Polaris Motorcycles To Benefit From Harley Ads? Harley-Davidson increased its 2016 marketing budget by 70% and is currently running a “Live Your Legend” advertising campaign to convince new riders to join the brand. On April 21st during a conference call to announce Polaris 1st-quarter results, its CEO Scott Wine stated “We do think that with the increased Harley advertising and promotion there’s a chance that there’s going to be a tailwind for the industry and we expect to benefit from that. Nice when somebody else pays for your advertising…”
Court Allows Indian Motorcycle To Be Registered For Clothing In Switzerland. While the term “Indian Motorcycle” was regarded as descriptive for motorcycles of Indian origin as far as it was applied for motorcycles, the term could not be regarded as descriptive for clothing. However, the question arose whether the term “Indian Motorcycle” for clothing would trigger the geographic expectation that the respective products would stem from India so that it could only be registered for clothing with the limitation “[clothing] of Indian origin.”
The Swiss Federal Supreme Court concluded that the combination of the terms “Motorcycle” and “Indian” for clothing did not produce an association between the claimed products—clothing—and the country of India. The trademark INDIAN MOTORCYCLE could therefore be registered for clothing without being limited to goods of Indian origin. Continue reading ‘Fast Motorcycle Industry News’
Harley Davidson only built one.! 15 years ago, Patrick James acquired this Bill Harley’s 1939 experimental all aluminum motor Harley twin. It now sits in his garage parked next to Paul Bigsby 1936 #5 Crocker, 4 other Crockers and several Ace Fours , Cleveland, etc. Paul contacted me and was nice enough to tell me the exceptional story of this very unique experimental Harley. All true fans of the brand are going to enjoy this feature. Read…
“Two major events in 1937 altered Harley- Davidson history. William S. Harley suggested in June that the company should undertake design of a 45 ci overhead-valve twin by installing new cylinders and heads on the standard side-valve base. He felt this would be more worthwhile than trying to improve the Seventy-four and Eighty side valve twins.
Harley followed up in August with more specific ideas on a Forty-five overhead. The Forty-five side-valve model’s frame would have to be altered and strengthened. The most powerful of the current Forty-five side-valve models was the WLDR, which produced up to 27 hp. Harley’s proposed Forty-five overhead was targeted for 30 hp in a mild state of tune that could be later revised for more power. Even in the 30 hp version, Harley reasoned, the performance would be on par with the Seventy-four side-valve due to the smaller motorcycle’s lighter weight. The manufacturing cost of the Forty-five overhead would be about the same as for the Seventy-four side-valve. Continue reading ‘William Harley’s Aluminum Motor Experimental Machine’
Bell Helmets, one of the industry’s most iconic brands and a leader in innovative head protection, today announce a multi-year agreement with the 75 year old vanguard of London’s petrol culture and home of the original cafe racer–Ace Cafe London. The transatlantic partnership will fuse the history, authenticity and credibility of the two historic brands in the creation of exclusive limited edition products, while also co-operatively joining together for unique future racing initiatives.
The companies unveiled limited edition Ace Cafe Custom 500 and Bullitt Carbon designs. A full race version of the Race Star will arrive later this year in time for the Isle of Man TT. This unique helmet collection pays homage to the original helmets as worn by those who frequented the Ace Cafe and its environs. London’s Ace Cafe opened in 1938 as a roadside pull-in and quickly became a focal point for motorcycle riders. With Bell being the helmet of choice for many international pro road racers for the last half century, cafe racers likewise adopted helmets such that they are an engrained part of the British “Ton Up” motorcycle culture. Now, over sixty years later, the partnership comes full circle in the form of these new collaborative helmet designs. Continue reading ‘Bell Helmets And Ace Cafe London Signed Multi-Year Agreement’
Except some custom builders making their own handlebar for a special project, handmade sets are quite rare.
In their Daytona shop, 2 life long friends, Jason Livingston and Sky Azrael, made a business of making one-off handlebars designed to offer better ergonomics, reducing physical stress and lessen muscle fatigue on long rides.
All their sets fit any brand model accepting 1” bars, from Drag to Ape Hangers to Bagger style. See them at Classic Handlebars.
The new Tri-Line Ignition Cover, Fuel Door and Saddlebag Hinge Covers by Kuryakyn are all cast from quality A380 aluminum, available in chrome or gloss black finishes for select Harley-Davidson Touring models.
Tri-Line Ignition Cover. Tri-Line Ignition Covers offer an instant and easy custom enhancement to the lower inner fairing. The clean, art deco-style design complements the entire lineup of inner fairing Tri-Line accessories available for Road Glide, Street Glide and Tri Glide models. Installation takes minutes and does not require tools or removal of the stock ignition switch on ’14-’16 Electra Glide, Road Glide, Street Glide and Tri Glide models. P/N 6984 – Chrome, P/N 6985 – Gloss Black, MSRP: $39.99
Tri-Line Fuel Door. Harley-Davidson Touring owners can now carry the Tri-Line theme to the gas tank with the direct replacement Tri-Line Fuel Door. The lower half features the signature Tri-Line grooves for a drastic styling improvement versus stock. Simple hand tools and a few minutes time is all it takes for installation that reuses factory hardware, lock and latch mechanisms on ’08-’16 non-CVO Electra Glides, Road Glides, Street Glides and Tri Glides. P/N 6968 – Chrome, P/N 6969 – Gloss Black, MSRP: $39.99
Tri-Line Saddlebag Hinge Covers. Rounding out the latest additions to the Tri-Line collection are the Tri-Line Saddlebag Hinge Covers. The direct replacement covers provide a cohesive, elegant appearance while perfectly complementing the Tri-Line Saddlebag Accents and Saddlebag Lid Accents, both sold separately. Tai-Line Saddlebag Hinge Covers reuse factory hardware and lock assemblies for easy installation on all ’14-’16 Electra Glide, Road Glide, Road King and Street Glide models. • P/N 6986 – Chrome, P/N 6987 – Gloss Black, MSRP: $79.99
Those playing with the snow on 2 wheels will love this solo seat snowmobile (Snow Speeder?) that you can ride with the same posture you ride your motorcycle.
The Snoped is a very sleek, light weight, all black, high tech looking aluminum machine equipped with a 90 cc motor and Chrysler Sno-Runner track.
A bodywork exposing bolts and screws, LED vertical headlight and taillight, a comfortable seat for hours of slide, make this sled the king of the trails, for short or day and night long distance snow rides. No words yet about production and price. SNOPED. (photos @ Dean Van Dis, Brian Kelly)
Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE:PII) today reported first quarter net income of $46.9 million, or $0.71 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2016 compared to $88.6 million, or $1.30 per diluted share reported in the first quarter of 2015, in-line with Company expectations. Sales for the first quarter 2016 totaled $983.0 million, down five percent compared to last year’s first quarter sales of $1,033.3 million.
Motorcycle segment sales (Victory®, Indian Motorcycle® and Slingshot®), including their respective PG&A related sales, increased 18 percent in the 2016 first quarter to $188.2 million primarily due to continued strong retail sales for Indian® motorcycle up over 50%. North American consumer retail demand for the Polaris motorcycle segment, was up 8 percent during the 2016 first quarter while the overall motorcycle industry retail sales, 900cc and above was about flat in the 2016 first quarter.
During the 2016 first quarter, the Company began retailing two new additions to its Victory and Indian motorcycle line-up with the introduction of the Octane™, Victory motorcycles’ first mid-sized cruiser and the new Indian Springfield™, named after the birthplace of Indian Motorcycle. Slingshot also broadened its color options with its 2016 model introduction including the new Limited Edition White Pearl SL. Product availability for Victory, Indian Motorcycle® and Slingshot® improved considerably in the 2016 first quarter and dealer inventories are essentially at targeted stocking levels at quarter-end.
While the powersports industry was slightly better than anticipated in the 2016 first quarter, the Company is keeping its guidance range unchanged for the full year 2016 with earnings expected to be in the range of $6.20 to $6.80 per diluted share with sales in the range of down two percent to up three percent over 2015 due to the persistent unpredictability around overall economic trends and more specifically powersports industry trends for the remainder of 2016. Continue reading ‘Polaris Reports 2016 First Quarter Results. Motorcycle Segment Sales +18%. Indian Motorcycles +50%.’
It took a long weekend for the Ness team to create this custom Octane. Objective? To demonstrate that in just 72 hours it’s possible to add some serious attitude (yours) to the new muscular model from Victory.
Zach Ness told me: “We first ripped the sheet metal off and shot a candy blue over the existing Victory titanium paint job. We fabricated some modular handlebars, a 2 into 1 header with a Arlen Ness by Magnaflow F Bomb exhaust. We also installed some of our off-the-shelf accessories that are available for Octane such as our Knockout wheels, Torque Box air filter kit, Big Shot tuner. We also added some prototype billet covers, grips, foot pegs, power LED turn signals and a 14″ oversized front brake rotor kit. Many more options coming soon for the Octane. We are on the gas!”
Ness is about to launch a full line of custom parts specific to the Octane. Below are some of the few products used on this project.
J.W. Speaker Corporation, a leading U.S.-based lighting firm specializing in innovative LED solutions for OEMs and the aftermarket.
Last February I reported on J.W. Speaker launching their the world’s first dynamically adaptive LED motorcycle headlight in a 7” round configuration. Consumer demand for this same adaptive technology in 5.75″ round size drove J.W. Speaker to develop the new Model 8690 A Series.
The Model 8690 A Series headlight uses the same advanced electronics and on-board sensors as the Model 8790, enabling the headlight to carefully calculate bank angles and automatically control a light array to direct the light up or down as the motorcycle leans. As a result, the Model 8690 A Series headlight fills in the void of light to the left or right of the motorcycle, providing additional illumination and enhancing visibility while cornering. Heavy-duty, die-cast aluminum housing and state-of-the-art LEDs not only deliver premium performance, but also give a bike a truly unique look! Continue reading ‘J.W. Speaker Launches Their 2nd Dynamically “Adaptive” Motorcycle Headlight’
One lucky winner will receive 10 nights of concerts and camping for two at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip Campground, a $500 travel voucher, a $250 Hot Leathers shopping spree, and a custom painted helmet. Winner will be notified June 22, 2016 via email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to winning notification. No response will result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner. Enter the contest HERE.
A first-grade teacher, Ms. Brooks, was having trouble with one of her more precocious students. The teacher asked, “Harry, what exactly is your problem?” Harry answered, “I’m too smart for the 1st grade. My sister is in the 3rd grade and I’m smarter than she is! I think I should be in the 3rd grade, too!”
Ms. Brooks finally had enough; she took Harry to the principal’s office. While Harry waited in the outer office, the teacher explained the situation to the principal. The principal told Ms. Brooks he would give the boy a test. If he failed to answer any of his questions he was to go back to the 1stgrade and behave. She agreed. Harry was brought in and the conditions were explained to him and he happily agreed to take the test.
Principal: “What is 3 x 3?”. Harry: “9.”
Principal: “What is 6 x 6?”. Harry: “36.”
And so it went with every question the principal thought a bright 3rd grader should know.
The principal looks at Ms. Brooks and tells her, “Y’know, I reckon Harry can go to the 3rdgrade.” But Ms. Brooks is still skeptical of the little bugger and says to the principal “Not so fast, let me ask him a few questions.” The principal and Harry both agree.
Ms. Brooks asks, “What does a cow have four of that I have only two of?”
Harry, after a moment: “Legs.”
Ms. Brooks: “What is in your pants that you have but I do not have?”
First-quarter net income declined to $250.49 million from last year’s $269.85 million. Earnings per share, however, increased 7.1 percent to $1.36 from $1.27 last year, owing to lower share count. On average, 19 analysts polled by Thomson Reuters expected earnings of $1.30 per share for the quarter. Consolidated revenue increased to $1.75 billion from $1.67 billion in last year’s first quarter.
Motorcycles and related products revenues went up to $1.58 billion from prior year’s $1.51 billion. Analysts expect revenues of $1.50 billion. Harley-Davidson worldwide retail motorcycle sales in the first quarter were up 1.4 percent to 57,458, driven by a 4.5 percent increase in international markets. Retail motorcycle sales in the U.S. fell slightly by 0.5% as a result of increased competition. Latin America sales tumbled 26.5%, Harley-Davidson sold 57,458 motorcycles during the first quarter, including 35,326 in the U.S. Units grew 8.8% in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
Looking ahead, Harley-Davidson expects to ship 82,500 to 87,500 motorcycles in the second quarter, compared to 85,172 motorcycles shipped in the year-ago period. The company continues to expect it will ship 269,000 to 274,000 motorcycles in 2016, an approximate 1 to 3 percent increase from 2015. “The increased marketing and new product investments are beginning to take hold and we anticipate continued progress across our focus areas as we dial in and ramp-up our approach,” said Chief Executive Matt Levatich. Continue reading ‘Harley Reports First-Quarter Earnings. Beating Estimates On International Sales. US Retail Sales Slightly Down.’
On the road, bikers face many dangers. And it’s not only car drivers. In these 2 frightening videos, a dog runs across. One biker hits the dog and falls. The following rider lays down his bike to avoid him, and as he is sliding on the road across the middle lane he finds himself in the path of an upcoming semi truck. Thanks to an incredible reflex, he is able to avoid being hit by the semi. Accidents happen so fast…Watch these 2 videos shot from different angles.
Got a broken clutch basket on your 2007 or later Harley Davidson Big Twin? The fix is in with the latest Barnett Scorpion clutch basket. This billet basket is the highest quality and most cost effective replacement for your broken stock basket. Precision machined from tough 2024-T3 billet aluminum and hard anodized, this basket is superior in quality and durability to the stock basket. To install, simply remove the stock basket from the ring gear/primary sprocket and bolt on the new Barnett Scorpion basket. All hardware and instructions are included and, like all Barnett products, it’s proudly made in the USA. MSRP: $399 (Part # 321-30-02012) To order, contact your local dealer or order online at Barnett Clutches.
Harley-Davidson Unveils The Sportster Roadster with a look reminiscent of a garage-built custom with blacked-out styling details, slammed bars, chopped rear fender, race-inspired graphics, a finned timer cover, slotted black exhaust shields and more… The new Roadster features a minimalist, fastback design inspired by classic racing motorcycles
“Since its introduction in 1957, the Harley-Davidson Sportster has proved capable of constant reinvention, and the Roadster writes a new chapter in that story,” said Harley-Davidson Director of Styling Brad Richards. “We’ve watched our customers take the Sportster in so many different directions. The Roadster is a mash-up of styling genres, but the intent was to build a rider’s motorcycle, a Sportster that’s lean and powerful and connects the rider to the road.”
As the newest member of the Dark Custom lineup, the Roadster combines modern performance and retro-inspired styling with premium suspension components, an air-cooled 1200cc V-Twin engine that delivers a strong pulse of mid-range torque and a profile reminiscent of vintage racing motorcycles from the 1950s and 1960s.
“Winner Winner Chicken Dinner”! It may be the weirdest name ever given to a custom motorcycle. This saying is used (very rarely) when one is excited to have won something. The legend tells that years ago every casino in Las Vegas had a three-piece chicken dinner with a potato and a veggie for $1.79. A standard casino bet back then was $2, hence when you won a bet you had enough for a chicken dinner!” So, the call of glorious victory rang out like that: “Winner Winner Chicken Dinner”…
UK Shaw Harley-Davidson custom division “Shaw Speed And Custom” is participating in the “The Custom Kings” contest where Harley-Davidson ask its dealers to get their hands dirty transforming a stock Sportster into a killer custom. And of course the shop expect to be called a winner in this match-up, although probably not with an announcement of the type “Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner”
Steven Willis, dealer principal at Shaw Harley-Davidson mentioned to me that too many custom projects cost the price of 2 or 3 factory bikes and that his objective was to demonstrate to his clients what can be achieved on an Iron Sportster 883 with a modest budget. The crew in charge of the project just tried to make the bike look different with very subtle changes. It was not about creating something never seen before, but more about bringing touches of several current popular trends like the retro movement, the street racer and brat styles. A custom bike that needs to be appreciated on thought, build quality, stance and ride ability rather than glitz and glamour. Continue reading ‘A Custom Sportster Named “Winner Winner Chicken Dinner”!’
I like very much these “Milano” grips marrying resin inserts with billet aluminum. The resin insert is made out of billet resin with each grip set offering a unique color tone that can’t be duplicated. Ergonomic shape and comfortable to the touch. For the aluminum part of the grip you can choose between chrome, brass and smooth or wrinkled black anodizing. Made in Italy by Ottodicuori Italy.
Think of the all-new Street Sleeper® III Air Cleaner from Crusher® as a heavy-breathing wolf in sheep’s clothing. The high-flow intake kits deliver significantly enhanced airflow to all ’99-’16 Harley-Davidson® Twin Cam motors, while lurking discreetly under the factory air cleaner cover for a deceiving stock appearance.
Street Sleeper III Air Cleaner kits include a Crusher-designed lifetime-warrantied K&N® filter element that’s washable and reusable. Full perimeter and outer-end breathing provides unrestricted airflow for greatly improved performance versus the stock filter element. A unique internal crankcase breather design eliminates the need for external hoses or fittings for a clean appearance. The cast aluminum back plate features a large, curved entry to the throttle body for smooth and precise air delivery to the motor. Continue reading ‘Crusher Street Sleeper III Air Cleaner for Harley-Davidson Twin Cam 99-16’
A man was walking down the street when he was accosted by a particularly dirty and shabby-looking homeless man who asked him for a couple of dollars for dinner. The man took out his wallet, extracted ten dollars and asked:
“If I give you this money, will you buy some beer with it instead of dinner?” “No, I had to stop drinking years ago,” the homeless man replied. “Will you spend this on green fees at a golf course instead of food?” the man asked. “Are you NUTS!” replied the homeless man. “I haven’t played golf in 20 years!”
“Well,” said the man, “I’m not going to give you money. Instead, I’m going to take you home for a hot shower and a terrific dinner cooked by my wife.” The homeless man was astounded. “Won’t your wife be furious with you for doing that? The man replied, “That’s okay. It’s important for her to see what a man looks like after he has given up drinking and golf.”
On Saturday April 16, customers who test drive an Indian motorcycle at their local dealership can leave with a handcrafted piece of Indian Motorcycle art, a limited edition Chief Dark Horse poster created by LA artist Mathew Curran (while supplies last). Indian and agency Saatchi & Saatchi agency Team One asked stencil artist Matthew Curran to create the pieces, which are made with the signature Indian Red paint and feature Indian’s Chief Dark Horse motorcycle.
“It’s a great tie to the brand and a great tie to our history, and it’s something that our owners will value. It also lends itself to the handcrafted nature and the heritage of our bikes” said Reid Wilson, director of marketing for Indian Motorcycle. It gives our dealers a great opportunity to talk to new customers and bring new people into the brand.”
See in the video below Curran at work stenciling and painting the prints. The video was posted on Indian’s social channels and emailed to its mailing lists, and individual dealers were given assets to promote the effort on their social channels.
A new Sinister Wheel model joined the Bad Boy Collection. CNC in-house machined from 6061-T6 Aluminum Rotary forged Billet and available in chrome, copper, black & machined and custom Colors of your Choice. Like the rest of the Bad Boy lineup, all stock and custom sizes available from 16” to 32” including ABS (add $50). Paint upgrade is available for $325 (16” thru 23”), and $400 (26”, 30” and 32”). Matching pulleys from 11.5” to 18” (61T to 70T) and sprockets 48T and 51T. At Sinister Wheels.
Sixty North America Harley dealers fought out hard to get a Harley accolade and the bragging rights of being 2016 Harley North America “King Of Customs” Hal’s Harley-Davidson of New Berlin, Wisconsin under the lead of Bud Curtis is the chosen winner with this Sportster 883 Super Low. Named “General Mayhem” it’s a modern day dual-sport bike that can conquer city streets and rural roads alike. “Our vision was a modern day dual-sport bike with an edgy, minimalist look that would appeal to millennials, hooligan riders or the young at heart,” said Bud Curtis, team lead at Hal’s Harley-Davidson. “We are proud to have built the General Mayhem, our take on a Sportster that we hope can be enjoyed by the masses.”
It features a dual headlight to provide protection in a rugged environment, a 1200cc engine conversion with tuned exhaust to optimize performance, a fabricated tank with padded inserts that allows the rider to connect with the road, a chain conversion, a custom mini fairing, taller wheels and many genuine black H-D aftermarket parts. Continue reading ‘Hal’s Harley-Davidson Wins “King Of Customs” Dealer Competition’
Suspension is one of the most important performance upgrades that can be made to a Harley. The improvements in stability, traction control and brake-dive directly affect handleability and translate to rider enjoyment and safety. Front forks on a motorcycle need to be as rigid as possible to function as effective suspension parts. They also need to be as light as possible.
Satya Kraus of Kraus Motor co. explains: “Most of the stress applied to forks occurs just below the bottom triple tree. When you pull the brake lever you are “braking the wheel” and the bike slows because the front wheel is attached to the front suspension. The momentum of the bike transmits through the forks, trying to push the front wheel. An inherent advantage of inverted forks is their weight, they’re lighter than conventional front ends. A steel fork tube is the heaviest part of a traditional fork assembly.
By design, inverted forks have shorter and thinner walled fork tubes. This results in less steering inertia and more responsive handling feel. One more benefit, inverted front ends deliver better compression and rebound dampening than conventional designs. Oh and one more big benefit when you compare invented front ends against conventional front (tube & slider) ends is their strength.” Continue reading ‘Harley Touring Performance Upgrade. The Kraus ST Inverted Front End.’
Backfiring (or more accurately “afterfire”) is caused by unburned fuel/air mixture being ignited by the heat of the muffler. When the throttle is closed during de-acceleration and the transmission is in gear, the engine continues to rotate at a faster rpm relative to the throttle position.
The road rage incident happened on the Courtney Campbell Causeway near Tampa. One motorcyclist donning a GoPro helmet camera captured the frightening incident when three bikers and a BMW driver confronted one another. The footage starts showing one biker passing the BMW car. Later two bikers can be seen boxing in the BMW at a stoplight. A verbal argument turns into a physical confrontation. The car driver is knocked down by the bikers and a passenger woman in the Mercedes points a gun at the bikers… Watch the entire video below.
Harley Davidson only built one.! 15 years ago, Patrick James acquired this Bill Harley’s 1939 experimental all aluminum motor Harley twin. It now sits in his garage parked next to Paul Bigsby 1936 #5 Crocker, 4 other Crockers and several Ace Fours , Cleveland, etc. Paul contacted me and was nice enough to tell me the exceptional story of this very unique experimental Harley. All true fans of the brand are going to enjoy this feature. Read…
“Two major events in 1937 altered Harley- Davidson history. William S. Harley suggested in June that the company should undertake design of a 45 ci overhead-valve twin by installing new cylinders and heads on the standard side-valve base. He felt this would be more worthwhile than trying to improve the Seventy-four and Eighty side valve twins.
Harley followed up in August with more specific ideas on a Forty-five overhead. The Forty-five side-valve model’s frame would have to be altered and strengthened. The most powerful of the current Forty-five side-valve models was the WLDR, which produced up to 27 hp. Harley’s proposed Forty-five overhead was targeted for 30 hp in a mild state of tune that could be later revised for more power. Even in the 30 hp version, Harley reasoned, the performance would be on par with the Seventy-four side-valve due to the smaller motorcycle’s lighter weight. The manufacturing cost of the Forty-five overhead would be about the same as for the Seventy-four side-valve. 
Tri-Line Ignition Cover
Tri-Line Fuel Door
Tri-Line Saddlebag Hinge Covers
Got a broken clutch basket on your 2007 or later Harley Davidson Big Twin? The fix is in with the latest 
