This far into the season, we'd expected most manufacturers to have firmly announced their 2010 lineups. But in an unexpected sign of industry optimism, the new metal keeps dropping. Witness:
As proof that boutique brands haven't been immune to the market downturn, Big Dog Motorcycles recently rolled out its lowest-priced bike to date. Factory-custom makers have been hit hard, and in this economy, price points mean a great deal.
But the 2010 Big Dog Chopper isn't just skin and bones. It still gets a 111 cubic-inch S&S engine connected to a Baker six speed transmission. As you might expect from a Big Dog bike, there's a stretched-out front with a 42 degree rake and a meaty rear-end emphasized by 250mm rubber. High-end bits abound, with a chrome handlebar and forward foot controls, snazzy machined aluminum wheels, and a whole new handlebar-mounted dash. The few photos we've seen show the Chopper with a monochromatic paint scheme. The newest Big Dog will be priced somewhere in the $21,000 range and is scheduled to start production sometime in May, 2010.