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Harley-Davidson Museum News

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Reopening, new exhibits, installations, programs, events and more As a part of the Harley-Davidson Museum’s phased reopening, the H-D Museum will soon expand its hours of operation. Beginning Thursday, May 6, the H-D Museum and The Shop will be open Thursday through Sunday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. MOTOR® Bar & Restaurant will also have expanded operations on Thursdays, with its hours of operation 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Thursday through Sunday. And with a new installation arriving May 14, it’s the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the expanded hours. “The Harley Fox” bike will be on view in the Custom Culture gallery. This display showcases the explosive growth of women’s riding in the 1980s and draws a direct line from those efforts to the riders of today. But don’t fret. Even if a trip to the H-D Museum isn’t in your plans just yet, our Virtual Gallery Talks, taking place Thursday evenings, aren’t going anywhere. This month, topics will include Harley-Davidson’s humble beginnings, the role H-D has played in U.S. military efforts and more. Click Here to read all the new happenings at Harley-Davidson Museum. Join the Cantina for more – Subscribe Today. https://www.bikernet.com/pages/custom/subscription.aspx

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New top management at Norton Motorcycles announced

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from https://www.financialexpress.com TVS announces new top management at Norton Motorcycles: 2021 V4SS to launch soon. With TVS infusing multi-million-pound investments, the Solihull facility will be the most advanced and modern plant that Norton has operated out of in its 122-year-old history. TVS Motor Company (TVS), owner of The Norton Motorcycle Co Ltd (Norton), today announced that Dr Robert Hentschel has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Vittorio Urciuoli as its Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of the historic Solihull-based motorcycle brand. Hentschel and Urciuoli will take up their new positions as John Russell steps down from his role as Interim CEO. Dr Robert Hentschel joins Norton from Valmet Automotive Holding GmbH & Co KG, where he has served as Managing Director since 2017. Before that, he headed Ricardo Deutschland and Hentschel System and was also Director of Lotus Engineering. Vittorio Urciuoli’s former key roles within the global automotive industry include Director of URVI LTD, Head of Powertrain at Lotus Cars and Project Leader at Ferrari and Aprilia Racing. TVS has created a plan for Norton to transform into the future. Along with the entire TVS team, I look forward to working together with them for the revitalisation of one of the world’s most storied brands. Under John’s tenure, with investment and support from TVS, Norton has returned to a firm footing and made marked improvements to engineering and product quality, which will be seen in the updated V4SS that will be launched soon. In addition, we have established a new, state-of-the-art global design, engineering, manufacturing and sales and marketing HQ in Solihull, Sudarshan Venu, Joint Managing Director of TVS Motors, said. In January this year, Norton announced it would get back to work in full swing by March at its new facility at Solihull, Birmingham in the UK.

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British bike show is a triumph for organisers

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by Nigel Baudains from https://guernseypress.com The heyday of the British motorcycle industry was on display at St James yesterday. People were queuing by the 10am opening to see about 90 machines spanning the period from 1911 to the present day. Alan Richmond, who organised the show on behalf of the St James Trust, is also chairman of The British Motor Cycle Club Guernsey. ‘I think British motorcycles appeal to the older man who probably had one in his youth,’ he said. ‘Naturally he will say that it was the best and there is a huge brand loyalty. ‘For the practical, you can strip them down to the last nut and bolt, whereas motorcycles today are computer-controlled and you dare not change a spark plug.’ Some of the bikes – nicknamed trailer queens – belonged to people who did not want to get them wet. Half an hour of riding and four hours of cleaning was no fun, he said. Vaccine centre volunteer Alan Boyd, 66, said visiting the show had reactivated his interest in motorcycles. ‘I had bikes from the age of 15 and I even managed to persuade my wife, Jo, to tour Europe with me on a [Honda] Goldwing,’ he said. ‘I sold it because I thought I was getting too old. I’m a Triumph fan. The early ones leaked oil and the electrics were always packing up. Every time you went out it was an adventure as you never knew whether you’d get back or not.’ Within a few minutes of the show opening, the hall was packed with motorcycle enthusiasts. Jackson Garage technician Wojtek Krzemien, 39, who came to Guernsey from Poland 13 years ago, was among them. ‘I just love motorbikes and I wanted to bring the boys to show them the story of motorcycling,’

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115-year-old Motorcycle dealer to ride into the sunset

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by Warren Scott from https://www.heraldstaronline.com WINTERSVILLE — John and Kim Neidengard said preparing for the Feb. 27 closing of their 115-year-old family business is a bittersweet experience. After selling Harley-Davidson motorcycles and related gear to hundreds of area residents, they are looking forward to spending more time riding together on the road and visiting their adult children and grandchildren. But the couple of 23 years said they will miss seeing their regular customers, working with others to organize poker runs that have raised thousands for charity and carrying on a legacy culminating in the state’s oldest family-owned Harley-Davidson dealership. Kim admitted she became a motorcycle fan after meeting John 28 years ago, noting his love of cycling started at an early age. “I worked here probably since I was 12,” said John, who noted it was common for children in family-run businesses to help out “as soon as you were old enough.” “As soon as I graduated from high school, I went to full time,” he said, adding he never thought of doing anything else. John said in that regard, he was much like his father, John F., who had worked for his father, G.H. Neidengard, a machinist who opened the family’s first motorcycle shop at 137 South Third, Steubenville. John said G.H. was a friend of the first Steubenville man to own a motorcycle and quickly fell in love with them. Early motorcycles were little more than bicycles with motors, noted John, but they offered low-cost transportation at a time before Henry Ford’s Model T made automobiles affordable to most people. They also were a form of entertainment, as motorcycle enthusiasts participated in hillclimbs and races that, in the days before radio and television, drew many spectators. John said the first shop was quite large, with second story apartments

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Kawasaki Announces the 2020 W800 and Z H2 Motorcycles

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2020 W800 Motorcycle Evolution of Japan’s Original Big Bike The all-new Kawasaki W800 is Kawasaki’s latest addition to Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.’s retro lineup of motorcycles. It’s a true throwback to its 1960’s predecessor, the famed Kawasaki W1. For 2020, Kawasaki brings class-leading authentic styling, sound, and feel to the category of retro motorcycles. In building the W800, Kawasaki has meticulously crafted one of the most authentic retro bikes in appearance and design, paying homage to the past, all while tastefully incorporating modern technology and features. With the arrival of the W800, riders in search of a taste of history can now enjoy two flavors of W, the W800 and the W800 CAFE. 2020 Z H2 Hypernaked Motorcycle Supernaked Just Got Supercharged Kawasaki’s legacy of creating motorcycles that have unrivaled performance, excitement, and Sugomi™ styling continues with an all-new flagship model of the Kawasaki Z line of naked motorcycles, the 2020 Z H2. With the arrival of the hypernaked Z H2 and its powerful, balanced supercharged engine, the second chapter of Kawasaki’s Z history is about to begin and marks the beginning of a new era. Featuring a powerful and balanced supercharged engine, performance can be enjoyed across its entire rev range while still offering superb fuel efficiency. The innovative new Z H2 offers refined naked styling, a high level of handling and comfort, plus the latest technology worthy of the new Z series flagship model.

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Indian motorcycles taps into 100-year roots with Japan relaunch

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By Chester Dawson and Reed Stevenson from Bloomberg and https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com Even though Japan’s population is shrinking and economic growth is tepid, the archipelago is one of the top five markets for heavy bikes. Polaris is seeking to boost Indian’s single-digit market share to 10% by 2025. A century ago, Indian motorcycles were the brand of choice for Japan’s police. They were called “aka-bai” — or red bikes — because of their color. Now, the maker of big American two-wheelers is seeking to recapture some of that glory with a brand relaunch. Recreational vehicle maker Polaris Inc., which makes and sells Indian bikes, is betting that it can gain market share from entrenched foreign rivals such as BMW Motorrad and Harley-Davidson Inc. Instead of relying on a single distributor, the Medina, Minnesota-based company now has its own operations in Japan, with plans to double its store count to 30. Even though Japan’s population is shrinking and economic growth is tepid, the archipelago is one of the top five markets for heavy bikes. Polaris is seeking to boost Indian’s single-digit market share to 10% by 2025. It has taken direct control over local marketing, which it had outsourced after buying the Indian Motorcycle brand and relaunching it globally in 2011. “We weren’t doing the rational thing in Japan,” said Kintaro Izumida, general manager of Polaris in Japan. He works out of an office in Yokohama with about a half-dozen other employees. “Now we’re going to do that.” Harley provides a rich target as the longtime market leader among import brands, with a 44% share of the 20,385 bikes sold last year, according to the Japan Automobile Importers Association. Japan’s domestic bike makers — Honda Motor Co., Kawasaki Motors Corp., Suzuki Motor Corp. and Yamaha Motor Co. — specialize in smaller-engine mass market

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