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Every now and then a mere mortal in the motorcycle world is delivered a once in a lifetime opportunity otherwise reserved to industry folks…ACCESS!  On Thursday May 11th, 2006 that happened to me.  Michael Czysz let me step inside his reality called Motoczysz for a full access facility tour, “touchy-feely” of the C1 concept bike, the company mission and future plans, all followed by surprisingly detailed technical discussion / Q&A session.  That was a day unlike any other, right there with marriage and child birth, and I’ll never forget it.

I think its worthwhile to explain how this all came about.  In the end, its because of this blog and the few articles I’ve knocked out about the company, the people, and the bike here, here, here, and here where in one of them I wrote the following:

The bottom line for me is simple: I’m going to verbally support this effort until its either bankrupt or in production (I can’t really financially support them at this stage of my earning years!). Why? Its what I do. I’m an optimist when it comes to us ‘yanks’. There is no harm in wanting this project to succeed. Having met some of the fine folks, I think its possible.

Well, apparently they read what people write about them too.  I got the chance to do what I did because I want them to succeed and that’s what I wrote.  In return for my support and enthusiasm, I was selected (along with one other supporter) to travel to Portland, OR for a behind-the-scenes look at the product, the company, and the future.

Going into this trip, I really didn’t know what to expect.  I didn’t bring a camera because of me working at a Proving Ground, I know those are usually not allowed.  I didn’t bring a script of questions, a paper and pencil, or a tape recorder as I don’t pretend to be a moto-journalist.  What I did bring was a lot of excitement and anticipation of what was to come.  That’s it.

Michael Czysz
If you know anything about Michael Czysz outside of Motoczysz, its likely that you know he is a very accomplished architect who heads his firm called Architropolis.  I was very interested in how a right-brained, design by trade artist kind of guy ended up engineering something so nuts-and-bolts.  By the end of the day I realized that was my first error…the C1 concept is not just nuts and bolts holding together separate hardware.  This bike was “organic” to use Czysz’s word.  Its a well thought-out ‘body’ that started from a clean sheet of paper, and it shows.

If I had to describe Michael Czysz in one word, it would be intense, and that’s intense in a good way.  Its a combination of commitment, motivation, and focus.  Don’t mistake words like motovation for that of the Tony Robbins version where you want to go hugging babies afterwards, but the kind that creates human energy.  Seriously, it was strangely infectious.  I tried to talk to as many people as I could while I was there (of course without being in the way), and not one person was there who wasn’t 100% on-board…that kind of infectious. To my fault, I didn’t realize the racing heritage that the Czysz family has - with his two sons Enzo and Max, there have been five generations of the Czysz family riding motorcycles.  He himself spent time racing (and winning) on 250cc GP bikes with his dad as his wrench.  Enter the left-brained side of Michael Czysz.  As a brake engineer and weekend-warrior mechanic, I wasn’t expecting the technical side of him to have huge depth.  Wrong again.  The engine, front & rear suspension, and aero / bodywork (among others) are all his concepts and or designs.  Since I am a nerdy engineer, let me develop an equation for you doubters out there:

Right-brained designer + Left-brained pieces and parts guy + GP Roadracer = a pretty DAMN complete package

Motoczysz C1 - Proof of Concept Bike
Because standard inline fours and cartridge forks / shocks have been around forever, Michael Czysz needed to start with a clean sheet of paper.  Why?  “No one will out-refine existing parts better than the Japanese”, he said, and being an employee of a Japanese auto-maker, he’s probably right.  Think about it, do you really think anyone is going to make a better front fork assembly with an measurable difference big enough to pay big dollars in development than an Ohlins off the shelf unit?  Other start-up brands have tried - and failed - because there wasn’t enough differentiation from the original.  That, and the differentiation that was there wasn’t appreciable (think Excelsior-Henderson being too much like HD).  And some were simply assemblers of other people’s parts…again, lacking a distinct separation within their motorcycle segment.

Roadracing World was the only one that got it right in the mags as far as I can tell with the idea behind a “proof of concept” motorcycle.  Michael and I talked quite a bit about this topic because that bike, and its parade laps around Laguna Seca at MotoGP 2005, has been their primary exposure to the people.  The purpose of a proof of concept motorcycle should be self-explanatory.  Those concepts to be proven out were:

• did the counter-revolutionary engine and its 100% force balance eliminate the gyroscpoic effect and improve handling transitions?
• did the combination of zero frame flex plus tuneable front-end compliance improve corner entry speed and overall feel in the corner?
• did almost eliminating front end stiction via linear roller bearings and a shock versus cartridge forks improve handling?
• did the combination of a direct sprung swing-arm plus regressive damping improve handling when leaned way over?

This bike was never destined for a life of racing.  That would be “Version Two”.  Its purpose was to prove out the new innovation and technologies and also demonstrate them to those who can help spread the word - the media.  In that sense, regardless of the lack of hot lap at Laguna, the C1 prototype met its goals.

SIDEBAR: Insider scoop - for those of us who were expecting a hot lap at Laguna, here is what happened as it was explained to me.  They wanted to fly a big American flag on the parade lap, followed by a hot lap - that was the plan.  The problem was that no one actually opened up the new BIG flag until it was time.  I actually remember seeing that thing from where I was at the Flag Room, and it was a huge flag.  This caused two problems on lap#1.  The first was that it was a bitch to hang on to with that kind of drag force.  Michael had it pressed against his collar-bone on one end and zip-tied at the other.  The second thing was that the additional drag force also put extra load on an engine that ran a little hot due to the height of the back two cylinders blocking some airflow to the undertail radiator.  Regardless, after lap#1 was complete, the bike was a few degrees from overheating.  It now needed a cool-down lap…bad.  Keep in mind that these two laps were immediately preceding the main MotoGP race that everyone came to see.  Imagine the ever-lasting image of causing the return of the US MotoGP to be delayed because the Motoczysz C1 puked fluid out on the track.  Even though I too was disappointed, it was the right call.
End SIDEBAR

The counter-revolution theory was easily demonstrated with their engine test buck.  This was step 1.  They took two GSXR 1000 engines, cut them in half, did some gearing and manufacturing magic, and welded them back together with the rear crank/rods/pistons spinning the opposite direction.  They fired up this engine and it was as smooth as a Lexus up to about 12k RPM’s.  It was so smooth that the engine wasn’t even mounted on one side to the engine stand, and there was no rubber isolation.  I had my hands on the case as he whacked the throttle and nothing.  Not a noticeable vibration.  That was cool.  Step 2 was to mount the suspension concept on an R1 and run it through testing.  It too passed.  Step 3 was the C1 prototype now that every concept was proven out.

The bottom line is that this bike was the first try - a true one-off prototype.  In fact, some complained / joked that it leaked fluids (typical of an American motorcycle).  Michael laughed and explained that it was bound to happen to an engine that has ZERO gaskets - the metal to metal joints were sealed with RTV.  Being in the automotive field and dealing with prototypes all the time, the fact that this thing even ran is impressive.  To take a new concept engine and chassis into a package that is presentable enough to let the media ride it is very impressive.  As for the proof of concept, I think they Motoczysz was pretty happy with the performance of that bike.  (Note: I used that past tense because the C1 concept bike has officially been retired to a life in Michael Czysz’s office to compliment other works of art.)

Beauty and the beast (pictured below)…kind of like Carrot-Top driving a Ferrari F430.  This machine beneath me is quite the work of art, and even though its a one-off prototype, the attention to detail is amazing.

The Facility
The building is home to both of the Michael Czysz operations.  On one side is Architropolis, and the other is MotoCzysz…convenient eh?  The Motoczysz side consists of a large media room, a conference room, an engineering / design office area, a staff office area, a machine shop, an assembly room, a parts storage / layout room, another parts storage room, and a couple others.  Oh yeah, and Michaels Czysz’s office centered to have separate doors to both businesses.  In the back of the building was the a warehouse for storage and likely future, bigger, better use.

This place was clean.  I’m talking hospital clean, yet there were rapid prototypes being made before my eyes.  I think that keeping the place clean is a great discipline to have from the onset.  It shows a little structure as well as giving a shit (think Orange County Choppers).  Yeah, it may take a little extra time, but I think its worth it.

I was also surprised how much prototyping and machining was (will be) done in house.  They had a couple substantial CNC’s, another set up to cut foam prototype parts for fitment checks and design aids.  They also this powder rapid-prototyping machine that used a combination of alternating layers of powder and glue applied by an HP printer head.  I’m not doing the above machinery justce, but lets just say that they were able to take a concept, design it, rapid prototype the part, touch it / feel it / fit it, then modify if necessary…all in house and within days.

I am a little jealous that I will not be there come mid-June when the second version is being built.  I think that will be a challenge to see how well the shop area and assembly rooms are managed when under a different kind of pressure of having hard parts in hand.  Overall, the facility is very impressive as is the amount of in-house capability.  In a time where capital decisions usually lead to sourcing the work outside, it is refreshing to see a company want to spend a little now to be self-sufficient.

The Staff
I think it would be unfair for me to judge the staff at this point, but I can say the following:

• Again, everyone WANTED to be there.
• Everyone believed.
• Experience comes from motorcycle industry, materials industry, NASA, racing experts of various disciplines, and artists to name a few.

The Company
To my surprise (and in order of significance), Motoczysz is first, and most important, an Intellectual Property company.  That means that they working on new and innovative designs that are not currently available on the market, and those products themselves could be licensed or sold individually (e.g. selling a Motoczysz engine package to a privateer team like a Petronas or KR team).  This also involves lots of patents and processes to protect their unique designs.

Second, they want to race.  They have already hired a guy to manage the soon to be team with Motoczysz bikes.  Not much more needs to be said beyond that Michael Czysz bleeds red, white, and blue and is committed to put an Ameican built four-valve race bike on the track for real competition in the premier classes.

Third, they are a motorcycle manufacturer.  The reason they are taking their time with manufacturing expansion is really twofold.  First, is the brands Excelsior-Henderson, Cannondale, and Indian.  Because of these failed attempts, motorcycle investors are pretty scarce at the moment.  Second, is that Michael wants slow and sustainable growth without holding substantial debt…a pay as you go mentality.  That makes a lot of sense to the users and suppliers of capital. 

What I Can Say
They are currently waiting for the arrival of parts to build and support three “Version Two” race bikes that will compete in a major race series this year.  In addition to those three, an additional fifty true race-replicas will be built and sold with a target price around $100k.  These bikes will be track only or collectibles and will be able to be titled, but not registered for street use.  The following year they will build a street version with quantities to meet homologation needs with a price still tbd, but a good chunk less than $100k.  And the rest:

• There is a business plan that has a slow but steady roll-out of a diverse (yet sport-oriented) motorcycle lineup.
• “Version Two” has tons of redesign and refinements, but is still based on the overall C1 concept.
• “Version Two” will take five months from the start of design until bikes are built - very nice.
• Aftermarket front end parts are being tested for current Japanese sport bike fitments.
• They are working on a race team and venue as a wildcard entry for this season.  The specific series is still under negotiation.

What I Can’t Tell You

Conclusion
If there is one thing that all of Motoczysz from the top down is not lacking its commitment.  Even the part-time guys believe.  What I admire the most is the fiscal caution being exercised.  Michael Czysz reiterated to me many times thorughout the day that slow growth and a minimalist debt strategy was absolute, especially given the $100M investor loss that Indian left behind. 

They are an intellectual company first.  They are making fitments of their technology apply to current popular Japanese sport bikes to broaden their brand and reach.  Second, they are taking their technology to the track.  In some fashion, they will be on the national and/or international race scene this year (all jumping through hoops aside).  They have a solid plan to manufacture motorcycles, but it is their technology and innovation that will make or break this company…but admittedly, I cannot wait to see a street version in person.  From what I have seen first hand, if I were a betting man, I would have no problem putting money down on their success and longevity.