Janus Motorcycles is an American manufacturer who craft small-displacement motorcycles in their Goshen, Indiana factory. Founded in 2011 by Richard Worsham and Devin Biek, the company has been building motorcycles since 2013.
Worsham and Biek say they got their start repairing, restoring, and tuning vintage mopeds through Biek's company and that moped business led to their interest in small, lightweight bikes, and helped develop business relationships with local component vendors.
Their latest offering, the Janus Halcyon 450, has seen Janus bring the fabrication of their fenders in-house.
The process - and it’s classically old-school - was developed by Joe Cooper of Cooper Smithing Company. The result is a stylish fender featuring a rolled bead around the outside edges to add strength. The process takes some sheet metal to a beautifully-rounded finished piece.
Janus Motorcycles melds engines built in China with motorcycle components sourced from around the world then marries those parts with bodywork and other pieces made by Amish craftsmen near the Janus headquarters in Goshen.
Janus builds their models, including the Halcyon 250 and others, to order with prices beginning around $7,000. The latest model, the Halcyon 450, was created in answer to those who wanted a more thrilling top speed the previous lineup could offer.
"Our goal was really to make it highway-capable," Worsham said. It's "not designed for trans-continental touring - but it has been tested at speeds above 90 mph.”
Janus sources their power plants from an Italian firm, SWM, that has them assembled in China. The motors are fuel-injected, four-valve singles which are direct descendants of the engines from the old Honda XR400 and smaller models.
While the Halcyon 250 is a hardtail, the 450 sports a rear suspension to manage higher speeds and power provide rider comfort. Brembo brakes are also included on the 450 model.
And watching the fenders be created is indeed a throwback pleasure, have a look for yourself below.
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