Earlier this month representatives from S&S Cycle and ExxonMobile unveiled a new performance cruiser they built for Jay Leno at his famed Southern California garage.


Pictured from left to right, Mark Jones, ExxonMobil Lubricants - Field Marketing Coordinator; Margaret Parnell, ExxonMobil Lubricants - Vice President for Planning & Technology; Jay Leno; Brett Smith, S&S Cycle - President; Michael Scaletta, S&S Cycle - Director, New Business Development.

The new motorcycle meets 2008 California Tier II emission standards, and is designed to raise awareness of S&S Cycle's new X-Wedge engine as a solution towards tightening emissions regulations on motorcycles.

ExxonMobile got into the project because their flagship motorcycle oil, "Mobil 1" is now used as the initial fill for each completed X-Wedge engine.

The special edition paint job, created by Dougz Custom Paint, features Mobil 1 and highlights the S&S 50th Anniversary, which will be celebrated at an event in La Crosse, Wisconsin, in June 2008. Leno's bike will also be displayed at the 2008 Sturgis Rally and a select number of events throughout the year.

Jay Leno was quoted as saying...

For me this is the only air cooled motor that feels as tight and quiet as one that is liquid cooled, and that’s saying a lot. It’s got everything a guy could ask for, especially in an era when motorcycle manufacturers are getting away from air cooled engines. This bike has performance, power and a comfortable ride, which is especially important at my age.

The motorcycle itself weighs less than 550 pounds, has a wheelbase around 60 inches, rake of 28 degrees, and trail of 5.2 inches. The chassis is TIG welded, 1020 DOM steel tubular frame with a modular rear subframe. The build also includes 17" Michelin Pilot tires, Brembo radial binders, and Ohlins front and rear suspension.

Labels: Jay Leno, S and S Cycles

S&S Cycle, of Viola, WI, was named in a lawsuit by Harley Davidson claiming infringment of patents and trademarks. According to a press release by S&S Cycle:

S&S has reviewed the issues raised in Harley-Davidson's complaint and believes they are without legal basis. S&S respects the intellectual property rights of others and the S&S products at issue in this lawsuit were the result of S&S's own engineering designs. S&S does not have any connection to Delkron in this action and does not believe that Harley-Davidson had any basis to name them and Delkron in the same lawsuit.

There are no specific details on what patents or trademarks were infringed. But my take on this is that Harley is probably making more money on OEM licensing than on the bikes themselves. As a result, they are probably policing their patents and trademarks so carefully, that they're probably over-doing it.

Well, let's see how things shake out.

Labels: Harley Davidson, Lawsuits, S and S Cycles