Confederate becomes Curtiss and switches to electric power

Confederate Motorcycles will soon change both its brand name and its core business direction, the company’s founder has announced.

Once known for high-end and large-capacity V-twin masterpieces, the newly-named Curtiss brand will instead focus purely on electric-powered machinery as it moves away from both conventional gas guzzlers as well as the negative association with the Confederate Army in the American civil war.

Matt Chambers, who founded Confederate Motorcycles back in 1991, told the Los Angeles Times that his recent Confederate-branded FA-13 Combat Bomber which has a retail price of US$155,000, is the pinnacle of the brand and the bike that prompted the decision for change.

“We can’t go any further than this,” Chambers said. “We’ve hit the ceiling. This is it.”

As far as the name change, Chambers concedes recent protests all around the world, including Australia, surrounding statues which celebrate the generals of the Confederate era haven’t done his business any favours.

“I think we lost a lot a business with that name,” Chambers continued. “We’ve missed out on branding opportunities. So, it’s time to retire it.”

The new name is inspired by the American aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss who both raced and designed motorcycles, and who went on to set a string of land-speed records.

There’s no word at this stage as to what form the Curtiss Motorcycles range of electric bikes will take, but we’re tipping they’ll be equally as exquisite (and maybe even as expensive) as the outgoing range of Confederates. We can only hope.