10/10/2008 by info.

Harley Davidson press release:

To emphasize the non-traditional pairing of sophisticated style and brute strength, Harley-Davidson chose to launch the new 2009 V-Rod Muscle in a distinctly non-traditional way—by teaming up with American Supermodel Marisa Miller in an innovative marketing campaign to introduce the latest addition to Harley-Davidson’s high-performance line of V-Rod motorcycles.

The new V-Rod Muscle features a powerfully sculpted new physique that exudes a contemporary and urban sense of style. The Muscle’s long, low profile and super wide rear tire are inspired by the drag strip, while the free-revving performance of the liquid-cooled Revolution V-Twin engine co-developed with Porsche give it an unmatched combination of power and sophistication.

More photos below:

“The V-Rod Muscle stands out in a crowd of copies and generic motorcycle profiles,” said Mark-Hans Richer, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Harley-Davidson. “It stretches the very definition of what it means to be a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.”

Partnering with American supermodel Marisa Miller is a perfect match. The V-Rod Muscle’s sculpted body and commanding physique complement Miller, who not only represents classic American beauty, but also strength and athleticism. Miller is best known for gracing the cover of many prominent publications, but she also represents the return of the great American Supermodel. Miller grew up around motorcycles in California and has a strong appreciation for Harley-Davidson.

“To represent such an iconic American brand is incredible,” said Miller. “I have grown up watching my dad and uncle ride Harleys. It’s amazing to circle back at this point in my career, and work with a brand I have so much respect for.”

Like the bike itself, Harley-Davidson chose a distinctly non-traditional marketing campaign for the V-Rod Muscle. Starting Oct. 13, an ad campaign launches that shows Miller stretched atop a sleek, black V-Rod Muscle. The black background and distinct lighting capture the aggressive styling of the bike, contrasted by Miller, which brings the idea of American Supermodel to life. In lifestyle magazines such as GQ, Esquire, Complex, Road & Track and Trader, ads will make use of a new technology called SnapTell, which provides access to exclusive content upon photographing the ad with a mobile phone camera.

Link: Harley Davidson
Link: Harley Davidson YouTube channel

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17/09/2008 by info.

Take a look at the video and let us know what you think!

Italian Police Display!

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31/07/2008 by info.

BUELL has debuted its 2009 model range with the launch of the 1125CR. It is described by the East Troy, Wisconsin company as “a modern interpretation of ‘café racer’ styling” and utilizes the Buell Helicon 1125 liquid-cooled V-Twin engine. It is one of nine models from Buell covering sports, Streetfighter and adventure bikes.

“Part superbike and part Streetfighter, the 1125CR is my vision of a 21st century café racer,” said Erik Buell, Chairman and Chief Technical Officer of Buell Motorcycle Company. “It’s got Clubman style bars and a fly screen instead of a fairing. Then we geared it down to optimize acceleration. With a class-leading weight-to-horsepower ratio, the 1125CR takes Streetfighter performance to a new level.”

The second bike in the sportbike range is the 1125R, which uses the same Helicon engine as the 1125CR. For 2009 it is available in new body and wheel colors and with tinted windscreens.

Completing the sport range is the Firebolt XB12R, with a new blacked-out frame, swingarm, powertrain, forks and other components. It also features new high-performance Pirelli Diablo Corsa III tires for ‘09.

In the Streetfighter range the XB Lightning XB12Ss and XB12Scg are powered by the Thunderstorm 1203 engine and gain Buell ZTL2 front brake with four-pad, eight-piston caliper, a design that debuted on the 1125R in 2008. The XB9SX has its seat lowered by 1.3in to 30.1in.

Making up the adventure sportbike line-up are the Ulysses XB12XT, Ulysses XB12X, and Ulysses Police XB12XP. The latter is a ’special duty’ motorcycle intended for government agencies and private security firms. It is supplied with a special wiring harness for easy installation of an ‘Emergency Response Kit’, which includes special compact, hard-shell top and side cases, a siren and LED police pursuit lamps.

Buell Blast completes the 2009 range and is powered by a 34hp, 492cc single-cylinder engine. For 2009, the Blast is offered in new Sunfire Yellow and Midnight Black, both with Stardust Silver wheels.

www.harley-davidson.com

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30/07/2008 by info.

HARLEY-Davidson engineers have developed a completely new frame for the Company’s 2009 range of Touring models. The new design is said to improve comfort and functionality while preserving the timeless character of the bikes.

In addition to the new frame, the triple trees, swingarm, engine mounts, exhaust system, rear fender, wheels and tires have also been redesigned. However, key visual elements such as the front end, fuel tank, saddlebags and Tour-Pak are essentially unchanged to maintain the model’s heritage.

The new Touring chassis is a single-spar, rigid backbone style that provides a 70lb increase in carrying capacity, and is manufactured with the latest coordinated motion robotic welding process. The new design results in a 50 percent reduction in parts, and a 50 percent reduction in the total length of welds used on the frame. T-studs have been eliminated, and the components of the new frame are joined with cast and forged node-tube joints.

A separate bolt-on tail section isolates the main frame from the tail frame, providing more product-design flexibility, while the new swingarm is manufactured from a two-piece, deep-drawn shell with a forged pivot section.

The new chassis also allow for a change to 17in front wheel from a 16in (except for the Road King Classic, which has 16in wheels front and rear). At the rear the width of the 16in wheel is increased to 5in from 3in. Rear tires are new Dunlop D407 Multi-Tread with a 180mm section, designed specifically for the new Harley-Davidson Touring chassis. At the front a 130/80-17 tire is used.

“In 2009, Harley-Davidson will mark its 15th consecutive year of leading the touring segment in market share,” said Bill Davidson, Harley-Davidson Vice President, Core Customer Marketing. “Our dedication to constant improvement of Harley-Davidson motorcycles brings the new chassis and other upgrades for 2009 to deliver a new level of agility and responsiveness, rider and passenger comfort and cargo capacity.”

www.harley-davidson.com

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29/07/2008 by info.

HARLEY-Davidson has given its V-Rod a workout for 2009 with the launch of the V-Rod Muscle.

The silhouette of the new model is radically changed from the classic V-Rod lines. For 2009 the dummy tank becomes much more angular and wider, while at the rear of the bike the fender is drastically chopped, exposing the 240 rear tire.

Cleaner styling is provided by the combination stop/tail/turn LED light mounted under the lip of the rear fender, while the license plate is side mounted to provide a clear view of the tire.
Similarly the front features a trimmed fender, mounted on the USD forks. Further streamlining can be found in the turn signals which are incorporated into the mirror stems.

More new features seen on this V-Rod include the five-spoke cast aluminum wheels, 1.5in cast aluminum handlebars with internal wiring and integrated risers, and new dual exhausts which exit on both sides of the bike.

The V-Rod Muscle is available in Vivid Black, Brilliant Silver, Dark Blue Denim and Red Hot Sunglo.

www.harley-davidson.com

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28/07/2008 by info.

HARLEY-Davidson has re-entered the trike market with the introduction of the 2009 model Tri Glide Ultra Classic.

The new model, the FLHTCUTG, has been designed around an entirely new frame, which the company claims is engineered specifically to handle the loads generated by the steering forces and weight of a trike. Changes to the front-end geometry, compared to a regular Glide, enhance steering control by reducing steering effort by a claimed 25 percent. The forks have been lengthened by 1.775in compared to the regular Touring motorcycle, and rake is increased from 29.25 degrees to 32 degrees.

A new rear-axle assembly has been designed for the Tri Glide that utilizes an aluminum center section with steel axle tubes and retains the customary belt drive. The rear suspension features dual air-adjustable rear shock absorbers.

The Tri Glide is powered by a Twin Cam 103 V-twin engine with Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection. It retains the six-speed Cruise Drive transmission used on Harley-Davidson Touring motorcycles, but adds an optional electric reverse integrated with the rear differential assembly that is engaged with a handlebar-mounted reverse module.

Braking is courtesy of dual front disc brakes and a Hayes Brake dual-disc rear brake system with a lever-actuated, integrated park brake.

The new body components of the Tri Glide integrate with the existing Ultra bodywork, including the Tour Pak luggage compartment and the passenger seating area. The molded-composite trunk provides 4.5 cubic feet of storage space and can be accessed through a rear hatch. The trunk and Tour Pak have a combined capacity of 6.56 cubic feet and are rated to carry up to 80lbs.

At the front the Ultra Classic Electra Glide ‘bat wing’ fairing, auxiliary driving lamps and deep-skirted front fender are retained.

The Tri Glide Ultra Classic will be offered in three colors: Vivid Black, Dark Blue Pearl and Red Hot Sunglo.

www.harley-davidson.com

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11/07/2008 by info.

Harley-Davidson has ended months of speculation about its intentions to make a strategic acquisition by confirming that it has bought Italian maker MV Agusta.

A statement on Harley’s website says that “Under the agreement, Harley-Davidson will acquire 100 percent of MV Agusta Group shares for total consideration of approximately 70 million euros ($109 million), which includes the satisfaction of existing bank debt for approximately 45 million euros ($70 million).”

“In addition, the agreement provides for a contingent payment to Claudio Castiglioni in 2016, if certain financial targets are met. MV Agusta Group is privately held, with the Castiglioni family owning 95 percent of MVAG shares.”

“The acquisition is expected to close in several weeks, pending the satisfaction of contingencies and receipt of regulatory approvals. Harley-Davidson intends to fund the transaction primarily through euro-denominated debt.”

“MV Agusta Group has two families of motorcycles: a line of exclusive, premium, high-performance sport motorcycles sold under the MV Agusta brand; and a line of lightweight motorcycles sold under the Cagiva brand. MV Agusta’s F4-R motorcycle, powered by a 1078cc in-line four-cylinder liquid cooled engine, is rated at 190 hp. The company sells its products through about 500 dealers worldwide, the vast majority of them in Europe. In 2007, MVAG shipped 5,819 motorcycles. During 2008 MVAG has significantly slowed production due to financial difficulties.”

“Motorcycles are the heart, soul and passion of Harley-Davidson, Buell and MV Agusta,” said Harley-Davidson, Inc. Chief Executive Officer Jim Ziemer. “Both have great products and close connections with incredibly devoted customers. The MV Agusta and Cagiva brands are well-known and highly regarded in Europe. They are synonymous with beautiful, premium, Italian performance motorcycles,” Ziemer said.

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01/07/2008 by info.

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27/06/2008 by info.

MARK Finnie has been named as the new President of Performance Machine. The announcement comes following the news that Perry Sands has stepped down from his role in the company he formed in order to join the management team at Motorsport Aftermarket Group, Inc. (MAG).

Finnie joins Performance Machine (PM) from Forge-Tec where he held the role of Vice President/General Manager and oversaw the company’s move from manufacturing wheel blanks to finished wheels and the launch of the FHO (For Harley Only) program. Finnie was headhunted for his role at Forge-Tec after being with Weld Racing Motorcycles, where over three years he aided the company in its move from private label wheel manufacturing to retail wheel supplies.

Mark Finnie’s appointment at PM marks a return to the company for him as he began his career in the motorcycle industry there in 1999, when he was appointed Director of Operations, having previously been primarily interested in hot rods.

In an exclusive interview with AMD Finnie told how he was approached by Arnie Ackerman, Chairman of MAG, to return to PM. A move which was backed by Sands himself, who said of Finnie: “There is no one better to take Performance Machine forward. I have known and worked with Mark for many years and I’m confident of his ability to run the company.”

Finnie was equal in his praise for the man whose role he is taking on, saying: “I am honored and humbled to follow Perry. These are big shoes to fill. He’s an industry icon.”

As Finnie takes on the challenge of continuing the success of Performance Machine in the current economic climate, he has the knowledge that Perry is still available to offer advice when needed. He explains: “As Perry is on the MAG Board of Advisors, he is there for me to talk to anytime I want to.”

Perry is not the only member of the Sands family involved with PM that Finnie can count on. He has the assistance of Summer Sands, who is continuing her work as VP of Sales and Marketing, and Finnie says: “We will also continue to utilize Roland’s design abilities as Director of Research and Development to create new products. He’s currently the best in the business as far as I’m concerned.”

Having acknowledged the strengths that Performance Machine has, Finnie is also aware of the weaknesses, saying: “When the market was buoyant no one had to actively sell, orders just came in and sometimes it was a struggle to meet the demand. When things began to slow down, PM was slow to catch up with the changing marketplace. Now we’re turning that situation around.

“My number one objective, right now, is to address poor delivery performance by working with the operations department. We’re going to take PM back to a customer-focused company. We’re going to focus on what made PM the company it is and head forward. We’re looking at changes in manufacturing to make us more competitive.”

Those changes are already beginning to happen, and MAG has invested in new machinery for the production of the company’s brake calipers, one of the key lines for the business. The investment is an indicator of the status of Performance Machine in the MAG group of companies, a point which Finnie is keen to elaborate upon: “I feel that Performance Machine is the Mercedes Benz of the V-twin aftermarket wheel and brake industry, and I intend to ensure that we retain that exclusive status.”

PERFORMANCE MACHINE
La Palma, California, USA
Tel: 714 523 3000
Fax: 714 523 3007
E-mail: sales@performancemachine.com

www.performancemachine.com

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03/06/2008 by info.

Following Nace Panzica’s decision to step down from the Custom Chrome and Global Motorsport (GMG) management team, and Frank Esposito’s exit from the Group last month, owners Dae-Il have selected Custom Chrome Europe Managing Director Holger Mohr to take over as the group’s CEO with immediate effect.

Mohr had decided to return to his post in Germany in August last year after a year and a half at the firm’s Morgan Hill, California, headquarters as President of Custom Chrome.

That decision had been triggered by former owner Cerberus’ reluctance to provide the necessary backing for the company’s business needs. With such backing for the business “now assured”, Mohr told AMD that he was “delighted to be asked to return and take the company forward”.

In an exclusive interview with AMD, Mohr was candid about recent events. “It has been a tough few months, indeed a tough few years for Custom Chrome / Global Motorsport Group, its vendors, dealers and employees, but thanks to Nace’s efforts and Dae-il’s backing throughout the past five months, we are now in a position to draw a line under the process of rescuing the company, and start building for the future”.

Part of that process has included settlement of some $7 million of agreed pre-petition vendor payables liabilities. In a letter to vendors Mohr said that “I am delighted to announce that as a result of our 90 day plan … we have achieved our goal for our vendor community”.

Commenting on Dae-Il’s decision to assume those liabilities in the first place, Mohr said that “some outside our industry recommended we not assume the previous vendor liability and start with a clean slate. Indeed, others in our industry have taken that route. Our decision to assume these debts underscores our belief that those liabilities represent relationships with key partners, and we understand that the best way to protect and promote our business is to protect and promote our vendors’ business interests too”.

Mohr has already been with GMG for 13 years and seen the entire cycle of the firm’s fluctuating fortunes throughout that time. He is one of several industry insiders that represent an emerging generation of managers and entrepreneurs now achieving strong reputations and important positions in the custom parts and accessory industry.

Mohr concluded his letter to vendors by saying “We owe our gratitude to Nace Panzica and Chairman Kim of Dae-Il. Their actions have placed Custom Chrome on a firm financial footing. It was their decision that having met agreed pre-petition obligations, leadership would be turned over to a new management team, and under our new ownership I am convinced that we have the tools to succeed in restoring this company to its rightful position in the industry”.

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