Monday December 28, 2009
What's in a name? In this case, an epic legal struggle and a whole lot of marketability.
Harley-Davidson, manufacturer of nearly half the bikes sold in America, duked it out for seven years with the nichey Ridley Motorcycle Company over the Auto-Glide trade name, and a settlement agreement has finally been reached.
Though the full terms of the agreement haven't been released, Ridley agreed to discontinue use of the Auto-Glide name in future models. Ridley's so-called Auto-Glide models, named for their automatic transmission gearboxes, were first introduced in 2003.
The Oklahoma-based manufacturer says that they are still the only U.S. motorcycle manufacturer to offer a fully automatic transmission, and there's no word yet on how Ridley will rebrand the bikes formerly known as Auto-Glides.
Source: Ridley Motorcycles
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Logo © Ridley Motorcycles
Monday December 28, 2009
I always thought the family drama on "American Chopper" was staged-- kinda like pro wrestling, without the steroids. But it turns out the Teutul family's dysfunctions are dead real.
Not only did Paul Jr. leave the show in a huff earlier this year, Paul Sr. is now suing his son for more than a million bucks over his son's shares in Orange County Choppers Holdings, Inc.
According to celebrity gossipmongers TMZ, a lawsuit was filed in the Supreme Court of New York after Paul Jr. refused to cede his company shares; apparently, big Paul allegedly had an agreement with 'lil Paul that he could buy out his share in the company if he so pleased, but the younger just wouldn't relent.
If these two are as stubborn as they appear on TV, this might be a messy one.
Source: TMZ
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Photo © Getty Entertainment Images; click to enlarge
Saturday December 26, 2009
Between
kleptomaniacs,
zippy $900 Hondas, and
VW's unexpected Suzuki takeover, India has earned more than its usual share of two-wheeled headlines of late. And here's another to add to the mix: Bangalore's Eko Vehicles has unveiled what they're claiming will be the world's first hybrid motorcycle.
The Eko ET-120 (which is more of a scooter than a motocycle, really) runs on a 70cc gasoline-powered engine that works in conjunction with a battery system to produce the power and torque of a 120cc powerplant. The gas engine yields 100 mpg, while the hybrid system should produce a combined total of 280 mpg. Emissions are claimed to be reduced three-fold. And best of all, retail price is expected to be around $850 in India*.
While it's easy to pooh pooh this ungainly looking ride for its Toyota Prius-like aspirations, considering its potential for smog reduction in places like India (or heck, even here in the States), I'm predicting the ET-120 might be one of the more significant (and controversial) two-wheeled offerings we'll see in 2010.
Sources: AutoBlog Green, Wired
Related:
* U.S. equivalent; the manufacturer hopes to sell the bike in the U.S. in 2010
Photo © Eko Vehicles; click to enlarge
Tuesday December 22, 2009
Okay, so let's say you like motorcycles. A lot. It could even be said that you love 'em with a passion. But imagine being so infatuated with bikes that you steal them, ride them, then sell their parts and live off the income, only to feed the circle of theft. Oh, and you happen to be a 24 year-old female.
As reported by The Times of India, Harsha Patel "always keeps her hair short and never rides pillion," indulging in said crime habits thanks in part to duplicate keys which help her make off with the motorcycles. The story indicates her "fascination" with bikes fueled her transgressions, and that she'd already been caught twice before.
Stranger than fiction, eh?
Source: The Times of India
Photo © Angelo Cavalli / Getty Images
