Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/628182
IN THE WIND P22 2015 DUCATI'S BEST EVER YEAR W ith 54,800 bikes sold dur- ing 2015, Ducati has set a new record by delivering 9,683 more bikes to customers than in 2014, an increase of 22 percent. An understandably stoked Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati Motor Holding, couldn't wait to talk about it. "The record sales of 2015 are the result of our company's courage and skill", he said. "Ducati closes 2015 with record volumes and also a substan- tial growth of 22 percent over 2014. During the year Ducati not only launched successful new motorcycles, but also a new brand, Ducati Scrambler, which immedi- ately won global acclaim with over 16,000 sales worldwide." For us in the U.S., Ducati saw a 14 percent increase in sales over the 2014 figures, thanks largely to the Scrambler range (like the rest of the world), which saw 16,000 new Scrambers reach homes world wide. The Multistrada was next in line with 8000 units, followed by the Monster 821 (6500 units), 1299 Panigale, 899 Panigale and Diavel. CN ERIK BUELL RACING SOLD – AGAIN! A fter two failed receivership auctions, Erik Buell Racing has been acquired by Liquid As- set Partners for $2.05 million on Wednesday January 13. Liquid Asset Partners have a peculiar interest in EBR, having been ap- pointed the liquidators of Buell Motorcycles, the former com- pany started by Erik Buell and then owned by Harley-Davidson. A second auction was re- quired after the winner of the first auction, Bruce Belfer, failed to deliver the required funds on deadline for the purchasing of the company. That auction win subsequently went to Liquid Asset Partners, however a third auction was required after Belfer and another potential bid- der, US Heritage Powers- port, contested the second auction result. Now it appears EBR is once and for all sold, and Liquid Asset Partners now begins the task of repaying EBR's outstanding credi- tors (Mito Tech Co is owed $733,000, the Porsche Engi- neering Group $390,000) and employees, who are owed over $200,000 in paid time off. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Liquid As- set Partners owner Bill Melvin Jr. hopes to get EBR up and running again as a motorcycle manufacturer, although it won't be directly through Liquid Asset Partners but more as its own separate company. "We will not be manufacturing motorcycles, as Liquid Asset, but we will be working to put together a plan with a team that can be successful in doing that," Melvin Jr. said. Whoever in Ducati came up with the Scrambler concept needs a raise! The retro-themed machine has been an incredible sales success. PHOTOGRAPHY BY DUCATI PRESS Will EBR ride again? There's now a little bit of light at the end of the tunnel. PHOTOGRAPHY BY EBR