Industry Reports

HARLEY-DAVIDSON NARROWS U.S. FINALISTS IN “BATTLE OF THE KINGS” CUSTOM BIKE BUILD COMPETITION 

42,000 Votes Cast for People’s Choice Winners; Next Round of Judging Gets Rolling   MILWAUKEE (June 13, 2019) – After fierce online competition, the people have spoken, casting 42,000 votes for the coolest custom motorcycles in the United States. Twenty-one U.S. custom bike builds reign as the “People’s Choice” award winners in Harley-Davidson’s Battle of the Kings competition. From April 15 to May 15, public voters cast an online ballot for their favorite custom bike across three categories: Chop, Race, and Dirt. Competition was steep, featuring more than 40 builds created in partnership with Harley-Davidson® dealers and local trade school…
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HARLEY-DAVIDSON ELECTRIFIES THE FUTURE OF TWO-WHEELS WITH DEBUT OF NEW CONCEPTS AND LIVEWIRE MOTORCYCLE AVAILABLE FOR US DEALER PRE-ORDER

HARLEY-DAVIDSON ELECTRIFIES THE FUTURE OF TWO-WHEELS WITH DEBUT OF NEW CONCEPTS AND LIVEWIRE MOTORCYCLE AVAILABLE FOR US DEALER PRE-ORDER Electric LiveWire Motorcycle and Two Groundbreaking Lightweight Electric Concepts Shine in Vegas    Harley-Davidson, the company that has defined the motorcycle industry for the past 116 years, today revealed two new concept electric two-wheelers and announced pricing and pre-order availability for LiveWire™, its first electric production motorcycle, at the biggest show in consumer electronics in Las Vegas. The 2020 LiveWire™ motorcycle is now available for US dealer pre-order at h-d.com/LiveWire with deliveries expected this fall and select global markets announced at a…
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HARLEY-DAVIDSON TEAMS WITH BUCKS FOR LIMITED-EDITION MERCHANDISE

HARLEY-DAVIDSON TEAMS WITH BUCKS FOR LIMITED-EDITION MERCHANDISE First-of-its-kind collection available now   MILWAUKEE (May 21, 2019) - Harley-Davidson Motor Company and the Milwaukee Bucks have launched a special merchandise collaboration. Available now, the limited-edition line of adult and youth apparel will be available at:   Harley-Davidson Dealers Harley-Davidson.com Harley-Davidson Museum®   Bucks Pro Shop locations com com com   This growing collection of merchandise features graphic lockups of the Bucks and Harley-Davidson Bar and Shield logo, along with a modern twist on the outline of the state of Wisconsin.   “This shared apparel collaboration is a celebration of the Bucks’ successful…
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A BIRTHDAY PARTY

A BIRTHDAY PARTY Georgia’s oldest Harley Dealer Macon Harley-Davidson hosted a 98th Birthday Party Celebration for its founder Grover Sassaman that no one in attendance will soon forget. Plenty of food, drinks, raffles, prizes and, of course, a huge Birthday Cake for all to enjoy. I didn’t want to miss the party, so riding down from Marietta, GA to Macon was a great Saturday ride. Upon arriving at Macon H-D and walking in the front door, Trig, their “greeter dog,” gave me a good sniff (looking for more food I suspect), after which I was face to face with Grover,…
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THUNDER BY THE BAY SUCCESSFUL FOR LOCAL CHARITY & ECONOMY

THUNDER BY THE BAY SUCCESSFUL FOR LOCAL CHARITY & ECONOMY Thunder By The Bay’s relocation to the Sarasota Fairgrounds, $5 gate admission, and a date change to mid-February proved to be very successful this year raising over $180,000 for Suncoast Charities for Children. This is the most money the event has ever raised for the charity which supports five local non-profit agencies in Sarasota County (Children First, The Florida Center, Loveland Center, The Haven, and Sarasota County Special Olympics).   A report received from Research Data Services indicated that the three-day music and motorcycle festival yielded an economic impact of…
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HARLEY-DAVIDSON TEAMS WITH LOCAL TRADE SCHOOLS FOR “BATTLE OF THE KINGS” CUSTOM BIKE BUILD COMPETITION

HARLEY-DAVIDSON TEAMS WITH LOCAL TRADE SCHOOLS FOR “BATTLE OF THE KINGS” CUSTOM BIKE BUILD COMPETITION Fans to Help Select Winning Designs by Voting Now   MILWAUKEE (April 15, 2019) – For the first time, local trade school students partnered with Harley-Davidson® dealers for a unique, real-world training opportunity: helping build the coolest custom motorcycles in the world in the “Battle of the Kings” competition.   Now, Harley-Davidson is calling on the public to help select the winner by voting for their favorites from April 15 to May 15 at H-D.com/BattleOfTheKings. The “Battle of the Kings” competition highlights the endless possibilities…
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A BIRTHDAY PARTY for Georgia’s Oldest Harley Dealer

A BIRTHDAY PARTY for Georgia’s Oldest Harley Dealer Macon Harley-Davidson hosted a 98th Birthday Party Celebration for its founder Grover Sassaman that no one in attendance will soon forget. Plenty of food, drinks, raffles, prizes and, of course, a huge Birthday Cake for all to enjoy. I didn’t want to miss the party, so riding down from Marietta, GA to Macon was a great Saturday ride.   Upon arriving at Macon H-D and walking in the front door, Trig, their “greeter dog,” gave me a good sniff (looking for more food I suspect), after which I was face to face…
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AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Extends Condolences on Passing of Arlen Ness

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame Extends Condolences on Passing of Arlen Ness Hall of Famer was well-known custom motorcycle builder and entrepreneur   PICKERINGTON, Ohio -- The American Motorcyclist Association offers its condolences to the family and friends of AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Arlen Ness, who passed away on March 22 at age 79. He is best known for his innovative and wild custom motorcycle designs and custom parts business, and often was called "The King of Custom Motorcycles." Ness grew up in Oakland, Calif., and started as a custom hot-rod car builder before making the transition in the…
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2019 SCREAMIN’ EAGLE/VANCE & HINES DRAG TEAM AND HARLEY-DAVIDSON FACTORY FLAT TRACK TEAM SEASON PREVIEWS

Harley-Davidson is excited to share a preview of the 2019 NHRA Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines Drag Team and Harley-Davidson Factory Flat Track Team Seasons. 2019 NHRA Screamin' Eagle/Vance & Hines Drag Team The Harley-Davidson® Screamin’ Eagle®/Vance & Hines drag racing team opens its 17th season of NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle competition at the 50th Amalie Motor Oil NHRA Gatornationals, March 14-17 in Gainesville, Fla. The team will begin pursuit of a 10th Pro Stock Motorcycle championship with a three-rider squad, as Angelle Sampey joins Andrew Hines and Ed Krawiec on Harley-Davidson® Street Rod™ competition motorcycles. The trio of veteran riders have won…
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HARLEY-DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE STANDARD DELIVERS AN ELEMENTAL TOURING EXPERIENCE POWERED BY THE MILWAUKEE-EIGHT ENGINE

Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard Delivers an Elemental Touring Experience Powered by the Milwaukee-Eight Engine MILWAUKEE (Mar. 4, 2019) –Powered by the muscular Milwaukee-Eight™ 107 engine, the new Electra Glide Standard is a “Dressed down Dresser” that provides a raw, fundamental riding experience inspired by Harley-Davidson’s Grand American Touring roots. Designed for the traditional touring customer, the Electra Glide Standard is for the rider seeking to disconnect from all the noise of the day-to-day through riding. No screens, simply a motorcycle that provides and heightens the experience of the journey. This fundamental experience is a key element in the design and…
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Industry Pioneer Roland Sands Named Grand Marshal of 2019 DAYTONA TT

Sands and Super Hooligans to Bring Big Bore Entertainment to AFT Fans DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 26, 2019) – Industry leader and innovator Roland Sands has been named Grand Marshal for American Flat Track's 2019 DAYTONA TT presented by Russ Brown Motorcycle Attorneys. Sands and his wildly-popular Super Hooligan street bike flat track series will roar into Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, March 14.   The California-grown Sands has been racing since the age of five and won an AMA 250GP National Road Racing Championship in 1998. With racing and performance as his inspiration, Sands has since become an award-winning…
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Suzuki Files Unique Engine Patent

Suzuki Files Unique Engine Patent Suzuki Motorcycles recently filed a patent for a very unique motorcycle engine configuration. In patent application drawings that have been released, a single cylinder setup appears to be indicated, with the cylinder heads just above horizontal and positioned up close to the front forks. According to a report by Cycle World, the configuration could be used for singles or multi-cylinder inline engines. The cylinders appear to be tucked up between the frame rails, running parallel with them. The configuration puts the transmission lower in the cradle, and the crankcase closer to the rear of the…
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Harley-Davidson Makes Learning to Ride Easier Than Ever with Limited Time Promotion

Harley-Davidson Makes Learning to Ride Easier Than Ever with Limited Time Promotion Milwaukee (February 15, 2019) – Turn “Someday I’ll ride a motorcycle,” into “Today” with the latest offer from Harley-Davidson Riding Academy. Available for a limited time, Harley-Davidson is offering customers the opportunity to learn to ride from the experts for 50% off the published price of a Harley-Davidson Riding Academy New Rider Course in their area with promo code RIDE50. Redeemable throughout the calendar year, if your resolution is to ride this year, this is an excellent opportunity to begin your motorcycling journey. The Harley-Davidson® Riding Academy New…
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DUCATI NORTH AMERICA EXPANDS PRESENCE IN FLORIDA WITH DUCATI SANFORD GRAND OPENING

DUCATI NORTH AMERICA EXPANDS PRESENCE IN FLORIDA WITH DUCATI SANFORD GRAND OPENING • World’s Most Powerful Production Motorcycle, Ducati Panigale V4 R, shown in Florida for first time • Ducati North America CEO in attendance for grand opening event • New dealership in Sanford offers expansive showroom space and VIP amenities to serve the Orlando-metro community Mountain View, Calif. (February 14, 2019) – Ducati North America has opened its newest dealership in the United States, with a grand opening gala last night in Florida, coinciding with their cross-country “Ready For Red” tour. The stop at Ducati Sanford in the Orlando…
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American Brands Issue Latest Sales Reports

American Brands Issue Latest Sales Reports Harley-Davidson and Indian motorcycle companies both issued their 2018 earnings statements last week, and their reports were a mixed bag. Harley’s statement showed sales down 10.2 percent in 2018 and down 6.1 percent worldwide, and their 4th-quarter profit was less than half a million dollars, compared to $8.3 million a year before.   Polaris, the owner of Indian Motorcycle, also posted 4th quarter sales drops in their motorcycle division to the tune of 15 percent, mostly due to the plummeting sales of their three-wheeled Slingshot roadster. Their Indian sales were a bit more encouraging,…
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2019 Great American Motorcycle Show

2019 Great American Motorcycle Show Born To Ride joined motorcyclists from across the southeast for the Great American Motorcycle Show at the Cobb Galleria Convention Center in north Atlanta January 26-27, for the chance to browse the latest bikes, gear, accessories, and miscellaneous farkles. Dealerships and bike shops from across the South debuted the latest in two-wheeled wonders from Harley-Davidson, Indian, BMW, Ducati, and the Japanese "Big Four", but also newer and/or lesser known brands such as MV Augusta, Moto Guzzi, Hyosung, and one of the oldest moto companies in the world, Royal Enfield- among the largest manufacturers on the…
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