Actually, they didn't purchase the companies. The companies had been defunct (with the exception of Dawes, which is still running). They (being Courtney and Mike Spratt) simply registered the trademarks in the United States.[1][2] So Motobecane, Windsor, etc. are BRANDS and not COMPANIES. Pretty ingenious idea for branding, but misleading and of questionable legality (particularly the Dawes case), at least from an international perspective.

Apparently they opened BikesDirect around 1995 during the dot-com boom and snatched up these trademark opportunities.

Note that these are not bad bikes. Courtney Spratt is an active cyclist and rides Motobecane bikes at her competitive events.[3] The frames are, as BD has noted in inquiry email responses, made by the same manufacturers that make frames for Fuji, Specialized, and Kona, among others.[4]

[1] US Patent and Trademark Office Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)
http://tess2.uspto.gov/
-> Go here, click 'New User Form Search (Basic)', and then enter 'MOTOBECANE', also Windsor, Dawes USA, Mercier, etc. All are owned by 'Spratt Cycle Support, Inc.'

[2] Florida Department of State: Division of Corporations
http://www.sunbiz.org/corinam.html
-> You can look up Spratt Cycle Support here.

[3] Courtney Spratt's Blog
http://sprtymama.blogspot.com/

[4] Panjiva - Spratt Cycle Support, Inc. - Merchandising/Supply Intelligence
http://panjiva.com/Spratt-Cycle-Support-Inc/1957031