Michael Uhlarik Articles
Mad Men and Motorcycling
Oh how bubbles burst. We North Americans are used to the popping sound that accompanies the sudden destruction of a previously cherished truth. We understand the consequences of calling bullshit when we see it, like Bostonians did in 1776 when some perky English tax collector tried to justify his work; or when Coca-Cola finally admitted that New Coke was not the revolution it promised, despite wha...
07 September 2012
News
Polaris & the Orient Express
It seems that the gaze of the powers that control the levers at Polaris Industries is cast far and wide. An announcement today reveals that the mid-western power sports company has formed a joint venture with Eicher Motors Ltd. of India, a manufacturer of light commercial vehicles and Royal Enfield motorcycles. This news comes on the heels of a long line of investments made by blue-chip motorcycl...
24 July 2012
News
A continuing discussion on electric motorcycles
Last wednesday, I participated in a discussion in the comments section of HFLʼs last installment of the Life Electric series, something that lead to a very spirited exchange between myself, designer JT Nesbitt and a bunch of regular readers. The crux of the article concluded that electric motorcycles, while interesting and fun, have not arrived to a point of development which makes them practica...
09 May 2012
News
What 2011 meant for motorcycles
The past three years have cast a pall over manufacturing world wide. For the motorcycle industry, its hue has been particularly dark. We have witnessed the death of brands, from the historic to eager start ups, written long essays theorizing why and what next, and have slowly come to accept that the old business templates no longer apply. It has been a very long recession, with recovery only comin...
27 December 2011
News
Claudio Castiglioni's legacy: a counterpoint
News of the recent death of Claudio Castiglioni has made the rounds in the motorcycle community, which has been quick to offer sympathy and heap praise on a man seen by some as a visionary. Certainly many of the fruits that came from the companies controlled by Castiglioni (pictured, center) became some of the most desirable motorcycles of the modern era, indeed of all time. But calls in various o...
19 August 2011
News
Rough Idle: the motorcycle industry’s chances in the global debt crisis
This week, the United States and the countries of the Eurozone both sustained a new wave of economic crisis, largely as a result of sovereign debt. While these issues are far too large and not the specific domain of this magazine to bear detailed examination here, their effects have very real and deep ramifications on the motorcycle industry and its future as a viable business in North America and...
09 August 2011
News
What Indian means for Polaris
A lot has been written about the acquisition of the Indian brand by Polaris Industries last week, and for good reason. The American motorcycle industrial landscape is in tatters, with the wreckage of failed dealerships, recently deceased OEMs and radically reduced unit sales littering the country. Not one area of the US market is secure, not one corner has shown significant cause for cheer. Ever...
01 May 2011
Amarok P1 unmasked
Two weeks ago, HFL contributor and motorcycle designer Michael Uhlarik showed you the first images of his new motorcycle, the Amarok P1 TTXGP competitor. Unlike most other electric racers, it's pursuing a radically reduced weight over high power output and huge battery capacity, something Michael hopes will endow it with 250GP-like performance and handling. Now, here’s an in depth look at the fi...
26 April 2011
If you want an electric motorcycle designed right, you’ve got to design it yourself
Ever since I saw the first modern electric scooters in the middle of last decade, I’ve felt the time was right to start approaching motorcycle design like that of an airplane, integrating the body, frame and battery into the same structure. Doing so can drastically reduce size, weight and complication, all of which I hope I’ve achieved with this, the Amarok P1. Unlike the giants it will race a...
17 April 2011
News
A rebuttal to Kevin Ash’s Super Tenere review
How long will it take for western motorcycle media to understand that pure enthusiasts are not the volume drivers of this industry? Many will think Kevin Ash's recent review on HFL for the 2012 Yamaha Super Tenere is fair and balanced, but it's just as possible the criticisms leveled against the new Yamaha are misdirected and narrow in scope. I admit to having a pro-Japanese tilt, but the fact i...
03 November 2010
News
Bred obsolescence: why 2011 won’t be a bumper year for bikes
The Great Recession has hit the motorcycle industry hard, evaporating disposable income and cheap credit. In many Western markets, where motorcycles are seen as luxuries and toys, sales virtually disappeared, unsold stock piled up and dealers deeply discounted sales in efforts to stem the disaster. Predictably, new model launches were significantly reduced, postponed or canceled. Now with the worl...
21 September 2010
News
Design Analysis: Brammo Empulse
With the launch of the It makes no attempt to hide its batteries like the A tank is the center piece of all motorcycle design. It is visible in both plan and elevation, often both at the same time, from standing still and from the rider view. The rider touches it constantly with the most sensitive and intimate parts of their b...
19 July 2010
News
The coming of the electric motorcycle
Hell For Leather has extensively covered electric motorcycles from an enthusiast's perspective, but we haven't really looked at their impact on the mainstream motorcycle industry. Luckily, bike designer Michael Uhlarik is here to break down the reasons why electrics are carving out a market niche all their own and what that could mean for companies that make a living off internal combustion. Coul...
14 June 2010