Confederate Motorcycles: An Update

author: FutureCar Staff    

In the past, the motorcycle market was dominated by big players like Harley-Davidson, Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Honda. However, smaller companies such as Janus Motorcycles from Goshen, Indiana, have managed to carve out a niche by offering custom-made bikes that cater to quality-conscious riders.

Confederate Motorcycles, based in Birmingham, Alabama, was another specialized manufacturer that gained attention for its unique designs. One of their standout models was the Renovatio, which turned heads with its eye-catching aesthetics. Additionally, Confederate produced bikes inspired by warplanes, including the Bomber, the Hellcat, and the Wraith.

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

By 2017, approximately a decade after Tom Cruise famously rode a Confederate Hellcat at the premiere of Mission: Impossible III, Confederate President Matt Chambers announced a major change. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Chambers revealed that the company would be rebranding and shifting its focus to electric bikes. This shift would involve a partnership with Zero Motorcycles, a renowned electric motorcycle manufacturer.

Chambers acknowledged that this move from high-horsepower internal combustion engines to zero-emissions electric bikes marked the company's limit. He stated, "We can't go any further than this. We've hit the ceiling. This is it."

FutureCar Staff