Inside The Motorcycle Industry
Garage-Girls Ultimate Biker makeover, and more.
**Girls do it, Too!**
Carlisle Bike Fest was home to the Garage-Girls Ultimate Biker makeover sponsored by GEICO where the Girls got a chance to give back to a couple of “average Jills” on Saturday July 18. The winners Kristen Buckley, of Red Lion, Pennsylvania, and Victoria Kriner-Aversano, of Myerstown Pennsylvania, were chosen from four finalists. Both women received personal makeovers, head-to-toe riding gear, and a host of other prizes. For the grand prize, Victoria’s bike got “hooked up” with a ton of parts such as a new seat, speakers, spoked wheels, and some pinstriping. Seeing the finished product was an emotional experience for Victoria, who became slightly tearful as the bike was unveiled and called the prize a blessing. She said the seat and speakers will prove especially handy for playing patriotic music along the long rides she takes as a Patriot Guard Rider attending soldiers’ funerals, Victoria is a regional representative for America’s 9/11 Foundation and a volunteer with the non-profit Soldiers’ Angels.[www.garage-girls.com](http://www.garage-girls.com), photo credit, Jill Hunt.
**Ride To The Moon**
On Monday, June 29, 2009, Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.) members around the world logged 4,373,937 miles during the club’s second annual Million Mile Monday riding marathon. “Our members set the bar pretty high after last year’s three million miles, and we are ecstatic to have exceeded that by more than 45 percent this year,” said Benny Suggs, general manager of the Harley Owners Group. To put the cumulative mileage in perspective, 4,373,937 miles is the equivalent of almost 77,000,000 American football fields (goal line to goal line). If you could ride from the earth to the moon, you’d have to make more than nine round trips to log 4,373,937 miles on your odometer. Riding 4,373,937 miles on an average motorcycle compared to driving a standard passenger car saves nearly 109,375 gallons of gas (or 5,609 barrels of crude oil); at $3 a gallon, that’s a $328,125 savings in fuel. Million Mile Monday is an annual event on the last Monday of June and is open to all H.O.G. members-riders or passengers. The feat was recorded by logging into the club’s exclusive members-only website where participants registered their miles ridden on that day.[www.hog.com](http://www.hog.com).
**A Good Ride, A Good Cause**
Capitol Nashville Recording Artist Little Big Town hosted their third “Ride For A Cure” on Sunday, June 14, 2009 to benefit the T.J. Martell Foundation. This year’s event was a huge success and raised $52,000 for cancer research at the Frances Williams Preston Laboratories at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center. The T.J. Martell Foundation supports leukemia, cancer, and AIDS research at six top hospitals in the United States. The Frances Williams Preston Laboratories were named after Frances Preston, past president and CEO of BMI and current president of the national T.J. Martell Foundation. [www.tjmartellfoundation.org](http://www.tjmartellfoundation.org)
**That’s Jacked**According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, more than 60,000 motorcycles were stolen last year: that’s one bike stolen every 8.7 minutes. That’s the bad news. The good news is that now even more riders can save money and protect themselves from motorcycle theft by taking advantage of a program from LoJack Corporation and Progressive. Riders can get a $50 rebate from LoJack on the LoJack for Motorcycles Stolen Vehicle Recovery System by downloading the online rebate form on [www.motorcycle.progressive.com](http://www.motorcycle.progressive.com). Progressive customers who have LoJack installed on their bikes can now also get a 20 percent discount on their Comprehensive coverage premium. Each LoJack system includes a small, silent radio transceiver hidden on the bike by a LoJack certified technician. Once a theft is reported to law enforcement, the LoJack transponder is activated. The system sends out a signal that police vehicles, helicopters, and fixed wing aircraft, equipped with LoJack Police Tracking Computers, can follow to recover the stolen bike. In the last three years, the LoJack System has helped law enforcement recover more than 1,500 stolen bikes. The rebate and discount are available in select states. For motorcycle theft prevention tips; [www.progressive.com/vehicle-resources/motorcycle-theft-prevention.aspx](http://www.progressive.com/vehicle-resources/motorcycle-theft-prevention.aspx)
**Trike Your Bike**California Sidecar has announced the release of the new Volusia Trike Conversion kit for Harley-Davidson Softails. Inspired by Formula 1 racecar technology, the Volusia is California Sidecar’s sportiest and best handling trike to date. The Volusia was designed specifically for Softails. With its low center of gravity, stiff chassis, and proven CSC Independent Suspension, the Volusia offers a smooth ride coupled with a sleek look. Engineered to fit all 2000 through 2009 Softail models (except Springer models), the Volusia offers the quality craftsmanship and performance consumers have come to expect from California Sidecar. [www.californiasidecar.com/a>.
**Let’s Race!**Buell Motorcycle Company today introduced the 1125RR, a race-use only motorcycle intended for competition in the AMA Pro Racing American Super bike class. “The 1125RR is designed to give privateer racers a turn-key machine to compete in the American Super Bike class in AMA Pro Racing. We want to build on our program that has proven so successful for privateers in the Daytona Sport bike class,” said Erik Buell, chairman and chief technical officer, Buell Motorcycle Company. Buell will produce a limited number of 1125RR motorcycles for sale only to licensed professional road racers who will compete in the AMA Pro Racing American Super bike class. U.S. MSRP is $39,995. Orders must be placed through the Buell Race Department and delivered through an authorized Buell motorcycle dealer. [www.buell.com](http://www.buell.com).