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MOTORCYCLE
Powersports Business • July 2025 • 25
The need for frequent maintenance was a boon to local BMW dealers.“ It’ s a wonderful boost to the dealer service business,” Stevens adds.“ If officers were fortunate enough not to pick up a nail, they’ d still wear tires out within 4,000 to 6,000 miles, depending on how the officer rode, and they’ d have to look at the brake pads at every service, because they go through brakes much faster.” BMW could sell plenty of parts, which helped to make the program profitable despite the buyback |
clause. The program also brought new customers to the marque, as the officers who rode BMWs on duty bought BMWs as personal transportation.
“ They discovered how well BMW dealers take care of their customers, which created a bond of loyalty that certainly didn’ t exist with Kawasaki,” says Stevens.
CHP officers were also given a discount on BMW’ s civilian bikes.“ They experienced a relationship that radiates through all of the people within their orbit of influence, and it
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really did contribute noticeably to sales of motorcycles in California.”
The CHP loved the BMWs, but the program didn’ t continue without interruption. Under Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, California law enforcment began buying Harley-Davidsons. Even so, the CHP continues to add new BMWs to its fleet, though the buyback provision no longer applies. Today, about 3,500 R 1250 RT-P motorcycles are in service in this country, used by more than 500 state and local police forces.
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BMW motorcycles have been popular with California law enforcement. |
Milwaukee distillery relocates to Harley-Davidson headquarters
Starting in 2026, Central Standard Craft Distillery will relocate its main distillery operations to a reimagined section of the historic Harley-Davidson campus in Milwaukee’ s Near West Side neighborhood. Central Standard’ s purchase of the refurbished 73,000−squarefoot space will offer full-distillery production, a tasting room, distillery tours, private events, and new job opportunities.
Harley-Davidson will continue to operate on the site as it has for more than 120 years. A formal groundbreaking is slated for late summer 2025 to open the new distillery to the public in late spring 2026.
Both companies have a proven track record of investing in the Milwaukee community. Central Standard previously invested in archival buildings, such as the sites for its Downtown Milwaukee Crafthouse & Kitchen and its current distillery in the Near West Side. Harley-Davidson has shaped Milwaukee’ s economic and tourism landscape through institutions like the
Central Standard will begin moving its main distillery operations to the historic Harley-Davidson campus in 2026.( Images: HGA)
Harley-Davidson Museum and the annual Harley-Davidson Homecoming Festival.
In partnership with the Near West Side neighborhood and the city of Milwaukee, Harley-Davidson was committed to finding the right partner for the available space, and Central Standard’ s continued investment in historic properties and the Near West Side made the distillery a perfect fit for the iconic site.
The distillery will feature an inside look at the distilling process, as well as a showcase of Harley- Davidson history.
The new space will allow visitors to get an inside look at Central Standard’ s distilling process in ways that have never been publicly available before— including production, R & D, barrel aging, and distilling, all while showcasing the iconic Harley- Davidson brand history.
The project’ s architect of record is Minnesota-based firm HGA, which will also par- ticipate in the selection process for the rest of the construction team. HGA was also instrumental in designing Central Standard’ s Crafthouse & Kitchen and Davidson Park, also located at the headquarters site.
Harley-Davidson continues to operate on the site and recently unveiled Davidson Park, a 4.8−acre public park envisioned to be a hub of community activity and ongoing revitalization, reflecting the company’ s commitment to enhancing its legacy by enriching the community and its surroundings. Additionally, as part of its commitment to invest in Juneau Avenue, Harley-Davidson recently started refurbishment of the wider campus footprint.
“ There is no brand more synonymous with Milwaukee than Harley-Davidson— with more than 120 years of continuous operations in the city, we could not be more proud to be investing in Juneau Avenue,” says Tori Termaat, Harley-Davidson’ s chief human resources officer and president of the Harley- Davidson Foundation.
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