Cobra Motorcycles Moves to Michigan

Hillsdale, Mich., welcomes world’s top competition mini cycle and mini quad cycle manufacturer

HILLSDALE, Mich., (March 1, 2006) –  With competition success unparalleled in the 50cc motocross racing industry, Cobra Motorcycles, Inc., has experienced a great deal of growth in both mini cycle and mini quad cycle sales in the past several years. With this in mind the company, which was founded more than a decade ago in New Middletown, Ohio, has made the decision to move to a new location that will accommodate its sales growth and technological expansion needs.

The new location, Hillsdale, Mich., is still only several hours away from Cobra’s current headquarters in North Lima, Ohio. The move, though an understandably difficult decision by Cobra management, was necessary based on a number of reasons, according to company President Sean Hilbert.

“There are several factors that pulled us in the direction of Hillsdale,” said Hilbert. “We first of all need room for expansion. The new facility is double the size of our current one, and there is more room to expand beyond that. Another key point in the Ohio-to-Michigan move was that not only do the two states border each other, which will help with the decision Cobra’s highly valued employees face when given the option to relocate, but the City of Hillsdale and the State of Michigan rolled out some incentives that were very competitive. We looked at several areas to relocate, but Michigan's overall package of tax abatements, worker training funds, and real estate was very enticing,”

Hilbert continued: “We also were looking for a place that welcomed us. From day one we felt that Hillsdale was genuinely excited about the possibility of having Cobra a part of their industrial landscape. Hillsdale and the State of Michigan are looking for ways to diversify away from automotive, and Cobra is a perfect fit. There are several indoor and outdoor motocross facilities within an hour of the facility that will allow us to do year-round testing.”

Hilbert said that Cobra is making efforts so that as many of the current employees as possible will agree to make the move to nearby Michigan and continue to be an integral part of the growth of Cobra Motorcycles. However, there will be several new job openings as the company grows. In fact, Cobra founder Bud Maimone’s role with the company will continue to evolve as he and Cobra remain family.

“Cobra will always be associated with Bud, and Bud certainly wants to see the company he started continue to grow and prosper – expanding upon the heritage of the world’s fastest and most successful competition mini cycles and quad cycles,” said Hilbert. “Fortunately, though we’ve outgrown the building where Cobras were founded in 1993, we’re happy to say that our new and improved facility has remained in the region and will be set up in a way that better serves our customers and dealers in the decades to come."

Cobra, founded in 1993, produces the most successful line of competition minicycles and mini quads in the United States with more than 100 national titles in the last decade. Based out of Youngstown, Ohio, Cobra's mission is to build premium products for the serious racer. For more information on Cobra products, please visit our website at cobramotorcycle.com.

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