Letter From The Founder No. 26
We Are Live On Kickstarter
I don't have much else to say in this letter, because, aside from the incoming DOT certification of our LSM '64s, this has pretty much been my singular focus these past few months.
The Aviator, our long-time secret project and the 2025 successor to the '64 is now live on Kickstarter. It's been a bunch of fun bringing this to life and we're super proud of the work our team has put in.
For those interested in checking out the bike, and backing our campaign, check out the campaign here: Aviator Kickstarter
Instead of my normal letter with lots of varied updates, I'm just going to talk a bit about this bike, and my thoughts on it.
What is the Aviator Like?
In a few words, I love this bike. It feels a lot like a '64, with that same perfect balance and smooth power, but nimbler, lighter, yet more solid and robust feeling than its predecessor, and damn beautiful.
The photo I took above was in the middle of a long weekend where I snuck it away from HQ, took it up to my mother's home in the woods and spent that weekend riding around in the forest, hanging out with my uncles, and enjoying lake simcoe. It was a perfect weekend, and having that bike there just made sense. The Aviator was designed for this stuff, these days off, the in between times of just joy and relaxation.
Yes, it is a solid commuter. We've ridden it hard these last 6 months of development, hard enough to know it will outlast its older siblings.
But its not just something to go to work on.
What this bike really is, is the original vision steve and I had when we started this company. Let me show you what I mean.
This is my personal bike. Zero. It's the first Beachman Steve ever built, and I bought it off of him before we started the company. Compared to a normal Beachman it is wicked fast, a proper penned and plated motorcycle, with a hand built battery and a penchant for carving.
Every sunny day since he finished it in 2019 I have flown through the city on this bike. I don't know exactly how many kms I have on it, but I know it's well over 5000. And I have loved every ride. It's a 1979 Kawasaki KZ200. It comes from another era of engineering, overbuilt and a bit punishing but boy does it handle like a dream.
The reason I bring it up is because the Aviator is partly a return to this original vision. Steve's ideal of a hooped rear frame, styled to match the curved seat (my curved seat is actually a skateboard deck he upholstered, an old bike builder's trick!), simpler lines, and a sportier stance. Less plastic, more steel and aluminum, more security from theft.
The Aviator takes the 3 years of the '64s legacy and adds back in what was missing from this first prototype.
I won't say it's perfect, but it's damn close. And I can't wait to share it with you.
Pre-order Yours Today
A final note... I know that most of my email list are Canadians. If you live in Canada and want to back the Aviator on Kickstarter, send me an email before you do. There's some nuances with how it works since the campaign is in USD.
That's all for now.
As always, feel free to reply to this email to reach me directly.
See you down the road.
Cheers,
Ben Taylor
Co-Founder, CEO
Beachman
As always, feel free to reply to this email to reach me directly.
See you down the road.
Cheers,
Ben Taylor
Co-Founder, CEO
Beachman