Big Dog Motorcycles

Big Dog Motorcycles was founded in 1994 by Sheldon Coleman (of the Coleman camping-equipment family) in Wichita, Kansas, and grew into the largest manufacturer of factory-built custom V-twin cruisers in the world. From a single motorcycle in its first year, production climbed to more than 25 finished bikes a day by 2007, with the company employing around 300 people and generating roughly $120 million in annual revenue at its peak, and more than 30,000 motorcycles built in total. The 2008 financial crisis hit the custom-cruiser market hard, and in April 2011, after 17 years in business, Big Dog's primary lender foreclosed on the company's assets, forcing it to shut down. New ownership relaunched the brand roughly five years later as Big Dog Powersports, continuing to build motorcycles from Wichita under the original name and heritage.