ClevelandMoto Motorcycle Podcast / Cleveland Moto

Just kidding, sleepy picked these topics and had AI add some flavor. 
This is cool anyway:
https://www.returnofthecaferacers.com/something-different/moto-morini-ti22-corsaro/?fbclid=IwY2xjawQEZkhleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETJ1V295MmFRRDVOQmU2VVBac3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHpamHGALvCgRkivbFcRjQka9PDRaCItlfBDu20z1GwguBnP55H1Nhju3w4ah_aem_-OMJ1omFY3eD_2K0g8jVKQ

 ClevelandMoto – Feb 2026 Industry Deep Dive
(Loose Bullet Point Rundown – No Scripted Radio Stuff)
1) Federal Bill to Redefine “Motorcycle” (H.R. 3385)
Source:
https://powersportsbusiness.com/news/motorcycle/2026/02/19/bill-aims-to-redefine-motorcycles-leaving-slingshot-in-classification-limbo/
Bullet Points:
Proposed federal change to motorcycle definition.
Could remove autocycles (like Polaris Slingshot) from “motorcycle” category.
Would affect:Licensing requirements
Helmet laws
Registration standards
Federal safety compliance

Motorcycle Industry Council strongly opposing.
States often mirror federal definitions → could trigger 50-state mess.
Bigger question:Is this about safety?
Or about protecting traditional motorcycle classification?

Debate angle:
Where do we draw the line between motorcycle, trike, and car-with-handlebars?
2) MotoGP Moving Australian GP to Adelaide Street Circuit (2027)
Official Announcement:
https://www.motogp.com/en/news/2026/02/19/motogp-to-roar-into-the-city-streets-of-adelaide-from-2027/874866
Bullet Points:
Australian GP leaving Phillip Island.
Moving to downtown Adelaide street circuit.
First premier-class MotoGP street race.
340+ km/h bikes on city streets.
Why This Is Huge:
Phillip Island is iconic. Fast. Flowing. Dangerous in its own way.
Street circuits = tighter, less runoff, concrete walls.
F1-style spectacle move?
Is this Liberty Media influence?
Will riders push back?
Safety vs spectacle debate.
Discussion angle:
Is MotoGP becoming entertainment-first like F1?
Or is this just evolution?
3) Harley-Davidson Scaling Back Production
Source:
https://www.the-sun.com/motors/15938521/harley-davidson-decreasing-motorcycle-production/
Bullet Points:
Harley reportedly reducing motorcycle production.
Shifting focus toward:Parts
Accessories
Apparel
Aftermarket margins

Higher profit per customer vs per bike.
Big Industry Questions:
Are OEMs becoming lifestyle brands first?
Is this supply chain caution?
Is demand soft?
Smart long-term profitability move?
What does this mean for:Dealer floor space
Inventory flow
Used market values

Debat
Support the show
Remember folks...Ride Fast and Take Chances! check out our Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/ClevelandMoto

HD loses $37MILLION in sales in just one year. 

https://dealernews.com/Home/post/harley-davidson-reports-q4-year-end-financials/

Livewire #1 U.S. electric motorcycle in the on-road motorcycle market in terms of retail sales!!!

Livewire (is that even still a thing?) They sold only 653 bikes this year. Which they're bragging about being UP over the 612 they sold last year. Great for them, so how much did they lose last year?  Oh, they lost $75MILLION DOLLARS!!!!

https://dealernews.com/Home/post/livewire-q4-financials/

The taxpayer has supported Harley Davidson to the tune of 2.7 BILLION dollars since 2008. 

https://subsidytracker.goodjobsfirst.org/parent/harley-davidson

Ducati Celebrates their 100th anniversary with the Formula 73 $20,000
Now technically they were producing capacitors in their house for Manen, but we're not keeping score anymore and the facts don't matter. Their first actual motorbike was 1949. 

https://www.ducati.com/us/en/bikes/heritage/formula-73

Sleepy will undoubtedly be making "motorbating" noises at this point. 

KTM has layed off / fired over 1500 employees. Says they were too "topheavy" with 3x more administration than actual workers. 

https://www.vikingbags.com/blogs/news/ktm-lays-off-500-more-employees-plans-restructuring?srsltid=AfmBOorgfiE7lQbu_HQTxjIQxjrDMp9YtvqNQM9AWu_0Vxv1a03gxiB3#:~:text=KTM%2C%20mainly%20Bajaj%2C%20lays%20off,He%20further%20added:

Harley admits there's going to be a layoff. See story about $217 Million dollar loss above: 

https://www.rideapart.com/news/787052/harley-davidson-headcount-reductions-layoffs/

Worlds Greatest Motorcycle Podcast 
Over 200 combined years of Motorcycle experience.
Moto news, tricks, tips, insider info and more.
We like fun, so no religious or political talk.

Support the show
Remember folks...Ride Fast and Take Chances! check out our Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/ClevelandMoto

Wait, who exactly owns Indian now?  Polaris stock has gone up over $5 a share and they've appointed former HD guru Mike Kennedy to run it. The divestiture comes as Polaris refocuses on its core off-road vehicles and snowmobiles, citing Indian's 7% share of total revenue and a reported 30% drop in sales since 2020

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1MycgmeCDM/

https://labusinessjournal.com/finance/carolwood-takes-helm-of-indian-motorcycle/#:~:text=Andrew%20Shanfeld%2C%20a%20Carolwood%20principal.,the%20first%20quarter%20of%202026.

New Retro Release: Czech brand Jawa Moto revealed the 730 Twin, a modern-retro middleweight that signals a shift toward more performance-oriented designs. So what? Well, this isn't made in India by mahindra. It's actually made in Prague! 

https://www.rideapart.com/news/786062/jawa-730-twin-preview-specs-features/

$285,000 For a Honda? 

https://www.visordown.com/news/first-ever-honda-cb750-arrive-america-sells-eye-catching-sum

How about $71,000 for a flying dragon? There were only 4 versions available Gold/Purple, Silver/Purple, Green/Purple, and Blue/Dark Blue.

https://www.mecum.com/lots/540152/1972-honda-cl350-k4-blue-flying-dragon/?aa_id=355947-0

Buell scores a $10,000,000 US federal loan. What does this mean for the SuperCruiser? 
Buell claims to have taken 6000 pre-orders for this bike, they also claim to have sold $120,000,000 worth of them (which is 4633 bikes). They've just started rolling off the line, where can you buy one? 

https://www.rideapart.com/news/785905/buell-10-million-dollar-federal-loan-super-cruiser/

Marshall Thompson will  be joining us, he's just been to Viet Nam, and I'm sure he'll have a lot of stories for us. 
Support the show
Remember folks...Ride Fast and Take Chances! check out our Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/ClevelandMoto

ClevelandMoto Podcast 536 Show Notes

8 cylinders, 8 speed DCT, 1000 lbs. and sure, it's coming to America....yeah, right. Call me when it's sitting at a dealership. They tried this crap at AIM expo 2 years ago, this year they trotted it out at CES. 

https://www.advrider.com/the-gold-wing-dwarfing-gwm-souo-s2000-is-coming-to-america-allegedly/

Oooh, let's all make fun of the silly Chinese company and their silly motorcycle! Right? 

Be careful tho' they sold 1.2 Million cars and trucks last year. That's just behind HONDA. 

https://www.gwm-global.com/news/3403831.html

$60,000 is a lot of dosh. 

https://www.ft.com/content/d65acba7-33ca-4e43-8581-d71061543dd0?shareType=nongift

Remember this guy, we loved his 250cc 76 HP v-twin 2-strokes at $40,000 do we feel the same about his 185 HP Buell-Powered cafe racer? 

This is rough, probably rougher than you want, but it's a real 400cc V4 and I think it's gonna go cheap. 

https://iconicmotorbikeauctions.com/auction/1989-honda-vfr400-nc30-6/

Triumph announces a "Limited Edition Cafe Racer 1200" Kind of their regular 1200 Bonneville with a $19,000 price tag. $5000 and 25 more HP than the standard model. $4400 more and the same HP as the Speed Twin 1200. 

https://www.triumphmotorcycles.com/motorcycles/classic/speed/speed-twin-cafe-racer-edition

Since we're talking about high-dollar Retro bikes: coming in at a hair under $20,000 (if you want it in Black) is the newest Retro from Indian. 1890cc and about 120 torques. I actually love the look of this machine, but of course I do, it's a copy of a Kawasaki Drifter.  

https://www.indianmotorcycle.com/en-us/chief-motorcycles/chief-vintage/

Or Save $16,000 and have the same experience. 

https://atvhunt.com/l/10728353/2003-Kawasaki-Vulcan-800-Drifter

or save $15,000 and get the 1500cc model: 

https://motohunt.com/l/4190659/1999-Kawasaki-Drifter-VN1500

Support the show
Remember folks...Ride Fast and Take Chances! check out our Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/ClevelandMoto

SHOW NOTES 535
MotoMorini Vettore 450 will be in attendance
Triumph Triple Updates: The Trident 660 and Tiger Sport 660 received significant updates for 2026, featuring "punchier" engine layouts and revised chassis. They are expected in dealerships by March 2026.
Honda Entry-Level Changes: The 2026 Rebel 300 has been updated with Honda’s E-Clutch technology 
Yamaha's New Era: Yamaha has officially debuted its first full-factory V4-powered M1 for the 2026 MotoGP season, signaling a major technical shift from its traditional inline-four engine.
Dakar Victory: Luciano Benavides and Red Bull KTM have beeKTM/Bajaj Restructuring: Following a major post-insolvency reset, Bajaj Auto has officially taken controlling interest of KTM AG. The company has announced plans to cut approximately 500 jobs as part of a global cost-reduction strategy.
Market Trends: Reports indicate a challenging start to 2026, with nearly 120 U.S. dealerships closing due to sagging sales and rising costs. Conversely, BMW Motorrad reported record success, clearing 200,000 worldwide sales for the fourth consecutive year.
New Brake Systems: WP Suspension (owned by KTM/Bajaj) has launched a new performance braking division, moving toward more in-house component integration for future models like the 390 Duke

Support the show
Remember folks...Ride Fast and Take Chances! check out our Youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/c/ClevelandMoto