The Inside Scoop for Harley in 09

Well, as some of you might not know I currently work at a Harley dealership. This week was the dealer show..so Harley has released most of there info and goodies and what not so im gonna sum every thing up in one place.

first up we'll talk about the Harley line up:

Sportsters didnt get much of a chane. The rear wheel on customs have been changed. Front fenders have been changed, and some models got an upgraded suspension..not much to really discuss.

Dyna's got a little more attention then the sportster.
Restyled Street Bob: With new bobbed and blacked-out features, the redesigned Street Bob is a pure and minimally styled Bobber for the ages. some of its features are.
New gloss black steel laced wheels 19-inch front / 17-inch rear
New 25.6-inch solo seat
New chopped rear fender
New retro-LED tail light
New stop/tail/turn incandescent rear signals
New silver-faced speedometer with range countdown
New low profile front fender
New fuel sender
New Straight Cut Chrome Staggered Shorty Dual exhaust


Silver-face speedometer with fuel range read-out: The new Dyna speedometer stands out in silver and adds a functional fuel range read-out.

New fuel sender: The speedometer range read-out is the result of a new fuel sender.

Low profile front fender: The gap between tire and fender tightens with the cool look of a new low-profile front fender.

Heritage Softail Classic is gonna be the flagship bike for the softail family. Some of the changes it features are:
New enlarged passenger seat and backrest
New seat trim
New taller handlebar
New handlebar clamp
New fuel tank graphics and glass-filled 3-D tank badge
New saddle bag trim
New retro speedometer face
New front fender trim
New chrome nacelle style
Other softail bikes feature Changes, but are not as drastic.

Theres alot done with the V-Rod line, with the addition of the V-Rod Muscle. This is a bike that can no bedescribes but needs to be seen in person. some of its key features that are Different from the standard v-rod and nightrods are:
New clutch cover with relocated dipstick
New Satin chrome dual side exhaust with turn-out mufflers
New Five-spoke cast aluminum 19-inch front wheel
New Five-spoke cast aluminum 18-inch rear wheel
New Triple clamps
New 43 mm Inverted forks
New stylized rear shocks with black springs
New airbox cover and side covers
New front fender with black-out section
New smooth rear fender
New LED stop/tail/turn light
New LED front turn signals integrated in mirror stems
New seat shape
New Internally wired handlebar cast with riser
New instrument graphics and housing
New side-mount license plate
All V-Rods also have Abs Brakes as an option.

The Touring line up has the greatest of all changes. The Touring models Have been redesigned and feature a new fame, swing arm, engine mounting system and exaust.


New from the tires up, the Touring chassis is based on a single-spar, rigid backbone frame that supports an increase in load capacity of 70 pounds. This allows for a five pound increase in each saddlebag and the Tour-Pak. A new swingarm contributes significantly to the overall system. The engine-isolation system has been revised to reduce engine and vehicle vibrations at idle speed.

The wheel-and-tire package is updated, with front wheel diameter increased to 17 inches from 16 inches (except for the Road King Classic) while the width of the 16-inch rear wheel is increased to five inches from three inches. All Touring models will be equipped with new Dunlop D407 Multi-Tread rear tires that offer up to 25 percent more rear-tire tread life. The wider rear wheel accommodates a new 180/65-16 rear tire. The new front tire is a 130/80-17. Front and rear suspension has been recalibrated to match the dynamics of the new chassis, wheels and tires.

Powertrain revisions include a new 2-1-2 exhaust system that reduces heat exposure to the rider and passenger, and a lower final drive ratio for improved acceleration performance. Rear styling is cleaner, with a wider fender and the elimination of the rear “hoop” over the fender on models not equipped with a Tour-Pak.

Also Harley is releasting a Tike. This is gonna be called the Tri-Glide. Its gonna cost approx 30k. Other then that i dont have much information at this time about it.

Thats about all for Harley, but Buell has also seen some changes.
First of would be that Buell is now offering a Police issue bike. The Ulysses® XB12XT that was released mid-year in 08 is now offered in a Police package.
New for the Buell line up is gonna be the 1125CR. This is a bike that is being called the 21st. century Cafe Racer. It has the powerplant of the 1125R that was released last year. The way I see it is that its a 1125R with a differnt headlight seat up and cafe racer styled clubman bars.

Another thing happening in Harley world is the motor company buying out MV Augusta. The Harley Davidson Website has this infomation about the purchase on it.

Milwaukee, Wis. (July 11, 2008) - Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE: HOG) today announced the signing of a definitive agreement to purchase the Italian motorcycle maker MV Agusta Group (MVAG). Under the agreement, Harley-Davidson will acquire 100 percent of MV Agusta Group shares for total consideration of approximately 70 million euros ($109 million), which includes the satisfaction of existing bank debt for approximately 45 million euros ($70 million). In addition, the agreement provides for a contingent payment to Claudio Castiglioni in 2016, if certain financial targets are met. MV Agusta Group is privately held, with the Castiglioni family owning 95 percent of MVAG shares.
The acquisition is expected to close in several weeks, pending the satisfaction of contingencies and receipt of regulatory approvals. Harley-Davidson intends to fund the transaction primarily through euro-denominated debt.

MV Agusta Group has two families of motorcycles: a line of exclusive, premium, high-performance sport motorcycles sold under the MV Agusta brand; and a line of lightweight motorcycles sold under the Cagiva brand. MV Agusta’s F4-R motorcycle, powered by a 1078cc in-line four-cylinder liquid cooled engine, is rated at 190 hp. The company sells its products through about 500 dealers worldwide, the vast majority of them in Europe. In 2007, MVAG shipped 5,819 motorcycles. During 2008 MVAG has significantly slowed production due to financial difficulties.

“Motorcycles are the heart, soul and passion of Harley-Davidson, Buell and MV Agusta,” said Harley-Davidson, Inc. Chief Executive Officer Jim Ziemer. “Both have great products and close connections with incredibly devoted customers. The MV Agusta and Cagiva brands are well-known and highly regarded in Europe. They are synonymous with beautiful, premium, Italian performance motorcycles,” Ziemer said.

Harley-Davidson, Inc. plans to continue to operate MV Agusta Group from its headquarters based in Varese, Italy. Following closing, the first priority will be to appoint a leadership team to include a new Managing Director and to resume the manufacture of current models.

Current MV Agusta Group Chairman Claudio Castiglioni will continue in a leadership role as Chairman and will play a major role in future product development. Design Chief Massimo Tamburini will continue his leadership of MV Agusta Group’s world leading sport-bike design studio.

“We take enormous pride in MV Agusta and Cagiva motorcycles,” said Castiglioni. “Our riders seek an uncompromising experience in premium performance motorcycles. And with Harley-Davidson’s deep understanding of the emotional as well as the business side of motorcycling, I have great confidence that our motorcycles will excite customers for generations to come.”

According to Ziemer, the acquisition is intended primarily to expand Harley-Davidson, Inc’s presence and footprint in Europe, complementing the Harley-Davidson and Buell motorcycle families. Retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles have grown at a double-digit rate in Europe in each of the last three years, as the Company has increased its strategic focus on global markets.

“The acquisition of MV Agusta Group will enhance Harley-Davidson, Inc’s position as a global leader in fulfilling customer dreams and providing extraordinary customer experiences. We look forward to a long relationship with the MV Agusta and Cagiva families of customers and employees,” said Ziemer.
Forward-Looking Statements
Harley-Davidson, Inc. intends that certain matters discussed in this release are “forward-looking statements” intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can generally be identified as such because the context of the statement will include words such as Harley “believes,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “plans,” or “estimates” or words of similar meaning. Similarly, statements that describe future plans, objectives, outlooks, targets, guidance or goals are also forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated as of the date of this release. Certain risks and uncertainties are described below. Shareholders, potential investors, and other readers are urged to consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements and cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this release are only made as of the date of this release, and Harley-Davidson, Inc. disclaims any obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

Although Harley-Davidson and MV Agusta Group have signed a definitive purchase agreement, there is no assurance that all of the contingencies will be satisfied or that the governmental approvals will be obtained in a timely manner or at all. The proposed acquisition may not occur if the conditions to completing the transaction are not satisfied in a timely manner.

In addition, Harley-Davidson intends to finance a portion of the consideration by borrowing funds and its level of indebtedness may increase as a result, which may cause Harley-Davidson to incur additional interest expense and limit Harley-Davidson’s ability to obtain additional financing. It could also increase Harley-Davidson’s exposure to general adverse economic and industry conditions and adversely impact Harley-Davidson, Inc.’s earnings per share. Furthermore, Harley-Davidson may have challenges successfully integrating or profitably operating the business of MV Agusta Group.