brand . An innovative go-to-market model will blend digital and physical retail formats , tailoring the experience to the local market and allowing customers to discover LiveWire on their own terms ."
Motor Bike Expo returns June 18 / 20 , 2021
In pandemic terms , events have been moving quickly in Italy - with the third wave and lockdown now starting to give way to a return of the freedoms we all take for granted . Specifically , the Italian authorities have given the ' green light ' to the reopening of the national exhibition network in June . Motor Bike Expo , Verona , grabbed the holeshot and became the first motorcycle industry event to grab the
However , as LiveWire seeks to " seize the opportunity to lead in EV and innovate across the customer journey ," there will still be some " dedicated EV showrooms " at select locations , starting with California - allowing customers to " experience the LiveWire brand in an immersive and innovative way . " With a dedicated focus on EV , LiveWire plans to develop the technology of the future and to invest in the capabilities needed to lead the transformation of motorcycling . LiveWire expects to benefit from Harley-Davidson ' s engineering expertise , manufacturing footprint , supply chain infrastructure and global logistics capabilities . " Harley-Davidson and LiveWire intend to cooperate and share their technological advancements to ensure an industry-leading application in their respective core segments ."
Harley has never formally released sales numbers for the LiveWire - they are not detailed in the fiscal reporting either . However , it is an open secret that the numbers have been way below expectations and below anything that would represent a suitable return on investment . But the profile generated by the hype is money in the bank for a brand that remains largely undamaged by the lack of sales , and largely distanced from any Bar n ' Shield baggage among the demographic who are likely to be the earliest electric motorcycle adopters .
opportunity and confirm Friday 18th to Sunday 20th June as dates for the much delayed 2021 show at its usual Veronafiere venue . Not only will it be one of the first events of any kind to open for business in Verona , but is thought likely to be the first international trade fair to reopen in Italy as a " safe exhibition with in- person attendance ." In April this year , the
Italian government decreed June 15 as the reopen date for exhibitions in Italy . This will be the 13th MBE to be staged at Verona since the event moved from Padua , and with the better weather , the plan is for an event that will capitalize on the opportunities to add outdoor activities , including demo rides and a riding safety school . For the first time , visitors will be able to bring their own motorcycles into the expo complex with a new , fully equipped parking area . The capacity of the Verona exhibition center complex is large enough to guarantee social distancing , with an algorithm driven surveillance system to help avoid overcrowding ; ticketing will be electronic only . www . motorbikeexpo . it
8 AMD - JUNE 2021 www . AMDchampionship . com