- Saddlemen’s new FTB line of sport luggage offers modern style and quality materials and construction.
- Universal mounting capabilities and various bag types makes this line a great option for any motorcycle.
- Samples available for media evaluation.
Rancho Dominguez, Calif. - June 4, 2013 - Saddlemen has introduced a new line of luggage aimed at bringing a modern and sporty look to motorcycles of all kinds, from cruisers to sport bikes and more. Saddlemen’s new FTB line of sport luggage combines style, utility and quality construction to offer an array of bags that not only serve their purpose, but look great doing it.
The FTB line features the same quality materials and construction that Saddlemen is known for, and presents a new set of options for motorcyclists that might be looking for functional luggage with an updated look.
Rugged 1200-denier SaddleTuff™ fabric and marine-grade vinyl make up the semi-rigid construction that offers a blend of shape retention and flexibility, all while remaining light weight and portable. A bevy of internal and external pockets, pouches, and storage compartments make these bags ideal for carrying everything from tools and small personal items to clothes and larger items.
The FTB line is also universally compatible with multiple mounting rings, and can also be used with Saddlemen’s Versa Mount System to mount directly to a seat or rack. With a full lineup that includes sissybar bags, sissybar combo bags, and trunk/rack bags, Saddlemen has an FTB option for any motorcycle.
Rancho Dominguez, Calif. - June 5, 2013 - Round two of the AMA Pro Road Racing season yielded top results for Saddlemen-sponsored riders. The double-header weekend at Road America, held May 31-June 2, resulted in 11 top-ten finishes for Saddlemen, including 3 race wins and 6 podium appearances.
Saddlemen rider Jake Gagne put together an impressive weekend, going 2-1 with his first DSB victory of the season (Credit: AMA Pro Racing)Daytona SportBike
Coming off a 4th place finish in the season-opening Daytona 200, RoadRace Factory’s Jake Gagne finished 2nd in race one on his Saddlemen-equipped Yamaha YZF-R6. He bettered his result in the second race after a back-and-forth battle out front. Gagne pressured his competitor into a mistake with just a few laps to go and took his first SportBike victory of the season, propelling him into the second spot in the DSB standings.
Gagne’s RoadRace Factory teammate JD Beach also had a solid weekend, earning a pair of top-5 finishes. Beach made his first podium appearance of the season after a thrilling 3rd place finish in Saturday’s race, and followed it up with a solid 4th place finish on Sunday. Beach is in fourth in the class standings after the first few rounds of racing.
D&D Cycles/Castrol/Triumph’s Bobby Fong brought home 6th in race one on his Triumph Daytona 675. James Rispoli was also a top-ten finisher, earning a pair of 7th place finishes on his National Guard/Celtic Racing Suzuki GSX-R600.
Joey Pascarella and Kyle Wyman each earned a top-15 finish in Daytona SportBike on their Triumph Daytona 675s. Pascarella was 13th in race one on his Riders Discount Triumph, and Wyman finished 15th in race two.
Corey Alexander swept the SuperSport class aboard his Saddlemen Performance Sport seat (Credit: AMA Pro Racing)SuperSport
National Guard/Celtic Racing’s Corey Alexander is off to a hot start on his Saddlemen-equipped Suzuki GSX-R600, landing in the winner’s circle twice at Road America. His two victories on his Saddlemen Performance Sport seat closed the gap in the SuperSport East championship to just six points behind the leader.
Tomas Puerta, another RoadRace Factory rider, followed up a 4th place finish in race one with 3rd in race two. Following his podium at Road America, Puerta has a comfortable 32-point lead in the SuperSport West standings.
Alexander took Sunday's SuperSport race in a photo finish (Credit: AMA Pro Racing)Hayden Gillim was another top Saddlemen rider in SuperSport, finishing 8th in race two on the Team 95 Yamaha YZF-R6. National Guard/Celtic Racing newcomer Caroline Olsen finished 14th on Saturday but was injured in a multi-bike crash off the starting line in Sunday’s race. Olsen has undergone surgery to repair an injured shoulder and is expected to make a full recovery.
Harley-Davidson Series
In the Harley-Davidson Series, Saddlemen rider Cory Texter finished a lucky 13th on the MOB Racing Harley-Davidson XR1200. Texter has finished top-15 in both rounds this season.
Saddlemen riders have a short break before heading south to Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, for round three of the AMA Pro Road Racing season, June 21-23.
Saddlemen has been making high performance seats for racing for over 20 years. During that time some of the world's fastest racers have fitted their motorcycles with Saddlemen seats, including land speed attempters, flat track racers and road racers. Saddlemen is the Official Seat of AMA Pro Racing.
Daytona Bike Week is here! Saddlemen reps are on the scene with a bunch of new products and solutions to make your ride look good and feel better. We hope to see you out there! We’ll have a wide range of products including seats for Harleys, cruisers, sport bikes and adventure bikes, as well as luggage and storage solutions and some handy universal accessories. Come talk to a product specialist about the difference a Saddlemen seat can make on your ride. Get a close-up look at Saddlemen’s new Lariat and Americano Harley seats or the new comfort-focused Adventure Tour seats for adventure and dual-sport bikes. Come see firsthand why Saddlemen’s Pet Voyager is the ideal way to travel with your small pet, or get a piece of Saddlemen luggage to carry all those souvenirs back home.
- Where: 450 Ridgewood Ave Holly Hill, FL 32117
- When: Sunday March 10 – Saturday March 16
- What: Seats and luggage for sport bikes, adventure bikes, off road
Bruce Rossmeyer’s Destination Daytona
- Where: 1637 N US HWY 1 Ormond Beach, FL 32174
- When: Sunday March 10 – Saturday March 16
- What: Harley seats and luggage for sale, seat demos
- I-95 & US HWY 1 Ormond Beach, FL 32174
- When: Sunday March 10 – Saturday March 16
- What: Luggage and touring accessories for sale
February was a busy month for the Saddlemen road crew. Beginning with the V-Twin Expo in Cincinnati, the guys unveiled a bunch of new products including some new seats, luggage lines and accessories for Harleys and cruisers, sport bikes and adventure bikes. Then it was a quick tour through the south for the Arlington and Atlanta Supercross Showcase.
Looking ahead to March and beyond, it’s not looking like things are slowing down one bit. On the schedule for the next few weeks are several dealer open houses, a couple of LeMans Regional Showcases and more Supercross stops. Of course we can’t forget Daytona Bike Week! We’ll be spending a lot of time in Florida this month as all kinds of motorcycle racing come together. We’re looking forward to kicking off the AMA Pro Road Racing and Flat Track series while we’re there!
So stop by and say hello if you’re in the area or are planning on making a trip to one of these events. We’d love to meet you and talk about our share passion for everything motorcycles. You can also stay up-to-date on our tour stops by following us on Facebook. See you out there!
Upcoming Appearances
| March 8-17 | Daytona Bike Week | Daytona Beach, FL |
| March 10-16 | Daytona Fun Machines | Holly Hill, FL |
| March 10-16 | Bruce Rossmeyer’s Destination Daytona | Ormond Beach, FL |
| March 10-16 | J&P Cycles Daytona | Ormond Beach, FL |
| March 15 | Indianapolis Supercross | Indianapolis, IN |
| March 23 | Nacar Motorcycle USA Open House | Orlando, FL |
| March 23-24 | LeMans Regional Showcase | Anaheim, CA |
| March 29-30 | Mid America Powersports Open House | Wichita, KS |
| April 6 | Family Powersports Open House | Lubbock, TX |
| April 5-6 | LeMans Regional Showcase | King of Prussia, PA |
| April 6-7 | Southern Thunder H-D Open House | Southaven, MS |
Sammy Halbert took the checkers in Round 3 of the AMA Pro Flat Track Series. Credit: AMA Pro Racing
Saddlemen supported racers broke in the new 99 Speedway at the Stockton Half-Mile in style, sweeping the GNC podium in Round 3 of the AMA Pro Flat Track series.
AMA Pro GNC Expert Twins
The Stockton Half-Mile was not only the inaugural for the San Joaquin County Fairgrounds venue, but also featured the first GNC Expert Twins action of the season. Sammy Halbert rode his Saddlemen-equipped Harley to an early lead before settling into several laps of trading the lead with fellow Saddlemen rider Brad Baker. Halbert pulled into the lead for good with just a few laps remaining, and Baker followed him across the line less than a second later. Henry Wiles added his own podium bid after winning the battle for third place, and Rob Pearson rounded out the top 5.
Brandon Robinson finished 6th but after three rounds of racing retains the top spot on the combined leader board ahead of Baker in second and Wiles in third. Kenny Coolbeth Jr. finished 7th and Mikey Martin 10th to give Saddlemen seven of the top 10 positions in the Stockton Half-Mile results.
Saddlemen Stockton GNC Twins Results
1. S. Halbert; 2. B. Baker; 3. Henry Wiles; 5. Rob Pearson; 6. B. Robinson; 7. K. Coolbeth; 10. M. Martin; 11. S. Bonsey; 13. J. Lewis; 14. K. Kolkman; 15. Briar Bauman; 16. J. Mees; 17. S. Baer
Saddlemen riders Sammy Halbert (#7) and Brad Baker (#12) battle for the lead in the GNC Twins race at Stockton Half-Mile. Credit: AMA Pro Racing
AMA Pro J&P Cycles Pro Singles
Shayna Texter (left) rode her Saddlemen-equipped bike to a 2nd place podium finish in the Pro Singles race in Stockton. Credit: AMA Pro Racing
Saddlemen also hit the podium in the Pro Singles class as Shayna Texter finished second in Stockton. After taking a late lead Texter settled into second and held off charging competitors as the checkered flag flew. Texter’s strong performance pushed her into 10th place in the early season standings.
Rookie Bronson Bauman made his AMA Flat Track debut in Round 3, eventually finishing in 7th place. Younger brother of 2012 Saddlemen Rookie of the Year Briar Bauman, Bronson turned some heads with an impressive start to a promising career.
Saddlemen Stockton Pro Singles Results
2. S. Texter; 7. Bronson Bauman; 9. R. Wells; 10. S. Vanderkuur; 11. D. Collindres; 18. A. Scaggs
Saddlemen Riders Rush, Robinson Earn GNC Expert Singles Wins in AMA Pro Flat Track Opener at Daytona
The 2013 AMA Pro Flat Track season kicked off last weekend with a double-header round in Daytona, where Saddlemen-sponsored riders earned a total of two wins and 21 top-ten finishes during two exciting nights of racing. Just one of the many of the attractions at Daytona Bike Week, the opener pulled in enthusiastic crowds despite the cool temperatures for two nights of thrilling Flat Track racing. In addition to rider sponsorships, Saddlemen is proud to be a Series Sponsor and the Official Seat of AMA Pro Racing.
“Saddlemen is committed to Flat Track racing. It is a passionate and exciting sport, for both the fans and the riders,” says Saddlemen President Tom Seymour. “Flat Track racing is special because it is very family oriented and love of the sport transfers from generation to generation.”
AMA Pro Grand National Championship
Saddlemen sponsored rider Mikey Rush takes the win in Round 1 (Credit: AMA Pro Racing)
Mikey Rush may be a newcomer to the Saddlemen family of sponsored riders, but he made himself right at home by winning his first GNC race during round one on Thursday, March 14. Rush edged out fellow Saddlemen rider Brad Baker on the 18th lap and never looked back. Defending GNC Expert Singles champ Jared Mees joined them on the podium, and Henry Wiles and Brandon Robinson rounded out the Top 5.
During round two on Friday, Brandon Robinson jumped out to an early lead in the second lap and hung on to hand Saddlemen a second GNC Expert Singles win in as many days. Brad Baker once again pushed for the lead but settled for 2nd. Rush followed up his brilliant first round performance with a 5th place finish, followed across the finish line by four more Saddlemen riders in the Top 10.
Saddlemen’s Brandon Robinson sits atop the leaderboard after the first two rounds, with Mikey Rush just five points behind him and Henry Wiles in 4th. Despite the pair of podium finishes, Brad Baker lost points following a post-race inspection and slid to 5th.
Sponsored riders Brandon Robinson and Brad Baker take first and third in Round 2 (credit: J&P Cycles)
Saddlemen Daytona I GNC Results
1. M. Rush; 2. B. Baker; 3. J. Mees; 4. H. Wiles; 5. B. Robinson; 6. M. Weidman; 8. J. Lewis; 9. S. Bonsey; 11. R. Pearson; 12. K. Coolbeth; 13. K. Kolkman; 18. B. Bauman
Saddlemen Daytona II GNC Results
1. B. Robinson; 2. B. Baker; 5. M. Rush; 6. K. Coolbeth; 7. M. Weidman; 8. J. Halbert; 9. R. Pearson; 11. J. Lewis; 12. H. Wiles; 13. S. Bonsey; 14. B. Bauman; 15. J. Mees; 16. M. Martin
AMA Pro J&P Pro Singles
In Pro Singles, Ryan Wells was the top-finishing Saddlemen rider of the double-header, taking 2nd in race two. Combined with his 6th place finish in the opening round, Wells sits at 4th in the Pro Singles standings. Stephen Vanderkuur notched a 5th place finish in the second round while Dominic Colindres and Gerrit Callies followed in 6th and 7th respectively.
Saddlemen Daytona I Pro Singles Results
6. R. Wells; 8. D. Bromley; 14. D. Colindres; 15. S. Texter; 18. S. Vanderkuur
Saddlemen Daytona II Pro Singles Results
2. R. Wells; 5. S. Vanderkuur; 6. D. Colindres; 7. G. Callies; 14. D. Bromley; 17. S. Texter
Saddlemen-sponsored riders were a triple threat during the AMA Pro Road Racing season opener at Daytona International Speedway. Saddlemen riders found the podium in the Daytona SportBike, SuperSport and Harley-Davidson classes.
“Clearly, good things come in threes,” says Saddlemen Director of Sales and Marketing, Ron Benfield. “Earning a podium finish in all three of the classes where Saddlemen has a presence gave us a fantastic start to the Road Racing season, and we’re happy to congratulate Tomas, Bobby and Corey on great racing.”
AMA Pro GoPro Daytona SportBike
Saddlemen’s Bobby Fong secures third place in the Daytona 200.
The opening weekend of AMA Pro Road Racing is always special because it marks one of the great traditions of the sport: the Daytona 200. Riders in the Daytona SportBike class must compete for 57 laps over the course of nearly 2 hours. The addition of pit strategy and the mental and physical endurance required to maintain focus makes the Daytona 200 the most grueling stop on the tour.
Bobby Fong finished 3rd in the legendary Daytona 200, getting the Daytona SportBike season off to a good start for Triple Crown/RMR. Fong put together a solid run and held onto his 3rd place position as the field stretched out throughout the race, finishing 38 seconds behind the winner.
Fellow Saddlemen riders Jake Gagne and JD Beach of RoadRace Factory finished 4th and 5th, respectively, in the Daytona 200, giving Saddlemen 3 of the top-5 finishers. Two-time SuperSport champ and SportBike newcomer James Rispoli finished 7th on his Saddlemen-equipped National Guard/Celtic Racing Suzuki.
AMA Pro Motorcycle-Superstore.com SuperSport
Saddlemen’s Tomas Puerta takes first and Corey Alexander third in SuperSport Round 2.
RoadRace Factory rider and newcomer to the Saddlemen family Tomas Puerta started off the 2013 season with a pair of solid performances. The defending SuperSport East champ landed in 5th for the first race in an incredibly close finish that saw the top five riders cross the line within a quarter of a second of the winner. Puerta followed up in Race 2 with a commanding victory, taking the checkers by more than a second and jumping out to an early points lead in the SuperSport West standings.
National Guard/Celtic Racing talent Corey Alexander rebounded from a tough 14th place finish in Race 1 to bring home a 3rd place finish in Race 2 of the SuperSport class. Alexander managed to ride his Saddlemen Performance Sport seat to the podium in a photo finish, as top-10 riders all finished within 2 seconds of the winner.
Saddlemen sponsored Bobby Fong takes third place in H-D Series.
AMA Pro Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson Series
With the Daytona SportBike class only racing on Saturday, Bobby Fong took the opportunity to compete in Friday’s Vance & Hines Harley-Davidson opener. The Rossmeyers Harley-Davidson rider piloted his Saddlemen-equipped XR1200 to a 3rd place finish after a close battle through seven laps.
After months of off-season training and bike preparation, Saddlemen riders are ready to square off in the opening weekend of AMA Pro Flat Track presented by J&P Cycles in Daytona Beach, FL.
The Official Seat of AMA Pro Racing
Briar Bauman, the 2012 Saddlemen Rookie of the Year, looks to improve on his strong performances in the tough GNC competition. Credit: AMA Racing
Saddlemen is a proud supporter of Flat Track and is the Official Seat of AMA Pro Racing. In addition to sponsoring the series, the Saddlemen Rookie of the Year Award will be granted to the rookie that excels on and off the track in the AMA Pro Flat Track GNC Expert class.
Saddlemen riders have enjoyed success in AMA Pro Road Racing in recent years aboard their Saddlemen Flat Track seats, but the credit lies with the hard work and dedication put forth by their sponsored riders. Saddlemen will be well represented in both the Grand National Championship and the Pro Singles classes in the 2013 season.
AMA Pro Grand National Championship
Saddlemen’s Jared Mees only won a single race in 2012, but with plenty of top-5 finishes found himself the GNC Combined Champion to go along with his GNC Expert Singles title. Mees finished 4 th in the GNC Expert Twins standings.
Jared Mees will defend his GNC Expert Singles and Combined titles aboard his Saddlemen Flat Track seat. Credit: AMA Racing
The 3-time champion will compete with several other Saddlemen riders for the 2013 titles, including runner-up Sammy Halbert. Halbert won four races in all, but finished 2nd in both the Twins and Singles divisions as well as in the Combined standings. Brad Baker rounded out the Combined top-5 for Saddlemen, finishing 5th in Singles and 7th in Twins.
Henry Wiles’ 3rd place Singles finish and 10th place Twins finish were good enough to combine for the 6th position Overall. Newcomers Kenny Coolbeth and Matt Weidman finished 7th and 10th, respectively, in the Combined standings and will make some noise in both the Singles and Twins races.
Johnny Lewis, who left the series after just five races last season, will return to GNC competition with his eyes on the title aboard his Triumph. 2012 Saddlemen Rookie of the Year winner Briar Bauman is coming off of eight top-10 finishes and will build on his experience in his 2013 campaign.
AMA Pro J&P Cycles Pro Singles
Jake Shoemaker will certainly be in the Pro Singles title hunt in 2013 following his 2nd place finish last year. Credit: AMA Racing
Saddlemen welcomes some new talent as defending champion Stephen Vanderkuur joins 2012 runner-up Jake Shoemaker in the 2013 season. Shoemaker did not place better than 3rd last year, but his consistent top-10 finishes resulted in a 2nd place position at season’s end. Another new addition is Dominic Colindres, who finished 4th in the class last year with a race win and several podiums. Rounding out the 2012 top-5 is Saddlemen’s Shayna Texter, who will be looking to make a run at the title after winning three races last year.
Ryan Wells, Gerit Callies and Jake Cunningham finished 7th, 8th, and 9th, respectively, last season and will once again ride their Saddlemen Flat Track seats in the Pro Singles class. The trio all missed several races throughout the season but managed to find top-10 finishes with strong performances and five victories among them.
The excitement begins with Round 1 of the series Thursday, March 14th at the Daytona Flat Track, followed by Round 2 on Friday. Visit www.amaproracing.com/ft for more information. Learn more about Saddlemen seats at www.saddlemen.com, and follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/saddlemen for the latest product and racing updates.
Daytona Bike Week is here and with it comes the beginning of the 2013 AMA Pro Road Racing and Pro Flat Track Series. Saddlemen will be on the scene as our incredibly talented riders kick off the season with high expectations and new endeavors.
The Flat Track opener is actually a sort of double-header, as the first two rounds of the series will take place Thursday, March 14 and Friday, March 15 in Daytona Beach, FL. Saddlemen’s Jared Mees will begin on the long journey to defending his 2012 GNC Expert Singles and Combined titles aboard his Saddlemen Flat Track seat, as many more Saddlemen riders contend for top spots in the GNC Expert Singles and Pro Singles ranks.
The AMA Pro Road opener is a unique event altogether. Saddlemen racers in the SuperBike, SuperSport, and Vance & Hines series will see their first racing action Friday, March 15. On Saturday the 16th, following the second SuperBike and SuperSport races, Saddlemen’s SuperSport champ James Rispoli will make his Daytona SportBike debut in the Daytona 200. This test of endurance and poise will be exciting to watch as Rispoli and fellow Saddlemen riders tackle 57 laps aboard their Saddlemen Performance seats.
Saddlemen is the Official Seat of AMA Pro Racing and is the title sponsor of the Saddlemen Rookie of the Year Award. Saddlemen is dedicated to supporting AMA Road Racing and Flat Track and we look forward to an exciting, successful and safe year of racing!
The Saddlemen crew continues to make its rounds heading into late May and June. Between dealer open houses, special bike shows and a grand opening, our guys on the road will be bouncing around mainly through the South and Midwest over the next several weeks.
These open houses and other events provide a great opportunity to meet with the dealers that carry our products, and also gives us a chance to talk directly to our customers as they browse through huge parking lot sales and celebrate everything from grand openings to anniversaries. There’s no better way to learn about our products than by holding them in your hands and talking to our guys about everything from materials and construction to personal experiences on road trips.
Here’s where you can find Saddlemen in May and June:
| May 17 | Sacramento MX Showcase | Sacramento, CA |
| May 18 | Southside H-D Open House | Indianapolis, IN |
| May 18-19 | Mountain Motorsports Open House | Conyers, GA |
| May 25 | Thunderbird Motorcycles Open House | Wheat Ridge, CO |
| May 25 | Fox Shawmut Hills Open House | Grand Rapids, MI |
| May 24-26 | Smoky Mountain H-D Open House | Maryville, TN |
| May 25 | Old Glory H-D Open House | Laurel, MD |
| May 30 | Don and Roy’s Motorsports Bike Night | Brookfield, WI |
| May 31-June 2 | Big Barn H-D Rally/Open House | Des Moines, IA |
| May 30-June 1 | Avalanche H-D Open House | Denver, CO |
| June 8 | Appleton H-D Open House | Appleton, WI |
| June 8 | Motorcycle Center Inc Grand Opening | Villa Park, IL |
| June 14-15 | H-D of Bowling Green Birthday Bash | Bowling Green, KY |
| June 15 | Doc’s H-D Open House | Kirkwood, MO |
| June 15 | Village Motorsports Open House | Grand Rapids, MI |
| June 22 | St. Joseph H-D Bike Show | St. Joseph, MO |
| June 22 | S&S Powersports Open House | Clarksville, IN |
| June 27-30 | Grand Rapids H-D Open House | Hudsonville, MI |
| June 29-30 | J&P Cycles Open House | Anamosa, IA |