The Highland Group, a Swedish
motorcycle manufacturer, has opened a production facility in the
United States and plans to launch a line of bikes this year.
Highland makes motorcycles in single
and V-twin configuration and sizes from 350 to 950 cc (a 1,050 cc
twin is in development) and is a small manufacturer, having sold
about 1,500 bikes between 1999 and 2006. The company set up a
facility in Oklahoma two years ago and named it U.S. Highland. Now,
with plans for expansion, the company, which has about 30 employees,
says it will hire about 10 times as many workers over the next few
months.
The retail line, which will include a
350 cc trail bike; supermoto, enduro, and motocross bikes in 450 and
507 cc sizes; 750 and 950 cc "Desert X" and "Street Tracker"
models; and 950 and 1,050 cc Viking street bikes, plus an ATV, will
hit the market in a few months, they say.
While the company is not posting all the specs for its models, there are hints that the bikes will offer high performance — a 54.5 inch (1,384 mm) wheelbase and aluminum frame on the Viking, for example.
U.S. Highland says it hand-builds its
products in the United States and will provide factory motorcycles that are customized to the individual buyer’s needs. There is no word yet on plans to invade the Canadian market.
See more at www.ushighland.com.
