A Guarantee Made of Iron: Ride Free

Sportser motorcycles guaranteed on trade-in value

HARLEY-DAVIDSON'S BRAND STRENGTH BACKS THE BOTTOM LINE

Harley-Davidson recently announced it will guarantee the value of its legendary Sportster motorcycles by backing their trade-in value.

Harley-Davidson riders who either buy a new Sportster motorcycle or trade in their recently purchased Sportster between Dec. 26, 2008 and Mar. 31, 2009, will get the Sportster's original MSRP value (see note below) when they trade up to a Harley-Davidson Big Twin or VRSC motorcycle.

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Harley and Buell to back 2009 AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference

The AMA is thrilled to announce that Harley-Davidson and Buell are the Presenting Sponsors of the 2009 AMA International Women & Motorcycling Conference. From Aug. 19-22, women will celebrate the freedom and control that comes with taking to the open road on two wheels at the fifth AMA Women's Conference in scenic Keystone, Colo.

This will be the second time the Motor Company has been the Presenting Sponsor of the conference, which will offer a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for thousands of women riders to come together and enjoy the camaraderie, scenic roads and informational seminars during the conference.
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New York City Council unfairly targets motorcycle sound

The New York City Council is considering a bill that the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) says discriminates against motorcyclists and imposes severe, out-of-line penalties.

The AMA also complained that the measure languished in the Council for two years and then, in a surprise move, was revived just a week before the scheduled final vote in December, allowing little opportunity for public comment. The Council has since pulled the bill off the agenda. It's unknown when a final vote will be scheduled.

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Registration now open for Harley-Davidson’s 2nd annual Daytona Women’s Ride

 Last year in Daytona, hundreds of women riders joined together on the Harley-Davidson Daytona Women’s Day Ride and raised $67,000 for MDA. Registration for the 2009 ride on Tuesday, March 3, is now open with a limited number of spots available for women riders.

The Women’s Day Ride, designed to celebrate women riders, as well as generate funds for the MDA, is open to the first 500 eligible female Harley-Davidson or Buell riders who register at www.harley-davidson.com/womenriders before Friday, Feb. 13, 2009. Aside from riding together through the streets of Daytona, participating women riders are also encouraged to secure pledges and donations from their families and friends, which will be used to support the MDA’s Summer Camp programs across the country. For nearly 30 years, the Harley-Davidson family of dealers, employees, riders and suppliers has helped raise more than $65 million for the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA).

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Customer satisfaction with the motorcycle ownership experience reaches record high levels

Despite Higher Owner-Reported Motorcycle Prices, Satisfaction with Perceived Value
Increases in 2008

Overall satisfaction with the motorcycle ownership experience has increased for a sixth consecutive year to a record-high level, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Motorcycle Competitive Information StudySM released today.

Now in its 11th year, the study measures owner satisfaction with new motorcycles by examining five major components of the overall ownership experience: product; quality; cost of ownership; sales; and service.

Overall motorcycle ownership satisfaction averages 814 (based on a 1,000-point scale) in 2008, up 5 points from 2007. While all five components driving satisfaction improve in 2008, the most notable increases occur in the areas of cost of ownership and product quality.

Overall, satisfaction with cost of ownership has increased steadily over time. In 2008, satisfaction with cost of ownership improves by 11 points from 2007 to an average of 707. In addition, 18 percent of owners in 2008 report that the cost of owning their motorcycles is “outstanding” (a rating of 10 on a 10-point scale), compared with only 10 percent of customers in 2005 who indicated the same. Furthermore, 30 percent of motorcycle owners in 2008 indicate that the value they received for the price paid is “outstanding,” compared with 21 percent in 2005. Read more

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