Mark Bayer's Motorcycle News Resource Pages

WHAT'S NEW IN THE WORLD OF MOTORCYCLE'S! LOCAL EVENTS ARE LISTED ON PAGE FOUR!

INDEX:

Home Page[1] ; "Motorcycle news" site links an a few other interesting links;

Pages [2] ; Regional events listings and local clubs and businesses;

page [3] & [4] ; Motorcycle development pages;

page [5] ; Associated groups link page;

After researching the pages on this site, there are dozens of more great site links on: www.vcme.9f.com (make sure and check out the vcme resource page)

Our newest site is www.markbayersvintagehonda.9f.com and www.markbayersmotorcyclehistory.9f.com

Also check the "resource" page on the www.hondaenthusiasts.9f.com site (pg. six)!

The field of motorcycling is going through a renaissance today. New makers, resurrected historic names, and current manufacturers are creating some really exciting bikes. I thoroughly enjoy the sport and want to help those interested in keeping up with what's new. Make sure and go to page four to view local & regional events.

I have made a few notes of my own but have also placed some of the best links to motorcycle "news" resources:

SUMMER 2009 NEWS:

(I)Harley Davidson has announced that Buell will be discontinued after the 2009 model year. The last bikes will be produced on October 30th.of 2009. Buell's were marketed for 26 years. Buell items will be liquidated from 1-28-2010 to 2-28-2010. Go to: www.liquidassetpartners.com

(II) Harley also announces that MV is up for sale. They owned the MV brand for about one year. It is rumored that Volkswagen might be interested in the brand in that they had made an attempt to buy Ducati.

(III) Harley Davidson announced on November 20, 2009 that Eric Buell will operate a shop called "Eric Buell Racing". Buell racing will continue to develop the 1125R machine for competition only.

(IV) The new Norton 961 SE, a modernized retro bike will be marketed in the US in 2010. Check out the bike on www.nortonmotorcycles.com Norton states that 200 bikes will be built and sold in 2010. According to Norton, all the bikes have already been sold. A US distributor has been selected and plans are being made to get the factory completed so new bikes can be built! What a problem to have, no factory and the full run of bikes already sold out! More information is contained in the article to the right!

(V) Honda has announced an all new V-4, VFR Interceptor to be offered late this year as a 2010 model. It will have a 1200cc, 172 hp engine which includes some revolutionary technology which will impact the future of the high performance engine. It will also include a twin clutch six speed transmission which can work as a manual or an automatic. I hope Honda gets that "automatic" transmission right, I just don't get real excited about automatics in bikes, I hope I'm found to be wrong! However, I will be anxious to see the first road test!

(VI) New motorcycle sales in the US hit an all time high in 2004. Every year since that time, there has been around a 10 to 12% drop. Here are the sales figures for 2008:

The final figures for 2009 will not be available for several months, but the results are not good. US Japanese motorcycle sales were down an average of 41% with Triumph (British)being only 30% down (up in the UK 29%), Harley Davidson down 27% (Harley states that they experienced a 53% drop in the 4th. qtr.), and BMW(Germany), down the least, at 22%. It might be noted that sales in some countries were down at least 50% and as much as 60% or more.

2008 bikes sold first six months of 2009

Honda 337,339 units down 36% (109,321 units)

Yamaha 349,604 units down 55% (97,035 units)

Suzuki 348,465 units down 53% (92,111 units)

Harley Davidson 218,939 units down 35.1% in 2009

Kawasaki 191,337 units down 35% (62,492 units)

Triumph 41,619 estimated(2008) units worldwide US salesdown around 13% Estimated US sales in the 11,000-12,000 unit range with a 10% worldwide increase in 2007 and another 1+% increase in 2008.

BMW 101,000 units worldwide down less than 10%

BMW sales in the US are estimated to be in the 12,000+ range.

The Norton is another name which seems to return over and over again! Read below:

The original Norton motorcycle was built from 1902 till 1975. Financial problems have led to the bike's demise several times. From 1902 till 1953 the name stood on it's own, then was sold to AMC (Associated Motorcycles), a British group. AMC also marketed AJS, Matchless and several other less known brands. AMC became Norton-Villiars, then Norton-Villiars-Triumph, then was gone. In the late 1980's the name returned as a Wankel engined bike but was not a big success. In 1999 Kenny Dreer, an American, bought the rights to the name and developed a beautiful version of the Commando. Note the picture below. He never produced a production bike. Within the last year, a British business man has purchased back the name and has continued the development. Stuart Garner hopes to offer a bike for sale in 2010. Three models are to be offered with the same 961cc twin. There will be the Commando, the Commando Sport, and the Commando Cafe Racer. From what I can guess, the US price would be in the $16,000 range. I don't know how many of the 200 to be produced will come to the US.