Bia Dantas celebrates Womens International Day in Motorcycle success campaign BMW MOTORRAD launched campaign starring Bia Dantas among other figures. The purpose was to emphasize the empowerment of women in commemoration of Women’s Day. My time in the world of motorcycles just started & I couldn’t have a better start… happy to participate in this project, from a brand that I admire and with such outstanding professionals and women” — Bia Dantas MIAMI, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES, May 10, 2021 — Under the motto: Together we are stronger. Make Life a Ride. On March 8, BMW MOTORRAD launched a campaign starring the Influencer, DJ and Top Model Bia Dantas among other figures. The purpose of the campaign was to emphasize the empowerment of women in the framework of the commemoration of International Women’s Day. The campaign was recorded in the vicinity of the Teotihuacan pyramids, which allowed the construction of a perfect and unique setting. Weeks after the campaign launch, we can assure you that the campaign was very successful and had a relevant scope. Consolidating BMW Mexico as the leading motorcycling company and with great proximity to the female consumer. It should be noted that the message of the campaign focuses on highlighting the path that each personality has had to travel with its challenges and the power of motorcycling to support the development of women in groups and individually. Emphasizing that together or individually with effort and preparation the woman is stronger. Bia Dantas was the perfect influencer for this campaign. Also, the crew had a Balloon Ride next to the Teotihuacan Pyramids that create a perfect environment for team production. On the other hand, Bia Dantas highlighted that during the filming of the campaign she had her country very present: “I bring my jacket from my dear old Moto Club with the flags of my country and the Brazil-Alagoas State. Always representing ”. BMW Motorrad Mexico is part of BMW de México S.A de C.V. with address at Av. Javier Barros Sierra 495, 14th floor Cdmx. Recently Bia Dantas starred on the cover of Glamour Bulgaria with a production dedicated to commemorating the mergers between the different cultures of Brazil. Also, Bia Dantas was cover in Harpers Bazaar a few weeks ago. Bianca Dantas is an Influencer, DJ and Top Model. Account @biadantasbr. She has collaborated in various campaigns and editorials, highlighting covers of world-renowned titles such as Harpers Bazaar, Vogue Magazine, and Glamor. She currently stands out in the world of music under the name of DJ BiaD @ Biad.oficial. She was born in Brazil and currently lives in Mexico City.  

Harley-Davidson launches new electric-only LiveWire brand. Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire is no longer just a model, it’s a whole brand.

The brand’s first dedicated model will debut on July 8.

by Kyle Hyatt from https://www.cnet.com

Pretend you’re Harley-Davidson for a minute. You’re the oldest continually operating American motorcycle manufacturer. You have legions of rabid fans acting as unpaid brand ambassadors. Your name is basically synonymous with motorcycling. Sounds good, right?

Now, as Harley-Davidson, try and do something completely and utterly different than what you’ve done in the past. Now that history is working against you, and those loyal customers think you’ve betrayed the ideals of the brand they love. It’s a real Catch-22. You need to innovate, or you’ll die, but if you innovate, you make your core customers angry, and then you die. While things weren’t actually quite that dire for H-D, it’s definitely been tough.

That’s pretty much what happened when Harley-Davidson launched the LiveWire electric motorcycle a few years ago. Now though, the folks in Milwaukee have decided to try a different route with the whole electric motorcycle thing, and that’s to spin LiveWire off into its own brand, according to an announcement Monday. New brand equals no baggage and that extra freedom to do new things could be just what Harley needs.

“One of the six pillars of The Hardwire Strategy is to lead in electric – by launching LiveWire as an all-electric brand, we are seizing the opportunity to lead and define the market in EV,” Harley-Davidson CEO Jochen Zeitz said in a statement. “With the mission to be the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world, LiveWire will pioneer the future of motorcycling, for the pursuit of urban adventure and beyond. LiveWire also plans to innovate and develop technology that will be applicable to Harley-Davidson electric motorcycles in the future.”

The LiveWire brand will have its own models and its network of showrooms, the first of which will be in California. It will be separate from Harley-Davidson in most respects, but it will share technology with the mothership as well as its manufacturing footprint and supply chain.

The first new model from the LiveWire brand is set to debut on July 8, 2021.

Harley-Davidson launches all-electric motorcycle brand ‘LiveWire’
by Reuters from https://www.saltwire.com

Harley-Davidson Inc on Monday launched an all-electric motorcycle brand “LiveWire,” the latest effort by the company to ramp up bets on the rapidly growing electric-vehicle market.

Named after Harley’s first electric motorbike, which was unveiled in 2019, the “LiveWire” division is slated to launch its first branded motorcycle in July.

The company had said in February it would create a separate electric vehicle-focused division, as it aims to attract the next generation of younger and more environmentally conscious riders.

“We are seizing the opportunity to lead and define the market in EV,” Chief Executive Officer Jochen Zeitz said in a statement on Monday.

“LiveWire also plans to innovate and develop technology that will be applicable to Harley-Davidson electric motorcycles in the future.”

Harley-Davidson Launches LiveWire, the independent Electric Motorcycle Brand (www.livewire.com)

MILWAUKEE (May 10, 2021) – Harley-Davidson, Inc. (“Harley-Davidson”) (NYSE: HOG) today announces the launch of LiveWire as an all-electric motorcycle brand.

LiveWire is more than a motorcycle. LiveWire plans to redefine electric, delivering the best experience for the urban rider, with personality and soul. LiveWire creates a unique connection between rider and vehicle. Today, the next chapter in the LiveWire journey begins.

Jochen Zeitz, chairman, president and CEO of Harley-Davidson:
“One of the six pillars of The Hardwire Strategy is to lead in electric – by launching LiveWire as an all-electric brand, we are seizing the opportunity to lead and define the market in EV. With the mission to be the most desirable electric motorcycle brand in the world, LiveWire will pioneer the future of motorcycling, for the pursuit of urban adventure and beyond. LiveWire also plans to innovate and develop technology that will be applicable to Harley-Davidson electric motorcycles in the future.”

The first LiveWire branded motorcycle is scheduled to launch on July 8, 2021 and to premiere at the International Motorcycle Show on July 9, 2021. For more information and updates, register at livewire.com.

Unique lineage: LiveWire draws on its DNA as an agile disruptor from the lineage of Harley-Davidson, capitalizing on a decade of learnings in the EV sector and the heritage of the most desirable motorcycle brand in the world.

Motorcycles + beyond: with an initial focus on the urban market, LiveWire will pioneer the electric motorcycle space, and beyond.

Virtual HQ: innovating by design and attracting industry-leading talent, LiveWire will be headquartered virtually, with initial hubs in Silicon Valley, CA (LiveWire Labs) and Milwaukee, WI.

Marketplace: from launch, LiveWire will work with participating dealers from the Harley-Davidson network as an independent brand. An innovative go-to-market model will blend digital and physical retail formats, tailoring the experience to the local market and allowing customers to discover LiveWire on their own terms.

Dedicated showroom: seizing the opportunity to lead in EV and innovating across the customer journey, LiveWire will operate dedicated EV showrooms in select locations, starting in California. Here customers will be able to experience the LiveWire brand in an immersive and innovative way.

Technology focus: with a dedicated focus on EV, LiveWire plans to develop the technology of the future and to invest in the capabilities needed to lead the transformation of motorcycling. LiveWire expects to benefit from Harley-Davidson’s engineering expertise, manufacturing footprint, supply chain infrastructure, and global logistics capabilities.

Technology sharing: Harley-Davidson and LiveWire intend to cooperate and share their technological advancements to ensure an industry leading application in their respective core segments.

A couple of years ago the growing membership of the Cherokee Chapter of the AMCA (Antique Motorcycle Club of America) in central Texas made a monumental decision. The antique motorcycle group wanted to establish a major antique motorcycle event closer to the center of the country. Davenport, Iowa, Daytona, Florida and Wauseon, Ohio were like a thousand miles away.

The decision was made to institute a serious antique motorcycle event in Texas, not historically a motorcycle state, but don’t tell the Bandidos that. They looked hard at the Dallas area for proximity, but ultimately the town of Fredericksburg. It shined for several reasons, located just 70 miles from Austin and San Antonio in an area blessed with beautiful open roads and terrific destinations such as Lukenbock, Texas where Willie and the boys play (just six miles away).

Here’s where they could have stumbled into a briar patch of thorns. Fredericksburg is of German heritage, and celebrates Pioneering, ranching, rodeos, oil, cattle, the old west but not motorcycles. The town thrived on tourism and contained breweries, distilleries, and wineries. So persuasive Greg McFarland the president of the Cherokee Chapter of the AMCA met with the city and the fairgrounds officials and miraculously they were all for this event.

“The fairgrounds are larger than the Davenport location and a bit smaller than Wauseon, Ohio fairgrounds,” said Steve Klein, of the Gillespie County Fairgrounds, the first facility to host a fair in Texas in 1881. Officially established in 1888, 133 years ago, they are the oldest continuously operating Fairgrounds in Texas. “It sported 133 years of horse racing until three years ago. Now we race motorcycles.”

Greg McFarland, the current president of the chapter came up with the name Fandango and it stuck. Fandango (noun) means, “a foolish or useless act or thing” Tomfoolery. Greg and Steve developed a successful formula for the event, much like the infamous Smoke-Out: Action all the time and something for everyone.

The Fandango fairgrounds rocked with motorcycle action, interactive play, education, races and shows. The first year 2019, a national AMCA antique motorcycle ride ended at the Fairgrounds. This year Oliver Peck of Inkmasters TV series hosted the Chopper Coral with over 100 choppers on display along with Chopper related vendors and a bandstand.

The town stepped up this year after the Covid canceled 2020 and built an official ½ mile flat track. The old horse track contained over 6 inches of surface sand, which had to be moved to form a rideable track.

Cycle Source Magazine sponsored an indoor show. Over 116 motorcycles were on display of ever vintage and make including: American, Italian, German, Asian, Vincents, H-D, Indian, Excelsior Henderson, BMW, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, street bikes, vintage, trails, enduro and motocross were represented.

The RV park at the facility was packed and brothers and sisters formed tents with their highbar choppers and slept on the grounds. “Tent camping looked like Woodstock with choppers, VW vans, and vintage vans with shag carpet interiors,” said Steve. “Young bikers slept on Indian blankets next to their choppers. Young ladies in halter tops and striped bell bottoms were everywhere. It was a throwback to the ‘60s.”

One of the major Fandango goals was to make it new- enthusiast friendly. “We wanted to develop a larger, younger membership in their 20s and 30s. Our existing membership average age is 62,” said Steve. They were proud to host over 600 spectators who were from their teens to early 30s.

“They dug the choppers and young enthusiasts couldn’t get enough of their swap meet and mini-bike races.” After being locked down for 18 months and with no sources for vintage parts the demand was high for action and resources.

They hosted 200 Vintage vendors who bought 262 vending spots. “No modern shit or non-motorcycle shit,” Steve pointed out. All the existing vendors have already signed on for 2022. “This is an old-fashioned motorcycle event that is low key and enjoyable.”

Attendance surpassed 5,000 and the action never stopped with chopper dirt drags and mini-bike races, contests and pinstriping demonstrations. The fairground grandstands held 1,700 folks and the Chopper Drags drew a crowd. The XTREME Flat Track National Organization organized the flat track race to be the second of the national circuit after Daytona Bike Week.

“If you want to dodge the crowd for a minute,” Steve added. “The best riding in the entire state of Texas is right here.” Next year they plan for more tent camping with showers, better signage, improved trash services, etc. “We want everyone to have a great time all the time.”

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com

Born at a time when World War II was raging all across the world, the FL line of motorcycles turned out to be a hit in the Harley-Davidson portfolio. Little did the bike maker know however that many decades after its introduction, this line of Knuckleheads will be worth many times over their original money.

The FL you’re looking at, sporting a bit more chrome than what the bike maker offered back then, comes from the year immediately after the end of the war. It looks so shiny and new thanks to a restoration process it went through about a quarter of a century ago. A restoration process that also helped significantly increase its value.

You see, back when it was made alongside close to 4,000 others of its kind, the two-wheeler had an MSRP of just $465. Adjusted for inflation, that would be around $6,200 in today’s money. Still a very, very long way from the sum it just sold for last week.

The bike was listed on the massive lot that went under the hammer during the huge Mecum motorcycle auction in Las Vegas. This particular FL shares the second position on the podium for most expensive bikes sold there with an E model from 1943, behind the champion of the event, the $297,000 Strap Tank.

$220,000 is how much someone paid for the FL, which would be 473 times more than its original price back in 1946, or 35 times more if we do the math with the inflation-adjusted amount.

Although we’re not specifically informed of this, we reckon the 74 cubic inch engine linked to a four speed transmission is still in working order, but do not expect this motorcycle to take to the roads anytime soon. That’s because there are only two reasons people generally pay this much for a bike this old: included it in a collection, or waiting for its value to increase some more so it could be sold for a profit.

by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com

It’s been a hell of a ride for those taking part last weekend in the massive motorcycle auction in Las Vegas. The top highest-selling two-wheelers, for instance, were responsible for getting close to two million dollars combined, in a bidding frenzy that seemed to have had no limit.

Out of this select team of ten motorcycles, eight of them were Harley-Davidsons, including the champion when it comes to money earned, the $297,000 Strap Tank. The other two were a Vincent Black Shadow from 1953 (sold for $165,000), and this here 1903 Indian that went for $143,000.

For all intents and purposes, the Indian is the oldest in this select lot. What’s more important is that for the first 62 years of its life, from 1903 to 1965, it was owned by the same guy, a California motorcycle racer by the name Gus Cheleini.

Looking probably just as good as it did 118 years ago when it was made, the motorcycle comes in a dark shade of blue and it is equipped with a tiny 13ci engine and an atmospheric valve that is still working, hinting according to auction house Mecum, which handled the sale of the two-wheeler, that the bike could be “started and ridden.”

Part of a select and limited number of bikes made under the Indian name that year, it still wears the first name of the company, Hendee Manufacturing, and features the large gas tank on the rear fender that earned it and its breed the nickname Camelback.

Since the death of its first owner, the Indian changed hands a few more times, and was featured in The Classic MotorCycle in 1988, but mostly spent its time out of sight. It’s unclear what the future holds for it, as we are not told who purchased it, but chances are we’ll get to see it again at a similar auction in the not-so-distant future.

Bikers Inside The Beltway Moving Forward & Making It Happen

During the last session of Congress a bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced legislation which sought an educational campaign about E-15. The bill required new labeling at fuel pumps warning consumers to check their owner’s manual when using E-15 fuel. The MRF is supporting this same effort now. When identifying bill numbers are attached to this position, you will be notified. See the attachment for more details. In the meantime…

• Have you registered for Bikers Inside the Beltway? It’s free but time is running out! CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
• Have you made your appointments to visit your members of Congress? Make your appointments now in your district or in Washington, D.C.
• Have you made your hotel reservations? Final date for hotel registration, May 13, 2021: 703-684-5900 Embassy Suites by Hilton Alexandria, 1900 Diagonal Road, Alexandria, Virginia 22314

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation is moving forward to make the 2021 Bikers Inside the Beltway our most effective event ever. Thank you for your commitment to the MRF’s mission. Thank you for making appointments with your members of Congress. Click here to see the position paper for Consumer Protection and Fuel Transparency Act.

Thank you for your membership and support of the Motorcycle Riders Foundation.

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by Pradeep Shah from https://www.financialexpress.com

China does it again! The home country of Covid-19 is now in the news headlines for one more shameful reason and that is copycat bikes. Here is one more example!

Chinese are very well known for copying designs of some highly respected products and coming out with cheap clones. Auto manufacturers in China have been doing this for years now and very recently, we have come across one more example. This time around, the very gorgeous-looking MV Agusta Superveloce 800 falls prey to this copycat treatment in China. The clone bike is better known as the Motrac Unicorn 800. The Hong Kong-based brand also had the guts to showcase this bike publically at this year’s Chongqing Auto Show in China. Starting with the front section, the bike gets the same circular headlamp as the Superveloce and the front fairing looks quite similar too, however, it fails to make a mark because well, a copy is always a copy.

As you proceed towards the rear, things start to turn ugly as the bike gets a quite regular box-section swingarm compared to the single-sided unit that further adds to the enchanting visuals of the MV Agusta Superveloce. The dual exhausts on the right look no less than an eyesore as well and the rounded rear tail lamp mimics the rear end of the Agusta, however, this again fails to look half as pleasing and doesn’t gel well with the overall design. Speaking of the cycle parts, the bike gets 17-inch wheels at both ends paired with a 140-section front and chunky 200-section rear tyres. The Motrac Unicorn 800 gets its stopping duties done with the help of twin 320mm discs upfront along with a single 300mm disc unit at the rear, coupled to a standard dual-channel ABS.

Powering the Motrac Unicorn 800, as the name suggests, is an 800cc twin-cylinder engine that is good for developing 60 hp of power along with 70 Nm of torque. In comparison, the original Italian beauty draws power from a 798cc, three-cylinder motor that churns out 146 hp of power while the peak torque output is rated at 88 Nm. That said, the performance of the MV is something that its Chinese clone can only dream of.

by Janaki Jitchotvisut from https://www.rideapart.com

This 1919 Harley-Davidson Is Now Rideable Thanks To 3D Printing. Vintage problems require modern solutions.

Let’s say you’ve decided to take on a vintage Harley as a project. Maybe you’re passionate about the early days of Harley-Davidson, for example, and you see an opportunity that’s just too good to pass up. The Motor Company has been around for over a century, though. While it has fans all over the world, as you might guess, some parts are easier to find than others.

That’s the problem faced by one Harley enthusiast in the Netherlands. He’d gotten his hands on a 1919 Harley-Davidson, and had been diligently doing hands-on restoration work for the better part of 50 years. Clearly, this guy was almost unbelievably patient. Eventually, though, even he got to a point where he had to think creatively to replace the one part that was holding him back from finally being able to go for a ride: a broken Bakelite distributor cap.

As the story goes, the man had searched high, low, and everywhere in between for a spare. Since there probably aren’t many out there to begin with, finding one on the used market seemed chancy. So, the restorer (who appears to want to remain nameless) reached out to Carl van de Rijzen from Visual First in the Netherlands, which is known for creating 3D scans of existing items.

1919 Harley-Davidson with 3D Printed Distributor Cap
Van de Rijzen, in turn, frequently collaborates with Edwin Rappard of 4C Creative CAD CAM Consultants to successfully 3D print the components he’s scanned. This was a unique challenge, for sure. They had the broken original distributor cap to scan, but a large chunk had broken off. How can you scan what isn’t there?

Luckily, the broken part was a mirror of what already existed, and not some other unique shape. Between the two technicians, they were able to successfully come up with a suitable 3D printed replica part. Since the original part was made out of Bakelite, crafting a 21st century polymer substitute so close to the bike’s 100th birthday seems kind of poetic.

It’s an incredibly modern solution to an age-old problem, and it will be interesting to continue seeing what motorcycle enthusiasts are able to accomplish using tools like this. For those who want to actually be able to go out and ride their vintage machines, it seems like a pretty great solution.