2019-10-01 Robb Report

The Goods | SECTION

88 OCTOBER 2019

alabama-based Curtiss Motorcycles

(curtissmotorcycles.com), the start-up

that rose from the ashes of now defunct

Confederate Motorcycles, is amped up

on its new identity and direction. Named

after Glenn Curtiss, an avid motorcycle

builder and racer of the early 1900s, the

manufacturer is solely committed to all-

electric bikes, and its Zeus Radial V8 will

soon be leading the charge.

Taking aesthetic inspiration from

Glenn Curtiss’s raucous, 4,410 cc eight-

cylinder cycle, in which he set an

unofficial land speed record of 136.36

mph in 1907, the Zeus pays tribute to that

innovative machine with a contemporary

twist. The leading design feature is the

arrangement of batteries, which are made

to look like a V-8 engine—a configuration

A Lightning Bolt

of an Electric Bike

that allows for ample air cooling.

“The original Curtiss V8 was the

ultimate motorcycle of the industrial

golden age, ushering in performance

that was unimagined before his world

speed record,” says Matt Chambers, the

company’s CEO. “The Radial V8 ushers

in an all-new golden age. It is just the

beginning of what we are capable of with

our new technology.”

The Zeus’ electric motor—designed

and developed by Britain’s YASA

Limited—has an estimated output of

217 hp and 147 ft lbs of torque. Battery

capacity is projected to be 16.8 kWh

at 399V.

“Charging will be fast and at home,”

says Chambers. “One hour to charge, or

30 minutes for 80 percent. A full charge

allows for 90 miles of steady riding or 150

miles in stop-and-go conditions.”

The Zeus ($75,000) will be the brand’s

halo machine, part of a steady stream of

new projected models that represent an

enormous departure from the brutish,

combustion-engine machines created by

Confederate Motorcycles.

“Our future is much lighter-weight and

with far fewer moving elements,” notes

Chambers. “And a new battery pack is

needed only every 7 to 10 years.”

The first deliveries of the Zeus Radial

V8 are expected to begin in May 2020.

Peter Jackson

A-List Access: For serious purchase inquiries, con-

tact Curtiss Motorcycles owner Matt Chambers at

504-236-9652 or [email protected].

The bike’s eight-

pack of batteries

is central to its

design.

Dream Machines | WHEELS

Ducati Panigale V4 R

Ducati claims 234 hp for the

Panigale V4 R. In an industry

first, the V4 R is so powerful that

the World Superbike race version

has a lower rev limit than the

production bike.

Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR

The 201 hp Ninja ZX-10RR is the

company’s special race-

approved model. The bike is

understated compared to the

Ducati V4 R, but it’s easily the

best Japanese sportbike when

converted to race trim.

Ariel Ace

British sports-car company Ariel

uses the stout 173 hp Honda

VFR1200 V-4 wrapped in an

avant-garde tubular chassis and

girder fork design. One for the

oddballs and a fine example of

British engineering.

KTM 1290 Super Duke R

The Super Duke boasts 174 hp,

but it’s the 104 ft lbs of torque

that gets everyone talking. It’s a

bike that Optimus Prime would

ride and a machine everyone

needs to try at least once. P.J.

Conventional

Comps

Curtiss Motorcycles’

Zeus Radial V8 produces

an estimated 217 hp

from its YASA-designed

electric motor, but there

are a few internal-com-

bustion-engine bikes that

also pack plenty of heat.

“The Radial V8 ushers

in an all-new golden

age. It is just the

beginning of what we

are capable of with

our new technology.”

88 OCTOBER 2019

alabama-basedCurtissMotorcycles

(curtissmotorcycles.com),thestart-up

thatrosefromtheashesofnowdefunct

ConfederateMotorcycles,isampedup

onitsnewidentityanddirection.Named

afterGlennCurtiss,anavidmotorcycle

builderandraceroftheearly1900s,the

manufacturerissolelycommittedtoall-

electricbikes,anditsZeusRadialV8will

soonbeleadingthecharge.

Takingaestheticinspirationfrom

GlennCurtiss’sraucous,4,410cceight-

cylindercycle,inwhichhesetan

unofficiallandspeedrecordof136.36

mphin1907,theZeuspaystributetothat

innovativemachinewitha contemporary

twist.Theleadingdesignfeatureisthe

arrangementofbatteries,whicharemade

tolooklikea V-8engine—aconfiguration

A Lightning Bolt

of an Electric Bike

thatallowsforampleaircooling.

“TheoriginalCurtissV8wasthe

ultimatemotorcycleoftheindustrial

goldenage,usheringinperformance

thatwasunimaginedbeforehisworld

speedrecord,”saysMattChambers,the

company’sCEO.“TheRadialV8ushers

inanall-newgoldenage.Itisjustthe

beginningofwhatwearecapableofwith

ournewtechnology.”

TheZeus’electricmotor—designed

anddevelopedbyBritain’sYASA

Limited—hasanestimatedoutputof

217 hpand 147 ftlbsoftorque.Battery

capacityisprojectedtobe16.8kWh

at399V.

“Chargingwillbefastandathome,”

saysChambers.“Onehourtocharge,or

30 minutesfor 80 percent.Afullcharge

allowsfor 90 milesofsteadyridingor 150

milesinstop-and-goconditions.”

TheZeus($75,000)willbethebrand’s

halomachine,partofa steadystreamof

newprojectedmodelsthatrepresentan

enormousdeparturefromthebrutish,

combustion-enginemachinescreatedby

ConfederateMotorcycles.

“Ourfutureismuchlighter-weightand

withfarfewermovingelements,”notes

Chambers.“Anda newbatterypackis

neededonlyevery7 to 10 years.”

ThefirstdeliveriesoftheZeusRadial

V8areexpectedtobegininMay2020.

PeterJackson

A-ListAccess:Forseriouspurchaseinquiries,con-

tactCurtissMotorcyclesownerMattChambersat

[email protected].

Thebike’seight-

packofbatteries

iscentraltoits

design.

Dream Machines | WHEELS

Ducati Panigale V4 R

Ducati claims 234 hp for the

Panigale V4 R. In an industry

first, the V4 R is so powerful that

the World Superbike race version

has a lower rev limit than the

production bike.

Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR

The 201 hp Ninja ZX-10RR is the

company’s special race-

approved model. The bike is

understated compared to the

Ducati V4 R, but it’s easily the

best Japanese sportbike when

converted to race trim.

Ariel Ace

British sports-car company Ariel

uses the stout 173 hp Honda

VFR1200 V-4 wrapped in an

avant-garde tubular chassis and

girder fork design. One for the

oddballs and a fine example of

British engineering.

KTM 1290 Super Duke R

The Super Duke boasts 174 hp,

but it’s the 104 ft lbs of torque

that gets everyone talking. It’s a

bike that Optimus Prime would

ride and a machine everyone

needs to try at least once. P.J.

Conventional

Comps

Curtiss Motorcycles’

Zeus Radial V8 produces

an estimated 217 hp

from its YASA-designed

electric motor, but there

are a few internal-com-

bustion-engine bikes that

also pack plenty of heat.

“The Radial V8 ushers

in an all-new golden

age. It is just the

beginning of what we

are capable of with

our new technology.”