Arch Motorcycle 1s First Ride Review

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The Arch 1s was named for its single-sided swingarm. (Courtesy of Arch Motorcycle/)

When Arch Motorcycle debuted its KRGT-1, we found a luxury take on the American big twin like we had never seen. Top-shelf suspension and braking components are fitted to a frame made of tubular steel and precision-machined aluminum, all wrapped around a proprietary S&S T124 with downdraft fuel injection. But Arch would not stop there. The Los Angeles–based company has now started delivering the Arch 1s, its second production motorcycle and a new, sportier take on the V-twin riding experience.

Arch 1s models start at $128,000. (Courtesy of Arch Motorcycle/)

The Arch 1s is built around the same muscular powerplant as the KRGT-1, but with a new chassis and sportier ergonomics. Rake is steeper, the wheelbase is shorter, and the 1s rolls on carbon fiber 17-inch wheels with an all-new single-sided swingarm that gives the bike its name: one side, so 1s. With that massive 124ci V-twin, though, the ride is still remarkably cruiser.

To get to know the new bike, Arch invited us to Los Angeles to interview the company’s founders, Keanu Reeves and Gard Hollinger, and spend a day riding the 1s through the hills of Malibu.

Gales talks with Hollinger and Reeves about the five-piece carbon fiber gas tank developed for the Arch 1s. (Courtesy of Arch Motorcycle/)

The Arch Motorcycle showroom is in the front of the company’s sole building. Design studios and sales offices are just a couple of doors away from a row of CNC mills and lathes worth half a million dollars and a waterjet cutter big enough for lap swimming. A customer’s 1s sits on a pedestal in the showroom’s corner, painted in a wild black, white, and yellow scheme that the owner developed with the designers before the bike was ever built.

The gas cap on the Arch 1s lifts up on two riser arms, giving a feeling of high-tech luxury to the user. (Courtesy of Arch Motorcycle/)
Machined components look sturdy and permanent, but also high-end and refined. (Courtesy of Arch Motorcycle/)

“So you have engineering, you have design, you have legal, you have marketing, you know,” says Hollinger, motioning with both hands indicating the distance between these factions. “We have them all in one place. So rather than creating the possibility for them to be out of sync or fighting each other, we’re always doing everything with the same goal.”

This streamlined process and unity of vision that makes a motorcycle like the 1s possible. That, and the fact that the bike’s final price is of little concern to its buyers. A prototype is made, testing begins, and refinements are made along the way. After over 15,000 miles of on-road testing, the 1s is now ready for production. But production looks different for Arch than it does for a larger manufacturer.

Custom-machined cover on the proprietary Arch S&S T124. (Courtesy of Arch Motorcycle/)

There are no motorcycles available for sale at Arch. The company does not have nationwide dealerships. Each bike is made for a single customer. Customers are invited to the Los Angeles facility to ride one of two test 1s models, and the process goes from there. Ergonomics are tuned to the individual. If the customer wants quicker or slower handling, adjustments can be made in the triple trees and fork lowers to adjust rake, trail, or both. 1s models start at $128,000 and go up from there depending on customer preference and modifications. We would be riding the same test models available to customers before purchase.

As I pulled into a back parking lot in Malibu, I saw Hollinger and Reeves already suited up and ready to go. Two 1s models were parked side by side.

Finding a surface on the 1s that isn’t carbon fiber or brushed aluminum can be a challenge. (Courtesy of Arch Motorcycle/)
Arch worked with Öhlins Suspension to develop proprietary systems for both the KRGT-1 and the 1s. (Courtesy of Arch Motorcycle/)

The smooth carbon fiber of the 1s’ gas tank flows into a seamless tailsection machined from billet aluminum. A walk around the bike reveals new details; for instance, the slim line of frame beneath the rider’s seat was designed to look like a ship out of water. Intake scoops for the downdraft fuel-injection system are built into the gas tank. The large V-twin engine is cradled in the frame with air and light surrounding it. Heat-stained headers lead into a large upswept carbon fiber muffler. Turn the bike’s key, which of course is also machined from billet, and the full-color LCD dash comes to life, displaying the Arch logo and then an instrument cluster. All of these details and components serve a purpose but also, collectively, give the 1s a parking lot presence that only a truly bespoke machine can offer.

Gard Hollinger leading the group, followed by Senior Editor Morgan Gales, and Keanu Reeves in the rear. (Courtesy of Arch Motorcycle/)

A press of the starter button is met with loud pulsing from the twin-cam S&S, aggressive and well tuned. A twist of the throttle summons an impressive crackle from the exhaust; snapping the cable-operated 68mm throttle body shut ends the noise just as quickly. It’s incredibly satisfying.

The 1s was comfortable as we rolled slowly out of the parking lot. At 6-foot-4, I am not used to fitting well on bikes with high rearsets, but ergonomics on this model are an exception. We turned onto Pacific Coast Highway and let the T124s eat. The screaming 1s felt like a street-legal drag racer. This was my first taste of the 9.5-inch 240mm Michelin Pilot Power 3 rear tire, which was amazing in this circumstance; I’d find it would fight me later. Shifts through Arch’s proprietary six-speed gearbox were sure and definite. Clutch feel at the adjustable Magura lever was exquisite. Throttle action was tight and very precise, but with so much torque immediately available from idle, it required a delicate touch during low-speed operation.

The model seen here is used as a test machine for potential customers, with any desired modifications then being made to this platform. (Courtesy of Arch Motorcycle/)

As we approached our first corner, I began to trail-brake and slowed more quickly than I anticipated. I was expecting braking performance characteristic of traditional V-twin motorcycles, requiring a considerable amount of pressure to slow. But four-piston ISR calipers on carbon fiber wheels with the large surface area of Michelin 240mm tires slowed the 1s in a hurry. I took note, adjusted my input, and ultimately decided the high-performance brakes were a delight.

We turned off of PCH and headed east into the mountains. Eager to see how this sportier Arch handled, I accelerated quickly before braking to initiate the first high-speed sweeper. Front brake feel is excellent, but as I let off the brake and accelerated out of the turn, the bike wanted to stand up and straighten out.

Fighting the 1s and asking too much of it does not pay off. Best to scoot back and ride the bike the way it asks to be ridden. (Courtesy of Arch Motorcycle/)

Suspension on the 1s was developed with Öhlins for use in the KRGT-1, but tuned slightly differently for use in the 1s. Both the 48mm FGRT-series fork and rear monoshock are fully adjustable. From PCH to the hills above, minor bumps were hardly felt and larger, square-edged hits were greatly softened. Fork dive was moderate under hard braking and pitch back under acceleration was minor. The big Ö logo has taught us to expect good things, and Arch’s proprietary system delivers.

Through banked left turns and sweeping rights, I danced with the 1s up the mountain, learning how it likes to be ridden. Some bikes obey your will and do whatever you tell them, but the 1s is not one of these, instead telling you how to ride it. Don’t fight the bike with too much handlebar input; scoot back in the seat; lean forward over the gas tank; relax and tip into the turn. Find your flow. Use the throttle to straighten yourself out.

The impulse may be to scoot up on the bike for more agile handling, but the 1s was most easily enjoyed while tucked back into the seat. (Courtesy of Arch Motorcycle/)

Photo passes require many low-speed turnarounds, and the more time I spent on the 1s, the easier these got. The bike is easy to feel, and once you understand it, easy to modulate. But Hollinger said it well when he said it doesn’t pay to “override them.” Yes, top-shelf components like Arch/Öhlins suspension and ISR braking systems bring a level of precision, performance, and tunability rarely paired with an air-cooled S&S, but at its core, the 1s is more about presence and enjoyment through casual use than it is about making quick lap times.

Descending Malibu’s mountains into its valleys, we found ourselves parked once again. Patrons of nearby shops and restaurants watched and whispered as Reeves took off his helmet. Similarly, the 1s does not make a quiet entrance. Buying an Arch motorcycle does not automatically mean you get to ride with Keanu Reeves, but annual owner events hosted by the company mean the likelihood does increase dramatically.

Those lucky enough to experience the Arch 1s will experience a wonderful translation of the American V-twin riding experience. It’s the high-torque, ultra-exotic, American muscle design language of Arch Motorcycle executed in a more refined and sporty fashion than the KRGT-1. It brings a level of style, finish, and presence rarely seen in a production motorcycle, and a price to match. But if you’re after the status and exclusivity of a two-wheeled trophy like this, the 1s is all that in a fun, rideable, rock-solid package.

The 1s’s adaptive headlight clearly displaying its key feature in the hills above Malibu. (Courtesy of Arch Motorcycle/)

2023 Arch 1s Specifications

MSRP:	$128,000
Engine:	Arch proprietary S&S Cycle T124 twin cam w/ downdraft fuel injection
Displacement:	124ci (2,032cc)
Transmission/Final Drive:	Arch proprietary 6-speed drivetrain w/ custom high-torque mainshaft
Claimed Torque:	115.3 lb.-ft.
Frame:	Tubular and billet steel with billet aluminum structural members
Front Suspension:	Öhlins FGRT-series 48mm inverted fork, fully adjustable
Rear Suspension:	Öhlins monoshock, fully adjustable
Front Brake:	Dual radially mounted ISR 6-piston monoblock calipers w/ ABS
Rear Brake:	Radially mounted ISR 4-piston monoblock caliper w/ ABS
Wheels, Front/Rear:	BST Ultralight carbon fiber; 17 x 3.5 in. / 17 x 8.5 in.
Tires, Front/Rear:	Michelin Pilot Power 3; 120/70ZR-17 / 240/45ZR-17
Rake/Trail:	25.2°/4.0 in.
Wheelbase:	65.4 in.
Seat Height:	31.5 in.
Fuel Capacity:	4.5 gal.
Claimed Dry Weight:	563 lb.
Contact:	archmotorcycle.com

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