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Even in a best-case scenario , Germany faces another year of economic stagnation according to warnings sounded by the Bundesbank , the German Central Bank . Its mid- December 2024 warning came as it slashed its 2025 growth forecast to just 0.1 % and added that a trade war with the US could push Europe ' s largest economy into recession . That same week the European Central Bank ( ECB ) reduced its primary interest rate by another quarter percent to 3 %, down from a March 2023 high of around 4 %. The ECB expects the combined economic growth performance of the 27-member state EU bloc to have been 0.7 % in 2024 . It currently forecasts 1.1 % in 2025 with 1.4 % in 2026 and 1.3 % in 2027 . Lacklustre , anaemic , stalled ? Insert adjective of choice !
Reports in USA say that F1 owner Liberty Media has now secured the financing it needed to conclude its planned acquisition Madrid based Dorna Sports , the MotoGP and WSBK rights holder . Only a slew of European antitrust rules to now stand between Liberty and its $ 4.5bn prize . Liberty Media didn ' t have the cash on hand to fund the buyout and has had to take out fresh loans , leverage old debts , spin off Sirius XM subsidiary and issue new common stock to the tune of nearly $ 1bn in order to be able to stretch to the deal it had agreed with Dorna ' s private equity and pension fund prior owners . It is widely mooted that Liberty has overpaid for Dorna , and that there is disquiet among team owners in MotoGP , WSBK and Formula 1 that the owner of the series is cash-poor and debt laden . There are also suggestions that the regulatory hurdles may not be as easy to surmount as Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei has led investors to believe . Though we are now in very different times , in media outlet terms , the CVC debacle ( when a planned joint MotoGP and Formula 1 ownership was previously planned ) suggests that the EU could still have skin in this game .
ARP ( Automotive Racing Products ) will continue as the AFT series ' Official Performance Fastener ' for the next three seasons (' 25- ' 27 ). " A world leader in fastener technology , its product line includes virtually every fastener found in an engine , driveline , suspension and frame . Designed and constructed with cutting-edge techniques and materials , ARP ' s bolts , nuts , and other fasteners offer maximum performance as proven by success in motorsports , from AFT to Formula 1 , IndyCar , NASCAR , and NHRA , as well as in marine and aerospace applications ."
MIC Members Elect Langley , Ellis and Calhoun
The Irvine , California based Motorcycle Industry Council ( MIC ) has concluded its round of board member elections for the three years from 2025 , with one returnee and two new members . Ashmore Ellis , Co-Founder and CEO of Babes Ride Out and Babes in the Dirt , and Paul Langley , Chairman and CEO of LeMans Corporation , will be joining the Board of Directors with Tim Calhoun , President of Powersports Pros Consulting reelected for a third three-year term . Jeff Brown of EagleRider , and Marc McAllister of Brooks
Tim Calhoun , President of Powersports Pros Consulting
Stevens , Inc . ( formerly President of Ticker Powersports and of Ohlins Racing in USA ), will be leaving the board when their terms expire in January . " The industry will face a lot of changes in the next few years with technology , trends , and policy , especially as the U . S . ushers in a new administration ," said Derek Brooks , MIC Board Chairman and Motorcycle Product Line Manager at Yamaha Motor Corporation , U . S . A . " There will be much work facing the association , so I am looking forward to working with Ashmore and Paul , who will bring their expertise and fresh perspectives to the board , and to the continued contributions of Tim . I would also like to thank Jeff and Marc for their service to the board ."
THE FULL BOARD ROSTER FOR 2025 WILL BE : Chairman Derek Brooks , Yamaha Motor Corporation , U . S . A . Vice Chair John Hinz , KTM North America , Inc . Secretary / Treasurer Jim Woodruff , National Powersport Auctions David Baker , BRP Tim Calhoun , Powersports Pros Consulting Ashmore Ellis , Babes Ride Out and Babes in the Dirt Kerry Graeber , Suzuki Motor USA , LLC Robin Hartfiel , Dealernews Paul Langley , LeMans Corporation Erik Larson , Piaggio Group Americas Joey Lindahl , Polaris Inc . Rod Lopusnak , Triumph Motorcycles America Shawn McLean , BMW Motorrad USA Bill Savino , American Honda Motor Co ., Inc . Eric Sievers , Kawasaki Motors Corp ., U . S . A .
Ashmore Ellis , Co-Founder and CEO of Babes Ride Out and Babes in the Dirt
" I am excited to get the opportunity to serve on the MIC board and I look forward to working with the other board members on some of the challenges our industry is facing ," Langley said . " Working for a cause is a great motivation and I trust my experience , commitment , and willingness to collaborate on important issues will benefit the MIC and its industry members during my tenure ."
Paul Langley , Chairman and CEO of LeMans Corporation
The MIC board " includes representation from across powersports ." Derek Brooks succeeded former Honda NA executive Chuck Boderman as Chair in 2023 . Christy LaCurelle was hired as a new President and CEO in 2024 . She took up the post full-time after Scott Schloegel and Diana Sanchez had stepped in following Erik Pritchard ' s early 2024 retirement . www . mic . org
12 AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - JANUARY 2025 www . AMDmag . com