News

Harley-Davidson Motor Company is proud to announce the launch of an all-new global Harley-Davidson® Authorized Tours program that will offer Harley-Davidson riders an opportunity to experience riding adventures worldwide.

In partnership with 11 independent, multi-national tour operators, the Harley-Davidson Authorized Tours program encompasses more than 150 distinct tour experiences conducted across the world in 10 languages, with destinations in North America, Europe, Africa, and Australia.

Participants can book tours as an individual or as a group, and can select from five different types of tours, including guided, semi-guided, and self-guided tours, with riding itineraries aimed at beginners or experienced riders. No matter what type of experience is chosen, lodging and a rental motorcycle (where applicable) are included. Self-guided tours include maps, accommodation and a detailed itinerary. Guided and semi-guided tours include a tour guide; a support vehicle to carry your belongings; lodging accommodation; and transfers to and from the airport, hotel, and rental station.

“When you book a tour through the Harley-Davidson® Authorized Tours program, you can trust it has been planned by the best in the business,” said Nigel Villers, Director of International Customer Experience, Harley-Davidson Motor Company. “Harley-Davidson has taken great care in selecting only the highest-quality, most-experienced tour companies – with the very best reputations for excellence – to provide a truly genuine Harley-Davidson experience.”

The launch of Harley-Davidson® Authorized Tours is supported by a new fully interactive website that makes it easy to select the date, language, format, region and tour type as well as book or reserve a place on a tour from the comfort of your own home.  The website provides detailed maps of each route as well as a full daily itinerary to bring the experiences to life for anyone looking for inspiration.

For more information or to book a tour, visit www.harley-davidson.com/authorizedtours

MILWAUKEE (February 1, 2012) -

The Harley-Davidson® Seventy-Two™ motorcycle is a metal flake dream machine, a Sportster® on a trip back to the days when the cool kids rode a Sting-Ray and the big boys parked choppers in a row on the curb. Those motorcycles were long and lean; candy-apple color and gleaming chrome shimmering in hazy summer sunlight. From its Hard Candy Big Red Flake paint and ape bars to its narrow whitewall tires, the Seventy-Two is a respectful nod to that era, and to the influence of the custom culture that still percolates today along Whittier Boulevard, the legendary cruising street in East Los Angeles also known as Route 72. A new generation of custom builder is tapping into that era and making a fresh statement, not just in California but in garages across the country, even around the world.

“In creating the Seventy-Two, we were also inspired by the vibe of the early chopper era,” says Frank Savage, Harley-Davidson Manager of Industrial Design. “Those bikes were colorful and chromed, but also narrow and stripped down to the essentials. You look at period examples and they are almost as simple as a bicycle. It’s a custom style that’s very particular to America and that California scene.”

Metal flake, an iconic design element of the ‘70s, appeared in everything from dune buggy gel coat to vinyl diner upholstery, and on custom motorcycles. Harley-Davidson brings the sparkle back on the Seventy-Two with Hard Candy Big Red Flake paint. This new finish is created by applying a black base coat, followed by a polyurethane system that carries hexagon-shaped flakes that are more than seven times the diameter of metal flake used in typical production paint. Each flake is coated with a thin aluminum film and then tinted red. Four applications of clear coat, combined with hand sanding, create a smooth finish over the flakes.

“The final touch to the Hard Candy Big Red Flake paint is a logo on the tank top and pinstripe scallop details on both fenders,” says Savage. “Each was originally created by hand, and we recreated that art in a decal for production, so they still have the appearance of hand-applied graphics in that they are not exactly perfect. The graphics are then covered with a final clear coat application.”

A solo seat and side-mounted license plate bracket leave much of the chopped rear fender – and more of that paint – exposed on the Seventy-Two. The powertrain is finished in Gray powdercoat with chrome covers and a new round air cleaner with a dished cover. A classic Sportster 2.1-gallon “peanut” fuel tank adds a final period touch to the motorcycle.

Key features of the 2012 Harley-Davidson® Seventy-Two™ include:

• Air-cooled Evolution® 1200cc V-Twin engine with Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI), rated at 73 ft. lbs. peak torque at 3500 rpm.
• Powertrain is finished in Gray powdercoat with Chrome covers.
• Paint color choices include Hard Candy Big Red Flake with period pinstripe details on fenders and fuel tank, Black Denim, and Big Blue Pearl.
• Classic 2.1-gallon peanut fuel tank.
• Dunlop® white side wall 21-inch (MH90-21) front and 16-inch (150/80B16) rear tires.
• Chrome Laced wheels.
• Ten-inch mini-ape handlebar mounted on a two-inch high riser.
• Chrome, eight-inch round air cleaner cover with center screw mount.
• Chopped rear fender exposes rear tire.
• Side-mounted license plate bracket.
• Chrome, staggered, shorty dual exhaust with slash-cut mufflers.
• Solo seat with black textured vinyl cover.
• Handlebar-mounted speedometer with chrome cup.
• Chrome rear fender struts.
• Chrome coil-over pre-load adjustable rear shocks.
• Forward foot controls.

11/21/11

ABC Harley-Davidson

For the past 17 years ABC Harley-Davidson and the Waterford Harley Owners Group (W.H.O.G.) have teamed up with the U.S. Marines to help bring Christmas to children in need!

W.H.O.G. members prepare year-round to inform the community about their participation in the Toys for Tots program. Volunteers from ABC Harley, W.H.O.G. and U.S. Marines will host the following fundraising activities to raise donations for this specific charity (all funds collected will go towards the purchase of brand new toys).

November 25^th – November 27^th : Volunteers will be at Bass Pro Shop inside of Great Lakes Crossing Mall (Auburn Hills, MI). See our team members collecting contributions outside of the store, gift wrapping and gathering Toys!

December 3^rd – December 4th: Join us for ABC Harley-Davidson’s Christmas Open House (Waterford, MI). Watch as volunteers and Marines stand outside the dealership, beat the cold, and raise money in order for children to have a spectacular holiday season! Inside get your picture taken with Santa, enjoy a delicious spread of refreshments, give thanks to a local Marine, observe as the children create seasonal arts and crafts and witness the mountain of donated toys grow!

December 3^rd – December 4th: Volunteers will again be at Bass Pro Shop inside of Great Lakes Crossing Mall (Auburn Hills, MI). See our team members collecting contributions outside of the store, gift wrapping and gathering Toys!

ABC Harley-Davidson is now accepting toys at their dealership for the Toys for Tots organization.

Our team hopes to increase their donations of approximately $60,00 in 2010! In attempt to achieve our goal we are asking for your help in informing the Metro Detroit area about our cause! From the donation of a toy to just saying Thank You to a Marine, we need YOUR support.

We Wish You A Happy & Healthy Holiday Season!

MILWAUKEE (November 7, 2011) -

Today Harley-Davidson Motor Company shifts its commitment to crowdsourcing into a higher gear by launching a new Facebook application that sources advertising ideas directly from Harley-Davidson’s millions of Facebook fans.

Fan Machine allows Harley-Davidson’s Facebook community to review an advertising brief, submit ideas and vote on ideas from other community members. After selecting and rewarding the winners, Harley-Davidson will work with existing marketing partners to bring the best creative ideas to life. Harley-Davidson has crowdsourced ideas like this for a year, but not with the massive scale of Facebook.

Harley-Davidson is in the midst of transforming its business to be customer-led throughout the company, which includes marketing approaches such as the pioneering use of crowdsourcing.

“This is not a publicity stunt, or a limited time engagement. We’re committed to crowdsourcing, because these ideas naturally flow from our passionate fans,” said Mark-Hans Richer, Harley-Davidson’s Chief Marketing Officer. “As the true stewards of our brand, our fans now have a huge new platform to share their ideas.

“It works for us because their passion for our brand is second-to-none. They’re going to light this thing up, and it will be fun to watch. Facebook also proves this passion is passing along to the next generation, where 40 percent of our fans are between the ages of 18 and 34.”

Harley-Davidson’s first foray into crowdsourced marketing resulted in ‘No Cages,’ the Motor Company’s ad campaign that debuted in February.

“Getting a brand’s fans and followers involved in co-creating advertising ideas is the future of marketing,” said John Winsor, CEO of Victors & Spoils, the agency that produced ‘No Cages.’ “We’re excited to work with Harley-Davidson as our first brand partner using the Fan Machine technology, a logical choice because of our deep partnership and their passionate fans.”

The first Fan Machine brief, which will focus on building on the ‘No Cages’ campaign, is available on the Harley-Davidson Facebook page now. www.facebook.com/harley-davidson

ABC Salesmen Gary Burton Discussing His View on Michigan Helmet Law

By CAROL HOPKINS
Of The Oakland Press

The Michigan Senate already approved the measure to repeal the helmet law, and Wednesday the House approved a repeal of the existing law.

The bill would allow riders 21 or older to go without helmets if they meet certain insurance and experience conditions. The measure approved by a 69-39 vote would allow riders 21 or older to go without helmets if they meet certain insurance and experience conditions.

Riders must have been licensed to operate a motorcycle for at least two years or have passed a safety course to go without helmets.

The House bill calls for motorcyclists to have at least $20,000 of first party medical benefits coverage in the event they are involved in an accident.

The bill returns to the Senate, which already has passed the bill in a similar form. If the Senate agrees with the House-backed changes, the legislation would be sent to Gov. Rick Snyder.

If supporters of the helmet repeal want the measure to become law, they may have to pass other proposals pending in the Legislature that would change elements of Michigan’s auto insurance laws.

The issue drew strong reactions from readers commenting online.

“There is a reason they refer to them as ‘brain buckets,’” wrote Jule Oliver. “We ride and it’s just part of the equipment, (as with) a race car driver or astronaut. Neither could participate in the sport without a helmet. It’s just stupid to ride without one. It’s got nothing to do with politics. They save lives!”

Some resented the Legislature’s stepping on rights.

“If you’re over 18 you should be able to choose whether or not you wear one,” said Joshua Bennett. “Personally I wouldn’t ride without one but I don’t think the government should be telling me either way.”

Gary Julie Ferris Hegedus said helmets are worn in this family, adding, “Most accidents are caused by the other driver. Studies found a helmet made no difference.”

Michael Abbott said deciding the helmet debate was a “tough call.”

He said, “I think common sense tells us helmets create a safer riding experience. We pay taxes to build the road and using the roads is a privilege, not a right. Therefore I do agree that the government has the authority to dictate helmet usage on the public roads.”

Some referenced the problem hospitals face when injured helmetless riders who have no insurance come into the emergency room.

“If the state ends (the helmet law), then insurance companies should have the right to refuse claims on (those accidents),” said Kris Marrs.

Abbott said, “The hospitals will end up passing along the higher costs to the rest of us.”

Brian Kitchin said helmet laws are in principal the same as seat belt laws.

“The government is now in the healthcare business and they can limit your freedoms in the name of risk versus cost.”

A reader named ndc said those who go without helmets should “sign a waiver that they will refuse medical treatment in case of an accident.”

FTW wrote, “Let those who ride decide.”

Christine Page stated, “If you are in your car minding your own business at a complete stop and one of these ‘freedom-loving’ helmetless motorcyclists without insurance runs into the back end of your car and ends up in a vegetative state, YOUR INSURANCE has to pay for his or her care. Now do you still want them to not wear a helmet?

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Beth Reoch of Highland, Michigan was named ABC Harley-Davidson’s Ms. Mayhem of 2011! Beth competed in the Ms. Bike Night competition at Boomer’s Roadhouse during the Bike Night season! Four girls were named Ms. Bike Night of a specific month, Beth being named Ms. August. The Ms. Bike Night Monthly winners then went on to compete for the TITLE of MS. MAYHEM, named after ABC Harley-Davidson’s annual Bike and Car Party! After Beth was announced the winner, she received A photo shoot and full page spread with Thunder Roads Magazine, An ABC Harley-Davidson gift card, to work as a promoter for ABC Harley-Davidson, and all the GLAM that goes along with her title. Beth is a passionate rider and ABC Harley is thrilled to have her as part of their team! Thanks Beth and Congratulations!