At the inaugural American V-Twin Dealer Show, co-located with the 2012 Indianapolis Dealer Expo at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis February 17-19, 2012 there will be an “Ultimate Bike Show”, a dealer-only custom bike show. Custom bikes will be displayed prominently at the entrance of the American V-Twin Dealer Show. Competing for exhibitors and dealers with the Cincinnati V-Twin Expo (Feb 4-6, 32012), the American Dealer Show is also launching the first ever live auction of pre-owned Harley-Davidson motorcycles at a trade show.
Other key partners underwriting the American V-Twin Dealer Show include Biker’s Choice, the V-Twin division of leading distributor Tucker Rocky, Custom Chrome, and National Powersport Auctions (NPA) as cornerstone participants in the new venture. In addition, leading V-Twin companies such as Belt Drives Ltd., Cycle Visions and Danny Gray have also formalized their commitment to the 2012 Show. Continue reading ‘Indianapolis V-Twin Dealer Show Launches The Ultimate Dealer Only Bike Show’
Tricky Air & Billet, a company specializing in front and rear air suspension kits, billet products products for different makes and models of motorcycles and also building some wild customs, is announcing a new rear “XS-Shocks”. Bossman Arnie explained to me that internally he was able to find more room within the piston and top cap that gave the shock another .8 on an inch to add to the 2″ of stroke for a true 2.8 inches of air-suspension stroke (travel). This means that the piston has more area in the middle of the shock to do its job of compression and rebound. which translates to a better riding motorcycle. Continue reading ‘Tricky Air And Billet New XS Shocks’
Let’s plug a new event and support all people and bikers of Louisiana.
The streets of downtown Baton Rouge will rumble with the sounds of motorcycles as the first ever Red Stick Rally takes place along the Mississippi River, Halloween weekend, October 28-30, 2011. On the not so scary activities list: on-stop live music, great Louisiana food and drink as well as dozens of vendors, hundreds of great looking bikes, a strongman competition, Halloween costume contest, pokers runs and guided rides. Front Street from the river center to Florida Street will be blocked off to provide VIP motorcycle parking and access to the event. Every rally goer has a chance to win a 2012 Harley-Davidson Dyna provider by Baton Rouge Harley and Hollywood Casino. And of course a big bike show with fellow Louisina Custom Builder Ivy Trosclair as main judge to award $1000 in cash plus a nice trophy to the Best Of Show. Continue reading ‘A New Event. The Red Stick Rally Of Baton Rouge During Halloween Weekend.’
MyInfo911, a Palm Coast, Florida company, launched its first product, an Emergency ID Card in May of this year, to provide First Responders the much needed medical information of a victim involved in an accident. For $9.95 MyInfo911 provides a sticker package which has been designed to be used on a motorcycle helmet, inside a saddlebag, etc. This sticker has a photo of the account holder and a QR Code which is accessed by a smartphone, that provides the First Responders instant access to the victims allergies, blood type, medications and Emergency Contact person. Your information is kept private and is 100% secure and you are able to change your information at any time via the MyInfo911 Website.
I ride purely, and only, because it is fun. I ride because I enjoy the freedom I feel from being exposed to the elements, and the vulnerability to the danger that is intrinsic to riding. I do not ride because it is fashionable to do so. I ride my machine, not wear it. My machine is not a symbol of status. It exists simply for me, and me alone. My machine is not a toy. It is an extension of my being, and I will treat it accordingly, with the same respect as I have for myself.
I strive to understand the inner-workings of my machine, from the most basic to the most complex. I will learn everything I can about my machine, so that I am reliant upon no one but myself for its health and well-being. I strive to constantly better my skill of control over my machine. I will learn its limits, and use my skill to become one with my machine so that we may keep each other alive. I am the master, it is the servant. Working together in harmony, we will become an invincible team. Continue reading ‘Biker’s Code’
Rick Fairless from Strokers Dallas announced that he will design and develop a proprietary line of parts to fit Victory motorcycles, and for this purpose hired product designer and developer Dylan Hoey. Hoey comes to Strokers Dallas with a background of aftermarket parts design and development from some of the industry’s leading parts manufactures. He will work in collaboration with Rick Fairless, Ford Stell and Gene Slater. Strokers Dallas is a Victory Motorcycles dealer. Strokers Dallas, Strokers Ice House, Strokers Ink.
No doubt that Victory gets every year a larger share of the heavyweight cruiser and touring motorcycle market. It really started in New York City in January 2007 when the company unveiled the Victory Vision, probably one of the most revolutionary luxury touring motorcycles in industry history. Then in 2010 when the touring lineup was expanded with the addition of the Cross Country model. Its progressive styling and low mean look is not only favored by the bagger crowd, but as predicted, is becoming one of the very few bagger models on which custom builders like to show their skills. Victory touring bikes extending their popularity to Europe, it was no surprise for me to learn that during the last 3 months internationally renown custom builder Fred Kodlin was working his magic on a Cross Country, and becoming, as far as I know, the first builder to give a Victory bagger the tall 26″ front wheel treatment. Continue reading ‘Fred Kodlin Breaking Boundaries With A Victory Cross Country’
Friend of the industry Pete G from Chopper Design in Orlando has been developing and manufacturing for the last 2 years a Motorcycle Stabilization System called ‘LegUp LandinGear” . This computerized system has helped those who need just some help with their heavy bikes. The system stabilizes your bike as you come to a stop, keep it held upright at a light or stop sign with your feet remaining on the pegs.
Recently, Pete had the opportunity to donate one of his LegUp system to a veteran who lost part of both of his legs in Afghanistan. This video is the story of a brave young man named Justin Rokohl, the story of many of our young volunteer military people who dream to ride again whatever the extent of their war injuries. Please, watch.
In a marketing campaign as innovative as its drivetrain components, Baker Drivetrain will give you cash for your old, tired, stock or knock-off transmission impossible to service because coming from somewhere…difficult to locate on a world map. Launched today, this program will last until November 21, 2011. So, if you wish to replace your old or sick transmission it may be the right time because Baker Drivetrain will apply a 15% discount on your purchase of one of its brand new/guaranteed/serviceable transmissions, models OD6, DD6, DD7 or OD6R. Just place your order and send back yours. More info about the Cash For Crap program by calling 1-877-640-2004 or visit Baker Drivetrain.
Harley Unable To Produce As Many Touring Bikes As Customers Want. Yesterday, you may have been surprised to read here soon in the morning pretty good news about Harley-Davidson 3rd quarter results then to see its stock (NYSE: HOG) almost immediately plunge 7.5% at Wall Street opening. Was it another case of Wall Street “buy the rumor, sell the (good) news?” There is much more than this. Part of a larger restructuring, Harley has consolidated production of several models in a state-of-the-art assembly line at York, PA. The changes, designed to boost the company’s long-term profitability, temporarily reduced York’s production of the more profitable bikes, the big touring bikes. Hence a drop of Harley profit margins. Harley-Davidson’s third quarter gross margin — or the proportion of revenue the company kept as profit — fell to 33.7 percent from 34.9 percent a year earlier, which company officials mainly attribute to the production issues at the York plant. Analysts worry somewhat, but agree that the company’s overall recovery appears to be on track and noted that the bulk of the restructuring will probably be completed by the end of this year. Continue reading ‘Fast Motorcycle Industry News’
Funny that I decided to write this post because a friend of mine told me this morning that there is not such a thing as a helmet case, only helmet bags! Who needs one? Evidently those obliged or choosing to wear a helmet and among them probably quite a few touring bikers. Made to protect your helmet when it’s not protecting you, this Custom Helmet Case is a great way to carry, store and protect any size street helmet, a safe helmet storage in your garage or bringing an extra helmet on the bike. It’s also a “museum quality” protection for helmet collectors or helmets with expensive custom paint jobs.
Soft, non-scratching inner liner · Protects helmets from drops, hits, scratches. Fresh Air Venting System allows airflow to the inside of your helmet. Carry handle, D-rings and removable back pack straps included, so it’s easy to carry on your bike. Molded leather grain design. MSRP $79.95. At Saddlemen Motorcycle Seats And Luggage.
The Lone Star Rally in Galveston, Texas (november 3-6) is going to celebrate 10 years and will debut its first annual All Star Roundup Bike Show.
Hosted by Jay Allen, founder of the Broken Spoke Saloon, and organized by Dakota of Dakota Classic Cycles and Motorcycle Cowboys, this event promises to be one of the most prestigiously attended and cool bike shows in America. Celebrity judges to be announced.
The November 5th event will feature killer awards and lovely trophy Texas girls. Limited time 10th Anniversary special $10 online registration until October 20, 2011. Regular registration fees are $20 online and $25 at the rally. Register online until November 1, 2011 at Lone Star Rally Roundup.
In another kind of strange press release, The Medicine Show Land Trust, a.k.a. Hoka Hey Challenge, states that during the 2011 edition riders were GPS tracked by the company US Fleet Tracking (a fact known by riders and observers) with the dual purpose of “enabling event organizers to verify the riders’ speeds and routing.” What is surprising is that many participants have reported all over the web that they were assured before the challenge that GPS tracking would be used only for positioning of their motorcycles, but not for speed checking. And it raises another question: if speed tracking was established by GPS, (which implies that the organizer knew the speed limit for each of the 14,000 miles of the ride (?), why to give a lie detector test to participants 2 months after the event ended to try to establish if they were speeding or not? Continue reading ‘Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge Announces The Top Finishers. Not The Top Winners.’
Almost 20 years that Joel Felty at Headwinds is offering fine qualitylighting to motorcycle and hot rod builders. All lights with smooth, non-wavy surfaces with mirror finishes and doing away with exposed rivets, bolts, and flanges like threaded housings with screw-in bezels and billet brackets with hidden fasteners. His new headlight housing is called the Phaser, will work well with your bike if you want to give it a touch of retro, and is offered in size 5 3/4″. MSRP $419.95 with free UPS ground shipping. Headwinds.
A few minutes ago, this morning October 18, 2011 at 8 am. Harley-davidson announced its 3rd quarter results.
Harley (NYSE: HOG) reported continued strong improvement in earnings and dealer retail sales in the third quarter of 2011 and through nine months, compared to 2010. Worldwide Harley-Davidson® Retail New Motorcycle Sales Rise, Led by 5.4 Percent Growth in U.S. Earnings Climb to $0.78 Per Share on Motorcycle Shipment Growth, Improved Motorcycle Operating Margin and Financial Services Results
Income from continuing operations in the third-quarter 2011 rose 95.9 percent to $183.6 million, or $0.78 per share, compared to income of $93.7 million, or $0.40 per share from continuing operations in the year-ago quarter. Third-quarter operating income from Motorcycles and Related Products grew 78.0 percent on higher shipment volume and operating margin improvement, while operating income from Financial Services grew 21.9 percent on continued improvement in credit performance, compared to the third quarter of 2010.
Retail sales of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles grew 5.1 percent worldwide in the third quarter compared to the prior-year period, led by a 5.4 percent rise in the U.S.
“We are pleased with our sustained progress and we continue to realize strong momentum in the transformation our business,” said Keith Wandell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Harley-Davidson, Inc. “Two years ago we embarked on our strategy to focus solely on the Harley-Davidson brand, provide the flexibility required in today’s market and make Harley-Davidson lean, agile and more effective than ever at delivering remarkable products and extraordinary customer experiences. Today, we continue to see the positive results of the course we have charted,” Wandell said. “The changes underway in manufacturing, product development and retail capability will increasingly enable Harley-Davidson to be customer-led like never before.” Continue reading ‘Harley-Davidson Earnings, Retail, Motorcycle Sales Rise In 3rd Quarter’
(With the Help of Daytona News Journal) Unfortunately, less traffic in 2011 than during the last years doesn’t mean less fatalities. Six people had died because of motorcycle-related accidents in Volusia County by Sunday night, law enforcement officials said. Five of the six people killed since Biketoberfest 20011 began Thursday were riding motorcycles and one man was riding a motorized bicycle that crashed into a motorcycle, authorities said. Last year’s event was marked by one death in a crash that killed a pregnant Port Orange woman and injured three other riders. One person died from a motorcycle-related accident during Biketoberfest in 2009 and two people were killed in motorcycle-related injuries in Biketoberfest 2008. In 2007, no traffic deaths were reported during the event, while five people died during Biktoberfest 2005. Continue reading ‘2011 Daytona Biketoberfest. The Highest Fatalities In 5 Years.’
Its third-quarter net income rose to $67.6 million, or 95 cents a share, from $47.2 million, or 69 cents a share, a year ago. Sales jumped 26 percent to $729.9 million, including a 25 percent increase in off-road vehicles such as all-terrain and side-by-side vehicles. The company, which makes off-road vehicles (which account for almost 70 percent of total sales), snowmobiles and motorcycles, expects 2011 profit of $3.10-$3.16 a share on sales growth of 30-32 percent. It had earlier forecast earnings of $5.03-$6.05 a share and sales growth of 25-28 percent.
Polaris recently implemented a 2-for-1 stock split which increased the number of shares outstanding and decreased earnings per share. The company warned that 2012 could be a tough year due to weakness in the economy, but said earnings could still be higher.
Six weeks ago, I introduced you to DP Custom Cycles and to their Naked Cafe Racer. The Del Prado brothers (Jarrod and Justin) just produced another nice piece of modified old Harley with this 1981 Ironhead Sportster named Top Fuel II. The duo explained to me that the chosen name pays homage to their first hardtail that they did several years back. It has a custom exhaust that they called “Top Fuel” because they were going for the look of Funny Car pipes. Top Fuel II has a similar exhaust, but more compact and adapted for lean angles, yet still has the cool drag racing look. Continue reading ‘The Del Prado Brothers Re-Birth A Harley Ironhead Sportster’
You may have bought the new Harley-Davidson Blackline model for its stripped down style, but still want the convenience of saddlebags for overnight trips.
These new Detachable Leather Saddlebags (P/N 90200353, $799.95) can be removed from the motorcycle with a pull of an internal handle, leaving behind two inconspicuous docking points. Finished in rich black with contrasting light-grey stitching, these bags feature traditional leather straps and chrome buckles that conceal convenient quick-release closures. A textured-vinyl, pouch-style lid opens to reveal 800 cubic inches of space in each bag. A rigid backing plate helps the bag retain its shape.
These bags are compatible with other detachable accessories when installed with the appropriate docking hardware kits. Installation requires separate purchase of Turn Signal Relocation Kit and appropriate Docking Hardware Kit. The Detachable Leather Saddlebags are one of several new Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Accessory items designed specifically for the Blackline, including quick-release windshields, two-up and solo seats, detachable sissy bar uprights and passenger backrest pads, a luggage rack, and more. See an authorized Harley-Davidson dealer for details or go to Harley-Davidson Parts Website.
Background. Janet Kersey, a Daytona Beach native is considered the official “Birthmother of Biketoberfest®” . She was hired as the director of tourism events by the DBACVB to create new festivals and events that would attract visitors during the off-season periods. Her first assignment was to create a special event, similar to the ever-popular Daytona Bike Week, centered on the American Motorcycle Association’s annual fall races held each October at Daytona International Speedway.
In 1993 the Daytona Convention & Visitors Bureau registered the name Biketoberfest® with the US Trademark office, marking it the first US trademark registered motorcycle event in the country. Janet Kersey was named a few days ago Director of the soon-to-be Bruce Rossmeyer Store & Museum on Beach street. Continue reading ‘Daytona Biketoberfest History’
All professionals of the custom motorcycle industry know that the 2012 Cincinnati V-Twin Expo and the Indianapolis V-Twin Dealer Show are competing to attract exhibitors and dealers. The V-Twin Expo seems to have chosen the strategy of producing testimonials from some of its long time exhibitors, a strategy that the Indianapolis V-Twin Dealer Show can’t adopt because 2012 is its inaugural edition (new formula, after a try a few years back)
Today Saturday October 15, 2011, legendary motorcycles from around the world will converge on the famed California Del Mar Race Track Paddock. The organizers of the 2011 Del Mar Concours d’Elegance are proud to present Celebration of the Motorcycle, a one-of-a-kind, cycle-only event featuring only the finest examples of cycle manufacturing, from the earliest days to the classics we all grew up with. Continue reading ‘Celebration Of The Motorcycle. Del Mar Concours D’elegance.’
They are part of the Arlen Ness DeepCut line, will clean up the front end appearance of all Harley FLT Baggers year 2000 and up.
These hot legs feature tapered billet design with hidden axle. They feature a unique bolt-on caliper mounts that you can easily remove to convert your fork legs to a custom single disc application. (Caliper mount block off plate available separately.)
Offered in chrome or black anodize. MSRP $549.95. Ness fork boot covers (chrome, black anodize and diamond cut) are available separately to complete your FLT front end custom appearance. At Arlen Ness.
Harley-Davidson US Dealers. Many of you will have to ride a longer distance to visit your preferred Harley-davidsoon dealer. During a recent conference at Ohio’s state University, Harley CEO Keith Wandell told the audience that North America, home to half of Harley-Davidson’s more than 1,400 dealer locations, has been overdeveloped. Between 60 and 70 stores have closed in recent years, and another 30 are expected to be trimmed from the field very soon. And I will add that you can’t expect the number of US dealers to increase again at least for the next decade. Harley-Davidson, like Polaris, will report its last quarter earnings on October 18, 2011.
XTreme Machine Wheel Designs Produced By Performance Machine. The radical wheel designs of Xtreme machine are being incorporated to the PM line and now produced at PM La Palma, CA facility. PM is now serving all former dealers and customers of XTreme Machine. A new line of accessories is announced for 2012.
Harley-Davidson Opens Middle East/North Africa Office. Harley-Davidson opened its regional office in Dubai, a city and emirate of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This office will help in supporting the regional dealers and riders. Interests in the Harley-Davidson brand seems to be strong amongst riders and non-riders of all generations of the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa.) Elsa Abi Nader is the local marketing manager.
As I was driving home this week worrying about all the crap going on in Washington, and at how my life was falling apart, I saw a yard sign that said: NEED HELP? CALL JESUS. 1-800-005-3787
Out of curiosity and desperation, I did. A Mexican showed up with a lawnmower… (sent by Troy)
At the inaugural American V-Twin Dealer Show, co-located with the 2012 Indianapolis Dealer Expo at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis February 17-19, 2012 there will be an “Ultimate Bike Show”, a dealer-only custom bike show. Custom bikes will be displayed prominently at the entrance of the American V-Twin Dealer Show. Competing for exhibitors and dealers with the Cincinnati V-Twin Expo (Feb 4-6, 32012), the American Dealer Show is also launching the first ever live auction of pre-owned Harley-Davidson motorcycles at a trade show.
Tricky Air & Billet,
MyInfo911
