Indian Motorcycles Becomes an Independent Company, KTM and Honda Reveal New Speed Demons

Man, I really like this time of 12 months.

On prime of the canine days cooling right down to entertain a nippy morning or three, now we have the next residuals accompanying the continued ramp-up to EICMA:

Polaris has launched its majority stake in Indian Bikes to Carolwood LP; Indian Bikes is now working independently as we barrel by way of the remainder of This fall!
KTM has given us its most technologically superior manufacturing supersport but: The 990 RC R.
Honda’s generosity continues into the discharge of their ultra-anticipated CB 1000 F Hornet.
Triumph is having a bit an excessive amount of enjoyable as of late, and the profitable antics embrace a current press launch stating that the corporate is working to disclose 29 bikes over the following six months.

Let’s begin with particulars surrounding Indian’s new proprietor and transfer on from there, yeah?

Trade Insider: Polaris Sells Indian Bikes

Carolwood LP to Purchase Majority Stake

Indian’s 2021 Scout subsequent to a headshot of the brand new CEO, Mike Kennedy. Media sourced from Silwatech.

Due to current motion on Polaris’s finish of issues, an enormous shift has hit the American V-twin panorama: Polaris Inc. has introduced it should separate from Indian Motorbike right into a standalone firm, promoting its majority stake in Indian Bikes to Carolwood LP, a Los Angeles-based non-public fairness agency.

Although the deal is anticipated to shut within the first quarter of 2026, ending Polaris’s 14-year historical past with Indian Bikes, the corporate’s transfer away from Indian Bikes isn’t a transparent cut-off; moderately, we’re instructed by the press launch that Polaris will preserve a small fairness place. Indian Bikes will, on its finish, function independently below Carolwood LP.

Polaris CEO Mike Speetzen was just lately quoted on sharing particulars of the deal set to profit each events:

“Polaris and Indian Motorbike each stand to profit from this deal, which is able to allow every enterprise to maneuver sooner, ship industry-leading innovation, and lean additional into our respective market strengths. For Polaris, the sale will additional strengthen our deal with the areas of our portfolio that provide the strongest progress potential and permit us to speed up investments in key initiatives and create wins with prospects and sellers. It additionally will unlock higher long-term worth…”

– Mike Speetzen, Chief Government Officer, Polaris (Polaris Inc.)

Naturally, Carolwood is greater than a bit of excited to get this new period up and operating, as famous by Carolwood’s Principal:

“Indian Motorbike is an iconic model constructed on American heritage, craftsmanship, and most significantly, a neighborhood of riders. We’re honored to assist usher in its subsequent chapter as an unbiased firm and to assist its continued progress as an emblem of efficiency and pleasure.

At Carolwood, we goal iconic manufacturers that we are able to passionately affect. Indian Motorbike permits us to do exactly that.”

– Andrew Shanfeld, Principal, Carolwood LP (Polaris Inc.)

Probably the greatest components about this transition, to us, is the knowledge contained in a bit of paragraph midway down the press launch. Regardless of the intricacies of Indian Bikes altering possession, we’re instructed that round 900 of Indian’s staff – together with engineers, designers, and manufacturing workers – will transition to the brand new Indian Motorbike Firm, minimizing worker fallout and prioritizing worker assist throughout admittedly risky instances. We’re additionally instructed that the manufacturing services in Spirit Lake, Iowa, and Minnesota will stay with Indian, together with the design middle in Switzerland -all nice information!

On to the opposite a part of this press launch that we love: Carolwood LP has revealed who they’ve chosen to be Indian Bikes’ new CEO…and the rider chosen to hold ahead Indian’s legacy is none aside from {industry} veteran Mike Kennedy!

For transparency, this dude has greater than 30 years’ price of confirmed observe report, having been a CEO of CEO of RumbleOn, the nation’s largest powersports dealership group, in addition to the CEO of Vance & Hines. Kennedy has even had a 26-year interval with Harley-Davidson in varied management roles!

Briefly, we really feel there’s no higher individual fitted to the position of Indian Bikes’ CEO – and Adam Rubin, Principal at Carolwood, agrees:

“Indian Motorbike has outlined American motorcycling for over a century, and Carolwood’s position is to make sure that legacy thrives for the following hundred years. Mike Kennedy brings over 30 years of expertise main iconic motorbike and efficiency manufacturers and can play a vital position in stewarding Indian Motorbike’s progress…”

– Adam Rubin, Principal at Carolwood (Polaris Inc.)

Indian, an enormous mazel tov from the wBW household! We’re so excited to see what this subsequent period means on your crew, and we’re excited to see how Carolwood will have the ability to encourage additional progress and success. 🙂

For an in depth take a look at the strategic separation and the way forward for the Indian Motorbike model, take a look at the official press release from Polaris.

KTM Drops A New Grid Monster

Meet the 2026 KTM 990 RC R, KTM’s Highest-Tech Supersport Pace Demon

KTM is setting each squinters on the Supersport section with a brand new providing that’s set to trigger greater than a bit of injury on our native race tracks.

Meet the 2026 KTM 990 RC R, a brand-spanking-new platform from Workforce Orange that’s designed to supply new ranges of efficiency, fashion, and enjoyable for the corporate’s subsequent era of supersport riders. Wind-tunneled aerodynamics, sharp bodywork, and a strong, EURO5+ prepared LC8c engine is simply the beginning of this factor’s options; superior {hardware} consists of highly effective stoppage within the type of Brembo 4-piston caliper HyPure brakes and top-tier WP APEX suspension duties, all mounted to a purpose-built metal chassis for added stability and agility.

Past the {hardware}, the bike is filled with some fairly good expertise; KTM has been so form as to bless this explicit bike with an enormous, 8.8-inch TFT sprint; translated by way of sprint perks just like the 990 RC R’s 4 customary Journey Modes (RAIN, STREET, SPORT, and CUSTOM) and the superior 4 customary ABS Modes (STREET, SPORT, SUPERMOTO+, and SUPERMOTO ABS). We’re additionally instructed that elective modes and telemetry, resembling lean angle and throttle opening charges, can be made obtainable.

For these questioning: Sure, KTM’s work on the 2026 990 RC R comes straight from the wealth of knowledge and data spiraling off of the corporate’s RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING MotoGP venture.

That is confirmed by Riaan Neveling, KTM’s International Advertising Supervisor, within the quote under:

“We kick ass in relation to Bare bikes, Journey bikes, and, after all, Offroad, amongst others, however [the 990 RC R] is the expression we’ve wished to ship for a while.

[The 990 RC R is] our hyperlink to all of the efforts to the RED BULL KTM FACTORY RACING MotoGP venture and our outlet for the ocean of data and knowledge that has come the best way of our Mattighofen R&D consultants.”

– Riaan Neveling, MANAGER KTM GLOBAL MARKETING (KTM)

Regardless of the bike’s race-ready pedigree, KTM saved in thoughts {that a} dual-purpose enchantment would go well with a wider demographic; as such, riders searching for one thing enjoyable however accessible will discover adjustable footrests to accommodate all customers, in addition to a six-point ergonomics contact patch for added consolation throughout longer rides (which can also be supported by the hefty 16 L gasoline tank).

Anticipate this good piece of observe assault to be obtainable as of October 2025, with availability in two shade schemes: Orange and Black. KTM can also be launching a track-only 990 RC R as early as February of subsequent 12 months (2026), with the KTM 990 RC R Cup being introduced in Europe later that spring for the last word, accessible entry level into the racing {industry} correct.

To see the particular video sequence charting the KTM 990 RC R’s journey and for extra particulars, take a look at KTM’s recent press release.

Honda Releases the CB 1000 F to Markets

A New Massive-Bore Bare for the Streets

Massive Pink determined that Workforce Orange couldn’t get the entire limelight, so right here we’re, lastly being launched to Honda’s long-awaited big-bore bare.

The brand new CB1000F is a machine that Honda has purportedly engineered for ideally suited dealing with traits with out loss in agility; that is highlighted of their commercial of the CB1000F as their “Finest Balanced Roadster,” and we’re instructed that this explicit Hornet does deal with like a middleweight whereas delivering a thoughtful – and appreciable – quantity of yankee.

Due to Honda’s efforts, the Hornet’s management is managed by a six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) that oversees all driving modes and the bike’s Throttle By Wire (TBW), offering three default modes and a user-customized choice within the curiosity of a number of dealing with equations affecting engine energy, engine brake, wheelie management, and HSTC settings.

Suspension is the accountability of a candy Showa SFF-BP USD entrance fork and Professional-Hyperlink rear shock with customizable settings, whereas braking is dealt with by four-piston radial-mount calipers gripping 310mm floating discs – all saved in examine, after all, by Cornering ABS. A five-inch TFT display with Honda RoadSync connectivity and operation by way of the Honda Sensible Key joins retro-cool styling drawn straight from the CB750F and CB900F of the early Eighties – a beautiful selection of aesthetics, in the event you ask us, and one obtainable in two shade schemes: Wolf Silver Metallic or Graphite Black.

On the coronary heart of the brand new 2026 CB1000F Hornet is Honda’s 1000cc inline-four coronary heart, derived from the Fireblade however retuned for peak output to the low and mid-range. This implies most energy is now rated to 122 hp @ 9,000rpm and 103 Nm of torque @ 8,000rpm, becoming a member of the bike’s torquey really feel and revised gearbox ratios to optimize low-speed acceleration and high-speed cruising.

For an in depth take a look at the brand new Honda CB1000F, together with full technical specs and obtainable equipment, you should definitely take a look at the press release on Honda Europe’s website.

Triumph is Releasing 29 Bikes Within the Subsequent Six Months

Unprecedented Launch Schedule Builds on Document Gross sales 12 months

Bear in mind again in 2024 when Royal Enfield promised 26 bikes by 2026 – they usually delivered? Properly, we’re getting deja vu with Triumph, who has simply introduced one thing related: 29 new and up to date bikes over the following six months, seven of which have already been introduced, with 22 incubating bikes to go.

We’re instructed the moderately rigorous schedule will start with a sequence of worldwide reveal occasions, beginning on October twenty first with the ‘True Originals By no means Settle’ marketing campaign, adopted by a ‘Made to Upstage’ announcement on October twenty eighth. Since 2019, Triumph has landed the title of the UK’s largest motorbike producer, having grown 136% in gross sales so far; FY2025 , particularly, has been a loopy time for Triumph, with the producer delivering over 141,683 bikes worldwide.

The above gorgeous quantity exhibits sturdy gross sales for the sub-500cc vary (just like the Pace 400 and Scrambler 400 X) throughout Asia, and aggressive off-road racing reactions and outcomes with related bikes just like the TF 250-X.

Clearly, Triumph’s CCO is greater than a bit of completely satisfied in regards to the firm’s present state:

“The momentum we’ve achieved over current years is extraordinary. Our report gross sales, growth into new segments, and the variety of upcoming product launches all mirror the quiet optimism we really feel in regards to the future.

Whereas the market stays difficult for a lot of, Triumph’s focus is evident: We’re dedicated to delivering a variety of bikes which can be thrilling, modern, and constructed to the very best high quality requirements, for our prospects all over the world.”

– Paul Stroud, Chief Industrial Officer, Triumph Bikes (Triumph)

Riders throughout the pond will quickly have the ability to customise and reserve their new bike because the fashions are revealed; service for these bikes will even be rolling out progressively as we transfer into the spring of 2026.

For extra data on the 29 new and up to date fashions coming from Triumph, take a look at Triumph’s press release on their website.