Scrambler inspiration - BikeBrewers.com https://bikebrewers.com/category/scrambler/ Europe largest directory Cafe Racers, Scramblers, Bratstyles & other Custom Bikes. Tue, 20 Feb 2024 19:43:54 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 “The Nightcrawler” Honda CL500 with MOTOISM Plug&Play CL500 kit https://bikebrewers.com/honda-cl500-motoism-plugplay-kit/ https://bikebrewers.com/honda-cl500-motoism-plugplay-kit/#respond Tue, 30 Jan 2024 12:02:01 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=3995 After a 50 year hiatus, the Honda CL is back! With a vengeance! The scrambler now features a 500cc twin, and this beautiful CL500 'The Nightcrawler' from MOTOISM with the Plug&Play CL500 kit really rips!

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“The Nightcrawler” Honda CL500 with MOTOISM Plug&Play CL500 kit

In 2024 the Honda CL500 draws from 60 years of history. The first scrambler rolled off the assembly line in 1962, the CL72. This is the model that Dave Ekins and Bill Robertson Jr. rode down the Baja Peninsula in Mexico, setting the stage for the famous Baja 1000 rally that officially first took place in 1967. Since then, the engine volume has increased to 450cc’s in the mid 70’s before a 50 year hiatus in the CL production line occurred. Now the CL is back! In 2023 the Honda CL500 was introduced to the public as the fifth model around the 471cc twin engine. With similarities to the Rebel 500, it distinguishes itself from its popular brother by a more upright riding position, a high exhaust, larger cast aluminium wheels (17”/19”) and longer suspension travel. It puts out 34kW and 43.3Nm on a little under 200kg. 


(Image by Honda)

Overall a reliable bike that we expect from Honda, aimed to accommodate the people who do not feel at home on the cruiser, racer, adventure, or naked model that precede the Scrambler. Honda does offer an optional travel package, adventure package, and style package.  We think it could be a little more daring in design. This is where the MOTOISM team in Munich comes in. They too saw the potential. 

Enter the Nightcrawler

When faced with the Honda CL500, its latent potential beckoned to them. Teaming up with Honda Germany, they embarked on a mission to harness this potential, birthing ‘The Nightcrawler’—a manifestation of untapped attitude. The goal was to breathe life into the motorcycle, unveiling a spirited essence it concealed from the outset. This transformative shift was achieved through five meticulously curated elements that are now sold as a plug&play kit, facilitating a rapid metamorphosis of your CL500 within mere hours. 



The kit includes a lamp mask, fork covers with built-in LED indicators, a tail tidy with light assembly and license plate holder that really clean up the rear end, and a shorter front fender to give it a sportier look. The kit is available from the MOTOISM directly


In the case of this particular CL500, their dedication reached new heights. Alongside the development and integration of their Plug&Play CL500 kit, they sought the artistic touch of Andy Werner for a tailor-made graphic design. The enhancements encompassed the installation of an Arrow exhaust, mirrors, and tires, complemented by CeraKoted components, including the levers. The outcome? A bike that exudes a distinct customized aesthetic, yet demands less effort to replicate compared to a traditional custom build. This plug-and-play ethos, defining both their bikes and their parts, is a cornerstone of MOTOISM—a philosophy they’ve championed in the past and remain steadfastly committed to in the future. 

(All photos provided by MOTOISM except where noted)

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RTR Electric motorcycles – Startup presents scrambler with classic looks https://bikebrewers.com/rtr-electric-motorcycles-startup-presents-scrambler-with-classic-looks/ https://bikebrewers.com/rtr-electric-motorcycles-startup-presents-scrambler-with-classic-looks/#respond Tue, 11 Apr 2023 15:49:29 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=3616 ‘Retrorides By Lourenço’, who have a 30-year history of designing and building award-winning custom motorcycles, have decided to follow their desire to play their part in creating a cleaner and smarter future for humanity, and founded RTR Electric motorcycles. Their first model, the 799e, is an electric scrambler targeted at urban use. Its design is inspired by the iconic Scramblers of the 1970s - and it looks the part!

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The motorcycle industry, at least on the combustion engine side, has not seen a lot of new brands come to life the past few decades. Yes, we did witness the successful resurrection of famous brands from the past, like Indian and Royal Enfield, who are developing and pushing out impressive ranges of truly great motorcycles. But we haven’t seen many new brands of combustion engine motorcycles lately.

However, the birth and subsequent rise of electric motorcycles has resulted in a whole slew of new manufacturers. Zero was an early starter in 2006, and especially in the last few years quite a few new entrants, like Energica and Cake, have emerged.

But for the motorbike enthusiast with a fondness of classic styling – like myself, I have to admit – many of these motorbikes just don’t look right… Mainly due to the necessity of big battery racks I guess, but it seems quite a few new builds either go for sportsbike-like fairings which hide these batteries (like Energica), or for quite radical new styling accentuating the difference with combustion engine bikes (Cake or Sondors). And the ones who take their styling cues more from ‘regular’  motorcycles, look, at least in this author’s admittedly biased opinion, clunky at best…

There are exceptions of course, like RGNT Motorcycles from Sweden, and now there is a promising new brand out of Brazil just starting up, called RTR Electric motorcycles!

Because what better base for a real commitment to classic lines than founders who share a 30-year history of designing and building award-winning custom motorcycles under the label ‘Retrorides By Lourenço’. You may know them from their book “The CafeRacer Bible”, a great “How to build” resource, and from their sublime proprietary suspension for the BMW K100…

So now, following their desire to play their part in creating a cleaner and smarter future for humanity, they founded RTR Electric motorcycles.

Their first model, the 799e, is an electric scrambler targeted at urban use. Its design is inspired by the iconic Scramblers of the 1970s – and it looks the part!

Pre-production exemplars are undergoing the homologation process in Brazil now, production of the RTR 799e is scheduled to start December 2023. They plan to start selling these bikes in Brazil, the United States and in Europe to begin with.

RTR are determined to preserve their custom DNA, their reputation for delivering great motorcycles, and their spirit of “handcrafted by hand”. 

They aim to accomplish this by offering full customization options on the website as part of the purchase process, by using the best high-quality parts and by completely hand-assembling the RTR 799e in Brazil…

On the website, customers will for instance be able to choose the colors, the type of seat, the type of tires, the type of front fenders, the type of headlight, to use side plates or not – making each motorcycle unique. 

High quality also means that these motorcycles are built with noble materials that do not harm the environment, and are built to last while also designed to be upgradable.  A really neat detail is that where gas would be stored before, the 799e has a 7-liter glove compartment to store your stuff!

While the 799e’s range is not stellar today at 120 km with a full battery, RTR are partnering with major battery developers to significantly increase this autonomy. You can charge it by just plugging into a regular 110/220V outlet.

Top speed of 127km/h is certainly acceptable for its intended mostly urban use. And the ‘kick’, as with all electric motorcycles, is the instantaneous torque thanks to the electric motor delivering “everything” at once, which propels you like a bat out of hell as soon as you twist the throttle!

So all in all RTR are well underway on this exciting journey. Driven by passion as they are, they still want to achieve their goals faster and more efficiently, so they are currently selecting investors to help them. But help them in a way that allows them to stay true to their starting points: Really change the way people get around, by providing a cleaner and more sustainable electric alternative, but also to construct these beautiful motorcycles in their native country of Brazil! 

www.rtrmotorcycles.com

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Moto Morini, the Comeback! Seiemmezzo SCR and STR First Ride Reviews https://bikebrewers.com/moto-morini-the-comeback-seiemmezzo-scr-and-str-first-ride-reviews/ https://bikebrewers.com/moto-morini-the-comeback-seiemmezzo-scr-and-str-first-ride-reviews/#respond Tue, 29 Nov 2022 07:00:00 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=3303     After a long resting period, Moto Morini is back! Originally Italian, from Milan, MM is now part of the Zhongneng vehicle group since 2018. In 2022 three new models have been released. All designed in Italy, and sporting some of the best and renowned Italian components. All based on the same 650cc twin [...]

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    After a long resting period, Moto Morini is back! Originally Italian, from Milan, MM is now part of the Zhongneng vehicle group since 2018. In 2022 three new models have been released. All designed in Italy, and sporting some of the best and renowned Italian components. All based on the same 650cc twin engine. First in line is the X-Cape, which we have taken for a week and will be reviewed in a separate post. During the launch I had the opportunity to ride number 2 and 3 in the line-up, both versions of the Seiemmezzo. That is Italian for ‘six-and-a-half’.

First Look

The Seiemmezzo Scrambler (SCR), available in Night Black and Navy Green, and the Seiemmezzo Street (STR), available in Fire Red, Smokey Anthracite, and Starlight White. An excellent selection of colour schemes that, combined with the attention for detail and the carefully designed visual lines, result in elegant and beautiful machines. Especially the Navy Green SCR with gold anodised forks, a brown seat, and silver accents is a treat to our eye. Let’s dive into it!

Common Base

Both models are based on the same steel trellis frame with aluminium swingarm and 650 twin engine. The engine puts out 47.5BHP @8250rpm and 54Nm of torque at 7000rpm, allowing for a top speed of 175km/h. The engine feels torquey and responsive throughout the range, if you keep up the revs . They both sport the same fully adjustable suspension setup provided by Kayaba, 120mm travel front and rear. Both sit at 810mm and round about 200kg (dry weight).

Both are safely slowed by the same 298mm Brembo dual disc front brakes with Bosch ABS.

 Behind the full LED headlight sits a very clean and clear 5” TFT screen with Bluetooth connectivity. It allows the rider to choose between two types of digital guages. One assigned to the STR, the other to the SCR. To access the setup, use the intuitive, backlit handlebar controls.

Differences

Where do they differ? Let’s take a look first.

The STR is more road focused with a narrow handlebar and 18” and 17” aluminium wheels with Pirelli Angel GT tyres. It has an elegant line with a slim tail section, appealing to a sporty and spirited audience.

The SCR has wider handlebars, like those on the 70’s British scramblers, 18” and 17” spoked tubeless rims with Pirelli MT60RS tyres, and a brown, ribbed, heritage seat. But what does this mean in terms of riding experience?

Riding Experience

While the SCR feels planted, yet plush, ready to tackle any kind of road surface, the STR feels a little harder, yet confident, and definitely more at home at very smooth surface.

This is solely due to the tyres. Both models have the exact same suspension setup with identical settings between the models we tested.

The wider handle bar on the SCR allows for a leisure, upright riding position and smooth corrections.

In contrast, the narrower STR handlebars invite a sporty body position and commitment to the curves.

At 185cm tall, the SCR seat, pegs, and tank dimples align perfectly. Though the STR required a few minutes of finding the most comfortable riding position, especially aligning thighs with the tank geometry. In short, both are an absolute joy to ride and a lot of bike for the money! The SCR will be available in the EU next month and will cost, depending on local taxes, between €7350 and €8590. The STR comes in at €400 less.

And there is a hint for an even more exciting future! 2024 is supposed to be the year for a new 1200cc EURO5 compatible engine that will be used in 3 models: SuperAdventure, Milano, and Super Scrambler! Until then, we would happily explore the EU curves on these great bikes!

(Photos by Florian Meuret, Rodolphe Herpet, and Casper van der Ven)

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The Mastodont – BMW R1100GS by Moto Adonis https://bikebrewers.com/the-mastodont-bmw-r1100gs-by-moto-adonis/ https://bikebrewers.com/the-mastodont-bmw-r1100gs-by-moto-adonis/#respond Sat, 19 Nov 2022 12:16:11 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=3310 Long before BMW gained popularity as the adventure motorcyclist weapon of choice, thanks to Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman’s escapades and their Long Way-series, BMW already had a reputation for building bullet-proof adventure bikes.

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Dakar History

Long before BMW gained popularity as the adventure motorcyclist weapon of choice, thanks to Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman’s escapades and their Long Way-series, BMW already had a reputation for building bullet-proof adventure bikes. It had everything to do with the company’s Dakar rally history, where it all started with the R80G/S back in 1980. BMW was a force to reckon with in the 1980’s all the way up until the end of the 1990s. The R80GS grew into the R100GS, which eventually transformed into the R1100GS; which was a completely different bike compared to the ones before.

Adventurers’ choice

When the R1100GS was first introduced back in 1994, it was a bit of an odd-looking machine, most notably because of the famous “beak”. Combined with BMW’s proprietary front Telelever suspension, it took a lot of people some time getting used to. Nevertheless, BMW built an extremely capable dual-sport machine, which took countless of travelers around the world. It was also extremely popular as a commuter and touring bike. There is a reason why you see so many BMW GS’s when you travel around in Europe. They’re comfortable, powerful, easy on fuel, reliable, and most of all, hassle-free. It doesn’t matter where you are in Europe, BMW can get you any spare part that you need, within 3 business days. And they’re usually faster than that.

Extraordinary

Which brings us to the topic at hand: the BMW R1100GS. Turning something as sacred as the a GS into something more aggressive and unique is not an easy feat. Luckily, we know a couple of guys who never back down from a challenge. As a matter of fact, Moto Adonis really do dare to do things differently. Like the Honda Monkey they built for Rusty Stitches. This particular BMW R1100 used to be owned by Job Leussink, co-founder of Moto Adonis. He sold it to a customer, who later decided that he wanted to have it built into something special and extraordinary. A sketch was made, and after approval, the angle-grinder was put to work.

The owner gave the craftsmen of Moto Adonis the full reigns and had only one hard condition: a flat bench. Achieving that on the GS meant removing the factory subframe and fabricating a new one from scratch. The seat was custom made by Miller Kustom Upholstery and finished in a luxurious brown leather. The fuel tank looks massive and is the centerpiece of this project. It’s a one-off unit built in-house by Moto Adonis. It’s big, bold, and makes the BMW look mean as hell. To complement the aggressive look, a custom 2-in-1 exhaust was fabricated by MAD exhausts, finished in a special black coating. A pair of custom-made fenders were built to match the rest of the bike. The original BMW wheels were retained and received a fresh coat of black paint and some aggressive Bridgestone rubbers.

Devil in the Details

It may not look that way at first, but there are a ton of details on this particular project. There’s the push-in screw fuel cap that looks very classy. The scrambler headlight, Biltwell grips, YSS shocks and small digital speedo courtesy of Acewell add just enough flavor to the mix. The steel braided brake lines ensure sufficient stopping power. All these parts work together really well. Combined with the blacked-out metal parts, green fuel tank, and brown leather seat, this BMW R1100GS has transformed into a real neck-turner. Hate it or love it, you most definitely won’t be able to keep your eyes off it!

Builder details:
Moto Adonis
Website
Instagram
Facebook

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Happy go naked – Indian FTR tracker by Arctos Collection https://bikebrewers.com/happy-go-naked-indian-ftr-tracker-by-arctos-collection/ https://bikebrewers.com/happy-go-naked-indian-ftr-tracker-by-arctos-collection/#respond Thu, 03 Nov 2022 20:03:40 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=3306 Swiss Sense The last few years we have been receiving less good news from Switzerland. There is some numbnut who is trying to convince the world we will only be happy when we own nothing. Well, after laying eyes on this bike, we could not disagree more with this character and his crazy ideas. Let’s [...]

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Swiss Sense
The last few years we have been receiving less good news from Switzerland. There is some numbnut who is trying to convince the world we will only be happy when we own nothing.

Well, after laying eyes on this bike, we could not disagree more with this character and his crazy ideas. Let’s be honest, who would not like to own this magnificent machine?

Presenting the Tracker
It is the collective from Emmental, Switzerland, who are responsible for our flash of gluttony. They go by the moniker Arctos Collection, which is steady collaboration between Ulfert Janssen’s industrial design studio, Gannet Design, and Stefan Fuhrer’s custom bike workshop, Fuhrer Moto.

Ulfert Janssen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Design from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, USA
His partner is Stefan Fuhrer (Fuhrer Moto), a former racing mechanic of Dominique Aegerter and Tom Lüthi (now Moto2), with the latter he became the world champion in 2005 in 125cc class.

Under the umbrella ‘Arctos Collection’ Ulfert and Stefan are “brothers in crime” for the Gannet custom builds.

Stefan brings his racing know-how, precise engineering skills to the party and his team of artisans are the perfect addition to create what you would call a dream team. Their workshops being just around the corner from one another, makes for smooth and quick interaction.

It is likely that the client that rode in the 2021 Indian Motorcycle FTR 1200 into Ulfert’s design studio, was looking for the best of both workshops.

Brainstorm
Ulfert explains: ‘We thought it would be cool to have a flat track theme on the bike and the brand Indian Motorcycles has a strong DNA in flat track racing.
Together with the client we decided that it would be great to fully expose the beautiful trellis frame of the FTR which in original is partly covered by the plastic “tank covers” which are housing the airbox.“

Continuing: “We immediately became aware why Indian designers decided to partially cover the frame as everything is asymmetrical on that tubular frame, especially with the mono rear suspension. But we decided to take on the challenge and expose the beautiful trellis frame in full. It gave us a lot of headache, but it was totally worth it and the result with the exposed frame painted in pearl white is stunning.”

From sketches to clay
The Swiss team set out with initial design sketches. The renderings were first translated into a clay model to find the form in 3D in preparation of the metal work.

Enter the team of aforementioned artisans. This is a very specific skill and these guys worked their magic by forming and tinkering the actual parts out of metal.

One of the features we really find original is the speedometer screen. This piece of equipment was integrated into the tank cover and made it ‘inlay and flush’ as the team describe it themselves. We think it adds to the cleanness of the FTR. Its handlebar design is more pure and racing, without the gadgets that normally cloud the front end.

Another spec of this Indian Motorcycle the BikeBrewers team appreciates, is the decision to substitute the original plastic tank under the seat with an aluminium flat track racing tank and add a tail section designed by Roland Sands. You can’t lay bare the beautiful foundations of a bike like this and end up with some ugly piece of plastic in plain sight.

Stefan adds: “Our goal was to integrate all the technical requirements and adjustments without affecting the concept. That was a real challenge because of incredible tight space issues for all the components and we had to replace many parts in other locations on the bike and reroute the cables and electronics.
It was important to us that we solve and adapt the individual components in such a way that there is a coherent overall picture to get a very sleek and technically perfect racer.”

More stuff
Other details that make this FTR into a true piece of art are the Jetprime’s all-black racing control buttons and footpegs from Gilles. But also the small tail light and the two small high tech headlights from Highsider Germany add to the excitement.

Topping it off are the small tail light as well as the two small high tech headlights also produced by Highsider Germany.

We like the spoked Kineo wheels, but are less enthusiastic about the choice for two different colours (black and gold). That also goes for the fitted Michelin Anakee Wild knobby tyres. We understand the choice from a heritage and design perspective, but it is a choice which is often revised due to uncomfortable handling of the bike. But to each his own and discussions on taste are useless.

We got more hands raised in our team when we got to the exhaust system. It is a special titanium version made by Zard and gives the lovely blue tint. The slip-on is a SC-Project exhaust and gives a round note to the two cylinder engine according to Ulfert and Stefan.

Worth mentioning is the seat, which is a custom upholstery job by Zwahlen NIZ.

Prizeworthy
An interesting note is that news on the bike was picked up by Indian Motorcycle Benelux. Immediately after the first pictures hit the digital highway, Ulfert received an invitation to ship the bike to the Netherlands.

It will be exhibited at the booth of Indian Motorcycle Benelux during the 2022 Bigtwin Expo. To add a little more excitement, they have also entered the bike in the competition on behalf of the Swiss team.

Let’s see what the jury has to say; “The Netherlands, may we have your votes please?”

As far as the BikeBrewers team are concerned, this build deserves an award.
We will be visiting the exhibition to get a good first hand look of the quality to the work the Arctos team have performed.
Make sure to check out the pictures on our social platforms!

Builder details:
Builder: Arctos Collection
Website
email: ulfertjanssen@gmail.com
Instagram
Facebook
phone: +41 (0) 79 179 69 46

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BMW K100 Scrambler by Moto Rebuild https://bikebrewers.com/bmw-k100-scrambler-by-moto-rebuild/ https://bikebrewers.com/bmw-k100-scrambler-by-moto-rebuild/#respond Thu, 15 Sep 2022 14:37:46 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=3276 A Different Kind of Build The 30-year-old Maarten Bressers has amazed us before with some beautiful custom BMW motorcycles. Although his preference usually went to boxer twins, the man behind Moto Rebuild decided to take a walk on the wild side, and to venture into the world of BMW inline engine motorcycles Realistically, we have [...]

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A Different Kind of Build
The 30-year-old Maarten Bressers has amazed us before with some beautiful custom BMW motorcycles. Although his preference usually went to boxer twins, the man behind Moto Rebuild decided to take a walk on the wild side, and to venture into the world of BMW inline engine motorcycles

Realistically, we have seen countless of gorgeous builds that were based around the R-series Bavarian pride. A K-series BMW however, is something completely different. When you think about it, where the R-series were meant as no-nonsense motorcycles, using the simplest of technologies, the K-series was nothing short of high tech when it first came out. No round, organic shapes on the K-series, but hard straight lines and a boxy design.

Fallen like a Brick
So why a K-series then? Maarten and his father, who is his partner in crime at Moto Rebuild, wanted to do something different this time. Were a boxer engine BMW allows for easy work, the K-series bikes require a lot more thorough thinking. Modifying a K75 or K100 and making it look balanced is not an easy job. But when Maarten saw a modified K100 on Instagram, the seed was planted and he wanted to have a go at one for himself.


Once the craftsman had made up his mind, a BMW K100 from 1987 was quickly sourced. He didn’t know exactly what the end result was going to look like, but he knew that the strength of this particular model lays in its angular design, so a robust front was a must. The biggest challenge was going to be to get the rear subframe to look nice and to allow the lines of the fuel tank to match with his design.

Community United
Maarten made a number of molds to create a custom set of fairings for his K100 project. We know firsthand that he regularly asked his followers on Instagram for their opinion. In a way, this has helped him to shape his project into what it is now. One could argue that this has been a collaboration between Moto Rebuild and his followers, which makes it quite unique!

Premium Parts
At the front we see a custom set of triple clamps, with LSL mirrors and a KOSO speedometer. The wide handlebar is also courtesy of LSL, as are the indicators and rear taillight. The side panels of the fuel tank are custom made by Maarten himself. The same goes for the custom subframe that now has a seat-pan from Cafe4Racer and a custom-made seat from Miller Kustom Upholstery. The LED headlight and handlebar grips are from the catalogue of Max Inc. A unique mounting system is used at the rear, which allows the shock absorber to sit almost horizontal, clearing the view to that beautiful rear wheel. The rear shock is from YSS, and ensures proper traction, as do the Michelin Anakee dual-sport tires.

When you look closely, you will see that this BMW has a ton of small details, like the 3D printed injection cover, ignition cover, and even rear wheel hub, courtesy of Motoism Custom and Raw Metal Racers. If you look closely you will spot built-in indicators on the front fork cover, built to spec by Motoism. All of this combined with the matt red/orange color, we think this is one of the best looking custom K100 we have seen passing the revue here on BikeBrewers. What sets this build apart from all other K100’s is that this scrambler looks very sporty, almost aggressive. Although a boxer twin has more “character” to its rumble, the K100 shines in smoothness.

FOR SALE!
And if you’re thinking “Hey this bike looks amazing, I want to own it!” then you’re in for a treat! Moto Rebuild is selling this BMW as well as another custom BMW R80. Send Maarten a DM on Instagram for more details.

Photo Credits: Maarten Bressers

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REVIEW 2022 Royal Enfield Scram 411 https://bikebrewers.com/review-2022-royal-enfield-scram-411/ https://bikebrewers.com/review-2022-royal-enfield-scram-411/#respond Tue, 23 Aug 2022 07:25:57 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=3274 Ready. Set. SCRAM! I had some time, I just wanted to ride. No frills, no haste, no frustration. And then I got the email. ‘We still have the Scram for you to ride and review if you like?’ And that was it. As you can imagine, this isn’t a powerhouse. It doesn’t even pretend to [...]

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Ready. Set. SCRAM!
I had some time, I just wanted to ride. No frills, no haste, no frustration. And then I got the email. ‘We still have the Scram for you to ride and review if you like?’ And that was it.

As you can imagine, this isn’t a powerhouse. It doesn’t even pretend to be and that’s just fine, it doesn’t have to. What it is though, is a very, very nice bike. Especially for what I was planning, which was nothing. Don’t get me wrong, I do get excited from exciting bikes and I can ride them to within an inch of their limits, but I didn’t want to. And then it’s much more satisfying on a bike that hasn’t the pretence. When you ride a cutting edge bike slow, that’s just what you do. You’re not using its full potential and somehow that gets to you. On this, when you ride it exactly the same way, you’re using it exactly as you should. And that makes a huge difference.

Ultimate de-stressing machine
No, I haven’t gone soft. I just wanted to ride. Let me explain. As I was on my way to pick up the Scram, I realised I was happy right then and there. On my way, nice weather, out of the house, no goals, just on a bike. Perfection. I didn’t need anything else. No brand, no model, just the fact of riding a bike. And that really is key. The Royal Enfield is an extension of that. I remembered the email saying ‘we’re very sorry that you had to miss the international presentation’, but I know how that would have gone. Now I had full control and wasn’t going to let anything get in the way. So if I wanted to cruise I would do just that. Even now and here in this country, it’s still possible to not look at the tacho and be fine. You just have to pick the right bike and for now, this is it.

That’s a really long intro to a bike and you still don’t know what it is exactly. This is, in full, a Royal Enfield Scram 411. So it’s a scrambler version of the popular world traveller the Royal Enfield Himalayan, by the infamous Indian brand. There you go. By now you probably have taken a peek at the pictures and know exactly what I mean.

Best of both worlds
And as they go, this might just be the most Royal of all the bikes RE has to offer. I mean, as you know the brand originates from the UK, then went on to live in India for a few decades and only the last few years has taken on the global market again. In one corner with bikes that really make that cut, appealing to all the right senses when it comes to retro and vintage, with good looks and an engine that works for that audience. On the other side they make motorcycles like the Himalayan, a bike that stays close to the business that made the brand survive all these years: a bike that never breaks down and if it does, it’s easily repairable by the side of the road. This 411 is exactly that. So at first we don’t have to expect a lot of power. However there’s a spoiler: you don’t even need that much power, let alone miss it. Less power means easier handling and improved longevity. Besides these bikes just ooze reliability. Although this machine is extremely minimalistic, it does come with ABS as standard, as well as a gear indicator.  It also comes with Royal Enfield’s famous Tripper GPS navigation system. This allows you to plan a trip on your phone using Royal Enfield’s proprietary app, and send the directions to a small LCD display for turn-by-turn directions. Brilliant!

The remaining amount of power still is ‘enough’, even for international standards and so they decided to play with the platform, which in the end resulted in this Scram. So there you have it. It looks, it goes, it stops. And it’s cheap and fuel efficient. What more could one ask for?

No-frills
Seriously, this thing is 100% percent no-nonsense. It’s the opposite of nonsense and if you are like me, you’ll love it for that. And even though there are many details you could get into and maybe complain about if you’re picky, but I’m not going to. The seat position is ok (but maybe not great), the handling is ok, we talked about the performance already and the list just goes on and on. Let me put it another way. On the way over, I rode a BMW K1100 and was perfectly happy. I was happy to be on the road, happy to ride, happy to enjoy what I had and not need or want any more. On the Royal Enfield, I was even happier. And I think that’s all you need to know. Ride, smile, repeat.

Head on over to your nearest Royal Enfield dealer to check the new Royal Enfield Scram 411 out for yourself!

Special thanks to Moto Mondo; the number 1 importer of Royal Enfield in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxemburg.

Photo credits: Vincent Burger

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Honda CB 750 ‘Abomination’ by Moto Adonis https://bikebrewers.com/honda-cb-750-abomination-by-moto-adonis/ https://bikebrewers.com/honda-cb-750-abomination-by-moto-adonis/#respond Fri, 07 Jan 2022 14:32:58 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=1964 In 1969 when the Honda Motorcycle Company introduced to the world their CB 750, with its air-cooled, inline 4-cylinder 750cc engine, it literally blew away all the competition. Not only did they build the world’s first mass-produced superbike, but they also sold it at an affordable price point. It was called “The Dream CB 750 [...]

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In 1969 when the Honda Motorcycle Company introduced to the world their CB 750, with its air-cooled, inline 4-cylinder 750cc engine, it literally blew away all the competition. Not only did they build the world’s first mass-produced superbike, but they also sold it at an affordable price point. It was called “The Dream CB 750 Four” and it became the great granddaddy of what would later be called “Universal Japanese Motorcycles”. With a top speed of 200 km/h (125 mph), disc brakes (the world first motorcycle to get those), and a wide number of technological innovations, the CB 750 became an imminent success worldwide.

Since the CB 750 competed directly with Triumph, BMW, and Harley-Davidson, it too became a popular object to modify. As far as we’re concerned, the Honda CB 750 is probably the most customized motorcycle ever! We covered numerous of projects that were built around the platform, and yes, HD-Triumph-BMW are also incredibly popular base bikes, but they just can’t compete with the Honda in terms of affordability; it is the people’s champion after all.

Its 2022 now, and still we get notifications of newly built motorcycles that revolve around the Honda CB 750. So, when the guys from Moto Adonis gave us a call, we answered. We have been featuring builds from the Dutch customizers more often recently, and the rate at which bikes leave their workshop is incredible. Make no mistake, these guys have an eye for detail, and they do it with a ton of passion. This might be the right time to mention that they have some room in their schedule and are now actively looking for new challenges. Make sure to head out to their website and reach out to the guys yourself!

Despite its superbike status in the late 1960s and early 1970s, nowadays when people think of the Seven Fifty, they think of a modest, soft, naked touring bike. Very reliable, easy to maintain, and how do we put this nicely, a bit boring. A challenge the Moto Adonis crew, which exists out of Arthur Renkema and Job Leussink, know how to deal with. As the team usually starts, at first a couple of ideas were sketched out on a piece of paper. Once the ideas started to become more concrete, a digital render was made on the computer. From those designs the owner of the Honda could get a good idea of the final product. Once he greenlit the render, the build could start.

The idea was to build a scrambler around the 2001 Honda CB Seven Fifty. A clean one at that. With some big ol’ knobby tires. Something you would want to have with you when the zombie apocalypse brakes out. The first order of business was to chop up the subframe, raise it by a few inches, and weld a shorter version back in place. This allowed for a pair of taller rear shocks. A simple bench seat was fabricated and upholstered by Miller Kustom Upholstery in diamond-stitched brown leather with black piping. Moto Adonis added their signature built-in tail light to the rear seat to keep things looking clean. A custom battery box was created to accommodate for the under-seat battery. MAD Exhausts are responsible for the sick stainless-steel exhaust system. Combined with the pod air-filters, this thing must sound loud!

Up front, a new handlebar was fitted for a more commanding stance. A minimalistic speedo provides all the necessary info, and the new LED round headlight ensure visibility at night. A pair of fork-gaiters prevent dirt and grime from sticking on the fork tubes. Custom short fenders at the front and rear help somewhat with that as well. The bar-end mirrors provide with rear-view vision and look spectacular on this Honda, especially in combination with the bar-end indicators. The Heidenau K60 dual sport tires look like they are up for the task. The grey color of the tank combined with the blacked-out engine, wheels, and swingarms really make this scrambler look great. To make sure that the CB also runs great, it was put on a dyno and tuned to a healthy 81 hp at the rear-wheel. Not bad at all!

Photo credits: Lennart Stolte

Builder details:
Moto Adonis
Website
Instagram
Facebook

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BMW R80 “BIG dude” by Moto Adonis https://bikebrewers.com/bmw-r80-big-dude-by-moto-adonis/ https://bikebrewers.com/bmw-r80-big-dude-by-moto-adonis/#respond Thu, 23 Dec 2021 08:00:23 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=1962 Moto Adonis We have seen a couple of incredible builds from the workshop of Moto Adonis. The Dutch builders, which consists out of Arthur Renkema and Job Leussink, have been busy the last couple of years. Who remembers the menacing Harley Davidson LiveWire? Or the BMW RnineT Girder? Only a few months later, they’ve already [...]

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Moto Adonis
We have seen a couple of incredible builds from the workshop of Moto Adonis. The Dutch builders, which consists out of Arthur Renkema and Job Leussink, have been busy the last couple of years. Who remembers the menacing Harley Davidson LiveWire? Or the BMW RnineT Girder? Only a few months later, they’ve already announced the culmination of 2 more projects. One of which is the BMW R80 dubbed “BIG Dude”, the bike we will be discussing further below.

Popular Bike
In all honesty, we can list the factory bike specs here again, but that would be pointless at this stage. Yes, the BMW R80 is probably the most popular motorcycle to use as a base bike for a myriad of projects. Be it a café racer, scrambler, tracker or even a resto-mod; there is something about the simplicity of the airheads that inspires creativity. But there is more to it than that. The overall build quality and availability of new parts, considering the fact that these aren’t new motorcycles, inspires confidence.

Project “BIG Dude”
It was no different with this build. A customer called the workshop and asked a simple question: “Can you build me a BMW R80 Scrambler?”. The answer Arthur and Job had for him was “Sure!”. All seemed fine, until the customer paid them a visit. It became clear that they needed to take a few things into consideration. The “biggest” one being the customer’s size. The dude was bigger than most BMW riders, measuring in at 2 meters, the builders knew that they had o make some serious modifications to allow for a bigger rider to enjoy the ride. Hence the name “BIG Dude”

A few ground rules were set before the project started. The most important one being the motorcycle had to be comfortable to ride, without making it look like he was riding a kid’s bicycle. This is a problem many riders face, and of the reasons why big guys ride big bikes. And let’s be honest, most café racers, scramblers and trackers look quite petit.

Taller is Better
The modification was made to the rear subframe. It got chopped away, and a new subframe was fabricated with 2 things in mind: it had to be minimalistic, and it had to raise the rear a bit higher. It goes without saying that the complete subframe had to be very strong to deal with the weight of the rider under all conditions. A taller rear shock was added, as well as a taller front suspension, only to increase the overall height of the BMW. One of the benefits of adding the taller front forks, which are upside down, is that they can accommodate for double disc brakes. Not a luxury considering the projects aim.

Modifications
On the subframe sits a new custom-made seat, courtesy of Miller Kustom Upholstery, with built-in taillight, finished in a beautiful brown leather. Moto Adonis has collaborated with MAD Exhausts before, and they have yet again provided the crew with a one-off custom exhaust. A bunch of off-the-shelve gear has been used to enhance the riding experience. A Motogadget m.unit has been adopted to simply electrics. An Acewell speedo provides all the critical info, while we also spotted a set of mo.blaze bar-end indicators on the handlebar together with a set of bar-end mirrors. The original BMW cookie-cutter wheels got a new layer of black glossy paint, and are now wrapped in Continental TKC80 rubber to add function to the form. The matt black color with white stripes brings everything together.

Happy owner
Like all custom-built motorcycles, they are built in the image of its creator. This particular R80 was built with a very specific goal in mind. Its new owner is very pleased with his scrambler, and we can clearly see why. The BMW looks great; the Moto Adonis team can be proud of how this turned out.

Photos: Lennart Stolte

Builder details:
Moto Adonis
Website
Instagram
Facebook

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Getting lost in Alaska: Part I https://bikebrewers.com/getting-lost-in-alaska-part-i/ https://bikebrewers.com/getting-lost-in-alaska-part-i/#comments Tue, 19 Oct 2021 17:07:25 +0000 https://bikebrewers.com/?p=1949 Introducing a new BikeBrewer! Since last year, BikeBrewers has been growing at an exponential rate. Not only do motorcycle manufacturers and motorcycle-gear producers find their way to us, but since we've made our content available in over 15 languages, our reach has also expanded significantly. Although we are based in Europe, our ambitions not limited [...]

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Introducing a new BikeBrewer!

Since last year, BikeBrewers has been growing at an exponential rate. Not only do motorcycle manufacturers and motorcycle-gear producers find their way to us, but since we’ve made our content available in over 15 languages, our reach has also expanded significantly. Although we are based in Europe, our ambitions not limited to this continent. We try to go the extra mile and beyond. This can only be achieved with the right people.
It is with this in mind, that we are proud to present a new addition to our editorial team! Dutchman Daan Staffhorst is a fellow rider in the Classic Riders community and an avid motorcycle enthusiast. He and his wife Anne moved to New York in 2019, just days before the outbreak of the pandemic. Daan has agreed to take on the position as our East Coast correspondent in the United States.

In his daily-life, Daan works as a director in a finance company. A busy job, no doubt! During weekdays, all dressed up in a suit and tie, he keeps himself occupied by staring at spreadsheets, sometimes forced to make tough decisions. But on weekends, he jumps on his Triumph Scrambler and roars around on country roads, to clear his mind.

We welcome Daan as our new colleague and look forward to sharing his motorcycle adventures with us all. We start off with a first ride-report on a recent trip he made to Alaska with his wife Anne. Daan clearly is ‘trigger happy’ as he supplied us with 5.000 (!) photographs to chose from, as well as an awesome video.
Interesting fact; Daan took these drone shots while riding pillion, as Anne took over the handlebars. No mean feat!

Here’s the first part of his Big adventure:

[su_youtube url=”https://youtu.be/Rk0eiZA6JEs” width=”800″ title=”‘Getting lost in Alaska’ a BikeBrewer’s Road Trip”]

The Last Frontier; the Alaskan mile
Whether you are on the road or on a hiking trail in Alaska, the Alaskan mile is local slang for the inability of a traveler to accurately estimate how far the next viewpoint, mountain range, or rest stop is. Due to the combination of rough terrain and the sheer size of America’s 49th state, the Alaskan mile takes longer to traverse than the average ‘normal’ mile, and will test you more, before rewarding you with it’s the state’s unparalleled natural beauty (or a hard-earned break). At the end of August, my wife Anne and I learned all about the Alaskan mile.

Looking for adventure
This is a first report on a challenging ride we had wanted to make for a long time.

As a motorcycle enthusiast who is on the lookout for new riding adventures, I came across the social media account of local Alaskan motorcycle rental company MotoQuest. Based in Anchorage, MotoQuest provides an offering of both guided and self-guided tours. My wife and I were specifically interested in one of the tours offered at the end of the riding season. The closer you get to fall and winter, the more likely you are to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights. However, on the downside – you can expect a fair amount of rain too.

Now, while I have been riding for several years, my off-road experience is limited. Coming from the Netherlands we have more asphalt than that we can enjoy testing our skills on gravel. In addition, Anne obtained her license not too long before we would be riding through the Denali Mountain range. Following an intake over the phone, we booked a Suzuki V-Strom 650 for a 10-day self-guided tour, allowing us to customize the tour and plan our days as we desired.

Into the great wide open
We started gearing up, planning, corresponding gas stations with anticipated mileage, adding more days and miles along the process. Satellite phone rental, bear mace, first aid kit, tire pump, tire patch kit, battery packs – we aimed to make sure that a worst-case scenario would not be the last scenario. In an effort to build more stamina, we went on a test ride together on our 2018 Triumph Street Scrambler. A 4-day ride covering 900 miles of backroads through the Catskills region, located north of New York City. It proved to be a useful exercise, as we learned more about the benefits of Gore-Tex and the downside of tiny pillion seats. Unexperienced in motorcycle travelling to this extent, we had prepared ourselves as much as we could.

A Dutchman in New York
Living in NYC, I wanted to go to Alaska to experience the contrast of the insanity between the hustle and bustle of the urban jungle, and the solitude of Alaska’s spruce forests, river corridors, and mountain ranges. As such, our route included the Denali Highway and McCarthy Road, both offering off-road sections and limited traffic. The itinerary targeted about 4 hours of riding per day on average: the longest day would take about 6.5 hours of riding. In addition, out of the 10 days, we ensured 2 days of rest. We planned an amazing glacier hike for our first rest day, and we would spend the second rest day on an unforgettable glacier kayak tour. So much for resting, but we would not have missed it for the world!




First leg
Prepared and packed, we picked up the bike in Anchorage and headed to Talkeetna via Hatcher Pass. Off-road, switchbacks and a steep incline made this pass a good test for our skills and the Suzuki. Impressed with the performance of the 650cc engine, both the bike and our egos got through Hatcher Pass unscathed. Feeling reassured, we aimed for the Denali Highway the next day – supposedly one of the most spectacular routes in the world.

Impressions & emotions
It is hard to describe the feeling when we crossed onto Denali Highway, McCarthy Road, or any of the other roads on our route, crossing from the tarmac onto the gravel. The promise of a road ahead that will lead you through such a beautiful region is thrilling. Valleys, forests, lakes and wildlife – we took it all in. There is a certain serenity in the unforgiving vastness of these areas. Switching seats every now and then, hours of riding fly by, racking up viewpoints, hikes, sockeye salmon, and miles as we cruised along – while learning Alaskan miles in the rain can be challenging. Slow and steady wins the race, and there is no reason to race with the hours of sunlight in Alaska during our trip.

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Daan’s Instagram

This is the end of part I.
Make sure to stay tuned for the rest of this ride-report.

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