When Luxury Meets Electrification, a Curtiss Motorcycle Is Born

We know that retro-bikes will never lose their charm, and Curtiss Motorcycles seem to combine the vintage look with modern convenience. Formerly known as Confederate Motors, the Alabama-based brand has a rich history dating back to 1907, when Glenn Curtiss set an unofficial world record of 136 mph (219 kph), on a 40 hp (30 kW) V8-powered motorcycle designed and built by himself in Florida.

Sharing the name with its famous aviation pioneer ancestor, the brand tried to keep its heritage and implement it into their bikes, but with a twist. Along with the production of its all-electric motorcycle Curtiss One, it started a path toward electrification with all its future rides.

Titled "Green, Clean, Mod, Cool: A New Age," the trailer explains the brands' philosophical narrative as well as Curtiss One, the company's not only first precision-centered motorcycle, but also its new platform architecture that will serve as the foundation for all its future motorcycles.

Ergonomics played a key role in the making process of the One. Inspired by an aircraft, its core is connected by a 39mm hard-steel axle. Its only moving parts are the oversized output shaft and its wheels. By keeping the radially organized battery cells submerged in coolant, the Curtiss Power Pak acts as a radiator for the whole system.

The bike has no transmission or gearbox. Instead, the power moves directly from its liquid-cooled Axial Flux motor to the rear wheel through a toothed belt drive. There's no shifting and no clutch involved. Instead, the speed is determined solely by how hard you twist the throttle. The 425 lbs (193 kg) ride has enough juice to deliver 217 hp and 272 lb-ft torque.

Pricing for the Curtiss One starts at $81,000, which marks a pretty high score on the affordability scale. That said, Curtiss Motorcycles aims to bring out Curtiss Two and Curtiss Three in 2022 and 2023, all based on the architecture of the One (and the cost will probably match too).