07/04/2008 by info.

Harley Davidson and their employees in Wisconsin ratified a new labour contract covering the next 4 years.

From the press release:

Milwaukee, WI — All three unions representing Harley-Davidson (NYSE: HOG) employees in Wisconsin voted to ratify new collective bargaining agreements with the Company. The new four-year agreements, which cover approximately 2,210 employees, became effective retroactive to April 1.

The Company has individual labor agreements with United Steelworkers (USW) Local 2-209, representing about 1,700 employees and International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) Lodge 78, representing about 150 employees, in the Milwaukee area; and with USW Local 460 in Tomahawk, Wis., which represents about 360 employees.

In addition to improvements in wages, the new contracts provide for the establishment of Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRA) for bargaining unit employees, under which they can use HRA dollars to help pay for out of pocket health care costs. Other health care plan provisions are designed to moderate the rise in plan costs yet maintain Harley-Davidson’s position as a provider of top-tier health care benefits.

Posted in General | Print | No Comments »

04/04/2008 by info.

GRANDEUR Cycle says: “At last there is a properly designed and easily installed stabilizer for the FLH and FLT.”

The ‘Missing Link’ stabilizer has been designed to eliminate tank slap, rear steer or high speed wobble problems which are not uncommon on rubber-mounted models, such as Dressers and Road Kings. These issues occur due to the rubber mounted engine, transmission and swingarm moving sideways under heavy compression, such as when cornering at speed.

Grandeur’s ‘Missing Link’ is designed to complement the factory-fitted adjustable stabilizers mounted to the front and top of the engine. It is said to help keep the engine centered in the frame and to prevent the rubber mounts from being compressed and moving side to side by the road forces on the rear tire. With the ‘Missing Link’ fitted, the rubber mounts can only flex up and down, as designed, keeping the driveline centered in the frame.

The entire unit is made in steel, finished with powdercoat and designed to mount above the bottom of the transmission on all models of FLH and FLT 2002 to present.

GRANDEUR CYCLE
Jonesville, North Carolina, USA
Tel: 336 526 2468
Fax: 336 526 4850
E-mail: darius@grandeurcycle.com

www.grandeurcycle.com

Posted in Accessories | Print | No Comments »

02/04/2008 by info.

OFFICIAL EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP OF CUSTOM BIKE BUILDING 2008
FREESTYLE CLASS

1. OPEN MIND, Thunderbike, Germany
(CCE/DHL 5.000 € voucher for Sturgis transport)
2. Sugarland Express, Riverside Motorcycles, France
(CCE/DHL 5.000 € voucher for Sturgis transport)
3. Seppster „Ice Racer“, TGS Motorcycles, Germany
(CCE/DHL 5.000 € voucher for Sturgis transport)
4. V-Rage, Odyseey-Motorcycles, France, (Baker DD6 Gearbox)
5. Half Day, Tribute to S&S, Krugger Motorcycles, Belgium, (Rebuffini Elypse forward controls)
6. Precious, Classic Cycles, Switzerland, (Kodlin triple tree set)
7. Speedpan, Frank van Geffen, Netherlands, (Spyke „Stealth“ starter chrome)
8. Project 17, Andreoli Motorcycles, Italy, (Avon/Cooper 250/300 tire)
9. Just Bike, VAV-Tuninc, Czech Republic, (Progressive Suspention shocks)
10. Cadbike 33, BMW Bobber, DBBP Design, Netherlands, (MMB digital speedo)

Posted in Events | Print | No Comments »

02/04/2008 by info.

JAYBRAKE’S Defender is a locking system designed to prevent a motorcycle from moving and it is claimed not to cause damage if anyone tries to ride the bike before unlocking it.

After the existing caliper is removed, the Defender is mounted permanently on the front fork, and then the caliper is remounted on the Defender.

To lock the bike, the spring-loaded hardened stainless steel locking pin is inserted into the Defender and the bike needs to be rolled a few inches. This allows the pin to engage through one of the rotor holes. The bike is then immobilized.

The Defender will work with stock rotors as well as many aftermarket brands. Multiple models of Defender are available to ensure a direct bolt-on application for 1984 to current H-D models (excluding Springer). Defender models have also been developed to fit 2003 onward Victory motorcycle models.

The JayBrake Defender is available in polished, chromed, satin black anodized, and satin clear anodized finishes, and left and right side mounting versions.

JAYBRAKE
Springville, New York, USA
Tel: 716 5920554
Fax: 716 592 7075 fax
E-mail: info.jaybrake@hbpllc.com

www.jbrake.com

Posted in Accessories | Print | No Comments »

02/04/2008 by info.

Andreas Bergerforth and the team at Thunderbike (of Hamminkeln in Germany) can now add their names to the list of those who have proven their championship grade credentials on multiple occasions, having backed up their 2006 European Championship win with this year’s title.

In 2006 Thunderbike won in Europe and went on to be second in the Official World Championship with ‘Spectacula’. This year’s return to the podium two years on from that success was with ‘Open Mind’, an S&S-engined fusion of old and contemporary styling that showcased the kind of engineering and production excellence that has become the acknowledged hallmark of Championship program winning bikes.

Thunderbike took the win in one of the closest European Championships yet seen. Second place was taken by last year’s third-placed builder, Riverside Motocyclettes of Vallon Pont d’Arc in France (in collaboration with Mort-M Garage) with ‘Sugarland Express’.

Third place went to another German, and somebody who is a veteran of the European Championship program, Tobias Guckel of TGS Motorcycles (Tittling/Rappenhof, Germany) with ‘Seppster 2′.

Fourth and fifth places went to two more program veterans. Frenchman Bertrand Dubet (Odyssey Motorcycles) was fourth with the much-admired ‘V-Rage’, featuring a reversed Engenuity 147 cu inch motor and futuristic biometric ignition recognition system.

Fifth place went to Freddie ‘Krugger’ Bertrand, with ‘Half Day’, a bike named for the Illinois Race Track where S&S Cycle founder George Smith used to race in the 1950’s, and the appearance of the bike marked the first competitive debut for one of the S&S-engined bikes that have been built to celebrate S&S Cycle’s 50th anniversary.

The event also saw Cory Ness’s S&S 50th bike being seen publicly for the first time, and a European unveiling for the S&S X-Wedge, with Jerry Greenlaw’s Custom Garage of Germany giving the new platform its first competitive outing outside the United States.

The event itself was the fourth annual Official European Championship of Custom Bike Building, and was staged at Custom Chrome’s European Dealer Show at the Phoenixhalle at Mainz in central Germany.

Altogether 100 bikes were entered this year, with builders coming from 15 countries in total.

There were eight entries in Custom Chrome’s own Motorcycle sub-class, with 62 bikes competing in the acclaimed Freestyle ‘Class’ from which the builders themselves, with selected former competitors and champions, custom journalists, Affiliate event operators and members of the Official Partner and exhibiting vendor community, chose the winners using the unique and internationally respected Championship Program judging formula.

In the Modified Harley-Davidson class, which received a record 30 entries, the win was taken by industry veteran Claus Guenther of USM from near Hanover, Germany, with ‘48′. Second place in the Modified Harleys went to Alex Sluyter (Harley Factory Frankfurt, Germany) with ‘The Apprentice’; and French custom shop School Bar Atelier took third with ‘Old Gun’.

Tobias Guckel added to his third place Freestyle European Championship success with a win in the Custom Chrome Europe Motorcycles Class (bikes based on one of CCE’s kit bike packages) for the second year running, with Outback Cycles (Germany) second, and Custombike (Gerardo Chillico, Italy) third.

Custom Chrome Europe’s logistics partner DHL has generously supported the European Championship again with providing the top three with a voucher worth 5.000,00 euro (approx $7,500.00 each) towards the costs of bike freight for them to compete at this year’s 5th annual Official World Championship of Custom Bike Building at Champions Park on Lazelle Street during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 3rd to 6th).

Jammer Old School winner was Andreoli Motorcycles of Italy, with Independent Choppers and Hells Kitchen Choppers second and third.

S&S President’s Pick winner was Custom Garage in Germany for ‘Dragon’, their X-Wedge project; with Krazy Horse Customs from the UK second, and RMF Motorcycles, Germany, third.

The event is trade-only for Custom Chrome Europe dealers and European Championship competing builders on the Saturday, with additional local consumer attendance welcomed through the doors on the Sunday.

Posted in Events | Print | No Comments »

01/04/2008 by info.

Posted in Humour | Print | No Comments »

01/04/2008 by info.

Battistinis Custom Cycles, based in Bournemouth, England are ecstatic to announce on 1st April 2008 that they have been selected and are now established as a key supplier to the National Space Program for the latest Mission, Prestige that is due to blast off in 2018.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration Organization, tasked with implementing the National Space Policy established on previous missions that the broadening vision of space activities shall contribute a major significance to the future of all Space exploration.

In an attempt to reduce overall mission costs and maximize on each mission, Space exploration must be aimed at extending the human presence throughout the solar system. The development of the new Battistinis two person motorcycle styled Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) was an urgent requirement to the mission program.
NASA required to land the two person human crews anywhere on the Moon’s surface and allow the CEV to transport the pair to any given location. One of NASA’s reasons for going back to the Moon is to demonstrate that astronauts can essentially “live off the land”. The utilization of this new Crew Exploration Vehicle, equipped with the complete Battistinis Product Range will allow this must needed solution and ensure that it is undertaken in utter style. The CEV that has been created is to be unveiled at the Las Vegas 2008 S.P.A.C.E Exhibition.

A L.O.O.F agency spokesperson stated that “This is a huge and very ambitious space program, Battistinis have been selected to equip the CEV with its complete line up of parts as the vehicle that has been developed is based on the American V-Twin and without doubt the Battistinis range is at the cutting edge of the motorcycle industry.

Mark Battistinis stated, “When initially contacted by the agency we could not believe the challenge that was being asked and have been working intensely and in partnership with all involved. Now having stepped up to the agency’s envisions we are poised to turn a new chapter in the custom bike industry with the departure of what one would expect is achievable. The projection of the challenge is immense yet the sole objective here maintains for the truth not to get In the way of a good old story.”

Please do not hesitate to contact Pro-Street Cycles should you require any further info about the Battistinis Product Range that is NOW AVAILABLE!

Visit Pro-Street Cycles for more info.

Posted in Editorial | Print | No Comments »