Word is spreading over the internet that Big Dog Motorcycles is closing its doors. Blogger Cyril Huze is the first to report the company has been calling dealers to inform them that Big Dog Motorcycles is going under. The Wichita Eagle, located in the same city as Big Dog’s manufacturing plant and headquarters, didn’t run the same story but did report that BDM cut another 10 production workers and is down to 22 employees. In the Wichita Eagle story, it states that company president Mike Simmons is deferring questions about the company’s status to Big Dog owner Sheldon Coleman, who couldn’t be reached at the time the article was published … More
Archive for the ‘Street Riding’ Category
More bad news from the business sector this week, as reports are starting to come in that Big Dog Motorcycles has shut its doors after being taken over by the company’s creditors. With the banks halting the production line, this is effectively the end of one of the largest (if not the largest) custom motorcycle builders in the world. Cyril Huze broke the news on his blog on Monday that the company had closed its doors, but Big Dog President Mike Simmons denied that news on Monday  … More
Montsegur, a towering promontory in the foothills of the Pyrenees, comes into view at the exit of a sweeping turn in the road. The ruins at the very top are barely visible, but gradually take form as I get closer. From below, it is easy to see why this fortress kept an army of crusaders at bay: a solitary trail – narrow, steep and rocky – winds upward to the summit. A half hour after leaving my riding gear on the BMW 1200GS and out of breath from the climb, I reach the entrance of the castle, which now looms large against the sky.
Inside, a semi-circle of visitors is listening with rapt attention to a lone voice. The guide’s sonorous French and waving hands tell  … More
What if it was possible to bust out a moto right behind the house? Not down on the lower 40 acres, but in the backyard with neighbors on all sides. For most motocross riders this is a far-fetched dream. Noise is the biggest issue with bikes in an urban area, but an electric dirt bike like the 2011 Zero MX makes the impossible a reality. Zero Motorcycles has been producing silent, eco-friendly two-wheelers for dirt and street in its Santa Cruz, California headquarters since 2006. For 2011, engineers went from top to bottom on the entire line, including the MX, to standardize and improve the effectiveness of this emerging motorcycle technology.
Zero is expanding its California-based design and manufacturing with a new facility in nearby Scotts Valley. This is just the beginning of a major overhaul that aims to establish Zero as a global brand rather than  … Pictures & More