American Motorcycle Dealer AMD 238 May 2019 | Page 14

Drag Specialties 2019 FatBook Cover Bike NEWS BRIEFS Owned and operated by the MIC's own events division, this year's 8th annual AIMExpo sees the combined dealer and consumer all-market show return to its 2017 venue of Columbus, Ohio, (September 26-29) after a year in Las Vegas, an appearance in the Southwest of the United States that V-twin vendors have divided opinions about, in attendance and business done terms. BMW and Daimler have unveiled a joint venture covering new-generation services such as driverless vehicles, ride- hailing and pay-per-use cars. Normally fierce rivals, the firms are investing € 1bn (£880m) in the project, which will also help drivers find parking and electric charge points. The two German firms said they were open to buying tech start-ups. Electronics and fuel injection tuning and management specialist Bazzaz has moved to a dealer/retail direct structure for domestic U.S. sales. Bazzaz products will no longer be distributed through Tucker or WPS. A new website will now include a dedicated dealer portal, and a new zero MAP policy is in effect. Progressive International Motorcycle Shows (IMS) announced NewTo2.com, an online platform within 'Discover The Ride' that is dedicated to educating a new generation of riders, offering a comprehensive introduction to motorcycling, and breaking down the industry's high barriers to entry through an online platform. Harley has appointed yet another reassuringly expensive new third party advertising and marketing services agency - Droga5 (New York, with offices in London and Sydney) as a new creative partner after a competitive review. After a company-level review, Harley consolidated its global creative, media and digital marketing work with Team Ignite owner Interpublic Group last year. The precise scope of Droga5's remit, and its effects on Harley's relationship with IPG, are unclear. The process was initially positioned as a project-based pitch involving only non-roster agencies, but those involved were under the impression that they were competing to be Harley's Agency of Record moving forward. The first campaigns from Droga5 are slated to debut later this year. In what feels like an underestimate, media monitoring analysts put Harley's 2017 marketing budget at $8 million in the U.S., with a global spend of $30 million. 14 For its 2019 FatBook cover bike, Drag Specilties this year turned to Phoenix, Arizona based Trask Performance to help realize the company's vision of a "truly unique machine with muscle- bike presence and style." The build continues the collaboration process with top vendors/builders in the industry that Drag Specialties has been known for. "The goal is always to change things up, to innovate and create something that stands out and showcases the quality of both the build team and the parts selected for use on the bike." The M-8 Fat Bob Softail features multiple products from the 2019 FatBook catalog, including Trask Performance, Legends Suspension, Arlen Ness, Joker Machine, Ken's Factory, Custom Dynamics, Diamond Engineering, Speed Merchant, Thrashin Supply, Feuling, Barnett, Cometic, S&S, Badlands, Kuryakyn, Techno Research, and a custom-stitched Drag Specialties seat. Erik's Fuell - an $11k E-Bike Project Erik Buell has announced Fuell - a new urban electric mobility brand, formerly known as "VanguardSpark" - with its first planned bikes, the 'Fluid' Pedelec at $3,295 and the 'Flow' E-Bike at a stunningly low and eminently realistic planned entry-level price-point of $10,995. Erik Buell has teamed up with legendary engineer Frédéric Vasseur, Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team principal and founder of Spark Racing Technology (which builds the Formula E racers), and Francois-Xavier Terny, a transatlantic entrepreneur "fond of industrial endeavors," to create a "genuinely new experience entirely focused on the urban rider - Fuell is all about creating freedom and emotion through innovation." The 'Fluid' will be offered as a Pedelec (max 20 mph) or S-Pedelec (max 28 mph), requiring helmet and insurance in most States. Described as a "robust and elegant electric bike with exceptional range (up to 125 miles thanks to its two removable batteries with a total of 1,000Wh) and generous torque (100Nm)" and as being "virtually maintenance-free with its carbon belt and internal hub gears." In the context of competitive Pedelec offerings, the 'Fluid' looks to be a AMERICAN MOTORCYCLE DEALER - MAY 2019 powerful, stylish and upscale example of its kind, drawing from urban-proof BMX design best practise and likely to offer a versatile urban mobility solution that should fully justify its quite reasonable price tag. The 'Flow' on the other hand is a fully formed E-Bike concept - a bona fide electric motorcycle available in 11kW (125 cc equivalent) or 35kW (motorcycle license) versions, combining practical features for the urban journey (integrated 50 liter/13 gallon internal storage), technological innovations (proprietary wheel- motor1, connected dashboard) and "unparalleled driving pleasure" (thanks to its acceleration and low center of gravity) in a stylish, contemporary package. The 'Fluid' and 'Flow' prototypes will be in New York City before end of March 2019 for 4 to 5 weeks to be presented to investors, journalists and influencers - not available as pre- production prototypes for test rides yet, but as concept provers and available to be seen by appointment only - a full reveal is slated for April 23rd. www.AMDchampionship.com