Harley-Davidson Germany and SKS celebrate 25 years of partnership

American barbecue and anecdotes from over a quarter of a century of collaboration

Mogendorf, August 8, 2023

In 1998, all Harleys were still carburetor-fueled, the cheapest Sportster cost 13,000 German marks and Harley-Davidson bought the motorcycle manufacturer Buell. Today, the motorcycles from Milwaukee are exclusively fuel-injected. Buell and Evo-Sportster are history and the price of their successor is significantly higher than the former, even in euros.

Something else that happened in 1998, however, is still topical. In that year, the then Managing Director of Harley-Davidson Germany, Klaus Zobel, and Adrian Kiessling from SKS Spedition agreed on an exclusive contract for the transportation of new vehicles. Since then, the black Bikeshuttle semitrailers from SKS have been transporting all new Harley-Davidsons to dealers in Germany and Austria. If that's not a reason to celebrate.

SKS management thought so too and invited all employees of the German company and their dealers to Mogendorf to celebrate the occasion in style on August 4. Kolja Rebstock, Regional Vice President EMEA and Managing Director of the DACH region, gladly accepted the invitation and brought numerous employees with him. Klaus Zobel, who steered the fortunes of the company from 1964 to 2004, and Bernhard Gneithing, long-time Marketing Director of the GmbH, who is now responsible for Harley-Davidson Stuttgart South in Böblingen and Harley-Davidson Schwäbisch Gmünd, also traveled to Mogendorf, much to the delight of the organizers.

The joint motorcycle ride through the Westerwald fell victim to the weather forecast and the subsequent American barbecue was quickly relocated to one of the numerous warehouses in the SKS logistics park. The evening began with a tour of the park. Jan Hummerich, Managing Director of Kieber Marketing und Service GmbH, the SKS subsidiary that operates the services in the logistics park, led the interested audience through the 11 halls, open spaces, the fitness studio for employees and the Harley-Davidson press workshop.

Over burgers, brisket and beer, there was then plenty of opportunity to share anecdotes from over 25 years ago. For example, the author learned that Willie G. Davidson signed the first Harley-Davidson show truck from SKS at the first European Bike Week in Faak, even before the transportation contract was signed. SKS operated Harley-Davidson's 12-hour service hotline for several years and also packed the well-known backpacks that were delivered with the new vehicle at the time.

And the idea for Mallorca Bike Week - which ultimately led to the founding of SKS Reisen - was born late at night at the bar of the local Robinson Club during a dealer conference. As you can see: Celebrating is always good. So if the black trucks are still transporting their precious cargo in 5 years' time, we can expect a follow-up event. But then certainly with a motorcycle tour in summer weather.

Text & photo credits: SKS