This is a stimulating year for many reasons. Some profess the industry’s down; others are rolling out new models as fast as they can dream ‘em up. What’s it mean? Where will life lead us on our wild journey to utopia? I’ll tell you what. Put all the bullshit aside. We live in motorcycle heaven. We have access to the most outrageous, bitchin’ bikes on the planet and they lead us to the most beautiful women in the world. What could be better?
Unfortunately there are decisions to be pondered, such as blonde, brunette or your motorcycle choice. Choosing a motorcycle is just as delicate as picking the girl to ride on it. Regrettably, the motorcycle decision takes fewer tools to coordinate, and perhaps a smaller wallet. Okay, let’s get to it. Pickin’ a motorcycle demands an understanding of your budget and needs. You obviously can stumble into a H-D dealer and roll out with a number of bikes, then go to work on them. There’s Victory, and I rode them this year—great bikes. Then there’s the production custom market and several choices from Big Dog, to Saxon and Hardbikes.
Saxon seems to fit in the pocket book around $25,000 and they’re making every effort to deliver a reliable, well balance and strong handling custom bike for that number. The new 2007 Saxon Motorcycle base models start at just $23,995 and go to $28,595 MSRP. “We have tried to keep the base price of all our 2007 models reasonable and give the customer the ability to customize their bike with the numerous options packages we have available, ranging from a full custom paint job to wheel and chrome packages,” said David Schwam, their marketing V.P. It would be tough for any garage mechanic to build a decent custom for that number, if you work in minimum wage for time and effort. So you sit back and ponder which way to turn.
Here’s the Saxon code:
Mission Statement
“To design and assemble a line of distinctive heavyweight cruisers that will appeal to a broad demographic profile of consumers looking for a highly reliable, unique and affordable product supported by effective processes and systems and an appealing brand image.”
I like Saxon for several reasons. First, they’re wholly owned by a handful of businessmen who believe in the Saxon name and don’t need to take loans on everything they do. They own the building, the tooling, equipment and parts. They won’t stumble and fall out of business soon. They’re based south of Phoenix, in Casa Grande, Arizona behind the Francisco Grande Hotel, which was summer camp to the San Francisco Giants for years. Plus the entire management team is involved in every aspect right down to the slightest warranty claims.
I went out last year for their second year model launch and this year for the third. I witnessed strong, reliable improvements across all their models, production and components. Their bikes handle well, are more balanced than before and the fit and finish has improved.
Like Victory has the father-son, Ness team, helping with design and accessory line, Gard Hollinger of LA Chop Rods designed the Black Crown last year, improvements to the Crown this year, and he’s developing on a new bobber model. Plus gard is working on an accessory package for the future. They’re right on track.
So I flew out to Phoenix recently to witness their improvements first hand and ride every 2007 model on a run, with several other journalists, to Sedona, Arizona. It’s one of the most beautiful, mentally inspiring places in the world, a virtual vortex of creative spirits and hot chicks. I couldn’t wait to roll through the precipice of Jerome, Arizona, through the canyons, past Cottonwood the home of the HORSE Smoke-Out West and Dead Horse Ranch, into Sedona.
But first we took a tour of the Casa Grande facility, which is clean, well organized and cranking out bikes. They’ve developed an Extranet system to give their entire dealer network immediate access to ordered bikes, special construction bikes and all other dealer inventories. If a customer orders a bike on line it usually takes 6 to 8 weeks for the bike to be built and delivered to the nearest Saxon dealer. If bikes are shipped to New York they wait to ship at least three bikes together to avoid costly tolls. Saxon currently has 34 dealers and more are coming on line.
The two-bike-a-day assembly line is organized, well kept, yet comfortable. There are several highly organized stations, yet there’s a true of teamwork throughout the facility. There are five stages and five detail check lists, to afford a self inspection, prior to the bike moving onto the next stage. When the bike is completed there is a thorough pre-test inspection, then a 30-mile road test and a torquing test to insure that all fasteners were tightened to 80 percent of their specified ratings.
All Saxon frames and chassis components are powder coated. They are currently building their own powder coating facility and custom paint shop. Saxon doesn’t build any rigid framed customs only the Softail configuration in several styles. In the near future I’ll bring you an in-depth report on their build procedures and check lists. We’ll take one bike from frame to road test. It will blow your mind.
Just as a tease, regarding the various stages, there’s a pre-assembly area where engines, drivelines and handlebars are assembled. Stage one, handles the driveline front end and swingarm. Stage two installs wiring, oil bag, and battery. Stage three involves installing the wheels, brakes, horn, hydraulic lines, oil lines, rear belt and primary chain and clutch. The technician adds fluids to the appropriate components. Stage 4 involves sheet metal installation and making this puppy run. Brandon takes each finished Saxon model through stage 4 inspection, starts each model and runs through a series of cosmetic checks, then he adjusts anything necessary. Then Rob takes it for a test ride. That means Rob rode 450 Saxon Choppers in 2006 and will ride 600 in 2007. He breaks in the new Brembo brakes with floating rotors. Rob rides initially at 35 mph, then 45, 75 and 80 for a half hour to 45 minutes. Then he returns the bike to Brandon for final adjustments.
Here’s the price points for the various Saxon models in the U.S. They hope to build distribution centers in Europe, S. Africa and Australia in 2007. They believe their demographic is 35-55 years of age, due to their abilities to deliver hot reliable customs with these price points.
Warlord $25,195
Firestorm $24,695
Griffin $26,595
Sceptre $23,995
Villian $25,995
Crown $28,595
Hotrod Sceptre $26,995
One of their major improvements this year involves Thunderheart diagnostic electronics and wiring looms. They’ve dialed the harness down from 15 connectors to seven and raised the location of the home base circuit to the oil bag from the splashguard to remove water damage possibilities.
It was time to smell the desert and hit it into the hills. When I looked at the new line-up my eyes went immediately to the 2007 Scepter Hot Rod with wide, blacked out highbars. It's a tough looking old school chopper. All the Saxon models come with 96-inch S&S, black and chrome engines unless you order a model with the 111-inch S&S upgrade. I felt immediately comfortable aboard the Hot Rod. It ran smooth; there was noticeably less vibration. The new easy-clutch pulled light as a feather. With a 4.5 gallon gas tank, I could roll nearly 200 miles. The bikes was stable and handled slow speeds in a balanced agile manner, with 36 degrees in the neck, 3 degrees in the trees and 25-inch seat height. All Saxons are now equipped with Progressive suspension rear shocks. The rear tire was a 260/18 coupled with a 21, 90/90 on the front.
Although the 2006 models weren’t bad, this bike smacked of careful design improvements upgrades and refinements. All 2007 Saxons are built with 6-speed, right hand drive, R-Max transmissions; so all models were balanced for freeway stability. There’s nothing worse than a big beautiful chopper that won’t pass a semi at 130 mph at 1:00 in the morning on a desert freeway without freaking the rider. It should feel as solid as a night train, and limber enough to toss it in the emergency lane, kicking up old beer cans and hubcaps, to pass anything, if the left lane is blocked by a lumbering RV or a girl in a Mustang who thinks she can get away.
Speaking of emergency lanes, Ernie Lopez pulled along side me on highway 17 running due north out of Phoenix at over 80 mph on a gorgeous stretched and flamed Griffin that match his old school metal flake helmet. He was styling when the machine popped, wheezed and died. I dropped back and made a safe path through barreling afternoon traffic to the emergency lane. David Schwam, the Saxon Marketing VP, hurriedly dismounted his 111-inch Sceptre to check on the downed moto-journalist. I stole the 111-Sceptre and hit the highway. I knew Ernie, from Hot Bike, was just outta gas.
The silver Scepter with only a 2-inch stretch in the backbone for a 72-inch wheelbase peeled out, into the fast moving traffic as if I was darting through a parking lot. As soon as I had an open lane, with the new 2-into-1 pipes, I hit 120 mph and climbing. It was a quick 140 mph motorcycle if there ever was one, but I was going to straddle ‘em all. I was whipping along the freeway when I was signaled to headed off on 260 toward Cottonwood and food.
After barbecue I jumped aboard a Warlord sparkling in the sun like an escape route to heaven or some girl waiting for me in the hills. It had a flat spot, fixable with carburetor adjustment, but it was the best fit for me with 6-inches in the down tubes and two in the backbone. The Warlord, to me was the epitome of the big guy chopper with it’s chromed, 11 inch over, 41mm wide glide front end and 40 degrees of rake coupled to 5 degrees in the trees for an 83-inch wheelbase. Goddamn that bike sat at a light rumbling in perfect balance as if it didn’t need a kickstand. It handled parking lots as easily as it handled 110 on the freeway. Even the seats on all the models were much improved and molded me into place as if I was meant to be there until I reached the French Quarter in New Orleans. The paint job would keep me rolling for another 2000 miles just to see the lights of Vegas reflected in the flames.
I discovered I wasn’t suited for every Saxon as we rolled into Sedona. I was aboard the new Villain with the 300 tire holding up the rear end. It felt awkward as a Beach Ball (as Johnny Humble describes big tire bikes), spinning at the rear. It seemed to make low speed handling awkward. The Saxon crew launched the Pro-Street Softail, 300 mm tire Villain for 2007.
The Base price is $25,995 with a single down tube frame, a 6-speed right side drive transmission, 45 degrees of overall rake (5-degrees in the trees) and pro-street geometry. Pro-street represents an aggressive riding position with drag styled handlebars, narrow frame, stretched custom tanks, sculpted custom seat and a black and chrome S&S 96-inch proven engine, nine color choices and four levels of graphics including an entirely custom option. I wasn’t comfortable, but I’ll bet they’ll have it dialed in by 2008. Or maybe it just doesn’t fit me.
The next day I stole a Griffin, single-loop stretched Saxon with inverted glide and we slipped into the adjacent canyons for photography by Mike Farabaugh. The Griffin also sported the awkward 300 tire, a 4-gallon gas tank, the 96-inch S&S with Super E carburetor and six inches in the down tubes with 2 inches in the backbone and for some odd reason it hauled 20-50 more pounds than the usual 655 or 625-pound models. I started looking hard at the inverted 56mm, 11-inch over front-end. Would it actually weight 25 more pounds than a standard wide glide?
The Griffin was black and tough looking from every angle, but it rode differently than the other models. I felt like I was on a rigid, slamming potholes and ridges in the pavement. All the 2007 Saxon models sport the same Progressive Suspension rear shocks. I had to believe that between the additional weight and the inverted front end the suspension didn’t like the combination. It needed some stage 4 adjustments. Shock manufactures can adjust their shock characteristics for weight and travel. Even with the harsh Griffin ride I slapped the shit outta this motorcycle, barreling toward Phoenix as if I owned the freeway. I pushed her through the rambling mountain curves like a man hell bent for whiskey and action it town. We peeled all those new Saxons down the mountain like we were all racing to the same redhead’s bed.
Upon further investigation I discovered that the harsh ride was due to my weight, 240 pounds and the additional 50 pounds, due to the inverted front end and the massive rear wheel. Progressive suspension is altering their rear shocks for that model.
We stopped for sandwiches in a truck stop fulla cops, and I jumped aboard my last model ride, besides the new Crown, which I will road test in a separate article. None were available for this run into the Arizona Badlands. The Crown, designed by Gard Hollinger of LA County Choprods, has 2 new paint and graphics options that mix flat and metallic finishes, a new more comfortable hand tooled leather seat, better suspension, and a redesigned fender that accents the “old school-modernistic” styling.
The Firestorm was the initial Saxon Pro Street offering, prior to the Villain. It sports the narrow 260 tire but a long 4-inch backbone stretch for that long and low look.
I discovered last year the difference between styling and fit. Always considering long stretched bikes to be the fit for my 6’5” frame. I discovered that with the proper seat, peg position and handlebars a much lower stretched motorcycle could fit me a well as the tall, long front-end sister. Saxon addressed the issue with components allowing the rider to fit his motorcycle to his physical frame. The components were built to make any rider fit any bike.
So there you have it for Saxon 2007. A growing company, on the move, locally owned, not by some corporate giant, with a staff concerned about every component, every characteristic of their product from the handling to the pin-stripping. Watch Saxon grow over the next five years to become a major player in the industry.
