After the Zeus and the Hades, Curtiss introduces the Goddess of the soul.
For the past year or so, Curtiss Motorcycles’
main focus has been on pushing out crazy electric motorcycle designs.
As out there as the array of silhouette may seem, put together, they are
starting to give the brand a visual signature—a crucial step in earning
recognition. Until now, price and costs haven’t been an obstacle to the
team’s creativity. Both models listed on the company’s site, the Zeus and the Hades,
are priced at a very premium $75,000. It looks like Curtiss might now
be taking a swing at the (more) affordable electric motorcycle market
with the introduction of the Psyche.
There’s a chance Curtiss will have designed a bike for every figure
of the Greek pantheon before one of its motorcycles rolls out of
production. That being said, we can appreciate the creativity behind the
designs. I’ve said it before and I will say it again: whether you like
what the designers are doing or not, when one of these designs pop up,
we’re starting to recognize the aesthetic.
It was a bit of a
surprise to see yet another Curtiss design show up weeks only after the
company unveiled the latest addition to its electric motorcycle
lineup, the Hades. This time, Curtiss is soul-searching with the
introduction of the Psyche—named after the Greek goddess of the soul.
While
the silhouette is reminiscent of the Hades, the Psyche is going after a
completely different audience. In fact, Curtiss advertises the Psyche
with a starting price of $30,000 and is very, very obviously
going after the LiveWire. Of course, that’s a big competitor to go after
considering how well-established Harley-Davidson is, but if one thing
can be said about Curtiss is that it doesn’t lack ambition.
According to the specs the company announced, should the Psyche make it to production, it could mean serious trouble for the LiveWire.
Early specs disclose an estimated combined range of 160 miles, an
output of up to 96 horsepower, and a weight of 375 lb (175 lb less than
the LiveWire).
Considering Curtiss’ track record, it’s safe to
say that Harley is in no immediate danger. The company has yet to roll
out the Zeus and the Hades for 2020 so it could be at least another year
or two before the Psyche hits the market—if it makes it to production
at all.
