Alabama-based motorcycle manufacturer Curtiss Motorcycles (formerly known as Confederate Motors) has a rich heritage with over a century of history. Its founder, Glenn Curtiss, started his motorcycle building dream in 1902. He even broke the world record in 1907 with a top speed of 136.6 mph on his classic V8 motorcycle.
But what’s perhaps most impressive about Curtiss Motorcycles’ vintage bikes is how they never lose their charm. The designs are sublime, and the powertrain drives top of the line. All of this translates over to Curtiss Motorcycles’ new all-electric motorbike called the ONE.
According to the Curtiss Motorcycles’ design team:
We seek understanding of what the ancients got right, what they got wrong, and what they did not yet know. To this end, an appreciation and sensitivity to the past, without a prostration to it, carries a responsibility to innovate.
The company decided to infuse electric motorcycles’ DNA into its brand in 2017 as a collaborative endeavor with Zero Motorcycles. The One is their first creation together.
To make the milestone memorable, they’re making only 15 limited-edition bikes under the Founder’s Edition. The special motorcycle costs $115,000 and will begin deliveries this summer. They’ll also be making 100 units per year of the motorbike’s standard version, costing $81,000 each.
And according to the company’s website, they’re customizable:
The rider-centered approach to Curtiss design means that the perfectly proportioned beauty is created to fit each client like it was made from scratch just for him or her. The level of adaptability and adjustability built into the design means the One can be tailored to any client, for any purpose, to suit any desire.
Even though the beauty of a motorcycle is electric, it’s a speed demon at heart! The axial flux motor’s power of 120hp is instantaneously delivered to the wheels thanks to the concentric belt’s direct final drive and the central power axis. Which also means quick acceleration at any speed.
Another nice feature: its controlled suspension has optimum springing and dampening for the bumpiest of roads, so your ride is comfortable, smooth, effortless, and noiseless. Weighing only 425 pounds, it’s one of the lightest machines with a low center of gravity, delivering peak handling and maneuvering.
The One is definitely an eye-catcher, but there have been other unique-looking electric motorcycles making their way to the market lately. For example, there’s the Newron EV-1 wood panel electric motorcycle by Newron Motors. It’s a wooden motorbike-like nothing you’ve ever seen before! And the RMK E2 is a hub-less (yes, no spokes) electric motorcycle. And there’s also Blackstone Tek’s HyperTEK electric motorcycle, which is being hailed as the future of electric motorbikes. And for those chasing outright speed, the Lightning LS-218 remains the world’s fastest production motorcycle at 218 mph.
