Confederate Motorcycles: A Look Into Their Fate

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【Summary】Confederate Motorcycles, a specialty motorcycle manufacturer known for its unique designs, including the eye-catching Renovatio and warplane-inspired bikes, has shifted its focus to electric bikes. The company, based in Birmingham, Alabama, decided to rebrand and partner with Zero Motorcycles to produce zero-emissions electric bikes after its New Orleans factory was damaged during Hurricane Katrina.

FutureCar Staff Nov 14, 2023 10:19 PM PT

Confederate Motorcycles: A Look Into Their Fate

The motorcycle market was once dominated by big names like Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Honda. However, smaller companies such as Janus Motorcycles from Goshen, Indiana, have managed to gain traction by offering custom-made bikes that cater to quality-conscious riders.

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

Unfortunately, Confederate Motorcycles faced a setback when their New Orleans factory was damaged during Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Despite this, the company managed to recover and even attracted celebrity customers such as Brad Pitt, Bruce Springsteen, and Tom Cruise.

In 2017, around a decade after Tom Cruise rode a 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 partnered with Zero Motorcycles for this new venture.

Chambers explained the reasoning behind the move, stating that they had reached the limit with high-horsepower internal combustion engines and needed to explore the potential of zero-emissions electric bikes. This decision marked a significant change for Confederate Motorcycles.