SCHWINN AND ORANGE COUNTY CHOPPERS TEAM TO BRING BACK THE STING-RAY

January 23, 2004 -- MADISON, WI - Schwinn bicycles, one of America's favorite and most recognized brands, has joined forces with Orange County Choppers, the company that has garnered worldwide recognition for building custom motorcycles and is featured on the popular Discovery Channel show "American Chopper," to create customized Schwinn Sting-Ray bicycles.

The Schwinn Sting-Ray, widely regarded as the most popular bicycle ever created, is returning to stores for the first time in more than 30 years. The new Sting-Ray sports a contemporary design that takes its cues from great American motorcycles. To commemorate the redesign of this classic, Schwinn has partnered with Orange County Choppers (OCC) to use the OCC logo on all editions of the new Sting-Ray for mass retail sales, as well as use of the OCC name for Sting-Ray parts and accessories.

"The original Sting-Rays of the 1960s and '70s were very cutting-edge and took their design cues from muscle cars," explained Byron Smith, Schwinn's Chief Operating Officer & President. "The new Sting-Ray takes its cues from customized motorcycles, and who knows custom motorcycles better than Orange County Choppers?”

The classic Schwinn Sting-Ray was introduced in 1963 and remained on the market until 1979. There were essentially four models: The basic Sting-Ray; the Sting-Ray Deluxe (that added chrome fenders and white wall tires); the Sting-Ray Super-Deluxe (that added a springer fork); and the Krate series (that added a five-speed "Stik Shift," shock struts on the rear seat and had a 16" front tire and a 20" rear tire).

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