Final week’s listing of intrigue offers option to one other listing of residuals, beginning with Harley’s CEO hunt:
- A few of Harley’s Shareholders try to make sure that Jochen Zeitz isn’t in a position to be reelected to an Govt place because the CEO hunt continues ( and so they’re so pushed they’ve even made an internet site you’ll be able to go to)
- Honda is dedicated to getting the worth of their electrical bikes on par with that of gasoline bikes, and to try this, they’re opening up a brand new plant in India within the subsequent three years.
- EV bike model Verge has formally made it to the Guinness World Report books by beating the world’s longest EV experience on a single cost – and so they made it with 7 minutes to spare!
- Indian Bikes has simply given us a have a look at their new 2025 Challenger and Pursuit Elite fashions!
May as properly begin with the Roarin’ Orange Board Room for particulars on Harley’s incubating government energy, sure?
Trade Insider: Harley-Davidson Shareholders Name to Take away Zeitz Instantly
The Winds of Change have been Blowing a Little Tougher in Milwaukee…
Bear in mind when Jochen Zeitz stepped down from his function as Harley-Davidson’s CEO with the completion of his five-year Hardwire Technique? Effectively, Harley-Davidson has apparently been out of a CEO for the reason that finish of 2024… and but, regardless of the necessity for a brand new Chairman, we’re informed that sure board members have the opinion that no CEO is – presently – higher than having Jochen again.
In keeping with protection from CycleWorld, a New York funding fund by the identify of H Companions has held its place as one in all Harley-Davidson’s most important shareholders for nearly 5 years. H Companions has a major 9.1% stake within the legendary American bike model, in order that they get a bigger portion of the choice for issues like – say – electing a brand new CEO.
The issue lies within the rumour between 2022 and now, and we’ll listing it in level kind right here for simpler entry:
- Jared Dourdeville, a principal at H Companions who has been concerned with Harley since 2022, resigned from his board place on April fifth of this 12 months. An SEC submitting confirmed that Jared resigned as a result of his most well-liked alternative for Harley’s new CEO wasn’t chosen (presumably by Harley’s aspect of the board desk). It is very important observe that Zeitz nonetheless has appreciable affect over the board presently
- After this affair, H Companions was presupposed to have despatched an open letter to different shareholders citing “main execution points overseen by an absentee CEO,” a scarcity of transparency from the CEO and Presiding Director in the direction of the remainder of the board, and an unwillingness from some long-standing board members to carry the CEO accountable for what H Companions describes as “extreme worth destruction and the cultural depletion of this iconic American firm.” In brief, Powersports autocracy meant H Companions didn’t have the management over choices that they wished; Zeitz and Linebarger, nevertheless, did.
H Companions has since launched a marketing campaign to stop Zeitz, together with two different board members, Thomas Linebarger and Sara Levinson, from being reelected. The marketing campaign consists of:
- A name to different shareholders to vote “Withhold” on the reelection of Zeitz, Linebarger, and Levinson.
- A name to take away Zeitz as CEO, efficient instantly, with an interim CEO elected to serve till a brand new CEO is chosen.
- A name to shareholders to demand that the brand new CEO be somebody who can “restore the connection with sellers, have interaction with riders, respect and strengthen the model, enhance the company tradition, restore the bodily presence of the Firm at its historic Milwaukee headquarters, and return Harley-Davidson to greatness.” (This one’s our favourite)
In brief, H Companions wasn’t feeling heard on the board and Harley-Davidson didn’t select H Companions’ most well-liked candidate, so H Companions is pushing to cease Zeitz n’ buddies from getting again in, including in a politely-wrapped accusation of unhealthy government behaviour with a requirement to stability the board out and a plea to reconnect with the Harley-Davidson group.
Suffice it to say that Harley-Davidson’s 2025 annual assembly of shareholders on Could 14th will serve to be an eye-opener for the way forward for the model.
Whereas we’re ready, you’ll want to try and share the web site – sure, a complete devoted web site – that H Companions created to rally shareholder assist to avoid wasting Harley-Davidson in the way in which that they greatest assume will protect the model: www.freetheeagle.com
For another particulars, you’ll want to additionally head over to CycleWorld’s extraordinarily thorough protection under:
Electrical All the things: Honda is Working Towards EV Bikes at ICE Costs
Electrical Bike Manufacturing Plant in India to Start in 2028
Massive Crimson continues to be targeted on electrical transportation choices being the longer term; as such, new targets have been shared of their latest press launch, nd with it comes a purpose to deliver down the worth of electrical machines.
In keeping with Honda’s launch, our favourite multi-conglomerate producer is making vital strides in its quest to make electrical bikes a viable choice for the lots. Honda admits on this launch that one of many foremost struggles with the transition to electrical bikes has been the Complete Value of Possession (TCO); electrical bikes are too costly for the ability and accessibility that they afford riders throughout the globe.
Honda acknowledges this latency within the EV market and is actively working to bridge the hole. Their bold purpose is to deliver the three-year TCO of their electrical fashions according to that of comparable gas-powered bikes, factoring in issues like operating prices, machine upkeep, and battery lifespan.
To realize this holy grail of aggressive pricing, Honda is laying down some critical groundwork – and by critical, we imply a multi-million greenback manufacturing plant in India. The plant is about to be erected by 2028 and can give attention to producing a variety of EV fashions (presumably the two-wheeled type) at an especially aggressive price.
Right here’s the order of assault:
- Concentrate on TCO
- Set up a devoted manufacturing facility in India
- Commonize modules
- A safe and stabilize battery provide
In brief, Massive Crimson goes to make use of the identical sort of battery or the identical type of motor in a lot of completely different bikes. Through the use of the identical components for a lot of bikes, Honda can:
- Make issues sooner (It’s faster to construct bikes if among the components are all the time the identical)
- Make issues easier (The factories don’t have to discover ways to construct one million completely different components)
- Make issues cheaper (Shopping for a lot of the identical half makes every half price much less cash)
The thought is that India-manufactured bikes will price Honda much less to make the bikes; they’ll then promote for about the identical worth as common gasoline bikes in order that extra individuals can strive electrical bikes.
Neat.
As a further replace, we’re reminded that Honda has been working with a number of battery partnerships to construct top-tier batteries (in addition to a secure and dependable provide chain) completely suited to the bikes quickly to be inbuilt India.
For extra particulars on Honda’s EV technique, you’ll want to try the protection on the producer’s web site:
For the Report: Verge Hits the Books for New Single-Cost Vary
Guinness E-book of World Data New Profitable Try with 7% to Spare
Vary anxiousness is actual, particularly on an electrical bike – however for Verge, vary fear is quick shrinking to nothing.
In keeping with a latest report highlighted by ADVPulse, Finnish EV bike model Verge Bikes made a World Report try at EV bike vary just lately and gained, setting a brand new Guinness World Report: The “Longest Journey by an Electrical Motorcycle on a Single Cost.”
All informed, a powerful 193 miles have been lined in metropolis circumstances, with the bike breaking the report with 7% battery life to spare. As Verge CMO famous, the bike may have gone even additional, however the group prioritized knowledge reliability with the experience taking an agonizing 16 hours to finish.
Listed below are the small print of the profitable report run:
- The report try occurred in London on March 22, 2025
- The bike was an unmodified Verge TS Professional
- Piloting duties have been shared by EV advocates Sam Clarke and Sara Sloman, whereas Guinness World Report officers meticulously verified monitoring, battery monitoring, and route validation parts.
Naturally, all members concerned are enthusiastic about what this implies for EV motorcycling in non-city-dependent circumstances (hills, maybe?).
For these of you who usually are not but conscious, the Verg eTS Professional carries a monster of a battery channeling 137 horsepower and a staggering 738 lb-ft of yanquedos; that is accompanied by a metropolis vary of 217 miles and freeway vary of 124 miles, beating out that of Zero Bikes’ DSR/X.
With Tesla’s North American Charging Customary (NACS) now suitable with Verge’s TS Professional, fast charging permits TS Professional riders to get from 0 – 80% cost in a outstanding 35 minutes.
Yay, Verge!
For the total story on Verge’s record-breaking experience, head over to ADVPulse:
Indian Bike Exhibits Off New Challenger Elite and Pursuit Elite
Exclusivity at Indian’s Most interesting.
It’s 2025, and you already know that meaning: New restricted version machines from Indian Bikes!
Due to a press launch printed to PRNewswire, we’ve gotten a transparent have a look at Indian Bike’s limited-edition Elite Challenger and Elite Pursuit bikes. Following the custom of earlier Elite fashions, each the 2025 Challenger Elite and Pursuit Elite come absolutely loaded with the potent and compulsory PowerPlus 112 engine in addition to premium options like a PowerBand Audio package deal with 4 100-watt audio system for the Challenger Elite and 6 100-watt audio system for the Pursuit Elite.
We’re informed that these unique beauties may have some candy custom-quality paint jobs and be produced in small numbers. Solely 350 Challenger Elite bikes and 250 Pursuit Elite bikes shall be rolling out to markets at a worth vary of $39,999 and $44,999; that’s $6,500 and $9,500 greater than their commonplace counterparts, respectively.
Past the attract of exclusivity, standout options for these fashions embody the next:
Indian 2025 Challenger Elite
- Multi-layered paint end with shattered glass particles for added depth (impressed by AMA Corridor of Famer Gene Walker).
- A “nod” to Walker’s PowerPlus racebike on the middle sprint.
- Particular person numbering
- Particular Elite badging
- Blacked-out Darkish Horse finishes
- 5-spoke solid aluminum wheels
- Electronically-adjustable suspension system, managed by way of TFT sprint
- Heated grips and seats
Indian 2025 Pursuit Elite
- Multi-layered paint job with hand-painted gold accents, drawing inspiration from the PowerPlus fashions constructed for the US Military in 1916
- Particular person numbering
- Particular Elite badging
- Blacked-out Darkish Horse finishes
- 5-spoke solid aluminum wheels
- Electronically-adjustable suspension system, managed by way of TFT sprint
- Heated grips and seats
The above packages translate to a really good energy package deal of 126 hp and 133 lb-ft of torque – a slight improve over the PowerPlus 108
Riders trying to additional soup up their experience will have the ability to pull from Indian’s intensive components accent catalog, which incorporates nifty additions like Pathfinder Adaptive LED headlights, driving lights, LED saddlebag lighting, headdress floorboards, and Flare windshields (the latter being on the Challenger Elite solely).
With all the good bits out of the way in which, Indian is proud to proceed to assist implausible ‘ware – delicate and laborious – within the following lists:
SOFTWARE
- Indian’s Rider Help Package deal (Bike Maintain Management, Digital Mixed Brake System, Blind Spot Warning, Tailgate Warning, and Rear Collision Warning)
- Indian’s Good Lean Expertise (an IMU-managed suite of rider aids)
- cruise management
- 7-inch touchscreen
- Bluetooth Connectivity with Apple CarPlay assist
- USB charging
- keyless ignition
- distant locking storage
HARDWARE
- Non-adjustable inverted forks
- Brembo M4.32 brake calipers
The discharge factors out that whereas the Elite fashions supply a step up in exclusivity and styling, the efficiency and core elements are largely per the higher-spec commonplace fashions; in brief, consider these bikes as “turnkey customs with distinctive aesthetics.”
The Challenger Elite and Pursuit Elite are slated to start delivery to dealerships this month, so keep tuned.
For a better have a look at the brand new Indian Challenger Elite and Pursuit Elite, you’ll want to try the press launch from PRNewswire:
