Sources : AMD , IDN , FT , Reuters , PSB , MPN , BDN , MCN , AP , Bloomberg , MSNW , Electrek , electricmotorcycles . news , RideApart . com , Motor1 . com , Cycle World , motorbikewriter . com

The MIC reports that Maryland is considering a total ban on consumer products containing PFAS chemicals ( polyfluoroalkyl substances ) - a group of thousands of synthetic chemicals known as " forever chemicals ". Scott Schloegel , MIC Senior Vice President of Government Relations stated that " roughly a year from now , as drafted the bill would be disastrous for powersports sales . A wide range of powersports products contain PFAS chemicals - found in or used to produce products such as riding gear , vehicle components resistant to heat , fuel , and chemicals , as well as semiconductors and chrome plating . In many of those products the use of PFAS is currently unavoidable . This measure would mean an end to sales for all manner of products inside Maryland dealerships ." Both California and Maryland recently placed restrictions on products in which PFAS are deliberately used .

For FY2024 , Irving , Texas based RumbleOn saw an 11.5 % drop in revenue , from $ 1.36bn in 2023 to $ 1.21bn , recording revenue of $ 269.6m in the fourth quarter ($ 311.17m in 2023 , a -13.4 % decrease ). The company did reduce its net losses for the quarter , recording a loss of $ 56.4m in the Q4 ' 24 , compared to a loss of $ 168.5m in Q4 ' 23 . The company ' s net loss for the year was " just " $ 78.6m , compared to a net loss of $ 215.5m for 2023 . The self-styled ' Omni Channel ' powersports vehicle retailer saw preowned powersports unit sales decrease for the fourth quarter and full year 2024 . Q4 units were down -9.5 %, and pre-owned were down -8.8 %; YOY retail sales for new powersports units dropped -7.1 %, and pre-owned fell -16.4 %.

RideApart has reported that it looks likely that the iconic Willow Springs International Raceway property in SoCal is about to be sold . The buyer is said to be Boston-based real estate investor CrossHarbor Capital Partners - a $ 10bn property developer . All seven racetracks and the entire 600- acre site are said to be on the block . Willow Springs presently hosts the final round of the Bagger Racing League ( BRL ).

WorldSBK is has announced that it has obtained ISO 20121 certification for its event sustainability management system .

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shipments decreased 17 % from the prior year . HDMC revenue was down 15 %, due to lower volumes and unfavorable net pricing , partially offset by positive impacts of shipment mix . Gross margin was lower by 4.3 points in 2024 compared to 2023 . The lower margin was driven by the revenue drivers cited , as well as negative operating leverage and negative impacts of net shipment mix , partially offset by the benefits of lower logistics and raw material costs . Operating expenses were $ 28m lower than a year ago . Operating income margin was 6.7 %, which is 6.9 points lower compared to 2023 . Fourth quarter , global retail sales of new motorcycles were down 15 % versus the prior year . In North America , retail sales declined by 13 %, with the bulk of declines in the large cruiser category , which includes the Softail motorcycle . In EMEA , retail sales declined by 7 %, driven by weakness in Germany and the surrounding region . The 26 % decline in APAC was driven by weakness in Japan and China , partially offset by growth in Australia and New Zealand . Latin America sales decreased by 7 %, driven by declines in Brazil and Mexico . For the full year 2024 , global retail sales of new motorcycles were down 7 % versus prior year . North American retail sales declined by 4 %, where first half was up 2 %, while the second half was down . In North America , Touring , Trike , and CVO retail sales were up more than 8 % for the full year of 2024 . EMEA

retail sales declined by 11 % for the full year , where a majority of the retail weakness was in non-core motorcycles . Touring , Trike , and CVO retail sales were up 10 % year over year . APAC retail sales declined by 18 % for the full year driven by weakness in Japan and China . LiveWire revenue decreased 32 % in Q4 compared to the prior year , driven by lower unit sales of EV motorcycles in the quarter . LiveWire operating loss of $ 26m , $ 9m less than a year ago , was in-line with our expectations . For the full year , LiveWire revenue decreased by 31 % compared to the prior year , driven by lower unit sales of EV motorcycles and of STACYC electric bikes . LiveWire operating loss of $ 110m was $ 7m less than prior year and was in-line with our expectations . For the full year , LiveWire sold 612 EV motorcycles , which compares to 660 EV motorcycles

Harley must embrace the simple truth of the present global motorcycle industry - namely that growth can only come by taking buyers from other brands . Recent history shows that in the USA Harley ' s market share among all 601 + cc unit registrations has collapsed from 54.9 % in 2013 to 37.3 % in 2024 , and from 10.1 % in Europe in 2018 to just 5 % in 2024 - pretty much back to where it was in the 1990s .

United States New Motorcycle Registration Data 601 + cc ( units in thousands ) sold in 2023 . LiveWire continues to invest in new products and action initiatives to reduce the overall cost of sales for EV motorcycles . In 2024 HDI generated $ 1.1bn of cash from operating activities ; paid cash dividends of $ 91m ; repurchased $ 450m of shares ( 12.5 million shares ) on a discretionary basis and was sat on cash and cash equivalents of $ 1.6bn at year end [ worth nearly 50 % of market capitalization ].

European New Motorcycle Registration Data 601 + cc ( units in thousands )

In addition to Earnings Per Share ( EPS ), and aside from the dubious benefits of programs to buy back declining price shares , part of any shareholder value delivery strategy should , of course , include maintenance of the share price relative to other investment opportunities . Since being deprived of its treasured S & P 500 listing in June 2020 , a month after Harley confirmed Jochen ' Rewire / Hardwire ' Zeitz as the permanent CEO replacement for Matt ' More Roads ' Levatich , Harley ' s falling market capitalization has been tracked by its share price performance relative to that of the S & P 500 index :

Pan America 1250 ST

10 AFTERMARKET MOTO DESIGN - APRIL 2024 www . AMDmag . com