Cyril Huze Blog – World's Number One Source For Custom Motorcycle News

Just received from DealerNews this very important info for Califormians…

California dealerships will be able to sell and install approved aftermarket parts on new motorcycles at the time of purchase, before the bikes are delivered to customers, starting Jan. 1. The new law signed in early October by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger changes existing anti-tampering rules ordering that bikes must be sold in factory condition at the time of original purchase. Before the new law, for a motorcycle dealer to install aftermarket parts or performance parts on a new motorcycle, the customer had to first buy the bike, take it out of the dealership and then return to have the products installed. This precluded the buyer from financing the cost of the parts with the new motorcycle. Backed by the California Motorcycle Dealer Association and sponsored by assemblymen Mike Duvall (R-Yorba Linda), the law is expected to take the weight off many motorcycle dealers who feared fines from the state’s emission’s control agency.
"This is a tremendous win for California motorcycle and motorsports dealers. They can now fill their buyers’ demands for customization and more performance when they buy a new motorcycle without fearing that they could be fined for selling and installing legal parts," says John Paliwoda, the CMDA’s executive director. Over the past couple of years, the California Air Resources Board has stepped up enforcement of the state’s anti-tampering laws and collected millions of dollars in fines against dealers, distributors and manufacturers. In January 2006, CARB sent out an advisor warning dealers that it was illegal to advertise, offer for sale, sell or install parts that hadn’t received an executive order from the agency. The advisory also prohibited the sale and installation, on new motorcycles, of legal aftermarket parts that had already received CARB’s approval. After Jan. 1, dealers will be able to factor in the price of aftermarket P&A into the overall financing cost of a new motorcycle, and install the items before the bike is delivered. The law also covers OE parts and accessories. "CARB needs to promote, not discourage, legal motorcycle parts sales and installation," says Paliwoda.

This chopper was built in memory of Mattie Stepanek, the child poet whose messages of peace & hope was spread around the world through his prime time TV appearances on Larry king, Oprah and several poetry books. The bike, signed by celebrities, will be auctioned with the proceeds going to the Mattie Fund. The funds will help MDA continue seeking additional treatments & cures for childhood neuromuscular diseases. This chopper will be featured in the January issue of Easyriders Magazine (in newsstand beginning of december), and of course can be seen on my Website at the page “Custom Bikes”.

From Rogue, our ‘Freedom Fighter’, this A.M.A. information regarding motorcycling in the US territory of Puerto Rico. “A measure recently signed into law by the governor of Puerto Rico will require riders to wear not only a helmet, but also gloves, boots, and long pants. After dark, riders must wear a reflective vest, and the law also tightens age restrictions on riders and imposes new testing requirements. In some ways, the law is even more restrictive than the requirements on many U.S. military bases. Legislative sponsors said the law was a response to increasing numbers of motorcycle fatalities on the Caribbean island. Between 2000 and 2005, the number of motorcycles and scooters registered in Puerto Rico more than doubled. Several factors encourage motorcycle use, including the year-round riding weather and the congestion of nearly 4 million residents on a 3,500-square-mile island. In general, gasoline is slightly more expensive than in the 50 states, while average household incomes are lower than in any of the states. In that environment, sales of inexpensive Chinese-built scooters have boomed in recent years as more residents in the crowded San Juan metropolitan area turned to them for affordable and fun transportation, in addition to steady sales of full-size motorcycles. "This considerable increase in the purchase and use of motorcycles as an alternative means of transportation has brought with it an unprecedented increase in motorcycle accidents, and, at the same time, a dramatic increase in deaths from those accidents," the legislation states. The law takes effect in October. It calls for the creation of eight training centers around the island to license new riders and budgets $250,000 to start the program. But it’s not likely the centers will be running by the time the law takes effect. Owners of currently registered motorcycles are allowed to continue riding, but will have to comply with the new licensing requirements when they renew their driver’s licenses" The law essentially moves Puerto Rico from having less stringent regulations than most states to having more restrictive requirements than any of the 50 states. Previously, motorcyclists in Puerto Rico were not required to pass a riding test and get a motorcycle endorsement unless they wanted to use the island’s toll highways. UPDATE: Shortly after Puerto Rico’s tough new restrictions on motorcyclists were due to take effect, the Legislature voted to postpone implementation of the new law until February 2008. Translation: they are ready to hear our complaints.

Harley’s product development center is located in a steel-and-glass building tucked behind the company’s manufacturing plant in Wauwatosa. Company executives review designs and prototypes in a large conference room called "the bunker" The bunker’s tall glass windows have motorized shades to keep prying eyes from getting even a glimpse of bikes that might not be released to the public for years,. As you know, Willie G is the styling guru and is assisted by styling director Louie Netz (if you participate to any official Harley Bike Show, he is the one who is there to decide the winners). Above the bunker, there’s an 11,000-square-foot-design studio and model shop where artists work with drawing boards, clay, wood and plastic to breathe the initial life into a motorcycle design. The studio has a motorcycles only elevator. From a raw concept to a finished product, a Harley design might go through dozens of changes. Harley has 10 stylists responsible for ushering designs from the drawing board to final production. It’s a lengthy, arduous process involving engineers, cost accountants and manufacturing specialists. The designers have now a very specific objective: to bridge the generation gap between baby boomers, who turned the Harley brand into an icon, and younger riders who may have no brand loyalty at all. Designing a new model can take from 5 to 10 years (V-Rod). Harley is now beginning to work on the 2012 models. Makes me think how good we are all at building custom/concept motorcycles in a time frame of 6 to 12 months. True, we don’t have the cost constraints of mass producing. But, since we are establishing the new trends, why Harley doesn’t hire a few of us as consultants?

Sport bikes have the highest death rates among all types of motorcycles, according to the Highway Loss Data Institute. Drivers of these high-performance racing motorcycles are being killed nearly four times as often as people who drive standard models, a new insurance study shows. Motorcycle deaths in general have skyrocketed from 2,116 in 1997 to 4,810 in 2006, and now account for 11 percent of all traffic fatalities, U.S. Transportation Department figures show. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety blames the popular super sport motorcycles in part for the dramatic increase. Sport bikes made up less than 10 percent of registered motorcycles in 2005 but accounted for over 25 percent of rider deaths. Super sport bikes are built on racing platforms but modified for the highway and sold to consumers. They are very lightweight and have powerful engines. For example, a 2006 model Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R produces 111 horsepower and weighs 404 pounds. In contrast, the 2006 model Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic Electra Glide produces 65 horsepower and weighs 788 pounds. We know that a lot of the people who get into sport bikes are adrenaline junkies with a daredevil mentality. They’re not out to take a cruise to enjoy the countryside. They want to get a rush by pushing it to the limit.

Spike TV and custom motorcycles builder Jesse James signed a 2-year deal for multiple Specials & Pilots for the network. Over the two-year deal, Jesse James’ company “Payupsucker Productions” will produce two specials and two primetime pilots that will air per year. The deal also includes the pilot, "Metal Church," a do-it-yourself series showcasing James’ welding and fabricating talents. The first special is slated to air second quarter 2008. Along with appearing in the shows, James will serve as executive producer.