Ben Walker
Department Director
Lot 299
2008 Confederate Wraith B210
Frame no. 1C9SB29078B908022
26 January 2017, 12:00 PST
Las Vegas, Rio's Hotel & CasinoSold for US$48,300 inc. premium
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2008 Confederate Wraith B210
Frame no. 1C9SB29078B908022
Frame no. 1C9SB29078B908022
• One of less than 100 produced
• Low-mileage example and believed one owner from new
Founded in 1991 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana by Matt Chambers, Confederate Motors set out to create motorcycles, "Utilizing a holistic, avant-garde process for celebrating the art of rebellion." With their unique blend of off-the-wall styling, advanced technology and Grand Prix-quality components, Confederate's products emphatically back their maker's claim. It is an approach that has given Confederate a public profile out of all proportion to its relatively small size. Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Bruce Springsteen all own Confederate motorcycles. But this passionate company isn't just about show: In 2008, a Confederate Wraith set a new speed record of 166.459mph in the A-PF 2,000cc pushrod/unfaired class at Bonneville Salt Flats, obliterating the old mark of 141mph.
At one time, though, the firm's continued existence looked far from certain. In August of 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf states, devastating the area and destroying the Confederate factory. Unable to find any suitable facility locally, Confederate relocated to Birmingham, Alabama, where production resumed in 2006. The Wraith would be the model that got Confederate back into the game, building on the previous Hellcat model's success, with reduced weight, more extreme lean angles, superior front-to-rear weight distribution and a lower center of gravity.
The Wraith is powered by a JIMS Harley-esque 45-degree V-twin engine that uses a balancer shaft to reduce vibration. Displacing 1,967cc, the Wraith motor delivers 125bhp at the rear wheel via belt primary drive and a compact stacked-shaft, five-speed gearbox. It's the cycle parts, though, that make this machine something special. Taking functional minimalism to a new level, the aircraft-inspired Wraith chassis consists of an arched carbon-fiber spine complemented by aluminum bulkheads sandwiching the engine. The fuel tank is located under the motor, while the front suspension eschews conventional telescopic forks in favor of a blade-type girder arrangement. There's a single-sided, monoshock-suspended, aluminum swingarm at the rear. Confirming Confederate's commitment to using only the best components regardless of cost, the brakes are an FD four-piston job at the front with a Brembo two-piston caliper at the rear, while the wheels are lightweight Marchesinis.
Looking like an armor-plated board-tracker straight from the future, the Wraith was intended, says Confederate, to be, "The world's most luxurious, sporting two-wheeled device." There is absolutely no doubt that it is one of the most strikingly memorable motorcycles of modern times. Less than 100 Wraiths were made during the model's 2007-09 production run. This well-kept, low-mileage example comes from the estate of car and motorcycle collector Robert A. Harms.