Racing ATV’s are all but dead, and if you need proof, look no further than the removal of the class from the Dakar. But the ATVs in general haven’t gone anywhere. Far from it. Honda has always been a big player in the niche, and a recent, considerable investment looks to make the brand bigger than ever in North America.
The Japanese manufacturer is expanding its 41-year-old plant in southern Alamance County with a $7.7 million investment. The Swepsonville plant transitioned from only making lawn mowers and similar equipment to ATVs in 2023, and now Honda makes all its ATVs for North America at the plant.
This cash injection is intended to renovate an underused part of the plant, which totals 40,000 square feet. The newly renovated area will be used to make more ATV parts, such as side covers, front and rear fenders, toolbox covers, and smaller components. Modernization of a die-cast building, along with adding new injection-molding equipment, will cost around $6 million, while the rest of the money will go to funding the payroll of the 18 new hires needed.
