Let’s not sugarcoat it: tariffs are wrecking the e-bike industry, and whether you realize it or not, you’re the one paying the price. What started as a political tool has snowballed into a massive burden on businesses, consumers, and the future of clean mobility.

Right now, importing a Chinese-made e-bike into the US comes with a jaw-dropping 170% tariff. That’s a 145% penalty, stacked with a 25% Section 301 tariff. It’s not just painful, it’s completely unsustainable. That’s why brands like Aventon have pulled out of China and shifted their production to Southeast Asia.

But the move doesn’t come without problems of its own.

Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia aren’t exactly plug-and-play manufacturing hubs. The infrastructure just isn’t as mature as China’s. So while final assembly happens in Southeast Asia, most critical components—motors, batteries, and control systems—still come from China. That means parts are shipped to Thailand, assembled into e-bikes, then shipped again to the US.

It’s slower, costlier, and a whole lot more complicated. The added logistics alone tack on over 50 days compared to a straight China-to-US supply chain. And yes, that costs money. A lot of it.

Some companies try to get clever. They start production in countries like Vietnam or Cambodia, then quietly ship parts to China for final assembly, hoping to pass the bike off as Southeast Asian-made to avoid those massive tariffs. It’s not illegal, but it’s shady. Aventon refuses to play that game. Every Aventon e-bike is genuinely manufactured in Thailand or Taiwan, and they’ve even flown in their own quality control and engineering teams to make sure it’s done right. That level of investment doesn’t come cheap.

Their costs have gone up 10 to 15%, but instead of passing it all on to customers, they’ve chosen to absorb a big chunk of it.

Here’s what most people miss: tariffs don’t punish foreign governments. They punish the companies that import goods. And those companies? They turn around and charge you more to make up for it. That shiny new e-bike that costs more than it did last year? That’s tariff fallout. So when officials talk about protecting domestic industry, what they’re really doing is making it harder for average people to afford modern transportation.

Some say the solution is to just build e-bikes in the US. Sounds great in theory, but the reality is, the US doesn’t make e-bike components. Not at scale, not yet. Until the parts supply chain moves closer to home—and tariffs on imported components are lifted—stateside manufacturing is just wishful thinking.

E-bikes are supposed to be part of the solution. Affordable, efficient, clean transport. But thanks to clumsy trade policies, they’re getting harder to build, slower to ship, and more expensive to buy. That’s bad for business, bad for consumers, and bad for the future of mobility.

The Future Of Mobility

Source: Aventon

I have a lot of issues with the current corporate power fight that's raging inside Harley-Davidson. From (newly) activist investors, to those same investors not being able to spell Harley-Davidson correctly in their grievances. But one thing I do tend to agree with them on is that the situation at LiveWire is very not good. 

In Harley-Davidson's most recent financial statements, LiveWire has continued hemorrhaging money—something it's done since its inception. And as of April of this year, it's only sold 33 motorcycles in 2025. And even if you look back at LiveWire's entire motorcycle sales to date, they're still only in the few hundreds of bikes sold.

That, dear friends, is untenable. 

However, whereas those investors at H Partners Management and Purple Chip Capital want to rid the world of LiveWire, axing the entire division, I see another path. One that isn't as short-sighted or stupid as getting rid of the brand's research and development arm. No, LiveWire shouldn't die, but given the fact that Harley-Davidson has no real avenue into the youth market—Staycyc doesn't count, as it's not branded as a Harley, nor even is LiveWire's full-sized lineup—LiveWire could offer something far more meaningful and hot right now in the youth market. 

You know what LiveWire should make? A dirt bike. One that has the same level of accessories as Harley's regular lineup. LiveWire, and indeed Harley-Davidson, needs a Sur-Ron competitor. Harley needs to revive the Peashooter nameplate. 

Parroting a Stefon sketch, the hottest youth motorcycle market right now is electric dirt bikes. They're cheap, efficient, don't require a master's degree to fix, and won't piss off your neighborhood HOA. Kids love them as they're hooligan-encouraging machines, while parents love them since they get them out of the house and out into the world. They're also inexpensive to produce, with the industry average costing around $4,000. 

And best of all, they breed motorcyclists. Something Harley-Davidson absolutely needs. 

As I stated above, Harley doesn't have an entry-level motorcycle. The Motor Co's cheapest offering is still $10,000 and it's a 100-plus horsepower cruiser. That's not an entry-level anything. Likewise, though I'll scream it until I'm blue in the face, Harley refuses to bring its X440—a motorcycle developed with Hero—to the United States. And while many believed that LiveWire's S2 motorcycles would become the brand's entry into the company, those start at $16,000 and have no range. So the Milwaukee outfit is stuck without an offering and at a time when entry-level everything is hot, hot, hot!

Now, I wanted to propose this idea as I recently had the briefest of tastes of Zero's new XE and XB electric dirt bikes. It was more of a whiff of a taste, but this was right after I wrote my piece on the youths loving these EV dirt bikes. It solidified my position, as Zero will sell every single one it can build. Just as Sur-Ron, Talaria, Rawrr, and others do. That's the sort of market cap that Harley-Davidson desperately needs. And it's the market that LiveWire could offer. 

The brand already has a US-based manufacturing facility, which would need retooling, as I propose Harley pairs down the S2 model range, kills the S1, and restructures that facility to make this EV dirt bike with a targeted price tag of $4,500.

More controversial, however, is that I believe it should be branded as a Harley-Davidson Peashooter. 

For those who don't know Harley's history, the Peashooter was this bare-bones, single-cylinder homologation special. Our man Dustin Wheelan (RIP, just kidding, he works for those buttheads at Revzilla now) did a great breakdown on the Peashooter's history here, but the gist is that the American Motorcycle Association built a new race series in the 1920s, didn't at first invite Harley, who then turned up the second year with the now iconic Peashooter. It was simple, easy to ride, easy to work on, and got younger folks excited about motorcycling. Which is exactly what this EV Peashooter could be. 

Imagine a world where this exists, but has the accessories support of Harley's regular motorcycles? Imagine having an 800-page accessories book just for the Peashooter? Imagine having the ability to have it come as a dirt bike, but with a few choice accessories, go full supermoto. There could be different handlebars, different batteries, different wheels and tires, different visual changes, headlights, brake lights, and everything would get the younger generation into the Harley-Davidson ecosystem before they're even legally allowed to start riding motorcycles on the street. 

Imagine having that sort of captive audience. 

I don't want to live in a world without Harley-Davidson. And I think that LiveWire has its use case. And it's this. Harley-Davidson could own the youth market. It could own the backyard-to-big-bike pipeline. It could reclaim its title as the world's most beloved motorcycle manufacturer. It needs an EV Peashooter ala a Sur-Ron. It needs this motorcycle.

Hog Heaven

If there’s one thing BMW Motorrad knows better than most, it’s how to evolve without forgetting where it came from. And nowhere is that clearer than in its boxer engine platform—a design that’s been powering Bavarian bikes for decades. From the classic air-cooled twins of old to the liquid-cooled marvels of today, the boxer engine has always been at the heart of BMW’s identity.

In the modern era, the boxer story took a big leap in the 2000s with the R 1200 series—bikes that were lighter, more powerful, and loaded with technology that made them some of the most capable touring machines on the planet. Then came the R 1250s, where BMW introduced its clever ShiftCam variable valve timing tech, giving the engine more flexibility, better efficiency, and smoother power delivery across the rev range.

Now in 2025, we’re officially in the age of the R 1300, and BMW isn’t holding back. Following the debut of the R 1300 GS and R 1300 R, the company is rounding out its boxer lineup with two revamped touring flagships: the R 1300 RT and R 1300 RS. While both names are familiar, the bikes they now represent are almost completely reengineered from the ground up.

But BMW once again threw in AI-enhanced imagery into its release, which still seems odd given the company is doing fine financially and can afford to pay real photographers money to shoot these dope bikes.

BMW R 1300 RS

BMW R 1300 RT

Let’s first start with the engine.

At 1,300cc, this is the most powerful production boxer twin BMW has ever built. Bore and stroke have been revised to 106.5 mm x 73 mm, helping produce a meaty 145 horsepower and 149 Nm (around 110 pound-feet) of torque, with a redline at 9,000 rpm. It’s an engine that still feels like a boxer, but now with even more punch.

The chassis is also new, featuring a steel sheet metal main frame paired with a lattice aluminum rear subframe. This combo improves stiffness and packaging—important for bikes like these where rider comfort, stability, and luggage integration are top priorities. The suspension setup is just as advanced, with a new upside-down front fork that allows adjustable spring rates and BMW’s trusted EVO Paralever rear for plush, responsive handling.

Even the wheels are new—17-inch cast aluminum units with hollow spokes, shaving off 1.4 kg of unsprung weight. Braking power is just as serious, and the onboard tech suite reads like a luxury car brochure: big TFT display, ride modes, LED lighting, cruise control, dynamic suspension, the works.

The R 1300 RT is the traditional tourer, offering electrified 27-liter cases (expandable to 33 with Vario options), USB-C ports, and full weather protection. The R 1300 RS goes sportier with a more aggressive rider triangle and—for the first time—an optional strapless tank bag.

Now here’s where things get a little cheeky.

Let’s talk about BMW’s other tradition: overdoing their press images. Yes, BMW is killing it right now. They’re selling bikes by the boatload—across Europe, the US, and just about every continent where people can ride. And we get it: they want to keep the hype high. But do they really need to keep using AI-enhanced, hyper-clean, borderline CGI-looking images to show off their bikes?

They did it with the R 12 G/S and now they’re doing it again with the RT and RS. Instead of showing us real-world photos of the bikes we might actually buy, they’re feeding us renderings so polished they look like they belong in Forza Horizon or Gran Turismo. And honestly, that’s kind of disappointing. We’re riders—we want to see real motorcycles, not digitally perfected showroom fantasies.

Now, don't get me wrong, BMW makes gorgeous bikes. Just take some good photos of them. It's more of an art form than any AI enhancement ever will be. 

Anyway, back to the bikes.

The 2026 BMW R 1300 RT starts at $22,495 and comes in four flavors: Alpine White, Blackstorm Metallic, Racing Blue, and Blue Ridge Mountain Metallic under the Option 719 badge. The R 1300 RS starts at $16,995, but a fully loaded version will push that past $23,000. It’ll come in your choice of Racing Blue, Blackstorm, Lightwhite, or Brooklyn Grey (Option 719 Cuyamaca).

Now, full disclosure: these aren’t the kind of bikes I’d personally ride. I lean toward light, sporty machines; bikes that feel nimble and playful, not built like two-wheeled tour buses. But I totally understand the appeal. These are high-end, feature-rich touring machines with serious performance cred. And judging by how quickly they've been rolling out of dealerships over the years, BMW clearly knows its audience.

So yeah, boxer fans, your new era has arrived—just don’t squint too hard at the press photos. 

More From BMW

Source: BMW Motorrad

"Do you want the good news first, or the bad news first?" is probably something you've asked other people before. And if you, like me, are currently looking at Harley-Davidson's Q1 2025 financial results, then you might find yourself asking whether whoever wrote this asked themselves that question, too.

Because that's pretty much how it's structured: Small glint of good news first, then just about every other piece of news is bad and/or worse.

If you've been following the company's fortunes for some time, like we have, then this won't come as a surprise. You might have hoped things would turn around, as I'm sure the company itself does. But FY 2024 was terrible, and if the Q1 2025 results are indicative of the future, this year looks like it could be even worse.

So first, the good news: Q1 2025 didn't go as badly as Harley expected. That's it; that's the good news.

The numbers still aren't positive; they just aren't as bad as it thought they might be. The exact way that outgoing Harley-Davidson CEO phrased it was, "Our first quarter results were ahead of our expectations in many areas." Hey, any port in a storm, right?

But what does that mean in numbers? In Q1 2025, Harley-Davidson's overall revenue is down 23% year-on-year over Q1 2024. Diluted earnings per share (EPS) is $1.07, which is down 38% YoY over Q1 2024. 

Now, let's dive into the meat of the Q1 2025 report.

For those unfamiliar, Harley-Davidson's financial reports include three segments that add up to form the whole Harley-Davidson picture. They are: Harley-Davidson Motor Company (HDMC), which covers its combustion motorcycles, parts, accessories, and apparel; Harley-Davidson Financial Services (self-explanatory); and LiveWire, which encompasses both the LiveWire-branded EV motorcycles and its STACYC EV kids balance bike brand. Add those segments together, and you get the full H-D picture.

Looking at HDMC's retail sales figures for Q1 2025, both worldwide sales and market share figures are down year-on-year as compared to Q1 2024. Worldwide motorcycle sales are down by 21 percent. In terms of market share, in the US, it's down by a single percent; going from 37% in Q1 2024 to 36% in Q1 2025.

In Europe, however, market share has dropped by more than 50% over Q1 2024. Back then, the Motor Company's European market share was 5%; here in Q1 2025, it's now hovering at just 2%.

But let's go back to sales, and break down that Worldwide into its constituent markets. In North America, Q1 2025 HDMC sales were down by 24% year-on-year over Q1 2024. In Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), they were down by 2%. In Asia-Pacific, they were down by 28%. And finally, in Latin America, they were down by 6%. 

Over on the HDFS side, revenues are only down 2% year-on-year as compared to Q1 2024. While that's still a negative number, it is certainly not the worst news. Operating income in this segment is up 19% YoY.

Moving on to LiveWire, we have both bad and comparatively good news to report here, too. In previous years, LiveWire's unit sales reporting put both LiveWire EV motorcycles and STACYC into the same bucket, so it wasn't clear how many units of each type of EV had sold. However, the Q1 2025 results break out "Motorcycle Units" and "Electric Bike Units" into their own separate entities, so we can clearly see which is which. 

With that in mind, LiveWire reported a grand total of 33 motorcycles sold in Q1 of 2025. That's down by 72% over Q1 2024. By contrast, it sold 1,970 electric bikes during the Q1 2025 time period, which is down by 33% YoY. Revenue for the combined LiveWire EV segment was $3M for Q1 2025, which is down by 42% over Q1 2024. 

In amongst all that negativity, though, there's a slight silver lining. Although the LiveWire segment continues to operate at a loss in Q1 2025 (which, remember, the firm told everyone to expect for the first several years that the segment was to exist), it's actually less of a loss in Q1 2025 than it was in Q1 2024. 

How much less bad is it? In Q1 of 2025, LiveWire reported a $20M operating loss. Believe it or not, that's significantly better than its Q1 2024 operating loss, which was $29M. In fact, it marks a 32% move in the right direction if the segment is to become profitable in the foreseeable future. So, cautious optimism might be in order, although only selling 33 bikes in a single quarter now that LiveWire is somewhat established as a brand (and is selling in Europe as well as the US) is probably not very confidence-inspiring.

What About Tariffs? 

The Motor Company took this opportunity to address this particular elephant in the room, too. There's an entire page in the investor presentation that outlines where it stands, and that you might find helpful when considering what's to come.

But in uncertain times and a worrisome economy, fewer people are inclined to spend money on things like new motorcycles. Things are different in cultures where motorcycles are used more as everyday transportation, but the US isn't one of those places.

While some of us in this country do try to ride as much as possible, and for as many things as possible, the vast majority ride motorcycles for fun and leisure. In other words, not as everyday commuter, jack-of-all-trades machines (as is the case in other parts of the world).

Because that's the case, and because this is also Harley's largest sales market by volume, even the fact that Harley sources components and builds the majority of its bikes in the US can't and won't completely shield it from the impacts of how the tariff situation ends up shaking out.

With all that in mind, it's absolutely not at all surprising that Harley-Davidson also added this simple, one-line statement to its Q1 2025 financial report. It reads, "Due to the uncertain global tariff situation and macroeconomic conditions, we are withdrawing our full year 2025 financial outlook from February 5, 2025."

Although things haven't been rosy at Harley for some time, it's not the first and definitely won't be the last major company that has withdrawn or will withdraw its financial guidance for the remainder of 2025.

How can you predict the impossible on constantly shifting ground? You can't.

Tough Times

Over the weekend, I had two very different realities presented to me. The first was a story by a prominent motorcycling outlet that decried the death of motorcycle ridership in the youth. It's a story I've read and heard countless times before, as it's every generation's favorite thing to do in calling out how "the youths are killing XY and Z." 

And after reading it, I sighed, closed the tab, and took my children to this nature and conservation area near Park City, Utah. Why spend more time concerning myself with folks' idiotic grudges against the younger generations when I can just hang out with my kids? But the funniest thing happened while we were leaving the place, and I had to share this experience with you, as well as with everyone else calling out "This worrying trend of declining motorcycle riders!" 

There's a small courtyard just outside this place, and there's a bike ring-road that goes around the preserver's acreage. In total, there are a couple miles of paved and unpaved trails. And as my kids played on the rocks, jumping off and having a blast, four tweens and teens came hauling ass into the area on Sur-Rons or whatever make they were. All had dirt bike helmets, all left in near-silent wheelies. 

This is a scene I've seen play out countless times in my little hamlet. It's a scene I've witnessed firsthand on the myriad of trails around my house. It's a scene that plays out each and every single day around this country. And it's a scene that flies in the face of every motorcycle pundit's belief that motorcycling is dying. 

It's not. But it is time for the industry to start paying more attention to these motorcycles, start calling them motorcycles, and start counting them as motorcycles in sales data. Enough is enough. 

I do want to say, I don't blame the motorcycling media for having this blind spot. The data to support my anecdotes and conclusions is hard to come by unless you're asking these companies for their sales data. And for many of these folks, traditional motorcycles (i.e. gas from legacy OEMs) is all they know. Likewise, for a long time, Sur-Ron and Sur-Ron-like dirt bikes have been less than stellar in their build quality and not really presented to the motorcycling media as real motorcycles. 

That's largely due to how local laws and import laws are structured and written, but still, I don't necessarily blame them for not seeing the forest for the trees. At least, not up until more recent years when these electric motorcycles took off and captured the world by storm. It's high time they start paying attention, and really, it was high time three years ago. 

We now have lightweight electric dirt bikes from Sur-Ron, Talaria, Niu, Rawrr, and Beta, along with EV dirtbikes from legacy OEMS, and a handful of new platforms from folks like Zero (coming soon) and Dust. But unlike gas dirt bikes, they're targeting a youth who's both hungry to ride, but not overly eager to care about maintenance, which is benefiting their parents, too, as they don't have to worry about gas, oil, or replacing the heads every hundred hours or whatever.

It's also beneficial to parents and neighborhoods as there's no noise pollution. 

HOAs, as I'm sure you know, suck the fun out of literally everything. And the folks who make up their boards will call the police on an off-center blade of grass. Suffice it to say, for a period there, it was legitimately almost impossible for kids to ride dirt bikes around their own neighborhoods without pissing off the HOA and them calling the police. EVs, however, changed that. To a degree. 

They still hate children having fun. 

But the advent of these electric motorcycles has allowed kids to once again roam neighborhoods on motorcycles without the fear of a two-stroke's braap, annoying Karl who's on the neighborhood watch and has way too much time on his hands. Get a job, Karl. They're the ultimate backyard play thing, just as two- and four-strokes were to my generation and the generations before me. It's just different now, and that's OK. 

So, again, it's time to stop saying motorcycling is dying. I implore you all to start reporting on sales figures of these EV dirt bike manufacturers, and I hope you see that everything is, in fact, OK. So chill out, Chicken Little. 

I Have Spoken

As you might already be aware, if we're talking about countries where the most new motorcycles are sold each year, then India frequently tops the charts. How many bikes are we talking about? In FY 2024, motorcycle buyers in India snapped up 18 million units (that's 'million' with an 'm').

Up until a few years ago, China occasionally topped the annual sales charts, and has long been India's only real competitor in terms of sheer annual motorcycle sales volume. However, in the 2020s, a range of factors including total bans on motorcycles in some congested city centers in China has led to a sales decrease that doesn't look to be reaching those lofty heights any time soon.

Why am I telling you all this? Because I want to better set the scene for news that Bloomberg just reported, which is that sources close to Indian prime minister Narendra Modi say that his government is considering a move to eliminate tariffs on motorcycles with displacements over 750cc.

Given that a combination of steep tariffs and disappointing sales volumes are why Harley-Davidson pulled out of India entirely in 2020, could this mean a lot more big Harleys on Indian roads?

Not So Fast

Here's a thing that can't possibly be overstated: The Indian motorcycle-buying public and the American motorcycle-buying public tend to gravitate toward different bikes. Harley-Davidson is undeniably one of the biggest, most desirable brand and lifestyle names in the world. It's up there with Mickey Mouse and Super Mario in terms of international recognition. That's why you'll see people who have never and will never throw a leg over a motorcycle of any kind rocking the bar and shield logo on items of clothing and accessories, pretty much no matter where you go.

In India, there is already a best-selling Harley-Davidson on sale right now, in the current decade. If you're in India, you can run out and put some money down and buy one, too; no line, no waiting, no tariffs. It's the X440, and it's been doing so well that Harley and local manufacturing partner Hero MotoCorp plan to make a whole line based on the X440.

Are there some riders in India who long for large-displacement, more traditional Harley-Davidson bikes? Undoubtedly, but not in massive volumes. Those aren't the bikes that people ride every single day. Like the oddball who rolls up to your local car meet with a vintage Citroën, of course they have their fans. But the volume numbers simply aren't there.

Even if the Modi government completely lifts tariffs on 750cc-plus displacement bikes, imported Harleys are still going to be comparatively expensive. The motorcycle business is an extremely competitive one in India, and one place where the big Harleys just can't compete.

Still, word of this potential tariff shift was apparently enough to negatively affect Eicher Motors shares once the word got out. Eicher is the parent company of Royal Enfield, which is India's oldest motorcycle manufacturer, and a widely respected and nostalgic brand for many a rider. This, after Enfield recently celebrated hitting a million bikes sold in a year milestone.

Currently, the largest-displacement bikes that Enfield offers in India are its 650cc twin-powered range. That includes the Continental GT 650, Interceptor 650 (called INT650 in the US), Shotgun 650, Super Meteor 650, Bear 650, and Classic 650. A 750cc platform is reportedly also in development, but has yet to materialize, and there's been no credible talk about larger-displacement models than that at this time.

While you could reasonably say that Royal Enfield offers a cruiser, and that Harley is internationally famous for its cruisers, it seems unlikely that anyone would be cross-shopping these lineups; tariffs or no tariffs. Royal Enfield buyers specifically want Royal Enfield bikes for Reasons, the same way that Harley buyers want Harley-Davidson bikes for Reasons. Unless we're talking about the X440, they're not really direct competitors in terms of hitting a sweet spot between features/styling/pricing.

It's not just about price, either, though; it's about a particular feeling the bikes evoke. If your dad rode a Royal Enfield, you might want one, too. The same holds true if your dad rode a Harley; one thing both brands do have in common is a generational sense of nostalgia that is frequently (but not always) inherited in the next generation. Comparative nostalgia and familial history are powerful purchase motivators.

There are reportedly other things that the current US administration would like to see India derestrict with regards to American businesses, but they're well outside the scope of a powersports website. Will any of them happen? I know I say this a lot lately, but unfortunately, we'll have to wait and see what materializes down the road.

Motorbike Capital of the World

Suzuki just dropped three new color options for the 2025 Hayabusa, and they look great. There’s a green one, a blacked-out one, and a silver one with blue accents. Neat. But let’s be real: the Hayabusa doesn’t need new paint to be exciting.

But the real question is: What’s next for this icon? 

First launched in 1999, the Hayabusa wasn’t just fast, it was record-breaking. It pushed past the 300 kilometer-per-hour mark and helped ignite the speed wars of the early 2000s. Everyone wanted a piece of that hypersport glory. It wasn’t just about straight-line power either; the Busa had a charm, a silhouette, and a swagger all its own. For nearly two decades, it was the go-to for riders who wanted to go fast, cruise in comfort, and do it all with an unmistakable presence.

Then came the dark days: Euro 4 emissions.

Suzuki pulled the plug on the Hayabusa in many markets around 2018. But just like a movie hero that never really dies, the Hayabusa came roaring back in 2021 with a third-generation model. It was cleaner, a bit sharper, and packed with modern electronics, but the heart—an updated version of the original 1,340cc inline-four—remained the same. Sure, it had new rider aids, a TFT display, and better brakes. 

But in essence? Still very much the same Busa we’ve known and loved for 25 years.

Suzuki Hayabusa - Metallic Matt Steel Green

Suzuki Hayabusa - Glass Sparkle Black

Suzuki Hayabusa - Metallic Mystic Silver / Pearl Vigor Blue

Which brings us to now. As the motorcycle world shifts toward electrification, lightweight platforms, and connected tech, I couldn’t help but wonder: Where does the Hayabusa go from here?

Let’s play pretend for a moment, and let our imaginations run wild.

Imagine a fully electric Hayabusa. Not just fast, but instant torque fast. No gear shifts, no clutch, just pure, unfiltered acceleration. Sort of like an Energica Ego (RIP) or a Zero SR/S on steroids. It’d be a sleek, aero-sculpted beast with LED everything and futuristic fairings that slice through the air like a jet. Would it upset purists? Probably. But imagine pulling up at a track day and dusting everything on a stealthy, whirring spaceship with a Busa badge on it.

Or what about a hybrid Hayabusa? Picture a torquey electric motor boosting the low-end grunt, paired with a high-revving, reduced-displacement inline-four for top-end madness. You get the thrill, the sound, and the drama of internal combustion—but with a jolt of modern tech. Think MotoGP’s ride height control meets Formula 1-style hybrid regen. 

Kawasaki was among the first to toy with hybrid technology in motorcycles. 

Sounds wild? Yeah, it does. But hey, this is the same world where Kawasaki is toying with hydrogen engines and Yamaha’s making electric trials bikes. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

As we all know, Suzuki isn’t exactly known as a bleeding-edge innovator. They do things steadily, methodically, and very Suzuki. The Hayabusa isn’t a platform they gamble with—it’s a legacy product. One that’s likely to stay close to its roots for as long as it’s legally and financially viable to do so.

So will we see an electric or hybrid Busa soon? Honestly? Probably not. What we’ll likely get is more of the same: “bold new graphics,” and maybe some incremental tech updates. And before we say goodbye to the Hayabusa once and for all, Suzuki will probably drop one last hurrah right before regulations finally catch up. Think a Final Edition Hayabusa, dressed in gold trim and equipped with go-fast bolt-ons, as Suzuki gently closes the chapter on one of its most iconic motorcycles.

And when that happens, it won’t just be the end of the Hayabusa. It’ll be the end of an era—one that celebrated absurd speed, over-the-top styling, and an unapologetic love for internal combustion excess. Until then, enjoy the new paint. It might be the calm before the final, glorious storm.

Times Are Changing

Source: Suzuki Cycles

I've been tracking and writing about product safety recalls for several years, from my relatively safe and comfy perch in Chicago. To do this, I rely on recall notices posted by two federal agencies. Broadly speaking, the US National Traffic Highway Safety Administration governs on-road vehicles (mainly motorcycles and helmets, for RideApart's purposes), while the US Consumer Product Safety Commission covers off-road vehicles. 

Think dirt bikes, ATVs, UTVs, and other powersports products. 

The CPSC also covers a bunch of other consumer products that are well outside the scope of a powersports website, but which are nonetheless everyday objects that you probably interact with. Stuff like refrigerators, furniture, baby items, and so on.

Again, generally speaking, most reasonable people probably have both an expectation that products they choose to bring into their homes, for use by themselves and their kids, aren't going to have an unintended potential fire risk, for example. Or have handlebars that can cut you. Or be a completely different manufacturer of youth ATVs with handlebars that can apparently cut you. I could go on, just using examples in RideApart's archives of times that the CPSC has made it possible for us to get the warning out so readers can keep themselves and their loved ones safe.

But you probably already know what I'm going to say, even if you haven't heard the news yet. The US CPSC is one of the latest federal agencies under threat by the current administration, despite the fact that product safety doesn't care who you voted for, and is a thing that affects every person who uses those products.

Two-Pronged Attack

Are you familiar with the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS)? It's a program that was in place for 47 years, and collected specific data about injuries that brought patients to a range of 100 participating hospitals across the US. Considering that injuries are the number one cause of death for persons under 45 years of age in the US, that's kind of significant.

Or, it was. On April 11, those hospitals received notification that a joint initiative by the US Centers for Disease Control and the CPSC called the All Injury Program would be ending. How soon would it be ending? On April 18. That gave all parties involved exactly one week to wind the program down. If you're a person who's ever done any kind of project, you know that's not enough time to adequately tie up the loose ends of anything, let alone an almost 50-year-old data reporting program.

Why does it matter? This program provided data that the CPSC used to create and revise product safety standards, as well as monitor to see whether product safety recall investigations were warranted. And then, if investigation proved that products required safety recalls, they were able to use that data in the product safety recall process, as well. Pretty sensible stuff, right?

Except, now it's all gone. Done. Cooked.

But that's not all. After first hobbling the CPSC, two nonprofit organizations, the Consumer Federation of America and the National Consumers League, are sounding the alarm about leaked US administration documents that propose to completely eliminate the CPSC. If you've never heard of either of those organizations, you'll be pleased to know that they're both considered to be highly credible, transparent, legit organizations on Charity Navigator.

“Eliminating the CPSC would strip Americans of the only federal agency dedicated to protecting us from dangerous consumer products, leaving families, especially children, more vulnerable to death, injury, and exploitation. The CPSC delivers its life-saving results on an already tiny budget, protecting all of us with fewer resources than other federal agencies. The elimination of this agency will have an outsized, devastating impact on public safety," said CFA director of consumer product safety Courtney Griffin in a statement.

While RideApart's concern is powersports (and related safety recalls), as I mentioned at the beginning of this piece, the CPSC's remit is far broader than just our tiny little niche. As an example, here are some product safety recalls issued last week (at least, at the time of writing).

All of them, I'm sure, are things that most people probably want to know about and keep away from their families at all costs. Right?

One of the youth ATV recalls I mentioned earlier in this piece was also just issued last week as well. Again, these are things that most people would probably want to know about, so they can avoid them and/or contact the manufacturer about getting a replacement that won't straight-up murder them or their loved ones. I don't think that's too much to ask; do you?

You want melamine in baby formula again? Because actions like these are exactly how you get melamine in baby formula. Yes, that's a food safety issue, but it's not unrelated, especially since the US Food and Drug Administration is also reportedly considering axing food safety inspections. It's like Upton Sinclair's The Jungle never even existed!

Companies exist to make money. That's not a value judgment; that's a statement of fact. Expecting them to police themselves for the greater good is naive at best and disingenuous folly at worst. If only there was a federally-funded organization that solely existed to try to keep consumers safe from unsafe products! Oh, wait. There was, but unfortunately maybe not for much longer.

If you're located in the US and you want to voice your concern about the CPSC going away, you can contact your members of Congress here. There's a handy lookup tool to find both your Representatives and your Senators, and you can also search by your home address if you're not sure who you need to call or send letters to (yes, letters; those tend to have more impact than email because they're more uncommon in 2025).

Stay Safe Out There

If you've been observing electric motorcycles for a good length of time, then you're probably aware that the legacy OEMs got off to a slow start in development. Although Zero Motorcycles is now a veritable grandaddy in the electric motorcycle space (at the ripe old age of 19 in 2025, no less), it was once a young upstart, eager to change how people thought about motorcycles.

Other EV brands have come and gone in the years since Zero was founded, but it also took nearly as long for the legacy OEMs to start rolling out EV two-wheelers of their own. Whole startup companies burned brightly and then went kablooey, seemingly before a company like Honda could begin to hit anything approaching an EV stride.

Part of that comes from a place of caution, and part of that comes from a place of analyzing the global market and making very precise, strategic moves to advance its two-wheeled EV development. While some riders would love to have an EV equivalent of a middleweight or larger combustion bike, currently available battery technology (and energy density) can't yet give the ranges that riders want in the small, nimble package they'd prefer. Also, pricing is clearly a factor, as EVs are already perceived as being quite expensive—which, of course, makes them less accessible to the average rider.

If you're a company like Honda, and it's taken you a few minutes to analyze the situation and figure out how best to get off the ground, there's also another factor to consider. That's because, if you're Honda, you currently have an approximately 40% share of the global motorcycle market. And like any good OEM, you want that market share to go up; not down.

So, your plans? They're very carefully laid.

And maybe then, after standing back and watching what competitors both big and small do, you go where the EV winds are at your back, pushing you forward—and more importantly, where they aren't headwinds, steadily sapping your range.

That's why Honda is not only doubling down on its EV motorbike development plans, and even building a dedicated factory for them—but it's doing so in India, first and foremost. For the past couple of years, India has been in the midst of a massive push to electrify as many vehicles as it can. There's a huge amount of governmental support, including of the monetary kind.

And while homegrown EV makers like Ola Electric have surged forward but also faced setbacks, Honda's been quietly waiting in the wings, watching these developments unfurl. Although some might criticize Honda for being a bit too slow and possibly overly cautious about its two-wheeled EV development, this play-it-safe approach has been part of why Honda has such an international reputation for reliability and customer support.

Something that the company, no doubt, doesn't want to place in jeopardy, even as it presses on into previously unexplored EV two-wheeler territory. It's going to do the thing, Honda says; but on Honda's terms, and no one else's.

The new, dedicated Honda EV two-wheeler factory in Bengaluru is planned to open in 2028. Some design components will be standardized, while batteries will be sourced from outside manufacturers. Honda is taking all possible measures to both increase efficiency and lower costs so that it can be as competitive as possible in the Indian EV market, according to Nikkei Asia.

But while India is the first goal, Honda also plans to expand its EV two-wheeler reach elsewhere. Instead of fighting an uphill battle, it wants to expand first into other EV-friendly markets like Indonesia and the Philippines before attempting greater global glory.

It remains to be seen how this all plays out, but to a certain way of thinking, it makes sense. If you can't be first, let your overeager competitors leap forward into the fray and show you where the pitfalls are, so you can avoid them. Then charge forward and run the whole game board, assuming you've planned correctly.

Will that be how it ultimately works out for Honda? Multiple Chinese OEMs are forces to be reckoned with in the EV space, both on four wheels and two. While it's true that few brands anywhere have the decades of reliability and stability associated with them that Honda does, for the right price (especially in the current economic climate), how much will that matter?

More EV Motorbikes

One of the best things about moto-YouTube is that there are so many different flavors of channels out there. You want a timelapse series of an expert doing a really nice, ground-up restoration of a bike? Cool. You want a mad engineering genius who builds a crossplane scooter engine out of thumper scraps? No problem.

You want a gifted mechanic who's clearly good at teaching people, and doesn't mind sharing his tips (good and useful tips, too) in approachable, extremely user-friendly, practical videos? The Bearded Mechanic has entered the chat! Or hopefully your YT queue, at the very least.

This time around, he's putting both his ace vintage Japanese bike mechanic and his dadding skills to good use. As you'll know if you have—or have ever been—a kid, they tend to grow pretty quickly, so they're constantly outgrowing everything. Not just foods and flavors they like, but shoes. Clothes. Bicycles. And, of course, dirtbikes, if you give them one. While that means there are lots of used, child-size dirtbikes on offer in your area on Facebook Marketplace, how are you supposed to know what's legitimately a good deal, and what's not?

That's what Craig—the Bearded Mechanic—wants to help you evaluate in this video. And it's super helpful.

Now, TBM might have some things that you don't. You might have more or less wrenching experience on these types of bikes than he does, or you might have more or fewer tools/workspace options. You also may or may not happen to have an entire spare parts bike sitting in a back room that matches the used bike you're potentially buying for your kid. There are a lot of variables to consider!

Still, the basics are the same, and what it mainly comes down to is your ability to separate your emotions from your practical ability to evaluate the bike's true state before you buy it. Does it have spark? Will the seller let you do a compression test? What kind of details can the seller give you about the bike and the life it's lived? If it's running and you can test it, great; but if it's not, can you identify why it isn't running? Does the engine turn over?

Depending on your level of experience and confidence in evaluating the state of the bike, gathering all that information can help you decide whether the bike in question, at its current price, is worth your time and effort. It's even better if you have a rough idea of what kinds of parts you might need to fix the issues with the bike, as well as how available they are (and what they'll cost you).

A bike like this little XR80 is cool because Honda made it for a long time, and there are a lot of them (and a lot of parts) out there. But if it's a different bike, and it has more parts that are unobtainium, that could change your math considerably.

This might not just be the kind of video you watch once. It's such a good resource, and it's absolutely brimming with useful and sensible tips about used bike evaluation and fixing of common issues. You might want to save this one after you watch it, as a resource you can consult in the future as needed.

Especially because it's spring, and those of us who live in places that get winter are totally itching to get outside right now. Tuck this one in your back pocket and save it for review next time you're going to eye up a new-to-you-bike, whether it's for your kids or not.

Stay Smart

When you were a kid, I'm going to bet that you loved building things. Taking them apart, putting them back together, doing your best to figure out how they worked. Or maybe just putting together LEGO kits was more your speed; that's cool, too. Most kids, from multiple generations, were (and are) exactly like this.

Putting that together with the omnipresent thought of 'how do we get more kids into bikes,' something finally clicked into place in my brain. It feels like an idea that someone should have already had by now, honestly. A thing so obvious, I'm not sure why it hasn't happened yet.

By now, if you have kids in your life, or you know anyone with kids, or you even just pay attention to science/engineering-focused podcasts and YouTube channels, then you probably already know about KiwiCo. It's a company that offers subscription boxes where you can get cool STEAM projects—that's an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics—aimed at different age ranges of kids delivered on a one-time or monthly basis, so kids can build cool stuff with the help of instructions.

It didn't exist when I was a kid, but I have loved it had it did. This is totally the kind of thing that would be up my street, in so many ways. Grown-up me is still like this, too; let's be honest. And if you're a serial DIY-er like me, I'm sure you can relate.

Currently available KiwiCo kits include ones that help you build robots (delivery, walking, and more), build a kinetic light-up speaker that works, put together moving electronics, and more.

Know what they don't have, though? A tiny, working engine. More specifically, a tiny, working motorcycle engine. Want to be more future-forward and go EV? A tiny EV motor to power a tiny EV motorbike could also involve teaching electronics skills! Or split the difference and go with a tiny hybrid engine setup!

The possibilities are pretty endless, and could solve multiple problems at once. Get kids interested in bikes, learning something new, and stoke curiosity about problem-solving and doing mechanical/electronic things, all at one time. Parents who ride and are so inclined could also work on this with their kids as a fun family project, and it'd be a really cool win-win for multiple generations.

I'm putting this idea out in the world both because I'm surprised it doesn't already exist, and because I think it should. What about you? Would you be into kits like this for the kids in your life if they existed? Let me know in the comments.

Stoke Their Curiosity; It's Not That Hard

Motorcycles are dangerous; did you know? I'm joking, but also not; a thing that doesn't always come through very well in writing. You'd be able to tell from my tone of voice if we were having a conversation right now, though; that much, I can tell you.

And this also isn't a rant or ramble about how that's one of the most extremely tired things that many of us riders always hear from non-riders upon first learning that we ride. Often (not always, but far too frequently) followed by a story of their brother/sister/cousin who got badly hurt or killed on a bike, so they don't know why you even ride that thing (this level of judgment, despite the fact they've only just met you five minutes ago).

As we've discussed here in the past, most riders know and accept the fact that there are serious risks associated with this activity that we love. No matter whether we choose to ride on the street, at the track, or off road; trust me, WE KNOW.

But the question of whether we know it in our heads and whether it's considered for legal purposes has now been codified, at least in the state of Arkansas. On March 18, 2025, Arkansas governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a piece of legislation called Act 312 into state law. This new law establishes a state of "inherent risk" specifically for dirtbike riders who participate in activities that take place on private property.

But What Does It Mean?

I've read a lot of legislation in my time, and I have to say, the text of this bill is remarkably readable for laypeople (and not just legislators). Right at the top, it states in relatively plain language what the intention is. The title reads, "An act concerning dirtbike use on private property; to establish the liability of an owner of private property; and for other purposes."

The text of this bill offers fairly clear guidelines (or at least, as clear as most such guidelines get) about what 'inherent risk' means as far as dirtbike riders are concerned, as well as what liability still rests on the property owner of a private property where a dirtbike rider may be injured.

The text of the bill states that:

"Inherent risk of dirtbike use" means the dangers or conditions that are an integral part of dirtbike use on roads, trails, paths, or other surfaces, including without limitation: Injury or death caused by a change or variation in the surface that may cause a participant to lose control, lose his or her balance, or crash the dirtbike; or a collision with a natural or man-made object.

It goes on to state that factors including operator error, including equipment failure due to operator error; attack or injury by an animal; and aggravation of injuries, illnesses, or conditions because an incident occurred in a remote place where medical facilities were not available are also part of the concept of 'inherent risk.' That's important, because that probably describes the majority of places where dirtbike events on private property happen.

Additional language spells out who, exactly, is considered an "owner of private property," including individuals, clubs, partnerships, and so on. It also talks about who is considered a "participant" in the event, and who is therefore considered to understand the 'inherent risk' of their sport, as well as their choice to engage in said sport.

So Wait, Does This Mean Property Owners Have No Liability If A Dirtbike Rider Crashes?

Not so fast. The text of this law also includes important language about what the property owner is responsible for. While dirtbike riders attending private events in the state of Arkansas will now be understood to accept 'inherent risk,' in the eyes of the law, owners of the private property where events take place must still take some responsibility, as well.

Owners of private property still must not "commit an act of gross negligence concerning the safety of a participant that proximately causes injury to or the death of a participant." They also can't knowingly provide an unsafe dirtbike to a participant, or "fail to use the degree of care that an ordinarily careful and prudent person would use under the same or similar circumstances."

If you've paid enough attention to legal cases over time, you'll recognize that someone bringing suit and referencing this law would probably have a tough time proving that someone, for example, knowingly provided an unsafe dirtbike to a participant—the key word here being 'knowingly'. (Unless you have convenient phone video footage of a cartoon villain twirling their mustache in the corner, muttering about how they purposely loosened the bolts on the handlebars of that rider in the green jersey, that is.)

But at the same time, it's absolutely true. Riders know and accept the risks of what we do, and there's both an inherent risk and an inherent responsibility to do what we can, as riders, to mitigate those risks. To go out and have fun, and do our best to keep ourselves and our fellow riders reasonably safe.

Facility owners and clubs that put on private events have a duty to maintain their property and facilities to adequate safety standards, but it can't all be on them, either. If you're out there riding above your skill set and you get hurt, that's on you; not them.

No one wants to see you get hurt, of course. But just like when you were a kid and you fell and skinned your knee while learning to ride your bicycle, that's not the sidewalk's fault for being there.

This Might Be A First For Dirtbikes, But It's Not A First For 'Inherent Risk'

I'm neither a skier nor an equestrian, but if you are, then you probably already know that multiple states already have similar inherent risk laws for those sports on the books. While I couldn't really tell you the first thing about riding horses, the American Equestrian Alliance has a handy page all about state-level equestrian liability laws. You can find similar discussion about skiers, ski resorts, and liability according to state laws in forums, on sites for lawfirms that specialize in this area of expertise, and elsewhere.

Taken in that context, it almost seems surprising that Arkansas is the first state to get a law like this for dirtbikes on the books. But what do you think? 

The American Motorcyclist Association, for its part, came out in support of the law, and says it hopes to see more such laws on the books in other states soon. Do you feel the same? Tell us why or why not in the comments.

Trust Us, We Know

When we think of motorcycles in the US, the image that often comes to mind is one of freedom, rebellion, and weekend rides along scenic highways. But head over to Southeast Asia, and you’ll see a completely different picture—one where motorcycles aren’t just for fun, they’re the backbone of daily life.

Case in point: The Philippines just racked up nearly 448,000 motorcycle sales in the first quarter of 2025 alone. That’s not a typo. In just three months, this relatively small island nation of around 110 million people moved almost half a million bikes. For perspective, that’s more motorcycles than the entire U.S. market sold in 2023—and the year’s just getting started.

According to data from the Federation of Asian Motorcycle Industries (FAMI), Q1 sales in the Philippines rose 10% from the same period in 2024. Domestic production is also booming, with over 232,000 motorcycles assembled locally in the first two months of the year.

These numbers come from the five big players in the country’s motorcycle scene: Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, and TVS. Combined, they account for a huge chunk of total motorcycle sales and production in the Philippines amounting to around 80 percent. And while Japanese brands dominate the market, Indian manufacturer TVS has carved out a solid following with its affordable and reliable small-displacement bikes.

Scooters like the Yamaha NMAX reign supreme on Philippine roads. 

And yes, the data doesn’t include smaller, up and coming players like CFMoto and QJ Motor. It also doesn’t include premium brands like Ducati, BMW, KTM, and Aprilia. And so the actual sales numbers are likely much higher than what the FAMI has reported. 

Unlike the US, where bigger is often seen as better, Southeast Asian markets are built on small-displacement machines—think 110cc to 155cc scooters and commuters. In the Philippines, bikes like the Honda Click, Yamaha Mio, and Suzuki Raider 150 rule the roads. These aren’t just popular—they’re essential.

Need to weave through Metro Manila’s infamous traffic? These scooters are your best bet. Trying to make a living as a delivery rider or motorcycle taxi driver? That same scooter is your office on two wheels. For many Filipinos, a motorcycle is their primary (and sometimes only) mode of transport.

Bikes like the Ducati Panigale are also popular among the affluent, but their numbers are just a drop in the bucket compared to scooters and commuters. 

What’s fascinating is how different these same brands appear in other markets. In the US, Honda is known more for machines like the Gold Wing and the Rebel 1100. Yamaha brings to mind the MT-07 or the R1. Kawasaki? We think of Ninjas. But in the Philippines—and much of Asia—these brands make their bread and butter on scooters, underbones, and small commuters.

These are bikes that cost less than an iPhone and sip fuel at over 50 kilometers per liter (that’s nearly 120 mpg). They’re easy to park, cheap to run, and simple to maintain. No frills, just function.

And while the Philippines might be making headlines with its Q1 numbers, it's not alone. Indonesia, with a much larger population, sold over 1.1 million motorcycles in just two months. Meanwhile, Vietnam recorded 673,000 units in the first quarter. It’s clear that Southeast Asia isn’t just a strong market for motorcycles—it’s the market.

And with local economies bouncing back post-pandemic, consumer lending is picking up too. In the Philippines, banks reported over 24% year-on-year growth in auto loans early this year—despite still-elevated interest rates. That’s a strong indicator that Filipinos are willing to finance their rides to get to work, run errands, and support their livelihoods.

The contrast between how motorcycles are used in the West versus the East couldn’t be more stark. In the US, a motorcycle often symbolizes a lifestyle. In the Philippines and its neighbors, a motorcycle is life. It’s not a toy or a weekend escape, but rather, essential transportation, income, and independence all wrapped into one.

It’s also why the region is so critical to the global motorcycle industry. Brands that might be struggling to move high-end models in Europe or North America are thriving in Southeast Asia thanks to consistent volume, brand loyalty, and a never-ending demand for affordable two-wheelers. 

An Industry On The Rise

Source: Manila Bulletin, Federation of Asian Motorcycle Industries

Sometimes real life is so much stranger than a writers room could design. If you recall the story of a truck driver in Massachusetts who was acquitted of the deaths of seven riders whom he hit with his truck in 2019, then you probably wouldn't find it shocking to see a new story about him and a DUI charge. You might want to hope that he's getting the help he needs, but 'surprising' isn't the word I'd use.

Only, here's where the story gets weird. It's not that simple, you see. Why? Because this isn't a new DUI.

As you might recall if you kept up with that story as it unfolded, one of the major issues involved was that the driver, Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, had multiple previous charges for driving under the influence across multiple states. Since he's a truck driver, he of course frequently crosses state lines, so it makes sense that he might perform the same behaviors in multiple jurisdictions.

But unfortunately, those state DMVs don't always communicate well with each other, and also tend to develop unfortunate backlogs. If you've ever been to a DMV, I'm sure you're also not surprised by this idea, either.

Back to 2025, and this current case where this truck driver just pleaded guilty to a DUI in Connecticut. The DUI, you see, was issued in East Windsor, Connecticut on May 11, 2019. By rights, his driving license should have been revoked following such an offense—only the case didn't even make it to court for the driver to plead guilty until 2025.

So instead, he just continued driving.

And just one month after the DUI for which he has just been convicted, on June 21, 2019, is the date where Zhukovskyy's truck and those 7 members of the Jarheads Motorcycle Club met a terrible fate. One that undoubtedly changed the lives of multiple families forever.

What punishment will the driver receive after pleading guilty to this DUI six years after the fact (and five after all that death)? Reportedly, 18 months of probation, and a conviction on his record.

Would a better communications system between state DMVs and a lesser backlog at those DMVs have changed the way all these events worked out? Probably, but we'll never know.

Woof

What kind of racing fan are you? I ask that in all earnestness because there are a few different kinds. If you're like me and you've been a racing fan for a long time, you're probably nodding your head in agreement.

Some people love a specific racer or team, and are there to support their fave through thick and thin. Others just want to see quality racing action play out in front of them. And there are those who are just there for the crashes. The less said about them, the better, but we can't pretend they don't exist.

No matter what type of racing fan you are, what most of us don't really like very much is a parade. If you've got one or two racers/teams that are so categorically out in front of everyone else that the other guys don't even have a chance to compete, it's not very much fun for anyone. That's when you get a parade, and that's when racing is at its most boring.

And that's what some folks have been lamenting about the first few races of the 2025 MotoGP season.

Where my colleague Robbie is absolutely thrilled to see the Márquez brothers duke it out at the top of the time sheet, you don't have to go very far into Reddit threads or forums to see people predicting that the 2025 season is going to be a major yawnfest. They probably have at least a toe or two to stand on, if not an entire leg. Who's going to win the Constructors Championship? Uh, barring a major act of deities beyond our understanding, it's probably Ducati.

As for the rider's championship, it's pretty likely to be a Márquez. And after that horrifying crash at Qatar, it almost certainly won't be the stunning comeback of Jorge Martín that many hoped. From all of us at RideApart, here's hoping he recovers well and speedily.

Why are things this way? Apparently, the magic combination of Ducati machines and Márquez brothers seems to be the class of the field. Pecco Bagnaia is up there in the mix on his own factory Ducati as well, but those three riders are quickly pulling away from everyone else. So how do you stop this apparent snoozefest?

Enter (potentially, at least) Toprak Razgatlıoğlu.

Before the Qatar GP weekend, Ai Ogura was making an impressive showing as the top non-Ducati in the field on his satellite Aprilia, and the fact that this is only his first season in MotoGP also can't be discounted.

But now, post-Qatar, it's veteran racer Johann Zarco on his Castrol Honda LCR who's currently the top non-Ducati in the mix. Factory Aprilia racer Marco Bezzecchi is just behind him by six points, and Ogura's now down in ninth. In between Bezzecchi and Ogura sits Fabio Quartararo on his factory Yamaha. Rounding out the top 10 riders in the championship at the moment is the factory Honda team's top-ranking rider, Luca Marini. Much like Ogura did for Aprilia at the end of the COTA 2025 race weekend, Zarco and his satellite Honda are currently ahead of the top factory Honda rider in the standings.

While I wouldn't go so far as to say that non-Ducatis (and to a slightly shakier extent, non-KTMs) in the MotoGP paddock are an endangered species, it's quite evident that they are outnumbered (and possibly outclassed, depending on who you talk to). Ducati's got amazing riders, a fantastic team, and brilliant machinery; of that, there can be no doubt.

But if that's all there is, and there's no competition that comes close, then it essentially becomes a one-make race. There's nothing wrong with one-make races, except that those aren't what MotoGP is about.

If Someone's Going To Take Ducati Down, Could Toprak Be The Guy?

For those unfamiliar with Razgatlıoğlu, he's currently racing for BMW in the 2025 FIM World SuperBike championship, and he came roaring into the season with the #1 on his bike because he is, in fact, the reigning world champion of that series. It's his second WSBK championship, and his first for BMW—and that's one of the most intriguing things about him.

See, Razgatlıoğlu doesn't just thrive on winning races, although he does plenty of it. No, a thing that sets him apart is that he likes learning about and trying different bikes. And trying to win on different bikes. He doesn't just want to play it safe; he wants to grow and advance as a rider, gelling with different bikes and teams along the way. He's a bit of a championship journeyman, if you will.

There's been talk about Razgatlıoğlu jumping from WSBK to MotoGP for some time, but it's never been quite as loud or strong as it is right now. Supposedly, both Honda and Yamaha are actively chatting with Razgatlıoğlu's people, and of course nothing is for real until something official is announced.

There are also many variables to consider, not the least of which is the fact that WSBK and MotoGP are not at all the same thing. Plus, as we've discussed above, the current factory Honda and Yamaha efforts in MotoGP have been mid-pack at best in recent time, and have frequently struggled. While Razgatlıoğlu enjoys learning and meshing with new bikes, he also enjoys winning and being competitive. If he doesn't feel like that will be possible, it could be completely understandable if he opts not to make the leap into the premiere class.

But if all the stars align, and Razgatlıoğlu does, in fact, line up on either a Honda or a Yamaha (or who knows, maybe even a secret third OEM like BMW) for the 2027 MotoGP season, could he be making things more interesting from race one? It's impossible to say for sure, of course. But he's proved time and again in WSBK that he knows how to execute some surgical passes on championship leaders (like, say, Alvaro Bautista). If he can bring that kind of precision to a non-Ducati in MotoGP, he could be a real shot of adrenaline to the championship.

Obviously, this is all armchair talk; none of us can tell the future, and we're just thinking out loud. What do you think, and what would you like to see in your MotoGP future? Is thinking about 2027 already thinking too far ahead, in your mind? Let us know in the comments.

More MotoGP

The piece you're about to read has been written, rewritten, reconsidered, tossed out a window, thrown out a plane without a parachute, deleted, restored, rejiggered, baked, fried, partially hydrogenated, baked in a tabletop convection oven/air fryer, and probably a few more steps I'm forgetting.

But I've learned to make peace with the chaos; or, at least, so I tell myself. And that's why I'm presenting it now. As and when there are updates (which there probably will be, since this is very much a live and d/evolving issue), I will be sure to add them (complete with dates) here in an attempt to keep things as tidy and digestible as I can.

Here's the thing: I think most people want their families, friends, and neighbors to have good-paying, meaningful, reliable jobs. This is true everywhere in the world, no matter where you call home.

I think a lot of people are dissatisfied with the offshoring and outsourcing approach that major companies have been engaging in across untold numbers of industries for literal decades. And I think a lot of people hold a dream in their heart of those jobs (and whole industries) returning to the US, even if they're fuzzy on the exact details of how that could (or should) happen.

The thing is, even in a best-case scenario, there are multiple reasons why that can't (and won't) happen overnight. Pick any industry you like, and you'll see small business owners talking about how they're going to be priced out of whatever market they're in due to these tariffs.

At the time of writing, some of the most onerous tariffs have been "temporarily paused" by the US administration for a period of 90 days, but the escalation of tariff battling with China is still very much in place. (At the time of writing, the US has announced 145% tariffs on Chinese imports, to which China has responded with 125% tariffs on US imports. That may well have changed by the time you read this, since it seemingly changes by the hour.)

And that affects too many industries to count, including powersports. Also including e-mobility and EVs, particularly; people up and down the e-bike industry are already lamenting how effectively their industry is about to be decimated, even though it's incredibly popular.

That story, by the way, is about a company called Vintage Electric Bikes, which does actually build its e-bikes in the US. But regardless of that fact, these tariffs will impact most of the components those American workers use to build those bikes.

When you think about things at a more granular level like that, you start to get a tiny glimpse of a major flaw in the reasoning behind these tariffs—unless you're willfully blind to it. And even if you couldn't care less about e-bikes, they're far from the only industry where a situation like this is the case.

That's Great, But What Are Powersports Companies Actually Doing?

RideApart reached out to powersports manufacturers that sell in the US to ask for comment. Here's what they've told us so far. Not everyone we asked responded by the time of publication; as and when we receive any additional responses, we'll be sure to add them to this piece so it's all in one place.

BMW Motorrad North America

A BMW NA representative told us that the company is currently evaluating the situation, but feels it is too early to be able to comment in detail.

BRP (parent company of Can-Am, Ski-Doo, Sea-Doo, and Rotax)

According to a BRP representative, the company says that its vehicles comply with the USMCA agreement, and are thus not subject to the tariffs. However, that representative cautioned that parts, accessories, and apparel imported into the US may face new delays as the company adjusts to new US Customs requirements.

Honda

A Honda representative described the situation as "very fluid," and said they don't have much information to share at this time.

Kove

A Kove representative told us that, "Basically we will continue to be as price sensitive and competitive as we can. The current MSRP pricing on the USA website is including the latest rounds of tariffs. We will adjust as needed.  Currently motorcycles have a 30% tariff on them which we build into our pricing and a 50% tariff on spare parts."

KTM, Husqvarna, and GasGas

A KTM representative told us that, "At KTM, GasGas, and Husqvarna, we are closely monitoring the situation and evaluating how the tariffs will affect our operations. As always, we remain committed to providing high-quality products while ensuring that our customers continue to have access to our motorcycles and parts. While I don’t have any specific details to share at this stage, I can assure you that our teams are actively working on solutions."

Piaggio Group Americas (Aprilia, Moto Guzzi, Piaggio, and Vespa)

A PGA representative told us that the company is currently still deliberating the best course of action.

Polaris (including Indian Motorcycle)

A Polaris representative told us that they don't have any specifics to share at this time.

Suzuki

A Suzuki representative told us that since the landscape keeps changing, they unfortunately don't have a comment at this time.

Triumph

A Triumph representative told us that "Triumph is closely monitoring the tariffs and are in touch with our partners to reveal any potential affect they may have in the course of our business operations."

Where Do The US Import Tariffs and Powersports Stand Right Now?

As you're probably aware, on April 2, 2025, the US president announced a slew of tariffs, inexplicably including places like the Heard and McDonald Islands (which are uninhabited by humans, and raise questions as to how the penguins and seals that live there will pay). A blanket 10% import tariff was announced for nations not singled out by larger amounts, and excluding Canada and Mexico since they'd already had new import tariffs announced in March.

But then, on April 9, 2025, the US president announced a 90-day pause on tariffs above that baseline 10% amount for most nations. For those hoping that the tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods would lift, the White House later clarified that those tariffs will remain in place for the time being.

90 days is a long time, so anything can (and probably will) happen during that time period. But if the import tariffs originally announced on April 2 do come back, we've created a searchable database showing where your favorite OEMs make the machines you love, as well as what those tariff amounts would be.

To use it, type either a country name or an OEM name into the search bar here, and you should see the amount of US import tariffs they will be subject to if the amounts announced on April 2, 2025 come into effect.

It's not clear at this point what's going to happen. On one hand, it can be frustrating when multiple companies offer statements that don't tell you very much; but on the other, with how chaotic the changes have been, it's difficult not to see their point. Planning right now is nigh on impossible at multiple levels, because planning usually relies on at least some semblance of certainty.

Also, it's worth noting that all the information contained in the searchable database above is for complete powersports vehicles; not components or parts. Since all vehicles (powersports, automotive, and otherwise) use parts and components that are sourced from all over the globe, there are undoubtedly additional tariff factors to consider.

Use a Bosch ECU? That's the EU. What about your Brembo brakes, or your Öhlins/KYB/Marzocchi suspension, or your Michelin/Pirelli/Metzeler tires? Maybe you're like me, and you do something crazy like stick Vesrah brake pads and Venhill braided stainless steel brake lines on a bike or two.

All of those component makers are located in different countries, with different tariff rates that could potentially be applied. Whether you're an enthusiast who sources these things for yourself to install on your machines, or you're an OEM working at a wholesale level to outfit your vehicles with parts to the spec that you want, these supply chains will likely all be affected.

The Song That Never Ends

Earlier this April, the Connecticut State Police issued a press release detailing the arrest of a rider for reckless motorcycle operation on public roads within the state. According to the press release, he was "operating the motorcycle at speeds in excess of 190 mph."

Illegal, but impressive—and more importantly, it's not actually what the accompanying police report, which is publicly available, says. I'm not defending the guy, but I am saying that the numbers included in the police report don't match the inflated claim in the press release.

That's just one reason why relying solely on press releases does no one any favors—except maybe whoever wrote the press release. If you read or write anything yourself, it's worth keeping that fact in mind, as it definitely doesn't only apply to this specific situation.

Anyway, diving into the text of the report, there are a few things that are redacted. However, from context it's clear that they are the rider's YouTube and Instagram account names, and nothing else.

There's one statement from the investigating officer that says, "some videos show him traveling in excess of 150 miles per hour on various highways in Connecticut," another that cites a specific video by title where he went 104 miles per hour. Finally, a third instance of a high rate of speed is mentioned, referencing another YouTube video by title and noting that the guy was going 120 miles per hour. Those are fast, but they're not 190.

What bike(s) was he riding, you wonder? Not a Genuine Buddy 50; or at least, if he was, much like the 190 mph claim, it's not in the police report. The two videos cited by title are called "I Broke My CBR1000RR-R Fireblade SP" and "BMW1000RR Vs Rush Hour Traffic."

The affidavit from the investigating officer included in this police report is interesting for additional reasons as well. Step by step, it lays out the course of investigation.

A complaint was made to the Connecticut governor's office about a YouTuber that was known to post videos of himself riding his motorcycle. The officer stated that they reviewed 72 videos that the rider had posted over the 2024 calendar year. They served search warrants to both Google and Meta to obtain account information for the guy's YouTube and Instagram accounts, upon which the officer says he'd posted the videos in question. Thus, they had the name the guy registered his accounts under.

In one Instagram reel, the affidavit states that the rider showed his face, so they were able to connect him to the offending videos (which are mostly onboards). The investigation also involved reviewing the comments left on those videos, and makes mention of some identifying specifics revealed in the comments in the affidavit.

The rider was arrested in December 2024 and charged with three counts: Reckless Driving, Failure to Drive in Proper Lane, and Reckless Endangerment in the First Degree. He was released after posting $5,000 bond.

Still, it appears that he's continued to post videos on his YouTube channel, even as he awaits sentencing later this month. Did his lawyer give him any advice on his YouTube channel? Who knows.

(In)famous

Ask most random people on the street what their thoughts on lane-splitting and filtering are, and you'll most likely get a range of answers. Motorcycle riders will usually at least know what you're talking about, but car drivers may or may not.

Still, regardless of whether the person you're speaking with knows the correct terminology, most road users will have some type of opinion about the behavior. For many (though not all) riders, it's seen as a way to safely and efficiently move through traffic in ways that you just can't on four wheels.

That point, plus the fact that riders can—and do—get rear-ended by car- and truck-driving doofuses who are too distracted by scrolling Facebook Marketplace on their phones, make responsible lane filtering and splitting look all the better. Sure, said distracted doofus in this example could easily rear-end another car instead, but at least the driver and passengers of the car getting rear-ended would be more likely to walk away with only minor injuries.

What's the difference between lane-splitting and lane-filtering? We've covered that separately in the past, but here's the short explanation. Lane filtering is typically understood to take place when motorcycles, traveling at low speeds (typically under 20 mph; frequently 10 or 15 mph) , are able to move between two lanes of traffic going in the same direction as they are. Surrounding traffic will either be completely stopped (think stoplight or traffic jam), or else moving very slowly itself.

In other words, lane filtering is not typically done at a high rate of speed. It is also generally done when all road users are probably a little more alert than usual because traffic is stop-and-go. And no one wants a dumb, inconvenient, low-speed fender-bender, right?

Lane splitting, on the other hand, is usually done at higher rates of speed. It's been legal in the state of California since 2016, and involves riders passing between two lanes of traffic going in the same direction at speeds up to (and including) the legal speed limit for that portion of road. Ride any California highway during rush hour and you'll see this happening. If you're a rider, and you do it in line with a group of other riders, you will feel extremely powerful as you cut through traffic; a bit like a hot knife through butter.

In April 2025, legislators in Oregon are currently considering HB 3542, which is a new twist on a familiar topic for the state's legislature. If passed as currently written, the bill would amend existing Oregon state law to make it legal to lane filter under certain very specific traffic conditions.

Motorbikes allowed to lane filter, under these terms, must have two wheels (so no trikes or sidecars). To legally filter, traffic must be going in the same direction, on highways where the established legal speed limit is 50 mph or higher.

If these conditions are met, motorbikes that lane-split should not exceed speeds that are 10 mph faster than the speed of the traffic they're passing. Once they've completed their pass, the bikes should then rejoin the flow of traffic in a regular lane.

Certain exclusions are also included in the bill, including school zones and work zones, where such behavior would still remain illegal. Also included in this legislation is an admonishment that motorbikes must not consider this carte blanche to pass to the right of a vehicle in the rightmost lane, or to the left of a vehicle in the leftmost lane.

Back in 2021, a very similar bill passed through the Oregon legislature and would only have required the then-Governor's signature to become law. However, then-governor Kate Brown vetoed it.

In 2025, Oregon moved on to a new governor—Tina Kotek. It's not clear whether she'd be for this legislation if it gets that far in the process. The fact that she hasn't previously vetoed such a bill has to count for something in terms of hope, right?

If you live in the state of Oregon, or you know someone who does and who would care, here's a list of contact info for all of Oregon's state legislators at present. Let your legislators know if you're in favor of lane splitting, and tell them why it matters to you. For me, it's a safety issue; if I see something happening behind me that I don't like, and I need to get out of the way so I don't get rammed, I want to be able to do it.

What about you?

Shiny Side Up, Guys

Few names in the motorcycle industry carry the kind of global weight that Honda does. With a presence in over 160 countries and manufacturing facilities across multiple continents, Honda has long been the benchmark for two-wheeled reliability, accessibility, and innovation.

The Japanese giant isn’t just one of the world’s biggest motorcycle manufacturers—it’s a mobility leader that consistently drives innovation and ultimately lays the groundwork for future industry trends.

And nowhere is that leadership more evident than in India.

India isn’t just another market for Honda—it’s the market. The country is the single largest motorcycle and scooter market in the world, with tens of millions of units sold annually. For the majority of Indian commuters, two wheels aren’t a luxury or a lifestyle choice. Rather, they’re quite literally a daily necessity. Sort of like food, water, and shelter.

Bikes like the Honda Activa have made mobility accessible to the masses in India. After all, it's Honda's best-selling model in the country. 

From crowded city streets to remote rural towns, motorcycles and scooters form the backbone of personal transport, logistics, and food and parcel deliveries across the country.

This context makes Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India’s (HMSI) sales performance especially significant, as it’s a make-it-or-break-it market. If they make a bike exclusively for India that flops, well, they’re pretty much screwed. But if they make a bike that sells like hotcakes, well, they might as well have hit the jackpot in the lottery.

That said, the numbers paint a pretty good picture for Honda. The company closed the fiscal year with total sales of 5.83 million units, reflecting 19 percent year-on-year growth. In March 2025 alone, Honda moved 427,448 units, including 401,411 domestic sales and 26,037 exports. These aren’t just strong numbers—they’re a signal that India’s two-wheeler market remains not just resilient, but essential.

Much of this growth is being driven by HMSI’s broadened product strategy. The brand entered the electric mobility space with the Activa e: and QC1, both launched earlier this year. It also debuted the CB300F Flex-Fuel, India’s first 300cc flex-fuel motorcycle. On top of that, its full lineup was refreshed to meet OBD2B emissions (sort of like India’s version of Euro 5+) standards, keeping Honda’s portfolio future-ready.

Although a common sight on US roads, the CBR650R is considered a top-tier machine in India. 

HMSI’s Shine and SP125 commuter models also crossed major milestones, with three million units sold in Eastern India and one million in Madhya Pradesh, while total sales in South India surpassed 20 million units. And in the premium space, its BigWing brand continued expanding with refreshed models like the NX200, CB650R, and CBR650R.

Honda’s scale and adaptability in India say a lot about the country’s role in the global motorcycle landscape. As many developed markets lean toward cutting-edge electric cars and micromobility solutions, India stands as a two-wheeler titan. This makes the Indian market a hotbed for innovation in electric, alternative fuel, and smart mobility tech.

For Honda, it means doubling down on an already-successful strategy. For India, it signals a growing alignment with global sustainability goals. And for the broader motorcycle industry, it’s a clear message: if you want to understand the future of two-wheeled mobility, look east.

More From All Over The World

Source: The Economic Times, AutoCar Pro

OK, I’ll come clean (and a lot of you already know this)—I’m a Yamaha addict. Always have been, probably always will be.

If there’s one bike from the tuning fork brand that has held a particularly irrational grip on my heart, it’s the MT-07. We've talked about this before. I’ve owned three of them. Three. Why? I don’t know either. Maybe I thought the third one would finally give me closure, or that Yamaha snuck something extra into the ECU on later models. Spoiler alert: they didn’t. But here we are.

The MT-07, formerly known as the FZ-07 in the US when it first dropped in 2014, has always been about one thing—fun. Pure, unfiltered, torque-heavy, wheelie-popping, grin-inducing fun. It’s never tried to be the most powerful or high-tech bike in its class. No ride modes, no traction control (until recently), and barely any rider aids. Just a featherweight frame, punchy 689cc CP2 parallel-twin engine, and a chassis that made even average riders feel like wheelie-popping hooligans.

But as times change, so too must the machines we love. For 2025, Yamaha is giving the MT-07 a pretty unexpected twist: an optional Yamaha Automated Manual Transmission, or Y-AMT. 

Yes, the bike that's practically the poster child for analog antisocial behavior now comes with an automatic transmission. And I’ll be honest—I’m a bit weirded out by it. I mean, this is the MT-07 we’re talking about. A bike I’ve always loved for its raw simplicity. The idea of ditching the clutch lever on a machine like this just feels… weird.

But hey, we’re in the future now, and things are different.

So what is Y-AMT exactly? It’s not a CVT or a scooter-style twist-and-go setup. It’s a proper six-speed gearbox that’s electronically controlled. Riders can either let the bike do the shifting for them in full-auto mode or use paddle-style switches on the left bar to shift manually. There's no clutch lever or foot shifter, just buttons. It’s the same system Yamaha introduced on the 2024 Tracer 9 GT+, and later on with the MT-09, and it’s designed to blend the feel of a traditional gearbox with the ease of an automatic. Think of it as the DCT of Yamaha’s world—minus the weight and added moving parts.

Now, I get why someone might choose this setup. For newer riders intimidated by clutch control, commuters dealing with stop-and-go traffic, or people with physical limitations, this could be a game-changer. And while I may be clutch-biased, there’s no denying that making bikes more accessible is ultimately good for the industry.

Still, part of me can’t help but feel like something’s lost when you take the manual transmission out of a bike like the MT-07. That gearbox is such a huge part of the experience—the clunky shifts, the manual downshift blips, the throttle play. But just because it’s not my preferred flavor doesn’t mean it doesn’t belong on the menu.

At the end of the day, the motorcycle world is evolving. Rider expectations are changing. And while I might not be lining up to trade in my left-hand lever just yet, I can totally see how Y-AMT might open the MT-07 up to a whole new audience. Maybe that’s what this bike has always been about—inviting people in, and reminding them why motorcycles are fun in the first place.

Even if it does shift for you now.

Sometimes We Just Have To Embrace Change

Source: Yamaha