Welcome to September’s all-news episode – it’s chock full of info about the motorcycle industry and what’s going on around the world.
We kick off with news about a city in Italy looking to kick Vespas out of town and move right into Indian’s Scout models meant to celebrate the bike’s 100th anniversary. They also announced changes to their heavyweight air-cooled cruiser lineup for 2020.
Not to be outdone, Harley-Davidson is revamping its Sportster lineup for 2020, and of course, news about BMW Motorrad’s heavy cruiser concept the R 18 continues to pique our interest, especially since they’re coming up with cool anti-theft mechanisms. (PS don’t forget about Episode 25, in which we talked to hardcore scooterist Hammy Tan.)
AIMExpo is the US contribution to the worldwide motorcycle and powersports trade show calendar, and it happens this week in Columbus, Ohio. Consumers have access on Saturday and Sunday, and if you’re a BMW MOA member, you can get discounted tickets. Find out more on the AIMExpo website and check out my discussion with Larry Little – he helps run the Motorcycle Industry Council, which puts on the expo.
Guy Martin is on a quest to go over 300 MPH on a turbocharged, streamlined Suzuki Hayabusa. Keep an eye on him … if you can.
Ewan and Charlie … the names alone ring bells in many riders who have watched their serialized adventures on television or DVD. The guys are back at it, as you may know, but not on the adventure bikes you might think they’d want for a ride from Ushuaia to Anchorage.
No, they’re making the trip on a couple of Harley-Davidson LiveWire electric motorcycles and have Rivian electric pickup trucks in their support fleet along with some conventionally-powered 4×4 vehicles. That blends nicely with the news that two-wheeled EV registrations are booming in Europe.
Please check out and support not just the show’s sponsors, the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America and Dunlop Motorcycle Tires, but the Women Riders World Relay as well – I’ve been following their progress since March (they started in February) and it’s been a lot of fun to see where they go. Heartily recommended.
Bonus Link: Cool video of the restoration of a Honda CB550
See you somewhere out there on the road – or off it! Ride safe.
