Big Dogs Unleashed

BIG DOGS UNLEASHED

ROUNDUP

CONSIDERING A CUSTOMized Big Hog? You might want to consider a Big Dog Vintage or Proglide instead.

Big Dog Motorcycles, Inc. (140 North Ohio, Wichita, KS 67214; 316/267-9121), says its $19,500 machines, made primarily of aftermarket parts, “address the mainstream of the upscale American cruiser market.” “There’s obviously a market for custom Harleys,” says Big Dog President Sheldon Coleman. “We’re offering bikes that a customer doesn’t have to take off the road to personalize, and the wait to get one is often shorter than for stock Harley-Davidsons.”

Power for the bikes is supplied by an engine that includes S&S cases, Rowe valves and Andrews cams, pushrods and valve springs. A Santee frame with front rubber engine mounts carries the Twin, which is claimed to produce 80 horsepower and 95 foot-pounds of torque. Big Dog uses a V-Twin fork with Progressive Suspension springs. Progressive shocks are also fitted. Brakes are by GMA.

Coleman says his bikes are conceptually similar to the Illusion, a Harley lookalike manufactured in San Diego, California. “The Illusion is a more expensive, more performance-oriented bike,” he says. “We offer what we think is excellent performance at a price that’s reasonable.”

If they so desire, customers can specify other components, including more powerful engines. Paint and other styling options are unlimited, and computer-graphics software lets a buyer see an illustration of the bike when it is ordered.

By year’s end, Big Dog says it will have a dealer network established, which will allow customers to buy bikes off showroom floors. Custom versions will be shipped within 60 days of purchase, says Coleman. For now, bikes are sold direct from the factory.

-Robert Hough