1

                          BRIGGS & STRATTON CORPORATION

                           FORM 8-K Dated May 14, 2001

                                 Exhibit No. 99

              BRIGGS & STRATTON CORPORATION ANNOUNCES COMPLETION OF
                              SECURITIES OFFERINGS


MILWAUKEE, May 15, 2001/PR Newswire/-Briggs & Stratton Corporation (NYSE:BGG)


         Briggs & Stratton Corporation announced today that on May 14, 2001 it
completed the previously announced proposed sale of $275,000,000 of 8.875%
senior notes due March 15, 2011 and $140,000,000 of 5.00% convertible senior
notes due May 15, 2006. The convertible notes are convertible into the company's
common stock at the conversion rate of 20.1846 shares per each $1,000 of
convertible notes.

         The net proceeds from the sale of the senior notes and convertible
senior notes are being used to fund the company's acquisition of Generac
Portable Products, Inc., which was completed today, including the replacement of
Generac's outstanding debt, and to repay a portion of the company's unrated
commercial paper and short-term borrowings under its credit facilities.

         The senior notes and the convertible senior notes were issued in
separate private placements for resale by the initial purchasers to qualified
institutional buyers in reliance on Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933.

         These securities have not been registered under the Securities Act of
1933 or applicable state laws and may not be offered or sold in the United
States absent registration or an applicable exemption from registration
requirements.

         /CONTACT: James E. Brenn, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial
Officer, Briggs & Stratton Corporation, 414-259-5333/(BGG).