[Guaire]

Couldn't they do a deal with a Taiwan company for engines?

[AzCal Retred]

Like this one?
http://www.genuinescooters.com/g400c.html

Looks like the Janus outer cases are different from the G400C clone, more "old skool". The cylinder finning on the Janus appears to be more generous, it protrudes past the head finning, which seems to be the same as the G400C. Apparently SWM was able/willing to give Janus more of what they were looking for in customization. The bigger barrel suggests that Janus wanted some reserve built into their powerplant, maybe for hot-weather reliability or a perhaps planning for bigger future slug. The Janus is a great bike wrapped in rolling artwork, the G400C is just a great bike. 90% or more of us can't ride our machines to any sort of performance potential anyway, The Janus is for "arty folks" that have enough spare coin to appreciate workmanship. They aren't building mass market BSA B15-go-to-work-in-Birmingham sloggers, although they'd do that for certain. A backpack, bedroll, a credit card, & a copy of Jack Kerouac's "On the Road" and you're off the live the dream on your Janus 450, eh?
https://www.janusmotorcycles.com/build-a-motorcycle/?resumeOrder=true&bike=Halcyon+450

[AzCal Retred]

More Halcyon 450 info - good R&D footage.

Halcyon 450 Development Ep. 2 | Franken 450

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnDH_MPzKKE

[axman88]

This is the first time I've seen one of these being offered on the used market.  Not too surprising, since Janus only builds around 20 bikes per month, and offered 3 different models at that time.  Janus commenced manufacturing in 2013.  Their first product was a Halcyon with a 50cc WATER COOLED engine.  Very retro looking in my opinion, with all that airspace around the engine.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHidbx4oL8U 

The Halcyon 250 was introduced in 2015.  Current MSRP Base price is $7495.

A 2019 Janus Halcyon 250, in burgundy, with 513 miles on the odometer, being offered up for $6995.
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/911552486275633/

Seller's description:
This is a Halcyon model motorcycle manufactured by Janus Motorcycles in Goshen, Indiana. It looks like a vintage motorcycle, but it was actually manufactured in 2019. It is lightweight and ideal for cruising around town or on country roads.

[AzCal Retred]

The Halcyon's are beautiful rolling art. If you want to play, you'd best not be worried about rent or car payments. It's not much fun when you suddenly realize that you may not actually possess the disposable income magnitude necessary to play with the monied crowd. The grudging $500 discount is typical of that mentality. A normal person would drop a couple thousand off the top, take his lumps & move on. The guy pretending to be affluent can't "afford" that luxury so pretends he's doing a favor to the next "aficionado", not belatedly waking up to the fact that a 17 HP pushrod single is inherently going to be slow. Never admit weakness or error. Anyone willing to shell out $7500 for a custom 250cc machine is more worried about bragging rights and provenance than saving $500 bucks buying someone else's discards. These folks buy new with cash in hand, acquire the beautifully printed factory certification of origin & performance testing, and then get to meet in person the very artists creating these jewels; bragging rights.

I'm certain that if someone gave Axman88 $7500 to buy a bike with, there would be some savage performance behind it.

[Jack Straw]

I'm very tempted to buy the 450.  For my type of casual riding and my predilection for sitting down and staring at gorgeous machinery it seems ideal.  I'm not thrilled with the engine though.  My minds eye says it really should be a 500cc v-twin similar to the little 52 degree VT 500 Honda.  It's always something, eh?

[AzCal Retred]

There's these Yamaha XV250 based twins for about $3500. A 5 speed box, under 300 pounds, electric start. That engine's a hammer.

http://www.ssrmotorsports.com/store/street/buccaneer_classic.php

[nicholastanguma]

The Halcyon's are beautiful rolling art. If you want to play, you'd best not be worried about rent or car payments. It's not much fun when you suddenly realize that you may not actually possess the disposable income magnitude necessary to play with the monied crowd. The grudging $500 discount is typical of that mentality. A normal person would drop a couple thousand off the top, take his lumps & move on. The guy pretending to be affluent can't "afford" that luxury so pretends he's doing a favor to the next "aficionado", not belatedly waking up to the fact that a 17 HP pushrod single is inherently going to be slow. Never admit weakness or error. Anyone willing to shell out $7500 for a custom 250cc machine is more worried about bragging rights and provenance than saving $500 bucks buying someone else's discards. These folks buy new with cash in hand, acquire the beautifully printed factory certification of origin & performance testing, and then get to meet in person the very artists creating these jewels; bragging rights.

This is SPOT ON.  I always roll my eyes when folks complain about the prices associated with boutique, artisanal products.  Whether it's a high performance Bugatti or a low performance Janus, a hype brand Supreme t-shirt or a bespoke tailored Hong Kong suit, a non-GMO organic grass finished pound of ground beef or a bottle of Schnapps with gold flakes in it, the item is valued by a very specific customer who specifically does not want a mass market item.

If you like buying your jeans at Wal-Mart then buy jeans at Wal-Mart and be done with it.  Deriding rich people who prefer jeans from a hand produced fashion boutique in Downtown Los Angeles or Midtown Manhattan doesn't make you a working class hero, it just makes you as superficial as the rich folks deriding the poor folks who buy jeans at Wal-Mart.   

[axman88]

I'm not thrilled with the engine though.  My minds eye says it really should be a 500cc v-twin similar to the little 52 degree VT 500 Honda.  It's always something, eh?

One would think that the folks at Janus must have definitely considered the 400cc Lifan 2V68FMQ, since they were already purchasing 229 engines in their 250 Halcyon from Lifan.   http://www.lifanth.com/en/products-a-services/lifan-engine/v-type-twin-cylinder-engine/129-2v68fmq-.html

Had they chosen that Lifan V-Twin engine, they could have had another few horsepower, over the Shineray built 450 that they did use, which appears to be the same engine that is in the SWM Silver Vase 440.  http://www.swmmotorcycles.co.nz/silver-vase-440/

That hyopothetical Lifan V-twin powered machine could also have looked a bit more like what was arguably the inspiration of the Halcyon model,  https://www.motorcyclespecs.co.za/model/Classic/brough_superior_ss100.htm   Some black paint on the cylinders would help with that presentation.

Perhaps the Lifan V-twin just didn't fit into the frame design as readily.  At least Janus got the fishtail exhausts right.  https://www.janusmotorcycles.com/motorcycles/

[AzCal Retred]

Re: #22: Unclear where you are going with this. I was attempting to describe the human phenomenon of "contact magic" displayed when folks conflate spending beyond their means with acquiring and/or magically attracting actual wealth. At some point (hopefully) reality will intrude and learning will occur. But there are no guarantees on that, for sure. I did mention that "The Halcyon's are beautiful rolling art.", so I can appreciate the craftsmanship, I just think there are more useful ways to enjoy motorcycling that don't have such an adverse impact on the wallet. Risking your finances to acquire art that has no practical benefit is a non-survival behavior. You are normally much better off instead just buying a wall-sized poster & leaving the acquisition of baubles to folks with deep pockets. During 1929 - 1936, a guy with some cash reserve could buy see-pretties for pennies on the dollar. The value of art is ephemeral, food & rent come first. For guys like Leno, Gates, Musk & Bezos rent/art collecting/etc. truly isn't an issue, but the rest of us usually need to make trade-offs.

"If you like buying your jeans at Wal-Mart then buy jeans at Wal-Mart and be done with it.  Deriding rich people who prefer jeans from a hand produced fashion boutique in Downtown Los Angeles or Midtown Manhattan doesn't make you a working class hero, it just makes you as superficial as the rich folks deriding the poor folks who buy jeans at Wal-Mart."

[nicholastanguma]

Re: #22: Unclear where you are going with this.

"If you like buying your jeans at Wal-Mart then buy jeans at Wal-Mart and be done with it.  Deriding rich people who prefer jeans from a hand produced fashion boutique in Downtown Los Angeles or Midtown Manhattan doesn't make you a working class hero, it just makes you as superficial as the rich folks deriding the poor folks who buy jeans at Wal-Mart."

This was not specifically directed at AzCal.  No adversarialism implied.

[Arschloch]

Anyone can buy anything they like, can afford and is within of some kind socially acceptable tolerance. Now I am not sure though if I had all the money in the world if I would enjoy driving a Ferrari through a place like London? if I wanted to annoy some punks? Maybe. A track might be a better idea though, which is what most of those who can afford it do anyway.

[AzCal Retred]

Nicholastanguma - Thanks for the update & clarification.

Derottone summed it up nicely  "Anyone can buy anything they like, can afford and is within of some kind socially acceptable tolerance." -  ACR -

[AzCal Retred]

OK Californios - get those lottery tickets out...
Wouldn't one of Earls-Fork equipped beasties these look great attached to a sidecar?

Halcyon 450 Receives 50-State Emissions Certification
We are pleased to announce that the 450 has just received California Air Resource Board approval for sale in the state. We received 49-state EPA certification for the 450 at the end of June. This means that the new Halcyon 450 not only meets the stringent exhaust emissions required by the US and California, but that it also meets California's evaporative emissions requirements and is now able to be sold and registered in all 50 states. Evaporative emissions include any emissions from the warm fuel and oil tanks and engine case, either from the engine after a ride or from sitting in the sun, as well as from from fuel and oil lines. Evaporative emissions are controlled onboard using a charcoal canister which contains harmful hydrocarbons released by the parked motorcycle until they can be combusted in the engine when it is restarted.


https://www.janusmotorcycles.com/halcyon-450/

[GlennF]

Anyone can buy anything they like, can afford and is within of some kind socially acceptable tolerance. Now I am not sure though if I had all the money in the world if I would enjoy driving a Ferrari through a place like London? if I wanted to annoy some punks? Maybe. A track might be a better idea though, which is what most of those who can afford it do anyway.

From a practical point of view there are issues getting some Ferrari over speed humps and also into underground carparks if the ramps are too steep