UM Motorcycles, or United Motors, is a motorcycle manufacturer that presents itself as American, with its headquarters in Miami, Florida, and a history that began there in 1999. Over two decades it moved from importing Chinese and Taiwanese machines into the Americas to assembling Hyosung-derived models in the United States, and then to building cruiser motorcycles in India under the UM Lohia joint venture.
UM Motorcycles at a glance
| Brand | UM Motorcycles (United Motors) |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Miami, Florida, United States |
| Established | 1999 |
| Early business | agreements with manufacturers in China and Taiwan; distribution in North and Latin America |
| US dealer network | close to 200 authorised dealers by 2005 |
| Hyosung agreement | 2005, with S&T Motors of South Korea |
| US distribution | suspended on 1 February 2010 |
| Spare parts in the US | Martin Racing Performance |
| India entry | announced 2014 through an Indian subsidiary |
| Indian joint venture | 50:50 with Lohia Auto from 2016, ended in 2021 |
| Indian plant | Kashipur, Uttarakhand; 5,000 units a month |
| Models built in India | Renegade Commando and Renegade Sport S, 280 cc cruisers |
| Bangladesh | UM-Runner production with Runner Automobiles from 2016 |
There are no Wikipedia pages for individual UM models; this article is based on the English Wikipedia article about the manufacturer.
History of the UM Motorcycles
Miami beginnings
UM Motorcycles traces its history to Miami, Florida, where the company has been based since 1999. It entered the powersports market in the early 1990s by signing agreements with leading motorcycle manufacturers in China and Taiwan to develop its products, and in 1999 it began distribution in North America and Latin America. By 2005 the company had close to 200 authorised UM dealers across the United States.
The Hyosung years and the 2008 crisis
In 2005 UM signed a collaboration and supply agreement with Hyosung Motorcycles of South Korea, under an arrangement with S&T Motors, which gave the brand a range of larger machines alongside its imported models. The 2008 financial crisis hit the dealer network hard: more than half of UM dealers in North America closed, and United Motors had to repurchase millions of dollars of stock from 200 dealers. On 1 February 2010 the company decided to concentrate on international markets and suspended distribution of UM motorcycles in the United States only, appointing Martin Racing Performance to handle spare parts there while it continued to operate from Miami with an eye on expansion abroad.
India and the UM Lohia venture
In 2014 UM announced its entry into India through an Indian subsidiary, marketing itself as an American manufacturer with origins in the United States. Two years later UM Motors entered the Indian market, which accounts for 78 per cent of global two-wheeler demand, through a 50:50 joint venture with Lohia Auto. The venture invested 100 crore in a plant at Kashipur in Uttarakhand, capable of producing 5,000 units a month, and set up its headquarters in New Delhi. It rolled out two 280 cc cruiser motorcycles, the Renegade Commando and the Renegade Sport S, and built a network of 50 dealerships. The venture planned exports to Nepal and other South Asian markets, and at the time localisation stood at 60 per cent, with engines and fuel tanks still imported; the actor Karan Singh Grover was the brand ambassador. The joint venture ended in 2021 because of disagreements between the shareholders and problems related to COVID-19.
Bangladesh: the UM-Runner collaboration
In 2016 Runner Automobiles of Bangladesh signed a collaboration agreement with UM to manufacture UM motorcycles in Bangladesh under the UM-Runner name. The bikes were to be built at Runner’s motorcycle plant at Bhaluka, with UM International LLC providing research and development support in engineering and technology as well as global component sourcing. Bangladesh-built UM-Runner motorcycles entered the market in the second quarter of 2018, and under the agreement Runner was also to produce machines for export to Nepal and Sri Lanka.
Design and features
- American branding: UM has always marketed itself as a US manufacturer, with Miami as its home base.
- Imported engineering: its early range came from agreements with manufacturers in China and Taiwan.
- Hyosung link: from 2005 the brand sold models supplied under an agreement with Hyosung and S&T Motors.
- Indian cruisers: the Renegade Commando and Renegade Sport S were 280 cc cruisers built in Uttarakhand.
- Local assembly abroad: UM-Runner machines were assembled in Bangladesh from 2018.
UM Motorcycles versions
- Renegade Commando: a 280 cc cruiser launched in India by the UM Lohia venture.
- Renegade Sport S: the second 280 cc cruiser of the Indian range, with a sportier look.
- UM-Runner: motorcycles manufactured and sold in Bangladesh under the collaboration with Runner Automobiles.
- Hyosung-supplied models: machines sold by UM in the United States after the 2005 agreement.
All UM models on the site are collected in the UM Motorcycles collection.
Video: Moto UM Fastwind modificada estilo Racing
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- UM Motorcycles, English Wikipedia: history, joint ventures, models, Bangladesh collaboration