February 7, 2017, 2:55 am
TBR Comp Series for 2017 M-8 FL Baggers
Californian exhaust manufacturer TBR (Two Brothers Racing) is claiming a low end 5 hp gain with its newly announced hand-crafted Comp Series exhaust systems tuned for Road King, Road Glide and Switchback.
The systems are hand-crafted and TIG welded by hand in the USA, and the H-D FL Touring dual slip-on is available in chrome or ceramic black.
Said to be “tuned for maximum performance,” features include straight-back style design and carbon fiber end cap. Available chrome plated or in ceramic black for FLD, FLHR, FLHX, FLHXS, FLHTCU, FLTR, FLTRXS.
TWO BROTHERS RACING
www.twobros.com
↧
February 7, 2017, 2:56 am
![]()
‘Reaper’ cams choices for Evo engines
Popular for years for Twin Cams, Californian performance parts specialist Feuling has now made ‘Reaper’ brand performance cams available for 1984 – 1999 Evo engines.Three grinds – the 518s, the 543s and the 594s – are all said to “produce more power and torque in the riding rpm range, increasing throttle response, acceleration and fuel mileage.” Features of these USA made, dyno proven and track tested additions to the Feuling range include wide lobe separations for wide power bands, smooth camshaft lobe ramps that are easier on valve train components and eliminate excessive valve train noise and wear.
The 518s can be used with stock valve springs, pushrods and lifters and will also respond well with increased compression and cylinder head work and a performance exhaust and air cleaner. A direct bolt-in replacement for Evo engines, they deliver in the 1,650 - 5,500 rpm power range.
The 543s are recommended for (but not limited to) increased compression, cylinder head work and performance exhaust applications; increased compression is required for bottom end performance; performance lifters recommended, although not required, but they do require performance valve springs.
They deliver in the 2,200 - 5,950 rpm power range; will work with factory pushrods on engines with factory stack-up; if deck height, cylinders or rocker boxes have been modified from stock, then adjustable pushrods are required.
Finally, the 594s for a 2,500 - 6,400 rpm power range are the most aggressive grind offered. Performance exhaust and intake/air cleaner upgrades are also required, as are performance valve springs, performance lifters, adjustable pushrods, increased compression and cylinder head work.
DRAG SPECIALTIES
www.dragspecialties.com
↧
↧
February 7, 2017, 2:57 am
![]()
OptiMate sales tools to maximize showroom return
Dealers are always most likely to respond best to vendors who understand that creating great products is only part of the battle – selling them in the context of the dealership space is another science all of its own.
In an environment where space has to earn its keep, it is important that retail programs are information-rich and allow the customer to get at the product.
Although best known for their professional use and workshop grade products, battery care and diagnostics specialist TecMate has also been purposing its respected OptiMate brand name to consumer product versions and accessories for many years, and through years of working with its powersports dealers has learned how to give them the tools to help their products sell.
The TecMate modular display is the perfect silent salesman - tall, handsome, bright (blue) and versatile! It generates attention and holds plenty of product while taking up the minimum 16” x 16” (40cm x 40cm) footprint. The display has 4 set-up possibilities, floor or counter, free standing (360°) or single sided (180°).
At 190cm (75”) tall, the bright blue display, full of red packaged OptiMate product, is hard for any customer to miss and can hold chargers and accessories with up to $5,000/€4,000 retail value - the 115cm (45”) counter display is the perfect reminder and accessory ‘impulse buy’ creator for the low-cost, high value and highly convenient range of OptiMate riding accessories. ![]() |
| Brochures, flyers, counter mats, downloadables and wall charts – “a key part of our strategy is to make it easier for ‘brick and mortar’ dealers to sell our products,” says Martin Human, TecMate CEO/CTO |
Range choices and purchase opportunities can be driven by updatable OptiMate battery saving charger and OptiMate accessory counter mats that display the entire charger line-up and extent of OptiMate’s range of premium accessories - cables, battery monitors, LED flashlights and USB chargers and cables; printed booklets, flyers, wall charts and online downloadables also available (www.tecmate.com/cat).
Martin Human, CEO/CTO of TecMate says that “a key part of our strategy is to make it easier for ‘brick and mortar’ dealers to sell our products. I invite dealers, who in my opinion are the lifeblood of our industry, to ask their national TecMate distributor for the latest available sales tools. Or drop us a line, and we’ll make it happen.”
www.tecmate.com
↧
February 7, 2017, 2:58 am
![]()
Metalsport 34 incher with exclusive Vee Rubber 140/40/34
Best known for their Big Wheels, South Gate (Los Angeles), California based Metalsport Wheels, founded in 2007 by Ron Loynds, were one of the creators of the “Big Fronts”, and have now unveiled a 34” wheel and Metalsport exclusive Vee Rubber 140/40/34 tire combo.
Based on a billet 3-D wheel, fully machined from start to finish in-house at Metalsport at their 30,000 sq ft facility, popular styles available include their ‘Don Juan Torque’, ‘The Whip’ (seen here), ‘The 15-spoke’ and ‘The Corleone’.
Finishes include chrome, all black anodized and polished; matching rotors are available in 11.5, 11.8, and 13” with 18” coming soon - this wheel and tire combo is slated to be ready for shipping by the end of March, and Metalsport say they are now taking deposits.
METALSPORT WHEELS
www.metalsportwheels.com
↧
February 7, 2017, 2:58 am
![]()
Polaris is recalling certain model year 2015-2017 Slingshot motorcycles manufactured March 4, 2014 to October 7, 2016. The affected vehicles may have insufficient clearance between the fuel line and the hood structure.
Philadelphia based Christini Technologies has been awarded a contract from the U.S. Air Force for the delivery of 54 of their All Wheel Drive 450E Military Edition motorcycles. Christini had previously delivered All Wheel Drive motorcycles to the U.S. Navy, U.S. Border Patrol, UK military, UAE, Jordan, and other NATO forces.
The process of authorized Harley dealership churn and ownership consolidation continues – Milwaukee Harley-Davidson has become the ninth acquisition of the Saint Charles, Illinois based Windy City Group (now making them the third largest dealer group in the U.S.). Windy City was founded in 2001 by Jill and Ozzie Giglio.
Honda of South Carolina Mfg. is making a $45m, 250 job investment in a 115,000 sq ft expansion and “innovation project” to meet “growing demand for Honda side-by-side vehicles produced exclusively” at its South Carolina plant.
Chinese owned Italian motorcycle brand Benelli has been declared bankrupt by an Italian court in a dispute with KTM owned WP Suspension over more than $100,000 of unpaid bills. Benelli claims its cash-flow is in the black and that it can pay its creditors, despite a reported debt mountain of over $1m, an $800,000 loss in 2014 and a massive $5m plus haemorrhage in 2015.
↧
↧
February 7, 2017, 2:58 am
![]()
J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder - Dallas
Kyle Shorey of Speed Foundry took the win in the FreeStyle class of the J&P Ultimate Builder show as the IMS series went to Dallas, with ‘My Pal’.
A 1979 Harley-Davidson FX sled, it features a metal flake cream paint job with brass accents throughout. Kyle built the handlebars, custom grips, footboards, handshift shift gate, dash and exhaust himself. The Texan took home a check for $2,000.
He will be heading to Chicago for the US Championship and to compete for the “KING of the Builders” award and a share of the $50,000 in cash and prizes on offer there.
Runner-up was Junior Burrell, Retro Moto, with ‘The Bee Hotch’, a 1978 Yamaha Sr500.
The Modified Harley class win was taken by Dell Battle, of Dangerous Dezigns/Snake Alley, Chicago, with a 1991 Sportster, with Young Lace, Power House Custom Cycles, taking second place with ‘Ecstasy’.![]()
The black and red paint on Dell Battle’s 1991 Sportster is eye-catching and features include billet wheels, custom exhaust, intake, custom tank, controls and swingarm. Air ride front and back allows the bike to look aggressive while at rest.
Harley-Davidson is the presenting class sponsor, with J&M Motorcycle Audio and K&N Filters providing product sponsorship.
Roy Martin of Roy’s Toys took the Modified Retro win with ‘Warrior Voices’, built for a charity of the same name. Proceeds from this raffle bike provides veterans with training to assist them in getting back in the workforce. ![]()
The 1979 Ironhead Shovel rigid features a torpedo headlight and matching grips, Harley-Davidson hand controls with a brushed finish, switch deletes by LC Fabrications, ammo cans for saddlebags, a brass microphone converted to a taillight, Shovel motor with split rocker boxes and springer front end, with powder-coat by Pristine Powdering.
Runner-up was Ron Pearce with ‘CB500 Café’, a 1972 Honda CB500. Royal Enfield is the presenting class sponsor, with K&N Filters providing product sponsorship in the class.
The Modified Custom class win was taken by Motone Customs, who were contracted for a custom build from Speed Foundry of Texas. Kyle Shorey’s ‘MahaKala’ is a 2004 T100 Triumph, with a seat fabricated by Working Man Customs. Tony Lewis of Eurosports Cycles provided overbore, porting and polishing of the heads. Cycles One fabricated the hard tail, and the gas tank was sourced from the Motone Customs parts bin. The metal work was completed by Speed Foundry, and paint is by Liquid Illusions. ![]()
Runner-up was Chop Shop Motorsports with their 2004 Harley-Davidson Sportster.
![]() |
| The People’s Choice and Ingenuity award went to Bryan Stalcup for his custom ‘Convertible’ – it changes from a cruiser to a sportbike at the touch of a button! |
![]() |
The Originality award went to Tim Scates for his ‘El Dorado’
1972 Moto Guzzi based 850 Bobber |
![]() |
| Jeremy Cupp of LC Fabrications won the FreeStyle class with LC Speedster at the prior weekend’s Washington DC J&P Ultimate Builder/IMS event, having come second in New York |
↧
February 7, 2017, 2:59 am
HAVOC/ WILD WEST collaboration launches 124 SS
The latest result of the collaboration between Havoc Motorcycles of Canada and Buckner, Kentucky based Wild West Motorcycles, is the ‘Havoc 124 SS’, unveiled at this year’s V-Twin Expo – an S&S 124ci (2,032cc) rubber mounted Bagger with a 180 rear tire, Rivera Primo 6-speed transmission and BDL (Belt Drives Limited) primary.
The motorcycle’s hand-crafted frame is CNC laser-cut and TIG welded “in the latest in frame engineering technology to stretch out to a comfortable 70” wheelbase,” says Havoc Motorcycles’ President Dr Jarrod Wiener. ![]() |
| Jarrod Wiener (left), President of Havoc Motorcycles in Canada, with Jim Winn of Wild West Motorcycles, Kentucky, and their new S&S 124ci engined Bagger featuring “recognized top quality American-made component brands such as S&S Cycle, Hawg Halters, BDL and Rivera” |
“Its aggressive front end, raked to 38 degrees, features a 26” contrast-cut wheel at its leading edge, beautifully accented by a sporty chin spoiler. The Havoc 124SS offers modern bagger styling with lines inspired by the iconic Wild West Gunfire pro-street model,” he went on to explain. “It’s hard to stop looking at it, but it was designed to be a rider’s bike.”
Gas-charged Progressive Suspension provides a sporty feel, while powerful 6-piston differential bore Hawg Halters (HHI) calipers and dual 13” brake rotors make for safe, reliable, responsive, fade-free braking.
“We use exclusively components that are among the best quality, best known and best engineered USA-made parts in the industry, without compromise,” said Wiener. “There is some concern in the marketplace today that customers won’t be able to find replacement parts for certain brands of motorcycles. Every component on a Wild West - Havoc motorcycle comes from manufacturers who command extremely high levels of consumer confidence and respect for their longevity and durability. Our motorcycles can be serviced by any competent V-twin technician.”
Quality extends to the steel braided hoses and lines and billet CNC-machined accessories, all of which come standard. “We won’t send you a parts catalog when you get the bike home. You’ll be hard pressed to find anything to upgrade on the bike,” added Wiener.
Like all Havoc and Wild West motorcycles, the 124SS is a hand-made “production custom” motorcycle with a 17 digit VIN, listed in the NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association) “Red Book” for ease of financing and insurance, and to protect the owners’ investment. “The value proposition? Simple: design beauty, build with quality, and back it up with a 24-month warranty,” says Jim Winn, CEO of Wild West Motor Co, speaking to the philosophy that has seen him stay in business when many others have fallen by the wayside and see close to 5,000 Wild West branded motorcycles sold and ridden real miles in the past three decades.
“With this model, we’re marking 2017 as the 30th anniversary of Wild West Motor’s continuous production of motorcycles,” said Jim. “We’re designing, developing and building with the passion of a new company, and with the wisdom of a long-established one. It’s never been more exciting.”
And there is special pricing on this model: to mark the 30th anniversary, the first 30 examples of the 2017 Havoc 124SS will be offered at the special introductory price of USD $45,000, direct from the factory.
www.havoc-motorcycles.com
www.wildwestmc.com
↧
February 13, 2017, 12:02 pm
![]()
Spectro spring special is back again
Brookfield, Connecticut based Spectro Oils is again offering their annual Pre-Season Stocking Discount for existing and new dealers.
From now until March 31st dealers can take advantage of this one time offer to receive a 10% discount off their entire order. "The core of our business is a dealer first philosophy. We understand that the winter months can be tough for a majority of motorcycle dealers. We make this discount available before Spring every year so it's easier for dealers to stock up on the products they need before the Spring rush happens." said Joe Russo, National Sales Manager for Spectro Oils.
www.spectro-oils.com
↧
February 13, 2017, 12:02 pm
![]()
Custom bike sales were +12.3 percent in Italy in 2016 at 6,923 units. Naked/traditional style and Enduro style bikes are the largest sectors in the Italian motorcycle market (26,387 units/+23.26 percent and 25,668 units/+31.49 percent year-on-year respectively). Overall new motorcycle registrations in Italy were +21.49 percent at 75,936 units for a third straight year of growth since the 2013 low.
BMW Motorrad has announced another record year as it continues to close in on its objective of selling 200,000 motorcycles worldwide by 2020. Full-year 2016 sales were up + 5.9% with a total of 145,032 motorcycles and maxi-scooters “delivered to customers.” At 8,639 units, December 2016 sales were +15.2 percent.
With 1,683 units sold, the Softail Slim was Harley’s most popular model in Germany in 2016, and the 9th most popular motorcycle overall in the German market; followed by the Fat Boy Special – 28th most popular, with 1,049 units sold, and their XL 1200 X, 29th most popular with 1,031 units sold. In motorcycle market share terms Harley scored a staggering third place, behind BMW and Yamaha, selling 13,096 models in Germany in 2016 for an 11.14 percent market share, placing them ahead of the likes of (in order) Honda, KTM, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Ducati and Triumph.
Indian Motorcycle scored a creditable 14th spot in motorcycle market share terms in Germany in 2016, selling 911 units there for a 0.77 percent market share.
Triumph’s final sales numbers for December show 2016 to have been the best year of retail sales yet for Triumph dealers in North America in “Hinckley Triumph” history so far. For the month of December, Triumph dealers were +39% up over the previous December record and +89% up over December 2015. Totals for the entire calendar year saw overall 2016 Triumph retail sales in North America beating the market growth rate by more than 15%, eclipsing 13,000 units for the first time and “easily shattering the previous annual retail sales record.” Unit sales growth per dealership is up more than +21% over 2015.
↧
↧
February 13, 2017, 12:02 pm
![]()
Nick Beaulieu scoops “King of the Builders” at Chicago J&P Cycles UBCBS finale
J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show Crowns ‘King of the Builders’ at its championship round at the Progressive International Motorcycle Show in Chicago, IL.
The 8th annual J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show (UBCBS) crowned its 2017 "King of the Builders" at the Progressive International Motorcycle Shows (IMS) in Chicago on the weekend of February 11th and 12th.
With more than 350 motorcycles and tour wide awards totaling over $100,000 in cash and prizes, the competition ran through all seven IMS shows, culminating in the award of over $57,000 in cash and prizes at the championship round in Chicago, naming Nick Beaulieu as the 2017 "King of the Builders."
Jeff Najar, organizer, said that "The 2016-2017 J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show proved to be one of the best yet with creative designs and concepts from some of the leading builders and craftsmen in the country. We strive to support and promote the custom motorcycle building industry, and give our designers a national platform to display their works of art. We are very excited to announce Nick Beaulieu as the 2017 ‘King of the Builders’, adding his name to a prestigious list of builders who have won in the past."
The custom motorcycles entered into the championship round were reviewed and voted on by a panel of special guest judges, including Jeff Holt, Brand Director for Hot Bike and Street Chopper Magazines; Chris Callen, Editor-in-Chief of Cycle Source Magazine; Pat Jansen, Builder; and Carl Pusser, builder and past UBCBS winner.
The UBCBS hosted four classes of competition: Freestyle, Modified Custom, Modified Harley-Davidson and Modified Retro, as well as special awards categories such as The Originality Award, The Ingenuity Award, Best Paint, K&N Award, People's Choice Award, and Sho Dog.
The annual competition is proudly sponsored by J&P Cycles, who is returning as the title sponsor of this elite-level competition and supporting the "People's Choice" award along with Bell Helmets, as well as Harley-Davidson, who returned as the presenting sponsor of the Modified Harley-Davidson class, and Royal Enfield as the presenting sponsor of the Modified Retro class.
J&M and Condor Products are also onboard as product sponsors, providing gift certificates to select class winners and runner-ups throughout the IMS Tour and Championship.
Additional brands sponsoring the championship include: Arlen Ness, Atomic Dice Studio Arts, BDL, BMW, C&S Custom, G Clean, Helmet Sounds, K&N Engineering, Kuryakyn, Led Sled Customs, Motone Customs, Rinehart Racing, Thundermax, and Vance & Hines.
Nick Beaulieu, 2016-2017 UBCBS ‘King of the Builders’ said: “Thank you to the Progressive International Motorcycle Shows and J&P Cycles for giving me the opportunity to be here and providing me with a platform to share my work. It's great to be here, supporting the industry with my fellow builders and enthusiasts."
The winners of the 2016-2017 J&P Cycles Ultimate Builder Custom Bike Show Championship are as follows:
King of the Builders: Nick Beaulieu, Forever Two Wheels, Bike: The Hate Machine, Custom Chopper
Freestyle
1- Nick Beaulieu, Forever Two Wheels. Bike: The Hate Machine, Custom Chopper
2- Wayne Burgess. Bike: Spitball Magoo, 1996 Custom Shovelhead
Modified Custom
1- Evan Favaro, Speakeasy Motors. Bike: Ethel, 2015 Custom
2- Kyle Shorey, Speed Foundry. Bike: MahaKala, Triumph
Modified Harley-Davidson, presented by Harley-Davidson
1- Steven Iacona, Iacona Customs. Bike: Phoenix, 1992 1200 Sportster
2- Dusty Pine. Bike: 1993 Harley-Davidson Sportster
Modified Retro, presented by Royal Enfield
1- Steve Dietzman. Bike: 1968 Triumph Chopper
2- Matt Anderson. Bike: 1982 Harley-Davidson FXRS
www.motorcycleshows.com
↧
February 13, 2017, 12:02 pm
Office of U.S. Trade Representative hearing slated for Feb. 15
American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) President and CEO Rob Dingman will testify Feb. 15 against a 100 percent tariff on some European motorcycles proposed by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.![]()
“We object to this proposed tariff because it would harm American motorcyclists,” Dingman said. “Significantly raising the cost of European motorcycles through a tariff could price thousands of families out of the motorcycle market.”
The tariff would affect motorcycles with engines displacing 51cc to 500cc from Aprilia, Beta, BMW, Ducati, Fantic, Gas Gas, Husqvarna, KTM, Montesa, Piaggio, Scorpa, Sherco, TM and Vespa.
The federal agency is seeking the tariff as leverage against the European Union in an ongoing dispute over the importing of U.S. beef to Europe that contains hormones.
At the AMA’s urging, more than 10,000 e-mails have been sent to Congress on this issue, nearly 10,000 comments have been made directly to the agency through Regulations.gov, and more than 5,000 e-mails have been sent to President Donald Trump.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is responsible for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade, commodity and direct investment policy and overseeing negotiations with other countries. The head of USTR is the U.S. Trade Representative, a Cabinet member who serves as the president’s principal trade adviser, negotiator and spokesperson on trade issues.
“We don’t believe non-agricultural products should be included in tariffs connected to agricultural trade disputes,” Dingman said. “In addition to substantially raising prices for American riders, this tariff would jeopardize the many small and medium-sized businesses that rely on the sale of European motorcycles, parts and accessories.”
European makers of 51cc-399cc motorcycles used for racing provide nearly half the units available to U.S. consumers, and nearly a quarter of the market in the 400-500cc class. There are not significant numbers of U.S.-made options for consumers in those market segments.
In the on-road motorcycle segment, 100 percent of the models 300cc and smaller are imported to the United States from abroad.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative tried the same tactic in 1998 and 2008, but the efforts were thwarted when the AMA, the Motorcycle Industry Council and bike manufacturers and retailers rallied motorcyclists against the plan. At that time, the U.S. Trade Representative instead raised the tariff on a variety of European food products.
↧
February 13, 2017, 12:02 pm
Super Hooligan 2017 Championship Race Series
Roland Sands Design (RSD) has announced a full Super Hooligan Street Bike Flat Track Racing National Championship Series for 2017.![]()
RSD say “We’ve selected the best events in the country to be part of the series, which aims to establish the frightening, yet rewarding craft of piloting street bikes at break-neck speeds around dirt, grass and concrete tracks.
“The riders are the stars and are comprised of a unique and diverse background of everyday Joes, Flat Trackers and Road Racers to retired, washed-up Champions, as well as Nine-to-Fivers, Stunt and Motocross riders, and everything in between. It’s a no-holds-barred battle to the checkered flag on 500+ lbs. of fury.
“With races across the country ranging from custom bike shows and concerts to pro American Flat Track events and beach-side racing, the diversity promises a unique experience at each event. Indian Motorcycle has stepped up with a FTR750 Factory Indian Scout GNC race bike as the championship prize. Dunlop Tires, Motul Oils, K&N Filters and Bell Helmets are also involved in a big way, bringing fat contingency checks to the competitors, rewarding heroic rides and top finishers.”
RSD go on to say that “The spirit of hooligan racing comes from a simpler time, when you raced – and could ride home on – any bike you owned. With its roots in Southern California motorcycle culture, today’s flat track hooligan racing category is rapidly gaining in popularity with riders of all ages and experience levels across the nation by offering the fun of motorcycle competition in a less structured environment.
“Combining the craft of custom motorcycles and racing, the Super Hooligan rules are loose and limit the bikes to 750cc and up twins in stock frames with dirt track tires and no front brakes.
2017 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP -
Street Bike Flat Track Race Schedule
The series started on February 12 at The One Pro - Salem, OR., and will continue on …
February 17 - Mama Tried’s Flat Out Friday - Milwaukee, WI
March 25 - American Flat Track Atlanta Short Track - Dixie Speedway/Woodstock, GA
April 22 - Hippy Killer Hoedown - Perris, CA
June TBD - Costa Mesa Speedway Super Hooligan Night - Costa Mesa, CA
July 22-23 - Dirt Quake USA - Castle Rock, WA
August 9 - Buffalo Chip TT- Sturgis, SD
August TBD - Wheels and Waves Invitational- Cayucos, CA
October 7 - American Flat Track Finals - Perris Auto Speedway/Perris, CA
October 14-15 - Bolsa Chica Banzai - Bolsa Chica State Beach, C
*Dates and events are subject to change.
↧
February 13, 2017, 12:03 pm
EBR Motorcycles to close
After just about a year, EBR Motorcycles, LLC, the latest iteration of Erik Buell Racing (“EBR” - located at East Troy, Wisconsin) is to close (again).
The company has started to wind down production. Owners LAP (Liquid Asset Partners), who re-established the company in January 2016 (after it had entered administration in April 2015), will conclude EBR’s affairs with the sale of production equipment and excess parts, commencing March.
In a statement, LAP said that “EBR will continue to honor warranties and provide technical and parts support to current dealers and riders who bought motorcycles manufactured by EBR.”![]() |
| At the time of his acquisition, LAP CEO Bill Melvin said “I believe EBR has established itself as one of the premier motorcycle manufacturers in the world and has strong potential as a viable business.” What a difference a year can make! |
The statement went on to say that “EBR will continue to review strategic alternatives with interested investors regarding production operations. The decision was a tough one for EBR as it has been solely focused on the growth and building EBR for success.
“The team at EBR has worked tirelessly, making every effort to build the company. There is no fault on any of the team at EBR for this decision. They and their families have our deepest gratitude for their efforts and dedication to EBR.
Despite investing in the region of $2m when he acquired the assets, it would appear that LAP owner Bill Melvin underestimated the challenges such an undertaking faced, and has lost confidence in EBR’s prospects in present market conditions.
“This difficult decision was based primarily on EBR facing significant headwinds with signing new dealers, which is key to sales and growth for a new company. In addition, EBR has had limited production in 2016 and 2017 that was under goal. The combination of slow sales and industry announcements of other major OEM brands closing or cutting production only magnified the challenges faced by EBR.”
Melvin effectively acquired the business after an investment, racing and joint development program with India’s Hero Motorcycle collapsed; Buell Motorcycles originally having been closed by the then Harley-Davidson CEO Keith Wandell at the height of the banking crises triggered recession in 2009.
↧
↧
February 13, 2017, 12:04 pm
Rick Whitehead, 1954-2017
We’re saddened by the passing of our friend Rick Whitehead of Custom Cycle Engineering (CCE).![]()
After attending Chico State Business College, he joined his father’s company DEW (Donald Edward Whitehead) Manufacturing in 1979.
Custom Cycle Engineering began making motorcycle parts in the 60s. In the early 80s DEW and CCE came together and started developing and manufacturing such parts as the temperature gauge dipstick (Baja Products), steel triple trees, spool hubs, close ratio gear sets, intake manifolds, and more. They supplied parts for catalog companies such as Drag Specialties, Custom Cycle Delight, Motorcycle Goodies. The company was passed over to the brothers Rick and Jim Whitehead in the 90s.
Rick ran CCE until his passing, and Jim will keep it going. Rick is survived by wife Sandy, daughter Heather and three grandchildren.
Robin Bradley says: “Rick was a really good guy, and the business he operated with his brother will always have a very special place in the history of the custom motorcycle industry; any business that Randy Smith could regard as a safe home for his creativity had to be the real deal, and Rick was just exactly that - I always enjoyed spending time with him when I could.
↧
February 13, 2017, 12:04 pm
![]()
Harley-Davidson CEO on Trump Meeting, Corporate Tax Reform
By Matthew Rocco, FOX News
Harley-Davidson is closely watching developments in Washington, D.C., as President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress seek major reforms to corporate taxes.
Executives from the motorcycle maker traveled to the White House (February 2nd) to meet with President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and administration officials. Harley-Davidson CEO Matt Levatich said the president wanted to get the company’s input on the issues, from tax reform to trade.
“It was a great meeting, mostly because of the way the president and the administration really engaged with us on issues of importance to great American manufacturers like Harley,” Levatich said Wednesday during interview on the FOX Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria.”
“They really listened. They want to hear what we have to say because, as you can imagine, there are a lot of complicated things to figure out, whether it’s tax reform or trade issues.”
Levatich said a tax cut—possibly to 20%—would allow Harley-Davidson to reinvest in its business. The Milwaukee-based company pays an effective tax rate of around 35%, matching the current federal rate.
The company also stands to benefit from the potential border adjustment to the tax code, which is being debated on Capitol Hill and would exempt U.S. corporate export revenues from tax, but at the same time prevent companies from deducting the cost of imported goods and services. Some retailers, car dealers and oil refiners – who depend heavily on imports—argue this would force them to hike prices.
On the other hand, domestic manufacturers—especially companies that export goods from the U.S.—stand to benefit from such a tax. Harley-Davidson has faced stiff competition in the U.S. from Japanese competitors that offer lower-priced models.
“Harley has been heavily invested in American manufacturing since day one, and we’re a great representation of American manufacturing,” Levatich said.____ ____ ____
President Trump's meeting with Harley shines light on this corporate immigration issue
![]()
By Ylan Mui, CNBC
President Donald Trump will meet [February 2nd] with executives from Harley-Davidson, a company that has long proudly manufactured its heavyweight motorcycles in factories across the United States.
But Harley-Davidson has outsourced a different type of work — information technology — that has thrust the company into the debate over high-skilled immigration.
Harley Davidson signed an agreement with Indian tech staffing giant Infosys in 2012 to take over parts of its IT department. To handle the project, Infosys opened a new facility it Milwaukee, where Harley Davidson is based. About 125 positions were eliminated at Harley Davidson in the process. And workers who applied for a job at the Infosys facility claimed they were discriminated against in favor of South Asian employees.
According to the complaint, Infosys relied heavily on workers with H1B visas, which allow U.S. companies to hire from abroad in highly skilled fields in which there are a shortage of American workers. But the suit argues that there should have been plenty of qualified workers available, such as the ones who just lost their jobs at Harley Davidson.
Attorneys for the workers are seeking class certification. Infosys declined to comment.
Infosys is "filling a disproportionately large percentage of its workforce with individuals of South Asian race ... even when there are qualified individuals available in the United States," the complaint states.
Richard Strong, director of IT at Harley Davidson, said the company strongly encouraged Infosys to hire its former employees. The changes were part of a broader reorganization of its technology department, he said, and the company added a net total of 135 workers in even more highly skilled positions.
"Everybody had the opportunity to reapply for those positions," Strong said. "It was never a cost-cutting exercise. It was more of a realignment and retooling."
The suit underscores the potentially wide reach of Trump's proposals to overhaul the nation's immigration system. Though H-1B visas have long been considered essential in Silicon Valley — Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg is one of the program's most vocal supporters — the program's ripple effects also extend to America's heartland.
It is unclear if immigration will come up during Trump's meeting with Harley-Davidson, but his administration has repeatedly criticized H-1B visas as undercutting U.S. workers, with suggestions that the H-1B program could be the focus of a future executive order. Trump railed against the practice on the campaign trail, at one point calling it a "cheap labor program."
Harley-Davidson executives did not meet with Trump alone. The meeting occurred in the Roosevelt Room [of The White House] and included union leaders — who have been staunch supporters of tightening the H-1B program.
↧
February 13, 2017, 12:04 pm
![]()
Personally, the only thing I ever rode in a desert was a camel…
Regardless of whether or not it was a move with “inevitable” stamped all over it, that Polaris Industries finally decided it had to cancel its Victory program is still a great shame - on many levels.
Reminiscent of the financial force majeure that led Harley to can its ownership of Buell Motorcycles and MV Agusta (after just 12 months, and the kind of eye-watering expense that Eric Buell must have dreamed of), it is a sad commentary on the nature of our times that almost a decade on from the ‘Lehman Apocalypse’ our industry is still struggling.
In Polaris’ case, the issue with Victory was one of available investment capital in the face of brand losses and a corporate balance sheet that just couldn’t sustain those losses any longer or generate the kind of investment capital the brand needed.
When I interviewed Polaris’ President of Motorcycles Steve Menneto about the decision, we were both in agreement that in an ideal world it would not have been necessary, but as we all know all too well, market conditions are far from ideal at this time.
Many have seen the demise of Victory as inevitable. Inevitable in the context of what the brand could ever come to represent, and inevitable in the context of Polaris’ 2011 acquisition of Indian Motorcycle from Brit Stephen Julius’s Kings Mountain, North Carolina based attempts to resurrect it.
The orthodox view has been that once Polaris acquired Indian Motorcycle, Victory had become a red headed stepchild overnight – a brand in search of a definition. However, Menneto (and others I know within the Polaris motorcycle organization internationally) is adamant that the company did have a vision for the brand, and that far from there being no opportunities for it, if anything, the future danger might have been successfully resisting the temptation to use the Victory brand to do all the things that it was assumed would be inappropriate for the Indian brand – drag racing being a case in point.
But that is to underestimate just what exactly it is that is at the heart of the Indian legacy, and, conversely, to underestimate just what a largely baggage and heritage-free but still accepted and respected brand such as Victory could have become once shorn of the need to be a primary cruiser or touring rival to Harley.
‘why only respond, rather than lead?’The Victory opportunity was to bridge the yawning chasm between what is assumed a domestic U.S. manufactured motorcycle brand needs to be (what is assumed it can only be) and where, in 21st century market opportunity terms, it in fact can and needs to be headed.
From their origins as race bikes, at a time when motorcycle racing (and automotive racing for that matter) was first being invented and evolved, and as all terrain transport at a time when paved roads were only just being invented, domestic U.S. manufactured motorcycles (a few honorable but long since deceased exceptions aside) continued to respond to conditions and opportunities by becoming the kinds of touring and cruising platforms they are associated with as needing to be today.
Once the newly invented concept of paved roads evolved into the freeway network that started to emerge in the 1950s, American manufacturers switched direction seamlessly in response to the changed riding conditions and opportunities now available to them.
So how come it is assumed that just because (despite Victory hype at the time of the ‘Octane’ launch) there actually is no tradition of so-called “American Muscle Bikes” in parallel to the Muscle Cars of the ‘50s and ‘60s that one can’t now evolve and emerge in response to contemporary riding conditions? Why is it assumed that a motorcycle manufacturer can only respond to rather than create and lead taste?
Regardless of what one thinks about how successful the ‘Octane’ was ever going to be with a Scout engine, there is an opportunity available to “out-Rod” Harley’s VRSC. The opportunity to meet the changed challenges of 21st century urban riding with a concrete-chewing, traffic-handling alternate to the cruiser undoubtedly exists – the success of the current generation of road-going adventure tourers is testament to the growing need for manufacturers to respond to the altered or new realities of the conurbation.
The traffic conditions that gave rise to the cruiser have now matured and morphed. Not in such a way as to suggest that the day of the cruiser is gone, it isn’t; but instead in a way that shows that there are additional riding style opportunities out there, and now that Victory has gone away, it is hard to see either of the remaining two volume producers embracing the kind of platform engineering that competitors are offering successfully.
The success that BMW has had with its adventure tourers, the immediate success of Honda’s returned ‘Africa Twin’, and the way in which everyone else from Yamaha and Suzuki through to Triumph and even Ducati are falling over themselves to stake a claim to part of that real estate should, surely by now, have registered with either or both of Harley and Polaris?
While trail and rugged terrain exploration, touring and racing (Dakar etc.) provide the ‘ADV’ sector with its sex appeal (just as Marlon Brando did for Triumphs just as the fifties dawned, and as Hopper and Fonda did for choppers as the sixties gave way to the seventies), in fact 95 percent of the miles ridden on such platforms are on-road.
Indeed, that vast majority of those bikes are destined never to see desert coyotes or herds of Wildebeest doing their thing; instead it is survival in the urban jungle that brings the best out of those platforms. They are 21st century street bikes.
So, having made it through the 20th century by adapting to, responding to, and sometimes leading expectations where the riding and ownership experience is concerned, where is it written that neither Harley nor Indian can’t be selling that metal as well as their core product? I must have missed that memo!
↧
February 21, 2017, 2:38 am
New brands and products from Zodiac
Cultured lighting options by Chopper Kulture
Designed by award-winning custom bike builder Mario Kyprianides of Chopper Kulture fame, these headlights, taillights and turn signals are fully E-approved and available in a selection of polished or black body and brass or polished bezel combinations.
The headlight has an outer diameter of 5” (125mm), is 4.8” (122mm) deep and comes with a headlight unit with a visible diameter of 3 5/8” (92mm). Made from billet aluminum in a polished, gloss black or flat black finish, with a matching aluminum or polished brass bezel, the bottom-mount bracket enables it to be installed on virtually all lower triple tree plates. ![]()
The taillights are in billet aluminum in a polished, gloss black or flat black finish, with a matching aluminum or polished brass bezel; they are mounted with a single large bolt and bundled wiring by drilling two holes in the fender. They measure 2” (50mm) overall diameter and 2” (50mm) deep.
The turn signals utilize a variety of anodized finishes and blend a combination of aluminum and brass bodies with bezels normally found on much larger headlight trims; they measure 2 1/4” (57mm) long, 1 1/8” (28,5mm) deep and have a diameter of 27,6mm. They are a simple bolt-on install on almost any motorcycle. Sold in sets of two.
DEI flexible heat shields
Well known American thermal barrier and sound management specialist Design Engineering’s flexible heat shields feature a stainless steel bracket covered by the same materials used for their popular exhaust wrap; they are proven to block heat more effectively than conventional stamped metal heat shields.
![]()
These new S&S ‘Power Package’ Big Bore kits are a step-up from the usual configuration of their ‘Sidewinder’ Big Bore cylinder and piston packages for early Twin Cam 88s (as seen elsewhere in this edition of AMD Magazine) as they ship with matched cams, cam plate and oil pump. The TC 88” gets a bump to 100”/1,683cc, with the later 96 or 103 inchers going up to 110”/1,803cc. Kits include the 4" bore bolt-on cylinders with pistons and rings, as per the ‘Sidewinder’ kit, but also include choice of chain drive or gear drive Easy Start 585 camshafts, TC3 oil pump, TC3 cam plate, ‘Quickee’ adjustable pushrods with tubes, premium tappets and all required bearings and gaskets. Kits are available in silver and black powdercoat finish. Parts to fit 2006 Dynas are available separately; ‘99 thru ‘04 TCs will need an additional valve spring; pinion shaft run-out must be less than .003" to use gear drive cams.
Bitubo piggyback shocks
These Italian made high performance shock absorbers feature a “high resistance alloy steel housing,” nitrogen filled aluminum compensator reservoirs, hydraulic damping and 12mm steel damper rods, 12-step adjustable compression and adjustable spring preload. Available in tuned length fitments with chrome springs for selected FXR, Dyna, XL, V-Rod and Touring models.
![]()
This new electronic box version G/G2 gives the option of routing just one sleek cable through the handlebars for a clean look. The handlebar switch cables connect to the small round transmitter, which slides inside the end of the handlebar; it converts the different signals so that they can all be sent to the receiver box through just one wire.
The receiver box is so small, it can be hidden anywhere on the bike. It connects to the wire harness and converts the signals which come from the transmitter back to the regular signals again - for turn signals, high and low beam, brake light and starter relay.
Additional functions include emergency flasher, adjustable self-cancellation, running light function for turn signals, choice of single combination start/stop button or separates, brake and rear light combination, neutral or side stand switch activation, eight status LEDs for overview and diagnostics.
![]()
“The Cure” is a seal kit that will stop the oil leak from the main drive gear on Knuckleheads, Panheads and Shovelheads. The stable and reliable Harley-Davidson 4-speed transmission has been built for half a century, but the oil leak has always been an issue, because Harley designed the main drive gear spacer without a seal.
This state-of-the-art hardened two-piece stainless steel spacer features an additional Viton O-ring that permanently prevents oil leaking from between the spacer and the main drive gear. It can be installed easily without disassembly of the transmission as it is located just behind the main shaft oil seal. The kit replaces the spacer on all 4-speed transmissions from ‘37 through ‘77 and includes the spacer washer, spacer sleeve, Viton O-ring and detailed instructions.
ZODIAC INTERNATIONAL BV
www.zodiac.nl
↧
↧
February 21, 2017, 2:39 am
2:1 systems with two-step headers
Designed for “peak performance and style” and to “maximize horsepower and torque,” these 2:1 systems by Khrome Werks have 1.75” to 1.875” 16-gauge stepped primary headers that merge into a 2.5” collector with 2.50” high-flow baffles wrapped in stainless steel wool and high-temperature fiberglass.
The 2.50” tapered baffle exit cone is designed to enhance low-end torque; additional features include 2.25”, 220-degree, 16-gauge heat shields and 18mm and 12mm O² bungs welded into the primaries.
They are available slash-cut or with billet tips, in chrome, black or Khrome Werks’ proprietary ‘Ecllipse’ finish (seen here), a high-temperature black chrome electroplate.
DRAG SPECIALTIES
www.dragspecialties.com
↧
February 21, 2017, 2:39 am
![]()
British bike maker Ariel is to reveal a $61K model with carbon bodywork, black pearl frame and gold anodizing. The Ace R will be a Limited Edition of which only 10 units will be made and sold worldwide. After launching the Ace in 2014, Ariel has produced over 50 of its 201 hp V4 motorcycles. The company says that further development of the Ace has shown that the chassis will accommodate a considerable increase in power while remaining an easy to ride and flexible road bike.
Former Advanstar/UBM property Dealernews has been bought by DN 2.0 LLC, a Columbus, Ohio based acquisition vehicle established by Bob Althoff, owner of three Harley dealerships in the greater Columbus area, including A.D. Farrow, which claims to be the oldest Harley-Davidson dealerships in the world. Althoff intends to relaunch the 51-year-old powersports media brand “with a new mission and new utilities to serve franchised and non-franchised powersports retailers and service shops in the United States and Canada.” Former Dealernews publisher and content director Mary Green (Mary Slepicka) is joining as vice president and general manager.
A new “Grassroots” group called “Motorcycle Action Network” is launching in a bid to “Rid U.S. Transportation Agencies of Corporate Influence”. Based in Memphis, Tennessee, it is being headed up by self-styled long-time public safety advocate Fergus Nolan as a non-profit organization “dedicated to making roads safer for American motorcyclists and the drivers around them. The organization will raise awareness of federal and state transportation regulations that have been weakened by the U.S. motorcycle industry and its allies, costing thousands of lives every year.” Nolan says that it will initially focus on strengthening regulations set by the NHTSA in connection with motorcycle anti-lock brake systems (ABS).
Ducati sales were +1.1 percent in 2016 at 55,451, with USA their largest market (8,787 units sold). “Ending the year of our 90th anniversary with yet another record is a source of immense pride and satisfaction”, said Claudio Domenicali, CEO of Ducati Motor Holding. “2016 was the seventh consecutive growth year for Ducati.” During its second year on international markets, the Ducati Scrambler brand extended its worldwide success: over 15,500 bikes were delivered. Italy is their second most important market, where they were +20% in 2016; Germany is their third largest market (+8 percent in 2016). Ducati more than doubled its sales to China in 2016.
↧
February 21, 2017, 2:39 am
Ackerman retains MIC Board seat
The Motorcycle Industry Council’s (MIC) 2017 Board of Director election results have seen Arnie Ackerman re-elected to serve as an MIC board member for another two years, and to therefore remain as the current Chairman of the MIC’s Aftermarket/Allied Trades Committee.![]() |
| MAG Chairman Emeritus Arnold W. Ackerman is re-elected to the MIC Board of Directors and will continue as chair of its Aftermarket/Allied Trades Committee |
Ackerman is Chairman Emeritus and founder of Motorsport Aftermarket Group (MAG). It was Ackerman who principally steered his Duff Ackerman and Goodrich investment firm into the program of acquisitions in the 1990s; a program that saw MAG emerge as a powerhouse in the market with ownership of leaders such as Vance & Hines, Performance Machine, Kuryakyn, J&P Cycles, Mustang seats and Progressive Suspension, among others.
He retained involvement as Chairman of MAG when DAG sold to L.A. based Leonard Green & Partners, and it was he who was a prime mover in shaping the deal for Tucker Rocky owner Lacy Diversified to buy MAG and merge it with TR in 2014.![]()
Andy Leisner, Vice President/group publisher of Bonnier Motorcycle Group, is also re-elected; MIC Board Chairman Dennis McNeal, who has also retired from his position of Vice President of motorcycle operations with Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA and publisher and former second generation Daytona 200 winner Don Emde announced their retirement from the Board. Paul Puma, Executive Vice president of Wells Fargo Commercial Distribution, is newly elected to the Board.
Other MIC Board directors include Eric Anderson (currently owner and founder of VROOM Network); Michael Peyton, VP of BMW Motorrad USA; Jim Woodruff, COO of NPA; Chuck Boderman, VP motorcycles at American Honda; Russ Brenan, Kawasaki; Mike Doughty, Yamaha; Kerry Graeber, Suzuki; John Hinz, KTM, and ex MIC General Counsel and current VP global government relations at Polaris, Paul Vitrano.
The MIC is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., where it shares offices with MIC Events and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, and has a government relations office in metropolitan Washington, D.C. First called the MIC in 1970, the organization was founded in 1914, celebrating its 100th anniversary two years ago.
www.mic.org.
↧
