™
OVER 5,000 CUSTOM BIKE PHOTOS ONLINE AT WWW.AMDCHAMPIONSHIP.COM
Progressive IMS series set to host a second season of ‘Ultimate Builder’ World Champs affiliate custom shows OLLOWING a successful debut as AMD World Championship of custom Bike Building affiliate events last winter, the Ultimate Builder custom shows at Advanstar’s Progressive International Motorcycle Show series is again set to be endorsed as a part of the World Champs program’s 18 country, 30 plus annual affiliate event program. Featuring the World Championship’s respected ‘FreeStyle’ class and peer group review judging, classes at the Ultimate Builder series will again also include World Champs rules based Modified Harley-Davidson and Performance Custom classes. The Progressive International Motorcycle Show series kicks-off on November 18-20 at San Mateo, California. It then moves on to the first of three consecutive-weekend shows in December at Dallas, Texas (December 2-4), Long Beach, California
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(December 9-11) and then Seattle, Washington (December 16-18). After a Christmas/New Year break the series fires-up again for the first of four consecutive-weekend January 2012 events at Novi (near Detroit), Michigan on January 6-8, followed by Washington D.C.on January 13-15,the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, Manhattan, New York January 20-22 and Cleveland, Ohio on January 27-29. Three shows follow in February 2012, at Minneapolis (February 3-5), Chicago (February 10-12) and Charlotte,North Carolina (February 2426) before the series wraps-up with the United States Championship of Custom Bike Building as a finale at the downtown Ocean Center (March 1417) during Daytona Bike week. Last winter a total of over 300 competitors vied for a share of a 12 series total prize purse of over $90,000 with total attendances at the shows said to be in excess of 500,000 visitors. The shows will again be presented by custom motorcycle
industry legend Bob Kay and his Biker Pros partner Jeff Najar. At the inaugural United States Championship at Daytona in March this year the Yamaha GYTR (Genuine Yamaha Racing Technology) program sponsored US Performance Custom Championship win was taken by Jack and Autumn McCoy of M43 Powersports, Grand Lodge, Michigan with their 1340cc 550 bhp twin turbocharged Suzuki B-King. The Star Motorcycles sponsored FreeStyle Championship (and $6,000.00 first prize) was won by Kenny Williams (KW Customs, Angier, North Carolina) with the debut of his much admired Mike Garrison engined radical bagger. The Modified Harley-Davidson Championship, sponsored by HarleyDavidson, was won by Chris Richardson of L.A. Speed Shop. He scooped the $6,000.00 first prize, plus a Screaming Eagle 120R engine presented by Harley’s Tony Nicosia, for ‘McPhiz’, an 80 ci 1953 Panhead.
AUG 2011 ISSUE #145
Supporting the industry
PRODUCTS
INDUSTRY EXTRA
Arlen Ness combines the custom 'Bagger' vibe with the potential of Harley's Tri Glide - see page 58 Industry dealers hire PowerSport Institute techs to cover increased industry demand
AMD •• AMD •• AMD
AUGUST 2011 (#145)
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ROBIN BRADLEY robin@dealer-world.com PUBLISHER SONJA WALLACE
News ..............................................................................6-12, 72 Industry Extra: TecMate ..............................19-21
sonja@dealer-world.com
TecMate International is one of the leading names in battery maintenance,
ADVERTISING ASSOCIATE
catering not only for domestic users but also supplying a range of workshop
MARY BETH CROWE marybeth@dealer-world.com
specification battery chargers and maintainers and OEM equipment
EDITOR
Cathcart Report: Hesketh Motorcycles ......24-25
DUNCAN MOORE duncan@dealer-world.com
The list of British motorcycle manufacturers returning to mass production
INTERNATIONAL EDITORS
continues with the news that Hesketh is set to relaunch. A limited
HORST RÖSLER
run of V1000 bikes is set to be followed by a brand new model
motographer@t-online.de FRANK SANDER frankthunder1@aol.com
Products: The new, the best and the must-haves ....................................27-47
AL FRANCK al@dealer-world.com DESIGN & PRODUCTION MANAGER BEN OAG ben@dealer-world.com DESIGN & PRODUCTION EDITOR TOM JACKSON tom@dealer-world.com
Greg’s Custom Cycles p.27
Samson Exhaust p.35
Bikers Choice p.37
INFORMATION MANAGER NEIL BLABER neil@dealer-world.com
Company Feature: PowerSport Institute ......48-49
PUBLISHING MANAGER
The PowerSport Institute is proving that structured technical training can
BEN BRADLEY benb@dealer-world.com
be beneficial to not only its students but also to hiring businesses, as
ACCOUNTS MANAGER
shops begin to see the advantages of taking on former students
EMMANUEL DI BONA emmanuel@dealer-world.com
Chapman House, Chapman Way, Tunbridge Wells Kent TN2 3EF, GB TEL: 0044 (0)1892 511516 FAX: 0044 (0)1892 511517
MERICAN AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE MOTORCYCLE DESIGN DESIGN
AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DESIGN
AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DESIGN
AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DESIGN
AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DESIGN
News: Three Two Choppers ‘BYOB’ program..............54 Jimmie Lee and JC Coen, of Three Two Choppers, have discovered a way of not only generating new business but also helping potential
DISCLAIMERS
new bike builders with their new ‘Build Your Own Bike’ program
No part of AMD may be reproduced or used in any way without permission. The views contained in AMD are not necessarily the views of the publishers. Every effort is made to ensure that all material included is as accurate as possible, however the publishers cannot be held responsible for any erroneous statements, facts, figures or mistakes. All trademarks, brand names and other key words are used purely for descriptive purposes. No approval, endorsement of, or involvement in the contents of AMD is implied by the use of these or any other words, names or marks associated with all or any companies. All trademarks acknowledged.
News: Ness Tri Glide ..................................................58
‘World Championship of Custom Bike Building’ is a registered trademark of Robin A. Bradley, Dealer-World.com
Always at the forefront of new trends, Arlen Ness has turned his attention to the Factory’s Tri Glide and in doing so has created a new parts line for the Company’s trike range
Showzone: Custom Bike Show....................................60 This year Twin Club MC’s annual Scandinavian Custom Bike
POST MASTER
Championship awarded two ‘Sturgis’ prizes, with both winners having
AMD (ISSN 1465-7627) is published monthly by Dealer-World.com, Chapman House, Chapman Way, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3EF, United Kingdom. Subscription price $200 per year. Postmaster: Please send address changes to: AMD, Dealer-World.com, Chapman House, Chapman Way, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN2 3EF, United Kingdom or e-mail to ben.bradley@dealer-world.com
the credentials to do well at this year's AMD World Championship
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If for any reason you can’t connect via our toll free numbers then dial TEL: 01144 1892 511516 - Fax: 01144 1892 511517 AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST 2011
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COMMENT
Dare we believe it to be true? ARE we believe it to be true that despite the best efforts of the so-called political elites to compound incompetence with arrogance, we may actually, finally, this year be seeing a bottoming out of business fortunes? Indeed, whisper it softly less the gods make us their play-things once more, but I swear I have recently even heard some vendors use the ‘G’ word – GROWTH! Personally I’d suggest ‘bounce’ might a better word, but either way, while all generalisations are crass, it would appear that more vendors, dealers (independent as well as authorised Harley) and those engaged in what is left of the custom motorcycle build market are seeing better business at this time this year than was the case in 2010. There have been two necessary stages before the atrophy of recent years could be reversed. The first was a bottoming out and the return of a stable market. I had hoped and expected that this would be the case in 2010 compared to 2009, but despite the early season promise seen 18 months ago, by the end of 2010 it had become apparent that the market had not yet stabilized after all. I, for one, had to ‘eat-it’ where such predictions and expectations were concerned. The second was whether or not spring business levels could sustain any longer into the season than they did last year. In eyeing the situation this year I was particularly aware that regardless of how things appeared to go in the first quarter, regardless of the general reports coming out of V-Twin Expo, it is sustainability into the summer that is all important. In 2010 the early season optimism gave way to a market whose peak demand did not sustain much beyond the spring. Most vendors reported demand falling off a cliff again by the end of May. Again with apologies for the nature of generalisations, the reports that we are receiving suggest that, at the time of writing (late June) it may well have done so, and most vendors appear to be suggesting that it will continiue for a few more weeks yet. ll such things are, of course, relative. While some vendors are reporting meaningful growth in sales over 2010 levels, the majority are running about level, but doing so for longer into the riding season than was the case last year. The overall net effect will probably be that by the end of the year more vendors will have seen sales stabilize than not, and the growth that some have experienced should weigh against those who have been less fortunate, giving an overall market situation for 2011 with some small but ultimately sustainable single digit growth. Most vendors have reduced employee levels to the lowest they can, and most are still working four busy days, or paying overtime rather than hiring.The growth, the ‘busy-ness’ that is being experienced is characteristic not of a market that is experiencing structural long-term growth, but of one that has tuned its cost bases to meet reduced demand and one that has seen inventory levels at all stages of the channels reduce to minimum levels.
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However this does at least mean that profitability has been defended. Overall profit levels will not and can not yet be producing the kind of return needed to develop the capital resources needed to meet long-term structural growth, but that is okay. et that longer term concern eat itself rather than the market, while we wait to see when or if such growth does return. I have written several times before that it will, but in a very different market, with different players being driven by changed riding values and ownership experience expectations to those that have been the foundations of the market since 1969. Meanwhile let’s take the stability that appears to be within touching distance and build for the future. Let’s manage and nurture brand, invest in R&D and new product offerings, continue to house-keep smart and use our own money rather than borrowings or investor capital. Then the foundations on which the custom industry can build towards will at least be our own. All money has strings and if those strings are not ones that add to the tune then they ultimately snap. The background music we should be listening to needs to remain the traditional verities that turned the custom motorcycle market from cult to mainstream in the first place. Excite customers through product design and enjoyment of the ownership experience rather than slavish attention to spreadsheets. Let us not allow ourselves to be suckered into making the same mistakes that got us into this mess in the first place. As I have said previously, the ‘credit-crunch’ came hard on the heels of a sequence of recessionary forces that had already started to become issues as our market reached its peak in 2005. The seeds of unsustainability had already been sown in the growth to that point, and by the time we are all able to hand-on-heart say yes, we are now definitely back into an era of real structural growth (2014 is my best bet) we will have endured a full decade of turbulent times. So let’s make sure that such growth, when it does come, is sustainable and that requires the lessons of the past to be learned by the motorcycle parts and accessories industry just as much as it does by our hapless politicians. The formula is simple. Future sales will be won by following the same fundamental law of consumer demand that has always driven all sales – better products at better prices.
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a decade of turbulence
profitability has been defended
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Robin Bradley Co-owner/Editor-in-Chief robin@dealer-world.com
NEWS
Motorcycle Storehouse 10th edition catalog MOTORCYCLE Storehouse is marking its 30th year in business with the launch of the 10th edition of its parts catalog. This latest of the company’s catalogs runs to 1,568 full-color pages, featuring 44,000 plus parts. The content includes 11,000 new products and there are 15,000 plus photographs of the parts selection combined with 110 technical drawings.
MOTORCYCLE STOREHOUSE Bedum, NETHERLANDS Tel: +31 (0)50 303 9775 Fax: +31 (0)50 303 9777 E-mail: info@mcseurope.nl www.mcseurope.nl
Harley-Davidson opens Asia Pacific headquarters HARLEY-Davidson Motor Company has opened a new regional headquarters for the Asia Pacific region in Singapore. In doing so, Harley-Davidson claims to be the first motorcycle company to base its Asia Pacific operations in Singapore. Prior to the opening, the region’s office had been based at the Company’s global headquarters in Milwaukee. “This office is brick and mortar p r o o f o f H a r l e y - D a v i d s o n ’s commitment to the Asia Pacific region and to introducing the brand’s ideals of individuality and self-expression to more customers here,” said Matt Levatich, President and COO, Harley Davidson Motor Company. “We are excited to be opening this new office because now we are in a better position to support the growing number of customers across this region who are eager to take part in the unique HarleyDavidson experience.”
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“We have a rich history in the region and this hub will help us continue the storyline by bringing us closer to our customers and to better be able to make their dreams a reality,” said Dave Foley, Vice President and Managing Director, Harley-Davidson Asia Pacific. “Singapore is the ideal place to launch this new chapter because of the c o u n t r y ’s advanced infrastructure, sound economy, and the work done by the Singapore Economic Development Board in promoting a business-friendly environment.”
www.harley-davidson.com
AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST 2011
NEWS
Business benefits from Sturgis move COMPETITION Distributing, which was established in 1969, specializes in the design and manufacture of high performance products, prototyping, pattern design, investment castings, and replacement motor and chassis parts for pre ‘36 Harley-Davidsons.The business was started by Lonnie and Marianne Isam in Houston, Texas, before relocating to Sturgis, South Dakota in 2005. “After 34 years in the motorcycle business in Texas and going to the Sturgis Rally for 25 of those years, the Black Hills became part of our life,” says Lonnie Isam.“As time went by, we started to shift our business from retail to manufacturing and mail order. Our mail order business grew to over
1,000 products that we make inhouse. It did not take long to realize that Sturgis was in the middle of the USA and we did not need a retail store anymore. Basically, we were ready for a lifestyle change. “Now we have a 5,000+ sq ft building with over 1,400 products and have just built a new 6,500 sq ft shipping and receiving building. We have found the business climate in South Dakota is very friendly. We built our house on the edge of the Black Hills National Forest, which makes for a nice back yard and just a 10 minute commute to the shop.” Lonnie continues, “Our business is better, our stress is gone, our taxes are lower, we ride more, and, once a year we reunite
Handy return to production HANDY Industries is back in business producing motorcycle workstands, following the purchase of the assets by Jadeim, LLC. Jadeim was formed in August 2010 as a partnership between Joel and Mike Jansen as Janco Industries of Sully, Iowa, and Tom Deimerly of Marshalltown, Iowa. The partnership purchased Handy and ProSpectrum Powder Coating. “We have a metal fabrication shop and Handy was a customer of ours, and after the doors
closed we got a phone call from the liquidator asking if we were interested in the business,” explains Joel Jansen. “We knew it was a great product so we took a look at was available, and then talked to the distributors to get some feedback, which was all positive. It was then an easy decision to make to buy the company and we’re excited about it.” Handy Industries now manufactures components in Sully and powdercoats,
with all our friends in the motorcycle industry during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.” The move to Sturgis from Houston for Competition Distributing was easy due to the ability to find skilled employees in the Black Hills area thanks to the proximity of Western Dakota Tech, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, and Black Hills State University. It is not just the availability of skilled staff that made the business decision to move easy for Lonnie and Marianne Isam of Competition Distributing (www.competitiondist.com), there were also significant financial incentives. As a direct result of the move, the company found it had no corporate income tax, no business inventory tax, no personal property tax, no personal income tax and no inheritance tax. Lonnie and Marianne can keep more of what they make. According to Lonnie, their cost of living in Sturgis is 25% less than in Houston. They can reinvest it in their business, or use it to play in their new lifestyle. “Free to Profit. Free to Play.” is not just
assembles, ships and has offices at the former ProSpectrum building in Marshalltown, Iowa. The partnership of Janco and Deimerly is a combination of former manufacturers who supplied Handy and bring to the business over 40 years of manufacturing experience. The company has progressed from building power washers and bug zappers to its current line of heavy-duty motorcycle and industrial lifts, truck tailgates, and fuel and tool combination boxes for pick-up trucks. Such has been the success of the business since it was restarted
a slogan when you move your business to Sturgis, SD. Now Lonnie is repaying Sturgis for the benefits his business has received by sitting on the Board of Directors of the Sturgis Economic Development Corp., where he is also a member of the Executive and Property Committees. STURGIS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORP Sturgis, South Dakota, USA Tel: 605 347 4906 info@sturgisdevelopment.com www.sturgisdevelopment.com
that the company has just purchased the building adjacent to its current facility, enabling it to add an additional 10,000 sq ft. HANDY INDUSTRIES Marshalltown, Iowa, USA Tel: 641 752 5446 Fax: 641 752 1205 sales@handyindustries.com www.handyindustries.com
NEWS
Ace Cafe at opening of Dime City Cycles, Florida DIME City Cycles’ grand opening in Largo, Florida, on May 14 saw the return of London’s Ace Cafe to the USA. The legendary Rockers’ cafe had previously only been seen in the US at the 2008 and 2009 World Championship of Custom Bike Building in Sturgis. “Dime City Cycles is helping to usher in the next generation of motorcycle enthusiasm,” say founders Herm Narciso and Jason Michaels. “We love great style, performance and building and riding motorcycles. We’re thrilled to welcome the Ace Cafe to the party.” The Ace Cafe was originally opened in 1938 as a roadside stop, and soon attracted young motorcyclists from all over London looking for a place to meet friends and talk bikes. They also
found Rock n’ Roll as cafe juke boxes were one of the few places in Britain where the then new American music could be heard. By the ‘60s, this combination produced the generation of Rockers and Mods. However, by ’69 the cafe was closed. Twenty-five years later, Mark Wilsmore organized the first Ace Cafe reunion and twelve thousand people attended. Buoyed by that success he restored and reopened the Ace in 2001, and today thousands of visitors from as far away as Berlin, Cape Town and Tokyo travel to visit the historic cafe. A temporary Ace Cafe was erected at the Dime City celebration, offering classic Ace Cafe beverages, snacks and memorabilia. In addition, Mark Wilsmore judged the ‘Classic Cafe
Racer’ class in the vintage ride-in bike show, and presented the trophy on behalf of the Ace. “It’s another royal wedding of sorts, the best of American and British motorcycle enthusiasm coming together,” said Mark Wilsmore of his attendance at the Dime City Cycles opening. “Being at Dime City’s big event lets us share the tradition and pay homage to the vintage speed machines that ruled the streets of London, and those who rode them. It’s going be a great time.” DIME CITY CYCLES Largo, Florida, USA Tel: 727 260 7156 jason@dimecitycycles.com www.dimecitycycles.com
Mark Wilsmore organized the first Ace Cafe reunion
off without putting the kickstand up (it retracts automatically), long rifle security system, large saddlebags, and a top-case prewired for all police requirements. In addition, highway bars, saddlebag protection bars and a skid plate can all be fitted to provide increased protection when the bike is ridden in anger.
VICTORY POLICE MOTORCYCLES Tucson, Arizona, USA Tel: 520 770 9500 Fax: 520 382-6349 mike@victorypolicemotorcycles.com www.victorypolicemotorcycles.com
New police bike option uses Victory VICTORY Police Motorcycles was founded when Tucson Motor Officers Nita Buckner, Kenny Vaughan and Bobby Garcia approached Mike Schultz, the owner of Arizona Victory about the possibility of him supplying bikes they could use in service. Taking on board the
requirements outlined by Buckner, Schultz contacted Victory who supplied a Kingpin for development work to begin. The result of the work became Victory Police Motorcycles’ two production models, the Commander I and II. Like the prototype, the two Commander models are based on the Victory Kingpin bike. The Commander I features a fairing, while the Commander II utilizes a windshield instead. The two models are offered with an extensive range of specialist fitments, which include front, rear and side-facing emergency LED lighting packages, built-in helmet lock, a kickstand takeoff position that allows officers to get on the motorcycle and ride
NEWS
Cardo Systems extends product warranty CARDO Systems, the specialist manufacturer of wireless Bluetooth communications for motorcycle helmet headsets, has announced the extension of its product warranty from 12 to 24 months. The extension of the warranty period from the original date covers Cardo Systems’ line of Scala Rider products, including the G4, G4 PowerSet, the
TeamSet, TeamSet Pro, and the Q2 and Q2 Pro MultiSet for motorcycles, and the G4 PowerSet for snowmobiles. “We are very pleased to extend our warranty period to 24 months, especially since it gives additional peace of mind to our customers,” said Abraham Glezerman, CEO of Cardo Systems, Inc. “Our products are built to perform under tough,
real-world conditions, providing riders with clear communication for enhanced enjoyment and safety.”
Cardo Systems’ Scala Rider G4 is one of the systems covered by the company’s newly extended warranty
CARDO SYSTEMS Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA Tel: 412 788 4533 Fax: 412 788 0270 sales@cardosystems.com www.cardosystems.com
Roadsmith introduce Indian trike THE Roadsmith brand from The Trike Shop has been expanded with the introduction of a new model – the ICR – which is based on the ’09 and later Indian Chief motorcycle. The key part of the Roadsmith ICR conversion is the independent rear suspension set-up,which increases the wheelbase by 10in. The company first introduced the suspension design 14 years ago, and it mounts to the bike via multiple points at the upper shock mounts and swingarm pivots. The trailing-arm style of suspension used on the ICR has been designed using commonly available automotive parts that allow for ease of service; one example being the use of constant velocity (CV) joints for the drive shafts that are from a VW Beetle. In addition, the rear wheel bearings, calipers and 11in rotors were also originally designed for use on a Beetle. The swingarm, which carries the differential, is adjustable for length to allow the drive belt to be tensioned.To adjust the tension a central cam adjuster, similar to an axle adjuster on a bike, is used. When the hex-bar is turned the cams evenly push back the differential, tightening the trike’s drive belt. The longer than stock drive belt
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AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST 2011
used is a Gates Polychain carbon fiber drive belt. The suspension package is completed by a pair of clear-coated aluminum wheels. Designed primarily for automotive applications, they measure 16 x 7in and mount with a 5 x 41⁄2in bolt pattern. Covering the reworked rear suspension of the bike is bodywork which has been designed to incorporate the look and feel of the original Chief motorcycle. It is made from fiberglass and painted to match the bike. A large part of the bodywork is the 4.5 cubic feet trunk area, twice that of the stock saddlebags. Underneath the trunk area a 11⁄4in receiver for a trailer hitch, which is included as standard to allow a trailer to be added when touring. A full three-year or 1,000,000-mile warranty on the entire trike kit is included. THE TRIKE SHOP White Bear Lake, Minnesota, USA Tel: 651 777 7774 Fax: 657 426 3952 E-mail: info@trikeshop.com www.trikeshop.com
INDUSTRY EXTRA
: supporting the industry TecMate has been developing and manufacturing unique electronic products for the motorcycle, powersports and niche vehicle sectors for more than 20 years, and in this time has gained extensive experience in the field of battery maintenance and related equipment
Interview and words by Al Franck - al@dealer-world.com HE first ‘Mate’ products were designed by Martin Human, currently the CEO and CTO of TecMate, and were distributed by the Belgium-based garden equipment distribution company Eurogarden from 1989. TecMate itself was founded in Belgium by Human and partner Tim Wisdom with Eurogarden as the third partner in September 1994. An early product was BatteryMate, a professional dealer load tester, charger and power desulphater, which was created in collaboration with Honda Motor Europe to combat the high failure rate of newly-introduced sealed AGM motorcycle batteries. The main reason for failure was neglect that caused sulphation: prior to BatteryMate, few dealers were equipped to recover the batteries. Other products in the early days were IgnitionMate (an ignition troubleshooter) and VacuumMate (a carburetor/throttle body synchroniser and troubleshooter). Although TecMate’s roots remained firmly in professional tools for powersports and marine dealers, in 1995 the OptiMate desulphating battery charger and tester was introduced, offering a charger for the motorcyclist and powersports vehicle owner that could save and prolong the life of batteries. The OptiMate design took basic elements from the BatteryMate and its many versions are still bestsellers across the international motorcycle industry. Products are divided into three categories: Fuel and Ignition, Home and Dealer Battery Care. Under the first category come products such as CarbMate, IgnitionMate, SynchroMate and VacuumMate ,synchronizing and trouble-shooting tools. Home Battery Care products include six OptiMate battery care and two AccuMate charger variants, as well as the TestMate Mini easy-to-use tester. ealer Battery Care products include some of the most sophisticated products on the market, including the BatteryMate load tester and automatic desulphating diagnostic chargers, OptiMate PRO series of diagnostic maintenance chargers, TestMate Sport digital testers and AccuMate PRO for deep cycle batteries. TecMate also offers a full range of dealer support
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Michael Cooper, VP Sales & Marketing, TecMate North America)
TecMate International’s HQ at Tienen in Belgium
material, including displays and stands. “Our products are in service in nearly 50 countries worldwide, and we have active distributors in 36 of these,” says Human. “We also manufacture private label or custom products for a number of outstanding companies. Our products have been ordered, and recommended or directly distributed by more of the established global powersports OE networks in more countries than any of our competitors.” “Our philosophy places strong emphasis on service, whether in response to technical enquiries or in providing after-sales back-up, and equally important, on maintaining a continuously high level of product quality. These principles underscore the close relationships we have been able to develop with a number of OE manufacturers,” says Human. urope remains the key home market, representing 80% of sales. Key export markets include Japan, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa for consumer level chargers. According to Human, TecMate saw significant growth in North America until 2008, after which sales fell back, but 2011 has seen a return of sales in powersports exceeding the growth that occurred prior to the financial meltdown. ”We are also seeing encouraging growth in the highly competitive automotive sector. Sales in South America,
TecMate CEO & CTO Martin Human
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BatteryMate 150-9 load tester and automatic desulphating diagnostic charger
AccuMate 6/12V charger
AccuMate PRO deep cycle battery maintainer and charger
AccuMate Mini charger
AccuMate Compact charger
AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST 2011
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INDUSTRY EXTRA specifically Colombia, Honduras, Chile and Argentina, of our professional level OptiMate PRO range are increasing, indicating a trend away from standard chargers towards more intelligent products that can save batteries.” ecMate’s business model is distributor and OEM only, which has been an important part of the company’s success. “We strongly support our distributors as they have the necessary programmes in place to support dealers, including financial incentives on volume purchasing. Our pricing structure allows generous profit for distributors and dealers alike. Also, our model is consistent with a quality product that does not need to be discounted to be sold, so our dealers make money, allowing them to provide the support that is essential with powersport products and vehicles.And the consumer is happy to pay for a reliable and quality product that continues to have strong aftersales support, either direct through us or via our importers and distributors.” Unlike its main competitors, TecMate does not directly offer or sell products on the internet. “We do, however, recognize the trend towards online sales,” says Human, “so we do our research and then encourage our distributors to make contact with relevant internet-based companies in their regions.” And the link with original equipment manufacturers is an important part of the mix. “Traditionally we have always supported OEMs directly with our professional tools, so that they can make them available to their dealers according to their own programs, which typically include education and problem solving,” says Human. “Companies such as Honda and Triumph have their own branded OptiMate battery-saving chargers which they offer to their dealer network. “ All professional tools are made by affiliate TecMate Manufacturing South Africa, while consumer-level chargers are supplied from China.
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“We work with two different partners in southern China,”says the TecMate CEO. ”One factory has been manufacturing TecMate products since 2001, the other is a high-tech partner manufacturing our latest OptiMate products. We frequently travel to China to coordinate manufacturing and QA procedures to ensure our products remain of the highest quality.” New product development is often spurred by the company’s close relationships with manufacturers. “Through our long-term relationships with powersports OEMs we are made aware of trends and needs. As motorcycle enthusiasts ourselves, we continue to listen and learn of needs in this industry. Depending on the complexity of the product, time to market can range from 6 months to 2 years,” says Human. n terms of market positioning, Human says TecMate will always focus on providing a complete solution to a problem. “An example is our OptiMate battery-saving charger range. Where others simply provide smart maintenance chargers that work and can prolong the life of good batteries, we provide a solution to save a battery that is ‘bad’ simply due to neglect that has caused a condition that prevents it from accepting charge. OptiMate ‘convinces’ the battery to once again accept charge and then it prolongs the battery’s life.This saves the powersports vehicle owner money and the hassle of having to replace the battery. And it is certainly a more ecofriendly option than dumping millions of batteries that could have been saved if the right charger was at hand.” For the future, the company plans to consolidate its position in the motorcycle and powersorts sectors, while also entering specialised sectors such as performance and classic vehicles. Human says TecMate is also developing charging algorithms for new power storage technologies such as lithium batteries, specifically LiFePO4. “The financial downturn has given us the opportunity to recognize other possibilities,” he says, “such as mass monitoring of batteries in storage, so as to proactively prevent new batteries from suffering an early
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THE TECMATE GROUP comprises three companies: TecMate International in Belgium, which employs 10 and is the head office and holding company, TecMate North America in Ontario, Canada, which employs 10, including five engineers, and is responsible for product design and the distribution of products in the Americas,Oceania and S.E.Asia, and TecMate Manufacturing South Africa, which employs 15 and makes all the group’s professional workshop and dealer tools, as well as distributing TecMate products in Africa. The current shareholders are Martin Human (CEO and CTO TecMate Group), Phillipe Nagelmackers (Chairman TecMate Group and owner of Eurogarden), Michael Cooper (VP Sales & Marketing, TecMate North America), and Kevin Lewis (General Manager – TecMate Manufacturing South Africa). Co-founder Tim Wisdom retired at the end of 2009. Emmanuel Donati is the General Manager of TecMate International, which also controls distribution of products across Europe, the Middle East and Japan. death.” The TecMate CEO insists on the importance of cultivating a strong dealer network, which has helped the company ride out the financial downturn. “TecMate remains strongly committed to the powersports industry, both in our product and sellthrough strategy,”he says.“Even though web- based sales are increasingly important, we know that without dealers the industry we know and love will eventually disappear. So our core strategy involves total support for dealers: let them do the selling to the consumer, either direct or via the internet.” •
TECMATE NORTH AMERICA Oakville, Ontario, CANADA Tel: +1 905 337 2095 E-mail: sales@tecmate.com www.tecmate.com CarbMate carburetor tester
OptiMate PRO 8 diagnostic maintenance charger IgnitionMate ignition checker and troubleshooter
IgnitionMate Duo ignition checker
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AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST 2011
VacuumMate carburetor/ throttle body synchroniser and troubleshooter
INDUSTRY EXTRA
OptiMate PRO & home ATTERY charging is assumed by many to be a simple and uncomplicated process, but, according to TecMate, this is far from the truth. Not only have batteries evolved over the last 20 years into many separate technologies, the requirements put on them have increased massively. On top of the differing types of battery construction and size of battery, each one has had a different history and is therefore unique.The range of battery types and conditions that chargers have to deal with is therefore vast.OptiMate chargers are designed to cope with a myriad of different possible battery conditions and assess, recover, charge, maintain and monitor the battery perfectly, over many months if necessary, and to do this entirely automatically with no user input required. ith more than 20 years experience, TecMate’s highly skilled staff are called in to advise world-leading OEM companies about battery-related issues. The company claims over 1,500,000 satisfied OptiMate customers worldwide, with 350,000 sold in the UK alone. Total sales of retail chargers to date are 2,300,000, including AccuMate, AccuGard and private branded products. The first OptiMate was introduced to the retail market in 1995, and evolved through OptiMate II, then III and IIIsp into the latest version, OptiMate 4, with every new version incorporating significant improvements in technology. In parallel, OptiMate PRO professional chargers were aimed at battery resellers and dealer workshops, while the AccuMate range was developed for higher current applications such as automotive and commercial vehicles. n 2009, the decision was taken to expand the OptiMate range to cover an even wider range of applications and battery sizes, resulting in the new OptiMate 6, the first retail OptiMate to incorporate TecMate’s Ampmatic microprocessor-controlled charge
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TestMate Sport battery tester
system. Every seasonally used classic car, boat or motorhome with batteries up to 240 Ah can now benefit from OptiMate technology. The most recent versions include: • OptiMate 4 Dual Program introduced at EICMA 2010, with a program that works with BMW motorcycles fitted with the CAN-bus control system • OptiMate 5, a 2.8A charger that is the bigger motorcycle and automotive version of the successful OptiMate 3+ • OptiMate 6 Ampmatic, a 5A charger with a program that can regulate its charge rate according to the battery’s condition • OptiMate PRO-S with charge selections for batteries below and above 10Ah and an innovative one-hour charge mode for new batteries. The OptiMate PRO-S was introduced at a dealer price consistent with the current economic situation, causing it to be adopted by a number of motorcycle OEs as a recommended tool • OptiMate PRO8 with 6 and 12V charging • The redesigned and improved OptiMate PRO4, which remains the staple multibank charger for North American dealers arranty on Tecmate products is typically 24-36 months. Products that will be introduced later in 2011 include: OptiMate Lithium, a 5A max. charger targeting the emergence of LiFePO4 starter batteries in powersports and automotive, with Lithium-specific adaptive Ampmatic technology to recognize the size of the battery and adapt charging accordingly, and all the necessary safety features to correctly and safely charge such batteries. New developments for 2012 include market sector specific maintenance chargers, a 10A and 20A consumer-level charger as well as an OptiMate wireless battery charger.
OptiMate PRO-2 Ampmatic 12/24V automatic 9-stage desulphating tester and charger
OptiMate 3+ home battery optimizer and charger OptiMate 4 Dual Program with direct and CAN-bus charge capability
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www.optimate1.com
OptiMate PRO-S Ampmatic 9-stage desulphating charger incorporating diagnostic checks with automatic multi-stage special recovery mode for deep-discharged batteries
OptiMate 5 desulphating battery optimiser, maintainer and charger
OptiMate 6 Ampmatic 12V advanced automotive and marine battery charger, maintainer and tester AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST 2011
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CATHCART REPORT
Hesketh Motorcycles revived First Triumph, then Norton, next Greeves, now Métisse, and soon Hesketh – the revival of Britain’s historic biking brands is picking up momentum. Hesketh is the youngest marque in the UK’s two-wheel product portfolio to hear the call of revival, with the acquisition of Hesketh Motorcycles Ltd. by British businessman Paul Sleeman... Written by Alan Cathcart - cathcart@dealer-world.com
AUL Sleeman is a mechanical design engineer with an automotive background. He made his fortune with his London-based company Tullman Design, which developed and manufactured the Diesel Key, a patented invention which makes it impossible to mistakenly fill a dieselengined vehicle’s fuel tank with gasoline. The multi-million pound profits generated by this and other Tullman Design products have allowed Sleeman to take the first steps towards satisfying his ambition to become a motorcycle manufacturer.And that first step was the acquisition of the Hesketh Motorcycles brand. The brand was originally created by Lord Thomas Hesketh in 1978 after successfully campaigning a race team in F1 Grand Prix in the early 1970s. The first Hesketh V1000, conceived as a two-wheeled Aston Martin, used a 90-degree V-twin, with fourvalve heads and twin overhead cam shafts, built by British engineering specialist Weslake and mounted in a tubular steel frame. By 1980 the first production machines were ready, built by a 47-man workforce at a factory in Daventry, England. However, just 139 bikes were produced before Hesketh Motorcycles went into receivership in 1982, in spite of having many hundreds of orders for the V1000. leeman began riding as a teenager around the time when the Hesketh company was failing. His first bike was a Yamaha FS-1 and he then moved on to British bikes, which he has ridden ever since. He currently owns a Norton Commando and two Hesketh models. Sleeman became aware of the possibility of the brand name being available for sale while looking to add to his collection of Hesketh motorbikes. “I wanted to own a Hesketh motorcycle, because I believe Lord Hesketh and his team had the right idea at the wrong time, and I’ve always been an admirer of what had all the makings of being the first British Superbike of the modern era,” he says. “In trying to track one down, I discovered that Mick Broom, who’d
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Paul Sleeman (left) acquires Lord Hesketh’s part of the Hesketh motorcycle business in a contract signing with the Lord himself (center)
been keeping the Hesketh name alive, was trying to sell his company so he could retire. I contacted him to see if that was true, discovered it was, went to see him, shook hands on a deal, and that was that.” At the time Sleeman met Broom, who was a member of Hesketh’s original R&D department, he was producing small numbers of Hesketh motorcycles, as well as supplying spares to current owners. Sleeman and Broom signed their deal in early 2010, but there were other obstacles to overcome before a new design of a Hesketh motorcycle could be brought into production. It transpired that there were three people who claimed ownership of the Hesketh Motorcycles name. There was Mick Broom, with whom Sleeman had already done a deal, but also Lord Hesketh, and another gentleman called Paul Hesketh in Manchester, England, who was importing electric scooters from China and selling them under the Hesketh name. Sleeman had no choice but to buy three companies to unify the rights to the Hesketh Motorcycles brand. With the ownership of the Hesketh name finalized, Sleeman is now able to pursue his plans and begin production.
The first bikes to be produced will be to the original design. “We’re going to make five of the original V1000 bikes as ‘Final Edition’ models, and then we’re going to call it a day for that actual model. In terms of the chassis design, the motor and the overall appearance, these will be the same as the original bikes, but incorporating the various improvements Mick Broom added down the years, with quite a lot of engine modifications. But they’ll have more modern suspension, probably Öhlins front and rear, plus up-rated running gear like radial brakes and so on,” he says. leeman also has plans for his own wheels for the new models he will be manufacturing, and will be using these on the Final Edition V1000s as well. Additionally, each of the five bikes will be autographed by Lord Hesketh. Once the Limited Edition bikes have been completed, work will then continue on the creation of the new models. Sleeman has already begun development of a new Hesketh V-twin engine which will power the machines that designer John Mockett has been working on for the past nine months. However, the development of the new engine has
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The Vampire, which featured a fairing and panniers, was a touring bike derived from the original V1000 design
Lord Hesketh at the launch of the original Hesketh V1000 in 1980 with motorcycle racer Mike Hailwood (right)
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CATHCART REPORT Paul Sleeman went to see Mick Broom with a view to buying an original Hesketh motorcycle, and then went on to buy the brand
Lord Hesketh founded Hesketh Motorcycles in 1978 and went into production with the bikes in 1980
John Mockett, who designed the original Hesketh V1000, as well as many of the modern Triumph motorcycles, is working on the design of the new Hesketh motorcycle
A one-off version of the V1000, the Vortan featured an engine over-bored to 1100cc and a heavily modified chassis
Before establishing Hesketh Motorcycles, Lord Hesketh campaigned an F1 team, which saw James Hunt win the 1975 Dutch GP in a Hesketh 308 car
not been straightforward, as Sleeman explains. “It’s surprisingly difficult to source an engine at present, and in the past 12 months we’ve spoken to just about everybody who could supply one,including Cosworth, Ilmor, Rotax, and so on. Post-recession, it seems everyone’s working flat out, and they’re all either contracted out on other deals, or the cost associated with developing something for us is ridiculously high. “After a lot of looking, we’ve commissioned a water-cooled, fuel-injected 72-degree V-twin Hesketh engine from a supplier that I prefer not to disclose at present, but who has an outstanding track record in performance engine development.” The prototype 1000cc motor is producing a claimed 145hp in street trim, and the finalized design is expect to reach 150hp. nce the engines have been delivered to the factory, the plan is to have the first complete prototype bikes running by the end of the year and production ready to start in 2012. The first batch of bikes will be a commemorative model called the Hesketh 24, in the red, white and blue Hesketh Racing colors. The reasoning behind this is that 24 was the number used by British racing driver James Hunt when he won the 1974 Dutch GP in the Hesketh 308, when Lord Hesketh ran his F1 team. Sleeman’s plans for that bike are now at an advanced stage. “I will make 24 examples of this allnew model, and off the back of that platform, if the demand exists as we hope, we’ll continue with a standard version. What I’m trying to do is grow Hesketh organically in response to what we hope will be growing demand.” e continued: “I’m not going to go and spend £1million up front on a factory. I’d rather spend £1million on developing a bike. That’s important, because I understand how and why Hesketh Motorcycles fell over previously, and I’ve seen other companies do the same thing. They rush to get the product into the market in the hope of generating orders and thus income, and then don’t produce a bike that’s worthy of the brand. We won’t do that. We’re going to sit in the dark and spend all my budget on developing the bike until we’re ready to manufacture it.” It is not only the 24 that Sleeman plans to develop under the Hesketh banner.While he will use a V-twin for the company’s relaunch as it provides a link to the bikes of the past, he also has plans for a machine powered by more than two cylinders, but he is keeping quiet on the exact details. •
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The V1000 was the machine produced by Lord Hesketh’s Hesketh Motorcycles between 1980 and 1982
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Givi Sportster accessories GIVI, well known for its range of luggage and accessories for metric bikes, has entered the H-D market with a line of parts for 883 and 1200 Sportsters. The Givi ‘Throw-Over’ saddlebags are made from leather and have internal reinforcement to help them maintain their shape. The leather has been treated to provide waterproofing and an overlapping lid, with a strap and buckle fastening, was designed to protect the bag’s contents. Additionally,
waterproof rain covers, which fit over the 16-liter capacity bags, are also supplied. Frame spacers have been created by Givi to allow easy mounting of its leather saddlebags. The chrome plated frames include a kit to relocate the rear turn signals to the license plate holder, as they need to be moved to allow the bags to fit properly. The final part being offered by Givi for Sportsters is a chrome sissy bar. The lightly padded bar offers pillion support and can also be used as an additional anchorage point for luggage when riding solo. GIVI USA Charlotte, North Carolina Tel: 704 679 4123 Fax: 704 679 4133 E-mail: info@giviusa.com www.giviusa.com
Deepsickness Wicked Apes for Baggers GREG Rice, the owner of Greg’s Custom Cycles, has extended his Deepsickness line of handlebars with the introduction of the new Wicked Apes for Baggers. As with other bars in the Deepsickness line, the Wicked Apes are made from 11⁄2in DOM American steel tubing with a .120 wall thickness. They measure 15in tall and 36in wide, and are offered either pre-drilled for external wiring or ready for internal wiring. In addition the bars will work with throttle-by-wire controls. Wicked Apes are available in a wide variety of custom colors to match customers’ bikes or in chromed, powdercoated or raw finishes.
GREG’S CUSTOM CYCLES Clearwater, Florida, USA Tel: 727 776 2744 info@gregscycles.com www.gregscycles.com
Performance Machine Heathen trike wheel HEATHEN is the latest wheel added to the product line by Performance Machine. The trike-specific wheel has been created to match the company’s existing forged front/motorcycle wheel. The Heathen wheel begins as seven spokes, and splits into 14 before blending into the rim center, and then follows with a complementary design on the outer edge of the curving rim face. Performance Machine trike wheels are offered in the stock 15 x 5.5in replacement size, or an upgrade option of 18 x 5.5in.The Heathen trike wheel is available in chrome, Contrast Cut and Contrast Cut Platinum finishes. PERFORMANCE MACHINE La Palma, California, USA Tel: 714 523 3000 Fax: 714 523 3007 E-mail: sales@performancemachine.com www.performancemachine.com
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PRODUCTS
Beringer brakes BERINGER, which is best known for its brake systems used on sportsbikes, is now moving into the HarleyDavidson market with the introduction of four- and six-piston brake calipers and cast iron rotors, which have been used on Freddie ‘Krugger’ Bertrand’s 2010 World Championship of Custom Bike Building winning Veon bike.
Beringer’s four-piston brake calipers can be ordered with or without bike model specific mounting brackets built in
The company, which has been manufacturing brake systems for over 26 years, has ISO 9001 accreditation on its manufacturing processes and the brake systems are UTAC and/or TÜV approved. All Beringer brake calipers are CNC machined from aircraft grade aluminum and feature stainless steel pistons, which are claimed to conduct one thirteenth of the heat conducted by aluminum, thereby helping to isolate the caliper bodies from the heat generated by the brake pads. The calipers with a choice of four or six piston calipers are available in polished, black anodized or chromed finishes and with or without mounting brackets to suit various HD models. Two models of brake discs are manufactured by Beringer for use on H-D models; the Classic and Aeronal, and both designs are cast iron floating rotors. The cast iron Classic discs feature a proprietary chemical composition casting process and heat
Both Beringer six-piston and four-piston calipers are available in black anodized finishes along with the option of polished or chrome
treatment to improve performance. The cast iron structure that results from the process is said to allow a faster dissipation of heat compared to any other cast iron or stainless steel disc, while accepting far higher temperature than any other material. An additional benefit is that the process allows for the use of a narrower outer band, reducing the rotor’s weight by 20 percent.The outer band itself is coated with an aluminum plasma to prevent corrosion and allow, the use of sintered metal brake pads. The fine grain surface of the coating is also claimed to increase braking power by 40 percent. The carriers for the cast iron discs are CNC machined from aluminum and attach to the outer band with 12 steel low-friction studs.The carriers are available in chrome, polished or black anodized finishes.
Beringer uses a proprietary chemical composition casting process for its Classic brake rotors, which is claimed to improve heat dissipation under hard braking
Beringer’s Aeronal floating discs feature the same construction methods and technology as the Classic design with the exception of the carrier being machined from aeronautic aluminum and attaching to the outer band via six studs rather than 12. These changes further reduce the weight and the gyroscopic effect to increase the maneuverability of the bike. Both versions of the dics can also be supplied with a choice of stainless steel outers.
The use of Aeronal aluminum carriers and only six-studs to attach the carriers to the rotors reduces the weight of the Beringer Aeronal discs
BERINGER USA Heber Springs, Arkansas, USA Tel: 501 362 9580 E-mail: contact@beringer-brakes.com www.beringer-brakes.com AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST 2011
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Bad Dad Summit rear fender THE Summit rear fender from Bad Dad is a 71⁄2in stretched design, which is a direct bolt-on replacement for ’97-’11 Touring models. The design of the Summit includes built-in filler panels and it can be ordered in a smooth finish or as a recessed license plate version. Both options of the composite fender are supplied pre-drilled for easy installation.
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BAD DAD CUSTOM FINISHES Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA Tel: 260 407 2000 Fax: 260 755 5344 E-mail: sales@baddad.com www.baddad.com
New accessories from Küryakyn KÜRYAKYN is now able to offer riders the look of custom chromed brake calipers without the associated cost with its covers for Brembo calipers. The chromed covers have been designed to work with the Brembo calipers used on H-D’s Touring models, with or without ABS fitted. The covers are available to fit the front calipers on ’08-’11 Electra Glides, Road Glides, Street Glides and Road Kings; ’06-’10 V-Rods (except ’06-’07 VRSCR Street Rod and ‘09’10 VRSCF V-Rod Muscle).
The underseat pegs for use on Softails provide an alternative foot position for pillion passengers
Additional lighting can be added to a Tour-Pak with the use of Küryakyn’s Lighted Lid Accent
The chrome caliper covers are designed to fit Brembo calipers on H-D Touring models
Küryakyn’s Hi-Five Mach 2 air cleaner is now available in a black and chrome finish alongside the original all chrome version The Run-Turn Edge Accents fit Batwing fairings on ‘96-’11 Electra Glides, Street Glides and Trikes without the need for drilling
Continuing the theme of adding chrome to the front of the bike, Küryakyn is now producing ‘RunTurn Edge Accents’ for Batwing fairings fitted to ‘96-’11 Electra Glides, Street Glides and Trikes. The accents can be fitted without drilling and add additional lighting and chrome to the fairing. Moving rearward along the bike, Küryakyn now has its underseat mounted footpegs available to fit ’08 and onward Softails.The pegs,in a choice of black or chrome, are designed to create an extra foot position for pillion passengers and thus increased comfort on long rides. For bikes fitted with a Tour-Pak, Küryakyn offers a ‘Lighted Lid Accent’. The accent, which fits ’06-’11
King or Ultra Tour-Paks, is made of ABS plastic and uses red LEDs that offer run and brake light functions. Alongside the chrome accessories, Küryakyn also caters for riders looking to increase their bike’s performance, with one option being the Hi-Five Mach 2 air cleaner.The latest version is now available in a black and chrome finish and like the original chrome design is claimed to work with engines putting out in excess of 150hp. The air cleaner is available to fit ’07-’11 XL models, ‘91-’06 XL models, ’93-’99 Evos, and ’99-11’ Twin Cam with CV carb or Delphi fuel injection. KÜRYAKYN USA Somerset, Wisconsin, USA Tel: 715 247 5008 Fax: 715 247 5007 salessupport@kuryakyn.com www.kuryakyn.com AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST 2011
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Samson Legend Series SAMSON’S latest introduction is the Legend Series of exhausts (two individual pipes on one side) for baggers, dressers and most other Harley-Davidson models. As with the company’s other exhaust systems, the Legend Series uses double wall construction and is offered in exclusive ‘Quad’ chrome plating, and ‘Sinister’ black ceramic coating is also available on request. The systems are a bolt-on fitment and include pre-installed, 21⁄2in one-piece full coverage removable heat shields. The baffles, which are also removable, are 13⁄4in in diameter and 10in long. The O2 sensor ports accept OEM and aftermarket sensors (2006 and earlier models require O2 sensor plugs, purchased separately). SAMSON MOTORCYCLE PRODUCTS Brea, California, USA Tel: 714 518 2480 Fax: 714 518 2466 E-mail: info@samsonusa.com www.samsonusa.com
Extended and adjustable forward controls SUPREME Legends USA now has in production its II Bagger and III Bagger adjustable and extended arm sets for ‘00‘07 and ’08 onward FLH/FLT models. The brake arms are extended 1in and adjustable from stock to 10 and 20 degrees from stock. The II Bagger controls include extended single shift arm, rear shift linkage arm, and a contoured spacer to hide the gap.
The III Bagger control includes extended heel and toe shifter arms, rear shift linkage arm, contoured spacer, and a new shift shaft. Both options are offered in a choice of either chrome or black anodized finishes with Supreme’s ‘Tux’ series black and chrome series available by special order. SUPREME LEGENDS USA Anaheim, California, USA Tel: 714 504 0715 Fax: 714 441 5908 E-mail: info@supremelegendsusa.com www.supremelegendsusa.com AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST 2011
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Custom Design Studios’ Bug Catcher
Heartland Dyna conversion HEARTLAND’S latest wide tire conversion kit has been created for H-D’s Dyna models from ’06 onwards. Like the company’s other conversion kits, the 240 D uses the proprietary ‘Strut System’ billet aluminum fender struts and they
support an 11in wide fender. Also included in each kit are a leather solo seat, swingarm, 1 ⁄4in offset kit and 20mm drive belt. A 240 tire, suitable custom wheel and pulley need to be supplied to complete the conversion, which requires a section of the stock fender struts to be removed.
HEARTLAND USA Gardena, California, USA Tel: 310 822 2697 Fax: 310 822 3687 E-mail: info@heartlandbiker.com www.heartlandbiker.com
CUSTOM Design Studios’ founder and owner, Kirk Taylor, has created its new ‘Bug Catcher’ to protect carbs being run without air cleaners from sucking debris in. The dome shaped screens are inserted into the throat of an S&S carb before a velocity stack is bolted on. CUSTOM DESIGN STUDIOS Novato, California, USA Tel: 415 382 6662 Fax: 415 382 6669 customdesignstudio@sbcglobal.net www.customdesignstudios.com
PRODUCTS
More choices at Biker’s Choice BIKER’S Choice is now carrying the newest shock produced by Progressive Suspension, the 970 Series. Designed for performance oriented twin-shock bikes, they feature piggyback reservoirs, a high pressure gas charge and deflective disc valving in a monotube style body.The 970 Series also have progressive rate springs and threaded preload adjusters and an external compression adjustment knob to allow fine tuning to suit rider weight and riding style.
Progressive Suspension’s new 970 Series shock can now be ordered through Biker’s Choice
Avon Grips’ Contour-Air and V-Cruiser grips are new additions to the company’s range
Standard and extended length versions are available to fit both Dyna and XR1200 models. A second new line now being offered by Biker’s Choice are two new styles of handlebar grip from Avon Grips. The Contour-Air cushioned grips are constructed using ergonomic, seamless rubber with billet end caps and three rings. They are available with or without Avon Boss throttle assist and in chrome or black anodized finishes for throttle-bywire or throttle slide applications. The V-Cruiser grip is made from soft rubber and comes complete with billet chrome end caps and rings. Both sets of grips will fit ‘81 and up H-D models. Mustang’s range of seats for Harley-Davidsons can now be ordered through Biker’s Choice. The range includes seats that have a two-piece look but are built on a single base, solo seat seats and twoup seats and options including plain or studded.
Mustang’s line of seats in finishes including plain and studded are available at Biker’s Choice
BIKER’S CHOICE Fort Worth, Texas, USA Tel: 817 258 9000 Fax: 817 258 9055 E-mail: bikerschoice@bikerschoice.com www.bikerschoice.com
PRODUCTS
New lines at W&W W&W is working with fellow German company Fehling stocking its range of sissybars and combination sissybars and racks.The Fehling sissybar with a pillion back pad is made of chromed steel and versions are available to fit Evo Sportsters up to ’03, including the XL53C Custom, XL1200C Custom, XL1200S Sport and a second version is offered for Evo Sportsters built after 2004.
The m-Relay+ by Motogadget is a flasher relay with three functions
W&W also has a Fehling made sissybar/rack for use on the Fat Bob
The Fehling sissybar with integrated rack fits Dyna Glides built from 2006 onwards
Two versions of the kit, which contains the valve, machined from steel, a copper seal, 40cm of quality hose and a protective cover made of anodized aluminum are available; one with a 1⁄2in-20 thread to fit Big Twins ‘81-’89 and the other with a 5⁄8in-18 thread to fit ’38-’80 Twins. The latest addition to the Motogadget range to be carried by W&W is the m-Relay+. The m-Relay+ is a combination of a load independent flasher relay and a push button control. The flasher relay has three functions, which are dependent on the time duration the button is depressed; lane change, turn and constant flashing. Additionally, a hazard light function is available when pushing left and right buttons at the same time. The m-Relay+ is load independent from 1W to 100W and can provide a constant frequency to almost all kind of flash lights (LED, Micro, 10W, 21W).
Among the Fehling sissybars offered by W&W is one to fit Sportster models
A Fehling sissybar with pillion pad is also available with a built-in rack to fit 2006 and onward Dyna Glides and a second version is made to fit the Dyna Fat Bob FXDF from 2008 onwards. The Stahlbus oil drain valve, now available through W&W, has been designed to replace the existing drain screw. Once installed, when an oil change is due the cap is unscrewed and the hose connector is fitted via the quick release. Once that is locked in place, the valve opens and the oil can be drained into a container. After removing the connector the valve closes automatically.
The Stahlbus oil drain valve is available in two versions to fit Twins from ’38-’80 and Big Twins built between ’81 and ‘89
Tolle pop-up gas caps are available in a choice of aluminum or stainless steel
Keihin CV main jets can be ordered from W&W in sizes from 1.40mm to 1.90mm in 0.5mm increments
The pop-up gas caps from Sweden’s Tolle, described as the smallest gas caps on the market for H-D fuel tanks, when closed, the caps sit nearly flush on the tank. To open, just a slight push and twist movement is needed and a knurled disc pops up to unscrew the cap. Screw-in and weld-in caps made from billet aluminum or stainless steel are available, with the screw-in caps working with all tanks from ’82 onwards. W&W also stocks Keihin CV main jets, and has them to fit ’88 and onward Sportsters and Big Twins from ’90 onward in sizes from 1.40mm to 1.90mm in 0.5mm increments.
W&W CYCLES AG Wuerzburg, GERMANY Tel: +49 (0)931 250 61 16 Fax: +49 (0)931 250 61 20 E-mail: sales@wwag.com www.wwag.com AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST 2011
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New lighting options from Headwinds HEADWINDS has introduced a range of new lighting options. The first option, which is inspired by vintage designs, is the Standard Bullet in a combination of black and brass. The 53⁄4in headlight features a spun aluminum and black anodized housing finished The black and brass Standard Bullet’s with a brass clamp ring and styling was inspired bracket. by vintage bikes The Black Metal Revolver is also a 53⁄4in headlight, but on this version both the body and bezel are finished in black anodizing. Once anodized, the body then has grooves milled into it and the bezel has a highlighted edge. Supplied with a 3⁄4in mounting bracket, the Revolver fits all SAE lamps (also sold by Headwinds).
Alongside the headlamp options, Headwinds is now offering a fork mounted spotlight kit for the FLH. Made to match Headwinds bezels and turn signals, each spotlight kit features 2in, 35W halogen spotlights, brackets, hardware and ‘EZ Plug’ wiring.
HEADWINDS Monrovia, California, USA Tel: 626 359 8044 Fax: 626 359 6544 E-mail: headwinds@headwinds.com www.headwinds.com
Headwinds has created a spotlight kit which mounts on the fork legs of FLH models
After anodizing, the Black Metal Revolver is machined to create a contrasting finish
Laredo front fender
FAT Katz new Laredo front fender has been created for use with a 26in front tire. Made from cold-rolled, 13-gauge steel, the Laredo is a 180-degree full wrap fender that is being offered in two versions; one for custom use and the other for use on Baggers. The latter includes chrome billet spacers, pre-drilled holes and mounting hardware. FAT KATZ Grass Valley, California, USA Tel: 530 268 2232 E-mail: sales@fatkatz.com www.fatkatz.com AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST 2011
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PRODUCTS
Drag Specialties product up-dates DRAG Specialties has created a new option for riders looking to show their support for the troops with Air Force and Navy themed windscreens.The 6in and 8in direct-replacement windscreens are said to improve wind protection. Designed to fit ‘96-‘11 FLHT and FLHX models and FL Trikes,the custom-molded Lexan polycarbonate screens have an FMR hard coating.
The Python Throwbacks are supplied ready wrapped with grey heat tape Riders can show their support for the troops with a military themed windshield from Drag Specialties
For the rear of the bike Drag Specialties have created a Tour-Pak luggage rack. Made from chrome plated 1⁄2in tubing, the rack has been designed to fit ‘80-‘11 Dresser models with King, Chopped or Razor Tour-Paks.The rack measures 201⁄2in wide, 141⁄8in long and 31⁄2in high and includes all mounting hardware. For riders who are converting bikes from dual seats to solo seats, Drag Specialties has fender skins Drag Specialties’ scissor jack can be used to lift the front or rear of a bike, or the whole bike
The Tour-Pak luggage rack from Drag Specialties has been designed to fit ‘80-‘11 Dresser models with King, Chopped or Razor Tour-Paks
The fender skins by Drag Specialties have been created to tidy the fender when a bike is converted to a solo seat from a dual seat
in three styles. The skins feature a choice of automotive-grade vinyl or embossed gator leather center with a leather perimeter, a finished edge and a felt liner to protect the bike’s paint work. Designed to work with Drag Specialties solo seats, they will also work with most OEM and accessory seats and fit a wide range of ‘58-‘11 models. Black zinc washers and screws for installation are included in the package. Drag Specialties’ own line of Python exhausts now includes the Throwbacks, which feature hot rod inspired styling. The system is made up of 13⁄4in dualwall head pipes which flow into 21⁄8in muffler bodies. The system is shipped complete with gray exhaust wraps and stainless steel zip ties pre-installed. The Throwbacks, which fit a wide range of ‘86-‘11 models, include 21⁄2in straight-cut billet end accents featuring the Python logo. Alongside the bike parts now being featured by Drag Specialties, the company also has a new workshop option – a scissor jack.The jack has a large footprint to make it stable and it can be used to lift the front, the rear or the entire motorcycle. The jack lowers and rises from 31⁄2in to 141⁄2in.
DRAG SPECIALITIES Janesville, Wisconsin, USA Tel: 608 758 1111 Fax: 608 758 4677 E-mail: drag@dragspecialties.com www.dragspecialties.com AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST 2011
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Industry dealers hire PowerSport Institute techs to cover increased industry demand S the industry starts to rebound from the economic downturn that adversely affected sales of new bikes, and motorcycle and powersport sales begin to steadily increase, dealers are beginning to look for qualified technicians as the businesses see a return to growth, and many of those dealerships are turning to the PowerSport Institute (PSI), a technical training school located in North Randell, Ohio. PSI, which is a supporting partner of the World Championship of Custom Bike Building, describes itself as the largest motorcycle and powersport training campus in the US, and provides its students with hands-on technical training for today’s most advanced motorcycles, ATVs, personal watercraft, snowmobiles and other powersport vehicles. Students work in a real-world service environment on powersport units from a wide variety of manufacturers such as Arctic Cat, Honda, Kawasaki, Polaris, Suzuki, Victory and Yamaha. “We strive to teach not only the fundamentals at the PowerSport Institute, but also the in-depth skills that will help our students succeed in today’s workplace and lead the powersport industry into the future,” said Kira Daczko, Director of Career Services, PSI. “It’s our job to prepare students to know all aspects of the job – from technical skills to service writing to basic employee etiquette like punctuality – before they show up for their first day.” State 8 Motorcycle and ATV, located in Peninsula, Ohio, began its working relationship with the PowerSport Institute on a special motorcycle project and then went on to develop a relationship with the school which proved beneficial when the dealership was ready to recruit new staff. When CEO Kirk Compton needed to fill an open position for a motorcycle technician, he contacted the school and ended up hiring PSI graduate Raef Canter, 24, from Norton, Ohio. After being impressed by his skills, Compton later hired two more PSI graduates. “Anyone working in this industry knows it’s a commitment and not just a job, so I was impressed by the students’ readiness to work and their skill level
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AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST 2011
fresh out of college,” said Compton. All Ohio Motorsports is another example of a dealership working with PSI to fill vacancies. Indeed, the entire technician staff at the shop is currently made up of PSI graduates. Bill Heckler, General Manager and Vice President for Lake Erie Harley-Davidson in Avon, Ohio, was not initially interested in hiring graduates from the PowerSport Institute. “I have employed student graduates from other powersport schools and their ‘I know it all’ attitudes combined with their unwillingness to learn made for a poor fit,” said Heckler. “Winter months are usually our slow months,but can be a good time to hire and train a new employee before the busy season. I decided to hire PSI graduate Jeff Lewis and he changed everything. Jeff’s knowledge is a tremendous asset to the entire dealership and his personality, attitude and yearning to learn made me want to hire more just like him.” After hiring Lewis, Heckler hired three more PSI graduates. PSI was founded in 2005 and is run by Campus Director Bernie Thompson, who designed and developed the school as well as managed the construction of its 210,000 sq ft facility. With 25
years of experience in powersports technology and strong leadership skills, Thompson hires and trains new PSI staff and oversees campus operations. Among the staff hired by Thompson is Kira Daczko, a PSI graduate, who now maintains a dealer network that is made available to students both during and after graduation, to create the best match between employer and employee. An additional benefit offered by PSI are career days which expose students to potential employers, and industry dealers are also encouraged to have a presence at the events. “The career day events are multifunctional in that they encourage career placement for graduates while addressing the industry’s need for skilled labor and promoting powersports to the public,” said Daczko. POWERSPORT INSTITUTE North Randell, Ohio, USA Tel: 216 881 1700 Fax: 216 332 0423 bthompson@psi-now.com www.psi-now.com
PSI Campus Director and founder, Bernie Thompson (left) discusses the placement of graduates from the course with Bill O’Donnell, General Manager of All Ohio Motorsports
COMPANY FEATURE
Raef Canter was the first of three PSI graduates to be hired by State 8 Motorcycle and ATV
Kira Daczko, Director of Career Services for PSI with the graduates of PSI who now work at State 8 Motorcycle and ATV PowerSport Institute graduates at Lake Erie Harley-Davidson were hired by General Manager and Vice President, Bill Heckler (front left) after he was impressed by the positive impact PSI graduate Jeff Lewis (front right) had on the service department
PSI graduate Jeff Lewis is described as ‘a tremendous asset to the entire dealership’ by Lake Erie Harley-Davidson General Manager and Vice President Bill Heckler
Many of the new technicians recently hired by All Ohio Motorsports, seen here with Kira Daczko, Director of Career Services for PSI (center), have been graduates of the training program at PowerSport Institute
Kirk Compton, CEO of State 8 Motorcycle and ATV, worked with PSI on a motorcycle project before he went on to hire three graduates from the Institute AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST 2011
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Bikernet celebrates 15 years online BIKERNET.com, the biker website established by Keith ‘Bandit’ Ball, is celebrating its 15th year online in 2011. Formerly the Editor of Easyrider magazine for nearly 20 years, Keith first ventured online in 1995 with the launch of Bikernet. From the beginning to the current day the site has featured a diverse range of content from traditional bike features and tech to both educational fact and fictional pieces. Among the tech features that have been featured over the years has been the building of Bonneville Salt Flats race bikes including the record holding Assalt Weapon, the world’s fastest Panhead. www.bikernet.com
CCI Bike Show Series Ride-In-Bike-Show Faak 2011 CUSTOM Chrome Europe will be holding its 9th annual Ride-In bike show, a part of the Custom Chrome International Show Series, at Lake Faak in Austria on September 10, during European Bike Week. During the Ride-In show judging will be done by a jury of 10 plus members selected from the bike press and custom bike specialists. The categories they will be judging bikes in are: Championship, Modified Harley, Jammer Old School, RevTech-Performance, Chopper, Bagger and Sportster engine. Entry for the bike show will open at noon on Saturday, with judging starting at 3pm and the presentation of the trophies at 5pm. The term Ride-In is to be taken literally as only bikes that are ridden into the event area will be allowed entry.
2010 Best Radical and Best of Show winner Marco Cinquini of Garage 65 with the RevTech engine that he later used to build his 2011 show bike ‘Stargate’
CUSTOM CHROME EUROPE Bad Kreuznach, GERMANY Tel: +49 (0)671 88888 0 Fax: +49 (0)671 88888 100 info@customchrome.de www.custom-chrome-europe.com
2010 Best Radical and Best of Show Winner Marco Cinquini of Garage 65 Old School/Old Style winner Gerd Remmert of Bike Farm in Germany proving his bike runs as he goes to collect his trophy
The custom bikes on show at the 2010 Custom Chrome Europe Ride-In bike show attracted a huge audience at Lake Faak AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST 2011
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AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DESIGN
Three Two Choppers ‘BYOB’ program UCH of the news around the custom bike business in recent times has been concerned with the closure of businesses as riders can lo longer afford ground-up custom builds, turning instead to maintaining existing bikes. However, that does not mean that there are not opportunities for shops to generate new business from custom builds, one innovative example being the work being done by Three Two Choppers of Fort Worth, Texas. In order to keep work flowing in to the shop the brothers at Three Two Choppers, Jimmie Lee and JC Coen, have created a Build Your Own Bike (BYOB) program. The idea is that the brothers will mentor customers as they build their own custom bike in the shop, working through the design process, skills, and as the brothers describe it ‘the stuff they don’t show on TV’. The idea for the program came about when the brothers were looking for a way to ‘pay it forward’” and help out people who have the same passion and love for motorcycles they share. As youngsters, Jimmie Lee and JC found
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themselves searching for knowledge and someone from whom they could learn the skills of bike maintenance. Their search led them to the door of Joe Cox and Steve Hersch, who took them in and, taught them the main workings of bikes, like motors, wiring, troubleshooting and the most important thing, patience. he lessons learnt provided them with the knowledge they needed to go on and establish Three Two Choppers. They then moved on to fabricating the components they needed, because at that time specialty parts weren’t as readily available in the catalogs as they are today. They taught themselves machining and welding too. The Build Your Own Bike program came to fruition when Bill Conway went to Three Two Choppers looking to work a deal on parts. He was originally planning to build a custom bike using an American Iron Horse frame he had acquired. He wanted to support a local shop for his parts and was looking for help with the build.After a few meetings with Bill, the brothers discussed their idea for a mentoring program with him, telling him they wanted to give him the opportunity to start the program off. It was a simple decision for Bill to make. He sold the AIH frame on and began working with Three Two Choppers on the design of a new one-off bike build. Such was his enjoyment of the program that he told many of his friends about what he was doing.Among those friends was Manny Mercado, who was looking to start a bike project too. ike Bill, Manny approached Three Two Choppers to discuss the idea of doing his own build at the shop with Jimmie Lee and JC’s help. His original plan had to been to use a basket case Knucklehead for his BYOB project, but that was dismissed as being in too bad a condition. The replacement base for Manny’s build became an ’83 FX Shovelhead that the shop had picked up cheaply due to the numbers on the motor not matching the frame. Fortunately for Manny the original bottom end and barrels were also available from the seller and so BYOB number two was underway. As the build progressed so did the ideas about what was possible, and the idea was born that the finished bike would be shown at the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building in 2010. However, Manny’s full-time work commitments did not allow him enough workshop time to complete the build in time for the show. The setback of not finishing the build in time for the ’10 World Championship has meant that all involved have had time to pool even more ideas and create a build ready to be entered in the 2011 World Championship of Custom Bike Building. ith Three Two Choppers’ help Manny has taken a stock ‘83 swingarm Shovelhead frame and removed the whole seat and rear section of the frame. The stock box-section swingarm has been replaced with an early round-section unit that has been extended 2in. This extension has allowed for a dropped seat to be designed and built. In order to mix good looks with structural integrity a single seat rail with gussets is being used instead of a traditional double rail. Using a single tube seat post the brothers and Manny have designed and built a hidden, internal spring seat system.The design allows the spring action to be seen from the back of
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The Shovelhead being created by Build Your Own Bike program attendee Manny Mercado part-built
Jimmie Lee Coen (left) and his brother JC (right) with BYOB program attendee Manny Mercado whose bike will be in the 2011 World Championship of Custom Bike Building
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Jimmie Lee (left) guides Manny Mercado on how to use a lathe to create parts for his custom build
JC Coen welding the frame of the bike the shop has been helping Manny Mercado to build, ready to enter into the World Championship of Custom Bike Building
Bill Conroy works on the bike he built at Three Two Choppers with the help of shop owners Jimmie Lee and JC under the BYOB program
Jimmie Lee (left) and JC Coen are generating revenue for their business and helping bring new builders into the industry through their Build Your Own Bike program
the tube. The original plan was to cover it up so that it went completely unnoticed, but after seeing it work it was agreed that it had to be out in the open for all to see. Showcasing the skills that can be learnt on the BYOB program at Three Two Choppers, the bike’s stock gas tank has been narrowed and sectioned to create a custom tank that retains the stock look but at the same time looks custom. By introducing the Build Your Own Bike program at Three Two Choppers, Jimmie Lee and JC Coen have introduced an extra revenue stream to their business and have the added advantage of a possible Championship winning bike build too! THREE TWO CHOPPERS Fort Worth, Texas, USA Tel: 817 300 3154 E-mail: threetwo@threetwochoppers.com www.threetwochoppers.com AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST 2011
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AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DESIGN
Battistinis California Dreamin’ Expo Bournemouth International Centre, UK, May 28 – 29, 2011 n the last fifteen months the UK market has gone from famine to feast following its long wait for a viable custom bike show and expo. Earlier this year, the rebadged London International Custom Show saw a successful second annual show staged at London’s iconic Alexandra Palace (Ally Pally) venue, and at the end of May the country had a second event make its debut in the fashionable resort of Bournemouth on the south coast of England. California Dreamin’ Expo, conceptually sponsored by Mark Battistini’s local Battistini UK business, attracted some 2,500 visitors in the course of its two days, with most exhibitors reporting good levels of buying intent among the custom bike enthusiasts attracted to the first custom-specific expo aimed at the Southern English market for many years. Always a notoriously regional market, something that had dogged prior show attempts, the UK is one of several European markets where more than one show could prosper. alifornia Dreamin’ attracted strong support from the authorised Harley-Davidson dealer community, with Shaw, Warr’s and Guildford HarleyDavidson all supporting the event with booths and competition entries, and from aftermarket shops and businesses such as Custom Chrome Europe, Krazy Horse Customs – European importer of the fastgrowing Samurai Choppers program, and The Hogfather – UK importer of Big Dog Motorcycles, in which connection expect some interesting and positive news about Big Dog models in Europe to emerge from Belgian master importer Legend soon. The trophies were sponsored by Motorcycle Storehouse and for a first-time custom show there was a healthy entry of 66 bikes in five classes with the overall standard higher than would generally be expected at a first-time event. The pre-event favourite for top honors, Larry Houghton’s Son of a Gun, comfortably won the Best in Show prize. However, as he had already won a ticket to Sturgis at Ally Pally in February, the California Dreamin’ Sturgis prize was awarded to Freestyle class winner Sickboyz Customs with Besame el Culo. udging was conducted using the World Championship peer group review system, with the vast majority of competitors returning ballot papers. Guildford Custom Cycles edged out Modified Harley World Champion Shaw Harley-Davidson and Rocket Bob’s to win the Modified Harley class, with Larry
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Houghton picking up a second trophy by winning the Performance Custom class with Wideboy. Two event-specific classes were also run – Customised Daily Ride for street legal custom bikes was won by Attitude Customs’ Old Yellow and the Traditional Style Period Chopper class win was taken by Second City Customs’ Hell’s Bay.
Results Best in Show: Lamb Engineering Son of a Gun Freestyle: 1. Sickboyz Customs Besame el Culo 2. Paul Milbourn Weird Fish 3. Attitude Customs El Jefe 4. Kalamity Chop n Rod Caliente 5. Trike Design Ltd Sinkhole Springer Modified Harley: 1. Guildford Custom Cycles Twin Pan 2. Shaw H-D Nascafe Racer 3. Rocket Bob’s R13 Blackbird 4. Shaw H-D XLST3 5. Warr’s H-D Kamome Sprinter
Freestyle Class winner Wade Poulson (centre left) collects his invitation to Sturgis from ‘Best in Show’ winner Larry Houghton (centre right)
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Customised Daily Ride: 1. Attitude Customs Old Yellow 2. John Gibson Motorcycles Evel Tribute 3. Attitude Customs Cooper Performance Custom: 1. Lamb Engineering Wide Boy 2. UXB/PHWF 3. Steve Conway Racing Brighton Belle Traditional Style Period Chopper: 1. Second City Customs Hell’s Bay 2. Calvin Evans Swapmeet Pan 3. Quomp Customs
Krazy Horse exhibited a selection of their own bikes plus the latest models from Zero Engineering, for whom they are the European distributor
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Rivera Primo made the long journey from California to exhibit
Photo credit: Onno Wieringa
Besame el Culo by Sickboyz Customs, which won the Freestyle Class and Sturgis prize
Shaw Harley-Davidson were among a group of authorized dealerships supporting the event
Custom Chrome Europe displayed their 2011 range of products at California Dreamin’ Expo
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AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DESIGN
Ness Tri Glide ARLEY-Davidson introduced the Tri Glide in 2009, but it was far from being the first trike model in the company’s history. Back in 1932 the Motor Company introduced the Servicar, which went on to become one of its longest running product lines, only being discontinued in 1973. However, many of those original Servicars have resurfaced on the custom scene, so it was really only a matter of time before the Tri Glide caught the attention of the custom market too. In this case it is Arlen Ness who has taken on the challenge of creating a custom Tri Glide, and in doing so he has created a parts line owners of Tri Glides can utilize on their own trikes. The first custom Tri Glide to emerge from the workshop was a customer commission based upon a 2009 model, one of the trikes built by Lehman Trikes for Harley-Davidson before production was moved in-house with the 2011 line. Beginning at the front of the trike, a Ness Wrapper fiberglass fender designed as a part for Baggers, which bolts directly on ‘87 onward FLT models, was fitted along with a 23in G3 wheel. Custom fenders for the rear though had to be especially designed and made. Now available as the Street Dragger rear trike fenders, they work with the stock 15in wheels or the 18in G3 wheels used here with Goodyear‘s Eagle GT 215/45ZR18 tires. To improve the trike’s handling with the larger front wheel, a set of 4.5-degree raked billet aluminum triple trees were added.The front end then further benefited from the addition of Ness Deep Cut fork legs and fork boots. The whole package was
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then topped off with Paul Yaffe Bagger Nation Monkey Bars, Deep Cut grips and Ness Rad III mirrors. The Deep Cut accessory theme is carried through the floor boards, passenger boards and exhaust tips. Apart from the addition of the Ness/Reinhart exhaust, Ness Big Sucker air cleaner and Big Shot EFI tuner, the 103ci motor has been left stock. Similarly, the only changes to the transmission are the addition of a belt drive, a Rivera Pro clutch and a Ness primary cover. Once the build was completed it was painted by Ness’ painter Steve Farone, who applied the black base and Arlen Ness designed flames. He then carried on and painted a Road Dog trailer to match. ARLEN NESS ENTERPRISES Dublin, California, USA Tel: 925 479 6350 Fax: 925 479 6351 E-mail: contact@arlenness.com www.arlenness.com
Photos: Via Arlen Ness; Text: Hörst Rosler
AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DESIGN
Custom Bike Show Norrtälje, Sweden, June 4th 2011
Great weather and increased crowds greeted the Twin Club MC’s annual Custom Bike Show in Sweden at the start of June, with TWO winners being awarded Sturgis prizes this year… LWAYS a highlight of the annual show season in Europe, and one of the oldest custom bike shows in the world, Custom Bike Show, the annual gathering for the Scandinavian Custom Bike Championship on the coast an hour northeast of the Swedish capital Stockholm produced stand-out winners for the two affiliate event Sturgis prizes that organizers Twin Club MC put up this year. Staged the weekend before this year’s independent Harley-Davidson club federation’s European Super Rally in Lithuania, hundreds of Harley riders from Germany, Finland and elsewhere made the show the first leg of a two-weekend twoevent road-trip, resulting in an increased international flavor to the camp grounds and to the entries in the seven classes at the show. The Sturgis prize wins were both scooped by Swedish competitors however, 2007 World Champion Stellan Egeland, and 2009 World Championship top twenty finisher Lasse Sundberg. In addition to the ever popular public choice and
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Class prizes, including a RevTech engine, were generously donated by sponsors, including Custom Chrome Europe and Motorcycle Storehouse A third year of increased crowds and over 8,000 bikes hit downtown Norrtälje, Sweden, for the one-day show
best paint/finish prizes, the classes at Custom Bike Show reflect the diverse traditions of custom riding in Scandinavia – Trikes, Classics, Classic Customs, Choppers, Harley Choppers, Modified Harleys and the out-and-out Custom Class, which is the equivalent at the Scandinavian Championship of the World Champs program’s Freestyle Class. n 2009 Lasse Sundberg had won through to Sturgis with a radical uber-long fork Indian PowerPlus-engined chopper that showcased previously unseen opportunities for Vince Doll’s famous single downtube Redneck rigid frame. Muscular and dripping with hand-crafted attention to detail, 1668, Lasse’s follow-up took the aesthetics of his 2009 project but refined them for use with an engine that almost certainly has never seen the geometry of a long-fork chopper before. Using an 88 year-old Husqvarna engine (originally 550cc but now bored out to 600cc) with a three speed gearbox, practically everything on his bike has been hand-made and the delicacy of the lines have produced a Swedish-style interpretation proportionate to the remarkable old engine. Stellan Egeland’s follow-up to his 2007 World Championship winning and already iconic Hulster 8valve was Harrier, a radical 1200 cc BMW that scored him 4th place at the 2009 World Championship. Among other unique features, it showcased new front-end thinking designed to eliminate the instability issues created by styling rather than handling-driven trail choices. Firmly established along with the likes of Roger Goldammer, Freddie Krugger, and Dave Cook as one of the leaders of a new generation of custom engineers who have a global reputation for combining craftsmanship with originality, Egeland re-visited the BMW platform for his latest creation, Slugger. The principles seen on Harrier have been refined and Stellan takes them into turbo-charged
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Sturgis Prize Winner Lasse Sundberg with his exquisitely handcrafted homage to an 88-yearold 550cc Husqvarna engine, 1668
Sturgis Prize Winner and former World Champion Stellan Egeland with Slugger, his radical Mark II street-legal blown BMW, another statement that places Stellan among the elite of an emerging generation of motorcycle engineers
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W&W Sales Manager and tech guru Thomas Weigl with the company’s new magic show bus
street-legal territory on a project that any OE would be proud of as a concept proving design and technology demonstrator. n many ways Egeland has been a victim of his own success, though, because so satisfying is his new bike as a street-legal daily rider that some three weeks after the show his masterpiece was unceremoniously trashed by an idiot car driver who forgot what mirrors were invented for. The front-end was completely wiped-out and as this edition of AMD went to press it seems his hotlytipped bike would not be able to compete at this year’s World Championship after all. Altogether some 300 bikes competed, and the weekend saw some 8,000 bikes and 15,000 visitors attend, continuing the upward trend in numbers that started in 2008. As ever, we here at AMD magazine would like to express our thanks to Twin Club MC for their event professionalism, and to place on the record our appreciation of the bike-friendly attitude that the Norrtälje City authorities always show in support of the event.
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www.custombikeshow.se
www.amdchampionship.com August 7-10, 2011 Sturgis, south dakota
DISTRIBUTOR NETWORK Canada
Parts Canada Tel: (403) 250 6247
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East Coast Custom Distributing Pty. Ltd.-AU
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Tel: 978 352 4710
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www.enginedynamics.com Mid USA Motorcycle Parts
www.mid-usa.com Midwest Motorcycle Supply
www.midwestmc.net Newcomb Dist. www.newcombdistribtors.com Rivera Engineering www.riveraengineering.com Star Racing
www.starracing.com TEC Distributing
www.tecdist.com www.blackdiamondvalves.com
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INTERNATIONAL HEAD OFFICE
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THE NETHERLANDS ZODIAC INTERNATIONAL B.V.
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If not, then you need to stock and sell the U.S.A’s fastest growing line of custom helmets
Tel: (800) 729 3332
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Tomás Cerny Moto Classic, s.r.o Royal Enfield Pro CR a SR Tel: 00420 775 997 648 e-mail: info@royal-enfield.cz
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Tel: 00800 963422 65 (Toll-free) Email: sales@zodiac.nl
SPAIN ZODIAC ESPANA
Tel: 96 81 42067 Fax: 96 81 42068 Email: zodiac-espana@zodiac.nl
SWITZERLAND AMERICAN BIKE SHOP
Tel: 071 761 2678 Fax: 071 761 0678 Email: abs-zodiac@rheintal.ch
AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST 2011
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Motorcycle Storehouse B.V. Industrieweg 22, 9781 AC Bedum, The Netherlands Tel: +31 (0)50-3039775 - Fax: +31 (0)50-3039777
DISTRIBUTOR MCS Spainish agent Paloma Pinto Tel: +34 0 93 865 7427 - Fax: +34 0 93 865 7427 E-mail: paloma@mcseurope.nl
Australia East Coast Custom Tel: 07 3252 4633 Rollies Speed Shop Tel: 07 3252 2129
MCS French agent Bruno Selle Tel: +33 (0)4 90 67 76 33 - Fax: +33 (0)4 90 67 92 11 E-mail: bruno@mcseurope.nl
Canada Preston Cycle Products Tel:(800) 265 2298
MCS German agent Rasi Bayazid Tel: +49 (0)211 289 0538 - Fax: +49 (0)211 289 0532 E-mail: rasi@mcseurope.nl MCS Italian agent Marcello Fontana Tel: +39 0445 390437 - Fax: +39 0445 395539 E-mail marcello@mcseurope.nl MCS UK agent Simon Letts Tel: +44 (0)1892 668844 - Fax: +44 (0)1892 667722 E-mail: simon@mcseurope.nl
Parts Canada/Drag Specialties
Tel:(877) 717 2858 Europe Custom Chrome Europe Tel: 0049 (0)671 88888 0 DĂœX Industries Tel: 0049 (0)40 434037 Motorcycle Storehouse Tel: 0031 (0)50 3039775 Zodiac International Tel: 0031 (0)297 288 621
NETWORK USA Bikers Choice Tel: (800) 347 8080 Custom Chrome Tel: (800) 729 3332 Drag Specialties Tel: (800) 222 3400 Kustomwerks Tel: (800) 498 4711 Midwest Tel: (800) 325 3914 MID-USA Tel: (800) 527 0501 Tedd Cycle Tel: (914) 565 2806 Win Starwest Tel: (805) 531 1000
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INDEX
This INDEX is a complete listing of all the items in this edition. It includes all our advertisers and the product, feature and news items published this month. The INDEX will act as a quick reference guide, and will be useful when searching this and other editions either for contact details for a particular company, or for a specific item that has appeared. The INDEX appears in every edition of AMD .
THIS MONTH’S ADVERTISERS
Saxon Motorcycles (US) New Bagger model ................................................................................14
AIM Corp (US) Clutches & gear kits ............................................................................................10 Avon Grips (US) Air cushioned grips ............................................................................................34 Bad Dad Custom Finishes (US) Bagger parts ................................................................................35 Barnett Performance Products (US) Clutch kits, distributor network ........................................38,67 Belt Drives Ltd (US) Clutches & kits, GMA Brakes, Distributor network ................................14,59,68 Biker’s Choice (US) Twin Power gaskets........................................................................................65 Clearview Shields (US) Windshields..............................................................................................69 Colony Machine (US) Hardware ..................................................................................................66 Colorado Custom (US) Wheels ....................................................................................................69 CV Performance (US) Carburetor & intake parts ..........................................................................66 Darkhorse Crankworks (US) Crank assembly balancing & rebuilds ................................................67 Davida UK (GB) Helmets..............................................................................................................71 Daytona Twin Tec (US) Tec Talk, upgrade from Delphi ECM to TCFI Gen III ....................................26 Dead Center Cycles (US) Fairings and saddle bags........................................................................12 Designs By Novello (US) 2-tone covers ........................................................................................66 DNA Specialty (US) Front ends & spoke wheels ..............................................................................2 DP Brakes & Clutches (US) Brakes & clutches ..............................................................................54 Drag Specialties (US) 2011 Fatbook, Oldbook, Street, Offroad & ATV/UTV catalogs ......................18 Draggin Jeans (AU) Drayko Motorcycle Jeans ................................................................................6 Easyriders Events (US) V-Twin Expo 2012 ....................................................................................52 Fehling (DE) Parts & accessories ..................................................................................................68 Feuling Oil Pump Corporation (US) Bulletproof camchest kits, distributor network ..................33,67 Free Spirits (IT) Street and race parts ............................................................................................47 Goodridge USA (US) Sniper Hide-A-Line components ..................................................................68 GZM Europe/Accessories Unlimited (ES) Parts & accessories ........................................................68 Harley-Davidson (US) World Championship Modified Harley class sponsor....................................64 Heartland USA (US) Conversion kits........................................................................................16-17 Helmet City Inc (US) D.O.T. & novelty helmets, distributor network ..........................................11,67 JIMS USA (US) 131” race engine, Big inch flywheel assemblies ..........................................59,66,68 Joker Machine (US) Parts & accessories........................................................................................29 K&N Engineering (US) Become an authorized K&N dealer,Wrench-Off Performance oil filters ....51,54 K&P Engineering (US) High performance oil filters........................................................................33 KewlMetal (US) Bolt on 13 Degree Rake Kit ................................................................................72 Kibblewhite Precision Machining (US) Valvetrain components, distributor network ............32-33,66 Küryakyn (US) Parts & accessories ............................................................................................5,57 Kustom Tech (IT) Parts & accessories ..............................................................................................4 Kustomwerks (US) Parts & accessories, 2011 online catalog ....................................................22,40 Le Pera Enterprises (US) Seats......................................................................................................46 MAG Connection (FR) Distributor ................................................................................................30 MAG Europe Ltd (GB) Top performance brands ............................................................................28 Medallion Instrumentation Systems (US) Gauges and stereo products ..........................................45 Mid-USA Motorcycle Parts (US) Parts and accessories ..................................................................43 Milwaukee Bagger (US) Saddlebags ............................................................................................45 Motorcycle Storehouse (NL) Distributors, International Sales Offices ..............36-37,44-45,50-51,68 Mustang Motorcycle Products (US) 2011 catalog ........................................................................67 NAMZ Custom Cycle Products (US) Wiring harnesses & fluid lines ................................................32 PB Germany (DE) AGM Motorcycle Bags & Accessories ................................................................41 Pingel Enterprise (US) Speed Shifters............................................................................................42 PowerSport Institute (US) Powersport technician training ............................................................69 Renegade Wheels (US) Phantom Cut wheel ..................................................................................9 Revolution Performance (US) Precision EMS ................................................................................32 Rivera Primo (US) Parts & accessories, Distributor network ......................................................40,66 Rush Racing Products (US) Exhaust systems ................................................................................39 S&S Cycle (US) Crane Cams, High performance products ........................................................34,38
Spectro Oils of America (US) Premium-quality lubricants ..............................................................44
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AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2011
Sturgis Economic Development Corp (US) Sturgis promotion ........................................................70 Sumax Cycle Products (US) Bags..................................................................................................31 Supreme Legends USA Inc (US) Forward controls ........................................................................67 Tech Cycle Performance Products Inc (US) Belt drives & starters....................................................71 TecMate (International) SA (BE) Optimate Pro-S & Optimate 5, distributor network ......................42 The Leatherworks (US) Custom saddlebags & luggage ..................................................................8 Trask Performance (US) Bolt-on turbo kits ....................................................................................23 Van Bergen & Greener (US) Harley Spragg drives............................................................................7 Vance & Hines (US) Exhausts ......................................................................................................13 Wheel Creations Plus (US) Xtreme chrome plating program..........................................................68 Zipper’s Performance Products (US) ThunderMax EFI Module........................................................22 Zodiac International (NL) Parts & accessories, Issue 38 Bikers Book, European offices ..............15,67
THIS MONTH’S EDITORIAL ITEMS 5 Ball Inc (bikernet.com) (US) 15th anniversary ............................................................................53 Arlen Ness Enterprises (US) Tri Glide trike feature ........................................................................58 Bad Dad Custom Finishes (US) Summit rear fender ......................................................................31 Beringer (US) Moves into Harley-Davidson market........................................................................29 Biker’s Choice (US) Progressive Suspension 970 Series shocks,Avon Contour-Air & V-Cruiser grips........37 Cardo Systems (US) Extends product warranty ............................................................................12 Custom Chrome Europe (DE) Faak Ride-In Bike Show preview......................................................53 Custom Design Studios (US) Bug Catcher carb screen ..................................................................36 Dime City Cycles (US) Ace Cafe at grand opening ........................................................................10 Drag Specialties (US) Themed screens, Tour-Pak rack, fender skins, Python Throwbacks exhaust ....47 Fat Katz (US) Laredo front fender ................................................................................................43 Givi (US) Throw-Over saddlebags, frame spacers & sissy bar for Sportsters ....................................27 Greg’s Custom Cycle (US) Deepsickness Wicked Apes for Baggers ................................................27 Handy Industries (US) Returns to production ..................................................................................8 Harley-Davidson (US) Opens Asia-Pacific HQ in Singapore ..............................................................6 Headwinds (US) Standard Bullet & Black Metal Revolver headlights ............................................43 Heartland USA (US) Wide tire conversion kit for Dyna ..................................................................36 Hesketh Motorcycles Ltd (GB) Hesketh Motorcycles revived ....................................................24-25 Küryakyn (US) Chrome caliper covers, fairing accents, lid accent for Tour-Pak ................................31 Motorcycle Storehouse (NL) 10th edition catalog launched ............................................................6 Ocean Events (GB) California Dreamin’ Expo review ....................................................................56 Performance Machine (US) Stage I brake system for trikes ............................................................27 PowerSport Institute (US) Feature on technical training school ................................................48-49 Samson Motorcycle Products (US) Legend series exhausts ............................................................35 Sturgis Economic Development Corp (US) Competition Distributing relocate to Sturgis ..................8 Supreme Legends (US) Extended & adjustable forward controls for Baggers ................................35 TecMate North America (CA) Company feature ......................................................................19-21 The Trike Shop (US) Roadsmith brand expands with Indian-based model ......................................12 Three Two Choppers (US) ‘Build Your Own Bike’ program ............................................................55 Twin Club MC Norrtälje (SE) 2011 Custom Bike Show review ......................................................60 Victory Motorcycles (US) Victory Police Motorcycles models ..........................................................10 W&W Cycles AG (DE) Fehling sissybars, Stahlbus oil drain valve, Motogadget m-Relay+ ..............41
NEWS
Championship offers official merchandise Now available, the 2011 AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building t-shirts may be ordered online by visiting www.amdchampionship.com. Printed in Sturgis, South Dakota, the t-shirts are made of 100 percent cotton, preshrunk 6.1 ounce. Available in Black only, in sizes: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large, 2x, and 3x. The back of the shirt identifies the affiliate custom bike events leading up to the 9th Annual AMD
World Championship in Sturgis 2012 including those in: Austria, the Netherlands, South Africa,
France, and United Arab Emirates. The World Championship t-shirts will also be available August 1-19, 2011 at Tom’s T’s retail store at 1117 Main Street in Sturgis. The family run Tom’s T’s has been printing t-shirts in Sturgis since 1976. www.amdchampionship.com
Dowco acquires Motorcycle Division of Auburn Leather Co AUBURN Leather Company’s motorcycle division has been purchased by Dowco, the company which also owns among others the Iron Rider and Willie & Max brands. Dowco will sell the Auburn Leather Company line of leather saddlebags under the brand ‘ALC Saddlebags’. “Auburn Leather Company’s position as a tier one supplier to the OE market, as well as their aftermarket product lines, are a good fit for Dowco,” said Mike Kaczkowski, Executive Vice President for Dowco. “The OEM motorcycle market is finite, and with the drop off in unit sales the past several years, this move makes sense for us to keep our OEM business and supply chain healthy, and the Auburn brand
Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Russia, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Sweden,
of leather saddlebags will integrate into Dowco’s family of aftermarket brands very well. “Our intent is to make the transition as smooth as possible for all of Auburn’s former customers and sales partners. Work began weeks ago with our two companies to inform folks of the timing and allow for adequate order planning. Auburn built up some great industry relationships, and our goal is to build upon those for a strong future,” concluded Kaczkowski.
DOWCO Manitowoc, Wisconsin, USA Tel: 920 682 7796 Fax: 920 682 5891 feedback@dowco-inc.com www.dowco-inc.com
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally obtains judgement STURGIS Motorcycle Rally Inc. (SMRi) has announced the settlement of a lawsuit with a Kentucky entity formerly billing itself as the ‘Little Sturgis Rally’. As a part of the agreement, the Kentucky group has agreed to change both its corporate and trade name, eliminating the word mark Sturgis when used in connection with a motorcycle rally or any other derivations of marks that may be confusingly similar to those owned by SMRi. The Kentucky group also agreed to accept a Consent Final Judgment and a Stipulated Permanent Judgment in favor of SMRi and paid the South Dakota community-oriented non-profit organisation an undisclosed sum. “Our organization is charged with promoting and enhancing the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally while providing a charitable return for the greater Sturgis area, and part of that responsibility is to protect the intellectual property of Sturgis
Motorcycle Rally Inc. from unauthorized use, infringement and counterfeit goods and services,” said Dean Kinney, Chairperson of SMRi. The lawsuit began several years ago when SMRi’s predecessor, the Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce, became aware that the Kentucky event was continuing its unauthorized use even after an attempt by a former associate of the Kentucky organization to federally register the name ‘Little Sturgis’ was rejected by the United States Patent and Trademark Office. www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com