Sturgis Buffalo Chip Partners with Bell for First Helicopter Rally
Bell Helicopters and Sturgis Buffalo Chip have announced plans to host the first Helicopter Rally during the 2023 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally ( August 4- 13 , 2023 ). This will be the second year Bell will exhibit and provide demonstration flights in the Bell 407GXi and Bell 429 , operating out of the Buffalo Chip venue . The collaboration was celebrated during HAI ' s Heli- Expo event at the Bell booth with the reveal of a custom Indian motorcycle , built by Lloyd ' z Garage , that will be auctioned during the Sturgis Rally in support of the Buffalo Chip Legends Ride , an event that benefits South Dakota Special Olympics - Rapid City Flame . " Bell is always looking at ways to provide customers , operators and enthusiasts with unique experiences through flight and event activation ," said Lane Evans , Managing Director , North America . " With more than 500,000 people from around the world participating every year at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally , Bell is thrilled to host the first-ever Helicopter Rally for enthusiasts and operators at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip ." In 2023 , Bell is hosting private owners of Bell helicopters to join the rally action with a Sturgis Buffalo Chip VIP experience for a fleet of lucky pilots and their passengers . Last year , Bell brought a company helicopter to the Chip and enjoyed success connecting with customers and celebrities . This year , the iconic American civilian and military supplier is stepping up the program and hosting its top customers at the Chip , as the venue grows and hosts
Rod Woodruff in a Bell helicopter at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip : " The Sturgis Buffalo Chip has been the home for a whole different kind of chopper for the past 43 years , and we genuinely look forward to Bell owners visiting us again during the Sturgis Rally ." RM Garrison Machining Purchases Ilium Works
all sorts of enthusiasts . " Hosting Bell last year was a great opportunity for our top-shelf rally clients to visit with Bell ," says Chip President Rod " Woody " Woodruff . " The Sturgis Buffalo Chip has been the home for a whole different kind of chopper for the past 43 years , and we genuinely look forward to Bell owners visiting us again during the Sturgis Rally ." Bell ' s presence at the Buffalo Chip will offer attendees demonstration flights in the Bell 407 and Bell 429 , limited experiences , VIP access to Buffalo Chip concerts and other premium events . Headquartered in Fort Worth , Texas , Bell is a whollyowned subsidiary of Textron Inc ., and boasts some 25 percent of its workforce having served in the military .
RM Garrison Machining Inc . ( RMG ), owner of Accutronix and Headwinds has added Ilium Works ( also of California ) to its burgeoning portfolio of parts and accessory brands . Founded in 1985 , Ilium Works ( IW ) is a manufacturer of aftermarket billet BMW Motorcycle parts and accessories - products such as grips , foot pegs , floorboards , risers and engine guards . " The Ilium program will complement the parts produced in our Accutronix motorcycle parts division - our specialty aftermarket parts brand for Harley-Davidson , Indian Motorcycle and other brand models ," said RMG ' s Shane Williams . RMG acquired the custom headlight bucket manufacturer Headwinds Lighting in 2019 . The acquisition of IW will add a Mazak HCN 5000 Horizontal Machine Center , a Mazak QTN 200 NY Lathe , ( 2 ) Haas VF4 Vertical Machining Centers and a range of complementary secondary machining and fabrication equipment to RMG ' s existing equipment lineup , increasing the manufacturing capacity at RMG ' s Phoenix , Arizona headquarters . Owned by the Williams family , the cornerstone of the business is All American Billet , which was founded in 2013 . Accutronix was purchased in 2015 , followed by Valley Machine Works in 2019 . The family bought Joel Felty ' s Headwinds Lighting in
Accutronix + 6 " Forward Controls
2020 and since that acquisition has continued to expand rapidly , starting All American Chassis in 2020 and All American Hot Rod in 2022 , before adding WAM Bumpers later the same year . www . accutronix . com www . headwinds . com www . iliumworks . com
22 AFTERMARKET MOTO DESIGN - JULY 2023 www . AMDchampionship . com