Today in motorcycle history, February 5, 1965

 Svend Oluf Heiberg dies in Syracuse, New York.  Svend Heiberg was a silviculturalist, born in Copenhagen, Denmark, on July 22, 1900.  He came to the United States in 1926, becoming a naturalized US citizen in 1934.  Heiberg received masters degrees in forestry from both the Danish Royal Veterinary and Agricultural College in Copenhagen and Yale University.

 

 On September 9, 1924, Heiberg and his friend, Aksel Svane, who would later become Governor of Greenland, ventured on an historic world-tour on Svend's 1922 Harley-Davidson JD motorcycle.  Interested in studying "the forest reserves... of the world", their route took them from Copenhagen, through Europe to Turkey, from there to Iraq, "by steamer to India", then to Sri Lanka, Malaysia, China, across the United States, and back to Europe.

 

 After their arrival at the Harley-Davidson factory in Milwaukee on March 27, 1925, the two Danish grad-students tell reporters from the Milwaukee Sentinel, "Crossing the Arabian desert was a difficult job, but was accomplished with only the loss of our tent and rifle, which were stolen by brigands while we slept." said Heiberg.  "Keeping ourselves in gas was another problem, but we solved that with a supply of leather bags attached to the rear of the motorcycle." 

 Svend Oluf Heiberg was awarded the Order of Dannebrog for his contribution to the sciences.

Today in motorcycle history, February 4, 2010

Dubai Bike Week kicks off.  With 30,000 expected to show up for bikes, music, food and fun.  That's right, I said Dubai Bike Week. The following is from a flyer for the annual event...

 

The Gulf Bike Expo 2010 & Dubai Bike Week at Dubai Festival City brings us Dubai Bike Festival!    Calling all Boys, Babes and Bikes. 3 Days of pure Motorcycle culture. Bringing together all your favourite Stock Bikes, Customs, Off-Road and Biker Clubs.  Plus, clothes and accessories from all the leading manufacturers such as Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki and Ed Hardy and many, many more.  Concert Series by LiveNation brings 6 Bands to the Piazza Stage with Nickelback & Status Quo rocking the Mainstage.     Ed Hardy?!  Status Quo?!

Today in motorcycle history, February 1, 1983

  President Ronald Reagan grants Harley-Davidson their wish.  In 1981, after years of shoulder-shrugging management and piss-poor quality control, a group of 13 investors headed by Vaughn Beals and Willie G. Davidson by the company back from AMF (we used to say it stood for A Manufacturing Forgery) for $80 million.  They petition the government for import tax relief to help them get their legs up.  In a rare act of bi-partisanship the government agrees to help. 

 

  Subject: Motorcycle Import Relief Determination

 

  "Pursuant to Section 202(b)(1) of the Trade Act of 1974 (P.L. 93 - 618, 88 Stat. 1978), I have determined the action I will take with respect to the report of the United States International Trade Commission (USITC), transmitted to me on February 1, 1983, concerning the results of its investigation of a petition for import relief filed by the Harley-Davidson Motor Co., Inc., and Harley-Davidson York, Inc., producers of heavyweight motorcycles, provided for in item 692.50 of the Tariff Schedules of the United States (TSUS).

  After considering all relevant aspects of the case, including those set forth in Section 202(c) of the Trade Act of 1974, I have determined that granting import relief is consistent with our national economic interest..."

 

The Evolution models are released in 1984 (Ending production of the shovelhead. Heavy sigh.) and US bikedom is changed forever.

Today in motorcycle history, January 31, 1952

 

 

 

  Ernesto "Che" Guevara and his friend, Alberto Granado set out on a journey to reach the United States in 1951. The pair navigate a Norton through the lands of Argentina, Chile, Peru, Columbia, Venezuela.

  On January 31, 1952 they arrive in San Martín.  Che Guevara describes the location, "San Martín lies on the yellow-green slopes that melt into the blue depths of Lake Lacar".

   Guevara has a very crucial revelation in this location.  He writes, "Although often on our travels we longed to stay in the formidable places we visited, only the Amazon jungle called out to that sedentary part of ourselves as strongly as did this place.  I now know, by an almost fatalistic conformity with the facts, that my destiny is to travel...".

San Martin de los Andes, Neuquen, Argentina

Today in motorcycle history, January 30, 2002

  Indian Motorcycle Corp. announces it will complete its journey back into the marketplace this year with the introduction of the 2002 Chief, outfitted with the first Indian-designed engine in 45 years.

  The new 100-cubic-inch V-twin was engineered at Indian's headquarters in Gilroy, Calif.--near Monterey--and is being built by a custom-engine manufacturing contractor in Livonia, Mich.

  The new Chief, due in dealerships this spring, will be the flagship of Indian's line, which includes the sport-styled Spirit and the cruiser-styled Scout. Both models will continue using the 88-cubic-inch engine Indian has been buying from Wisconsin motorcycle engine maker S&S Cycle Inc.

Indian, headed by former HBO Video President Frank O'Connell, is a resurrection of the original Indian Motorcycle Co., which built the first American-made, mass-produced motorcycle in 1901 and went out of business in 1953.

  The new Indian was started in 1998 and began selling motorcycles in 1999.

  By using an engine of its own design, Indian regains the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) status that went to the grave with its predecessor.

  The new Powerplus 100 engine replicates the design of the original Indian V-Twin, with rounded cylinder heads and serrated rocker covers, but uses modern technologies such as computerized electronic ignition.

 

  So much for completing the journey, someone must have forgot to fill the tank because this version of the Indian Motorcycle Corporation went into bankruptcy and ceased all production operations in Gilroy on September 19, 2003.  50 years since the original ceased production. 

  Happy anniversary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today in motorcycle history, January 29, 1999

  Excelsior-Henderson today announced that on Saturday, January 30, 1999, it will ship the first revenue 1999 Super X motorcycle to one of the Dealers in the Excelsior-Henderson National Dealer network.  Production and shipment of the Super X will now ramp-up slowly during the remainder of the first quarter of 1999.  A portion of the initial production bikes will be designated for the Excelsior-Henderson Demo Team and marketing events, such as the World of Wheels Show in St. Paul on Febuary 12-14, and Daytona Bike Week on February 27-March 7.  The Excelsior-Henderson Road Crew Demo Team will conduct demonstration rides for visiting bikers during Daytona Bike Week.  Dealer shipments will accelerate during March and the second quarter of 1999.
  "It was truly exciting to see the first Super X complete final quality testing, crated in the Excelsior-Henderson branded shipping crates, and loaded on a truck to be delivered to one of our nationally recognized Excelsior-Henderson dealers," stated CO-founders Dan, Dave and Jenny Hanlon.  "We now look forward to publically showing the new Super X at the  World of Wheels Show in St. Paul, and at Daytona Bike Week," added the Hanlons. 

  Before their steel-toe Chippewa boots could kick it into third gear the impending financial market collapse of 1999-2000 resulted in Excelsior-Henderson having difficulty completing the next scheduled capital infusion, and became an indirect casualty of the financial marketplace. Therefore, on December 21, 1999, Excelsior-Henderson filed for a Chapter 11 reorganization.   Then like a hot-potato, the company was sold to a Florida investment group, which later filed for reorganization. Production of motorcycles never commenced.

   In case you're interested there is an official Excelsior-Henderson Motorcycles website still out there cruising the cyber-highway, which is about all the highway they ever saw.

   The bikes are gone, but an Excelsior-Henderson book was published,  ironically titled "Riding The American Dream". 

Today in motorcycle history, January 25, 2003

I came across this article while in search of the must-know motorcycle information that I feel obligated to tell you about. 

                                                A victim of fashion
  TOKYO: This season’s fad for extra long scarves claimed another fashion victim when a Japanese woman fell from her motorcycle after her two-metre long muffler got caught in the bike’s rear wheel, police said Tuesday.

  The 20-year-old college student was in a coma after the accident but regained consciousness on Tuesday. Still her condition remains serious as her scarf almost choked her to death.

  “Long, long scarves became fashionable among young women after Hidetoshi Nakata, the football player, wore one that almost touched the floor,” a spokesman said.

  The motorcycle accident followed a similar incident in November, when a 26-year-old Japanese woman suffocated to death after her long scarf was caught in the engine of a go-cart.

 

  Do you think they had long, long gloves and long, long hats to go with the long, long scarves?