Uncategorized

Harley-Davidson Expansive Offerings in the Near Future

/ World Of Motorcycling / Leave a comment

HARLEY-DAVIDSON ACCELERATES STRATEGY TO

BUILD NEXT GENERATION OF RIDERS GLOBALLY

“More Roads to Harley-Davidson” Includes New Products in Additional Motorcycle Segments, Broader Access and Commitment to Strengthen Dealers
MILWAUKEE (July 30, 2018) – To inspire even more people around the world to experience the exhilaration of riding a motorcycle, Harley-Davidson today shared details of its “More Roads to Harley-Davidson” growth plan through 2022.

In a fast-changing world with new consumer demands, these accelerated actions support Harley-Davidson’s 2027 objectives with increased focus and strategic investment to reinvigorate the U.S. business while accelerating the pace of international growth.

“The bold actions we are announcing today leverage Harley-Davidson’s vast capabilities and competitive firepower – our excellence in product development and manufacturing, the global appeal of the brand and of course, our great dealer network,” said Matt Levatich, president and chief executive officer, Harley-Davidson, Inc. “Alongside our existing loyal riders, we will lead the next revolution of two-wheeled freedom to inspire future riders who have yet to even think about the thrill of riding.”

The result of a comprehensive, top-to-bottom assessment incorporating a “customer first” perspective, the More Roads to Harley-Davidson plan includes:

  • New Products – keep current riders engaged and inspire new riders by extending heavyweight leadership and unlocking new markets and segments
  • Broader Access – meet customers where they are and how they want to engage with a multi-channel retail experience

 

  • Stronger Dealers – drive a performance framework to improve dealer financial strength and the Harley-Davidson customer experience

“We expect this plan will result in an engaged, expanded Harley-Davidson community with a more diverse rider base, along with industry-leading margins and cash flow,” said Levatich.

New Products

Leveraging its industry-leading design and strong manufacturing capabilities, Harley-Davidson plans to offer its most comprehensive lineup of motorcycles, competing in many of the largest and fastest growing segments with a full portfolio of motorcycles across a broad spectrum of price points, power sources, displacements, riding styles and global markets. Highlights include:

  • Extending the company’s leadership in heavyweight motorcycles by continuing to develop improved, more technologically-advanced Touring and Cruiser motorcycles that will keep existing Harley-Davidson riders engaged and riding longer.
  • Introducing a new modular 500cc to 1250cc middleweight platform of motorcycles that spans three distinct product spaces and four displacements, starting with the company’s first Adventure Touring motorcycle, the Harley-Davidson™ Pan America™ 1250, a 1250cc Custom model and a 975cc Streetfighter model, all of which are planned to launch beginning in 2020. Additional models to broaden coverage in these product spaces will follow through 2022.
  • Developing a more accessible, small-displacement (250cc to 500cc) motorcycle for Asia emerging markets through a planned strategic alliance with a manufacturer in Asia. This new product and broader distribution is intended to fuel Harley-Davidson’s customer access and growth in India, one of the largest, fastest growing markets in the world, and other Asia markets.
  • Leading the electric motorcycle market by launching Harley-Davidson’s first electric motorcycle, LiveWire™, in 2019 — the first in a broad, no-clutch “twist and go” portfolio of electric two-wheelers designed to establish the company as the leader in the electrification of the sport. LiveWire will be followed by additional models through 2022 to broaden the portfolio with lighter, smaller and even more accessible product options to inspire new riders with new ways to ride.

Broader Access

Harley-Davidson will advance its market delivery approach and meet today’s customer needs by:

  • Creating high-engagement customer experiences across all retail channels – including improving and expanding the company’s global digital capabilities by evolving the Harley-Davidson.com experience to integrate with and enhance the dealership retail experience for existing and new customers.
    • Establishing strategic alliances with global leading e-commerce providers to extend access to Harley-Davidson to a pool of millions of potential new customers.
  • New retail formats — including smaller, urban storefronts globally to expose the brand to urban populations and drive sales of the expanded Harley-Davidson product portfolio and expand international apparel distribution. 

Stronger Dealers

Harley-Davidson’s world-class dealer network is an integral part of the company’s accelerated strategy and critical to overall success. The company will implement a performance framework to significantly enhance the strength of the dealer network and the customer experience, enabling the best-performing and most entrepreneurial dealers to drive innovation and success for themselves and Harley-Davidson — while providing the premium customer experience the brand is known for across an increasingly diverse product and customer base.

“Harley-Davidson is iconic because we’ve never been static,” said Levatich. “In moving forward, we are tapping into the spirit that drove our founders back in 1903 and every one of the employees and dealers who rose to the challenges faced along the way. Our plan will redefine existing boundaries of our brand – reaching more customers in a way that reinforces all we stand for as a brand and as a company and we can’t wait to kick it into gear.”

Watch a video highlighting key elements of Harley-Davidson’s More Roads to Harley-Davidson plan here.

Funding & Financials

In addition to building riders, the company expects More Roads to Harley-Davidson to create more value, stabilize and strengthen the existing business, improve Harley-Davidson Motor Company Return on Invested Capital (ROIC), increase revenue and earnings, and allow the company to return more cash to shareholders.

The accelerated strategy will require significant investment to change the trajectory of the business globally, and the company plans to fund it entirely through comprehensive cost reduction and reallocation of previously planned investment and resources including operating investment through 2022 of $450 to $550 million and capital investment through 2022 of $225 to $275 million. In total, the company plans More Roads to Harley-Davidson to generate more than $1 billion of incremental annual revenue in 2022 as compared to 2017.

The company believes its accelerated strategy is in line with and reinforces its objectives to drive revenue growth and expand operating margins. The company expects to fund strategic opportunities while maintaining its current investment and return profile and capital allocation strategy.

Harley-Davidson’s funding principles will focus on stabilizing and strengthening the existing business, enhancing the premium brand, and investments in profitable, growth-oriented projects. We expect these principles, along with a disciplined capital allocation focus, will allow Harley-Davidson to execute with improved cost competitiveness and overhead efficiencies.

Additional Information

Additional information can be accessed at H-D.com/acceleratedstrategy. Harley-Davidson will host a question and answer session for analysts focusing on the More Roads to Harley-Davidson plan via webcast at 12:30 p.m. CT on Monday, July 30, 2018 (http://investor.harley-davidson.com/news-and-events/events-and-presentations).The audio replay of the analyst Q&A will be available by approximately 3:00 p.m. CT.

Company Background

Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company of Harley-Davidson Motor Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Since 1903, Harley-Davidson Motor Company has fulfilled dreams of personal freedom with custom, cruiser and touring motorcycles, riding experiences and events and a complete line of Harley-Davidson motorcycle parts, accessories, general merchandise, riding gear and apparel. Harley-Davidson Financial Services provides wholesale and retail financing, insurance, extended service and other protection plans and credit card programs to Harley-Davidson dealers and riders in the U.S., Canada and other select international markets. For more information, visit Harley-Davidson’s Web site at www.harley-davidson.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

The company intends that all of the matters discussed in this press release are “forward-looking statements” intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The statements in this press release are all forward-looking statements that relate to the company’s More Roads to Harley-Davidson plan, including without limitation the company’s plans, its objectives and expectations, the future financial and other results it seeks to attain, the new product introductions it contemplates, and its views of market opportunities and benefits. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that are likely to cause actual results to differ materially, unfavorably or favorably, from those anticipated as of the date of this press release. Certain of such risks and uncertainties are described below, and others are listed in the company’s July 24, 2018 earnings press release.  Shareholders, potential investors, and other readers should consider these factors in evaluating, and not place undue reliance on, the forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are made as of the date of this press release, and the company disclaims any obligation to update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

The company’s ability to meet the objectives, outlooks, targets, guidance and goals noted in this press release depends upon, among other factors, the company’s ability to:

(i) execute its business plans and strategies, including the elements of the More Roads to Harley-Davidson plan, and strengthen its existing business while enabling growth,

(ii) realize expectations concerning market demand for electric models, which may depend in part on the building of necessary infrastructure,

(iii) develop and introduce products on a timely basis that the market accepts, that enable the company to generate desired sales levels and that provide the desired financial returns,

(iv) successfully carry out its global manufacturing and assembly operations,

(v) negotiate and successfully implement a strategic alliance relationship with a local partner in Asia,

(vi) manage risks that arise through expanding international manufacturing, operations and sales,

(vii) effectively implement changes relating to its dealers and distribution methods,

(viii) accurately analyze, predict and react to changing market conditions,

(ix) perform in a manner that enables the company to benefit from market opportunities while competing against existing and new competitors, and

(x) reduce other costs to offset costs of the More Roads to Harley-Davidson plan and redirect capital without adversely affecting its existing business.

In particular:

  • The statements in this press release relate to the company’s More Roads to Harley-Davidson plan and generally represent only the company’s goals, aims and objectives regarding the plan and potential results from the plan.
  • While many statements use language that might imply a level of certainty about the likelihood that the company will attain these goals, aims and objectives, it is possible that the company will not attain them in the timeframe noted or at all.
  • By their nature, the risk and uncertainty associated with these goals, aims, and objectives are greater than that associated with near-term guidance, and should not be construed as guidance.

Therefore, investors should construe these statements regarding the More Roads to Harley-Davidson plan only as goals, aims and objectives rather than promises of future performance or absolute statements.

A look at three future models

HD Adventure Bike Pan America

Harley-Davidson™ Pan America™ 1250

Harley-Davidson’s first Adventure Touring motorcycle, the Harley-Davidson™ Pan America™ 1250 is planned to launch in 2020. (Prototype model shown. Production model features may vary. Not yet available for sale. All future models shown may not be available in all markets.)

 HD LiveWire

Harley-Davidson LiveWire™

Harley-Davidson’s electric motorcycle, LiveWire™ — the first in a broad, no-clutch “twist and go” portfolio of electric two-wheelers designed to establish the company as the leader in the electrification of the sport – is planned to launch in 2019. (Prototype model shown. Production model features may vary. Not yet available for sale. All future models shown may not be available in all markets.)

HD Street Fighter

Future Streetfighter Model

This 975cc Streetfighter model is part of Harley-Davidson’s new modular 500cc to 1250cc middleweight platform of motorcycles, which is planned to launch in 2020. (Prototype model shown. Production model features may vary. Not yet available for sale. All future models shown may not be available in all markets.)

WOM Dale Walksler Wheels Through Time Museum Interview

/ World Of Motorcycling / Leave a comment

This week we catch up with Dale Walksler vintage motorcycle expert and restorer, TV Personality and owner of Wheels Through Time Museum. Dale has been collecting and restoring vintage American Iron for 50 years which culminated in the Wheels Through Time Museum located in Maggie Valley, North Carolina. The museum is just a hop, skip and kick start away from Tail of the Dragon highway.

Dale not only knows the history behind each of the 300 bikes he showcases but he has hosted 2 TV shows which aired on Velocity and Discovery Networks. In addition he also hosts Dales Channel a subscription based channel which houses over 500 episodes of he and his crew restoring and riding the bikes featured in his museum.

Dale along with His son are true patriots of old America Iron and are doing all they can to keep them alive and running. For more about Dale and Wheels Through Time Museum visit them at www.wheelsthroughtime.com

Of course we cover the latest happenings within the world of motorcycling, our weekly safety tip, things seen out on the road and a whole lot more.

So grab yourself a hot cup of coffee and join us or download the show and take it with you, as we bring you another great hour of the World of Motorcycling.

WOM LISTEN NOW ICON

WOM EP31 Kirk Taylor Award winning Custom Bike Builder & TV Personality Interview

/ World Of Motorcycling / Leave a comment

This week we catch up with Kirk Taylor Award winning custom bike builder, TV Personality and owner of Custom Design Studios.

Kirk is a passionate guy who enjoys building works of rolling art. He is the type of builder who is always seeking new opportunities to try his hand at including his latest work where he is experimenting with hubless wheel technology. Kirk’s is the type of guy who is pushing the boundaries yet is level headed enough to know what will and won’t work. You won’t want to miss this great interview.

Of course we cover the latest happenings within the world of motorcycling, our weekly safety tip, things seen out on the road and a whole lot more.

So grab yourself a hot cup of coffee and join us or download the show and take it with you, as we bring you another great hour of the World of Motorcycling.

WOM LISTEN NOW ICON

WOM EP30 Mondo Porras Custom Bike builder Interview

/ World Of Motorcycling / Leave a comment

This week’s we catch up with the Award winning Custom Bike Builder Mondo Porras. Mondo known as The Godfather of Choppers is the recipient of the Dave Mann Lifetime Achievement Award and soon to be inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame. Mondo owns and operates Denver’s Choppers in Reno, NV which just celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2017. For more about Mondo and his work visit him at https://denverschoppers.com/

Then it’s onto Between the Lines where we cover safety, race updates, things seen out on the road and the latest trends taking place in the riding world. We end the show with our events and weekly trivia question.

So grab yourself a hot cup of coffee and join us or download the show and take it with you, as we bring you another fun and informative show.

WOM LISTEN NOW ICON

WOM EP29 Legendary Seattle Cossack Dave Eady Interview

/ World Of Motorcycling / Leave a comment

This week we interview Dave Eady a long time Seattle Cossack Rider and Historian. Dave shares with us a some of the history of the stunt/drill team along with his passion for preserving Motorcycle History through his own private museum.

Of course we cover Between the Lines, Things seen out on the Road and the latest trends taking place in the riding world. We end the show with our events and weekly trivia question.

So grab yourself a hot cup of coffee and join us or download the show and take it with you, as we bring you another fun and informative show.

WOM LISTEN NOW ICON

2018 Ducati Scrambler 1100 to arrive at dealerships this Spring!

/ World Of Motorcycling / Leave a comment

The much-anticipated expansion to the Scrambler Ducati family, the Scrambler 1100, will be arriving in showrooms with a celebration befitting of the Italian company’s values. On May 4 and 5, a unique “open house” event featuring live music, food trucks and the opportunity for motorcycle enthusiasts to ride the Scrambler 1100, will take place in select dealerships throughout the United States and Canada.

The Scrambler 1100 amplifies the creative disposition of the Scrambler in more mature and sophisticated lines. It is the third engine recently added to Ducati’s successful Scrambler product line. A 1,079 cc oil/air-cooled L-twin engine with 86 horsepower (75 hp in City mode) offers ample power, and the motorcycle comes standard with traction control, three Riding Modes (Active, Journey, and City), Bosch Cornering ABS, and an under-seat USB socket to recharge mobile devices.


Offered in three exciting variants, the Ducati Scrambler 1100 will be available as a standard, a Special or a Sport version, all with distinct design cues. Highlights on the Scrambler 1100 Special include a dedicated “Custom Grey” color with a brushed swinging arm and exclusive seat upholstery. The Sport version comes in a “Viper Black” color with contrasting yellow under panel, double-banded mudguards, and performance Öhlins suspension to amplify its sportier attitude.


With Ducati’s Premier financing option the Scrambler 1100’s pricing starts as low as $148.52 per month, it satisfies the needs of the most proficient motorcyclist without compromising the fun, style and freedom Scrambler stands for. A bigger bike and an even better set of standard equipment lets riders upgrade without leaving the Scrambler family.

Honda to bring back the Monkey in 2018

/ World Of Motorcycling / Leave a comment

Honda’s iconic mini-bike is re-imagined for the present day, with styling that draws heavily on the original, complemented by modern, premium touches such as USD forks, twin rear shocks, LCD instruments, IMU-based ABS and full LED lighting. Its 125cc air-cooled engine delivers 6.9kW power, and fuel efficiency of 67km/litre; wet weight is a mere 107kg.

However, it hasn’t yet been released where and when the revived Monkeys will be available, and what the MSRP will be.

The Honda Monkey bike is perhaps most widely known as a groovy icon of the 1970s, but it first saw the light of day in 1961. Originally developed as a 49cc child’s plaything for Tama Tech, an amusement park in Tokyo, it proved so popular that a road-going version was developed, which was initially exported to America and Europe in 1963, with a distinctive chrome tank, folding handlebars and 5-inch diameter rigidly-mounted wheels. For more of this story visit http://www.powersportsbusiness.com.

Indian Motorcycle Announces Three Finalists to Battle Head to Head in “The Wrench: Scout Bobber Build Off” Competition

/ World Of Motorcycling / Leave a comment

Indian Motorcycle today announced the three finalists for The Wrench: Scout Bobber Build Off, a custom motorcycle competition that spotlights amateurs who build bikes purely for the love of turning a wrench. A judging panel of professional builders and experts, including Roland Sands, Satya Kraus, Jason Paul Michaels and Hot Bike Editor-in-Chief, Jordan Mastagni along with an online fan vote, selected Alfredo Juarez, PJ Grakauskas and Christian Newman as the top three entrants. The three selected finalists will face off in a custom-build battle for a grand prize of $10,000 and a feature spread in Hot Bike Magazine.

From March 15-30, hopefuls from across the nation entered for the chance to win a new 2018 Indian Scout Bobber and a budget of $10,000 to design and customize the stock bike. From over 100 submissions, 12 top designs were showcased online and available for fan voting until April 19. Juarez, Grakauskas, and Newman, who received the three highest vote counts, each come from distinctly unique backgrounds and offer concepts that are as equally diverse.

Scout Bobber Build Off CT Newman scout

Christian Newman – Age 36 | Buffalo, NY

Newman, a mechanical engineer of mining equipment from upstate New York, is an incredibly creative amateur builder who shook up the chopper scene with his recent build of a 1940 V-twin fabricated almost entirely out of stainless steel. Newman will be building a swingarm-chopper-style Scout Bobber with old-school custom components, including a Crazy Frank fender and raw metal fabrication. Newman uses many old-world techniques which are more painstaking than most modern methods but require a more intensive attention to detail and higher level of craftsmanship.

“I’m excited to take a modern Indian motorcycle and infuse it with an 80’s chopper aesthetic,” said Newman. “I love that Indian is doing a 180 with this contest and shining a light on the guys that build for nothing more than the love of creating something totally personal and totally unique”.

Scout Bobber Build Off PJ Grakauskas

PJ Grakauskas – Age 39 | Avon, OH

Grakauskas is a family man from Ohio working as a safety inspector for OSHA, but it’s inside the shed in his backyard where his real passions are fed. With several polished and refined café racers under his belt, the Scout Bobber will be a totally unique platform for Grakauskas, but one he has been dreaming of building for quite a while. Inspired by his love for road racing, Grakauskas is building a full-fairing café racer with race-inspired brakes and suspension, as well as taking additional measures to increase the stock engine’s output. Grakauskas’ drawing looked good, but he promises it’ll be nothing compared to the finished product.

“I’m looking forward to creating a bike that expresses my passion and love of all things moto and paying homage to those who paved the way for what custom motorcycle culture is today,” said Grakauskas. “I couldn’t be more grateful or humbled to be chosen to build for a company with as much history as Indian.”

Scout Bobber Build Off AlfredoJuarez

Alfredo Juarez – Age 34 | Las Cruces, NM

Juarez is a NASA engineer based in Las Cruces, N.M. He started wrenching at the age of 12, but his fabrication journey began in college, building bikes and hot rods for his friends, and making all of the tools and tables he needed to do the job right. Spending his work days building things like flammability testing chambers makes the complex designs and ideas he submitted seem simple to him. When developing his concept for the competition, he visited an Indian Motorcycle dealership with an engineer’s scale and was able to glean all the necessary measurements to design his draft perfectly to scale—including his proposed rake, trail wheelbase and seat height within his entry. While his design concept is incredibly ambitious within the short timeline, Juarez has built frames in a matter of weeks and is confident he’ll can produce an incredible rigid Scout Bobber on deadline.

“I’m very blessed to have this opportunity put before me, and I’d like to express my appreciation and gratitude to Indian Motorcycle for including me in such a unique competition,” said Juarez. “After all the hours I’ve spent working on bikes over the years, it’s amazing to be recognized with something like this contest.”

The three custom Scout Bobbers will be unveiled on August 5th at the Buffalo Chip during the historic Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The public unveil will trigger a second fan voting process, which will determine the grand prize winner. The winner will be announced two weeks later and will receive a $10,000 grand prize along with a feature spread in Hot Bike magazine.

 

World of Motorcycling EP28 The Crew is at it Again & More 042018

/ World Of Motorcycling / Leave a comment

WOM LISTEN NOW ICON

We kick off the show with the latest from Inside the Helmet where we do a ride by overview of what’s happening in the world of motorcycling. This week we start things out with MAG’s new CEO, Ducati adding more Advanced Rider assistance Systems to their upcoming bikes, a couple of new Electric bike makers coming on the scene and more.

Then it’s onto Behind the Bars where we cover the latest trends in the motorcycling world. This week we chat about Flat Tracking and Moto GP along with the lawsuit between Klock Werks and Dragon Fly Concepts, a fatal accident that could have been avoided and BMW using 3D printing to produce more parts for its bikes.

Up next it’s Between the Lines where
John, Steve and Walt discuss this week’s safety issue. Oh and don’t forget the weekly trivia question.

So grab yourself a hot cup of coffee and join us or download the show and take it with you, as we bring you another fun and informative show.

What if Motorcycles Were Outlawed? New Video series tackles this question.

/ World Of Motorcycling / Leave a comment

What if Motorcycles Were Outlawed? New Video series tackles this question.

Motorcycles are outlawed. Gasoline is $20 per gallon. Self-driving cars are becoming dominant. Silicon Valley tech firms and the U.S. Government have collaborated to push society toward a fully-autonomous transportation system and motorcycles are an easy first target in the campaign to ban human-operated vehicles. This is the basis for the first season of The Last Motorcycle on Earth, directed by filmmaker, Eric Ristau. The series is co-written and produced by Ristau, wife and partner, Geneva Ristau and veteran motorcycle builder Neil “Morto” Olson.

“There is a culture war on the horizon between Americans who want to drive their own vehicles and those who want to be driven by a robot,” says director Eric Ristau. “On an engineering level, motorcycles pose enormous challenges to autonomous vehicle technology. We wanted to envision a future where motorcycles have been banned and suddenly every rider is an outlaw.”

The first hour-long episode is complete and the second two are currently in production. The filmmakers have drawn on the vintage motorcycling community for talent, locations and the motorcycles that populate each episode. Due to the costs of post-production and visual effects, an IndieGogo campaign was launched this month to raise $145,000 to complete the first three episodes. The campaign is currently live at http://www.lastmotorcycle.com and ends May 13th.

“The independence of motorcyclists to ride where they want, when they want is ingrained in their DNA,” says Olson, a lifelong motorcyclist. “The idea of someday seeing that right disappear due to technological shifts in our transportation system gave us endless story ideas. The plot of this show is every biker’s worst nightmare.”

The series will stream on major video-on-demand platforms and expects general release in early 2019.