Where Are Keanu Reeves' Arch Motorcycles Actually Made?
A good number of motorcycle brands manufacture their bikes in the United States. Whether you ride or not, you’re likely familiar with theHarley-Davidson and Indiannames. However, one of the lesser-known brands that’s worth keeping an eye on is Arch Motorcycles. They’re a smaller brand based in California with a rather big name attached — Keanu Reeves, of “The Matrix” fame, and most recently known for his work in the “John Wick” films. Like many other actors, he diversifies his portfolio with his hand in a number of industries, andReeves is actually one of the founders of Arch Motorcycles.
And who doesn’t want to own a motorcycle partly created by Neo/John Wick? It’s no doubt a big draw to the brand. Arch isn’t anywhere near the scale of the big names in the industry that have offices all over the world. It’s a simple company witha single building in the Los Angeles-area city of Hawthorne, California, where it can accommodate every employee.
“We have them all in one place,” Gard Hollinger, the other co-founder of Arch Motorcycles Hollinger, toldCycle World. “So rather than creating the possibility for them to be out of sync or fighting each other, we’re always doing everything with the same goal.”
Hawthorne is ideal for Arch
A brand’s quality can’t be measured by its owner/co-founder’s popularity, though. It might be cool thatKeanu Reeves helped start Archin 2011, but the brand definitely merits just as much esteem whether his name is attached or not. Arch’s KRGT-1 bike is aworthy alternative to the Harley-Davidson V-Rod. But buying from Arch isn’t the same as walking onto a Harley lot. Arch doesn’t mass-produce its bikes or have a lot just anyone can peruse. Instead, each bike is made to order. Customers are invited to the Hawthorne building where they can ride a test model of the bike they’re interested in, then decide if they’re going to go through with the purchase.
If the customer decides to buy an Arch bike, every aspect of it, from the suspension to the ergonomics, is tuned to that individual . “Our clients are a part of the creative process from the beginning,“Archsays, “and work closely with our in-house designers to co-design their Arch motorcycle.” And, the company says,testing a motorcycle throughout the diverse landscape of Los Angeles and surrounding areas gives the company a good gauge of what riders need out of a bike. This also makes Hawthorne ideal for Arch’s business model.
Before you call to schedule your visit so you’re able to nab a John Wick-approved hog, though, these motorcycles come at a premium. Arch’s 1s, its second producton model, starts at $128,000, and the price increases as customers request changes.
