Motorcycle.com’s own Kevin Duke recently took a tour of Erik Buell’s “little” garage where Buell motorcycles are dreamed up and created and it looks like a mighty fine place to work!

The Buell factory is a quite small operation but quite technically advanced, using high-tech testing facilities and computer programs to design, build, and test out their bikes.  There’s only 170 people on staff!

Just 170 employees are responsible for the entire operation, and Mr. Buell joked during the tour, “Ducati has more people in their race department than I have in my whole company!”

Holy crap!  I bet all those 170 employees are total gear-heads, dedicated to their work. It also looks like they are hiring!  Harley-Davidson, their major partner/investor, seem to be in charge of the hiring by the looks of it, but I’ve included all the job positions available in Wisconsin, where the Buell factory is located. I’m betting those spots are for Buell.

See the rest of the article for possible job positions at Buell, Motorcycle.com’s video tour of the factory, and head over to their “Buell Factory Tour” written report to get details.

Buell Jobs

Corporate Conformity of Production Lead	Wisconsin	Engineering
Sr. Project Engineer	Wisconsin	Engineering
Staff Technical Specialist	Wisconsin	Engineering
Tax Analyst	Wisconsin	Finance
Assistant Manager General Merchandise	Wisconsin	General Merchandise
Designer	Wisconsin	General Merchandise
General Merchandise Associate Manager	Wisconsin	General Merchandise
Product Manager	Wisconsin	General Merchandise
Security Analyst Sr (SAP)	Wisconsin	Information Services
Advanced Manufacturing Technical Staff Engineer	Wisconsin	Manufacturing / Plant Ops
Development Purchasing Analyst Sr	Wisconsin	P&A/Parts & Accessories
Developmental Purchasing Analyst	Wisconsin	Purchasing
Supply Base Analyst Sr	Wisconsin	Purchasing
Manager, Service Marketing & Retail Capabilities	Wisconsin	Quality
Assistant Product Manager Retail Environment	Wisconsin	Sales
Manager, eMarketing	Wisconsin	Sales & Marketing
Manager, Project Event Operations	Wisconsin	Sales & Marketing
Sr. Project Manager, eMarketing	Wisconsin	Sales & Marketing
Sr. Project Manager, eMarketing	Wisconsin	Sales & Marketing

Head over to their job postings to see where else Harley-Davidson is hiring.

Wow, Honda, that’s quite an achievement!

2009 marks Honda’s fiftieth year of operations in the U.S. Our success in the global marketplace is the result of our commitment to continued investment in America’s future. That’s been our philosophy since we opened our doors here in 1959. It’s what we believe in. It’s what you expect, and it’s why we will continue to grow in America.

We thank our customers for the support and trust they’ve shown us, and look forward to challenging ourselves to create new products and services that bring value to our customers and society during the next 50 years.

The official day was Thursday, June 11.

They have a pretty nice little historical time-line slide show on their website that is really quite interesting so go check it out.

Honda has also thrown together a bit of a “throw-back” documentary on itself and shoved it up on youtube.

Check the full post for the video and Honda’s announcement.

Honda marked its first 50 years in America June 11, 2009, commemorating the establishment of American Honda Motor Co., Inc., in a small Los Angeles storefront on June 11, 1959.

“On behalf of the tens of thousands of Honda associates in America, past and present, we offer our deepest thanks to our customers for placing their trust in Honda over the past 50 years,” said American Honda President & CEO Tetsuo Iwamura. “Today, in the face of new challenges, including the preservation of our environment, we renew our commitment to exceed the expectations of our customers and society.”

Starting in 1959, with the fuel-efficient Honda 50 motorcycle, to the newly launched 2010 Honda Insight gas-electric hybrid vehicle, Honda has introduced new technologies and business strategies that have shaped the industry and the growth of Honda, including:

• First automaker to meet U.S. Clean Air Act without a catalytic converter Civic CVCC (1974)
• First vehicle to top U.S. EPA list of most fuel efficient cars Civic (1977)
• First Japanese automaker to build motorcycles (1979) and automobiles (1982) in America Marysville, Ohio*
• First Japanese automaker to establish a luxury automobile brand — Acura (1986)
• First mass produced gas electric hybrid car introduced in America — Insight (1999)
• First government-certified hydrogen fuel cell vehicle — FCX (2002)

Honda has steadily expanded its U.S. presence to encompass a broad range of products and operations. Today, Honda employs more than 27,000 U.S. associates engaged in the design, development, manufacturing, sale and servicing of Honda and Acura products including automobiles, motorcycles, ATVs, personal water craft, power equipment, and an advanced light jet.
Honda operates 10 U.S. manufacturing plants with two new plants under construction, along with 14 R&D facilities and more than 12 regional sales, parts and service, and finance offices around the country. The companys network of U.S. parts suppliers comprises 545 companies in 34 states with annual purchases exceeding $17.5 billion in 2008.

-Honda America

In an attempt to rekindle that passion, a limited edition of 300 Métisse Steve McQueen Desert Racer’s are on sale now. Complete bikes utilize a fully reconditioned period Triumph TR6 engine complete with a single Amal carburettor. Carefully constructed to employ modifications made by McQueen himself all those years ago, the bikes include styled footrests made to his original design and 35mm Ceriani forks with 7-inches of travel, which he found to be ideal through his experience. The yokes are from BSA, which were his preference because of the handlebar position which is set behind the steering stem which he found offered better control. The Metisse website boasts a quote from McQueen saying, “This rig is the best handling bike I’ve ever owned.” This reference was made about the original models constructed by Derek and Don Rickman, as McQueen succumbed to lung Cancer in 1980 at age 50.

This Desert Racer adopts a Mk III chrome-moly, nickel plated, oil bearing frame. Chromed steel wheel rims, period-accurate chromed exhausts, scramble rear tyre, trials front tire, Amal competition levers and twist grip. A period Triumph front hub with BSA rear, along with an authentic color coded tank, seat and panels round out the project. This bike is sold in its original form as a thoroughbred competition racer.

Each limited edition Desert Racer from Métisse comes with its own framed and embossed certificate of authenticity and Steve McQueen’s signature on the tank badge.

Source

The “Reitrad” was registered with the patent office on August 29, 1885 creating a whole new way to travel. The first public test ride occurred on November 10 of the same year with Daimler’s younger son, Adolf in the saddle giving birth to the public fascination for motorcycles that still exists today. It may seem like a basic and rudimentary design but just think, if it weren’t for the invention of this gas-powered wooden gadget 124 years ago, we might still be getting around by horse and buggy.