THIS WEEKEND!

COME SEE US AT THE MOTORCYCLE SHOW!

Visit us at the 32nd Annual Colorado Motorcycle Show and Swap, this Saturday & Sunday, Jan 30th and 31st at the National Western Stockshow Complex.

Visit us at Booths #12 & 13 for
deals on great merchandise!

www.comotorcycleshowandswap.com

The new Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight motorcycle is a factory custom in the legendary tradition of the hot rod Sportster line with the raw, elemental appeal of the Dark Custom™ bikes.

Riding low with a slammed suspension and featuring the classic 2.1-gallon “peanut” fuel tank, the Forty-Eight backs up its bulldog appearance with the performance of its blacked out and polished rubber-mounted Evolution® 1200 cc V-Twin engine. The low solo seat, under-mounted mirrors, side mount license plate, clean rear fender and tall and fat front tire emphasize the Forty Eight’s focus on chiseled customization.

And while the Forty-Eight model may break bad when it comes to radical attitude and straight-on style, it won’t break the bank starting at just $10,499 MSRP in Vivid Black.

“With its classic bulldog shoulders stance, the Forty-Eight strikes a distinctive look and low profile that could only come from Harley-Davidson,” said Ray Drea, Harley-Davidson Senior Director of Styling. “The Forty-Eight model has a collective past life experience and broken-in look that is raw and authentic.”

As a Harley-Davidson Dark Custom motorcycle, the Forty-Eight is ready to ride as a radical custom and also primed to take on its rider’s character and personality. Dark Custom accomplices of the Forty-Eight include the Nightster®, Iron 883™, Cross Bones®, Fat Bob® and Street Bob®. Check out more on Dark Custom motorcycles at www.harley-davidson.com/darkcustom.

MILWAUKEE (January 22, 2010) – Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE:HOG) reported full-year 2009 revenue of $4.29 billion and income of $70.6 million, or $0.30 per share, from continuing operations. In the fourth quarter, the Company reported revenue of $764.5 million and a loss of $147.2 million, or $0.63 per share, from continuing operations. Affecting fourth-quarter results were a previously announced 53.1 percent reduction in Harley-Davidson® motorcycle shipments from the year-ago period and $167.1 million in restructuring and Buell® product line exit costs.

Including MV Agusta discontinued operations, the Company reported a full-year net loss of $55.1 million, or $0.24 per share, and a fourth-quarter net loss of $218.7 million, or $0.94 per share.

“Our full-year 2009 results were affected by the difficult economy, as well as the planned actions we took that resulted in restructuring charges of $224 million. We believe these actions are critical to restoring greater profitability and long-term growth to Harley-Davidson,” said Keith Wandell, Harley-Davidson, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer. “We are confident we have made the right decisions for our future, and we are executing our strategy with focused intensity.”

Full-Year and Fourth-Quarter Results
For the full-year from continuing operations: revenue was $4.29 billion in 2009 compared to $5.58 billion in 2008, a 23.1 percent decrease; income was $70.6 million in 2009 compared to $684.2 million in 2008, a decrease of 89.7 percent; and earnings per share decreased 89.7 percent to $0.30 in 2009, compared to $2.92 in 2008. Full-year results from continuing operations primarily reflect the effects of lower motorcycle shipments, restructuring and Buell product line exit costs, and non-cash charges related to Harley-Davidson Financial Services.

In the fourth-quarter of 2009, the Company reported revenue of $764.5 million compared to $1.28 billion in the year-ago quarter, a 40.2 percent decrease, and a loss of $147.2 million, or $0.63 per share, compared to income of $91.9 million, or $0.40 per share in 2008, from continuing operations.

2010 Guidance
For 2010, the Company expects to ship 201,000 to 212,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycles to dealers and distributors worldwide, a reduction of five to ten percent from 2009. “We believe 2010 will continue to be a challenging year,” Wandell noted. In the first quarter of 2010, Harley-Davidson expects to ship 52,000 to 57,000 motorcycles. Gross margin is expected to be between 32.0 percent and 33.5 percent for the full year. The Company expects full-year capital expenditures of between $235 million and $255 million, including $95 million to $110 million to support restructuring activities.

“Delivering Results Through Focus” Strategy
During the fourth quarter, the Company moved forward with the execution of its business strategy, unveiled in October 2009, to deliver results by focusing on Harley-Davidson products and experiences, global expansion, demographic outreach and commitment to core customers. Additionally, the Company will continue to expand its initiative to enhance profitability through continuous improvement in manufacturing, product development and business operations.

“Focusing our investment behind the uniquely strong Harley-Davidson brand provides the most attractive path to sustained, long-term growth,” Wandell said. “We also expect to achieve substantial gains in the efficiency of our operations through continuous improvement.”

Motorcycles and Related Products Segment
Fourth Quarter. Revenue from Harley-Davidson motorcycles during the fourth quarter of 2009 was $552.0 million, down 45.6 percent compared to the year-ago period. The Company shipped 35,938 Harley-Davidson motorcycles to dealers and distributors worldwide, down 53.1 percent from the fourth quarter of 2008 but in line with previous guidance of 35,000 to 40,000 units.Revenue from Parts and Accessories totaled $144.6 million during the quarter, down 4.9 percent, and revenue from General Merchandise, which includes MotorClothes® apparel, was $66.8 million during the quarter, down 3.2 percent compared to the year-ago period.

Gross margin percent was down during the quarter from the year-ago period, primarily as a result of fixed costs being spread over fewer units and the impact of exiting the Buell product line. Operating loss was $221.8 million compared to an operating income of $162.2 million in the fourth quarter of 2008. Operating margin was negatively affected by lower gross margin and restructuring charges incurred during the quarter.

Full-Year. For the full year 2009, revenue from Harley-Davidson motorcycles was $3.17 billion compared to $4.24 billion in 2008 on shipments of 223,023 Harley-Davidson motorcycles, compared to 303,479 motorcycles in 2008. Revenue from Parts and Accessories totaled $767.3 million in 2009, down 10.7 percent, and revenue from General Merchandise was $282.2 million, down 10.1 percent compared to 2008.

Full-year 2009 gross margin was 32.3 percent compared to 34.6 percent in 2008, and operating margin was 7.3 percent compared to 17.5 percent in 2008.

Retail Motorcycle Sales.During the fourth quarter, retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles decreased 21.4 percent worldwide, 27.9 percent in the U.S. and 10.3 percent in international markets, compared to the prior-year quarter. Industry-wide U.S. retail heavyweight (651cc+) motorcycle sales declined 20.9 percent during the quarter, compared to the year-ago period.

For the full year 2009 compared to 2008, retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles decreased 22.7 percent worldwide, 25.8 percent in the U.S. and 15.4 percent in international markets. Industry-wide U.S. retail heavyweight motorcycle sales declined 36.7 percent in 2009, compared to 2008.

Financial Services Segment
Harley-Davidson Financial Services (HDFS) recorded an operating loss of $7.1 million for the fourth quarter of 2009, compared to an operating loss of $24.9 million in the fourth quarter of 2008. Key drivers of reduced operating loss versus the year-ago quarter include a decrease in impairments on retained securitization interests and a decrease in fair value writedowns on held-for-sale receivables, partially offset by an increase in the provision for retail loan losses.

For the full year 2009, HDFS reported an operating loss of $118.0 million, compared to operating income of $82.8 million in 2008.

HDFS continued to access the capital markets during the quarter, raising $1.76 billion through the unsecured debt and term asset-backed securitization markets. Through its 2009 funding actions, HDFS expects to meet its 2010 anticipated funding requirements.

Restructuring
The Company now expects previously announced restructuring activities that began in 2009 to result in total one-time charges of $430 million to $460 million into 2012, including charges of $175 million to $195 million in 2010. The Company continues to anticipate annual ongoing total savings from restructuring of approximately $240 million to $260 million upon completion of all announced restructuring activities, including savings of approximately $135 million to $155 million anticipated in 2010.

In December, Harley-Davidson announced that, as a result of the ratification of a new seven-year labor agreement at its York, Pa. motorcycle production operations, the Company is restructuring those facilities to focus on the core operations of motorcycle assembly, metal fabrication and paint. “When the restructuring is completed, we will have completely changed the face of how we build motorcycles in York and we expect significantly greater manufacturing flexibility and significant annual cost savings from a more efficient operation. It is a tribute to our employees at York that they understood we could not continue on the course we were on, and they worked with us to find a better way,” said Wandell.

During the fourth quarter, the Company made the decision to consolidate its vehicle test facilities from three locations, in Alabama, Arizona and Florida, into one location in Arizona.

Income Tax Rate
The Company’s full-year effective tax rate from continuing operations was 60.5 percent compared to 35.8 percent from the prior year. The increase was due primarily to the previously reported one-time charge for the Wisconsin tax law change and the non-deductible goodwill write-off for Harley-Davidson Financial Services, as well as the impact of reduced earnings. In 2010, the Company expects its full-year effective tax rate to be approximately 36.5 percent from continuing operations.

Cash Flow
Cash and marketable securities totaled $1.67 billion as of Dec. 31, 2009, compared to $568.9 million at year end 2008. Cash provided by operating activities for continuing operations was $609.0 million and capital expenditures were $116.7 million in 2009. In the fourth quarter, Harley-Davidson Motor Company made a $215 million contribution to fund Company pension plans.

Discontinued Operations
The Company continues to move forward with the sale of MV Agusta and is in the process of identifying potential buyers, following Harley-Davidson’s decision in the fourth quarter of 2009 to divest the subsidiary. MV Agusta is now presented as a discontinued operation for all periods. For the full year of 2009, Harley-Davidson, Inc. incurred a $125.8 million loss from discontinued operations, or a loss of $0.54 per share, comprised of operating losses as well as a fair value adjustment.

I was recentlly given the task of modifying a V-Rod Muscle with a off the shelf Trask Turbo. If you V-Rod owners are thinking of a performance upgrade and would like enough power to basically run with anyone this is the upgrade I would recomend. Other then pulling the clutch cover and modifying the clutch pack and on the Muscle model drilling a hole in the clutch cover for the oil to drain back to the case it was an external bolt on product. As far as intructions go from Trask they include written and vissual instuctions which come in the form of a video (DVD). Total bolt on time is between 12 and 16 hours dependant on your mechanical ability. Once the assemblly is on, the motorcycle (m/c) needs its Engine Control Module (ECM) either flashed with a download provided by Trask to the Sceamin Eagle Super Tuner or a Power Commander which is provided on a seperate DVD. The Trask turbo I installed came with an intercooler and put out little over 100 foot pounds of torque and over 160 horse power at the rear wheel. These numbers are quite a bit more than the stock numbers. As far as ride went when the 8 pounds of boost hit you had better be holding on. When not getting into the throttle the bike rode no differant then normal. The waste gate is set for a max of 8lbs of boost from Trask so standard pump gas can be used. Overall I found the Trask Turbo a quality performance component that is available for not only the V-Rod models but all the Harly Davidson models. Additionally if big power is what you are looking for a turbo could be your answer because the component is a bolt on product so the engine is left intact and the power comes from the added assembly. – Written by Wayne Jackson

Source: HDForums

Protecting the leather on your Harley Davidson motorcycle and riding gear is a necessary job. Your riding boots, pants, and jacket all need to be protected against the elements just as much as the leather parts on your bike. The leather protectors used for leather clothing are the same as for your bike and it’s important to get them done when they are first bought. You should also keep a monthly routine of cleaning, conditioning, polishing, and waterproofing in order to keep them looking new.

Cleaning

First, clean your equipment with leather soap, saddle soap, or other product that you prefer (make sure it works with leather), before conditioning to remove any surface dirt that has built up. If you don’t clean before conditioning, any dirt on the leather will become sealed under the conditioner. Popular brand name cleaners include MPB Leather Soap, Fiebing’s Saddle Soap, and Aqua Leather Cleaner.

Conditioning

Next, condition the leather using oils, waxes, and other moisturizers to keep it healthy looking. Conditioning helps to protect the leather against wind, sunlight, and UV radiation. Remember to avoid using conditioning products with silicone or petroleum products, if possible. Popular brand name conditioning products include Blackfire High UV Leather Protector, Lexol Leather Conditioner, and Kiwi Brand Mink Oil conditioning products.

Polishing

After conditioning, there are polishing options. Polish products help to renew the color and cover scuffs on leather surfaces. Polishes contain dyes and pigments that will help keep the color fresh, waxes to make it shine, and even conditioning agents to moisten the leather. There are three types of polishes that are available: liquid polishes, cream polishes, and paste polish. Liquid polishes aren’t recommended, being that they do not last as long. Brand name polishes that are available include White Diamond Polish, Cycle Care Polishers, and Glare Professional Polish.

Waterproofing

Finally, you should treat all new leather products with a waterproofer when you first purchase and repeat the process whenever the it starts to absorb water-based liquids. Waterproofing seals the surface of the leather and will even tighten the seams and edges of the leather. Liquid Mink Oil is a good product for waterproofing leather, Aquaseal Black Leather, and Nikwax Waterproofing Spray.

Source: JSOnline.com

The hunk. The hips. The Harley.

Three of the most iconic Elvis Presley images come together Thursday through Jan. 31 at the Harley-Davidson Museum, 400 W. Canal St., when the museum holds its “Celebrate Elvis’ 75th Birthday” bash.

To kick off the celebration, the museum’s Motor Bar & Restaurant will host a birthday party from 3 to 9 p.m. Thursday.

Rockabilly singer Liam Ford will perform, and the restaurant will serve up some of the King’s favorite dishes, including – yum – those peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

In the museum itself, Elvis’ red and white 1956 Model KH, which he bought right before “Heartbreak Hotel” went to the top of the charts, will be on view along with rare photos taken during his career.

Among the highlights: pictures from the legendary 1968 “Comeback” TV special showing the King in his prime, not to mention his skin-tight black leather suit.

Visitors can even leave Elvis a birthday wish.

Representatives from Elvis Presley Enterprises will be on hand to talk about the singer and his motorcycling history.

Regular museum admission is $16, but visitors who show up in Elvis sideburns and sunglasses will get into the museum for $12. For details, call (877) 436-8738.

- Jackie Loohauis-Bennett

Here are some more photos and info we found of Elvis and his love of Harley-Davidson® motorcycles from Scotty Moore’s blog:

Elvis Presley – 1957 Harley-Davidson FLH

Elvis on his 1956 Harley-Davidson KH outside his home on Audubon Drive

Sometime in 1955 after earning a regular income as a performing artist Elvis purchased his first Harley-Davidson. It was a small 1956 Harley-Davidson ST 165 (#56ST1603), basically an entry level motorcycle which he likely used to learn to ride. It was a 165cc motorcycle sometimes incorrectly referred to as a Harley Hummer. Technically speaking , the true “Harley Hummer” was only produced from 1955 until 1959, and it was a very basic, stripped down, no frills, 125cc motorcycle. By January of 1956 he had outgrown it and was ready to move up to a bigger bike.

On January 14, 1956, while still living at 1414 Getwell Road in Memphis, he bought a new 1956 Model KH (#56KH-1459) for $1143.00 from the Memphis Harley-Davidson Co. receiving $438.70 in trade for his ST 165. It is the motorcycle he is most often pictured with at his home on Audubon Drive and in the famous collection taken by Alfred Wertheimer, especially the one where Elvis is sitting on the bike looking dramatic and deep in thought. In actuality he was looking at the tank since they had just run out of gas.

Evan Williams wrote in The Harley-Davidson Reader that Elvis became a lifelong bike enthusiast and was a member of the American Motorcyclist Association, number 94587.

In May of 1956 he appeared on the cover of Harley’s The Enthusiast magazine riding his 56 KH. Williams goes on to say that the article in The Enthusiast was one of the first public announcements that Elvis’ contract had been sold by Sam Phillips to RCA.

The K series were introduced in 1952 with a side valve 45 cubic inch motor. The 56 Model KH was a 54ci (883cc) side valve motorcycle and the precursor to the ever popular Sportster which was released in 1957 with an overhead valve motor. Elvis’ 56 KH was equipped with a windshield and an optional buddy seat.

In less than a year Elvis had moved up to an even larger motorcycle when he purchased a 1957 Harley-Davidson FLH. Brian Peterson in The Atomic Powered Singer wrote, “Elvis bought his new Harley on November 1, 1956 while he was in downtown Memphis to have his Continental Mark II insured. Later in the day Natalie Wood, clad in jeans, climbed up on the seat behind Elvis and they gunned out from the Audubon Drive driveway and roared around the Memphis streets for three hours accompanied by a motorcycle policeman and Nick Adams, who was riding Elvis’ old Harley Davidson.”

It has been said that Elvis gave the KH to a friend, but according to Lamar Fike, Elvis long time friend and member of his “Memphis Mafia:, Elvis later traded it in towards a Harley 74 (1200cc) motorcycle for Lamar. In either case in the early ’90s Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Co. acquired it and has it to this day. For awhile it was on display in Milwaukee, WI and will be a part of their new museum there planned for 2008. Renditions of two famous photos of Elvis on his FLH and KH (the Wertheimer photo) became covers of two RCA releases, The Rocker and Return of the Rocker. After returning from the Army in 1960 he would buy many more motorcycles and remain an avid enthusiast for the rest of his life.