Miller Brewing Company and American Motorcyclist Association Launch National Motorcycle Safety Program

Keep Your Balance Program Introduced at Tomahawk Fall Ride

MILWAUKEE, Sept. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Miller Brewing Company and the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) have partnered to create Keep Your Balance, a comprehensive program intended to promote safe motorcycle riding practices and responsible alcohol consumption. The program, endorsed by the National Fraternal Order of Police, officially launched Sept. 14 at the Tomahawk, WI Fall Ride.
Miller believes that individual responsibility is enhanced by the ability to make informed choices. Keep Your Balance promotes rider education and emphasizes the importance of planning ahead and getting home safely. Following the Tomahawk kickoff, this national program will be a part of additional motorcycle events across the country including the upcoming ride in York, Pa. Sept. 27 - 29.
"Our goal with Keep Your Balance is to provide motorcycle enthusiasts and local retailers with information about how to reduce irresponsible motorcycle riding, due to over-consumption of alcohol, unsafe riding practices or insufficient training," said Diane Wagner, alcohol responsibility manager at Miller Brewing Company. "Our kickoff in Tomahawk, Wisconsin, Miller's home state, was a great success and allowed us to introduce the program, share safe riding tips and remind the more than 40,000 riders in attendance about responsible drinking. Several hundred riders signed pledges to ride responsibly and our program materials and mission were well-received. The riders recognize the need for this type of program and Miller and the AMA look forward to expanding our reach at several upcoming events."
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data released in August 2007, motorcycle fatalities have increased 47 percent since 2002, making this program especially relevant to riders today. Under the umbrella of Miller's successful Respect the Road program, Keep Your Balance will provide motorcycle riders and retailers with educational training materials and tools to encourage responsible practices and to help prevent the hazards associated with impaired motorcycle riding.
"Training is one of the best things a rider can do for themselves and others on the road. Our aim is to help spread awareness and encourage riders to use good judgment," said Rob Dingman, AMA president and chief executive officer. "Educational programs like Keep Your Balance are crucial for decreasing the number of alcohol-related motorcycle crashes occurring today."
Elements of the program include: certified server training for local retailers, a public awareness campaign, training resources for riders, educational materials on safe riding practices, retail involvement and promotion, incentive giveaways such as training kits and t-shirts for responsible riding pledges, outdoor advertising and program messaging and prepaid phone cards offering responsible riding tips provided by the Wisconsin Department of Transportation. Miller will also utilize its national distributor network to help promote and communicate the program via retailers. Public awareness will be sustained through web communications including a web site dedicated to the Keep Your Balance program at http://www.millerkeepyourbalance.com/.
About Miller Brewing Company
As one of America's oldest brewers, Miller Brewing Company continues the commitment of founder Frederick J. Miller to brew "confoundedly good beers" with "uncompromising quality." Through more than 150 years of innovation and brewing excellence, Miller has built a broad portfolio of award-winning beers that capture approximately 18 percent of the U.S. beer market. In the past decade, Miller beers have won 105 medals -- more than twice as many as its major competitors -- at the biannual World Beer Cup and annual Great American Beer Fest. An unprecedented four-time gold award winner at the World Beer Cup, Miller Lite is the great tasting, less filling beer that has defined the American light lager category since 1975. Miller's latest innovation, Miller Chill, is a chelada-style beer brewed with lime and salt, providing a unique twist on refreshment. Miller also brews smooth, golden rich Miller Genuine Draft using a unique cold-filtering process introduced in 1985. The company's oldest brew is Miller High Life, the champagne of beers. Miller imports Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Pilsner Urquell, Tyskie and Foster's, and it offers regional craft brews from the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company and the Blitz-Weinhard Brewing Company. Near-premium beers include Milwaukee's Best Light, Steel Reserve, Olde English 800, Mickey's Malt Liquor, Icehouse and Sharp's, a non-alcohol brew. Miller also offers the Sparks line of caffeinated alcohol beverages. Miller is a wholly owned subsidiary of SABMiller plc, one of the world's leading brewers with a global footprint spread across five continents. For more information, visit http://www.millerbrewing.com/.


Source: Miller Brewing Company

Miller Lite Revs up for Harley-Davidson 105th Anniversary Celebration

Two Legendary Milwaukee Icons to Team Up Again for Major Celebration; Brewer Planning National Summer Promotion Featuring Harley-Davidson(R) Motorcycles

MILWAUKEE, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Miller Lite is inviting millions of Harley-Davidson(R) motorcycle owners and enthusiasts to ride towards great taste and refreshment next summer.

Building on a relationship between two Milwaukee neighbors that dates to Harley-Davidson's 90th anniversary celebration in 1993, Miller Lite will be the exclusive malt beverage sponsor of next year's Harley-Davidson 105th Anniversary Celebration. The only light beer to win four gold medals in the bi-annual World Beer Cup's American-style Light Lager category, Miller Lite will feature a national summer promotion highlighting the Harley-Davidson affiliation.
"This is a natural alliance that brings together two great American companies who know how to exceed consumer expectations," said Tom Long, Miller's president and CEO. "American beer drinkers who want great beer taste and refreshment in their light beer know that Miller Lite is the best choice, just as riders who truly appreciate world-class power and design in motorcycles have looked to Harley-Davidson since 1903. Together, we'll invite people on a journey that will highlight the best that summer has to offer."
The Harley-Davidson 105th Anniversary Celebration is highlighted by two key elements: -- The Ride Home will be the biggest Harley-Davidson Anniversary ride in
history. There will be 105 unique starting points around the United
States, each hosted by a Harley-Davidson Motor Company representative.
The 105 starting points will all feed into 25 major routes bound for
Milwaukee with an arrival date of August 28, 2008.
-- There will be four days of non-stop activities planned throughout the
city of Milwaukee from August 28-31. The events will be centered
around the Milwaukee lakefront area with highlights including music,
food and entertainment, activities at the Harley-Davidson Museum(TM),
and a special Harley-Davidson exhibit at Discovery World.
Miller Lite's Harley-Davidson promotion will kick off in mid-May, featuring commemorative packaging, motorcycle giveaways, additional Miller Lite/Harley-Davidson branded merchandise that will be given away as part of the Miller Lite promotion, point-of-sale materials and regional/local promotions and events. More details of the Miller Lite promotion will be available in early 2008. The brand also will be actively involved the 105th Ride Home and the Celebration in Milwaukee.
"We're thrilled to have Miller Lite join us on our 105th Anniversary journey and are looking forward to a great celebration year," said Joanne Bischmann, Harley-Davidson vice president - licensing and special events.
Both Miller Brewing Company and Harley-Davidson produce quality products that millions of Americans enjoy. It is extremely important to both companies that these products are enjoyed safely and responsibly. In an effort to promote safe motorcycle riding practices and responsible alcohol consumption, Miller and the American Motorcyclist Association have partnered to create Keep Your Balance, a comprehensive educational program for riders. The program launched at the Harley-Davidson-sponsored Tomahawk Fall Ride and will have a presence at upcoming motorcycle events across the country, including the 105th Anniversary Celebration. Miller will also utilize its national distributor network to help promote and communicate the program via retailers. Visit http://www.millerkeepyourbalance.com/ for more information.

Yoshimura Suzuki's Ben Spies Clinches the AMA Superstock Championship with One Round Remaining

BRASELTON, Ga., Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Yoshimura Suzuki's Ben Spies clinched the 2007 AMA Superstock Championship after winning the penultimate race of the season at Road Atlanta in Braselton, Ga., on Sunday afternoon. With one round of AMA Superstock remaining, Spies went for the win even though he only had to finish in sixth place or better to take the title. Yoshimura Suzuki's Spies is also the defending 2006 AMA Superbike Champion and currently leads the points in the premier class this year as well.


"It was a good race for us today," said Spies. "I wanted to win the championship but I wanted to win the race pretty bad too. So I just tried to put in consistent lap times on the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000. It's great to win the Superstock championship for Suzuki. The Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 is an amazing bike and has worked great at every track we've raced at this year. I want to thank Suzuki and my crew for working so hard for me all season long."


En route to capturing the 2007 AMA Superstock championship, the 23-year- old Texan has won an impressive seven out of eight races so far this season. Spies also captured six pole positions in AMA Superstock, including the coveted starting spot at Road Atlanta this weekend. Prior to that, Spies also won the 2003 AMA Formula Xtreme championship in his rookie season for the factory-supported Yoshimura Suzuki team.


"Winning the 2007 AMA Superstock championship is a great accomplishment for Suzuki and the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 as well as for Ben," said Mel Harris, American Suzuki Vice President Motorcycle/ATV Division. "Over the last few years, we've asked a lot from Ben and he hasn't disappointed us. Ben is a talented young rider and he truly brings out the best in the Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000."


For more information on Spies and Yoshimura Suzuki, please log on to www.teamsuzuki.com.


Source: Yoshimura Suzuki