Issue 036

FOUR COLLECTIONS. UNLIMITED POSSIBILITY.

The Toyota Tacoma will get you to more of the places you love, so you can do more of the things you love.

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FOREWORD

Flux

VOLTE-FACE

An electric “pact” between Walt Siegl and Ronin 47’s Mike Mayberry

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QUICKSILVER

A record-setting electric land speeder from the ’70s SILENT WAR

Zero Motorcycles prepares for the fight ahead

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DISRUPTORS

Seven companies challenging conventions in two-wheel transportation

TAKING CHARGE

Electric motorcycles will provide unbounded freedom sooner than you think

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I S S U E

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LEAD(-ACID) SLED

A meticulous EV conversion of a ’49 Mercury coupe INVENTORY

Gear, goods, and more

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SEARCHING FOR SURF

Nothing goes right when you surf in Maine in the middle of winter OFF THE TRAIL

The lore of Kentucky bourbon is as mysterious as the folks who make it

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POSTSCRIPT

Eat | Drink | Sleep: Kentucky

Cover: Commissioned artwork by Xtian Miller. Read more about the artist on page 082.

Left: “Revealed” cover art. Do you see what we see?

STAFF TRAVIS YORK Chief Executive Officer

ADAM FITZGERALD Editor-in-Chief

GREGORY GEORGE MOORE Director of Marketing

CHRIS NELSON Executive Editor

MICHAEL HILTON Director of Operations

JON GAFFNEY Director of Sales & Partnerships

STEVE HOWELL Sales & Special Projects

LISA MURPHY Financial Operations Manager

CHRISTIAN GLAZAR Copy Editor

IAN J.D. LOGAN Staff Writer

ISSUE 036 WRITERS Adam Fitzgerald, Chris Hunter, Chris Nelson, Eric Tingwall, Jon Gaffney, Julia LaPalme, Michael Hilton

PHOTOGRAPHERS Aaron Brimhall, Adam Fitzgerald, Andrew Trahan, Chris Nelson, Daniel Dunn, Gregory George Moore, Jon Gaffney, Julian Focareta, Nick LaVecchia, Samantha Woods, Toby Grubb

ARTWORK Moron Eel, Xtian Miller, Library of Congress

DESIGN & LAYOUT Adam Fitzgerald, Gregory George Moore, Matt Tierney REACH US

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The motorcycle and the places it takes us.

I S SU E 0 3 6 | P U B L I SH E D SUM M E R 2 0 1 9 P R OU D LY P R I N T E D B Y F L A SH R E P R O DU C T IO N S Copyright 2019 © Iron & Air Media, LLC All Rights Reserved

T HA N K YO U T O T H E PA RT N E R S T HAT SU P P O RT T H E C R E AT IO N O F I R ON & A I R M AG A Z I N E .

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FOREWORD

FLUX CHRIS NELSON

Executive Editor

“The horseless vehicle is the coming wonder . . . it is only a question of a short time when the carriages and trucks of every large city will be run by motors. The expense of keeping and feeding horses in a great city like New York is very heavy, and all this will be done away with . . . you must remember that every invention of this kind which is made adds to the general wealth by introducing a new system of greater economy of force.”

– Thomas Edison, 1895 The transition to “horseless carriages” seems inevitable now, but on the eve of the 20th century, most people mistrusted what came to be known as “cars.” They clung to what they knew until they understood how the beguiling automobile could benefit them, and then happily released the reins. Soon, a new petrochemical industry roared to life, roads paved the land, and the internal-combustion vehicle was an indispensable part of our lives.

The 21st century’s “coming wonder” is undoubtedly the battery-electric vehicle. EVs have existed since Edison’s time but remained on the very fringes of the automotive industry for various reasons: unproven technologies, uninformed consumers, nonexistent charging infrastructure, and an overly influential oil industry among them. But now we desperately need a sustainable alternative to gas-powered vehicles, and the EV offensive has begun.

Experts say that by 2040, at least a third of all passenger vehicles on the world’s roads will be electric. Beloved challenger brand Tesla will soon debut its fifth model, an electric pickup. It will have to compete with EV trucks from not only General Motors but also Ford Motor Company, which just invested $500 million in electric truck startup Rivian. Ford plans to invest $11 billion in EVs by 2022; GM has promised at least 20 EV models by 2023; Daimler AG will dump $12 billion into EV development; and Volkswagen estimates it will spend a staggering $50 billion on self-driving EVs and emerging mobility trends. In total, global automakers will spend an estimated $300 billion in the electric vehicle market over the next five to 10 years.

Opposite: Zero ZF755 electric motor. Story on page 030.

The motorcycle industry will benefit as proven technology trickles down and makes EV motorcycles less expensive, more efficient, and more viable for everyday use. Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha are embracing electrification and collaborating to establish unified battery-charging standards; Triumph is developing its first electric motorcycle in partnership with Formula One's Williams Advanced Engineering; Harley-Davidson now has the LiveWire and teased two EV concepts before buying a company that makes electric scooters; and even Ducati has announced its EV ambitions.

Issue 036 documents this moment in time and describes the massive cultural shift to come. We reflect on the efforts of inventor Mike Corbin, who in the ’70s showed the world how fast electric motorcycles could be. We sit down with Zero Motorcycles — America’s most-established EV motorcycle manufacturer — and ask how it will ramp up to survive in a rapidly maturing market. We preview seven EV startups, each taking advantage of today’s low barriers to entry to offer unique two-wheel machines. We explain the current shortcomings of EV technology and infrastructure, and examine the near-term solutions that will make EVs easier to adopt. And we detail two fantastic, all-electric custom builds: a stunning Altabased motorcycle from Walt Siegl and a rust-covered 1949 Mercury Coupe converted by Icon.

If you haven’t driven or ridden an electric vehicle, do; the experience is delightfully different and quickly makes clear why the latest “coming wonder” is no mere fantasy. Our fear of change is a persuasive opponent, but soon we’ll all be part of the EV revolution.

Embrace change, and enjoy Issue 036.

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F E AT U R E D B U I L D

VOLTE-FACE Walt Siegl switches to electric power with help from Ronin 47 mastermind Mike Mayberry.

WORDS

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Chris Hunter

I M AG E S

Gregory George Moore

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alt Siegl’s machines are analog fantasies: limited-edition European thoroughbreds packed with unobtanium components and clothed with impossibly beautiful bodywork.

But now Walt has turned his attention away from the bellowing Italian twins and triples that made him famous to explore the potential of electric power.

Walt believes that electric motorcycles are the gateway drug to get younger folks riding. “I think that electric bikes have a strong future,” he says. “Young people embrace the romance and fun of traveling on two wheels. Newcomers don’t have the reference to combustion engines, so they won’t miss them.”

Mike is a man of eclectic tastes and few preconceptions.

He has a Husqvarna Vitpilen in his garage alongside a BMW R 1200 GS, a CAKE Kalk electric moto, and his most cherished possession of all, a Walt Siegl Leggero. In total, “Newcomers Mike has four electric motorcycles that he rides regularly, “and maybe another don’t have the eight or 10 electric bicycles.” He takes reference to his two kids to school every morning via electric bicycle: “It’s a 12-mile trip, and combustion the best part of my day.”

engines, so they won’t miss them.”

Walt is working in partnership with industrial designer Mike Mayberry, another fan of magnetic fields and electric currents. Mayberry is the co-founder of Ronin Motorworks and the man behind the striking Ronin 47 bikes. All 47 of those Buell 1125-based machines have now been built, and the work-

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shop and design studio have closed, so the time was right for Mike to hook up with Walt and explore new avenues in motorcycling.

Mike and Walt share not only an enthusiasm for electric power but similar philosophies on what makes motorcycle design approachable and appealing.

Mike says, “Design is not a styling exercise: it’s a journey in problem-solving. The problem of modern transportation is something that we are both very intrigued by — particularly how we will move ourselves around in the future,

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and what that looks like. Really good design is just as fresh The subframe is also carbon fiber, and includes a storage and relevant 50 years after its creation as it was on day one. compartment for things like the battery charger cable.

Walt and I both feel strongly about this, and that’s a big “The weight of the subframe is three pounds,” Walt reveals. part of why we are working together.”

“The bodywork weighs five pounds. The whole machine comes in at 251 pounds.” That’s Honda CRF450R territory, They decided to amp up the sex appeal of electric power, and pretty impressive for a machine with a battery pack. and to our eyes, they’ve succeeded. Their PACT is edgy in every sense of the word and doesn’t attempt to smother To match the weight reduction, Walt fitted new springs in its drivetrain with traditional styling cues. “Without dis- the forks. He also lowered and re-shimmed the rear shock, paraging other brands, I’ll just say there aren't currently machined new aluminum linkage, and CNC’d bespoke, any bikes that speak to us, or make us want to own them,” lightweight rims to work with high-performance tires.

Mike says. “This is a big deal to us … Walt and I both The triple trees are new too, but Walt ran out of time to finwanted that ‘connection’ with an electric motorcycle.” We ish a shorter swingarm before the bike had to be shipped wondered if PACT was an acronym, but off to the Petersen Automotive Museum it’s not; it’s deeper than that. “It stands for its “Electric Revolution” exhibit. for friendship, agreement with all elements of the project, and a commitment Despite the multiple angles on this “There is no to new, green technology,” Walt says. machine, it hangs together incredibly sound other well. You just know that Walt and Mike The core of the bike is the Alta Redshift sweated every millimeter of the build, than the wind. drivetrain, which delivers 50 horseand there’s no hint of committee deciIt’s the next best power and a near-instant 147 poundsion-making compromise. “There can feet of torque. The liquid-cooled motor be synergy if the combination is right,” thing to flying. spins to 14,000 rpm, weighs a mere 15 Mike says. “We lucked out, I suppose.

I feel like pounds, and sucks juice from a 5.8-kiloWe happen to complement and chalwatt-hour lithium-ion battery that can lenge each other.”

I enjoy riding recharge in three hours from a standard even more, 120-volt socket.

The plan is to build seven more PACT bikes, but Walt and Mike are already because it Walt and Mike designed a new frame looking beyond that. “We are discussing happens in to cradle the motor, using street bike the next project,” Mike confides. “We geometries. They built a jig before conknew we would learn a lot from this bike, silence.” structing the frame, and used 0.65-inchand it has fueled ideas of where we want wall chromoly tubing. It’s a traditional to go next.” It’s an exciting prospect, and approach, but the critical brackets use to be honest, probably the kind of kickcutting-edge techniques: they were first 3-D printed, put start the electric motorcycle industry needs — especially if in place to ensure correct alignment, and then CNC-ma- EVs really can attract a new generation of riders. chined in steel.

Walt believes everyone should at least try an electric When it came to the bodywork, Walt reached into his store motorcycle, to form an opinion. For him, electric power of paper and cardboard to better understand dimensions distills the riding experience. “There is no sound other and size. “Dimensions in computer modeling can be mis- than the wind. It’s the next best thing to flying,” he says. leading,” he notes. PACT’s design was translated into a 3-D “I feel like I enjoy riding even more, because it happens model, which was used to CNC structural urethane plugs. in silence.” n The plugs were then used to make tooling for the carbon fiber bodywork. waltsiegl.com

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Year/Make/Model: 2018 PACT Build time: 3 months Motor: Alta liquid-cooled brushless permanent-magnet AC induction Transmission: Alta single-speed Battery: Alta 5.8-kWh lithium-ion Controller: Rinehart Motion Systems dual 150-kW motor controllers Range: 50-100 miles, depending on mode/use Recharge time: 1.5 hours (240v), 3 hours (120v) Frame: WSM chromoly Forks: Ă–hlins FGR Shock: WP Tires: Michelin Power RS Bodywork: Custom carbon fiber Handlebars: Aluminum Hand Controls: Alta Headlight: Husqvarna/WSM Taillight: WSM Seat: WSM Electrical: Alta/WSM Paint: Peach Pit Racing Graphics: WSM

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ARTI FAC T

QUICKSILVEr Mike Corbin races his electric motorcycle into history.

WORDS

Michael Hilton

IMAGES

courtesy of Mike Corbin

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On August 19, 1974, Mike Corbin threw a leg over his all-electric land speed bike, Quicksilver, and set off across the Bonneville Salt Flats, chasing a new world record. A rented Nash with a rope hanging off its back towed bike and rider for a flying start; if Corbin attempted a traditional start, the massive torque produced by Quicksilver would instantaneously spin the rear wheel down through the salt like a saw. When he reached 60 mph, Corbin dropped the rope, steered around the car, twisted Quicksilver’s delicate throttle, and accelerated ahead.

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orbin is, and always has been, a talented cre- During the gas shortage crisis of the early ’70s, Corbin ator and a fearless innovator. Born in 1943 decided to leverage his electrical savvy to build plug-in in Gardiner, Massachusetts, Corbin grew motorcycles. In 1973, he traveled to Bonneville with up repairing pinball machines and building Lightning, a tube-frame streamliner powered by leadservo-motor robots, and after high school, he acid DieHard batteries, and became the first person joined the Navy and trained to ride an all-electric motorcycle on to become an on-board electrician for the salt. He was the first person to the naval fleet. Corbin’s first bike was break the 100-mph barrier on an EV In 1973, he a broken-down Lambretta scooter he bike, touching 101 mph. The next bought for $25 and repaired himself, year, Corbin debuted his “city bike,” traveled to and upon graduating from electrician the XLP-1, which was one of the first Bonneville and school he rode a ’59 Triumph Bonnestreet-legal, road-registered electric ville across the country to San Franmotorcycles in existence. It had three became the first cisco, where he would be stationed on lead-acid batteries, achieved a top person to ride the USS Ranger aircraft carrier. speed of 30 mph, and could travel 40 miles on a single charge; Corbin manan all-electric After Corbin left the Navy in 1964, he ufactured 100 city bikes between 1972 motorcycle on started customizing a Norton Atlas. and 1973. In 1975, environmentalist He didn’t like the shape and comfort Charles McArthur rode the XLP-1 up the salt. of the stock seat, so he built a cusNew Hampshire’s eight-mile, 12-pertom seat for himself. Another rider cent-grade, 99-turn Mt. Washingsaw the seat, offered him $40 for it, ton Auto Road — twice, actually — and soon Corbin was building custom seats for his proving electric motorcycles could be built powerful friends. In 1968, after a Harley-Davidson dealership enough to climb hills. sold a half-dozen of the homemade seats in one weekend, Corbin founded what is now one of the world’s Corbin wanted to push electric technology further most respected aftermarket motorcycle seat compa- still, and felt compelled to debunk the collective nies: Corbin Manufacturing. belief that electric bikes would never be fast. He went

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Left top: The XLP-1 near the summit of Mt. Washington.

Left bottom: Corbin and crew at Bonneville.

Right: Corbin displaying his record-breaking time card.

back to work on his land speed bike, sourcing a front end from a Honda CB750 and electric motors from Douglas A-4B fighter jets. For Quicksilver, Corbin needed new, more energy-dense battery chemistry, so he started looking for a sponsor producing silver-zinc cells, five times as potent as lead-acid batteries. Corbin partnered with Yardney Electric, a local company building silver-zinc batteries for nuclear-powered submarines, but since Corbin couldn’t afford the $100,000-worth of silver needed to build the batteries, he had to “borrow” the silver from a vault at the Navy shipyard. (Corbin says, “After we came home from Bonneville, we recycled the batteries and put 99 percent of the silver back into the vault without anyone knowing.”)

When Corbin arrived in Bonneville with Quicksilver, he had to find a way to charge its batteries. Corbin says, “I had my wife ask the motel we were staying

Since Corbin couldn’t afford the $100,000-worth of silver needed to build the batteries; he had to “borrow” the silver from a vault at the Navy shipyard.

at if they had a clothes dryer. They said ‘yes,’ which meant that they should have a 220-volt outlet necessary for charging Quicksilver, but when we arrived it turned out that the dryer was on a 110-volt outlet.”

Corbin was stuck until he noticed the telephone pole outside the motel. He sent his mechanic to Salt Lake City to buy a half-dozen sets of jumper cables, which they then clamped together in a series. Corbin told his kids to go out to the pool, splash around, and make some noise to distract the motel attendant so he could climb the telephone pole and clamp the battery cables to the 220-volt source. “I think it may have been only 205 volts, because of how the charger was groaning, but it did the job.”

On the salt, Corbin performed what he calls a “strategic ballet” of maneuvers to safely start Quicksilver. As the bike’s speed increased, Corbin had to carefully flip a series of switches in precise order to ramp up the

voltage, all while tending the throttle. Corbin designed a kill switch from a bar of copper that he could trigger if there was an issue with the bike’s magnetic contactors, which ran 120 volts and 1,200 amps of direct current and could flash and weld together, meaning there would be no way to shut the bike off. (Corbin says, “I’d have been on my way to Taiwan . . . right over the freeway and off to Hell in a handbasket!”) Corbin diligently followed his intricate start-up procedure, piloted Quicksilver across the densely packed, sodium-chloride pan, and reached a record-setting 165.397 mph; it would be 38 years before another all-electric motorcycle bested that trap speed. The perception that electric motorcycles couldn’t be fast had been shattered, and Mike Corbin — a man ahead of his time — had given the world a glimpse of its future. n

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F E AT U R E

SILEnT War Can Zero Motorcycles survive the fight ahead?

WORDS

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Chris Nelson

IMAGES

Aaron Brimhall & Tony Grubb

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The march to the front lines of the electric motorcycle revolution is over. It proved fatal for many — Alta Motors, Brammo, Mission Motors, et al, abisti non peristi — but not Zero Motorcycles, now America’s only “mainstream” all-electric motorcycle manufacturer.

Zero spent $250 million over the last 13 years to keep pace with rapidly changing EV engineering, help establish the electric motorcycle market, and build the strength necessary to take on its most formidable challenge yet. CEO Sam Paschel believes it’s likely that, at some point in the next five years, electric motorcycles will account for at least 40 percent of all new model sales, which is why the world’s most moneyed manufacturers are now clawing into the ripe industry. et there’s an eerie sense of calm inside Zero’s passed, Zero better understood the never-before-adclandestine headquarters in the redwoods dressed needs of the all-electric industry, waiting for outside of Santa Cruz, California, because the EV revolution to reach an inflection point when each of its 150 employees understands and conversations shifted from “if ” this revolution would appreciates the realities of their situation. happen to “when.” Zero needs to prepare for its last Paschel says, “There will be stand — in case the odds of failwinners and losers on either side ure become too overwhelming and of a shift like electrification, which the opposition grows too strong “If we don’t make is creating more liquidity, fluidity, — but not before readying itself for and market share than has ever unprecedented success in a new era the best electric existed in modern transportation. of motorcycling. bike in the world, If we don’t make this work, and we don’t make the best electric bike in Chief Technology Officer Abe Askewe don’t survive. the world, we don’t survive. That’s it. nazi recalls his first ride on a Zero That’s it.

This is all we do every day, and we and says, “If motorcycling has a are fighting for survival.” future, this is it.” Like most of his This is all we colleagues, Askenazi felt like a do every day, and That Zero survived this long is a feat reborn convert to some fascinating in and of itself. When its founder, new religion after he lost his electric we are fighting ex-NASA engineer Neal Saiki, virginity. He says, “We’re creating for survival.” built the original Electricross dirt a very transformational experience, bike in 2006, there wasn’t a sinand our goal is — this is gonna gle mass-produced EV for sale in sound weird, but it’s absolutely true America. When Zero brought on its first investors, — to make the motorcycle go away. What if this amazthe total number of plug-in electric vehicles in the ing electric experience — the hand of God pushing United States was under 3,000. Now over a million you forward, the ability to build speed in a way that plug-in vehicles have been sold in America, and rates is counterintuitive relative to vibration and noise — of EV growth and adoption are even more impres- what if we could not just work on but grow that, and sive overseas; half of all Zeroes produced last year completely transform motorcycling? That’s the reawere sold in Europe. With every year that came and son we’re all here.”

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The single largest group at Zero Motorcycles is engineering, with a staff of about 50 engineers across five departments. Engineer Eddie Smith says, “What drew me to Zero was the possibility to create motorcycle designs that were impossible to achieve with gas powertrains. With electric vehicles, there is a whole new set of technologies that we get to explore and innovate with. It’s about finding the unfair advantage and developing a better motorcycle.” When Askenazi started at Zero in January 2010, there were only ten engineers and no one in the company but him had experience in the motorcycle industry. Now, motorcycle helmets sit on almost every desk and there are defectors from BMW Motorrad, Harley-Davidson, Triumph, and more. “If there’s one thing at Zero that has impressed me the most over the years, it’s the talent that we’ve been able to attract,” Askenazi says. “The more you build momentum as a brand, the more people want to be part of it, and all of the sudden we have people knocking at our door.”

in EV motorcycles must be incredibly energy-dense, requiring a unique chemistry unlike that used in electric cars but rather similar to the chemistry used in power tools. The battery chemistry is constantly changing and improving with ongoing research, and Zero has to trust that the battery supplier will do everything possible to keep its partner at the top of its industry. Unions like this will be essential for long-term success in the chaotically fast-paced world of EV engineering, where the best possible solution today could very well be rendered obsolete by the end of the week.

Due to the high turnover rate in EV tech, Zero’s engineering team has a mandate that any advancements must be backwards compatible to the platform they were designed for, ensuring that early adopters don’t get left behind when new features debut on future models.

Over the past decade, Zero had to be very calculated with improvements to its product lines and make only

“What if this amazing electric experience — the hand of God pushing you forward, the ability to build speed in a way that is counterintuitive relative to vibration and noise — what if we could not just work on, but grow that, and completely transform motorcycling?

That’s the reason we’re all here.”

It used to be that Zero begged and pleaded to be heard small, serial upgrades to its existing models. Not six by potential dealers and suppliers who wouldn’t risk years ago, Zero still used skinny, brushed axial-flux getting involved with an unproven startup in an “pancake” motors instead of smaller, lighter, and more inchoate industry. Now many of those same deaf powerful interior permanent magnet (IPM) motors, companies want to be part of the movement, but Zero which are now standard equipment for most on-road has to be strategic when picking allies. “When you’re electric vehicles. Askenazi says, “For a very long time hungry, you want to say ‘yes’ to everyone, but at some we took mental notes, and knew how would we do it point you realize that you can’t do that without dis- different if we ever get a chance to design a clean-sheet.” appointing,” Askenazi says. Zero answers “no” a lot They got that chance when it came time to develop the these days, looking only for partners on the bleeding recently released 2020 Zero SR/F. It’s the company’s first edge of their fields who want to co-develop new EV ground-up build since ’09, when the Zero S launched as technologies and advance the industry. the first electric street bike to go into mass production.

“Industrial design, mechanical engineering, powertrain One of Zero’s strongest relationships is with its dis- engineering, electrical engineering . . . everyone collabocrete local battery supplier. The partnership started rated to build the thing they want,” says Askenazi. in the formative years of both companies and has since grown into an intimate collaboration, with the The Zero SR/F is a 485-pound, $19,000 streetfighter supplier working to create a battery chemistry spe- with a steel trellis frame, adjustable Showa suspencific to Zero; since the size of a battery is limited by sion, Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tires, J.Juan regenerative a motorcycle’s compact dimensions, the battery cells brakes and Bosch stability control; available 3.0- and

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“For a very long time we took mental notes, and knew how would we do it different if we ever get a chance to design a clean-sheet.”

They got that chance when it came time to develop the recently released 2020 Zero SR/F.

6.0-kilowatt on-board charging systems; a 14.4-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion “monolith” battery pack good for about 161 miles of range; smaller, lighter controllers with higher processing speeds; and a brushless IPM that produces 110 horsepower and 140 poundfeet of torque.

cycle company, we’re an industrial company building bikes in America, and we just opened up this whole other avenue as a software company, which allows us to do things with this motorcycle that haven’t ever been possible.” Zero also functions as a powertrain supplier, selling its propulsion system to companies building anything from go karts to cherry pickers, The SR/F also showcases Zero’s new vehicle control but is careful not to make that a cornerstone of its and electrical systems architecture, Cypher III. The business. “Mission Motors was supposed to be a powoutgoing software had become limited by bandwidth, ertrain company, and look what happened to them,” memory, and processing power, so engineers rede- Askenazi explains. “Brammo was supposed to turn signed the vehicle’s MOSFET-based controller and into a powertrain company, and look what happened. swapped in a more sophisticated, more capable pro- Alta spoke of turning into a powertrain company . . . cessor running a RTOS (real-time operating system) whether that or other partnerships killed them, who environment, which responds to inputs without buf- knows. I think for us, it’s another leg of our business, fer delays. Cypher III also allows the SR/F to better but no one is treating it as a primary leg.” relate to its owner via a mobile app, letting riders create custom ride modes, personalize the bike’s digital Zero clearly knows what it is and what it isn’t, which display, run remote diagnostics, schedule charging matters on the eve of what promises to be the most times, and review real-time ride data — like route, hectic melee ever experienced by the motorcycle speeds, lean angles, power output, etc. — and share industry. What matters more, though, is that the digitally with friends. select few buyers willing to shell out big money for the most primitive versions of electric motorcycles “We’re three companies,” says Paschel. “We’re a motor- also understand what Zero is — and what it isn’t.

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“We don’t have an insurmountable lead . . . We can be caught, but we have a head start, and we have the wealth of all the lessons we’ve learned along the way that help us aim in the right direction.”

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“This space is going to get messy, and as a leader in the In this indefinite transition period preceding mass space it’s our responsibility to not spread misinfor- electrification, traditional motorcycle manufacturmation,” Paschel says, worried that “vaporware” pro- ers will struggle to ramp up engineering efforts and duced by naïve startups will hurt the industry at large. strike a balance between current internal-combus“That’s the scary thing, that they can do damage to this tion motorcycles and soon-to-debut EVs, giving Zero transition to electrification for motorcycles that has even more time to prepare for the battles ahead. “We nothing to do with us. People that haven’t put in the don’t have an insurmountable lead,” Paschel admits. time, energy, and effort, making a run for the money “Depending on how much time, energy, money, and now that the market’s here, and they aren’t ready.” resources people throw at it, we can be caught, but we have a head start, and we have the wealth of all the Is Zero ready? It’s wonderful to have dedicated lessons we’ve learned along the way that help us aim in employees from diverse backgrounds, a growing dis- the right direction.” tribution network, innovative partners committed to collaboration, and an in-house factory building Zero Motorcycles is planning its opening moves in the and testing every bike sold, but Zero isn’t guaran- EV revolution, but it can’t know when it will hear the teed success in a quickly maturing market that will war drums of bigger, more imposing challengers. Lessoon be saturated with motorcycles produced by bet- sons learned on its long march to the front lines will be ter-known brands. Askenazi sighs, “That’s what keeps invaluable but not indomitable, and Zero Motorcycles me up at night now: can we grow fast enough? Now will need to be nimble, smart, and scrappy to survive that things appear to be taking off, can we keep up?” the early days of fighting. And it will, because Zero Paschel smiles and says, “That’s the fear I want Abe has proven it knows how to fight and survive. n to have . . . it makes me happy. The reason we’re in a leadership position is because Abe’s a little paranoid, which I think all great leaders in a role like that need z e r o moto r c yc l e s . c o m to be, so that’s the right place for his head to be. We’ll get more than our fair share.”

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F E AT U R E

THE DISrUPTOrS Each offering unique products, these seven start-up companies are boldly entering the EV revolution.

WORDS

Julia LaPalme

While the first electric vehicles were invented in late 1800s, it has been gas-powered vehicles that have ruled the roadways for over a century. But there is a growing movement determined to change that, and over the past two decades, electric vehicles have slowly slipped into the mainstream as the public’s impression of EVs has improved. People are now more aware of the effects of noise and exhaust pollution, and the cost of owning and operating a gas-powered vehicle is driving more traffic toward EVs. Technological advances, cost of operations, and other barriers to entry have been lowered, making it easier to enter the market; as a result, a handful of boutique motorbike and motorcycle companies have emerged. Each of the following seven companies present their own electric motorcycles and e-bikes with a unique approach, hoping to make a lasting impression on the personal mobility market.

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CAKE Cake’s test track is made from crushed limestone, known locally as “kalk”

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tefan Ytterborn founded CAKE in 2016 with the help of his two sons. Over the past three years, the Stockholm-based company has grown from three employees to 19, spread between Stockholm, the U.S., Taiwan, and Europe. CAKE currently offers one e-bike, the Kalk, in two trims: the Kalk OR, made exclusively for off-road use, and the Kalk&, an on-road model with a slightly lower gear ratio. “Kalk is probably equivalent to between a 125cc and 250cc dirt bike,” Ytterborn explains. “The bike weighs 150 pounds, which is 30 to 40 percent lighter compared to an equivalent combustion bike, making it a snappier, flighty, flowy ride.”

CAKE is Ytterborn’s fifth company, so he is no stranger to building products from the ground up and bringing them to market. With a background in the snow sports and cycling industries, Ytterborn

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first marketed CAKE’s e-bikes to the mountain bike crowd, and over time CAKE’s customer base has grown to include mainstream motorcyclists, who now account for the majority of sales.

Ytterborn says CAKE’s customers prioritize sustainability and environmental responsibility, and when he founded CAKE he wanted to create something that spoke to the next generation of vehicle users. Electric bikes simply made sense: very little noise pollution, no emissions, and relatively light weight with easy-to-use power. Ytterborn says, “To be successful and to make a difference has always needed disruption.” And CAKE is certainly disruptive.

r i de c a k e . c o m

“To be successful and to make a difference has always needed disruption.”

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FUELL EVs built by a man who once championed performance V-twins

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uell is the latest brainchild of Erik Buell, founder of defunct Buell Motorcycles. After Buell met with his co-founder Frédéric Vasseur and CEO François-Xavier Terny, they collaborated to create a startup that addressed the changing transportation marketplace. “Fred, F-X, and I initiated the company specifically to build products to address the needs of personal commuting and play in urban areas,” Buell says.

Currently, Fuell lists two products in its lineup: Flow, an electric motorcycle, and Fluid, a pedal-assist (or “pedelec”) electric bicycle.

Starting at $10,995, the Flow features a proprietary electric wheel motor that comes in two sizes: 11 kilowatts (Flow-1) and 35

kilowatts (Flow-1S). The Flow has a claimed range of 150 miles and can accelerate up to 85 mph. “Overall, the combination of acceleration, smoothness, and silence is simply amazing,” Buell says.

Fuell’s other offering, Fluid, is an e-bike with two power options: 250W (Fluid-1, a Pedelec) or 500 watts (Fluid-1S, an S-Pedelec), priced as low as $3,295. Buell says, “I intensely believe in the importance of slim, nimble, efficient personal rides, and I also seem to think differently, which leads to different solutions.”

f u e l l .u s

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LIGHTNING A near-silent sport bike with a record-breaking pedigree

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ilicon Valley company Lightning started in 2009 as a passion project for founder and CEO, Richard Hatfield. He first worked on electric vehicles in 1997, helping develop an all-electric Porsche with some racing friends. Being a lifelong motorcyclist, Hatfield naturally gravitated toward combining his two passions as he learned more about lithium-ion battery technology and the benefits of a smaller, lighter vehicle that could make the best use of electric drive.

His first EV motorcycle — the $38,888, 200-horsepower LS-218 — made history in 2013 by taking the overall win at Pikes Peak, ridden by Iron & Air contributor Carlin Dunne.

The company’s latest release, the Lightning Strike, is made for the everyday rider. Available in three versions — standard, mid-range, and Carbon Edition — the Strike is tamer than the LS-218, with more-manageable horsepower (90 horsepower for standard and mid-range models, 120 for the Carbon Edition), improved ergonomics for more comfortable riding, and a more-attainable price point ($12,998 for the standard, $16,998 for the mid-range, and $19,998 for the Carbon Edition).

l igh t n i n g mot o r c yc l e . c o m

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SOL This isn’t your mom’s Pocket Rocket

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ased in Stuttgart, Germany, SOL Motors came about in 2013 after its founder, Manuel Messmer, couldn’t find an electric moped that met his standards for performance and design.

The e-bikes, scooters, and mopeds available at the time evoked a more traditional design, which he thought didn’t fully represent this new technology, so he created the Pocket Rocket.

“We chose to forgo all the elements we felt were unnecessary or simply decorative,” Messmer explains. “It’s not an e-bike: it’s too fast. It’s not a moped: it has no pedals. It’s a ‘Noped,’ defining a new category of electric two-wheelers.” Little more than an aluminum frame, handlebars, rims, and fenders, the 121-pound, fully recyclable Pocket Rocket is available in two versions: the

base model, which has six horsepower and a top speed of 31 mph, and the Pocket Rocket S, which has 8.5 horsepower and a top speed of 50 mph.

SOL’s core customer is an urban-dwelling commuter looking for a sustainable form of transportation. As cities become more congested, electric bikes offer just that, providing mobility without the noise and air pollution. As for the company name? Messmer explains, “SOL: Speed Of Light. It stands for the noiseless form of mobility going from A to B, silent and fast.”

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SUPER73 An affordable, pedal-assist motorbike with a fast-growing following

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hen Super73 launched through Kickstarter in 2016, the founding team hand-built their first line of bikes in a warehouse in Orange County, California. The Super73’s charm lies in its approachable retro bike aesthetic, which lures both millennials and aging boomers alike, and the starting price of $1,400 is the lowest in its segment. Co-founder Michael Cannavo says, “Electric or bust at this point, man. As much as we love the roar of a gas monster, we see how the environment is changing. Cities are beginning to outlaw combustion engines, and people are looking for smaller, more portable means of transportation.”

The Super73’s 2018 lineup included the basic Super73-S, which has a throttle and pedal assist, maxes out at 20 mph, and has a 25mile range; the Super73-S1, which adds hydraulic brakes, lights, a luggage rack, and 10 miles of additional range; the Super73-SG, the global version of the S model that has a top speed of 15 mph, a

25-mile range, and is pedal assist only (no throttle); the Super73SG1, with almost double the range as the SG; and the Super73-Z1, which has a throttle-only motor without pedal assist, although all Super73 models have what Cannavo calls “lawyer pedals” to meet federal regulations for electric motorbikes. “We also love our pedals because it’s an emergency escape for those who may adventure a bit too far and run out of charge,” he says.

Cannavo hopes that light electric vehicles become more affordable and approvable in the near future. “So many amazing electric vehicles are out of reach to the general public because of cost, availability, and regulations. As the industry grows, we would love to see an answer for every demographic, rider group, and segment of society.”

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“So many amazing electric vehicles are out of reach to the general public because of cost, availability, and regulations. As the industry grows, we would love to see an answer for every demographic, rider group, and segment of society.”

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TarFOrM A modular, sustainably produced, artificially intelligent EV from Brooklyn

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EO and founder of Brooklyn-based Tarform, Taras Kravtchouk, first sketched his EV motorcycle concepts in 2016. Two years later, Tarform launched its prototype in two iterations: Scrambler and Café.

“Sustainability is a core value for Tarform,” Kravtchouk says.

While developing its prototype, Tarform experimented with biodegradable plastic, hemp filaments, and 3-D printing.

“During that process,” Kravtchouk explains, “we discovered a big potential to not only build an electric vehicle, but also to implement sustainable practices and be transparent in how we build these machines and the materials we are using. After the launch, we noticed that the people who are the most interested in owning a Tarform are technologists and creatives that are environmentally aware, but still want to experience the excitement of riding a motorcycle.”

Tarform is determined to not only make motorcycles more sustainable but also safer, and its prototypes include forward-thinking technologies like proximity sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and front- and rear-facing cameras. Even the bike’s sound is a safety feature: Tarform and famous Swedish composer Adam Nordén developed a noise synchronized with the throttle that increases in volume relative to speed. Tarform has already taken over 100 pre-orders for its Scrambler and Café, which should roll out later this year with prices starting at $18,000. Tarform shares tentative specs for two battery options: a 9-kilowatt battery with 129 miles of range, and a 13.5-kilowatt battery good for 168 miles of range and a top speed over 100 mph.

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“The people who are the most interested in owning a Tarform are technologists and creatives that are environmentally aware, but still want to experience the excitement of riding a motorcycle.”

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UBCO Two-wheel-drive motorbikes will change the off-road experience

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BCO is a New Zealand-based company producing a rugged, two-wheel-drive electric bike, initially designed for use by farmers, hunters, and outdoors people. Founded in 2015 by Daryl Neal and Anthony Clyde, UBCO is now looking to further develop its 2x2, which weighs only 144 pounds, has a top speed of 30 mph and a 75-mile range, and charges fully in six hours. The $6,999 price is a fair bit higher than similarly styled e-bikes of this size, but as of now none of those bikes offer two-wheel drive.

generations. Originally built as a functional rig for use in the field, the 2x2 has since found customers in van-lifers, conservationists, camera operators, and others who want a small, silent, sustainable motorbike that can go off-road. UBCO considers everyone a potential customer, especially those unfamiliar with two-wheel mobility. An electric bike is far less intimidating than an internal-combustion motorcycle, and given the speed at which electronics become outdated, UBCO plans to make their 2x2 e-bike easy to upgrade and update.

The utilitarian and versatile nature of UBCO’s 2x2 makes it appealing to a variety of people from different backgrounds and

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F E AT U R E

Electric motorcycles don’t need more range to win the hearts and minds of the masses.

WORDS

Eric Tingwall

I L L U S T R AT I O N S B Y

Moron Eel

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By the purest interpretation, electric motorcycles work. You trade your battery charge for miles, then trade your time for a battery charge, then you repeat. And electric propulsion certainly makes a convincing case with its characteristic differences from gas engines. At the roll of a wrist, electric bikes accelerate with the immediacy of stepping off the Grand Canyon’s rim. They move with an uncanny quiet that funnels the sensation of speed into your pupils, and the relative mechanical simplicity of these machines means they require almost no maintenance.

or all their virtues, though, electric motorcycles still exist on the bleeding edge as inventor Danny Hillis defined it when he said, “technology is everything that doesn’t work yet.” Constrained by the limited range of today’s lithiumion batteries, electric motorcycles cannot provide the unbounded freedom that gaspowered bikes do. A motorcycle works best when its rider shirks responsibility and abandons plans, and you can’t escape if you’re tethered to the electric grid with a cord this short.

Consider that Zero’s largest battery pack contains the same energy as a half-gallon of regular unleaded in a package the size of a combustion engine and its fuel tank. That electric bikes travel as far as they do — up to 200 miles in ideal conditions for the new Zero SR/F — is a testament to the efficiency of electric motors. While combustion engines turn just 30 percent of the energy in gasoline

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into forward progress, electric motors drive wheels with 85 to 90 percent efficiency.

Countless brilliant minds and billions of dollars are being poured into battery research with a focus on storing more energy in smaller and lighter packages. Emerging technologies such as solid-state lithium-ion, lithium-metal, and fluoride-ion batteries could pack more than double the energy density of today’s lithium-ion batteries. In the interim, engineers continue to whittle away at lithium-ion’s shortcomings with tweaked chemistries. They also work the other side of the equation, stretching each electron’s contribution by optimizing aerodynamics, motor windings, and battery-management software to improve efficiency. For all this effort, though, any major battery breakthrough is at least a decade from reaching production, and that’s okay because electric vehicles don’t have a range problem . . . electric vehicles have a charging problem.

120-VOLT CHARGING

240-VOLT CHARGING

DC FAST CHARGING

TESLA SUPERCHARGER

When it comes to refueling,

Running at higher

If direct-current fast

Tesla’s proprietary DC

plugging an electric vehicle

amperages as well as twice

charging is the future of

fast-charging network is as

into the standard 120-volt

the voltage, Level 2 charging

electric vehicles, it will have

significant an achievement

outlet is only more time-

can more than halve the

to look a lot different than

as any of its electric cars.

efficient than drilling an oil

time to replenish a battery

today’s infrastructure. The

Along many interstates,

well in your backyard to gas

compared to a 120-volt

current networks can be

Superchargers are dense

your Gixxer. Fortunately,

circuit. The SAE J1772

expensive and cumbersome,

enough that drivers can

an electric motorcycle’s

connector is used universally

and are often incomplete,

comfortably leapfrog

relatively small battery

in North America, meaning

not to mention the brewing

every other station. With a

means even the longest

you don’t have to worry

Betamax-versus-VHS format

credit card on file and the

charging times — about

about compatibility at Level

war. Asian automakers

vehicle identified through

12 hours — can still be

2 stations like you do with

stubbornly cling to the

its charging port, refueling

completed with an overnight

DC fast charging. Find Level

bulky CHAdeMO plug while

is as simple as pulling up

fill. That’s assuming you

2 equipment near shopping

everyone else, including

and plugging in. The newest 250-kilowatt V3 stations

don’t trip a breaker plug-

centers, auto dealerships,

Harley-Davidson, uses the

ging your motorcycle and

and parking garages, or

SAE Combined Charging

feature a liquid-cooled cable

Foreman grill into the

spend the $500 to $1,500 for

System (CCS). For now, most

and charge at a rate that

same circuit.

a home connector.

fast-charging stations offer

can briefly peak at 1,000

both connectors.

miles of battery life per hour.

Power: 22.5­–350 kW Typical charge time: 40 minutes Average Cost: $10 per charge

Power: 120­–250 kW Typical charge time: 35 minutes Average Cost: $6 per charge

Power: 1.4­–1.9 kW Typical charge time: 11 hours Average Cost: $2.50 per charge

Power: 3.3­–19.2 kW Typical charge time: 3.5 hours Average Cost: $4 per charge

*Time and cost estimates are based on a motorcycle with a 19.2-kilowatt-hour battery pack.

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We need a national charging infrastructure where ecosystem more efficient and more viable by mimickwe’re never more than 20 miles of riding and five mining the limitless potential of the combustion-engine utes of recharging from adding 100 miles back into world we know, and it’s a far more pragmatic approach the battery. The industry needs only to look to any of than simply supersizing the battery packs. the roughly 115,000 American gas stations where you can refill a 20-gallon tank faster than you can buy a In EVs right now, technology development often roller-grill hot dog to understand the end game. Elecoutpaces product development, even if the R&D tric carmakers and motorcycle departments seem like they’re manufacturers should be chasbarely making headway. While ing the same model, but unforHarley-Davidson’s LiveWire Justin Verlander tunately Tesla is the only vehicle includes the industry-standard manufacturer to currently recSAE CCS connector for DC could pitch at Little ognize the value of controlling fast-charging, Zero’s newest League speeds for a and branding a reliable, widebike can’t connect at any of the spread fast-charging network. more than 2,000 fast-charging dozen lifetimes with The rest of the industry believes stations that already exist in no discernible wear that home charging for five, or the country. That seems like a six, or 12 hours on a 240-volt, serious oversight considering on his shoulder, 40-amp circuit passes as sufAmericans like to make purbut he wouldn’t last ficient convenience. They’re chases based on what we think not wrong in most situations, we need rather than what we a year throwing but today’s infrastructure is actually need; on any given day, at Major League inadequate for edge-case users count how many Ford F-150s such as long-distance travelers, you spot with empty beds and velocities in each of apartment dwellers, itinerant unoccupied trailer hitches.

162 regular-season road warriors, and encyclopedia salesmen.

For the moment, Tesla’s Supergames. Lithium-ion charger network is the closest batteries are kind Public charging stations are thing we have to a next-gen buckshot across the American of like that. landscape, in the parking lots service station. The California of restaurants, shopping malls, carmaker is in the process of and big-box stores, and the defimore than doubling Supernition of “DC fast charge” is so broad that much of charger power to 250 kilowatts, which provides 75 today’s equipment only manages an 80 percent refill miles of range in just five minutes of charging for in a lengthy 30 to 40 minutes. The existing direct-curthe most efficient Model 3. That rate slows as the batrent, fast-charging infrastructure squeezes juice into tery nears a full charge, so it’s not as simple as saying EVs from 22.5 kilowatts up to 350 kilowatts, but the it can also provide 150 miles in 10 minutes. We’ll vehicles you can buy today generally max out when see a second effort soon as Electrify America builds fed 100 kilowatts of electricity. Because of these out cross-country corridors of DC fast-charging stadrawn-out recharge stops, public charging stations tions. Funded by Volkswagen as part of its penance are too often blocked by fully fed EVs that annoyingly for selling dirty diesel cars, Electrify America will sit and wait for their owners to finish a fried-chicken up the ante with its most powerful equipment offerdinner. Proper fast-charging will make the entire EV ing 350-kilowatt charging.

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Of course, it’s slightly more comallows GBatteries’ software to plicated than machine-gunning deliver high average power withThe goal is to more and more electricity into a out doing harm to the battery pack. battery. Lithium-ion cells will hapThe goal is to accelerate charging so accelerate charging pily accept high power levels, just that it’s as quick as a fuel stop. so that it’s as quick as long as you don’t mind compromising their long-term ability When that day comes — at least as a fuel stop. to store energy. Justin Verlander five, but hopefully less than ten could pitch at Little League speeds years from now — electric motorfor a dozen lifetimes with no discycles will capture that missing cernible wear on his shoulder, but he wouldn’t last a sense of boundless possibility. Battery-pack capacity year throwing at Major League velocities in each of 162 will be only marginally more important than gas-tank regular-season games. Lithium-ion batteries are kind size is today, and we’ll treat battery-electric propulsion of like that. with the same indifference given to the internal-combustion engines. Lithium-ion-powered vehicles will Canadian startup GBatteries claims it can avert this no longer be technology, and electric motorcycles will degradation. Today’s fast-charging equipment quickly finally and fully work. n ramps to a constant current and voltage for the bulk of a recharge, then gradually tapers off as the battery nears a full charge. GBatteries’ algorithm is far more dynamic, modulating the magnitude, duration, and shape of the electrical current fed to the battery. The software simultaneously monitors the impedance, a form of electrical resistance within the battery that reveals when permanent damage is occurring. Building up to the impedance threshold, dialing the power down as necessary, and cycling over and over again

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F E AT U R E D B U I L D

LEAD(-ACID) SLED Icon’s all-electric ’49 Mercury coupe.

WORDS

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Chris Nelson

I M AG E S

Andrew Trahan

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hat’s a true American car, from a time when Americans knew how to build cars,” says a shirtless man, missing a few teeth, peering through the half-open window of his lifted pickup. It happens at almost every stoplight: some baby boomer waxes lyrical about Detroit’s glory days and how 70-year-old cars are somehow superior to today’s automobiles. A grotesquely flawed line of thought, and it’s all we can do to smile and say “Listen and watch” as the 5,000-pound, all-electric ’49 Mercury coupe quickly and quietly accelerates away.

Admittedly, the man was right: This is a true American car, an aftermarket EV built collaboratively by San Diego-based Stealth EV, a shop that specializes in electric car conversions, and Los Angeles-based Icon, a boutique outfitter best known for its six-figure overhauls of Ford Broncos and Toyota FJ Land Cruisers. Electric propulsion is playing an increasingly important role in Icon’s business; the company converted two EVs before starting on the “Derelict” Mercury — a ’66 Fiat Giardiniera and a ’77 Volkswagen Thing — and Icon is currently working on an all-electric ’62 Ferrari 250 GTE.

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Jonathan Ward, CEO and founder of Icon, says, “The Merc, after extensive testing and use by its owner, will determine our EV future. I’m excited about such, but there are unique liabilities with electric vehicles. EV tech moves very fast, so we try to build our EVs as sub-modular as possible for easy upgrades as technology evolves.

When one of my repeat clients reached out to do a conversion of a ’49 Merc, I told him that this project would be full of unknown challenges, but that we were game if he was.”

The postwar Mercury Eight coupe, produced from 1949 to ’51, is a seminal car in street rod history. Its legacy begins with Sam Barris of Barris Kustoms in L.A., who bought himself a showroom-new, third-generation Mercury Eight and built the first-ever “lead sled”; Barris slowly melted and shaped poisonous lead filler to subtly restyle the slab-sided ponton body of his lowered, smoothed, chopped and channeled coupe. When one of Barris’s customers, Bob Hirohata, saw the lead sled, he commissioned Barris to build what is now considered to be one of the most influential customs of the classic era: The 1951 “Hirohata Merc.”

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If Icon’s ’49 Mercury looked as progressive as it actually is, battery pack from a wrecked Tesla Model S, with cells dyed-in-the wool car guys probably would’ve written it off carefully positioned throughout the chassis to improve as a bastard, so Ward opted to preserve the coupe’s natural weight distribution. The Mercury has a limited top speed patina and original brightwork, “to keep traditions alive of 120 mph, 200 miles of driving range, and can be fully and hot rodders engaged.” Most everything on the Merc recharged in 90 minutes, thanks to a 125-amp fast-charger appears standard until you peek under the hood, where hidden behind the front license plate. battery packs and controllers have been cleverly assembled to look like a big, chrome V8. Positioned behind the The build required over two years and more than 3,000 faux engine are twin induction motors from AMRacing, hours of engineering and re-engineering. Icon couldn’t together producing 400 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. ignore day-to-day advancements in EV tech, which Power is sent through a Dana 60 rear end, cradled in an meant numerous mid-project modifications to the battery Art Morrison Enterprises four-wheel independent chas- management system and the controllers. The bulk of the sis with six-piston Brembo brakes. The Mercury’s dual Mercury’s build time went toward writing software and motors are powered by an 85-kilowatt-hour, lithium-ion developing a temperature control unit for the battery pack,

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given that the Mercury will live in the torrid Arizona desert. That work fell to EV expert Matthew Hauber, founder of Stealth EV, who painstakingly adapted Tesla’s thermal management system for use in Icon’s Mercury.

the life of an edge-case EV conversion. “What’s new today might not be the best option two or three years from now,” Hauber says. “We’re in a fast-growing industry that’s always improving, and it’s a never-ending job to stay up to date and make sure we are working with only the best components.” For now, Ward will only build all-electric Icons for his most faithful clients, who understand their EVs will go through numerous iterations and periodically return to Icon for hardware and software updates.

Hauber, who has completed more than 25 EV conversions in the last decade, says, “We built the most intuitive electric vehicle conversion to date and pulled off something very special. Everything we gained from the outcome of this build will be the new standard for all future builds.

It’s the most extreme build we’ve ever done and, of course, As we silently slip-slide down the road, comfortably at the same time, the most challenging. There isn’t a per- slouched in the bench seat, we wonder where this car will son on the road not breaking their neck to get a good look fall in automotive history. Is it the modern Hirohata Merc at this car, and when they find out it’s electric they can’t that brings about an aftermarket EV revolution? Maybe — believe something like this is even possible.” or maybe not. But it will undoubtedly be the inspiration and blueprint for many vintage EV conversions to come.

A stunning, subtle marriage of vintage elegance and mod- At another stoplight, we hear some guy holler, “Damn, ern engineering, Icon’s 1949 Mercury Eight coupe grows they made ’em right back then.” They did, but they’re makincreasingly outdated with each passing day, but such is ing ’em better now. n

“There isn’t a person on the road not breaking their neck to get a good look at this car, and when they find out it is electric they can’t believe something like this is even possible.”

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Year/Make/Model: 1949 Mercury Eight coupe Builder: Icon Build time: 24 months Motors: Dual AMRacing liquid-cooled, AC brushless Combined output: 400 hp, 470 lb-ft Gearbox: Single-speed 7:1 direct drive Battery: Tesla 85-kWh lithium-ion, 96 cells Controller: Rinehart Motion Systems dual 150-kW motor controllers Range: 200 miles Charging systems: 125-amp quick charger, 50-amp standard charger Recharge time: 90 minutes (quick charger) Chassis: Art Morrison Enterprises Suspension: JRi coil-overs Wheels: 18-inch Circle Racing forged aluminum Tires: Goodyear Eagle RS-A, 235/50R-18 (front), 245/55R-18 (rear) Brakes: Brembo disc brakes w/six-piston calipers Audio: Bluetooth Mark III audio controller, ARC XDi 850.5 amp, four Focal EC 165k speakers, two Rockford Fosgate 8-inch subwoofers Interior: Andromeda digital display, Knoll textiles, Relicate and Moore & Giles leathers Paint: Original

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INVENTORY GEAR, GOODS, & MORE

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BSMC X TRIUMPH RACE JERSEY AND GOGGLES

Carpe Terram — “seize the terrain” — is a collaborative clothing collection created by Triumph and The Bike Shed Motorcycle Club, designed to complement the Scrambler 1200. Bike Shed’s head of retail, Gareth Charlton, says, “We focused on the quality of materials and the cut of garments for their use in the field, or on any other terrain.” Our favorites are the race jersey and the vintage-style goggles with Ethen frames and a light-reactive lens. | $85 (jersey), $75 (goggles) shop.thebikeshed.cc

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THE JAMES BRAND HELL GAP

The made-in-the-USA Hell Gap is James Brand's first foray into straight blades. With an S35VN steel blade and canvas micarta scales, we did utility cutting throughout our winter surf trip to Maine (page 086), sliced up the fixings for tacos, and even split some kindling to get the fire roaring when a hatchet couldn't be found. | $335 shop.thejamesbrand.com

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SENA 30K BLUETOOTH COMMS

​​ our recent trip to Kentucky (page 100) we On often had no idea where the road would take us, but Sena 30K units kept us connected through every twist and turn. The 30K has advanced noise control that keeps sounds clear, offers voice commands so you can avoid fumbling with buttons while riding, and allows for audio multitasking so you can listen to music while still being connected to your party. | $329 sena.com

WOLFMAN OVERLAND DUFFEL AND ENDURO DRY SADDLEBAGS

Wolfman has made quality motorcycle luggage for over 25 years, and each made-in-the-USA piece is thoughtfully engineered and ruggedly built. Wolfman's Overland Duffel functions as a large tail trunk, and off the bike it can be carried as a duffel, backpack, or shoulder bag. The Enduro Dry Saddlebags easily and firmly attach to any bike, cinch down tightly, and come with waterproof liners that ensure your gear stays dry no matter the weather or riding conditions. | $185 (duffel), $300 (saddlebags) wolfmanluggage.com

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YUCCA FINS

Designed and sold by a member of the famed "Wedge Crew" — a group of SoCal bodysurfers who ride a refractory wave in Newport Beach prone to turning the Pacific swell into waves taller than multi-story buildings — Yucca fins are built for all things wave riding that benefit from a fin. The look is simple, but with every kick they transfer your effort into maximum propulsion. | $80 yuccafins.com

PRANA TRAWLER HOODED HENLEY

Relaxed but stylish, the handsome prAna Trawler Hooded Henley has a button-up front, welted kangaroo pockets, and an athletic cut.

It doubles up two layers of ultra-soft, sustainable hemp-blend fleece, which quickly warmed us up after swimming in the frigid ocean or riding our snow machines on Maine’s frozen lakes. The Trawler is henceforth a “must pack” for all cold-weather excursions. | $99 prana.com

GLERUPS LOW BOOT

Good slippers are just as important as good boots when it's winter in Maine; wood floors never really seem to warm up. The first night of our “Searching for Surf” trip (page 086), three of our crew pulled on Glerup low boots, provoking envy in the rest of us.

Cozy inside and perfect post-surf, your first pair of Glerups won't be your last. | $155 glerups.com

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MUUL FULLY LOADED RUCKBUCKET

The Ruckbucket is a lightweight, crushproof, watertight, five-gallon bucket backpack; Muul says it’s “basically a truck bed for your back.”

The pack is made with MOLLE webbing, functions as a cooler with a removable liner, and doubles as a rugged little stool, thanks to a reinforced and padded lid that supports up to 300 pounds. The top-of-the-line Fully Loaded version comes with a half-gallon side pouch and a water bottle holder. | $150 muulusa.com

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XTIAN MILLER

Detroit-based artist and designer Christian “Xtian” Miller — creator of Issue 036’s cover art — explains, “I’ve been using Xtian as my username across the board for however long I’ve been using the Internet, and I wanted to kind of carve out a niche in terms of my brand.”

For two years, Xtian has created series of themed, interpretive posters with high-contrast geometric designs, bold colors, and expertly distorted typography. His posters are intended only to be visually pleasing and impactful, which allows X to comfortably break rules, unhinge from his workday, and lose himself in the “therapeutic” process. Subjects of his series posters include science, religion, architecture, literature, Shakespearean sonnets, gun reform, and top-secret CIA initiatives disclosed on WikiLeaks.

“I realized if you’re doing a series of posters, you get to kind of explore a lot of different possibilities within the same set of rules that you created,” X says.

Simply called “X” by his colleagues at AIGA Detroit, the 36-year-old works in digital experiences, developing interactive web designs with kinetic and arresting style. Xtian didn’t want to work in web design when he graduated from the UK’s University of Bedfordshire with a BA in graphic design, but he couldn’t land a gig and ended up at a small agency doing front-end digital development. “As time went on, I found what I was doing in my full- Xtian plans to sell prints, but doesn’t know when, exactly — and he really time job wasn’t fulfilling from a creative standpoint,” says X. “So I started couldn’t care less. “I try not to think too far out,” he says. “I’m just concentrating doing these poster exercises on the side.” on the now and what I can do, and that gives me creative freedom.” xtian.design

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The Rebel Yell 10-Year Bourbon Whiskey is the only proof you need that this time-honored recipe gets better with age. This single-barrel bourbon has been smoothed out over its decade of aging, imparting notes of vanilla, caramel, citrus, and oak.

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T OYO TA U S A + I R O N & A I R M E D I A P R E S E N T

Searching for Surf searching for swell downeast in the dead of winter.

WORDS

Jon Gaffney

IMAGES

Nick LaVecchia & Iron & Air

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A surf trip is planned on best guesses. You’re at the mercy of nature, chasing offshore storms in hopes of finding perfect swells, but expectations and reality rarely align — which is especially true if you’re surfing off the coast of Maine in the dead of winter.

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et’s keep in mind, we’re surfing in the winter. It’s not going to be enjoyable,” says New York-based longboarder Mikey DeTemple as we comb through weather and surf reports. Maine’s seacoast is longer than California’s shoreline and offers some of New England’s best surf, with waves that can reach up to 15 feet high, and over the next five days we’ll head north along the coast in a Toyota 4Runner and Tacoma, pulling over wherever we find surf. Also joining the Iron & Air crew are California longboarder Anna Ehrgott and seasoned surf photographer Nick LaVecchia. A common truism in the fishing and lobstering towns along the Maine coast is, “Time and the tide wait for no man,” and I say that the surf listens to no man. We hope to find surf, but we can’t plan on surfing.

Southern Maine usually has some of the best, most consistent surf in New England, but unfortunately the storm system we’re relying on for winter swells is moving slower than anticipated and is now heading north toward the Downeast coast of Maine, which juts out into the Gulf of Maine. So Downeast is our new destination, but first we visit Grain Surfboards to borrow longboards for Anna and Mikey, then stop by Woody’s Powersports in Topsham to hitch up a trailer loaded with a Yamaha YZ450 Timbersled and a Yamaha Sidewinder SRX LE snowmobile, then start the long drive to our rented house.

At dawn the next day, we leave to check out some promising surf spots. A few miles out the two-way radio crackles to life: “Pulling over . . . there’s an eagle in the field messing around with something.” Nick jumps out of the 4Runner and points his camera at a bald eagle, sitting in the middle of a stark white field as it finishes its morning meal, leaving a bright red stain on the snow. As it flies away we notice a group of trucks skating across the ice of a nearby lake, and we can’t pass up a chance to powerslide our rigs on the wide-open lake topped with over a foot of ice. As Iron & Air’s director of marketing Greg Moore spins around in the Tacoma, wide-eyed Anna bursts out in laughter. I hand her my binoculars so she can see the truck at the other end of the lake towing kids in an inner tube. “See?” I say. “Totally normal.”

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As we drive off the lake, a curious young man in a Boston Red Sox hoodie approaches us. Jacob Knowles, a lobsterman since he was 12 years old, spends his free time flying around in his 1955 Cessna “tail dragger” ski plane, searching for untapped remote lake fishing around Maine. When he asks if one of us want to go up with him, I’m quickest on the draw. Taking off in a small, 65-yearold plane on skis with a pilot I’ve just met seems a bit dicey, but the payoff is worth it. Flying above the rocky Downeast coast, I look down and see harbors of lobster boats, mountains, and granite boulder islands splayed out below us. My head is still somewhere in the air long after we land and head back to the house in the Toyotas. The day doesn’t go to plan and we don’t get to surf, but planning to be flexible allowed us to reap unexpected rewards.

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he next morning the waves are unreal — big and thunderous. The sun lights up the water as it rises from behind a small island off the point where we’ve parked. A few inches of snow fell during the night, blanketing the tops of boulders jutting up out of the ocean spray’s reach. When day breaks, we see why we can’t surf here: the waves are rising up and closing out on dry reef. There are gorgeous overhead barrels rolling in with most sets, so we try to find any angle in, but all agree it would be great ride ending with a grisly pounding on the unforgiving stone shoreline. We drive to a few nearby surf spots but see more of the same; due to the conditions, waves are breaking either too close to the rocky coastline or too far offshore for us to reach without a boat. There’s nothing to do but wait and see if a different tide gifts us with the right combination.

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Afternoon brings lower tides, and while the waves are still breaking uncomfortably close to the rocks, we decide there’s just enough room to squeeze in a ride, as long as you cut right on the wave. Anna, Mikey, and I pull on our thick neoprene wetsuits, and as they set the fins on their longboards with a James Brand knife, I inflate my surfing mat, grab my swim fins, and dive into the water. From January to March, the water temperature here is typically in the mid- to low-30s, with even lower air temps — a combination that can humble even the hardiest of watermen and -women. The brutally cold water instantly shocks my system, and I watch jealously as Mikey and Anna knee-paddle out on their boards, avoiding the cold just a bit longer.

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From the shore, the waves look farther from the rocks than they actually are. There are more boulders hiding directly under the takeoff, so I stand on one as I wait for a clean set. Both Anna and Mikey start paddling for waves and catch a few. The way the wave breaks, they disappear from view for a few uncomfortable seconds, then emerge, arms outstretched, balancing and walking their boards. I catch two clean waves, my head skimming only inches off the water, but my third wave goes wrong. I don’t exit early enough and get pinned inside, and the wave starts dragging me and my surf mat toward the rocks. Underwater I try to power through the backside of the wave, but it’s a losing effort and I let go of my mat, which is never to be seen again. The winter ocean takes what it wants.

That night we celebrate finally catching some waves with a big dinner and a few well-deserved drinks. The weather shifted during the day, and now it appears the storm system we’ve been chasing will sit over Downeast instead of continuing up the coast. Our original plan was to head north, but we decide to stick with the storm and the promising surf report. In the morning, we’re buried; the largest storm of the winter dumped 14 inches of snow overnight. The surfboards strapped to the 4Runner’s roof have disappeared in a white hump and the surf report is a complete mess, so we dig out our trailer, then drive back to the frozen lake to play around on the Yamahas.

Anna, Mikey, and Nick take off on the snowmobile, and Greg follows on the Timbersled, a Yamaha YZ450 modified with a forward ski and a rear ​​track. Hours pass in laughter as both blue machines braap around in the powdery snow, but eventually Anna, Mikey, and Nick want to head out and continue the search for surf. I stay with Greg, who is giddily ripping up and down the lake like a little kid, his thick beard caked with snow and ice. When he runs the fuel tank dry, we return to the cabin to thaw out. The surfers return from a sadly waveless day, but everyone is in high spirits as we share stories, drink beer, and pack for our trip home.

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n the morning, we check the surf report one last time and see that the best break in southern Maine might be hitting. Anna, Mikey, Nick, and I scramble to load our gear into the 4Runner and get on the road as fast as possible.

We’ve got a narrow window of opportunity, what with Anna and Mikey flying out of Boston in the evening, a lot of miles to cover, and the tide to contend with. It’s a long, white-knuckle drive, with only quick rest stops for fuel and facilities. An hour before sunset we pull up to the point overlooking the break.

Anna and Mikey scramble down the rocks, boards clasped in mittened hands. There are plenty of waves to catch and a golden hour to make the best of them, and the fading light dances with Anna and Mikey and their longboards. In this idyllic moment, we feel redeemed and can better appreciate that our haphazard, far-from-perfect surf trip was more fun — and more fulfilling — than we ever expected or could have planned for.

The payoff for venturing out into the water is incomparable.

These are moments earned, not given, providing new perspectives not found on shore. On a sunny day such as this, an offshore wind throws small rainbows off the passing peak of a wave, and the water burns yellow-orange in the last minutes of the day. As the headlands dip into shadow and I start thinking about flight times, I see the faint shape of black wetsuits carrying yellow and red boards back along the waterline, and crank up the heat in the 4Runner. In this moment, I’m thankful none of our original plan remains intact. n

Thanks to our partners: Toyota, The James Brand, Prana, and Otter Products for supporting the Search for Surf.

Additional thanks to Woody’s Powersports, Grain Surfboards, and Jacob Knowles for their help in making it an epic trip.

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REBEL YELL + IRON & AIR MEDIA PRESENT

The lore of Kentucky bourbon is as mysterious as the folks who make it.

WORDS IMAGES

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Adam Fitzgerald

Adam Fitzgerald, Daniel Dunn, Julian Focareta

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he first thing I notice about Kentucky is the smell. With every distillery we pass,

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the birth of “America’s Native Spirit” floods the air with a fermented, doughy funk.

This orgy of water, corn, and yeast kick-starts the life cycle of bourbon. Once distilled,

the virgin spirit matures inside charred oak barrels stacked in titanic outbuildings, or rickhouses, that punctuate the Kentucky landscape. According to the Kentucky

Distillers Association, there are over eight million barrels of aging bourbon in the state today. The evaporation off each 53-gallon barrel sends notes of vanilla, chocolate, and leather into the atmosphere. Locals call this the "angels' share" — a sweet smell of death, if there is such a thing. We pass through pockets of these complementary aromas for miles. The smell is also the last thing I’ll ever forget about Kentucky.

A few months earlier, we received an invite from our buddy Fletch at Rebel Yell to visit their distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. The Bluegrass State is home to the Bourbon Trail, a road-trip-style tour developed by the Kentucky Distillers Association. I’d always wanted to explore the Trail, and this gave me the perfect excuse. A quick call to friend and fellow recreational drinker John Ryland, owner of Classified Moto, and I had a willing accomplice for the trip.

Riding into Bardstown, the sights and smells already have us intrigued. “It’s quite yeasty here,” Ryland jokes over our Senas. We’re riding the latest Triumph Scramblers, the 1200 XE and XC. These capable onand off-road machines are the perfect vehicles to distill the legend and lore of Kentucky into our own rendition of the Bourbon Trail. The tourist version of the trail is an off-the-shelf activity for visitors — tailored, measured, and safe. We’re hoping for something of the bootleg variety: hard to find, unpredictable … and maybe a little less safe.

“You can make bourbon anywhere in the country,” says John Rempe, head distiller at Lux Row Distillers. “But all the good bourbon comes from Kentucky.”

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Rempe is the brand steward of Rebel Yell, Ezra Brooks, and David Nicholson, and the master blender of the sought-after Blood Oath. He’s dedicated to his craft, going so far as to build his home on the distillery grounds to oversee production. He’s also a rider, so we appoint him our unofficial guide for our few short days here. Rempe shows us around part of the 90-acre farm that Lux Row occupies and gestures to a good spot for us to set up our tents. Our view is the newly-built Lux Row distillery and the Revolutionary-era stone farmhouse inherited with the property. This prompts our first question. The answer is yes — it’s haunted as hell.

Every Kentuckian talks about the “legendary” spring water used to make bourbon. “Iron makes really bad whiskey. It can turn the whiskey black,” Rempe explains. “The natural limestone in the ground here filters the water, removing the iron and leaving a good amount of magnesium and calcium. That’s what the yeast needs for good fermentation. As people were moving around, farming and distilling, they found the spring water here perfect for making whiskey.” It’s hard to tell true history from clever hyperbole, but it’s part of the allure. There are legends aplenty.

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ourbon has been made in Kentucky for over 200 is late in the day for the crew here, which operates 18 years. All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whis- hours a day, six days a week. Outside, the smell is equal key is bourbon. To be a true bourbon, the whis- parts freshly sawed wood and campfire. Quercus alba, key has to be produced in the United States; made or American white oak, is the source. The tree is nickfrom at least 51 percent corn in the mash bill; dis- named “stave oak” after the one-inch slats that make tilled at not more than 160 proof; aged in a charred up each barrel. oak barrel, and go into its barrel at not more than 125 proof. We sample Lux Row’s offerings with the If the first legendary part of Kentucky bourbon is the master himself, and Rebel Yell’s 10-Year wins our water, the second is the barrel. It’s critical to the aging vote; it is so scarce and the demand so high that the process of bourbon, and ISC is the largest supplier of distillery limits sales to six bottles per week. In 1999, American white oak barrels in the world. Everyone bourbon production was at an all-time low, but the we meet is serious about their job. past two decades have seen unprecedented demand due to Asian and European exports. Today, it’s a $9 “How many barrels do you make a day?” billion industry in Kentucky alone, with new distilleries cropping up every year.

“I can’t tell you,” says Brendan Paris, Safety Coordinator at ISC. We’re desperate to find some fire roads, legendary springs, or abandoned places the new Scramblers “You don’t know?” could take us to. We ask the Lux Row staff about any “off-the-trail” spots we could hit, but receive a warning “No, I mean I’m not at liberty to tell you.” ISC has been about Cornbread Mafia territory. in operation for over 100 years, and their proprietary process is the reason for that. After several requests “Ha! The Cornbread Mafia?” I think it’s a joke. It’s not. for permission, we’re granted a tour that the paying public can’t see. But strict instructions come with it: In the late ’80s, Kentucky was the epicenter of the larg- Don’t film the employees. Don’t film or photograph est domestic marijuana growing operation in U.S. his- the equipment. Don’t film beyond or above this point. tory. The violent criminal enterprise spread across ten I’ve been in prisons with fewer restrictions. states in the Midwest and South. At the time of the bust, the feds seized nearly 200 tons of marijuana. Seventy After assembly, the barrel is steamed to prevent splitof the 100 “Cornbread Mafia” members arrested were ting. Then comes the magic: the inside of each barrel from Kentucky. Zero of those 70 turned against the is charred for 30 to 60 seconds at around 500 degrees. others. Not one cooperated with federal agents to save A “level one” char is slightly more than “toasted.” A themselves. “Tight-knit” is an understatement. Our “level four” is “alligator char.” Different chars carTriumphs are capable, but “outruns gunfire” wasn’t in amelize the sugars in the wood, imparting the raw the marketing copy. We explore other options. whiskey with its signature amber color and flavors of vanilla, spice, and oak. The char also serves as a natuKelsey, a Lux Row tour guide, lights up remembering a ral filter, removing imperfections in the spirit. certain patron from several months earlier. “This guy owns an abandoned property. He loves to talk about it. Before we leave, we visit “the yard,” where the oak He even left his card.” A quick phone call and we are staves are seasoned outside. Ryland and I walk set for tomorrow afternoon. through a maze of pallets stacked 10 feet high, sprawling about a quarter-mile in either direction.

The next morning, we arrive at the Independent Stave Brendan tells us they are low on inventory that day. I Company, a cooperage — or barrel maker — about 25 ask one more time how many barrels they make and miles southeast of Bardstown. Our 8 a.m. start time he politely lets me know it’s not happening.

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hirty-five miles northwest, we land at the property “The spring is what Dad called a ‘legendary water source of Jim Shulthise. Jim assures us this dilapidated since 1844,’” he tells us. “It’s about a quarter-mile down distillery isn’t abandoned. His family still owns the the road. It’s a natural spring. It’s piped up to that cover. land, and the buildings on it. They never abandoned And what we did is . . . ” anything.

I stop him. “Can we see it?”

In 1844, Taylor William Samuels turned this family farm into a distillery. The T.W. Samuels Distillery changed Jim is more than happy to bring us there. We follow hands several times, suffered from fires, robberies, and him around a steep embankment, through a barbed a Prohibition shutdown in 1920. After the company wire enclosure, down some makeshift stone steps, rebooted in 1933, T. William (Bill) Samuels, Sr. tried to through a locked steel door, and into the T.W. Samuels convince his father that the family recipe was subpar, but spring house. to no avail. Spite would see Bill leave the family business to start his own brand in the 1950s. He called this small “This is the legendary water source since 1844,” Jim says. craft distillery Maker’s Mark. The T.W. Samuels Distillery finally closed its doors in the 1980s and was purchased by I’m speechless. Shocked, Rempe says, “I didn’t think the Shulthise family soon after. Jim’s father utilized the we’d see anything this cool today.” distillation equipment to purify and bottle water under the name Samuels Springs until the mid-’90s.

We file in along the narrow concrete edge surrounding a six-foot pool of pure Kentucky limestone water. The Jim walks us through more than a century’s worth of Ken- blue hue looks unnatural. Chiseled limestone walls, slick tucky history that took place on this property. This isn’t a and alive with vegetation, lead back to the cave entrance.

Bourbon Trail tour; the only tastings here might be of the I was Indiana Jones for Halloween when I was six; I’ve lead, black mold, and asbestos variety. “Watch your heads,” been ready for this day. I start plotting my route around Jim warns as we walk into the bottling room. Razor-sharp the edge of the spring house to shimmy into the cave, but ceiling panels dangle 15 feet above us while the sweet smell Jim deters me. “No. I really don’t wanna see you go in that of the angels’ share blows through the broken windows. water.” Dammit.

We climb rickety platforms that may have just passed OSHA standards . . . of the 1980s. But the way Jim walks I can’t leave without doing something. With no Holy Grail us through this place with pride paints a masterful picture to choose, I reach into the pool, scoop the water into my of its heyday. He sees no decay. It’s beautiful in his mind, hands and raise it to my mouth. No one else is fond of the and now we see it too. idea. I choose... wisely. Unless I get giardiasis. Bottoms up.

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y intestines are still intact when a rooster wakes us at 6 a.m. for our last day in Kentucky. Ryland swears someone yelled his name outside his tent in the middle of the night, and thinks the old farmhouse ghoul could be the culprit. We pack up camp, get on our motorcycles, and head for Maker’s Mark distillery. We end up on the wrong road, but it’s not a disappointment.

Old Elizabethtown Road rides like something out of the European countryside. I ask Rempe over our Senas if this is a one-way, and he assures me it isn’t. I flick the Scrambler into Sport mode. On this road, it’s panic-inducing, but worth it.

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We land on Maker’s Mark Road, which leads us to the distillery. We roam the well-manicured grounds for a few minutes as pop music blares through outdoor speakers and tourists ogle prop-like outbuildings. It feels like Disney World compared to the grit of Bill Samuels’ birthplace. Rempe, Ryland, and I agree to pass on the tour, and head back to find Elizabethtown Road for one last rip.

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On the final ride back, those strange pockets of sweet and savory aromas are now a familiar comfort. For the two centuries before the Bourbon Trail was a tourist attraction, Kentuckians were taking spring water, burning oak, and making bourbon. This is what they lived, loved, and died for, whether it was popular with outsiders or not.

Over our last dinner, Rempe’s girlfriend Shelly says, “The Bourbon Trail isn’t really a place. It’s a state of mind.” I tell her I’ll be stealing that and claiming it as my own for this piece. But I’ll give credit where it’s due. If you’re willing, that state of mind will take you far beyond distillery tours and tastings. It showed us “America’s Native Spirit” in ways we never expected.

Until next time, Kentucky. We’ll see you on the trail. n

Special thanks to Rebel Yell, Triumph America, and Sena for their support of this piece and to John Rempe and the Lux Row staff for their hospitality. | rebelyellbourbon . com

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POSTSCRIPT

EAT | DRINK | SLEEP Kentucky, USA Every spot we found in Kentucky was worthy of an entire story in and of itself. The Bluegrass State oozes with spirits, legends, and secrets. If you hit the Bourbon Trail, don't be afraid to veer off course, ask locals where to go, and let the road guide you on your own unique tour. These are a few of the places we enjoyed during our time "off the trail."

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THE OLD TALBOTT TAVERN | BARDSTOWN

The Old Talbott Tavern looks to be unchanged since it opened in 1779.

John Ryland joked about it being the kind of place they’d hang a gun over the bar. Looking twice, we saw a rifle displayed above the “oldest bourbon bar in the world.” We were positive it was loaded. Upstairs, the Talbott’s bed and breakfast has hosted Abraham Lincoln, Daniel Boone, and Jesse James. Legend has it, after a night of heavy drinking, James hauled off upstairs and fired several rounds into a wall mural.

The bullet holes are still visible today. talbotts.com

JIMMY CAN'T DANCE | LOUISVILLE

Bartenders offer the best leads for the less touristy spots. We were told to hit something called Another Place. The address was for a sandwich shop. When we arrived, it was definitely closed. Then we saw someone walk out, so we made our move: Past the tables with the upside-down chairs on them. Past the shut-down, covered deli counter. Out of the dark, someone asks for our IDs. Down a staircase, we see this isn’t just Another Place. This is Jimmy Can’t Dance, a bona fide speakeasy. It’s dimly lit, the music is good, and it only gets better after each round. anotherplacesandwichshop.com

THE SEELBACH HOTEL | LOUISVILLE

Built in 1905 by Otto and Louis Seelbach, the European-inspired hotel was the height of luxury in its time. The Seelbach served as a safe house for Prohibition-era mobsters, bootleggers, and party-goers. It's supposedly haunted by the ghost of the Lady in Blue, who met a tragic end in an elevator shaft. We didn't meet her during our stay, but we did find other remnants of its sordid history.

The Rathskeller, a cavernous cellar-level lounge, is completely tiled with Rookwood pottery, ornate symbols and pelican statues. F. Scott Fitzgerald used to drink in this very room, and his time at the Seelbach inspired The Great Gatsby. Upstairs, behind the Oakroom's wallto-wall ornate wood paneling, hides Al Capone’s poker room. Inside, secret spiral staircases once lead into the basement’s tunnel system, which transported goods, money, and people in and out of the hotel. seelbachhilton.com

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