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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ROBIN BRADLEY robin @ dealer-world. com
GENERAL MANAGER
SARA VINEY sara @ dealer-world. com
DESIGN & PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
BEN OAG ben @ dealer-world. com
PHOTOGRAPHERS
ONNO WIERINGA MADNESS PHOTOGRAPHY, NL www. madnessphotography. eu
HORST RÖSLER www. motographer. de
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MARCH 2026(# 320)
COMMENT: Succession Planning and a New Strategic Plan?.................................... 4
The more time that passes since Jochen Zeitz announced his plan to ' retire ', the worse his era starts to look. Harley ' s latest results show just what a bad state the company has found itself in, and how much work Artie Starrs has got to do. Robin Bradley says the seed for the mistakes made to get them to where they are now were sown as long ago as 2007.
MIKE KENNEDY: Was it destiny?........................................................................................ 14-18
Mike Kennedy ' s arrival at the top seat of Indian Motorcycle almost seems pre-ordained. It is as if his career experience prepared him for a vacancy that nobody knew was going to exist. Robin Bradley ' s interview with Kennedy, 10 days after Indian Motorcycle was confirmed as independent looks at how Kennedy ' s past can be expected to shape Indian ' s future.
MOTOR BIKE EXPO: Verona, Italy January 2026........................................ 24-28
Horst Roessler brings us his very particular take on the insanely popular ' season starter ' in Italy. However, he wasn ' t the only senior industry VIP there- our Bothan Spies have been tracking Harley CEO Artie Starrs as he took a swing through the European market, including time spent with dealers, HOG Groups, riders, time at the ' Verona ' Show, Warr ' s London, and the J & H exhaust factory in The Netherlands.
LOUISVILLE: Drag Specialties 2026 Dealer NVP & Parts Expo.................... 30-36
Despite ' Snowmageddon ' the response from vendors to the better than might have been feared attendance was positive- with multiple reports of the increased time that everyone had for detailed conversations with dealers, Drag Specialties reps and LeMans buyers much appreciated as the selling season got well and truly underway.
FATBOOK COVER BIKE:............................................................................ 58-60
A joint venture between Len Kodlin( son of legendary customizer Fred) and Holger Mohr, Kodlin USA was only founded in 2020 and is the latest vendor to have been selected to build the Cover Bike for the Drag Specialties ' FatBook ' catalog. Newly relocated from California to Texas, Kodlin USA is one of the fastest growing P & A brands on the market, and all designs are by Len.
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No part of AMD may be reproduced or used in any way without permission. The views contained in AMD are not necessarily the views of the publishers; the views of the publishers are not necessarily the views of any third parties. Every effort is made to ensure that all material included is as accurate as possible, however, neither the publishers or any third parties can be held responsible for any erroneous statements, facts, figures or just plain silly or honest mistakes or inaccuracies, howsoever caused. All trademarks, brand names and other key words are used purely for descriptive purposes. No approval, endorsement of, or involvement in the contents of AMD is implied by the use of these or any other words, names or marks associated with all or any companies. All trademarks are openly acknowledged by AMD and by any third parties included in AMD. All AMD editorial content is just exactly that, independently sourced, compiled and written editorial content for which no financial or other beneficial transaction or other kind of relationship, contractual or otherwise, has been entered into. No consequential losses or any other liabilities are accepted arising from content of any kind in AMD, howsoever caused.
‘ World Championship of Custom Bike Building’ is a registered trademark of Robin A. Bradley, Dealer World
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P O S T M A S T E R
AMD( ISSN 1465-7627) is published monthly by Dealer World, Framlingham Technology Centre, Station Road, Framlingham, WOODBRIDGE, Suffolk, IP12 9EZ, Great Britain, United Kingdom. Subscription price $ 200 per year. Postmaster: Please send address changes to: AMD, Dealer World, Framlingham Technology Centre, Station Road, Framlingham, WOODBRIDGE, Suffolk, IP12 9EZ, Great Britain, United Kingdom or e-mail to sara @ dealer-world. com
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