Big Dog Motorcycles admits its amazing road trip is over
Big Dog Motorcycles admits its amazing road trip is over
Like the roar of their motorcycles, the news of Big Dog came fast and loud yesterday shifting gears quickly from denial to confession that the small American manufacturer had officially been shut down.
The buzz around the future of the company that produces custom style choppers carrying powerful names such as Bulldog, Pitbull and Ridgeback started Monday morning in a popular motorcycle blog. Motorcycle publications and local newspapers carried quotes from the company’s President Mike Simmons who stated ‘We’re still open just like we were last week’.
The confirmation of rumors that Big Dog Motorcycles were nearing the end of their seventeen year journey came from one of its more famous dealers, custom bike builder and motorcycle celebrity Rick Fairless.
Reported in several media sources Fairless, who owns and runs Strokers Dallas, stated he had spoken to the owner of Big Dog Motorcycles and was told a bank had taken over the company and stopped production.
According to Fairless, Big Dog owner Sheldon Coleman hopes to create a new business that makes and sells parts to Big Dog owners and dealers.
In the meantime, the shutdown leaves those eligible current and future Big Dog owners without a warranty on their motorcycle. All Big Dog motorcycles came with a two-year warranty.
Although the events gave an ordinary week and dramatic start, the ending isn’t a surprise to many industry experts with Rick Fairless admitting in interviews the news of Big Dog Motorcycles shutting down wasn’t ‘completely unexpected’.
It’s a road other similar motorcycle manufacturers have taken. The final days of American Ironhorse played out over weeks of speculation in 2009 until management admitted the company’s motorcycle inventory, stock and tools would be liquidated.
Big Dog Motorcycles had expanded their line from the muscle choppers that made the company famous by producing a touring model called the Bulldog (pictured below) featuring flame painted hard saddlebags. A notable milestone for Big Dog, in 2006 it produced its 20,000th motorcycle
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Big Dog Motorcycles admits its amazing road trip is over - BikersPost.com