Features

Dec. 1, 2008 – Motorcycle Digest

Metric manufacturers keep U.S. exports at near 2007 levels

Metric motorcycle manufacturers are exporting a larger percentage of smaller displacement motorcycles to the U.S. market this year.
Members of the Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA), including Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki, exported 41,111 new motorcycles to the United States in September. That is on par with last year’s total exports from the same time period.
However, only 61 percent of the U.S. exports are bikes over 250cc. That is an 8 percentage point decrease from the previous year period. The number of bike exports between 125cc-250cc, meanwhile, have increased by close to 21 percent.
For Canada, JAMA members exported 3,783 new bikes there, a drop of nearly 9.5 percent compared to the previous year.
Overall, JAMA exported 88,177 units worldwide, a decrease of close to 21 percent from the year-ago period.

BMW’s worldwide cycle sales rose in October

BMW’s worldwide motorcycle sales increased by close to 12 percent in October over the year-ago month, the company reported. BMW sold 7,714 new units in October compared to 6,907 a year ago.
For the year through October, the German manufacturer has sold 88,464 new motorcycles, a slight 1.4 percent dip from a year ago. Results for North America for October or year-to-date were not available.

California board approves S&S Cycle emissions lab

The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has included the S&S Cycle Emissions Certification Lab on its list of testing facilities that are capable of performing the motorcycle exhaust and evaporative emission testing for evaluation of aftermarket devices. This allows S&S to complete the testing necessary for receiving executive orders on aftermarket engine and exhaust parts for California vehicles. This would include on-highway use motorcycles and other off-road powersports machines and performance assemblies.
S&S can now test all performance products for use in California.

Ridley motorcycle introduces 2009 Auto-Glide

Ridley Motorcycle Co. will soon introduce its new line of fully automatic transmission motorcycles for 2009. The first model to be introduced is the Auto-Glide Limited Edition. In 2008, Clay Ridley’s model was limited to a production of only 20. The average limited model spent less than 30 days on the dealer’s floor before selling, the company noted.
The new limited model (MSRP: $21,900) is similarly styled with the signature “R” accent on the tank and newly added fender accents in Black Cherry. To help accent the paint, Ridley has included a bomber brown leather seat and brown “slim fit” hand grips.
The tank-mounted dash is a self-calibrating speedometer and tachometer with odometer and resettable trip meter. Below the instrument cluster is an LED fuel gauge and battery volt meter. Both right and left fuel caps are still accessible for filling the individual, but joined 4.2 gallon stretched tanks.

Sucker Punch Sally’s adds dealer operations manager

In response to the growing demand for its signature old-school customs, Sucker Punch Sally’s added a new dealer operations manager, Alex McClelland, to its staff.
McClelland will focus on sales and growth, adding new dealers to the network and developing marketing assets for existing dealers.
McClelland comes to Sucker Punch Sally’s with more than five years of corporate sales experience for companies like Sysco Food Services and Xerox, which offers a top sales training program.

Saxon Motorcycle unveils the Henchman in the U.S.

Saxon Motorcycle Co. announced the release of its newest model, the Henchman.
With 35 degrees of rake, this 510-pound rigid is fairly lightweight, but the four-piston front and two-piston rear Brembo brakes provide extra stopping power to complement the 1500cc S&S 96 engine. The bike features a Primo Rivera six-speed transmission with left-side chain drive and can be customized with either a telescopic or springer front end. psb

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