Hey there, Jack and Jill Motorcycle around the world. Welcome to an all-news episode of Chasing the Horizon, which we’ve erroneously titled “Just the Facts.” I say erroneously because I’ll be offering a little analysis and commentary along the way, which of course is all my opinion and not actually factual. I’m sure you’ll be able to tell the difference. I believe in you.
Please thank our episode sponsors by checking out their products: SCHUBERTH HELMETS and ROX SPEED FX.
To kick things off, let’s update the story of Yogesh Alekari. After riding 15,000 miles through 17 countries, his bike and everything on it was stolen by pig-faced thieves in the UK. The community there stepped up to help him, giving him a bike, camping gear, luggage and even some cash. He’s back on the road and headed for South Africa! Thanks to The Off Road Centre, Mosko Moto and Valley and Peak for their assistance to a rider in need.
Yogesh Alekari on his new bike.In Episode 160, I told you about the comeback of Buell, and they’ve started making bikes – the Super Cruiser is on the road now. Royal Enfield sold over 120,000 bikes in September 2025, a new record for them. An executive with KTM’s new majority owner Bajaj Auto says “European manufacturing is dead” and predicts (as I already did) moving the company’s manufacturing to Asia.
As part of Harley-Davidson getting a new CEO, their board got some new members, too, with two people forced out and two new people coming on. Dan Nova is an experienced venture capitalist and Matt Reintjes currently runs Yeti (yes, the company that makes giant insulated cups). Analysts are crediting the new sub-$10k MSRP for the Nightster for helping to boost new H-D registrations by about 4% in September.
Buell Super Cruiser for 2026.Kawasaki’s new entry in the middleweight ADV bike segment will probably be called the Rally 500 and feature the same engine as what is in the Eliminator 500 and Ninja 500. Helmet (and racing gear) maker Simpson is making a bid for global dominance – er, distribution. Oxford HotGrips has revamped its lineup for 2026. Timothée Chalamet is set to star in a new motorcycle heist flick.
In the electric motorcycle world, Damon Inc is a once-promising Canadian company now beset by multiple lawsuits (former CEO – investor) and down to 11 employees and two contractors. I interviewed co-founder and former CEO Jay Giraud in Episode 56. In recent months, the company’s public website has been scrubbed of content, which is never a good sign. I’d expect to see further lawsuits and a bankruptcy declaration before too much longer from the halls of this once-promising electric motorcycle company. Finland’s Verge is taking their bikes on a tour of the UK to drum up business.
BMW Motorrad’s CEO says his company won’t be making full-size electric motorcycles because there’s no market for them, but Ducati debuted a brand-new solid-state battery that could upend the entire EV market. I guess we’ll see who’s right and who’s left behind in a decade or two.
Finally, Yamaha has come up with the stupidest idea ever for an EV: a piston engine running off the electric engine with no purpose other than to sap power to make comforting noises.
Yamaha’s folly.
Since we don’t have a Patreon page for you to visit, the easiest way to support Chasing the Horizon is by joining the BMW Motorcycle Owners of America. Get yourself a Traditional Membership or even a Digital Memberships (for $10 less); each come with a wide range of member benefits, including access (digital or in your mailbox) to BMW Owners News, the MOA’s monthly magazine. You also get access to one of the best roadside assistance programs for motorcycles available (sorry, only applies to the US), become eligible for a $200 motorcycle training scholarship every year, periodic discounts on a new BMW motorcycles, discount tickets to great events and much, much more!