Alternative bike maker back on road

The Viking 950

Despite losing three top executives in a plane crash earlier this year, U.S. Highland, the American motorcycle company with a Swedish accent, is getting its dealer network organized.

Earlier this year the company signed two "regional master dealers" to cover the Midwest. The cofmpany's strategy is to have 10 regional dealerships selling and supporting other dealerships within their region. Highland plans to build each bike to order and to fit a customer's size and needs.

Customers show up, pick what they want, browse what's on the showroom floor to get an idea, place the order and get the bike in two weeks.

"Highland dealers need only a limited number of bikes for demonstration purposes," a company release boasts. "Without extensive inventory need, flooring costs are dramatically reduced, creating enhanced cash management and credit risk reduction and impacting the gross margin of each Highland product sold."

The Highland Street Tracker

Considering the difficulty of getting inventory financing in the current banking market, especially for smaller dealerships, the plan could reflect the new normal in economic business planning.

It's a pretty big step for the maker that lost its leadership earlier this year. They were killed when their private plane slammed into a wooded area near the Tulsa, Okla. airport, news reports stated. The men were identified as Chase Bales, 51, Damian Riddoch, 37, and  president Mats

In the release, Darin Long, Chief Operating Officer of US Highland, Inc. said the company is "very pleased to be regaining our stride since the July air crash tragedy."

Long said locally interested dealers will be directed to the larger dealers.

'We receive many new dealer inquiries daily that will now be delivered to our Regional Dealers for dealership development and expansion. New dealer interest is well balanced across the country and continues to exceed our expectations," he said.

US Highland, Inc. is based in Oklahmoa and builds motocross, supermoto, quad and enduro motorcycles. The Company is also a leading development and engineering partner for leading OEM's around the world. For additional information concerning US Highland Inc., visit www.ushighland.com.