Sources: AMD, IDN, FT, Reuters, PSB, MPN, BDN, MCN, AP, Bloomberg, MSNW, Electrek, electricmotorcycles. news, RideApart. com, Motor1. com, Cycle World, motorbikewriter. com news ROOM
NEWS
BRIEFS
Austria- BAJAJ Mobility( KTM) subsidiary WP Suspension has been hooked by the drug of brand extension with its first major product diversification- into the brake components segment. Primarily for Original Equipment Manufacturer( OEM) integration, the new line is ambitious- starting with pads, hydraulic hoses and callipers straight away. All products are being made inhouse at WP in Austria. Initially for lower displacement lightweights, the target appears to be the niche that Brembo is trying to carve out for its ByBre brand. The first application is a 740 g WP FCR4 radial 4-piston caliper for this year ' s KTM 390 Duke; www. wp-suspension. com
Barcelona, Spain based electric motorcycle manufacturer Stark Future has now passed three years since its first customer revenue and has marked its strongest financial milestone yet with Q1 2026 revenue growth of 212 % year-on-year, equivalent to 3.12x growth, while delivering its first EBITDA-profitable period and outperforming its own internal budget. Anton Wass, Founder and CEO of Stark Future, said " the results show that Stark ' s growth is not being led by unsustainable losses, but by real market demand, strong product momentum, and increasingly disciplined execution.
Honda has opened a new motorcycle production factory in Turkey. The new facility( at Aliaga, Izmir) is operated by Honda Türkiye A. S and is Honda ' s 38th factory worldwide and has an initial annual production capacity set at 100,000 units, with the opportunity to expand to up to 200,000. Production started in April 2026. Turkey has become one of Honda ' s key growth markets. In 2025 Honda took the number one position in the market for the 11th consecutive year.
Aimed at Flat Track racing, Picasso Engineering( Switzerland) is introducing the new OMT450C. " This is not just a race bike, but a continuous development platform implementing the proprietary DAST( Dynamic Adaptive Stiffness Technology) system for the first time in Flat Track: a modular carbon fibre frame designed to actively adjust structural rigidity and adapt to track grip conditions. Powered by a proven Honda CRF450RX engine, the bike is currently competing at the highest level in the 2026 FIM Flat Track World Championship, with American star Sammy Halbert.
<<< Continued from page 8
Engine business unit) beat forecast by + 16.5 % at 682.8 bn yen(+ 73.4 % from 250.0 bn yen for the year ago) with revenue from developed markets accounting for 261.9 bn yen of that(+ 16.5 %). Kawasaki ' s Utility Vehicle, ATV and PWC segment posted a + 42.4 % revenue growth at 211.5 bn yen. However, the segment posted a-25.1 % decline in profit at 22.7 bn yen( 3.1 % margin), down from 47.8 bn yen( 7.9 % margin) for the year ago period.
For its 2025 / 2026 full financial year to 31 March, Suzuki reported total global sales of 2.261 million units(+ 9.5 % over its 2024 / 2025 Financial Year). Europe saw 30,000 of those units sold, down by- 24.5 %, with Japan worth 26,000(-27.2 %), North America 28,000(-5.4 %) and Asia( excluding India) worth 644,000 units. India remains by far Suzuki ' s largest market, and Suzuki Motorcycle India Pvt. Ltd, its wholly own Indian subsidiary, celebrated the 20th anniversary of the 2006 start of production at its plant at Gurugram, Haryana, India by posting sales of 1.202 million units for the 2025 / 2026 full year( Indian production and imports). Suzuki sold 315,000 units in China(-4.9 %), 148,000 in the Philippines(-1.5 %) and 312,000 in Latin America(+ 28.9 %). " Production and sales both exceeded the previous year worldwide. Demand in India was driven by the popular ' ACESS ' scooter, surpassing the growth of the overall Indian market and reaching a record high of 1.2 million units. " In the AMS Supercross in the United States, widely regarded as one of the world ' s premier motocross race series, Ken Roczen won the series championship on the Suzuki RM- Z450 ".
In the AMA Supercross Championship in the United States, Ken Roczen won riding the Suzuki RM-Z450.
BAJAJ Mobility AG announced its 1st Quarter 2026 results in May. The company reported " significant revenue growth "(+ 70.2 % vs. Q1 2025) to € 331.3m with KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas brand motorcycle unit sales " more than doubled "(+ 125.1 %) to 40,332 units- from 17,915 units Q1 / 25- marking a " successful start into the motorsport season." Motorcycle revenue rose by + 151.6 % to € 272.4m; it reported positive EBITDA of € 5.5m( vs. €-55.8m for Q1 / 25) with EBIT improved by € 65.5m(+ 71.5 % vs. Q1 / 25) and Equity of € 350.7m at an Equity ratio of 22.2 %. BAJAJ Mobility reported the successful refinancing of its KTM AG subsidiary- the tune of € 550m( approx. $ 640m). " Worldwide inventories have been further reduced with strong demand and improved earnings situation confirming the performance of the restructuring program." Overall, motorcycle unit sales rose from 17,915 to 40,332 units(+ 125.1 % vs. Q1 / 25).
The company briefly withdrew motorcycle reporting from its Q1 2026 quarterly report earlier this year- prompting a tsunami of rumours. Later the company did restore some basic Q1 data- with deliveries cited as 42,735 units( down by-4.2% on the 44,609 for Q1, 2025) and EBIT for the subsidiary at 11.2 %, which was up on the 9.4 %(+ 21.3 %) achieved in Q1 last year on the higher deliveries number. The company delivered 202,563 units in total in 2025. However, there has been plenty of other motorcycle industry news coming out of ' Munich ', not least with the transfer of Boris Welezky from its Mini automotive division as the new VP Customer, Brand and Sales appearing to have resulted in a chain of sales and marketing personnel changes. Other news has included the appointment of Josef Honeder( also from elsewhere within BMW) as the new Head of Development at BMW Motorrad; 50 years of BMW RS and competition motorcycle production being marked; a BMW R 1300 R Superhooligan custom special presented at the 84th Daytona 200 weekend from in March to commemorate Steve McLaughlin ' s victory in the very first Superbike race at Daytona 50 years ago in March 6,
Continues on page 12 >>>
Four million BMW motorbikes, a milestone for the Berlin plant as a R 1300 GS Adventure rolled off the production line.
10 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS- JULY / AUGUST 2026 www. idnmag. com