By Kali Kotoski
Slowly but surely, the world is starting to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, with a surprising drop of infection rates from a January peak—not just in America but across the world.
With vaccinations ramping up, we could finally be returning to normal in as little as a few short months. In the motorcycle industry, OEMs are finally back to hosting motorcycle test rides for new models and flying out journalists to give them a spin. This is a welcomed change after being completely grounded all of last year.
To prepare for a return to normal, Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycle have been revealing a healthy number of new models that will soon hit the dealership floor. To honor a hundred years of heritage, Indian Motorcycle has completely revamped their Chief lineup by taking an iconic motorcycle and stripping it down to the bones, giving the exciting platform a raw and aggressive makeover. Clean lines and power, folks!
Indian has also made significant upgrades to their FTR platform with promises that some of the hiccups that followed the debut of the flat track-inspired bikes have been worked out. Namely, they refined the engine with a revised fuel map to reduce cold-start issues and reworked the suspension to make it more street friendly.
And this is all before we even get to Harley-Davidson’s adventure-touring Pan America 1250 that graces the cover. The bike promises to be literally earthshattering and we believe them after combing over the specs. The Pan America marks an exciting and risky move by Harley-Davidson to enter into a competitive segment with a competitively priced machine. Folks can say what they want about Harley-Davidson, but there is no way to dismiss the engineering prowess of Milwaukee. It is, as always, inspiring.
It is reassuring to see that the industry is continuing to innovate and thrill, despite lingering economic uncertainty.
A return to normal also mean rallies are set to come roaring back in full force and racing fans can actually sit in the seats to watch the action. All in all, optimism is running pretty high.
For us at Thunder Press, we are excited to announce a partnership with Edelweiss Bike Travel for an exclusive, eight-day adventure across the Alps! Following their Peaks and Passes package, Edelweiss will guide Harley enthusiasts through the narrow roads and hairpin turns of the Alps from August 27 to September 3. Sights include the picturesque villages along the Bavarian-Tyrolean border area, the rich and rugged Grossglockner mountains, the historic town centers of Bolzano and Trento, the deep blue of Lake Garda and the soul-stirring road along its western shore and much more! Booking details: www.edelweissbike.com/thundertouralps.
It is time to dust off your passports and prepare for an unforgettable adventure. If 2020 has shown us anything, it is to not take anything for granted and there is no more time for excuses!
Cliches be damned, because it is true. Let’s all get out there and have some fun!
