Breaking News. A New American Motorcycle Brand Is Born. Vanguard To Launch The Roadster In New York December 9.

1vanguardroadster2vanguardroadster3vanguardroadsterVanguard is a new brand with a premium motorcycle designed and built in Brooklyn, NY. The company is led by renowned designer Edward Jacobs and serial entrepreneur Francois-Xavier Terny. They partnered a couple years ago with the intention of “ building, with a fresh perspective and unique approach, a premium motorcycle brand of revolutionary effect.” And you must admit that you never saw a motorcycle like that.

4bisvanguardroadster10vanguardroadster5vanguardroadsterThe Roadster – to be officially unveiled at the NY Motorcycle Show – Dec 9 -11 at the Javits Center in Manhattan – demonstrates a lot of forward-thinking design and pioneering features without equivalent in the market. Jacobs and Terny intend to open new perspectives for the motorcycle industry and to bikers very unique models without equivalent. Vanguard will follow with a sportsbike and a cruiser built on the same powertrain platform.
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Designing the Roadster was done with a fresh approach, breaking everything down into rethinking needs and solutions. The result is a unique and striking contemporary silhouette blending form and function. The Roadster boasts many unique features including a frameless structural engine, unitized crankcase, integrated exhaust and a tablet-size digital dashboard with rear-view camera. Vanguard motorcycles will be assembled in New York City at the Brooklyn Navy Yard with production of the Roadster stated to begin in 2018. Vanguard is looking for dealers to be ambassadors of the new brand and is already accepting direct pre-orders with price starting at $29,995. If you are interested, reach out to David Wax on my behalf.

4vanguardroadster6vanguardroadster13vanguardroadster9vanguardroadsterLooking like nothing else, only one Roadster’s major component is recognizable: the modified 117” (1917 cc) 56-degree S&S X-Wedge engine providing 110 pound-feet of torque and on which the Roadster is built around. For aesthetics and show, there is a clear cam cover letting you watch the belts spin. The bike subframe mounts directly off the engine, with the 3-gallon gas tank on top of it, looking like swallowing the cylinder heads.

A slick color tablet replaces the dash, and transmit images shot from the rear view camera. A massive single sided swingarm hold the wide wheel dressed in 240 mm rubber. Ohlins provides the rear suspension with the system hidden in an aluminum box with top viewing window. Inverted front end is also very unusual integrating a flat 6-led headlight. Brembo brakes are trusted to slow the Roadster. Although being almost entirely metal, the Roadster is surprisingly quite light at 550 lbs dry.

The prototype featured here will be exhbited in one week at the NY Show (Dec 9-11). To those going to see it up close at the Javits Center, please send me your impressions and comments. Vanguard Moto Inc(photos @ Vanguard)

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59 Responses to “Breaking News. A New American Motorcycle Brand Is Born. Vanguard To Launch The Roadster In New York December 9.”


  1. 1 Chief Waldo Dec 2nd, 2016 at 10:54 am

    I’ll take a good look at it on December 9, but my initial impression is…
    Wow… another “new and exciting” motorcycle based on an S&S engine…

  2. 2 Russell Mitchell Dec 2nd, 2016 at 11:03 am

    Very interesting. But no possible way they will be able to offer that bike, street legal, for under $30K. Or is this a concept bike designed to be a teaser for the brand?

  3. 3 Gary Dec 2nd, 2016 at 11:14 am

    Love it! Fresh…

  4. 4 Bo Dec 2nd, 2016 at 11:15 am

    WOW….I’m getting OLD!

  5. 5 Greeko Dec 2nd, 2016 at 11:20 am

    Amazing bike. A new American brand. Yippee. A great new design. Yippee.

  6. 6 P. Hamilton Dec 2nd, 2016 at 11:21 am

    Like nothing else and better than most. Bravo.

  7. 7 Brick City Moto Dec 2nd, 2016 at 11:22 am

    Tank looks like a Rubbermaid container wrapped in vinyl. Seat is seriously lacking in imagination. Tablet looks like it was added on after the fact instead of integrated. A lot of it starting from the swingarm forward looks clunky… more like an 80’s Transformer than sophistication in modern machinery. Interested to see the final product though.

  8. 8 Peter Sonoma Dec 2nd, 2016 at 11:23 am

    Excellent design. My only critic is the 32″ high seat. Difficult for short guys.

  9. 9 George Mansel Dec 2nd, 2016 at 11:26 am

    Brick City. I completely disagree with what you wrote. It’s a high tech bike. It got high tech lines and features and it’s a coherent design.

  10. 10 Dieter - South Africa Dec 2nd, 2016 at 11:27 am

    Holy Mackerel ……………. that HAS to be the UGLIEST bike I have ever seen and my 11 year old could improve on that with his Lego Box.

    Premium Designers ???? Ehm – go back to the drawing board P L E A S E.

    As for a “new American motorcycle” is born ………….surely it should say ANOTHER as VICTORY was born first and INDIAN is reborn.

    Geez – I’m GLAD I’m getting old

    ☺☺☺

  11. 11 Drake Dec 2nd, 2016 at 11:30 am

    Dieter. You don’t like it because you are old. It’s not for you. Young guys with $$$ should love it.

  12. 12 Andy Fat Boy Dec 2nd, 2016 at 11:43 am

    I applauded a new venture and guess accessories to come for real world riding? Right now it appears more for the young RUB.

  13. 13 Mark J Dec 2nd, 2016 at 11:47 am

    Another S&S custom??? Ed Jacobs leaves Confederate and designs his own Hellcat? I don’t know about you, but I’m more of a Coke guy than a Sam’s Cola guy! By the time this is in production for $30,000, it will just be a cheap cheap copy! Confederate has been doing it right for over 25 years, don’t bother competing! Plus the Hellcat’s are just more beautiful 🙂

  14. 14 Lady Bird Dec 2nd, 2016 at 11:47 am

    I am totally loving this bike. What a conversation piece. The seat/tank reminds me of my old Kawazaki GPZ 500. Are those shocks? I have soo may questions…
    Way to go on the design.

  15. 15 GreenMonster67 Dec 2nd, 2016 at 11:52 am

    “And you must admit that you never saw a motorcycle like that.”

    Confederate Motorcycles in Alabama was founded in 1990’s. So we’re quite use to it by now! :p

  16. 16 Richie Dec 2nd, 2016 at 11:52 am

    Very innovative. I applaud.

  17. 17 J. Vanderbuild Dec 2nd, 2016 at 11:54 am

    Confederate never sold more than 10 bikes a year. Vanguard will time this many times.

  18. 18 Mark Anfield Dec 2nd, 2016 at 11:56 am

    People will love or hate it. I think it’s a very interesting motorcycle.

  19. 19 BobS Dec 2nd, 2016 at 11:59 am

    It looks to me like what we’d get if Confederate hired Shinya Kimura as a designer. I love it, but it doesn’t look like something to launch a new motorcycle company with. It looks more like something to sell a few dozen S&S customs a year. For the guy who can’t afford an Arch…

  20. 20 grouchy Dec 2nd, 2016 at 12:00 pm

    If the bike is fast, not a lot to hold your ass on the seat, ha, ha

  21. 21 Dan Hoover Dec 2nd, 2016 at 12:04 pm

    I bet they will sell a couple of hundreds the 1st year. Don’t know if it’s enough to survive.

  22. 22 DEANO Dec 2nd, 2016 at 12:06 pm

    Ugh… it’s FUGLY

  23. 23 Mark J Dec 2nd, 2016 at 12:16 pm

    J. Vanderbuild

    I’ve followed Confederate since before Ed was a designer there. They sell and build at least 50 a year. Ed will never get this bike down to under $30,000. He should at least compete with Arch, as this is much more attractive than those!

  24. 24 coma Dec 2nd, 2016 at 12:36 pm

    Awesome!

  25. 25 A 1 CYCLES Dec 2nd, 2016 at 12:46 pm

    so well done untill you get to off the shelf brembo calipers and sunstar rotors on front wheel..at least mill the calipers smooth and get custom rotors..they stand out as normal on an amazing machine

  26. 26 nicker Dec 2nd, 2016 at 12:48 pm

    Certainly a “space-age” design.
    But building it to sell at $30k….???

    -nicker-

  27. 27 BC Dec 2nd, 2016 at 12:49 pm

    What Russell said.

  28. 28 mkv Dec 2nd, 2016 at 1:14 pm

    People are buying 40K CVO’s and 30K Harley Ultras. High end mass produced sportbikes are selling up to 20K now. How is this any different if they can get it to 30K? I think thats a steal right right there, but if this is just a concept, imagine what a 30K production model would look like?

  29. 29 VincenzosGhost Dec 2nd, 2016 at 1:50 pm

    To sum it up quite nicely . It looks like the south end of a north bound mule with a digestive problem after swallowing a closet full of tupperware .

  30. 30 bigitch Dec 2nd, 2016 at 1:55 pm

    i’ll get one from e-bay in 5 years

  31. 31 Richard Lee Dec 2nd, 2016 at 2:19 pm

    Oh dear. Oh dear
    A better name would be bankruptcy
    Hope they don’t get the chance to take their suppliers for a single cent.

  32. 32 Deckerron Dec 2nd, 2016 at 2:21 pm

    Interesting design for the tech savvy rider, but not my style at all. Confederate introduced this “genre” to a specific market more than twenty years ago, and they’ve held their ground, and ARCH has carved out a similar niche, so obviously there is a demand for this styling. The see through gear chest and other view ports look cool on an un-run machine, but I’m pretty sure they’re going to develop a layer of sludge from misting in no time at all.
    Whether this concept a “statement” or an actual EPA certified road machine will remain to be seen. I’m not sure how well the exhaust ported through the engine cases is going to serve a 117″ air cooled heat pump? All the heat has to go somewhere, and pumping it on to the back tire doesn’t seem to be the best idea in my mind.

  33. 33 andrewm Dec 2nd, 2016 at 3:35 pm

    why is is a shaft drive? shouldnt he have turned the motor like a guzzi? would like to hear their reason

  34. 34 Danny Dec 2nd, 2016 at 5:19 pm

    Hey Cyril, test ride the prototype and tell us what you think.

  35. 35 seymour Dec 2nd, 2016 at 6:11 pm

    Once it gets fenders on it will look like a Virago?

  36. 36 USAYGO Dec 2nd, 2016 at 6:12 pm

    @Brick City Moto, Russell Mitchell, Ditto

  37. 37 Woody's Dec 2nd, 2016 at 6:43 pm

    Has the market been begging for yet another V-Twin, but with a giant tongue for a seat?

  38. 38 Zenaldo Dec 2nd, 2016 at 7:35 pm

    industrial looking might be the term here..sorry, I’ll pass…

  39. 39 Freddy Dec 2nd, 2016 at 10:00 pm

    Good or bad it’s a motorcycle you can’t customize.

  40. 40 Economessed Dec 2nd, 2016 at 10:40 pm

    Tough crowd here. Having hand built 3 motorcycles myself, I am very impressed by what they have shown us, if indeed they can offer it for sale at or under $30K. I’d like to hear more about their philosophy behind this bike — there were a few aspects of what we saw there in the photos that looked like more of a design statement than a commitment to function, performance and reliability; for instance: the use of plexiglas, which has some undesirable characteristics that I think these folks will come to understand.

    Either way, I’m glad to see some bold entrepreneurial steps forward in the manufactured motorcycle space. Hopefully these folks will show us what they can do with other materials like carbon fiber in the future — they certainly have a modern industrial mastery of aluminum.

  41. 41 Iron Horse Dec 2nd, 2016 at 11:17 pm

    Interesting piece of engineering. There sure are a lot of twists and turns with the power transmission to be able to turn a driveshaft. I too am skeptical of the exhaust ducking into the shielding around the engine, but maybe they have some space shuttle heat shielding to keep it from making the engine too toasty. I do kind of dig the way they integrated the lighting into the forks to keep it clean.

    Time will tell if they can actually build it and meet the proposed price point.

  42. 42 rebel Dec 3rd, 2016 at 9:30 am

    defiantly a bike you couldn’t walk by in the parking lot, i’m all for it just for the mechanical/visual value

  43. 43 highrpm Dec 3rd, 2016 at 10:01 am

    not something one would expect from ferrari or mclaren. the moto world is tough market to run in. a bike like this hasn’t a chance of market acceptance or survival.

  44. 44 burnout Dec 3rd, 2016 at 10:02 am

    It will get a LOT of attention but I agree with Russell Mitchell. peace

  45. 45 RWC Dec 3rd, 2016 at 10:18 am

    Sorry, just a confederate knock off. Copied their styling of the S&S motor etc. it will be very tough to be profitable at that price point unles the motor is an add on accessory.

  46. 46 Phil Danbury Dec 3rd, 2016 at 11:03 am

    Some among you think that the company will not be able to retail this bike for 30K. But something you don’t know and that I suspect. The Roadster may have been engineered for a fast assembly with minimum labor cost. The second aspect is what is the market? Who, what age, what profile, etc. I am curious to know the demographics they are after.

  47. 47 Matt W. Dec 3rd, 2016 at 1:07 pm

    Cafe Confederate?

  48. 48 chris Dec 3rd, 2016 at 6:14 pm

    Looks heavy !

  49. 49 Badams Dec 4th, 2016 at 3:15 am

    TRON

  50. 50 mick chadwick Dec 4th, 2016 at 10:16 am

    love it or hate check the engineering- ! S&S and handling chassis and brakes- awesome- 30K a steal- price the parts to build it you would have a job! awesome- Mick

  51. 51 Drive the Wheels Off Dec 4th, 2016 at 12:52 pm

    For the VMax-type of rider, this is a solid contender! Consider the costs put into the VMax customs you’ve seen and this quickly becomes a great alternative.

    The genius in this design is how he incorporated a low cost assembly into an aesthetic that doesn’t look like that was the primary goal. It Definitely has cool features:

    Rear wheel, integrated lighting, chassis (Heat in the heads is a big question, though)

    The motor is so massive it’s hard to get the wheelbase below 59″ but the VMax type of rider isn’t carving canyons with as much enthusiasm as a road racer or cafe racer rider. Which begs the question will they use this motor for their sportbike?

    Wonder how that motor would look turned 90 degrees in the chassis? Are the cylinders/heads too wide & tall for the rider’s knees? My guzzi’s heads tuck under the tank just enough

  52. 52 Jim Watson Dec 5th, 2016 at 10:38 am

    Looks Interesting, Where do you put the license plate without making it look like a. . .

  53. 53 bigalyts Dec 5th, 2016 at 2:21 pm

    Wow, If they build this Bike for $30 Grand or $35 Grand everyone will seen how much money Confederate over charges for their Generation II and Generation III Motorcycles. Mark J. Who said Confederate has been doing it Right for 25 Years? Do you meant they have been working hard seeking Investors for 25 Years.

  54. 54 Blackmax Dec 5th, 2016 at 5:48 pm

    Little too fancy for my taste & too old to ride it !
    But the workmanship looks top notch !!
    And probably runs like a bat out of Hell
    Again the trick is, does it appeal to the right niche, that has enough $$ to buy it ??
    Time will tell ???

  55. 55 Mdkuder Dec 6th, 2016 at 12:45 pm

    Built for robots?

  56. 56 J Dec 7th, 2016 at 6:35 pm

    Interesting bike- I dig it.

    Not a chance in Hell they can sell it for $30K tho- prolly not even $60K- ask Arch how that works…..

  57. 57 Hobo Tom Dec 11th, 2016 at 5:00 pm

    Any body who steps up with their own design/concept deserves credit. In case everyone forgot it is called the Amican dream . Now that Ed has our attention with a super bike, how about make one we the people can afford. Oh wait maybe Trump should have given Ed the Millions of dollars in his local home town where people would like a job. Don’t miss understand me guys in Indy need jobs to .

  58. 58 CWGLIDE Dec 12th, 2016 at 1:45 pm

    The model shown does not look like a street legal model. I can tell form the rear taillight it will not pass FSMS 108 regulatory requirements, or how about the exhaust DB requirement. Not my kind of motorcycle but I dig the innovation and cool features, rear camera, clear cam cover, good luck to Vanguard!!!

  59. 59 pjarhead Jan 1st, 2017 at 5:49 pm

    from the advertisement-style write-up: “with the 3-gallon gas tank on top of it”

    from the spec sheet: “Fuel Capacity 5.5 gals.”

    If the engineering has as a low degree of accuracy as the write-up, you’re in big trouble.

    Personally, I would not be a customer. Hand and foot-peg placement does not meet my riding style, and the price-point is beyond affordable for such a stripped down bike. No bags, no storage, no screen, no stereo, all of which are on competitor ‘mass’ production bikes in the same range. Only way it’s worth that price is if it’s a one-off collector’s piece.

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Cyril Huze