Star Power
Boutique motorcycle buyers are spoiled for choice. Nowhere is this more evident than in the custom high-performance cruiser market, where deep pockets and a little patience can take you just about anywhere, from six-figure Harleys to one-off rolling sculptures. This is where ARCH Motorcycle Company has decided to stake a claim. Ambition is not an issue for this brand.
Neither is pedigree. Founded in 2011, ARCH is the brainchild of Gard Hollinger, owner of L.A. County Choprods, and star whose family tree is rooted in Hawai‘i. Working from a pared-back shop in Southern California, ARCH keeps a small team of machinists and mechanics busy making exotic bikes in small batch. Their latest offering is a new version of the flagship KRGT-1, itself an evolution of Reeves’ own custom Harley-Davidson Dyna, which served as an early prototype for the original ARCH concept bike.
But this updated model shares little with the Dyna—or any other motorcycle, for that matter. According to ARCH, the redesigned KRGT-1 features some 150 improvements over the previous iteration. Most notable among them is a new contoured fuel tank and swingarm. Both are machined in-house from billet aluminum, as is the subframe, and paired with a custom tubular steel chassis. Claimed dry weight is now 538 pounds, spread over a 66-inch wheelbase that’s slung low with forward-foot controls. As before, adjustable suspension comes from Öhlins, but the front forks are larger at 48mm. Staggered wheels—19x3 in front, 18x8 out back—are hewn from carbon fiber as an additional weight saving measure. They set the bike’s stance off perfectly.
For powertrain needs, Hollinger and Reeves went straight to the source: ARCH’s V-twin engine was developed with S&S Cycle, the Wisconsin-based firm synonymous with high-performance “Big Twin” Harley-Davidsons. The KRGT-1’s beating heart features a smattering of proprietary parts, including a trick downdraft induction setup and fuel management system, and displaces an astounding 124 cubic-inches. Rest assured, this beast of an engine doesn’t want for power. Crucially, according to ARCH, it also complies with Hawai‘i emissions standards.
In this segment, swagger is as much the appeal as engineering. The new KRGT-1 doubles down on both, while delivering the same bespoke vibes that’s inspired the brand’s cult following. To wit, because so much of the bike is handmade, and each is build-to-order, most ergonomic and aesthetic aspects are customizable. ARCH says the purchasing process takes 90 days or less, and prices start at $78,000.
Ambitious? Sure. But, hey, who doesn’t want to roll like Johnny Utah?