by Silvian Secara from https://www.autoevolution.com This gorgeous thing’s outfit boasts some serious retro vibes. Back in 2015, the motorcycle realm was delighted with the arrival of a new player on the scene. Tamarit Motorcycles debuted with as many as five magnificent projects that served to let everyone know they aren’t messing around. Over the years, the Spanish firm amassed an impressive selection of no less than 52 custom entities. Besides constructing some of the raddest one-off two-wheelers you’ll ever come across, the Elche-based company also prides itself with a delicious inventory that hosts over 170 aftermarket components manufactured in-house. One thing’s for sure; these moto specialists are no amateurs! Their stunning one-off machines guarantee to soothe the soul of even the most pretentious rider out there. In case this stirs your curiosity, Tamarit’s majestic undertakings can all be admired on their social media profiles. But first, let’s take a minute to drool over one such masterpiece, namely a 2008 model in Triumph’s iconic Bonneville lineup that’ll certainly raise your pulse. I’ll have to point out the obvious and say the ‘08 Bonneville is one hell of a donor. It is powered by a vicious DOHC parallel-twin behemoth, with a generous compression ratio of 9.2:1 and a truly humungous displacement of 865cc. At around 7,200 rpm, this fiendish piece of air-cooled machinery is capable of producing up to 66 bhp, along with a feral torque output of 52 pound-feet (70 Nm) at 6,000 revs. A five-speed gearbox transmits the engine’s unholy force to Bonnie’s 17-inch multi-spoked rear wheel by means of a chain final drive. The powertrain is hugged by a tubular steel cradle frame, which rests on a set of 41 mm (1.61 inches) forks at the front, coupled with fully-adjustable dual shock absorbers and a double-sided swingarm on the opposite end. Up front, stopping power is taken care of by a single 310 mm (12.2 inches) disc and a two-piston caliper, accompanied by a 255 mm (10 inches) brake rotor and a two-piston caliper at the rear. Triumph’s marvel has a dry weight of only 451 lbs (205 kg), while its wheelbase measures just over 59 inches (1501 mm). To have this bad boy stand out as a genuine one-of-a-kind creature, Tamarit Motorcycles kicked things off by browsing their very own catalogue for an array of custom modules that’ll have it look the part. These include a fresh tail section, open side panels and a tiny front fender, as well as a hand-crafted belly pan and one tasty leather saddle. Additionally, you will notice a classic-style fairing that brings about a vintage aesthetic. The firm consulted Motogadget’s range for a complete LED lighting package and installed a pair of Victory Classic TT tires to keep things looking retro. Oh, and of course, there are aftermarket clip-on handlebars that round out the new appearance. To wrap it all up, the rew applied a timeless blend of metallic black and silver paintwork, complemented by discrete golden accents. Right, now that we’ve come to the end of this Bonneville’s story, I’ll be heading over to Tamarit’s Facebook and Instagram profiles to please my eyes with some of their other spectacular works of two-wheeled art, and I’d encourage you to do the same. These ravishing beauties will leave you speechless!

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

You might have already caught the first episode of Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman’s new adventure called Long Way Up. The duo decided this time to travel over 13,000 miles (21,000 km) from the city of Ushuaia in Tierra del Fuego, all the way to Los Angeles. They did so riding bikes, as usual, but not just any bikes: they used electric Harley-Davidson LiveWires.

A close look at the images already shown reveals that these were not your regular LiveWires, the ones you’ll be able to get from the neighborhood dealer. They were modified for the task, and the bike maker admitted as much this week, when it announced the launch of a six-part podcast documenting the changes. And with the announcement came, of course, the first details on these modifications.

Harley says it established a special team to handle the task of converting the LiveWires to machines that could withstand the rigors of such a journey. And they nearly nailed it, we reckon, as we’re told the job was ready in just a month, and the results are as real as they get.

We’re told the LiveWires used for the adventures used the stock Rechargeable Energy Storage System (RESS), the stock chassis, and the stock Revelation powertrain. What wasn’t stock were the rotors, wheels, and tires, with these last two pieces of hardware taken from the upcoming Pan America. There were also custom windshield, rear shock, and triple clamps.

We are not being told, at least yet, whether the range of the two-wheeler changed as a result of the upgrades.

“Harley-Davidson stands for the timeless pursuit of adventure,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO, Harley-Davidson.

“This podcast series is a premier showcase for how Harley-Davidson’s talented staff of engineers and designers go above and beyond in their mission to create motorcycles that unlock adventures wherever they may lead. These efforts can be experienced in the 2020 LiveWire – a shining example of how Harley-Davidson innovates to lead in the electrification of motorcycling. It’s an experience that can only be truly understood after riding it.”

Harley’s podcast will be available on both Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

by Aditya Kalra & Aditi Shah from Reuters and https://www.business-standard.com

Harley, known for its heavy touring motorcycles, struggled in India mainly because of high import duties. Harley’s 33 dealerships will likely come under Hero’s management under the new arrangement, said one of the sources.

Harley-Davidson Inc is in advanced talks with India’s Hero MotoCorp for a distribution deal which will allow the U.S. firm’s iconic motorcycles to be sold in India, after it stops local manufacturing there, three sources told Reuters.

The Milwaukee-based company said on Thursday it will stop sales and shut its manufacturing plant in India, effectively abandoning the world’s biggest motorcycle market after a decade of unsuccessful efforts to gain a foothold.

Harley however is in talks with Hero MotoCorp to enter into a distribution arrangement that will allow the Indian company to import and sell Harley bikes as its sole distributor, two sources with familiar with the talks said.

“Hero will be the master distributor for Harley bikes in India … This will be a partnership, a strategic alliance,” said one of the sources, all of whom declined to be named as the discussions were private.

Discussions are also ongoing to let Hero become a contract manufacturer for at least one Harley motorcycle with 300-600 cc engine capacity, which it will launch later, the first source added.

The financial details of the deal were not immediately clear.

Asked about talks with Hero, a Harley spokeswoman said the company can’t comment on “rumours or speculation”. On Thursday, it said it was “changing its business model in India & evaluating options to continue to serve customers.”

Hero MotoCorp, which is the India’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer by sales, said it doesn’t comment on market speculation. It produced 6.4 million two-wheeler scooters and motorcycles in the fiscal year ending March 2020, a third of India’s total output.

Harley manufactured just 4,500 motorcycles during that period, largely assembled from imported knock-down kits at its plant near New Delhi, which it will shut as part of its announced restructuring.

Harley’s decision to stop direct manufacturing marks another major exit by an automotive player in India and is a setback for Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has been inviting foreign firms to ramp up local production. Ford Motor and General Motors have both pared their India operations in recent years.

Harley, known for its heavy touring motorcycles, struggled in India mainly because of high import duties – which U.S. President Donald Trump often criticized India for – and also because its locally assembled bikes faced high taxes.

Hero typically sells motorcycles with engine capacities of under 200 cc and a deal with Harley will help speed up its entry into the mid- and high-engine segments favoured by biking enthusiasts and young leisure riders, the second source said.

“In that segment, biking is moving to a fashion purchase for leisure, weekend rides and Harley bikes will do well with higher local content,” said the source, adding Harley was also likely to provide technology know-how and inputs on quality standards to Hero.

Harley’s 33 dealerships will likely come under Hero’s management under the new arrangement, said one of the sources.

RSD Joins S&S Cycle as the Only Two Indian Challenger Entries Against a Field of Harley-Davidsons;

RSD Calls Upon Veteran Racer Frankie Garcia to Pilot Modified Indian Challenger

 

MINNEAPOLIS (September 25, 2020) – Indian Motorcycle, America’s First Motorcycle Company, and Roland Sands Design® (RSD), the popular and innovative custom motorcycle, apparel and lifestyle brand, today announced its Indian Challenger entry for the inaugural Drag Specialties King of the Baggers invitational at Laguna Seca Raceway. Piloting the RSD Indian Challenger will be veteran motorcycle racer Frankie Garcia.

 

With its entry, RSD joins S&S Cycle as the only two teams to enter an Indian Challenger against a field of 12 modified Harley-Davidsons. Featuring a best-in-class 122 horsepower with a race-tuned S&S exhaust, RSD race wheels shod in Dunlop super sport tires and a hydraulically-adjustable FOX® X RSD rear shock, the Indian Challenger provides a superior base for RSD to transform Indian Motorcycle’s high-performance American bagger into a race-ready machine capable of pushing heavy bike limits at historic Laguna Seca.

 

“There’s something both absurd and awesome about racing baggers at Laguna Seca, and it’s exactly the type of craziness we live for here at RSD,” said Roland Sands. “The Indian Challenger is an incredible platform, and we definitely will be competitive. But make no mistake, our priority is to have a great time, and how can you not at an event like this? Hats off to the gang at Moto America and Drag Specialties for bringing this event to life.”

 

Piloting the RSD-modified Indian Challenger will be veteran motorcycle racer Frankie Garcia. As a member of the Indian Motorcycle-RSD Super Hooligan race team, Garcia is no stranger to RSD’s ability to transform stock motorcycles into high-performance, racing machines.  Coming from a motorcycle racing family, Garcia has been riding since he was two and racing since he was four. He brings diverse experience in nearly all forms of racing, including flat track, supermoto, motocross and road racing. In 2006, at 15 years old, Garcia become the youngest athlete to compete in an X-Games motorcycle event.

 

“It’s a real honor to have the opportunity to not only participate in the inaugural King of the Baggers race, but to represent RSD on one of only two Indian Challengers in the field,” said Garcia. “I’ve had the opportunity to spend some time on a stock Challenger, and believe me, this bike wants to go fast and handles like a bike half its size. It’s the perfect platform for something as radical as knee-dragging baggers at Laguna Seca.”

 

“Of course, Roland and the RSD team wouldn’t miss out on an opportunity to race baggers on a historic road racing course,” said Gary Gray, Vice President – Racing, Technology and Service for Indian Motorcycle. “It’s going to be a ton of fun, and we cannot wait to see what Roland and the RSD team put together.”

 

The King of the Baggers event will be part of the MotoAmerica Superbike Speedfest at Monterey on October 23-25. The inaugural race will join the premier MotoAmerica Superbike, Supersport, Liqui Moly Junior Cup, Stock 1000, Twins Cup and Heritage Cup racing.

 

For more information and ticketing for the Drag Specialties King of the Baggers, visit MotoAmerica.com. Learn more about S&S Cycle at SSCycle.com, and Indian Motorcycle at IndianMotorcycle.com, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

 

By Mark Morgan, Peter NavarroFOXBusiness

Every month, under the flag of Operation Mega Flex, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) does an enhanced inspection of small parcels arriving, primarily, from China.

Over the course of 14 monthly “blitz operations,” a decidedly unlucky 13% of the Made-in-China packages inspected have contained a type of counterfeit product or other contraband that can defraud, harm, or even kill Americans.

Operation Mega Flex is a CBP initiative that began in June of 2019 as part of a broader Trump administration effort, also involving the White House Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, to crack down on the dangerous flood of counterfeit goods pouring into America from China, often through the distribution networks of e-commerce platforms like Alibaba, Amazon, and eBay.

This “flood” is indeed a flood. Every single day, about 700,000 small Made-in-China parcels pour into America. About 68% of these parcels are handled by the United States Postal Service at ports of entry like New York’s JFK Airport, Chicago’s O’Hare, and LAX in California. The remainder of air parcels come into cities like Memphis, Cincinnati, and Louisville in facilities managed by private carriers like DHL, FedEx, and UPS.

If the data collected thus far from Operation Mega Flex accurately captures the scope of the Made-in-China contraband problem – and the data has been remarkably consistent over the 14 monthly blitz operations to date – here’s what it means: On a daily basis, nearly 90,000 Americans are being assaulted in one form or another through small parcel mail by unscrupulous Made-in-China exporters.

Just exactly what forms do these Chinese assaults take? As CBP has looked under the Made-in-China hood in the course of inspecting over 71,000 parcels, it has found four different categories of “discrepancies.”

On a daily basis, nearly 90,000 Americans are being assaulted in one form or another through small parcel mail by unscrupulous Made-in-China exporters.   

For starters, about a third of the Made-in-China contraband is counterfeited. The Chinese knockoffs uncovered by CBP have included everything from Louis Vuitton bags, Ferragamo belts, Rolex watches, and Apple earbuds to fraudulent China Virus test kits and fake prescription drugs like Lipitor and Viagra. That’s not just a consumer rip off – fake medicines can outright kill you while defective electronics products can burn your house down.

APPAREL GROUP SAYS BROAD BAN ON CHINA’S XINJIANG COTTON IMPOSSIBLE TO ENFORCE

A second major category uncovered by Operation Mega Flex is even more deadly.  It consists of assorted drug paraphernalia along with deadly narcotics such as fentanyl, methamphetamine, and oxycodone.

In just one package seized this past March at the JFK facility, over 5,000 grams of the dangerously addictive opioid, hydrocodone, were uncovered—that’s more than 55,000 doses.

Then, of course, there are the various fake documents like driver’s licenses, passports, and police badges–the latest blitz operation last month seized several Department of Justice Special Agent badges that were remarkably realistic.  And if you need a gun or a silencer or an automatic weapons converter, you can get that from Communist China too, courtesy of e-commerce platforms.

US LAWMAKERS QUIZ DISNEY CEO OVER XINJIANG & ‘MULAN’

Finally, there are all manner of agricultural products that illegally enter the United States that have the potential to wreak great havoc with our food supply chains or our personal health. For example, when a deadly African swine fever wiped out over a million pigs, America’s own pork supply was threatened by shipments of potentially infected Chinese pork – the virus can live in raw meat for weeks and frozen meat for months.

More recently, we have seen an influx of unsolicited packages originating from China containing mislabeled seeds. As another example, in June of 2020, CBP specialists intercepted a Made-in-China package containing thirteen unsealed bags filled with vials of blood, plasma, and human urine, all believed to be infected with STDs and STIs such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, and hepatitis.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS

The Trump administration is strongly committed to putting an end to both the Made-in-China contraband inundating America through small parcels and the role that e-commerce platforms are playing in facilitating such illegal trafficking.

As Operation Mega Flex continues to gather data on these problems, and per the authorities of the presidential Executive Order “Ensuring Safe & Lawful E-Commerce for U.S. Consumers, Businesses, Government Supply Chains, and Intellectual Property Rights,” CBP will increasingly monitor, and if necessary begin to significantly restrict, the flow of Chinese packages into American households.

If e-commerce platforms like Alibaba, Amazon, and eBay fail to increase their scrutiny of China’s contraband trafficking and continue to refuse to accept their full and fair share of policing this dangerous problem, they will likewise be held accountable. American lives and livelihoods are both at stake, and the Trump administration will continue to do everything necessary to protect both.

Mark Morgan is the Commissioner of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Peter Navarro is the Assistant to the President for Trade and Manufacturing Policy.

Hey,

This is another fascinating week.

I’m reading Deadwood, the Golden Years, by Watson Parker. It’s basically a history of the region and mining, the impact on the region and the Indians. Since I’m trying like hell to move there, I need to know.

I’m also reading the Moral Animal, Why We Are the Way We Are, the New Science of Evolutionary Psychology. It’s a heady book about us and where we come from and how we got here. That term natural selection comes up over and over. Did you know that 99 percent of all species on the planet do it the same way from a wasp to a human. It’s also about the differences between men and women.

Speaking of Magazines, another motorcycle magazine, Cycle World bit the dust last week, maybe two. The new Easyriders seems to be stumbling, although it never got off the dime over the last couple of years. A lot of talk, a couple of parties and very little action. Ah, but I just got a peek at the new Choppers magazine, issue 2 and the new issue 3. This is tough. Cary Brobeck, the owner and editor only prints maybe 2,000 copies and attempts to sell them mail order. That’s a tough one, for lots of reasons.

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

In the motorcycle world, Italian company Ducati was among the most active so far during this troubled year. We’ve heard plenty of news coming from Borgo Panigale related to both the bike maker’s road machines, and its racing exploits. And it would appear the fall will continue to be filled with Ducati novelties as well.

The Italians kicked off the new season with the announcement of a series of performance accessories for the Streetfighter V4. Taking inspiration from Ducati’s track experience, the list of available parts is spearheaded by a complete titanium exhaust group, new carbon wings, and magnesium wheels.

The exhaust system, weighing just 5.5 kg (12 pounds), has been designed to improve the power-to-weight ratio of the bike. As per Ducati, mid-range and maximum power and torque are up by 6 percent, giving the Streetfighter an even more aggressive road behavior.

Helping it channel the increased power are new 9-spoke magnesium wheels. Weighing 3 kg (6 pounds) less than the ones used on the standard version of the V4, they also help with the bike’s inertia. Figures show that this drops by 40 percent compared to the standard two-wheeler and by 12 percent compared to the S variant.

Last but not least, Ducati throws in 4 structural carbon fiber wings, a dry clutch, and a number of elements meant to made the motorcycle look more badass: billet aluminum tank cap, new handgrips, footpegs in aluminum, and carbon detailing on the heel guard and tank cover.

No modifications are made to the engine. The Streetfighter continues to be powered by the 1,103cc Desmosedici Stradale that develops 208 hp.

“The Ducati Performance catalog contains numerous accessories, designed and manufactured in collaboration with the best companies in the sector, capable of further enhancing the sporting character and racing soul of the Streetfighter V4, especially in terms of performance when used on the track,” the bike maker says in a statement.

Each of the new parts (which you can examine in more detail in the press release section below) is available on the bike maker’s website, or at select dealers.

from https://indianexpress.com and https://www.reuters.com

The announcement comes two months after Harley unveiled a strategy to shift focus back to more profitable motorcycles and core markets such as the United States.

Harley-Davidson Inc said on Thursday it would discontinue its sales and manufacturing operations in India, effectively abandoning the world’s biggest motorcycle market after a decade of unsuccessful efforts to gain a foothold.

Harley had spent recent months moving dealerships in the country to cheaper locations, and the announcement followed speculation in Indian media a month ago that executives had played down.

The move involves $75 million in restructuring costs, some 70 redundancies and the closure of its Bawal plant, walking away from a market worth about 17 million bike and scooter sales a year. It will retain only a scaled-down sales office in Gurgaon, south of New Delhi.

The departure is also the latest setback for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strategy to encourage domestic manufacturing that would keep more of the fruits of a gigantic home consumer market in India.

Harley has been scrambling for years to grow sales beyond baby boomers in the United States and has not posted retail sales growth there in the past 14 quarters.

Chief Executive Officer Jochen Zeitz, who took the reins at the company in February, unveiled a major “Rewire” in July to boost profits by reducing Harley’s product portfolio by 30% and investing in 50 markets with growth potential in North America, Europe and parts of Asia Pacific.

India was one of the markets the company at that point committed to investing in more heavily. Thursday’s statement said the move to leave had been pushed through since Aug. 6.

Harley said it now expects total restructuring costs of about $169 million in 2020, but warned that the restructuring program – referred to internally as “The Rewire” – was likely to incur more charges.

India, still far cheaper and poorer than many of the developing economies with which it competes for investment, has proven an inhospitable market for other auto industry players.

Harley books $75 mln in fresh restructuring costs, discontinues India operations

Sept 24 (Reuters) – U.S. motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson said on Thursday it expects to report $75 million in additional restructuring costs for 2020 related to actions including discontinuing its sales and manufacturing operations in India.

The company said it now expects total restructuring costs of about$169 million in 2020.

(Reuters) – Harley-Davidson Inc HOG.N said on Thursday it would discontinue its sales and manufacturing operations in India, effectively abandoning the world’s biggest motorcycle market after a decade of unsuccessful efforts to gain a foothold.

Harley had spent recent months moving dealerships in the country to cheaper locations, and the announcement followed speculation in Indian media a month ago that executives had played down.

The move involves $75 million in restructuring costs, some 70 redundancies and the closure of its Bawal plant, walking away from a market worth about 17 million bike and scooter sales a year. (bit.ly/3mPHZnx) It will retain only a scaled-down sales office in Gurgaon, south of New Delhi.

The departure is also the latest setback for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s strategy to encourage domestic manufacturing that would keep more of the fruits of a gigantic home consumer market in India.

Harley has been scrambling for years to grow sales beyond baby boomers in the United States and has not posted retail sales growth there in the past 14 quarters.

Chief Executive Officer Jochen Zeitz, who took the reins at the company in February, unveiled a major “Rewire” in July to boost profits by reducing Harley’s product portfolio by 30% and investing in 50 markets with growth potential in North America, Europe and parts of Asia Pacific.

India was one of the markets the company at that point committed to investing in more heavily. Thursday’s statement said the move to leave had been pushed through since Aug. 6.

Harley said it now expects total restructuring costs of about $169 million in 2020, but warned that the restructuring program – referred to internally as “The Rewire” – was likely to incur more charges.

India, still far cheaper and poorer than many of the developing economies with which it competes for investment, has proven an inhospitable market for other auto industry players.

Last year, Ford Motor Co F.N pared back its interests and ceased independent operations in India by entering into a joint venture with Indian automaker Mahindra & Mahindra MAHM.NS.

General Motors GM.N, which stopped domestic sales in 2017, also plans to stop manufacturing and exports from India by the end of this year.

Growth in domestic sales has slowed of late – with sales of cars and motorbikes falling 18% in the last fiscal year to March 31 from a year ago.

Royal Enfield Twins FT Heads to Texas

Johnny Lewis aims to continue development at the Dallas Half-Mile

Milwaukee, Wis September 24, 2020: On Friday, September 25, the Royal Enfield Twins FT ridden by Johnny Lewis will compete again in the Progressive American Flat Track (AFT) Production Twins class at the Dallas Half-Mile at Devil’s Bowl Speedway. Lewis impressed the flat track world when he finished sixth and seventh respectively in the Williams Grove Half-Mile Mains on his Moto Anatomy x Royal Enfield debut.

Lewis’ Moto Anatomy team has spent the last two weeks continuing testing the Royal Enfield Twins FT as they look to make adjustments to further develop the platform. After Williams Grove the team gathered valuable insights into the Twins FT and will continue building upon the foundation this weekend. Working closely with Royal Enfield and Harris Performance, the team has been exchanging data and feedback over the past two weeks.

“Heading into our second race weekend at the Dallas Half-Mile at Devil’s Bowl Speedway is exciting because we had a weekend off to make changes to the chassis and improvements to the engine,” said Johnny Lewis, Moto Anatomy x Royal Enfield racer. “This is a development season, results on paper are great but progress from race to race is more rewarding and frankly important. We know it’s going to take time, but when you can leave the track with a plan for the next race to improve the motorcycle, that’s a huge step for a team developing a competitive race program.”

The Twins FT and Lewis will run the remainder of the AFT season in the Production Twins class. Lewis and team will further develop the motorcycle as they look forward to the 2021 season. While the team wants to perform well, the ultimate goal of the 2020 season is to continue gathering critical data and insights into the Twins FT platform – and have some fun doing it. The initial results show promise, but the team is focused on development.

“The AFT program has generated a positive response across the entire Royal Enfield organization,” said Breeann Poland, Marketing Lead for Royal Enfield Americas. “All eyes were on the team’s performance at Williams Grove and the positive results reinforce that we belong on the AFT stage along with the other major manufacturers. The team is excited to write this chapter as part of Royal Enfield’s storied legacy and we can’t wait to get back on the track in Dallas.’”

The Moto Anatomy x Royal Enfield team will finish the remainder of the AFT season as they compete at the Dallas Half-Mile, Atlanta Short Track, Charlotte Half-Mile and AFT Finale at Daytona Beach. To stay up to date on the latest results and insights from the track, follow @MotoAnatomyxRoyalEnfield on Instagram. The team will also be releasing short films documenting each round, which can be seen on Royal Enfield North America’s YouTube channel.

 

HARLEY-DAVIDSON PUSHES EV TECHNOLOGY TO THE EDGES OF THE EARTH WITH THE 2020 LIVEWIRE® MOTORCYCLE

HOW THE LIVEWIRE MOTORCYCLE TOOK ON THE WORLD

MILWAUKEE (September 24, 2020) – The Harley-Davidson LiveWire® model is an exhilarating electric motorcycle that pushes the boundaries of performance, technology and design in the two-wheel world. When an opportunity presented itself to Harley-Davidson to showcase the LiveWire motorcycle’s capabilities and performance in the most extreme conditions, H-D seized the challenge for the unheralded 13,000 mile off-road trek. The process to accomplish this journey is documented through Harley-Davidson’s podcast series.

Listen to the H-D Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify and subscribe to get new episodes of the show automatically each week.

This six-part series documents how near-production LiveWire models were modified to shred dirt roads, single track, and desert trails over 13,000 miles of extreme off-road conditions.

“Harley-Davidson stands for the timeless pursuit of adventure,” said Jochen Zeitz, Chairman, President and CEO, Harley-Davidson. This podcast series is a premier showcase for how Harley-Davidson’s talented staff of engineers and designers go above and beyond in their mission to create motorcycles that unlock adventures wherever they may lead. These efforts can be experienced in the 2020 LiveWire – a shining example of how Harley-Davidson innovates to lead in the electrification of motorcycling. It’s an experience that can only be truly understood after riding it.”

Utilizing the same talented Harley-Davidson engineers and designers that developed the LiveWire motorcycle, a select group was assembled from the broader development team to modify near-production LiveWire models to complete the journey.

Together, this team designed, modified, and assembled a motorcycle in under 30 days. After initial testing, the team incorporated feedback to finalize ergonomic and storage systems on the bikes. In 60 days, the motorcycles were headed to the southern tip of Argentina.

The modified LiveWire motorcycles used production specification RESS (Rechargeable Energy Storage System) hardware, chassis, and Harley-Davidson Revelation™ powertrain components. In addition, the motorcycles were modified with prototype rotors, wheels, and tires from the upcoming Harley-Davidson Pan America™ adventure touring motorcycle, and custom windshield, rear shock, and triple clamps made specifically for this project.

Before delivery, both modified LiveWire motorcycles were evaluated at Harley-Davidson’s Willie G. Davidson Product Development Center for initial testing and ridden under similar development validation conditions at Harley-Davidson’s Proving Grounds facility.

Harley-Davidson invites you to experience the thrill and seamless acceleration of the motorcycle at the center of the adventure, the 2020 LiveWire motorcycle. In celebration of the global premiere of “Long Way Up,” available to stream now exclusively on Apple TV+, with every test ride a rider will receive a complimentary LiveWire t-shirt and limited-edition LiveWire poster. The poster is only available to those who test ride LiveWire models while supplies last.

Find an Authorized LiveWire Harley-Davidson® dealership near you and schedule your complimentary test ride.