American Motorcycle Dealer 320 March 2026 AMD 320 March 2026 | Page 20

Harley CEO continues to ' put himself about ' with reports flooding the AMD office in January about his almost 18th Century style ' European Grand Tour ' as he visited dealers, vendors, shows and met HOG Groups, riders and brand disciples in the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and the UK( at least). He was accompanied by EMEA VP Kolja Rebstock and Sales Director

Artie Starrs- Live and On Tour in Europe. Seen here with John Warr at his iconic King ' s Road, London dealership.

Francesco Vanni and, among others, was seen at the Jekill & Hyde exhausts R & D and Head Office facility in the Netherlands, dealers and rider groups in Germany and he had his first exposure to the enthusiastic crowds seen at Europe ' s custom bike shows when he visited Motor Bile Expo at Verona, Italy. Seen here with John Warr, Starrs handed out Dealer Awards during a stop at Warr ' s Harley-Davidson on the King ' s Road in London. Warr ' s family have been Harley dealers since John Warr ' s father, Captain Frederick Warr, started the first iteration of the business in 1924- making it one of, if not the oldest surviving Harley dealerships in the world, and certainly the oldest, continuously and still founder ' s family operated dealership in the Harley network. As such it was an appropriate place to have visited and paid homage to the historic Bar ' n Shield culture that is unique to Harley-Davidson. It is a heritage that ' sets it apart,' and Starrs has made clear that he recognizes as one of the manufacturer ' s primary competitive advantages. John Warr, his family and his team at Warr ' s are Brand Ambassadors # 1.

Staged at the Anaheim Exhibition Center in California on January 7-9, AIMExpo is described by the organizers( the Irvine, California based Motorcycle Industry Association / MIC) as having been " another defining moment for the powersports industry. " OEMs, distributors, aftermarket manufacturers, service providers, dealers and media came together to do business, build relationships, and move the industry forward." However, whether or not the enforced Los Angeles swing this year moved the show ' s needle forward remains to be seen. " From the show floor to education and networking, the energy was constant and the momentum unmistakable." Las Vegas had momentum, and this has been a oneyear only LA experiment as the show will migrate again for 2027, back to Orlando, where it will staged later, immediately before Daytona Bike Week, at the Orange County Convention Center, Orlando, Florida on March 3-5. Whether or not it will be back to the Southwest, or maybe try another year or two in the Midwest remains to be seen. " As a trade-only event AIMExpo 2026 delivered record-setting engagement from retailers and exhibitors, with meaningful conversations, real deal-making, and overwhelmingly positive feedback from across the industry." But did it deliver? What did it deliver? The changed timing meant that we here at AMD couldn ' t go to the show this year, and, sadly, I have to say that the reports we have received from

The Motorcycle Industry Council( MIC) has released year-end retail sales data for 2025. According to these latest figures, sales of new motorcycles and scooters among the leading brands monitored by MIC decreased 7.6 % year over year, while ATV sales decreased 3.5 %. Motorcycles and scooters accounted for 73.3 % of total new unit sales in 2025, with ATVs representing 26.7 %. " While overall sales softened in 2025, the data points to clear shifts in how and what consumers are buying," said Buckner Nesheim, MIC Director of Research and Statistics. exhibitors have been mixed- at best. There still is a perceived inability for the show to achieve critical mass in dealer number terms and still a specific reluctance to engage from among the V-twin and broader Custom Motorcycle segment. This is a shame because, as we have said before, the old metrics aren ' t valid yardsticks anymore and what AIMExpo has successfully achieved is to create an industry-wide nexus, a hybrid show that is as tall in terms of the channel levels it caters to as it is broad in terms of its segment footprint. In seeking the ' Moonshot ' outcome it perhaps has become too OE dominated, leaving the pure aftermarket shops and specialist vendors who sell to them a feeling marginalised. It doesn ' t have to be that way though. It is to be hoped

USA 2025 Units Sales

" Customers are moving toward smaller, affordable, versatile, and performance-focused models, while sales in traditional large-displacement on-highway segments like touring and cruisers continue to decline."

that, eventually, it will ' find a groove ' that all segments can dance to- sadly location has a lot to do with this, and there simply is no perfect solution. The organizers go on to say that " a standout moment was the A1 Track Walk at Angel Stadium- a first-of-itskind experience for the powersports industry. Bringing attendees onto the track for an unforgettable night of connection and celebration, the event underscored the power of gathering face-to-face in bold, new ways." In conclusion the AIMExpo team says that " the message from the industry remains clear: we need a place to come together- under one roof, at one time- to connect, collaborate, and find inspiration. AIMExpo is that place, where the industry unites to grow- together." www. aimexpousa. com

The sport bike category, which has been steadily on the rise for a while now, saw a 13 % sales gain for 2025 with all that growth coming from sub-750 cc displacement models. www. mic. org

20 AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER- MARCH 2026 www. AMDmag. com