This story is getting to be a little repetitious. EBR Motorcycles is shutting down over the next weeks and months, followed by a parts sale in March.
Press release follows:
EAST TROY, WI – EBR Motorcycles, LLC (“EBR”) located in East Troy, Wisconsin will begin a wind down of production operations commencing next week. EBR will continue to honor warranties and provide technical and parts support to current dealers and riders who bought motorcycles manufactured by EBR. EBR will continue to review strategic alternatives with interested investors regarding production operations.
The decision was a tough one for EBR as it has been solely focused on the growth and building EBR for success. The team at EBR has worked tirelessly making every effort to build the company. There is no fault on any of the team at EBR for this decision. They and their families have our deepest gratitude for their efforts and dedication to EBR. This difficult decision was based primarily on EBR facing significant headwinds with signing new dealers, which is key to sales and growth for a new company. In addition, EBR has had limited production in 2016 and 2017 that was under goal. The combination of slow sales and industry announcements of other major OEM brands closing or cutting production only magnified the challenges faced by EBR.
The limited production of remaining 2017 and 2016 EBR motorcycles are currently available from EBR’s top dealers. For a list of top dealers, please go to www.EBR.com.
A sale of production equipment and excess parts will start in March.
Monkeybike says
I would assume reluctance to buy based on past shutdowns had more to do with it than a slow marketplace.
scritch says
The market seems to want touring bikes, not sport bikes these days. EBR has made fast bikes, but not tourers.
Joe says
Such a tough business to carve out your own unique niche that has enough of all the necessary components for success.
It’s sad.
I think every red-blooded American lover of two wheeled speed still wants to see a truly competitive American sport bike that’s made in the USA.
Giolli Joker says
“I think every red-blooded American lover of two wheeled speed still wants to see a truly competitive American sport bike that’s made in the USA.”
Sure, but between seeing/loving and buying there’s a lot.
To give a 4-wheeled example, look at the Dodge Viper: everybody seems to love it, yet it wasn’t selling enough to be profitable and it’s been discontinued.
Jason says
This outcome was obvious when Liquid Assets bought EBR. Liquid Assets specializes in liquidating failed companies. They bought Buell for pennies on the dollar, assembled bikes using the inventory on hand. Assembled bikes are worth more than spare parts even if you are selling those bikes at a huge discount. Now that the parts are gone they will liquidate the equipment and go on to the next company.
Lostboy Steve says
The reason the XB bikes did ok was because of what they were. I was accepted by Harley riders on my XB. Roll up with a rotax twin and all you’ll get is a scoff. Victory’s were bizarre looking. They didn’t catch the good type of attention from cruiser riders. If Polaris isn’t careful, they’ll find the Indians falling into the same fate. They’re already getting close with strange flamboyant lines on the Chiefs. The rear half looks like a scooter. Keep it simple Polaris.
waldorf says
The market of “people who want to ride sportbikes but also deeply GAF about Harley riders accepting them” isn’t very large
Scott says
The Victory Vision was Bizarre looking. The rest of the lineup wasn’t.
Victory’s didn’t need near as much maintenance as a Harley!
Always love those little groups of Harley riders pulled over on the side of the road one guy who knows how to fix what’s wrong and 6 people who just bought a Harley for the experience.