Today in motorcycle history, January 29, 1999

  Excelsior-Henderson today announced that on Saturday, January 30, 1999, it will ship the first revenue 1999 Super X motorcycle to one of the Dealers in the Excelsior-Henderson National Dealer network.  Production and shipment of the Super X will now ramp-up slowly during the remainder of the first quarter of 1999.  A portion of the initial production bikes will be designated for the Excelsior-Henderson Demo Team and marketing events, such as the World of Wheels Show in St. Paul on Febuary 12-14, and Daytona Bike Week on February 27-March 7.  The Excelsior-Henderson Road Crew Demo Team will conduct demonstration rides for visiting bikers during Daytona Bike Week.  Dealer shipments will accelerate during March and the second quarter of 1999.
  "It was truly exciting to see the first Super X complete final quality testing, crated in the Excelsior-Henderson branded shipping crates, and loaded on a truck to be delivered to one of our nationally recognized Excelsior-Henderson dealers," stated CO-founders Dan, Dave and Jenny Hanlon.  "We now look forward to publically showing the new Super X at the  World of Wheels Show in St. Paul, and at Daytona Bike Week," added the Hanlons. 

  Before their steel-toe Chippewa boots could kick it into third gear the impending financial market collapse of 1999-2000 resulted in Excelsior-Henderson having difficulty completing the next scheduled capital infusion, and became an indirect casualty of the financial marketplace. Therefore, on December 21, 1999, Excelsior-Henderson filed for a Chapter 11 reorganization.   Then like a hot-potato, the company was sold to a Florida investment group, which later filed for reorganization. Production of motorcycles never commenced.

   In case you're interested there is an official Excelsior-Henderson Motorcycles website still out there cruising the cyber-highway, which is about all the highway they ever saw.

   The bikes are gone, but an Excelsior-Henderson book was published,  ironically titled "Riding The American Dream".