Curtiss Motorcycle

The sale of the core exhibits of the National Motorcycle Museum was a chance to pick up a bargain, with many historically important bikes going cheap. Warning: if you appreciate historical gravitas, this overview may be deeply distressing.

Curtiss has revealed yet another design concept – this time, for its most affordable bike yet, Psyche, "The Lover." It's designed to go at Harley-Davidson's jugular, as the company calls for small-time investors to get behind its play for world domination in the premium electric motorcycle segment.

The fellow who designed Confederate's jaw-dropping Wraith and Hellcat, J.T. Nesbitt, is back with what he calls "the ultimate expression of two-wheeled minimalism." We're not sure we agree, but the Hades certainly slaps some new ideas down on the table.

V-twin motorcycle maker Confederate Motors announced in 2017 that it was riding into the future on electric bikes only, and made good on that promise with the Zeus prototype in May of this year. Now called Curtiss, the firm has refined its original Zeus vision with Cafe and Bobber configurations.

​Curtiss Motorcycles, the electric phoenix that rose from the ashes of Confederate, has released an image of its upcoming "hot rod goddess" at Pebble Beach. Named "Hera," this stretched-out, battery-powered monster is due to hit the streets in 2020.

Curtiss Motorcycles announced last year that it would kickstart a new "golden age of American motorcycling" by making only electric bikes. That vision is based on sustainability, minimalism and fun and the first example – Zeus – was revealed at the Quail Motorcycle Gathering in Carmel, California.​

American motorcycle maker Confederate became Curtiss earlier this year, named after the guy who built the first American v-twin, and promptly stopped making v-twins. So we're kinda glad they decided to build the Warhawk: it will be the first Curtiss motorcycle in 110 years, and it'll be a v-twin.

Rétromobile has been running since 1976, when the most expensive car in the world cost less than $100,000 and long before the term retro had become fashionable. It is one of those places where auctions truly can throw up some remarkable objets d'automotive art. This year it did not disappoint.

After 23 years of creating unique high-end customs, Confederate Motors will rebrand as Curtiss Motor Company and turn its focus to building electric motorcycles in co-operation with Zero. At the same time, Confederate unveiled what might be its last petrol-powered bike, the FA-13 Combat Bomber.

The motorcycle world will hold its breath on March 20 & 21 when the largest and most significant collection of motorcycles ever auctioned at one time will sell at "no reserve" in Las Vegas. More than 100 bikes are expected to fetch $70,000, changing the entire collectible motorcycle landscape.