Indian Motorcycle Announces Integration Of Apple CarPlay
Indian announced today the integration of Apple CarPlay to its model year 2020 lineup of bikes equipped with the 7” Ride Command system.
Apple CarPlay comes to Indian Motorcycles
Owners can simply download the new software and install it themselves via the integrated USB port on 2020 Chieftain, Roadmaster and Challenger models that were optioned with navigation.
Owners simply download the update to a USB key, plug it into the USB port on their bike and do the download to enable Apple CarPlay integration on their motorcycle.
Apple CarPlay comes to Indian Motorcycles
MCNews.com.au is a big fan of Apple CarPlay integration on touring motorcycles and have enjoyed interacting with the systems on Honda’s latest Africa Twin and Gold Wing.
iPhone users can easily access Apple Music, Maps, send messages with Siri and more now through Indian’s Ride Command 7” screen and a supported Bluetooth headset (not included) – all on a user-friendly interface that iPhone users will instantly recognise. This integration also increases global accessibility to navigation.
Apple CarPlay comes to Indian Motorcycles
Apple CarPlay is just one of several improvements made to Indian Motorcycle’s leading Ride Command system. Riders can now expect improved navigation location management, improved boot time, audio muting and control improvements (including navigation audio), widget fixes and a new fuel economy widget, and improved search functionality within navigation.
Apple CarPlay comes to Indian Motorcycles
Owners can stay up-to-date with the latest technology by accessing a simple, free software download at home or through their local dealership.
Indian have unveiled a new collaborative line of race-inspired accessories for FTR 1200 models, designed in partnership with Roland Sands Design (RSD).
The new FTR x Roland Sands Design collection enables riders to customise their FTR 1200 with RSD’s race inspired elements to add both style and function.
Indian FTR x Roland Sands Design Collection
The RSD collection for FTR 1200 is the latest collaborative offering from the two brands through a relationship that has spanned more than five years, highlighted most notably by the RSD Super Hooligan amateur racing series, presented by Indian Motorcycle.
Indian FTR x Roland Sands Design Collection
It was RSD’s experience of modifying the FTR 1200 for the Super Hooligan series that inspired this line of parts, bringing race styling and performance to city streets.
Rolands Sands outlines the collection in this video
FTR x Roland Sands Design collection
RSD FTR 1200 Tracker Wheelset
RSD FTR 1200 Tracker Wheelset
Featuring RSD’s signature black anodized paint, the RSD FTR 1200 wheelset is inspired by the three-time American Flat Track championship-winning race bike, the FTR750.
RSD FTR 1200 Tracker Wheelset
RSD Swing Arm Stand Spools
The black anodised, billet aluminum spools allow riders to easily keep their FTR 1200 upright in the garage or turn their daily driver to the weekend tracker.
RSD Swing Arm Stand Spools
RSD Brake and Shift Levers
Black anodised, forged aluminum brake and shift levers are direct replacements for stock controls and have a laser-etched finish and logo.
RSD Brake and Shift Levers
RSD Foot Pegs
Offering more surface area and more grip, the black anodized billet aluminum RSD foot pegs allow the rider to feel more connected to the FTR 1200. Stainless steel screws offer extra bite to keep the rider’s feet secure.
RSD Foot Pegs
RSD Frame Sliders
Keeping protection top of mind, on and off the track, the RSD Frame Sliders were developed to protect the FTR 1200 race bikes and minimise damage in the event of a crash or if the bike is tipped over, a commonplace in Super Hooligan racing.
RSD Frame Sliders
RSD Handguards
The forged aluminum handguards replace the FTR 1200 handlebar ends and offer additional protection.
The devil is in the detail with these parts as the billet aluminum RSD Engine Cover, RSD Brake Reservoir Covers, and rubber RSD Handlebar Grips offer subtle Indian Motorcycle and RSD logos to match the bike.
RSD Engine Cover
“FTR 1200 finds its roots and inspiration in flat track racing and RSD brought that full circle, modifying and racing the bikes in last year’s Super Hooligan series. This accessory line is a natural extension of that,” said Ross Clifford, Vice President of Parts, Garments, and Accessories at Indian Motorcycle. “The relationship with RSD has made sense from day one, considering we both share a commitment to finding and delivering the perfect combination of function and form, all fueled by a spirit of innovation.”
Indian Motorcycle today announced what they claim is a revolutionary new technology geared to improved rider comfort through a patent-pending system that delivers superior cooling for a more pleasant riding experience in warm weather.
The all-new ClimaCommand Classic Seat delivers both heating and cooling to riders and passengers and raises the bar for cooling thanks to three key elements:
A proprietary thermoelectric module that pumps heat away from the rider
A patent-pending ducting system for cooling the thermoelectric module
Graphene, a highly conductive and flexible material that optimises the distribution of heating or cooling while maintaining superior comfort
Indian claim that their thermoelectric technology is much more effective than the automotive market standard of HVAC convection systems. A critical performance benefit of the ClimaCommand technology is that it actually produces a surface that’s cold to the touch, rather than merely pushing cool air through perforations in the surface in the manner that HVAC system offerings operate.
“Despite advancements in heating and cooling for seats, we had yet to see a cooling technology that truly eliminated the discomfort of hot-weather, and with ClimaCommand, our engineering team has finally solved this problem,” claimed Ross Clifford, Vice President of Parts, Garments, and Accessories at Indian Motorcycle. “Our thermoelectric technology paired with graphene material is truly a gamechanger, and another example of Indian Motorcycle bringing difference-making innovation to the market.”
To accomplish conduction heating and cooling, a thermoelectric module located within the seat directly regulates the temperature. Electricity is applied to a thermoelectric module to the graphene material, causing one side of the material to absorb heat and the opposing side to dissipate heat. By reversing electrical flow, the hot and cold temperatures alternate sides. A graphene material, which is a nanomaterial created from 100% carbon atoms, is then used to ensure the heating and cooling is dispersed throughout the entire seat.
ClimaCommand Classic Seat
The well-cushioned ClimaCommand Classic Seat delivers unprecedented comfort with Thunderstroke models. Independent rider and passenger controls (low, medium, high) allow the rider and passenger to remain in command of their heating and cooling levels. With no perforations, the seat’s vinyl cover is highly-durable and water and UV-resistant. Passengers can add more comfort with Armrest Pads and a Trunk Backrest Pad, both designed and developed to seamlessly pair with the new ClimaCommand Classic Seat.
ClimaCommand Classic Seat
It’s important to note that the ClimaCommand Classic Seat is not Ride Command-integrated. However, Ride Command-integrated versions of the ClimaCommand Seat will be available for the 2020 Chieftain and Roadmaster later this year.
The ClimaCommand Classic Seat is now shipping to dealers and available at Imcaustralia.com
In addition to the all-new ClimaCommand Classic Seat, Indian Motorcycle is introducing an array of new parts and accessories for FTR 1200 models. FTR 1200 riders can select from high or low mount carbon-fibre Akrapovič exhaust options, several new air-box tank cover options, new billet aluminum Rizoma mirrors, and a carbon-fibre nacelle to enhance the high-performance design of the FTR 1200.
Indian this week released details of a new addition to their line-up, the FTR Carbon.
2020 Indian FTR Carbon
Predictably, the bodywork of the FTR Carbon is largely carbon-fibre including the front fender, headlight nacelle, tank/air-box covers and passenger seat cowl.
2020 Indian FTR Carbon
An Akrapovic low-mount exhaust adds to the package which is celebrated by an ‘FTR Carbon’ branded centre console plate.
2020 Indian FTR Carbon console plate
Other standard features include cruise control, big Brembo stoppers, lean angle sensitive ABS and traction control, full LED lighting and a colour 4.3″ LED touch screen display.
2020 Indian FTR Carbon
The 1203 cc V-Twin makes 123 horespower and 120 Nm of torque. We have put the feelers out to Indian Motorcycles Australia for an ETA and rough price point on the new model.
Yesterday, 30 April 2020, marked the end of the iconic and architecturally beautiful Victory/Indian store at 544 Elizabeth Street Melbourne.
I was there in September 2008 as the store was launching a “soft opening”. The fit-out was complete, the shop had been stocked with brand new Victory motorcycles and staff were cleaning, polishing and adding the final touches and the doors where “open”. I had not long returned from the 105th Harley-Davidson birthday celebrations in Milwaukee in 2008.
The Victory store opening in 2008
Victory was launched in America on the 4th of July 1998 but 2008 was my first up close and personal look at any of the new Victory machines.
I was offered the ride of a Hammer at a bar in San Francisco but declined due the fact I had been in that bar for several hours. I was amongst traffic in Sacramento later that week when I saw a Victory Vision for the first time.
Victory Vision
These were ground breaking bikes. Like them or not they had a presence like no other machine. The rider of this bike lazily offered his opinion that he “wished they had these years ago”.
I was certainly intrigued by its size, its presence in amongst the Harleys and total lack of concern on that riders’ face as he disappeared off down the highway. A few weeks later and I’m back in Melbourne standing outside the fabulous new Victory store.
Victory Vision in the Melbourne Elizabeth Street store
I was gawking at the Visions on display, one moving around on the podium when Peter Harvey sauntered up, introduced himself and promptly offered me a coffee. Peter was the head of Motorcycle Division Polaris Australia and this was already a wildly different experience than wandering into a Harley dealership, greetings and a hot coffee!
I told Peter about my recent trip to the States and my impression of the new bikes. He offered me a test ride, just call up the shop, or drop in, bring my licence and away you go.
That next weekend, I called and asked, that as the weather was forecasting a warm Saturday, could I take the bike for a couple of hours? Peter replied, “mate, it’s going to be a great weekend, why don’t you bring it back Tuesday, because we’re shut Mondays”.
To put this offer in context, to book a test ride on a new Harley in those days, you had to put your name on a waiting list and wait until the once yearly test ride days where you went around a 10-kilometre circuit with the dealer.
Victory Vision
This was next level. I’ve been handed the keys to a brand new $32,000 machine and told to bring it back in four days!
Even in telling this story as I often do, people don’t believe me.
I put 500 kilometres on that machine, mainly over a weekend of riding flat out on the country roads around the North East of Melbourne, up the freeways and to and from work. My mates rode it and the kids pillioned on it. I demonstrated the electric windscreen, the 100-watt stereo/radio, the heated grips and heated seats, marvelled at the capacity of the panniers and then shocked people by letting it fall over on its side. (Visions could be leaned over to the ground where they rested on their footboards and a bar below the panniers with no damage).
Next Tuesday afternoon, I owned one. From that day on, myself and all of the new Victory owners became ambassadors for the brand.
Victory Vision Tour
We loved the bikes with a passion. The sales went from strength to strength and the shop treated us early adopters like royalty. The first shop ride was to Bright in Victoria. They paid for our accommodation, our dinner and our drinks on the night. The group photo taken the next morning showed a gaggle of heavily hungover riders about to head home to recover.
There were several runs in the early days that the shop paid for.
I remember the Bright run, Phillip Island ride, the Apollo Bay ride, the Yarra Glen extravaganza at a winery but nothing beat the ride up to Sydney to celebrate the opening of the new Sydney shop. From memory there were more than a hundred bikes on that near 1000 kilometre ride. The shop paid for our fuel, group luncheons and threw the best party at the new dealership.
An Arlen Ness Victory special shot by Trev in 2012
They bussed us to and from the store after the launch and then put serious cash on the bar at the after party in Homebush. When that money ran out, Alan Nichols and myself topped it up for another hour or two. Such was the passion and the drunkardness…
When we called in to the shop this week, nearly every reference to Victory was gone. There was a wallpapered section at the rear doors but that was it. Since the end of the Victory brand in 2017, the shop, which was owned by Polaris, was converted to showcase the Indians, with an increasingly smaller floor plan for used Victory machines. Now it’s all gone.
Indians are going to be sold across a new dealer network in Australia unrepresentative of the previous brand owned stores. They will now be retailed from multi-franchise stores, often linked to that large retail motorcycle chains.
I made a lot of friends in the early days. Many of them are still great mates. Along with the help of Big Ray Noble, we helped arrange the first monthly rides. These were also hosted by the shop with a hot breakfast and a coffee truck. Many of these rides were led by Tony Scerri. There isn’t a country road in the state and probably the East Coast of Australia that Tony hasn’t been down several times and his riding skills are inspirational. Victorys first salesman, Ant Clark, went off to represent Australia as one of the worlds top Victory salesman at a Polaris junket in Hawaii in 2011.
Victory Motorcycle Family
Many of the old crew still have Victory bikes. I’ve had several over the years and still have one of the few 2013 Hardballs. Last month I picked up a used 2009 Vision. It’s in mint condition, it has upgraded Lloyds cams, pipes and air filter, it even has reverse gear fitted. I got it for far less that the $32000 new bike price but this bike will last forever, as the Vics were designed to do.
Ant and I both called in to the shop this week to see the last of the crew left to clean up and fill the skips with rubbish and prepare it for handover. The last dealer principal Roman Peldys was there, as was John Cook, Frank Bianco, and Jules Woodmansey, the magic mechanic.
The Indian Motorcycles showroom in Melbourne
It’s a pity the virus is with us. It was a moment that should have been shared with handshakes, man hugs and cold beers. For me and many others, Victory was a great few years in our lives. Without the inspiration and enthusiasm of Peter Alexander, the Australian boss of Polaris, Daryl Storrie the shops first Dealer principal and Mike Hennessy the supremely talented shop mechanic, it wouldn’t have been the awesome ride it was.
Thanks for the great rides, the fabulous bikes and the lifelong memories.
PRA No. – 2020/18290 Date published – 15 Apr 2020 Campaign number I-20-03
Product description – This recall expands recall PRA2019/17955, the scope of the previously announced campaign number I-19-03, to include additional vehicles and finalised remedy.
Indian (111 c.i.) Motorcycles Model Years 2014-2019
2,233 affected motorcycles
Some previously recalled vehicles will be recalled again with the latest remedy.
What are the defects?
The gear position switch used may provide an inaccurate signal, which can lead to an incorrect gear being displayed in the rider display.
What are the hazards?
Incorrect gear indication during motorcycle start-up can cause unintended movement of the vehicle, increasing the risk of an accident or injury.
What should consumers do?
Consumers should contact their authorised Indian Motorcycle dealer to schedule an appointment to have the repair performed, free of charge.
To ensure there is no risk of unintended vehicle movement, it is recommended to follow the correct startup procedure:
1. Straddle the motorcycle and bring it to the fully upright position. Retract the side stand. 2. Move the engine stop/run switch to the RUN position. 3. Shift the transmission to neutral. 4. Apply the front brakes. 5. Disengage the clutch (pull the clutch lever fully toward the handlebar). 6. Start the engine.
For any questions or concerns, please contact the Indian Motorcycle Customer Service Department on 03 9394 5610 between 8.30 am and 4.30 pm EST Monday to Friday (excluding Victorian public holidays).
Indian Motorcycle and Workhorse Speed Shop took on the extreme Baikal Mile Ice Speed Festival last week to give Appaloosa, Indian’s highly modified Scout Bobber sprint racer, the toughest of pre-season shakedown tests for its 2020 Sultans of Sprint comeback.
The second running of the Baikal Mile challenged competitors on specially prepared 1/8-mile and 1-mile ice tracks with a variety of specially prepared vehicles alongside stunt riding, drifting, drag racing, flat track and freestyle motocross.
Appaloosa was originally built by Brice Hennebert for the 2019 Sultans of Sprint tarmac series with 500cc Grand Prix legend, Randy Mamola at the controls. With the original build taking over 700 hours, there was little time for testing before the first round in 2019 and so Brice wanted a shakedown test going into the 2020 series.
During his time researching events for a shakedown, Brice came across images and videos of a crazy speed festival, the Baikal Mile, run on the frozen surface of Lake Baikal in Siberia, the oldest and deepest lake in the world.
“I couldn’t believe how amazing this event looked,” says Brice. “For a start, the lake is huge. Over 600km long, 80km wide with more than 20% of the world’s freshwater. It was just so different from anything I am used to, thousands of miles away and with extreme temperatures. On top of that, you have all these people building crazy machines, from mad one-wheel contraptions to luxury vehicles on tank tracks, who come together to share the fun of pushing themselves and their creations to the limit. I just had to be a part of it, and it was amazing to get the go-ahead when I put the idea to Indian Motorcycle.”
With the go-ahead and continued support from top-level partners Akrapovič, Beringer Brakes, Dunlop Europe, Evok3 Performance, Motorex, Öhlins and tuning advice from Flybike, Appaloosa was modified for the extreme Siberian conditions on a tight schedule as it needed to be shipped by the beginning of February to make the long journey to Lake Baikal.
Brice and two of his best friends, Sébastien Lorentz and Dorsan “DJ Peeta Selecta, also had their own epic journey just to reach the event. The first leg saw two flights from Belgium to reach Moscow where the team had an overnight stay before continuing the journey. While in Moscow, the friends decided to get a permanent souvenir of their adventure with a special Tattoo.
“I had been talking with Seb and Dorsan about how this trip was the most insane thing I had done and how I wanted to do something special to remember it,” explained Brice. “That’s where the idea for the tattoo came from. For Seb and Dorsan to also want to get the tattoo shows me that I had chosen the right guys for this trip.”
“I can’t believe that an ordinary guy like me gets to build such a crazy machine and then take it to such an extreme event,” Brice continued. “I had this phrase in my head ‘Good for nothing. Ready for everything’ that summed up this feeling and I decided to get it tattooed on my leg in Russian. Seb joined me with a matching tattoo, while Dorsan had the phrase tattooed in French.”
Freshly tattooed, the team took an overnight flight further east to Ulan Ude before joining other competitors for a 5-hour coach journey to the event’s base in Maksimikha, Republic of Buryatia. Arriving at the event hotel, there was no time to rest with competitor registrations and briefings before Appaloosa had to be unpacked from its special flight cases and re-assembled ready for technical inspection in the morning.
The team’s paddock garage for the week was a canvas and cloth tent with a wood-burning stove inside. With temperatures often dipping well below -25C, the stove was essential to keep Appaloosa and the team warm enough to work and operate. Sharing the tent with the Workhorse team were two Russian vehicles and their teams, a tiny home-built bike with a lawnmower engine and a classic Ural.
Brice commented, “They didn’t speak any English, we didn’t speak any Russian, but as with all car and motorcycle enthusiasts, it was a really friendly atmosphere. Through hand gestures and pointing, we were able to communicate, help each other out and lend each other tools. That’s what I love about events like this, we’re all here for the same reason and we all want to share the fun and make sure everyone has a good time.”
Technical inspections completed, Appaloosa and Sébastien Lorentz were given the all-clear to try their first test run on the 1/8-mile course, a final qualification step for the organisers to be sure the rider is in control and safe, before being allowed to run at speed on the Baikal ice.
“The first run was good, I was just looking to test the traction of the studded tyre that Dorsan had built, to see how stable the bike was, and of course, to make sure I could stop,” said Sébastien Lorentz. “Appaloosa pulled really well, and the front tyre was not being pulled by the uneven surface. With good control, traction and stability, it has given me the confidence to go harder in the next run.”
With another quicker run on the 1/8-mile, Brice and Seb agreed it was time to test on the one-mile course. Although a standard race distance for speed runs, there is a specific reason for this distance at the Baikal Mile festival; Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world with a maximum depth of one mile.
The first run on the full mile revealed surprises that the team were not expecting, particularly that the ice was much bumpier than the short 1/8 mile. The front and rear suspension compressed enough to bring the tyre studs into contact with the fins of the real tail unit and a front fairing cross member, requiring some modification to the bodywork to allow for clearance. Limiting the top speed of the bike was an unknown electrical issue at higher speeds in the top gears.
“We knew we’d be facing issues we couldn’t really predict as we have no experience of racing on ice,” commented Brice. “I’ve spoken to teams here who have run perfectly at Bonneville and then the first time they came to Baikal, their machines just wouldn’t work properly due to the extreme conditions.”
“With just that one run, we have learnt so much about ice speed racing. With that experience and the helpful advice and suggestions from the teams around us, we’ll make some changes before tackling the mile again. On the electrical issue, I’ll initially remove the quick-shifter and Power Commander, hopefully that will resolve it. We’ll increase the rear tyre pressure from 2kPa to 3kPa, and Dorsan is also going to prepare a new rear tyre with fewer studs for less weight.”
A second run on the ice mile saw improvements from the changes in tyre pressure and the new stud pattern, but the electrical issue persisted.
“Right now, I think this is simply down to the extremely low air temperature. We are using a race ECU and maps that were not designed for -20C. For the final day of racing, I’m going to reset the ECU and make some tweaks to see if I can improve things. But, with the limited shipping space, I just don’t have the spares or tools to fully diagnose the problem here at the ice.”
On the final day of racing, teams woke up to the best conditions of the week with blue sky and bright sunshine. Heading to the start line for their first run of the day, Brice and Seb had decided that this would be the main pull and they would use the NOS system for the first time in the hope that the changes that Brice had made in the morning had resolved the electrical issue.
A clean start saw Appaloosa accelerate cleanly down the mile before the electrical issue limited their top speed. The run saw their best result yet with a top recorded speed of 180kmh, just short of the 200kmh target that Seb and Brice had set for themselves. With one final run to enjoy the experience of having come so far to do something so extreme, the team reflected on their experience.
Brice said, “Racing on ice is hard, this is the most incredible thing I’ve tried to do. I’ve learnt so much and had a hell of a lot of fun doing it. We’re losing something like 30% of our speed to the conditions and although we’ve had some issues, I am so glad we came here to test Appaloosa. My mind is racing with the possibilities and changes I’d like to make. Thank you to the organisers of the Baikal Mile and everyone here who has made us feel so welcome and part of their ice racing family. Coming here was a huge adventure for all of us and it was all about challenging ourselves, making new friends and having fun at the same time.”
Sébastien commented, “Appaloosa is clearly capable of so much more, and I know that Brice will be using this experience to attack the 2020 Sultans of Sprint as hard as possible. We’ve been welcomed with open arms by all the people here who share our passion for adventure, fun and machines that go fast or just make people smile.”
Ticking another ‘first’ off their lists, Brice and Sébastien joined Dorsan “DJ Peeta Selecta” on the decks to provide the music during at the closing party held on the ice.
Indian Chief, Chief Vintage and Chieftain motorcycles sold between December 2nd 2013 and December 30th 2016 are being recalled for a headlight issue that will be fixed free of charge by Indian dealerships.
Indian Chief Vintage
Recall Notice
PRA No. 2020/18247 Date published 2 Apr 2020 Campaign number I-19-02-A Product description Indian (111 c.i.) Motorcycles Chief, Chief Vintage and Chieftain Model Year 2014 487 affected motorcycles
What are the defects?
An electrical defect may cause unexpected loss of forward lighting, including high and low beam headlights and fog lights. If this occurs, the High Beam indicator will flash on the gauge cluster.
What are the hazards?
If the motorcycle lighting malfunctions while in operation, it may reduce visibility and increase the risk of an accident or injury to the rider or other road users.
What should consumers do?
Consumers should avoid riding at night or in low light conditions until their motorcycle has been repaired.
Contact your authorised Indian Motorcycle dealer to schedule an appointment to have the repairs performed, free of charge. Do not attempt repairs yourself. Repairs must be done only by an authorised Indian Motorcycle dealer.
For any questions or concerns, please contact the Indian Motorcycle Customer Service Department on 03 9394 5610 between 8.30 am and 4.30 pm EST Monday to Friday (excluding Victorian public holidays).
Supplier – Polaris Sales Australia Pty Ltd Traders who sold this product – Authorised Indian Motorcycle Dealers
Where the product was sold – Nationally Dates available for sale – 2 December 2013 – 30 December 2016 Responsible regulator – Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development is the responsible regulator for this recall.
Indian appoints Motorcycle Holdings retail network
Earlier this year, Polaris Inc. announced its intention to move to a solely independent network of Indian Motorcycle dealers in Australia during 2020, a change from the current network structure of both company-owned and independent dealers.
The transition away from company-owned dealerships in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth in favor of a fully-independent network will provide Indian Motorcycle with the opportunity to significantly expand its dealer network to provide customers with greater access to Indian Motorcycle across Australia.
Polaris Inc. have announced that they have entered into an agreement with MotorCycle Holdings Limited (ASX: MTO) to retail the Indian Motorcycle brand through six of their existing dealerships in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, vastly increasing the network coverage and support offered by the Indian Motorcycle brand.
MotorCycle Holdings will represent the Indian Motorcycle brand in Brisbane, Gold Coast, two locations in Melbourne and two locations in Sydney. All locations are anticipated to be operational by mid-2020, a transition that will see a smooth supply and service for existing and new Indian Motorcycle customers as each company-owned Indian Motorcycle dealership closes.
Alan Collins Managing Director of Polaris Australia & New Zealand
“We are very excited to be partnering with Australia’s premier retailer of motorcycles, Motorcycle Holdings, as we write the next exciting chapter for Indian Motorcycle in Australia,” said Alan Collins, Managing Director of Polaris Australia & New Zealand. Both Indian Motorcycle and MotorCycle Holdings share the same vision for the premium experience and service expected by Indian Motorcycle customers, with a commitment to continue the brand experience which has been cultivated so beautifully through our company-owned dealerships over the past years.
“Whilst the partnership with MotorCycle Holdings is a very significant step in our transition to a fully independent network, we will have further network announcements to make over the course of this year to ensure we can provide greater coverage, accessibility and service for Indian Motorcycle customers nationwide, including those in regional Australia.
“We’d also like to reiterate that we anticipate no interruption to sales or customer service during this transition.”
Indian Motorcycle
Indian Motorcycle will also be making an announcement in the near future regarding the plans for its dealer network in Perth.
There will be plenty of familiar faces for customers in the MotorCycle Holdings Indian dealerships, with Polaris and MotorCycle Holdings working together in an effort to keep staff from the current company-owned dealerships working with the Indian Motorcycle brand under the new network structure.
Indian Motorcycle will be represented by MotorCycle Holdings dealerships in the following locations:
Polaris today announced it is restructuring its Indian Motorcycle dealer operations in the Australian and New Zealand markets and intends to move to an independent network of dealers starting later this year.
Polaris has managed the retail operations of its motorcycle brands through a network of corporate-owned and independent dealerships since it entered the Australian and New Zealand motorcycle market in 2008.
By the end of 2020, Indian Motorcycle in Australia and New Zealand will operate solely with an independent dealer network.
As a result of this change, Polaris will close its four company-owned stores, which are located in Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney, over the course of the next year. The company is committed to working directly with each location and will provide support accordingly for affected staff.
Indian and Victory Motorcycle store Perth
There have also been some major changes in regards to the Indian Motorcycles management in Australia. Polaris AU-NZ Managing Director Peter Alexandar moved on last month while Peter Harvey, Australia & NZ Motorcycles Country Manager for Polaris, left the company this week.
Alan Collins, Managing Director, Australia and New Zealand
“Setting up corporate owned dealerships had been the right model for the past decade as we worked to introduce brands, like Indian Motorcycle, to the Australian and New Zealand markets.
“However, the response to Indian Motorcycle has reached a point where our customers now need and demand more – more locations and more support. We have big and bold goals as we look to grow the Indian Motorcycle brand in this market. Moving to an independent franchised network of dealers is more sustainable for us and our partners as we look to grow in order to meet demand, while also enabling a broader network of support and options for our customers.
“We anticipate no interruption to sales or customer service during this transition, which will ultimately result in a significant expansion of our dealer network – we plan to double our network over the next two years – to provide far greater coverage, support and accessibility to customers across Australia and New Zealand. It will remain business as usual at our company-owned stores in the interim while we bring new dealer partners onboard.”
Indian FTR 1200 S Rally Replica
Indian Motorcycles is actually a relatively small part of the Polaris operation in Australia. Polaris is the Australian market leader in the sales of ATV and SxS vehicle and retailed 5119 four-wheel vehicles in 2019 to take the largest sales share in that segment of the market.
In the motorcycle sector the Australian market is currently facing considerable headwinds with virtually all brands recording significant declines in sales in recent years.
The current company owned Indian stores in Australia offered a next level customer experience, but without big sales numbers was always going to be hard to sustain.
Indian Motorcycles Melbourne
Indian has no doubt taken plenty of sales from Harley-Davidson but it is still the H-D brand that dominates the Australian road motorcycle market place.
2020 Indian FTR 1200 Rally
Sales of Indian’s new FTR1200 were actually quite strong, as was the Scout, but the large capacity cruisers, despite proving great rides that are dynamically superior to comparable Harley-Davidson models, it is H-D that clearly dominates the large-capacity and touring segment. Indian sold 803 motorcycles in Australia during 2019, a 3.9 per cent deline on 2018. Harley-Davidson suffered a much larger decline of 7.9 per cent, but still retailed 6462 motorcycles here in 2019.
Indian Challenger Dark Horse
Indian customers should not fear that their chosen brand faces financial difficulties that could potentially leave them in the lurch. The Polaris group is massive, and despite closing down their Victory Motorcycles brand, it seems clear that they are still right behind the Indian Motorcycles brand. It just seems that the company owned store structure proved not sustainable considering the relatively small size of the Australian market, thus the decision has been made to close the distributor owned stores and switch to independent dealers, which is the way Indian generally do business in other markets around the world.
Indian plan to double the size of the Indian Motorcycle dealer network in Australian and NZ over the coming 12-24 months.
It will be business as usual at their company-owned stores in the interim as they bring new dealer partners on board and anticipate that there will be no interruption to sales or servicing as Indian Motorcycles transitions to independently-owned dealers.
Indian are working closely with the staff in their current company-owned dealerships to ensure they are retained within the Indian Motorcycle family wherever possible.
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