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How The Pandemic Has Kick-Started a Motorcycle Boom

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by Emila Smith It is hard to think about silver linings amidst a devastating pandemic. However, despite the crumbling health systems and faltering businesses, many people have found ways to keep their heads up. They are taking this as an opportunity to enjoy a COVID-triggered breath of fresh air. The pandemic has kick-started a global motorcycle boom. More people are turning to their two-wheelers to break away from the stress and fears, enjoy the outdoors, and ease movement. According to a Bloomberg report, motorcycle industry leaders are optimistic. Eric Pritchard of the Motorcycle Industry Council looked forward to the best run since 2016. Like tech-based companies, motorcycle companies look forward to explosive growth during this COVID-19 season. But what are the reasons behind this motorcycle boom? As the experts at McKinsey would say, “The pandemic reshaped what consumers buy and how they go about getting it.” Previously, motorcycle sales were low because people considered it a risky affair. Bike riders had a disproportionately high number of accidents, and people were grey concerning handling injury and claims. But it looks like the tide is turning. The pandemic has somehow caused a shift in how people perceive motorcycling. It is no longer a stressful, hair-raising activity, but one pursued its health benefits. Read on and learn how wellness-craving buyers are causing a motorcycle boom. A COVID-Triggered Breath of Life Before the pandemic, dark clouds were hanging over the motorcycle industry in the US. There were not enough new buyers to replace those who were giving up their two-wheelers. According to  Statista.com, sales peaked in 2015 when industry sales stood at about 500,000 units. But the figures plummeted in subsequent years. Motorcycle companies like Harley Davidson were on the deathbed for a long time. But then COVID-19 happened. Lockdowns, social distancing, and other […]

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Laconia Motorcycle Week prepares for return of bigger crowds, vendors

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by Andy Hershberger from https://www.wmur.com LACONIA, N.H. — Laconia’s Motorcycle Week will have a very different look and feel than it did in 2020 The declining COVID-19 numbers are making a big difference this year as Laconia gets ready for the 98th annual Motorcycle Week. “It means we’re getting back on to life and back on to what we all do best in the hospitality industry, so we were grateful to have it last year, but this year is especially important,” said Cynthia Makris, Motorcycle Week president. There was a rally last year, but it was a completely different event. It was held in August instead of June, crowds were down and the normal carnival atmosphere suffered. One difference this year will be the vendor tents. Last year, just four nonprofits were allowed to set up shop in Laconia. This year, there will be more than 200 tents selling everything from T-shirts to leather goods. Officials said that alone will be a big draw for the event. “It’s huge this year, especially after all our businesses have gone through in the last 12 to 15 months,” said Scott Myers, Laconia city manager. “And this really kicks off the summer season. It gives it a jump start because schools aren’t quite out yet and it’s not really family vacation time.” Officials say safety measures will be in the form of awareness, hoping visitors are mindful of where the state and the country are at in terms of the pandemic. “We’re encouraging everyone to still remain socially distant when possible,” said Jennifer Anderson, of the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association. “We’re going to have handwashing stations and sanitizer stations available.” Officials said the best way to be socially distant is for people to get on their bikes and ride.  

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UK considers scrapping Trump-era tariffs on US whiskey and motorcycles

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by Stefan Boscia from https://www.cityam.com The UK will review its tariffs on US products like whiskey, tobacco and motorcycles in a bid to get Joe Biden to drop Trump-era tariffs on British steel. International trade secretary Liz Truss announced today that she would launch a six-week consultation with British businesses to consider “re-balancing measures” that could see some of the tariffs scrapped. Truss said she wanted to “de-escalate trade tensions” so that the “US and UK can move forward to the next phase of their trading relationship”. The UK’s tariffs on US goods were in retaliation for Donald Trump’s Section 232 tariffs on British steel and aluminium. Trump’s White House said the trade barriers were required for national security reasons, however the policy was widely thought to be a part of the ex-president’s attempt to boost US manufacturing. “We now have the power to shape these tariffs so they reflect UK interests, and are tailored to our economy,” Truss said. “The UK will do whatever is necessary to protect our steel industry against illegal tariffs that could undermine British industry and damage our businesses. “Ultimately, however, we want to deescalate these disputes so we can move forward and work closely with the US on issues like WTO reform and tackling unfair trade practices by non-market economies.” Truss successfully got the US to agree to suspend US tariffs on Scotch whisky and other products earlier this year in a large step toward de-escalating trade tensions. City A.M. exclusively reported in March that Truss and her allies believed this milestone could provide a path to the US scrapping other Trump tariffs. Read more: Exclusive: UK to begin backdoor push to get Joe Biden to dump Trump’s steel tariffs Resolving the trade dispute with the US over steel tariffs could mark another step

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Pahrump Valley Speedway back on the market for sale

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by Tom Rysinski from https://pvtimes.com Pahrump Valley Speedway is for sale. Again. But don’t expect any imminent news on that front. “The 12 years that I’ve had it, the racetrack has been for sale for eight of those years,” owner Chad Broadhead said. “It’s just that real estate is getting up there, and I’m trying to figure out what to do for my retirement. I’m getting up there in age, my health isn’t that good, so I put it up and hopefully in the next couple of years someone will come up and buy it.” Broadhead’s pride in the racetrack is not diminished, but he does not have the resources to make the most of the place. “It’s been good for me,” he said. “I’ve done the best I could with what money we’ve had to put into it. I’m hoping some investor will buy it and bring concerts in here, bring in motorcycles, bring in monster trucks. I also hope someone can finish the idea of putting a drive-in movie theater for weeks off of racing.” Broadhead noted that the track is dark most of the year, and making the improvements needed to bring in more events could make the place far more lucrative. “There are 365 days a year, we’re open 21, and people think we’re making millions, and we’re not,” he said. “I love this racetrack to death. This racetrack means a lot to me. I’m hoping we can find someone to come in and finish developing it and make it what it can be.” Broadhead said he has no desire to lease the track, and selling it would allow him, eventually, to retire. He also wants to sell it now so his wife would not have to deal with that after he’s gone. But he would

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Tariff truce may spare iconic US products from huge price hikes

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by Jenny Leonard from https://financialpost.com U.S. and EU Set to Reach Temporary Tariff Truce Over Metals Iconic American products affected by EU countertariffs include Harley-Davidson Inc. motorcycles, Levi Strauss & Co. jeans and bourbon whiskey. Business associations and lawmakers have asked that the U.S. lift the duties, saying they do more harm than good. The Biden administration is set to announce it’s reached a truce in a dispute with the European Union over metal tariffs, sparing iconic products such as U.S. bourbon whiskey from a doubling of EU duties next month, people familiar with the matter said. A resolution could be announced as soon as Monday, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are private. At issue is a high-profile dispute that started in 2018 under former President Donald Trump, in which the U.S. imposed duties on steel and aluminum from Europe, Asia and elsewhere over risks to American national security. The EU has since retaliated and on June 1 was set to double tariffs on a list of American products to 50%. Under the agreement with the Biden administration, the EU will refrain from increasing those tariffs and both sides will engage in a dialog on steel overcapacity, according to the people. The European Union had previously proposed to suspend all duties on each other’s products for six months while negotiations on a long-term solution continue. “We can only reiterate that the EU remains committed to finding a solution with the U.S. to the unduly justified tariffs on steel and aluminium and to working with the U.S. in tackling the root cause of the problem, which is the global steel overcapacity,” a spokesperson for the European Commission said on Saturday. Negotiators on both sides of the Atlantic are working to eventually remove the tariffs

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EagleRider Motorcycles Pensacola celebrates 5th anniversary

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by Kalyn Wolfe from https://www.pnj.com What is it like to be an American? Is there any truth to the negative stereotypes that surround Americans? These are the questions Claire Coleman and her husband, Nick, asked themselves as they left New Zealand more than 10 years ago. With a pickup truck and an RV, they spent a year meandering across the lower 48, learning about American culture with every dirt road, brewery and person they encountered. It was these experiences that inspired Claire Coleman to publish a book called “The Back Of Beyond: A North American Road Trip, Kiwi Style!” not long after. But the inspiration didn’t stop there. “It was this trip that inspired us to move to America,” she said. “We had positive experiences with every American we met.” The next step involved obtaining visas. “We needed to open a business in order to fulfill our visa requirements, and Nick spent years in the oil rig industry,” Coleman said. “I haven’t worked in the oil rig industry, so we had to figure out a business we could run together. Nick has worked on motorcycles since he could walk, so in 2016 we decided to open EagleRider Motorcycles Pensacola.” Five years and two locations later, EagleRider Motorcycles Pensacola has recently moved to its third location at 3305 North W St. and held a grand opening April 8 to mark the occasion. But Coleman would be the first to tell you that it was a celebration that almost didn’t happen. “COVID killed us,” she said. “Everyone was canceling. We lost all of our international customers and we had no forward bookings. The borders closed, we initially closed shop, sold up our house and most belongings and planned on returning home to New Zealand. Then we literally drove past our new building

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Meet the 95-year-old grandma selling Harley-Davidson motorcycles

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by Amanda Eustice from https://abc7.com Ever since Schaeffer’s Harley-Davidson opened 54 years ago, Fern Schaeffer, also known as “Nana”, has been in the driver’s seat. “Nana”, now 95 years old. was the first full-time employee when her husband and son opened the business. Nana still works at the store sorting the mail, doing notary work, and as her family likes to put it – keeping everyone in line. Nana loved riding motorcycles growing up and occasionally will go for a ride in the sidecar. “She always made it that it was a woman-run business because she did the parts ordering, the bike selling, the part selling, everything back when everything first started. My grandfather and my dad were the mechanics,” says Denise Calderone, Fern’s Granddaughter. The Schaeffer’s hope to last at least another 54 years in business and continue the legacy of being a family-owned and operated dealership.

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Harley-Davidson Dealer remembered as the community’s unsung hero

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by Eddie Morales from https://www.jsonline.com The owner of Cedarburg’s Wayne’s Drive-In and a Harley Davidson dealer in Thiensville is remembered as the community’s unsung hero. When Wayne Houpt achieved his goal of becoming a business owner with Wayne’s Auto Body in 1962, it was just the beginning of the many accolades he would earn and lives that he would touch. Houpt, born Oct. 1, 1938, was a family man and owner of several North Shore businesses for nearly 60 years. He died March 28 due to heart failure. The Famous Wheeler Dealer Houpt met his wife and business partner, Joan, during their senior year in high school. The pair were together for 59 years. He started his entrepreneurial career with Wayne’s Auto Body in Saukville. Houpt expanded the business with a used car lot and moved the shop to Grafton, where he opened Suburban Motors of Grafton Inc. In 1975, Houpt added Harley-Davidson motorcycles to his inventory and in 1985, he moved Suburban Motors to its current location, 139 N. Main St., Thiensville. That’s when Houpt earned the moniker “The Famous Wheeler Dealer.” He was known for accepting trades like cows, dental service and boats from customers who were a bit short on cash. Houpt’s daughter, Sandy Rath, said she remembers her father taking the family to various burger restaurants when she was a kid. Rath would later realize Houpt was taste testing the food in anticipation of opening his own restaurant one day. Houpt opened Wayne’s Drive-In in 1998, at 1331 Covered Bridge Road, Cedarburg. Rath said when the drive-in first opened, Houpt would eat there all the time. “He would go to Wayne’s the minute it opened,” she said. “He was like a kid in a candy shop. He loved that drive-in. He loved going there, and he

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Barnes Harley-Davidson Launches Squad Wars With Eventzee

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Freeze Tag, a leading creator of location-based mobile social games, announced today that Barnes Harley-Davidson launched their second year of virtual community engagement events using their Squad Wars: Coast to Coast‬ app (formerly known as Barnes Nation: Game of Barnes). Utilizing Eventzee technology, “Squad Wars” has riders driving to landmarks and businesses throughout Western Canada and the United States. Those interested in participating will first need to download the Squad Wars: Coast to Coast‬ app and create an account. Once that is done, it is recommended to visit the Squad Wars webpage to either create or find a squad to join, before doing so in the app. The new game utilizes underlying Eventzee technology which allows for team play. The challenges will require a majority of squad members to complete them before their points will be counted on the leaderboard. The virtual events, which feature gps, photo, video, and quiz challenges, are expected to end sometime in September. “Barnes Harley-Davidson has been great to work with as they are constantly pushing the envelope,” said Craig Holland, CEO of Freeze Tag, “Many features they’ve requested have added polish to Eventzee’s functionality.” There are actually 2 Squad Wars events players can join when competing — the Squad Wars West Coast event and the Squad Wars East Coast event. The West Coast event is run by Barnes Harley-Davidson, while the East Coast event in conjunction with Blackbridge Harley-Davidson. Players can join the event of the dealership they’ve purchased from. The squads that are at the top spots in the leaderboards when the events are over will receive custom squad helmets, custom squad jackets, and an engraved trophy. “We’ve been looking forward to launching Squad Wars since the day we started working with the Eventzee team,” said Kiran Rancourt, Marketing Manager for Barnes Harley-Davidson.

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Harley-Davidson Announces First Chief Electric Vehicle Officer

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Harley-Davidson, Inc. today announces the appointment of Ryan Morrissey as Chief Electric Vehicle Officer (CEVO). Effective April 1, Morrissey will join Harley-Davidson with over two decades of experience in disruptive technologies and the development of new business ventures. As a consultant at Bain & Company, he served most recently as a Senior Partner and head of the Automotive & Mobility practice in the Americas. In this role, he led the development of growth, adjacency and M&A strategies for OEMs, tech providers, and retailers specific to the long-range transition to electric vehicles and autonomous fleets. He has worked extensively with leading global OEMs in powersports, heavy equipment and automotive on developing digital channels, EV product strategy and software-based services. As part of Bain’s work with financial investors, he has advised many leading investment firms on acquisitions in mobility. Morrissey began his career at Lutron Electronics, as the U.S. sales lead for their first generation of software-based control systems for energy management. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Lafayette College and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. “Ryan has extensive experience with leading OEMs, working on building businesses to develop, commercialize and support electric vehicles. I’m excited to have him join the team to help us lead in electric,” said Jochen Zeitz, chairman, president and CEO, Harley-Davidson. “As we announced in February as part of The Hardwire, we’ll be talking more about our electric strategy later in the year.” Harley-Davidson recently unveiled The Hardwire, its 2021-2025 strategic plan, with a dedicated focus on electric, targeting long-term profitable growth and shareholder value and aiming to enhance its position as the most desirable motorcycle brand in the world.

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