CONFEDERATE – BIKE builder to the Hollywood set – isn’t really supposed to be around anymore.
Its founder, Matt Chambers, opted to end that episode of his bike-making career – transforming his company into Curtiss Motorcycles and switching away from big V-twins and towards high-performance electric bikes. He reckoned that the Confederate name carried too much baggage; the American Civil War overtones meant that the original aim of invoking a ‘rebel’ image has transformed into something rather less palatable these days.
But the mortal remains of Confederate were picked up by venture capitalist Ernest Lee, who believes that there’s still a market both for the Confederate brand and its exotic, and very much petrol-engined, breed of motorcycles.
Now, as well as selling off existing stocks of Confederates and dealing in used models, the firm intends to bring out a range of new bikes and to revive some old names.
It’s already promising to get a new ‘G3 Fighter’ into production, and has revealed this image of a ‘2020 Wraith’ on its website.
Meanwhile, a filing with the NHTSA in America reveals that it’s planning to be able to use a range of old Confederate model names – Hellcat, Wraith, America GT, Confederado, Wildcat, Crazy Horse, Combat Fighter and FA13 Bomber – on bikes in the future. It lists the old favourite powerplant – S&S’s 2163cc X-Wedge V-twin – as the sole motive source.
Of course, the chances of any of us ever getting a Confederate remain zero, but it’s nice to know that Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt will still be able to buy their favoured brand of bike in the future.
