It’s true. The press release is HERE with an accompanying H-D executive quote:
“We’re excited about what the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge represents to our riders,” said Steve Piehl, Harley-Davidson Director of Customer Experience. “The new direction of being more about a personal test of touring endurance, where rider and machine stretch the boundaries of long-distance touring, appeals to us. It’s a perfect match for the superior touring experience and capabilities of Harley-Davidson motorcycles. ‘Hoka Hey’ translates to ‘It’s a good day to ride!’ and that is always the case on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle.”
Does the Harley-Davidson corporate firewall prevent Google searches? Or is the company desperate for publicity – even bad publicity?
There are so many lingering questions about the legitimacy of the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge that even after Will Barclay, the so-called winner of the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge, stated the $500,000 in prize money was wired to his bank account – no one believed him – he won’t produce proof – and months after the race the drum beat of rage in the motorcycle forums and Facebook pages about allegations of a full-blown scam and improprieties of Big Jim Durham/Redcloud continues unabated.
Is it possible for a 3-country, 14-day rally to get arranged, promoted, staffed and managed in such a short time (HHC 2011 is August 20, 2011), and come off with fewer legal threats, contradictions, communication issues, controversy and disorganization than last year?
And Harley-Davidson wants to entrust their brand with this organization?!
Photo courtesy of HHC/H-D.