The board of directors of Harley-Davidson has decided to shut down its subsidiary Buell Motor Company and sell MV Agusta. More details to follow as they become available. More, from a press release issued by Buell Motorcycle Company: BUELL OFFICIALS THANK CUSTOMERS, DEALERS AND EMPLOYEES FOR UNFORGETTABLE RIDE EAST TROY, Wis. (Oct. 15, 2009) – Buell Motorcycle Company officials thanked the company’s customers, employees and dealers for an unforgettable ride, following today’s announcement by Harley-Davidson, Inc. that it will discontinue the Buell® product line as part of Harley-Davidson’s go-forward business strategy. The new long-term strategy aims to drive Company growth through a focus of efforts and resources on the Harley-Davidson® brand. “I want to personally thank all our past and present Buell employees, dealers and suppliers for their efforts. I also want to thank Buell motorcycle owners for their support and passion for the brand,” said Buell Motorcycle Company President Jon Flickinger. Flickinger said a limited number of new Buell motorcycles remain available for sale through authorized dealerships and no additional Buell motorcycles will be produced. He also stressed that Harley-Davidson will provide replacement parts and service through dealerships and that warranty coverage will continue as normal for Buell motorcycles. “I will always be proud of what we have accomplished. It is a testimony to what a small group of passionate and inspired people can do, and with brilliant innovations, we’ve produced some of the best-handling bikes of all time,” said Buell Chairman and Chief Technical Officer Erik Buell. “I personally look forward to exploring how I can continue to work with Harley-Davidson to bring advanced product technology to riders. “I have also had the great fortune to meet and get to know many Buell riders over the years, and they are an amazing and interesting group of free thinkers,” Buell said. “May you ride with pride into the future. And may your roads ahead be as adventuresome and rewarding as mine have been for the last 26 years.” A wholly-owned subsidiary of Harley-Davidson, Inc. since 1998, Buell Motorcycle Company was founded in 1983 by Erik Buell and produced more than 135,000 motorcycles. Over the past 26 years, Buell motorcycles won numerous design accolades and awards, and countless races and championships around the world, including the AMA Pro Daytona SportBike championship in 2009. More, from a press release issued by MV Agusta: Harley-Davidson unveils new single-brand strategy, announcing plans to divest MV Agusta Varese, Italy, 15 October 2009 – Harley-Davidson, Inc. (NYSE: HOG) today announced its third quarter financial results and unveiled key elements of its go-forward business strategy to drive growth through a single-minded focus on the unique strengths of the Harley-Davidson® brand. As part of this strategy, the Company will divest its MV Agusta unit and also discontinue the Buell® product line. “Our objective in acquiring MV Agusta last year was primarily to expand our presence in Europe, and was a recognition of MV Agusta’s proud legacy. While growth in Europe and other global markets remains highly important to us, we believe that focusing our efforts on the Harley-Davidson brand is the optimal path to sustainable growth,” said Matt Levatich, President and Chief Operating Officer of Harley-Davidson Motor Company. “This decision was not made lightly. MV Agusta is a great company with a proud heritage and brand, high-quality exciting products, and a passionate team with whom we have achieved a great deal over the past 14 months” Mr Levatich added. Harley-Davidson acquired the privately held Italian motorcycle maker MV Agusta in August 2008 and key achievements since then have included the reinstating of production at the Company’s Varese factory and the re-starting of product development leading to the recent unveiling of the re-engineered Brutale to great accolades from dealers and customers alike. “With a streamlined business and such an exciting product pipeline we sincerely believe that MV Agusta is well positioned for the future,” said Mr Levatich. Harley-Davidson will now begin actively looking for a buyer for MV Agusta to continue along the development of the brand as an outstanding manufacturer of premium, Italian performance motorcycles. Link to Harley-Davidson, Inc. third-quarter earnings announcement, including information related to MV Agusta: www.harley-davidson.com More, from a press release issued by Roehr Motorcycles: It was with great shock and sadness that I heard the news of Harley-Davidson’s decision to pull the plug on the Buell Motor Company today. Erik Buell has been a hero of mine, as well as someone I have admired and respected throughout the years. I wish him all the best, and know his creative mind and relentless will to pursue the dream will serve him well. My thoughts also go out to the thousands of passionate Buell enthusiasts and employees that have supported and embraced what this brand stood for, and the spirit that it embodied. It is a sad day, not only for Buell enthusiasts but for all motorcycle enthusiasts. Buell epitomized the spirit of individualism, innovation, passion and hard work, the same spirit that lives in the soul of all motorcycle enthusiasts. The loss of Buell is a loss for all of us. It is with great misfortune and irony that, in these tough economic times, when the exact principles and values that Buell embodied, are the keys to our recovery and success, were not valued and were so easily discarded. R.I.P. Buell Motor Company, your spirit and principals will live on forever in all of us. Walter Roehrich, President ROEHR MOTORCYCLES LLC Gurnee, Illionois