ONE INDUSTRY. ONE PURPOSE. ENDLESS POTENTIAL.
Bob Althoff Addresses The Industry
DEALER NEWS
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Godspeed Ray Blank
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Stars want to get discovered in Hollywood, but bike builders go to Born Free instead of a Los Angeles soda fountain like Lana Turner to make their mark.
Founded in Rimini, Italy in 1973, the Bimota brand has become synonymous with groundbreaking engineering, handcrafted quality and a relentless pursuit of performance.
Bimota was bought by Kawasaki in 2020, and this began a new phase in the brand’s history.
“It is with great pride and a touch of madness that, after almost five years of hard work and an investment of over 50 million euro, we are launching the new chapter in the life of Moto Guzzi,” says Piaggio Group CEO Michele Colaninno.
With 2 Old Guys Racing/Dealernews columnist Bill Little going down, Beta USA has officially signed Shane McElrath to a two-year contract to campaign the Factory Beta RX 450F in the highly competitive 450SX division.
Shifting Gears
With 2 Old Guys Racing/Dealernews columnist Bill Little going down, Beta USA has officially signed Shane McElrath to a two-year contract to campaign the Factory Beta RX 450F in the highly competitive 450SX division.
Extra! Extra! Read all about it. Veteran moto journalist joins the Motorcycle Industry Council. With the hiring of Greg Drevenstedt as Media Relations and Communications Specialist, MIC has added nearly two decades of motorcycle industry media experience to its Communications team.
Slingshotting from Polaris to Red Wing boots? “I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Vice President Wholesale & Direct to Consumer at Red Wing Shoe Co.” says Joel Harmon.
American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) is “lawyering up” to better advocate on behalf of riders in the central states. Texas attorney Scott Jones joins the AMA’s Government Relations Department as Central States Representative.
Herohub has added industry hero Josh DeMoe to its leadership team as Director of Performance Groups & Strategic Partnerships.
MOTO GUZZI CELEBRATES 105th WITH GRAND OPENING “It is with great pride and a touch of madness that, after almost five years of hard work and an investment of over 50 million euro, we are launching the new chapter in the life of Moto Guzzi,” says Piaggio Group CEO Michele Colaninno. “The project has involved a complete transformation of the factory and the museum, and is the brainchild of Greg Lynn, a friend and internationally renowned architect, with whom we have worked to fuse metal and robots, silence and art.” Subscribe To #Dealernews To See The Full Story: https://dealernews.com/Home/post/moto-guzzi-celebrates-105th-with-grand-opening/
A RISING TIDE FLOATS ALL BOATS Yamaha Motor USA Finance Corporation (YMFC-US) continues their Dealer Spotlight series with an uplifting success story from VForce Marine in Orlando, Florida. One of dealerships’ notable accomplishments is their work with @Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute (HSWRI). The non-profit scientific research organization is focused on marine life conservation, ocean health and animal rescue. VForce Marine is able to support local conservation efforts by providing the vehicles used by HSWRI staff. Subscribe To #Dealernews To See The Full Story: https://dealernews.com/Home/post/a-rising-tide-floats-all-boats/
EYES ON ITALY Stars want to get discovered in Hollywood, but bike builders go to Born Free motorcycle show instead of a Los Angeles soda fountain like Lana Turner to make their mark. Standing out at the bike show can be that big break for the next Arlen Ness or Indian Larry. Case in point were some Italian visitors coming to California on a mission. Following the success of the 2026 event — the biggest in MBE history — Motor Bike Expo is accelerating into the future. In fact co-founder Paola Somma and her son Federico were at Born Free talent scouting builders to invite to the 19th MBE scheduled at Veronafiere January 22-24, 2027. Subscribe To #Dealernews To See The Full Story: https://dealernews.com/Home/post/eyes-on-italy/
OEM UPDATE: BIMOTA BACK ON TRACK Founded in Rimini, Italy in 1973, the Bimota brand has become synonymous with groundbreaking engineering, handcrafted quality and a relentless pursuit of performance. Since 2020 we have seen exotic Bimotas under the Kawasaki USA umbrella at Eicma in Milan… However sightings of the Italian stallions in the United States have historically been limited to an occasional Cycle World cover back when the cycle world still had printed magazines. But now, with some help from Kawasaki USA and a dedicated dealer, Bimota is back on track. Subscribe To #Dealernews To See The Full Story: https://dealernews.com/Home/post/oem-update-bimota-back-on-track/
In Case You Missed It
According to the Motorcycle Industry Council, new motorcycle sales among leading brands increased 1.9% through the second quarter of 2026, compared with the same period last year.
Segway Powersports has partnered with DRT Motorsports — one of the off-road industry’s leading manufacturers of premium accessories — to launch a full range of aftermarket products for the Super Villain SX20T.
Attention to the 1009 Road Warrior’s out there… If you are a courteous business professional that advocates for the Dealers needs and would like to be on the list to be called when emerging brands look to enter the North American market, please fill out the following form:
Led by industry veterans Shane Talbert, Andre Lecompte and Gerald Lindenmuth, Republic Powersports has acquired Kent Powersports from former Major League Baseball All-Star and Hall of Fame player Jeff Kent and Operating Partner Matt Goulais.
“Thank you Segway Powersports US, for the opportunity to join the team,” said an elated Kellen Kerbs.
