Boy oh boy, I get to do some cool things. Today’s blog is a quick teaser for an upcoming story on the new Janus Halcyon 450. I won’t spoil the fun other than to say my last stop during a recent trip to Indiana was Janus Motorcycles, where I had an awesome plant tour and a ride on the new Halcyon 450 motorcycle. It was great. The motorcycle was impressive; the company even more so. I’m a big time Janus fan, having ridden their 250 Gryffin model through southern California and northern Baja with a couple of Janus big wheels (you can read that story here). I was pretty sure the 450 would be a wonderful motorcycle, and I was right.
Stay tuned, folks. There’s a lot more to this story.
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Janus, the Roman God of Transitions, symbolizes looking to the past and the future. It is a fitting name for Janus Motorcycles, a company building ultra-high quality modern motorcycles with classic styling from the 1920s and 1930s.
The Roman god Janus on display in the Vatican.
You may remember a couple of years ago I rode northern Baja with the Janus guys. It was a great ride (any ride in Baja is) and the Janus is a great motorcycle…a gem of a bike handcrafted in Goshen, Indiana. I had a wonderful time and I loved riding the Janus Gryffin.
The Janus Gryffin on Baja’s Rumarosa Grade.
Well, those boys in Goshen don’t sit still. The bike I rode was powered by a 250cc CG Honda clone engine and it was a hoot, but the Goshen guys had bigger plans. Janus announced today that they are introducing a new Halcyon with a 450cc engine. I’ll let the press release below, the Janus videos, and the brochure do the talking. Watch both videos; you’ll enjoy them.
Janus Motorcycles Releases New Halcyon 450 Model
Goshen, Indiana (March 8, 2021) — After 18 months of confidential development, Janus Motorcycles of Goshen, Indiana is unveiling their newest model, the Halcyon 450. Building off the best of what they offered in their 250 line, the Halcyon 450 features a higher top speed, a rear suspension, performance brakes, and several new hand-crafted details.
“Our 250 series owners love the light weight, hand-built features, and classic lines of the 250 series. With the Halcyon 450, we’ve worked to refine those features while improving the top speed and ride comfort. We’re extremely proud of the result,” says General Manager Grant Longenbaugh.
The Halcyon 450 features an SWM 445cc single-cylinder four valve engine with EFI, Brembo brakes, Sargent seat, and a new proprietary cantilever rear suspension.
Production is slated to begin in early June, with several units completed weekly.
Co-founder Richard Worsham says, “Like the 250, the 450 is a manifestation of what we believe is the spirit of motorcycling: the connection between the rider, machine, and landscape.” “We’re very excited to share that spirit with more and more riders,” he continued.
Janus Motorcycles uses a network of craftsmen in the Northern Indiana area (many of whom are Amish) to manufacture nearly all of their body work including the frame, fuel tanks, leather storage, and stainless steel exhausts. They are made to order and can be personalized with various paint, pinstripe, and finish options.
Janus was recently featured on Jay Leno’s Garage and the New York Times.
The 2021 Halcyon 450 starts at $13,500, and customers may reserve their bike with a deposit.
There you have it, folks. I like this new Halcyon, and the spec that stands out for me is the weight: Just 360 lbs! Watch the ExNotes blog; we’ll have more info on Janus and the new 450 in future posts.
If you would like to read about our Janus Baja ride on the 250cc Gryffin and Halcyon motorcycles, you can do so here!
