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FOCUS PSB V-Twin www.PowersportsBusiness.com Powersports Business • April 6, 2015 • 29 CYANMAGENTAYELLOWBLACK CYANMAGENTAYELLOWBLACK KYMCO Dealer Ad..........KYMCO_PSB-APRIL_2015-Issue-CL.qxd WANT TO BECOME AN AUTHORIZED KYMCO DEALER? KYMCO is looking to expand our North American Dealer Network in select markets. Call now to find out more about the benefits of carrying the extensive line of KYMCO Scooters, ATVs and Side by Sides. Choose Your Own Path. KYMCO USA, Inc. 5 Stan Perkins Road Spartanburg, SC 29307 864-327-4744 www.KYMCOusa.com Scooters, ATVs, Side by Sides - 49cc to 700cc • Complete Accessory Line Flooring Line Options • Retail Financing Options • Point of Sales Materials National Advertising Programs • Dealer Co-op Advertising Program Demo Program • National Events Schedule • Extended Warranty Protection KYMCOUSA.com Follow us: facebook.com/KYMCO.ATV facebook.com/KYMCO.Scooters Twitter & Instagram @KYMCO_USA Become A KYMCO Dealer Today: http://kymcousa.com/dealers/become_a_dealer.html ©2015 KYMCO USA. All KYMCO vehicles meet all applicable Federal Motor Vehicle Safety and EPA standards. Always wear a helmet, eye protection and protective clothing. Avoid excessive speed. Never engage in stunt riding. Never ride under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Take a riding skills course. For the course nearest you, call the Motorcycle Safety Foundation at 1-800-446-9227. All KYMCO UTVs, ATVs are C.A.R.B. Certified. Off-road product has Forestry Approved Spark Arrestors. KYMCO UTVs and ATVs feature a limited one-year factory warranty. KYMCO Scooters feature a two-year warranty. Proud Sponsors of AMA PRO Flat Track and the NHRA Firebrand looking to add a spark to market Former Vance & Hines duo begins new parts adventure BY DAVE MCMAHON EDITOR IN CHIEF John Peck makes no bones that his duties are plenty as president of Firebrand Design, LLC, the newly launched manufacturer of aftermarket products for motorcycles. And business partner and vice president of devel- opment Leigh Crawford, well, he's got his work cut out for him, too, as the company embarks on Year 1 of post-garage status. "We joke that I'm president of the com- pany in charge of unskilled labor, and Leigh is VP/skilled labor," Peck said told Powers- ports Business in January during the Hard- Drive National Sales Meeting in Boise. They're not exactly two guys and a garage, but they were exactly that when they walked the V-Twin Expo in Cincinnati in 2014, aiming to find a distributor. "A year ago we were two guys with a pipe and a box at the Cincinnati show, and here we are," Crawford laughed. The two hardly are newbies. They spent the past 15 years in management at industry parts giant Vance & Hines — Peck as VP of manufacturing and Crawford as manager of research and development. But they decided it was time to hang up their own shingle. "We wanted to bring about some new innovation and changes," Peck said. "We've seen the industry get a little stagnated and wanted to bring some passion back to the industry. We're both riders, and we've been riding all our lives. We used to race, and we think that with our experience in the indus- try and our passion for motorcycles that we could bring some innovation back and improve upon what's out there with addi- tional styling cues, and adding things that are different, but not just different colored end caps." Now, the Anaheim-based company, pro- ducing 100-percent handmade products in California, has more than a dozen offerings. It's a long way from the 4-inch Loose Can- non Slip-On Muffler that they brought in a box to Cincy. At the moment, they have exclusive distribution in the U.S. with Hard- Drive thanks to the distributor's interest last year. Motovan provides the product to Cana- dian dealers, and Firebrand has distribution in Australia and South Africa. "HardDrive took a chance on us, and here we are already with our first full system," Peck said. The 2-into-2 Upstarts for Harley-David- son Sportsters from 2004-15 are engineered to handle today's larger motors. They fea- ture 1.75-inch head pipes stepped up to 2.5-inch "quadradical" up-slash muffler bodies. Stainless steel, perforated core baffles wrapped in dual density packing complete the system. They're available in chrome or black. Similarly, the Harley-Davidson touring models can get an upgrade with Firebrand Double Downs. The four quadradical muf- fler bodies are only the start of giving the bike a distinct look, along with top sound and performance. "Nobody has done anything like that," Peck said. "It's answering a question that wasn't asked: Why would anyone want four mufflers on a V-twin? Well, for starters, it looks really cool. It's a unique look that may not work for everybody, but it exemplifies everything we're about — pushing the limits of styling and innovation." Firebrand has been able to capitalize early on by using some of Peck and Crawford's longtime sourcing partners for projects like chrome plating and black ceramic. PSB John Peck from Firebrand (right) shows off the company's newest products to reps at the Western Power Sports National Sales Meeting in Boise, Idaho.