Confederate Motorcycles To Be Renamed, Will Focus On Electric Bikes

Confederate Motorcycles recently unveiled its FA-13 Combat Bomber at Pebble Beach but it appears that will soon become the company's last bike.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Confederate President Matt Chambers said the company will soon be known as Curtiss Motorcycles. The name is a reference to Glenn Curtiss who was a motorcycle racer and builder but is perhaps best-known for his contributions to the aviation industry.

The decision to drop the Confederate name didn't come lightly but Chambers said part of the motivation came from the name's association with the Civil War. Civil unrest following the events in Charlottesville, Virginia also appeared to have played a role.

As Chambers explained, “I think we lost a lot a business with that name." He added, “We’ve missed out on branding opportunities" so "it’s time to retire it.”

The renaming comes at an opportune time as Curtiss will now focus on electric bikes thanks to a partnership with Zero Motorcycles. The company's first model will be called the Hercules and it will feature two electric motors that develop 175 hp (130 kW) and 290 lb-ft (392 Nm) of torque.