Big Dog Motorcycles announced it is launching a four-motorcycle lineup in the European market. The four models are said to have passed the stringent Euro III certification tests for distribution in the European Union. Big Dog Motorcycles also recently appointed Legend Motorcycle Group GCV, as its European distributor.
Big Dog Motorcycles, producers of nine-foot-long choppers and pro-street bikes, announced it is expanding into Europe and has appointed Legends Motorcycle Group as its European distributor.
The four models Legends Motorcycle Group will be distributing are BDM’s leading seller, the raked-out K-9 chopper, the long-and-low cruiser it calls the Wolf, the big-wheeled
Pitbull, and its smallest, most agile pro-street style motorcycle, the
Coyote. Legends Motorcycle Group is headquartered and owns warehouses in Belgium.
“European distribution has been a goal of ours for several years, but we have been very selective as to the perfect partner to make this a reality. Legend Motorcycle Group has been the ideal ally in every phase of the process,” said Sheldon Coleman, founder and CEO of Big Dog Motorcycles. “They understand the European market, they provide exceptional customer service and they share our passion for our products.”
Legends Motorcycle Group has been signing up dealers throughout the European Union while Big Dog has been getting its motorcycles certified for shipping overseas. So far it has enlisted the services of seven dealerships, including one in Austria, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Luxemburg, Finland and two in France. The European Big Dog website also states that a distributor in Sweden/Norway/Denmark is opening soon, while other dealers in the Netherlands, Spain and Switzerland are “in progress.” The contracted dealers are in the process of receiving their initial shipment of Big Dog Motorcycles. You can find updates on European dealer openings at
www.bigdogmotorcycles.eu.
Jos Dewit, CEO of Legends Motorcycle Group stated, “We are completely dedicated to the success of Big Dog Motorcycles in Europe. Big Dog’s designs are exceptional, revealing the type of engineering demanded by the discerning European rider. These are not only beautiful show-bikes, they are also engineered to ride in the real world on a daily basis.”
Big Dog CEO, Sheldon Coleman, is excited about the company's expansion into the European market.
The announcement comes on the heels of the most recent round of layoffs at Big Dog Motorcycles. Prior to the layoffs, the American manufacturer enlisted the services of the investment banking firm of
William Blair & Company last December to “assist in evaluating a possible merger, strategic partnership or sale of Big Dog or its assets.” Big Dog’s expansion into Europe might possibly be the life-line that BDM’s CEO Sheldon was so desperately seeking in order to save the company he founded over 15 years ago.
The motorcycle that was supposed to help Big Dog Motorcycles out of its hole, the
2010 Chopper, is yet to make it to dealers despite being scheduled for production in May, 2010. The BDM Chopper was being billed as the company’s lowest-priced bike to date with a price tag in the $21,000 range. When we talked to Big Dog’s John Nasi during Daytona Bike Week back in March he said that it was in the process of road testing, but to date, no new information about when the bike will make it to dealers has been disclosed.
Big Dog Motorcycles will be set up at Sturgis this year in Champions Park at 1205 Lazelle St., between 2nd and 3rd Streets in downtown Sturgis.
