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JUNE 2026(# 323)
COMMENT: The Ride Really Is The Destination Again.............................................. 4
Accused by one industry commentator of drinking the ' Orange and Black ' Corporate KoolAid last month, Robin Bradley says " je ne regrette rien " as he doubles down on the new direction of travel that Artie Starrs has set Harley on. ' Back To The Bricks could just as easily be called ' Back To The Basics ' as ' MoCo ' reconnects with its heritage in order to shape its future.
AMERICAN FLAT TRACK: Ventura and Chico Short Tracks................................................ 24
After three rounds( the Daytona double header and Atlanta) the season ' s initial burst of five consecutive Short Track races saw the series take its regular ' California Swing ', with the Memphis Shades Ventura Short Track( near Los Angeles, Round 4) on April 26, followed by the ' Silver Dollar ' Speedway Short Track at Cico( near Sacramento in northern California) the following weekend( Round 5, May 2). Californian native Briar Bauman won both races and the HD XG750R scooped five out of the six podiums.
FLAT TRACK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP: FIM series heads out of Europe for the first time...................................................... 22
Increased to eight-countries and 10-rounds for 2026, the largely Europe based series started as a World Cup in 2012 and achieved FIM World Championship status in 2020. This year ' s first round in The Netherlands saw a winning debut for the Ducati Desmo450 MX. Upcoming rounds include Italy, two in Germany, Croatia, UK, Hungary, Czechia and, in a first foray outside Europe the 2026 series concludes with two-round in Argentina in October.
HDFS: A $ 5.5bn Balance Sheet Benefit................................................................ 18
In a mid-April Audio Webcast for investors, Harley-Davidson Financial Services( HDFS), management was keen to make it clear that dealer support remains unchanged. The ' capital light ' model that the changes implemented are entirely on the corporate side and " strategic value driven " explained Johnathan Root, CFO / CCO of Harley-Davidson Inc. Some 9.8 % ownership equity in HDFS was sold to investment groups PIMCO and KKK in order to unlock the capital position Harley has been carrying as it largely self-financed its consumer credit arm- resulting in a timely HDI balance sheet boost.
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MIC Q1 SALES: US on-Highway sales + 7.8 %.................................................. 18
The good news in the Q1 MIC Stats is that among the leading brands that they monitor for new sales statistical purposes, on-highway motorcycles were up by 7.8 % at 63,308 units for the quarter, with offhighway motorcycles essentially flat at-0.9 %( 29,870 units). ATV sales increased 2.5 % for a + 3.8 % total powersports retail sales increase.
PRODUCT EXTRA: Custom Chrome Europe........................................................ 34
A second installment of FG Gubellini shock absorber news from CCE. Founded in 1978 by Franco Gubellini, the noted Italian manufacturer has always had a strong Harley-Davidson aftermarket product line-up, but it ' s 1971 and up fitment range of shock absorbers and mod-free install front fork cartridge upgrades is now more widely available to authorized Harley and independent custom shops in Europe than ever before.
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AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER- JUNE 2026 3