US Highland showed great promise a couple of years ago with plans to launch a build to order line of motorcycles made here in the USA. As most of you know, plans were dashed when a plane crash took the lives of Chase Bales, Damian Riddoch, and Mats Malmberg, the three principals in the business. Since that time, the company eventually closed their plant and was sold to new owners. Hopes for the future of the company were mixed.

Acting on a tip (Thanks, Mark!), I made a call and found the new owners to be preparing to relaunch the company. It’s taken some time to get things back in motion since so much knowledge of the actual development disappeared when the plane went down, but they are on track to begin again.

Their website is still being re-worked and some details are not yet set, but they are aiming for an early 2013 launch date. The company hopes to be providing engines, starting with a single cylinder and then with the V-Twin, for everyone from individual builders and small custom shops to OEMs of all sizes. They will also be offering build to order motorcycles.

It will be done in phases, making sure everything is done right at each step, the engines will come first, then the bikes will become available, offered in any level of completion, from a few basic pieces a builder might want all the way up to complete bikes.

I would love to see this effort succeed and I’ll be following up regularly to make sure you hear all of the details.

Link: US Highland