Confederate Motorcycles: A Look into Their Current Status

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【Summary】Confederate Motorcycles, a specialty manufacturer known for unique designs, like the Renovatio and warplane-inspired bikes, suffered damage to its factory during Hurricane Katrina. However, it rebounded and gained celebrity customers. In 2017, Confederate announced a rebranding and shift towards electric bikes in partnership with Zero Motorcycles, citing a need to move away from high-horsepower engines.

FutureCar Staff Nov 14, 2023 8:18 AM PT

Confederate Motorcycles: A Look into Their Current Status

The motorcycle market was once dominated by well-known brands like Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Honda. However, smaller companies such as Janus Motorcycles from Goshen, Indiana, have made significant progress by offering custom-made bikes that cater to riders who value quality.

Confederate Motorcycles, based in Birmingham, Alabama, was another specialty manufacturer that gained attention for its unique designs. One of their notable bikes was the eye-catching Renovatio. They also produced bikes inspired by warplanes, including the Bomber, the Hellcat, and the Wraith.

Unfortunately, Confederate's factory in New Orleans suffered damage during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Despite this setback, the company managed to recover and even attracted celebrity customers like Brad Pitt, Bruce Springsteen, and Tom Cruise.

In 2017, around a decade after Tom Cruise rode his Confederate Hellcat at the premiere of Mission: Impossible III, Confederate President Matt Chambers announced a rebranding and a shift in focus towards electric bikes. The company formed a partnership with Zero Motorcycles to venture into the world of zero-emissions electric bikes.

Matt Chambers acknowledged that this move was a significant departure from their previous high-horsepower internal combustion engines. He stated, "We can't go any further than this. We've hit the ceiling. This is it."