Your Motorcycle News Fix — December 2021
As we come to the end of 2021, Cycle Trader reflects on what a big year it’s been for motorcycles and riders. New bikes emerged on the market, companies expanded, and many biker rallies returned after being canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before we put the year in our rearview mirror, we’re taking a look at some of the top stories from the past few months and the biggest motorcycle events of 2021.
KTM Breaks Ground on New Headquarters
In November, KTM Group broke ground on their new North American headquarters in Murrieta, California. Located near their current headquarters, the site will become the new home for the company brands KTM, Husqvarna, and GasGas. As reported by CycleNews, the groundbreaking ceremony commenced with appearances from KTM’s board of directors and their brands’ championship racers and bikes. Known as Europe’s biggest motorcycle producer, KTM’s $50 million facility will be an asset to the company and serve dealers within the American market. Their new headquarters is expected to be completed by January 2023.
Triumph Celebrates Production Milestone
According to a press release from Triumph, the British motorcycle company recently celebrated the building of their millionth bike since 1990 at their headquarters in Hinckley, England. The Triumph team rolled out a custom-painted Tiger 900 Rally Pro during the celebration. While the first Triumph bike emerged in the market nearly 120 years ago, the company faced struggles against competition before it was relaunched in 1990 when it developed more modern bikes. The company indicated that the past year has been their best with $877 million in motorcycle sales. Going into 2022, Triumph will continue its Sneak Peek Tour with appearances of the new Tiger Sport 660 and Speed Triple 1200 RR at North American dealerships before the bikes hit the market for sale.
Ducati Exceeds 2020 Sales with Record-Breaking Third Quarter
Italian motorcycle producer Ducati reported in a company press release its 49,693 motorcycles delivered by the end of Q3 of 2021 exceeded their entire sales volume of 48,042 bikes from the 2020 financial year. Q3 was the best quarter in Ducati’s history, with a +3% growth compared to the same quarter in 2020. Ducati’s top-selling bikes for the year are the Multistrada V4, the Ducati Scrambler 800 family, the Streetfighter V4, and the Monster.
Kawasaki Announces New Hybrid Motorcycles
This fall, Kawasaki shared more details in a company press release on their plans for the development of new hybrid and battery-powered motorcycles. The company plans on producing exclusively electric or hybrid bikes for their major models in every developed market by 2035. By 2025, the company plans on launching an average of 16 new models each year, including battery-powered and electric bikes. The announcement coincided with Kawasaki’s demonstration of the hybrid technology with a new prototype bike. Kawasaki expects these hybrid bikes to appear in showrooms soon.
Biker Rallies Return
2021 saw the return of some motorcycle rallies after many were canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Several of these events led to a surge in COVID cases within the states where they were hosted, including Daytona Bike Week in March and Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in August, reported by Forbes. Myrtle Beach Bike Week in May and Republic of Texas Motorcycle Rally in June carried on as they were originally scheduled, while Bikes, Blues & BBQ in Arkansas was postponed. Laconia Motorcycle Week was hosted in June after a smaller turnout in 2020. COVID vaccinations were given by the National Guard at this year’s event.
Are there any motorcycle headlines that grabbed your attention during the past few months? Let us know in the comments below. And as we cruise into the new year, check out all of the new and used motorcycles on the market on CycleTrader.com!
Ryan Miller
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