Is this a real shift in paradigm or merely another passing trend? In naming its top ten best bikes for 2011, Cycle World cites the gaining ground of European bikes against Japanese bikes in the US motorcycle market. Leaving aside US bike brands, the likes of Ducati and BMW have fared better against a weak dollar than their Japanese counterparts, providing top quality at a price point much closer to the Japanese bikes than years ago.

Models like the Ducati Diavel won for best cruiser, proving that it is well and truly made to fit the American market, and there are no surprises with the BMW K 1600 GT and K 1600 GTL taking out best sport tourer and best tourer. With Triumph and even Husaberg getting a mention, it looks like Europe’s motorcycle heyday might be back in terms of product, despite the increasingly waning economic conditions for a healthy market.

Cycle World says:

Evolution continues, in good times or bad, whether you believe in it or not. Seems like only yesterday we were content as could be to ride along on our dinosaurs and horses, and now look at us. One trend continues in 2011: the shift in motorcycle power from Japan to Europe. Last year, five of our Top Ten came from Japan. This year, only three—and two of those were bones of contention that required significant gnawing.

Continue reading: Japan vs Europe: 2011 best bikes

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After criticism that the Ducati Diavel was built just for the US motorcycle market (and of course, it was pretty much), it seems that Ducati’s investment in the model has paid off with its clever guess that the Diavel would drive home the brand for American buyers. In the middle of an ongoing economic downturn, Ducati is enjoying a small heyday in the US, releasing its second quarter sales figures for 2011.

And what figures indeed! The company reports an increase on year-to-date sales of 63 percent thanks to the highly popular Ducati Multistrada and the above-mentioned Diavel. The models make for an interesting duo at the head of sales, with the two opposing styles indicating that Ducati isn’t just relying on its brand new cruiser to appeal to the American motorcycle enthusiast.

The Superbike 848 EVO and the Monster 1200 round-off a more affordable range for Ducati and here in Europe, we’re interested to see if this new US success for Ducati produces any more product development or design headed our way from over the pond, while Americans are looking to see if Ducati won’t make greater investments on their soil, too.

Source | A&R

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We’ve had plenty to say ourselves of the Ducati Diavel - it’s interest for the US market, the Diavel pricing and how it departs from Ducati philosophy, particularly for European customers used to Ducati as a sports bike brand. While the Multistrada pushed the boundaries a little, the Diavel is a whole new planet for Ducati and it’s not clear yet whether this new model is working for the company or not.

We probably won’t know in the near future whether the Diavel will be a total flop, a raging sucess or somewhere in between, but Ducati is clearly concerned by, or interested in, what potential customers and Ducati fans have to say. It has created a ‘Your Opinion’ part of the Diavel website, where you can find a questionnaire on the Diavel and its appeal. Unfortunately the results of the questionnaire are not public (as yet), but we’ve probably been saved some polemics in the meantime, which can’t be a bad thing.

The questions include everything from whether the bike has been seen in person, to rating its technical aspects, describing it and a personal view of who the major competitors are. The survey can be completed in five different languages, possibly belying the idea that the Diavel has been created with the US market exclusively in mind. To fill out the form go to the Diavel minisite, Your Opinion section.

Source | A&R

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We don’t think it’s far fetched to describe Harley-Davidson as a beleaguered company right now but it seems like it just got through a round of tough union negotiations which should see it make some savings. The company has been making some big losses recently and had gone shopping for new production facilities to cut costs, with a possible result being all 1,350 employees in the Wisconsin area losing their jobs.

Faced with an entire production shut-down and factory move out of Milwaukee, union workers have agreed to new contracts over a seven year period that cut worker numbers by 250 and offer casual work contracts in the place of full-time contracts with benefits. Given these changes it was more attractive for Harley-Davidson, cost-wise, to stay put than to move to other facilities and incur the costs of establishing new premises. In fact, initial savings to the end of 2013 are said to be to the tune of $50 million.

The union has gone so far as to say it’s happy to have kept jobs in Wisconsin but you could hardly call it a victory. Whether another example of just how good we’d all got it before the crisis hit, it’s a tough pill to swallow when you’re a worker. A Harley-Davidson failure would be nothing on the national scale of General Motors, but it would still put some local towns in hard times. Here’s hoping the new agreement keeps things rolling along heathily.

Source | A&R and Autoblog.com

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It seems Piaggio operations and client service is further under fire in the North American motorcycle market, after the Italian company recently had to pledge to improve its Canadian dealer network and customer relations. Piaggio moved its Canadian distribution to the US last year, but apparently is still known for lack of customer service and dealership support.

According to A&R Piaggio sold just 1,100 bikes in North America in Q1 this year, compared to 6,400 in Q1 last year and with brands like Piaggio, Vespa, Aprilia and Moto Guzzi in its portfolio, it’s hardly lacking in products to sell. Comments though, indicate that a brand like Aprilia is just as good at replacement parts as any other brand on the market, and that overall customers would like better service from other Italian brands like Ducati and MV Agusta as well as the Japanese companies.

Whatever the case, it would be nice to see Piaggio set the benchmark rather than content itself with the middling standards of the rest of the market. We can only imagine that the company is in need of a good PR campaign and the service to then back it up. Piaggio worldwide CEO Paolo Timoni says: “About 50% of our dealers have stayed with us [since the move offices to the US] and the plan is to have 50 to 55 dealers total across Canada by the end of 2010.”

That statement doesn’t exactly admit there’s a problem beyond just dealership numbers, but it does indicate some plans are in place to address complaints. I’m not a salesperson, but I am a customer, and so I know that sales aren’t going to just come wandering in because they think Aprilia’s a great brand. It’s only ever going to be as good as the dealership and sales support network that gets you your bike.

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Asphalt and Rubber reports that Megelli will export a 250cc version of its road bike to the US. The Megelli 250r will be distributed through QLINK and can be ordered online. While availability is still unknown as the company waits for clearance in terms of pollution laws, the 250r should sell for about 3,500 USD, approximately 2,500 euros.

The Megelli 250r is said to produce about 16hp, with full technical details below. For more information on how to order your Megelli, visit the QLINK site.

Continue reading: Megelli 250r available soon in US

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Is there a crisis in the two-wheel world? In the US, Made in Italy (greatly supported by Montezemolo), seems to know no limits. If the colossal Harley Davidson is in difficulty, Ducati North America has announced record sales

In June the Borgo Panigale company has registered a resounding 22 percent increase compared to the same period last year. In just this month, 1,410 models of the Monster 696 have been sold. According to Ducati demand has well outstripped offers, meaning they’re all out of the Bolognan naked.

A never ending series of great bikes have been released, becoming commercial successes: from the Hypermotard to the 1098, from the 848 to the new Monster. Money talks as 10,000 units have been sold in the last 12 months.

via | Visordown.com

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