NEWS
BRIEFS
In collaboration with the Congressional Motorcycle Caucus in Washington , DC ., the MIC has briefed on “ Intelligent Transportation Systems and Automated Vehicle Applications Impacts on Motorcycle Safety ” - specifically on vehicle-to-vehicle technologies ( V2V ). The benefits of such tech to the motorcycles and riders of the future include collision mitigation and avoidance , something that speaks with a loud voice to emerging generations of consumers . Hitherto the U . S . motorcycle industry , and specifically Harley-Davidson and ( less so ) Indian Motorcycle / Polaris , are notably some years behind the developments and concepts that are being actively researched and tested in Europe , Japan and elsewhere in Asia .
BRP reported a + 16.4 % increase in Q1 revenue ( for the period ending April 30 ), up by CAN $ 159.8m to CAN $ 1,136.7m - largely attributed to increases in sales of ‘ year-round ’ products . North American powersports vehicle retail sales were + 9 %, largely driven by increases in SSV sales . Gross profit was up by CAN $ 54.5m ( 28 % of revenues ); EBITDA was CAN $ 126.6m ( 11.1 % of revenues ).
Sumax Cycle Products of Oriskany , NY , ( Kirk Van Scoten ) has ‘ passed the flame ’ for sales and manufacturing of its high strength , lightweight fenders and bags to well-known glass fiber manufacturer Oldy ’ s Custom Composites of Hull , Iowa . With its origins in 1978 , Oldy ’ s has been fabricating motorcycle parts since 1995 and are best known as HD Bagger parts . Its bestselling fender , the “ Bear Claw ”, has been in production for 20 years and the company estimates it has produced somewhere between 25,000 to 30,000 fenders since 1998 , acquiring the fender product line of Classic Motor Works of South Dakota in 2010 . Sumax will continue as a powder-coater and designer and master distributor of its Taylor spark plug wires and battery cables programs .
West Bend H-D is the latest store to fall within the gravitational pull of Ozzie and Jill Giglio ’ s Milwaukee Motorcycle Company ( MMC ), an affiliate of Windy City Motorcycle Company , which now owns some 15 authorized Harley-Davidson dealerships in Illinois and Wisconsin .
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began to experiment with electric motorcycles and built a bike that set a land speed record of 165.387 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats . In 1975 , he built a Yardney battery-powered street prototype that climbed New Hampshire ’ s Mt . Washington , and then developed the “ City Bike ,” an electric bike available to consumers . He also developed electric conversion kits for the VW Beetle . In the late 1970s , Corbin Gentry was split into East and West Coast divisions , and the eastern operations were sold . Mike retained ownership of the West Coast operations , which were renamed Corbin Pacific . He turned his attention to the physical fitness market and began working with Don Schoeck to design bodybuilding machines . Soon after , they patented and produced several lifting and rowing machines . The early 1980s saw Corbin continue to develop quality bodybuilding equipment , endorsed by professionals such as Arnold Schwarzenegger . At the same time , motorcycle seat sales soared with the creation of the “ Gunfighter ” model , an innovative rumble seat . The company expanded again in 1989 , setting up a new factory in Castroville , Calif . During the 1990s , Corbin Pacific experienced even more growth . Distribution expanded to Europe , and
The ‘ Wall ’ saddle for ’ 07- ’ 16 Sportsters
a showroom was opened in Daytona Beach , Fla .; saddlebags and boots were added to the product line-up . The company moved into an 80,000 plus
‘ electric land speed record ’
square-foot facility in Hollister , Calif ., and Corbin Pacific became a major sponsor and organizer of the 50th Anniversary Hollister Motorcycle Rally . In 1996 , Mike and his son , Tom , began to develop the Sparrow — a singleseat , enclosed electric vehicle that
The ‘ Widowmaker ’ Touring saddle
would be registered as a motorcycle . The new company , Corbin Motors , also developed a V-twin powered threewheel vehicle named the Merlin . Unfortunately , due to large development costs and the downturn of the U . S . economy , Corbin Motors was forced to file bankruptcy in 2003 . “ Electric vehicles have always been central in my career ,” Corbin said . “ Sparrow was my best product ever , but with the poorest business plan .” Corbin then enrolled in the Owners and Managers course at Harvard . “ Business is a word using many esses , because business keeps twisting and turning . I had a very difficult time becoming a ‘ business ’ guy , which I needed to do in order to be sustainable ,” he said . Corbin and his companies have been awarded over 70 mechanical patents , trademarks and copyrights . “ I guess the focus has been the sheer joy of serving motorcycle riders through product invention and development ,” he said . Corbin was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2000 ; fast forward to 2018 and those fifty years have flown by . Nowadays his company has seat designs either in inventory or patterns stored for some 1,200 motorcycles . www . corbin . com
The ‘ Sparrow ’ ZEV design was awarded a US patent
22 AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - JULY 2018 www . AMDchampionship . com