30/09/2008 by info.

American IronHorse (AIH), which was acquired three months ago by Scott Meyers, is undergoing a range of changes aimed at re-establishing the brand.

The new management at the company has rehired key staff to support warranty, parts, paint, and technical departments. Changes to the production facility are also underway, streamlining the plant’s overall footprint from 224,000 sq. ft. to 90,000 sq. ft.

A new dealer program is being put into place, with key markets in the US being targeted. Talking about the dealer program, Meyers said: “In addition to our loyal IronHorse riders, our dealer network has shown terrific support and proved their dedication to the survival of the brand.”

More significantly, new models are nearing completion. A Pro Street-styled prototype was debuted in Sturgis, and a second will be shown at Biketoberfest in Daytona, October 16-19. Both prototypes utilize the S&S X-Wedge 117ci engine. Commenting on AIH’s product development, Jeff Long, Vice President of Design, said: “We are committed to the progressive design, performance and heritage that makes American IronHorse a premium brand in the market.”

The last few weeks have seen excess and obsolete inventory not purchased by Scott Meyers liquidated by the former ownership group.

The new models will join the existing bike line, which is made up of four models: the Texas Chopper, Slammer, Bandera and Judge.

www.americanironhorse.com

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25/09/2008 by info.

MEDIA, PA (AP) — John McCain picked up a surprise gift Tuesday, an Orange County Chopper motorcycle, courtesy of the stars of the “American Chopper” reality TV series who roared in to present it to the Republican presidential hopeful.

Father and son co-stars Paul and Paulie “Junior” Teutul, whose show about building custom bikes together is a popular Learning Channel staple, appeared at McCain’s rally in this Philadelphia suburb to honor him with a special bike they’d built to recognize Vietnam-era prisoners of war.

McCain, a former Navy pilot, spent five and a half years in a Vietnam prison camp after being shot down in 1967.

His running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, introduced the Teutuls and noted that Paul Sr., like McCain, is a Vietnam veteran.

The elder Teutul briefly addressed the crowd. “How many people out there love their country and the military?” he asked to loud cheers.

McCain clearly was pleased with the gesture.

“Sarah and I are going to get on that chopper and ride it straight to Washington!” he said.

Staffers to the Arizona senator later said the chopper would remain with the Teutuls and continue to serve as a tribute to all POWs.

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17/09/2008 by info.

“A landmark event in the company’s 15-year history” is what CEO Sheldon Coleman calls this year’s Big Dog Motorcycles dealer meeting. Currently being held at the firm’s home in Wichita, KS, the motorcycle manufacturer’s dealer meeting is the springboard for launching three new models.

Met with the most excitement by dealers was the all-new 2009 Bulldog bagger. Shown initially without a fairing, after many hours in wind tunnel testing, Big Dog is in the final design stages of a proprietary fairing that will include a Sirius satellite radio and iPod docking. The Bulldog will come complete with lockable hardbags, a rubber-mounted 117ci fuel injected S&S motor, Baker 6-speed transmission, floorboards, nitrogen gas Works shocks and a 5 gallon gas tank. The bike will also run on a 250mm rear tire with 21″ rubber up front.

Also introduced was the new 2009 Coyote. While sharing the same basic platform as the highly successful Mutt, the new Coyote will include many upgrades along with a lower MSRP.

Also shown for the first time was the first production run model of the company’s flagship bike, the Wolf. The Wolf will be driven by a 121″ S&S X-Wedge motor and comes with a full chrome package.

As part of the company’s year-long 15th Anniversary celebration, Big Dog Motorcycles is also planning to release a number of highly limited edition bikes based on current models in the line.

BIG DOG MOTORCYCLES
Wichita, Kansas, USA
Tel: 316 267 9121
Fax: 316 267 2597
www.bigdogmotorcycles.com

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12/08/2008 by info.

NESS Motorcycles, the company set up by Arlen and Cory Ness to manufacture production motorcycles, has launched a new model. The Lowliner V is a limited edition bike powered by a Victory Freedom 106 motor.

The new model is a continuation of the work the Ness family has been doing with Victory, which includes special editions of the 2009 Victory Vision and Victory Jackpot models built at the Victory factory. The new Lowliner V, however, will be produced at the Ness facility in Dublin, California.

The engine in the Lowliner V is 106ci, is finished with diamond-cut heads and barrels and has custom Ness side covers and badges. The new machine features 23in front and 20in rear wheels, with a choice of four different designs. There is also a choice of three styles of grips and pegs and five different levels of Ness paint options, including the full blown ‘You dream it, we can do it’. All sheet metal, mono shock frame, handlebars, mirrors, controls, seat, gas tank, six-piston brakes front and rear, forward controls, headlight and trees are Ness designs.

The 2009 Lowliner V will be available through Victory dealerships later in the year.

www.arlenness.com/

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04/08/2008 by info.

Taken from the company blog……

And Now For The Moment We’ve All Been Waiting For…

By InMoBlog on  7/17/2008 4:25 PM

An enormous milestone was reached this week at the Indian Motorcycle plant when the first production vehicle rolled off the assembly line.  The first bike to wear the Indian badge was a red and cream 2009 Chief Vintage, complete with windshield, tan leather seat and saddlebags.  The bike was hand-built by a team of 6 craftsmen.

Building an Indian Motorcycle is an intricate yet rewarding process. Each bike is assembled by a team of master craftsmen. A signed certificate of craftsmanship accompanies every bike that comes off the line.

Being part of the team that is building America’s motorcycle is the greatest feeling in the world. Being there when the first bike came off the line was awe-inspiring. The 2009 Chief is truly a work of art.

www.indianmotorcycle.com/

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27/06/2008 by info.

JIM Nasi Customs now introduces the Nasi Bagger Series kit, which was seen in prototype form at the V-Twin Expo. The new kit is made up of replacement bags, rear fender, license plate holder/taillight, front side panels and slip-on mufflers.

The complete kit is designed as a bolt-on application to replace the stock fittings, and is described by Jim Nasi as being: “specifically designed for easy and quick installation.”

The new hard bags are fiberglass, unlike the stock items they are deeper, narrower and longer to create a more streamlined look, and mount lower on supplied brackets. Two versions of the bag are offered either with the exhaust cut-outs or without, and locks and hidden hinges are included.

The cut-outs in the bags were inspired by hot rod and custom car designs, the holes are filled by the Triple Shot slip-on mufflers, which can be fitted with baffles.

In addition, the kit includes new forward side panels, which help the lines of the bike flow visually into the bags, and a new rear fender. The fender is said to be the first replacement unit manufactured in steel, and is set up to take a billet license plate holder (also included). The holder has an LED taillight and indicators and is ready wired to connect to the stock bike’s electrics.

The Nasi Bagger Series Kit, available through Jim Nasi Customs, will fit ‘97 onward H-D Touring models.

JIM NASI CUSTOMS
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Tel: 800 964 6274
Fax: 623 879 8605
E-mail: sales@jimnasicustoms.com

www.jimnasicustoms.com

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10/06/2008 by info.

BOURGET’S Bagger Group, Inc., the company set up by Roger Bourget to build production Baggers, will be holding Demo Days on June 19 and 20 in Phoenix, Arizona.

Those attending the event will be able to ride the new Drifter Bagger and see the prototype Entourage. Factory tours and the opportunity to meet Roger Bourget will also be available.

The Drifter is a custom production Bagger which uses an S&S X-Wedge engine and matching six-speed transmission. The bike is 50-state legal and is currently undergoing testing to assure it is also legal in Canada.

Talking about the concept for the Drifter, Roger Bourget said: “I’ve got the Chopper thing done well and decided that I didn’t want to be like everyone else and simply convert a Chopper into a Bagger. We’ve been working on this for two years, and over the past six months we’ve had regular Bagger riders out on prototype Drifters so that we can get the ride totally dialed-in.”

To ensure the ride of the Drifter is the best it can be, the motor is rubber mounted and the suspension has been developed with the help of former off-road racer Walker Evans.

Dealers stocking the Drifter will have the option of 10 paint finishes and three billet wheel styles. In addition, because of the bike’s modular design, dealers can buy a base model Drifter and offer upgrades to meet their customers’ budgets. A complete parts line will be offered within six months, and will include hard bags, fairing options, chin spoilers and a tour pack.

Anyone interested in attending the Demo Days should contact Brigitte Bourget (brigitte@bourgets.com).

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03/06/2008 by info.

Brian Laine’s Harley GB1200R is one man’s vision of the perfect bike, with parts that originate from America, Japan, Germany and England. The bike won a third place trophy in the Mild Custom class at the May 18, 2008 Old Snohomish Motorcycle Show in Washington.

Read how Brian put together this interesting bike at his web-site

Link: Brian Laine’s website

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27/05/2008 by info.

Scott Meyers completes American IronHorse deal: “I want us to be the best, not the biggest”
The troubled Fort Worth, Texas, custom motorcycle manufacturer American IronHorse has been bought out from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection by Scott Meyers, an American IronHorse dealer with custom shops in Montana and Minnesota.

Meyers is a former senior defence industry executive with an impeccable business career record and all the corporate credentials needed to indicate that he has the experience necessary to successfully rescue the business.

However, he is also a lifelong rider who hails from a family that has ridden since the 1920’s, and he became a custom shop owner five years ago with American IronHorse and Arlen Ness franchises.

With two dealerships, Rocky Mountain Choppers at Bozeman, Mt., and BlackWater Choppers of Minneapolis-St. Paul, Mn., Meyers comes at the acquisition from the position of being a dealer who is both committed to the brand, and has an insider’s experience of the difficulties the company encountered.

Within hours of his deal being approved by the bankruptcy court, Meyers gave AMD an exclusive interview that will be published in full in the July edition. Meyers said: “American IronHorse swamped the market with bikes in 2005 and when inventory started to stick they agreed to pay for the flooring. In my view this is what ultimately caused the bankruptcy”.

Meyers says his aims are simple: “I want to create a sustainable, profitable business; I want to make the transition into it being so as quickly as possible, and as easy as possible for the firm’s dealer network. We are fully committed to supporting the American IronHorse brand in every way possible”.

“We will slim down the dealer network,” Meyers went on to say. “Those dealers who wish to stay with us will be asked to agree new dealer contracts, but the level of commitment we have to ensuring that their business dealings with American IronHorse are profitable is absolute”.

Meyers says that his dealerships spent a six-figure sum on flooring finance interest in 2006 alone, “so we fully understand the position that American IronHorse dealers have been in. We are fully committed to establishing American IronHorse as the premium brand in manufacturing highly profitable custom motorcycles. My aim is that American IronHorse should be the best, not the biggest”.

Meyers cites the cycle of Harley’s own experience, with authorized Harley dealers seeing their businesses move from wait lists to discounts on MRSP’s in less than a decade. “We need to return exclusivity to the American IronHorse experience, and we can’t achieve this without supporting the profit objectives of our loyal dealers”.

Meyers has said that he is making ‘Good Faith’ offers to dealers in respect of warranties and finance. “We have agreed terms with Textron for them to continue to offer flooring programs to American IronHorse dealers. While dealers themselves, rather than the company, will have to pay for that finance, our manufacturing policies will ensure that inventory can be financed profitably and moved quickly”.

“In terms of standing behind the motorcycles built since the company started, we are going to honor warranties on all unsold bikes, and provide factory warranties for all bikes already on the road that have not yet had warranty claims”.

At this time the plan is for the existing management team to continue. Meyers went on to tell AMD that “the transition to our ownership will have been completed by the end of May and we will be in a position to make substantial capital available immediately to enable the business to re-start trading activities as soon as possible”.

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21/05/2008 by info.

INDIAN Motorcycle is rapidly approaching the official launch of its new line of 2009 motorcycles and, in anticipation of this, has released the specifications of the new models.

The initial line-up of new Indian motorcycles will comprise of four Chief models; Chief Standard, Chief Deluxe, Chief Roadmaster and Chief Vintage. The bikes will be differentiated by trim levels, seating configurations, fender design, paint combinations, and included accessories.

The brand new Indian Chiefs are the result of development and tests led by VP of Engineering Nick Glaja, who was Principal Engineer of Powertrain Technology at Harley-Davidson before he joined the Indian project. He said of the preparatory work done: “Our goal was quite simple: to focus on the premium nature of this brand and build the finest Indian motorcycle ever. We took a ‘clean sheet’ approach to the engineering of this world class American legend to ensure a solid engineering platform. Benchmarks were set high, and we believe our customers will be very happy.”

At the very center of the development work by Glaja and his team was the redesign of the classic PowerPlus motor. The new PowerPlus has 105ci capacity and closed loop sequential port fuel injection. Internally, the engine’s cylinders are Nikasil plated, a new crankshaft eliminates “scissoring”, and the exhaust system is a new design with an integrated three-way catalytic converter and oxygen sensors.

The drivetrain is completed by the use of a Baker six-speed transmission and belt drive to a 16in wheel. Braking is taken care of across the range by dual Brembo four-piston calipers and 11.5in discs at the front and a single two-piston Brembo caliper and disc at the rear.

Overseeing the preparation of the new models ready for their launch has been General Manager Chris Bernauer, who previously spent eleven years with Harley-Davidson. He said: “We’re very excited about the new Indian Chiefs which are, in every way, both true to the legacy of the Indian brand and representative of the highest level of engineering expertise.”

Given the premium nature of the Indian Motorcycle brand, the company will be very selective in judging the quality and number of dealers it will supply. A new stand-alone dealership design of 10,000sq ft will be the flagship in major markets, although it is likely that these new structures will not be completed until some time in 2009.

At present, Indian dealers are already staged for opening at Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit, Denver, Minneapolis and Los Angeles, with an additional twelve applications being processed.

INDIAN MOTORCYCLE
Kings Mountain, North Carolina, USA
Tel: 704 937 7333
Fax: 704 937 7776
E-mail: info@indianmotorcycle.com

www.indianmotorcycle.com

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