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We are Orion Motors
45
years of product development knowledge
We created the Orion 365 camper van for how you really live
We started off motorcycle camping, carrying only the minimum. We had race teams, did track days: all while hauling a lot of tools and gear. Then we had kids and we wanted to take longer trips. Each time we wanted a specialty vehicle, but we couldn't justify spending money on something that would sit eleven months of the year.
Oh, and we hate compromise.
We put our heads together and used our combined 45 years of product development knowledge to create Orion 365. Here is our personal checklist:
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Super safe and reliable, with minimal maintenance and setup.
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Good return on investment, something we can use and works well for a lot of things.​
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Maximize the good, minimize the bad. It's fun to learn how to start a fire, cook a meal outside, or catch a wave. What's not fun: putting away a wet tent, reassembling your bed every day, or extensive storage and maintenance rituals.
The Nuts and Bolts
Brian and Heidi both have degrees in Mechanical Engineering from University of Wisconsin-Madison, where they met. Heidi also has a Masters in biomedical engineering and Brian a Masters in engine systems.
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Shortly after his Masters, finding a gap in the literature of engine structures, Brian co-wrote a second edition of Vehicular Engine Design with one of his professors, doubling the size of the book. Brian designed, built, raced, and serviced two wheel and four-wheel vehicles for 20+ years before kicking off and going on his own.
Heidi has 20 years of product development experience as well in industrial, healthcare, and consumer products. Brian mostly builds in metal and Heidi likes to work in glass, wood, and fabric.
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The bottom line? We're curious, we want to go explore, to share with our kids a new sunrise on a mountain top. But we won't do it in something we don't think is safe and we don't want to spend all of our time maintaining things. Yeah we're getting older but we're not slowing down, and we won't spend money on something we'll never use. If this sounds like you, then follow us on our journey..