Make Motorcycling Cheaper Rally

The Make Motorcycling Cheaper Rally will be at Parliament House in Melbourne on Wednesday, November 12, 2008.

Petitions to abolish the unfair $56 a year TAC tax on riders will be handed to MP Denis Napthine to present to the Parliament. One petition is paper, one is online.

The rally will be from noon to 1 pm with speeches from 12.30 pm. It is a sitting day so Parliament House will be full of MPs and media. Other issues will be raised but the primary is to abolish the TAC tax. You could save yourself $56 a year in your lunch break.

It's a work day so many won't be able to attend, but, you can encourage others to come. Thousands of riders live and work in the city, St Kilda Road and inner suburbs. You can sign the online petition and you can get a paper petition signed by family, friends and workmates. Paper petition sheets can be emailed or posted out at no cost.

This is not an MRA activity. It is organised by independent riders.

Harley Davidson rides the Mining Boom

While the fortunes of many North American companies are on a downward spiral, Australia’s resources boom is helping to keep at least one afloat -
Mining boom sparks Harley boom - Motors - Executive Style - smh.com.au

Harley Davidson signs Marisa 'V-Rod' Miller

Supermodel Marisa Miller has signed on with Harley-Davidson to be the face and body of their new V-Rod motorcycle.

"My uncle rides Harley's," said Miller, who is a Victoria's Secret model and was on the cover of this years Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition.

"My dad rides bikes, and it's such a cool thing to have something I've grown up around."

The average age of Harley buyers is 47, according to Motorcyclist magazine, and the new V-Rod and advertising campaign is an effort to attract a younger, hipper demographic.

The new V-Rod Muscle features a powerfully sculpted new physique that exudes a contemporary and urban sense of style. The Muscle’s long, low profile and super wide rear tire are inspired by the drag strip, while the free-revving performance of the liquid-cooled Revolution V-Twin engine co-developed with Porsche give it an unmatched combination of power and sophistication.

The Harley-Davidson V-Rod Muscle features a 1250cc liquid-cooled V-Twin engine with a five-speed transmission and high-performance Brembo triple-disc brakes with available ABS. Its race-bred clutch with “slipper” action helps ease drive train effort during downshifting while its broad-shouldered presence is highlighted by a huge 240mm rear tire. New bodywork with integrated turn signals and a clipped fender combine to give it a clean, contemporary look. The V-Rod Muscle is available in Vivid Black, Brilliant Silver, Dark Blue Denim and Red Hot Sunglo.

“The V-Rod Muscle stands out in a crowd of copies and generic motorcycle profiles,” said Mark-Hans Richer, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Harley-Davidson, in a statement. “It stretches the very definition of what it means to be a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.”