(Reuters) -Harley-Davidson on Monday named Arthur Starrs as its next CEO, effective October 1, ending a prolonged search for a candidate to succeed incumbent Jochen Zeitz. Starrs currently serves as the CEO of Topgolf International,

Just a few days before Harley announced the leadership change, the company also confirmed Bloomberg reporting of a major deal with Pimco, an investment management firm, and KKR, a private equity firm, to sell off $5 billion worth of its motorcycle loans, as well as a 4.9% interest in Harley-Davidson Financial Services.