Curtiss Motorcycle Co.: Difference between revisions

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[[File:2018 Curtiss logo.png|right|175px]]
[[File:2018 Curtiss logo.png|right|175px]]
[[File:Curtiss logo.png|right|175px]]
[[File:Curtiss logo.png|right|175px]]
[[Image:Confederate Motors logo.png|right|175px]]
The '''Curtiss Motorcycle Co.''' is a boutique electric motorcycle design and manufacturing company located at  8118 [[Parkway Drive (Leeds)|Parkway Drive]] in [[Leeds]].
[[Image:Confederate Motors emblem.png|right|150px]]
The '''Curtiss Motorcycle Co.''' (formerly '''Confederate Motors, Inc.''') is a boutique motorcycle design and manufacturing company that relocated from New Orleans to [[Birmingham]] following Hurricane Katrina in [[2005]].


The company was founded in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on [[April 2]], [[1991]] by former trial lawyer [[Matt Chambers]]. The company's design department is headed by [[Ed Jacobs]]. Other designers have included [[Brian Case]], [[Jordan Cornille]], [[Henry Rhodes]], [[J. T. Nesbitt]] and [[Myles Peters]].
The company was created in [[2017]] by [[Matt Chambers]], previous founder of [[Confederate Motors]]. The new venture was named in honor of pioneering motorcyclist and aviator Glenn Curtiss. The company's P-40 "Warhawk" motorcycle, already in production, was briefly given a Curtiss nameplate before Chambers sold off the Confederate brand and legacy internal-combustion designs to attorney [[Ernest Lee]], who later changed the name of his company to [[Combat Motors]].


The company struggled early on, filing for bankruptcy in [[2002]]. On the weekend that Katrina hit New Orleans, Chambers was in Bahrain accepting a $1 million cash investment from that nation's crown prince. The storm destroyed Confederate's office and factory. Subsequently the company was recruited to Birmingham on the strength of the state's emerging automotive industry and the availability of the [[Barber Motorsports Park]]'s race course and motorcycle collection. [[George Barber]] was active in discussions with Chambers. At the time the relocation was announced, Confederate expected to invest $10 million into a new plant which would employ as many as 100. They opened their first office and workshop at 2222 [[5th Avenue South]].
Curtiss now uses electric motors built by Zero Motorcycles exclusively. Its line-up of design-forward prototypes are named for Greek gods, inspired by the "Hercules" 8-cylinder motorcycle on which Curtiss set a motorcycle land speed record in 1903.
 
In early [[2009]] the company acquired the publicly-traded French Peak Resources Inc. in a reverse-merger. That company, which was formed to exploit copper resources in British Columbia, turned to focus solely on the development of Confederate's motorcycle business. Among the possibilities discussed was the introduction of an "entry level" model.
 
In May of that year Confederate filed a lawsuit against Jalopnik.com and Gawker Media claiming that an article published on Jalopnik in April was defamatory. During [[2010]] the company was offered cash incentives to return to New Orleans, but decided to remain in Birmingham.
 
In [[2013]] Confederate moved to a larger facility at 3029 [[2nd Avenue South]] in [[Lakeview]]. In late [[2017]] the company announced that it was rebranding as the Curtiss Motorcycle Co. in honor of pioneering motorcyclist and aviator Glenn Curtiss. It also announced that its future models, beginning with the "Hercules" would be based on electric motors built by Zero Motorcycles.
 
The company sold its "Confederate " brands and designs, as well as leftover P-51 and FA-13 models to a subsidiary of Ernest Lee Capital of Lee, Florida. Lee opened an office at 2620 [[6th Avenue South]], and renamed his company "[[Combat Motors]]" in June [[2020]]. Meanwhile Curtiss moved its operations to 8118 [[Parkway Drive (Leeds)|Parkway Drive]] in [[Leeds]].


==Motorcycles==
==Motorcycles==
[[Image:Confederate Hellcat.jpg|right|thumb|325px|Confederate C3 X132 Hellcat]]
[[File:Curtiss Hera concept.jpg|right|thumb|325px|Curtiss Hera concept]]
[[File:Curtiss Hera concept.jpg|right|thumb|325px|Curtiss Hera concept]]
[[File:2020 Curtiss Zeus.jpg|right|thumb|325px|Curtiss Zeus]]
[[File:2020 Curtiss Zeus.jpg|right|thumb|325px|Curtiss Zeus]]
* '''X132 Hellcat''' (145 horsepower square-twin) produced in 2011 and 2012
:* X132 Hellcat Combat Twin (160 horsepower combat twin), produced in 2012
:* X132 Hellcat Speedster (edition of 65), produced in 2015
* '''F131 Hellcat''' (140-150 horsepower v-twin)
:* G1 model: 500 produced through 2001
:* G2 model: 150 produced between 2003 and 2007 at the rate of one per week.
::* G2 "Combat" model: limited edition of 150
* '''B120 Wraith''' (125  horsepower radial twin), 250 produced at the rate of two per week beginning in 2007.
* '''C120 Renaissance Fighter''' (129 c.i. radial twin), limited edition of 45 sold through Neiman-Marcus 2008 Christmas Book
* '''P120 Fighter Combat''' (120 c.i. radial twin), limited edition of 120
* "Renovatio" (135 horspower v-twin), produced in 2010
* '''R131 Fighter''' (special order)
* '''R135 Wraith Combat''' (limited edition of 7)
* '''P51 Combat Fighter''' (132 c.i., 145 horsepower v-twin, edition of 31) produced in 2016
* '''FA-13 Combat Bomber''' produced in 2017
* '''Curtiss P-40 Warhawk''' produced in 2018
** '''P-40 Warhawk Pure Final Edition'''
* '''Helena''' (originally '''Hera''') (E-twin), projected for 2020
* '''Helena''' (originally '''Hera''') (E-twin), projected for 2020
* '''Curtiss 1''', produced in 2020
* '''Curtiss 1''', produced in 2020
Line 44: Line 16:
** '''Pure'''
** '''Pure'''
* '''Zeus''' (8-cylinder electric), produced in 2020
* '''Zeus''' (8-cylinder electric), produced in 2020
* '''Hades''' (electric), designed 2019  
* '''Hades''', designed 2019
* '''Psyche''', designed 2019


==References==
==References==
* "Mean Machines" (July 13, 2006) ''Black & White'' "Urban Living 2006" special advertising section
* Goodman, Sherri C. (April 1, 2007) "Katrina winds blow in a Hellcat." {{BN}}
* Goodman, Sherri C. (August 12, 2007) "Uneasy rider keeps rolling." {{BN}}
* Hubbard, Russell (February 20, 2009) "Birmingham, Alabama-based Confederate Motorcycles may offer cheaper model." {{BN}}
* "Motorcycle manufacturer sues website and writer." (May 18, 2009) ''Clutch & Chrome''
* Tomberlin, Michael (June 19, 2011) "Confederate Motorcycles to stay in Birmingham." {{BN}}
* "Confederate Motors rebranding in 2018." (November 20, 2017) Associated Press
* Cromwell, Sydney (n.d.) "Confederate Motorcycles rebrands, changes focus to electric motorcycles." ''Iron City Ink''
* Tomberlin, Michael (September 11, 2018) "Birmingham’s Curtiss Motorcycles aims to be market leader in electric motorcycles." Alabama NewsCenter
* Tomberlin, Michael (September 11, 2018) "Birmingham’s Curtiss Motorcycles aims to be market leader in electric motorcycles." Alabama NewsCenter


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* [http://www.curtissmotors.com/ Curtiss Motorcycle Co.] website
* [http://www.curtissmotors.com/ Curtiss Motorcycle Co.] website


[[Category:Motorcycling]]
[[Category:Motorcycle manufacturers]]
[[Category:Manufacturers]]
[[Category:2017 establishments]]
[[Category:5th Avenue South]]
[[Category:Parkway Drive (Leeds)]]
[[Category:1991 establishments]]
[[Category:2nd Avenue South]]

Revision as of 09:52, 24 June 2020

2020 Curtiss logo.jpg
2018 Curtiss logo.png
Curtiss logo.png

The Curtiss Motorcycle Co. is a boutique electric motorcycle design and manufacturing company located at 8118 Parkway Drive in Leeds.

The company was created in 2017 by Matt Chambers, previous founder of Confederate Motors. The new venture was named in honor of pioneering motorcyclist and aviator Glenn Curtiss. The company's P-40 "Warhawk" motorcycle, already in production, was briefly given a Curtiss nameplate before Chambers sold off the Confederate brand and legacy internal-combustion designs to attorney Ernest Lee, who later changed the name of his company to Combat Motors.

Curtiss now uses electric motors built by Zero Motorcycles exclusively. Its line-up of design-forward prototypes are named for Greek gods, inspired by the "Hercules" 8-cylinder motorcycle on which Curtiss set a motorcycle land speed record in 1903.

Motorcycles

Curtiss Hera concept
Curtiss Zeus
  • Helena (originally Hera) (E-twin), projected for 2020
  • Curtiss 1, produced in 2020
    • Hellrider
    • Pure
  • Zeus (8-cylinder electric), produced in 2020
  • Hades, designed 2019
  • Psyche, designed 2019

References

  • Tomberlin, Michael (September 11, 2018) "Birmingham’s Curtiss Motorcycles aims to be market leader in electric motorcycles." Alabama NewsCenter

External links

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