ARCH Motorcycle

How was ARCH Motorcycle born?

ARCH Motorcycle is one of the most unlikely success stories in the motorcycle industry. In 2007, actor Keanu Reeves, a passionate rider since the age of 22, brought his Harley-Davidson Dyna Wide Glide to custom builder Gard Hollinger in Los Angeles. The goal was straightforward: turn the Dyna into something sportier and more personal. But the project took on a life of its own. After months of work, the finished custom retained virtually nothing from the original Harley except the engine. Reeves was so impressed with the result that he proposed starting a motorcycle company together. Hollinger, ever the pragmatist, refused multiple times before Reeves’ persistence and enthusiasm won him over. In 2011, ARCH Motorcycle Company was officially founded in Hawthorne, California.

Gard Hollinger was no newcomer to the craft. A former competitive motocross racer, he grew up in Hollywood Hills surrounded by mechanics and machinery. After working as a sheet-metal fabricator in a Culver City custom shop, he built a solid reputation in LA’s high-end custom motorcycle scene. His approach boils down to three words that would become ARCH’s guiding philosophy: Simple, Elegant, Efficient.

Why does ARCH redefine the American cruiser?

ARCH’s first model, the KRGT-1, made its public debut in September 2014. The philosophy was clear: build an American “performance cruiser” that combines the comfort and range of a traditional cruiser with the handling and performance of a sportbike. Keanu Reeves has cited the Porsche 911 as an inspiration: a machine equally suited for daily use and outright speed, always beautiful and always performing brilliantly.

Each KRGT-1 is hand-assembled at ARCH’s California factory. The manufacturing process is staggering: approximately 1,200 pounds of raw aluminum billet are required to machine the parts for a single motorcycle, with 90% ending up as recyclable shavings. The fuel tank alone requires over 40 hours of CNC machining. More than 200 parts are manufactured in-house, and each bike demands over 300 machine-hours. At the heart of the machine sits a 2,032cc (124 cubic inch) V-twin developed in partnership with S&S Cycle, fed through a proprietary downdraft intake system that keeps the bike remarkably narrow.

The suspension is custom-developed with Öhlins, carbon fiber wheels come from BST (Blackstone Tek), and the brakes feature ISR radial-mount calipers with Bosch ABS. The result is a motorcycle weighing 538 lbs dry, over 100 lbs lighter than a Harley-Davidson Low Rider S, with handling that the specialist press unanimously describes as astonishing.

From the workshop to EICMA: ARCH expands

In November 2017, ARCH made a splash at the EICMA show in Milan, unveiling three models simultaneously: an updated KRGT-1, the all-new 1s, and the spectacular Method 143 concept. It was Keanu Reeves himself who pushed the team to think big. Hollinger admits his default reaction is often “no,” but Reeves’ enthusiasm invariably wins him over.

The 1s, officially launched for production in 2022, represents a major evolution. It features a CNC-machined single-sided aluminum swingarm (a first for ARCH), mid-mounted controls for a more aggressive riding position, and a carbon fiber fuel tank that integrates the intake system and airbox. The price? Approximately $128,000. The Method 143, meanwhile, is a “concept production” model limited to just 23 units worldwide. It packs an even larger 2,343cc (143 cubic inch) S&S engine in a carbon fiber monocoque chassis developed with Swiss specialist Suter Industries. With a titanium and carbon fiber exhaust by SC-Project and an estimated price tag of $250,000, it pushes the boundaries of what an American cruiser can be.

ARCH also established a partnership with Suter Industries for European distribution, and in 2024 partnered with Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence to integrate 3D scanning and reverse engineering into its quality assurance processes.

ARCH in pop culture: from Cyberpunk 2077 to Goodwood

Keanu Reeves’ fame has naturally propelled ARCH into popular culture. In 2016, Reeves personally rode a KRGT-1 up the hill climb at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in England. In 2020, developer CD Projekt Red integrated a futuristic version of the Method 143 into the video game Cyberpunk 2077, where Reeves plays the character Johnny Silverhand. The studio’s sound design team traveled to Hawthorne to record actual ARCH motorcycle sounds for the game. The Method 143 also appears in GTA Online, cementing ARCH’s cult status well beyond the motorcycle world.

ARCH on the track: the 2025 MotoAmerica challenge

In 2025, ARCH took a decisive step into competition. Reeves and Hollinger created ARCH Racing to compete in the MotoAmerica Super Hooligan Championship, a series featuring modified production motorcycles on track. The team enlisted former AMA Supersport champion Corey Alexander and MotoGP veteran Jeremy McWilliams. ARCH developed the 2s-R specifically for racing, and Hollinger has stated that testing revealed untapped potential, with ambitions to compete at the Isle of Man TT in 2026. The racing adventure is being documented in a TV series produced by V10 Entertainment.

ARCH Motorcycle today

ARCH remains an artisanal manufacturer in the truest sense. With a team of approximately 16 people, the company produces a very limited number of motorcycles per year, each built to order after a personal consultation with the client. There is no dealer network: everything goes through the Hawthorne factory. Prices start at approximately $85,000 for a KRGT-1 and climb to $128,000 for a 1s, with every example being unique and tailored to the owner’s measurements and tastes.

The ARCH Owners Group, established in 2021 under the leadership of founding member Vic Branstetter, organizes annual events where owners ride together, often accompanied by Reeves and Hollinger themselves. It is an ultra-exclusive club where the price of admission is the motorcycle itself.

In summary

ARCH Motorcycle proves that it is possible to build a premium American motorcycle brand from scratch, with zero compromises on quality or performance. What could have been a Hollywood vanity project has evolved into a genuine house of motorcycle haute couture, respected by specialist press for its dynamic qualities as much as its craftsmanship. The American V-twin has never been so well dressed.

KRGT-1

The founding model of ARCH, launched in 2014, is the brand’s rolling manifesto. Powered by a 2,032cc (124 cubic inch) S&S V-twin producing approximately 120 hp and 122 lb-ft of torque, it features a steel/aluminum chassis, BST carbon fiber wheels, bespoke Öhlins suspension, ISR brakes, and over 200 CNC-machined parts produced in-house. At $85,000, it’s the “entry-level” ARCH, but each example is personalized to the buyer’s measurements and preferences. The specialist press, initially skeptical of what seemed like a celebrity vanity project, unanimously praised its road manners. The 2-into-1 exhaust developed with Yoshimura delivers a characterful rumble without being antisocial. Reeves himself has logged over 50,000 miles on development prototypes, providing detailed feedback that shaped every iteration of the bike.

1s

First shown as a concept at EICMA 2017 and launched for production in 2022, the 1s is ARCH’s sport-cruiser. It retains the 124ci engine but adds a single-sided swingarm, mid-mounted controls for a more aggressive riding position, a carbon fiber fuel tank with integrated intake, and 7-spoke BST carbon wheels. At $128,000, it blurs the line between cruiser and sportbike. Its 65.4-inch wheelbase and 240-section rear tire provide remarkable stability, while the riding position invites you to attack corners. An AIM digital dash and adaptive LED headlight round out a thoroughly modern equipment list.

Method 143

Unveiled at EICMA 2017, the Method 143 is ARCH’s flagship, limited to just 23 units worldwide. Its 2,343cc (143 cubic inch) S&S engine produces approximately 170 hp within a carbon fiber monocoque chassis developed with Suter Industries. Titanium/carbon fiber exhaust by SC-Project, BST “Turbine” carbon wheels, and leather integrated into CNC-machined aluminum bodywork push the boundaries of the custom motorcycle format. It also inspired the rideable motorcycle in the Cyberpunk 2077 video game, where CD Projekt Red’s sound team recorded actual ARCH bike audio in Hawthorne for in-game use. Estimated price is around $250,000, and all 23 units were spoken for upon announcement.

2s-R

Introduced in 2025, the 2s-R is ARCH’s competition derivative, purpose-built for the MotoAmerica Super Hooligan Championship. Featuring a new engine and a track-oriented platform, it marks ARCH’s official entry into racing. The ARCH Racing team, with former champion Corey Alexander and MotoGP veteran Jeremy McWilliams, takes on industry giants like Harley-Davidson and KTM. Hollinger has set his sights on the Isle of Man TT, proving that ARCH’s competitive ambitions extend far beyond the US, with plans to race internationally by 2026.