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In the 1950s and 1960s, more Triumph motorcycles were sold in the United States than anywhere else. After all, who didn’t want the bike that Marlon Brando rode in “The Wild One”? And who could forget Steve McQueen, in “The Great Escape,” trying to do just that on a Triumph Bonneville? Despite a cult following, the brand ran into financial problems and was liquidated in the early 1980s. British real estate developer John Bloor, at first looking to buy the factory’s land, instead purchased the company’s assets to re-establish Triumph. In 1994 the company opened its North American headquarters in...

Harley-Davidson, the motorcycle maker, reported a fourth-quarter loss Friday, its first quarterly shortfall in 16 years, hurt by restructuring costs and the sluggish economy. Harley-Davidson has come under pressure over the last year as the tight credit markets and the weak economy led consumers to shun purchases of its high-end, heavyweight motorcycles. The company has been reorganizing its business through layoffs, factory closures and closing or selling unwanted brands. Harley said shipments of its bikes to dealers in 2009 fell 27 percent, to 223,023.

When Munzer Diyya wants to get away from it all, he sits astride his motorcycle and takes to the open road -- all 45 kilometres of it. Diyya has the misfortune of being an open road enthusiast living in the Gaza Strip, a tiny territory sandwiched between Israel and Egypt and blockaded by both. So when he and his buddies gun their engines and head out on the highway, they are reduced to riding only the length of the impoverished and overcrowded Palestinian enclave -- a mere 45 kilometres (28 miles). "I ride slowly to make it last longer," Diyya...

Johnstown, PA (GlossyNews) – Local and state police scoured the hills outside rural Johnstown, Pennsylvania, after reports of three animal rights activists going missing after attempting to protest the wearing of leather at a large motorcycle gang rally this weekend. Two others, previously reported missing, were discovered by fast food workers “duct taped inside several fast food restaurant dumpsters,”

The classic Indian Chief motorcycle, prized for its fanciful fenders and an American heritage different from its much bigger rival, Harley-Davidson, is back and finally ready to roll in California. First built in 1922 and in and out of production ever since, the Chief has been ridden over the years by actor Steve McQueen and other renegades possessing fame and fortune. Now it has been overhauled for the modern era. Although motorcycle sales are down nationwide, the Chief is already a sought-after ride in 16 other states where it has been on sale since early this year. The Chief just...

Motorcycle rocket launcher: definitely try at home Step one: make extra powerful bottle rockets by mounting model rocket engines to skewers. Step two: make custom launch tubes, spray paint, mount to fairing. Step three: mount launch controller within easy reach. Step four: commence mayhem. Congratulations sir, you've just managed to make motorcycling even more dangerous.

A planned promotion to support Second Amendment rights gets pulled. On December 1st, Bloomington's Herald Times posted a database of current gun permits. The local Harley-Davidson shop in Bloomington was outraged. A long-time advertiser with the paper, owners saw it as an unnecessary and dangerous practice. They planned a promotion with Cosner's Guns - Buy a Harley, Get a Gun. Just as soon as it was planned, it was pulled. The NRA has blasted the newspaper as well, saying the list makes it easy for criminals to target homes with or without guns.

Personalized license plate owner: It's an ode to Harleys, not racism By Chad D. Lerch | Muskegon Chronicle December 10, 2009, 3:11PM MUSKEGON COUNTY -- Richard Macaulay is a Harley-Davidson lover through and through. The Muskegon man said he takes pride in his Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide motorcycle, which he keeps in immaculate condition. Macaulay said he was shocked to receive a letter from the Michigan Secretary of State's office recently stating that his personalized license plate of seven years had been revoked. The Secretary of State's office informed the retired factory worker that a complaint from a Muskegon Heights...

A 79-year-old motorcyclist is dead after he hit a moose near Gibbons on Sunday night. Morinville RCMP were called to the collision on Highway 28A south of Gibbons around 7:30 p.m. along with paramedics and firefighters. By the time police arrived, EMS were already attempting to resuscitate the unresponsive man. Police say the victim, from Fort Saskatchewan, was driving his Honda Gold Wing motorcycle when he hit a moose, fell off the bike and onto the road. A car that had been driving behind the man also hit the moose, then the motorcycle. The victim was pronounced dead at the...

Continuing hard times at Harley-Davidson came to something of a head Thursday with the announcement that the company was killing its Buell line of sport bikes almost immediately and actively looking for a buyer for its MV Agusta brand. Harley, which is based in Milwaukee, also disclosed continuing losses at its finance unit and a decline in sales of its heavyweight Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Overall, Harley’s net income for the third quarter plunged by 84 percent from last year, which was also a down year for the company. The Buell brand, based in East Troy, Wis., will shut down later this...

Harley-Davidson USA today announced that they are discontinuing the Buell line of motorcycles. This news comes as Harley-Davidson reported a third quarter earnings that was down 21.3% from the same period in 2008. All remaining in-stock Buell motorcycles and accessories will be sold by authorized dealers, but no additional Buell motorcycles will be manufactured. Existing warranty coverage for Buell motorcycles will be honored and Harley-Davidson will continue to provide replacement parts and service through their dealerships. Over time, the discontinuing of the Buell line is expected to eliminate 80 hourly productions positions and approximately 100 salaried positions at Buell. According...

WILSONVILLE, Ore.) - Police say ten motorcyclists traveling together as part of the Brothers Speed Motorcycle Club were injured, two critically, Friday afternoon in a multi-vehicle traffic crash south of Wilsonville on Interstate 5. Oregon State Police Lieutenant Gregg Hastings, says Friday, September 18, 2009, at approximately 2:45 p.m., approximately 26 motorcycles were traveling northbound in the left inside lane near milepost 282 in a formation of two columns when traffic ahead began to come to a stop.

There should be U.S. flags as far as the eye can see at Minnesota's Camp Ripley on Sunday. The Minnesota Patriot Guard says it's aiming for the longest known flag line in honor of military veterans during the base's open house. Flag lines are formed by people holding flags on poles a set distance apart. They are sometimes seen at soldier funerals to provide a buffer between those grieving and protesters. Patriot Guard members, many of whom ride motorcycles, are hoping for at least 2,000 participants.

More than two dozen motorcycles crashed on a freeway in Oregon on Friday, blocking traffic for hours, police said. Oregon State Police said the bikers were behind a car when traffic unexpectedly slowed in the northbound lanes on Interstate 5. The collision sent bikes scattering across the road, near Wilsonville, south of Portland.

WILSONVILLE -- Members of the Brother Speed outlaw motorcycle club rolled into a bloody 26-bike crash on Interstate 5 north Friday afternoon, south of Wilsonville. "When we arrived on scene, it was ordered mayhem," said Lt. Mike Towner of Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue. "There were ... two dozen motorcycles scattered across the freeway." Two bikers with critical injuries were flown by LifeFlight helicopter to Legacy Emanuel Hospital & Health Center and OHSU Hospital in Portland. Seven other crash victims with less serious injuries were taken by ambulance. Northbound lanes at Milepost 282, near the Baldock Rest Area, were shut...

Captain America prevailed today in Indianapolis, even though he appears to be Spanish these days. Jorge Lorenzo and his superhero-inspired helmet took top honors at the second Red Bull Indianapolis Grand Prix, also stopping to pick up a red, white and blue toy shield to round out the costume for his victory lap. He then capped it off with a Helio Castroneves-style spiderman climb up the Turn 1 fence- yet another classic race-win celebration from the young Spanish star!

The motorcycles roared down the street, their riders in black leather vests. Long hair peeked from under helmets. Clad in jeans, dark shades and short-sleeve shirts revealing the occasional tattoo, they parked their bikes and headed toward the Catholic church last month. Almost 100 strong, these bikers are out to change public opinion. One sported a patch on his vest that read: "These Are My Sunday Clothes." They're not your father's Knights of Columbus. They're knights on bikes, New Jersey's first Knights' Motorcycle Ministry. "We want to make sure that the public image of bikers isn't what they see on...

WERA Racer Chapman Critically Injured At VIR Aug 09, 2009, ©Copyright 2009, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc. http://www.roadracingworld.com/news/article/?article=37639 From a press release issued by Team Velocity Racing: Zac Chapman, a WERA racer and team rider for TVR/EBC Brakes Yamaha, was critically injured in a sprint race on Saturday during WERA’s Cycle Jam at Virginia International Raceway. Chapman supported TVR during the endurance race on Friday, although he opted not to ride. He is recovering from a broken ankle and felt the hour-long stints might be too strenuous. After the endurance race, Chapman stayed to compete on his own bikes throughout the...

'Brando, Dylan and Elvis made them cool - but Britain's Triumph motorbikes would have been consigned to the scrapheap if it hadn't been for a reclusive visionary, £200 million... and a little help from Tom Cruise.'