Lost motorcycle company

[oldbike54]

 OK you experts , tell us what MC company shut down due to a plane crash ? Hint , happened in this century . Bonus points for knowing where it started , and where the factory was when the horrible accident occurred .

 Dusty

[LowRyter]

that outfit in Tulsa.  The founder & CEO and his key guy was killed.

Don't remember the name.   Seems like it had a Scandinavian connection. 

[twowings]

Yeah, it was on South Highway 75 south of Glenpool...they even built a test track on the factory grounds...can't remember the name but I passed it a hundred times while under construction...


U.S. Highland!!!!!!!

[Turin]

excelsior-henderson?

[oldbike54]

excelsior-henderson?

 No they crashed and burned sans airplane  The company in question had a real shot . I've been holding this question in reserve for a long time .

 Dusty

[Guzzidad]

   Cannondale?

[oldbike54]

   Cannondale?

 No , but a good guess .

 Dusty

[Turin]

 I cheated. Would have never gotten that.

[twowings]

http://www.newson6.com/story/12794384/future-of-glenpool-business-unsure-after-fatal-weekend-plane-crash

U.S. Highland, dammit! 

[oldbike54]

U.S. Highland, dammit! 

 Yep , the whole operation turned into a zoo  Where did the company start ?

 Actually got to ride one of their enduro models for a few minutes , they would have been a success.

  Dusty

[twowings]

Well, Mats Malmberg was from Sweden, so um.....er.......Swe den?

[Turin]

Did they actually sell any to the public?

[oldbike54]

Did they actually sell any to the public?

 Not to my knowledge , but they had several well sorted pre-production models . One of the MX'ers and one enduro model found their way to Muskogee for a local hot shoe to evaluate , got a few minutes on the enduro . Very similar to a period KTM .

 Dusty

[twowings]

I don't think they had established a retail dealer network when the tragedy happened....they had shown some prototypes around town and if they actually took any pre-orders, I cannot say...I've never seen one in the flesh...they had big plans but not a good idea to put the three top executives on the same flight...it was a neat little factory and would have provided 100-200 jobs locally...the test track was pretty cool right outside the factory door....

More info if anyone is interested:

http://www.newson6.com/story/23393128/ntsb-blames-pilots-medications-for-deadly-2010-plane-crash-in-tulsa

http://thekneeslider.com/us-highland-build-to-order-motorcycle-manufacturing-in-tulsa-oklahoma/

http://www.ushighland.com/engines/

https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2010/06/15/2011-us-highland-american-motorcycles/

[cruzziguzzi]

Never heard of them but I might have been out of the country during their run-up.

Looks like an interesting concept. Seems they were modularizing a single and twin. I'd have loved to have seen the street-tracker developed. The street sport looked a little too Spondon/MZ for me but it was only a starting point I guess



Todd.