Confederate NBF Series Hellcat Roadster reviews

The Confederate Hellcat is one wild ride! It is one of the best bikes I've owned, period. Mine has needed some minor adjusting and TLC to become a reliable ride. If you are the kind of rider that thinks you need to get warranty service for a burned out light bulb, this bike is not for you. If you are an experienced rider who can twist a wrench on occasion, your greasy hands will be a small price to pay for the thrill. The company has been reorganized and is up and producing again. It does not really matter as most of the parts are aftermarket anyway and quite available. The S&S motor is bullet proof. If you can find one, go for it! Show less

I own a 2000 Confederate GT. I can't see how people run these bikes down. I have 10,000 miles on my Confederate and the only problem I've had is a slight oil leak caused by an Easy Rider's mechanic overfilling my oil. The bike has been great, and with a two seat configuration it gives me space to put my saddlebags. I love this bike. Show less

I have owned a Hellcat since last October and every time I ride the beast I am thoroughly satisfied. The feeling you get when you crack open the throttle is unlike any other bike I have ridden or owned. The thrill of ridding this beast outweighs the small problems that comes along with the brand.. Show less

This is truly the Bike from Hell, and I say that in only the BEST sense of the phrase. My 2000 Hellcat has had its' share of minor problems, and the guys at Confederate have been more than helpful in aiding me to set all problems straight. I look forward to riding this motorcycle like I have never looked forward to riding others that I've owned, and I currently own 2 Harleys that just sit around a lot these days. Anyone who spends their time whining about the bike's problems don't deserve to own one and are incapable of appreciating the work of art that is Confederate. I personally feel that "I am not worthy", but enjoy my ride to the fullest. Congratulations to Matt Chambers et.al. who had the vision and courage to challenge the naysayers. Show less

I own two HellCats, both 99. These bikes are awesome and have a hell of a ride. I understand that after 2000 the mechanics changed at Confederate, and they were just putting these bikes together and didnt give a crap. All the best mechanics and engineers had left by then. They are now back with a 2003 model called the g3 if you can afford 50k. Like I said the 99's I have kick butt. But I wouldnt give Chambers a dime, on the BS he is making now. Any help holler. TC Show less

I build bikes for a living. I work for one of the most famous and accomplished engine builders (v twin) in the world. The Hellcat is, in my opinion, the best motorcycle ever produced in America. Show less

mine is great. no problems, long rides, in the rain, and once in the snow. :) only thing that needs changing is bulbs. ya, I think I can do a ts bulb change once in a while. the 2001 models are alllllllll better. oh, and the s+s engine is great. everyone I know with a merch on any custom chassis managed to blow it up. like 6 people. they all got s+s engines now. :) Show less

'Love the bikes; look is unique, performance is beyond many riders' skill level - definitely not for the novice, and very rare (there are only about 400 in private hands). BUT.. the company is in knots internally (an ongoing hostile takeover attempt the current board of directors has withheld operating funding for some time, warranty issues are (and have been) delayed. Bulk of warranty issues are related to failure to properly break in these large displacement, performance enhanced motors. Almost all other problems are linked to pilot error (inflated sense of skill), and/or ignored routine maintenance. It is unlikely the company will survive in its current form. Show less

What a nightmare!!! Tried to buy one and the dealership I went to acted as though they did not want to sell me a Confederate, could not answer questions and looked downright cross-eyed at me when I asked prices. Told them I was interested in one silver Hellcat that was on the floor to sell and was told that they could not sell it to me. Huh? Started joining club boards to speak with other owners and felt like I was in a bad "B" movie. There are way too many owners out there owning Confederates with little or no miles on them that are not running and Confederate cannot honor any warranties because they even admit that they are close to bankruptcy. I admire their motorcycles, but I will do it from afar and I hope all those current owners reach some satisfaction with the Confederates, because as of now they simply own $25K to $30K art pieces! P.S. Called and spoke with the factory who lied to me and when confronted with theirs lies became incredibility rude. This motorcycle company is all but gone, but do not take my word for it call the factory, join the club boards and talk to owners. All the owners I spoke with gladly gave me an earful. Oh, and about getting to ride one...forget it, I was told that you either have to buy one before you can ride it and that the Confederate speaks for itself. Sounded pretty daft to me. They do not have a zero star rating or I would have chosen it. Show less

This can be a really long story, so I'll make it short. I want to be sure that people investigate what they're getting into before purchasing a Confederate. I bought a new 2000 Confederado. Less than 300 miles later it had a complete breakdown. Clutch, brakes, electrical system, and motor were shot. Confederate "approved" the bike for warranty work but WILL NOT send any parts or pay my local shop for labor. I am stuck in the worst position imaginable. I have spoken with many people at Confederate, including Matt Chambers, and all they do is blame their problems on someone else. I have owned the bike for 3 months, 2 1/2 months it has been in the shop waiting for Confederate to own up to their warranty. I have been lied to, no one will return my calls, and now it is turning into a legal battle. Matt Chambers tries to compare Confederate Motorcycles to the early days of Ferrari, but in my experience they do not even stack up to the early days of VW. In fact, I have owned several AMF shovelheads that were much more reliable than my $25,000 Confederado, and Harley will still help you out when you take your bike to the shop. I honestly cannot put my experience with Confederate in words. It is a total letdown that has left me stranded with a (very expensive) broken bike, a stack of bills, and frustration that I've never experienced before. I would warn anyone looking into purchasing a Confederate. Show less