Custom Builds From Bikebrewers
Custom Builds From Bikebrewers
- Thread starter DaveM
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Droog’s Hayabossa
Apocalypse tomorrow
The team at Droog Moto have a knack for designing bikes with a unique flavour. The bulky tyres, the dark colour schemes and the overall ominous looks of their bikes are clear trademarks of the Washington team. The owners first name ‘Max’ is well deserved and fits the image of the builds perfectly. We are sure Mel Gibson will agree.
The pictures of the Hayabusa grabbed us by the throat when they came up on screen. The Suzuki is an impressive bike even in its original condition. But spiced up to the Max, it just growls everyone who dares pulling up to it into a traffic light sprint.
They lose. Suzi is Boss.
Long legs
Bikes with an extended swing arm are great for going straight, but you normally you will sacrifice agility. But choices were invented enabling us to make them. If you want to stand out from the crowd, this is a perfect option.
When you look at the Busa from the right side, you will notice the extended arm, but it is still well in proportion with the overall design. It is the chain on the left side which underlines the length of the rear section. But again it fits like a heavy necklace on a beefy rapper.
Once upon a time
According to the builder this story starts when they had a client reach out to them who recently came across the DM-014 Z1000 beast Droog built a while back. Max explains: “He had brought up the thought of building a Hayabusa. It never really crossed our minds too much to take on a Hayabusa as a donor bike but we agreed to build one big bike. Fast forward a bit and we had a Hayabusa on one of our lifts waiting to go under the knife.”
High plains Drifter
After a brief game plan the team set out on their destination, to build the 1300 Drifter.
The wrencher brought out his big guns and removed all unneeded bulky items. The only thing left really was the engine, frame and tank.
The stock swing arm and subframe were taken off too and Droog fabricated new ones to suite the build style. A massive 8.5” rear rim was put in place along with a new custom swing arm to accept the 240mm rear tyre. The swing arm also had an approximate 6 cm extension over stock as well. The rear shock was swapped out with a custom unit for the client’s specs.
Clean cut
Max continues: “The new subframe housed most of the electronics and conceals our DM style sleek and stealthy tail light setup keeping lines clean and clutter out of sight. We then made a new seat that was covered with a clean perforated cover.
The fuel tank was stripped away of its intense blue and refinished in a distressed Droog finish.”
To keep things in front in balance with the rear, Droog built their signature DM style headlight assembly with two slit cut headlight openings embossed with the company logo. The front suspension was internally beefed up and a new front rim and tyre were put in place to pair up with the intense rear.
To keep a leash on the beast the beefy DM handlebars were installed on the bike along with braided brake lines and a new digital speedo.
Breathe in…breathe out
All breathing in through a new performance air filter.
Out the window went the stock exhaust setup to make way for a new 4-1 setup that gives the bike its provocative growl. The Drifter also received proper fueling to compensate for the new upgrades.
“So Max, how satisfied are you with the result?”
He quips: “The 1300 Drifter ended up becoming this dark menacing machine. It is a big beast with a serious presence. It’s fast as hell and is a blast to ride. For being as big as it is and the much larger tires it still handles quite well!”
The post Droog’s Hayabossa appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
Continue reading...
Apocalypse tomorrow
The team at Droog Moto have a knack for designing bikes with a unique flavour. The bulky tyres, the dark colour schemes and the overall ominous looks of their bikes are clear trademarks of the Washington team. The owners first name ‘Max’ is well deserved and fits the image of the builds perfectly. We are sure Mel Gibson will agree.
The pictures of the Hayabusa grabbed us by the throat when they came up on screen. The Suzuki is an impressive bike even in its original condition. But spiced up to the Max, it just growls everyone who dares pulling up to it into a traffic light sprint.
They lose. Suzi is Boss.
Long legs
Bikes with an extended swing arm are great for going straight, but you normally you will sacrifice agility. But choices were invented enabling us to make them. If you want to stand out from the crowd, this is a perfect option.
When you look at the Busa from the right side, you will notice the extended arm, but it is still well in proportion with the overall design. It is the chain on the left side which underlines the length of the rear section. But again it fits like a heavy necklace on a beefy rapper.
Once upon a time
According to the builder this story starts when they had a client reach out to them who recently came across the DM-014 Z1000 beast Droog built a while back. Max explains: “He had brought up the thought of building a Hayabusa. It never really crossed our minds too much to take on a Hayabusa as a donor bike but we agreed to build one big bike. Fast forward a bit and we had a Hayabusa on one of our lifts waiting to go under the knife.”
High plains Drifter
After a brief game plan the team set out on their destination, to build the 1300 Drifter.
The wrencher brought out his big guns and removed all unneeded bulky items. The only thing left really was the engine, frame and tank.
The stock swing arm and subframe were taken off too and Droog fabricated new ones to suite the build style. A massive 8.5” rear rim was put in place along with a new custom swing arm to accept the 240mm rear tyre. The swing arm also had an approximate 6 cm extension over stock as well. The rear shock was swapped out with a custom unit for the client’s specs.
Clean cut
Max continues: “The new subframe housed most of the electronics and conceals our DM style sleek and stealthy tail light setup keeping lines clean and clutter out of sight. We then made a new seat that was covered with a clean perforated cover.
The fuel tank was stripped away of its intense blue and refinished in a distressed Droog finish.”
To keep things in front in balance with the rear, Droog built their signature DM style headlight assembly with two slit cut headlight openings embossed with the company logo. The front suspension was internally beefed up and a new front rim and tyre were put in place to pair up with the intense rear.
To keep a leash on the beast the beefy DM handlebars were installed on the bike along with braided brake lines and a new digital speedo.
Breathe in…breathe out
All breathing in through a new performance air filter.
Out the window went the stock exhaust setup to make way for a new 4-1 setup that gives the bike its provocative growl. The Drifter also received proper fueling to compensate for the new upgrades.
“So Max, how satisfied are you with the result?”
He quips: “The 1300 Drifter ended up becoming this dark menacing machine. It is a big beast with a serious presence. It’s fast as hell and is a blast to ride. For being as big as it is and the much larger tires it still handles quite well!”
The post Droog’s Hayabossa appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
Continue reading...
My mother always said, "If you can't say anything nice, say nothing at all."
I choose to remain silent.
I choose to remain silent.
I can see the sports bike rides liking this one but it is also not my cup of tea either.
Tokyo Nights and the best of all worlds
FIVE HUNDRED HOURS were spent building this dream machine.
Life started off as a relatively modest Honda CB900 FF back in 1981.
When its current owner, Minneapolis resident James Berrau, purchased the machine he was planning to execute just a few changes to transform the bike into a caféracer.
Bit by bit he took the Honda apart. Unfortunately he was unable to stop and sixty two and a half working days later (over a two-year period and not including breaks) the result was ‘a full blown, tear down creation’ as James puts it.
It may have cost him blood, sweat and tears but we can all just be happy he put the extra effort in so we can feast our eyes on it. Where the inspiration for the name’Tokyo Nights’ came from, is not really clear to us, probably honouring the bike’s Japanese roots and the fact James spent nights in his workshop hammering the beast back together again.
All joking aside, the bike did already win first prize at a local build off contest and according to the builder, this was just the beginning.
Best of all worlds
Not satisfied with a ‘mono brand’ machine, the Minnesotan added parts from a.o. the US, Great Britain, Italy and Sweden, turning the Honda into a true ‘world citizen’. Full details on parts in the list of modifications below. Little poll in before you read on: What is the origin of the swing arm?
He was inspired by a super clean CB900F he came across online and charted his course from there. He was lucky enough to find a suitable donor vehicle only 30 miles away and with just 23K miles on the clock.
Garage builder
The Bikebrewers team love those clean builds coming from the pro builders. They often go searching for the edge and come back with innovative ideas.
However, when a garage builder shows op with a bike like this, working it like a maniac constantly stepping out of comfort zone to take it up an notch, we stand still and take notice.
James turned swapping and modifying things into Japanese art. In the course of the building process every nut and bolt was removed, cleaned and put back, or in a lot of cases, replaced.
The fact that he had grandpa’s lathe and a new TIG welder in his shed just added to the continuous joy of changing and improving stuff. The front forks came off, as did the swing arm. The frame was modified and made to measure. Even a tank could not stop James.
After mulling over the changes he wanted to make to this particular part for a few weeks, he decided on cutting the bottom out and made one that was ‘period correct’ as he puts it. For James this was a major step away from what you would describe as the ‘usual stuff’. Having never worked sheet metal before, he was steadily challenging himself to take it a step further.
The result of all this according to the aircraft electrician: “I am fairly pleased on the ride. Very stable and it pulls like a locomotive”.
His comment make one thing clear, he is not easily satisfied and aims for the highest standard. We like that.
“All change!”
For a change, let’s just spend some time on all the stuff Mr. Berreau thought it useful to play around with. We warn you it is an extensive list:
Main chassis:
o Modified and reinforced frame
o Cut tail off
o Reinforced rear loop
o Added upper and lower shock mounts
o Ducati Monster sub frame with custom made seat cover
o Tank: Cut bottom out and produced new tank from sheet metal
Heart:
o All nuts and bolts replaced by new ones, mostly using stainless steel replacements
o Crank lightened and balanced by APE
o Cylinders bored out 1 millimetre
o Street port head
o Hand lapped valves
o Alternator converted to a CBR perm magnet set up
o Full DYNA 2000 ignition coils
o Moto Gadget ‘M unit’
o Sealed converters wherever possible
o Lithium battery
o Mikuni RS34 carburetors
o 6AN fuel line with dry break connector
Front end:
o Swapped forks for set of Showa USD ones
Billet lower triple and modified upper clamp
o Aprilia wheel
o EBC rotors
o Brembo front master
o Matching Brembo clutch perch
o Custom head light bracket & front fender brackets hand bent and welded
Back end:
o Triumph 675 swing arm
o Öhlins shocks
o Aprilia wheel
The post Tokyo Nights and the best of all worlds appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
Continue reading...
FIVE HUNDRED HOURS were spent building this dream machine.
Life started off as a relatively modest Honda CB900 FF back in 1981.
When its current owner, Minneapolis resident James Berrau, purchased the machine he was planning to execute just a few changes to transform the bike into a caféracer.
Bit by bit he took the Honda apart. Unfortunately he was unable to stop and sixty two and a half working days later (over a two-year period and not including breaks) the result was ‘a full blown, tear down creation’ as James puts it.
It may have cost him blood, sweat and tears but we can all just be happy he put the extra effort in so we can feast our eyes on it. Where the inspiration for the name’Tokyo Nights’ came from, is not really clear to us, probably honouring the bike’s Japanese roots and the fact James spent nights in his workshop hammering the beast back together again.
All joking aside, the bike did already win first prize at a local build off contest and according to the builder, this was just the beginning.
Best of all worlds
Not satisfied with a ‘mono brand’ machine, the Minnesotan added parts from a.o. the US, Great Britain, Italy and Sweden, turning the Honda into a true ‘world citizen’. Full details on parts in the list of modifications below. Little poll in before you read on: What is the origin of the swing arm?
He was inspired by a super clean CB900F he came across online and charted his course from there. He was lucky enough to find a suitable donor vehicle only 30 miles away and with just 23K miles on the clock.
Garage builder
The Bikebrewers team love those clean builds coming from the pro builders. They often go searching for the edge and come back with innovative ideas.
However, when a garage builder shows op with a bike like this, working it like a maniac constantly stepping out of comfort zone to take it up an notch, we stand still and take notice.
James turned swapping and modifying things into Japanese art. In the course of the building process every nut and bolt was removed, cleaned and put back, or in a lot of cases, replaced.
The fact that he had grandpa’s lathe and a new TIG welder in his shed just added to the continuous joy of changing and improving stuff. The front forks came off, as did the swing arm. The frame was modified and made to measure. Even a tank could not stop James.
After mulling over the changes he wanted to make to this particular part for a few weeks, he decided on cutting the bottom out and made one that was ‘period correct’ as he puts it. For James this was a major step away from what you would describe as the ‘usual stuff’. Having never worked sheet metal before, he was steadily challenging himself to take it a step further.
The result of all this according to the aircraft electrician: “I am fairly pleased on the ride. Very stable and it pulls like a locomotive”.
His comment make one thing clear, he is not easily satisfied and aims for the highest standard. We like that.
“All change!”
For a change, let’s just spend some time on all the stuff Mr. Berreau thought it useful to play around with. We warn you it is an extensive list:
Main chassis:
o Modified and reinforced frame
o Cut tail off
o Reinforced rear loop
o Added upper and lower shock mounts
o Ducati Monster sub frame with custom made seat cover
o Tank: Cut bottom out and produced new tank from sheet metal
Heart:
o All nuts and bolts replaced by new ones, mostly using stainless steel replacements
o Crank lightened and balanced by APE
o Cylinders bored out 1 millimetre
o Street port head
o Hand lapped valves
o Alternator converted to a CBR perm magnet set up
o Full DYNA 2000 ignition coils
o Moto Gadget ‘M unit’
o Sealed converters wherever possible
o Lithium battery
o Mikuni RS34 carburetors
o 6AN fuel line with dry break connector
Front end:
o Swapped forks for set of Showa USD ones
Billet lower triple and modified upper clamp
o Aprilia wheel
o EBC rotors
o Brembo front master
o Matching Brembo clutch perch
o Custom head light bracket & front fender brackets hand bent and welded
Back end:
o Triumph 675 swing arm
o Öhlins shocks
o Aprilia wheel
The post Tokyo Nights and the best of all worlds appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
Continue reading...
I own a 2002 CB900F which is virtually identical to this one.
Mine is all factory and I think I'll keep it that way.
Mine is all factory and I think I'll keep it that way.
I actually like this one and could see myself riding it .......... a lot 
The bars are too low for me and any long distance riding.
That engine also looks a lot like the engine in my 2014 Honda - more so than the CB900F.
Honda is known for taking tried-and-true engines and reworking them into other models.
That engine also looks a lot like the engine in my 2014 Honda - more so than the CB900F.
Honda is known for taking tried-and-true engines and reworking them into other models.
There is no getting away from it Honda has some great bikes.
RnineT by UNIKAT 1/1
Always build in CAPITALS!
Our friends from the Polish outfit have every right to write their company name in capitals.
But just as much to use the capital ‘T’ indicating their latest build!
The creativity of this gang from the Southwest of Poland is extraordinary. The bikes that leave the UNIKAT 1/1 Motorworks shop share one common denominator; the unparalleled eye for detail and the unique design making it really stand out from the crowd.
It had been a while since we wrote about the builds by the Wroclaw crew.
The subject at the time was a BMW K1100.
Head turner
Again the brand from Bayern was used to showcase his creative taken on things. It made us very happy to receive news from Grzegorz Korczak earlier this week announcing the birth of the UNIKAT RnineT Beemer.
There are many ways to build a ‘head turning’ bike. But when it is done with a clear aim for perfection it just adds so much joy for the eye. From the rims to the leather grips, everything is in balance and increases to the power of its design.
Making new friends with a bike like this is not going to be hard. But the bad news for prospective lady pillion riders is that there is no pillion to ride on and the Polish team removed the passenger foot pegs as well.
Virtually designed, hand crafted
A trained cinematographer, Grzegorz uses his skills from this profession to fire his passion in the ironmongers workshop. All designs are conceived in the virtual world.
He sets out on each designing journey behind the screen of his powerful computers.
Once satisfied with the composition on the screen the builder and his crew set out to bending the pixels into proper steel images. Every bit of the build has been well thought through. The direction is clear and the results picture perfect.
Why spend many words describing this dream baby when the pictures can do all the talking?
Feast your eyes and spark your fantasy.
scope of changes:
• belly pan from AC Schnitzer,
• LSL drag bar,
• m.balze disc turn signals,
• m.viev race mirrors,
• short levers from Womet-Tech,
• handmade leather grips with gold thread,
• black leather seat with gold thread,
• trifunctional LED strip (rear light, STOP, turn signals) mount on handcrafted bracket,
• handcrafted licence plate holder,
• removed passenger foot pegs,
• powder coating (exhaust, cam covers, bar risers, parts of subframe, etc.),
• paint job of front mudguard, windshield, tank, belly pan, seat cowl and rear rim.
The post RnineT by UNIKAT 1/1 appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
Continue reading...
Always build in CAPITALS!
Our friends from the Polish outfit have every right to write their company name in capitals.
But just as much to use the capital ‘T’ indicating their latest build!
The creativity of this gang from the Southwest of Poland is extraordinary. The bikes that leave the UNIKAT 1/1 Motorworks shop share one common denominator; the unparalleled eye for detail and the unique design making it really stand out from the crowd.
It had been a while since we wrote about the builds by the Wroclaw crew.
The subject at the time was a BMW K1100.
Head turner
Again the brand from Bayern was used to showcase his creative taken on things. It made us very happy to receive news from Grzegorz Korczak earlier this week announcing the birth of the UNIKAT RnineT Beemer.
There are many ways to build a ‘head turning’ bike. But when it is done with a clear aim for perfection it just adds so much joy for the eye. From the rims to the leather grips, everything is in balance and increases to the power of its design.
Making new friends with a bike like this is not going to be hard. But the bad news for prospective lady pillion riders is that there is no pillion to ride on and the Polish team removed the passenger foot pegs as well.
Virtually designed, hand crafted
A trained cinematographer, Grzegorz uses his skills from this profession to fire his passion in the ironmongers workshop. All designs are conceived in the virtual world.
He sets out on each designing journey behind the screen of his powerful computers.
Once satisfied with the composition on the screen the builder and his crew set out to bending the pixels into proper steel images. Every bit of the build has been well thought through. The direction is clear and the results picture perfect.
Why spend many words describing this dream baby when the pictures can do all the talking?
Feast your eyes and spark your fantasy.
scope of changes:
• belly pan from AC Schnitzer,
• LSL drag bar,
• m.balze disc turn signals,
• m.viev race mirrors,
• short levers from Womet-Tech,
• handmade leather grips with gold thread,
• black leather seat with gold thread,
• trifunctional LED strip (rear light, STOP, turn signals) mount on handcrafted bracket,
• handcrafted licence plate holder,
• removed passenger foot pegs,
• powder coating (exhaust, cam covers, bar risers, parts of subframe, etc.),
• paint job of front mudguard, windshield, tank, belly pan, seat cowl and rear rim.
The post RnineT by UNIKAT 1/1 appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
Continue reading...
CB 350 F fueled by Riko
We put it in the layaway
For some mysterious reason this project ended up at the bottom of our stack and remained there for too long. With our sincere apologies to our friend Riko Loos we decided it was still a bike worth publishing a post on.
It is not so often we get to write about a Honda CB 350. Which is a shame as it is such a cute machine, even as a factory bike.
Distressing condition
The project had been in under a cover outside somewhere for a number of years. Being out all seasons did not do the bike too much good. A full restauration would be far too costly, so the builder decided to strip it to the bare necessities and keep it basic.
It shows how much can be achieved with simplicity. Sometimes we make life and building bikes too complicated. Keep the balance, stick to the right dosage and your prescription will lead the way to loads of fun!
Counter obese
Considering the state of the donor vehicle, Riko decided on building a lightweight city bike. When it left the factory in Japan it was already slight of build, but after the striptease it was even pettier. Easy to handle and perfect for weaving through big city traffic.
Decisions were made on offering a passenger to climb onboard, making it necessary to produce a longer seat. When riding in urban circumstances and with a passenger on board you don’t want to be leaning forward a lot. Hence the somewhat straight handlebars offering a relaxed riding position.
Open heart surgery
Al work on the engine was done by our wrencher himself. He loves working on the older Hondas as they are relatively easy to take apart and restore. The heart of this bike looks really nice and clean. Riko adds “I really wanted to get the bike to run as smooth as A Singer sewing machine again. It required some serious work, but it was rewarding.’
Invigorating challenges
“What were your biggest issues troubling the build?” we asked Riko. “I wanted to challenge myself a bit when building this bike.” He replies. “Decided to get behind the sewing machine myself to produce the seat. It was easier than I expected, but then again, it is not a very complicated shape to cover with the red leather I opted for.” At the editorial department we had some discussion about that particular part of the bike. We love the red colour, but the design would have generated extra points if a real pro would have put the finishing touches to it. The rear part unfortunately needs some tidying up. Having said that, we believe it shows bravery to step out of your personal comfortzone and just do it yourself!
“The gastank was a whole different ballgame however! I was dented and in pretty bad shape. When I got to work on the dents by welding small steel pins to it an pulling them outward, I ended up with leaks. That took far more work than expected to get it all done properly. I would have saved loads of time if I had just bought a replacement in better condition. Still it came our very nice in the end.”
Lovely bike
“All in all I am very happy with the way this project flourished. It resulted in a lovely clean looking machine you just want to hug an be gentle to. Best part of the build? The two tone tank. After all the work it just looks marvellous.
Modifications:
• Welded a loop to the frame to fit the seat
• The front fender was modified and ended up as the rear fender
• Mounted a replacement front fender from some other project I had lying around
• Produced a new battery holder and cleaned off all the original mounts for electronics
• Modified a new megaton silencer to make it sound a bit more ‘demure’
• Rewired the whole beam and hid all electronics beneath the seat.
• Rims and spokes powdercoated black. Same for front end of exhaust pipes
• New LED blinkers and a retro rear light.
Want to follow this shed builder?
Instagram: Fueled by Riko
The post CB 350 F fueled by Riko appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
Continue reading...
We put it in the layaway
For some mysterious reason this project ended up at the bottom of our stack and remained there for too long. With our sincere apologies to our friend Riko Loos we decided it was still a bike worth publishing a post on.
It is not so often we get to write about a Honda CB 350. Which is a shame as it is such a cute machine, even as a factory bike.
Distressing condition
The project had been in under a cover outside somewhere for a number of years. Being out all seasons did not do the bike too much good. A full restauration would be far too costly, so the builder decided to strip it to the bare necessities and keep it basic.
It shows how much can be achieved with simplicity. Sometimes we make life and building bikes too complicated. Keep the balance, stick to the right dosage and your prescription will lead the way to loads of fun!
Counter obese
Considering the state of the donor vehicle, Riko decided on building a lightweight city bike. When it left the factory in Japan it was already slight of build, but after the striptease it was even pettier. Easy to handle and perfect for weaving through big city traffic.
Decisions were made on offering a passenger to climb onboard, making it necessary to produce a longer seat. When riding in urban circumstances and with a passenger on board you don’t want to be leaning forward a lot. Hence the somewhat straight handlebars offering a relaxed riding position.
Open heart surgery
Al work on the engine was done by our wrencher himself. He loves working on the older Hondas as they are relatively easy to take apart and restore. The heart of this bike looks really nice and clean. Riko adds “I really wanted to get the bike to run as smooth as A Singer sewing machine again. It required some serious work, but it was rewarding.’
Invigorating challenges
“What were your biggest issues troubling the build?” we asked Riko. “I wanted to challenge myself a bit when building this bike.” He replies. “Decided to get behind the sewing machine myself to produce the seat. It was easier than I expected, but then again, it is not a very complicated shape to cover with the red leather I opted for.” At the editorial department we had some discussion about that particular part of the bike. We love the red colour, but the design would have generated extra points if a real pro would have put the finishing touches to it. The rear part unfortunately needs some tidying up. Having said that, we believe it shows bravery to step out of your personal comfortzone and just do it yourself!
“The gastank was a whole different ballgame however! I was dented and in pretty bad shape. When I got to work on the dents by welding small steel pins to it an pulling them outward, I ended up with leaks. That took far more work than expected to get it all done properly. I would have saved loads of time if I had just bought a replacement in better condition. Still it came our very nice in the end.”
Lovely bike
“All in all I am very happy with the way this project flourished. It resulted in a lovely clean looking machine you just want to hug an be gentle to. Best part of the build? The two tone tank. After all the work it just looks marvellous.
Modifications:
• Welded a loop to the frame to fit the seat
• The front fender was modified and ended up as the rear fender
• Mounted a replacement front fender from some other project I had lying around
• Produced a new battery holder and cleaned off all the original mounts for electronics
• Modified a new megaton silencer to make it sound a bit more ‘demure’
• Rewired the whole beam and hid all electronics beneath the seat.
• Rims and spokes powdercoated black. Same for front end of exhaust pipes
• New LED blinkers and a retro rear light.
Want to follow this shed builder?
Instagram: Fueled by Riko
The post CB 350 F fueled by Riko appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
Continue reading...
A new roadstar is born
BMW Motorrad Vision DC roadster
In our motorcycle community it has always been petrol and noise what has been binding us together. But times are changing and we just have to adopt.
I never thought I would be writing a piece on an electric motorcycle and feel good about it. But then again, life is full of unexpected surprises.
In a motorcycle, the motor is the centrepiece – it is the fundamental element, providing the basis for the entire architecture. But electrical drive components have completely different requirements in terms of installation space.
Heart transplantation
While in a conventional motorbike the size of the engine is mainly determined by its capacity, it is the battery that takes up most space in the case of an electrically powered vehicle. The electric motor itself is relatively compact. Starting from this new basis, the BMW Motorrad Vision DC Roadster is able to make this transfer – retaining the iconic appearance of a boxer while filling it with a new function. This is why the Vision Bike is instantly recognisable as a BMW motorcycle, revealing its electric nature on closer inspection.
According to BMW Motorrad’s Head of Design Edgar Heinrich “the boxer engine is the heart of BMW Motorrad – an absolute stalwart of its character. But BMW Motorrad stands for visionary zero-emissions vehicle concepts, too. In view of this, one question that arises is: what would happen if we were to replace the boxer engine with an electric motor and the required battery? The Vision Bike shows how we’re able to retain the identity and iconic appearance of BMW Motorrad in distinctive form while at the same time presenting an exciting new type of riding pleasure,”
He continues: “After all: anyone who’s ever tried it out in practice knows very well that riding on two wheels is just as exciting when its electrically powered! The high level of torque right at set-off makes for breath taking acceleration. This almost brutal power delivery creates a whole new experience of dynamic performance. And the BMW Motorrad Vision DC Roadster puts a face to this experience.”
Stunning design
Having studied the pictures we can only agree with him. The bike looks absolutely stunning and having all this ‘brutal power’ available as Edgar says, it will undoubtedly be quite a challenge to keep our hormone levels under control at the traffic light.
High performance with a light touch of electrical magic
As unexpected as feeling good about writing this piece was, it is hardly a surprise to see the level of design and technical innovation by the Bavarian brand. The overall appearance of the BMW Motorrad Vision DC conveys a sense of lightness so as to emphasise driving dynamics. Elements such as the seat and the cooling system appear to hover around the battery. On the frame itself, lengthwise milled grooves create a fascinating visual effect, reducing the perceived volume and highlighting the bike’s longitudinal dynamics.
This impression is further underscored by means of openings in the milled aluminium frame and the tubular frame structure arranged above it. High-tech materials such as carbon fibre and aluminium reduce the overall weight and give the BMW Motorrad Vision DC Roadster a technical aesthetic. Meanwhile, red contrast elements and brushed aluminium at selected points such as the battery, frame and cool systems emphasise the bike’s innovative geometry.
History repeated
R18 vs DC roadster
Only a few weeks ago BMW presented the the BMW Motorrad Concept R18 at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. This bike transports the essence of the big BMW Motorrad classics into the modern age, or in other words, it is taking a historical motorcycle design and giving it a modern, custom attitude.
The BMW Motorrad Concept R18 shows how a forward projection of a 1960s boxer engine could look like today as a purist custom bike in combination with all the classic design icons of BMW Motorrad design.
Back to the future
When replacing what would previously have been the combustion engine, there is now a vertically fitted, longitudinally oriented battery. For cooling purposes, two side elements protrude with cooling ribs and integrated ventilators. As in the boxer engine of the BMW R 32 – the development of which was masterminded by Max Friz in 1923 – the cooling elements are placed in the air stream. The cylinder-shaped electric motor is positioned underneath the battery and is directly connected to the universal shaft. The BMW Motorrad Vision DC Roadster thus demonstrates a clever drive architecture that visually echoes the history of BMW Motorrad while at the same time taking it a step further.
A new roadstar is born.
Preliminary conclusion: we love what BMW is cooking up in its German design centre and are excited about the constant innovation. They really set the pace on challenging the competition with their cutting edge compositions whether it be the R18 or this all new DC roadster.
The post A new roadstar is born appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
Continue reading...
BMW Motorrad Vision DC roadster
In our motorcycle community it has always been petrol and noise what has been binding us together. But times are changing and we just have to adopt.
I never thought I would be writing a piece on an electric motorcycle and feel good about it. But then again, life is full of unexpected surprises.
In a motorcycle, the motor is the centrepiece – it is the fundamental element, providing the basis for the entire architecture. But electrical drive components have completely different requirements in terms of installation space.
Heart transplantation
While in a conventional motorbike the size of the engine is mainly determined by its capacity, it is the battery that takes up most space in the case of an electrically powered vehicle. The electric motor itself is relatively compact. Starting from this new basis, the BMW Motorrad Vision DC Roadster is able to make this transfer – retaining the iconic appearance of a boxer while filling it with a new function. This is why the Vision Bike is instantly recognisable as a BMW motorcycle, revealing its electric nature on closer inspection.
According to BMW Motorrad’s Head of Design Edgar Heinrich “the boxer engine is the heart of BMW Motorrad – an absolute stalwart of its character. But BMW Motorrad stands for visionary zero-emissions vehicle concepts, too. In view of this, one question that arises is: what would happen if we were to replace the boxer engine with an electric motor and the required battery? The Vision Bike shows how we’re able to retain the identity and iconic appearance of BMW Motorrad in distinctive form while at the same time presenting an exciting new type of riding pleasure,”
He continues: “After all: anyone who’s ever tried it out in practice knows very well that riding on two wheels is just as exciting when its electrically powered! The high level of torque right at set-off makes for breath taking acceleration. This almost brutal power delivery creates a whole new experience of dynamic performance. And the BMW Motorrad Vision DC Roadster puts a face to this experience.”
Stunning design
Having studied the pictures we can only agree with him. The bike looks absolutely stunning and having all this ‘brutal power’ available as Edgar says, it will undoubtedly be quite a challenge to keep our hormone levels under control at the traffic light.
High performance with a light touch of electrical magic
As unexpected as feeling good about writing this piece was, it is hardly a surprise to see the level of design and technical innovation by the Bavarian brand. The overall appearance of the BMW Motorrad Vision DC conveys a sense of lightness so as to emphasise driving dynamics. Elements such as the seat and the cooling system appear to hover around the battery. On the frame itself, lengthwise milled grooves create a fascinating visual effect, reducing the perceived volume and highlighting the bike’s longitudinal dynamics.
This impression is further underscored by means of openings in the milled aluminium frame and the tubular frame structure arranged above it. High-tech materials such as carbon fibre and aluminium reduce the overall weight and give the BMW Motorrad Vision DC Roadster a technical aesthetic. Meanwhile, red contrast elements and brushed aluminium at selected points such as the battery, frame and cool systems emphasise the bike’s innovative geometry.
History repeated
R18 vs DC roadster
Only a few weeks ago BMW presented the the BMW Motorrad Concept R18 at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este. This bike transports the essence of the big BMW Motorrad classics into the modern age, or in other words, it is taking a historical motorcycle design and giving it a modern, custom attitude.
The BMW Motorrad Concept R18 shows how a forward projection of a 1960s boxer engine could look like today as a purist custom bike in combination with all the classic design icons of BMW Motorrad design.
Back to the future
When replacing what would previously have been the combustion engine, there is now a vertically fitted, longitudinally oriented battery. For cooling purposes, two side elements protrude with cooling ribs and integrated ventilators. As in the boxer engine of the BMW R 32 – the development of which was masterminded by Max Friz in 1923 – the cooling elements are placed in the air stream. The cylinder-shaped electric motor is positioned underneath the battery and is directly connected to the universal shaft. The BMW Motorrad Vision DC Roadster thus demonstrates a clever drive architecture that visually echoes the history of BMW Motorrad while at the same time taking it a step further.
A new roadstar is born.
Preliminary conclusion: we love what BMW is cooking up in its German design centre and are excited about the constant innovation. They really set the pace on challenging the competition with their cutting edge compositions whether it be the R18 or this all new DC roadster.
The post A new roadstar is born appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
Continue reading...
Three of a kind (but very different)
Spanish styled Yamahas
“Why submit one if you can write about three in the same post”?
That’s what Juan Carlos from San Sebastian based Café Racer SSpirit answered to my question why he wanted us to write about the bikes featured in this article.
He had sent us a note about the bikes and when we spoke he mentioned that they had done a cool photo shoot. “It would be a real shame if we would stick to just one of the bikes” he said. “They are all part of the Yamaha heritage, but with a very different feel”.
We could not argue with that.
However as the Bikebrewers editorial team were showered with beautiful pictures taken in the stunning Basque countryside, we decided to focus more on the shots than bombarding our readers with our view on things.
We keep it minimalistic and let the Yamahas do all the talking.
1989 XT 600
With the XT the crew stayed somewhat close to home.
Building a scrambler based on a Yamaha XT600 is a logical step.
It already has the lines set and with minimal modifications you can achieve major results.
We dig the outcome. CRSS have managed to give the bike a lovely contemporary look without losing too much of its heritage.
Nice touches are the tiny fuel tank from a Puch minicross bike and the Montesa Cota taillight.
A true Spanish finale!
Yamaha XT 600
• year 1989
• 2kf model
MODIFICATIONS
• crss seat
• nx650 handlebar
• puch minicross fuel tank
• supertrapp exhaust
• air filter
• crss fenders
• bates 5 ¾ headlight
• mini blinkers
• mini speedometer
• montesa cota 348 tailight
1982 XV 750
Just like Honda’s iconic CX500, the Virago was definitely not on our wishlist when it was presented by the factory back in the days.
However, just like the CX500 the XV750 is a marvellous platform for creative builders to sink their teeth in. Many of those ‘ugly ducklings’ have been turned into beautiful swans in the past decade.
The CRSS produced wheels are no exception. The Spanish squad have done an excellent job.
You can tell that a lot of love was sprayed onto this machine. It came out a caféracer with a maximum vintage look. Much of this is owed to the 60th anniversary colour scheme on the tank.
All in all a very good contender to Bikebrewers upcoming chart of best builds for the first six months of 2019.
Yamaha XV 750
• year 1982
MODIFICATIONS
• crss subframe
• crss seat
• battery relocation
• yss sport shock
• ducati forks with double brake
• crss 2-1 exhaust system
• crss fender
• tarozzi clip-ons
• digital speedometer
• biltwel grips
• simplified commands
• koso turn signals
• tarozzi footrests
• dark tailight
• v-rod headlight
• k&n air filter
• 60th aniversary yamaha painting
• firestone champion deluxe tyres
“….and now for something completely different”
Juan Carlos’ train of thought must be hard to follow sometimes we guess.
When you visit Café Racer Sspirit website the link to fine art is not far away. The boys often work closely with abstract painter Jorge Cardarelli. His works are of an intriguing beauty.
Intriguing is exactly the word we need to use describing the Yamaha XS700-R.
We guess you either love it or hate it. The discussion is still raging on at our editorial department. Most votes are in favour still.
The 70’s racer look is heavily visible in this build, in large part thanks to the rear end of the seat on this bike.
It breathes speed and looks as mean as a bull facing a matador in the arena. Ready to attack at any moment.
Whilst talking about taking a bull by the horns; we are not really sure on the choice of handlebars. Yes they add to the mean look of the bike and link Japanese ancestry to Spanish culture, but this element keeps on sparking the discussion about loving or hating the design.
We leave it up to everyone individually to decide, but would love to have your feedback.
YAMAHA XSR 700 (XS700-R)
• year 2017
• yamaha xsr 700
• “xs 700-r”
MODIFICATIONS
• vintage crss single seat
• yamaha xv 750 (1982) front fender
• yamaha xv 750 (1982) headlight
• yamaha xv 750 (1982) footrests
• yamaha inverted xsr abarth model handlebar
• k&n air filter
• rizoma “legend” grips
• rizoma “club s” turn signals
• rizoma fuel cap
• rizoma oil cap
• rizoma adjustable levers
• “vintage white” painting
• yamaha xvs 650 side engine covers
• pirelli supercorsa tyres
• motogadget simplified commands
• m-unit “blue” motogadget
• hagon rear shock
• exan exhaust complete exhaust system
• aluminum wheel covers by grabolaser
• 3d-printed tank, cown & side covers by tumaker 3d
Bikebrewers are proud to present the creativity of the Café Racer Sspirit unit. The proud Basques have their own view on things and go about their business as they feel fit. That is what we call ‘true Sspirit”!
We will be looking South with even more interest now and as soon as we can find the time, the Bikbrewers team will plan a visit to the San Sebastian workshop!
Photo credits: Gorka de la Granja
The post Three of a kind (but very different) appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
Continue reading...
Spanish styled Yamahas
“Why submit one if you can write about three in the same post”?
That’s what Juan Carlos from San Sebastian based Café Racer SSpirit answered to my question why he wanted us to write about the bikes featured in this article.
He had sent us a note about the bikes and when we spoke he mentioned that they had done a cool photo shoot. “It would be a real shame if we would stick to just one of the bikes” he said. “They are all part of the Yamaha heritage, but with a very different feel”.
We could not argue with that.
However as the Bikebrewers editorial team were showered with beautiful pictures taken in the stunning Basque countryside, we decided to focus more on the shots than bombarding our readers with our view on things.
We keep it minimalistic and let the Yamahas do all the talking.
1989 XT 600
With the XT the crew stayed somewhat close to home.
Building a scrambler based on a Yamaha XT600 is a logical step.
It already has the lines set and with minimal modifications you can achieve major results.
We dig the outcome. CRSS have managed to give the bike a lovely contemporary look without losing too much of its heritage.
Nice touches are the tiny fuel tank from a Puch minicross bike and the Montesa Cota taillight.
A true Spanish finale!
Yamaha XT 600
• year 1989
• 2kf model
MODIFICATIONS
• crss seat
• nx650 handlebar
• puch minicross fuel tank
• supertrapp exhaust
• air filter
• crss fenders
• bates 5 ¾ headlight
• mini blinkers
• mini speedometer
• montesa cota 348 tailight
1982 XV 750
Just like Honda’s iconic CX500, the Virago was definitely not on our wishlist when it was presented by the factory back in the days.
However, just like the CX500 the XV750 is a marvellous platform for creative builders to sink their teeth in. Many of those ‘ugly ducklings’ have been turned into beautiful swans in the past decade.
The CRSS produced wheels are no exception. The Spanish squad have done an excellent job.
You can tell that a lot of love was sprayed onto this machine. It came out a caféracer with a maximum vintage look. Much of this is owed to the 60th anniversary colour scheme on the tank.
All in all a very good contender to Bikebrewers upcoming chart of best builds for the first six months of 2019.
Yamaha XV 750
• year 1982
MODIFICATIONS
• crss subframe
• crss seat
• battery relocation
• yss sport shock
• ducati forks with double brake
• crss 2-1 exhaust system
• crss fender
• tarozzi clip-ons
• digital speedometer
• biltwel grips
• simplified commands
• koso turn signals
• tarozzi footrests
• dark tailight
• v-rod headlight
• k&n air filter
• 60th aniversary yamaha painting
• firestone champion deluxe tyres
“….and now for something completely different”
Juan Carlos’ train of thought must be hard to follow sometimes we guess.
When you visit Café Racer Sspirit website the link to fine art is not far away. The boys often work closely with abstract painter Jorge Cardarelli. His works are of an intriguing beauty.
Intriguing is exactly the word we need to use describing the Yamaha XS700-R.
We guess you either love it or hate it. The discussion is still raging on at our editorial department. Most votes are in favour still.
The 70’s racer look is heavily visible in this build, in large part thanks to the rear end of the seat on this bike.
It breathes speed and looks as mean as a bull facing a matador in the arena. Ready to attack at any moment.
Whilst talking about taking a bull by the horns; we are not really sure on the choice of handlebars. Yes they add to the mean look of the bike and link Japanese ancestry to Spanish culture, but this element keeps on sparking the discussion about loving or hating the design.
We leave it up to everyone individually to decide, but would love to have your feedback.
YAMAHA XSR 700 (XS700-R)
• year 2017
• yamaha xsr 700
• “xs 700-r”
MODIFICATIONS
• vintage crss single seat
• yamaha xv 750 (1982) front fender
• yamaha xv 750 (1982) headlight
• yamaha xv 750 (1982) footrests
• yamaha inverted xsr abarth model handlebar
• k&n air filter
• rizoma “legend” grips
• rizoma “club s” turn signals
• rizoma fuel cap
• rizoma oil cap
• rizoma adjustable levers
• “vintage white” painting
• yamaha xvs 650 side engine covers
• pirelli supercorsa tyres
• motogadget simplified commands
• m-unit “blue” motogadget
• hagon rear shock
• exan exhaust complete exhaust system
• aluminum wheel covers by grabolaser
• 3d-printed tank, cown & side covers by tumaker 3d
Bikebrewers are proud to present the creativity of the Café Racer Sspirit unit. The proud Basques have their own view on things and go about their business as they feel fit. That is what we call ‘true Sspirit”!
We will be looking South with even more interest now and as soon as we can find the time, the Bikbrewers team will plan a visit to the San Sebastian workshop!
Photo credits: Gorka de la Granja
The post Three of a kind (but very different) appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
Continue reading...
Radical Honda FMX650 by Toma Customs
Our friends from Brussels based Toma customs are regular guests on our pages. They just continue to produce nice bikes. We kindly present you ‘TOMA#18’!
Know your customer
Normally they really dig deep to find out every detail regarding the vision of the client and what he or she has in mind. This opens a wealth of opportunities and directs the builders in the right direction.
However, in the case of this Honda FMX650 the crewmembers already knew their customer quite well and his wishes for customization. As a recurring customer he had previously ordered a project also based on a Honda, but with a smaller engine.
Quite aware of his specific desires and taste from our past project with him, we knew he would want to go for a quite minimalist, sober and neat project with a rather road / city use. When he came to the workshop to discuss his new project, he added that for this specific project he wanted something radical and unique.
Urban bike
Toma’s owner Thomas Jeukens explains: “We agreed on a concept of a urban version of the Superhooligan motorcycles. We then just had to find the right base to start the project. After some research we found that the Honda FMX 650 was the ideal base for his project, easy to find second hand and with its stock inverted fork and 17 ” wheels. We were on the same wavelength for the project and Bruno (the client-editor) trusted us, so he got a Honda FMX which would serve as the project base without even having defined all the details of the project, only the budget range was set.”
The Toma team completely dismantled the bike to keep only the wheels, the frame and the engine. From there on they “imagined everything together” as they put it.
Their client was continuously involved in the project and dropped by regularly. It allowed Thomas and his crew to show him the steps at each key stage of the project: the type of tank, different handlebars, headlight, side covers, exhaust etcetera. The seat was a important feature for which he even came back three times to try out the position and the adjustments of the foam so it fitted his posture perfectly before the alcantara leather was sewn onto it.
Setting it up just right
Regarding the modifications, Toma wanted to play with the general line of the bike, so they decided to replace the original tank with a smaller version and align / shorten the rear part of the frame.
They cut and welded a shorter frame loop and replaced the original (huge) saddle by a custom seat pan. The leather was sewn on in their own workshop. Replacing the handlebars also helped work on the outline of the bike.
All electronic components have been replaced by new and more minimalist elements (led indicator lights, speedometer) to give the bike a more contemporary look. “We also built a new electricity box, bespoke side covers, bespoke exhaust header with Supertrapp silencer” Thomas points out.
“but it did not stop there” he adds with a grin.
“In the front we removed the fairing and replaced it by a tiny led headlight and an aluminium endurance plate to give the bike a more radical look. The colour of the tank is the original one but we applied a matt varnish coat to add bite to the design”. All their client needed to do was fill the gastank and he was ready to roll!
List of modifications
• modification/shortening rear part of the frame
• bespoke exhaust header with Supertrapp silencer.
• replace tank
• bespoke side covers
• aluminium endurance plate
• tiny led headlight
• new set of led indicator lights
• new handlebars
• bespoke seat with alcantara leather
• bespoke electricity box under the seat
• new speedometer
• removing a lot of original accessories that were expendable
Info/contact
Workshop : TOMA CUSTOMS (owner: Thomas Jeukens)
Location : Brussels, Belgium
Website Toma Customs
Instagram : tomacustoms
Facebook : toma customs
Other: +32 479351638
Pictures : Olivier Truyman
The post Radical Honda FMX650 by Toma Customs appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
Continue reading...
Our friends from Brussels based Toma customs are regular guests on our pages. They just continue to produce nice bikes. We kindly present you ‘TOMA#18’!
Know your customer
Normally they really dig deep to find out every detail regarding the vision of the client and what he or she has in mind. This opens a wealth of opportunities and directs the builders in the right direction.
However, in the case of this Honda FMX650 the crewmembers already knew their customer quite well and his wishes for customization. As a recurring customer he had previously ordered a project also based on a Honda, but with a smaller engine.
Quite aware of his specific desires and taste from our past project with him, we knew he would want to go for a quite minimalist, sober and neat project with a rather road / city use. When he came to the workshop to discuss his new project, he added that for this specific project he wanted something radical and unique.
Urban bike
Toma’s owner Thomas Jeukens explains: “We agreed on a concept of a urban version of the Superhooligan motorcycles. We then just had to find the right base to start the project. After some research we found that the Honda FMX 650 was the ideal base for his project, easy to find second hand and with its stock inverted fork and 17 ” wheels. We were on the same wavelength for the project and Bruno (the client-editor) trusted us, so he got a Honda FMX which would serve as the project base without even having defined all the details of the project, only the budget range was set.”
The Toma team completely dismantled the bike to keep only the wheels, the frame and the engine. From there on they “imagined everything together” as they put it.
Their client was continuously involved in the project and dropped by regularly. It allowed Thomas and his crew to show him the steps at each key stage of the project: the type of tank, different handlebars, headlight, side covers, exhaust etcetera. The seat was a important feature for which he even came back three times to try out the position and the adjustments of the foam so it fitted his posture perfectly before the alcantara leather was sewn onto it.
Setting it up just right
Regarding the modifications, Toma wanted to play with the general line of the bike, so they decided to replace the original tank with a smaller version and align / shorten the rear part of the frame.
They cut and welded a shorter frame loop and replaced the original (huge) saddle by a custom seat pan. The leather was sewn on in their own workshop. Replacing the handlebars also helped work on the outline of the bike.
All electronic components have been replaced by new and more minimalist elements (led indicator lights, speedometer) to give the bike a more contemporary look. “We also built a new electricity box, bespoke side covers, bespoke exhaust header with Supertrapp silencer” Thomas points out.
“but it did not stop there” he adds with a grin.
“In the front we removed the fairing and replaced it by a tiny led headlight and an aluminium endurance plate to give the bike a more radical look. The colour of the tank is the original one but we applied a matt varnish coat to add bite to the design”. All their client needed to do was fill the gastank and he was ready to roll!
List of modifications
• modification/shortening rear part of the frame
• bespoke exhaust header with Supertrapp silencer.
• replace tank
• bespoke side covers
• aluminium endurance plate
• tiny led headlight
• new set of led indicator lights
• new handlebars
• bespoke seat with alcantara leather
• bespoke electricity box under the seat
• new speedometer
• removing a lot of original accessories that were expendable
Info/contact
Workshop : TOMA CUSTOMS (owner: Thomas Jeukens)
Location : Brussels, Belgium
Website Toma Customs
Instagram : tomacustoms
Facebook : toma customs
Other: +32 479351638
Pictures : Olivier Truyman
The post Radical Honda FMX650 by Toma Customs appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
Continue reading...
Florida Flow
Cohn Racers strike again
It has been just over a year since Bikebrewers posted a piece on Cohn’s sumptuous Triumph Thruxton (Sneafell Classic). Now Chete P-Ilzarbe and his two mates are back with a vengeance.
They are bound by their love for bikes and have a background at the race track. For the past decade they have been cutting their teeth on building bikes with a signature touch. The meticulous attention to detail in all their bikes is clear from the first time you lay eyes on one of their designs.
Their disparity in age sparks creativity as they all look at things from a different perspective. Each of them has a unique frame of reference constructing a foundation for innovative ideas and a hot mix of old and new.
Dollars galore
Based in Miami, Cohn Racers have the advantage to being able to tap into a community filled to the brim with potential clients holding a well fed wallet.
Surely the description fits the owner of this bike. He wanted something completely different with an American heritage touch. Conceived on the flat track but with fat knobby tyres and lots of ‘50’s signature details such as the leather theme on the tank, reminiscent of vintage muscle cars.
The bike had to have large American V-twin throbbing in its loins. The crew considered HD Dyna and sportster, but decided that the XR 1200 was the way to go as it already had the flat tracker vibe.
Birth of ‘Muscle R’
The vision behind The Muscle R was to create a mean athletic stance, capturing the essence of modern muscle cars. “Through the perfect blend of luxury and performance the Muscle R achieves that timeless personality” our friends explain.
When it was released the XR1200X pleasantly surprised many motorcycle journalists with its handling and braking ability compared with other Harleys. Rumour has it many of the media bikes came back with worn down foot pegs and near-empty gas tanks.
The general motorcycling population had been clamouring for a proper modern Harley street tracker for years, the XR1200X met this demand and showed that the Sportster could be sporty.
Quick decision long search
Proper donor bikes were not easy to find, especially with very low miles. The Cohn team searched nationally for several weeks with very little luck and finally ended up finding a really clean one that had been owned since new by a firefighter close to Orlando FL.
From an American perspective ‘next door’.
Chete and his friends sharpened their tools and had to get started on a pristine Harley Davidson with minimal mileage and in A+ condition. Still they forged ahead, stripped and cut the frame and welded a custom made subframe along with new mounts for the tank.
They designed a new seat pan and had it upholstered with Alcantara, courtesy of their friends at Relicate Leather. The bike was also treated to a full front end conversion using Öhlins forks, Brembo res 19 racing master cylinder with 320mm rotors and 8 piston callipers.
The beast is decked out with custom machined triple trees, custom clutch and braided stainless brake lines. Next were the new custom wire wheels (“stock XR wheels suck” Chete rationalizes the choice) and knobby tyres. A lot of research was done before a decision was made to go for the Shinko 805s which are “the best dual sport tyres on the market” according to the Floridians. “It’s hard to believe how well they ride on the road”.
To keep the ‘Muscle R’ reliable they chose to leave the engine stock but tuned the DME for better engine response and smoothness. The exhaust was customized and coated with the signature and top secret ‘Cohn Coating’ as can be found on many of their bikes.
Bumps in the road
When asked about the challenges Chete and his friends synchronously respond “getting the designs right to a point we were happy with them was a long and complicated process. We have a cool sketch of the Muscle R that Chete made on photoshop before the bike was made.
On the mechanical aspect not anything in particular was especially hard, but it was quite a learning curve. Dealing with providers, trying parts back and forth, and dealing with the painters has also been a huge headache. We are still trying out different painters but it’s really hard to find decent paint-shops in Miami”.
Out and about
“So how does it handle?” the Bikebrewers team inquired.
Chete: “We care extra on how the bikes end up performing, due to our racing backgrounds. On this build we accomplished our goal. The bike rides extremely smooth. Imagine a big powerful and loud V-twin engine with the braking and suspension performance of a Ducati. We rode the bike for several days in North Carolina the bike is just a dream to ride, hard to describe in words.”
We say “Next stop Florida!”
And if you make it go check out the Cohn Racers workshop.
Major Modifications:
• On the electrical front most of the stock harness was used
• Cohn custom faced speedo, led turns and brake light integrated to the license plate frame
• They created moulds and made all the body work out of 1×1 carbon fibre including front fender, tank, side covers and rear plate holder.
• Frame cut and bespoke subframe welded on
• Custom made seat pan with bespoke upholstery
• Öhlins front fork
• Brembo res 19 racing master cylinder
• 320 rotors
• 8-piston callipers
• Custom made triple trees with custom clutch and braided stainless steel brake lines
• The stripped down beast was relieved of no less than 67 pounds from its original weight
The post Florida Flow appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
Continue reading...
Cohn Racers strike again
It has been just over a year since Bikebrewers posted a piece on Cohn’s sumptuous Triumph Thruxton (Sneafell Classic). Now Chete P-Ilzarbe and his two mates are back with a vengeance.
They are bound by their love for bikes and have a background at the race track. For the past decade they have been cutting their teeth on building bikes with a signature touch. The meticulous attention to detail in all their bikes is clear from the first time you lay eyes on one of their designs.
Their disparity in age sparks creativity as they all look at things from a different perspective. Each of them has a unique frame of reference constructing a foundation for innovative ideas and a hot mix of old and new.
Dollars galore
Based in Miami, Cohn Racers have the advantage to being able to tap into a community filled to the brim with potential clients holding a well fed wallet.
Surely the description fits the owner of this bike. He wanted something completely different with an American heritage touch. Conceived on the flat track but with fat knobby tyres and lots of ‘50’s signature details such as the leather theme on the tank, reminiscent of vintage muscle cars.
The bike had to have large American V-twin throbbing in its loins. The crew considered HD Dyna and sportster, but decided that the XR 1200 was the way to go as it already had the flat tracker vibe.
Birth of ‘Muscle R’
The vision behind The Muscle R was to create a mean athletic stance, capturing the essence of modern muscle cars. “Through the perfect blend of luxury and performance the Muscle R achieves that timeless personality” our friends explain.
When it was released the XR1200X pleasantly surprised many motorcycle journalists with its handling and braking ability compared with other Harleys. Rumour has it many of the media bikes came back with worn down foot pegs and near-empty gas tanks.
The general motorcycling population had been clamouring for a proper modern Harley street tracker for years, the XR1200X met this demand and showed that the Sportster could be sporty.
Quick decision long search
Proper donor bikes were not easy to find, especially with very low miles. The Cohn team searched nationally for several weeks with very little luck and finally ended up finding a really clean one that had been owned since new by a firefighter close to Orlando FL.
From an American perspective ‘next door’.
Chete and his friends sharpened their tools and had to get started on a pristine Harley Davidson with minimal mileage and in A+ condition. Still they forged ahead, stripped and cut the frame and welded a custom made subframe along with new mounts for the tank.
They designed a new seat pan and had it upholstered with Alcantara, courtesy of their friends at Relicate Leather. The bike was also treated to a full front end conversion using Öhlins forks, Brembo res 19 racing master cylinder with 320mm rotors and 8 piston callipers.
The beast is decked out with custom machined triple trees, custom clutch and braided stainless brake lines. Next were the new custom wire wheels (“stock XR wheels suck” Chete rationalizes the choice) and knobby tyres. A lot of research was done before a decision was made to go for the Shinko 805s which are “the best dual sport tyres on the market” according to the Floridians. “It’s hard to believe how well they ride on the road”.
To keep the ‘Muscle R’ reliable they chose to leave the engine stock but tuned the DME for better engine response and smoothness. The exhaust was customized and coated with the signature and top secret ‘Cohn Coating’ as can be found on many of their bikes.
Bumps in the road
When asked about the challenges Chete and his friends synchronously respond “getting the designs right to a point we were happy with them was a long and complicated process. We have a cool sketch of the Muscle R that Chete made on photoshop before the bike was made.
On the mechanical aspect not anything in particular was especially hard, but it was quite a learning curve. Dealing with providers, trying parts back and forth, and dealing with the painters has also been a huge headache. We are still trying out different painters but it’s really hard to find decent paint-shops in Miami”.
Out and about
“So how does it handle?” the Bikebrewers team inquired.
Chete: “We care extra on how the bikes end up performing, due to our racing backgrounds. On this build we accomplished our goal. The bike rides extremely smooth. Imagine a big powerful and loud V-twin engine with the braking and suspension performance of a Ducati. We rode the bike for several days in North Carolina the bike is just a dream to ride, hard to describe in words.”
We say “Next stop Florida!”
And if you make it go check out the Cohn Racers workshop.
Major Modifications:
• On the electrical front most of the stock harness was used
• Cohn custom faced speedo, led turns and brake light integrated to the license plate frame
• They created moulds and made all the body work out of 1×1 carbon fibre including front fender, tank, side covers and rear plate holder.
• Frame cut and bespoke subframe welded on
• Custom made seat pan with bespoke upholstery
• Öhlins front fork
• Brembo res 19 racing master cylinder
• 320 rotors
• 8-piston callipers
• Custom made triple trees with custom clutch and braided stainless steel brake lines
• The stripped down beast was relieved of no less than 67 pounds from its original weight
The post Florida Flow appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
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Top Echelon from Down Under
Black Swan
Lee Cavalier is a Business Analyst working for Verizon in New Zealand.
That’s serious work and after spending your day being in the focused work mode, as a true New Zealander you need to let off steam.
In this part of the world the boys work hard and play hard. Which may get them into trouble.
Renewing his energy in his workshop is Lee’s way of “avoiding inconvenient situations with law enforcement” he says.
The team at Bikebrewers is glad he made that choice.
From square to elegant
Every winter he looks to start a new project.
Having been introduced to the serene beauty of Ducati by his mates Neil and David he was bitten hard by the Italian bug.
Last years production was a Monster and in the past months he has been spannering on a Ducati 900 SS, turning this yellow bird into a magnificent black (and silver) swan.
The original bike was not bad, but not a ravishing beauty.
A bit boring to be honest.
But with Lee’s quest to build a caféracer with a ”first generation 70’s look” moves to machine into a whole new category. The realm of exquisiteness.
Challenges
A build becomes more interesting when meeting obstacles on your path.
For our New Zealander sourcing the right tank was his biggest problem. A local Ducati mechanic had a custom made one available which would fit the bike after relocating some electrical bits and pieces. Not a huge challenge really, but as the bike was still in pieces Lee decided to hand it to Murray of Muzza bikes in Christchurch.
In their storehouse they also found a nice fairing which would add to the 70’s appearance of the Ducati. Mounting it required some extra work on producing the right frame for it and hiding electrical components.
Most of the work on the project was done by the builder himself, which included taking the 900SS apart, cleaning and putting it back together again. “With Ducati’s it is wise to leave replacing belts and other inner stuff up to specialists” says out builder. If possible, I’d rather focus on other aspects of rebuilding a bike.
Happy face
“I am really glad with the result” Cavalier explains.
“My inspiration was to design a Ducati with this specific look. In my opinion I achieved my goal. Riding it puts a big grin on my face.
Before rebuilding it, the set up of the Duc was a bit uncomfortable for me and it wasn’t the greatest around town. With all the weight taken off and the modifications it is much more responsive and quick on the go.
Now a lovely bike and really manageable around town.
The fun factor has grown with a significant number of points. That’s what it is all about. Having fun riding the bikes you build.
And this one I will be riding for quite some time. As I see it now, this is a keeper.
But then again, I say this every time he laughes.”
Modifications:
• Removed the original tank, fairing, front mudguard, rear panels, seat, all lights
• Bespoke tank
• Bespoke seat pan
• Bespoke fairing
• Bespoke Tail tidy
• Bought New Headlight and headlight bowl
• Bought smoked glass for fairing from Germany
• Bespoke Seat ali set pan and upholstery
• Bought New Carbon fibre front mudguard from Germany
• Bought Carbon fibre instrument panel
• Bought LED rear light, indicators and number plate lights
• Bought New Grips from Italy
• Bespoke piping from the exhaust header to mufflers
• Bought standard chrome screw in fuel cap
• Bought Danmoto mufflers
• Painted wheels satin black
• Polished guards
• Full engine clean
• Painted rear frame
• Bought CNC open Clutch cover from Germany
• PPF protection on the tank and fairing
About the builder:
Name: Lee Cavalier
Birthday: 20 Nov 1967
Location: New Zealand
Education/background: MSc Marine Environmental studies/Hydrographic Surveyor/Marine Biologist
Day job: Business Analyst
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Cavalier Customs
Photography Credits:
Stacey Cavalier photography
The post Top Echelon from Down Under appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
Continue reading...
Black Swan
Lee Cavalier is a Business Analyst working for Verizon in New Zealand.
That’s serious work and after spending your day being in the focused work mode, as a true New Zealander you need to let off steam.
In this part of the world the boys work hard and play hard. Which may get them into trouble.
Renewing his energy in his workshop is Lee’s way of “avoiding inconvenient situations with law enforcement” he says.
The team at Bikebrewers is glad he made that choice.
From square to elegant
Every winter he looks to start a new project.
Having been introduced to the serene beauty of Ducati by his mates Neil and David he was bitten hard by the Italian bug.
Last years production was a Monster and in the past months he has been spannering on a Ducati 900 SS, turning this yellow bird into a magnificent black (and silver) swan.
The original bike was not bad, but not a ravishing beauty.
A bit boring to be honest.
But with Lee’s quest to build a caféracer with a ”first generation 70’s look” moves to machine into a whole new category. The realm of exquisiteness.
Challenges
A build becomes more interesting when meeting obstacles on your path.
For our New Zealander sourcing the right tank was his biggest problem. A local Ducati mechanic had a custom made one available which would fit the bike after relocating some electrical bits and pieces. Not a huge challenge really, but as the bike was still in pieces Lee decided to hand it to Murray of Muzza bikes in Christchurch.
In their storehouse they also found a nice fairing which would add to the 70’s appearance of the Ducati. Mounting it required some extra work on producing the right frame for it and hiding electrical components.
Most of the work on the project was done by the builder himself, which included taking the 900SS apart, cleaning and putting it back together again. “With Ducati’s it is wise to leave replacing belts and other inner stuff up to specialists” says out builder. If possible, I’d rather focus on other aspects of rebuilding a bike.
Happy face
“I am really glad with the result” Cavalier explains.
“My inspiration was to design a Ducati with this specific look. In my opinion I achieved my goal. Riding it puts a big grin on my face.
Before rebuilding it, the set up of the Duc was a bit uncomfortable for me and it wasn’t the greatest around town. With all the weight taken off and the modifications it is much more responsive and quick on the go.
Now a lovely bike and really manageable around town.
The fun factor has grown with a significant number of points. That’s what it is all about. Having fun riding the bikes you build.
And this one I will be riding for quite some time. As I see it now, this is a keeper.
But then again, I say this every time he laughes.”
Modifications:
• Removed the original tank, fairing, front mudguard, rear panels, seat, all lights
• Bespoke tank
• Bespoke seat pan
• Bespoke fairing
• Bespoke Tail tidy
• Bought New Headlight and headlight bowl
• Bought smoked glass for fairing from Germany
• Bespoke Seat ali set pan and upholstery
• Bought New Carbon fibre front mudguard from Germany
• Bought Carbon fibre instrument panel
• Bought LED rear light, indicators and number plate lights
• Bought New Grips from Italy
• Bespoke piping from the exhaust header to mufflers
• Bought standard chrome screw in fuel cap
• Bought Danmoto mufflers
• Painted wheels satin black
• Polished guards
• Full engine clean
• Painted rear frame
• Bought CNC open Clutch cover from Germany
• PPF protection on the tank and fairing
About the builder:
Name: Lee Cavalier
Birthday: 20 Nov 1967
Location: New Zealand
Education/background: MSc Marine Environmental studies/Hydrographic Surveyor/Marine Biologist
Day job: Business Analyst
E-mail: [email protected]
Website:
Cavalier Customs
Photography Credits:
Stacey Cavalier photography
The post Top Echelon from Down Under appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
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BREAKING NEWS!
Racing legend Randy Mamola on Speed!
This weekend the magnificent Italian circuit of Monza will host the first edition of the 2019 series of ‘Sultans of Sprint’. Every year the events in Monza, Montlhéry and Glemseck grow in terms of attendance and number of celebrities on the track.
Today and tomorrow GP racing legend Randy Mamola will take part on a very special build, competing in the ‘factory class’ ( no limit regarding the engine capacity providing that the tuned bike does not exceed a power-to-weight ratio limit of 0.65bhp/kg.)
Belgium based Workhorse speed shop’s Brice Hennert set his sights on rebuilding an Indian Scout Bobber into a serious contender for the title. It took him over 700 hours before the project was ready to race.
And ready it is!
The bike is named ‘Appaloosa’ and will race under #19 to honour the Indian Scout’s 100th anniversary.
It named after the famous breed of horse. Brice explains, “I wanted a name that could
link Workhorse, Indian Motorcycle and speed. As soon as I discovered that the American horse breed Appaloosa was one of the world’s fastest horses, I knew I had the name for an American sprint bike built by Workhorse.
After putting so much into this build, I’m excited to see the reaction to it and I can’t wait to see Randy blast it down the racetrack.”
Randy Mamola says, “I’ve always been a big fan of Indian Motorcycle and I’m really looking forward to racing this amazing creation. It’s great to be part of this project, especially during the Scout’s 100th anniversary.
With the Sultans of Sprint being such a unique series, it’s going to be a lot of fun soaking
up the atmosphere, meeting the crowds and putting on a show for them.”
Randy will turn 60 in November of this year and has had his last win in the 500cc class during the 1987 San Marino Grand Prix. Let’s see if he returns to an Italian track with a vengeance this weekend!
About the bike:
After completely stripping the Scout Bobber, Brice cut and narrowed the original fuel tank, retaining the side profile, to create a cover for a new aluminium fuel cell which holds just 2.5 litres for sprint racing. With the fuel cell in place, work focussed on the riding position, a critical element for quick starts. A new sub-frame was fabricated to better support the rider under hard acceleration and combines with lower clip-on handlebars and drag-style foot controls to tilt the rider forward and keep weight over the front wheel.
To further enhance traction when the flag drops, Brice designed and welded an extended aluminium swingarm. With parts CNC machined from his drawings by Beringer Brakes, the swingarm is mated to advanced, fully adjustable suspension technology from Öhlins. Matching the STX 36 piggyback rear shock absorbers, Öhlins also supplied Retro 43 front forks and a steering damper to ensure the best possible grip and stability enabling the full performance of the bike to be utilised.
With a rolling chassis and elements of the streamlined fairing starting to take shape, Brice took Appaloosa to Akrapovič where a bespoke titanium exhaust system was created for maximum power
and the best possible sound. Without making any internal modifications, engine power has been increased to 130hp with a combination of the Akrapovič exhaust, a racing ECU, Power Commander,
direct intake, Nitrous Oxide Injection system and MOTOREX oil.
To get the power to the tarmac, the original belt drive has been converted to chain drive and a quickshifter ensures swift and precise gear changes.
Bringing the rapid racer to a controlled stop is the complete 4D Aerotec braking system from Beringer Brakes. The 4D system features two Ø230mm discs per caliper for increased power over standard single discs as well as reduced inertia to aid acceleration. Beringer Brakes also supplied the handlebar controls and buttons as well as CNC machining many of the parts designed by Brice.
Using hosing supplied by Vibrant Performance the cooling system has been simplified for weight reduction and for a cleaner look around the engine. Additional components from Vibrant such as
welded dash connectors, fuel and water tank caps and heat protection hoses add finishing touches to Appaloosa.
2019 schedule for those who want to check out his phenomenal bike:
Static display:
The Bike Shed (London 24 – 26 May)
Wheels & Waves (Biarritz 12 – 16 June).
In motion (that’s what you’d want!)
Sultans of Sprint Championship 2019
The Reunion (Monza 18 – 19 May)
Café Racer Festival (Monthléry 22 – 23 June)
Glemseck 101 (Leonberg 31 Aug – 1 Sept
ABOUT WORKHORSE SPEED SHOP
Workhorse is the story of a passion. Brice Hennebert grew up surrounded by his father’s motorcycles and was raised by a creative mother. Learning mechanics at an early age, Brice later trained as a graphic designer before opening a custom motorcycle workshop in 2012 with a like-minded bike fanatic.
In 2016, Brice returned to the workshop of his childhood in Nodebais, Belgium to launch Workhorse Speed Shop. Workhorse provides a full range of services from accessory fitment through to complete custom builds.
https://www.workhorsespeedshop.com/
All photographic material used courtesy of Indian Motorcycles, Workhorse speedshop, @antoinehotermans and @operationpanda
The post BREAKING NEWS! appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
Continue reading...
Racing legend Randy Mamola on Speed!
This weekend the magnificent Italian circuit of Monza will host the first edition of the 2019 series of ‘Sultans of Sprint’. Every year the events in Monza, Montlhéry and Glemseck grow in terms of attendance and number of celebrities on the track.
Today and tomorrow GP racing legend Randy Mamola will take part on a very special build, competing in the ‘factory class’ ( no limit regarding the engine capacity providing that the tuned bike does not exceed a power-to-weight ratio limit of 0.65bhp/kg.)
Belgium based Workhorse speed shop’s Brice Hennert set his sights on rebuilding an Indian Scout Bobber into a serious contender for the title. It took him over 700 hours before the project was ready to race.
And ready it is!
The bike is named ‘Appaloosa’ and will race under #19 to honour the Indian Scout’s 100th anniversary.
It named after the famous breed of horse. Brice explains, “I wanted a name that could
link Workhorse, Indian Motorcycle and speed. As soon as I discovered that the American horse breed Appaloosa was one of the world’s fastest horses, I knew I had the name for an American sprint bike built by Workhorse.
After putting so much into this build, I’m excited to see the reaction to it and I can’t wait to see Randy blast it down the racetrack.”
Randy Mamola says, “I’ve always been a big fan of Indian Motorcycle and I’m really looking forward to racing this amazing creation. It’s great to be part of this project, especially during the Scout’s 100th anniversary.
With the Sultans of Sprint being such a unique series, it’s going to be a lot of fun soaking
up the atmosphere, meeting the crowds and putting on a show for them.”
Randy will turn 60 in November of this year and has had his last win in the 500cc class during the 1987 San Marino Grand Prix. Let’s see if he returns to an Italian track with a vengeance this weekend!
About the bike:
After completely stripping the Scout Bobber, Brice cut and narrowed the original fuel tank, retaining the side profile, to create a cover for a new aluminium fuel cell which holds just 2.5 litres for sprint racing. With the fuel cell in place, work focussed on the riding position, a critical element for quick starts. A new sub-frame was fabricated to better support the rider under hard acceleration and combines with lower clip-on handlebars and drag-style foot controls to tilt the rider forward and keep weight over the front wheel.
To further enhance traction when the flag drops, Brice designed and welded an extended aluminium swingarm. With parts CNC machined from his drawings by Beringer Brakes, the swingarm is mated to advanced, fully adjustable suspension technology from Öhlins. Matching the STX 36 piggyback rear shock absorbers, Öhlins also supplied Retro 43 front forks and a steering damper to ensure the best possible grip and stability enabling the full performance of the bike to be utilised.
With a rolling chassis and elements of the streamlined fairing starting to take shape, Brice took Appaloosa to Akrapovič where a bespoke titanium exhaust system was created for maximum power
and the best possible sound. Without making any internal modifications, engine power has been increased to 130hp with a combination of the Akrapovič exhaust, a racing ECU, Power Commander,
direct intake, Nitrous Oxide Injection system and MOTOREX oil.
To get the power to the tarmac, the original belt drive has been converted to chain drive and a quickshifter ensures swift and precise gear changes.
Bringing the rapid racer to a controlled stop is the complete 4D Aerotec braking system from Beringer Brakes. The 4D system features two Ø230mm discs per caliper for increased power over standard single discs as well as reduced inertia to aid acceleration. Beringer Brakes also supplied the handlebar controls and buttons as well as CNC machining many of the parts designed by Brice.
Using hosing supplied by Vibrant Performance the cooling system has been simplified for weight reduction and for a cleaner look around the engine. Additional components from Vibrant such as
welded dash connectors, fuel and water tank caps and heat protection hoses add finishing touches to Appaloosa.
2019 schedule for those who want to check out his phenomenal bike:
Static display:
The Bike Shed (London 24 – 26 May)
Wheels & Waves (Biarritz 12 – 16 June).
In motion (that’s what you’d want!)
Sultans of Sprint Championship 2019
The Reunion (Monza 18 – 19 May)
Café Racer Festival (Monthléry 22 – 23 June)
Glemseck 101 (Leonberg 31 Aug – 1 Sept
ABOUT WORKHORSE SPEED SHOP
Workhorse is the story of a passion. Brice Hennebert grew up surrounded by his father’s motorcycles and was raised by a creative mother. Learning mechanics at an early age, Brice later trained as a graphic designer before opening a custom motorcycle workshop in 2012 with a like-minded bike fanatic.
In 2016, Brice returned to the workshop of his childhood in Nodebais, Belgium to launch Workhorse Speed Shop. Workhorse provides a full range of services from accessory fitment through to complete custom builds.
https://www.workhorsespeedshop.com/
All photographic material used courtesy of Indian Motorcycles, Workhorse speedshop, @antoinehotermans and @operationpanda
The post BREAKING NEWS! appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
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Spiced up Paprika by XTR Pepo
PEPO ROSELL IS A REGULAR on the pages of Bikebrewers.
We have given XTR Pepo a lot of attention over the past years and rightfully so.
Every time the former biologist comes to us with a new creation from his Spanish workshop it invariably gets us excited. This build is no exception.
It does not really matter which brand he lays his professional hand on, Pepo invariably comes up with a design so different and radical from his peers that each bike stands out from the crowd. His clients must surely be amongst the broadest smiling bikers in the world when they ride these creations.
The spiced up ‘Paprika’ is no exception to the rule.
The 2004 Ducati 999 is a nice bike to start off with, although it has not been among the most popular models from the factory in Modena.
Still it had all the elements Pepo needed to turn it into quite the head turner is has become.
Digging a bit deeper in the personal history of the builder unearthed hints of his secret ingredients. He grew up in the village of Erguy in the Northwest of France. For many of you this name may not mean much, but if you consider the fact that this village on the ‘côtes d’Armor’ was the home of Asterix and Obelix, the link to the secret power drink becomes clear.
As with the two famous protagonists of the comic series, the bikes of XTR Pepo seem to be sprayed with a bit of this elixir too.
In this particular case Pepo took the Ducati by its Italian horns and swung it around shedding all unnecessary weight and polyester fairing in the process.
After the dust had settled a super aggressive bike was challenging us to try and ride it. The original front fairing was adapted to fit the XTR endurance light and with the rest of the package gone, its drooping front breathes speed.
“Why cover up the wonderful Ducati technology if you can find a way to expose the inner works?” Pepo must have been thinking. On both sides the Ducati now presents itself to the world in all its bare beauty. There is so much to enjoy, so why not?
Still, we think the bike would look even better with a little bit more of tidying up. There are a few patches in the frame that could have used a bit more ‘TLC’ before the photo session.
But then again, looking at the overall picture, the 999 is an animal that likes to get dirty, so let’s not dwell on those minor details and enjoy the eye candy presented us from the Madrid based workshop. The colour scheme selected for the Ducati raised a unanimous cheer among our editorial team. We absolutely love the ‘Lotus reminiscent’ British racing green and yellow.
The red belly pan with the Castrol logo just adds to the excitement. Very nice.
Details & Modifications
PAPRIKA by XTR (2019)
Technical Schedule :
• Donor bike : Ducati 999 (2004)
• RAD fuel tank.
• Lightech ergal gas cap.
• RAD solo seat.
• XTR upholstery
• RAD bellypan modified.
• RAD Front Fairing modified for mount XTR endurance light.
• RAD front bracket modified .
• MRA windshield.
• XTR cnc machined regulable footrest.
• XTR clip ons.
• XTR carbón fiber rear mudguard.
• RAD alumium subframe modified.
• XTR licence plate holder .
• XTR rear light .
• XTR Led blinkers.
• Fresco 2 in 1 exhaust system.
• Spark megaphone .
• Repositioned wiring.
• LIPO Battery.
• XTR light.
• PT radial clutch pump .
• Brembo PR19 radial brake bump.
• XTR carbón fiber wáter pump protector .
• EVR cnc machined pinion cover.
• Regina Gold Chain.
• 520 PBR sprocket conversión kit.
• Artenruta painting.
photo credits: Sergio Cardeña
The post Spiced up Paprika by XTR Pepo appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
Continue reading...
PEPO ROSELL IS A REGULAR on the pages of Bikebrewers.
We have given XTR Pepo a lot of attention over the past years and rightfully so.
Every time the former biologist comes to us with a new creation from his Spanish workshop it invariably gets us excited. This build is no exception.
It does not really matter which brand he lays his professional hand on, Pepo invariably comes up with a design so different and radical from his peers that each bike stands out from the crowd. His clients must surely be amongst the broadest smiling bikers in the world when they ride these creations.
The spiced up ‘Paprika’ is no exception to the rule.
The 2004 Ducati 999 is a nice bike to start off with, although it has not been among the most popular models from the factory in Modena.
Still it had all the elements Pepo needed to turn it into quite the head turner is has become.
Digging a bit deeper in the personal history of the builder unearthed hints of his secret ingredients. He grew up in the village of Erguy in the Northwest of France. For many of you this name may not mean much, but if you consider the fact that this village on the ‘côtes d’Armor’ was the home of Asterix and Obelix, the link to the secret power drink becomes clear.
As with the two famous protagonists of the comic series, the bikes of XTR Pepo seem to be sprayed with a bit of this elixir too.
In this particular case Pepo took the Ducati by its Italian horns and swung it around shedding all unnecessary weight and polyester fairing in the process.
After the dust had settled a super aggressive bike was challenging us to try and ride it. The original front fairing was adapted to fit the XTR endurance light and with the rest of the package gone, its drooping front breathes speed.
“Why cover up the wonderful Ducati technology if you can find a way to expose the inner works?” Pepo must have been thinking. On both sides the Ducati now presents itself to the world in all its bare beauty. There is so much to enjoy, so why not?
Still, we think the bike would look even better with a little bit more of tidying up. There are a few patches in the frame that could have used a bit more ‘TLC’ before the photo session.
But then again, looking at the overall picture, the 999 is an animal that likes to get dirty, so let’s not dwell on those minor details and enjoy the eye candy presented us from the Madrid based workshop. The colour scheme selected for the Ducati raised a unanimous cheer among our editorial team. We absolutely love the ‘Lotus reminiscent’ British racing green and yellow.
The red belly pan with the Castrol logo just adds to the excitement. Very nice.
Details & Modifications
PAPRIKA by XTR (2019)
Technical Schedule :
• Donor bike : Ducati 999 (2004)
• RAD fuel tank.
• Lightech ergal gas cap.
• RAD solo seat.
• XTR upholstery
• RAD bellypan modified.
• RAD Front Fairing modified for mount XTR endurance light.
• RAD front bracket modified .
• MRA windshield.
• XTR cnc machined regulable footrest.
• XTR clip ons.
• XTR carbón fiber rear mudguard.
• RAD alumium subframe modified.
• XTR licence plate holder .
• XTR rear light .
• XTR Led blinkers.
• Fresco 2 in 1 exhaust system.
• Spark megaphone .
• Repositioned wiring.
• LIPO Battery.
• XTR light.
• PT radial clutch pump .
• Brembo PR19 radial brake bump.
• XTR carbón fiber wáter pump protector .
• EVR cnc machined pinion cover.
• Regina Gold Chain.
• 520 PBR sprocket conversión kit.
• Artenruta painting.
photo credits: Sergio Cardeña
The post Spiced up Paprika by XTR Pepo appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
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Definitely NOT my cup of tea.
World speed record on lake Como
LUCA COLOMBO IS AN ITALIAN DAREDEVIL who ha set his sights on beating the world speed record on a dirt bike. “Nothing really special” we thought.
However, he was aiming to achieve this on water rather than in the dirt…
In 2017 he had taken the lake and rode across on a specially prepared Suzuki 450. This asked for more and he decided it was time to go for the world fresh water speed record which was in the hands of Australian Robbie Maddison and stood at 93,3 km/h – 58mph (picture bottom of page)
On July 6th weather conditions were favourable enough to sail out and beat this record. For his attempt Luca decided to switch brands and used a modified Honda CRF450R.
At 10.00 a.m. from Gravedona, after a brief running-start on the beach to increase the required speed to run on water, Luca floated onto the beach at Lido di Dongo after 2’ 43” minutes of “navigation”.
During his attempt he managed to reach a speed of 104 km/h (64,62 mph) which means more than 28 meters per second!
If you are now thinking “has he been shopping for groceries on the way?”, beating the record did not come easy as during his performance Luca had to face a singular problem: shortly after he had reached the maximum speed, a wave caused the opening of the inflatable system that should be activated only in case of power loss emergency thus avoiding the sinking of the motorcycles.
Nonetheless, the Italian rider managed the disadvantage with great ability and experience and finish triumphantly his venture.
The track’s distance of 1,9 Km was completed without ever falling below speed of 55,6 km/h (34 mph), essential to be able to run on the surface of the water without sinking.
Once safely ashore Luca declared:
“I am really satisfied, I wanted this record much more than the precedent, it was very hard to reach even one more single km/h and if in these years we recorded many data and variations on water, there are still many unknown factors. Truth is you never know what’s going to happen every time I place my bike on water.
This year everyone really made a great effort, from Giorgio Lumini and Angelo Pezzano, that have been following me with their great professionality, to the Red Moto team that supported me in every requests and every partners that gave their contributions to this challenge, because this record doesn’t belong just to me, without their support this would be impossible. I thank everyone from the bottom of my heart!”.
The Como Beach girls were there to welcome him and congratulate Luca on his achievement.
Bike details:
Honda CRF 450R from Red Moto Desio-Milano.
The bike, meticulously prepared by Luca and his technical partner, is equipped with nautical skis and the rear wheel with special paddle which will give the hydrodynamic push needed to ride on water the over 205 kg of full load.
2017 run:
The 30 July 2017 Luca Colombo has completed the crossing of lake Como starting from Gravedona, has arrived to Colico in 5 minute “of navigation” on trak to 5,5 km at speed of approx to 75 km/h over 20 meter per second , reaching the maximum speed of 83 km/h.
Pictured below is Robbie Maddison during his 2015 attempt.
Photo credits:
Robbie Maddison courtesy of X-games
2017 Luca Colombo courtesy of Davide Pelloli – Foto Conga
2019 Luca Colombo courtesy of Kingji International
The post World speed record on lake Como appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.
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LUCA COLOMBO IS AN ITALIAN DAREDEVIL who ha set his sights on beating the world speed record on a dirt bike. “Nothing really special” we thought.
However, he was aiming to achieve this on water rather than in the dirt…
In 2017 he had taken the lake and rode across on a specially prepared Suzuki 450. This asked for more and he decided it was time to go for the world fresh water speed record which was in the hands of Australian Robbie Maddison and stood at 93,3 km/h – 58mph (picture bottom of page)
On July 6th weather conditions were favourable enough to sail out and beat this record. For his attempt Luca decided to switch brands and used a modified Honda CRF450R.
At 10.00 a.m. from Gravedona, after a brief running-start on the beach to increase the required speed to run on water, Luca floated onto the beach at Lido di Dongo after 2’ 43” minutes of “navigation”.
During his attempt he managed to reach a speed of 104 km/h (64,62 mph) which means more than 28 meters per second!
If you are now thinking “has he been shopping for groceries on the way?”, beating the record did not come easy as during his performance Luca had to face a singular problem: shortly after he had reached the maximum speed, a wave caused the opening of the inflatable system that should be activated only in case of power loss emergency thus avoiding the sinking of the motorcycles.
Nonetheless, the Italian rider managed the disadvantage with great ability and experience and finish triumphantly his venture.
The track’s distance of 1,9 Km was completed without ever falling below speed of 55,6 km/h (34 mph), essential to be able to run on the surface of the water without sinking.
Once safely ashore Luca declared:
“I am really satisfied, I wanted this record much more than the precedent, it was very hard to reach even one more single km/h and if in these years we recorded many data and variations on water, there are still many unknown factors. Truth is you never know what’s going to happen every time I place my bike on water.
This year everyone really made a great effort, from Giorgio Lumini and Angelo Pezzano, that have been following me with their great professionality, to the Red Moto team that supported me in every requests and every partners that gave their contributions to this challenge, because this record doesn’t belong just to me, without their support this would be impossible. I thank everyone from the bottom of my heart!”.
The Como Beach girls were there to welcome him and congratulate Luca on his achievement.
Bike details:
Honda CRF 450R from Red Moto Desio-Milano.
The bike, meticulously prepared by Luca and his technical partner, is equipped with nautical skis and the rear wheel with special paddle which will give the hydrodynamic push needed to ride on water the over 205 kg of full load.
2017 run:
The 30 July 2017 Luca Colombo has completed the crossing of lake Como starting from Gravedona, has arrived to Colico in 5 minute “of navigation” on trak to 5,5 km at speed of approx to 75 km/h over 20 meter per second , reaching the maximum speed of 83 km/h.
Pictured below is Robbie Maddison during his 2015 attempt.
Photo credits:
Robbie Maddison courtesy of X-games
2017 Luca Colombo courtesy of Davide Pelloli – Foto Conga
2019 Luca Colombo courtesy of Kingji International
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