Motorcycle officials die in plane crash

The Highland Street Tracker

Budding US manufacturer of dirt and street cycles, U.S. Highland, lost its president and two others when their private plane slammed into a wooded area near the Tulsa, Okla. airport Saturday night, news reports state.

The men were identified as Chase Bales, 51, Damian Riddoch, 37, and  president Mats

Malmberg, 41.

There is no statement from the company and how the deaths will impact the budding manufacturer is uncertain.

The company announced June 1 that it had started operations on a 14-acre, 33,000-square-foot building complex in Oklahoma. The company builds premium race-winning motorcross, supermoto, quad and enduro bikes and has expanded its line to a couple of street bikes, the Viking and Street Tracker. Engines sizes vary from 350 singles to 1050 V-twins and all are built in Tulsa.

According to Ultimate Motorcycling, the company recently completed a merger, consolidation and name change, all very confusing but important only in that it puts the company on the public trading block and gives it access to Europe, the U.S., China and other locations.

The Viking 950

Their engines have performed well in off-road racing and motocross races and their fuel delivery systems are proprietary and used by other manufacturers and, again, found to be reliable.

"Highland is in a very strong position with complete engine and fuel injection technology. Our engine and fuel system designs are unique and patent application processes to protect our growing suite of Highland IP is proceeding well. This gives our potential partners confidence",  Malmberg said at the June 1 announcement.

Highland began in Sweden after Husqvarna was sold to the Italians and then to the Chinese, or whoever owns them now. In a change, the company planned to  build in Tulsa and engineer in Sweden, with its race team remaining in the U.S.

"We have worked diligently for two years for this day.  To bring about such success and create so many jobs in such a short period of time has been extremely rewarding for us all.  We are grateful to all who have supported our efforts, both in the USA and in Sweden and look forward to our wonderful growth opportunities," Malmberg stated.

The company promotes a build-your-own set-up in which dealers have floor displays at the dealer and customers customize the bikes for their own purposes. The bike is built and sent to  in seven days.