JANUS motorcycles.

So yesterday we drove to Goshen Indiana , they are built there. There was a good turn out , but was a little disappointed there was not show room area . These bikes if you've never seen them are only 250cc powered by Honda engine these resemble an early Harley/Indian/Exselsior . These bikes look cool a little pricey price starts at 6995$ and go up with accessories take 4 to 6 weeks for delivery ,top speed is around 70 miles per hour ....speed is not the idea . Would I want one ...you bet , but for that amount of money I could get a Yamaha Bolt , Kawsaki , even a Harley , or a couple of Xj750 seca or maxim .

 

Not my thing but I am sure they will make some rider very happy.

 

I would not buy one either don't think I could not get used to any 250 again. My first bike was an MZ TS 150 a long time ago. It was ok for getting to work. I love my XJ 900f best bike I have owned in a longtime. It just ticks all the boxes for me great bikes.

 

The folks that had these bikes all seemed happy with the bikes, these seemed more like moped without the pedals. I was surprised how many were there , I did here one rider say there sales are good . I was kinda cool seeing a convoy of them take off. My wife thought these bikes were really old, she was surprised when I told her they were new LOL

 

https://www.janusmotorcycles.com/journal/2017/1/30/why-janus-motorcycles-part-3-classic-is-current

https://www.janusmotorcycles.com/shop#inventory

 

We use an imported motor. We get a lot of questions about it! So, let’s dig in. Our motor is imported from mainland China,

 

The engine is a Honda clone. IIRC it's one of the better ones from a factory that used to build them under license. I may be thinking of a different supplier though.

 

I see a lot of man buns and beards in that add...just saying...LOL and again to each their own.

 

artists at there crafts. selling nostalgia

 

As someone who only ordered one a week ago, allow me to explain...also, this topic still not mentioned on most forums, and if mentioned, a fairly old thread while this one still relatively fresh, so I registered only to offer some explanations as to why someone might buy one.

Firstly, as for the Lifan(?) engine, my searching shows the firm made machines for the Chinese market for Honda, and even though the old style engine a declining thing in the west, Honda sued Lifan and won when Lifan started selling its own Hongda machine using same exact badging, even. The engine Janus uses is a larger displacement, counterbalanced version of same pushrod bulletproof motor with few weaknesses.

As for the cost, it helps to be an older fart who considered a while back the idea of building a retro machine based on old Harley 45 parts, but which supply of parts dried up and likely looking at $30,000 and up today, to build such a machine, and most of the major parts new, off the shelf repro parts of unknown quality and requiring much modification.

The major parts of the Janus are done precisely as in the early days of motorcycling, with surrounding cottage industries as sole source suppliers of what amount to totally custom parts made to exact maker design, tanks and filter boxes hand welded by industious Amish youths, ditto exhaust, frames, fenders, front leading link suspension, bars, etc likewise done locally, and the guys running the show absolutely nuts about zero defect parts and finishes....these suppliers are also muchly 2nd and 3rd tier Detroit suppliers able to produce efficiently, profitably, and with exceptional quality.

The little outsourced, apart from engine and lights, are top drawer domestic CNC hubs, wheels, with stainless spokes, custom rotors, Ikon shocks specifically for this bike, etc...not to mention the powdercoated frame and all other metalwork, with choice of base color and hand painted and fragile badging and accent pinstriping, as in days gone by.

Sure, you can buy a muchly plastic facsimile Japanese bike of 250-300ccs with decals for $5000, and an all Chinese import facsimile of old school for $3000-$4000.

I think one will have all manner of fun trying to get a totally handmade bike from anyone else for anywhere near this price competitive with many factory chromed plastic bikes where plastic covers hide even more plastic....as for no showroom, it is because they are built to order including fabrication of the parts from which to build.

The point of the 250cc is not highway pounding or fastest off the line, but a light and handy bike truly fun and agile in town and on back roads. I am done now with 7/365 all-weather riding, and have been for 3yrs after riding non-stop since 1976, and time now just for pure pleasure riding on a simple and wide open easy to maintain bike, where I have nothing left to prove to anybody, except that, as always, NObody else is laying a wrench on MY machine.

Their market, I dunno....skinny old farts like me with faded 40yr old brown racing jacket with mandarin collar wanting an early 1925 hardtail, for sure, and also young hipsters in their tight little pegleg britches with unisex jackets graduating up from scooters...my money says older folk have the money to spend over hipsters, but they are upper midwest and I am southern, and no real idea. Nor do I care when I take the tan with maroon striping hardtail out for a spin...nobody will make fun of weathered ex military high and tight me, for sure...

 

as I said artists at there crafts. selling nostalgia


I do like the style of the Halcyon 250

 

I liked seeing all the bikes there at the factory , only thing that was a disappointment was no show room and I would have liked to go for a test ride. I agree these are unique bikes , these bikes are not for running at 135mph , they are for running back roads at 45 mph , I personally would like to see a 350 or 500cc version , but that is just me .

 

I was mainly all in for simplicity and quality and long term durability of components, over nostalgia, same as when looking 25yrs ago at building a 45, in both cases, machines put together with owner/mechanic in mind rather than wealthier folks trailering bikes in for scheduled maintenance.

Nice things such as actual leather rather than plastic facsimile, etc....of course, if someone's view today of nostalgia is wanting best quality metalwork, that speaks more about the modern mass consumer ethic of short lived disposable goods than it speaks of my mindset,....

Also, I love the leading link with about zero trail and zero dive on hardest braking, meaning fatter tire in back stays on asphalt and does the braking job intended, and the hardtail has zero squat accelerating so steering remains totally effective...conversely from prior experience I can guarantee shocks in back a very good thing in a washboard curve keeping back wheel from skittering out from under rider.

although, as for nostalgia, I freely admit rear shocks on bikes were only a 10yr old thing when I was a small kid going to scrambles and rallies with dad, and anything and everything was lined up in fields and taken cross country including old surplus 45s and BWW Rs and Moto Guzzi, Triumph etc predating most US import Japanese bikes entire.

As for testrides, they have twice monthly tours and testrides, and always bikes (original prototypes, even) for testrides if licensed to operate a motorcycle, and my guess from original post here that he attended the weekend of their 2nd annual rally and everything ridden that day?

Their production capacity is estimated at up to 500 machines per year without sacrificing quality, and currently are in the 250 annual production bracket....my machine due in mid Sept will be Halcyon #235 or so...or, maybe it was 335...will get official notice at some point. Only 3yrs into selling the Halcyon, so initial annual production slower as they get the flow down and bugs out of production system.

As for normal operational speed, am guessing it more a 55mph bike without flogging it, and being pushrod and counterbalanced, a free revving bike getting good power at that non-flogging 55-60mph upper end...two lane narrow highways here are 65mph normally run at 70+, so will definitely be reporting if problems in staying out of folks' way....the original 45 was a 45-50mph bike and expecting to better that figure in cruise, them having done 1000 miles in Baja and coast to coast on one suggests so as well.

 

The argument for the Janus is sound.
However for almost the same money one can now get a very nice, almost all-steel, 650cc parallel twin from Royal Enfield.
Choices....it's good to have them. I hope that Janus can keep production going for a very long time.

 

I had followed the Ural and Enfield sagas since they first were imported. They do not enjoy much of a reputation aside from a bad one, as for staying running without frequent and costly repairs. The Ural formerly was half the price of a Sportster, and is now higher, and have not priced a Pride Of India of late.

Neither of them are hardtails, either, and I was not particularly interested in a more modern retro bike, which both are, and which have been progressively modernized/improved/fixed even more at every year of import.

I wanted simple, carburetted, low tech and ease of access for maint, as well as reliable electrics. No disagreement that choices are good and that the Ural and Enfield both immediately drew my attention when they started import. However, my joy is riding and maintaining to ride for a reliable ride, knowing it done right. My joy is not maintaining to maintain, interspersed with some riding where no matter how meticulous the maintenance, something has a higher than average likelihood of failing, and the short run to store turning into a day/days of frustration. That is TOO much "romance" for me.

Whether the Janus does any better in long term remains to be seen, but they are starting out the gate several lengths ahead of the other two, already, and am keeping fingers crossed.

As for arguments, am only replaying my own pro/con deliberations made with self, including looking again at Ural and Enfield, prior to taking the plunge, and it may be I misled self entire....but, have always been the one to find out personally, rather than theorize, and majority of calls have turned out to be correct. Whether I had any actual need or even use for whatever is another can of worms, entire.

 

Truth in advertising statement: As said above, only reason for registering here was the fresh Janus thread...

I had to look up what bike the forum even promotes.

Having ridden since 1976, I still must take off my hat to my half-brother who truly was the motorcyclist from earliest age, me needing to wait until I could buy my own, and looking with envy at photos of older brother on a machine as a kid.

He was good enough that Team Yamaha tried to snag him in the mid 70s, but, he had married his high school sweetheart and had a new baby, and went to work as a machinist and welder for the rest of his life.

He still is happily married to that same beautiful girl, and last I saw him 2yrs ago, had just bought another machine of which he was quite proud, and which he could hardly wait to show me...

The machine? An exceptionally low miles, like-new, red, white and blue Seca as I found when looking up your forum namesake.

He, his wife, and his pals also still get together annually in north GA mountains for camping, fun, and riding 50-70cc minibikes massaged to run 70mph in the twisties.

 

This forum is for Yamaha XJ bikes but we have threads on other motorcycles and the hang out lounge. I do not live far from Goshen where Janus motorcycles are built , I just found these bikes interesting , would not give up my 82 XJ750 Seca though .

 

This thread is in the Other Motorcycles section. I didn't even need to move it there.

 

The Royal Enfield that I referenced (INT650 in the U.S., Interceptor everywhere else) is an all-new machine that was developed in England. It's worlds better than the Bullet in terms of build quality and reliability (Japan-like from what I've read).
All the reviews have been positive, and it seems like the current best-bang-for-the-buck machine currently on the market. If I had unlimited funds I would add both it and a Janus to the stable (along with a dozen or more other machines of various makes).

 

I really don't understand why people are enamored with hardtails. What is so appealing about a harsher ride?

If you want to ride rather than maintain, why do you want carburetors? I figure the carb aficionados are looking for at least some measure of pain.

On FI there is no maintenance to speak of, aside from occasional filter changes. There are so many things that can go wrong with carbs that simply cannot happen with fuel injection. No floats to adjust, no evaporating fuel from the bowls leaving varnish behind, no gas spills if the bike gets tipped over, no stuck floats leaking gas, no petcocks. Injectors don't get gummed up like jets, again because there is no fuel evaporating around them. Carbs are "a higher than average likelihood of failing" just because they are carbs. Frustration is a feature.

I currently own one of the earliest FI systems in the form of my BMW K100. The bike was unmaintained trash when I got it and didn't run. The only things I've done to the fuel system were a new filter for $12 and a set of injectors for $50. I didn't have to replace the injectors, but did out of principle - they were 35 years old. This took me about 45 minutes total, including unpacking of parts and cleanup. I won't need a new filter for several years, probably as long as I keep this bike. Fuel system really needs no attention whatsoever. Something might break, but it's a function of it being 35 years old, not of it being injected. Every single carbed bike I put back on the road took days of work. One even was so bad, I gave up and enlisted help of a forum member here.

The new Enfield twins are basically the old English twins, minus carb fiddling and crappy electrics. If I had the cash, I'd be buying one.

I'm not ragging on you, I just genuinely want to understand the logic. You aren't the only one, and I don't get the whole thought process behind it.