October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Harley-Davidson supports breast cancer organizations year-round by offering the Pink Label Collection! We are proud of this line -
it’s a product offering with a purpose. Harley-Davidson was inspired to create this line by the countless riders and passengers that they have encountered on the open roads and at events, who have been impacted by breast cancer.

With every purchase of Harley-Davidson Pink Label merchandise, 3% of the retail price is donated to organizations that support and empower women who are affected by breast cancer every day. Over $1 million has been donated by Harley-Davidson from the proceeds of Pink Label thanks to you! Organizations include National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc., Young Survivor Coalition, and ABCD: After Breast Cancer Diagnosis.

Pink Label is more than something to wear. It’s the power to make a difference.

Visit www.harley-davidson.com/pinklabel to learn more and see the entire line.

Highlight from the Summer Dealer Show - the new Bagger Low!

Guest Blogger Tom McTamney
Owner, Liberty Harley-Davidson

Last day – Dealer Show is winding down and I now have some time to think about my highlights of the show.  Some new bikes, some new parts, but what really stands out as, in my mind, a show stopper is new Bagger Lows.

The new Ultra Limited Low is really something.  A factory touring bike that if you are at least 5’7” you are flat footed.  The bike has been lowered in the rear, lowered in the front, has new handlebars that come back a little further, relocated floorboards, and a seat that is not only lower, but narrower, and because it was designed around the Hammock seat, is still very comfortable.

But what I believe is the big news is the new primary cover - that is almost an inch and a half narrower.  That has always been somewhat of a challenge for some riders because your leg always hit the primary.  Well, not any more.  It’s hard to believe that just an inch or so makes such a big difference. 

View from Above

And the good news is that it will fit baggers back to around '08. No pulling off the inner primary, just the outer cover and new larger derby cover.  So if you need just a little more control, and you are ok with the Handlebars and the floorboards, the new narrow primary is just the ticket. 

Stay tuned for my dealer show ride to the Trace, and the birthplace of the King in my next blog.      

Fall MotorClothes Update - New Styles Coming to Liberty

Guest Blogger - Karen,
MotorClothes Manager

The escape to unknown destinations is the inspiration of the Men’s Fall 2014 Collection. 

Field Ops.  More rugged, functional styling combines with a unique mixture of textures, washes and materials to create a performance packed collection that takes risks. The Men’s Fall Collection uses transitional features and versatility to provide optimum comfort, with a focus on distressed and worn fabrics during the fall months.

 

Vintage appeal inspires origins of the Women’s Fall 2014 Collection.

Wanderlust. This season’s focus is on unique shaping, textured accents and pieced graphics to create a distinctive assortment that embraces individuality. Eclectic and fresh details and treatments speaks to the innovation in design, while functional features in riding styles stay true to the classic nature of the Harley-Davidson brand. Functional features focus on versatility during this transitional season.

Heated Gear Sneak Peek!!

Brand new redone heated gear is coming for the colder months ahead! Casual heated outerwear provides a solution to keep you warm both on and off the bike! On the bike, these pieces are great for layering under functional or leather jackets to stay comfortable in cooler weather. Off the bike, these pieces offer stylish ways to stay warm! All the heated jackets feature a 3-zone heating system, and INCLUDES the battery and charger with your garment purchase!

Harley-Davidson is offering one casual heated soft shell jacket for men and women (98556-15VM – $250 / 98560-15VW – $235) and one heated vest for men (98557-15VM – $200). These are BRAND NEW from Harley-Davidson, and have not been released yet!! We’re hoping to have them in store for you by the end of September! Be sure to stop by to try them on and check them out for yourself!

Day 3 - Another Update from the Harley-Davidson Dealer Show!

Tom McTamney, Owner
Liberty Harley-Davidson

Hello again!  Here it is, day three of the dealer show!

Swashbuckling Pirate Belt or Scarf?
You decide!

I almost feel as if I'm back in high school - they give me 10 hours of new information and I can remember maybe 15 minutes of it. But what I do remember most is what I understand the least.

I asked one of the exhibitors to explain Dark Customs, and the woman said, well, most people your age don't understand it, it's for the young crowd. So we will stock it; I don't have to understand it.
 

Another item I can't explain is what I'm holding here in this photo.  It looked to me like a belt for a swashbuckling pirate, but the exhibitor informed me that, although it could be used as a belt, it is more of a fashion accessory piece.

So fine, I'm 0 for 2 in the fashion world.

Not to be discouraged, I pushed on.  I moved to the helmet section - finally something I understand!  Here you can see a really cool shorty helmet with an old school bar and shield on the back.

And also, in the home decor section, some very interesting wall hangings made of metal and plaster, and the exciting part is, they're very affordable - and would look great in your man-cave.

And lastly, they're introducing an expanded Pink Label collection - new jackets, new shirts, new helmets.  And of course, with Harley-Davidson's Pink Label Collection, a portion of the proceeds continue to fund research for a Breast Cancer cure.

I'll probably do one more update this evening, and then it's time to head on back to work.

See ya soon!

More cool stuff from the Harley-Davidson Dealer Show!

Guest Blogger:
Tom McTamney, Owner

Hello again from the Dealer Show!

We just finished the New Motorcycle and P&A seminars. I am really revved up for the new parts and accessories that are coming out, not only for the 2015s, but also for many earlier models.

This year's most impressive accessory is the narrow profile outer primary cover. They have managed to chop almost an inch from the outer primary making it much easier to walk the bike in and out of parking spaces.   Equally interesting is the new custom wheels - 6 new wheels in all - including a new custom wheel for the Street.  Included with the wheels are matching rotors and final drive pulleys.

The Burst Collection literally bursts with new items. It includes a really cool gas door and speaker trim.
 

In closing, also offered this year is a complete set of Brilliant Red brake calipers, which give your bike the latest high performance looks. So many new accessories, you will have to just come into the store and get a New Products catalog.

Next time, a little about performance apparel...

Greetings from the Summer Harley-Davidson Dealer Show!

Guest Blogger - Tom McTamney,
Owner, Liberty Harley-Davidson

Good morning from the Dealer Show!  Lots going on here, but I thought I'd take a few quick minutes, because I've got lots of good news to share.  The new Trike is almost $7000 dollars cheaper than the current model.  This Trike just BEGS for customization.  It would look good with a nice set of 60s style Cragar wheels, maybe a set of apes - the wheels are turning!

Tom, sitting on the new Ultra Low.

Let's move on to the New Electra Glide Lows, featuring a new seat;  the new suspension front and rear, and new handlebars make it a great choice for the vertically challenged.

Also, in the next few weeks, we will be getting two Street Glide CVOs and an Ultra CVO at Liberty.

More to come later!

2015 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Roars Back

Two All-New Models Flaunt Massive Bad Attitude and Mile-Devouring Function
MILWAUKEE – Harley-Davidson® (NYSE:HOG) has more rush in the tank. Spy photos, gossip and wild speculation are flooding the Internet as Harley-Davidson fans around the globe anticipate the return of the Road Glide® motorcycle. The wait is over and the Road Glide is back.

Weeks before the announcement of its complete 2015 model line-up, Harley-Davidson is previewing the Road Glide and Road Glide Special, two of its new 2015 motorcycles. Infused with DNA of the customer-led product development effort Project RUSHMORE, the two sleek, shark-nose Touring models are being revealed today during special events at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, S.D., and at the National Bikers Roundup (NBR) in Tulsa, Okla.

“Road Glide has always had an incredibly passionate following, which is why its return to the model line-up is exciting for our customers and our company,” said Matt Levatich, President and Chief Operating Officer of Harley-Davidson Motor Company. “With Project Rushmore technology, intuitive features and great new styling, we’re delivering an improved ride for the Road Glide faithful and the many others looking for more cool Project Rushmore motorcycle options.”

One look at the new contour of the famous Road Glide fairing is all it takes to see past form and convention were put aside and a new rebellious design emerged. The Road Glide motorcycle earned its status satisfying the hard core and now it is back. From the wicked new Dual Reflector Daymaker™ LED headlights to the combination stop/turn/taillights, the Road Glide motorcycles set out to make the ultimate statement in custom, high-mile aggression and back it up with all the function riders demand.

“The Road Glide has always been a bike for a rider who’s cut from a different cloth, a person who wants to make a statement as they chase the freedom of the road,” said Michael Goche, Product Planning Manager. “This new model respects that spirit while offering a significant improvement in aerodynamic and ergonomic comfort, LED lighting and the full suite of Project RUSHMORE features that have been such a huge hit with touring riders around the world.”

Road Glide
Shaped by countless hours of wind tunnel testing, the new frame-mounted Road Glide motorcycle fairing features a triple splitstream vent that significantly reduces head buffeting while still providing comfortable airflow around the rider. The brilliant white beams of the Dual Daymaker Reflector LED headlamp blasts through the murkiest of nights. Centered in the inner fairing is the color screen of a Boom! ™ Box 4.3 infotainment system controlled by twin joysticks located on a new swept-back handlebar that puts the rider in a commanding, comfortable position. A High Output Twin Cam 103™ V-Twin engine burbles through two chrome mufflers, its abundant torque always on tap with just a twist of the throttle. Touring features include One-Touch hard saddlebags, cruise control, easy-to-read gauges, adjustable air-ride rear suspension and new ergonomic hand controls with intuitive design and improved tactile feel.

Road Glide Special
Select premium features elevate the performance and style of the Road Glide Special from the base model. These enhancements include the premium Boom! Box 6.5GT infotainment system with touch screen and GPS navigation, Reflex™ Linked Brakes with ABS and hand-adjustable low-profile rear suspension. An exclusive painted inner fairing and hand-applied pinstriping move the styling up a notch.

The public will have an opportunity to see and test-ride the new 2015 Road Glide and Road Glide Special models at Harley-Davidson locations in Sturgis Aug. 2-9 and in Tulsa on Aug. 2. They then start arriving at authorized Harley-Davidson dealerships on August 26, 2014. Visit www.h-d.com/roadglide for more information.

Harley-Davidson™ World Ride Racks Up 10.5 Million Miles

(6/27/2014) - MILWAUKEE – Seeking freedom and adventure, thousands of globe-trotting motorcycle riders ditched the daily grind and hit the road during the Harley-Davidson™ World Ride on June 22-23. Together they logged 10,566,064 miles, or 17,004,389 kilometers, over the course of the two-day ride.

After completing their rides, participants logged their mileage directly onto the World Ride web site and shared riding stories and photographs on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter using the hashtag #HDWorldRide. Participants could also download a certificate of participation after entering their mileage on the web site.

“Riders left the rat race behind for two days during the World Ride and put on an incredible demonstration of the fun and freedom that riding brings to our lives,” said Nigel Villiers, Harley-Davidson Director of Integrated Consumer Experience. “The number of miles we rode together is amazing, but what really makes the World Ride special are the stories and memories they created.”
During the World Ride, riders logged miles solo, in groups large and small, and through a variety of dealer-led events around the world, united by a shared passion for freedom, adventure, and riding. Riders from more than 75 countries participated in the World Ride, with the ten highest mileage totals coming from the United States, Canada, Brazil, India, Mexico, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, and South Africa.

Stories and photos gathered during the World Ride can be viewed at socialhub.harley-davidson.com/worldride. To learn more about the Harley-Davidson World Ride, visit h-d.com/worldride.

Tom's Review of the 2014 Harley-Davidson Ultra Limited

By Tom McTamney, Owner, Liberty Harley-Davidson

I thought that I would put pen to paper, or finger to keyboard, and do a review of the Motor Company’s latest touring model, the Ultra Limited Twin-Cooled.  I had the opportunity to do a late winter ride this year to Bike Week in Daytona.  I managed to buzz around town locally ahead of time, to get about 400 miles on the bike so I could get the first service out of the way before I left so I wouldn’t have to worry about the first service on the ride south

Now, this new Limited is the first entry by Harley into the realm of liquid cooling on a large touring bike.  Since it only cools the two exhaust valves in the heads, I wondered if it would really help with the heat put off by Harley’s big twin.  Also, it sported a high-output engine with factory installed cams, and I wondered if just cooling the exhaust valves was worth the effort.  Well, I can say with certainty that it was.  Before I speak about how this new power plant worked, let me first tell everyone about the modifications I made to the bike before I left.

I had an S&S header pipe installed along with a Screamin’ Eagle 4-inch StreetCannons, a high flow breather and a Harley-Davidson Race tuner and a Dyno tune.  Those modifications worked out really well, lost no reliability, and performance for a touring bike was more than adequate.

The day I left for Daytona was rather cool, a balmy 37 degrees, and it stayed under 50 or so till we made Georgia. Georgia was around 65 or 70 degrees which still was really no challenge for Harley’s Twin-Cooled engine.  With just over 1000 miles on the trip, the bike ran flawlessly.  The new seat was adequate, the fairing vent worked as expected and kept most of the wind well above my helmet area, and buffeting was at a minimum.

Photo Courtesy of Joseph Caruso

My wife enjoyed the new passenger seat and back rest; we both were amazed at the new sound system, and even at 85-90 mph we could still hear the radio.  The new LED lighting, standard on the Limited, worked very well, and the new linked brakes took a little getting used to (when you apply the front brake and then apply the rear brake you can feel a slight pushback on the front brake lever…the same applies if you apply the rear and then the front, you will feel a push back on the foot lever.  Under 25 you won’t feel it at all), but with a few miles under my belt it became unnoticeable. So I was well satisfied with the improvements that Harley made on its Rushmore Touring bikes, and would have no problem recommending them to my customers.   The real test would be Main Street.

  

Photo Courtesy of Joseph Caruso

Monday in Daytona the temperature hit a warm 80 degrees.  Felt a lot hotter after our northern winter.  Well, time for the real test -- stop and go Main Street cruising.  I used to avoid Main Street other years because of the heat problem with the bikes, but this year I hit it hard.  I spent well over an hour cruising up and down Main Street and while the new Twin-Cooled engine did get hot, it was nowhere near what my last Limited experienced.  The fans came on and cycled off, (could not hear them at all) and pushed the hot air well away from the rider, the new heat management system cycled on every time the throttle was returned to idle, and I could only tell it was working because the big Street Cannon exhaust note changed from the rather recognizable syncopated beat to a slightly off-key note, as only one cylinder is now firing.  The engine management system controls the system well, raising the idle speed just enough to keep the idle at about a grand, and as soon as you twist the grip it seamlessly returns to normal two cylinder operation.  So, over an hour of stop and go riding and my thigh did not catch fire.

Photo Courtesy of Joseph Caruso

In my opinion, the Twin-Cooled engine works as described, and I expect to see it on a few other touring bikes next year. 
 

I now have almost 4000 miles on my new Limited and I have to say that all of the Motor Companies Rushmore improvements on the touring models work very well.