What drives a company to become a leader in Harley-Davidson performance? For Horsepower Inc., it’s a combination of innovation, craftsmanship, and an unwavering commitment to quality. As a trusted name in the v-twin community, HPi delivers professional performance parts and services that Harley-Davidson enthusiasts rely on to keep their engines roaring.

From its grassroots beginnings, HPi has grown into a multi-divisional powerhouse, pushing the boundaries of performance with in-house manufacturing and a dedication to excellence. Their reputation for American-made innovation is unmatched.

At Empire Abrasives, we take pride in celebrating companies that share our passion for quality and craftsmanship. We’re thrilled to take you behind the scenes with HPi to explore the passion, precision, and values that have made them an icon in the Harley-Davidson performance industry.

Where to find Horsepower, Inc. on the web:

• Horsepower Inc. Official Website
• Facebook - horsepowerincindy
• Instagram - horsepowerinc
• Youtube - HorsepowerIncPA
• X - HorsepowerIndy

Introduction to Horsepower Inc.

Tell us a bit about Horsepower, Inc.’s history:

HPi is a multi-divisional company offering professional performance parts and services for the fuel injected Harley-Davidson industry. Located on Gasoline Alley in Indianapolis, Indiana, HPi has been a leader in performance for over 23 years, specializing in manufacturing quality, American-made products. 

Tell us about your innovative approach to performance enhancement:

HPi believes their innovative approach to performance enhancement comes down to the fact that they design, manufacture and test their products in house. The team comes from a background of grass roots racing which expanded their knowledge on the performance end of building engines and handcrafting a product from start to finish. They stand behind their brand and their quality is unmatched.  

The Heart of HPi: Values and Creativity

What would you say are the core values or principles that keep the HPi team inspired every day? 

At HPi we take pride in great customer service and quality, American made performance products we can stand behind. We hear a lot from our customers that they appreciate that we don’t have an automated phone system. Our customers get a live person without any loopholes every time they call. We also get positive feedback from our follow-up emails we send out after we ship the product. Those two things alone help us stand out from the rest, and the quality of our product truly speaks for itself.

How do you guys keep things fresh and come up with new ideas in the shop?

Over the years, we have grown into a multi-divisional company which allows us to do several tasks in-house instead of outsourcing them. For example, we have a full-time design artist in-house who creates all of our merchandise artwork and also the designs for things like our air cleaner covers that are also laser scribed in-house. We are also always innovating and adapting to the changes by Harley-Davidson® Motor Company as our products are all engineered for fuel-injected Harley-Davidsons®.

Empire Abrasives and the Manufacturing Process

How do Empire Abrasives’ products contribute to your success?

Empire Abrasives contributes to our success because they are a brand we trust and can rely on. Empire is a company we enjoy working with as they make it easy to order, have a quick turnaround, and most importantly are a quality product for our popular stainless exhaust systems.

Can you walk us through how your custom exhaust systems are made and where Empire Abrasives fits in?

HPi’s fabrication division is a professionally equipped area where we build our popular stainless exhaust systems. They are 100% handcrafted from start to finish in-house.  Every model has a custom jig, and they are all tig welded and built by hand. We choose quality products for polishing our exhaust system that matches our quality control. That’s why we choose Empire Abrasives for all our sanding belt needs.

Milestones, Challenges, and Community Involvement

What are some standout achievements or milestones for HPi over the years (e.g., awards, notable projects, or growth milestones)? 

2018 was a huge year of growth for HPi. We did our first invited build in the Harley industry where we had to makeover a brand new Harley-Davidson® by building it to our style and debuting it at the Born Free event in California. We were given a motorcycle from Harley-Davidson® and completely stripped it and built it for performance and power. I think being involved in that event really got our name out there more and helped us reach a larger audience in the industry.

What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced in the Harley-Davidson performance industry, and how has your company overcome them?

Some of the biggest challenges we faced were the material shortages during Covid times. The pandemic didn’t hurt our industry, it seemed to actually make our industry busier, we think because people who own motorcycles could take the time to go do what they loved more, which was riding their motorcycles. That wasn’t something anyone could shut down. People were calling us up and wanting to order parts to get their bikes going, but we faced insane lead times on stainless materials, our packaging materials and castings. These companies couldn’t get employees to show up or had to lay people off because of Covid and couldn’t produce the materials fast enough. We were upfront with our customers, allowing them to order, but informed them that the lead times were dependent on the materials and at the time the lead times were basically unknown. I remember we waited something crazy like 9 months for our perforated tubing on the exhaust systems, and almost just as long for the foam packaging materials we needed to ship our product. It was tough navigating through that and trying to keep customers happy even though it was all out of our hands.

Are you involved in any local events, charities, or industry initiatives?

HPi puts on a Bike Night event every year that supports the local community by using local food trucks, music entertainment, and works closely with Cali Foundation during the event to raise money for kids with Cancer. It has grown a lot over the years and has attracted attendance from people all over the U.S.

Who are your typical customers?

HPi’s typical customers are our wonderful Dealers that consist of Harley-Davidson® shops, performance bike shops, wholesale companies like Drag Specialties as well as several International performance shops worldwide. We also have a store front and online store where we sell to the public.

Looking Ahead: HPi’s Future and Trends

What’s next for HPi? Are there any exciting projects or ideas in the works?

HPi is coming out with several new products this year for the new Harley-Davidson® models. We will offer a cast aluminum air cleaner option for the 2024 models, a cast aluminum throttle body option for the Milwaukee-Eight® models that is a more affordable upgrade option, a Center-Flo Intake manifold, and a 70mm Twin Cam throttle body.

How do you stay ahead of the curve in your industry and keep up with trends?

At HPi, we try to keep ahead of the curve by always learning. I think one of the advantages we have is that we design, manufacture and do our testing in-house. Over the years we have invested tremendously in new technology to be able to expand our product line. The fact that we have the design software, machines and dyno in-house is a huge advantage. We also work closely with some of the other top industry leaders we can trust and will bounce ideas back and forth.  We also feel it’s important to not only connect with the old school motorcycle enthusiast but also the newer crowd and up-and-comers. Our company is owned and operated by a fairly younger generation, but we can relate to and will continue to innovate for every variety of riders in the industry with the utmost respect and dedication.

Horsepower Inc.: Inspiring the Harley-Davidson Community

Horsepower Inc. stands as a true leader in Harley-Davidson performance, driven by innovation, craftsmanship, and an unwavering commitment to quality. Their ability to adapt and excel in a constantly evolving industry has made them a trusted name for enthusiasts worldwide.

At Empire Abrasives, we’re proud to partner with HPi and support their dedication to American-made excellence. We thank HPi for giving us a behind-the-scenes look at what makes their company so special.

Ready to upgrade your ride? Explore HPi's latest performance parts, including their new cast aluminum air cleaner and throttle body options, and experience the craftsmanship that sets them apart. Visit Horsepower Inc.’s Website to learn more.