Harley-Davidson

Harley-Davidson Spoke Bob 23 Is How Germans Like Their Street

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com The Harley-Davidson Street Bob is one of the favorite base motorcycles for Thunderbike builds. In the market of customizing Milwauke-made machines for close to three decades now, the German shop has made a name for itself with its conversions of the “gritty, stripped-down bobber cloaked in black,” as Harley describes the iconic two-wheeler. Over the past year or so, we’ve covered Thunderbike quite extensively, mostly because we find their products worth talking about. Love them or hate them, the garage’s projects are unique on the European scene (possibly even beyond the continent’s borders), and so numerous they’ll keep us busy for a while longer. Because winter is upon us and in most parts of the world bikes are going into storage, we thought to give you something to dream about in anticipation of next summer: here’s the Spoke Bob 23. Built a few years back starting from the Street Bob, the custom bike sports fewer modifications than we’re used to, but effective nonetheless. The build’s name is a combination between that of the stock bike and the spoked wheels used for it (sized 21 and 23 inches) – if you’ve been watching our Thunderbike stories, you know by now these guys do lack imagination when it comes to naming stuff. Other major changes are the use of a custom forward control kit, a new air cleaner, and a Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde exhaust system. Minor modifications include the deployment of a new handlebar and turn signals. As usual, we are not being told how much the conversion of the Street Bob cost. Knowing most of the parts that went into it though we can estimate that to be of around 2,500 euros (roughly $3,000 at today’s exchange rates), but not including the base bike […]

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Harley-Davidson Sportster Forty-Eight Adorns Cali’s Customs Scene

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by Silvian Secara from https://www.autoevolution.com The man behind this spectacular feat goes by the name of Archie Adelan and is an L.A.-based fellow who loves custom bikes just as much as we do. Today’s project is based on a 2014 model from Harley-Davidson’s vicious Sportster Forty-Eight family. This two-wheeled machinery is brought to life by an air-cooled Evolution V-twin behemoth that prides itself with an astronomical displacement of 1,201cc and two valves per cylinder head. At approximately 4,000 rpm, this untamed mill is fully capable of supplying as much as 79 pound-feet (107 Nm) of twisting force. A six-speed gearbox is tasked with channeling this generous oomph over to the rear 16-inch hoop by means of a belt final drive. On the other hand, stopping power is taken good care of by a hydraulic brake rotor and a two-piston caliper at the front, along with a single disc and a one-piston caliper at the rear end. Now, the Forty-Eight wouldn’t exactly be your first pick for a donor when seeking to create a custom cafe racer-style build, but a motorcycle enthusiast named Archie Adelan loves a challenge. The motorcycle guru goes about his daily business in Los Angeles, California, and his Sportster-based venture is a personal exploit he has painstakingly crafted in his spare time. For starters, Adelan fabricated an array of bespoke bodywork units that definitely look the part, including a fresh front fender and a sexy pair of side panels. Additionally, the bike’s curvy fuel tank is the work of Storz Performance, while the pros over at Alchemy Motorcycles upholstered the saddle with classy leather to complement the desired aesthetic. The Alchemy crew is also responsible for the Forty-Eight’s new LED lighting kit, which incorporates a neat lighting strip at the rear, joined by LED turn signals on

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Suicide Machine Harley-Davidson Softail

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com Suicide Machine Harley-Davidson Softail Is All About Bare Bones, Light Riding Weight saving. This was pretty much the idea behind the latest project coming from Suicide Machine Company (SMCO) and destined for the now canceled Born Free Motorcycle Show. SMCO is a shop we’ve featured before. Led by two brothers, Shaun and Aaron Guardado, the garage was part of the bike maker’s The No Show online motorcycle event, held a few months back in support of all the builders that because of the health crisis were left without a venue to show their creations. Back then, they presented a 2019 Road Glide Special modified to get a more aggressive riding position, one better suited for trips down highways. And now we’re getting a bike the shop describes as a “performance-driven and race-inspired” product. What you’re looking at is a seriously lightened and undressed Harley-Davidson Softail Standard. It is the result of two months of work that saw a lot of the motorcycle’s hardware either being removed completely or replaced, all with the goal of making it lighter. First, a lot of the original bodywork is gone. The fenders have been taken out, a new and full carbon fiber bodywork was placed on top of the frame. Not even the tank remains, having been replaced with a fuel cell hidden inside the new body. Carbon fiber has been used extensively on this build, down to the tubes and the wheels that now weigh just a quarter of what the original ones weighed. Also, lighting and wiring have been kept to a minimum, and a titanium exhaust was added. The bike continues to be powered by the stock 107 Milwaukee Eight engine, only it is no longer fuel-injected, but uses a 45mm Mikuni carburetor. SMCO says the

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HOG Heaven 2020 CVOs

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117-Inch, High Tech, Street Glide CVO Harley-Davidson Custom Vehicle Operations has always set the gold standard of style and luxury. All three 2020 CVOs get the Milwaukee-Eight 117 motor. This powerplant is exclusive to the CVO line. It has the highest displacement of a stock Harley-Davidson, and more power than any other Motor Company showroom engine. With an elegant blaze of red paint, the engine features an incredible color mix of accented rocker box lows. With 125 ft/lbs of torque, the M8 117 is amazing. You are looking over the top of 100mph before you blink. Harley Davidson’s 2020 CVO Street glide is a hybrid of many advanced technologies that guarantee both control and confidence while on it. The bike’s systems are configured to produce excellent control including chassis control, including electronic brake control and powertrain technology. Click Here to read this article on Bikernet Join the Cantina – Subscribe Today https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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Why Harley-Davidson Is The Tesla Of Motor Bikes

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by Jim Osman from https://www.forbes.com Visionary CEO Keith E. Wandell should go down in history as the man who introduced the electric motorcycle to the US market and possibly the first CEO to bring it to the world. It was in 2011 that Mr. Wandell first showcased his unbranded team-made creation to a keen San Francisco motor bike enthusiast crowd. He might be the most notorious CEO that the iconic US bike manufacturer Harley-Davidson HOG +4.1% has had (founded 117 years ago in Milwaukee, Wisconsin). However, The Edge (the global leader for activist ideas, special situations and Spinoffs) believes new CEO Jochen Zeitz is the best thing to happen to the company since Mr. Wandell left and successor Matthew S. Levatich was fired suddenly thanks to Impala Asset Management, the $2.4 billion activist hedge fund led by Bob Bishop. The US military purchased over 20,000 motorcycles from Harley-Davidson in World War I and the company also lent itself to supporting US and Allied troops in World War II, with 90,000 military motorcycles handed over. Harley-Davidson’s global fan club run in the millions of members, called Harley Owners Group (HOG), and their constant support of US military and Allied troops gives to many charities around the world. Under Mr. Wandell’s stewardship, the electric motorbike became a reality for Harley-Davidson when the LiveWire was first displayed to the media in June 2014 and released to customers by September 2019. It even became the star of 2019 documentary “The Long Way Up” featuring Unicef Ambassadors and Hollywood actor Ewan McGregor and his longtime riding buddy Charley Boorman when they traveled from Argentina to LA on the electric LiveWire bikes. In the 1950s Harley-Davidson dealt with reputation damage as well as economic downturns, and was on its knees by the 1960s. In 1969, American

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NCOM Biker Newsbytes for November 2020

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Chinese Harley-Davidson, Status of old motorcycles in Europe, Trade War and Tariffs on motorcycles and its parts, Off-Road Bikes on the Street and more. Compiled & Edited by Bill Bish National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) The National Coalition of Motorcyclists (NCOM) is a nationwide motorcyclists rights organization serving over 2,000 NCOM Member Groups throughout the United States, with all services fully-funded through Aid to Injured Motorcyclist (AIM) Attorneys available in each state who donate a portion of their legal fees from motorcycle accidents back into the NCOM Network of Biker Services (www.ON-A-BIKE.com / 800-ON-A-BIKE). Click Here to read the NCOM news on Bikernet. Join the Cantina – Subscribe Today https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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Harley-Davidson Museum to Temporarily Close

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from https://communityjournal.net The H-D Museum will remain closed to the public until at least January 3, 2021 MILWAUKEE, USA (Nov. 20, 2020) – The Harley-Davidson Museum is announcing that beginning Friday, Nov. 20, 2020, the campus will be closed to the public until at least January 3, 2021. Additionally, the H-D Museum’s Holiday Weekend Sale originally scheduled for Nov. 27-29, will be postponed to a later date to be determined. After assessing the City of Milwaukee Order 4.2 and the ongoing COVID-19 situation, the H-D Museum has made this decision in an effort to help keep guests and staff safe. The H-D Museum team will closely monitor the situation to determine a reopening date in 2021. The H-D Museum website (H-DMuseum.com) and social channels will continue to connect with the community through virtual gallery talks, behind-the-scenes video vignettes and more engaging stories of innovation, perseverance and adventure. Additionally, enthusiasts are invited to visit The Shop online to purchase gifts. MOTOR® Bar & Restaurant will also close beginning Friday, November 20, including carry-out and delivery operations, and will reopen when it’s deemed safe to do so. Guests who have already purchased H-D Museum tickets may contact our staff at Tickets@H-DMuseum.com for information about rescheduling and refund availability. Since the H-D Museum reopened in June, safeguards and protocols – including enhanced cleaning and sanitizing procedures, installing signage to encourage social distancing, requiring face coverings for all visitors and more – have been successfully practiced for the health and well-being of our guests and staff. About the Harley-Davidson Museum Discover culture and history through stories and interactive exhibits that celebrate expression, camaraderie and love for the sport at the Harley-Davidson Museum. A visit to the H-D Museum is an experience that will stay with you for a lifetime. With an unrivaled collection of

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Harley-Davidson Knucklehead Project Brings Back the Cool of Pre-1950s Bikes

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com Very few bike makers out there (and by extension car makers) are innovative enough to give birth to new families of engines that inspire generations. Harley-Davidson is one of those that are, as its powerplants were at times as famous as the bike models assembled in Milwaukee. Say the word Knucklehead, and the mind immediately links that to Harley. And it has done so since 1936, when the engine came into the world. Named so after the shape of valve covers, Knucklehead has come to stand for the type of motorcycles that were made in Milwaukee from 1936 to 1947, when the Panhead engine replace it. The name is still very much alive because bikes powered by this type of hardware are still a craze in the custom bike industry. And you know that to be true when guys like Andreas Bergerforth, the main man of Thunderbike, a German custom shop specializing in Harleys, has one built for himself. Put together close to a decade ago, the Knucklehead Project, as the garage calls this build, has all the traits of a bike of its age. Not only does it stay true to a wartime-era two-wheeler when it comes to shape and tech, but it also brings with it enough patina and beat-down stance to speak volumes about its lineage. We’re told that for this bike to be brought back in shape, the original had to be dismantled “up to the last screw” and only then, after some love and care, put back together – there’s no mention on whether some of the hardware had to be replaced with new one. Because this bike was built for in-house use, Thunderbike makes no mention of cost, but the Germans do say similar builds snatched back in 2012,

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Harley-Davidson Doesn’t Give Bikes Girl Names, Here’s Stella Nonetheless

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com Historically speaking, the name Harley-Davidson has generally been associated with males. That’s because, for one, it is mostly males that ride them, and second, because we can’t really remember a Harley bike wearing a girl name. But the naming policy that led to bikes being christened Iron, Street Bob (or the same Bob, only Fat), or Road King does not apply to the custom industry. It is there and only there where you can find, for instance, a Breakout called Stella. The build by this name is the work of German custom shop Thunderbike, a regular on this scene for the past 20 years. Although the bikes the Germans make are at times incredible, the way in which they name the finished projects is sketchy to say the least. Probably knowing that, their latest customer asked for the customized Breakout he ordered to be called Stella, after his daughter. Inspired by an older build of the garage called Mitch, Stella has been customized in the usual Thunderbike way, with a big focus on six main elements: fender, saddle, tank, wheels, fork and air ride. Sporting an air ride suspension kit that allows for up to 10 cm height adjustment, Stella rides on custom wheels, sized 21 and 23 inches, and wrapped in Avon tires. It looks different from stock Breakouts not only because of the above modifications, but also thanks to a host of others. The aluminum tank and rear fender were welded by hand, there’s a special and short Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde exhaust system on one side, and a leather saddle made to match the looks of the build. You can have a look at all the parts used on this latest build from Thunderbike at this link. Don’t expect to get

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Harley-Davidson to Start Teaching 500 People How to Ride Motorcycles for Free

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by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com The world’s best-known motorcycle company, Harley-Davidson, is not exactly enjoying its best of times. It’s been a rough run for the bike maker these past few years, and chances are the trend will continue to manifest itself in the near future as well. But Harley had it rough before, and somehow always managed to pull through. In an attempt to get people’s minds of things, now that the winter holidays are approaching, Harley announced it is giving away 500 classes to its Riding Academy (each worth around $250). They are intended for people who have never ridden a motorcycle before, but only if they’re nominated by family or friends. More to the point, from now and until the last day of the year, Harley is asking people to nominate someone they think deserves to enjoy the class for free. All you have to do to let the company know who that person is is to upload a photo of your favorite Harley-Davidson motorcycle on either Instagram or Twitter, and tag the non-rider while also including #GiftOfRiding and #Giveaway in your post. Aside from the free class, each randomly selected winner will receive a $200 Harley-Davidson gift card to be used for riding gear. Another gift card worth $100 goes to the ones who made the winning nominations. “The thrill of riding with your best friend and reconnecting over a shared adventure is the gift that will always keep giving,” said Theo Keetell, Vice President of Marketing, Harley-Davidson. “From backroads to coastal highways, motorcycle riding offers open-air exploration to free your soul and sense of adventure.” This is not the first time Harley has done something for its riding programs this year. Back in July, it announced the Learn to Ride initiative which allows for personal

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