America's Fertile Sportbike Ground
AMERICA'S FERTILE SPORTBIKE GROUND
Like green shoots poking out after a long, cold winter of choppers falling from the sky, America’s sportbike-constructing potential is trying to reestablish itself. First it was Fisher’s inline-Four, then the MotoCzysz C1 V-Four and now Roehr Motorcycle Company’s Rv1000 V-Twin.
Powered by the Swedish-made 60-degree, eight-valve, 936cc Highland mill said to produce 120 horsepower, the Rv1000 features ultra-compact chassis dimensions, an under-engine gas tank and a claimed dry weight of 335 pounds.
Company founder Walter Roehrich, who also built the two-stroke Rv500 sportbike (Roundup,
April, 2000), hopes to produce the RvlOOO by 2006 and sell it for less than $23,000.
“I’m trying to get an American manufacturing company building sportbikes,’’ he says. “We’ve made a prototype, tested it, it works, and I’m looking for a partner so that we can go into production. I need someone with technical knowledge about getting into production, someone who shares the same passion for this project that I do.’’ Have the passion? Visit www.roehrmotorcycles.com for a closer look.
Mark Hoyer
