 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(August 2009) |
Big Dog Motorcycles is a manufacturer of semi-custom, mid-priced motorcycles, based in Wichita, Kansas, United States. The company was founded in 1994, shut down in 2011, [1] and recently reopened as Big Dog Is Back .
The company was founded in 1995 by Sheldon Coleman Jr., whose father was Sheldon Coleman Sr., who had been president of Coleman Company. [2] [3] In 1994, Coleman started working in his garage to modify Harley-Davidson motorcycles. [4] Big Dog produced a single motorcycle in its first year, affectionately known as "Old Smokey"; its oversized fenders and classic cruiser style would point the way for all of the company's later products. When the company was started, it initially produced its motorcycles largely from Harley-Davidson parts. [5] By 1996, Big Dog had sold 100 motorcycles. [4] By 1997, the company had reached $2 million in sales, and in 2000, the company had expanded so much that a move to a new, 110,000-square-foot (10,000 m2) factory and world headquarters (since expanded to 175,000 square feet) was required. The company reached the peak of its success in 2005 at which it had made over 5,000 motorcycles, employed over 300 people, and brought in a revenue of over $120 million. [4] According to The Dallas Morning News , that year, it and American IronHorse were "the two largest builders of manufactured exotics". [6] In 2006, Big Dog manufactured its 20,000th motorcycle. In 2007, it laid off people for the initial time upon not selling the expected number of motorcycles. [4]
In April 2011, Big Dog shut down. In October 2013, Intrust Bank filed for foreclosure on Big Dog property. [1]
Big Dog produced ten models; the K-9, the Ridgeback, the "Chopper", the "Husky", the "Boxer", the Mastiff, the Pitbull, the Coyote, the Wolf and their most recent addition, the BullDog. The Pitbull model received V-Twin Expo's 2007 "Excellence In Motorcycling Award" for a production motorcycle. All of their current motorcycles utilize S&S V-twin engines, 6-speed transmission, one-piece fuel tank, wide rear tires, and extensive use of chromed and billet aluminum components. All of these models could be described as cruiser or chopper style motorcycles. Major differences between the models include rear tire width (250mm versus 300mm), front tube length, and rear suspension.
Big Dog Motorcycles were particularly well known for their wide assortment of customizing options for their otherwise stock motorcycles. These include at least 69 paint and graphic options, and a wide selection of accessories, including custom seats, exhausts, grips, storage bags, sissy bars and windshields.
Harley-Davidson, Inc. is an American motorcycle manufacturer headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1903, it is one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression along with its historical rival, Indian Motorcycles. The company has survived numerous ownership arrangements, subsidiary arrangements, periods of poor economic health and product quality, and intense global competition to become one of the world's largest motorcycle manufacturers and an iconic brand widely known for its loyal following. There are owner clubs and events worldwide, as well as a company-sponsored, brand-focused museum.
Indian Motorcycle is an American brand of motorcycles owned and produced by American automotive manufacturer Polaris Inc.
A chopper is a type of custom motorcycle which emerged in the US state of California in the late 1950s. A chopper employs radically modified steering angles and lengthened forks for a stretched-out appearance. They can be built from an original motorcycle which is modified ("chopped") or built from scratch. Some of the characteristic features of choppers are long front ends with extended forks often coupled with an increased rake angle, hardtail frames, very tall "ape hanger" or very short "drag" handlebars, lengthened or stretched frames, and larger than stock front wheels. The "sissy bar", a set of tubes that connect the rear fender with the frame, and which are often extended several feet high, is a signature feature on many choppers.
A custom motorcycle is a motorcycle with stylistic and/or structural changes to the 'standard' mass-produced machine offered by major manufacturers. Custom motorcycles might be unique, or built in limited quantities. While individual motorcyclists have altered the appearance of their machines since the very first days of motorcycling, the first individualized motorcycles specifically labeled 'Custom' appeared in the late 1950s, around the same time as the term was applied to custom cars.
A softail motorcycle intentionally looks like vintage motorcycles with a rigid hard-tail frame that has a triangle of steel tubes at the rear axle, like on a bicycle frame, but on a Softail these tubes are actually a triangular swingarm, with the shock absorber(s) hidden, as opposed to clearly visible regular twin shocks on both sides of the rear wheel on standard bikes. Since the introduction of the Harley-Davidson FXST Softail in 1983 as a registered trademark of the Motor Company, softail has become a genericized trademark for other models of cruiser motorcycles with rear suspensions hidden for retro style reasons. This was done even though the rear wheel was often hidden behind bags or exhaust pipes.
Victory Motorcycles was an American motorcycle manufacturer with its final assembly facility in Spirit Lake, Dickinson County, northwestern Iowa, United States. It began production of its vehicles in 1998, and began winding down operations in January 2017 to be succeeded by the revived traditional American motorcycle brand Indian, which is owned by parent company Polaris Industries.
The six main types of motorcycles are generally recognized as standard, cruiser, touring, sports, off-road, and dual-purpose. Sport touring is sometimes recognized as a seventh category or integrated with the touring category.
A cruiser bicycle, also known as a beach cruiser or (formerly) motobike, is a bicycle that usually combines balloon tires, an upright seating posture, a single-speed drivetrain, and straightforward steel construction with expressive styling. Cruisers are popular among casual bicyclists and vacationers because they are very stable and easy to ride, but their heavy weight and balloon tires tend to make them rather slow. Another common feature is their ability to be customized with accessories including fenders, lights and saddle bags. They are designed for use primarily on paved roads, low speeds/distances, and are included in the non-racing/non-touring class and heavyweight or middleweight styles of the road bicycle type.
The Yamaha XVS 1100 DragStar, sold as the V-Star 1100 in North America, is a motorcycle manufactured by Yamaha Motor Corporation. It comes in two versions, the XVS1100 Custom and the XVS1100A Classic, the former a more modern style, and the latter a more classic style, with rounder edges and is 13 kg (29 lb) heavier. The seat height is slightly lower on the Custom.
The Honda VTX series is a line of V-twin Honda cruiser motorcycles inspired by the Zodia concept shown at the 1995 Tokyo Motor Show. The Honda VTX 1800 was launched in 1999 as a 2000 model. At the time this bike was introduced the Honda VTX engine was the largest displacement production V-twin in the world, but that distinction would be short-lived as the VTX1800 was superseded in 2004 by the 2.0-liter Kawasaki Vulcan 2000. Nevertheless, the VTX 1800 still produced better 0-60 mph and 1/4 mile times.
The Harley-Davidson Sportster is a line of motorcycles produced continuously since 1957 by Harley-Davidson. Sportster models are designated in Harley-Davidson's product code by beginning with "XL". In 1952, the predecessors to the Sportster, the Model K Sport and Sport Solo motorcycles, were introduced. These models K, KK, KH, and KHK of 1952 to 1956 had a sidevalve engine, whereas the later XL Sportster models use an overhead valve engine. The first Sportster in 1957 had many of the same details of the KH including the frame, fenders, large gas tank and front suspension.
The Harley-Davidson Super Glide was a motorcycle made by the Harley-Davidson. Reputed to be the first factory custom motorcycle, it originated Harley-Davidson's FX series of motorcycles by mating Sportster components, most notably the front end, with the chassis of their larger big twin motorcycles. Super Glide models from 1991 to 2018 were based on the Dyna Glide chassis which has a wider variety of front ends and trim levels, and for a time filled the intermediate niche between the smallest and largest Harley-Davidson models; the Dyna platform has since been discontinued for the 2018 model year in favor of the new Softail frame, with some models from the Dyna nameplate being carried over to the Softail line.
American IronHorse was an American motorcycle manufacturer based in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area that was founded in 1995 by Tim Edmondson and Bill Rucker. At one time, AIH was the largest factory producer of custom motorcycles in the USA. Their 224,000-square-foot (20,800 m2) factory was located in Fort Worth, Texas, and housed the complete manufacturing process under a single roof. Although most (305) parts for the bikes were made in-house, such as the seats and wheels, all American IronHorse motorcycles were built with S&S engines and were assembled in-house. By 2006, the company had sold around 10,000 motorcycles. In Spring 2008, American Ironhorse ceased production on all motorcycles and most company assets were liquidated at auction.
Motorcycle components and systems for a motorcycle are engineered, manufactured, and assembled in order to produce motorcycle models with the desired performance, aesthetics, and cost. The key components of modern motorcycles are presented below.
Orange County Choppers bikes are motorcycles featured on the television series American Chopper built by Orange County Choppers (OCC) for a specific corporate or celebrity customer. Theme bikes are motorcycles in which the theme of the motorcycle takes priority over everything else, influencing the frame dimensions, paint scheme, and overall 'feel' of the motorcycle. The function of motorcycle usually takes a backseat to the presentation of the theme, and these motorcycles attract attention solely on the premise of the theme itself. Customer bikes are built for and generally to the specifications of a particular customer. Although the customers typically give OCC creative freedom to do what they will, some clients have a specific idea in mind and expect OCC to reproduce their mental picture literally.
A bobber, originally called a 'bob-job' from the 1930s through 1990s, is a style of custom motorcycle. The typical construction includes stripping excess bodywork from a motorcycle; removing the front fender, and shortening the rear fender, which is "bobbed", and all superfluous parts removed to reduce weight.
The Harley-Davidson VRSC, or V-Rod, is a line of V-twin cruiser motorcycles made by Harley-Davidson from 1999 until 2017. They are often called muscle bikes for their relatively high power output. The V-Rods are the first Harley-Davidson street motorcycles with double overhead camshafts and liquid cooling.
The Honda Fury was the first production chopper from a major motorcycle manufacturer Honda. In a break with tradition, the Fury was the first chopper to have an anti-lock braking system The Fury's styling has been likened to custom-made choppers from Paul Teutul Sr. or Arlen Ness. The Fury has been sold not only in North America, but internationally as well, although in some markets Honda eschewed the Fury name and offered the bike simply by its model ID: VT1300CX.
Chrome Specialties was an American manufacturer and distributor of custom and replacement parts for Harley-Davidson motorcycles. Founded in 1984 by brothers John A. Kuelbs and Gregory G. Kuelbs, Chrome Specialties grew into one of the largest aftermarket motorcycle parts distributors in the world, offering over 12,000 products from a 900-page catalog. Chrome Specialties brands and products were available at over 3,500 retailers worldwide by the time it was merged with Global Motorsports/Custom Chrome Inc. in 1997. Chrome Specialties' original brands, such as Motor Factory, Highway One and Jammer, continue to be available worldwide.
Harley-Davidson CVO for motorcycles are a family of models created by Harley-Davidson for the factory custom market. For every model year since the program's inception in 1999, Harley-Davidson has chosen a small selection of its mass-produced motorcycle models and created limited-edition customizations of those platforms with larger-displacement engines, costlier paint designs, and additional accessories not found on the mainstream models. Special features for the CVO lineup have included performance upgrades from Harley's "Screamin' Eagle" branded parts, hand-painted pinstripes, ostrich leather on seats and trunks, gold leaf incorporated in the paint, and electronic accessories like GPS navigation systems and iPod music players.