The idea is that paying a fair albeit higher transaction price for one motorcycle lovingly designed and crafted to span several lifetimes for reasons transcendent of mere dollars and cents is the environmentally sustainable, financially wise, life affirming choice relative to paying less for numerous Taylor-made, commoditized, economies of scale driven motorcycles over the course of your riding time-span. From the rear-view mirrored perspective, the singularity will certainly become a self-illuminating, life affirming, treasured personal heirloom; the multiplicity will bring noise, opacity and diminishing enjoyment over time as planned obsolescence naturally takes root.

Logical extension of our concept applied to each commercial choice you make results in organic minimalism. Commercial decisions necessarily would be predicated upon endearing value, structural integrity, real-world performance and permanence. A clutter free, clean environment for slimmed down, calmed down, clarified, simplified personal human integration would follow.

The key is nurtured individual heuristic actualization. The opponent is scale.

Tim McIntyre: You have said “Through machine and brand, [we] encourage a new approach where every person is nurtured to be what they were born to be, in harmony with what’s going on inside themselves.” Why is this important?

Matt Chambers: Confederate embodies Anti-Taylorism. Frederick Winslow Taylor developed theories of human efficiency which resulted in bureaucrats trained to manage our algorithmic output. This theory diminishes heuristic creativity, which is the source of human growth and progress. Thusly, we mandate handmade craftsmanship created autonomously with acute engagement.

Tim McIntyre: What else is wrong with the state of the bike industry today?

Matt Chambers: Not enough heart; too much focus on short term cash accumulation!

Tim McIntyre: What does design integrity mean to you? What is your definition of great design? Can you cite examples?

Matt Chambers: The cornerstone of design integrity is purity expressed honestly. This can only occur through activation of individualists soulful intuition. Deep yearning and engagement are at the root of this process.

Tim McIntyre: And what does good engineering mean to you?

Matt Chambers: Perfection of structural integrity, permanent fatigue resistance, street motoring geometry, harmonious component specification with maximum torque.

Tim McIntyre: What in your opinion is the essence of a Confederate motorcycle?

Matt Chambers: Spiritually, we say contempt for ingratiation fuels humilities defeat of pride activating man-in-revolt celebrating the art of rebellion. Dynamically, Hunter S. Thompson said it best, “Being shot out of a cannon will always be better than being squeezed out of a tube.”

Tim McIntyre: Tell me a bit about the Fighter?

Matt Chambers: It expresses a direct challenge to establishmentarian thought.

Tim McIntyre: Who are your customers? Can you walk us through the buying process.

Matt Chambers: Our client is a motorcycling purist and aficionado with a love for true to concept American industrial and mechanical design. Our buying process is entirely buyer-centric. We seek gentlemanly engagement at the precise level which is most satisfactory to our client.
Tim McIntyre: What have you enjoyed most about your journey so far with Confederate motorcycles?

Matt Chambers: The best efforts of our team to deliver on the promise of organic, pure, honesty.

Tim McIntyre: And the part you’ve enjoyed the least?

Matt Chambers: The shock of hurricane Katrina and its aftermath; which, paradoxically, was what we needed to become the tough, strong company we are today.

Tim McIntyre: Looking back, is there anything you would have done different?

Matt Chambers: I have made many mistakes; my personal manner is to transparently admit my mistakes to myself, prayerfully acknowledge deeply felt contrition, seek forgiveness and, then, let it go. Repeating such emotion may deem one to a repetitive cycle.

Tim McIntyre: What’s next for man and company?

Matt Chambers: Our team has developed a new American heirloom architecture from which we derive a veritable onslaught of new modular relevant machines for the 2011, 2012, and 2013 pipeline. Because we are well-grounded by deeply nurturing ideals and principles, our new machines will explosively activate each owner’s inner man-in- revolt.

Celebrating the art of rebellion demands the vitality and potency expressed by Hunter S. Thompson’s metaphorical declaration that it is better to be shot out of a cannon than squeezed from a tube.

The specification is 460 lbs, each located as low within the machine as possible, powered by the most accessible 160 rear wheel horsepower and wide band 150 ft lbs of torque it is possible to create, derived with maximum immediacy and minimal drama.

The proprietary effort began with our well-proven reliable 120 cubic inch counter-shaft-balanced radial twin.  We specified state of the art porting and polishing of the heads and intake for ultra high volume, the installation of high compression forged lightweight special pistons, the creation of special stepped hand-crafted high flow stainless steel exhaust and a unique dual cam grind featuring the most delicious yet linear and controlled ramp up with equally linear and controlled low, medium and high rpm step off.  A mild starting pressure was designed into the dual cam grind.  The power resonates with pulsations and sounds befitting an ultra high output naval aircraft Fighter without any obtusive vibration, whatsoever.

The most perfect engineering solution for accessing such power is our patented flush mounted short drive vertically stacked classic Confederate five-speed.  Deployed through our new proprietary full race clutch system, the world’s toughest gearbox is carved from solid billet, braced at the output shaft by a giant outrigger bearing, supported at the swingarm pivot point by a large diameter dual threaded axle which is threaded through the inner primary, all of which is additionally supported by front and rear, left and right 3/8 inch CNC billet 6061 aircraft grade aluminum fuselage side plates each bolted to a front and rear 3/8 inch billet 6061 aircraft grade aluminum bulkhead which is additionally supported by motorcycle history’s most massive 1/4 inch wall 5 inch OD CNC billet 6061 aircraft grade aluminum backbone.  This triple load path Confederate proprietary architecture is the most torsional and bend resistant structure it is possible to create.  For those who must have the ultimate expression of American toughness, look no further.

This drag racing derived masterpiece of engineering development, coupled with our ultra compact primary belt drive and right side chain final drive creates the lightest and most direct link from your palm to the rear wheel axle.

Leanness, together with the lowest allocation of weight relative to the machine center of gravity enhance the explosive nature of each special edition Combat Fighter.  The effect is immediately appreciated when you lift the machine from its sidestand.  You feel as if you are mounting a 250 GP bike.

The perfect street machine must be entirely stable, yet full of linear, accurate, precise and completely honest communication under any and all foreseeable conditions one may encounter over a lifetime of uncharted journeys.  For over 18 years, we have focused on delivering the ultimate street motoring experience. The deepest consideration of neck, rake, trail, output shaft, swingarm pivot point, powertrain and wheel axle geometric specification has been matched precisely to the world’s most complimentary rubber, the lightest wheels, the finest brake package, the ultimate stiction free double wishbone suspension design, the finest multi-adjustable long travel coil over shocks and optimized ergonomic rider engagement maximizing unity, comfort and control.

Unique to Confederate proprietary craft sequencing allows for each Combat Fighter to be built to a standard of geometric accuracy and precision not available by other technologies.  The result is that Arabic pre-production 1, our first machine, was judged the truest and straightest motorcycle ever tested on the chassis dyno at Race Tech (measured for comparison from more than 360 machines representing samples from each of the world’s OEM providers).  Each P120 Fighter special edition Combat will be equally true and precise.

The result of this sharply focused effort is functional dynamic street motorcycling excellence.  There exists no takeaway, no compromise and no greater motoring experience.

Pure objective individualist’s theory organically illuminated by five critical elements of honest American way motorcycle design, each etched into the very essence and soul of 25 Roman numeral and 25 Arabic special edition Combat P120 Fighters, each inspired by outside the boundaries of established order non-linear rebellion occasionally necessitated by the toughest fight you will ever fight and must keep fighting (paraphrased from ee cummings).

( I – 1 ) The communication must be fresh

Americans did not leave that from which we came, to follow. We came for discovery; we came for the opportunity of mindful clarity. Herein lies the source of honest expression. Definitionally, this purity and authenticity must and shall be unique, bold, true to concept and, necessarily, avant-garde.

( II – 2 ) The communication must transcend class

There is no pretense along the path of the American way. Neither power over others nor outward judgment therof exists. Fierce discipline, acute confidence and utter effectiveness express awareness of and mastery over self.

( III – 3 ) The communication must transcend time

An uncompromised journey of creation embarked upon for its own sake driven by sheer passion and the romance of the doing manifests an organically well born outcome which will result in tough, pure, holistic beauty.

( IV – 4 ) The communication must be skeletal

The American way is entirely open and completely honest. It is the wearing of one’s heart on the outside. There exists nothing to hide.

( V – 5 ) The communication must be minimal

The most precise, lean, simple, direct expression is American way true to concept.

The first of the 50 toughest machines ever made is now being created.

It is the spring of ’78, a perfect South Louisiana graduation midnight, 70 humid degrees, top down Jensen Healy, 85 mph midway on highway 61 between Baton Rouge and New Orleans heading South for some major debauchery with the long time best friend; suddenly a dim hazy mirage of bubbling asymmetrical lighting in the rear view becomes 20+ marginal headlights surrounded by a Thor like pounding offbeat thrum rheostatically growing in volume until, in perfect formation, the sons of silence blazenly shoot past on ultra lean, stripped, triangulated forms.

An idea is planted.  Thirteen years later that idea forments into a dream.  On November 30, that dream actualizes into the ride of your life.

The sodium assault was indeed hard as we ran several 155+ mph passes. Please understand that this represents a one mile average on conditions which were sticky and wet compared to the ideal. I made a call to change gearing early in the week when a bump in the rev limiter was a more appropriate choice. Had I made the right decision, it is likely we would have surpassed our own record set on the Wraith in 08. Nevertheless, a very smooth riding, easy to start, linear to modulate, vibration free, raw, naked confederate that will run 155.8 mph on wet salt is something we can all be proud of. The fact that it was accomplished on the first build of the Fighter model production run calibrating less than 10 miles on the odometer is cool. The fact that the same machines was tested on the Race Tech chassis dyno and determined to be the truest and straightest of the 360 OEM machines previously evaluated thereon is an accurate validation of the precision which our design and craft team brings to the business of creating the greatest American motorcycle it is possible to make.

The family and friends component of the annual event grew considerably this year. Conversations revolved around all manner of things, transcending the lust for speed on racing’s most hallowed ground into areas both frivolous, serious and outright amusing in a “you had to be there” kind of way.

We have a top secret game changing initiative for 2010. Please stay tuned; you will be glad you did!

photography by Randal Crow

Contempt For Ingratiation

For us, design truth lives through transparent cultural inspiration.

Our highest goal is to design and create honest machines!

Our contextual and strategic integrity is derived from the American way.

The American way mandates the fight for self-awareness and the courage to embrace and act upon self-discovery. Thusly, one must do what one is passionate about and what one is best at. This organic alignment drives the holistic actualized existence.

Issues which relate to control over others and/or creation of profits receive no priority. Effort is organized around permanent sustainable resilience and strength.

Self-perpetuating destination benchmarks are set of their own volition. An inherent healthy incrementalism results which makes for the most exceptional journey.

Mindful nurturing leadership, not management technique, sparks the core charge of the purist (the pure objective individualist). Each team member is empowered with our vision, our values, our goals, our mission, straight-forward focus, all necessary training and tools. Thrift, brilliance and best efforts are expected. Enterprise cause must zealously fire individual purpose. Deployment is predicated upon personal initiative.

We are the rebels. Our revolt challenges established order, which, though well-intentioned, organically confounds the purist’s critical journey of self discovery.

Our ideologically and philosophically driven protocal requires a skeletal (to showcase hand-craftsmanship), minimal (to express our profound feeling of humility and honor to be enabled to design and create the machines of our dreams), fresh (to be relevant), timeless (to be sustainable), classless (to inform individual uniqueness and equivilency of specialness), strong (to be everlasting), American (to communicate anti-imperial rebellion) body of work.

When we began in the Spring of 1991, American Industrial Design was at a low point. There have been numerous effective like minded design driven turn-around efforts since. We are very proud and honored to be a small yet active participant in this movement which we feel marks the beginning of another great chapter of amazing American creativity and ingenuity.

A little after 10 in the evening I sparked the 131 Combat edition Hellcat initiating a blast straight down 59 from Northern Mississippi to the French Quarter.  It was 87.  I was wearing perf leather and our carbon fiber full-face helmet.

Gently I rowed through the gears, covering a couple of miles to reach my desired 3500 RPMs in top gear.  This machine was tuned to the 21 tooth counter-shaft sprocket, making 92 mph at 3500.  I held steady for 10 to 12 minutes.  As ever, the Generation 2 Hellcat felt taut, primal, like it was carved from solid granite, light, stable, linear; with never a harsh response.

Handlebar feel is street perfection.  Power at 3500 is “shred the tire cannon fire” at the wrist flick.  I drop to 3 grand (76 mph).  The sound of a small aircraft with the calmness of having decelerated from a greater pace put me in the optimal Hellcat rhythm.  Every aspect of the machine feels omnipotent, alive and happy.  I meld with that explosive, yet confident beautiful sense of ease and begin an ultimate motoring meditation I haven’t experienced for too long.

When you’re riding the greatest torque to weight ratio on the planet, you must blast beyond lethargic unassuming cageriders every few minutes to release pent up machine/man stress-inducing anxiety.  There exists uncontrolled relish and glee in this exercise.

At the end is the all important dismount.  My destination, at a few minutes past midnight, is an extraordinary and well-attended club.  As I pull up, amidst a bevy of youthful feminine beauty, there is always prevalent absolute reverence for the aesthetic design honesty of a Confederate motorcycle.  Because this respect is extended to the mount’s rider, the ending almost rivals the mid-journey overall sensations of therapeutic well-being.  I play disinterest, but as all latent middle-agers secretly know, absent some form of Trojan horse, the form of respect I’m referring to no longer exists.

For me, the value of the above referenced occasion based motoring experience is priceless.