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McQueen Motos & Memorabilia in Bonhams California Sale

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Auctions


An impressive collection of Steve McQueen memorabilia including two classic Harley Davidson sidecars used in his famed 1963 flick The Great Escape (above) are being offered for sale Bonhams & Butterfields' Classic California Auction on November 13th at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. The items come from the collection of McQueen's good friend, racer, stuntman and Triumph dealer Bud Ekins. The Harley sidecars date from 1936 and were used in the movie set during World War II, in which Ekins, acting as McQueen's stunt double, made the famous motorcycle jump over the wire fence.

The Harleys were disguised as German motorcycles and the sidecars were made to appear as Steib sidecars in the film. Later they were repainted for use in Badge of Courage, Steven Spielberg's 1941 and numerous other war films, and are estimated to fetch $6,000 – $8,000. Also included in the sale are a five page handwritten letter from McQueen to Ekins, estimated at $1,000 – $1,500; and assorted McQueen related memorabilia, including press clippings, four books, rare photographs and two copies of Life magazine, estimated at only $300 – $400; plus several vintage Triumphs, Harleys and more from Ekins' amazing collection. Check out the gallery for pix.

[via JamesList]

2010 Harley-Davidson CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide Goes to the Dark Side

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

2010 CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide – Click above for high-res image gallery

Every year, Harley-Davidson breaks out the good ol' Accessories Catalog to bedeck a few of its most desirable models in a veritable smorgasbord of chrome, leather and outlandish paint schemes. See here, here, here and here for photo evidence of this undeniable fact. For 2010, though, The Motor Company is taking a darker approach to its highest-end model, the CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide.

HD slathers the dark on its new CVO model, with the whole Gloss Black Rumble Collection making its appearance on the Glide. In total, the Crimson Mist Black / Dark Slate (with flame graphics, naturally) motorcycle comes with approximately 185 unique black parts, components and accessories, which join a black and chrome Screamin' Eagle Twin Cam 110 engine (that's 1803cc and 115 pound-feet of torque, HD's biggest and most powerful factory V-twin) and a six-speed Cruise Drive transmission to complete the nearly chromeless motif.

Harley's whole bag of techno tricks are also featured on the CVO Ultra, including a 160-watt CD/AM/FM/WB/MP3 Advanced Audio System by Harman-Kardon, CB and intercom, passenger audio with controls, cruise control and standard XM Radio. Finally, the HD-specific Garmin Road Tech zūmo 660 GPS unit with touch-screen display tells you where to point the handlebars.

Want one? Harley-Davidson only plans to build 999 CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide in 2010, each with a base price of $36,499, which makes this the most expensive model in Harley's entire lineup this year. Check out our high-res image gallery below and click past the break for the complete press release.



[Source: Harley-Davidson]

Harley-Davidson Adds New Forty-Eight to Dark Custom Line

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

2010 Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight – Click above for high-res image gallery

Harley-Davidson has just announced a new addition to its entry-level Sportster family, and it's seemingly again drawing on its years of heritage in both the bike's design and name. Called the Forty-Eight, the new machine is the latest motorcycle to slot into HD's Dark Custom series, which also includes the Nightster 1200, Iron 883, Cross Bones, Fat Bob and Street Bob.

So, what makes this model different from the other Sportster models? It's all in the styling details, naturally. Included in the kit are bobbed fenders front and rear, fat front tire, blacked-out and polished 1200cc Evolution V-twin, solo seat that measures 26 inches from the ground, under-mounted mirrors, side mount license plate and tiny 2.1-gallon peanut fuel tank. No matter, with what we bet is less than two inches of rear suspension travel, this bike seems destined to be a short-distance mount anyway.

So, to recap, there's nothing new here at all (which we surmise is kind of the point), but the overall effect still makes the Forty-Eight arguably the most attractive bike in the Sportster line, barring the much sportier XR1200, of course. Pricing begins at $10,499 MSRP in Vivid Black with Brilliant Silver and Mirage Orange Pearl also available. Click past the break for the complete press release and check out our high-res image gallery below.



[Source: Harley-Davidson]

Bargain Alert: Great Deals Reported on Buell Motorcycles

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos



In the market for a new motorcycle? Now might be a good time to visit your local Harley Davidson dealership. Not necessarily for a new motorcycle wearing the classic orange and black Bar and Shield logo – not that there's anything wrong with that, if that's your thing – but for one of the last bikes from the recently discontinued Buell brand.

According to a report from the boys from Hell for Leather, Harley Davidson is sending a check to each dealership worth $5,000 for every new Buell sold. This knowledge ought to give customers a little extra negotiating power when it comes time to sign on the dotted line, no? Happy shopping!

[Source: Hell for Leather]

Partagas "Man Cave" Winner Announced

Filed under: Cigars

Michael Boehkle of Kent, Washington, is about to get a new smoking room. The winner of the Partagas Ultimate Man Cave Contest, he is being given $10,000 to construct his dream smoking room. In his essay, Boehkle explained that he's forced to enjoy his cigars outside, since he doesn't have a place to smoke them. And, living in the Pacific Northwest, that often means smoking in the rain.

The winner's new man cave will fuse his two passions: cigars and Harley Davidson motorcycles. "I will combine two great legends, Partagas cigars and Harley Davidson to create a cigar lounge and vintage motorcycle museum in my garage," he said. Boehkle collects and restores Harleys.

Boehkle bought the four pack, which cost little more than $20 (in New York -- taxes probably caused the price to vary across the country), at Snoqualmie Casino. Because of its role in selling the winning sticks, the casino's cigar lounge, Lit, will receive Partagas-branded leather seating.

Harley-Davidson Drops Buell, Will Sell Stake in MV Agusta

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos



Harley-Davidson has just announced its third-quarter results, and things aren't quite as bad as they could have been... but we'll get to that in a moment. The big bombshell is that the Buell brand will be discontinued and the American motorcycle manufacturer will sell off its share in MV Agusta.

Head on over to Buell's official website to watch a video of an obviously emotional Erik Buell, who explains that HD will continue to honor the full factory warranty on Buell motorcycles and thanks his dealership body and loyal customers for their support for over 20 years of producing offbeat American sportbikes. Roughly 180 jobs will be lost from the Buell organization. HD will immediately begin the work of selling its recently-acquired stake in MV Agusta.

So, back to Harley's third-quarter performance. Revenue from motorcycle sales came to $803.3 million, down 22.1 percent compared to the the third quarter of '08. A total of 54,236 Harley-Davidson motorcycles were shipped worldwide, down 27.4 percent. Another $300 or so million was made off apparel and merchandise sales. Full details can be found in the ridiculously long press release after the break.

Goodbye Buell, we'll miss you.

Harley-Davidson Launches New 2010 Motorcycle Lineup

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos


2010 Harley-Davidson new model launches - Click above for high-res image gallery

Harley-Davidson has rolled out its revised line of motorcycles for 2010, and according to the Motor Company, the nine new models included in this year's catalog represent the largest number of introductions in the company's 106-year history. There aren't any new platforms for 2010, so expect to see small, incremental changes and improvements across the board in lieu of anything particularly radical.

A few of the highlights include four new models from Harley-Davidson's Custom Vehicle Operations group: CVO Fat Bob, CVO Softail Convertible, CVO Street Glide and CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide. As you would expect from Harley's upper-crust division, prices for these top-end models range from $25,299 to $35,999. At the other end of the spectrum, HD also points out it has a total of five models priced under $10K. Naturally, there's plenty in between those opposing price brackets for fans of the good 'ol American V-Twin to choose from.

Check out our photo gallery of the nine new models below and click past the break for the full rundown of all the goods from HD's official press release.

Harley-Davidson launches new Iron 883

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos


Click above for a gallery of the 2009 Harley-Davidson Iron 883

Most motorcycles are, by definition, luxury items. In the United States, a very small percentage of motorcycle riders use their bikes as daily transportation, instead choosing to take the "cage" for the various day-to-day trips that are a necessary part of life. This being the case, as fewer people have reserves of money left over to spend on discretionary items in a recession, sales of Harley-Davidson's Big Twin models are suffering.

Enter the new Iron 883, which is based on the Sportster underpinnings and features a fuel-injected 883cc V-twin powerplant. Besides the smaller displacement engine, the rest of the bike mimics the bobbed look of its larger sibling, the Nightster 1200, right down to the blacked-out color palette, front fork gaiters, solo saddle and side-mounted license plate holder. This cost cutting has allowed Harley to place a $7,899 price tag on its Iron 883, neatly undercutting the Nightster by a full $2,000.


[Source: Harley-Davidson]

Limited Editon Motorcycle for NASCAR's 60th

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos


NASCAR fans this one's for you! In celebration of NASCAR's 60th birthday a limited edition of 60 motorcycles, specially created to reflect the spirit of NASCAR racing in both design and speed, will be available for purchase first to NASCAR insiders and then to the public. Each bike in the series will be numbered 1-60 and will come with a specially commissioned painting by NASCAR artist Sam Bass. The limited number of motorcycles available to the public will go on sale May 28th, while the 60th model will be designated for a charity auction this summer.

V-Twin Zin, Wine for Harley Davidson Lovers

Filed under: Wine

Recent studies discovered that NASCAR fans are into wine, and the same can be said of Harley Davidson owners, hence a new wine aiming at the Harley fan demographic. The V-Twin Zin from the V-Twin Vineyards in Sonoma is a wine for the motorcycle lifestyle. The 2004 estate vineyard Zinfandel is sourced from a vineyard in the Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County, Calif., and has a label decorated with skulls and a flaming V-twin engine. The company also have a member gallery on its website for biker pictures. Other releases planned are the River Run Chardonnay, Poker Run Cabernet, Redwood Run Zinfandel and the Toy Run Rose. The 2004 V-Twin Zin sells for $24 per bottle.

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