Covid-19 strikes on motorcycle industry, with the official declaration of the World Health Organization that the new corona virus outbreak known as COVID-19 is a global pandemic, and the suspension of mobility in almost the entire planet, at present, a large number of motorcycle brands find themselves closing their doors momentarily, as well as canceling sponsorship, races and specific events for these days.
On March 18, the well-known brand Harley Davidson made the decision to close its factories to protect the health of its workers, distributors, and customers. During this shutdown period, they will carry out cleaning and disinfection works at their factories located in York (Pennsylvania), Wisconsin, and Pilgrim. This decision follows a confirmed case of COVID-19 among one of their employees at the Pilgrim facilities.
Testimonies
According to the statements of the CEO and Acting President of Harley-Davidson, Jochen Zeitz: “We recognize the unprecedented nature of this global crisis. In order to better support our employees and by following the social distancing guide issued by public health authorities, we are temporarily suspending most of our production.”
Another brand affected by the pandemic we are experiencing is Ducati, which will keep its doors closed until March 25 at least. In this case, it suffers a severe blow, not only due to the sales stoppage that was anticipated for motorcycles in Europe this year but also due to the curfew affecting direct sales, which is registered in Italy, France, Spain, and other parts of the world.
This presents a serious blow to the MotoGP championship for Ducati and other brands with distributors in Europe. Meanwhile, their Japanese competitors such as Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha are conducting tests at closed positions on their private tracks. This situation results in an advance for competitors in terms of development for their teams. With the first 4 races canceled and Ducati unable to conduct tests, Honda emerges as the most advantaged team. The upcoming race in Jerez will present a starkly different reality for these brands compared to the preseason.
Impact
Aprilia appears to be the most affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Despite favorable results in its latest tests, the brand has had to pause its developments, leading to serious problems. Ducati, benefiting from the experience of previous years and accumulated knowledge, holds a significant advantage.
Meanwhile, Aprilia has lagged at the bottom of the table, while its rivals take significant steps forward with the activity suspension. Some brands question why the MotoGP organization doesn’t halt factory activities to minimize the disparity.
On the other hand, the Pierer Mobility AG Group, which owns KTM, GasGas, and Husqvarna, is in a better position than other brands. Being based in Austria, they closed their doors from March 30 to April 10.
This implies that they have an advantage in sales since their production stoppage will be minimal compared to their counterparts. Another strongly hit brand is Yamaha. Their factories, located in both Italy and France, are forced to temporarily suspend production. They are also reviewing the possibility of opening or not opening their facilities until mid-April.
As we can see, the coronavirus pandemic has led to the paralysis of motorcycle developments. In Spain alone, buyers purchased almost 200,000 units this year before the activities were halted. This presents a significant blow to factories, as they not only have to suspend production but also halt any surprises or new models until further notice. For instance, the GasGas brand was close to relaunching, but this has been postponed. This suggests that manufacturers may delay updates planned for this year until next year.
Ecuador status
At Ecuador Bike Rental, we adhere to the policies adopted by the government in regards to mobilization. Starting from March 15th, authorities mandate that everyone in the country must quarantine at home for 14 days. Additionally, Ecuadorian borders will open for all inbound travel on April 6th. Until then, our Operations Will be stopped. We Will resume our normal schedule right away after that date. We encourage you to stay calm during these times and wish you and your loved ones all the best. Hopefully, we’ll see you riding with us in Ecuador soon.
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