Auto Industry Icon Partners with V-Twin Company
March 2007 - Powersports Business:
A shared desire for innovation led to a partnership between a motorcycle company and an automobile industry icon.
Rucker Performance, owned by former American IronHorse executive Bill Rucker, is partnering with Shelby Automobiles Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc., for a limited-production motorcycle, Rucker announced at the V-Twin Expo.
"He really wanted to come into the market with something that was very innovative," Rucker said of Shelby, who's known for building high-performance cars, including the new 2007 Ford Shelby GT. "And I really wanted to partner up with somebody who shared the same kind of dream."
The limited-edition motorcycle will feature racing-style front forks and a high-performance braking system with ceramic brake rotors. It also will have the Pingel 1-6 electric shifting system and air ride suspension. To keep the bike svelte, the upper body and wheels are built from carbon fiber.
"We gave them drawings," Rucker said of his initial meetings with Shelby. "We showed them what the bike was going to be like. We told them about the motor, the drive train. They basically fell in love with it.
"Within three months, we had a licensing agreement in place and now we're the licensee for Shelby for the motorcycle industry."
Initial plans are for Rucker to build 24 of the high-end motorcycles, which will feature a new S&S X-Wedge engine that Rucker expects to produce between 160-200 hp.
Rucker believes the bikes, which will have a MSRP of $75,000, will become collector items.
"The amount of increases we're seeing on the value of Shelby-related products is phenomenal," he said, noting a Shelby Cobra that originally retailed for $8,000 recently sold for $5.5 million.
The agreement with Shelby also calls for Rucker Performance to produce a full line of Shelby motorcycle products, including apparel, helmets, gloves and more. Those will be coming in the near future, Rucker said.
The ongoing project is just one of several that Rucker Performance is doing outside of building its customary production V-twin bikes.
"We have to," Rucker said of the company's move to diversify its products. "In our industry nowadays, you have to be innovative and be on top of things. If you're not, then you're not going to lead the pack. You're going to be an also-ran. And Rucker Performance is always going to be on top. That's my goal for us."
