On the twenty ninth of June, 2022, on the corporate’s sixth birthday, Curtiss Bikes launched the documentary ‘The Reverse of Dying’ to commemorate the launch of their flagship first manufacturing Curtiss 1 absolutely electrical bike. Made by the director of ‘Oil In The Blood‘, Gareth Maxwell Roberts, it provides an intimate perception into a novel firm and a unprecedented bike. The next is the story behind the creation of the Curtiss firm and their Curtiss 1 electrical bike.
In 1991 trial lawyer Matt Chambers closed his regulation agency and shaped Accomplice Bikes looking for “enlightened design by true American inspiration”. A mission to lastly fulfil the potential of the American V twin. He launched into a journey that produced 1300 hand-built bikes the likes of which the world had not seen earlier than. In June 2016 he felt he had reached the tip of an period, having produced what he believed to be the final word V-twin. As he contemplated his subsequent challenge, he had the thought to accumulate the Curtiss Bikes legacy model and steer the corporate in a completely new path; Electrification.
Glenn Hammond Curtiss was a pioneer of the early bike trade. He innovated, constructed and raced his personal machines. On January twenty fourth, 1907, he turned the quickest man on earth on a motorbike he designed and constructed. The one time this feat has been achieved on two wheels. He created the primary American V-twin bike, which went on to change into the icon of American bike tradition. He was additionally credited because the founding father of the American aviation trade.
Matt launched into this new chapter along with his younger design protege, Jordan Cornille. As Matt explains “Jordan makes me, I’m nothing with out him”. Collectively they designed and constructed the award-winning prototype, the Zeus gentle electrical automobile.
The staff was joined in 2018 by JT Nesbitt, who had beforehand labored with Matt at Accomplice designing the extremely acclaimed Wraith, dubbed “The Sexiest Bike ever”. Matt holds JT as a modern-day Glenn Curtiss – an innovating, pioneering inventor. As Matt states “Me and JT are like pink beans and rice, after we get collectively it’s on, it’s gonna be good”.
Curtiss is unorthodox and defies conference. Curtiss will not be a company, it’s a small group of visionaries, and evangelists who combine expertise with youth to create and innovate. Matt has assembled a staff he believes can ship the Curtiss mission. “I’m a ‘small’ businessman, I don’t prefer to have lots of people, I prefer to maintain it easy and have true believers on the staff that love what they do with all they’ve obtained. We’ve the dream staff”
JT was given the inexperienced gentle to design what has change into his biggest work to this point. He obtained busy, collaborating carefully with Curtiss engineer, Vinay Valleru. As Vinay explains “as a result of it’s so small issues occur actually quick”. In early 2022 the all-electric Curtiss 1 went into manufacturing.
The primary restricted version batch of The Curtiss 1 is being constructed by hand by JT and Vinay within the Curtiss Design Studio in New Orleans.
Curtiss is constructed on the muse stone of innovation. Reasonably than simply shopping for in off-the-shelf elements and bolting them collectively, JT has utilized a primary precept originalist ethos to think about a motorbike from the drafting board that innovates in each element. Pushed by a pursuit of excellence to create elements and a whole system that defies compromise, JT has designed a future machine that redefines the sunshine electrical automobile.
The patented Centered Energy Axis that makes use of the central drive shaft as a swingarm pivot creates an unprecedented sense of stability and a totally adjustable rake and path permit for the proper dealing with and suspension set-ups for the rider. Changes that may be achieved by the rider in minutes with 4 equipped hand instruments.
JT is a zealot of minimalism. Not an appliqué of fashion, however when it comes to engineering, design and manufacturing, striving for the least quantity of elements to do essentially the most variety of jobs. There are solely 175 machined elements in your complete bike, with over 70% of elements having a couple of operate.
The Curtiss 1 defies built-in obsolescence. Different firms, while shouting loud about their inexperienced credentials, create electrical bikes which might be destined for landfill in 5 to 10 years. The batteries die and the machines are lifeless. However Curtiss has made a motorbike that can final for generations.
They’ve created a modular battery system whereby the worn or out of date cells can merely get replaced with modern know-how, a service Curtiss gives to its shoppers. The bike is returned to the studio, the battery vessel eliminated, and the previous cells pushed out and changed with new elements. The battery is the primary full-emersion system utilized in EVs. The cells are liquid-cooled within the finned vessel, creating an working temperature of simply 31 levels centigrade. This additionally eradicates the hazard of fireplace.
The standard of the elements, from the Yasa motor to the aircraft-grade Beringer brakes, creates a degree of engineering and manufacturing that can make sure the machine will final for a number of generations.
Matt and his staff have constructed the bike that they need. The right bike that satisfies the needs of collectively over 100 years of motorcycling expertise. This isn’t a cynical market-driven train.
Curtiss is pushed by philosophy slightly than revenue margins. A set of ethics and practices information each side of design, conception and manufacturing. Ideas that stand in defiance of the widespread company cynicism that prevails within the automotive trade.
They observe the mantra of Greatest & Most interesting, utilizing the best elements and processes in the most effective work they will ship. Matt preaches a doctrine of seven easy phrases: “Authenticity guidelines, presence leads, rider bliss follows.”
Curtiss tradition is outlined by Huey Lengthy’s quote “Each man a King’’ – nobody tells, nobody is informed. Matt has created an area the place concepts are usually not forbidden, they’re inspired. A playground for innovations. For Matt, the important thing to success is to observe what you like, within the phrases of Lou Reed “you do what you need to”.
The result’s a motorbike, The 1, that lastly buries the drained previous bike outlaw myths, ushering in a brand new age of “ethereal driving”. A extra cerebral expertise that’s extra zen than aggressive, encouraging the rider to relearn and rethink how they experience a motorbike in a greater manner.
As Matt clarifies, “Being on a light-weight electrical automobile that’s horny, lovely, proportionate, easy, simple, quick, enjoyable, cool – each cool wanting and funky to the contact. What does it imply to me? It means being reborn in one of the simplest ways you could possibly presumably think about”
JT confirms, “The bike is alive, it breathes, it’s so pretty, so gentle, so delicate. Once I’m driving this bike it appears like I’m driving The One.” Matt agrees, “It’s crammed with chic constancy”. Vinay smiles, “Nobody informed us we couldn’t, so we made the most effective bike attainable”.
One Life, one bike, doing no hurt, making the world a greater place. The Curtiss 1.
Story courtesy of Gareth Maxwell Roberts
Curtiss Bikes 1 specs
The Curtiss 1 is an electrical bike not like no different. Constructed virtually totally from machined aluminium, titanium and carbon fibre the bike weighs lower than some high-end sports activities bikes at 193 kg (425 lb). The bike’s battery is a standout of the design. Together with being future-proof, the distinctive battery pack sits low on the bike to configure an optimum centre of gravity. The motor, which Curtiss Bikes say is “essentially the most power-dense motor on the planet.” has the flexibility to output as much as 168kw of energy which interprets to a knuckle-whitening 217hp. Curtiss has nonetheless restricted output to a really respectable 89kw (120hp) and torque to 199Nm. Whether or not this implies a extra sports-oriented Curtiss could also be within the pipeline or not is but to be revealed (however we’ve obtained our fingers crossed).
Riders of the Curtiss 1 have the flexibility to fully customise the bike’s dealing with to their liking. This may be performed by the fully-adjustable Race Tech suspension elements in addition to the bike’s adjustable rake and path. This degree of rider adjustability is exclusive to this bike. The Curtiss 1 brakes are a premium providing from Beringer and the wheels are made up of 19-inch Kineo basic spoked rims and Dunlop K180 rubber. Prospects are additionally given the choice to scale back unsprung weight and in flip, additional optimise dealing with by upgrading to carbon fibre wheels. Every Curtiss 1 electrical bike comes with a device equipment with all the pieces required to regulate the suspension and to swap between both a solo or tandem seat, each of that are included with the bike buy.
The Curtiss 1 isn’t simply distinctive in its design and know-how. The corporate additionally gives clients a novel buying expertise that enables unprecedented ranges of customisation. From colors to textures clients are invited to personalise their Curtiss 1 to create their very personal, one-of-a-kind bike. Pricing for a motorbike from the second Curtiss 1 manufacturing run begins at $83,333 USD.
CURTISS MOTORCYCLES
Watch the Reverse of Dying documentary
