Harley-Davidson unveiled its new lineup of 2014 motorcycle models during the company’s annual Summer Dealer Meeting in Denver, Colo.  The star of the show is not a single new bike – rather, it’s the landmark product development effort that resulted in Project RUSHMORE’s delivery of innovative, customer-driven enhancements to the world’s best-selling line of touring motorcycles.

In the largest scale new model launch in the company’s 110-year history, Project RUSHMORE encompasses eight new motorcycles that feature improved power and braking performance, enhanced rider ergonomics, and dramatic styling updates that completely redefine and fundamentally transform the touring motorcyclist’s experience.

Through the implementation of Project RUSHMORE, Harley-Davidson maintains its leadership in the luxury touring and performance bagger segments with motorcycles that are smart, comfortable, responsive and simply stunning.

New features include the first liquid-cooled engine for a Harley-Davidson touring bike on two models Ultra Limited and the Tri Glide Ultra, integrated front and rear anti-lock brakes, integrated audio, communications, navigation and vehicle information in a single electronic touch screen, five-way joy sticks on the left and right motorcycle hand controls for most of the system’s functions, and a more comfortable passenger seat.

Linked braking, where braking with the front and rear wheels is synchronized, is activated at speeds above about 20 miles per hour. At highway speeds, the system will automatically calculate the amount of braking that’s necessary under the existing conditions.

Road King®

Street Glide^®

Street Glide^® Special

Electra Glide^® Ultra Classic^®

Ultra Limited

Tri Glide^® Ultra

A Journey, Led by Riders.

“Project RUSHMORE has been touched by thousands of people, most of them being our customers and our employees,” said Scott Habegger, Harley-Davidson Director of Motorcycle Planning. “The voice of the customer is represented not just up front, but throughout the process. In our product development process, we gather input and ideas at formal focus groups, but also at all the events we attend, at our demo rides, sometimes just talking to that rider or passenger sitting on the next stool at a diner. In addition, Harley-Davidson dealers provide valuable input. We then take our ideas and solutions back to customers as prototypes and get more feedback before settling on a final design. With these inputs approved, we are then able to get into production very quickly. We really feel that we are in this together as riders.”

Harley-Davidson listens and responds like never before, and Project RUSHMORE produces thoughtful innovations and technology enhancements that build on the technological foundation that established the company’s dominant leadership in the touring motorcycle segment and collectively transform the Harley-Davidson Touring and Trike motorcycle platforms. Those enhancements slot into four customer-defined categories:

Control: Project RUSHMORE bikes pass faster, stop quicker and see farther at night, thus inspiring rider confidence.  Each model features the new Twin-Cooled™ High Output Twin Cam 103™ or the High Output Twin Cam 103™ powertrains, Reflex™ Linked Brakes with ABS (Anti-Lock Braking System), and Daymaker™ LED and Dual Halogen lighting.

Infotainment: New color-screen Boom! ™ Box infotainment systems feature the first original-equipment voice recognition and touchscreen for music, GPS navigation and phone in motorcycling, with quality audio, Bluetooth® connectivity, text-to-speech technology, plus support for intercom and CB communications in a single module.

Feel: Aerodynamics and ergonomics come together to improve comfort — from the new Batwing fairing with splitstream venting, which reduces head buffeting by 20 percent, to best-in-class ride for passengers with wider and deeper seats and new back and arm rests.

Style: The form and the function of many components are improved – a reshaped Tour-Pak® and saddlebags with convenient One-Touch latches, sleeker fenders, lighter cast aluminum wheels and intuitive hand control switches.

Project RUSHMORE recalibrates the expectations of touring for motorcyclists. The above elements of Project RUSHMORE are applied to the following 2014 Harley-Davidson Touring motorcycle models:

Pare down a Harley-Davidson® Softail® motorcycle to its essential elements and you have the Slim. From its trimmed front fender to its narrow rear end, Slim is a no-nonsense, back-to-basics motorcycle. Call it stripped. Call it old school. Call it lean and mean. What’s left is the elemental Softail profile and iconic Harley-Davidson® style that recalls classic custom bobbers of the 1950s.

“It’s time to make the engine the focal point of the motorcycle,” says Harley-Davidson Senior Designer Casey Ketterhagen, “so we put a Softail on a diet to get the proportions back in check. Scale down the rear with a narrow tire and chopped fender and the heart of the bike, the motor, once again becomes the focus. We left a gap between the nose of the seat and tank so the rider can see the top of the motor. I like to be able to look down and see what’s moving me.”

To keep the rear of the motorcycle simple and clean, the Slim has combination stop/turn/tail lights and a side-mounted license plate. The rear fender struts are left uncovered, exposing the forged steel and fasteners. A thin formed-leather strap covers the fuel tank seam. The powertrain is finished with polished covers instead of chrome, and the black cylinders are left unhighlighted. The FL front fender is trimmed to expose more of the tire.

“I’d personally like to strip the bike down even further,” says Ketterhagen, “but this is as far as we can go on a production model. The Slim is intended to be a direct interpretation of home-built customs of the 1940s and 50s, and we used a number of components that evoke that era, beginning with a Hollywood handlebar.”

The Hollywood bar, identified by its wide bend and cross brace, was originally an accessory for Harley-Davidson® models with a Springer fork. The name may have been coined because owners of that era who used the cross-brace to mount lights and bags had “gone Hollywood” with excessive accessorization. For the Slim, the cross-braced bar and louvered headlight nacelle are finished in gloss black. Other period styling cues include a gloss black “cat’s eye” tank console with a retro speedometer face, half-moon rider footboards, a round air cleaner cover, and gloss black wheel rims and hubs. The cover of the solo seat is stitched in a tuck-and-roll pattern.

“The seat really gives you the feeling of sitting in the bike, rather than on it,” says Ketterhagen. “The bars are nice and low, too, so when you’re riding you have an unobstructed view forward, which reinforces the idea that this is a very elemental motorcycle, a real back-to-basics ride.”

A counter-balanced Twin Cam 103B™ engine is rigid-mounted within the frame, creating a solid connection between rider and the machine. The Softail® chassis mimics the clean lines of a vintage hardtail frame, but utilizes rear suspension control provided by coil-over shock absorbers mounted horizontally and out of sight within the frame rails. With the combination of a 23.8-inch seat height and rider footboards, the Slim comfortably fits a wide range of riders and offers light side-stand lift-off. A pull-back riser from Harley-Davidson® Genuine Motor Accessories can be installed to move the handlebar back two inches without changing control cables and lines.

TORRANCE, CA – December 2, 2011 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – American Honda Motor Co., Inc. has notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that a potential defect relating to motor vehicle safety exists in the secondary master cylinder on certain 2001-2010 and 2012 model year GL1800 motorcycles.

Situation:
The compensating port hole inside the secondary master cylinder (part of the combined-braking system) can become blocked due to (1) stacking of tolerances in manufacturing and (2) sufficient swelling of the primary pressure cup inside the master cylinder. If the compensating port hole becomes completely blocked, the rear wheel brake caliper can drag after the rider releases the brake input. If this occurs, the rear brake temperature and pressure progressively increase. Unexpected braking increases the risk of a crash and continued riding with the brake engaged can generate enough heat to cause the rear brake to catch fire.

Inspection and Repair:
Honda motorcycle dealers will inspect the secondary master cylinder of all affected motorcycles in dealership stock or sold to customers (consumers and commercial entities). If an inspection indicates that the compensator port hole can become blocked due to this problem, the dealer will replace the secondary master cylinder. Registered owners of affected motorcycles will be contacted by mail and asked to take their motorcycle to a Honda dealer. The dealer will inspect the motorcycle, and if necessary, replace the secondary master cylinder, free of charge.

Additional Details:
Honda motorcycle dealers will immediately receive a transmittal of complete repair instructions. Replacement secondary master cylinders in the U.S. will initially be made available through American Honda’s dealer technical support hotline. Upon approval by NHTSA, American Honda will mail a letter to all registered owners, and also post a copy of the letter on the Honda Brand website: powersports.honda.com. Target dates for website posting are before the end of December 2011, and mail receipt by registered customers should occur before the end of January 2012.

Honda apologizes for any inconvenience this creates, but feels the safety of our customers is the highest priority. Honda encourages every customer to contact their dealer to schedule an appointment upon receiving the SAFETY RECALL letter.

Polaris Industries Inc. today announced the acquisition of Indian Motorcycle. The business was acquired from Indian Motorcycle Limited (“IML”), a company advised by Stellican Limited and Novator Partners LLP, U.K. Private Equity firms. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“We are excited to be part of the revitalization of a quintessentially American brand,” said Scott Wine, CEO of Polaris Industries Inc. “Indian built America’s first motorcycle. With our technology and vision, we are confident we will deliver the classic Indian motorcycle, enhanced by the quality and performance for which Polaris and Victory are known.”

With this acquisition, Polaris adds one of motorcycling’s legendary brands to its strong stable of Victory cruiser and touring bikes. Indian will operate as an autonomous business unit, building upon the potent combination of Polaris’ engineering acumen and innovative technology with Indian’s premium brand, iconic design and rich American heritage.

“We are delighted to have reached an agreement with Polaris. Polaris will utilize its well-known strengths in engineering, manufacturing, and distribution to complete the mission we undertook upon re-launching the brand in 2006: harness the enormous potential of the Indian brand,” said Stephen Julius, chairman of Indian and managing director of Stellican. “Polaris is the most logical owner of Indian Motorcycle. Indian’s heritage brand will allow Polaris to aggressively compete across an expanded spectrum of the motorcycle market.”

Novator Partners LLP is a London based alternative investment firm founded and led by the investor Mr. Thor Bjorgolfsson. An avid motorcycle enthusiast, Mr. Bjorgolfsson said “After a troubled past, our goal was to bring the legendary Indian bikes back on the roads. The initial phase of that project is done and now our great partners at Polaris will carry on the work to realize the full potential of this classic American brand.”

Conference Call and Webcast Presentation
Tomorrow, April 20th at 9:00AM (CT), Polaris Industries Inc. will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the acquisition, as well as the first quarter 2011 financial results. The call will be hosted by Scott Wine, CEO, Bennett Morgan, President and COO and Mike Malone, Vice President-Finance and CFO.

A slide presentation and link to the audio webcast will be posted on the Investor Relations page of the Polaris web site at www.polarisindustries.com/irhome approximately 30 minutes before the conference call begins.

To listen to the conference call by phone, dial 800-374-6475 in the U.S. and Canada, or 973-200-3967 internationally. The Conference ID is #36643140. A replay of the conference call will be available approximately two hours after the call for a one-week period by accessing the same link on our website, or by dialing 800-642-1687 in the U.S. and Canada, or 706-645-9291 internationally.

About Polaris
With annual 2010 sales of $1.991 billion, Polaris designs, engineers, manufactures and markets off-road vehicles (ORVs), including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and the Polaris RANGER® Side X Side vehicles, snowmobiles and Victory motorcycles for recreational and utility use and has recently introduced a new on-road electric powered neighborhood vehicle.

Polaris is a recognized leader in the snowmobile industry; and one of the largest manufacturers of ORVs in the world. Victory motorcycles, established in 1998 and representing the first all-new American-made motorcycle from a major company in nearly 60 years, are making in-roads into the cruiser and touring motorcycle marketplace. Polaris also enhances the riding experience with a complete line of Pure Polaris apparel, accessories and parts, available at Polaris dealerships.

Polaris Industries Inc. trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “PII”, and the Company is included in the S&P MidCap 400 stock price index.

Information about the complete line of Polaris products, apparel and vehicle accessories are available from authorized Polaris dealers or anytime from the Polaris homepage at www.polarisindustries.com.

About Indian Motorcycle
Founded in 1901, Indian was America’s first motorcycle company, producing some of the industry’s most iconic models and becoming the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer. In recent years, Indian has continued to produce these legendary motorcycles on a smaller scale. The company’s instantly recognizable badge is still associated with premium products and strong American heritage by casual consumers and motorcycle enthusiasts alike. For more information on Indian, visit www.Indianmotorcycle.com

About Stellican
Stellican is a U.K. Private Equity firm specializing in the purchase, turnaround and re-launch of iconic, heritage brands which have gone bankrupt. In the last ten years, Stellican has been particularly active in the power sport industry. It currently advises funds which own Chris-Craft Corporation, a premium boat and yacht builder based in Sarasota, Florida, which it acquired in 2001. See www.chriscraft.com. Previously, Stellican advised funds which owned Riva boats in Italy. Contact information: Stephen Julius at sjulius@stellican.com or www.stellican.com or 941-3029585.

About Novator
Novator is an alternative investment firm founded and led by the international investor and entrepreneur Björgólfur Thor Björgólfsson. Novator’s investment portfolio is focused around following sectors: Telecommunications, Pharmaceuticals, IT and Renewable Energy. In addition, Novator operates a Private Equity Fund and a Credit Opportunities Fund.

Contacts

Polaris Industries
Marlys Knutson, 763-542-0533

Paul Teutul, Jr. appeared Saturday at Tucker Rocky’s Dealer Show and announced Tucker Rocky’s V-twin brand, Biker’s Choice, will be playing a part in Teutul’s first motorcycle build for the continuing American Chopper TV series.
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Teutul, Jr. is no longer working with his father or Orange County Choppers and has started his own company, Paul Jr. Designs.

Teutul, in a press conference at the Tucker Rocky dealer show, said he hopes to work with Biker’s Choice in the future to build parts and accessories for the distributor. More immediately, his first bike for the TV series will feature parts and accessories from Biker’s Choice.

The bike will be unveiled at Sturgis in August.

“This is an exciting new adventure for Biker’s Choice and we are proud to have Paul Jr. and his team join the Biker’s Choice crew,” Johnson said.

Paul Jr. Designs and American Chopper will begin airing Aug. 12 on TLC

The new TLC series, scheduled to air in August pits father against son — Teutul Jr. is now located in a shop a stone’s throw (his words!) from the old Orange County Choppers headquarters. A press release about the show says the following, “Once partners, they are now fierce competitors at contending motorcycle shops.”

The show is said to capture the rivalry between father and son with en extra twist, son is bringing back former OCC employees his brother Mikey, Vinnie DiMartino, Robert “Nub” Colard and Joe Puliafico.