THE AMERICAN REPORT
Sources : The Bradley Report , AMD Magazine , Big Bike Europe , MIC , AMA , PSB , Dealernews
THE AMERICAN REPORT
POWERSPORTS
INSIDERS
Polaris Industries Inc . has joined the Fortune 500 list of largest companies in the United States . Not a market cap ., profits or revenues listing as such , the Fortune 500 lists businesses by total revenues for their fiscal years - Polaris is in its 64th year and achieved a ranking of # 496 . It lists publicly held companies along with privately held companies for which revenues are publicly available .
Garland , Texas based UTV / SxS vehicle assembler Sportsman Country is being acquired by Jinhua , China based electric and off-road vehicle and component manufacturer Kandi Technologies . Sportsman assembles and distributes under the Massimo , Benneche and Linhai brands .
Polaris has announced it is to open a new distribution center in Fernley , Nevada , 165 miles NE of Sacramento , California . The 475,000 sq ft facility will be a multi-brand operation on a 37-acre site , supporting Polaris ’ growing aftermarket , parts , garments and accessories businesses . Its PG & A division achieved nearly $ 2 billion in sales in 2017 . Proximity to west coast consumers and Pacific Rim facing ports are cited as factors in the choice of location .
Following news that it had moved its U . S . headquarters to Plano , Texas , Canadian BRP , maker of Sea-Doo watercraft and Ski-Doo snowmobiles , is reported to be poised to spend some $ 385 million on acquisitions to expand its product line-up . Group sales in 2017 are reported at $ 3.4 bn , and CEO Jose Boisjoli is targeting growth to $ 4.6 bn by 2020 .
The U . S . Consumer Product Safety Commission ’ s ( CPSC ) 2016 annual report of “ ATV-Related Deaths and Injuries ” ( issued January 2018 ) once again affirms the decade-long downward trend in fatalities and injuries related to ATVs - down -29 % for the period 2007 to 2013 .
BRP has garnered six prestigious Red Dot product design awards for its Sea-Doo Spark Trixx PWC , Can-Am Maverick X3 and Trail SxS vehicles , Evinrude E-TEC 150- 200 hp G2 outboard engine , Ski-Doo snowmobile REV Gen4 platform and LinQ snowboard / ski rack for Ski-Doo snowmobiles .
Hello Curtiss , goodbye hydrocarbons !
Confederate Motorcycles has completed its transition to Curtiss Motorcycle with what CEO Matt Chambers says is “ the first new Curtiss motorcycle in over 100 years .” In all likelihood , it will also be the last too - at least the last internal combustion engine motorcycle under the Curtiss name as Chambers embarks on his plan to abandon hydrocarbons and reinvent as an E-bike manufacturer . Sharing a name with its famous World War II fighter plane ancestor , the new Warhawk pays homage to the man who invented the first American V-twin motorcycle – Glenn Curtiss , a legendary figure in the history of the American aviation as well as motorcycle industries . Curtiss is credited with effectively being the founder of the U . S . aircraft industry . He began his career as a bicycle racer and builder before moving on to motorcycles . As early as 1904 , he began to manufacture engines for airships . In 1908 , Curtiss joined the Aerial Experiment Association , a pioneering research group , founded by Alexander Graham Bell in Nova Scotia , to build flying machines . Curtiss made the first officially witnessed flight in North America , won a race at the world ’ s first international air meet in France , and made the first long-distance flight in the United States . His contributions in designing and building aircraft led to the formation of the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company , now part of Curtiss- Wright Corporation . Curtiss ’ company built aircraft for the U . S . Army and Navy , and , during the years leading up to World War I , his experiments with seaplanes led to advances in naval aviation . Curtiss civil and military aircraft were predominant in the interwar and World War II eras . Curtiss began manufacturing motorcycles with his own singlecylinder engines in 1902 . His first motorcycle ’ s carburetor was adapted from a tomato soup can containing a gauze screen to pull the gasoline up by capillary action . In 1903 , he set a motorcycle land speed record at 64 miles per hour ( 103 km / h ) for one mile ( 1.6 km ). When E . H . Corson of the Hendee Mfg Co ( manufacturers of Indian motorcycles ) visited Curtiss at his Hammondsport , New York ‘ Facility ’ in July 1904 , he was amazed that the entire Curtiss motorcycle enterprise was located in the back room of the modest “ shop ”. Corson ’ s motorcycles had just been trounced the week before by “ Hell Rider ” Curtiss in an endurance race from New York to Cambridge , Maryland . On January 21 , 1906 , Curtiss set an unofficial world record of 136.36 miles per hour ( 219.45 km / h ), on a 40 horsepower ( 30 kW ) 269 cu in ( 4,410 cc ) V-8-powered motorcycle of his own design and construction in Ormond Beach , Florida . The air-cooled F-head engine was intended for use in aircraft . He remained “ the fastest man in the world ”, the title the newspapers gave him , until 1911 , and his motorcycle record was not broken until 1930 . This motorcycle is now in the Smithsonian Institution . Curtiss ’ success at racing strengthened his reputation as a leading maker of high-performance motorcycles and engines . The announcement of the ‘ Warhawk ’ marks the first product release since Confederate Motors rebranded to Curtiss Motorcycle earlier this year . “ We ’ ve spent the past 27 years working to optimise and perfect Mr . Curtiss ’ V-twin invention ,” explained Curtiss CEO Matt Chambers . “ Everything we know is built into this machine . Because the ‘ Warhawk ’ is based on our acclaimed P51 Fighter , the engine , powertrain and chassis are as solid as a bank vault . But now , we ’ ve cranked it to 11 . There are no more rabbits we can pull out of the proverbial hat . There ’ s simply no way to make a more explosive hot-rod American V-twin than the Curtiss Warhawk . “ The American V-twin is undoubtedly the most iconic and revered powertrain in motorcycle history . As we prepare to lead an all-new golden age of electrified motorcycles , this Curtiss Warhawk represents the best and final chapter in American V-twin power and refinement . We ’ re building a handful of these Warhawks in honour of Mr . Curtiss and as a bequest from the brand of yesterday to the brand of tomorrow .” Only 35 Curtiss Warhawks are scheduled to be crafted , with an MSRP of 105,000 USD . Based in Birmingham , Alabama , Curtiss Motorcycle Company is on a mission to “ lead an all-new golden age of sustainable motorcycles by designing and crafting the world ’ s best and finest electric motorcycles .” A first new volume production model , to be called the ‘ Hercules ’ and powered by a Zero Motorcycles powertrain , is slated for a May 2018 unveil . www . curtissmotorcycles . com
20 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2018