This week, we’ve been looking at a bit of movement in KTM’s corner, as well as the stock market…specifically, how LiveWire is doing. Here’s the full lineup for today:
- KTM has officially put themselves in a position to resume production, and they’ve just teased an adventure bike we’ve been waiting for since EICMA 2024!
- Harley-Davidson and LiveWire board members have been selling LiveWire shares at a consistent rate, leading us to wonder what is next in store for the two-wheeled EV brand.
- Speak of the devil, LiveWire has just started the very first EV motorcycle training program in Marina del Ray.
- Norton Motorcycles is now supported by parent company TVS Motors, and they’ve been riding around on what appears to be a new V4 superbike!
Let’s start with the Team Orange part of our industry – both of them – and go from there, shall we?
KTM Teases New 390 Adventure R Ahead of Launch
“We Are Excited that Models are In Production and Already On Their Way.”
Our favorite Austrian brand is officially back in full production mode, and they’re finally giving us that beginner-happy Adventure bike we’ve been waiting for ! According to coverage from MCN, KTM’s next-gen 390s, including the long-awaited 390 Adventure R, are one step closer to hitting showrooms. The official launch will purportedly include the 390 Enduro R, as well as the 390 SMC R and the budget-friendly Adventure X. As for the 390 Adventure R, this happy little zipper will be the first “R” badge model in three generations of single-pot KTMs, making for a very exciting debut season, indeed!
Included in the happy chaos are words from KTM’s Global Marketing boss, Gareth Davidson, and LC4c Product Manager, Agustin Augustinoy:
“The company went through a bit of a rough patch, but finally we are excited that models are in production and already on their way… “For the first time in our history, it’s the first R true model in our 390 Adventure model line-up. We wanted to give people a bike they could take to the Trans Euro Trail and have a good time. It’s an entry-point bike in terms of price, but it’s really capable.”
– Gareth Davidson, Global Marketing, KTM (MCN) |
“[The new 390 Adventure R] has a different footpeg position, different handlebar position, a different seat, different headstock angle – it’s so much better than the previous generation that it’s difficult to compare them.”
– Agustin Augustinoy, LC4c Product Manager, KTM (MCN) |
We’re expecting a slew of perks for the 390 Adventure R, including tubed 18/21-inch wheels, a very nice WP Apex suspension system (both adjustable for preload and rebound), a revised frame with a longer swingarm. The latter, in particular, puts the Adventure R’s geometry in line with KTM’s competition enduro lineup, and we’re looking forward to around 44 horsepower and 28.8 pound-feet of torque mated to a fantastically relevant six-speed gearbox and an optional quickshifter.
For a detailed look at the new KTM 390 Adventure R and its siblings, be sure to check out the full report on MCN:
Harley-Davidson Sells LiveWire Shares
“We Will Continue to Relentlessly Improve the Fundamentals of the Business.”
The EV industry may provide certain perks for our good energy-conscious industry, but at present, there’s a bit of movement in LiveWire’s pit. Lest we forget, LiveWire was previously thought to be separated from Harley-Davidson when the EV brand went public. We now know the two bike companies to be connected, and LiveWire’s market movements remain published under Harley’s financial year statements, making for an interesting dynamic between the two titles, to say the least.
Now, according to coverage from ADVRider, LiveWire is navigating some choppy waters. Despite the appearance of two new electric models, 2024 saw 612 total units sold, with LiveWire stocks dropping 60% since last month (July).
For those of us still in the dark as to LiveWire’s financial standing, let it be known that a press release from Harley-Davidson back in Q4 of 2021 talked about investing $100 million into LiveWire, among the contributions of other companies (see press release via Harley’s website here). At a recent quarterly investors’ meeting, ADVRider also comments on how Harley-Davidson’s previous Chairman and CEO, Jochen Zeitz, made it clear that LiveWire would not receive any additional funding beyond its existing $100 million line of credit.
Regardless of how the cookie crumbles, we leave you with a quote from LiveWire’s current CEO:
“The Company plans to continue establishing its leadership in the EV space. With our world-class products, first-class team, and best-in-the-industry retail partners, we will continue to relentlessly improve the fundamentals of the business and position ourselves for long-term success.”
– Karim Donnez, CEO, LiveWire (ADVRider) |
Expect more information at Harley-Davidson / LiveWire’s investors conference on July 30, 2025.
However, ADVRider raises questions about whether this public outlook matches insider sentiment. It appears Donnez has been selling LiveWire stock at a “prodigious rate” since November 2024, reportedly dumping over 100,000 shares. Other LiveWire Board members and executives have also reportedly sold a combined 3.7 million shares. These insider sales prompt questions about what those “in the know” truly believe about LiveWire’s future.
More clarity is expected after the combined Harley-Davidson / LiveWire investors conference scheduled for seven days from now, on July 30, 2025.
For a detailed look at LiveWire’s challenges and related stock sales, be sure to read the full report on ADVRider:
LiveWire Begins EV Electric Motorcycle Training Academy
S2 Mulholland™ and S2 Alpinista™ Outfitted for New Program
Despite the previous article, EV motorcycle company LiveWire is still going strong in other areas of the community – and one of the brand’s initiatives includes giving back to that same community by providing machines on which to train!
According to LiveWire’s press release, LiveWire has partnered with Bartels’ Harley-Davidson® Riding Academy in Marina del Rey. This means that the connection between LiveWire and Harley-Davidson is stronger than ever, with Bartels’ Academy becoming the first program in the United States to offer certified training on LiveWire’s all-electric bikes. Riders looking to sign up for this program will find themselves either on an S2 Mulholland™ or an S2 Alpinista™; this means that, for the first time in my personal line of thought, a motorcycle training academy has emerged that trains riders on clutchless/shiftless motorcycles.
On top of the twist-and-go novelty, LiveWire’s machines will purportedly come with chassis protection kits, as well as software that’s been tweaked so the aforementioned new riders don’t accidentally access full torque and yeet themselves into the new week. Adjusted regenerative braking and enhanced traction control round out this softened riding kit for LiveWire’s S2 contributions to this neat academy.
FYI, riders who complete this course will get a a Basic RiderCourse (BRC) completion card (DL 389 certificate); this certificate does not allow riders to scoot about on public roads, but it does waive the DMV skills test and allow anybody preparing to get their license to complete the written test for access to either M1 or M2 endorsement.
Naturally, there’s no one more excited about this partnership than the CEO of LiveWire himself:
“This partnership is about breaking down barriers and empowering the next generation of riders. By integrating LiveWire motorcycles into rider training, Bartels is redefining what it means to learn to ride—making it more accessible, more intuitive, and better aligned with the future of motorcycling.”
– Karim Donnez, CEO, LiveWire (LiveWire) |
LiveWire plans to expand its unique brand of motorcycle training to more riding academy locations across America, so stay tuned for updates on that initiative as we continue through this year and into the next one.
To learn more about this groundbreaking new rider training program and to enroll, visit LiveWire’s official website:
TVS-Supported Norton Motorcycles Teases New V4 Superbike
TVS Managing Director Tests Prototype with Big Smile
Norton Motorcycles, now under the influential umbrella of TVS Motors, has been riding a bike around through various testing phases – and up until now, we didn’t realize it was a superbike heavy-hitter! Coverage from RideApart tells us that this incubating brainchild could very well be a brand-new V4 superbike.
We’re unable to provide the photo as it belongs to MotoBob, but if you look up the media on their IG page here, then you can follow along.
Upon viewing this teaser media, two things are rampantly apparent:
- Norton Motorcycles has ensured this bike’s silhouette to be very similar to the iconic V4SV, a 1,200cc superbike capable of 185 horsepower, 92.2 pound-feet of torque, and carbon fiber chassis/wheels/fuel tanks, among other things.
- TVS boss Sudarshan Venu has taken this prototype for a proper spin and emerged with a big, silly grin on his face.
Should we get anything similar to what Norton originally had in store for us with the V4SV, we’ll likely be getting a bike on par with Ducati’s Panigale V4 and Aprilia’s RSV4, with the V4SV’s race-spec Brembo brakes and rather complex, fully-adjustable Öhlins suspension system. Either way, this is a huge, rather unprecedented move for TVS Motors, who is one of the largest moto manufacturers in India and has already made moves toward the premium bike sector via their partnership with BMW. This could literally be the first V4 liter bike from an Indian-owned company, and that’s super cool.
Stay tuned for EICMA, because ain’t no way Norton will be staying quiet with this bike for long… plus we’ve got that count-down showing we’re getting something about three months from now…
For more insights into Norton’s prototype, head over to RideApart: