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They may make some of the most emotionally stirring bikes, but MV Agusta seems to be in dire straits (again) as they continue to struggle with finances. Only 1,823 bikes were delivered globally in 2023.

Back in 2018, they sold 2,748 units before the Black Ocean Group from Russia took over in 2019. Their investment saw some needed restructuring, with the promise of hitting 10,000 sales in 2-3 years thereafter. Unfortunately, the plans were scuttled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Yet sales in 2020, 2021 and 2022 fell short of the intended target despite the global motorcycle market’s recovery following the lifting of quarantines. In any case, 2022 saw nearly 3,000 sales but that was less than 50% of 2015 sales.

KTM Group stepped in to buy 25% of MV Agusta’s stakes in 2023, going on to handle the two strategic areas of purchasing and distribution. KTM was keen to bring the brand under their wings, but MV CEO Timur Sardarov had resisted vehemently, by including strongly worded statements to the press.

The Austrian giant’s investment gave MV the funds to expand their production capability, and indeed, a new line to produce 1,000 units per day was set up at the end of 2023.

Yet, they only sold the aforementioned 1,823 units, representing a precipitous 42.5% drop from the previous year.

MV Agusta had partnered with Loncin in 2019 on the premise of building more affordable 350cc – 500cc bikes for the Asian market, but there is no mention about this plan anymore.

Instead, MV had partnered with Chinese giant QJ Motor in 2020. Indeed, the Lucky Explorer 5.5 and Lucky Explorer 9.5 adventure bikes made their debut at EICMA the next year. They have also launched the Lucky Explorer 9.5 Orioli for 2024, which is a luxury version.

It has to be said that the MV Agusta brand, although a legend, had changed hands many times and none seemed to be able to help it. There was Cagiva (1991), Proton (2001), Harley-Davidson (2009), and finally Black Ocean Group (25% in 2016, full ownership in 2019).

It seems that MV is hurting themselves by producing ultra-limited, hence ultra-expensive motorcycles like the Superveloce 98 Edizione Limitata (main picture) that could only find a limited audience.

But that is MV Agusta. Their business exploits are as legendary as their achievements on the racetracks.

While European manufacturers such as BMW, Ducati, Triumph et al continues to announce their “record breaking” sales each year, it is still Honda who tops global sales in 2023; continuing their dominance for the last 50 years.

According to the Motorcycles Data website which collates data from 92 countries, Honda sold a total of 18.4 million motorcycles globally. The figure represents an almost 700,000 unit increase (4.3%) from 2022.

It is not such a surprising revelation, given that Honda dominates the cub and scooter segments in ASEAN markets (except for Malaysia alone). The ASEAN region consists of motorcycle-centric countries such as Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines. In fact, they have cornered almost 1/3 of the entire world’s motorcycle market.

In Number 2 was Hero Motor from India with 5.6 million motorcycles sold, an 5.4% increase. Hero’s bikes are sold not only in their native country, but also exported to several other countries.

Third in the ranking is Yamaha, who moved 4.6 million units (0.9% increase). However, their overall market share has dropped by 5% to 7.5%.

Yamaha was however Numero Uno in Malaysia, consolidated by a hefty sales figure of 652,850 units. This result is the second best ever, being just 4.0% lower than the highest record. Malaysia is still the 12th biggest market for motorcycles globally.

Continuing the list, Bajaj Auto saw 3.6 million sales (up 8.7%) due to strong domestic demand.

In fifth is TVS Motor, selling 3.4 million bikes (increase of 19.8%).

Shanghai-based Yadea sold 2.5 million electric scooters in 2023. Although they are in sixth place in this list, it is actually a 3-place drop due to a 49.7% decline in sales compared to 2022. Yadea makes premium electric scooters and is selling in Malaysia under MForce Bike Holdings.

Suzuki resurged to seventh place, with 1.9 million sales (7.1% higher).

Three Chinese manufacturers namely Haojue, Loncin, and Zhongshen round out the top 10.

Crashing on a motorcycle is unfortunate, dangerous, and definitely not fun. We do not like deriving entertainment from the misfortune of others, either. However, someone had decided to stitch bizarre crash videos together from CCTV and dashcam footages. Add a rousing soundtrack and sound effects, and voila! These otherwise scary crashes turn into something even more bizarre, if not funny.

This video montage has been shared so much on so many Facebook pages and even Tik Tok that no one knows who the real creator was. Do inform us if you know the original creator this montage.

The majority of these accidents appeared to have been recorded in China, with one exception at 0:35 which was from Indonesia. But all of them showed mishandling, poor judgment, and lack of skills of the motorcyclists involved. Still, some managed to press the horn button when they lose control of their vehicles. You could also see that none wore protective gear apart from a few with only a helmet. Most were riding bikes were electric scooters and bicycles.

So, if there are lessons to be learned from these videos:

  • Always wear protective gear. It is better to have it than not need it, than not have it when you need it.
  • Always ride within your limits. Going too fast for your thoughts to catch up 3 minutes later is never good.
  • Always be vigilant. Know your surroundings. Look ahead, look behind, look left, look right. Think of yourself as a radar that scans 360-degrees. Built a “sixth sense” that allows you to have “a feeling” about something in proximity without even needing to look at it. (No, we didn’t mean dead people, rather, other vehicles.)
  • Always review your riding. Think back to what you did when you rode the last time. What were the things you had in control, what you did not, and how you can be better.
  • Always ride with some paranoia. Do not trust other road users blindly. They may want to swerve away from a pothole, or be distracted, or anything else between.

Harley-Davidson Orange and Black Carnival Sales – The Sale that Won’t Come Back. Happening from 15th to 17th March 2024 at Harley-Davidson dealers nationwide.

Get ready to kickstart your excitement with Harley-Davidson’s Orange and Black Carnival Sale, the event of the season that you won’t want to miss! From 15 March to 17 March, gearheads and enthusiasts alike can indulge in unbeatable deals and thrilling offers on a wide range of Harley-Davidson motorcycles and accessories.

Hosted by Harley-Davidson dealerships across Malaysia, this exclusive event, in partnership with Harley-Davidson, promises an unforgettable experience with special promotions, and amazing deals that won’t come back, and much more. Whether you’re a seasoned rider or just starting your journey, the Orange and Black Carnival Sale has something for everyone.

Don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind opportunity to revitalise your ride and embrace the thrill of the open road with Harley-Davidson. Join us at our dealerships and experience the Orange and Black Carnival Sale – the sale that won’t come back.

The Johor Police are investigating two traffic cops suspected of extorting money from Singaporeans in an incident at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar on March 10.

The state police chief, Commissioner M. Kumar, said his party detected a viral video on social media Facebook uploaded by the name Irene Teo on the ‘Sage‘ page. The video was then also shared by several other sites including the popular Facebook site, MY SG Road Trip – Your Malaysia Road Trip Guide.

“The police have confirmed that they are conducting an investigation against two traffic police officers who are believed to have committed extortion following the sharing of two videos on Facebook, yesterday.

“The video was also commented on through an article uploaded by the Mothership website dated March 11,” he said in a media statement today.

He said that through the post that went viral, it is believed that the poster ‘Irene Teo’ was instructed to pay a sum of RM600 to the two traffic police members at BSI to avoid being sued.”

According to Irene Teo, they said they only had RM500 and not enough RM600 as requested. The policeman replied, “RM500 is ok too.”

“The victim is said to have committed an offense by entering the lorry lane at check point 8A towards Johor Bahru to Singapore on March 10, at about 8.15pm,” he said.

However, according to Irene again and as in the video, it was the policeman who ordered them to drive into the lorry lane.

He said the investigation was carried out in accordance with Section 384 of the Penal Code for extortion.

“However, we have not yet received any report made by the victim regarding the incident and an official request was made to the Singapore Consulate Office in Johor Bahru for help locating the Facebook owner ‘Sage’ and the poster ‘Irene Teo’ to assist the investigation,” he said.

The Road Transport Department (Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan/JPJ) confirmed that the issue of the display of the owner’s photo being different from the actual owner’s information in the Malaysian Digital Driving License (e-LMM) was due to system maintenance.

JPJ also informed that there was no element of system abuse or identity theft in the issue.

JPJ in a statement today informed that the matter occurred when the information technology team was carrying out system maintenance work which was done periodically to ensure the sustainability of the MyJPJ system.

“The JPJ takes note and apologizes regarding the issue of the display of the e-LMM owner’s photo being different from the actual owner’s information. This department would like to inform that this matter has been immediately rectified and improved,” according to the statement.

JPJ assures that there is no element of system abuse or identity theft of driver’s license holders’ information. On the contrary, all information is protected and safe.

“JPJ will always improve the system from time to time to strengthen the delivery of the best digital services to the people,” according to him.

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