"[1] Clay Ridley began experimenting with automatic transmissions in motorcycles in 1995, when building them for his sons as a hobby.
[2] Although the vast majority of cars and light trucks sold in the U.S. use automatic transmissions, no two-wheeled vehicles larger than a scooter did, and so to capitalize on that market, he and his son Jay founded the Ridley Motorcycle Company in 1997, which produced its first model, the Speedster, two years later.
Following the success of the Speedster, the company developed a full-size cruiser, name the Auto-Glide, which began sales in 2003, and steadily expanded its line.
[3] Ridley's success was built on a focus of three unique features; low seat, light weight, and an automatic transmission.
The company entered the Canadian motorcycle market in 2007 with limited success in ten dealerships spread throughout the country.