The self-taught machinist and Arch Motorcycle: Part II

Method 143 motorcycle.

In Part I of my interview with Arch Motorcycle’s Ryan Boyd, we talked about how he started down the path of machining: his move from Colorado to California, and sharing a vision with two other like-minded individuals, Gard Holmberg and Keanu Reeves, to build and grow a successful company. Now we discuss what inspires each motorcycle, the experiences Ryan has been afforded in his position at Arch, and the relationships he’s built while building bikes.

JW: What was the goal in creating the Method 143? You said it was built in four months, yeah? How long does a typical prototype build usually take? What’s the timeline like for a KRGT-1?

RB: There were a few goals with the 143. We wanted to push the use of exotic materials and manufacturing processes, like the carbon monocell chassis and the billet bodywork, focusing on the layering design while continuing the sportier side of Arch. Yeah, from concept to the running prototype that we unveiled at EICMA (Milan Motorcycle Shows) in Milan, Italy, it was right around four months of work, which is pretty crazy considering how small our team is. In contrast, the production KRGT-1 took us close to two years before we were comfortable enough to show it. To me, this is a good look into how far we have come with our manufacturing and design abilities in the 6 years since the ARCH project began.

JW: Does each model have a specific inspiration?

RB?: I’m sure there is specific inspiration in there somewhere, but for me I think the bikes are created for certain experiential goals, whether it’s a sport cruiser that you can ride all day, or a more aggressive model where we shift the body position and chassis feedback characteristics, or even when creating something as exotic as we can based off of the large displacement American v-twin that we love. They’re all built with the visceral torque forward riding experience, while keeping a similar DNA, so that they all feel like they are from the same family.

JW: Is there a certain type of enthusiast who buys an Arch bike?

RB: Our customers really don’t fit into any specific category. We have men and women of varying ages, experienced riders and also first-time riders who bought an Arch as their first bike. I guess the one thing you could say they all have in common is the appreciation for our process of creating these machines, as well as our attention to detail.

JW: What are some of the unique things you’ve been able to do because of the move to Arch?

RB: I personally have been able to do a lot of really amazing things on many different levels. I have been able to exercise my thoughts on how parts should look and be made, and explore various ideas on how a motorcycle should go together. It has been a good learning experience as well, working with Gard and KR, feeding off of their methodical ways to achieve their goals and trying to meet and exceed their idea of quality and what a motorcycle should be. Gard has one of the better creative minds in the business, and it is always fun to see his take on things.

The guys got me into riding track bikes too; that has been one of my favorite things. Experiencing different motorcycles, trying to push them hard, and getting to know their characteristics, I think that translates heavily into what we do at Arch. I have had the opportunity to see many different factories—Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, Ducati, Norton, McLaren, Bimota, Vyrus—and see their practices on how a factory should work. But I think the coolest thing has been getting to know Gard and KR on a personal level and working together with them inside and outside of Arch. That’s probably my favorite part.

5 Machined plate on KRGT-1.

JW: Where do you see yourself and the shop, in five years? Is there anything else you’d like to learn or do down the road?

RB: I’m not too sure. We are so focused on what we are doing right now, it’s hard for me to say what it’ll look like five years down the road. We are already six years in on the Arch dream and doing a lot more interesting things than I imagined possible when I came out here to help get this thing going. So if we follow that model I would have to say that great things are on the horizon.

Seeing the motorcycles up close, in various stages of completion, really brings home the level of craftsmanship, time, and passion Arch puts into them. It’s one thing to see a glossy spread in a magazine or blog; it’s another to actually stand over them. Despite having created 199 motorcycle sculptures myself, I’m not a rider—yet. But the visceral appeal of a bike has always smitten me. At Arch it seems as if they have merged the best of what a motorcycle can be— mechanized pieces of rolling, functional art that thrill both the mind and body.

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