America holds a unique position in the global motorcycle industry, not because of sheer production volume, but due to its brand power, pricing strength, and cultural influence.
Unlike Asia and Europe, where motorcycles are often utilitarian, the American market has historically treated motorcycles as lifestyle products, leisure machines, and symbols of freedom, individuality, and mechanical expression.
The American motorcycle market is largely driven by big bikes. Motorcycles with engines above 600cc make up nearly half of all motorcycle sales in the United States.
As per estimates, about 8.8 million motorcycles were registered in the US in 2025. California had the most registered motorcycles, followed by Florida and Texas. Looking ahead, the U.S. motorcycle market is expected to grow steadily through 2034 at a CAGR of 4.6%, with total market value projected to exceed $13.6 billion. [1]
In the sections below, I highlight leading American motorcycle brands that operate in a high-value, low-volume, and culture-driven niche of the global motorcycle industry.
Did you know?The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, one of the largest motorcycle events, regularly draws over 500,000 attendees and generates hundreds of millions in local economic impact annually.
As of 2025, there were about 384 motorcycle, bike, and parts manufacturing businesses in the USA. [2]
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13. Rokon
Founded in 1958Price Range: $9,000 – $11,000+
Popular Models: Trail-Breaker, Ranger
Competitive Edge: Two-wheel-drive system, Extreme terrain capability
Rokon is one of the most unconventional and function-driven American motorcycle manufacturers. It is known for producing “true two-wheel-drive motorcycles.”
While most motorcycle brands focus on performance, touring, or lifestyle, Rokon is built around utility, traction, and mechanical problem-solving. This makes it a category of its own within the motorcycle industry.
Rokon motorcycles are developed for extreme off-road environments — places where conventional motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, and even small vehicles struggle.
The two-wheel-drive system delivers power to both wheels through a series of shafts and chains. This allows Rokon bikes to climb steep grades, traverse mud, snow, sand, swamps, and rocky terrain (with a great level of control).
These motorcycles are not performance machines in the conventional sense. Top speeds are intentionally low (often below 35 mph), but delivery and traction are prioritized above all else. They are able to climb very steep slopes (up to 60% gradient) and pull heavy loads, even towing up to 2,000 lbs (about 907 kg). [3]
This tradeoff makes Rokon ideal for hunters, farmers, foresters, search-and-rescue teams, and military applications.
12. Big Dog Motorcycles
Big Dog Mastiff
Founder: Sheldon Coleman Jr
Price Range: $39,000 – $47,000+
Popular Models: K9, Mastiff, Bulldog Trike
Competitive Edge: Aggressive visual identity, Large-displacement powertrains
Big Dog Motorcycles is a popular name from the American custom chopper boom of the early 2000s, a period when large-displacement, highly stylized custom motorcycles entered mainstream pop culture.
At its peak in the mid-2000s, the company was producing more than 5,000 motorcycles annually, employed over 300 people, and generated around $120 million in revenue. In fact, it became one of the largest boutique-inspired motorcycle manufacturers in the US.
However, Big Dog was never designed to compete on scale or touring comfort. Instead, it focused on bold design, massive V-twin engines, stretched frames, oversized rear tires, and aggressive visual presence.
The company struggled financially during the Great Recession and shut down in 2011. It later returned around 2016 under new ownership.
Today’s lineup includes models like the K9, Mastiff, and Bulldog Trike. These bikes feature modern electronics, refreshed designs, and premium finishes, while still keeping the classic Big Dog look. Recent models use powerful S&S 124 cu in engines, combined with strong transmissions and updated electronics to improve reliability.
11. Janus Motorcycles
Halcyon 450
Founder: Richard Worsham, Devin Biek
Price Range: $7,500 – $15,000+
Popular Models: Halcyon 250, Gryffin 450
Competitive Edge: Lightweight, Authentic vintage styling
Janus Motorcycles is a boutique American motorcycle manufacturer that builds lightweight, handcrafted, retro-styled motorcycles inspired by the early days of motorcycling. [4]
Unlike mass-market bikes that compete on horsepower or tech features, Janus emphasizes connection with the road and riding experience over outright performance, a philosophy the founders call “Rambling.”
Each Janus motorcycle blends classic vintage aesthetics with modern, reliable mechanicals, harkening back visually to bikes from the 1920s-1930s. The brand’s designs draw on the era when motorcycles were accessible and fun, rather than oversized and over-equipped.
The company originally started with the Halcyon 50 and moved into larger engines: the Halcyon 250 in 2015 and the larger Halcyon 450 in 2021, offering riders more power while maintaining classic styling.
10. Cleveland CycleWerks
Founded in 2009Founder: Scott Colosimo
Price Range: $3,500 – $6,000+
Popular Models: Ace, Misfit, Hooligun
Competitive Edge: Retro styling with modern reliability, Simple maintenance
Cleveland CycleWerks (CCW) designs affordable, retro-styled small-displacement motorcycles (typically 110–450cc) that bring fun, simplicity, and customizability to riders worldwide.
The company targets new riders, urban commuters, and enthusiasts who value simplicity over horsepower. This strategy aligns CCW more closely with European and Asian lightweight philosophies.
CCW does not manufacture engines or frames entirely in-house. Instead, it relies on global suppliers and overseas manufacturing, particularly in Asia. However, it does retain design, branding, and final quality control under its American identity.
This hybrid model allows the company to remain competitive on price while still offering products that feel distinct from generic commuter motorcycles.
Their margins per unit are far lower than those of premium American brands, but CCW compensates by leveraging lower development costs, simpler engineering, and flexible manufacturing partnerships.
9. Boss Hoss Cycles
Founder: Monte Warne
Price Range: $55,000 – $73,000+
Popular Models: Cruiser, Classic Bagger bike
Competitive Edge: Unmatched engine displacement, Extreme torque & Presence
Boss Hoss Cycles is best known for building some of the world’s most powerful production motorcycles, thanks to its signature Chevrolet V8-powered cruisers and trikes.
Their motorcycles are built around V8 Chevrolet gasoline engines, ranging from 5.7 L to over 8.2 L, producing hundreds of horsepower and immense torque — figures unheard of in conventional two-wheelers. [5]
These motorcycles are built in the US and emphasize industrial-grade construction. Frames are massively reinforced, drivetrains are adapted from automotive components, and braking systems are oversized to manage the enormous mass and power.
Most of these bikes weigh over 500 kilograms and deliver a unique blend of muscle-car power, cruiser comfort, and distinctive roar. The company also produces three-wheel “trike” models, addressing enthusiasts who want similar power with enhanced stability.
Their customer base is highly specific: experienced riders, collectors, performance enthusiasts, and buyers who value mechanical spectacle over practicality. Boss Hoss bikes are rarely daily riders; they are conversation pieces, show bikes, and weekend machines designed to draw attention at rallies and events.
8. Lightning Motorcycle
Lightning LS-218
Price Range: $13,000 – $50,000+
Popular Models: Lightning LS-218, Strike R
Competitive Edge: World-record performance, Deep engineering focus
Lightning Motorcycle began by converting a Yamaha R1 race bike to electric power as a passion project, and quickly transitioned into developing original electric motorcycle designs.
Today, its most iconic product, the Lightning LS-218, is the fastest production electric motorcycle with a top speed of 218 mph (~350 km/h). In fact, it has set land-speed and hill-climb records that are hard to match by newer EV entrants.
The LS-218 delivers its performance through a high-power electric drivetrain. Recent versions produce over 244 horsepower along with massive, instant torque.
The company has also launched the Lightning Strike, a more affordable sport motorcycle aimed at bringing electric performance to a wider audience. It is offered in multiple trims, including versions with extensive carbon-fiber components and fast-charging capability. [6]
They are currently focusing on the US market only, with projected sales targets of tens of thousands of units in both the US and the EU by 2030.
7. Curtiss Motorcycles
Price Range: $75,000 – $120,000+
Popular Model: The 1
Competitive Edge: Ultra-high-end market focus, Bespoke customization
Curtiss traces its modern roots to Confederate Motorcycles, a controversial but influential American custom brand known for radical aesthetics and exclusivity.
In 2018, the brand re-emerged as Curtiss Motorcycles, shifting from internal combustion to electric-only powertrains while retaining its focus on brutalist design and extreme craftsmanship.
Unlike electric motorcycle brands that pursue volume or community practicality, Curtiss began as a no-compromise, ultra-low-volume manufacturer, producing motorcycles that function as both machines and collectible industrial art.
Curtiss has partnered with advanced manufacturing firms (like Fast Radius) to use CNC machining, additive processes, and other cutting-edge methods to bring its complex designs to life, reducing lead times and maintaining quality. [7]
Their motorcycles are produced in extremely limited numbers (often measured in dozens of units per year), with prices that routinely exceed $75,000 and can exceed $120,000 depending on specification.
Curtiss The 1 model, for example, has unique technical features, such as modular battery systems like the Hex Pack for advanced thermal management and adjustable suspension geometry, which differentiate it from other EV motorcycles.
6. LiveWire
LiveWire S2 Del Mar
Parent: Harley Davidson
Price Range: $17,000 – $22,000+
Popular Models: LiveWire ONE, S2 Del Mar
Competitive Edge: Harley-Davidson DNA with electric focus
LiveWire Group is one of the most talked-about players in the evolving electric two-wheeler market. It was originally developed as an electric division of Harley-Davidson in 2021.
This gave LiveWire a unique advantage, combining startup-like speed and innovation with the backing of a legacy manufacturer, including access to production know-how, dealer networks, and global brand recognition.
Instead of focusing on cruisers or touring bikes, LiveWire targets urban, premium, technology-driven mobility. Its electric motorcycles emphasize instant torque, minimalist design, connected software, and performance-oriented chassis dynamics.
In 2022, LiveWire became the first publicly traded electric motorcycle company in the US when it listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker “LVW” after a SPAC merger.
In 2025, LiveWire unveiled multiple new electric models, including the S4 Honcho and S2 Alpinista Corsa, and announced production of street and trail configurations. [8]
5. Buell Motorcycle Company
Buell Super Cruiser
Price Range: $20,000 – $26,000+
Popular Models: Hammerhead 1190SX, Super Cruiser
Competitive Edge: Hand-built quality
Unlike most American motorcycle brands, Buell never focused on cruisers or touring bikes. Instead, it targeted sport, naked, and performance-oriented machines, a segment traditionally dominated by brands like Ducati, Yamaha, and Honda.
Buell became famous for its engineering-first philosophy. Features like fuel stored inside the frame, oil housed in the swingarm, underslung exhausts, and perimeter-mounted front brake rotors were revolutionary at the time. And this gave Buell motorcycles a unique combination of mass centralization, rigidity, and handling precision.
Buell’s early success attracted Harley-Davidson’s interest, leading that company to acquire a minority stake in 1993 and full ownership by 2003. At its peak, Buell produced and shipped over 136,000 motorcycles.
However, in 2009, Harley-Davidson made a strategic decision to discontinue the Buell product line amid economic pressure.
After a period of dormancy, Buell Motorcycle was revived in 2021 under the ownership of Bill Melvin. The modern Buell lineup draws from its heritage of innovation and sport performance. [9]
The current lineup includes hand-built performance bikes such as the Hammerhead 1190SX and 1190HCR — all designed to reflect the brand’s sportbike heritage. The company plans to expand into a broad model range, including sport, touring, adventure, and even dirt variants.
4. ARCH Motorcycle
ARCH 1s
Founder: Keanu Reeves, Gard Hollinger
Price Range: $85,000 – $125,000+
Popular Models: KRGT-1, Method 143, 1S
Competitive Edge: Extreme exclusivity, Advanced materials & Chassis design
ARCH Motorcycle represents the ultra-premium, bespoke end of American motorcycling. It operates in a completely different economic and philosophical space than mass-market manufacturers.
ARCH was built around the idea that a motorcycle could be engineered to the individual rider, rather than the rider adapting to the machine.
While the brand is best known for its association with actor and motorcycling enthusiast Keanu Reeves, its long-term credibility comes from engineering depth and an uncompromising low-volume approach.
ARCH motorcycles feature advanced materials such as carbon fiber monocoque sections, billet aluminum components, and CNC-machined frames, combined with large-displacement American V-twin engines.
Models like Method 143 and the KRGT-1 emphasize handling, braking performance, and chassis rigidity, targeting riders who want superbike-level precision paired with massive torque.
The company produces fewer than 30 motorcycles a year. With prices starting at $85,000 and extending beyond $125,000 (depending on individual specifications), ARCH motorcycles sit among the most expensive production motorcycles in the world.
3. Zero Motorcycles
Price Range: $12,000 – $21,000+
Popular Models: Zero S, DSR/X, XB
Competitive Edge: EV leadership, Z-Force electric powertrain
Zero Motorcycles was started by former NASA engineer Neal Saiki, who envisioned a future where electric motorcycles could match and exceed the performance of traditional internal-combustion bikes.
The company rapidly evolved into a serious competitor in the global powersports industry, bringing electric bikes from prototype to production at a time when most manufacturers were still focused on gasoline engines.
Today, Zero develops and manufactures 100% electric motorcycles optimized for performance, weight, efficiency, and rideability, using its proprietary Z-Force powertrain and aircraft-grade frames.
These motorcycles feature high-torque, instant electric acceleration, low maintenance, and zero tailpipe emissions. The current lineup covers street, dual-sport, and off-road models, with continuous improvements in battery capacity and motor efficiency over the years.
Besides consumer bikes, the company also produces fleet models for police, authority, and military use, outfitted with accessories like sirens and storage.
They have built a respectable business presence with estimated annual revenues of $100 million and about 300 employees.
2. Indian Motorcycle
Indian Scout
Parent: Polaris Inc.
Price Range: $13,000 – $40,000+
Popular Models: Scout Bobber, Chief Dark Horse
Competitive Edge: Authentic first-mover heritage, Premium segment focus
Despite its name, Indian Motorcycle is actually America’s first motorcycle company. In fact, during its early peak, it was the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer, producing tens of thousands of motorcycles annually and exporting them globally.
Iconic models like the Scout and Chief became symbols of American craftsmanship and performance. The Scout (introduced in 1920) was famous for its handling and speed, while the Chief (from 1922 onward) became a cornerstone of the brand’s cruiser lineup.
Despite its early dominance, Indian Motorcycle struggled financially and underwent multiple ownership changes and revivals throughout the latter 20th century, with varying success.
In 2011, it was acquired by Polaris Inc. Polaris invested heavily in engineering, distribution, and marketing to reestablish Indian as a serious competitor in the premium heavyweight segment.
Today, Indian Motorcycle blends heritage styling with modern engineering. It appeals to riders who want classic styling paired with contemporary performance, and its customer base tends to be slightly younger and more performance-focused than the traditional American cruiser audience.
In late 2025, Polaris announced plans to spin off and sell the Indian Motorcycle business to private equity firm Carolwood LP, thereby transitioning Indian into a standalone company focused exclusively on motorcycle products and market growth. [10]
1. Harley-Davidson
Road King Custom
Price Range: $10,000 – $40,000+
Popular Models: Street Glide, Road Glide, Fat Boy
Competitive Edge: Legendary brand equity, Community & experience
Harley-Davidson is the most iconic American motorcycle brand and one of the most recognizable vehicle manufacturers in the world. Founded in the early 20th century, the company somewhat defined what a large-displacement, lifestyle-driven motorcycle brand looks like.
Its distinctive V-twin engines, robust cruiser and touring bikes (over 600 cc), and deeply loyal owner community (especially the Harley Owners Group) make the brand more attractive and help create a culture that very few companies can match.
Although the company sells a fraction of the units produced by Japanese manufacturers, it consistently generates disproportionate revenue, margins, and cultural impact.
Harley has diversified its revenue beyond motorcycle sales, generating income from accessories, apparel, financing services, and branding/licensing. In 2023, they sold nearly 162,800 motorcycles and recorded revenue of about $5.83 billion. [11]
A year later, Harley-Davidson sold 151,229 motorcycles worldwide, with 102,023 units coming from North America. The Sportster S emerged as one of the brand’s strongest performers in the region.
In 2025, Harley beat revenue expectations, with sales growing by nearly 23% year over year, driven largely by strong demand for its custom touring motorcycles. They also introduced a new entry-level Sprint model priced below $6,000 to attract broader markets. [12]
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Sources Cited and Additional References- Industry Report, US motorcycles and scooters market size, GMInsights
- Adeline Wagner, Motorcycle & parts manufacturing in the US, IBIS World
- Aman Tripathi, Rokon launches 208cc off-road beast, Interesting Engineering
- Janus Is Different, Rambling is joyful, meditative, and immersive, Janus Motorcycle
- Tijo Tenson, The most powerful American motorcycle you can buy today, Hotcars
- Engines and Configurations, Lightning Motorcycles Strike R, AutoEvolution
- News, Fast Radius and Curtiss Motorcycles partner to create premium electric bikes, Globe Newswire
- News, A full range of LiveWire and STACYC products, LiveWire
- Michael Golson, Harley-Davidson’s is back with a fresh makeover, The Sun
- News, Polaris to separate Indian Motorcycle into a standalone company, Polaris
- Vehicles & Road Traffic, Harley-Davidson’s worldwide motorcycle retail sales, Statista
- Nathan Gomes, Harley plans to drive profitability with affordable models, Reuters
