These American-made bikes have a nice classic look.
Most people haven’t heard of Janus Motorcycles, and that included Jay Leno until recently, so don’t sweat it if you were wondering what they are. American-made, these motorcycles have a throwback, classic look which will resonate with a lot of shoppers, if they’re aware of this brand’s existence.
Janus isn’t exactly huge. In fact, at the taping of this Jay Leno’s Garage segment, the company had made almost 500 motorcycles. That’s tiny, but there are some reasons you should keep your eyes peeled for these. After all, if Jay Leno likes them you know there’s something to this American brand.
Currently, Janus offers three motorcycle models: Halycon 250, Gryffin 250, and Phoenix 250. These bikes are running the CG250, a Honda single-cylinder engine known for being absolutely bulletproof. That means you don’t have to worry about your bike blowing up and needing major mechanical work, so long as you keep up on the regular maintenance. This choice also means the motorcycles are carbureted, which is actually really cool. And if anyone wants to accuse Janus of making high-polluting vehicles, it’s valuable to note these bikes have passed CARB’s lofty emissions standards, so you can buy them in California.
There are some other cool details, like the fact there’s an electric starter and a kick starter, just in case the battery goes dead or you just want to look cool. They’re fairly customizable from the factory, with options like saddle bags, windscreen, upgraded fuel tank, polished fishtail, engraved fuel cap, and a whole array of paint as well as pinstriping colors. Since these motorcycles are about 250 pounds wet, you shouldn’t be struggling to handle them, so they’re perfect for less-experienced riders.
Even better, these Janus models are pretty affordable. You can pick one up brand new for under $10,000. Of course, they lack the charm and name brand recognition you’ll get by going with a classic like we have available here on the site, which you might be able to find for around the same price or even for less money. But if you want something new, this is an option to consider.