Matt Moore and Ivan Dewit have announced a comeback for Big Dog Motorcycles. After many years Moore has managed to secure the rights to the Big Dog brand and, based on the original proprietary design of trademarked and hand-crafted 1 1/2" O.D. tube frame, which is being built on the original tooling, a limited quantity of new 2016 K9's are being made, with shipping to dealers having started in February and some bikes having already sold-through to customers.
However, this is no "same old, same old" comeback. Matt Moore says the lessons of the past have been learned and turned to the advantage of the new project.
Referring to the years when Big Dog was out of production, Moore says "we weathered the storm behind closed doors, refining our motorcycles and business strategy. We were testing new concepts while keeping parts and accessory sales alive through BDM and building bikes as Kansas Motor Works.
"We tested new designs that would otherwise have been impossible if motorcycle production had continued. We now have the chance to get back to our roots of hand-crafted, high-performance and production-grade reliability."
Moore says that the bikes being built now are the beneficiaries of the 22 years of experience since Big Dog was founded in 1994. Having grown to become the largest production-custom motorcycle manufacturer in the world, delivering over 30,000 motorcycles before production finally ceased in 2011, the new generation of Big Dogs sees the proprietary drivetrain and electrical systems abandoned, making the bikes easier to service, customize and find parts for.
"The 2016 bikes are being built using what 22 years in business and having over 30,000 customers has taught us. We have the largest sample size of customers riding our products of any manufacturer in our class, so we have learned lessons that are only taught at the OEM level. The 2016 models are the result of this education. Our new designs are based on the original frame geometry, but are exponentially more robust."
The 2016 K9, the primary model and one of the original Big Dog Motorcycles' best known models, is being powered by an emissions certified, 49-state compliant 124" S&S Super Sidewinder Evo style engine, the largest displacement engine ever used by Big Dog. The only real change to the original frame has been a new transmission mounting plate to accept the JIMS USA transmission and primary.
Fury Motorcycles of Minneapolis/St Paul (who used to be a Big Dog dealer "back in the day") has been among the first to start selling the 2016 models, along with European and UAE distribution.
At Daytona Bike Week they gave a debut to a new limited edition 'Mastiff', the most limited bike they have ever offered at just 10 units.
www.bigdogisback.com