Confederate America GT Motorcycle Road Test

The fuel tank itself presented another problem. When full, fuel leaked out of the cap, all over the right side of the bike and onto the rider's leg. Putting just four gallons in the five-gallon tank remedied the problem while shortening the range by 35 miles to 135 miles. Other problems we find troubling on a $30,000 motorcycle are the turn signals and solo mirror. Regular readers of Motorcycle Cruiser know how we feel about Harley-spec turn signal switches (right turn switch on right grip and left on the left), but the source of our complaint on the Confederate is the inability of the rider to cancel a signal after it is started. Once the button was pressed, we had to wait while the signal flashed for seven to eight seconds. Attempting to cancel the signal by pressing the opposite signal only started it flashing, too, giving the impression of turning on the emergency flashers. In today's congested urban environs, being able to signal for a variety of actions is a necessity. Similarly, only shipping the GT with a left hand mirror constitutes a major oversight. Survival depends on knowing what's happening on both sides of the bike.

Our example of the America GT experienced a couple mechanical problems. The first is fairly common among high-powered motorcycles that get flogged at the dragstrip. After numerous full-boogie launches, the clutch began to get a bit tired. Another result of this extreme use was the need for a slight valve adjustment. However, the major failure of the America GT was not related to its hard life as a test bike. Part of the starter assembly fragged, and the chunks of metal tumbling around the primary drive destroyed the belt. Confederate says that they would cover the part in question (a Harley starter assembly) under warranty.

When it's all tallied up, is the America GT worth $30,000? Well, how dear is the money to you? If 30 g's doesn't seem like a lot of dough, then it probably isn't a lot -- for you. If you crave the ability to out gun almost anything you're likely to encounter, then this black beauty is for you. If you love the attention a unique hand-crafted piece of machinery garners, then maybe you can live with the teething pains. Confederate Motorcycles has hit close to its mark of being different from mass produced bikes while not resorting to the unobtanium prices of one-off customs. However, since we tend to favor function, we'll have to say that the America GT isn't quite there, yet. With Confederate's quality approach to building motorcycles, we don't expect to say that for long.

IN BRIEF

High Points: The sound of 113 cubic inches at play; Unique touches -- stylish frame tubing, billet primary cover, billet countershaft cover, oil temperature gauge in plain view, wiring hidden inside handlebar. Gobs of torque right off the line.

Low Points: Reliability problems; The noise of minimally muffled 113 cubic inches; Unique flaws -- leaking gas cap, funky turn signals, inaccurate, hard-to-read speedo; Excessive surging.

First Changes: Seal fuel cap; Add a right mirror; Find a quieter, prettier exhaust system.

RIDING POSITIONS

Friedman: Let's just say that I'm not going to be investing 30 grand in a Confederate American GT any time soon. You get plenty of nice stuff for your money, including excellent suspension, strong brakes, one-of-a-kind styling and a truckload of torque. And you should for that price.

It was the no-cost extras that put me off. Like fuel spraying out of the filler cap, oil leaks, extreme surging except under load and a vibration that made my head feel weirder than usual. You can put up with a few eccentricities, like the primitive turn signals, in such a singular, hand-built machine, but making the rider a human Molotov cocktail takes the personality aspect a bit far.

The Confederate is huge fun to ride for a short time and there are no ignition sources nearby. If you get the chance, take it. Just make sure the tank isn't full.

Art Friedman
Find out how weird Friedman's head usually feels by dropping an email to ArtoftheMotorcycle@hotmail.com.

Brasfield: Is it possible for a $30,000 motorcycle to nickel and dime itself to death? I think so. Something about walking around smelling like an arsonist doesn't appeal to me. The other idiosyncrasies, like the vibration and surging, put me off, as well. And no matter how nice any bike looks, I hate pushing it to the end of my block because it's simply too loud to ride away from my house at 5 am. (Test bikes come and go, but neighbors stick around forever.)

If I dislike the bike's extra "features" so much, why do I rate it higher than Art does? Acceleration. The GT flat-out gits. Any bike that makes me laugh this hard (You know, the kind of laughter that's accompanied by an elevated pulse rate and a healthy dose of adrenaline.) deserves some bonus points. Unique styling helps, too. Every time I look at the Confederate, I see something new. The detail work -- from the tank logo to the engraved logos on the brake pedal and the primary drive cover -- stands out. If the folks in Louisiana are willing, I'd love to clear a space in my garage for a long-term test of their craftsmanship. I promise I'll dust, polish, and roost the GT on a regular basis. Just don't expect me to commute on it.

Evans Brasfield
Brasfield, Motorcycle Cruiser's former associate editor, now roosts at his own website.

SPECIFICATIONS
Confederate America GT

Suggested base price: $29,995
Standard colors: Black
Extra cost colors: NA
Standard warranty: 12 mos., unlimited miles
Recommended service interval: 3000 miles

ENGINE & DRIVETRAIN
Type: Air-cooled, 45-degree tandem V-twin
Valve arrangement: OHV, 1 intake, 1 exhaust valve; operated by pushrods, hydraulic adjusters
Displacement, bore x stroke: 1852cc, 101.6mm x 114.3mm
Compression ratio: 9:1
Carburetion: 1, 44mm S&S Super G
Lubrication: dry sump, spin-on filter, 5.5 qt.
Transmission: dry, multi-plate clutch; 5 speeds

CHASSIS
Wet weight: 551 lbs.
GVWR: 1051 lbs.
Seat height: 26.5 in.
Wheelbase: 65 in.
Overall length: 88.3 in.
Rake: 30 degrees
Wheels: Dymag magnesium, 3.5 x 17 in. front, 6.25 x 17 in. rear
Front tire: 120/70 ZR 17 Pirelli MTRO1
Rear tire: 200/50 ZR 17 Pirelli MTRO2
Front brake: 2, dual-action, 4-piston calipers, 12.6-in. disc
Rear brake: dual-action, 2-piston caliper, 10-in. disc
Front suspension: 41mm inverted, 5.1 in. travel, adjustable for compression and rebound damping
Rear suspension: 2 dampers, 5.5 in. travel, adjustable for preload
Fuel capacity: 5.0 gal., (.4 gal reserve)
Handlebar width: 31.3 in.

ELECTRICAL & INSTRUMENTATION
Forward lighting: 55/60-watt headlightTaillight: 1 bulb
Instruments: speedometer, odometer, oil temperature; warning lights for high beam, oil pressure, neutral

PERFORMANCE
Fuel mileage: 30 to 39 mpg, 34.4 mpg average
Average range: 172 mi.
Quarter-mile acceleration: 11.61 sec., 118.4 mph

Additional motorcycle road tests and comparisons are available at the Road Tests section of www.MotorcycleCruiser.com.