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
Related:
- Aprilia Mana Automatic Transmission Motorcycle Review
- BRP Can-Am Spyder SE5 Semi-Automatic Transmission Trike Review
Logo © Ridley Motorcycles
Pretty motorcycles, I hope they figure out a new name.
Ridley Auto-Glide Motorcycles are awesome. I LOVE mine!
Auto-Glide are excellent bikes. Really make it simple to get out there and enjoy biking. I recently put up my auto-glide bike for sale and was suprised by the huge amount of interest, people love these bikes! Shame they can’t use the name anymore.
Haven’t the auto companies used “glide” in naming their automatic tramissions for years? Since H-D doesn’t have an automatic, perhaps “glide” is inappropriate for them.
“transmissions”
Scottie, naming a Trans with Glide is one thing, naming a vehicle is another. Marketing for a whole vehicle compared to one part is a big deference. The Duo Glide, Super Glide, Road Glide, etc has been in the HD roots for a long time. Ridley should have know better.
WOW Scottie, I can’t spell either!LOL
Well, I have always loved harleys but unfortunately have lost a lot of respect for them for what they did to Buell and MV Agusta. And this silly battle is just as bad.. I would bet any amount of money that the use of the “Auto-Glide” name was not affecting HD sales what so ever… Harley would never build an automatic trany so whats the big deal
HD should hav kept MV and Buell and dumped their museum iron bikes… Issue solved!
Frank keeping up the HD hate. What does your comments have to do with this post??? Loser! Brett, guess the courts would have taken your bet, they say HD was RIGHT. “Glide” can also mean a type of ride (smooth) a bike gives.
Thanks to H-D, I just finished 31 years riding my own bikes… ALL Honda’s. Would never have started out alone on any H-D I have tried yet.
A quote from the post above, “Harley Davidson, manufacturer of nearly half the bikes sold in America”….. GO HD!!!
Not HD hate at all…. I loved the Buell’s and in my opinion they were the true example of American ingenuity (I’m actually thinking of purchasing one), not these outdated and specially overpriced bikes HD makes currently (except the Evolution)….
What my comment had to do with the post? I was just trying to add some humor by saying if HD had lept MV and Buell there wouldn’t have been any dispute.
You guys need to get a life… and maybe a new bike or two… LOL
Joe, not sure where you get your numbers from but…
Top brands in 2003, the latest available market-share data, according to the MIC: Honda, with 27.4% of sales; Harley-Davidson, 23.7%; Yamaha, 17.4%; Suzuki, 10.8%; and Kawasaki, 8.7%.
Tried to post the url but for some reason it wasn’t posted…
Trying again:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2005-01-19-motorcycle-usat_x.htm
Sorry Frank, guess I didn’t get the humor in your comment and I still don’t understand what it had to do with this post?? Seems like you just want to put HD down (HD hate) because I can’t see how your comments having anything to do with Ridley and HD and their court battle over the “glide” name. If you want to comment about HD and them dumping Buell and MV there was a post on here about it a little while ago, should have commented then. This is a different topic, try to keep up.
Got that from Basem, try reading the post above Frank. That’s where I got the quote from.
That link you put up is from 2005 Frank! Little old I think!!
The one thing I love about the HD crowd is their wonderfully yankable chains… so predictable.
Read some of the articles (Basem’s forum) about the trouble HD is in. They have one foot on their own oil slick and the other in their own grave.
If that doesn’t tell you the story, have a look through used bike prices. Used HD value has dropped like stone in the last year or so, and there are pages and pages of them for sale…endless.
It’s been a lousy year for our beloved sport and the industry…hopefully, EVERYONE survives.
Happy New Year!
Pete, every bike maker is having trouble, not just HD. Victory is doing worst then HD, Honda has BRAND NEW 07, and 08’s on the floor, which is an example. Not used bikes but BRAND NEW!!! If you read some of Basem’s forum you would know this. I love the way HD haters keep trying to put HD down and failing…. so predictable. To re-quote the post above “Harley Davidson, manufacturer of nearly half the bikes sold in America”…Go HD!!!
Joe, all I have to say to you is… lighten up…
My post had everything to do with the subject… and… forget it…
Go put pn your leathers and be the rebel you are…
HAPPY NEW YEAR…
Bye…
Joe… stop…
You’re making all of us Americans look dumb….
Well H.D. has to make some money so, sue Ridley, They got rid of two GOOD motorcycle companies–kept H.D.—the money will let them have more T-shirts, boots, decals, etc. This is where H.D. makes their money and not on motorcycles. JOE all makes of motorcycles are staying even or losing money–H.D. got rid of Buell and MV—reason to save money.
Frank, you are the one making us Americans look dumb. In post 13 you said the only good motor HD makes is the Evolution, that is a air cooled push rod motor just like the twin cam in the HD line up right now. Did you mean to say Revolution?? That is the V-rod motor. First example of making us (Americans) look dumb. Then you break out stats in post 14&15 for sales from 2003 that were posted in 2005, HELLO it’s going to be 2010. Second example of making us look dumb. Then in post 14 you ask me how I got those numbers, HELLO AGAIN Frank, it’s in this POST for Basem, I cut and pasted it on here, didn’t you read this post?? More of making us look dumb Frank. Your comment from post 13 has NOTHING to do with this post. You know it because if it did you would explain how. The only way I can explain you dumb a$$ comments on here is that you dropped your sportbike and hit your head on impact and your helmet didn’t do it’s job well (please tell us which brand it is, I don’t want to buy that helmet). Happy New Year Frank, hope you don’t drop you bike again this New Year.
Couldn’t agree more Rider, HD dumped Buell and MV because no one was buying them, I think it was a smart move for HD. As far a suing Ridley and making money I doubt that, most likely it was just to stop them from using the name. I believe HD 4th quarter was up. Go HD!! As far as making money from merchandise, so?? Some of the other motorcycle companys should do that, may help them with their bottom end.
Joe, I don`t believe any motorcycle company will do any good for the next year or so. First a motorcyle is not a need product, only to people i asia and some in europe. I the U.S. it is a warm weather weekend ride. As for H.D. the price has to come down, the younger riders can`t afford the H.D. prices and now Buell is gone, MV was a high end Bike. Look at Honda Goldwing, $22000.00 up. and some H.D. the price is $30000.00 up. This has to end. Ony the oil rich will be able to by a bike. Looks like the scooter will be the winner.
Hey Rider, I’m optimistic for the new year. Have my wife and a few friends who were unemployed in 09 and they all have recently found new full time jobs. Granted not making quite what they were making but still making way more then what they were on unemployment. With any luck this will be the case for all of the country and spill over into all business including the MC market and sales of new bikes. There are still a lot of high end bikes out there but HD and Honda also have some every affordable bikes too. The Honda VTX 1300 line and their 1000rr have also come down in price and HD has 11 bikes under $15,000 which includes Sportsters and the whole Dyna line of big twins. Let’s here it for 2010 being a way better year then 09!!!
Call it a “Ridley SwiftShift,” or SS for short.