Sources: AMD, IDN, FT, Reuters, PSB, MPN, BDN, MCN, AP, Bloomberg, MSNW, Electrek, electricmotorcycles. news, RideApart. com, Motor1. com, Cycle World, motorbikewriter. com
NEWS
BRIEFS
Dainese- Following its ' near death experience ' in the hands of successive Private Equity ownerships, the 2025 announced sale of Dainese Group to London based " distressed asset " specialists HPS Investment Partners and Arcmont Asset Management has now been given the green light by EU regulators. The deal includes AGV Helmets and TCX Boots. Lino Dainese sold the apparel business he had built to Bahrain based Investcorp for a reported ' Enterprise Value ' of € 130m. in 2022. In turn, Investcorp ' flipped ' it to American conglomerate Carlyle Group in 2022, for a reported € 630m. The deal with HPS / Arcmont is reported to have been a debt-forequity swap for a nominal fee of € 1.
In Europe, Livewire is fighting for its life and responding to growing competition, such as from the Honda WN7, by significantly reducing the price of the One to € 14,790( approx. USD $ 17,500). The One is stated as offering a continuous output of 63 kW( 86 hp) and standard range of approx. 160 km. The brand had already significantly reduced the prices of its S2 model temporarily in late summer 2025. Last year, 66 LiveWire motorcycles were newly registered in Germany, with 12 more added in the first two months of 2026. Believe it or not, this gives the Harley-Davidson subsidiary a current market share of around 24 % in the electric motorcycle segment in Germany. Considered a pioneering model and- excluding competitor Zero- the One was originally the first electric motorcycle on sales in Germany from an established manufacturer.
Memphis Shades has added a 3 " version of its popular BRL Race Bubble Vented Windshield " for performance-driven riders who want even more functionality out of their race setup. Bringing the same trackinspired aerodynamics and style as our original 4 " BRL Race Bubble, this version features a built-in vent that improves airflow." It fits 2015-2023 Road Glide Fairings.
International- The 2026 annual Distinguished Gentleman ' s Ride is slated for Sunday May 17. Uniting classic and vintage styled motorcycle riders from all over the world to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer research and men ' s mental health. Founded 15 years ago in Sydney, Australia by Mark Hawwa, the event is generously supported by Triumph Motorcycles and is said to have raised USD $ 7.6m in 2025 with 127,000 participants in 1,038 Cities across 108 countries. www. gentlemansride. com
Galfer USA Partners with MotoAmerica
The American subsidiary of the Spanish braking specialist Galfer has signed a multi-year partnership with North America ' s premier motorcycle road racing championship- the MotoAmerica Superbike Championship Series. Orlando, Florida based Galfer USA has been operating in the American market for over 30 years, providing high-performance braking solutions to professional teams, OEM manufacturers, dealers, and enthusiasts across the United States. " With over 70 years of experience, Galfer is globally recognized for its technological innovation, precisionengineered rotors, and racing brake pads used at the highest levels of motorcycle competition." Armando Riva, Country Manager of Galfer USA said: " MotoAmerica represents the highest level of road racing in the U. S., and that ' s exactly where Galfer belongs. We ' re excited to engage in a partnership that puts our products side-by-side with the best riders, showcasing how closely our brand is connected to elite-level performance." " In recent years, Galfer has strengthened its presence in the most prestigious motorcycle racing competitions, bringing its technology to the highest levels of the MotoGP World Championship. In 2024, rider Ai Ogura of the MT Helmets- MSI
Italy has got its mojo back! For the first three months of 2026 the Italian market appears to have returned to growth, but this is the first published data since the industry started to lap the statistical anomalies caused by the late 2024 Euro 5 / Euro 5 + transition- so some caution is required. In motorcycle terms the first three months were + 13.93 % at 35,637 units registered. January was + 16.26 %( 8,099 units), February was + 11.63 %( 10,595 units) with March + 14.31 %( 16,943 units). In total PTW terms the YTD data has Q1 + 14.34 %( 82,023 units) with a‘ Massive March’ that saw growth of + 21.95 % at 39,606 unit registrations. Scooters were + 14.65 % for the YTD at 46,386 with motorcycles + 13.93 As usual, Q1 saw scooters dominate the list of top-sellers in Italy, with
Gary Hazel as National Sales Manager
team won the Moto2 World Championship using Galfer Floatech rotors and Racing G1310 brake pads, confirming the reliability and high performance of the company ' s solutions."
Italy- Q1 2026 Motorcycle Registrations + 13.93 %
Honda Italia’ s SH 125, 350 and 150 series taking the top three spots( over 11,000 units for the first three months between them) followed by their X- ADV 750 and ADV 350 to give them a top-5 lock-out. The Zontes ZT368T-G was sixth, followed by the Kymco Agility 125 S, the Yamaha TMAX, The Piaggio Liberty 125 ABS and the Voge SFIDA SR16 in tenth spot. The top-selling larger displacement motorcycles were all ADV platforms with the Honda Africa Twin in 15th place overall( 1,033 units) and the BMW R 1300 GS and R 1300 GS Adventure in 16 th and 17th place with 948 and 783 units sold respectively. For the record: Motorcycle registrations for the 2025 full year in Italy were put at 134,480 units(-19.22 %), though the official data
In additional news, Galfer USA has strengthened its North American team with key appointments. For the motorcycle sector, Galfer USA welcomes Gary Hazel as National Sales Manager. Hazel brings more than two decades of experience across nearly every discipline of motorcycle racing and the powersports industry, including Enduro, Motocross, Road Racing, Dirt Track, and Vintage competition. He represented the United States three times at the International Six Days Enduro( ISDE) and has played a pivotal
role in the powersports industry, including owning Thumper Racing and leading dealer development and brand growth for manufacturers such as FMF, Kawasaki Team Green, KTM, Sherco, Fantic, and Rieju.
does not include the unsold Euro 5 models that were pre-registered in late 2024 but still( mostly) sold from dealerships in 2025.
100,000
75,000
50,000
25,000
Italian registrations March
71,737
+ 14.34 %
PTW
82,023
2024 2025
31,279
+ 13.93 %
35,637
MOTORCYCLE
10 AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER- MAY 2026 www. AMDmag. com