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

In response to MotoGP regulation changes for 2026, Yamaha has switched its YZR-M1 race bike from its established inline-four to a V4 engine. " The new V4 configuration is expected to deliver improved acceleration, better handling under braking, and greater adaptability to the most recent tires and aerodynamics requirements." A cornerstone of Yamaha ' s racing identity for decades( powering riders such as Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo, and Fabio Quartararo) the inline-four competed in 429 Grand Prix events, won 125 races, stood on 352 podiums, and helped Yamaha claim eight riders ' titles, seven team titles, five manufacturer titles, and five MotoGP Triple Crowns.

Storied British Motorcycle manufacturer CCM( Clews Competition Machines- founded in 1971 by Alan Clews) has entered administration- a UK form of bankruptcy protection- after more than 50 years in the motorcycle manufacturing business. The company was taken over in 2021 by Pitalia Capital. Financial injections to fund new models and expansion ultimately failed to achieve ambitious objectives, including development of the planned new Project X adventure bike, despite the popularity of the best-selling 600 cc Spitfire single platform. The company faced additional headwinds following the closure of one of its largest retail partners, Completely Motorbikes, last year. Broader challenges in the industry, including a slump in new bike sales and the introduction of stringent Euro 5 + regulations, further impacted the business / BDN.

H-D has launched a H-D Visa $ 500-A- Day Giveaway, giving Harley- Davidson Visa Card members in the United States a chance to win " every single day of the year." From January 1, 2026, Harley-Davidson Visa has been awarding one lucky winner a $ 500 H-D Gift Card, daily, and will continue to do so throughout 2026. HOG members will double their chances to win the daily prize by earning two giveaway entries with each purchase.

Magic City H-D of Minot, North Dakota is to close permanently, effective March 31, 2026, after 13 years.

BRP says it has made its 2 millionth vehicle milestone at its Juárez manufacturing campus in Mexico( on the border with El Paso, TX.). The site produces Can-Am ' s off-road vehicle range, including the Defender, Maverick, and Commander UTVs, and the Outlander ATV.

That is how newly minted Indian Motorcycle CEO Mike Kennedy described the dealer relationship culture that he wants to build with Indian Motorcycle ' s international dealer network. As the company embarks on its brave new future as a standalone manufacturer, Robin Bradley interviewed Kennedy a couple of days after Los Angeles based Equity Investor Carolwood LP confirmed formal completion of a complex 80 percent ownership unwind from Polaris Industries …

It had been somewhat of an open secret that Polaris Industries was in the market to find new ownership for Indian Motorcycle. The rumors had been swirling since late 2024 and when the speculation disappeared off the industry radar in the spring of 2025, that was the customary ' tell ' that something was happening and that NDAs and due diligence were underway. Nonetheless, when the announcement finally came in October 2025 it still surprised many. The identity of the prospective Private Equity buyer- Carolwood LP of Los Angeles- had been kept carefully concealed, and that it was a Private Equity solution was a surprise. When I described the move to Mike

" a ballsy play "

Kennedy as a " ballsy " play by Carolwood, he didn ' t disagree. It isn ' t just the size and sheer complexity of the Polaris unwind that made it noteworthy. It was as a Private Equity that it stood out. To my knowledge, and from the research I have been able to conduct, it has been historically rare- very rare- for Private Equity( private market investment of any kind) to buy active and growing motorcycle manufacturer- and the Indian-out-of- Polaris proposition certainly wasn ' t ' cookie cutter '. It ' s not as if Indian Motorcycle had fallen into the ' Distressed Asset ' category. It has popular and respected models, and the kind of heritage and active enthusiast base that makes it a prime proposition. Many try to claim the kind of legacy that Indian has, but most fall short. It ' s hard to think of any other genuine cases of motorcycle brands that enthusiasts would tattoo on their arms beyond Harley, Ducati, Moto Guzzi and Triumph. This year will see Indian Motorcycle celebrate the 125th anniversary of the brand( in year that also sees Royal Enfield mark its own 1901 Origin Story) and, as our industry continues to lap its legacy, Ducati also scores its own " ton " in 2026. When Kennedy answered the call in which Carolwood asked if he ' d consider consulting on the proposed deal for them, and then, should it playout, consider leading Indian

Motorcycle as its new CEO- I got the impression that he allowed himself to enjoy the nanosecond it took him to weigh that one up before getting straight down to business. The Kennedy career trajectory is one that has seemingly prepared him for this moment- it could almost have been destiny. The largest chunk of his working life was the 25 years or so he spent with Harley-Davidson, including time at the UK and European offices, and latterly, time spent( among other responsibilities) heading up Harley ' s racing relationship with Terry Vance of Vance & Hines fame, and finishing up as VP and Managing Director of The Americas- a big and complex job. He then spent time as President of Vance & Hines. That was under what was left of the ultimately doomed Motorsport Aftermarket Group( MAG) Private Equity ownership, but he did engage Terry Vance as his Eminence Grise. Talking of PE, he also spent some time at BRP when Boston based Bain Capital controlled the check book.

" all of the market ' s OEMs "

Though he readily confesses to not being a retailer as such, his subsequent year or so as President at RumbleOn( now known as Ride Now) turned out to have destiny stamped all over it. It gave him valuable insight into how to operate a network of 50- plus dealerships(' roof-tops ' as he referenced Ride Now ' s owned stores).

Above all, insight into balancing the perennial and often competing tensions of helping to keep them profitable and grow unit sales. That won ' t have been time wasted and, interestingly, it gave him an insider dealer view of working with pretty

" just five months since the first call "

much all of the market ' s motorcycle OEMs. Kennedy said that one of the very first calls he made, once Carolwood had finalized the deal to buy Indian Motorcycle, was to Terry Vance. Time was short, and he needed to make the most of the relatively short time that was available to get Indian onto the 2026 Moto America King Of The Baggers grid with a three man ' Wrecking Crew ' Indian Challengerbased effort. It is not to be forgotten though that this will not be Kennedy ' s first rodeo where being on the OEM client end of a race relationship with Vance is concerned. Handy. Especially given the rather short time to get a team set-up, staffed and equipped before the tires spin for the first time at Daytona in March- just some five months since that first call. The( multi-year) announcement came towards the end of November 2025. There is sweet irony in the circular nature of the deal of course, with Kennedy now seeking to take his Alma Mater ' s toys away from them. Just as

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