Harley-Davidson

Is Harley Bringing Back The Nightster As A Custom 1250 Variant?

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by Dustin Wheelen from https://www.rideapart.com Harley-Davidson has kept its plans for the Sportster lineup under wraps for a few years now. Despite discontinuing the platform in Europe due to Euro 5 emissions standards and unveiling the Custom 1250 concept in 2018, the brand hasn’t officially announced the incoming model as the Sportster’s replacement. While the Motor Company has held its cards close to the chest up to this point, a trademark for the Nightster name might just be showing Harley’s hand. Originally released in 2007, the Nightster was previously a 1200cc Sportster variant. Featuring a bobber stance and styling, the trim appealed to cruiser riders looking for a stripped-down experience. By 2013, Harley discontinued the Nightster with variants like the Forty-Eight and Iron 883 carrying on the bobber aesthetics for the range. The company let its trademark rights laps on the Nightster name since, but a March 2, 2021, filing could put the title back at the bar and shield’s disposal (barring objections). The trademark submission hints at future plans for its Custom 1250 platform. With its entry-level model missing from numerous markets around the world, the Motor Company needs a fill-in for the long-in-the-tooth Sportster stat. Many see Custom 1250 as the perfect substitute for the air-cooled relic and it currently has a trove of Sportster monikers on demand. Harley already trademarked the 48X name when it secured rights to the Pan America and Bronx back in December, 2017. By applying for the Nightster trademark, Harley would have old, new, and current names on tap for the Custom 1250 production model. The fact that the company plans to use the name for “motorcycles and structural parts therefor” also solidifies its intentions for the Nightster revival. Whether or not Sportster name comes along with it is still the big question.

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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 Dealerships From Across The United States Join Bagger Racing League

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Harley-Davidson Dealerships From Across The United States Join Bagger Racing League™! Bagger Racing League™ Hits Harley-Davidson and V-Twin Motorcycle Community With Big Bang—Now Expanding Fast Durango, CO (March 11, 2021) – After the formation of Bagger Racing League™ was announced on January 25 at the Harley Only Track Day at Chuckwalla Raceway in Southern California, racing teams and sponsors are signing on fast. Live from Daytona Bike Week Bagger Racing League announced nearly twenty independent motorcycle shops, bike brands, parts and accessory manufacturers, as well as Harley-Davidson dealerships from across the United States who are fielding teams and racing with the BRL in 2021. All told, over 100 riders from all over the nation are slated to participate, and that number is expected to grow. “We’re thrilled with the response,” says BRL founder Rob Buydos. “We thought there was a demand for this, and we’re excited to be proven right. The proliferation of performance baggers we’ve seen over the last half-decade inspired us to create an event that could help promote the parts that make these bikes so sought after. This is just the beginning, and I can’t wait to see how much it can grow.” Bagger Racing League™ Round 1 takes place at Utah Motorsports Complex, June 25–27, in Salt Lake City. Tickets, Hotel Packages, Camping and VIP Experiences for BRL Round 1 are available now on www.BaggerRacingLeague.com Each Round will be a 3-day event, featuring the world’s largest V-Twin vendor village at a road racetrack, stunt shows, camping, the Arlen Ness Custom Bike Show and much more. All the rounds will telecast live and feature a live audience. Originally, BRL™ was set to feature 4 classes of racing: Class 1. Hooligan GP: Includes V-twin inspired platforms. Class 2. Big Twin GP: Includes any large-displacement big twin. Class 3.

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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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The Official Harley-Davidson Suggestion Box

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We Want the Freedom Machine to Succeed The Future of Harley-Davidson – The Freedom Machine must live on into the Future. We are reaching out to readers for their suggestions for the future success of Harley-Davidson. We will collect notes and suggestions from brothers and sisters until we build a solid list of suggestions. Then we can share them with the factory. Let’s try to stay positive, no complaints about the factory or their newest models. Click Here to read this Article and send your Suggestions at Bikernet. Join the Cantina – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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Harley borrows Detroit’s used-car playbook to pursue younger riders

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from https://www.channelnewsasia.com Harley-Davidson has decided the best way to get younger customers to buy a new motorcycle is to sell them a used one first. The Milwaukee-based company plans to roll out a certified pre-owned bike program, known as H-D Certified, adapting a strategy carmakers have been following for years to position well-tended used vehicles as a substitute for low-margin, “entry-level” new models. Harley’s embrace of used bikes is part of a new five-year turnaround strategy under Chief Executive Jochen Zeitz, and is the latest effort to expand the brand’s appeal beyond middle-aged and affluent riders. The 118-year-old American brand has been steadily losing US market share amid declining retail sales for six years. But the demand for used Harleys, which are less expensive, has remained strong. Some dealers told Reuters that pre-owned bikes last year outsold new ones by three-to-one. Melissa Walters, owner of a Harley dealership in Fresno, California, says the coronavirus pandemic has led to an increased demand for outdoor recreational activity, but dealers are hard-pressed to find bikes to sell to customers. “People are tired of staying home,” she said. “They want to go out and do something.” That sentiment was echoed by over a dozen dealers in six states. Data from industry consultant JD Power shows Harley was the most sought-after brand in the used big bikes market last year, boosting bets the certified program will draw in new customers. For Harley, it offers a way to build brand loyalty and attract new customers without engineering and manufacturing new lower-cost bikes, which tend to have lower profit margins. “We believe this program will drive Harley-Davidson desirability, increase sales and margins, and enhance the overall customer experience while supporting growth,” Zeitz told Reuters. Under the pre-owned bike program, which was revealed last month, Harley will certify

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Discovery of a Centennial Motorcycle Documentary

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“Walter: The Missing Link – Discovery of a Centennial Motorcycle” Documentary – Coming Soon Slinger, Wisconsin – March 8, 2021 – The Edge Ltd., producer of “Hogslayer: The Unapproachable Legend,” announces the release of “Walter: The Missing Link – Discovery of a Centennial Motorcycle” documentary. Walter is a feature-length narrative documentary featuring Walter, a 1913 Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Truck, and his former caretaker Michael W. Schuster. A meticulous restoration by Ally Schuster and his grandson Michael, Walter ultimately became an acknowledged motorcycle artifact recognized as the last-known Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Truck in existence. In 1913 an unusual motorcycle negotiates through the mud-rutted streets of old Milwaukee. This is one of the first Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Truck forecars and represents a unique early venture in commercial service delivery motorcycles for the Motor Company. Fast-forward to the present-day as that very same motorcycle truck negotiates through the world of motorcycle collectible artifacts. This is the last-known Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Truck in existence, a remarkable motorcycle affectionately known as Walter. This documentary chronicles the life and times of Walter the forecar from its early days of service, through many decades of desolation stored in a horse barn, and then many years of restoration to eventually become the most valuable service motorcycle in the world. Along the way, the producer explores the history of three-wheeled vehicles; the Harley-Davidson Motor Company’s development of commercial service motorcycles, and most importantly documents one man’s adventure in restoring a motorcycle that has been in his family for a century. Independent producer James Cutting considers the discovery of Walter to be the most extraordinary barn-find of our times. In the end, Walter delivers a lesson to embrace our past and forge relationships for our future. “Walter: The Missing Link – Discovery of a Centennial Motorcycle” documentary will be released in 2021. A late-summer

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Vintage bike as authentic as possible in a discreet bobber look

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com “A vintage bike as authentic as possible in a discreet bobber look.” These are the words used by German custom motorcycle shop Thunderbike to describe one of its more complex projects. Officially titled Bel-Air, it pairs some original and old Harley-Davidson parts with the benefits of more modern hardware in a unique, pure-European custom package. Thunderbike has been modifying Harley-Davidsons for close to three decades now, and its work has oftentimes been recognized by the American company itself. Most of the time, the shop goes about transforming production bikes to customer specification, but every now and then it sets out to create something a bit more special. That is the case with the build we have here, which started life as a Harley from 1954. It went through Thunderbike’s doors in 2016 and came out the other way looking like it does now. The bike’s frame was molded into supporting an S&S shovelhead engine 92ci (1.5L) in displacement and rocking a Super E carburetor and an air cleaner from the same make. The entire thing was then tied to a Paughco Shotgun exhaust system. Visually, the motorcycle sets itself apart first and foremost through the choice of colors used on the body parts. We’re dealing with a combination of red and white that was allegedly inspired by the Harley-Davidson Duo Glide and looks perfectly in sync with the Chevrolet Bel Air used as prop during the photoshoot and as inspiration for the name. A 3.5-gallon (13-liter) fuel tank, a shortened rear fender, a Fat Boy front end, and 16-inch wheels wrapped in Avon Gangster tires complete the look of this two-wheeled machine. Sadly, we are unable to determine how much the build cost to make. With the exception of the exhaust, endcaps and tires, which

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Car and Motorcycle Companies Now Making Electric Bikes

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by Roy Furchgott from https://www.nytimes.com They see branding opportunities as the pandemic and a desire by cities to curb traffic propel e-bike sales to new heights. The transportation industry has seen the future, and the future is 1895. That was the year Ogden Bolton Jr. of Canton, Ohio, was awarded U.S. Patent 552,271 for an “electrical bicycle.” A century and change later, electric bikes have gained new currency as car and motorcycle companies like Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Jeep, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Yamaha have horned into the market with their own designs. While the pandemic has accelerated bike sales, the overriding attraction is that cities worldwide are beginning to restrict motor traffic. These companies are betting that e-bikes are the urban vehicles of tomorrow — or at least vehicles for good publicity today. “In the past 12 to 18 months, you have seen a lot of new brands come into the market,” said Andrew Engelmann, an e-bike sales and marketing manager at Yamaha, which has been in the electric bike business since 1993 and claims sales of two million worldwide. “We in the U.S. have not seen this new energy toward cycling since Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France.” Credit the coronavirus pandemic, which has ignited bike sales of all stripes, but none so much as e-bikes. While retail unit sales of bicycles from January to October last year were up 46 percent from a year earlier, electric bikes were up 140 percent. Measured in dollars, regular bikes were up 67 percent and e-bikes 158 percent — so don’t expect a discount. Those numbers, from the market researchers at NPD, do not include online-only retailers such as Rad Power Bikes, so sales may actually be higher still. Ogden Bolton aside, there is a historical connection between bicycles and motorcycles. Many early

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Harley-Davidson of Valparaiso’s paint shop experts create unique and fan-favorite designs for riders

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by Allison Tunstall from https://valpo.life From custom jobs to throwback styles, Harley-Davidson of Valparaiso’s Paint Shop is a unique service offered in-store—one of the only Harley-Davidson dealers in the Midwest to house its Paint Shop right in the service center. Dealers from surrounding states from Ohio to Kentucky send their parts to the shop located on US 30, where the “Dynamic Duo,” John Galloway and Randy Melton, have been creating one-of-a-kind motorcycle looks for decades. It is easy to see why so many riders and dealers trust Galloway and Melton with their bikes. Galloway, who started his painting career in his brother’s motorcycle shop and has continued painting for over 30 years. He and his team use only the most state-of-the-art technology and methods to create custom and industry-standard style. They are commited to creating quality, lasting work their customers love. “We don’t do any shortcuts,” Galloway said. “We have a reputation of creating lasting work. We don’t want people to come back in a few years saying they’ve had problems, so we use the best product you can get as far as paint, primer, paint guns, air brushes, and more. Our spray booth is top of the line, which helps us get a better product out.” “Recently, two riders brought their bikes to us and said that we’re the only ones they trust to create the look they want for their bikes,” he continued. “For years, I’ve worked with dealerships in Ohio, Kentucky, and Wisconsin, which continue to send me parts and tell me how satisfied their customers were with the job. It really makes a difference.” Galloway and Melton specialize in repair and refinishing Harleys. If a bike has a scratch, dent, ding, mark, you name it, the duo gets to work repairing and detailing so it looks

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