Polaris Selling Indian Motorcycle Brand

[kballowe]

I remember when Polaris quit the jet ski business, and later ceased Victory motorcycle production.

Now they're selling off the Indian motorcycle brand.  Developing story.

https://www.cyclenews.com/2025/10/article/polaris-sells-indian-motorcycle-to-carolwood-lp/

[Perazzimx14]

I remember when Polaris quit the jet ski business, and later ceased Victory motorcycle production.

Now they're selling off the Indian motorcycle brand.  Developing story.

https://www.cyclenews.com/2025/10/article/polaris-sells-indian-motorcycle-to-carolwood-lp/

I have to wonder if this is get out of motorcycles while the gettin's good? Indian has done well with growth and product but is it sustainable in a dying market?

[Frulk]

Bought by a Private Equity Firm…

RIP Indian Motorcycles…

[blu guzz]

Private Equity Firms are very rarely good for the companies they buy.  I think the coming years will be hard to navigate for any company in any industry that sells goods that take disposable income (toys), but especially expensive ones.

[SemperVee]

 This was forecast approx 5 years ago when I saw the COO speak in an interview about the coming discontinuation of big high dollar cruisers.  I also was an original Victory MC owner.  Might work out for the best as stand alone brand or it's anyone's guess which way this company goes after changing hands so many times in the last 30 years.

[Motormike]

I suspect the Private Equity firm will polish Indian up and sell it off to some foreign manufacturer in India or China, most likely. Take the money and run, generally Private Equity playbook.  I bet the dealers are concerned. 

[kingoffleece]

The beginning of the end for Indian.

[SemperVee]

Recently there was talk of this at Harley Davidson and I believe they just sold off their credit arm to private equity.  We are just running out of old fat white guys who want air cooled driveway jewelry per the demographics. Myself included after having 14 HD's.   *If I were to partake again it would be an unmolested EVO road king if anything.

[TN Mark]

Yup, demographics, prices and interest rates have, for the most part, killed growth in the medium to large American motorcycle market. My ‘guess’ is that Polaris has lost millions on the Indian brand. Three consecutive quarters with losses typically result in the chopping block.

Neither Polaris nor this new company can ‘fix’ these issues. All they can do is ‘right size’ manufacturing to fit the demand. It sounds like the existing Polaris facility will still actually manufacture the bikes. And the Polaris Indian Engineering teams will now be on the new companies payroll.

Polaris didn’t sell their majority position because Indian was profitable. They simply can’t hide or excuse the losses any longer.

It’s very difficult to see how the new company can take on these huge expenditures and stay afloat in this market. If they could have, they likely would have bought the Indian brand in totality.

Just the expenses from the bagger racing was likely enough to sink Indian at Polaris.

[cliffrod]

Recently there was talk of this at Harley Davidson and I believe they just sold off their credit arm to private equity.  We are just running out of old fat white guys who want air cooled driveway jewelry per the demographics. Myself included after having 14 HD's.   *If I were to partake again it would be an unmolested EVO road king if anything.

That’s not all HD sold….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Otl5KQBXVbE

[Shorty]

A lot of older guys are finding out that a small inexpensive bike is just as fun and easier to live with than a big heavy "touring" bike. My favorite Royal Enfield FB page has 24K members, with old farts from around the world chiming in. (Of course the owner of that page now rides a Guzzi and probably browses these pages )