From a press release issued by Kawasaki Racing Team:

HOFMANN EYES UP THE FUTURE COMPETITION

Alex Hofmann will have the opportunity to assess the future competition on Thursday evening at Sachsenring, as the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team play host to the 23 youngsters competing in this year’s Red Bull Rookies Cup.

Fought out on identical 125cc race bikes over eight rounds, the 2004 Red Bull Rookies Cup is open only to riders born between 1983 and 1991. This popular ‘novice’ series is the first phase in a three stage programme designed to identify, nurture and develop young German riding talent, with the ultimate aim being to increase the number of German riders in the prestigious MotoGP World Championship.

Over the course of the season two riders from the Red Bull Rookies Cup are selected for the second stage of the ADAC backed programme, which includes a full time ride in the 125cc IDM series. Meik Minnerop and Toni Wirsing, both just 14 years of age, were the two riders selected at the end of 2003. Minnerop is currently fifth in the IDM 125cc standings, while Wirsing is just 27 points behind his team-mate in 12th place.

Both riders are following closely in the footsteps of Georg Fröhlich, who graduated from the IDM 125cc series at the end of last season and is currently competing in the European rounds of the 125cc Grand Prix World Championship as a wild card rider.

The fourth round of the 2004 Red Bull Rookies Cup will run on the Saturday evening at Sachsenring, where current Championship leader, 15-year-old Joshua Sommer, will be looking to increase his lead over his closest rival, 18-year-old Jennifer Kaulbach; one of four girls competing in this year’s series.

On Thursday evening at 17.30 the Red Bull Rookies will visit the Fuchs Kawasaki Racing Team in the Sachsenring paddock for a ‘behind the scenes’ look at a factory MotoGP team at work. A tour of the pit box will be followed by a dinner in the Kawasaki hospitality unit and an opportunity to ask questions of Team Manager, Harald Eckl, and team riders, Alex Hofmann and Shinya Nakano.

They may be potential rivals in the future, but Hofmann – who also received support from ADAC when he started racing – is looking forward to meeting the Red Bull Rookies, especially as they’ve raced at Sachsenring once already this season and may well be able to offer some track advice to the 24-year-old Fuchs Kawasaki rider!

“ADAC have always been supportive of up and coming German riders, but what they’ve put together with the Red Bull Rookies programme moves everything to the next level,” declared Hofmann who, like the Rookies, also started his road racing career on a 125cc machine. “When I started out it was difficult; you had to find your own money and sponsors and it wasn’t always possible to secure a competitive bike. The Red Bull Rookies Cup provides these youngsters with a cost effective way of getting into racing and, by ensuring that the machinery used by everyone is equal, those with the talent to progress further are easily identified.”

“It will be good to show the Rookies what goes on in the Kawasaki Racing Team, and as they’ve already raced at Sachsenring this season, I’m hoping they’ll be able to give me a few tips for the weekend ahead,” continued Hofmann, currently the only German rider in the top flight MotoGP class. “Of course, if they want some advice in return then I’ll be more than happy to help out. Although I have to admit, I will be keeping a few things to myself; just in case I find myself racing against some of these guys in a couple of years time!”

The invitation to the Red Bull Rookies was extended by Kawasaki Racing Team Manager, Harald Eckl; himself a big supporter of ADAC young rider initiatives in the past. It was Eckl – while instructing at the ADAC race school – who was instrumental in spotting Steve Jenkner’s potential and securing him his first ride in the German National 125cc Championship aboard Peter Öttl’s spare bike.

“ADAC have been supporting young German riders for a number of years and their success rate has been extremely good,” commented the former Grand Prix rider and Daytona race winner. “This latest initiative from ADAC, which starts with the Rookies Cup and progresses all the way through to Grand Prix, is a massive step forward in terms of rider development here in Germany. I hope that this programme will, in the future, propel German riders into the MotoGP World Championship. You never know, in a few years time we might even see one of the current Red Bull Rookies lining up on the MotoGP grid aboard our bike. I certainly hope so.”

From a press release issued by Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course:

MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE PLANS FULL WEEKEND OF FUN FOR FANS

DUBLIN, Ohio (July 14, 2004) – For fans attending the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, July 16-18, a weekend packed with activities and events has been set to highlight the historic motorcycles, both on and off of the racing surface. While strolling through Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course’s 330 acres, spectators will encounter an array of off-track activities sure to please.

BMW will be the Featured Marque at 2004 AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days, celebrating the manufacturer’s historic past. The BMW Mobile Tradition Display will exhibit classic motorcycles and memorabilia. Riders visiting Mid-Ohio and Vintage Motorcycle Days on their BMW bikes will be able to park in a designated BMW-only parking area, located conveniently in Mid-Ohio’s infield.

No Vintage Motorcycle Days attendee will want to miss World Champion Stunt Rider Jean-Pierre Goy. Best known for his spectacular stunts in several James Bond films, Goy will treat spectators to daring performances throughout the weekend. Alternating between different BMW models, Goy executes rolling burnouts in clouds of smoke, wheelies in tight circles (with no hands), terrifies unknowing volunteers from the audience, and defies the laws of physics during his stunts. Tapped as the world-record holder for the longest continuous wheelie (over 100 miles), the stoppie distance record (383 feet) and numerous other crazy, not to mention dangerous, achievements. Fans can catch his wild act several times during the weekend in the upper paddock.

The ever-popular Will Stoner Swap Meet is an event like no other held in the United States. Introduced to Mid-Ohio fans in 1992, the event has grown into a complete weekend hosting more than 900 vendors, all of which bring a unique selection of parts and memorabilia with them. Covering more than 35 sprawling acres, the Will Stoner Swap Meet is the largest of its kind in the country.

Returning to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course for the second year of thrilling entertainment, Rhett Rotten’s “Wall of Death” performance is always a crowd pleaser. Located among the hustle and bustle of the infield, Rotten’s performance will take place a total of eleven times throughout the weekend. Live music from Terry Davidson and the Gears will entertain spectators with their classic rock sound.

Motorcycle riders have the opportunity to take a lap of the track from the seat of their own bike during the “Lap for History.” The cost of the lap is $5 and all proceeds go to the AMA Hall of Fame Museum. Sign-up takes place at the AMA Members Tent, and laps are during the lunch break both Saturday and Sunday.

Licensed motorcyclists can test-ride a variety of different bikes at the demo rides display located in the upper paddock. Representing manufactures include BMW, Harley-Davidson, Suzuki, Buell, Triumph, and Moto-Guzzi.

Weekend spectators are also invited to listen to motorcycle historians and experts discuss various motorcycle components. Motorcycle Hall of Fame Executive Mark Mederski kicks off the seminars with “You Have Made History” followed by Fred Jakobs discussing BMW Mobile Tradition, “100 years of Ernst Henne” and “80 Years of BMW Motorcycles.” John Healey teaches “Triumph Technicalities,” while Charles Falco presents “Understanding and Tuning your Carburetor.” Walker Powell explains “Motorcycling Collectibles” as Craig Vetter wraps things up with “The History of the American Motorscooter,” “The History of the Vetter,” and “Motorcycle Streamlining…Are you really slippery?”



This year’s Grand Marshal is motorcycle legend Yvon Duhamel. Duhamel spent the late 1960’s and 70’s as one of the world’s top motorcycle road racers, both in the United States and overseas. Duhamel was elected into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999, and will eventually be joined by his son, Miguel, the still-active AMA Superbike racer who has captured more career wins than anybody in the series.

For more information or tickets to Vintage Motorcycle Days, call 1-800-MID-OHIO or visit www.midohio.com today.

Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a 2.4-mile, 15-turn permanent road racing circuit in Lexington, Ohio. Located 60 miles north of Columbus and 75 miles south of Cleveland near Mansfield, the track has been called the most competitive in the U.S. and annually hosts a diversity of locally, regionally and nationally sanctioned racing events for amateur, club and professional riders and drivers. Mid-Ohio’s 2004 schedule features seven spectator events, including the AMA Vintage Motorcycle Days (July 16-18), Honda Super Cycle Weekend presented by Dunlop Tire (July 23-25), Mid-Ohio Road Racing Classic (August 6-8), Unlimited Audio and Accessories presents the Triple Crown Tuner Challenge (August 21-22) and SCCA National Championship Runoffs? presented by Kohler (September 20-26).

Founded in 1981 and headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, TrueSports, Inc. is a privately held motorsports entertainment enterprise. The company owns and operates Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and The Mid-Ohio School, and promotes a wide variety of motor racing, driver instruction, corporate, and family entertainment events throughout the year.

From a press release issued by FGSport Group:

The Suzuka 8 Hours race is the most important race of the year for the Japanese factories.

Honda will be represented by an HRC CBR1000RRW Fireblade ridden by Ryuichi Kiyonari and Yuki Takahashi, as well as the Seven Stars Fireblade of Toru Ukawa and Hitoyasu Izutsu and the two Sakurai Fireblades of Osamu Deguchi / Kenichi Kiyonari and Tadayuki Okada / Chojun Kameya.

Leading Suzukis will include the Kenz Motul GSX-R1000 of Keiichi Kitagawa and Katsuaki Fujiwara, and the Yoshimura Suzuki ridden by Atsushi Watanabe and Yukio Kagayama.

The Yamaha factory will be represented by the YSP Presto YZF-R1 of Shinichi Nakatomi and Wataru Yoshikawa, the Team Challenger bike ridden by Yoshihiko Fujiwara and Nobuyuki Ozaki, and the Club Yamaha pairing of Keiji Okumura and Daniel Stauffer.

Kawasaki’s leading entry is the Beet Motul ZX10R of Kazuki Shimizu and Daisaku Sakai.

Suzuka wouldn’t be Suzuka without the Formula Extreme entries that add colour and excitement to the entry list. The Boxer Sports Club BMW R1100S and the Ducati Monster of La Bellezza Speed return, along with Asahina’s Samurai, the Over OV23-XV, Surf Suzuki’s SV1000S and a pair of Honda CB1300SFs.

Stats:

A total of 79 teams are entered.

10 will run in the Superbike class, 1 in SuperProduction, 1 in Stocksport, 51 in the Japanese Superbike class, 9 in Formula Xtreme Division 1 and 7 in Formula Xtreme Division 2.

46 teams will use Dunlop tyres, 14 will use Bridgestone, 12 will use Michelin and 3 will use Pirelli tyres. The rest are unconfirmed at the time of writing.

There are 35 Hondas entered, 21 Suzukis, 14 Yamahas, 5 Kawasakis, 1 BMW, 1 Asahina, 1 Over and 1 Ducati.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

According to news reports from Italy, Piaggio will make an offer for Aprilia.

According to a statement issued by the Board of Directors of Piaggio, the aims of the company’s bid for Aprilia include “to protect the assets and heritage of Aprili’s human resources and professionals, as well as gauranteeing its precense in the country. The possible integration between Piaggio and Aprilia would give life to one of the most important groups worldwide in the two wheeled sector, with revenue of more than 1.4 billion, production volumes of over 600,000 units, 8 production plants, more than 6,000 employees, a full range of products.”

From a press release issued by KSW Insurance:

KSW Racing’s Anthony Fania Jr. will return to Superbike at Mid-Ohio.

Away since the March Daytona crash with Suzuki’s Aaron Yates, Fania has been cleared to race and looks forward to competing in the remaining three scheduled AMA Superbike rounds aboard the KSW GSX-R1000.

From a press release issued by Safety First Racing:

Safety First Racing completed another successful weekend at Laguna Seca. On Wednesday, Team Owner Kevin Hanson spoke to approximately 130 kids at the Monterey Sports Center and Whispering Pines Day Camp in Monterey. On top of promoting safety and the importance of wearing a helmet, the kids ranging in ages from 7-12 years old, were treated to a real life story when Hanson described crashing his American Suzuki GSX-R1000 at over 130 mph at Fontana earlier this year and how his Suomy helmet and Vanson leathers suffered several impacts. Hanson told the kids, “I walked away from that incident unhurt as a direct result of the high quality of safety gear I was wearing that day.”

Regarding the racing aspect of the weekend, Hanson stated that he was very pleased with his new rider, 16 year old Jessie “The Kid” Janisch in Superstock. “Laguna was Jessie’s third AMA weekend and he continues to improve every weekend. He had never been to Laguna before and got one practice session and then qualifying. What impressed me was within his first 10 laps on the track he was already into the 34s. Jessie qualified 20th and ran a good solid race and finished 16th with several laps during the race in the 31s.” Hanson further stated, “I think if we hadn’t lost out on the second practice session being a waste due to a red flag, I’m confident Jessie could have turned some 30s during the race. Thankfully, since 1-800-Motorcycle came on board, it has freed me up to focus on the business aspect of things so I can provide Jessie with all the key tools in the toolbox to be sucessful.”

Hanson was quick to praise Jim Rashid from 4 & 6 Performance for his crewchief/mechanic abilities. “I can’t tell you how fortunate I am to have Jim on board for the remainder of the year,” replied Hanson. “Jim G.M.D. Computracked the bikes at his shop in Chicago after Brainerd and discovered the swingarm was bent on one of the GSX-Rs following a turn 1 crash. Jim straightened the swingarm and then optimized both Suzuki bikes so they were identical for Laguna. Jim’s been around a long time and knows how to build racebikes. For example, after Jim set up the suspension for Jessie, we didn’t make one suspension adjustment all weekend other than a gearing change,” Hanson stated.

Safety First Racing is looking forward to furthering their results at Mid Ohio due in part to the added practice that is available earlier in the week. “Jessie has never been to that track as well. The key for Jessie at this juncture is for us to get him as much track time as possible on the GSX-R1000s since he’s used to riding 600s all of the time,” commented Hanson.


From a press release issued by Corona Extra Suzuki:

“PISTOL” BEN ATTARD GRABS SUPERSPORT 5TH AT SUN-SOAKED LAGUNA SECA

Young gun Ben Attard took another step closer to the podium with his first top five finish at a beautifully sunny Laguna Seca World Superbike weekend. The nail-biting SuperSport race capped off a full weekend of combined AMA National and World Superbike racing, drawing an estimated 93,000 fans to the “dry lagoon” a few miles east of California’s scenic treasure, historic Monterey Bay. In the nights leading up to race day, crowds of fans flooded the “Bay” area and tricked out sport-bikes and cruisers abounded. Team Corona hosted events every night including two on Fisherman’s Wharf – the center of evening “bench-racing” for the event. Both were unqualified successes, giving fans a chance to see race bikes up close and meet the riders in person for autographs and, in some cases, nice long chats.

Scott Greenwood (89) settled into his third stint in AMA SuperStock and his first time at Laguna Seca, aboard the Corona Suzuki GSX-R1000, posting 11th fastest in practice sessions leading up to Saturday’s event. A qualifying session shortened by oil on the track spelled trouble and with only a few laps available Scott qualified 16th. In the race, Scott rode conservatively and improved his position to finish 14th and gaining more valuable experience in what has become one of America’s most competitive races.

A last minute medical release after a long recuperation from injury found Marty Craggill (134) putting his leg over the Corona Suzuki Superbike for the first time since the Fontana round. Craggill qualified 13th but in the race quickly got up to speed and improved his position, running in 11th until a red flag came out stopping the race. Without enough time before the restart to fix a nagging clutch problem, Marty did not get off quickly and fell back to 14th where he ultimately finished the race. All in all, though, Marty’s ride proved impressive to anyone intimate with the pain and discomfort he’s been in for months. Now, the two-time Australian Superbike Champion is looking forward to the next race at Mid-Ohio and another chance to improve his condition and performance.

As with every AMA event he’s raced this season, Ben came to Laguna Seca having never seen the track before. But, even with limited practice time, he put his Suzuki GSX-R 600 on the second row, qualifying 6th, his best this season. Determined to finish even better, Attard got a great start in the thick of the lead group of factory riders, only to see the race red-flagged by another rider crashing at the first turn. At the restart, Ben again got in the thick of the lead pack. A couple of “hairy” moments caused him to fall back as far as 8th position, but in a determined push to finish well he worked his way past a number of more experienced riders to take his first top five finish in AMA racing. After the race an elated Ben said; “I got hung-up behind some guys and then over-cooked it a couple of times trying to get by. Once I calmed down it all came together. A few more laps and I could have been up front!” he joked!

The Team had a wonderful time visiting Monterey, participating in evening events promoting Corona Extra and Suzuki as far away as Palo Alto. The weather was particularly great, allowing Team hospitality staff to make over a hundred guests from Joe Rocket and other Team Partners comfortable under the shade of a brand new custom-designed awning where the best tasting food in the paddock was washed down with Modelo brands Corona Extra, Corona Light, Modelo Especial, Negra Modelo and Cerveza Pacifico Clara. From where we sat, everyone had a splendid time!


More, from a press release issued by Jason DiSalvo’s publicist:

Pole Position and 2nd Place Finish Move DiSalvo into 3rd Overall in the 600 SuperSport National Championship


Jason DiSalvo of Stafford N.Y. returned from the AMA/ World Superbike races at Laguna Seca Raceway in Monetary CA where he competed July 9, 10 and 11th. Having posted the fastest times in all practice sessions for the entire weekend Jason went on to set pole position in the 600 SuperSport class and 2nd to pole in the 1000 SuperStock class.

During the Supersport race starting from the 1st row pole position Jason ran a consistent race to finish 2nd.

In the 1000 SuperStock class Jason went to the lead in the first lap and led the race until the 5th lap. Having chosen a medium hard rubber compound Jason was unable to hold grip giving up first, then in a wild off track excursion in turn 11 running into the gravel pit and back on to the track finishing 5th “the week in California was good with only 3 races left I have to stay consistent to hold my 3rd place “, commented Jason.

DiSalvo races next at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington Ohio where many local friends and family will be in attendance.

From a press release issued by Harley-Davidson:

Harley-Davidson’s Second Century Momentum Builds With Another Record Quarter

Milwaukee, Wis., July 14, 2004 — Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE: HDI) today announced record revenue and earnings for its second quarter ended June 27, 2004. Revenue for the quarter was $1.33 billion compared with $1.22 billion in the year-ago quarter, an 8.9 percent increase. Second quarter diluted earnings per share (EPS) were 83 cents, a 25.8 percent increase compared with last year’s 66 cents.

“We are pleased to report another excellent quarter for Harley-Davidson,” said Jeffrey L. Bleustein, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Harley-Davidson, Inc. “The record results we have delivered through the first six months of this year are in line with the Company’s previously stated long-term direction of sustainable growth.”

U.S. retail sales of Harley-Davidson® motorcycles were 18.8 percent ahead of last year for the quarter and up 16.5 percent for the first six months. “Our dealers report that floor traffic is brisk, driven by keen interest in the entire Harley-Davidson experience and in particular, the Sportster® motorcycle family which was completely redesigned for the 2004 model year. The redesign, which was intended to broaden the appeal of that product line, is clearly achieving its purpose. Tomorrow we will bring even more excitement to our customers when the 2005 model year motorcycles and related new products will be unveiled to our worldwide dealer network at our summer dealer meeting in San Diego,” said Bleustein.

Motorcycles and Related Products Segment – Second Quarter Results
Second quarter revenue from Harley-Davidson motorcycles was $1.02 billion, an increase of 6.8 percent over last year. Worldwide shipments of Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the second quarter totaled 82,034 units, up 6,009 units or 7.9 percent over last year. The Company’s shipment target remains 317,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycles for 2004.

Second quarter revenue from Parts and Accessories (P&A), which consists of Genuine Motor Parts and Genuine Motor Accessories, totaled $230.1 million, a 12.7 percent increase or $25.9 million more than the year-ago quarter. Over the long term, the Company expects P&A revenue to grow at a rate slightly faster than the motorcycle unit growth rate.

Second quarter revenue from General Merchandise, which consists of MotorClothes® apparel and collectibles, totaled $53.1 million, up 21.5 percent or $9.4 million over the same period last year. Over the long term, the Company expects General Merchandise to grow at a rate lower than the motorcycle unit growth rate.

Second quarter gross margin for the Motorcycles and Related Products Segment was 37.9 percent of revenue compared to 36.4 percent in the second quarter of last year. Favorable gross margin was primarily impacted by plant efficiencies, including those that generally occur at the end of the model year. Some of these efficiencies are not expected to be maintained in the second half of the year due to new model year startup.

Operating margin increased from 21.9 percent in 2003 to 25.2 percent in 2004 due primarily to higher gross margin and a change in the timing of marketing related costs in 2003 when compared with 2004. In 2003, operating expenses were higher in the first half of the year to support the 100th Anniversary activities and programs. In 2004, operating expenses will be higher in the second half of the year, which is more typical of the Company’s operations.

Motorcycle Retail Data – Six Month Results
Retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the United States were up 16.5 percent, or nearly 20,000 units for the period January through June 2004, when compared to the same period last year. Harley-Davidson retail sales were up approximately 100 units in Europe or 0.7 percent and down approximately 380 units in Japan or 7.3 percent, respectively, when compared with 2003. Harley-Davidson retail sales changes in Europe and Japan are generally tracking with motorcycle sales in the heavyweight markets in those locations.

Financial Services Segment – Second Quarter Results
Harley-Davidson Financial Services, Inc. (HDFS) reported second quarter operating income of $49.0 million, up $4.5 million or 10.2 percent from the year-ago quarter. The Company’s second quarter securitization of $626 million in motorcycle retail loans resulted in a gain of $19.3 million, which compares to a securitization of $425 million and a gain of $22.2 million during the second quarter of 2003. The gain as a percentage of the amount of loans securitized was lower when compared with last year’s gain due to the costs of a new enhanced dealer participation program and rising market interest rates. Based on the current competitive market and interest rate environment, the Company believes the full impact of these changes will result in future securitization gains in the range of 2.0 to 2.5 percent.

Annualized credit losses on a managed portfolio basis as of the end of the second quarter were lower at 0.63 percent in 2004, down from 0.75 percent in 2003.

Over the long term, the Company expects the HDFS growth rate to be slightly higher than the Company’s motorcycle unit growth rate.

Share Repurchase
During the quarter, the Company repurchased approximately 1.3 million shares of its common stock. This brings share repurchases to 9.1 million shares on a year-to-date basis.

Cash Flow – Six Month Results
During the first six months, operations generated cash of $609 million. The Company invested $64 million in capital expenditures, paid dividends of $53 million and repurchased shares at a cost of $474 million.

Harley-Davidson, Inc. – Six Month Results
For the six month period, revenue was $2.49 billion compared with $2.33 billion, a 6.9 percent increase over the year ago period. Diluted earnings per share were $1.52, compared with $1.28, an increase of 18.8 percent compared to the same period last year.

Through the first six months of this year, shipments of Harley-Davidson motorcycle units were 156,124, a 6.5 percent increase over last year’s 146,633. Harley-Davidson motorcycle revenue was $1.94 billion, a 5.8 percent increase over $1.83 billion in revenue in 2003. P&A revenue totaled $399.3 million, a 9.7 percent increase over last year’s $364.0 million. General Merchandise revenue totaled $107.5 million, a 7.3 percent increase compared with $100.1 million during the same period in 2003.

During the same period, HDFS operating income was $99.3 million, a 13.1 percent increase over last year’s $87.8 million during the first six months.

Company Background
Harley-Davidson, Inc. is the parent company for the group of companies doing business as Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Buell Motorcycle Company and Harley-Davidson Financial Services. Harley-Davidson Motor Company, the only major U.S.-based motorcycle manufacturer, produces heavyweight motorcycles and offers a complete line of motorcycle parts, accessories, apparel, and general merchandise. Buell Motorcycle Company produces sport and sport-touring motorcycles. Harley-Davidson Financial Services provides wholesale and retail financing and insurance programs to Harley-Davidson dealers and customers.

Forward-Looking Statements
The Company intends that certain matters discussed in this release are “forward-looking statements” intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements can generally be identified as such because the context of the statement will include words such as the Company “believes,” “anticipates,” “expects” or “estimates” or words of similar meaning. Similarly, statements that describe future plans, objectives, outlooks, targets or goals are also forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated as of the date of this release. Certain of such risks and uncertainties are described below. Shareholders, potential investors, and other readers are urged to consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements and cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements included in this release are only made as of the date of this release, and the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.

The Company’s ability to meet the targets and expectations noted depends upon, among other factors, the Company’s ability to (i) continue to realize production efficiencies at its production facilities through the implementation of innovative manufacturing techniques and other means, (ii) successfully implement production capacity increases in its facilities, (iii) successfully introduce new products and services, (iv) avoid unexpected P&A /general merchandise supplier backorders, (v) sell all of the Harley-Davidson motorcycles it plans to produce, (vi) continue to develop the capacity of its distributor and dealer network, (vii) avoid unexpected changes in the regulatory environment for its products, (viii) successfully adjust to foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, (ix) successfully adjust to interest rate fluctuations, and (x) successfully manage changes in the credit quality of HDFS’s loan portfolio.

In addition, the Company could experience delays in the operation of manufacturing facilities as a result of work stoppages, difficulty with suppliers, natural causes, terrorism or other factors. Risk factors are also disclosed in documents previously filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

When a new issue of Roadracing World & Motorcycle Technology magazine enters distribution, the cover is posted on this website.

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In the case of the latest issue (August 2004), two boxes were sent FedEx overnight to Laguna Seca, where the magazine was sold at the Roadracing World display booth starting on Friday, July 9. A box of issues was also sent via FedEx overnight to New Hampshire International Speedway for sale in the paddock by Street & Comp, by special arrangement.

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Questions regarding this policy may be directed to the publisher.

From a press release:

The 1st Annual AMRA & Stratotech Park Super Mini Bike Races

The Alberta Mini Roadracing Association and Stratotech Park are pleased to announce the 1st Annual Super Mini Bike Races. Stratotech Park is one of the finest road racing facilities in North America. It is located just outside of Fort Saskatchewan on highway 825. On July 24, 2004, from 8 AM to 5 PM, Stratotech Park will host the 1st Alberta Mini Roadracing Association Super Mini Bike races.

The Alberta Mini Roadracing Association is a non-profit group to promote amateur miniature motorcycle racing (up to 150 cc) in Alberta, for the purposes of recreation and fun, their objectives are to:

• Provide introduction to the amateur sport of motorcycling and motorcycle racing in a safe, closed environment without the greater speeds of full-sized motorcycle racing;

• Foster development and improvement of racing skills at all levels from beginner to expert;

• Provide an environment in which our young members can learn and be coached from our more experienced members;

• Foster camaraderie and sportsmanship amongst its members;

• Promote a positive image of motorcycle racing in regards to safety, technique and attitude;

• Provide the opportunity to participate in motorcycle roadracing without the greater expense of full-sized motorcycle racing, by operating in a non-profit manner that strives to minimize member costs while ensuring a viable, economically stable association.

This will be a special event as it will be the official introduction in Canada to two of newest race bikes to be sold in Canada, the Honda NSR 50 and the Metrakit Mini GP XL “Cup” bike.

The bikes raced by the AMRA range from 50cc for beginners, to the formula 80 bikes for the seasoned vet. All classes will be present and visible to the public. New for the 2004 season the AMRA is offering a youth road racing series, kids from the age 8-10 will dice it up on the top portion of the track on 50cc (xr50’s) mini bikes or 2.5 and 4.5 restricted hp pocketbikes.

There is no entry fee for visitors, all we ask is that you bring a donation for the Food Bank.

Dealers of all makes and models are welcome to attend Stratotech Park for the event and set up a booth. The only fee required to set up the booth is a mini related prize that will be awarded at the event.

Dealers can bring bikes and products to this event to show to the public or race, the only requirement is that the items are used in one of the classes raced by the AMRA and must pass tech inspection.

If you wish to race, your bike must fall into a race category, have the proper safety gear and you must purchase a CMA membership.

Please see the AMRA website at http://www.amra.ca for the various classes and additional information.

For more information on this event, please contact any on the following:

AMRA c/o Blackfoot Motosports
Jay Fox
1-800-665-6735
[email protected]
http://www.amra.ca

Stratotech Park
Dan Beith
780-998-9995
[email protected]
www.stratotech.ca

Mini GP Canada Ltd.
Rob Ferrier
780-984-5525 or 1-800-910-5525 [email protected]
http://www.minigpcanada.com