Tariff Updates for the Powersports Industry, EU Almost Bans Carbon Fiber

Today’s a whammy of a day for the Powersports industry, and it ain’t because new stuff happened today… Rather, it’s because tariffs are finally staying put long enough for us to look at the data.

Now that it’s been a handful of days since tariffs were imposed… moved around… increased… decreased… sky-rocketed and then paused… we’ve been able to pinpoint a good angle to understand what’s going on and ways it could potentially affect motorcycle parts and sales. 

Here’s the full news lineup for today:

1. A look at the new tariff updates, which countries are the #1 supplier for certain motorcycle parts, and how this could affect motorcycle sales in America
2. Europe’s considerations in banning carbon fiber, and why
3. A sneak peek at leaked details surrounding the new 2026 BMW R 1300 RT

Better start with those tariff updates while they’re staying put.

Industry Insider: How Tariff Updates Could Affect Motorcycle Sales

…and a Look at Major Suppliers of our Industry’s Motorcycle Parts

To say the powersports industry is “currently navigating a turbulent trade environment” would be the understatement of the year. Drama is high, decisions are fickle and everybody has breathed a bit of a sigh of relief now that stuff isn’t moving around too much. 

Here’s a recap, excluding the more busy tariff back-and-forth before April 2nd’s “Liberation Day:”

• On April 3rd, 2025, the US presidency places 25% tariffs on auto imports. This move also includes “reciprocal” tariffs, a 10% baseline tax on imports from all countries and even higher percentages for countries running inter-US trade surpluses. Levies Include 34% tax on imports from China, a 20% tax on imports from the European Union, 25% on South Korea, 24% on Japan and 32% on Taiwan (via Castanet)
• On April 9th, 2025, the American Presidency issued a new Executive Order for a 90-day pause on certain “reciprocal” tariffs, effective April 10, 2025. China was exempt from this pause. Barring China, all other countries’ tariffs are reduced to 10%. China’s tariff skyrocketed to 145% (via BBC)
• Around 10am today (April 16th), China communicated a willingness to resume trade negotiations with the US. This move was purportedly provided the American Presidency showed “greater diplomatic respect, a consistent US trade stance, attention to its concerns on sanctions and Taiwan, and the appointment of a lead negotiator with Trump’s full backing” (via live updates at TimesOfIndia)

Now that we are on the home stretch with what appears to be a lull in the tariff slaps, we get to look at how China’s tariffs could affect the motorcycle industry. 

Who’s Your Supplier?

It’s no surprise that the majority of bike components come from the world’s largest manufacturing superpower. As of January of last year, China made 35% of the world’s goods, beating the next nine competitors combined (via geopoliticaleconomy). 

As a result, we considered it worthwhile to list the #1 suppliers of motorcycle components, broken up by country, to get a better idea of the brands and component manufacturers that would have to either increase rates or outsource to a more local supplier. 

Here are a few points/factors to consider before perusing our (admittedly approximate) estimates: 

1.  Globalization: The motorcycle industry is highly globalized. Many components are sourced from multiple countries, and manufacturers may have plants in different locations, affecting results.
2. Tiered Suppliers: There are often multiple tiers of suppliers. For example, a motorcycle manufacturer might buy an ECU from Bosch, but Bosch sources components from other companies, thereby mixing up some of our results.
3. Regional Variations: Sourcing can vary by region. For example, European manufacturers might source more components from within Europe, while Asian manufacturers might rely more on regional suppliers. 
4. Quality vs. Cost: Sourcing decisions often involve a trade-off between quality and cost. Some countries are known for high-quality, high-precision manufacturing, while others are more competitive on price. We try to include allowances for both, where possible.

Here are our lists for both the global market and America’s market:

WebBikeWorld_INDUSTRY INSIDER_MANUFACTURING GIANTS (Organized by Component)_GLOBAL

WebBikeWorld_INDUSTRY INSIDER_MANUFACTURING GIANTS (Organized by Component)_AMERICA SHEETS

Overall, we are expecting that higher tariffs on the world’s leading manufacturing power will spike and/or delay production costs, relocate specific production processes, raise bike prices, reduce the amount of bikes available, and potentially harm contribute to wage and/or job losses. There’s also the very real possibility that raised tariffs toward China could kill certain bike brands that were struggling before the tariff war was initiated.

If you’re worried we’ll be getting a slew of updates from our industry’s bike brands, don’t be. Janaki from RideApart was able to ask certain motorcycle companies for transparency, to which the answer was almost unanimous: 

“Evaluating the situation, no immediate comment.”

In short, the majority of motorcycle companies that are to be hit by tariffs have placed all decisions on hold until the US Presidency resolves this next leg of tariff negotiations. 

Is there a good side to all this?

If there is any silver lining to the tariff war at all, it’s the potential for companies to be more transparent with the customer on where they’re sourcing parts for production moving forward. Yes, Triumph, KTM, and Harley-Davidson have received flak in the past about outsourcing to China and India for the manufacturing of major componentry. No, it’s unlikely that China-to-US manufacturing partnerships will be sustainable if China’s tariffs remain this high… but I suppose that’s for the big boys to find out in these upcoming negotiations. 

May the most polite gent win. 

We want you to keep in touch with the best update resources, so here’s a list of where we go when we want answers on the tariff war and how it’s affecting our industry:

For a comprehensive overview of the tariff situation and its potential effects, see the list of live updates at TimesOfIndia:

Europe: The Motion to Ban Carbon Fiber

A view of a carbon fiber fender. Media sourced from Custom Chrome Europe.

…And Why They Didn’t 

In a single fell swoop, a draft proposal for a ban on carbon fiber in European car production has been dropped, saving both the auto and the motorcycling worlds from heartbreak… if the proposal actually had a chance of being passed, anyways (we think it didn’t, but you never know).

According to coverage from Robb Report, the proposal to add carbon fiber to the EU’s list of hazardous materials would have put carbon fiber alongside substances like mercury and lead. This proposal, drafted in January, was focused on the end-of-life cycle of vehicles and the dangers of carbon fiber in the disposal process. Apparently, when carbon fiber is disposed of, breakage releases particles into the air, leading to dangers when those particles are breathed in or land on the skin (and further damage to recycling machinery). 

In short, somebody proposed that the phenomenal strength-to-weight ratio of carbon fiber was nowhere near beneficial enough to offset the release of carbon fiber into the European environment. Luckily for us, the EU Parliament is full of enough posh blokes with McLaren, Lamborghini, Pagani, Ferrari, and Koenigsegg toys to pass on this proposal, 

For those curious, carbon fiber plays a brilliant role in the automotive and powersports industries.  Roughly 20% of carbon fiber production is made in pursuit of those aforementioned McLaren, Lamborghini, Pagani, Ferrari, and Koenigsegg toys, with a further unnamed percentage proffered in the name of Ducati, BMW, Triumph, and more. 

A more surprising sponsor and glad recipient of carbon fiber manufacturing is the EV market, where electric cars and bikes benefit from the material’s lightweight properties, which help to improve range and offset the hefty weight of the machine’s battery.

For more details on the passing of this carbon fiber proposal, read the full article on Rob  Report:

Sneak Peeks: Take a Look at BMW’s New 2026 R 1300 RT

Features to Include _____ and _____

We’ve had a sneak peek of BMW’s new R 1300 RT!

Thanks to Homologation data from Switzerland (caught by Motorcycle.com’s Dennis Chung), we now know that BMW’s incubating sport-tourer will share the same engine tuning as the dominating R 1300 GS; that means a very clear 145hp @ 7,750rpm and 110lb-ft. of torque available @ 6,500rpm. 

For reference, the R 1250 RT, punts out 134hp and 105.5lb-ft. of torque, making the incubating 2026 R 1300 RT the bib-bore beauty of the year’s lineup. 

Moving on to expectations: Per BMW’s typical obligatories, we are all expecting a very nice package of electronicsm including perks like Automated Shift Assistant and radar-backed active cruise control, on top of the anticipated ride modes, traction control modes and more.

We’re also told that the R 1300 RT is slightly different in measurements than the R 1250 RT, measuring 88.8 inches in length and a width of 38.2 inches compared to the 87.2 inch length  of the 1250 RT. It is perhaps because of this and the 1300’s power plant that a wider 190/55 tire on a 6.00×17 wheel has been chosen for the R 1300 RT’s rear rubber duties, compared to the R 1250 RT’s 180/55 tire and 5.50×17 wheel.

Naturally, the R 1300 RT is also going to be heavier than the R 1250 RT, but this includes fun things like a top case in addition to saddlebags. 

Based on BMW’s recent pattern of revealing early 2026 models every two Thursdays, we are crossing our fingers for an official announcement on or around April 24, following the R 12 G/S and the R 1300 R.

For a more detailed look at the initial specs of the 2026 BMW R 1300 RT, check out Chung’s article on Motorcycle.com:

*Media sourced from Motorcycle Shippers, Custom Chrome Europe, and BMW*