January 20 is inauguration day for President-Elect Barack Obama. The week of festivities will include the Presidential Swearing-in Ceremony, Inaugural Address and of course the Inaugural Parade. The Frederick, MD Harley-Davidson dealership competed with others across the nation to win the honor to provide the 12 Harleys leading this inaugural parade through the streets of […]
Author Archive for cyrilhuze
Obama Inaugural Parade Harley-Davidson Motorcycles.
Published by January 5th, 2009 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Another Lightning Rod Custom Motorcycle
Published by January 5th, 2009 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.It has only be seen in Daytona this past Biketoberfest for one day, and it was displayed with the Renegade wheels display at Destination Daytona, personally invited by Chuck Frederick owner of Renegade wheels. It features a rigid US Choppers frame with 35-degree rake, 23” front and rear wheels by Renegade, 113” Ultima engine equipped with […]
Billy Lane Limited Edition Six Gun Ring
Published by January 4th, 2009 in Accessories, Builders and Editorial.One was given by Billy Lane to an Iraq Vet during the “Blood, Sweat & Gears Tour”. Many others wanted one, so Billy produced a very limited edition made out of .925 sterling silver. The first 100 sold are numbered. But did you notice? I counted several times and it seems to me that with this six gun […]
Close to 50% of motorcycle accidents happen when a car pulls out in front of an oncoming motorcycle. You know the story. “Officer, I didn’t see it”. What about a system where cars could “see” motorcycles and vice versa. New for 2009, Honda is installing short-range wireless devices on its Goldwing models sold in Europe. […]
Images from the 2008 Motorcycle Land Speed Trials by BUB.
Published by January 2nd, 2009 in Editorial.You saw his photographic work in many magazines here and abroad. And now, “Scooter Grubb” produces a yearly coffee table book of the BUB event on the Salt Flats. The 2008 edition features 260 full color images spread on 120 pages. And for you to keep track of all the speed records and awards issued, […]
Registration Open for Harley-Davidson Daytona Women’s Ride
Published by January 2nd, 2009 in Builders, Editorial and Events.This event’s objectives are both to raise money for MDA and to celebrate women riders. Last year in Daytona, hundreds of women riders joined together on the Harley-Davidson Daytona Women’s Day Ride and raised $67,000 for MDA. Registration for the 2009 ride on Tuesday, March 3, is now open with a limited 500 female Harley-Davidson […]
Win On Sunday. Sell On Monday. No More…
Published by January 2nd, 2009 in Builders, Editorial and Events.It used to be that manufacturers justified their big dollar investments in sponsoring and races by the sales that competition was generating. But in one month 2 major manufacturers have pulled their factory teams from the 2009 racing season. This week, Kawasaki is scheduled to make an announcement confirming its withdrawal from Moto GP. Early […]
Harley-Davidson Sold 80 motorcycles Last Year In Romania.
Published by January 1st, 2009 in Builders and Editorial.Harley-Davidson reported a 37% decline in third-quarter sales this year, after a generalized sale dive in US market. So, the company continues to intensify its marketing efforts in Europe, taking advantage of a very low dollar versus the euro ($1 = 0. 71 euro) and of a milder recession in the old continent, to prospect […]
They spent years in the motorcycle industry with other companies. Now, they created Coastal Moto and for 2009 released 4 new wheel designs with matching rotors and pulleys for Harley-Davidson, Metric Cruisers and Sport Bikes. They claim that their prices are lower by about $200 per wheel versus the ones offered by the big wheel […]
To all of you Gringos & Gringas, a little bit of history. Folklore says that the name Gringo was generated when the US invaded Mexico wearing green uniforms and people were shouting at them “Green Go Home”. With time it lost all derogatory status and was turned into the most common word to refer to […]
Keeping The Custom Motorcycle Industry Free And Vibrant
Published by December 31st, 2008 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.You probably already know that the Las Vegas SEMA Show (Specialty Equipment Market Association) is one of the most exciting events for the aftermarket hot Rod and automotive industry. SEMA is an Association offering a ton of services, studies, Government advocacy/legislative Programs too long to list here. During the V-Twin Expo in Cincinnati, friend and […]
Happy New Year To All Bikers Around The World
Published by December 30th, 2008 in Editorial and Events.Before we jump into a new year, join me to have a thought for all the millions who have been laid-off or who are going through bad times due to the worldwide recession. We know for sure that one day things will get better. Just hang in there. Happy New Year To All Of You […]
It’s this time of the year for prediction posts. How the motorcycle industry landscape will look in 2009? Will Harley-Davidson sell more or less bikes? Will Big Dog Motorcycles still be the leader of the mass produced custom motorcycles segment? What style of bikes custom builders are going to favor? Will some new medias appear, disappear? Will […]
MotoXcycle’s internal throttle unit uses a twin roller bearing design and is one of the smoothest and most reliable internal throttles that I have used. It has been on the market for several years and I know for sure that a large number of units have been sold and used by custom builders. The company […]
By direct emails and also via the comments section of this Blog, many of you ask me my opinion about what’s going to happen in 2009 in the motorcycle industry. I reproduce below a short summary of what I think and already wrote to answer the question of one of these readers. “Regarding the motorcycle industry, […]
One-of-a-kind G2 Motorsports S&S Custom Motorcycle
Published by December 29th, 2008 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Engines.One year ago, Wyoming Technical Institute (WyoTech) contacted G2 Motorsports (George Smith and George Bryce) with the concept of its students assembling a motorcycle around the 126-cubic inch, 150 horsepower S&S Cycle V-Twin engine that is exclusively distributed by G2. Smith and Bryce agreed, and Bryce and Derek Churchwell of G2 served as instructors for […]
Grand Opening Of Indian Motorcycle Of Kentucky
Published by December 29th, 2008 in Builders and Events.Indian has made clear its intention to have 50 dealerships in the US within the next 3 years, a dozen of which have already been announced. The first one to open up since the flagship store in Lowell, North Carolina, was Mike Smith Indian Motorcycle Dealership of Paducah, KY. “The initial excitement here has been […]
The Rebirth Of Daytona Bike Week Riverfront Park On Beach Street
Published by December 28th, 2008 in Editorial and Events.Ten years ago, in it’s past glory days, the Daytona Beach rallies were prominently centered around Beach Street and its Riverfront Park. I have fond memory (the market was very strong) of all my Bike Week and Biketoberfest events in this location. All main builders (do you remember “Custom Builders Row”) and parts manufacturers were […]
Ace Motorcycle Rare Drawings from 1919 Found in Dumpster!
Published by December 28th, 2008 in Builders, Editorial and Events.In 1919, at the end of the World War One, a significant set of motorcycle drawings was created. They would be lost for the next 90 years, until discovered in a trash bin. They will be sold at the Mid-America Auction, which will be held at the South Point Hotel in Las Vegas on January […]
Every 5 years the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) tracks biker trends, and this year for the first time did the survey online. Below some numbers to crunch. 1- the primary reason for riding is pleasure, followed by commuting and errands. In 2003, commuting and errand riding was in third place. 2- The average age for […]
The Linelokker. A Parking Brake And More…
Published by December 27th, 2008 in Accessories and Editorial.I didn’t try this one. So, like me, you have to refer to what Underworld Inc, manufacturer of this Linelokker parking brake is saying. The idea is to be able, at the flip of a lever, to lock your brake in different situations when you need to or should do so. Like when you park, […]
Harley-Davidson Guarantees Trade-In Value For Sportsters
Published by December 26th, 2008 in Builders, Editorial and Events.Motorcycle sales are slipping as consumers worldwide pull back on spending. So, to stay in business you have to be creative. Harley-Davidson Inc. says it will guarantee the trade-in value of newer Sportsters for customers considering upgrading their motorcycles. Practically, bikers who trade in their 2007 Sportsters between Dec. 26 and March 31 will receive the […]
Hollister, “birthplace of the American biker”, doesn’t want to welcome a 2009 rally. For the second time in three years, city council members in November canceled the July Hollister Motorcycle Rally. The city wants expenses for the event to be paid up front. The 2008 rally saw the city invest taxpayer money in rally merchandise, […]
Wishes For All Of You From One Of My Readers
Published by December 26th, 2008 in Editorial and Events.“Timing is Everything. It’s that “Time” of year again. It’s Christmas. Christmas is a “Mile-stones” in life. It’s that one special time in every year that causes us to both reflects on the past and looks ahead to the future. It helps most of us understand the value of life and how we’re managing the time […]
Zippers Performance Torkster Plus 1250 EFI Engine Kit
Published by December 26th, 2008 in Customs, Editorial and Engines.For all of you obsessed with power and torque gains, the “Torkster Plus 1250 EFI” from Zippers Performance is similar to their original Torkster 883-1200 kit, but with a twist: an additional 50cc with the inclusion of their exclusive 3-9/16” bore cylinders! These extremely rigid aluminum cylinders are cast around ductile iron liners and fit […]
The V-Twin Expo, the largest Dealers only event devoted exclusively to the V-Twin industry, will happen again at the Cincinnati Duke energy Center from February 7th to 9th. Of course I will be there to report the highlights of this event. It is recommended that dealers who intend to visit the show pre-register HERE to avoid […]
