Ups & Downs
UPs & DOWNs
ROUNDUP
UP: To Avon tires, for its new Road Hazard Warranty on Viper Sport, Viper Supersport, Azaro ST and Storm ST ranges of tires. In times like these, the last thing a consumer wants is to suffer a puncture on a new set of tires. Avon will replace a dam-aged tire at no charge. There are, of course, terms and conditions, such as remaining tread depth, and Avon will only replace one tire once per purchase. Nevertheless, it’s a great program that gives buyers peace of mind. For more info, visit www.avonmotor cycle.com.
UP: To the American Motorcyclist Association, for offering significant upgrades to its membership benefits packages. Although annual dues remain unchanged at $39, those who choose a new Auto-Renewal membership option are rewarded with free AMA Roadside Assistance that provides extensive, broad-range coverage for all the vehicles—motorcycles, cars, motorhomes, trailers, etc-registered to the member’s immediate family, including spouse and children under the age of 24 living at home or away at college. The AMA also added to its already-long list of existing partnerships by reaching agreements with quite a few other companies-Garmin, RoadLok, MAD Maps, LifeLock, SPOT, EZY-
Lift, XENA Locks, among others-to provide discounts for members. Visit www.american motorcyclist.com to learn more.
UP: To Scot Harden and Casey Folks, for bringing a little economic stimulus to Caliente, Nevada. Twenty-five years ago, off-road legend Harden and Best in the Desert (www.bitd.com) boss Folks created the Nevada 200 Trail Ride as an excuse to get together each year and enjoy the amazing riding found in Eastern Nevada. That has blossomed into 200 riders annually and more than 4375 entrants to date taking part in this trail-riding adventure. The community hospitality and annual post-ride Easter egg hunt are bonuses. The small city of Caliente has benefited greatly from the ride, which has brought in more than $500,000 to local businesses. On top of that, every year, Harden’s mom deals a $5 poker hand to every rider at lunch, the profits thus far totaling more than $38,000-all donated to the local community and City of Caliente.
UP: To newly named Harley-Davidson CEO Keith Wandell, for stepping up to the plate. He takes over at a tough time for Harley, hit hard by consumer malaise and a constricted credit market. Profits were down 30 percent in 2008, while motorcycle shipments fell 8 percent to 303,500 units (though it should be pointed out that H-D still cleared $655 million in profit). Harley’s aging clientele-averaging 49 years old-is one area of concern for Wandell, who admitted that the company needs to seek out “other demographic areas, such as younger riders, female riders, as well as minority riders.” The recent $109 million acquisition of Italy’s MV Agusta may also bear
fruit on Wandell's watch. "Now, we are a leader iii the heavyweight segment," he said, "but I think there are a lot of opportunities in the sportbike segment, both in the U.S. as well as around the world." Wandell, 59, comes to Harley after 21 years at Johnson Controls, maker of car interiors, where he was president and COO.
