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Ad agency Carmichael Lynch is dropping Harley-Davidson after a 31-year partnership.

The Minneapolis-based agency said it could take the Harley brand no further, reports WCCO TV. Doug Spong, president of Carmichael Lynch, said the agency decided it was in its best interest to part ways.

H-D has been using multiple advertising and marketing communications agencies in the last few years as part of a "multi-generational and multi-cultural strategy," Harley-Davidson said.

Did you see that Progressive Insurance is the new title sponsor of Advanstar Communications’ International Motorcycle Show (IMS) series?

Yup, it appears publisher Hachette Filipacchi didn't offer Cycle World the financial resources to make the cut after serving as title sponsor of the IMS series for the past 17 years.

“This partnership will help Advanstar Communications re-invent the 30 year old (sic) event series from the ground up, offering a completely new visual design and show environment, more entertainment and learning opportunities, gifts and prizes custom-built for each unique lifestyle enthusiast, and more ways to interact with and buy product - including the all new Progressive Lounge -- than ever before,” Advanstar announced in a prepared statement.

"IMS and Progressive are committed to service, integrity, and (sic) value," Tracy Harris, VP & GM of Advanstar's Powersports Group, said in the same prepared statement. "These common values have made for a powerful partnership over Progressive's many years with the shows, and will now (sic) allow us to deliver on those values to our mutual customers in a much more impactful way."

Discuss.

The 2010-2011 IMS series kicks off in Dallas, Nov. 12-14, and rolls around the country through March of next year.

Yamaha is recalling about 300 of its Double “T” Fat handlebars (Part #STR-5PX75-12-00 and STR-4WM75-12-00) because they may break.

Manufactured from Aug. 1, 2008 to July 31, 2009, the bars may have tubing thinner than designed where the bars narrow for the switch housings and grips. The bars were designed for 2002-2009 XV1700 Warrior and 1999-2003 VX1600 and XV1700 RoadStar motorcycles.

Yamaha says it will notify owners of record. Dealers are to replace the affected handlebars free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on or about Aug. 27.

Rapid fluctuations in currency exchange rates have a significant impact on the global motorcycle industry, impacting everything from the procurement of raw material to final product pricing.

The recent, better-than-expected appreciation of the Japanese yen against other major world currencies has the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA) worried. The organization claims the growth of the yen, if sustained, could adversely affect production and employment in Japan and cause increased apprehension on the part of the industry in regard to the yen’s future prospects. 

JAMA says it hopes the Japanese government will work towards “foreign-exchange stability under a framework of international cooperation.”

 “We also look forward to appropriate and timely economic management on the part of the government to help ensure that the current business recovery can complete its course, thus enabling continued future growth,” the organization said in aprepared statement.

Arctic Cat this week produced its 1 millionth snowmobile, a 2011 Crossfire 800 LTD, since the company was resuscitated in August 1983.

More than 1,100 employees signed their name on the sled after this group photo was taken. The Crossfire will be prominently displayed in the factory lobby in Thief River Falls, Minn. for all visitors to see and will be placed on several show tours throughout the season.

KYMCO USA today put out a press release touting the early release of the 2011 Like 200i  (MSRP: $3,399), Downtown 300i ($5,599) and Super 8 50 2T ($2,099) scooters.

The real news here is that the South Carolina-based importer/distributor finally placed a retail price on three scooters I first tested in October 2009. I most recently put more than 1,600 trouble-free miles on a Downtown during an early summer tour to Texas.

The Like 200i can already be found in dealerships and the Downtown 300i and Super 8 50 2T are scheduled to arrive in September. Click HERE for more information.

Arctic Cat has entered into an agreement with TCF Commercial Finance Canada, Inc. to serve as the exclusive provider of inventory floorplan financing for Arctic Cat dealers in Canada.

Effective immediately, the new multi-year financing program replaces Arctic Cat's current financing agreement in Canada with Textron Financial Corporation, which is exiting the dealer floorplan business.

"TCF Commercial Finance Canada shares our commitment to the power sports industry and to meeting the inventory financing needs of our ATV and snowmobile dealers in Canada," Arctic Cat Chairman and CEO Chris Twomey said in a prepared statement.

TCF Commercial Finance Canada, Inc. is an affiliate of TCF Inventory Finance, Inc. (TCFIF) which offers a full range of inventory financing solutions to retailers throughout the United States and Canada in the powersports industry, consumer electronics and household appliances industries, and lawn and garden industry.

Finally, TCFIF is an indirect subsidiary of TCF Financial Corporation, a Wayzata, Minnesota-based national financial holding company with $18 billion in total assets. TCF has 441 banking offices in Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, Colorado, Wisconsin, Indiana, Arizona and South Dakota, providing retail and commercial banking services. TCF also conducts commercial leasing and equipment finance business in all 50 states.

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) says corporate member Tucker Rocky Distributing has achieved 100 percent AMA membership among the company's sales associates.

Tucker Rocky is a wholesale distributor of hundreds of brands of powersports parts, accessories and apparel. The firm’s in-house consumer brands include Answer, BikeMaster, Biker's Choice, MSR, ProTaper, QuadBoss and Firstgear.

"The goals and responsibilities of the AMA are in direct alignment with the goals and responsibilities of Tucker Rocky,” TR President and CEO SteveJohnson said in a prepared statement released by the AMA. “We support the AMA, and we encourage all motorcyclists and fans of the sport to do so as well."

"Tucker Rocky's impressive milestone is a notable accomplishment, and it is an important step in a developing partnership that will lay the foundation for unifying all of motorcycling in its support of our lifestyle," said AMA President and CEO Rob Dingman. "It is this generation's responsibility to preserve and grow motorcycling for the next, and none of us can afford to sit on the sidelines if we are to achieve that goal."

The powersports industry’s two main distributors, Texas-based Tucker Rocky/Biker’s Choice and Wisconsin-based Parts Unlimited/DragSpecialties, have been vying for market leadership during the past couple of years. The AMA’s press release touting TR’s membership achievement is sure to have an impact similar to that of a blazing rocket sent across the bow of one of Fred Fox’s luxury yachts during a rowdy 4^th of July celebration.

Are you making money off of the motorcycle industry? If so, you too need to be a part of the AMA.