To commemorate the 90th anniversary of Laconia Motorcycle Week, June 8-16, 2013, Laconia Harley-Davidson is launching a campaign to raise $30,000 for the Boys & Girls Club of the Lakes Region. To help raise the money, a customized Harley-Davidson Street Glide, donated by Laconia H-D, will be raffled off to one lucky winner. Continue Reading »
Anti-lock brake technology has become fairly commonplace for motorcycles now, and it sometimes comes as a bit of a surprise when a major manufacturer does not offer ABS as an option on certain models. The European Parliament making ABS mandatory by 2016 has helped push things along, as manufacturers work to equip their models with the technology ahead of the deadline, not just for the European market but also for other markets including the U.S.
New documents released by the California Air Resources Board reveal Kawasaki will offer an ABS version for its 2014 Vulcan 1700 cruisers and tourers for American consumers. The only current Vulcan 1700 with ABS in Kawasaki’s 2013 U.S. lineup is the Voyager. The ABS-equipped Voyager uses Kawasaki‘s K-ACT (Kawasaki Advanced Coactive-braking Technology) technology which disengages ABS when braking at already low speeds.
For 2014, U.S. consumers will have an ABS option for the rest of Kawasaki’s Vulcan 1700 lineup including the Nomad, the Vaquero and the Classic, in addition to Voyager. The CARB executive orders for the Vulcan 900 lineup however still do not include ABS options. Continue Reading »
A leaked memo sent out to Harley-Davidson dealers reveals plans to drop several models from the company’s 2014 lineup. Slated to disappear are the XR1200X Sportster, the FXS Softail Blackline, and the FLHTC Electra Glide Classic. Also being discontinued, at least for 2014, is the FLTRX Road Glide Custom and FLTRU Road Glide Ultra, as the tourer models undergo a design refresh. The memo also indicates Harley-Davidson will drop the FLHRC Road King Classic in North America while discontinuing the FLHR Road King in other markets.
According to the memo, the changes were made to optimize the number of choices available, reduce product overlap, reflect marketplace dynamics and reduce model complexity in showrooms.
The most interesting news is the decision to redesign the Road Glide models. According to the memo, the company needed to update the manufacturing processes for the Road Glide, including replacing the fairing tooling. Since Harley-Davidson needs to retool, it made sense to give the Road King a design refresh at the same time. Continue Reading »
Rob Zombie’s live show is known to include elaborate multi-media productions with animatronic robots, oversized LED screens, a non-stop collage of psychotronic monster film clips, a spectacular light show, a gigantic robot with flames shooting out of its body, pyrotechnics, insane guitar riffs and vicious beats.
Party goers at the 2013 Sturgis bike fest can expect to hear singles such as “Dead City Radio and the New Gods of Super Town,” “Ging Gang Gong De Do Gong De Laga Raga,” “Lucifer Rising,” “Behold! The Pretty Filthy Creatures,” and a long list of fan favorites such as “Dragula” and “Thunder Kiss ‘65’,” from his previous albums as well.
Zombie will be in South Dakota on August 7 to headline the Buffalo Chip’s 2013 Sturgis Bike Festival. Zombie will be joining Machine Head, Mastodon, Kid Rock, Toby Keith, ZZ Top, Halestorm and more as fans get to mix hard rock and plenty of hot two wheeled machines! The festival is labelled as “the best party anywhere” and “the largest music festival in motorcycling!”
Moto Guzzi announced the all new California 1400 Custom and Touring models will land at American dealerships on April 15. The 2014 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Touring will be priced at $17,990 while the Custom version will be available for $14,990. The two new models form the centerpiece for the Piaggio Group‘s efforts to reinvigorate the Moto Guzzi brand. The company has even enlisted actor Ewan McGregor to be the new face of the California 1400 in Moto Guzzi’s new “My Bike, My Pride” global ad campaign.
Check back with us soon for Tom Roderick‘s review of the 2014 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Custom as well as his interview with Miguel Galuzzi, head of Piaggio‘s new design center in Pasadena, Calif.
Billed by Moto Guzzi as the most technologically-advanced cruisers on the market today, the California 1400 models are equipped with the latest electronics technology from the Piaggio, normally seen on the Group’s sportbikes and adventure-tourers. The California 1400s come equipped with ride-by-wire technology offering three ride modes, a three-level traction control system and cruise control. Continue Reading »
Harley-Davidson and Marvel Comics are teaming up once more for another cross-promotional promotion, this time in support of the upcoming film “Iron Man 3“. Harley-Davidson had previously worked with Marvel for last year’s “The Avengers” and before that, with 2011′s “Captain America: The First Avenger“.
For the third installment of the Iron Man series starring Robert Downey Jr., Harley-Davidson and Marvel announced the “Iron Man 3 – Man & Machine” contest. One winner will win a custom Street Bob, and will be featured, along with four other selected winners, in a special edition comic book as members of a motorcycle riding group of super heroes known as “Road Force”. All five winners will also receive a trip to Comic-Con International in San Diego for the unveiling of their comic book likenesses.
A similar prize was awarded for the “Assemble Your Freedom” contest for “The Avengers” where five winners were portrayed as members of Road Force (pictured above). The winners of the new Continue Reading »
Considering how much his films “Long Way Round” and “Long Way Down” for popularizing the GS, you’d think Scottish actor Ewan McGregor was a BMW guy. His friend and co-star in those two travelogues, Charley Boorman is a BMW brand ambassador, and it’d be easy to assume McGregor is as well.
The truth is McGregor, well known for his love of motorcycles, is a much bigger fan of Moto Guzzi. McGregor has owned several Moto Guzzis including a California Vintage and an Ambassador. McGregor also made Moto Guzzi‘s home in Mandello del Lario, Italy, a stop in “Long Way Down”.
With Moto Guzzi entering a rebirth with the launch of its new flagship California 1400 models, it seemed a natural connection for McGregor to become the face of the new California. The “Star Wars” and “Trainspotting” star recently got a chance to test both the Tourer and Custom versions of the California 1400, and soon after decided to star in Moto Guzzi’s latest ad campaign called “My Bike, My Pride“. Continue Reading »
Harley-Davidson has renewed its sponsorship agreement with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The new agreement will see the mixed martial arts company hold its UFC 164 event Aug. 31 in Milwaukee’s Bradley Center during Harley-Davidson‘s 110th anniversary celebrations over the Labor Day weekend.
Terms of the new agreement were not released, though UFC President Dana White has said it is a long-term deal. The previous sponsorship agreement had a term of five years.
“The UFC is excited to team with Harley-Davidson again and play such a pivotal role in Harley’s 110th Anniversary celebration during UFC 164,” says White. “The UFC and its fighters are proud to be members of the Harley-Davidson family.”
Harley-Davidson also announced a new contest in conjunction with the UFC, giving away a custom Street Bob and a training session with UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez. To enter, visit http://harley-davidson.com/ufc/ and create a graphic celebrating Harley-Davidson’s 110th anniversary. Continue Reading »
New documents released by the California Air Resources Board reveal the existence of a new model from Triumph to be called the America Horizon for the 2014 model year.
As its name implies, the 2014 Triumph America Horizon will likely be based on the existing Triumph America (the 2012 America is pictured above with touring accessories as an illustration.) The CARB documents confirm it will use the same 865cc parallel-Twin engine as the America as well as the Bonneville, Scrambler, Thruxton and the Speedmaster. We predict a claimed output of 60hp at 6800rpm and 53 ft-lb. at 3300 rpm as found on the Triumph America.
The documents reveal little other details about the new Triumph America Horizon though we can make some conjectures based on how it will likely fit into Triumph’s lineup. Continue Reading »
Dunlop says its second-generation of American Elite tires provide increased mileage, and come in a variety of new styles. Designed with Dunlop’s MT Multi-Tread technology, with a long-wearing center compound and grippier compounds on each edge, the new American Elite’s should pique the interest of Harley FL owners.
The second-gen series of American Elites are also now available with narrow white bar sidewalls and wide white walls along with the original black sidewall, providing FL owners more choices. Continue Reading »
