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01 July 2010
The Company
For generations, motorcycle riders have customized their bikes to be an extension of their personality. For the better part of a century, that meant custom paint jobs, bobbed frames, ape hangars, and just about any mechanical upgrade you can think of. Every bike show in every city has a unique array of artistic vision, embodied in well-placed welds and carefully wet-sanded enamel. This formula has created some of the most elegant pieces of machinery the world has ever seen...but it is time to evolve.
The year 1959 brought on the dawn of modern technology. William Shockley and his associates at the Bell Laboratories successfully assembled the first solid state transistor. To most of us, this means almost nothing; to us at Exodus Electronics, this means everything.
In today's fast-paced society full of off-the-shelf solutions, it is becoming more and more difficult to find that unique, one-of-a-kind custom job for your motorcycle. Any ordinary rider can spend $100 and make their engine glow any number of colors. But we know that no rider is ordinary. That's why we offer the one product to our customers that can't be bought on eBay: their imagination realized.
We often say that if a rider wants a blender installed on their bike for margaritas on the go, we'll do it. And we're not kidding. There are only two limitations on what we can build for your bike: your wallet and your imagination. We build and test our circuits by hand, circuits that can control whatever you want, however you want. Try finding that anywhere else. We aren't your average bike mechanics. We are degreed Electrical Engineers from the University of Michigan, and we are avid bike enthusiasts.
The Iron Man Bike
We talk a big game, yes, but ask anyone who has seen our work on Aaron Robinson's GSX-R “Iron Man” bike and you'll hear why.
We buried two computers in the heart of the bike. One is a fully functional Windows XP computer; the other a controller for the lighting and audio/visual on the bike. Yes, the audio/visual...we replaced the rear-view mirrors on the bike with touch screens. From the touch screens, the rider has control of all of the body lighting, headlights, and taillights. This gives the rider a “Stealth Mode” where all of the bike's lights are off and the rear-view mirrors display a forward and rear night-vision camera image.
We utilized state of the art electroluminescent film to light up areas previously inaccessible to even lighting, such as the chain guard and the turn signals behind the screen electronics. We packed a Bluetooth headset into the matching helmet for integration into the computer system, so the rider can change from music stored on the bike computer to making phone calls dialed from the touch-screen.
We installed a miniature wireless keyboard under the rear cowl to make email and internet surfing a bit easier. We also had a USB hub back there to charge your iPod, or plug in your camera to have pictures and videos downloaded directly to the bike.
For more information on the Media Bike System that we installed, email me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
The Exodus Apocalypse I
After working on many customer's sport bikes, I felt it was time to move from my history of cruisers to my first sport bike. I wanted to build the most evil motorcycle possible to add to my collection. Safety was a non-point, we're all going to die someday. Glossy paint was out of the question...this project was to be function over form in every sense possible.
As the Apocalypse draws closer, I felt it only befitting that we name my most recent monstrosity after what many think is coming in less than three years: the end. The Exodus Apocalypse I is the most evil bike I could come up with.
I started with a 2002 Suzuki GSX600F that had been more than dropped; the swing arm, frame, and sub-frame were all pretty well bent to hell. For those of you who don't know what this is, it is the worst of the worst entry level bikes: the Katana. This is why it was chosen: the worst bike in the worst condition should give the most evil final product. Dents and rust riddled the entire bike. The bike had been bought at auction and I am pretty sure that whoever had been on it when it went over hadn't faired well...at all.
After stripping all of the plastics from the beast, the long process of bending, cutting, and welding began. In lieu of the standard bobber type round tube stock, I chose a square stock to replace everything behind the rear set and first seat. A sub-frame was skipped...everything behind the single seat was removed and rewired. No tach, no speedo, no gauges, no key, no fenders, no muffler, no cat...none of that is “necessary”.
All parts that were added, with the exception of lighting, were taken from bikes that had been dropped. The paint was provided by rattle-can, as Sport Compact Car would say, “because flat black is just bitchin'.” The monster bleeds from its fuel cap, and rusts from its frame.
This is not the bike for the superstitious or the weak of heart. The Suzuki will inevitably force you over 100 mph without you ever knowing (no speedo...). For those of you who think that a Katana can't be bad-ass, try riding a lightweight bike that feels (and looks) like nothing is in front of you at over 100 mph. I've ridden faster bikes, and I've ridden prettier bikes, but nothing compares to the adrenaline rush that this bike gives.
Everyone asks where all of the crazy Exodus style electronics and LEDs are on this monstrosity...there aren't any. Okay, I lied, I added a key fob ignition because I hate keys.
The Future of Exodus
Come this spring, we will be back to our old tricks. We are in the process of finding a new host shop to work out of and lend a hand to their projects. We have a lot of innovative new ideas ready to install on customer bikes. From affordable heated and cooled seats to card key ignition to anything else imaginable, we will be ready to build the sickest motorcycle electronics by the time the snow melts.
For the time being, we are working with the most metal new guitar company in Detroit, MidEvil Instruments. We will be revolutionizing the modern electric guitar by this time next year. We also work on contract to local automotive companies on embedded software and hardware projects. Having been in business for less than a year now, we feel that we're ahead of the curve, having five corporate customers coming into 2010.
In the meantime, feel free to send your project ideas to us at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . We are already filling our development schedule for the spring and summer, so get your idea quoted as soon as possible and get on our calendar. We only do a select few bikes a season, so the sooner the better.
Best Regards
-Greg Magruder
CEO, Exodus Electronics LLC