News – Saxon Henchman, a rebel in a niche market – Second hand SAXON

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Saxon Henchman, a rebel in a niche market

News - Saxon Henchman, a rebel in a niche market - Second hand SAXON

American chopper maker Saxon unveils the Henchman, a new model with an uncompromising rigid frame, a 1600cc S&S V-Twin and a face to make those nostalgic for the San Francisco years old green with envy 60… for 23 800 €.

Presented yesterday in Paris in preview, the prototype of the new model of the American manufacturer Saxon, the Henchman ("acolyte, servant, squire"), targets a niche market: that of passionate motorcycles produced in an almost artisanal way and sold at high prices Golden.

Technical characteristics

Frame : rigid
Engine : S&S in V
Displacement : 1600 cm3
Power : 95 hp at the rear wheel in the United States, or about 85 hp in Europe with the approved carburetor
Box : 6 speeds
Primary transmission : string
Secondary transmission : string
Wheelbase : 174 cm
Front wheel : 80 departments 21-90
Rear wheel : 80 spokes 200-18
Fork : telescopic 41mm (Springer optional: + 1000 €)
Brakes : front and rear Brembo disc
Tires : Metzeler
Saddle : spring loaded
Weight : about 250 kg
Base model price : 23 800 €
Guarantee : 2 years
Absolut Cycles : 12 rue des Boulets 75011 Paris

Like the rest of the Saxon range, the Henchman is equipped with the famous S&S engine, the American manufacturer based in Wisconsin which has just celebrated its 50 years. It is in the lineage of American choppers, these stripped-down, powerful and light motorcycles which made it possible to "devour the endless asphalt of the great outdoors", Saxon explains with a certain nostalgia..

Historically, this type of bike was indeed exclusively produced by preparers: the first choppers were created in the post-war years, when young Americans began to remove everything that was not strictly essential for the proper functioning of the bike while adding personalized decoration elements.

There are still several today, but the Saxon brand, created in 2004 by entrepreneurs from the real estate construction industry, differentiates itself by manufacturing fully approved machines, including for the European market (automatic lighting of headlights, noise reduction, exhaust pipes, etc.).

Motorcycles are born at the gates of the desert in Casa Grande, in the suburbs of Phoenix (Arizona), where the company’s headquarters are located. Saxon is therefore a relatively new brand, but it displays "a will and professionalism superior to other preparers of this type of motorcycles ", assures the European importer Franck Vermeulen – nothing to do with Chris! -, technical director of New Rebel Motorcycles.

The three models of the Saxon range available in Europe (Warlord, Firestorm and the "little" last Henchman) "will all be Euro3 compatible within a few months, before January 1, 2009", he says."Absolut Cycles in Paris is undoubtedly the most beautiful Saxon store in Europe", continues Franck who also works with Belgium, Switzerland, Italy and soon Denmark (Copenhagen) and Spain (Marbella).

At the origin of Absolut Cycles, we find Nicolas Torre and Xavier Essayan, who spent 20 years as a mechanic and then as (very good!) Foreman at the Parisian dealer ATS. "Today, Absolut Cycles represents for me the culmination of a long experience", rejoices Xavier.

Contrary to current production

The Henchman, which has already recorded several orders in France (including one last night during its presentation!), Is placed at a price "reasonable"(everything is relative!) for a motorcycle of this type: 23,800 euros in the basic version, to which can be added 1,000 euros for an optional Springer fork.

It therefore differs from the other two models in the range by its price (30,797 euros for the Warlord and 29,900 for the Firestorm), but above all by its very reduced wheelbase compared to the others (174 cm for the Henchman, against 206 cm for the Warlord and 198 cm for the Firestorm) and by its final transmission by chain, not by belt.

"This is a very basic motorcycle with a rigid frame, it is the complete opposite of the current production and the return to the Frisco of the 60s !"enthuses Xavier Essayan, who has two types of clients:"purists who indulge themselves and those looking for an urban toy capable of triggering cheers. 99% of them are people who have had Harleys before but want to prepare them, which is very expensive. With Saxon, they can have an almost unique motorcycle".

"Saxon sold 65 models in Europe this year, including around 25 in France", specifies Franck Vermeulen who aims for 2009 a target of"100 to 120 sales in Europe including 30 to 40 in France, which is our best market with Italy".

The American manufacturer, which employs 35 people, manufactures its motorcycles in an almost artisanal way. "A total of 22 people are needed to manufacture a model, but on the final assembly line only 5 or 6 work on each machine", specifies Xavier.

Handmade graphics

"Each motorcycle is unique, the graphics are made by hand", outbid Franck Vermeulen who decided two years ago to import American motorcycles in Europe."We met a dozen companies but we quickly chose Saxon because its managers Jerry Petty and Steve Seymour, from real estate construction, work from a very professional perspective compared to amateur preparers, not very open to the European market.".

Saxon, which has around 30 outlets in the United States, produced this year "450 motorcycles including 350 for the American market, 60 for Europe and a few others for South Africa, Australia, etc..", he continues before revealing to us that a fourth model for Europe – whose name is"still under study"- is scheduled for February 2009 … Stay tuned !

Eric MICHEL

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