Not your average parts maker…
It is remarkable to think that the boom in European custom motorcycle parts manufacturing, and the phenomenal growth in Harley sales that fuelled it, is already 20 years behind us.
In truth, it was a phenomenon that had started in the mid 1980s and was associated closely with the then burgeoning European-style and streetfighter style scenes.
With the honorable exception of Swedish style long-fork choppers and the British taste for featherbed frames and BSA and Triumph engines, the custom scene in Europe had been largely dominated by either concourse/heritage style restorations or imitative west coast low-rider styling up to that point.
European designers had so far struggled to find their own voice where custom v-twins were concerned, and there was next to no demand for locally made volume parts with customizers eager to display their credentials by consuming American made or sourced product.
Distributors such as Custom Chrome, Midwest, Gary Bang and Jammer, and manufacturers such as Arlen Ness, PM, Paughco, V-Twin and S&S were among the first to benefit - along with the growing number of domestic European distributors (Zodiac, W&W, Tom’s et al) as the market started to grow and evolve.
By the early 1990s streetfighter styling had started to migrate into Europe's custom Harley market, especially in Germany (and the UK), and when the fat rear-end boom combined streetfighter styling with the west-coast low rider vibe, demand was created for European made off-the-shelf parts that met the specific tastes of the emerging “Euro-Style” – a demand also fuelled by the back then largely unrestricted export of used and late model Harleys to customize in shops in a Europe in which Harley’s own distribution and dealer network was at a positively juvenile stage.
Indeed, we are talking about an era in which Harley’s total production had bottomed out at around 36,000 bikes a year in the mid-eighties, with promises by the Motor Company to get to 100,000 units a year by the mid-nineties widely regarded as optimistic.
By the mid-1990s many of the European parts businesses that had started in the prior decade were growing as quickly as the market, and one such v-twin specialist was RST in Germany – owned and operated by founders Roland and Elke Stocker.
When they decided to sell their company to pursue other motorcycling interests, it was acquired (in 2000) by present owner Michael Zupritt – another pioneer of European custom parts design and manufacturing whose principal focus up to that time had been in the so-called ‘metric’ parts market.
His MIZU operation (taken from his name MIchael ZUpritt) had also started in the 1980s, focussed primarily on street bike and Supermoto parts – another sector that, when he got in to it, was a shadow of the market it was to become.
Zupritt was also an early adopter and pioneer in what became known, a decade later, as the "Stunting" market. He and his MIZU business played a key role in the early stages of the evolution of the Supermotard parts and styling industry - today's Enduro and Adventure tour markets are the progeny of the work done by pioneers such as Zupritt and others in Europe in the 1980s and 1990s.
The match between MIZU and RST Performance Parts (as the Harley aftermarket and custom v-twin side of the business became known) was perfect. The two complemented each other well, with MIZU bringing the next stage of investment and manufacturing processes to a product range which he was able to refine and bring substantial development to.
MIZU is itself a remarkable business. Its operations are “diverse” to say the least - from authorized KTM and Suzuki dealerships to race teams, own brand products such as Holeshot exhausts, famous name third party exhaust and suspension distributorships, and a comeback for the legendary L&W exhausts brand; right through to a performance parts and engine business for the boat industry that the company was able to exploit on Lake Constance and elsewhere near its southern Germany headquarters.
That manufacturing experience and capital base has allowed Michael Zupritt to take RST Performance’s product range forward to the point where they now offer one of the largest ranges of custom parts made by anyone, anywhere in Europe.
From brake calipers and rotors to suspension cartridges and complete front ends; from triple trees and risers to frames and swingarms; from controls and cables to lowering kits, pegs and grips.
The company received ISO accreditation around 10 years ago and designs, makes and tests all its products in-house (except for the Austrian made Sebring custom exhausts they sell), and that testing revolves around a multi-award winning custom bike design and building program that has been a custom-show staple in Europe for many years.
RST PERFORMANCE PARTS
www.rst-performance.de
CV Performance celebrates 25th anniversary
Ken Mendelson, owner of CV Performance, is celebrating the 25th anniversary introduction of the original EZ-Just mixture screw.
Exclusively available through CV Performance, the original prototype was first developed in the 1980s to eliminate the need for carburetor removal when making adjustments, and was later adapted when the CV carburetor became the standard on Harleys. The new mixture screw quickly grew in popularity and became known as the EZ-Just 25 years ago.
To date the EZ-Just has been sold around the world, and with over 2.5 million carbureted Harley models produced, demand for the EZ-Just continues. Often imitated but never duplicated, CV Performance “is dedicated to continuing our tradition of making the EZ-Just and our other American made products without jeopardizing quality,” says Ken.
“Adding our EZ-Just mixture screw helps quickly make adjustments whenever changing pipes or intakes, often avoiding the need for a complete rejet. The EZ-Just is sold individually with instructions or, for our authorized dealers and shops, in multi-packs.
CV Performance manufactures a full line of carburetor tuning products and replacement parts for Harley v-twin motorcycles, including their premium accelerator pump diaphragm (available for Harley and S&S carbs), idle speed screw, and their Harley carburetor vacuum slide.
CV Performance is a factory-direct distributor and offers various dealer incentives including seasonal sale items and price matching on select items.
www.cv-performance.com
“TBR Power Tower” dealer display program
Santa Ana, California based exhaust manufacturer TBR (Two Brothers Racing) has launched a new dealer display program for its TBR V-twin cruiser exhausts program.
“We wanted a way to provide our dealers with everything they needed to properly display and sell our exhaust systems,” says Mark Jacobs, the Sales Manager of TBR V-Twin. Mark was a driving force behind starting this program, and with over 10 years in the sales industry he is wise to what works and what is just a gimmick. “We know that consumers are much more comfortable with a purchase when they can touch and feel the actual product and see the quality first hand,” according to Mark.
Standing over five feet tall and featuring bold graphics with a dramatic color scheme, “the concept for this display is for it to serve as a sales tool to show many systems at once,” explains Mark. The TBR Power Tower is constructed with a heavy-duty steel frame with locking caster wheels for ease of movement. The included rubber coated hanging brackets ensure the exhausts won’t get scratched and allow for quick removal should a customer want to give it the trusty “hold it up there” test.
The TBR Power Tower allows for up to six different exhaust canisters to be displayed at once, and it’s even got an integrated catalog holder. “TBR Power Tower is more than just a cool display,” claims Mark. “We go above and beyond helping your customers to pick the correct pipe. If you have something that isn’t moving, we will swap it for something that does - no questions asked,” he adds.
With over 25 years in the motorcycle industry, Two Bros is a leading manufacturer of performance exhaust systems and aftermarket components. Inspired by a professional racing heritage, Two Bros makes exhaust systems for everything from sport bikes to v-twin cruisers, using the highest quality materials, all exhaust systems are TIG welded by hand.
www.twobros.com
‘Design Your Own’ Danny Gray custom seat
High End Seating Systems (HESS) of Santa Ana, California, owner of the Danny Gray custom seats brand (and AirHawk), was, until recently, manufacturer of Harley-Davidson's custom seat program, while manufacturing and distributing their Danny Gray core brand of V-twin seats on an aftermarket basis.
The company has now announced that it is launching a dealer direct Danny Gray custom seat program for Harley-Davidson motorcycles called ‘Design Your Own’.
John Strahl, VP Marketing & Sales, explains that the concept has been “created to service your customers and you much more quickly by drop-shipping individual custom seats directly to your door. All you need to do is accept the order from the customer, who designs his seat with you or online at dannygray.com/designyourown, prints out the order with MSRP and gives it to you. You may phone or e-mail us the order. We will build it and ship it to you in 2-3 weeks. What could be easier?”
In support of our ‘Design Your Own’ program, Strahl says the company will be launching a digital media campaign to Harley riders through the Bonnier Group's online network and our social media platforms, asking riders to take their custom seat orders to their nearest Danny Gray dealer for fulfilment, with dealers making a full 40% gross margin on each sale.
www.dannygray.com
S&S carb kits
Drag Specialties has a range of S&S carb kits available for immediate shipping, including the Super E kit seen here, that includes a signature S&S teardrop air cleaner assembly.
The Super E has a 1 7/8" throat at the butterfly and a 1 9/16" venturi, making it ideal for use on Big Twin and Sportster engines up to 100". The manifold and mounting hardware are sold separately, as are the required two-cable pull open/pull close throttle assembly and, for '36-'65 models, a 1" spacer block to clear the external oil line.
Also seen here is a replacement Super E and G carburetor bowl assembly, a master rebuild kit for Super A and B carbs that includes body, accelerator pump, fasteners, springs, idle mixture screw and needle assembly, and a master jet kit for Super B, E and G carbs that includes one each of all the main and intermediate jets.
DRAG SPECIALTIES
www.dragspecialties.com
OEM replacement rectifier/regulators
Noted motorcycle electrics specialist Rick's Motorsport Electrics' high-performance rectifier/regulators are new (not exchange or re-conditioned items) and built to exceed OEM specifications as high-quality, cost-effective replacements. A direct replacement for the stock item on '88-'99 Evo Big Twins and '84-'89 Big Twins, they come with the factory plug ends for an easy install. Part of their market-leading 'Hot Shot' series, they feature MOSFET (metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor) technology, so they run cooler than OE, which equates to a longer lasting, more durable design.
DRAG SPECIALTIES, USA, www.dragspecialties.com
Road Rage III for Dyna; new 2x2 cross-over for Dressers
Bassani Xhaust has announced "a very important new system for the Dyna platform. We have taken our best selling pipe and made it even better. This system has everything an avid Dyna enthusiast would want."
The Road Rage III 2-into-1 for Dyna (available in stainless, chrome or black) features stepped 1-3/4" to 1-7/8" equal-length head pipes with advanced merge collector designed for maximum performance, stainless steel 304 construction, brushed finish with precision TIG welding and rear upper heat shield.
"We were able to bring the head pipes up more under the controls, for better ground clearance. The short megaphone muffler has an aggressive upsweep, also allowing for better clearance." Removable baffle and end cap and 18mm O2 ports with 12mm adapters and plugs included. Fits Dyna '91-2016 mid-controls only; new stainless version available.
Also seen here is a new 2X2 cross-over head pipe for 2009 - 2016 Dressers. "This head pipe is a great solution for someone wanting to run duals at an affordable price." The 1-3/4" head pipes are made to fit under stock heat shields; they come with a 1-3/4" cross-over pipe and have both 18mm and 12mm O2 ports. These are made to fit with stock mufflers, or if preferred a set of Bassani Xhaust slip-on mufflers can be added for a complete performance exhaust solution.
BASSANI XHAUST
www.bassanipipes.com
New performance Street slip-ons in Factory Black
Lincoln, Nebraska based TAB Performance has announced the release of a new slip-on muffler for the Harley-Davidson Street 500 and 750 that is said to "to provide the sound riders want," says owner Justin Pflanz.
"There currently isn't a performance slip-on for The Street that is an exact match to the factory heat shields. Here at TAB we are proud to offer a tip compatible slip-on muffler that looks as great as it sounds."
Available as an exact match for the factory finish, Black Cermet and Nickel Chrome, they come with a removable baffle core allowing the rider to choose just how loud they'd like their exhaust. "As for performance," Justin says, "you can expect to see double digit gains in horsepower on a stock bike when properly tuned."
Justin went on to say that TAB also provides "great value" on auto-tuning fuel managers and air filters to complete the stage one upgrade on The Street (and most other H-D models), and that these pipes can be installed with nothing more than a basic tool set in as little as 15 minutes.
TAB PERFORMANCE, INC.
www.tabperformance.com
Not your average parts maker…
