INDUSTRY INFOBITES

MERT LAWWILL NAMED GRAND MARSHAL OF 2021 AMA VINTAGE MOTORCYCLE DAYS

Featuring an On Any Sunday theme, AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days will highlight people, machines, and memorabilia from Bruce Brown’s beloved moto documentary

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Mert Lawwill has been named Grand Marshal for the 2021 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days event July 23-25 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio.

Lawwill, an AMA Grand National Champion (1969), won his rst AMA national at the storied Sacramento Mile in 1965, the rst of his 15 career wins. In 1969 he was voted the AMA’s Most Popular Rider of the Year, and he was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1998.

Beyond his racing success, Lawwill is perhaps best-known for his featured role in Bruce Brown’s legendary 1971 moto documentary On Any Sunday, which chronicled his bid to defend his AMA Grand National title throughout the 1970 racing season.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the classic movie, and the 2021 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days event will feature an On Any Sunday theme to celebrate the beloved documentary. Along with having one of the movie’s stars, Lawwill, as Grand Marshal, Lawwill’s Harley-Davidson dirt tracker, and a Husqvarna Malcolm Smith rode in the movie will be on display, along with other movie memorabilia.

AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days 2021 will also feature a special screening of On Any Sunday in celebration of 50 years, bringing back the excitement and joy of riding to young and old who attend.

“I’m excited to experience all the vintage stuff happening at Mid-Ohio this July,” Lawwill said when invited to attend, “and honored to be chosen as the event’s Grand Marshal — especially since the AMA will be celebrating Bruce Brown’s On Any Sunday moto documentary during VMD weekend! Being involved in that lm was a great experience, and reliving some of it this July will be fantastic.”

The 2021 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days event will also feature all the vintage-oriented happenings classic-bike fans love about the event, including off-road and road racing, Hall of Fame activities, the legendary swap meet, and more.

98 YEARS OF FUN IN LACONIA

It was around this time, back in the early 1900’s, a small group of riders nalized their plans for the rst ever “gypsy tour” to Weirs Beach, New Hampshire. Now, over a 100 years later, Laconia is getting ready for the onslaught of a quarter of a million riders for a nine day-long event centered in that same spot those pioneer riders rst made their mark. The World’s Oldest Motorcycle Rally returns to New Hampshire June 12-20 and after a 2020 full of unrest, uncertainty and the unknown, they couldn’t be more ready!

Make time to catch the action at the races and exhibitions at NH Motor Speedway, including the FIM North American Vintage Championships starting on Saturday, June 12 and ending with the 98th Loudon Classic on Sunday, June 18th. Entertainment will be happening all week at some of your favorite spots, such as the High Octane Saloon (formerly Broken Spoke Saloon), the Sucker Punch Saloon and NASWA Resort. Vendors will be set up throughout Weirs Beach and at NH Motor Speedway and Laconia Harley-Davidson. The spectator-friendly Tower Street Hill Climb Expo WILL be back on Tuesday, June 15 as well as the popular AMATEUR Gunstock Hill Climb, Wednesday, June 16th. Stay tuned for more details on these and many other events and keep checking their events page online:

laconiamcweek.com/schedule-of-events

GIVI’S NEW CATALOG FOR 2021

It’s always fun to peruse motorcycle sites to piece together wish lists and ideas for loved ones when birthdays and holidays roll around. Givi’s new 2021 catalogue is just the place to do that, with lots of new products to enhance and farkle your special ride. giviusa.com/pages/2021-givi-usa-catalog

TRIUMPH GOES ELECTRIC

Delivering on the objectives announced at the start of the TE-1 project in May 2019, focused on developing specialized electric motorcycle technology and innovative integrated solutions, this unique collaboration between Triumph Motorcycles, Williams Advanced Engineering, Integral Powertrain Ltd, and WMG at the University of Warwick funded by the Of ce for ZeroEmission Vehicles, has already achieved signi cant results.

Including innovation in battery and powertrain design, initial test performance results far exceed the current benchmarks and industry targets. Developments in performance, ef ciency, and range is enabling Project TE-1 to fully deliver the partnership’s objectives to enhance the credibility and pro le of British industry providing substantial input into future electric motorcycle strategy from Triumph.

The objective of this two-year project is focused on developing electric motorcycle capabilities – providing an input into Triumph’s future electric motorcycle offer, driving innovation, capability, and new intellectual property, enhancing the credibility and pro le of British industry and design.

“This important project will provide one of the foundations for our future electric motorcycle strategy, which is ultimately focussed on delivering what riders want from their Triumph.” “The completion of Phase 2, and the promising results achieved to date, provide an exciting glimpse of the potential electric future and showcase the talent and innovation of this unique British collaboration. Without doubt, the outcome of this project will play a signi cant part in our future efforts to meet our customer’s ambition and desire to reduce their environmental impact and for more sustainable transportation,” said Nick Bloor, Triumph CEO.

HONDA TO LAUNCH THREE ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLES BY 2024

Honda has unveiled its ambitious path to electri cation, with three new electric motorcycles released by 2024.

While new, fully petrol-powered cars and vans are to be taken off sale in 2030, no of cial date has been set to remove petrol-powered motorcycles from sale. Honda doesn’t seem to be waiting for that announcement though, as CEO Mibe has announced an ambitious plan to release three, small-ca-

EU THREATENS HARLEY-DAVIDSON WITH 50 PERCENT TARIFF

The EU recently announced that it will revoke Harley’s Binding Origin Information (BOI) status and impose a 50% tariff increase on 1 June 2021. Harley-Davison CEO Jochen Zeitz quickly condemned the move. Now, 88 European and American businesses/associations are joining the bar and shield’s call for a return to mutually bene cial trade relations between the two regions.

The drama began when the US imposed a 10-percent tariff on European aluminum and a 25-percent tax on European steel as of 1 June 2018. In retaliation, the EU levied additional taxes on several American goods, including motorcycles over 500cc. To circumvent those circumstances, Harley started importing units from its international plants, but the new regulations will strip H-D of that privilege.

Coming to Harley-Davidson’s aid, the Association des Constructeurs Européens de Motorcycles (ACEM) and the United States Motorcycle Manufacturers Association (USMMA) are calling upon the EU and the Biden administration to rectify the situation. Stay tuned…

AUSTRALIA GETS TOUGH ON POTHOLES

Reporting potholes and other road damage to relevant authorities can pay off, says a long-time advocate for better road maintenance to save the lives of riders.

Rodney Brown says he reported a massive pothole on McGeorge Road, South Gisbourne, to Victorian Roads Minister Ben Carroll and was surprised to nd it had then been xed.

He says the Minister passed the information on to the Macedon Rangers Shire Council who quickly remedied the dangerous road surface. Rod said “I hope I have educated our road safety decision-makers to promptly x our roads, especially for motorcyclists”.

“Too many motorcyclists are dying on our roads throughout Victoria due to road damage not being considered,” Rod says. ,

Page 10 Free Wheelin’ Continued from Page 4 roads magazines. nothing is done with a piece of local history and it simply lies there, like some These days along Route 97 there is only the old sign...holding court above economic casualty discarded and ignored on the roadside? the river far below.

The last time I stopped and looked in at the Red Apple I could still see the In 2011 Marcus Dairy, arguably the most famous northeast riding destina“Backroads Available Here!” sticker – now faded and cracked on the glass tion, met the bulldozer making room for another store near the massive mall door behind the chain-link fence. that already had too many.

I often wonder how Pete and Vicky are doing – they were the best! How many of us made the ride up to “The Dairy?” Like the state of Jersey

Just 40 great miles to the west was another landmark getaway - The Hawks – you didn’t even have to say Marcus – most riders knew what “The Dairy” Nest. This fantastic restaurant met an unkindly end on Halloween of 2000, was. Even Kawasaki did a great ad featuring this iconic restaurant. with a re gutting an all-time riding favorite. I am sure there are others that escape me today – just as so many great deal-

Perched on the far end of the Hawks Nest Cliff it offered both superb views erships and shops have vanished as well. and great chow. When we heard it was on re, we rode up immediately and Today is Thursday and I think it is a good night to head up to Jumboland in got there in time to see that the re department had dragged Ron’s, the owner, Branchville and partake in a good ol’ fashioned “Bike Night.” Triumph out of the front window along with a now scorched bundle of Back- We should take them all before they’re gone. ,

Whatchathinkin’ Continued from Page 5

Back to the original premise of this article: with the world slowly opening to those who choose to be stuck, will you? I did, because I want to travel outside of the U.S., I want to have the option to see a baseball game (if I can get the limited tickets), and I want to TAKE OFF MY MASK! In a sense, I see it as an acceptable Scarlet Letter, allowing me free access to travel and entry into the slowly opening venues.

MotoGP is in Valencia in November – sounds like a plan… , On The Mark Continued from Page 6

Let’s not forget attire for the classic rider: you don’t see too many plaid, sans-a-belt, armored riding pant selections offered in the shops. New Balance doesn’t have a very large selection of riding boots in their line and it’s hard to get a matching riding belt in white anyway.

Sometimes, it’s hard to be a classic… ,