NOW
IN OUR
29th
YEAR
™
THE LEADING BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CUSTOM MOTORCYCLE AND PARTS INDUSTRY
H-D in Co-Branding Collaboration
with Aftermarket Vendor
Italian parts and accessory
specialist Rizoma has entered
into a design and manufacturing
partnership with
Harley-Davidson.
The billet aluminum collection is the
first co-branded collection of its kind
designed exclusively for H-D
motorcycle riders by an aftermarket
parts company.
Harley has sometimes (though rarely)
adopted some performance or
accessory and parts ideas from the
aftermarket (though more often they
have simply copied other people's
ideas), but as far as we here at AMD
Magazine are aware, this is the first cobranded
venture, and it is telling that
under the management of their newly
minted German CEO (Jochen Zeitz) it
should be with an Italian designer -
though probably has as much to do
with where he sees the biggest
business opportunity that Harley has
for the LiveWire.
The deal will no doubt have had the
gestation period of an elephant as
Harley's idea of fast has always been
glacial when compared to how most
enterprises in the capitalist world
would move. It is, however, telling that
'SIMSON
PHANTOM 3'
this should be announced now, given
that responsiveness, flexibility,
bureaucracy and speed are some of
the systemic weaknesses that Zeitz
has promised to tackle.
It will also be interesting to see if this
project is the start of a new culture that
will see Harley embracing the creativity
and business opportunities that the
aftermarket could provide Harley with
elsewhere within its model range
portfolio. If the company isn't already
at an advanced stage of partnering
with market leading vendors such as
Givi and Touratech for Pan America
Adventure Tourer accessories and the
likes of Ness, PM, Kellermann and Paul
Yaffe over other models, such as the
still rumored 2021 hyped Power
Cruiser plans (as opposed to the
'Bronx' streetfighter), then they are
simply mad.
These parts and accessories fit a
broad range of Harley-Davidson
motorcycles and feature components
specially designed to personalize H-
D’s first electric motorcycle, the
LiveWire model.
"Precision craftsmanship and
unmistakable style define this
collaborative collection from Harley-
Davidson and Rizoma. Lasered H-D
and Rizoma logos on a subdued
black on black finish display minimal
branding that lets the machined
texture and performance aesthetics
take the lead. This sleek collection of
billet aluminum accessories is the
first co-branded collection of its kind
designed exclusively for H-D
motorcycle riders."
The initial release of items in the
collection is aimed at the LiveWire,
despite being largely universal fit,
and includes 1.44" diameter
textured rubber handgrips, blingy
rider and passenger footpegs,
mirrors with an "aspherical outer
portion, which shows more of the
rear and peripheral reflection to
provide a broader view" and,
specifically for the LiveWire, a "sport
inspired" charge door.
OCT 2020
ISSUE #255
ROAD TRIP
INDY AND
SPRINGFIELD
"Back in 1970 I was born in East Germany as a 50 cc Simson KR51/1 'Swallow' two-stroke scooter. Then that nice
Mr Swen Weber spruced me up a bit (well, quite a lot actually) and took me on holiday to Cologne in 2018. I won
15th spot in the AMD World Championship - not bad eh?" See pages 32-33 for more of SW-Customs' "Swallow to
Swan" miracle of metamorphosis ...