Howard Kelly on the Legacy & Future of S&S Cycle | One Gang Ep. 091

Send us Fan MailWe sit down with Howard Kelly, a true veteran and visionary of the American motorcycle industry. From his days as Editorial Director of Hot Bike Magazine, to launching brands at Tucker Rocky, to leading strategic marketing efforts at S&S Cycle, Howard has seen and built it all.We walk through his incredible journey, starting in the print world during the golden age of custom motorcycles, to shaping product launches for some of the biggest names in V-twin performance. With a front-row seat to decades of evolution in design, branding, and rider culture, Howard opens up about the wins, the pivots, and the moments that tested everything.Timestamps:00:00 Welcome to One Gang Worldwide Podcast01:30 Howard Kelly's Early Life and First Motorcycle03:03 From Tire Sales to Motorcycle Magazines05:02 The Journey to California and Motorcycle Journalism13:13 Hot Bike Magazine: Transforming the Custom Motorcycle Scene15:27 The Rise of Custom Motorcycle Builders21:15 The Impact of Magazine Covers on Motorcycle Culture33:16 Joining SNS Cycle: From Magazines to Brand Building44:01 Marketing Strategies at SNS Cycle47:36 Transition to Multi-Stack and HVAC Marketing50:31 Global Marketing and Translation Challenges52:21 Building a Marketing Department at Sasco54:15 Exciting Projects with Kawasaki54:52 Challenges of Working Under NDAs56:03 Transition to Tucker Rocky and Black Brand57:36 Launching Black Brand01:00:16 Internal Politics and Moving On01:00:49 New Beginnings at MiTek USA01:03:01 Returning to S&S Cycle01:08:27 Revitalizing S&S Cycle01:13:56 Marketing Strategies and Core Focus01:25:04 Advice for Young Creatives and Brand Managers01:29:51 Speed Round: Fun and Personal InsightsConnect with Howard and S&S:Howard's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howard-kellyHoward's Socials: @howardkellyS&S Website: https://www.sscycle.com/Check Out Our Sponsors:LeatherUp - Use Code "CW20" at checkout for 20% off! : https://www.leatherup.com/Butt Buffer: https://buttbuffer.com/Connect with Cycles Worldwide:Subscribe to our YouTube channel for more episodes:   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9f5Fx7tVs67xgemZUFphawFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61551644038136Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/cyclesworldwidellc/LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/sergey-tokman-2a78a6284/TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@cycles.worldwide#HowardKelly #SSCycle #MotorcyclePodcast #OneGangWorldwide #VtwinPerformance #AmericanMotorcycles #HarleyPerformance #MotorcycleTuning #MotorcycleIndustry #PerformanceParts