American Motorcycle Dealer AMD 236 March 2019 | Page 8

NEWS Tucker V-Twin Exclusive BRIEFS Distributor of Letric Lighting Co. Indian Motorcycle has announced it is to accelerate the July 2018 announced plan to manufacture Scout models for Europe at its Polaris ATV/UTV facility in Poland. The intention is to “reduce the impact of the retaliatory tariffs on motorcycles imposed by the EU in response to the Trump administration’s aluminum and steel tariffs.” The facility in Poland will assemble CKD kits (Complete Knock Down) shipped there from its Spirit Lake, Iowa motorcycle manufacturing and assembly facility. February saw the return of the Harley-Davidson edition F-150 pick- up in a collaboration with Fox Factory Holding subsidiary Tuscany Motor Co - a specialist in special and limited edition Fords. The formal special edition collaboration between Harley and Ford ended in 2012, but from its inception in 2000 some 70,000 Harley F-150 specials are said to have been sold. To put Harley’s Livewire ambitions in context, in 2018 the 28 markets that (currently!) make up the European Union (which is widely accepted to be at least a decade ahead of the USA in terms of its E-bike and Urban Mobility market acceptance) was only worth 7,378 units (according to full year data from Brussels based international motorcycle industry trade association ACEM). Indeed, total electric PTW registrations, which includes E-Scooters, Mopeds and ‘PedElecs’, were only 47,179 units. While both figures were up substantially over 2017 in percentage terms (+44% and +51% respectively), the still low volumes suggest that beyond ride share, leasing and city rental schemes, take-up and market acceptance still have a long way to go before anybody can expect to start making reasonable profits and ROI from the sector. US non-farm payrolls shows that US firms created 304,000 jobs in January, according to the US Labor Department. Average hourly earnings rose by 3.2%. However, the job numbers for December have been revised down from 312,000 to 222,000 and data also shows the number of Americans claiming unemployment benefits has reached its highest level in more than a year. 8 Created by leading electrical component manufacturer NAMZ Custom Cycle Products (Oreland, Pennsylvania), the new LED lighting product line is available exclusively from Tucker V-twin. One of several new exclusives added by Tucker in recent weeks, the Letric line features over 150 parts. Created and tested in just a few months, the program made its debut at the 2019 Tucker Dealer Show, Fort Worth, Texas in January. CEO Jeff Zielinski (seen here, left, with Midwestern-based Sales Manager Mark Fossler) said that “the Letric line includes premium Plug-n- Play LED motorcycle lighting with a vast array of offerings for V-twin models including headlights, taillights, turn signals, and accent lighting. Even more, Letric Lighting products boast anywhere from a one-year to industry-leading Lifetime Warranty.”    AMA 2019 Vintage Flat Track National Championship Series The 2019 AMA Vintage Flat Track National Championship Series schedule features 13 rounds, including the series' first visit to Plymouth, Ind. The schedule includes three rounds on Half Mile tracks and eight rounds on short tracks, before wrapping up with the series' final rounds at the 3/8 Mile Plymouth Speedway in Plymouth, Ind. “With the addition of the two rounds at Plymouth Speedway, our Vintage Flat Track competitors will be challenged by three types of tracks in 2019,” AMA Track Racing Manager Ken Saillant said. “It's great to see so many of yesterday's flat track motorcycles brought back to life to compete in this championship.” The 2019 season gets underway with three races at 2019 Daytona Bike Week and visits venues in eight states, including a round at the 2019 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, featuring Honda. The series recognizes national champions in period-correct classes AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - MARCH 2019 that reflect the storied history of AMA flat track competition. Class champions are recognized as AMA National Champions and awarded AMA No. 1 plates. www.americanmotorcyclist.com 2019 AMA Vintage Flat Track National Championship Series Schedule March 9 March 11 March 12 May 4 June 14 June 15 July 6 Aug. 3-4 Sept. 1 Sept. 21 Sept. 22 Oct. 12 Oct. 13 Oglethorpe Speedway, Pooler, Ga. (Half Mile) Volusia County Speedway, De Leon Springs, Fla. (Half Mile) Volusia County Speedway, De Leon Springs, Fla. (Short Track) Trail-Way Speedway, Hanover, Pa. (Short Track) Square Deal Riders, Harpursville, N.Y. (Short Track) Square Deal Riders, Harpursville, N.Y. (Short Track) AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, Ashland County Fairgrounds, Ashland, Ohio (Half Mile) Mid-America Speedway, Indianapolis, Ind. (Short Track) Illinois State Fairgrounds, Springfield, Ill. (Short Track) Oakland Valley Race Park, Cuddebackville, N.Y. (Short Track) Oakland Valley Race Park, Cuddebackville, N.Y. (Short Track) Plymouth Speedway, Plymouth, Ind. (3/8 Mile) Plymouth Speedway, Plymouth, Ind. (3/8 Mile) www.AMDchampionship.com