Issue link: https://cp.revolio.com/i/1298026
30 | WheelsOfGrace.com | Issue 52 HANDLEBAR NEWS por olio," Zeitz said. "This enables us to invest in the products and pla orms that ma er the most while be er balancing our investment in new, high- poten al segments. In this context, we plan to expand our offering of iconic motorcycles, those which most embody the spirit of Harley-Davidson." "At this point, adventure-touring will be the focus going into next year," Zeitz said. "As I said earlier, we expect to streamline our product line by about 30 percent in terms of model reduc ons and color reduc ons. Other product line decisions we will be revealing in real me. So it's not really something we can and want to talk about at this me." Zeitz was also asked for an update on Harley-Davidson's plans to build a small- displacement motorcycle in Asia with partner Qianjiang, Ltd., but he refused to provide any details or updates. The partnership to build a small bike, mainly for Asian markets, makes a lot less sense in light of one of Zeitz's other ini a ves. The company is pulling back globally and plans to focus on 50 markets globally that offer the most poten al. That means primarily North America, Europe and parts of the Asia-Pacific region. Harley-Davidson is planning to pull out of markets where it sells few bikes. "We are not willing to sacrifice the strength of our legacy in a quest for pure volume growth going forward," said Harley-Davidson's German CEO, sounding a lot like a man who is not inclined to build a less expensive, small-displacement motorcycle to sell in markets that can't afford Low Riders or So ails or even a Street 750. DON'T BE ASHAMED OF THE MOTORCYCLE MAGAZINE YOU READ! The motorcycle magazine for everyone. TO ORDER YOUR SUBSCRIPTION or A BOX OF MAGAZINES CALL: (951) 777-0503 To subscribe online go to: WheelsOfGrace.com and click the GET THE MAG tab (discounted rates offered for military) Every subculture has its own lingo. Bikers are no exception. Are you on the fringe of a motorcycle society? Have you heard a biker speaking and would like to understand what he was talking about? Would you like to gain insight into the biker mindset? Do you just like words? Here you'll find an introductory dictionary of commonly used road-motorcycle terminology and biker slang, compiled with the average "Citizen" in mind. Citizen: (noun) A person with no known affiliation with a Motorcycle Club. • The Ton: These days, even the smallest of sport bikes can easily top 100 miles an hour. But way back when, owning a bike that could go that fast — known then as "doing the ton" — meant you had something pretty special. It might blow itself to bits if you went that fast for long (or at least some parts might fall off), but being able to hit triple digits when most bikes could barely do 80 was an accomplishment. Usage: "I just got my '66 Bonnie back from the shop and they tuned it up just right. I took it out last night and it did the ton — just barely." • Tiddler: A somewhat derogatory term meaning "small bike" or "beginner bike." Typically, street bikes under 250cc qualify as tiddlers. Usage: "My friend wanted to get a Gixxer for his first bike, but I don't want him to die so I told him to learn on a tiddler." • Track day: Track days are organized `riding events at actual racetracks. No matter what you ride, consider getting your bike out on a racetrack. While track days are dominated by riders on amped-up sport bikes, track days are great for learning the limits of your bike — any bike — and improving your riding skills. Instructors will help diagnose your riding problems and give you tips to improve your experience. Track day skills translate directly to improved street riding and there's nowhere else you can safely push the limits to the maximum without fear of cops, dumb-a** car drivers, obstructions, and speed limits. Well worth the time and investment. Check with your closest track or a local riding club to see where track days are taking place near you. • Trike: A motorcycle with one wheel in front and two in the back, just like that trike you rode as a kid. Newer rigs with two wheels up front and one in the back are typically referred to as "spyders." • Torque: Engines/motors make power primarily in two distinct ways: horsepower and torque. Torque is the "twisting force" an engine is able to achieve as opposed to a measure of work, which is the horsepower figure. You can have a zillion horsepower but if you have no torque, you're not going to get going very quickly. Torque is also called "grunt" because it usually lives in the lower registers of an engine's powerband and can be felt at low revs, especially in single and twin-cylinder engines. Sportbikes tend to have a lot more horsepower than torque to achieve high speeds; cruisers flip that equation for better acceleration (grunt) and "cruise-ability" at legal-ish speeds. Every engine is a mix of horsepower and torque but a lot of riders will tell you that a bike can never have too much torque. • Twisties: Slang for roads with a lot of curves. Usage: "I'm gonna ride the Gixxer if we're heading for the twisties." • Two-Stroke: A specific kind of engine that made a lot of power combined with lightweight and simplicity. Problem is, they pollute like crazy, so they were essentially legislated out of existence in the United States and the EU. However, they are still used in many Asian countries. In the U.S., some small devices still use two-stroke engines, like weed eaters, but even those are converting over to four-stroke designs. TO SUBSCRIBE OR ADVERTISE EMAIL: WOGMagUSA@gmail.com CALL: (951) 777-0503 PICK UP OUR NEXT ISSUE FOR THE FINAL PART, PART 13 OF THE BIKER JARGON SERIES. B I K E R J A R G O N BIKER J ARGON M o t o r c y c l e L i n g o By Axle Addict P a r t 1 2