Bike Makers Crack Down on Exports to Russia
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
When governments clash, it's always the regular people who suffer the most. You can see it in Ukraine, where more than a million people have been displaced, with many others killed and injured because of the Russian invasion.
As the West applies economic sanctions to Russia and sends arms and aid to Ukraine, major companies are adding their voices and pressure to the actions. The motorcycle industry is showing solidarity with Ukraine, with manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson, Honda, Suzuki, and Polaris leading the way.
Harley-Davidson is one of the motorcycle manufacturers that have suspended exports to Russia. Harley-Davidson photo
Harley has stopped shipping new bikes to Russia and suspended all business in the country. While Honda and Suzuki both announced they have stopped exporting bikes and cars to Russia.
Polaris, the maker of Indian motorcycles, has also halted all exports to Russia. The company also makes ATVs and snowmobiles.
MV Agusta CEO Timur Sardarov, who was born in Moscow, has taken to Instagram repeatedly over the last several days to tear into Russian president Vladimir Putin. He also penned an open letter regarding the invasion.
Ural, the motorcycle company which assembles its sidecar rigs in Irbit, Russia, has its company headquarters in Redmond, WA.' Stop War Now' is the message that greets visitors to its website.
According to MotorCyclesData, there were 24,036 motorcycles registered in Russia in 2021. The company also said on its website that it has ended relationships with Russian clients or providers.
The penalties aren't just limited to the business world. The FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme), following a meeting of the Board of Directors on the weekend, announced it "unanimously condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine." The organization has suspended licences for the Motorcycle Federation of Russia and the Belarusian Federation of Motorcycle Sport. It will also cancel any FIM events held in Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine, as well as other FIM meetings, seminars, or training sessions.
At ESR, we stand with the Ukrainian people and offer our best wishes for an end to this invasion. If you have any more information to add on motorcycle manufacturers' further actions, we will welcome it. We will also provide additional details as we learn more.
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28 months ago
All companies stopped export because the sanctions from US otherwise they need to stop operation in US. Russia is smaller market so easy decision. But what I wander is why this was not the case in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya or Syrian wars. In the last 40-50 years we see wars around the world every day almost all involved US as invador, making tens of millions refugees or dead.
29 months ago
You can also help the citizens of Ukraine who suffered from the Russian invasion. A safer choice would be to direct money to groups that are providing medical assistance on the ground in Ukraine, like Médecins Sans Frontières or the Ukrainian Red Cross.