S&S Cycle® co-sponsors the AMA Hall of Fame 2011 Induction Ceremony

 

November 13-15, 2011 - Red Rock Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada

S&S® was proud to be a co-sponsor of this year’s event as the Who’s who of the motorcycle world gathered in Las Vegas Nevada for the AMA’s 2011 Hall of Fame Induction event. Over 800 people were in attendance at the banquet ceremony hosted by actor/motorcyclist, Perry King.  Newly named, S&S President, Steve Iggens and his wife represented S&S Cycle at the star-studded affair.

Industry leaders gathered to pay tribute to this year’s inductees which included Fred Fox, founder of Parts Unlimited, Phil Schilling, managing editor of Cycle magazine, Stu Peters,

Photos by Camilla Sjodin, courtesy of the AMA.

S&S President: Steve Iggens

Continental Motosports Club racing promotor, Norbert Schickel, early designer and innovator/founder of Schickel Motor Co. and Doug Polen, World Superbike roadracer.

Special awards were also given to existing Hall of Fame members, racers Kenny Roberts and Roger DeCoster.

This year’s induction ceremony was held in conjunction with the Dave Mungenast Memorial Concours d’Elegance. Over 100 beautiful classic and historic motorcycles were on display.  Best of Show award went to Bob Mitchell’s 1947 Indian Chief.

Other winners included:

Loren Carpenter’s 1958 Harley Sportster             Al Lutino’s 1971 Kawasaki F-5

Dan Selman’s 1961 Triumph TRS AC                   Don Harrell’s 1966 BSA Hornet

Don Johnson’s 1967 BSA Spitfire                          Peter Palko’s 1972 H-D XR-750

Brad Boyle’s MV Augusta 500                                 Paul Wheeler’s “Easy Rider” replica

Rick Huemmerich’s 1960 BMW R69S                   Eric & Lee Hale’s 1978 Yamaha OW-36

Gary Brigg’s 1966 Honda CA-77 Dream               Don Johnson’s 1953 AJS 185

 

S&S company founder George J. Smith was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1994.

Established in 1958, S&S Cycle has been the industry leader in high performance accessories and engines for American and metric V-twin motorcycles. From engines, big bore kits, camshafts, valve train components and more, S&S has delivered the finest in American made high performance products to a worldwide market for over 50 years.

Count on S&S to bring “Proven Performance” to your motorcycle.

Back to School: Road Trip To PSI For S&S Dealer Training Classes.

Bruce and Justin from S&S visited the Power Sports Institute, a division of the Ohio Technical College, in Cleveland Ohio to observe an S&S Dealer Training Class.  This session was the Sidewinder training class, which deals with the mechanical aspects of servicing S&S engines.  The focus of the class was the S&S V-Series and T-Series engines for 1984 – 2006 Harley-Davidson big twins, and numerous S&S Hot Set Up Kit® configurations for 1984 – 2011 big twins.  This class is only available to S&S dealers.

The purpose of these classes is to get technicians who work in S&S dealerships up to speed on the special care and feeding of S&S engines and S&S modified Harley-Davidson® engines such as those that contain an S&S Hot Set Up Kit.  Each participant in the class is required to tear down, measure and reassemble an S&S V-Series engine and either an S&S T-Series engine or a Hot Set Up Kit modified Harley-Davidson Twin Cam 88® or 96 engine.  In the process they learned not only the techniques, but the how's and why's of the S&S components and the engines that contain them.  

The students in the class ranged from seasoned technicians to near entry-level technicians.  Regardless of the level of experience, all participants of the class learned a lot.  In the case of the less experienced students, it was an eye opening introduction not only to basic engine building and maintenance techniques, but an insight into the difference between stock and performance motorcycle engines.   For the old pro's, it was a chance to hone their skills and find ways to do their jobs better.  Nobody walked away from the class without a head full of newly acquired ideas and solid v-twin performance knowledge, regardless of how much they knew before the class.  

The fact is that S&S engines and S&S modified stock engines are different from stock Harley® engines.  That's why they're faster.  With that fact in mind, it should be pretty reasonable to conclude that they need a little different approach when you have one in the shop.  Making more power isn't just about increased displacement, although that's a pretty good way to go.  It also has to do with cylinder head flow, ignition timing, cam specifications, carb tuning, and a lot of other considerations that generally are not even a concern to the mechanic who works to the maintain stock function of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.  Modifying an engine for more performance takes more knowledge and the ability to think outside the box.  
Related: Students from PSI's Dealer Training Build Bike for AMD Championship

"We don't just want these guys to be parts-changers!"  Says PSI campus director Bernie Thompson.  "They need to be able to think about what they're doing and make the right calls when confronted with the special problems of high performance work."  V-Twin Education Manager Ron Radeke adds "To receive the S&S Sidewinder certificate, students have to do the work and pass the tests.  Without these strict requirements, the certificate wouldn't mean much.  This way you know that any technician who holds a Sidewinder certificate from PSI is the real deal.  They've earned it!"

Bernie adds "To go along with that, we have a separate v-twin course here at PSI where we not only teach our students how to service Harley-Davidson® and other v-twins, but we give the students the opportunity to build a custom bike from scratch.  This year we used an S&S engine and our bike took 8^th place at the AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building event in Sturgis."  Click here to see the bike!

A cool chance meeting occurred when we discovered that the technicians from Gateway Big Dog, who sent us the picture and dyno chart featured in an earlier S&S Performance Times Blog were taking the class when we were there.  Other participants included two brothers from a new shop in Australia called Karbo Kustoms, and two guys from Lowbrow Customs, one of the sponsors of the recent Knuckle Shuffle in nearby Yuba, WI.  See our Road Tour Blog entry here!

Dealer training is something that is pretty unique in the high performance industry, and S&S is committed to making sure that our dealers can back up the great reputation that S&S products have with performance enthusiasts all over the world.

If you are interested in attending S&S Dealer training, visit our site for more information and this year's class schedule.  If you would like to become an S&S Dealer, or learn why partnering with S&S is great for your business, visit our Become an S&S Dealer page on our site.

Antique Car Club Visits S&S: Being cool while going slow.

Viola, WI.  September 15, 2011.  The AACA Illinois Brass & Gas Touring Group made a stop at the S&S facility in Viola, WI.  The day started out cool with the first frost of the season, but warmed up nicely as the sun came up.  That's a good thing because these are all open cars!  That's why the old timers always wore those big car coats and goggles.  Some of the cars were actually steam powered, so they had to fill up with water here at S&S.

The club is for owners of cars built before 1915.  The reason they call it Brass and Gas is that up until 1915 the cars used a lot of brass in the radiators and other structural parts, but after WWI started, brass was in short supply, most of it going to the war effort for making ammunition.  Later cars used painted or nickel plated steel.  All the cars on the tour were fully restored and fully functional.  It requires an incredible amount of dedication to restore and maintain these vehicles.  Replacement parts are pretty much nonexistent and the amount of TLC and financial resources required are considerable.  However it all pays off on a beautiful fall day, with an event like this.

The club holds a number of these tours during the year.  They bring the cars in covered trailers to a specified location; in this case Richland Center, WI.  Several day trips are planned by the club during the tour.  The members don't really know where the will end up until they receive their trip book with detailed directions as to where to go and where to turn.  At an average speed of 30 mph, the trip is a pleasant cruise.  In most cases it's not about the destination, it's more about the trip.  In the case of the S&S visit, the destination proved to be really cool too.

The group toured the S&S museum and manufacturing plant, and many picked up S&S t-shirts as souvenirs.  Not only do the owners of these antique autos love cars, many of them have motorcycles and other toys too. 

When S&S Engineering Manager, Jeff Bailey brought out our brand new Morgan three-wheeler test car they all fell in love with it on the spot.  Even though this Morgan isn't an antique, it's modeled after the old time Morgans which were first produced in 1910. 

The Morgan Motor Company of Malvern Link in Worcestershire, UK started out producing the three-wheelers in 1910 but discontinued them in 1954.  However, Morgan is reintroducing the three-wheeler this year, and the modern version is powered by the S&S X-Wedge® engine.  That's why S&S happens to have one of these yet to be released vehicles.  It's here for testing and a fun part of that testing includes showing it to people to see what they think.  "I think I need one!" is what most people say after they see one.  After they have a ride in one that changes to "I know I need one!"  Jeff gave rides to several of the antique car owners and they reciprocated by giving rides to several S&S employees.  Good times!

S&S At The Rally In Sturgis 2011 +videos

Damn The Economy, Full Speed Ahead!

Every year S&S goes to the Black Hills Rally in Sturgis South Dakota to show off our new stuff and to have a good time.  We were located right downtown on Lazelle Street.  That’s smack dab in the middle of the action, and traffic at the S&S trailer was phenomenal. It looks like even in a down economy, our customers put the yearly pilgrimage to the best known rally in the country, pretty high on their priority list.

As usual the S&S crew was on hand to talk to customers - answering questions about our products and giving out tech advice.  Anything from carburetor jetting to engine building tips.  Of course most people visiting the S&S display trailer were looking for ways to make their Harley® faster.  That's easy because we have a lot of ways to do just that.  S&S offers go fast parts for 1930 to present big twins and 1957 to present Sportster models, so we have performance solutions for just about any bike and for just about any budget, anything from a performance air cleaner to a complete motorcycle engine.

As usual the S&S 4-Step Performance Program generated a lot of interest because you can achieve your performance goals in easy steps instead of writing out one big honkin' check for the whole works at once.  Of particular interest are the S&S exhaust products for baggers.  A complete line of slip on mufflers and the S&S Power Tune Dual header pipes.  With a bike on hand equipped with both, you could actually see them and hear what they sound like

Don't tell anyone, but we were also previewing a new series of air cleaners that will be released later this year.  We can't disclose any details yet, so you'll just have to ask someone who was there!

S&S did not sell anything at the rally, but if you saw an S&S product that really trips your trigger, you can still get it right away.  J&P Cycles had a store just down the street from our location, and Speeds Performance Plus had a mobile shop and dyno right in Sturgis, where they did S&S installs and show you the dyno results in one go.  How cool is that?  (Watch the opening video below to see Speed's in action)

If you wanted to think about it and get your new S&S parts after you got home, you can always order it from your local S&S dealer.  Don't know who or where your local dealer is?  Check our dealer locator and find out in a hurry.

Of course it wasn't all business.  When in Sturgis, do as the Sturgians do.  That means S&S Night at the Broken Spoke Saloon, on Lazelle Street.  A good time was definitely had by all.  Food, music, burnouts, and one lucky guy, Dan "Z", walked away with a free S&S engine!  Watch the videos below and see the action!

Opening Days

S&S Night at the Broken Spoke Saloon

Final Days / Heading Home

Random Burnout at the Spoke... just because.

Anders Nygren, founder of Flathead Power, visits S&S Cycle.

Anders Nygren, founder of the original Flathead Power company in Sweden, recently visited S&S Cycle.  He was accompanied by his son Magnus and freelance magazine writer and knucklehead enthusiast, John Endrizzi.  John was along to do research for a magazine article on Flathead Power and S&S Cycle.

Anders started Flathead Power in Sweden in the early 1990's as a way to get parts to fix his own engines.  The business grew to be known for their quality parts for vintage motorcycles.  To take advantage of reduced shipping costs and access to the larger American vintage motorcycle market, Anders partnered with some American backers and the company moved to Morgan City, Louisiana.  The move turned out to be ill fated and Anders was forced to leave the company and returned to Sweden. 

S&S Cycle Inc acquired the Flathead Power brand name, intellectual property, tooling and remaining inventory in July of 2007.  At the time that transaction occurred, Anders had already gone back to Sweden.

Mr. Nygren was in the States for a about a week, during which he was visiting relatives, touching base with old friends, and buying parts for his hot rod Chevy truck that his son drag races back home in Sweden.  We were really happy that he was able to fit in a visit to S&S Cycle.  After all, our location is a little out of the way.  If you end up in Viola, Wisconsin, either you really want to be there, or you're really lost!

Anders toured the S&S museum and manufacturing facility, which has changed tremendously since he was last here in 2003, as far as any of us can recollect.  He was particularly interested in how S&S machines the parts and assembles the KN series engines.  Flathead Power Product line manager Eric Wangen, and Marketing Manager Bruce Tessmer served as tour guides and hosts for the visit.  While Anders was here we shot a video interview, which you can see here in the blog.

 

In this video interview, Anders Nygren, founder of Flathead Power in Sweden talks about how he got started in the vintage motorcycle parts business and how he ended up leaving the company.

Heading to Sturgis with an engine to give away for S&S Night.

Here we are, looking down the barrel of another year at Sturgis. This year we are going to bring some firepower of our own and one lucky person is going to come home from the Broken Spoke Saloon (downtown) with a brand new, 1 of a kind, V113 engine made by yours truly, S&S Cycle.

Mark your calendar and set yourself a reminder to be at the Broken Spoke on Wednesday, August 10th for this year's S&S Night.  The giveaway starts at 9pm but be sure to get there early.  The only catch is your presence is required to be eligible to win. That's it.

"What sort of engine are we talking about here?"  Well I'm glad you asked.  It's the V113, replacement engine for Evolution® big twins. The V113 yields a broad torque curve while maintaining excellent reliability, making it a great engine for any Evolution® equipped big twin. But this one is NOT the average V113 though.  This engine is 1 of a kind, in a black finish not offered in our usual lineup.  Another special feature is this one comes with the Tuned Induction System that has nearly twice the filtering area as our teardrop air cleaner.  Normally this engine, depending on options, retails for about $7,650.00.  Not a bad haul for coming to party with us at the Spoke!

FITMENT

• 1984–’99 carbureted chassis
• Custom chassis designed for Evolution® engines

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

• Shorter than stock height engine makes installation easy
• S&S Super G carburetor with tuned induction system
• S&S® Super Stock® ignition system
• black finish
  
  

S&S V113 Engine Specifications
Displacement	Bore	Stroke	Camshaft	Piston Type	Compression Ratio
113"	4"	41/2"	600	S&S forged	10.1:1

So we hope to see you front and center at the Broken Spoke Saloon, downtown Sturgis at 9pm (or sooner), Wednesday Aug 10th for the S&S Night and engine giveway!  Good times will be had by all.

S&S Cycle 10th Annual George and Marjorie Smith Memorial Ride

Beautiful days and a lush green scenery are not uncommon – at least in the summertime – to folks who live in Wisconsin. The riders of S&S Cycle got together for the tenth annual memorial ride honoring S&S Founders George and Marjorie Smith.  It was a gorgeous day for a ride, 37 riders gathering for a route that took us winding through the beautiful countryside and Home to S&S, the driftless area of southwestern Wisconsin.

Two groups, one starting in Viola and another in La Crosse, met at Jersey Valley county park where current S&S president George B. Smith (son of George and Marjorie) gave a speech commemorating his parents and thanking all of the riders for their enthusiasm and hard work.

"My parents started this company in 1958, to make high performance parts for american v-twins. It's all of you who have taken our motto "Proven Performance" to the next level, and helped shape the company into what it is today. I look forward to the years ahead and thank you for your hard work. Now, get out and ride!"

Motorcycling is an important part of life for many S&S employees, as it was for George and Marjorie Smith, both avid riders and enthusiasts.

Following the Memorial Ride, employees and family enjoyed a picnic bash, including a feast of BBQ favorites, games, a bouncy castle (not just for the kids) and camaraderie.

Rat Bike Milo visits S&S Cycle HQ

Just recently, S&S had a visitor.  Unlike many of the visitors we get who ride in on their motorcycles, Milo brought something much more unique. Milo and Joni Anderson were touring the US once again and attending the Rolling Thunder run to support our veterans.  On their tour, they stopped by our headquarters and we had a chance to talk with Milo and Joni about the work-in-progress that is Milo's rat bike.  The video below will get you a close up look at all the detail of Milo's rat bike.

 

S&S sponsors first annual Knuckle Shuffle motorcycle ride and fundraiser bash

June 4, Yuba Wisconsin - The first annual Knuckle Shuffle! 

Knuckle what?  And what's a Yuba?

First things first.  The Knuckle Shuffle is a fundraiser for a high school shop class that actually builds choppers.  The purpose of this ride is to raise money for the Kennedy High School Chopper Class in Bloomington, MN.  Every year Kevin “Teach” Baas reaches out to the motorcycle industry to help support his class.  This ride was dedicated to him and his class to ease the burden and keep the chopper class alive! About 300 people joined us for the ride and enjoyed some of the coolest scooters, incredible food, and the best music around.  All bikes were welcome, but this ride was dedicated to the vintage iron and keeping history alive!  This was an old school ride, participants were encouraged to pack their sleeping bag, pack their tent and prepare for a fun weekend.

The ride consisted of two routes to Yuba, one left from The Ole Piper Inn in Lakeville, MN and the other from The Shed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Both rides converged on Yuba, Wisconsin at the Full Throttle Bar, for a street party, bands, burnouts, and fun.  The next day, a Plant tour of S&S Cycle in Viola, WI was available for ride participants.

Yuba is a small town (pop. 91) in southwest Wisconsin, were their community spirit and love of a good time contributed to the success of the Shuffle.  Motorcycles, food, and great music in a rural setting made for a great event with a relaxed old school atmosphere.  Lot's of vintage bikes (predominantly knuckles) were ridden from impressive distances to attend the event, proving that the American spirit of adventure is alive and well.  The choice of food was impressive, but the roast pork sandwiches provided by the Yuba fire department were just too good!  Then there was the music.  The Trunk Monkeys from La Crosse, WI started it off at about 4:00 pm followed by the Eric Tessmer Band from Austin TX at 8:00 pm.  Great times!

The event was so successful that event organizer Jeremy Gilbert tells us that over $2800 were raised to support the Kennedy High School Chopper Class!  S&S Cycle is all about having a good time, but supporting education has always been a top priority.  That is especially true of technical education, and if it involves motorcycles, even more so.  As Kevin "Teach" Baas say's "It's for the kids!"

A good time was had by all, and plans are underway even now for the second annual Knuckle Shuffle!

Poker Run to help our Special Forces / Green Beret Foundation.

Some say that motorcycling is all about freedom.  Ain't it the truth!  However, freedom isn't free and somebody has to pay the price. 

Chad Miller is one of the guys who's been doing that for us as a member of the US Army Special Forces in the middle east.  

In 2009 S&S sent Chad an S&S banner and some magazines while he was in Iraq.  A pretty simple thing, but it really meant a lot to him and his unit to know that the folks back home appreciate what they were doing.  This photo came back soon after. 

Now Chad has asked us help to get the word out about a special poker run sponsored by the Special Forces Brotherhood MC to benefit the Green Beret Foundation.  The Green Beret Foundation helps wounded special forces soldiers.

Obviously not everyone will be able to attend the poker run in Tacoma, but we want to raise awareness of the special forces personnel who are there for us when we need them, and for the Green Beret Foundation that helps them recover from wounds sustained while serving our country.

Here's a link to the Special Forces Brotherhood MC website. www.specialforcesbrotherhoodmcwa.com

Click on this link for more information about the Green Beret Foundation, or to make a donation to help wounded special forces troops. www.greenberetfoundation.org