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HOT NEWS – December 6, 2004

INTERMOT MAY RETURN TO COLOGNE
Germany’s motorcycle industry association, the Industrie-Verbandes Motorrad (IVM), says INTERMOT 2006 may move to Cologne, returning to the city that served as the motorcycle trade fair location until 1996.
IVM’s contract expires at the end of 2004 after four INTERMOT events in Munich. At a Nov. 18 meeting, IVM member companies gave their approval to negotiate the move to Cologne with fair trade organizer Kölnmesse GmbH.
IVM CEO Reiner Brendicke said the organization was very satisfied with the four INTERMOT events in Munich. But, he said, the “world city” of Cologne has a number of offerings worth looking into, including the construction of four new exhibition halls, a new central meeting hall, and the creation of a new Inter City Express (ICE) train station.
INTERMOT 2006 is scheduled to take place in early October 2006.

IN MEMORIUM: NATE STEWART
Nate Stewart, director of purchasing for Custom Chrome and Motorcycle Stuff, died Sunday Nov. 21, 2004, while attending the Big Twin West Show in Las Vegas, Nev. Stewart died in his sleep. He was 58.
Stewart joined Custom Chrome in September 1995 as a buyer after spending 22 years with IBM in finance and program management positions. As Director of Purchasing, Nate forged and maintained countless relationships with the vendor community, often acting as a liaison between the vendors and all departments within the company.
“Dedication, commitment and loyalty are three words that can sum up what Nate Stewart meant to Global Motorsport,” said Tom Cochill, CEO.

HARLEY ADDS DIRECTOR
Harley-Davidson, Inc. has named Judson C. Green to the company’s board of directors, effective Nov. 18, 2004. Green is president and CEO of NAVTEQ Corporation.
NAVTEQ is a developer and supplier of digital map information for navigation systems, including those used in the automotive industry. Prior to assuming the leadership of NAVTEQ in 2000, Green was chairman of Walt Disney Attractions, the theme park and resort segment of The Walt Disney Company, and also had served as CFO of The Walt Disney Company.Green’s election to a term expiring in 2007 expands the Harley-Davidson board to nine directors.

YAMAHA NAMES PRESIDENT
Yamaha Motor Co. Ltd. has tapped Senior Managing Director Takashi Kajikawa to serve as the company’s new president, replacing Tooru Hasegawa.
Hasegawa will become the chairman of the board and incumbent chairman Ryuichi Yamashita will step back to be advisor to Yamaha Motor. The moves take effect Jan 1, 2005.
Kajikawa, who joined Yamaha Motor in April 1969, most recently was in charge of the company’s motorcycle business.

WITTMAN NAMED DIRECTOR OF RETAIL AND DEALER DEVELOPMENT
Polaris Industries Inc. has promoted Paige Wittman to director of retail and dealer development, effective in December. She will replace Steve
Menneto who has been nameddirector of consumer sales.
Wittman was named manager of global sales and international dealer development earlier this year after four years as regional sales manager (RSM) for the Northern Plains Region. In her role as RSM, Wittman worked with key dealers on several new dealerships, including Mies Outland in Watkins, Minn., Mid-America Moto-Plex in Sioux Falls, S.D.; VanWall in Kansas City, Kan. and Polaris Outdoors in Tulsa, Okla.

TRIUMPH HAS NEW WEBSITE
Triumph Motorcycle has launched a new international Web site as part of a global advertising campaign.
The new site is targeting Triumph’s nine key markets: the UK, U.S., Japan, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Scandinavia and Benelux. Aiming to create an online community devoted to all Triumph riders, the site supplies information about Triumph’s products and dealers, and has a section dedicated to the Riders Association of Triumph, otherwise known as RAT. The new site is www.triumph.co.uk.

BRIDGESTONE ADDS REP
Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC, Nashville, Tenn., has hired Steve Turner as a sales representative in the company’s motorcycle tire group.
Turner has more than 14 years experience in the industry, working in various positions for dealerships marketing motorcycle, ATV, and personal watercraft products and accessories.

PENTON JOINS KTM
Jack Penton has joined KTM Motorsports, Inc. as off-road racing and promotions coordinator.
Reporting to Ron Heben, KTM’s motorsports marketing manager, Penton will focus on the AMA Enduro series and the Grand National Cross Country series, better known as the GNCC. He will also be involved in other specialized off-road events.

AMA PRO RACING RENAMES SERIES WEBSITE
To more closely align each series website with its respective racing brand, AMA Pro Racing has renamed its family of series websites. USMotocross.com is now available at www.amasupercross.com or www.amamotocross.com. USSuperbike.com has been renamed to www.amasuperbike.com, and 1800FlatTrack.com has been renamed
to www.amaflattrack.com. The newest series Web site is www.amasupermoto.com.
“The strong growth in traffic on each site has proven highly valuable to our series sponsors and also attracted industry advertisers seeking to reach core racing enthusiasts through these official series’ Web sites,” says John C. Farris, Jr., AMA Pro Racing vice-president of commercial development.
Farris said www.amamotocross.com, the official website of the AMA Motocross Championship, has seen double-digit growth since it launched in 2002. During the supercross season, the Web site which can also be viewed at amasupercross.com and serves as the source for complete official results and live times for the THQ AMA Supercross Series.

KTM PLANS CONCEPT COMPANY STORE IN OHIO
Officials at KTM Motorsports, Inc. say they signed an agreement with Matt Glawe, president of Avon Laporte Cycles, Elyria, Ohio, to form a partnership that will continue the operation of the dealership as a “KTM Concept Store.”
KTM says Avon Laporte Cycles is one of the brand’s longest standing dealers in the United States, yet dealership management want to move to a semi retired position within the company.
Although Avon LaPorte will continue motorcycle unit and parts sales and service under its existing KTM Dealer Agreement and DMV license, OEM officials say the partnership presents an opportunity to test merchandising schemes, customer service procedures and system operations. The company plans to develop the retail location as an operational training center for KTM staff and dealers to “refine its business operations to better serve its national dealer network.”
The development of the KTM concept store is expected to be completed within the next 24 to 36 months.

INVESTMENT GROUP MAY INCREASE
Austrian industrial investment company Cross Industrie Holding reportedly plans to make a play for a larger portion of KTM.
The investment firm plans a capital increase, calculated at Euro 60 million ($78.2 million) based on the current share price, which will be spent on buying a majority stake in KTM from British venture capital company BC Partners.
Cross Holding holds 40.3% of KTM, while BC Partners owns 49%. Cross Holding’s registered capital will be increased to Euro 6.3 million ($8.2 million) from Euro 4.4 million ($5.7 million).

NMDA SIGNS AGREEMENT WITH AEGON
The National Motorcycle Dealers Association (NMDA), a subsidiary of MBA Holdings (MBAH) and MBA Holdings Inc., Scottsdale, Ariz., has signed an agency agreement with AEGON N.V. to sell credit life/health & accident insurance and GAP insurance underwritten by AEGON to the customers of NMDA members.
The NMDA says it will assist members with product training and providing guidance to member motorcycle dealerships in need of the insurance licensing required to service these products.
MBA Holdings markets mechanical breakdown protection for the Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company, and is a marketer and administrator for American Bankers Insurance Company of Miami; Kemper Insurance Company of Long Grove, Ill.; Heritage Warranty Mutual Insurance Company of Lincoln, Neb.; Standard Guarantee Insurance Company of St. Petersburg, Fla.; American Security Insurance Company of Atlanta; and Allstate Insurance Company of Chicago.
Gaylen M. Brotherson is MBA CEO and chairman of its board of directors. Brotherson is former president and partner in the International Motor Contest Association (IMCA).
AEGON is the holding company of one of the world’s largest listed insurance groups ranked by market capitalization and assets. The major markets for AEGON Group businesses are in the United States, the Netherlands and United Kingdom, with additional operations in Europe, Asia and Canada.

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PERFORMANCE PLUS ADDS SERVICE CONTRACT
Service contract provider Performance Plus, in conjunction with Dealers Assurance Company and SouthwestRE of Albuquerque, N.M., is offering a new service contract option to Harley-Davidson and Big-Twin related dealers retailing modified bikes.
The Performance Plus product includes tire and wheel coverage, zero deductible for claims, a unique unrecovered theft allowance, and offers a reserve account for the selling dealer. For more information, call 702/596-8287.

SCHUTTE STARTS PR FIRM
High Profile Public Relations, LLC, is a new powersports industry PR company specializing in media campaigns for corporate and individual clients. Company founder Pat Schutte has worked as the media director for the THQ/AMA Supercross Series (CCE) and Outdoor National Motocross Series (NPG). Shutte worked for OMS Sports from the Oct. 2001 to Sept. 2004.
For more information, contact Pat Schutte at 734/369-2170 or visit www.highprofilepr.com.

MOTORSPORTS EXPANDS
Motorsports International, Auburn, Mass., broke ground on Nov. 1 for a larger retail store.
President Michael Wade said the new facility is expected to open in late spring 2005.
The 33,000-sq-ft facility will be more than twice the size of its current location.
Motorsports International carries a full line of new and used Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha motorcycles and ATV’s as well as Arctic Cat, Ski-Doo and Yamaha snowmobiles.
Motorsports International has been the area’s leader in motorsports sales for 27 years. For more information, visit the dealership online at www.motorsportsint.com.

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