While the biggest players are well in the EV game these days, what really gets us going are the radical and innovative designs from the more peasant-than-popular makes, like Alabama-based Curtiss Motorcycles…
After previously impressing with their Psyche and Zeus electric motorcycles, Curtiss now stun with ‘The One’, a truly deceiving machine — with a saddle and tank that screams old-school and engine that is just the opposite. It may appear heavy, but it’s a modest 193 kg — light for a cruiser — thanks to its many helpings of carbon fibre.
The bike’s frame uses an aircraft-inspired, digitally milled Triple Load Path monocoque, with a phallic battery case making up the backbone of the design. That large centrally mounted battery, called the Power Pak, is a 399V unit. Any wattage squeezed out of there is converted into power to the rear wheel through a toothed belt drive (no gearbox) offering instantaneous torque and perfect balance.
The suspension is fully adjustable, with RaceTech monoshock front and rear. Plus, the foot pegs and the handlebar angles are adjustable — you couldn’t get a more tailor-fitted ride.
A work of art sure, but also quite an engineering freak. The bike’s axial flux motor has the most power-dense motor in the world capable of up to 168 kW of power; and with fully adjustable tuning available through cloud updates, your visits to the mechanic become minimal.
Sitting on 19 inch carbon fibre five-spoke rims, pricing starts at $81,000 U.S. Curtiss aims to deliver 80 units in 2021, then produce the Curtiss Two and Curtiss Three in 2022 and 2023, respectively. No prizes for guessing the name of the 2024 model.
By Bill Varetimidis
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