2020 Arch Motorcycle KRGT-1 First Look

Arch Motorcycle seriously updates the KRGT-1 for 2020, giving the exclusive performance cruiser a series of major changes including redesigned bodywork, upgraded suspension, better brakes, and reshuffled ergos.

It’s a compact, six-man organization, a tight outfit run out of a small shop that mixes old-school craftsmanship with the latest materials and machinery. But Arch Motorcycle’s mission statement aims for bigger things: “Design and Innovation is our obsession.” The outsize ambition is what you get when you pair a Hollywood actor with a chopper whiz-slash-“moto architect.” Not that that’s a bad thing; just look at their latest product.

The boutique manufacturer, co-founded by designer and builder Gard Hollinger and actor/motorcycle enthusiast Keanu Reeves produces limited-run, custom production motorcycles in a no-frills Los Angeles area factory, but by their own admission, they're always looking to grow creatively. Which is the impetus behind its latest offering, the new Arch KRGT-1, or what they're calling "an evolution of the bespoke production motorcycle that set the bar in the performance cruiser category." Despite the self-congratulatory asides though, "evolution" may just be an understatement with over 20 major redesigns and more than 150 new parts and components filtering into the mix, these changes look anything but gradual.

But most folks just want to know what makes it different from the first KRGT-1 produced back in 2014. For one thing, says Hollinger, the new bike "stays true to the original objective while further developing and refining the motorcycle's design and performance elements to enhance the riding experience," but from where we sit, it also looks like the previous mish-mash of parts has been more purposefully revised and refined.

You’ll notice that monstrous 2-liter S&S engine still takes center stage, and it returns pretty much unchanged for this year. The signature 124ci S&S/Arch V-twin is EPA/CARB-certified (no word on Euro certification) and features an in-house-designed downdraft induction system along with a proprietary K&N Engineering air filter. Spent gases exit via an Arch 2-into-1 stainless steel header system capped by a Yoshimura carbon fiber muffler. Past versions have claimed 120 hp (that’s at the rear wheel, not the crank), but Arch is staying tight-lipped about this particular mill so far.

At Hollinger’s old company, LA County Choprods, the former motocross racer had developed something of a cult following for his ability to coax elegance out of raw metals, and the trend continues with this latest model. The new KRGT-1’s billet fuel tank—already a thing of beauty—is further refined and sculpted with new contours that are said to improve ergonomics without sacrificing fuel capacity. That aluminum tank is split into two fuel cells (between which the unique downdraft breathing system resides) a slick design that allows the curved tube frame to be exposed from the headstock all the way down to the seat. Additional bodywork tweaks include a redesigned tail section to accept a new composite-base seat configuration, and to improve aerodynamics and wind protection, a reshaped and repositioned front cowling that also holds a new dash panel and accents the J.W. Speaker Adaptive 2 headlamp. Redesigned front and rear carbon fiber fenders complement the motorcycle’s silhouette.

Because performance seems to be a focus with the Arch crew, it makes sense that the new KRGT-1 would get some more race-inspired bits this year as well. Öhlins helped develop a proprietary Arch suspension setup, comprised of a larger-diameter 48mm Öhlins front fork with adjustable compression, rebound, and preload settings, and a rear monoshock also with compression, rebound, and preload adjustability. Along with Arch’s tubular steel frame and billet aluminum subframe and swingarm (both machined in-house), the new components aim to complement chassis rigidity as well as working to maximize its control. Other race-spec parts include BST five-spoke carbon fiber wheels and Michelin Commander II tires, slowed by dual ISR 320mm floating rotors with six-piston calipers upfront along with ABS, all standard on the 2020 KRGT-1.

Capping off the list of refinements are needed updates to the rider triangle, which receives redesigned hand and foot controls for better feel and contact, while Magura clutch and front brake assemblies were fitted for improved comfort and performance.

There are parts on the new KRGT-1 shared with the newer Arch 1s model, a sportier design first unveiled at EICMA back in 2017 along with the "concept production" Arch Method 143. The 1s is the first single-sided swingarm motorcycle from the company, and features an aggressive riding position with an elegant but race-inspired look and feel, while the Method 143 brings a unique layering design and a carbon fiber mono-cell chassis, and is limited to just a couple dozen units. Despite some shared foundational elements, each model retains its own unique identity and footprint.

Arch says most aspects of its bikes are customizable, mainly ergonomics and aesthetics, and because each handbuilt machine relies on the owner's requirements, speed and power specs are often tough to nail down. In general, each weighs around 538 pounds and, if that 120 hp claim holds true, they should be a hoot to ride at speed; we'll let you know next week after we ride one. In the performance cruiser world, the KRGT-1 outweighs a Ducati Diavel by about 50 pounds, but should be a lighter touch than something like the Harley-Davidson FXDR 114 (637 pounds). It's about right in line with the Indian Scout however, but it blows all three of those away on price, which is projected to be somewhere in the $80,000 range. In the recent past, Hollinger has said that "the goal of any motorcycle manufacturer is to create a motorcycle that has soul," which explains why each Arch Motorcycle is tailored to each customer to dial in ergonomics and aesthetics unique to its owner. Hand-assembly after all, has its price.

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