by Daniel Patrascu from https://www.autoevolution.com At the turn of the millennium, Ford introduced a special version of the F-150 dedicated to another American icon, Harley-Davidson. Called Harley-Davidson Edition, the run of special pickup trucks lasted from 2000 to 2011, and most of them are still around today, selling for big bucks at auctions across the U.S. But there’s another breed of Harley-Davidson flavored trucks presently on the market, much newer and even more hardcore than what Ford itself made before. And they all come from a company called Tuscany Motor. The American customizer has been around since the end of the 1980s, and has grown since in a behemoth specialty vehicle manufacturer with a soft spot for making GM and Ford trucks really stand out from the crowd. Tuscany’s Harley-Davidson line now includes three trucks, two from the Blue Oval and one from rival GMC. And all three of them are like nothing you can see on the road today. Tuscany says all “were created to give motorcycle enthusiasts the opportunity to once again enjoy classic Harley-Davidson design cues in the top-selling vehicles in America.” To meet that goal, a lot of modifications had to be made, mostly visual, for both the exterior and the interior. Usually, the exterior elements on the trucks that are inspired by the American bike builder are the special front grille, the wheels (that come on all models as Fat Boy-style milled aluminum pieces), the exhaust, the fender vents, and the tailgate applique. In all cases, orange is used throughout the builds, but the most impressive piece of visual tuning is the huge Harley-Davidson logo and shield imprinted on the tonneau cover. On the interior, the presence of the bike maker can be seen on the leather seat covers, the gauges, the pedals, the floor mats, and the door entry sills. As said, there are presently three pickup trucks with H-D DNA: the Ford F-150, Ford F-250, and the GMC Sierra 1500. All will be build in limited numbers, and can be ordered from this link.

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

Decades-old motorcycles are not as widespread as cars. Whereas in the world today there are countless four-wheeled machines, in better or worse condition, going back perhaps a century or so, not the same can be said about two-wheelers.

That essentially means that when we come across a bike as old as the one we’re going to write about here, there’s reason to gloat. Especially because we’re talking about one that was built, in very limited numbers, in the years before the start of the second world war, but runs just as good as it did back then.

What’s being displayed in the gallery above is a 1937 Harley-Davidson UH. It is one of just 185 made in 1937, just a few short years before all civilian bike production would be halted to make room for the WLAs requested by the U.S. Army in the years that followed. Of the 185, this one here is probably the only one that (still) looks this good.

And it owes its looks to a restoration process that tried to stay as close to the original as possible.

Part of the U model family, the UH is powered by the same 80ci engine that was fitted on it back in the day. It runs, as it was rebuilt while keeping all the innovations brought by Harley to the U that year, including the recirculating oil system instead of a total-loss one, and dry-sump lubrication.

The engine sits inside the original frame of the bike, and so is that era’s dash, Parts of the bike hiding beneath the blue and white bodywork may seem a bit different, but that’s because many of the original parts have been chromed during the restoration process.

When the bike was made, it sold for a little over $400. Now, someone is selling it during the Mecum Glendale auction that starts on Wednesday, March 11, and they’ll probably get a lot more for it.

by Mircea Panait from https://www.autoevolution.com/

It’s been long in the making, but what did you expect from a motorcycle manufacturer as traditional as Harley-Davidson? Android Auto will finally roll out to Touring motorcycles as a software update for the Boom! Box GTS infotainment system, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

For the 2021 model year, the Trike, CVO, and Touring families with the Boom! Box GTS will feature Android Auto as standard. Google Maps, the Google Assistant, voice commands, and many more apps should make life behind the bars a little more comfortable and pleasant as well.

Owners of the Boom! Box GTS can update the infotainment system with Android Auto by USB. If you were wondering, the system is available as an accessory for 2014-and-later motorcycles from the Trike, CVO, and Touring families with previous the Boom! Box 6.5GT infotainment.

Designed to look similar to a tablet, the GTS features a 6.5-inch touchscreen with Corning Gorilla Glass for scratch resistance. Apple CarPlay is also supported, but iOS devices need to be complemented by a Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Accessories headset. The GTS projects a number of phone functions onto the screen, including music streams from Spotify.

Currently available in 36 countries, Android Auto’s assistant is limited to Australia, Canada, France, Germany, India, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. The Google Assistant has one purpose, and that is to keep your hands on the bars and eyes on the road while using voice commands to check the weather, make a call, or change the radio station.

Celebrating five years in March 2020, Android Auto rolled out in May 2015 with the Hyundai Sonata. The South Korean manufacturer offered the system free of charge as opposed to the BMW-Apple CarPlay subscription service that was eventually dropped over far-reaching criticism.

On a related note, Harley-Davidson has lost 5.2 percent of sales in the United States in 2019 as opposed to 2018. Despite a boom in the ASEAN region, worldwide sales declined 4.6 percent and Harley-Davidson still hasn’t announced any sort of plan to turn things around for the better.

https://www.pikilily.com/

http://www.danelllynn.com/

Three-Rider Team Debuts at Daytona TT During Daytona Bike Week

MILWAUKEE (March 10, 2020) – The Harley-Davidson^™ Factory Flat Track Racing Team will charge the track on March 14 as the 2020 American Flat Track (AFT) SuperTwins presented by Vance & Hines series opens its 18-race season at the Daytona TT at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Harley-Davidson will field a three-rider team led by new crew chief Ricky Howerton. Howerton will be racing Harley-Davidson^® XG750R competition motorcycles prepared by Factory Team partner Vance & Hines Motorsports.

 

The Harley-Davidson® Factory Team motorcycles will feature a new livery in 2020 featuring Jet Fire Orange, the historic color of Harley-Davidson competition motorcycles, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the legendary Harley-Davidson® XR750 flat tracker. Initially developed and tuned by a team led by Harley-Davidson racing manager Dick O’Brien, the XR750 motorcycle won 36 AMA Grand National championships between 1972 and 2015.

 

“The 2020 Harley-Davidson Factory Flat Track Racing Team represents a continuous legacy of competition that goes back to the earliest days of motorcycle racing,” said Jon Bekefy, GM of Brand Marketing for Harley-Davidson. “With 2020 also being the 50^th anniversary of the legendary XR750, this year we will celebrate the great eras in Harley-Davidson racing as we look forward to competing at the highest level of the sport with the Harley-Davidson XG750R.”

 

Howerton will lead one of the deepest teams in the sport. Bryan Smith brings veteran leadership to a squad of riders that also includes Jared Vanderkooi and Dalton Gauthier. Howerton and Smith won the 2016 AMA Grand National flat track championship for the Howerton/Crosley team. The team will field an updated Harley-Davidson XG750R flat tracker for 2020 powered by the liquid-cooled, fuel-injected and race-tuned Harley-Davidson^® Revolution X^™ V-Twin based on the production engine originally designed for the Harley-Davidson Street 750 motorcycle.

 

In addition to its factory team effort Harley-Davidson will offer expanded support of the AFT Production Twins class, with race-ready XG750R motorcycles for sale and a $250,000 cash contingency program. The Production Twins class offers a path for upcoming and smaller privateer teams to compete for race victories, to study the SuperTwins class and plan for their future. The XG750R competition motorcycle is available for purchase for $35,999. For details and ordering information, please contact Vance & Hines.

 

The 2020 AFT SuperTwins schedule includes 18 events on short track, half-mile, mile and TT courses. Two fan-favorite events – the Charlotte Motor Speedway half-mile in Charlotte, N.C., and the OKC Mile in Oklahoma City, Ok. – return to the schedule. In 2020 two races on the famed Springfield Mile at the Illinois State Fairgrounds will run as a doubleheader over Labor Day weekend.

 

Harley-Davidson Factory Flat Track Team

 

Ricky Howerton
Howerton has been involved in flat track racing since 2012, leading the Howerton/Crosley team to win three AMA Expert Twins championships (2012-14) and the 2016 AMA Grand National Championship. His teams have earned 25 national wins and 70 podium finishes. Howerton earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering Technologies from Purdue University at Indianapolis and has worked in the racing field since his teenage years. He raced sprint cars and finished fourth in the USAC national points in 1990 and was named Rookie of the Year. Howerton is 49 years old and lives in Indianapolis.

 

Bryan Smith (National #4)
Known as the “Mile Master,” Smith has won 33 times in a 19-year Grand National flat track career, with 25 of those wins on demanding mile tracks. Smith is a three-time GNC Expert Twins champion (2012-14), the 2016 AMA Grand National champion, and won an ESPN X Games gold medal in the debut X Games Harley-Davidson Flat Track event in 2015. After a very successful amateur flat-track racing career, Smith moved up to the AMA Pro Flat Track level in 2001 and was named Rookie of the Year in his first season in the series. In 2019, Smith finished 13th in AFT points and had three podium appearances. Smith is 36 years old and lives in Swartz Creek, Mich.

 

Jarod Vanderkooi (National #20)
The 2014 GNC2 Twins champion, Jarod Vanderkooi (VAN-der-koy) won his first pro event on the Springfield Mile. He moved up to the top Grand National Twins class in 2015 and was named Rookie of the Year after scoring four top-10 finishes. In 2019, Vanderkooi raced his Harley-Davidson Factory XG750R to sixth place in AFT Twins points with 13 top-10 results. Vanderkooi is 22 years old and lives in Mt. Gilead, Ohio.

 

Dalton Gauthier (National #79)
Gauthier has been a rising star on the flat track scene since he turned pro in 2015 at age 16. He finished second in the AFT Singles series in 2016, and in 2019 was crowned AFT Singles champion. Gauthier rode a Harley-Davidson XG750R to two wins in the 2019 AFT Production Twins series and placed fourth in season points. The 2020 season will be his first in AFT SuperTwins. Gauthier is 20 years old and lives in Pine Grove, Pa.

 

from https://business.inquirer.net

Leading Independent fuel company Cleanfuel has partnered with motorcycle journalist Jay Taruc on his RidePH Cafe event, which brings together art and motorcycle culture all into one event.

Now in its second year, the event showcases artistic culture of motorcycle scene with live musical performances, art exhibits, free-flowing artisanal coffee, and of course, a display of classic motorcycles, that features premiere builders of the ‘café racer’ bikes and the other elements surrounding its culture.

An avid motorcycle enthusiast himself, Cleanfuel’s president Atty. Bong Suntay, will be supporting the RidePH Cafe by displaying a rare breed of Ducati sports classic—the limited edition 2002 Ducati MH900e and the Honda Monkey 50th Anniversary Edition.

The fully restored MH900e is a retro sport motorcycle, which is called Evoluzione, was designed by Pierre Terblanche, and is powered by a 904cc V-Twin engine which is mated to a six-gear transmission. Meanwhile, the iconic Monkey 50th edition is equipped with fuel-injected, air-cooled, 49cc single-cylinder engine mated to a 4-speed gearbox.

“Joining Jay’s event RidePH Cafe brings us back to the good old days of motorcycles and its culture. The camaraderie of every rider is so important to bringing them altogether in an event that is full of history and heritage,” said Atty. Bong Suntay.

“We’re glad to be part and to be the official fuel partner of this event. Here, we will see modern and classic motorbikes, art display exhibits, vintage clothing, and gentlemen’s grooming taking in one place. We wanted to be part of their lifestyle—whether in their four-wheeled and two-wheeled journey,” shares Suntay.

“As we take Moto Culture deeper and to the next level, we also understand the need of every riders to have a fuel that would sustain them in their long journey. Our fuel provides bigger savings and long mileage in a long run,“ concludes Suntay.

When RidePH Café was conceptualized last year by the people behind the RidePH TV show, the goal was to offer something different and unusual from the row of motorcycle events being held every year.

On this year’s RidePH Café, the floor will be divided into 3 sections for the main displays: The ‘Vespa Jam’ where owners of both classic and modern classic Vespa scooters will compete. On the other side of the venue, the ‘Rockers Gallery’ will showcase the best modern and classic motorbikes and will be competing with each other as well.

The main attraction and probably the most ambitious among the displays this year is a full gallery set-up right in the middle of the RidePH Café event.

“I’ve always been into art since I started collecting two decades ago. Most of the artists that I collect eventually became my friends and coincidentally, are also into motorcycles. This year I think it’s high time to focus on the ‘artist’ side of these riders. I’m talking about the painters, photographers, custom motorcycle builders, and everyone who are, in one way or the other, influenced by the culture,” explained Jay Taruc.

“The pieces of art that we have seen in the past few years deserve to be exhibited in a gallery we thought to ourselves, so, we are building an art space right in the middle of the event floor, showcasing them properly so that fellow riders will be able to appreciate them,” he added.

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

There are few things the name Harley-Davidson cannot be associated with in the world of motorcycles. From road-going bikes to custom builds, the name is present all across the board in the industry, and it has been so for a great number of years now.

There’s good reason for that, as there are few types of motorcycles today that don’t have a trace of Harley in them. Back in the 1920s, for instance, J-series Harleys gave birth to what today are known as bobbers. Seen by most as the less bling cousins of the choppers that have flooded the streets in times closer to our own, bobbers have been seen across the ages as signature builds of shops around the world.

Because there are so many Harley-based bobbers out there, it’s nearly impossible to say which is the best. Yet from time to time one really stands out, and it is worth a closer look.

Waiting on the list of vehicles that will sell at the end of the month at an auction in Salt Lake City is exactly such a build, simply titled 2007 Harley-Davidson bobber.

Built in the same city where the auction is set to take place, the motorcycle was designed in such a way as to bring back memories of the bobbers build back in the 1960s and 1970s: there is no front fender, the rear one is significantly shorter, and there are literally no other body part elements standing in the way of the exposed V-twin or the black frame.

Offsetting the metal look of the engine and exhaust and the blue tone of the limited bodywork is hand-crafted, brown leatherwork spread throughout.

The ones selling the bike say the entire build cost over $20,000 back when it was made, but there’s no estimate as to how much it is expected to fetch during the auction.

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

It’s been a long time in the making, but BMW Motorrad’s newest entry to the cruiser segment, a bike aptly called the R 18, is just around the corner. On Friday, April 3, the Germans will pull the wraps off what is to become one of the most potent motorcycles in its segment.

And this bike owes it all to a new engine BMW likes to call the Big Boxer. First shown on a bike called the Concept R 18 at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in May 2019, the engine moved over to two custom builds, before getting the official thumbs up at the end of 2019.

The two-cylinder powerplant has a capacity of 1,802 cc, which should make it the highest-capacity engine ever used on a production motorcycle. According to the specs revealed by the Bavarians, the engine has a power output of 91 hp and 158 Nm of torque, and that should also make it the most powerful boxer ever built by BMW.

It’s the R 18 that will see the first application of the Big Boxer, and on the bike it will be linked to a single-disc dry clutch that sends torque to the 6-speed transmission. Although the power ratings have already been announced, the performance specs are still unknown.

“All of us at BMW Motorrad are very much looking forward to the absolute highlight of the year for us – the world premiere of the BMW R 18,” said in a statement Dr. Markus Schramm, Head of BMW Motorrad.

“BMW Motorrad achieved record sales for the ninth year in succession in 2019. With the R 18 and the associated entry into the cruiser segment, we are consistently pursuing our growth strategy with the clear goal of becoming the number one in the premium segment worldwide.”

More details and official photos of the bike will become available at the unveiling.

TT Isle of Man – Ride on the Edge 2, is about to launch in 10 days on March 19 and we are offering free copies of the game if you are interested in checking it out and sharing your impressions of the game with your audience.

The most authentic Superbike simulation video game recreating the thrills and speed of the cult Isle of Man race.

Check out the gameplay trailer below for more information.

Don’t hesitate to reply with your preffered platform (PC, Xbox 1, PS4) if you would like to get your hands on TT – Isle of Man Ride on the Edge 2.

In advance, thank you for your time and consideration.

 

The following just arrived from the former publisher of Easyriders Magazine, Joe Teresi. As the weather warms the Coronavirus will dissipate until it’s toast, which will give the scientific community nine months to sort out a cure. Don’t panic, just be careful. Besides, ordinary flu kills 56,000 Americans ever year. This has killed 20. I just had a Corona Beer with Lobster Tacos at the local fish market on Saturday. I’m cool.–Bandit