18/04/2012 by info.

2012 Isle of Man TT

Iconic British manufacturer Norton has confirmed that it will be returning to the Isle of Man TT races in 2012.

The legendary name will once more grace the Mountain Circuit with an all-new 1000cc V4 machine with reigning TT Privateer’s Champion Ian Mackman on board for the PokerStars Senior TT on Friday, June 8.

The bike features a Spondon chassis with Ohlins front and back, Brembo brakes and an RSV V4 engine. It has been built solely within the factory at Donington Park, with many of the parts - from wheel spindles through to throttle bodies - built within the CNC machine facility in the Norton factory.

The company has also partnered with Active Technologies Limited for the fuelling system and electronic package. All the styling and bodywork has also been completed at the factory and the team will operate with their traditional polished aluminium tank.

The Midlands-based outfit originally made a low-key comeback to the TT in 2009, just months after Stuart Garner of Norton Racing acquired the rights to the brand.

Although the team secured Michael Dunlop to ride their NRV588 they didn’t qualify for the Senior Race. However, it’s widely anticipated that the new V4 bike will be more suitable to the rigours of the Mountain Course and give the team a great chance of having a British rider contest the Blue Riband Senior race on a Norton for the first time since 1992.

That race, twenty years ago, voted the greatest of all time in a recent fan survey, will be remembered for Steve Hislop giving Norton a fairytale win after a titanic battle with Carl Fogarty with the outright lap record being broken by both riders. It gave Norton their first TT win since 1961 and their 43rd in total.

The manufacturer is synonymous with the TT and is immortalised in the record books for the first TT win when Rem Fowler rode a twin cylinder Norton to victory in the first race back in 1907. Since then many legendary names have competed for the world-famous marque including Stanley Woods, Geoff Duke, Alec Bennett, Jimmy Guthrie, Freddie Frith, Harold Daniell, Artie Bell, Reg Armstrong and Ray Amm who all took Norton to TT race victories. Apart from Hislop’s win in 1992, Norton’s previous wins came in 1961 when two of Britain’s greatest ever riders - Mike Hailwood and Phil Read - won the Senior and Junior races respectively.

Ian Mackman says: “It is a huge honour to be riding a Norton at the Isle of Man TT Races, following such iconic names in competing on the Mountain Course. It will be an incredible experience and I’m confident that we can do justice to this legendary company.”

Stuart Garner has conceded that victory is unlikely in the first year but believes that the team has put in some good preparation and will arrive on the Isle of Man with a competitive machine:

Stuart Garner says: “After our experience in 2009 I vowed that we would only return to the Isle of Man when we were ready. This is a long-term project and I am confident that we can have a strong first year and add to Norton’s history around the Mountain Course as well as building a strong team to take the brand back to its rightful place at the front of the field. Everyone in the factory is committed to achieving a competitive bike.

“The TT stood out as the very obvious choice for Norton. The hard edge style of racing, which gets much closer to fans and supporters in a true and real world way, is a very genuine and a passionate way to go racing and appeals to Norton far more than the energy drink and lycra clad world of homologated road bike racing. The Norton team is looking forward to getting to the Isle of Man and providing some excitement and fun for the TT crowd.”

Paul Phillips (TT and Motorsport Development Manager, Isle of Man Government) says: “It’s fitting that Norton are returning on the twentieth anniversary of what is widely recognised as the greatest TT Race. The Norton name resonates around the world and we are delighted to have them back on the grid. I’m sure that their experience of competing in 2009 will stand them in good stead but realistically this is their first competitive return since 1992.”

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12/04/2012 by info.

Check out the Uno from BPG Motors, a trike that transforms into a self-balancing, two-wheeled, electric… thing. Price range $5000–$7000.

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16/03/2012 by info.

Lehman Trikes of Spearfish, South Dakota, has “suspended operations and may not reopen” according to the Rapid City Journal.

A number of workers were laid off in November while an investment solution was sought, but president and chief executive officer Ken Hines has announced that the company has been “unable to complete the proposed sale”.

Hines states that attempts to achieve refinancing are ongoing, but that the company cannot continue to operate in the meantime and that “there is no assurance that the company will be able to secure the required funding to recommence operations”.

The company has suffered a series of blows, not least the recent death at 60 years of age of founder John K. Lehman in January.

In 2010, Lehman’s contract to build the Tri-Glide trike for Harley came to an end and, despite subsequent trike projects on an number of platforms (such as Victory, Honda, Suzuki) as well as Harley based trike builds, the decision to put the company up for sale in November last year may have come too late and cannot have been helped by the nature of the economic climate.

LEHMAN TRIKES
www.lehmantrikes.com

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14/03/2012 by info.

The UK’s main motorcycle organizations have declared Motorcycle Lobby Day a great success. The Rider are Voters (RAV) badged event on March 7 brought together the key motorcycle organizations in a day of activities aimed at MPs (members of parliament) and Ministers and was organized to highlight key issues where the motorcycle world is calling for direct and positive action by the Government.

Nearly 50 riders and businesses attended a lobby meeting in one of Parliament’s committee rooms. Attendees also held individual meetings with their MPs.

The meeting, which was hosted by Steve Baker MP, was followed by an Associate Parliamentary Motorcycle Group reception which was attended by over 20 MPs and addressed by DfT Minister Mike Penning MP. Mr Penning spoke about the importance of motorcycling and pledged to bring the motorcycle test review to a positive conclusion.

Organised by RAV partners, the Auto Cycle Union (ACU), British Motorcyclists Federation (BMF), the Motorcycle Action Group (MAG) and the Motor Cycle Industry Association (MCI), Lobby Day promoted several key messages. These combined the importance of keeping awareness of the rider licensing review and the type approval campaign high among MPs. Other key policies which emphasised the social and economic importance of motorcycling and the industry were also highlighted.

The Government has been conducting a review of the motorcycle test and there is an expectation that a properly revised, fully on road test will start to be available from 2013. It is important that the Government fulfils this commitment and Ministers have expressed their determination to do so.

The Third European Driving Licence Directive will also be implemented in 2013. This will bring further pressure on motorcycling, business and jobs unless implementation is conducted properly. There are also concerns about a DSA proposal for a register of motorcycle trainers.

Riders and industry are concerned about European proposals for a new ‘Type Approval’ framework which covers the design and construction of motorcycles. The proposals are complex and could result in significant costs and bureaucracy to business and riders. This could threaten jobs and economic development, particularly in the area of so-called ‘anti tampering’ proposals.

Unclear timetables, a lack of clarity for technical requirements and the undemocratic aspects of so called ‘Delegated Acts’ (where officials can make regulations without proper scrutiny) are also causing concern. The Government’s close attention to the proposals has been welcomed, but as the issue progresses through the European system, it is vital that the Government maintains a strong line during ongoing European negotiations.

Government also needs to do more to maximise the opportunities that motorcycling can bring to transport policy, environmental policy, the economy and business. In particular:

The motorcycle industry’s economic contribution - over £7billion per annum, according to an MCI 2010 survey. Government should include the industry in business policy development and support the motorcycle, components and accessory manufacturing base and supporting industry sectors as part of the Prime Minister’s policy to ‘rebalance’ the economy. Triumph Motorcycles in particular is the UK’s largest solely British owned volume automotive manufacturer and, along with other British manufacturers, deserves wider recognition.

Motorcycle sport is worth over half a billion pounds per annum to the UK economy (MCI/ACU/AMCA survey). Government needs to take action to support efforts to safeguard the sport, particularly efforts by the sport governing bodies to bring better standards to off road motorcycle sport.

With motorcycles still emitting on average significantly less Co2 than the car average, Government is called upon to embrace the ‘PTW option’ in transport policy and including motorcycling in strategies to reduce transport Co2 and also to support the emerging alternative powered motorcycle sector.

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18/01/2012 by info.

In an exclusive interview conducted for the BMF’s membership magazine, Motorcycle Rider, Mike Penning MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport, reveals himself as a motorcyclist keen to tackle the issues facing motorcycling today.

The wide-ranging interview, conducted by the BMF’s Government Relations Executive Chris Hodder, covered rider testing, the red tape challenge, type approval regulations and Britain’s strength in Europe.

The Minister, having first started riding motorcycles as an Army despatch rider, currently owns a 900cc Ducati Monster and a Royal Enfield and despite his own riding being limited these days, said he saw motorcycles as “an enormous benefit for the environment because of their ability to keep moving, give off less emissions and cause fewer traffic problems than a car.” He was however concerned at the “number of riders inappropriately dressed for riding” and that was one of the reasons that he was passionate about training and educating riders.

Tackled over the thorny problem of rider testing and licensing, the Minister said that he fundamentally disagreed with the previous administration’s knee-jerk reaction to the European legislation on testing. “I keep referring to a single test and I still think that’s the best idea. We have to create a test that gives people the skills to enjoy their future riding and ensure that they are safe with other people on the road” he said.

On the test itself Mr Penning said that while he was frustrated at how long it has taken to get to the present revisions, “getting it wrong would be devastating to the industry, motorcyclists and, indeed, Britain. It’s not so much about getting people on to two wheels, but rather getting people to stay on two wheels - and stay safe,” he said. “In fact, one of the only television advertising campaigns I’m doing this year is focused on motorcyclists, because I’m committed to their safety” he added.

Tackling red tape had also been a priority he said and streamlining the SORN arrangements by removing annual renewals was just a start, adding that his red tape challenge (www.redtapechallenge.cabinetoffice.gov.uk) makes it easy for people to submit suggestions.

On European issues he said he had permission from the Prime Minister to “push back as strongly as possible” on anything he didn’t like and on the Commission’s latest Type Approval legislation he said he would do just that.

Questioned on our standing within Europe since the finance veto, the Minister said that all that will happen is that the European Parliament will realise that when we say no we mean no. “I get on very well with my European counterparts, but they know exactly where I stand” he said.

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18/10/2011 by info.

HARLEY-Davidson has reported continued strong improvement in earnings and dealer retail sales in the third quarter of 2011 and through the nine months of the year-to-date, compared to 2010.

The company says that third-quarter operating income from Motorcycles and Related Products grew 78.0 percent on higher shipment volumes and operating margin improvements, with operating income from its Financial Services segment grew 21.9 percent due to continued improvement in credit performance, compared to the third quarter of 2010.

Retail sales of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles are said to have grown by 5.1 percent worldwide in the third quarter (to 61,838), led by a 5.4 percent rise in the US, with first nine-month retail sales up 4.9 percent (worldwide) to 194,829.
“We are pleased with our sustained progress and we continue to realize strong momentum in the transformation our business,” said Keith Wandell, President and Chief Executive Officer of Harley-Davidson.

“Two years ago we embarked on our strategy to focus solely on the Harley-Davidson brand, provide the flexibility required in today’s market and make Harley-Davidson lean, agile and more effective than ever at delivering remarkable products and extraordinary customer experiences. Today, we continue to see the positive results of the course we have charted,” Wandell said. “The changes underway in manufacturing, product development and retail capability…

“Involves a tremendous amount of highly complex, challenging work across every part of the organization. While much remains to be done, we are well down the road and everyone involved deserves much credit for bringing these changes to life.”
Dealers sold 42,640 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the third quarter in the US, a 5.4 percent increase. In international markets, dealers sold 19,198 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles during the third quarter, an increase of 4.4 percent compared to the year-ago period.

Through nine months US retail sales of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles increased 4.7 percent to 127,930 units, with international, retail sales of new Harley-Davidson motorcycles increasing by 5.2 percent to 66,899 units. During the same period industry-wide US heavyweight new motorcycle (651cc-plus) retail unit sales are said to have increased 3.7 percent, again pointing to an above market performance.

Revenue from Motorcycle Parts and Accessories (P&A) totaled $235.7 million during the quarter, up 7.6 percent, and revenue from General Merchandise, which includes MotorClothes Apparel and Accessories, was $69.3 million, up 8.2 percent compared to the year-ago period.

www.harley-davidson.com

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15/10/2011 by info.

ZIPPER’S MAXFlow Stage I air cleaner upgrade kit includes a specially designed, washable, pleated fabric filter made from multiple layers of surgical-quality cotton gauze material that traps dirt while providing increased flow. The element, which is 5⁄8in deeper than the factory performance filter it is designed to replace, is said to yield over 60 percent more surface area than the Stage I filter. The kit includes required longer mounting hardware.

One version of the kit has been designed for use on Twin Cam engines equipped with H-D Screamin’ Eagle Stage I air cleaner and the standard Twin Cam cover, which makes 360-degree contact between the cover back and the rubber gasket on the filter.

A second option is an upgrade kit for Evo style covers. While similar to the Twin Cam version, this option is designed with the filter tapering outward towards the air filter cover, allowing use of 8in diameter EV-style round covers. It can be used on Evolution or Twin Cam engines if the appropriate EV-style cover is used. The specially designed 7in outer diameter filter is said to increase air flow while reducing intake turbulence.

ZIPPER’S PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS
Elkridge, Maryland, USA

www.zippersperformance.com

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18/02/2011 by info.

Victory has been drawn towards India following the vibrant success of its competitor, Harley Davidson, which has sold an average of more than two units from its line-up of 12 models every three days this calendar year.

Market sources said Victory is close to completing its market analysis in India and will introduce models that would best suit the country. The company is keen to participate in next year’s biennial Auto Expo held in New Delhi to showcase its products.

A formal launch by the company will be announced by the second half of next year. To test market response, the company will start importing the bikes initially before setting up an assembly plant to cut costs.

Harley Davidson has managed to bring down its entry point price to Rs 5.5 lakh from more than Rs 7.5 lakh after it built an assembly plant in Bawal, Haryana — the third plant in the world after the US and Brazil. It has also started accepting bookings for the SuperLow and Iron 883, produced from the plant in Haryana.

To discourage imports and encourage local manufacturing activity, the Indian government has kept the import duties high, which effectively doubles the price of a model when it lands in showrooms.

A local assembly operation will bring down costs by a minimum of 30 per cent and can go up on the basis of the level of localisation or components which are sourced locally. A completely knocked down operation means parts will be brought to India and assembled here.

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09/02/2011 by info.

Following on from our earlier post about the troubled times some H-D dealers are having……  The decline in large-capacity motorcycle sales on both sides of the Atlantic is putting an increasing number of Harley-Davidson franchised dealers out of business.

In the US, 36 Harley dealerships closed their doors last year, and Harley-Davidson chief financial officer John Olin say that he doesn’t expect the trend to abate this year. Here in the UK, three Harley outlets folded in the final two months of 2010 and more are reportedly struggling.

Commenting to analysts on the situation in America, Olin recently said: “This contraction was expected and in line with our desire to modestly consolidate our dealer network in response to lower overall volume since the economic downturn took hold.”

But Olin also claimed that dealers have been coping with lower inventory of new machines by selling more pre-owned stock. “Used bike sales in the dealer network were up double digits through November,” he added. “Despite dealers’ efforts to improve revenue and manage cost, their profitability has been impacted in the downturn. But we believe the US dealer network in aggregate remains profitable.”

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01/02/2011 by info.

Dockgate 20 Motorcycles Ltd, the parent company of the Dockgate 20 Harley-Davidson and Thames Valley Harley-Davidson dealerships located respectively in Southampton and Slough, has definitely gone belly-up.

Richard Hawes and Julia Branson, of leading acountancy group and insolvency specialist Deloitte, were appointed as joint administrators of the company on 23 December 2010.

In addition to the above, following the recent closure of its London Harley outlet in Walthamstow, the Pendragon automotive group’s bike division is consolidating in the West Midlands.

The company is adding a Stoke-on-Trent Harley store to its pair of Stratstone Harley operations in Birmingham and Wolverhampton and Stratstone Triumph dealerships in Leicester and Wolverhampton.

Pendragon’s Walthamstow branch was folded after the opening of a Harley-Davidson franchise adjacent to the Lakeside shopping mall at Thurrock in Essex, which pinched much of its business. The Lakeside Harley dealership is owned by another competing automotive chain, the Jardine group.

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