If you’re cruising through Kingman, Ariz., on Route 66 in a few months and see a lot of Harleys, the reason may not be a bunch of Mother Road enthusiasts.
From today’s Kingman Daily Miner:
Officials from Harley-Davidson and Chrysler have confirmed that an agreement to test motorcycles at the desert proving grounds has been finalized.
The details of the agreement are confidential, and it is currently unknown how many new jobs Harley-Davidson could bring to the area, said Patricia Sweeney, a spokeswoman for the company. […]
Harley-Davidson will occupy several buildings at the site and will use the five-mile, banked, oval, high-speed test track and 18-acre vehicle dynamics area to test new models of the company’s signature motorcycles and its Buell sports motorcycles, she said. […]
Harley-Davidson had to find a new test site after General Motors closed and sold its proving grounds in Mesa, Sweeney said. The agreement between Chrysler and Harley-Davidson will go into effect in July 2009. […]
Harley-Davidson is one of a few motorcycle companies that actually test their products in high temperature climates, he said.
I know from reading a lot of automotive magazines over the years that manufacturers also take their models out into real-world conditions. So don’t be surprised to see some unfamiliar-looking Harleys getting their kicks on Route 66 in the Kingman area. I know that Oatman Road would be a stiff test for any vehicle.
Harleys have been tested there before, a few years ago, and I’ve seen pre-production Victory motorcycles testing in the area also.
when is the kingman site going to be ready and when are you going to hire people that live in yucca