Can America Build a Real Sportbike?

At least one guy thinks so and he has put a lot of time and money into it. Cycle World has an article on Walter Roehrich’s new bike and the possibility of it going into production. The problem I see, is that it is an expensive niche bike with no volume and no possibility of challenging the Japanese or European manufacturers. Harley could build a competitive sport bike if they wanted to, but they obviously don’t want to….

Can a modern, high-technology sportbike be built in the U.S.? Walter Roehrich clearly thinks so, and has been working toward that goal for several years. He has just announced his V-Roehr 1130 Superbike, to be powered by Harley-Davidson’s V-Rod “Revolution” engine, and carried in an original chassis equipped with high-quality aftermarket wheels, brakes and suspension. The plan is to offer an initial run of 50 of these for 2008 production. Price is “estimated at $39,995.”