American Motorcycle Dealer AMD 173 December 2013 | Page 15

THE BRADLEY REPORT Ultimate Builder custom bike shows A S this edition of AMD Magazine went to press, the annual Progressive International Motorcycle Show series had got underway with stops in San Mateo, Northern California, Dallas, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia, already held. Custom industry legend Bob Kay’s Biker Pros team are again operating the ‘Ultimate Builder’ custom bike show series at the events. For anyone wishing to have more information, or enter any of the remaining custom shows, contact Bob’s business partner Jeff Najar on 1- 919 450 5060; or by email at [email protected]. For additional information on the show series visit www.motorcycleshows.com. The remaining dates are: December 6-8 Long Beach Convention Center, Long Beach (Los Angeles), California January 31-February 2 2014 I-X Center, Cleveland, Ohio January 10-13 2014 Washington Convention Center, Washington D.C. February 7-9 2014 Donald E. Stephens Convention Center Rosemont (Chicago), Il. January 17-19 2014 Minneapolis Convention Center Minneapolis, MN ORMER MAG Europe (Motorsport Aftermarket Group) senior executive Robert Brinkmark has left the company after 6 years, most latterly as General Manager. Robert has been hired by internationally respected Swedish suspension manufacturer Öhlins, where he is a Product Manager for their motorcycle, offroad, aftermarket and motorcycle racing lines. January 24-26 2014 University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale (Phoenix), Arizona December 13-15 Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, New York, New York F February 14-16 2014 Washington State Convention Center, Seattle, WA DID YOU KNOW? BMW R nine T flat twin R www.AMDchampionship.com Well, fast forward five years, and the concept has finally seen the light of day, but in the much less ambitious guise of 90th anniversary celebration camouflage (indeed as one of two 'specials' the company has launched to mark its landmark), the new BMW R nine T (geddit?) is that project. The styling is more conservative and way less muscular, but don't be fooled, this is the same platform. Now seen as more house-style oriented incarnation, it represents an attempt to build from the center in brand reach terms, rather than dropping itself directly into the middle of someone else's pond. The hype has now been down-played considerably from David Robb's 2008 grand unveiling, and the then hugely Milwaukee-esque branding, in order, no doubt, to tamp down expectations. But be afraid - be very afraid ... BMW is now officially in the custom (flat) twin business! From this seemingly innocent and modest start, don't be surprised to see their attempts to carve themselves a slice of Harley's pie accelerate in the course of the coming years! THE latest incarnation of Norton Motorcycles, a revival manufacturing operation in the UK headed up by Norton Motorcycles CEO Stuart Garner, has finally started shipping models to US dealers. Headed up in the US by respected industry veteran and ex Ducati North America CEO Dan Van Epps, an EPA Certificate of Conformity was issued earlier this year, and there has been talk of building a 50 strong dealer network in the US. NO sooner had Polaris given a Sturgis debut to their first takes on an Indian Motorcycle design, than a recall was issued for some "legacy generation" Kings Mountain, North Carolina manufactured models for defective rear wheel trims. Under Polaris' ownership newly designed 2014 Indian Chief models (seen recently at the 'Milan Show' among others) are being assembled on their allnew Thunder Stroke 111 inch 49 degree v-twin engine at the company's Spirit Lake, Iowa facility. AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - DECEMBER 2013 15 Sources: The Bradley Report, AMD Magazine, Big Bike Europe, MIC, AMA, PSB, Dealernews EGULAR readers will recall that five years ago BMW surprised industry observers (indeed surprised many in the company!) at that year's Milan Show by unveiling a design prototype for a modular and muscular custom bike project. Called the Lo-Rider, it was the brain child of Bostonian David Robb, who was chief designer for BMW Motorrad in Munich, Germany, from 1993 to 2012 - overseeing what can only be described as a 'Purple Patch' by any designer's standards, as BMW convincingly re-invented its wheels and image, and set the stage for becoming the powerhouse in motorcycle terms that it now is. A year later I interviewed Robb, and with the prototype having not, apparently, made it any closer to production 12 months later, he told me that the project is still very much one that BMW could "go after Harley-Davidson with", but that the downturn and demands of the priority being placed at getting into racing at that time meant that for the time being it would remain a 'wish-list' project. A total of some 31 US riders took part in the International Six Days Enduro (ISDE) staged on the Mediterranean island of Sardinia at the beginning of October. The US World Trophy team matched the United States' best ever finish in FIM World Championship events with a second place overall. Taylor Robert (E2 class) was the highest placed American. France took the overall ISDE win, winning five of the six days of competition, with Italy third on their home soil. The US Junior team finished fourth; the US Women's team sixth; and two American threerider teams finished in the top five of the club team division - among the club riders was 54 year-old AMA Hall-of-Famer Jeff Fredett ??)??????????????????%M???????)???????????????????((0