Motorcycle Headlines: Sales Ups & Downs. "Art of the Motorcycle" Returns. Fake Bike Cop Gives Chase? Plus Noise, Soybeans, & Bike Bans

Team Oregon shines, Yamaha's miscount, road-rage attacks, exploding motorcycles, and more.

Polaris & Harley Stock Prices Dip on Sales Uncertainty
Harley had its first quarter of flat sales in ages. Polaris saw a down season in snowmobile sales, but its ATV and Victory motorcycle sales continued to growin the first quarter of 2005—by 12 percent compared to 2004. Both companies' stocks were also hurt by rising concerns about the economy.
Motorcycle Cruiser
Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal, MN
ObviousNews.com
Detroit News, MI
Reuters
Twin Cities Pioneer Press, MN
Financial Times, UK
Business Wire

Italian Motorcycle Sales Tumble
Sales of small bikes have dropped by over 40 percent in the Italian market.
Motorcycle News, UK

Yamaha Overstated Deliveries
Someone made a slight counting error&151as did the reporter for one of these articles. One says the error was a quarter-million units; the other says it was 2.5 million units.
Financial Express, India
Zee News, India

Piaggio Gets Aggressive
The new parent of Moto Guzzi, Aprilia, Laverda, et al, has 15 new models on the way and the ink is turning black.
Business Week

Another Motorcyclist Attacked with Car
This one happened in Hawaii.
KPUA TV, HI
KGMB TV, HI

Art of the Motorcycle Exhibit Hits Memphis
The Guggenheim exhibit arrives at The Pyramid in downtown Memphis for a six-month run.
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, AR
Wonders Exhibit Site

Team Oregon Rated Top Motorcycle Safety Organization
A survey of 47 states' motorcycle safety and training programs give Oregon's top marks.
Grants Pass News, OR
Team Oregon

Motorcycle Industry V-Twin Committee Takes on Noise, Aftermarket-Engine Certification
"...They recommend that all motorcyclists consider the negative impact that excessively loud exhaust noise has on the non-motorcycling community and then act accordingly."
Parts Magazine

Motorcycle Bike Cop in High-Speed Chase Might Not Have Been
The uniformed rider on the bike joined the chase, but his tactics (such as pursuing on the sidewalk) were not from the police play book. Now the cops want to know who he was.
Officer.com
Los Angeles Times, CA
San Jose Mercury News, CA
Los Angeles Daily News, CA
KNBC TV, CA

Viper Merges to Go Public
The Minnesota company is merging with a Nevada-based shell company and selling additional stick to raise capital. It also contracted to have its bikes and engines assembled in Michigan.
Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal, MN
Auto Industry, UK
NAME

Motorcycles Banned in Uzbekistan
The ban was imposed to prevent terrorists from using them in the capital city. No word about banning cars or trucks.
Radio Free Europe

Honda's Other Export from America: Soybeans
Honda's Ohio plants sell cars and motorcycles abroad. The company also exports a million bushels of American soybeans (non-genetically altered), plus hay, meat and Napa Valley wines to Japan. It is a profitable way to have the cargo containers return to Japan.
Detroit Free Press, MI
Seattle Post Intelligencer, WA
Honda Trading America

Dragbike Won't Make Letterman Show
The show couldn't get permit to start "the world's fastest" bike on the show's stage, so it won't play.
Parts Magazine

Explain This to Your Insurance Company
"It was just parked there for a few days, and when I went to ride it, it was like...debris..." Police blew it up as "a precaution."
Bangkok Post, Thailand

For more breaking motorcycle news, visit the home page of www.MotorcycleCruiser.com.http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/apbiz_story.asp?category=1310&slug=Honda%20Soybeans

If you have questions or comments about the stories referred to here or know of an article or event that you think we should include, email Motorcycle Cruiser's web editor at Art.Friedman@primedia.com or at ArtoftheMotorcycle@hotmail.com.