Harley-Davidson, the most famous motorcycle manufacturer in the world, was founded in 1903 by William Harley and his childhood friend Arthur Davidson in Milwaukee. While the first vehicle they created was more of a motorized bicycle than a traditional motorbike, it was only a few years before Harley-Davidson had started to develop their own signature style.

Motorcycles built by Harley-Davidson have become part of popular culture, but they are far from the only motorbike manufacturers in the States. Bikers should challenge themselves and try out some of the magnificent models created by Harley-Davidson’s rivals.

Related: 10 American Motorcycles Everyone Loves

10 Victory 8-Ball

Victory 8-Ball
Via totalmotorcycle.com

Unlike Harley-Davidson, who has enjoyed a long and successful history, Iowa-based Victory Motorcycles was only established in 1999, and by 2017 the company had gone out of business after they had failed in their bid to become a major player in the US motorcycle market.

However, you can still pick up second-hand Victory models, and the highlight of their collection was the 8-Ball versions of the Hammer, Vegas, Kingpin, Vision, and Cross Country motorcycles. The Victory 8-Ball cruisers are stripped back versions of the bikes with lower seats, making them much more appealing to serious riders.

9 Indian FTR 1200

Indian FTR 1200
Via pinterest.com

The Indian Motorcycle Company is one of only two American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression in the 1930s – the other being Harley-Davidson. While the Indian Motorcycle Company ceased to be independent in 1953 it still exists as a popular brand, currently owned by Polaris Industries who were the “brains” behind Victory Motorcycles.

One of the most stylish modern Indian motorbikes is the Indian FTR 1200, a street motorcycle that was inspired by the Indian FTR750, a competition-only dirt bike that won the Manufacturer’s Championship in American Flat Track racing in 2017 and 2018.

Related: Every Collector Wants These American Motorcycles

8 Erik Buell Racing 1190RS

Erik Buell Racing 1190RS
Via rideapart.com

Motorcycle racer Erik Buell is the man behind both the Buell Motorcycle Company and Erik Buell Racing, and he used his expertise to create some impressive motorbikes since making his move into designing and manufacturing motorcycles in 1983.

Erik Buell Racing was founded much later in 2009 and sadly only survived for six years before going out of business. Before they folded, the company did get to unveil the impressive Erik Buell Racing 1190RS sportbike, a limited edition sports bike with a top speed of over 180mph.

7 Zero SR

Zero SR
Via reddit.com

Car manufacturers aren’t the only companies who are embracing the new technology that allows them to create electric vehicles. Harley-Davidson has launched its own battery-powered LiveWire motorcycle, while Zero Motorcycles is a new company that only manufactures electric motorbike’s.

They currently make a range of bikes, having started with the Zero S in 2010. The Zero SR is a higher-performance version of this original motorcycle, which hit the market in 2014. The Zero SR has itself also been developed and upgraded to create two trellis-framed bikes, the Zero SR/F and the Zero SR/S.

6 Confederate FA-13 Combat Bomber

Confederate FA-13 Combat Bomber
Via loversofmoto.com

Top prize for the most intimidating motorcycle name has to go to the Confederate FA-13 Combat Bomber. Despite sounding more like a military aircraft, it is in fact one of the most stunning two-wheeled creations by Confederate Motorcycles.

The bike’s bodywork was carved from military-grade aluminum with a matte black finish. The manufacturer may have changed their name from Confederate Motorcycles to Combat Motors, but their FA-13 Combat Bomber is just as tough in 2020 as it was when it was launched in 2017 with only a handful of models hand-made every year.

5 Motus MSTR

Motus MSTR
Via cycleworld.com

Motus may be the new kid on the block when it comes to American motorcycle manufacturers, but that hasn’t stopped them from making an impressive debut with the Motus MSTR. The sports bike was launched at the 2011 Dayton Bike Week before production started in 2014.

The MSTR is powered by a pushrod V4 engine; the first time this type of engine had been used on an American motorcycle. Motus also took their impressive sports bike to the Bonneville Salt Flats, where it reached a top speed of 169.89mph to become the world's fastest pushrod-engine production motorcycle.

Related: 10 Indian Motorcycles We’d Ride Over A Harley Any Day

4 Buell Firebolt XB12R

Buell lightning
via Moto.Zombdrive

The Buell Motorcycle Company was former racer Erik Buell’s first foray into the world of motorbike design and manufacturer. Established in 1983, Buell was bought by Harley-Davidson in 2003 and the Buell brand was eventually discontinued in 2009 after building almost 140,000 high-end motorcycles.

Second-hand Buell motorcycles are hugely popular with collectors, especially the Buell Firebolt XB12R, a powerful sports bike first sold in 2008 which handles well even at high speeds. In fact, Bike magazine named the Firebolt as the “Best Cornering Motorcycle of All Time”.

3 Alta Motors Redshift SM

Alta Motors Redshift SM
Via asphaltandrubber.org

Alta Motors was another motorcycle manufacturer who hoped to cash in on the increasing popularity of electric bikes when they were founded in 2007, but unlike rivals Zero who have gone from strength to strength since, Alta found themselves out of business just ten years later.

They did leave behind one excellent example of an electric motorcycle, however, in the shape of the Alta Motors Redshift SM. It has the look of an off-road bike, with stripped-back bodywork and tough shock absorbers, but is absolutely road legal and has a range of around 50 miles.

2 Lightning LS-218

Lightning LS-218
Via rideapart.com

The designers of electric motorcycles are making great strides towards creating environmentally-friendly motorbikes that also look great and are fun to drive. Founded in 2006, Lightning Motorcycles developed its lithium battery for use in their bikes, and their first design set a new land speed record at Bonneville in 2012.

The stunning Lightning LS-218 even won the Pikes Peak Race to the Clouds in Colorado in 2013, beating all their gas-guzzling rivals, and with a top speed of 218mph, it is the fastest production motorcycle, gas or electric.

1 Indian Scout Bobber

Indian Scout Bobber
Via cycleworld.com

The Indian Scout has a history that goes back to the earliest days of the Indian Motorcycle Company. In production for 40 years between 1919 and 1949, the Indian Scout was even used by Allied troops during the Second World War.

The name returned recently with the Indian Scout Bobber, a beautiful retro tribute to motorcycles of old. Stylishly finished with a “Thunder Black” paint job, and proudly displaying the historic Indian name on the side of the fuel tank, perhaps the best thing about the Bobber is that it has a starting price of just $11,000.

Next: 25 Used Motorcycles Americans Should Never Buy