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BRIEFS
RawHyde Adventures has announced the opening of its new Zakar Overland Terrain Park and Event Center . Located in the heart of the Mojave Desert in California , Zakar will serve the powersports , overlanding and side-by-side industries as a venue for companies to host media events , product launches , corporate retreats , meetings , and more . PSB recently reported on Motorcycles of Manchester ( MOMS ) pursuing a similar venture in the Northeast , hoping to expand access to recreational opportunities for potential customers .
Yamaha ' s new Riding Feedback System ( YRFS ) has been designed to evaluate riding skills and provide the results in visual form as feedback for riders in order to help advance their skills . Introduced into the Yamaha Riding Academy ( YRA ) curriculum for this year in Japan , before an international roll-out , it uses a simple GPS-based logger device to acquire data for vehicle position and speed and then converts the values for acceleration , deceleration and cornering during the ride into visual form , which can be compared to photographs of a participant ' s body positioning while cornering .
Zero Motorcycles is to supply Viatec Inc . with electric powertrains for Viatec ' s line of SMARTPTO electrohydraulic systems . The 10-year agreement " aligns Zero Motorcycles ' state-of-the-art engineering and production capabilities with Viatec ' s goal to be the industry standard for reliable vocational vehicle electrification ."
Texas based Kandi America , a subsidiary of NASDAQ listed Kandi Technologies Group (" an international automotive and powersports manufacturer ") has announced Kandi Powersports as a dedicated product division " to focus exclusively on bringing Kandi ' s unique combination of industry knowledge , cutting edge technologies and expertise across manufacturing and electric to the powersports market ." First products will include electric ATVs and electric bikes and a selection of gaspowered models " to support Kandi dealers and keep them competitive while consumer demand for electric continues to grow ." Kandi acquired vehicle and parts distributor SC Autosports in 2018 .
Goodyear to Acquire Avon Tyres ' Parent Company Cooper Tire & Rubber
Akron , Ohio headquartered Goodyear Tire & Rubber is to acquire the Cooper Tire & Rubber Company ( Findlay , Ohio ) - since 1997 the parent company of the British Cobra custom tires manufacturer Avon Tyres . The two corporations have entered a definitive transaction agreement under which Goodyear will acquire Cooper in a deal with a total enterprise value of approximately $ 2.5bn . " The combined company will have approximately $ 17.5bn in pro forma 2019 sales . Cooper shareholders will receive $ 41.75 per share in cash and a fixed exchange ratio of 0.907 shares of Goodyear common stock per Cooper share for a total equity value of approximately $ 2.8bn . " Goodyear shareholders will own approximately 84 % of the combined company , and Cooper shareholders will own approximately 16 %." Founded in 1914 , Cooper is said to be the fifth largest tire manufacturer in North America by revenue , with approximately 10,000 employees working in 15 countries worldwide . Cooper products are manufactured in ten facilities around the globe , including wholly-owned and joint
Backed by a 12-month limited warranty and roadside assistance , Harley says its new certified pre-owned motorcycle program is the first it has implemented that is supported by its dealer network in the United States - some 63 % of who are so far said to have signed up for it by the time of the program ' s April launch . " H-D Certified is a strategic effort to strengthen our competitive position and is part of our new approach to the used motorcycle marketplace , aligned to the strategic priorities of The Hardwire , while supporting growth ," said Jochen Zeitz , chairman , president and CEO , Harley-Davidson . " We believe this program will drive Harley- Davidson desirability and enhance the overall customer experience , allowing more riders to have access to our motorcycles and provide them with an added level of confidence in their purchase ." Designed to " take the worry out of purchasing a pre-owned Harley- Davidson motorcycle ," Harley says that venture plants . The company ' s portfolio of brands includes Cooper , Mastercraft , Roadmaster and Mickey Thompson . Goodyear has a network of 2,500 branded retail stores and " intends to fund the cash portion of the transaction through debt financing and has secured a committed bridge financing facility led by JPMorgan Chase ." The Avon factory at Melksham , England , is one of the smallest and oldest in the Cooper network . Avon has been on its site since 1890 , where it is believed to currently employ some 400 people ; more than 300 people were laid off in 2018 . A Goodyear NA spokesperson told AMD : " We haven ' t yet begun the integration planning process , so it
each certified pre-owned motorcycle will be subjected to a comprehensive 110-point quality-assurance inspection by certified Harley-Davidson technicians . Dealers will also verify that the pre-owned motorcycle has no open recalls or a blocked VIN , has not been in a major accident , and that all scheduled service is up to date . Harley-Davidson motorcycles eligible for the program must be no more than five model years old , have less than 25,000 miles of use , and not contain aftermarket modifications to the
Avon ' s Cobra Chrome , the latest iteration of Avon ' s popular Cobra custom tire series , was launched at the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building at INTERMOT in October 2018 .
would be premature to comment on any aspect of the combined business beyond what we ' ve announced ."
H-D Certified Pre-Owned Program Precludes Aftermarket Mods
engine or transmission , or major chassis or electrical modifications . This is not really a surprise , but it will limit the value of the scheme and reduce dealer opportunities to make money and add value by leveraging aftermarket P & A opportunities . A complementary one-year membership in H . O . G . ( Harley Owners Group ) is included with each sale , with standard member benefits like roadside assistance . Special HDFS financing rates and programs will be available .
24 AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - MAY 2021