By Photographs and Video by

May 23, 2019



GOSHEN, Ind. — Downtown Goshen looks much the same as it did when American-built motorcycles from the likes of Merkel, Thor and Henderson first startled horse traffic.

With a strong Amish presence in this community, throwback motorcycles built locally share more than just the roads with their horses and buggies. Many of the motorcycles’ major components, including frames and bodywork, are manufactured and painted by Amish craftsmen.

The rigid-frame Halcyon models from Janus Motorcycles, assembled in the old dry cleaner’s shop just off Main Street, look like machines built back in the town’s heyday.

Most weekdays, Cameron Gruntman, the official test rider for Janus, takes one or two newly assembled bikes out for a final test ride, before delivery to customers across the country. Visitors here might catch a glimpse of the motorcycles and wonder how far back in time they had traveled.