1985-1995: Kickstarting an Industry

Following the Japanese Bike Boom, the industry was hit by overstocked warehouses, a tariff on <750cc imported motorcycles, and a general Bike Bust.

National Cycle was in no mood to get busted, however, and continued to design and develop innovative products for motorcyclists worldwide. The polycarbonate Heavy Duty™ Windshield was expanded into a range of styles and sizes, while the world's first polycarbonate replacement screen, introduced for the BMW R100RT a year earlier, continued to sell extremely well.

The Japanese manufacturers were beginning to expand and refine their development of metric cruisers. Barry was quick to realize the importance of this growing market segment, and developed accessories and windshield applications designed exclusively for these bikes. The metric cruisers helped sell the accessories and, conversely, the range of quality accessories helped sell the bikes.

What many considered to be a passing fad or a shrinking market became a tidal wave of success for National Cycle. More importantly, National Cycle's investment in this market was a significant factor in its continued growth and development.

Continue Tour Back Next
Continue Tour Back Next