Daytona Bike Week's Hot Event at Volusia County Fair Grounds; Literally
Biker InCite | March 27, 2017
BURNING BIKE EVENT AT DAYTONA BIKE WEEK
Volusia County Fairgrounds closed out Daytona Bike Week with a giant smoke out! Fastlane Promotions burns down the house with their Bike Burning event on the last day of the rally. Throughout the rally week bikers ride to the fairgrounds to pose for pictures with the WORLD'S largest wooden motorcycle. You are able to sign the bike and come back on the last night of the rally to party and watch them torch the bike.
Here is a video of their event; 2017 Burning Bike.
https://youtu.be/cu00WsnfBAE
Daytona Bike Week 2017 one of the most dangerous in years with an increase in trauma cases
More Hospital Incidents for this Bike Week 2017
Article Courtesy of Daytona News Journal Online | By Tony Holt | Posted March 24, 2017 and updated March 25, 2017
DAYTONA BEACH — An unusually high number of intensive care patients were admitted during this year's Bike Week — making it one of the most dangerous Bike Weeks that Daytona Beach has seen in years.
Overall, trauma admissions spiked this year compared to the previous five years. There was a total of 69 Bike Week-related trauma patients wheeled through the doors at Halifax Health Medical Center during the 10-day event that concluded March 19, according to statistics provided by the hospital.
That number is significantly higher than all years dating back to 2013. The second highest total was Bike Week 2016, during which 54 Bike Week-related trauma patents were admitted to Halifax Health — the only trauma center in Volusia and Flagler counties.
"We have to be ready for anything that presents itself," said Halifax Health spokesman John Guthrie, who disclosed scads of statistics that proved the notion that his hospital was monumentally busy this year — even by the standard set by Bike Week.
Guthrie pointed out that the high number of trauma patients mean more beds and space are occupied and staffing is maximized.
Guthrie declined to speculate on the attendance or hospitalization trends related to Bike Week. The weather was colder than normal this year, but considering the snowy conditions in the Northeast, a 50-degree day in Florida was better than the alternative of staying home for many motorcyclists. Therefore, attendance numbers still seemed high and the number of motorcycle accidents bore that out.
Daytona Beach had 268 traffic accidents during this year's Bike Week and 66 of those involved motorcycles. The latter number is higher than any previous total dating back to 2012, according to police records.
Flagler had 95 total crashes during the 10-day event and 15 of them were motorcycle-related, said Flagler County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Laura Williams.
All the numbers related to patient intake at Halifax Health also suggest a busier-than-average Bike Week for 2017.
Each day throughout the year, the hospital averages a single trauma patient. The busiest day during Bike Week elicited nine trauma patients, said Lovelady.
The average age among trauma patients during Bike Week was 53. About 81 percent of patients were male, according to hospital statistics.
Cycle News Interview with Steve Menneto from Polaris
This article is courtesy of Cycle News Magazine - March 2017 Issue | Great job Cycle News!
President of Motorcycles at Polaris Industries Inc., Steve Menneto: INTERVIEW
Here is our intensive, detailed, one-on-one interview with Steve Menneto, the man spearheading Indian’s highly successful revival
Steve Menneto, 51, is President of Motorcycles at Polaris Industries Inc., and as such he’s the man who together with Polaris President/CEO Scott Wine ultimately sold his colleagues in Polaris management the idea of acquiring Indian in April 2011 as a heritage marque to run alongside its much younger Victory brand. Having succeeded in doing so, Menneto was then entrusted with the task of making it work, and returning America’s oldest existing motorcycle company which built its first such machine back in 1901, to the marketplace. It’s a task he and his team at Polaris HQ in Medina, Minnesota, have self-evidently discharged exceptionally well, in developing a strong-selling array of individually styled and distinctively engineered models based on two engine platforms. These comprise the air-cooled OHV Thunder Stroke 111ci/1811cc 49° V-twin motor which kicked off Indian sales in August 2014 with the Chief custom and Chieftain bagger, followed by the Roadmaster tourer, and the liquid-cooled 69ci/1,133cc Scout 60° V-twin eight-valve engine, which followed a year later to provide a less costly middleweight alternative from the tomahawk tribe.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN WING
These new Indian products have been marketed until now alongside the existing lineup of Victory models from the brand with which Polaris entered the motorcycle business in kicking off production in July 1998, and which the company had specifically declared it would continue manufacturing to provide a more youthful, performance-focused alternative to Indian, with more modern styling. But on January 9 this year, the shocking news came that the Polaris Board had decided to shut down Victory after almost 19 years in the marketplace—a decision that came just two months after a full array of 2017 Victory models had been displayed on the Polaris stand at the EICMA Show in Milan.
Steve Menneto has a unique understanding of the powersports industry from both sides of the marketplace, having begun his business life as a Polaris dealer in New York, before crossing over to join the company in 1997 as a district sales manager, in due course becoming director of sales for the Polaris Motorcycle division. He assumed overall responsibility for Victory Motorcycles in May 2009, and then after Polaris purchased Indian in April 2011 from British entrepreneur Stephen Julius’s Stellican Corp., was duly promoted to his current position as President—Motorcycles for Polaris. He has thus overseen running in tandem until now the Victory and Indian Motorcycle brands constituting the Polaris motorcycle division, whose revenue is forecast to grow to $1 billion in the next five years, up from $708.5 million in 2016. Who better to ask about the demise of Victory—as well as his plans for Indian’s future, which this year have included bringing what was once America’s most famous competition brand back to the racetrack.
Steve, why has Polaris shut down Victory, and then did you make that decision?
The Polaris Board began a discussion last year about where our motorcycle division was going in the next five years, and how we were going to move forward with two brands in a highly competitive global marketplace. As part of that, I was challenged to put together a 5-10 year plan for Victory, which had lost well over a hundred million dollars thus far in its 18 years of existence. When we put all the numbers together, it just came down to where Victory was going to have some years of marginal profitability, but in totality was going to continue to lose money over the coming years. This was because of the considerable engineering investment needed to develop new products in future, which would probably entail new platforms because the Victory Freedom V-Twin engine had been with us for almost 20 years, and there would be untenable costs entailed in meeting the new Euro 4 and Euro 5 regulatory standards. So we presented those findings to the Board, and at their meeting in the first week in January they moved to approve an 18-month wind-up of Victory, which we then communicated publicly at 8.15 a.m. on Monday [January] 9.
One of the most frequent comments that we’ve been hearing since then especially from Victory dealers was, why didn’t you give us any more notice? Well, you have to remember we are a publicly traded United States company, and when you make a decision of materiality as significant as this, there are certain procedures you’re obliged to follow. Where decisions that could affect stock prices are concerned, market rules are strict—they must be made public straight away. Some dealers and a good handful of consumers sent emails that were pretty unfavorable, but while they didn’t like our decision I can assure you that it was not one taken lightly. It was a tough decision to make, but the right decision, and it was painfully and carefully arrived at after a great deal of discussion. It’s no secret that the motorcycle market is tough here in the United States right now, and we have to look at where the best return can be found on capital invested. We can get better returns for our stakeholders—and our dealers, too—by focusing on the excellent business that Indian Motorcycle represents for us, so in the end market conditions made it a simple but tough decision. Some of the emails I received told us we ought to have put more effort into growing Victory, but when you look at the two decades of continuous hard work that we’ve invested in the brand, the diverse products we came out with, and the way they were judged to be number-one for quality in the U.S. motorcycle market, you can’t say we didn’t put everything we could, including money, into growing that brand and its products.
Was Victory ever profitable in its 18 years of existence?
There were a couple of years when it was profitable for that specific year [believed to be 2010-12, when Victory sold around 13,000 motorcycles annually], but in its overall totality, no.
You have a 402,525ft² motorcycle factory at Spirit Lake, Iowa, with three production lines, which currently houses 800 employees manufacturing both Victory and Indian products. Will this impact the Victory workforce there, or will they simply be reassigned to manufacturing Indians?
The engineers and sales force of Victory have all been reassigned, and the manufacturing facility’s workforce was not hit badly—less than 50 people were let go. Half of that number were offered early retirement, and the rest were temporary employees, so the impact on our employee base was not dramatic.
How many Victory motorcycles have been manufactured in total?
Since its inception, our teams have designed and produced almost 60 Victory models that have been honored with more than 25 of the industry’s top awards. We built well over 125,000 Victory vehicles throughout the 18 years of its existence, and a significant number of them are still out there running. We will be supporting them by continuing to supply parts and providing service and warranty backup for a period of 10 years into the future—they’ll be gone, but not forgotten. We’ll also assist dealers in closing down their operations, and liquidating their existing inventories.
Is it safe to say that Polaris would have never taken on Indian if you had not already had Victory, and thereby acquired a hands-on understanding of the motorcycle industry?
I think it’s exactly fair to say that and furthermore those 18 years of learning how to develop, manufacture and distribute Victory motorcycles were a priceless asset in bringing Indian to market as quickly as we did, with such reliable and well-received products. You’ll recall the issues we had with the V92C Cruiser we started out with, and how our market presence really jumped forward when the entirely revamped Vegas came out in 2003 to replace it. All the knowledge that we acquired throughout those years with Victory was invaluable when it came to purchasing Indian, and to building up the Indian brand over the past three years to where it is now very much profitable for us. The experience we gained with Victory allowed us to go forward faster with Indian, and indeed without already having had more than a decade in the motorcycle business, I’m not sure we’d have felt quite as confident as we did about buying Indian in the first place. It was Victory that gave us the production, engineering and dealer development experience we needed to do so, and we expect that experience to be a gift that keeps on giving for some years to come. We increased the size of our motorcycle business tenfold from 2009 to 2016, and we’re just getting started!
Will any of Victory’s existing or future models that are nearly ready for launch be rebadged as Indians?
That’s the most common question I get asked by customers, and the answer is no, because we must maintain the authenticity of the Indian brand. Some people ask, why can’t you take the Victory Vegas or the Gunner and don’t change anything, except just remove the Victory badge and put Indian on it instead. Well, we shan’t do that because I think it would dilute the Indian brand. What we want to accomplish with Indian is different than what we achieved with Victory. Okay, lots of Victorys have longer frames for bigger people, and Victory also had more modern styling than Indian presently has. So over the next two to five years you’re going to start seeing Indian models appear that will have some of those Victory characteristics in them, but will have still been developed all-new from the ground up. We won’t get into rebadging anything, but in going forward we’ll be using the know-how and styling cues derived from Victory in producing new Indian models.
Okay, but when you purchased Brammo in January 2015 as your ready-made electric motorcycle brand, that time you did then rebadge this as a Victory. How many Victory electric bikes have you sold since then?
To be perfectly honest, less than 100 bikes so far.
So now that Victory is gone, are you going to continue with electric motorcycles at all?
Yes, indeed we will. We can see a lot of future opportunity for electric motorcycles as battery technology continues to move forward. So if you’re asking if we’ll just take the Victory Impulse and turn it into the Indian Impulse, the answer is, no. We’ll actually have an Indian on-road electric bike within the next five years, with powertrain characteristics more applicable to leisure riding than commuting. And it will be priced competitively.
So what you’re essentially saying is that in the short term, Brammo models were rebadged as Victorys with a small amount of Polaris input, but with the death of the Victory brand you’ll terminate that program, and work instead on bringing an all-new Polaris-developed electric platform to the marketplace as an Indian E-motorcycle within the next five years?
Correct.
What are your other strategic plans for Indian into the future?
Indian finished 2016 up more than 25% year on year in retail sales. So we’re really excited about where we are with the Indian brand, and we’re optimistic about what we have coming up in 2017, with several exciting new bikes, new dealerships and so forth. With only nine models out there at present, we feel we still have a lot of strategic opportunities in front of us as we continue to look for aggressive expansion with high double-digit growth, and we come close to doubling the Indian range of models.
I think what’s exciting is that when you look at where we want to take Indian in the next two to five years it entails different geographies and different segments that we currently don’t serve. So when you look at the Cruiser/Bagger/Tour segments which have a predominantly North American focus, this is what we needed to have in getting Indian started as a business. In our first three years of Indian production up until now, we’ve had to establish a dealer base, we’ve had to get products to market, we’ve had to develop accessory and apparel catalogues—all since purchasing the brand in 2011. But in the next three to five years we plan to improve our game still further, and grow our business dramatically—and that will includes launching bikes outside of the Cruiser/Bagger/Tour markets. It will include different model segments, sold in different geographic areas around the world. About 25% of our motorcycle business is international right now, and growing that substantially is a major objective for us, alongside continuing to build our North American base. We have an opportunity now to develop market specific models for Europe, as well as the USA. We’re excited about where we’re going over the next five years, now we can focus exclusively on Indian.
I guess Indian has a very diverse potential product base, because you’ve only got to look in the history books to see how many different engine platforms Indian has had down the years.
I concur—when you look at our history and all the different innovation that Indian did, we as a team don’t see Indian handcuffed or restricted by anything. So when we do look at entering other different segments, it can be rather exciting. When you see what we have done in a short time with the FTR750 flat-tracker, you can only imagine the different directions that engine can go in from being a pure racetrack platform. So I can tell you that we are looking at all different segments where we can bring value to the customer, and where we can bring Indian’s potential for innovation to the marketplace, in order to make great bikes to be ridden and enjoyed. I think everything is an opportunity for us with Indian as we look forward, and one of the things that follows from our decision to terminate Victory is that it has opened up the opportunities for Indian very nicely in terms of developing bikes that are quite different and more modern in design and styling. Some of them may now be more race focused, more aggressive and more performance based, without us saying—hey, we mustn’t let Indian stray onto Victory’s turf! That’s all behind us now.
So with the demise of Victory, which was considered to be the modern brand in the Polaris two-wheeled offering, you can now spread Indian right across the marketplace. Could that include a dual-purpose model for the Adventure Sports market to rival the globally best-selling BMW R1200GS?
There are absolutely no restrictions on what kind of motorcycle we can make in future with an Indian badge on it, and we plan to take full advantage of that freedom to produce a range of innovative products that will be fun to ride, as well as great to look at. Remember that Indian developed its first motorcycles as a way of getting around when there were hardly any roads as we know them today. So I certainly believe Indian can look at markets like that one.
The Triumph Bonneville has enjoyed massive sales success around the world as a midcapacity retro product, to the point where Ducati has tried to emulate it with their Scrambler models. Do you think their 800cc category is a field where Indian can potentially be involved?
Yes, I think Indian can bring interesting products to such a segment.
Following on from that, the FTR750 flat track motor is the smallest capacity Indian engine yet. While it’s starting out powering a competition motorcycle, do you plan to develop a street range based on that?
I think that’s a platform where we can see a lot of opportunity in it, and we have some great plans to use it in bringing different types of bikes to the market for Indian.
So not just a flat track replica, but to use that engine for other different models?
Well, that 750 is a race engine only, but there’s other opportunities for us to develop new products based on what we learn in building smaller engines. We can see opportunities in other model sectors as we move down the capacity scale, where Indian will be indeed a player in the future.
Victory was previously involved in competition, including Pike’s Peak, the Isle of Man TT Zero electric bike race, and of course NHRA drag racing. Indian is about to start out now with flat track racing, but do you see Indian taking part with any of Victory’s former competition activities?
This has resolved some issues we had with some of the decisions that we made around Victory, and how it limited where we could go with Indian, and vice versa on occasion—Indian prevented where we could go with Victory, in some cases. Well, as we look at it now we have the opportunity to take Indian drag racing, to do Pike’s Peak, to go to the Isle of Man and to continue to expand our competition activities with what is now our single brand. We shouldn’t forget just how central race success has always been to Indian’s appeal to the customer. As we start our flat-track campaign, you’ve seen the quality of the bike and the quality of the team, and as we move forward you’ll see us continue to evolve the competition side of our brand with great bikes, and great riders. Indian will be very competitive as we enter those different sporting arenas, but only with the highest level of equipment, and personnel.
Do you feel that in cleaning up your motorcycle business by focusing entirely on the Indian brand in future, this will make it easier for you to market Indian to a broader range of customers? Victory was supposed to be the younger enthusiast product, and Indian the more traditionalist. Well, now that you only have the heritage brand to focus on, do you believe you‘ll be able to attract younger customer to Indian more readily with a broader range of products?
I do, I think that the richness of the Indian brand heritage, the innovation of the brand and what it speaks to in terms of product will help us achieve that—and you’re right to identify that as a crucial aspect of our plans going forward. A lot of the feedback we’ve got over the past three years from younger riders—especially after we launched our Scout product—is that there’s already an appetite and a desire for them to be a part of the Indian motorcycle family. I think with our decision to focus on this one brand, we have an opportunity to expand Indian considerably in terms of the brand story, the innovation and where we want to take it. You’ll see our product range expanding in terms of more modern offerings in different segments, plus with our going racing competitively with Indian, I think we’ll have a brand image that will appeal to a broader spectrum of customers. I think we have a very bright future ahead now we can focus exclusively on Indian. CN
Click here to read this in the Cycle News Digital Edition Magazine.
Billy Lane’s Inaugural Sons of Speed Race a Huge Success
Daytona Bike Week Racing
Brittney Olsen Wins Debut Race at Daytona Bike Week 2017 in Front of Over 2000
Daytona Beach, FL (March 24, 2017) – The first Sons of Speed race is in the books and for all who attended, they can attest to what an epic event it was. On race day a dozen vintage motorcycle racers mustered their courage and skill to take on the daunting ½ mile banked asphalt track at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna, Florida. In the final heat Brittney Olsen of 20th Century Racing took the checkered flag, with Matt Harris of 40 Cal customs taking second place with Shelly Rossmeyer-Pepe of Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley-Davidson rounding out the third spot.
“The reality is that everyone who raced a bike on that track did something that has not been done in almost a century, we made history.” said Billy Lane, renowned bike builder and founder of Sons of Speed. “Every racer and spectator knows in their heart that Sons of Speed was more than an event, it was a camaraderie and kinship that was shared by all. We look forward to our next race in Sturgis at the Full Throttle Saloon.”
Inspired by early twentieth-century board-track racers, the bikes raced in Sons of Speed were stripped down, no clutch, no brake pre-1925 1000cc American V-Twin motorcycles. Most of the bikes were ground up builds with some being finished just before race-time. The over 2000 spectators in the stands had a birds eye view as racers came by at speeds of over 80 mph with closely raced heats. In the end Brittney Olsen took home the coveted Bill McCann custom made one of a kind trophy causing some to wonder if is should be called Sons and Daughters of Speed. For now we are sticking with Sons of Speed.
The twelve racers were: Billy Lane(1924 Harley) and Warren Lane (1920 Indian Powerplus); Rick Petko (1919 Indian Powerplus); Shelly Rossmeyer-Pepe (1915 Harley); Brittney Olsen (1923 Harley); Xavier Muriel (1913 P.E.M.); Rhett Rotten (1919 Harley); Josh Owens (1919 Harley); Bill Rodencal (1915 Harley); Paul Cox (1917 Indian Powerplus); Buzz Kanter (1915 Harley); Matt Harris (1924 Harley) and Ken Curtis (1914 Harley).
With such groundswell of support for the Daytona Sons of Speed race, Billy has decided to host another Sons of Speed event on Tuesday August 8th at the Full Throttle Saloon as well as another event at New Smyrna Speedway during Biketoberfest on Saturday October 21st. The race at the Full Throttle Saloon will be a dirt track surfaced with clay (to keep it firm) with high banks and will include Pre-1930 1000cc class and 1000cc+ class.
The race could not have been possible without the support from Erin Lane, Speed and Strength, Bruce Rossmeyer’s Daytona Harley-Davidson, Sons of Speed announcer Barry Boone, trophy sculptor Bill McCann and our volunteer track officials.
About Sons Of Speed
Sons Of Speed is a motorcycle race inspired by early twentieth-century board-track racing. Featuring stripped-down bikes with pre-1925 American V-Twin engines and a steeply banked racetrack, Sons Of Speed hearkens back to a wide-open, full-throttle, thrilling style of motorcycle racing. The inaugural Sons Of Speed race will take place in Florida at New Smyrna Speedway during Daytona Bike Week in March 2017. Co-founded by veteran motorcycle bike builder Billy Lane, the first Sons Of Speed race will feature twenty riders, builders, and enthusiasts, including Buzz Kanter (publisher, American Iron Magazine), Shelley Rossmeyer-Pepe (GM, Bruce Rossmeyer’s Harley-Davidson), vintage racer Brittney Olsen, Warren and Billy Lane, Rick Petko (of American Chopper fame and master mechanic at Orange County Choppers) and Matt Walksler (motorcyclist and Associate Director of Wheels Through Time). For more information on the debut race and to buy tickets, check out Billy Lanes Son of Speed Facebook Page.
2017 Sturgis Motorcycle Museum Hall of Fame Inductees announced
Sturgis Museum Hall of Fame Induction Breakfast
Wednesday, August 9, 2017
The Lodge at Deadwood, 100 Pine Crest Lane, Deadwood, SD 57732
Tickets and reserved tables for the 2017 Sturgis Museum Hall of Fame Induction Breakfast, are now available for purchase by Clicking HERE or by calling 605-347-2001.
The Class of 2017
Colleen Barnett & Mike Taylor — Colleen Barnett-Taylor started her motorsports career at Barnett Clutches & Cables while still in her childhood working for her parents (and original 1948 founders), Charlie and Afton Barnett. Since the beginning Colleen has been a driving force and integral part of the company. Mike Taylor, already a long-time motorcycle rider/enthusiast, joined the firm in 1968 which cemented a great partnership after he and Colleen were married. Together they have operated Barnett since 1975 and owned the company since 1993.
Cory Ness — Don’t think for a second that Cory Ness rode his famous father’s coattails into the Sturgis Hall Of Fame. At only 10 years old, he disassembled his bicycle, painted it, chromed its parts and entered it in the Oakland Roadster Show. The first motorcycle he turned his talents to was a wrecked CB350. After building it back up, Cory sold it before even getting a chance to ride it. He was 14! Today Cory is the chief designer behind Arlen Ness Enterprises where he runs the day-to-day business. In between designing new parts and accessories, he still finds time to wrench on custom bikes periodically.
Mark Shadley — Since the early 1970s Mark Shadley and Shadley Bros. Motorcycles have been shaping the perception of what a custom motorcycle is. The quality, detail and innovation of his custom built bikes have made him well recognized by both the motorcycle industry and his peers. His enthusiasm and involvement in the custom motorcycle industry has been a lifelong passion.
Jim Thiessen — For 50 years, machinist and go-fast guy Jim Thiessen has generated trust with riders, record breakers, racers and certified Harley mechanics around the world whom use JIMS® products on a daily basis. Today JIMS® is one of the industry's leading producers of performance parts, accessories, tools, transmissions and high-performance engines — all aimed at enhancing the Harley rider’s experience.
Terry Vance — #35 on the NHRA's 50 greatest drag racers of all-time, 14-time national champ Terry Vance never lets off the gas! Terry and his tuner Byron Hines shared a passion for the quarter mile from the early days, but they also shared a vision of creating a company that would be a pillar of the motorcycle aftermarket, and they used their unrivaled achievements in racing to build a brand that would unmistakably stand for quality and performance.
Terry Vance is an American former professional motorcycle drag racer, racing team owner and manufacturer of high performance parts for motorcycles.
Rod Woodruff — Since 1981. the Sturgis Buffalo Chip Campground has treated millions of motorcyclists to rock concerts, camping, entertainment and more. Rod Woodruff is the man who brought Rock & Roll to the Black Hills and now hosts a 10-day Concert Series each August during the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The Buffalo Chip provides a music festival, various other forms of entertainment, and full service tent, RV and cabin camping on almost 600 acres in rural Meade County.
Leesburg Bike Rally has great eats in Lake Country Florida
Leesburg Bike Rally in central Florida is celebrating its 21st year and larger than ever. Great crowds line Main Street in downtown Leesburg to celebrate the start of summer. Take a ride around lake country and try one of these food spots we have spotted for you.
Leesburg Bike Rally starts April 28th - 30th, 2017
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Trademark $912,500 award set aside... for now
© 2017 Biker InCite® | Source: Rapid City Journal,
Judge sets aside $900K award in Sturgis case
Sixteen months after a jury awarded nearly $1 million to Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Inc. following a six-year trademark infringement battle and a week-long trial, a federal judge Friday set aside the monetary award levied against a Rapid City merchant and the world’s largest retailer.
SMRI, stewards of the Sturgis logo, had sued Rushmore Photo & Gifts and Wal-Mart for improperly using the trademark “Sturgis” on merchandise they sold over a period of years. SMRI’s attorneys successfully argued in the October 2015 civil trial that the nonprofit owned that trademark and similar phrases when used in connection with the annual motorcycle rally.
But in a 64-page ruling issued Friday, Jeffrey Viken, chief judge of the U.S. District Court Western Division, largely ruled in favor of a series of plaintiff’s motions, but vacated the jury award against the defendants that totaled $912,500.
“Judge Viken upheld SMRI’s trademark rights per se, but the damages finding against the defendants has been vacated, dismissed basically,” said Minneapolis attorney Aaron Davis, who represented Rushmore Photo and Wal-Mart in the case. “There is no money judgment that survives this court order.”
Davis, who has worked on the trademark case for nearly six years, said he and his clients were extremely happy that the federal court had ruled in their favor regarding the monetary damages.
“It’s huge,” Davis said Monday afternoon. “Obviously having a judgment of 900-plus thousand dollars hanging over your head for something you’ve done for 20 years, is a hard thing to swallow. It’s a huge burden off of our clients.”
In the October trial, the defendants — including the three co-owners of Rushmore Photo & Gifts — asserted that the Sturgis Chamber of Commerce had lied when it persuaded the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to grant the "Sturgis" trademark. The defense's argument was that "Sturgis" is a geographical descriptive, and thus could not be trademarked.
But the jury disagreed. Of the 21 questions before the five women and three men who listened to eight days of testimony, 18 issues were decided in favor of SMRI and just three in favor of the defendants.
The jurors awarded more than $900,000 in damages to SMRI, to be paid by some combination of Rushmore Photo & Gifts, the three owners — Paul Niemann, Carol Niemann and Brian M. Niemann, respectively a husband, wife and son — JRE Inc. and Wal-Mart.
Of the defendants, Wal-Mart took the heaviest hit in the damage award. The jury found that Wal-Mart owed $235,000 in damages. Rushmore Photo & Gifts and Brian Niemann owed $158,750 each, and Carol and Paul Niemann owe $156,250 each. JRE Inc. owed $52,500, under the jury award.
Judge Viken’s most recent court order did not address SMRI’s outstanding motion for a permanent injunction against defendants selling unlicensed Sturgis products in the future, although a temporary injunction remains in effect.
“The court will set a hearing on plaintiff’s motion for a permanent injunction,” Viken stated.
While an SMRI spokesman said Monday that the organization was pleased with that order, the defendants’ attorney was not. Davis also said he expected SMRI to appeal the ruling on damages.
“We weren’t overjoyed with the judge’s ruling deferring to the jury that SMRI had the (trademark) rights and that may be a point of appeal in the future,” Davis said. “I don’t think this case is necessarily over, but we’re happy the money judgments against our clients have been lifted."
He added: “We feel strongly that they don’t have any rights to this trademark at all.”
Dean Kinney, chairman of the SMRI volunteer board of directors, said Monday his organization, “respectfully disagrees with the court over the dollars.”
“But overall, we were pleased with the ruling,” said Kinney, who was contacted while vacationing in Arizona. “Obviously the key thing is the marks were upheld and defendants’ motion for a new trial was denied. That’s an important ruling."
He said the ruling is good for the community of Sturgis as well.
“As many months that have gone by with post-trial motions, to have it affirmed and to know a new trial won’t be ordered is a good thing for SMRI and the community of Sturgis,” Kinney said.
In addition to the issue of the permanent injunction, Davis said several other motions related to the case have yet to be ruled on by the court.
“We still have to deal with the permanent injunction, but that’s all for another day,” he said. Davis said the court also would have to deal with competing motions from both plaintiffs and defendants seeking attorneys’ fees in the case.
Indian Motorcycles introduces limited edition Jack Daniels Chieftain
© 2017 Biker InCite® | Source PRNEWS Indian Motorcycles
MINNEAPOLIS, March 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Indian Motorcycle, America's first motorcycle company, and the Jack Daniel Distillery, America's first registered distillery, today announced the availability of a Limited Edition Jack Daniel's® Indian® Chieftain®. The new custom-inspired Chieftain marks the second year the two iconic American trailblazers have joined forces to build a unique V-twin-powered celebration of American craftsmanship. The motorcycle brings together two brands that share a mutual commitment to independence, originality, and ingenuity.
Designed in conjunction with Klock Werks Kustom Cycles of Mitchell, S.D., the Limited Edition Jack Daniel's Indian Chieftain conveys an intimidating presence while maintaining an ultra-premium look. Designed with a sleek, aggressive style, this extremely limited edition motorcycle is sure to turn heads.
The individually numbered motorcycles offer a wide array of custom details, highlighted by a one-of-a-kind white and black crystal paint job with charcoal colored accents inspired by Jack Daniel's unique charcoal-mellowing process. A host of Jack Daniel's "Old No. 7" logos and custom badging are interspersed throughout the bike, including logoed billet driver and passenger floorboards, leather tank pouch, aluminum tank console with motorcycle number, and unique cam, primary and air intake covers. The crowning detail is a handmade, pure silver Jack Daniel's horn cover badge, hand-crafted by the team at Montana Silversmith, exclusively developed and produced only for this motorcycle. The bike also carries an inscription of Jack Daniel's "Bottles and Throttles Don't Mix" mantra to remind riders that drinking and riding are meant to be enjoyed separately.
In addition to the bike's unique custom-branded accents, the Limited Edition Jack Daniel's Indian Chieftain also features a 19-inch, contrast cut front wheel with an open fender and a host of premium touring amenities including LED headlight and driving lights, power adjustable flare windshield, gloss black front and rear highway bar, 200-watt premium audio system with fairing and saddlebag speakers, and Indian Motorcycle's proprietary Ride Command™ infotainment system.
Only 100 of these show-stopping Limited Edition Chieftain's are available globally, and each comes with a commemorative American flag handmade from Jack Daniel's barrel wood. Each flag will be customized to include the owner's name, motorcycle number and VIN. The individually numbered bikes carry an MSRP of $34,999 (California models add $250 for California emissions) and a Canada MSRP of $42,499. Each comes with a two-year unlimited mileage factory warranty and free membership in the Indian Motorcycle Riders Group™ for one year.
To order one of these highly sought after limited edition motorcycles, please visit or call your local Indian Motorcycle dealership starting at Noon Eastern on March 14th. Only 100 motorcycles will be produced and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. Specific motorcycle numbers may not be reserved. Each of these motorcycles will be hand-painted and built, with delivery occurring no later than August 2017.
"You won't find two brands that better represent the American dream and the power of American ingenuity more than Indian Motorcycle and Jack Daniel's," said Steve Menneto, President of Motorcycles for Polaris Industries. "Once again, Brian Klock and his team at Klock Werks Kustoms exceeded our expectations with a totally unique Indian Chieftain that combines a sense of exclusivity with a tough, aggressive edge. We couldn't be happier with it."
The collaboration began in 2016 when the two iconic brands came together to create the Limited Edition Jack Daniel's® Indian® Springfield™ and Indian® Chief® Vintage in celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the Jack Daniel Distillery. All 150 available motorcycles sold out in only eight hours.
"The response to last year's collaboration was nothing short of spectacular, and we're extremely proud to carry this partnership forward in 2017 to further reinforce our 'Bottles and Throttles Don't Mix' campaign," said Dave Stang, Director of Events and Sponsorships for Jack Daniel's. "Both Jack Daniel's and Indian Motorcycle were born from a singular vision, powered by a relentless sense of ambition to bring a dream to life, and that's ultimately what this Limited Edition Jack Daniel's Indian Chieftain represents."
ABOUT JACK DANIEL'S
Officially registered by the U.S. government in 1866 and based in Lynchburg, Tenn., the Jack Daniel Distillery, Lem Motlow, proprietor, is the first registered distillery in the United States and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Jack Daniel's is the maker of the world-famous Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey, Gentleman Jack Rare Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Honey, Jack Daniel's Tennessee Fire, Jack Daniel's Sinatra Select and Jack Daniel's Country Cocktails. Jack Daniel's encourages its friends to drink responsibly and reminds bikers that Bottles and Throttles Don't Mix.
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE®
Indian Motorcycle, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII), is America's first motorcycle company. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America's most legendary and iconic brands through unrivaled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.com.
ABOUT POLARIS® INDUSTRIES
Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) is a global powersports leader with annual 2015 sales of $4.7 billion. Polaris fuels the passion of riders, workers and outdoor enthusiasts with our RANGER®, RZR® and POLARIS GENERAL™ side-by-side off-road vehicles; our SPORTSMAN® and POLARIS ACE® all-terrain off-road vehicles; INDIAN MOTORCYCLE® midsize and heavyweight motorcycles; SLINGSHOT® moto-roadsters; and Polaris RMK®, INDY®, SWITCHBACK® and RUSH® snowmobiles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with parts, garments and accessories sold under multiple recognizable brands, and has a growing presence globally in adjacent markets with products including military and commercial off-road vehicles, quadricycles, and electric vehicles. www.polaris.com
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SOURCE Indian Motorcycle
Yamaha - Daytona Bike Week 2017 Activites, Racing and Demo Ride Information
© 2017 Biker InCite® | Press Release from Yamaha Corporation U.S.A.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Yamaha Factory Supercross Rider Reed Is Ready To Catch Some Big Waves At Daytona Supercross
Cypress, CA - March 9, 2017 – The Daytona Supercross is this Saturday, and the surf’s up for Monster Energy/Yamalube/Chaparral/Yamaha Financial Services/Yamaha Factory Racing Team as Chad Reed hopes to continue riding the wave of momentum that he’s been on in the past couple of rounds of the AMA Supercross Championship.
Winning the 73rd heat race of his career and finishing just off the podium in fourth in this past weekend’s 450SX main event has got Chad stoked for the Daytona Supercross. “After a solid day and night in Toronto, I’m excited to be heading to one of my favorite, if not my absolute favorite, races of the year,” he said. “Daytona is a challenging race weekend. You have to figure out how to make your bike handle like a motocross bike in the tough, gnarly sections, while handling like a supercross bike through the whoops and clay sections. I’m up for the challenge and looking forward to getting my first win of the season.”
As was previously announced, Chad’s Monster Energy/Yamalube/Chaparral/Yamaha Financial Services/Yamaha Factory Racing teammate Cooper Webbwill miss this Saturday’s Daytona Supercross as he continues to recover from the shoulder injury he sustained last month at the Minneapolis Supercross.
Meet Chad Reed This Saturday
Saturday, March 11
Stop by the Monster Energy/Yamalube/Chaparral/Yamaha Financial Services/Yamaha Factory Racing Team garage on Saturday from 2:30 to 3:30 PM. Chad will be there to meet you, sign autographs, and pose for photos.
Daytona Amateur Supercross
Sunday and Monday, March 12 and 13
Look for Yamaha/Rock River/bLU cRU riders Justin Cooper (#191 YZ250F/YZ450F) in 250A/450A, Brandon Hartranft (#402 YZ250F/YZ450F) in 250A/450A, and Kyle Smith (#12 YZ85) in 85cc Mini Sr., along with Yamaha bLU cRU amateur riders from all across the U.S. in action on the Daytona Supercross track. Yamaha’s Trackside Support team from Triangle Cycles (Danville, VA) will be on hand to support all Yamaha bLU cRU riders.
See The 2017 Yamaha YZF-R6, FZ-09, And More
Two of Yamaha’s newest motorcycles will be showcased in the Yamaha Display at Daytona International Speedway. The refined, redesigned and remarkable YZF-R6 and the updated FZ-09 will be featured, along with the YZF-R3, FZ-07 ABS, WR250F, YZ450F, and more.
The Yamaha Display will be open Friday, March 10 through Friday, March 17 from 9 AM to 6 PM, and Saturday March 18 from 9 AM to 4 PM. Hats, T-shirts, and other Yamaha apparel will be available for purchase from Friday, March 10 through Sunday March 12.
Come See And Enter To Win A Yamaha YXZ1000R SS
The YXZ1000R Sport Shift (SS) is the world’s first and only Side-by-Side to combine Pure Sport performance with an exciting and high-tech paddle-shifting experience. And, it will be on-hand for up-close viewing at the Yamaha Display. Enter to win one, along with a VIP trip to the Monster Energy Supercross final round at Sam Boyd Stadium in Las Vegas on May 6, a meet and greet with both Chad Reed and Miss Supercross Juliana Daniell, and more at www.YXZsweeps.com
Check Out The Yamaha DT-07 And YZ450F American Flat Track Bike Display
The DT-07 AFT Twins Concept Bike, a stock FZ-07, and an AFT Singles-spec YZ450F will be on display in the Daytona Fan Zone during Bike Week (and in the AFT Vendor Area on March 16 during the Daytona TT), so you can get a good look at how Yamaha is answering the call for entries to the American Flat Track Championship.
Take A Ride On A 2017 Yamaha Motorcycle
To demo a 2017 Yamaha Bolt R-Spec, SCR950, XSR900, FZ-07 ABS, FZ-09, FJ-09, FZ-10, YZF-R1S, Super Ténéré ES, FJR1300, or V Star 1300 Deluxe, go to the Yamaha Display at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, March 10 through Friday, March 17 from 9 AM to 5 PM, or on Saturday, March 18 from 9 to 3 PM. You must be at least 18 years of age and have a valid motorcycle license (permits are not allowed), a DOT-approved helmet, long pants, enclosed shoes, a shirt, and eye protection. To ride the FZ-10 or YZF-R1S, you also must be at least 25 years of age.
For more information on all Yamaha models--including features, specifications, photos, and videos--please visit www.yamahamotorsports.com. Also, check out “YamahaMotorUSA” on your favorite social media site.
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Suzuki Endurance Racing Team rider Anthony Delhalle dies
Press Release from Suzuki-Racing.com
ANTHONY DELHALLE
Team Suzuki Press Office – March 10, 2017
It is with sadness that we announce the tragic loss of our distinguished rider Anthony Delhalle.
Eminent symbol of the SERT team, the talented pilot, who has won five titles of Endurance World Champion with Suzuki, succumbed to his injuries yesterday morning following a crash during the Nogaro test in France.
Anthony Delhalle, 35, was a pure French talent of speed and one of the best representatives of endurance motorcycle racing.
A strong defender of the Suzuki brand during his career, Anthony first joined the brand by entering into the Junior Team of Damien Saulnier and has proved his strength and legitimately found his place in the prestigious SERT of Dominique Meliand.
Anthony was a major rider in EWC, remarkable for his speed and regularity in this discipline which he loved so much.
All our thoughts go to his wife and 2 children, family and people who love him.
Suzuki Endurance Racing Team (SERT) rider Anthony Delhalle unfortunately succumbed to injuries sustained in a crash during testing at the Nogaro Circuit in France on Thursday. The team was present at the Nogaro private test with several other endurance teams as part of preparations for the 24 Hours of Le Mans FIM World Endurance race in April. French media state eyewitness reports that the 35-year-old Frenchman put a wheel off into the wet grass (it had recently rained) near the end of the 0.6-mile front straight and crashed heavily, tumbling through the grass runoff without hitting anything or the bike. Suzuki-Racing.com listed he reportedly suffered a cervical spine injury that stifled any attempts at resuscitation by rescue personnel.
"It's incredible and inexplicable. I feel like a part of me has gone," said teammate Vincent Philippe.
Delhalle was a veteran member of the multi-championship SERT team for six years, winning five world titles with the team along with three world titles with other Suzuki teams. The Frenchman began his endurance racing career with the QERT (Qatar Endurance Racing Team) that led to a short stint in the Moto2 World Championship series, before joining SERT in 2011. He is survived by a wife and two children. Sport Rider extends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Delhalle.
The FIM endurance racing champion Delhalle was testing been test "Anthony came out straight, without reason or loss of grip," said teammate Vincent Philippe to Motorsport.com.
Anthony Delhalle's Race History as listed on Suzuki-Racing.com:
2013: World Endurance Champion
2012: World Endurance Champion
2011: Bol d'Or winner with Suzuki Endurance Racing Team
2010: Endurance World Cup winner, Qatar Superbike Champion
2009: Endurance World Cup winner
2008: Endurance World Cup winner
2007: 24H du Mans and Bol d'Or winner in Superstock
2006: 4th European GSXR Cup and Bol d'Or STK winner