AMERICAN RIDER/FEBRUARY 2006 5352 AMERICAN RIDER/FEBRUARY 2006

In the known universe there are

many sources for V-twin motorcycles, from little

quark-sized mom-and-pop shops that build one

or two at a time; to small molecular-level con-

struction shops that make one or two hun-

dred a year; to medium-size

solar-system companies

making 5,000 units; to

the galaxy of all compa-

nies making a seem-

ingly infinite number

of motorcycles—

Harley-Davidson.

Here’s a look at

three different sizes of

V-twin manufacturers.

Small,Medium,& InfiniteThe cosmology of the V-twin manufacturing universestory and photography by Buzz Buzzelli

Wild WestWe begin our exploration of the V-twin universe with a small molecular-level shop: Wild West.

Wild West’s story is much like many start-up V-twin operations, beginning in a garageand developing into a small plant that employs 17 people, all very dedicated to

and proud of the company and its product. The company has never soughtoutside capital. It’s one of those great American success stories, pulling itself

up by its own bootstraps.The company’s owner, Paul Seiter, began building custom bikes 10 years ago

when he was 25. At that time he had customers in Japan who bought everythinghe could make. Seiter developed his ideas and focused on a single well-engi-

neered product. Eventually he began offering his bikes to the domestic market.Only a couple of models are offered, and they share the same design philos-ophy. Most of the engineering is done in-house by Seiter himself on software

that’s used by the top design companies in the world. Wild West builds its ownfuel-tank tooling in-house to better control styling and quality. The machinesare, like many of those from the small V-twin makers, a little more unconven-

tional and refreshingly unique.Some of the technical features include a frame that holds the engine’s 2.5-quartoil supply and a single rear vertical shock, which allow a low, 21-inch seat height.

There’s also a rear carbon-fiber fender that can support 800 pounds and boasts inter-nal struts; and a proprietary single-riser handlebar housing the electronic instruments.

Each handmade machine is assembled by a single technician. Wild West built about 100 units in 2004,about 150 in 2005, and it plans to build 200 units for 2006. Its current 16,080-square-foot facility has a capacity of

600 units annually. Wild West seems to be solid, well organized, and capable of vast expansion.

To control both its styling and its quality,WildWest manufactures its own tooling for criticalitems like fuel tanks.

All Wild West frames are handmadeand engineered in-house. Here

welder Sal Peluso zaps a swingarm.

Instead of a multi-station line where the work comes toseveral workers, each motorcycle is hand-assembled byone worker at a single work station.There are currentlythree such stations in operation.

Wild West uses the latest sophisticat-ed CAD/CAM software to help control

the quality of its parts.This toolingimage is part of the program for the

the company’s proprietary fuel tanks.

Paul Seiter started out making customsfor Japanese clients, then turned hisattention to manufacturing the bikes.He designs, engineers and tests all hisown ideas and prefers having a smallcompany making limited numbers.

Big DogOne company that stands out as a good example of amedium-size solar-system level manufacturer in the V-twin universeis Big Dog. It produces about 5,000 units annually. Big Dog’sgrowth, as well as its solid foundation, has been a great benefit to theindustry.

By growing to its larger size, it has left space in the industry for smaller com-panies like Wild West—and this has lead to diversity. The company has shownthat one man with a vision and the ability to manage well can succeed as asmall motorcycle supplier. Sheldon Coleman, the company’s founder and CEO,began with the notion that he could build a better V-twin. Guided by a conservative philosophy ofsustainable growth, the company now has a solid dealer base and distribution network.

Big Dog uses the production-line method—the bikes roll alongan assembly line—rather than the single-craftsman assembly of Wild West. Each method has its own pros and cons; the key element isthe ability to maintainquality. Big Dog pur-sues quality relent-lessly, somethingthat does notescape noticeof its largelycontenteddealers.

AMERICAN RIDER/FEBRUARY 2006 5554 AMERICAN RIDER/FEBRUARY 2006

Engine components origi-nate from S&S Cycle in Wis-consin and are assembledin Wichita on a moving line.

Vehicles pass througheight assembly stations inthe 350,000-square-footfacility.The companyemploys 350 workers.

Holly Calurt hand-stripes a tank.The paintingdepartment has 18 graphic painters and threepinstripers. Big Dog does all painting in-house.

Small,Medium,& Infinite

While some models use Daytec-made frames,others use Big Dog’s own robot-welded frames.Eventually all will be made in-house.

Big Dog produces morethan 400 motorcycles

per month.

AMERICAN RIDER/FEBRUARY 2006 5756 AMERICAN RIDER/FEBRUARY 2006

The Motor CompanyIn a galaxy far, far, away. . . Harley-Davidson operates a half-dozen major manufacturing facilities around the country. There are two final assemblyplants in York, Pennsylvania; two engine plants in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area; a sub-assembly plant in Tomahawk, Wisconsin; and a Kansas City, Missouri, facility that makesboth engines and complete motorcycles. And this doesn’t even count Harley’s ultra-mod-ern Product Development Center or its six-story headquarters on Juneau Avenue in Mil-waukee.

We visited Kansas Citybecause it’s the newestand most diverse of anyHarley plant. Kansas Citymakes 40 percent of allHarleys. In addition to all final assem-bly of Sportster and Dyna Glide models,the plant makes VRSC engines andassembles all V-Rod modelsincluding the CVO. This oneplant alone outproduces allother V-twin makers on the planet(not counting Harley’s other facilities). Ithas nearly 1,000 employees workingunder a 350,000-square-foot roof and it con-sumes 10,000 gallons of paint per year. The Kansas City plant is its own com-munity with a wellness center and miles of walking trails; nearly half of theworkers are minorities or women.

And that’s just one plant. Over at Capitol Drive in Wauwatosa, Wiscon-sin, 650 workers build 80,000 Sportster and Buell engines a year in a355,000-square-foot facility. The Big Twin engine and gearbox plant overon Pilgrim Road is even bigger.

After visiting Wild West and Big Dog, awalk through the celestial Kansas Cityfacility inspires awe. Sportsters and Dynaspop out of here at the rate of about oneevery six minutes; one V-Rod every fiveminutes. And this is only one small constel-lation in the Harley cosmos; the two otherfinal assembly plants in York—more than amillion square feet—crank out the other60 percent of Harley’s bikes.

Unlike the air-cooled engines that aremade in separate plants in Milwaukee,the liquid-cooled VRSC engines aremade at the final-assembly facility.

Kansas City is the only Harley plant that combines bothengine manufacturing and final assembly under one roof;all V-Rod production is based here. Automated machineryhelps make the job easier.The work force, organized intwo unions, is as diverse as the tasks involved.

Harley’sPDC engi-neeringfacility inWauwatosais largeenough tohouse bothBig Dog andWild West.

The Kansas City plant, one ofHarley’s three final assembly

factories, produces Sportsters,Dyna Glides and VRSCs. All

VRSC engines and CVO bikesare made here.

Small,Medium,& Infinite

A Welcomed TornadoBig Dog throws its own rallyby Buzz Buzzelli

Big Dog Motorcycles honored its home city, Wichita, Kansas,last summer by throwing open its doors and sponsoring the state’s largest motor-cycle event. Called the Tornado Rally, the two-day event drew 15,000 people andmore than 4,000 motorcycles. In addition, it had a local economic impact estimatedat more than $350,000.

To accommodate the event, Wichita closed one of its main crosstown avenues,Douglas Street, along which Big Dog is located. It’s the first time in the city’s historythat a street was closed for a private enterprise. Paul Hansen, Big Dog’s marketingdirector, said the goal was “...to show the motorcycle community our home.”

This First Annual Tornado Rally is an excellent example of how a small event canbe a big success. In addition to the carnival-like atmosphere of monster truck ridesand kids’ face painting, exhibitors included Baker Drivetrain, Performance Machineand SuperTrapp, along with bike builders Rick Fearless of Dallas, K.C. Customs ofKansas City and Jim Nasi. Factory tours ran all day. Some of the motorcycles in

attendance were the 16th bike the company everbuilt, a 1995 Vintage Classic; and the 18th build,a ’95 Pro Glide with 76,618 miles on its odome-ter. All brands were there.

This year’s event is scheduled for June 10 to11, 2006; contact Big Dog, 316-267-9121;www.bigdogmotorcycles.com.

AMERICAN RIDER/FEBRUARY 2006 59

With one motorcycle coming off the linesevery couple of minutes, parts and materialare stacked everywhere to feed the flow.

Approximately 700 people are employed atHarley’s headquarters in Milwaukee.

Nearly everyprocess atKansas Cityseems to be auto-mated or con-trolled by comput-ers, althoughultimately theworkers havefinal control.

58 AMERICAN RIDER/FEBRUARY 2006

The Motor Company

The Capitol Drive plant in Wauwatosa,Wisconsin, makes allthe Sportster engines for the Kansas City production line.

Sheldon Coleman and his band,Dewy and the Big Dogs, enter-tained the crowd.

Activities included a beautypageant and factory tours.