MIC to represent powersports on newly formed Outdoor Recreation Industry Roundtable
The Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) is making “common cause” with several other outdoor recreation groups in establishing an Outdoor Recreation Industry Roundtable as a lobby platform to call attention to the collective breadth and positive impact that the recreation and outdoor industry sectors have on the U.S. economy.
Representing nearly 90 percent of the outdoor economy, it is claimed that the outdoor recreation industry contributes approximately $646 billion per year to Gross Domestic Product, which is about 4 percent of the entire U.S. economy.
The Roundtable says it is dedicated to working alongside President-elect Trump and his administration to grow jobs and ensure all Americans have the opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. Initiatives the group will focus on include growing diverse participation, expanding access and promoting conservation. The Roundtable wrote to the Trump administration in November outlining strategic efforts it will pursue on behalf of the outdoor industry. The letter included a call to establish an Outdoor Recreational Business Roundtable as a White House Level Advisory Group.
Outdoor industries involved in the Roundtable include recreational vehicles (RVs), boating, angling, hunting, camping, archery, shooting sports, towable and motorized recreational vehicles, powersports and outdoor equipment gear, and apparel. In addition to the MIC, other involved organizations include the American Recreation Coalition, International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association, National Marine Manufacturers Association, Outdoor Industry Association, Recreational Off-Highway Vehicle Association, National RV Dealers Association, Recreational Vehicle Industry Association and Specialty Vehicle Institute of America.
S&S 4” Big Bore ‘Sidewinder” kit
S&S has a new bolt-in 4-inch big bore ‘Sidewinder’ kit available for Twin Cam 88s.
The company says “no machining, no rebalancing, just bolt in pistons and cylinders in place of the stock items and the kit will take 1999-2006 Twin Cam 88 engines up to 100ci, and 2007-later (except 2017 touring models) become 110ci monsters!”
S&S say that installation can be done with the engine still in the bike, and that the kit works well with stock cylinder heads, or, for even more power, S&S say they can CNC-port the heads for their dealers.
Available in color-matched silver or wrinkle black powdercoat finish, the 10.5:1 compression “makes for a very ‘streetable’ and dependable engine that also responds well to performance cams.”
S&S CYCLE INC.
www.sscycle.com
10-gauge frame grilles
Machined from billet aluminum, these 10-gauge frame grilles from Ness Enterprises are said to “add style and take the eyes away from the unfinished looking areas of the stock frame on selected ’09 – ’16 Tourers.
With a wide range of matching accessories available (such as floorboards, grips, latch covers and more), they protect the front cylinder from road debris.
An easy bolt-on installation, they are available in chrome or black and ship with all necessary chrome hardware.
DRAG SPECIALTIES
www.dragspecialties.com
BDL ‘Quiet Clutch’ and pressure plate upgrades
Californian manufacturer BDL recently unveiled an all new, totally enclosed primary drive that now features the company’s “revolutionary quiet clutch”. Available as a conversion or retro fit for Softail, FXR and Shovelhead models, this “exceptionally smooth and ultra-quiet new system is manufactured with Kevlar on round dog aluminum plates to significantly reduce clutch rattling.
“A unique basket carries 12 cylindrical, replaceable clutch dogs providing silky smooth transition, enhanced longevity and unimpeded performance.” Each kit includes a polished billet aluminum pressure plate secured by 9 shoulder bolts and specially designed springs. Shipped with BDL’s “bullet proof” Kevlar belt, this easily installed kit provides “butter-smooth operation and flawless performance.” Each enclosed kit is supplied with a sealed bearing for installation in the inner primary.
Also seen here is a pair of newly redesigned pressure plates that “noticeably improve positive feel at the lever and ensure a flawless release onto the clutch pack and enhanced lock-upAvailable as upgrades for 1990-up open belt drive kits using the standard cable system and 2014-up drives with the stock hydraulic clutch, they can be adapted to the 1990 and up BDL belt drive kits that use their previously standard pressure plates.
Upgraded plates require the use of a new diaphragm spring and two additional shoulder bolts; for those who don’t think they need the entire kit, the plates, spring and collar are available individually.
BELT DRIVES LTD
www.beltdrives.com
Midwest adds to Ultima lines for 2017
Pevely, Missouri based manufacturer and distributor Midwest Motorcycle Supply say their 2017 catalog “has all the essentials that matter, and as many as possible at a frugal price.”
Their own proprietary Ultima Products program includes the Ultima engine family “that shows up in world class custom bike competitions and is drag raced by Chariots of Fire Racing here in the Midwest.”
New for 2017, the Ultima Competition engine series is offered in a new “blackout” engine finish, with their own Shovelhead style engine back in black again. Ultima also offers dealers access to a comprehensive program of Twin Cam engine re-building, backed by a 6-month, 6,000-mile warranty.
New driveline products from Ultima include 2” late model primary belt drives for 2006 and up Dynas and 2017 and up Softails; black 2” and 3.35” Ultima belt drives. In wheels, Ultima has new “Manhattan” and “Kool Kat” aluminum wheels, including 23” and 26” sizes; King spokes, also available in 23” and 26” and in black; plus a new 60-spoke line of wheels in all black and matching polished or black anodized forward controls.
Also new for 2017, new 2-into-1 Competition Series exhaust systems are available in chrome or black finish, along with a range of matching tips.
The Ultima exhausts program also includes ‘Big Growl’ 2 into 2 pipes in thick wall tubing with reinforced mounting brackets and no-weld, one-piece 1.75” to 2.25” step-ups. Available in 10 different styles in show quality chrome for Softails and 1986 - 2003 Sportsters.
“Our Ultima Motor Works program is still running strong – the beauty is still meeting the beast with engines available in a multitude of displacements from 100 – 140ci and finishes like the Diamond Cut, Black Gem and polished and black powder-coated.
“All our drivetrain products, like our Ultima 3.35” and 2” belt drives and transmissions, are rugged, long-lasting units available for Evo Softail and Twin Cam and Evo Dynas. Complete drivetrain packages include the Ultima 6 RSD or LSD transmissions, powerful ThunderFire starter motors and ThunderVolt AGM batteries.”
www.midwestmc.net
www.ultimaproducts.com
Harley-Davidson share price recovers strongly in final quarter and posts impressive 58 percent gain for 2016
Having been as high as $62.07 at the start of December 2016, Harley-Davidson’s share price staged a remarkable rally in the final three months of 2016.
From being seemingly moribund and vulnerable at $49.70 on October 17th, around the time that Harley’s third quarter 2016 fiscals were due for release, it closed out 2016 at just under the $60.00 mark to post a 20 percent recovery in the final quarter of 2016, and a remarkable 58 percent recovery from its 2016 low last January of $37.23.
Speculation continues to swirl connecting the share price recovery to the activities and intentions of any one of a number of hostile riders whose names have been connected with making a move on Harley, not least (despite denials) with Kohlberg Kravis and Roberts (KKR), who are believed in some quarters to have the Milwaukee based manufacturer locked into their cross-hairs as a long-term “target of opportunity.”
Specializing in leveraged buyouts and headquartered in New York, KKR was founded by a group of Bear Stearns alumni in 1976. Early pioneers of the leveraged buy-out concept while at the now defunct Wall Street investment bank, KKR is best known for deals such as the 1989 RJR Nabisco buy-out in 1989 (at that time the largest such transaction ever seen). Since that time KKR has had considerable media and high tech involvements, not least making a sizeable investment in Sun Microsystems around 10 years ago.
However, whether or not KKR’s fingerprints are on the 2016 Harley share price recovery is a moot point, because regardless of whether or not it is being driven by one particular investor or general sentiment, the performance out-performs the market, even in the post-election weeks, by a considerable margin and points to Harley’s assiduous attention to investor welfare as having been money well spent, even if some of the effort has had workforce number implications.
In fact, in cycle terms, Harley’s share price performance in 2016 follows that of other powersports industry businesses such as Polaris, Yamaha and Kawasaki quite closely – the primary difference being though that those others are diversified enterprises – Harley remains a “one trick pony”.
There remain those who think that going private may not actually be such a bad thing for Harley-Davidson. However, Harley has played a smart game. Adding debt to fund its share buy-backs has reduced the headroom for an LBO, and having managed expectations by lowering guidance three times since the end of 2014, the better than anticipated October earnings data has rewarded the company’s conservatism. Contrary to what many have been thinking, the signals are that the company is after all successfully positioning itself to be able to fend off any unwanted suitors – or to at least make it as difficult as possible for them.
Working on the basis that any player in the North American powersports industry has enough product and demand issues to keep it busy without the distractions of stock owner disquiet, it would appear that Harley is headed into 2017 and towards hugely important full-year finings late in January in considerably better shape than might otherwise be the case.
The company can hardly be described as being “headwind proof,” but whatever lies ahead, it might just be that Harley has laid down a foundation from which it can better deal with 2017 market realities, and from which it has a fighting chance of being able to deal with any unwanted attentions from stock raiders.
With a growing sense that the motorcycle industry may well now start seeing some recovery in North America (in Europe the market continues to grow annually at north of six percent), especially as the dust settles following the most acrimonious and destabilizing election cycle ever seen, research projects such as that by the likes of Freedonia may not be too wide of the mark.
Three years ago, they forecast that worldwide growth in demand for motorcycles would be at the rate of around 6 percent through 2018, with the market being worth some 132 million units and $120 billion. It is clear that Harley-Davidson has been benefitting from international market growth, and if their 2016 fiscals at least show a picture that has largely stabilized over 2014 and 2015, then expect to see the share price head back towards the record low $70 mark it achieved in May 2014, and maybe towards its November 2006 all-time record high of just under $75.00.
Did you get yours?
Mailed last month with the December edition of AMD Magazine, extra copies of the popular 2017 AMD Events Year Planner are available on request from sara@dealer-world.com
MAG moves to fold Motorcycle-superstore in to J&P Cycles
As if any further evidence of a market under pressure were needed, the Motorsport Aftermarket Group’s retail operations division is set for further consolidation. Their Motorcycle-Superstore.com operation is to be folded in to into J&P Cycles in 2017.
The move and other related cutbacks are expected to result in anywhere from 20 to 60 layoffs as the present Motorcycle-Superstore.com configuration is combined into a J&P Cycles footprint that itself saw radical surgery less than two years ago.
At that point the J&P Cycles inventory held at its traditional Anamosa, Iowa warehouse was consolidated into the former K-Mart warehouse complex that MAG/TR owned at Louisville, Kentucky, with the customer service jobs moving to Texas.
It is now thought that the staff at the Motorcycle-superstore.com customer service and fulfilment centers at Florida, California, Kentucky and Pennsylvania will lose their jobs with sales center functions consolidated in Texas.
MIC to represent powersports on newly formed Outdoor Recreation Industry Roundtable
