Harley-Davidsons Roar Into India

Trip drives $14.9B in trade deals, 50K US jobs

(NEWSER) - In a key diplomatic move, President Obama called for a permanent seat for India on the UN Security Council today. In a speech to the country’s Parliament, Obama fulfilled the country’s top wish for his visit, the AP reports, though it does not mean that India will join the five permanent Security Council members anytime soon. The US is backing India's membership only in the context of unspecified reforms to the council that could take years to bring about; still, the move demonstrates an effort to forge closer ties with India. More»

Specialty vacations offer chance to indulge motorbike, fashion and au naturale fantasies

(NEWSER) - Increasingly popular niche cruises offer seafarers a chance to indulge in all manner of hobbies, fantasies and obsessions on the high seas, reports Travel and Leisure: For instance:

• Star Trek/Buffy the Vampire Slayer: This week-long cruise offers fan conventions complete with autograph-signing celebs, star-studded karaoke and a chance to dine with a cast member and intermingle where no one has intermingled before.

Motorcycles catch on in Muslim country

(NEWSER) - In the eyes of religious conservatives, this Saudi motorcycle gang may as well be the Hell’s Angels. But the Muslim professionals in the Riyadh Harley Owners Club do pull over to pray, the Christian Science Monitor reports. Despite the region's religious taboos, strict laws, and stereotypes, motorcycle riding is growing in popularity. The club now counts 300 members who ride together weekly. More»

Lebanon bike tour celebrates iconic rides

(NEWSER) - It may seem incongruous, but in a region rife with anti-American sentiment, the all-American symbol has found a home: Harley-Davidsons are on the rise in the Middle East, even in conservative countries like Saudi Arabia. The hogs’ popularity was marked this month by Lebanon’s first-ever Harley-Davidson tour, which saw some 130 bikers from across the Mideast gather to cruise through the country—women and children included, the Los Angeles Times reports. More»

The giant Milwaukee complex celebrates 105 years of motorcycle history

(NEWSER) - Elvis may have left the building, but his Harley will be there, along with a custom-built 13 footer dubbed "King Kong," when the Harley-Davidson hall of fame opens in hometown Milwaukee in 2008. The 20-acre museum hopes to draw 350,000 visitors a year, from bus loads of tourists to Harley die-hards on their homemade hogs, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports. More»