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

ACEM statistics suggest that new motorcycle registrations in the five largest European markets( France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK account for some 80 % of all European PTW sales) reached 1,002,848 units for 2025( 12.9 % compared to 1,150,852 units in 2024). Motorcycle registration volumes increased in Spain( 242,580 units, + 8.3 % year-on-year) while the results were down in other markets, with Italy still he largest market in Europe at 331,634 units /- 6.0 %; France 179,225 /-16.4 %; UK 89,645 /-19.3 % and Germany struggling at 159,764 units for a massive-35.7 % decline.

Harley-Davidson has confirmed agreements with Niti Racing( Indonesia), who join previously announced teams Saddlemen Race Development( USA), Cecchini Racing Garage( Italy), and Joe Rascal Racing( Australia) on the provisional entry list for their MotoGP hosted Bagger World Cup. Additionally, Joe Rascal Racing has received approval to expand its entry from two to three riders. In terms of format, it has now been announced that at the United States, Netherlands, Great Britain, Aragón( Spain), and Austria Grand Prix the weekend will follow a three-day format with two Free Practice sessions on the Friday, qualifying sessions and Race 1 on Saturday( scheduled immediately after the MotoGP Tissot Sprint) with Race 2 held either on the Sunday morning or afternoon, depending on the event. At the Italian Grand Prix at Mugello, there will be a modified format with FP1, FP 2 and qualifying all on the Friday with the Bagger World Cup Race 1 and Race 2 both on the Saturday.

The H-D Music Contest in Europe will expand in 2026, giving up-andcoming bands from five countries the opportunity to compete for the chance to be on stage at Europe ' s biggest Harley-Davidson events. In addition to bands from France, Spain and Italy, groups from Germany and Great Britain now have the chance to perform at some of the most famous H-D motorcycle events in Europe. The winners will receive one of the coveted slots in the music program of a major Harley-Davidson event- including the H-D European Spring Rally, Senigallia, Italy( April 30- May 3, 2026); European H. O. G. Rally, Cascais, Portugal( June 18-21, 2026) and European Bike Week, Faak am See, Österreich( September 8-13, 2026); www. hdmusiccontest. com

Roof Systems returns as Title Sponsor of 2026 AMA Flat Track Grand Championship for a second consecutive year( July 5-10 at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds in Du Quoin, Ill.); www. AmericanMotorcyclist. com

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Polaris Indian ' s then ' Wrecking Crew ' iteration had also interrupted Harley ' s Flat Track XR750 hegemony with their FTR750 some years ago. That was when AMA racing sought to bring back and rebuild AFT racing after its wilderness years. That came to an end in 2024 when AMA ProRacing announced that the Premier AFT SuperTwins class would be fully production bike based only from 2025 onwards. Ironically, in the absence of the Indian factory effort, it is starting to look very much like Harley is about to rule that roost again with former " Wrecker " Briar Bauman " bringing it back to Milwaukee " last year on the Rick Ware Racing Team H- D XG750R. It is shaping up to be a battle between Harley and Yamaha, with KTM and Royal Enfield competing to populate remaining podium places. So, that brings us to where we are at now, in the spring of 2026, and, as ever, all is change. The all new Indian Challenger team that will now arrive at the grid in Daytona, will have the fingerprints of Terry Vance and his Brownsburg, Indiana based Vance & Hines Motorsports team all over a new

" four initial priorities "

three-man ' Wrecking Crew ' effort. Speaking of his prior relationship with Vance, it was clear that he recalls " those Days " with fondness. " Terry and I have laughed together at the Track, cried together, and fought together. We have won together and lost together. So, we know how each other thinks. We have always had a good working relationship and that has been of the utmost importance in getting a new ' KOTB ' team together in so little time. It simply would not have been nearly as possible had we not already had a good understanding how we both think and what we both need from it in order to make the project a success." I suspect that initial " success " will be measured by getting around the track in one piece and safely. Anything more that will put Indian and Vance & Hines deep into the bonus zone. This project has ' BIG ASK ' writ large on it, but never, and I mean NEVER underestimate ' Da Vance '. Kennedy outlined his initial four priorities for the newly independent ' Kennedy Era ' Indian Motorcycle and yes, he ' s now destined / doomed to enter the brand ' s heritage as a ' Verb '. Just as ' Springfield ' ' Gilroy ', ' Kings Mountain ' and ' Polaris ' eras have all now passed into the legacy lexicon, now so too will ' Kennedy '. If for no other reason that this is one of the first times that the industry will

have seen a genuine Motorcycle Industry man, an experienced insider and a true rider with oil in the veins sat behind the handlebars of a motorcycle

" destiny stamped all over it "

brand and factory. " Indian is already the market share leader in the mid-displacement cruiser sector [ with the Scout line-up ] and our ambition has to be to build on that," says Kennedy. " To take that forward

and make Indian Motorcycle the # 1 brand in the mid and heavyweight cruisers, touring and bagger market." So yes, he is ' taking it ' to Milwaukee! " A second objective, a priority really, is to take the Indian Motorcycle brand into the Trike market- and soon." Beyond accepting that the present Indian range is probably too complex, too difficult for consumers to get their arms around and that there are probably too many models, this is the closest that Kennedy has come so far to saying anything definitive about upcoming model range plans. " The trike market is both challenging and a natural fit for the Indian brand. It never has been before, but there is still untapped opportunity in that sector." One other remark Kennedy made that it is worth noting at this stage concerns the Indian PowerPlus engine. " That is a great powerplant," he says. " Nobody should underestimate it and I have already

been asked whether it has a future and whether we will stay in the air-cooled sector. The answer [ for the foreseeable future at least ] is yes. We have the engine, we have the motorcycles, they are compliant and we have the opportunity to make that segment our own for a long time yet." His third priority, and one worth taking notice of, is that he says that under his management and with Carlwood ' s support, he intends that Indian Motorcycle should " lean into US manufacturing. The Spirit Lake, Iowa factory is awesome. We have good technology there and, above all,

we have great people. An excellent combination of innovative engineering and experience with brand enthusiasm and a motivated production team that likes what they do and takes pride in doing it well. " Polaris has manufacturing in Poland and Vietnam, and we are winding down Indian Motorcycle ' s

" Lean into US manufacturing "

involvements there in order to bring everything we do back to the United States. Other than our sales, marketing and management set-ups around the world, the only facility we will still have overseas will be the industrial design and technology center in Burgdorf, Switzerland- the business that was known as Swiss Auto when Polaris bought it in 2010. " Spirit Lake in Iowa, the Monticello, Minesota machining and fabrication

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