Features

Jan. 21, 2008 – Motorcycle Digest

S&S Cycle, Victory extend agreement
S&S Cycle has extended its agreement by three years with Victory Motorcycles, according to an S&S Cycle press release.
The agreement makes S&S Cycle the exclusive provider of performance aftermarket engine components for Victory Motorcycles.
During the past few years, S&S Cycle has built a 106ci Hot Set Up Kit that makes close to 40 percent more horsepower and more than 20 percent more torque than the stock engine. The company also offers the high flow air cleaner along with its downloadable tune file — capable of about a 10 percent gain in performance.
S&S Announces Emissions Certification Laboratory
S&S Cycle has opened a new, in-house emissions certification laboratory located in La Crosse, Wis., according to a S&S Cycle press release.
With this lab, S&S has the capability to complete motorcycle exhaust and evaporative emissions testing in accordance with requirements set by the Environmental Protection Agency and the California Air Resources Board.
S&S will use the lab to help expand the number of emissions-compliant components and engines in the S&S catalog. S&S also will be offering services to support customers with their aftermarket and vehicle emissions testing needs.
“The implementation and deployment of this emissions certification lab is strategically important for S&S in order to be at the forefront of providing compliant aftermarket engines and components, as well as providing certification services to our customers,” Michael Scaletta, S&S Cycle’s director of business development, said in the release. “The lab provides S&S with a long-run competitive advantage in the industry — S&S will support emissions-compliant Proven-Performance engines and aftermarket components for years to come.”??
The new emissions certification laboratory takes up nearly 2,000 square feet in the S&S La Crosse facility. The lab houses a Real Time Instruments Inc. chassis dynamometer, CAI analytical equipment, a sealed housing for evaporative emissions measurement, vehicle fuel preparation room, vehicle soak area, bottle gas room and control room. ?
JAMA production, exports continue to fall
Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) members fell below the motorcycle production and export marks they hit in 2006 during the month of November, according to a JAMA report.
Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha all reported production decreases while Kawasaki was the lone manufacturer to post an export increase.
Motorcycle production for all JAMA members fell for the third consecutive month, to 137,417 units, down 17.2 percent from those units produced during November 2006.
Honda posted the deepest production cut, down 24.6 percent to 35,076 units in November compared to the same month of the previous year. Yamaha was down 17.7 percent with 38,329 units, followed closely by Kawasaki (down 17.1 percent), which reported 21,209 units for the month. Suzuki was the only one to pull a single-digit decline, down 9.7 percent to 42,875 units for the month.
Exports also fell for November, dipping below 100,000 units for the first time for the month since at least 1993, according to JAMA statistics. Overall, member companies reported exporting 98,128 units, down 17.5 percent from the units exported during November 2006.
Suzuki decreased exports 48.8 percent to 14,129 units for the month, compared to the same period in 2006. Honda exports were down 23.5 percent to 28,572 units for November this year, compared to 37,356 units in 2006. Yamaha exports were down only slightly (1.5 percent) to 32,013 units for the month compared to November 2006. Kawasaki was the only export bright spot, increasing exports 9.2 percent to 23,414 units in November compared to units shipped overseas for the same period a year ago.
North Carolina helmet law in for a change
A new motorcycle helmet law for North Carolina went into effect Jan. 1, according to a story on News 14 Carolina. Department of Transportation-approved helmets will be the only ones allowed.
Riders have fought previous helmet tickets because lack of clarity of what was acceptable. The previous law only said helmets had to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
The new law says violators will be issued a $25 fee plus court costs. Several Freedom Ride protests across the state were planned Jan. 1 to coordinate with the new law.
Harley-Davidson loses trademark case in Mexico
Harley-Davidson lost a court case to businessman Alberto Lenz over the ownership of the trademark Sportster, according to the newspaper La Jornada.
Lenz’s attorney says H-D will have to pay 40 percent of the sale price of each Sportster motorcycle with the name that has been commercialized in Mexico since 1989.
However, the total amount owed to Lenz is still undecided.
Four years ago H-D declined to purchase the rights to Sportster for $100,000 and pleaded revocation of the mark in order to use it.
Aerosmith will be featured at Harley anniversary concert
Aerosmith and Kid Rock will headline the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) 25th Anniversary concert at Miller Park on Aug. 28.
The ticketed concert caps the free day-long Club H.O.G. anniversary celebration that coincides with Harley-Davidson’s 105th Anniversary events during Labor Day weekend in Milwaukee.
Only H.O.G. members will have the opportunity to purchase the 40,000 tickets available for the anniversary concert. Concert tickets go on sale March 12 at 8 a.m. (CT) and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, including 6,000 seats on the stadium infield.
H.O.G. was launched as the official riding club of Harley-Davidson in 1983. Today, the organization is the largest factory-sponsored motorcycle organization in the world, boasting more than one million members in 130 countries worldwide.
Honda, Red Bull team up for motocross racing team
American Honda announced that Red Bull Energy Drink has signed on as the primary sponsor of the Honda motocross team.
“We enthusiastically welcome Red Bull as a partner in the AMA Supercross and Motocross paddocks,” said American Honda Motorcycle Sports Manager Chuck Miller. “Red Bull has contributed a tremendous amount of excitement to motorcycle racing, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to partner with them and collectively elevate the profile of motorcycle racing to a new, higher level.”
Over the 36-year history of AMA National Motocross and Supercross, Honda has won more races and championships than any other manufacturer. Since its first championship in 1973, Honda motocross teams have won 55 AMA Motocross and Supercross titles.
Returning to the Honda Red Bull Racing Team is Andrew Short, who battled back from injury to nearly capture the Motocross title in 2007. Short will ride a CRF450R in both the Supercross and Motocross series, and joining him in both classes again will be 20-year-old Davi Millsaps, the 2006 Supercross Lites East Champion.
New to Team Honda are two young but already-accomplished riders, Ivan Tedesco and Ben Townley. At 26 years of age, Tedesco has three titles in Lites classes to his credit. He will also ride the CRF450R in the Supercross and Motocross divisions in 2008. Townley, a 23-year-old New Zealander, is an accomplished rider with an MX2 Motocross World Championship and the 2007 AMA Supercross Lites East crown.
For more information on American Honda’s racing teams, go to www.hondaredriders.com.
Vietnam plans on becoming a bigger manufacturer
The country of Vietnam is focusing on becoming a major motorcycle manufacturer in the next decade, according to a report from the Vietnam Economic Times.
The country’s prime minister has approved a development strategy that reaches into 2020. The development strategy calls for Vietnam to meet 100 percent of its internal demand from motorcyclists in its rural areas and 90 percent of its urban-area riders.
The development plan also calls for the production of 125cc motorcycles, scooters and sport motorcycles for Vietnam consumers and for export, according to the Vietnam Economic Times.
The development plan calls for about 2.2 million new motorcycles to be manufactured annually between now and 2015. PSB

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