Now that’s a hot rod I can relate to!
As a non-American I have to admit I’m a little non-plussed by the dreams of American domination of the motorcycle industry. Dreams of bygone days seem heavily tinted by patriotic fervor and emotion. If America was ever a power to be reckoned with in the motorcycle world it certainly was not in my lifetime, at least outside of the Harley lifestyle market. And why in a country obsessed with free market are we limited to patriotic young Americans building American bikes? That article seemed very odd and self defeating, in that only a Google billionaire type could save the day. If you are looking for a good example of how to do it then look no further than Triumph. That essentially is a brand new company that copied the good business practices from Japan and slapped a historic badge on brand new bikes. Building attractive modern bikes and modern classics they have carved out quite a niche for themselves, as well as a great reputation. Didn’t take a billion dollars, mostly know how, hard work and dedication (okay, and probably a few million). That would be an attainable goal for anyone trying to start an American bike company.
Seems to be lots of people crying out for it.