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Enduroboxer, a BMW airhead transformed from a police motorcycle into an winning enduro racer!

Casper van der Ven — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 09:29:14 +0000

Enduroboxer…

Yes, what about it? The first BMW R80G/S? The airhead that jump-started the career of dualsport motorcycles and dominated the Paris-Dakar Rally?

Yes, that one, on steroids! Or on a diet..? I’m not sure, let’s get into it!

Intro

Inspired by German legends Fritz Witzel, Eddi Hau, and Herbert Schek, Manuel had the idea to enter an 800cc airhead into an enduro rally for twins >500cc. Not the obvious choice, since the airheads are neither particularly lightweight nor particularly powerful. Especially the ones that were originally assigned to the German Police Force. So what did Manuel do to this battleship of a bike to allow him to race in the enduro class and even become German national champion in the Interessengemeinschaft Enduro (IGE) class?

The donor bike

He acquired the former Augsburger bike and reinforced the frame to allow for the abuse he was about to put it through. He designed, cut, and welded reinforcements to the steering head, the top tube, and to the swingarm attachment points. Then, he swapped the original twinshock for a later model paralever. This reduces the reactionary forces of the drive shaft construction and allows for the use of a centrally mounted rear shock. The top of that shock mounts to the main frame, rather than to the rear subframe, which was common standard on the original twinshock airheads. The current subframe Manuel built himself, and hosts the Maico seat and the SR Racing muffler, another weight saver. The elongated design allows for sufficient padding and shifting weight easily in rough terrain. A Preston Petty MX fender prevents the mud from collecting on top of the bike.

The modifications

At the front, all mid-1970’s components have been swapped out for more modern, high-performance parts. A WP AER fork sits in reinforced CNC aluminium triple clamps. These too Manuel designed and produced inhouse. Just behind that sits an aluminium petrol tank, kindly donated by a Husqvarna. The engine sits centrally in the frame and Manuel heavily modified it to suit his needs. Most obvious are the additional oil-cooler, the rerouted exhaust headers, and the hefty bash-plate. Yet something is off when you look at it. If you look closely, you will find that he ground off the top of the engine case, timing cover, and front engine cover to save weight. It currently boosts 880cc and puts out sufficient grunt to get Manuel across the finish line first. It’s not comparable to what a modern 900cc engine would put out in terms of power, but remember that these engines were engineered to be very rideable. They put out an impressive amount of torque across the rev range. And that is saying something! Especially when you consider that Manuel stands over 2 metres tall. Perhaps that’s the secret to his success. He found a niche where he can combine his height, his talent, and his wrenching skills, and compete at the top level. When you see him on his enduroboxer, he whips it around like a dirtbike!

Put to action

What makes the bike so special is that it has been built to ride, and that it is ridden. For many years now it accompanies Manuel at sport events, and they have experienced many highs and lows together (pun intended!). They have ridden the Erzberg Rodeo, Le Tourquet, and the many IGE enduro competitions. And still, it makes him happy to ride! About the bike in his own words [translated from German]: “The motorcycle rides great, it is really fun. One should not forget though, that I built it specifically for myself, and that I massively modified it over the years. A bike so fitting, I would never have been able to buy off the shelf.”

Inspired?

Now if this has tickled your fancy, or if one of our earlier posts about enduro or dualsport boxers did, get in touch with Manuel. During the week when he is not winning on the track, he is giving it his best in the shop. Over 130 frames have been straightened and/or reinforced by their hands. And if you look closely, you will start to see Manuel’s work in many other motorcycles. Frame modifications, custom builds, and parts, SWT-Sports is a one-stop-shop for getting the airhead of your dreams, especially when you’re looking beyond a bobber or cafe racer!

Photos provided by Manuel Schad

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UNIKAT Harley-Davidson Sportster XL883 Low

Ron Betist — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 13:20:49 +0000

On a cold winter day in Wroclav

It was a cold winter day when BikeBrewers took the trip to pay a visit to the digs of UNIKAT Motorworks. It had been a visit which was long overdue.

We have been writing about Grzegorz Korczak and his team of highly skilled professionals for many years and each time he has managed to surprise us with incredible gems that rolled out of their workshop.

It was a long ride to get there from the, but fortunately there was no heavy snow in Poland at the time, which made for a long but comfortable ride. Grzegroz was already waiting for us with a nice cup of coffee and local pastries, but we were in for a bigger treat.

About UNIKAT

Grzegorz Korczak– a graduate of the Lodz Film School (trained as a cameraman), repeatedly awarded at international festivals; director of special effects (including an Oscar nomination for “Rabbit a la Berlin”). As a visual artist, he has exhibited his works in the most important museums in Poland, and thanks to his creativity and creative courage, he has collaborated with artists around the world.

Now he uses his creative skills to spoil custom bike afficionados with the magnificent fruit of his imagination.

Every machine we have been writing about is even more special than the one before. A recognizable feature of UNIKAT machines is their extraordinary appearance, taken to the limit of perfection.

A true modern day creator, Grzegorz motorcycles are designed virtually, before his colleagues start fabricating the bike in their well equipped workshop.

It is often from scratch they start their work on a bike, turning a, sometimes decades old, machine into a true head turning piece of art.

Harley Davidson Sportster 883

This can also be said of the 2006 Harley Davidson Sportster. In just a few years it will be celebrating its 20th birthday. Gearing up for this occasion, its owner decided to let the UNIKAT team handle the intensive mechanical spa treatment.

With the coffee in our hands we walked to the showroom where the blue diamond was shining rays of light, illuminating the place and silently screaming for attention.

Gazing at the Harley we asked Grzegorz how this project came together.

His response: “I’ve met the owner at the little event where our bikes and motorboats where presented.

He was there with his wife and they admitted that their motorcycles had been stashed away far too long in the garage, and were now covered in dust. But being confronted with our 1/1 craft and design the passion was re-sparked and they were eager to have work done on the white Sportster Low.

Two weeks after the show Piotr called me and said he could no longer resist the urge to customise his machine. He said he had no specific idea except for two factors:

he wanted his HD to be a comfortable and easy to handle ride
he wanted me to also enjoy the project and have fun

To be very honest; these are the type of clients you normally can only dream about!

I came up with the concept of a “city scrambler” and Piotr instantly liked first digital visualisations of the new lines and shapes.

We spend some more time on choosing the perfect colour match, than we did on the design of the bike” the designer laughs.

Continuing: “Numerous colour schemes were discussed. From all black to silver with golden pinstripes…

Finally we decided on the light-grey-blue and we added stripes and logos to perfectly match with the copperish tone of the Öhlins piggyback rear suspension.

To sum it all up; the cooperation was purest of pleasures, as Piotr was involved but trusted the professionalism of the UNIKAT team at the same time. It’s yet another client that became a friend and we are still in close in contact. Now this exactly is why I love this job so much!” he smiles broadly

Taking it all in

We took another sip of our coffee and took our time to take in the polished beauty of this bike. It is interesting to discover all the bits and pieces that have lovingly been reshaped into exquisite elements that make up the total picture.

Sportsters that leave the Milwaukee plant are nice machines, but they make even better canvas for builders who know how to mold them into an even better shape. The first thing you notice when sitting on the XL883, is the completely changed geometry of the bike. A change for the better that is.

This is largely due to structural modifications related to the use of high shock absorbers, the position of the swing arm and motorcycle drive.

Unfortunately the weather was not good enough to take the Harley out for a spin, but we are convinced the modifications will make up for a much better and sportier ride than originally designed.

Modifications

Let’s zoom in on the most important details and enjoy the pictured elements:

Front

– spoked, custom made 19” wheel

– Dunlop flat track tire

– shortened front fender

– wider and lower handlebars

– leather, hand-crafted grips

– mo.blaze disc front turn signals from Motogadget

– classic, old-school Highsider mirrors

– LED lamp insert

– relocation of the speedometer mount and controls

– Arlen Ness accessory air filter

Rear

– spoked custom made 18” wheel

– Dunlop flat track tire

– new handcrafted (in-house) motorcycle frame end loop,

– new seat made from scratch and upholstered (covered with alcantara)

– Öhlins rear suspension 39 cm long

– rear, minimalistic fender

– Bates Style LED rear lighting

– Kellermann Atto rear turn signals

– side license plate mount

– new, unique blue paint with subtle copper details

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From Trash Bag Special to Sleek Caferacer

Jaco Zijlstra — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 11:05:28 +0000

So what do you do when you want your vintage 1969 Honda CL350 turned into a caferacer – to not only bomb around the city on, but which also turns heads wherever you take it?

You stuff the bike in the back of your VW Golf, throw in a couple trash bag full of parts that either fell off or you had already gathered, and drive the 90 miles or so from Seattle up north to Bellingam, WA. Cause that’s where Moto Design Garage are based, a motorcycle building shop who like to do everything themselves, including CNC-ing parts from scratch. Plus – they are big fans of 3D printing and design, another great way to reproduce obsolete parts or even better – reimagine them!

For this bike, the customer’s original plan to keep the dual shocks was abandoned in favor of a mono-shock setup. A Ninja 650R rear shock was mounted with custom CNC-cut brackets. This proved to be quite a challenge, as a mono shock conversion drastically changes the ergonomics of the bike and they had to to find proper spring rate, movement, etc… They did reuse the stock hub, refurbished and powder coated it, laced it to a new rim and voila – a smoother ride, and the back part of the bike looks really clean and mean now!

The whole front end was replaced with one from a GSXR and fitted with all new 17” SunRims and billet front hub. New headlight was joined to the bike with in-house 3D-printed headlight fork clamps and CNC-cut headlight brackets.

And then for the important part in the middle, the motor. It did not just get that stylish black and Evo gray finish, lots had to be done before it was ready to hit the street again! The motor needed a new cylinder, a good used one was found and serviced along with new piston and rings. All seals and gaskets where replaced and the top end went through. Plus, a new Shockwave electronic ignition system, VM30 Mikuni carbs, and an appropriately loud 2-1 exhaust setup…

And it does not stop there: the entire electronics tray, which you can see under the seat, was 3D-printed in-house. Reinforced with trellises and underbracing to provide structural strength, it holds an M-unit and a AG801 battery.

The only custom work not done by themselves was upholstering the seat cover, which they outsourced to a long-time partner who they trust, gets their style and makes the seat look good to boot!

When asked about the end result of this cool conversion, Moto Design Garage said: “It rides so well! Keeping in mind it is a 1960’s machine with new parts but it still has that old school feel. It vibrates, it smells, it needs to be spoken nicely too haha but it is a fun nostalgic type of ride for sure!”

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Full Circle – The Muscle Racer 2, a Harley Davidson Sportster

Casper van der Ven — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 10:17:09 +0000

Setting the scene

Sometimes in life things come full circle. Allow me to sidestep and take you back. On a sunny day in November 2017, I wanted to unwind from a scientific conference I attended in Miami, Florida. Looking for shade I ended up at Brothers & Brawlers, where I found a beautiful space, an excellent cup of coffee, and an atmosphere that made me want to stay until the end of time. The gray concrete, black steel, and natural wood gave it an industrial vibe, yet the space felt light and leather seats and sofas were soft and pleasant. The helmets, accessories, and garments displayed tickled my fancy. A couple of custom motorcycles were on display. This is what most of us see in our imagination when we hear ‘man cave’. Sebastian Ramirez, owner and founder of DiRocco Eyewear, provided the finishing touch. He set up the space as a living advertisement that you could breathe, smell, and taste.

Inspiration

Next, I saw a motorcycle that planted a seed in my imagination. The seed of building a custom motorcycle (at the time I owned a practically bone stock 2010 Triumph Bonneville T100). As we talked about the space and the concept, a van pulled up. Chet and colleagues jumped out, a bike rolled in. And we ended up giving them a hand in putting it up on a platform for display. The motorcycle was a Triumph Thruxton, designed by a well-known, dapper, masked rider, the first in the Snaefell series by Cohn Racers. Little did I know that 5 years later, I would write about another series of motorcycles the Spanish-born, Miami-based builder Chet P Ilzarbe would produce.

Previously we featured their Harley Davidson XR1200X Muscl e R series. Now it is time to update you about their new line, the Muscle R2. In a second part, we will give you more insight into Cohn Racers and its founder.

Background

First, some background. The Muscle R2 came out of the original Muscle R, as most racers and builders can agree: there is always room for improvement. During the production of the original Muscle R, Chet started identifying and testing these small improvements. Adapting, modifying, and testing on a motorcycle one builds for one’s own garage is part of the process. However, this is out of the question when you set yourself high standards for motorcycles you build for clients across the globe. So where can you take these improvements, and express your problem-solving skills? Correct, in a second series, the MR2. The profits from the first series were used to hire Joan Mataro and Anton. The first a mechanical engineer with a passion for motorcycles, the second a carbon fibre specialist, who worked at Scuderia Toro Rosso and Koenisegg. The remaining funds were invested in machinery, including 3D scanners, software and 3D printers. This setup allows for reverse engineering, rapid prototyping, and evaluating data.

However, despite the improvements in the shop, the original concept remained: a Harley Davidson Sportster with real power, proper brakes, improved handling, and an elegant yet mean stance reflective of its rider. To improve the handling, the team engineered a new frame with optimised geometry for superior comfort and rideability. Secondly, increasing the power output of the engine and decreasing the weight resulted in 26% more horsepower and 22% less weight, further improving both handling and rideability.

Frame

Again, a Sportster model provided the engine and frame as starting points. They 3D scanned both and included an additional XR1200 frame as well. Using the resulting digital mesh with millions of recorded data points, other components could be added digitally. After adding the suspension and wheels, the first prototype was simulated to test behaviour and ergonomics. Several prototypes were then printed from PETG plastic. After several iterations, they settled on a 3-piece assembly that bolts together with four M8 bolts in the front, and four M10 in the back. Master welder Josh Lewis built a welding jig to perfectly align every component prior to assembly. Thus, any alloy can be used to weld up a frame in the perfect geometry. Currently they use Titanium GR5 future MR2 owners. Using these high grade alloys results in a final frame weight of less than half of the original sportster frame.

Weight Savings

Moreover, using Titanium throughout the bike ensures the aforementioned weight savings. The originally steel front and rear axles, head stem, and exhaust are all newly made of titanium. Even the original steel bolts are replaced with titanium bolts. A swing arm of billet cnc aluminium is a piece particularly hard to come by, usually limited to MotoGP and elite racing. Therefore, the team designed a 5-piece that is welded together and adjusted to the client’s height. It provides strength, reduces weight, and introduces just the right amount of flex. Again, digital simulation was used to finetune these parameters into the final design.

Suspension

Further improving the handling, stock suspension is swapped out for fully adjustable Öhlins FGRT 200 series forks in proprietary cnc billet aluminium triple clamps and dual rear shocks. The spring rate and valving will be adjusted to every client’s specifications.

Wheels & Tyres

The stock Harley Davidson hubs spoked with stainless steel and lavcd with 18×6.0 and 18×3.5 rims, give the bike a bit of a flattrack feel. Clients have a wide array of options for tyres with this configuration, yet dual sport tyres seemed to be a popular choice for the first series. Rims made of carbon fibre, titanium, and aluminium are currently under development and will be available as an option only to MR2 owners.

The Powerhouse

Driving all this forward is a 100HP power plant based on the original motor. One of the most challenging parts to engineer and manufacture is the proprietary down draft air intake system. The aluminium manifold is cnc-milled from a solid block on a 6-axis machine. Oxygen is provided via two beautiful mesh covered ducts in the front. Fuel is provided from a laser cut and bent 2mm aluminium sheet that is welded and covered with a carbon fibre shell. A small oil cooler was integrated to reduce oil temperature and the original oil tank under the seat was kept to ensure a sufficient volume in the system. On the back end of the engine are two titanium headers with pie cut bends, giving it a rainbow array of colours after multiple heating cycles, topped off by two Akrapovic exhausts. For future clients willing to trade in some reliability, the output can be increased even further.

Leatherwork

To sit atop this powerhouse, clients will have to pick their own hide for the handcrafted upholstery. The hides are sourced from Scotland and artisans then craft the seat, tank strap, and optional other parts to ensure unity throughout. This ties both ends together and shows the level of detailing that goes into these bikes!

Detailing

Carbon fibre is used throughout the build. Their inhouse specialist with an impressive background has optimised the process of impregnating carbon fibres with resin and curing it in an autoclave (think: industrial pressure cooker) to ensure the optimal resin to fibre ratio. This makes for a very light and simultaneously very strong material. Over 20 parts on the MR2 are made this way. In our eyes, this intensive, expensive process is justified by the outcome! What a visual spectacle to observe!

Other aesthetically pleasing details are the lights and indicators. They are fully integrated into the bike. The tail, brake, and indicator lights are integrated into the fender with just two parts! All wiring is carefully hidden from sight, indicator wiring for example is integrated into the handlebars. The gauge is backlit in blue, just as the buttons, a subtle and elegant touch that improves operating them in the dark. This is another indication that the builders prioritised the rider’s point of view. The gauge displays analog revolutions and all other information digitally, keeping it clean and timeless. The front of the gauge is covered with carbon that crowns the bike with a wax mould cast, polished 24K logo.

Last call!

Only 99 bikes will be built, according to client specifications. Most of the options that are modified inhouse are included. Adjustments will be made to the ride height, suspension stiffness and other small details that will ensure the most comfortable fit to the client. Special wishes can also be catered for. Pricing is progressive, the first one starting at $45,000 USD.
Do you want to get started? Email

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Racing on ice with spikes – Electric style!

Jaco Zijlstra — Sun, 19 Feb 2023 17:59:53 +0000

If you are ready for a fika, join RGNT Motorcycles in Årsunda (Sweden) next weekend 24-25th February, where they are looking to set a new electric motorcycle speed record on ice!

What is a fika you might ask? Well, it is a Swedish custom where you take a break from your activities to drink coffee, eat cake, and relax with others.
So, we’ve been invited to join the fika, but what’s going on over there in Sweden?

Well, RGNT Motorcycles is a young (founded 2019) Swedish electric motorcycle manufacturer who pride themselves on sourcing and manufacturing all components of their motorcycles as locally as possible. They also say they are wildly ambitious, aiming to push new boundaries all the time. And what better place for a native Swedish motorcycle brand to do that, than on a frozen Swedish lake?
To beat the World Speed Record on Ice for EV-motorcycles, they started project Aurora – bringing together all RGNT’s 40-some employees during evening hours and on weekends to build a complete in house designed and hand-built custom motorcycle.

While RGNT “plan to silence boulevards, backroads and beaches globally by quickly expanding”, what sets them apart – in my view – in the fast-growing market of electric motorcycles is that they are also passionate about iconic motorcycle design. Their bikes – in any case the two models they brought to market so far, the Classic and the Scrambler, are, in their words: “an ode to classic design – from the days when machines were built to last.” “Premium components, groundbreaking tech and hand-crafted details add up to an exclusive, state-of-the-art motorcycle.”

This desire to not only perform but also look great really shows in the Aurora project.
Taking the RGNT No. 1 Classic SE production model as its starting point, the team modified several components in the battery to maximize power output. They unlocked the software and power output of the drivetrain, and built a full aerodynamic lightweight fairing. Resulting in an EV racer with a peak power of close to 30 kW (standard 21 kW). Add spike-studded tires and you’re ready to go! RGNT-engineer Timmy Eriksson is all geared up to race Aurora next weekend, aiming to break the current electric motorcycle speed record on ice….

Check www.landracing.events for more details of the races at Årsunda, and check out RGNT’s site for more info and pics: rgnt-motorcycles.com.

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Bangkok’s Bike Builder – Zeus Customs

Jaco Zijlstra — Sun, 29 Jan 2023 12:37:32 +0000

Mooyong Zeus is the founder, owner, designer, builder and all-round nice guy of Zeus Customs in Bangkok, Thailand. I last met Mooyong during my visit before Covid – so I was mighty curious how he is doing now that the pandemic-storm has subsided a bit.

Mooyong started Zeus Customs in 2014, when he decided his love for motorcycles – and customizing them – was more important to him than his secure income as a software developer… He started out customizing 150cc Stallion bikes, lightweight Chinese bikes which are very popular in Thailand, these are basically the same bikes as those sold under the brand name Mash in Europe. His first workshop was just a room in an apartment building, but he had to look for another place pretty soon as the neighbors complained to the landlord about the noise… That happened again with his next location, so then he moved to a large more industrial building on the outskirts of Bangkok. That’s where I met Mooyong three years ago. Covid was a difficult time for Zeus of course, but he survived! After Covid, he moved to a slightly smaller but more central place in a nice neighborhood of Bangkok, where he now has a much more intimate and really pleasant place with a great showroom, plenty of bikes on display and couches to hang out on, as well as a fabulous yard with more bikes and tables to enjoy your coffee or a drink…

Given his software developer background, no surprise that Mooyong is an avid and expert user of social media. His Instagram posts went viral in Thailand and before long he got requests to customize bigger bikes. After he did a first brat-style conversion based on a Ducati scrambler for a lady which got a lot of attention on Instagram, demand skyrocketed. Still, cutting up a big expensive bike for the first time was a big step, so Mooyong bought a Triumph to work on for himself first. But he only cut into the frame after a strong push from his girlfriend!

So now Mooyong does a max of 30 full customizations per year, not more to maintain quality, together with his 2 mechanics – which he kept on staff during all the difficult Covid period.

Zeus customizes mainly for Thai customers and long-term expats. His Thai customers tend to ask for full customization of for instance café racers, and then use the bikes mainly for special events and to decorate their homes. The expats usually do use their bikes on a daily basis, their modifications range from again full café racers to scramblers – depending on their need for comfort on the road… Zeus also do more light conversions for both groups, such as just handlebars and seats.
While Mooyong is very interested in exporting his customs, a lot of times the regulations of his customers’ countries get in the way. But while an export to Germany serves as a decoration piece because the owner cannot get it legalized, another bike is out on the streets of Moscow, Russia – as the rules seem less strict over there. He does have a partner in Japan now specifically for fully customized Honda Monkeys, which are wildly popular over there.

Right now, Zeus is converting 8 Royal Enfield Himalayans to competition-ready flat-track bikes, commissioned by the factory who want to open a flat-track school in Thailand! He is also working with Suzuki Thailand on a full café racer custom to inspire more customers to buy that particular model, and they then plan to auction it off…

Zeus’ main exports to Europe today are his homemade leather side-bags and tank straps. Custom parts are a little harder as specifications can differ even for the same model bikes.
He also sells quite a bit of merchandise to tourists who visit the shop to get some new ideas or just hang out. T-shirts, caps, mugs, bag-tags, you name it… These are all his own designs – great stuff if you ask me!

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REPORT: Custom Bike Show in Bad Salzuflen Germany

Jaco Zijlstra — Sat, 17 Dec 2022 11:47:26 +0000

They say it’s the largest fair for custom bikes in Europe, and after visiting the Custom bike-show in Bad Salzuflen the first weekend of December, I’d say they are right!

As you can expect from our German friends it is well organized, from parking to lay out of the halls to food and drinks. There were more than 200 custom bikes on display, ranging from choppers, bobbers and cruisers to cafe racers and streetfighters. A special treat this year were the so-called mopeds, 50cc bikes that were legal to ride from the age of 16 without a license in the not-even-so-distant past. The highly customized examples on show here were certainly not legal – then or now – though….

The vast number of bikes on display were certainly the main attraction I would say. It started right at the entrance with a lovely Norton cafe racer, followed by a multitude of other cafe racers and bobbers. Spread around the center stage in the main hall, custom bikes were on display in all 4 directions. The streetfighters, mostly nineties superbikes with their extremely high butts and flashy colors, were another special feature of this year’s event.

But ogling all those magnificent bikes was certainly not all there was to do.
A bike build-off was going on all three days on the center stage, which was won by Indian dealer Bike Farm Melle with their bike “Purple Haze”. A classy old-skool chopper in purple – as you may have guessed – and a great sound!

Another stage was reserved for shows by the “Fuel Girls” from London, featuring a heavy metal soundtrack, spandex, and shiny chains. Bodypainting the upper torso of a young nekkid lady plus presentations of some award-winning bikes also took place on this stage, culminating in the announcement of this year’s winner – that very nice purple Indian Motorcycle.

Lots of vendors were spread around two spacious halls, some 160 in total!
A lot of them biker-lifestyle oriented; masses of t-shirts with skulls, leather pouches, tartan shirts with or without protection, helmets – WW2-inspired or with actual protection, …

A couple manufacturers gave acte de presence, Kawasaki was there, BMW and Indian had big booths with quite a few nicely customized bikes. Harley Davidson was represented by several of their dealers, each with a mix of customized and standard bikes.

Parts and accessories manufacturers like Custom Chrome and pinker-specialists Kellermann had hired a lot of space as well to show off their shiny goodies.

Odd ones out were some organizers of ‘Motorrad-Reisen’ or organized trips for bikers, there were even a few owners of specialized campings or hotels in Germany.
My interest was particularly piqued by sportcaravan.de, who showed a trailer with room for 2 bikes, sleeping 4, shower and toilet, for around 35K euros. That will have to wait a while, but a man can dream, right?

There was plenty of beer as well as hard liquor to be had from several vendors and the restaurant. This restaurant inside also served hearty food, while a few food-trucks stood outside to accommodate really hungry travelers. As this was my first visit to Germany in a while, I decided on the Bratwurst, a good choice IMHO…

So all in all, a great show! I missed the previous 15 editions (who knew?) but will try to make the trip – some 300 kilometers from Amsterdam where I live – again next year for sure!

For a short impression of the show, please check this out:

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Ducati 999 Special – by Moto Adonis

Adnane Bensalah — Fri, 09 Dec 2022 18:06:01 +0000

A Special Story

It is common for us to write about a motorcycle with a special story, and in a way, they are all very personal. Still, this might be the most special motorcycle we have covered to date. This is a story about a man that does not compromise.

Controversial Design

Let’s start with the bike we have at hand. It started out its life as a Ducati 999; a controversial motorcycle designed by the famous Pierre Terblanche and produced in the Ducati factory from 2003 till 2006. Why was it controversial? Well, first off, Terblanche superseded Massimo Tamburini, the man that designed the magnificent Ducati 916, among others. Tamburini designed motorcycles for Cagiva, Ducati, MV Agusta and even founded Bimota. All of his designs were basically iconic. Does are some pretty big shoes to fill for Terblanche.

Terblanche had his own style, which wasn’t always liked by everyone. Despite the odd looking double stacked headlight, and sharp lines of the original 999 and its smaller displaced 749 sibling, Terblanche’s design grew a cult following. Also because the 999 was an incredibly capable sport bike, with various victories in the Superbike World Championship. Compared to today’s figures one might not be impressed with the specs. However, nearly 20 years ago, it was a totally different story. So far the history lesson.

A man from Twello

So how did this Ducati 999 end up in the workshop of the dynamic Dutch duo Moto Adonis? Well, THAT’S an interesting story! This may sound like a story you would hear in a bar. Maybe one to take with a pinch of salt. Not this one. So here goes.

A few years ago, a man from Twello, a small town in the Eastern part of the Netherlands, had a traumatic accident. As a matter of fact, it was so bad, that he lost his left lower leg. Since then, he learned how to use a prosthetic leg and moved on with his life. This man had a vivid dream. He dreamt that one day he would be able to ride a sports bike. Not any sports bike, but a Ducati 999 nonetheless. He was so focused on achieving his dream, that he purchased a 999, bought a retro styled fairing kit, and tried to build the bike he had dreamt of. There was one major issue though: his leg. No matter how you look at it, a left leg and foot is needed to control the gearbox. Despite this setback, he kept moving forward, and found the boys of Moto Adonis. Together they came up with a plan.

Shifting Gears

We’ll cut straight to the chase. To deal with the gear shifting challenge, a pneumatically actuated manual shifter was created, which allows the rider to shift gears with the push of 2 buttons on the left clip-on. To give the prosthetic leg a safe place to rest, and to keep the motorcycle in balance, a modified floorboard was created from scratch. This is what engineering is about! To make the 999 look like a million bucks, the fairing kit got customized to suit and the side panels were ditched. The tank got modified to flow with the rest of the design, which as you can see, is heavily inspired by 1970’s race bikes. The subframe had to be modified and now houses the battery.

The seat was custom made and designed to look like a horse saddle; courtesy of Miller Kustom Upholstery. Looking closer and you will see an LED taillight, which is actually of a Yamaha XSR700. A round 7” headlight adds to the classic look, as well as the round Motogadget speedo. To custom paint job really pops when you see the Ducati, with a Moto Adonis unique twist to the Italian Tri-Colori. Not red, white and green, but red, gold and blue. Ohlins suspension ensure proper tractability, and the SC Project silencers add to the audible character of the liquid cooled L-twin from Bologna. Combined with the unique, classic Ducati logo on the tank, we think this is the best looking 999 in the world!

There’s more…

There is a little bit more to this story that we would like to share with you. The original prosthetic leg had to get irreversibly modified to allow the owner to sit properly on the motorcycle. This was a bit of a problem because he only had 1 prosthetic leg, and another one would cost a fortune. Also, not one single prosthetists was willing to modify a leg for motorcycle riding. Fortunately, the guys from Moto Adonis were willing to do the modification, provided a leg was available. When word got around, another motorcycle rider with a modified motorcycle and a prosthetic leg offered a spare prosthetic leg. Legend has it that both are now riding buddies and have become close friends. Now that is a story worth telling.

Builder details:
Moto Adonis
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Shed Built: Kawasaki KZ650 Bomber

Adnane Bensalah — Wed, 20 Jul 2022 11:16:33 +0000

There is a lot going on with the Kawasaki KZ from France. Owned by Sebastien Vernaison, a 39-year-old bike builder who works as a plumber during the day. In his spare time however, Sebastien creates real work of art. What he did to this KZ650SR from 1980 is nothing short of top-tier craftsmanship. We don’t get to see many modified Kawasaki KZ’s, which makes this one already unique.

This isn’t Sebastien’s first rodeo. He has built a stunning Yamaha XS650 before, completely in Jap-style. It was featured in many magazines back in 2020, and for good reason too. There is definitely no lack of imagination when it comes to his old build, but also this more recent creation.

We are a sucker for nose art. Especially those from around World War 2. The first nose art started at the beginning of the 20st century, during World War 1. When fighter planes where being used in close combat. Pilots would paint their planes with menacing texts or imagine instilling fear into their opponents. Nowadays we don’t see nose art anymore in the military, but it is still regarded as art among enthusiasts around the world.

To see nose art being used on a custom motorcycle makes our hearts beat a little bit faster. But there is more to this machine than just the nose art, which has a symbol of the rising sun on the left, and shark mouth on the right, a nod to both east and west. Sebastien has managed to source a racing fairing of Norton Commando and has modified it to fit the Kawasaki seamlessly. The combination of nose art and matt green paint has been done incredible well by Cedric B Ink.

The rear of the KZ650 has been chopped and lowered, using custom shock absorbers. There is something special to these shock absorbers. They are modified for air-ride, which allows the rear of the bike to be raised or lowered at the flick of a switch. At its highest point, the clearance between the exhaust and the ground is a mere 10 centimeters! A neat feature we see in the custom car scene, but not often on a motorcycle.

The rear cowl comes from a Kawasaki Z1000ST and has been modified to fit the KZ650. The custom seat has been made by Dérouillée Sellerie and looks astonishing on this bike. The Delkevic exhaust has been modified to fit this KZ perfectly. Combined with the DNA air filters, this Kawasaki definitely breaths better now.

The front of the Kawasaki has also been lowered to accommodate for the lower stance Sebastien was going for. The fuel tank has been heavily modified, and now incorporates a fuel level indicator on the side, and a pop-up gas-cap. The electrics of the Kawasaki have been replaced with a simplified wiring harness that accommodates for the micro switches. We love the minimalistic look, especially with the large tacho front center. The Kellerman LED lights and indicators further contribute to this look. The levers are now Brembo’s, which are adjustable.

When you look at the pictures closely, you will see that the kick-starter pedal looks custom. That’s because it is, courtesy of T4 Motorcycles. What’s also custom, is the Ruroc 2.0 helmet which Sebastien has made to match the look of the bike. Small detail, but with great results!

Sebastien admits that with the ground clearance, the Kawasaki is more suitable for slow strolls than racing. Still, with the way this KZ650SR has turned out, we wouldn’t be surprised if it commanded anyone to move to right as it appears in your rear-view mirror. And all of this with a budget of no more than €6000,-.

Photo Credits: SKM

Builder details:
Seb Kustom Motorcycles
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CNCPT MOTO – NEW NAME, FAMILIAR FACES

Casper van der Ven — Thu, 30 Jun 2022 17:35:45 +0000

We have previously featured bikes called the Dominator, the Starship Meteor, the Mutant, and the Alchemist. Seasoned readers and followers may recognise these names and ‘Cloud 9’ does not sound too far fetched to follow. Indeed, Arjan van den Boom is behind this revolutionary design for a 2019 BMW R9T. This time he teamed up with Timothy Somers from Powerbrick Performance under a new name: CNCPT Moto.

About the build

What started on a flimsy napkin in 2019 turned out to be a real roller coaster ride: throw in a pandemic, raw material shortages, skyrocketing prices, and weeks quickly turn into months. Only to be topped off with a tight deadline to drive the project home. Yet, they managed to pull it off and revealed their first bike under the new brand at the Bikeshed 2022.

This futuristic looking machine is the result of unhinged creativity and thinking out of the box. Combining their skills from different backgrounds and with the help of skilled and dedicated friends they transformed the napkin sketches into clay models and finally into 3D printed and CNCed parts. This pioneering work gives us a glimpse into what the future may hold for us when it comes to motorcycle and custom parts. The builders imagine this as their idealistic approach to the future of customising motorcycles, “a teleport to 2084”.

About the body

The monobody was printed with ASA (acrylonitrile styrene acrylate), a thermoplastic that is UV, chemical, and weather resistant, as well as high-impact, wear, and temperature proof. Thus, it is an excellent material for outdoor use and exposure to the elements, making it particularly suitable for automotive applications. The body actually consists of two parts, the tail part with the seat, and the top front part. It is mounted using stock mounting points on the R9T frame, however, several stock brackets had to be removed prior to installing the new body. 20 individually 3D printed parts were glued and bolted together to make up the body.

The sharp edges of the body are part of the lines that make this motorcycle look so futuristic. These lines run from the front axle to the tail and from the headlight to the tail. The angle between these lines give the bike a fast look, and several parts are aligned with these lines.

In the first line are the valve covers, the air box opening, the bottom of the seat, the edge of the body underneath the seat, and the handmade stainless steel exhaust. The valve covers were designed in house by Timo, as was the timing cover, and CNC machined. Both will be available for purchase soon! The exhaust headers run below, yet parallel to this line. The same goes for the handfolded aluminium sumpguard, tying it all together.

In the second line, the headlights, the custom CNC billet bottom yoke, the purple trellis frame, and the sharp edge and mating surface of the two body parts also align to end in the taillight. Jeroen from Silvermachine Seats upholstered the seat in alcantara and leather. Jacco at Royal Kustom Works did the paint. And Brother Coating performed the powder coating.

Zooming in

If we take a closer look, we can spot quite a few high end parts, including the carbon fiber fork tubes provided by Cera Carbon housing fully adjustable Matris cartridges, and carbon fiber wheels by Rotobox wrapped in Pirelli Diablos. Continuing, the custom TFX rear shock absorber, Beringer clutch and brake cylinders and levers, and Brembo calipers are also executed in purple to create elegant highlights. Electronically the bike is decked out with Motogadget controls and speedo.

Less visible is the work that went into designing an airbox to house a DNA inlay filter behind the black, perforated hexagon grill. As is the handmade aluminium shoe box that houses the fuel cell underneath the monobody, and the resin printed headlight brackets holding power LEDs.

Particularly impressive is the fact that these two set out and succeeded to raise the bar for themselves, and for the field, in terms of combining skills, adopting novel technologies and materials, and turning their self-funded brainchild into a running prototype of the future. If this bike tickles your imagination as much as ours, you’re in luck. The bike is currently for sale, conditions and pricing via CNCPT Moto. Cloud 9 will be displayed at Pure&Crafted 2022. See you there!

Photos by Paul van Mondfrans Lindén

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