Rival Motorcycle Maker Slams Harley's LiveWire

The CEO of Curtiss Motorcycles suggested that Harley-Davidson's new electric bike “was created under false pretenses.”

In late 2017, Confederate Motors, a high-end motorcycle manufacturer, announced that it was giving up on internal combustion engines. The Birmingham, Ala.-based company also changed its name. In January 2018, Curtiss Motorcycle was born, with the plan to create affordable, but powerful, electric motorcycles.

Curtiss is going after the market aggressively. While the company doesn't plan to begin production of any bikes until February 20, 2020, that won't stop it from taking aim at iconic motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson. In a recent post on Wefunder, an investment platform for startups, Curtiss CEO Matt Chambers calls Harley's LiveWire "bloodless." 

Chambers writes that LiveWire "was created under false pretenses, like a marriage commitment made for a green card instead of genuine love." He says that because LiveWire is designed to get people interested in the company's gas-powered products, Harley won't achieve full electric motorcycle potential. 

Now, while Harley's new electric bike concepts did disappoint the masses, the company was taking a shot at the urban mobility market. While Harley is launching electric Vespa competitors, Curtiss is offering luxury electric motorcycles. Until recently, a Curtiss motorcycle like the Zeus or Hades would typically start around $75,000. But four days ago, Curtiss unveiled the Psyche, which starts at $30,000. The LiveWire is $29,799.

According to a post from Jordan Cornille on Wefunder, the company wanted a "machine built to the highest standard of Curtiss quality, but at a price relevant to the Harley-Davidson LiveWire customer."

According to designboom, the skeletal Psyche will have two power options: 48 or 96 horsepower. The bike will weigh approximately 375 pounds with a range of about 160 miles per charge.

Curtiss is initially focusing on the California market before broadening to the entire U.S. and, eventually, other markets around the world. 

So far, the company had raised $397,986 from 203 investors — with a $1000 minimum bid. The opportunity to invest via Wefunder ended July 30, 2019.

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