"We are currently taking our most popular handlebar styles and developing them as ‘cross over’ bars that will work on most non-Harley motorcycles,” informed CycleSmiths spokesperson Ron Boyd, who continued, “They are 1 1/4 inch diameter and, with the addition of the appropriate riser, fit on Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki, Victory and Kawasaki.” They are also said to have two sizes of apehanger bars and a beach bar. “These bars really make it easy for multi-line dealers and repair shops because they still have the great look of the inch and a quarter bar with the ability to mount on many different motorcycles (including Harley-Davidson) and that really means that a dealer only needs to stock or order one item,” Boyd explained. Right now the economy is the main threat to the industry, since people are making less money and they are afraid to spend it on non-essentials like motorcycles, parts and accessories, he said, and CycleSmiths sales are down a little from last year. Service sells and know your products, he advised stores. Boyd added, “When the going gets tough it always comes down to the basics. Be courteous, helpful and go the extra mile whenever possible.” 

CycleSmiths
www.cyclesmiths.com

New from Slipstreamer is the SS-20 Stealth windshield, designed to give a new option for cruiser bikes to make for a more comfortable ride, exclaimed President Bob Eggerichs. This shield has been designed more for the low profile cruisers like the Kawasaki Mean Streaks and the Yamaha Warriors, he added. Eggerichs told us he hasn’t noticed very many trends in the non-Harley cruiser accessory market, other than noting that the segments seem to be shrinking along with Harleys in general. The economy is the main threat to the industry right now, he explained, but on the other hand, people are going to ride instead of driving their cars because they see it as a sensible option economically. Thus, these riders will need accessories, such as windshields, luggage, new tires, batteries, etc., he added. Slipstreamer’s sales are up, Eggerichs told us, adding his advice to dealers is to keep these products in stock and mount them if possible.

Slipstreamer
www.slipstreamer.com

Ultima’s new chrome drag Y-bars for Yamaha Roadstars give the rider a new feel for the road and hot custom looks, informed Vice President of Sales Dave Sieve. The bars measure 1 1/2 inches in diameter and are available in two styles: with one (V-shaped) or two bend risers, Sieve explained. “The one bend style is 32 inches wide and the two bend style is 31 inches wide,” he continued, “Both styles are available with riser heights of 6, 8 and 10 inches. All bars are on 4 inch centers and come drilled for internal wiring.” Metric cruiser enthusiasts are starting with similar custom parts and modifications as those in the Harley-Davidson market, including basic essentials like custom handlebars and exhaust, noted Sieve. “We see opportunity for growth as this market has even provided styling cues and parts that cross into the custom Harley-Davidson market,” he explained, adding, “The opportunity to introduce styling and performance products at competitive prices is promoting the growth of our metric line of products.” Sieve concluded by saying Ultima is doing well with their custom handlebars and exhaust and the company plans to introduce performance starter motors at competitive prices in the near future.

Ultima Products – Midwest Motorcycle Supply
www.ultimaproducts.com