Is This the Best-Looking Electric Motorcycle Today?

Curtiss Motorcycle Co., manufacturer of the handcrafted electric motorcycle simply known as The 1, has announced that its documentary The Opposite of Death will be available for viewing on Curtiss Motorcycle’s website and YouTube channel on June 29 at 9:00 a.m. EST.

This documentary chronicles the brand’s history, revival, and the process involved in creating The 1. Commentary and insight will be provided by founder and CEO Matt Chambers; lead designer of The 1, JT Nesbitt; design engineer Vinay Valleru; and designer and strategist Jordan Cornille.

The 1 is designed to be an “analog electric experience,” with no engine heat, engine noise, phone connectivity, ride modes, and so on. Lead designer Nesbitt says that, without the distractions of serving an internal combustion engine, “that part of your brain which used to be occupied is now free to think about everything else, so everything else matters more. Ergonomics, suspension matter more.”

And this machine focuses on that rider-centric concept with its radical design. Rake, trail, wheelbase, ergos, seat and ride height are all adjustable, as is the multi-link suspension.

The 1 has a patent-pending Centered Power Axis to contribute to its overall balance; an immersion-cooled Curtiss Hex Pack battery for managing temperatures; and a monocoque body dripping with high-end materials such as billet aluminum, titanium, and carbon fiber. A hand-built and highly adjustable electric motorcycle like this comes at a premium; MSRP is $83,333. The 1 is available for preorder on curtissmotorcycles.com, with initial rollout scheduled for June 2023.

Those in the greater Los Angeles area can check out the production-intended prototype of The 1 in person at the Petersen Automotive Museum, where it will be on display in the “Electronic Revolutionaries: Designers at the Edge” exhibit through February 2023.

Watch a teaser of the documentary below and keep an eye out on Curtiss Motorcycle’s website and YouTube channel on the 29th for the full-length documentary.