What Are The Major Motorcycle Manufactorers In The Us?
by Monkey Wrench on Tuesday, November 10th, 2009 | 7 Comments
I know nothing about motorcycles. I am writing a story about someone traveling in the Olympic National Forest in Washington state and I have him riding a motorcycle. It would be a moderate sized one without any frills and something big enough for him to put sidebags on it with enough room to store camping equipment, and personal stuff.
I like your story idea, but strongly recommend actually going camping on a motorcycle if you are serious about the story. Bikes present unique opportunities and difficulties that you can appreciate only if you have actually done it. As an exercise, you might try writing the story and then revisiting it after you have been camping on a motorcycle. You will be appalled at the things you didn’t know you didn’t know.
If your story must have an American bike, there is only one realistic choice, a Harley. If it must merely be a bike available in America, any touring-class bike will do. The more gear your camper has, the bigger the bike needs to be. Go to http://www.harley-davidson.com and look at the touring bikes, although any Harley would be big enough.
I thought Victory (motorcycle division of Polaris) was U.S. based, though I think their bikes aren’t likely to be seen bike camping since they’re high dollar from what I’ve heard. That said, I’ve camped with riders of K-series BMWs and an Anniversary Edition V-Rod so it’s a rule that can be broken.
Your best bet for your story is an older (vintage?) Harley Sportster, went bike camping with a guy on one before. He had some hard leather saddlebags, a sissy bar where he strapped a tent and sleeping bag, and a leather toolkit bag on the handlebars. He was just another normal guy without all the biker bar attitude; that doesn’t work when camping with a bunch of folks on foreign bikes.
I cannot believe that everyone left out BUELL motorcycles, one of the fastest growing new bike manufacturers in the country!
But for your purposes, the bike doesnt have to be American-made…Id have someone camping riding a dual sport bike – something like a yellow Suzuki DRZ650 or an older BMW R100/S…something like that would work best.
Screw HArleys. Overpriced pieces of crap. Twice the cost for half the performance.
Harley is the only American Made bike left. Indiana is supposed to start again, but to my knowledge is has not yet.
H.D.,Victory,and what about Titan…not sure.
Victory is the second largest after Harley Davidson
True HD is the current American made motorcycle but remember that there are allot of independent bike builders here in the US as well. So the last post isn’t totally correct.