Polaris shows it's more than serious about motorcycles

First there was Victory, an entirely new line of motorcycles from an American company--Polaris--known primarily for jet skis and snowmobiles. Then, last spring, Polaris took over the struggling Indian Motorcycles marque, adding a second line of heavy American cruisers to its line-up.


Now, Polaris is putting money into Brammo Inc., one of the leading American producers of electric motorcycles. In an announcement yesterday, Polaris said it is taking a minority stake in Brammo, helping to ensure that the smaller company will have the engineering, manufacturing, and customer service expertise to further develop and promote their products.



Brammo's models include the Enertia, Enertia Plus, Empulse, Engage, and Encite. The Enertia was the company's first bike and offers a top speed of 60 mph, with an average range of 42 miles on a charge. The Enertia Plus features an improved battery that boosts range to 80 miles, while maintaining the 60 mph top speed. The Empulse is a newer model machine and boasts a 6-speed transmission. Its three flavors, the Empulse 6.0, 8.0, and 10.0, boast top speeds exceeding 100 mph and ranges from 60 to 80 to 100 miles, respectively.