Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1980's

million selling price will be borrowed against Holiday Rambler assets, with $70 million being borrowed on a secured basis and $50 million being borrowed on a subordinated basis. Beals said he expects the acquisition to be finalized before the end of the year, assuming satisfanion of all the conditions in the stock purchase agreement. Harley-Davidson stock has been traded publicly since July, 1986 (AMEX: HOI). Teun Doug Polen (Suz) won the November 23 FormuIe USA race at WiDow Spring. Internetional Rae "'IIIIY in Ra.nond, C8Iifomili. Polen bHt Chris St8w8rd (Suzl and series champion Eart Roloff (Kawl. Team Hammer'. Doug Toland, Peter Carroll and Tim O'Kennedy rode their Suzuki to the Endurance race win on November 22 at Willows Spring•. Hyper Cycle's Cany Andrew and Jeff Herzog (Suzl finished secona:- The Decem ber 5-7 Mowrcycle So: ATV Expo at the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, will feature what appears to be the bestever Cycle World Magazine Collecwr Series. The Collector Series features antique and classic motorcycles and there'l! be 64 of those at Anaheim. Examples of the following marques will be displayed: ABC, AJS, America, Ariel, BMW, Brough-Superior, BSA, Cleveland, Columbia, Crocker, Emblem, Evans, FN, Harley-Davidson, Haverford, Holley, Honda, Indian, Ivy, Kawasaki, Matchless, Mitchell, Mustang, Ner-A-Car, Nimbus, Nonon, Orient, Panther, NSU, PierceArrow, Rudge, Salsbury, Scott, Sunbeam, Suzuki, Tohatsu, Triumph, Velocette, Whizzer, Vincent and Yale. The 1986 Wortd Sports/AMA/ USHRA ArenIICI'OSS Championship Series concluded in New York City on November 23 in front of 30,000 spectator. and the top 10 in the final point standing. -led by Mike Bla., 8arry Carsten and Fred Andrew. - will be treated to a cruise on December 1 to the 8ah8ma. for the Wortd Sporta banquet. 2 Harley-Davidson, Inc. announced on November 19 that it has reached an agreement to acquire Holiday Ram· bier Corporation, the world's largest privately-held producer of recreational vehicles. Vaughn Beals, HarleyDavidson's chief executive officer, said the purchase of Wakarusa, Indiana-based Holiday Rambler, which is expected to post 1986 revenues of more than $270 million, will be a "natural fit" for the only Americanbased motorcycle manufacturer. "Harley-Davidson has been actively searching for an opportunity to broaden its earnings base," said Richard Teerling, Harley-Davidson's chief financial officer. Holiday Rambler's recreational vehicles division is best known for its top-of-the-line motorhomes and travel trailers, but also markets smaller motorhomes and wwables targeted at first-time buyers, Holiday Rambler markets its products through a network of approximately 200 dealers. In addition to specialized recreational andcommercial vehicles (including walk-in vans and parcel delivery trucks), Holiday Rambler also is engaged in van conversions, distribution of recreational vehicle pans and accessories, and production of recreational housing. The company also produces a diverse range of related products. Holiday Rambler currently employs 1900 people. Harley-Davidson plans to acquire Holiday Rambler witfi $35 million of Harley-Davidson equity. It is anticipated that the remainder of the $155 APPOINTED: Fox Racing of Cambell, Califomill, .. a distributor of RoCk Oil Products. Los Padres (California) National Forest District Ranger Patrick Pontes is asking the public w comment on proposals westablish three new OffHighway-Vehicle (OHV) routes on the Santa Barbara Ranger District. Public input in determining the issues and concerns on the proposals is an essential pan of the Environmental Assessment (EA) process, and the three proposals will be assessed individually. The three proposals are: The Hildreth Loop - combining the Penola Jeepway, the Monte Arido Road, and the Hildreth Jeepway. The Divide Peak Staging Area -location of potential sites for parking areas, overnight camping, and a connector trail. One area proposed for day-use staging would be on East Camino Cielo, 7ltoth of a mile west of Romero Saddle. The Divide Peak Corridor - would provide for future expansion of the Divide Peak Route, including the feasibility of a route to connect the existing Divide Peak Road with Monte Arido Road through Murietta Saddle. Pontes stressed that comments on the proposed routes "should be specific as to each route and not a 'general' opinion on the proposals." Comments should be mailed by December 31 to Patrick Pontes, District Ranger, U.S. Forest Service, Star Route, Santa Barbara, CA 93105_ Further information can be obtained by contacting either Ranger Pontes or Kerry Kellogg at 805/9673481. Former World cia•• road racer Cliff Carr recendy stopped by the Cycle News office after c1eaJ;ing customs with one of the first 1000cc vtwin Weslake engines. Carr is one of the We.lake principal. and is planning on running one of the new engine. in the Pro Twins cla.s at Daytona in March with former Grand N__tionel Champion Mark Brelsford at the control.. More 1000cc V-twins are on the way' along with four- and five-valve 500cc single•. Carr i. planning on getting the engine on a dyno soon to get specific horsepower reading•. Carr iulao looking for buyers/ investors in the We.lake Company and can be reached at 818/7036083. The 12th Annual AMA Invitational Indoor Pro Motorcycle Ice Race Series begins January 2 in Fort Wayne, Indiana's Memorial Coliseum. Five-time series champ Garth Brow heads the field of invited riders. Other competi· tors are Dan Ingram, Tim Mertens, Chuck Springsteen, Ed Morris, Scott Drake, Don Estep, Bryan Hardin, Dave Hebb, Mike Rhoads, Jack Mayer, Launce Sulaty, Dave Coe, Brian Atherwn, Todd Martin, Greg Gatliff and Dave Knapp. Seven series rounds are planned and in addition to the Ft. Wayne date, four rounds are firm at this time: Danville, Ulinois, January 9; Peoria, llIinois, January 10; Muskegon, Michigan, January 23; and. !roy, Ohio, January 51. Team Honda road racers Wayne Rainey and Bubba Shobert will contest the 1987 AMA Camel Pro Road Race Series aboard VFR760 Interceptor-baaed .uperbike., not VFR700F-based machine. a. reported in our last iuue. Honda will market a 700 Interceptor model in 1987, but the VFR760 has been discontinued . Check out next week's Cycle News for a look at the world's biggest Harley-Davidson and a Harley Low Rider Cuswm riding impression. • CPSC quizzes ATV Task Force By Farren Williams WASHINGTON, D.C., NOV 20 Members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission quiued CPSC sta[[ members durin~ a two-day ATV briefing sessIOn in Washingwn, D.C. November 1920, but took no action on a staffproduced, 14,OOO-page report which recommends that the federal ~overn- ment more closely regulate the use of all-terrain vehicles. Although poker-faced commission members limited themselves to asking questions about the report and would make no comments regarding positions lhey might take on the document, CPSC Chairman Terrence Scanlon did suggest that action will be taken in the immetliate future. "The time has come for the commission to an," Scanlon said. "At the conclusion of our briefing we will have the information before us that will allow us to decide what directions to take to respond to the ATV issue. I am prepared and will ask my colleagues to promptly schedule a voting session within the next two weeks." Commissioner Anne Graham followed up by saying, "It is time for the commission to make a decision that takes into account all the viewpoints and, most importantly, is in accordance with our statu wry purpose to protect the publ ic ag-ainst unreasonable risks of injury associated with consumer products. We need to act expeditiously to find a resolution which mayor may not prove to be the resolution of popular choice, but will make a positive contribution to the knowledge, safety and welfare of ATV owners and users." Commissioner Carol Dawson, however, hinted that the CPSC will be dealing with the ATV issue for some time to come. "I would like w emphasize ·the seriousness of this undertaking," Dawson said. "Perhaps never before in the history of this commission has it studied a single issue that is so complex, so wide-ranging and so difficult. For that reason, I believe it would be imprudem to expect the problems associated with ATVs to be resolved overnight. More than likely, (Continued to page 25) Mail letters to CPSC today! By Farren Williams Letters, telegrams and phone calls from motorcycle/ATV enthusiasts can help convince members of the COflsumer Products Safety Commission not to regulate ATVs out of existence, and Cycle News strongly feels now is the time to make those phone lines buzz and w get those letters in the mail. In a few shon days the CPSC is ex-pected to decide whelher or not w approve recommendations made by the ATV Task Force following an 18-month s~udy on the safety hazards of all-temlin vehicles. While the recommendations do outline new regulations for ATVs and ATV riders, they do not caIl for a ban or recall, (except for the first recommendation which suggests that child-sized ATVs be.removed from the markel). Certain members of the U.S. Congress, however, are pUlting a lot of pressure on the CPSC w ban and recall all ATVs, regardless of the findings in the report and regardless of the ATV Task Force recommendations. It is up wall of us - enthusiasts, manufacturers, aftermarket companies and the ATV press - to see w it that the commissioners get as much pressure.£rom u as they do from congress. I£ wedon't fight back, theCPSC could yield to Congressman Doug Barnard (D-GA) and other Democr,llic members of the now infamous House Governmem Operations Committee. 1£ we allow that w happen we'I1 get just what we deserve - a world without ATVs. I£ you don't believe your letters will have any affect, consider the words of Commission Chairman Terrence Scanlon while speaking during an ATV briefing session in Washingwn D.C. on November 19. "I am impressed by the very great public intere t in the possible actions the commission may take," he said. "Consumer support for these vehicles is tremendou . Of the more than 4000 consumer views received on the ANPR (advanced notice of proposed rule making) almost all stated that they did not want a ban or recall of these vehicles. Such strong public support will obviously be a factor the commission will have to weigh carefully in these deliberations on how w address the ATV·issue." Now is not the time to be timid. We must strongly reinforce Scanlon's belief, and hopefully the beliefs of Commissioners Anne Graham and Carol Dawson, that consumers support ATVs. Make that phone call or write thatlettertoday - tomorrow may be too late. Let the commissioners know that you oppose the overregulation of ATVs. Let them know that you oppose a ban or recall. I£ you oppose the elimination of child-sized ATVs, let them know thaI as well. Letters and 'telegrams should be addresst.'

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