Two customs from Spain this week: a crisp and understated Thruxton RS from Tamarit, and a repurposed Ducati 750 SS from Bolt. We also take a closer look at a stunning new electric racebike from the Netherlands, and report on a rare motorcycle festival that managed to go ahead as planned … in Russia.
Triumph Thruxton RS by Tamarit Tamarit have always had a keen eye for style, and this beautifully restrained Thruxton continues that tradition. It’s a current-spec RS model—the only Thruxton variant Triumph still sells—with a raft of subtle upgrades that lift the bike from good to great.
The specs of the stock bike are good, with 105 horsepower, Brembo M50 stoppers, top of the range Metzeler rubber and a kerb weight of 197 kg. So the Alicante, Spain workshop has focused on the aesthetics, with a striking new seat and tail unit and a discreet front fender.
New side covers permit a ram-air induction setup, which is matched to a complete new Zard exhaust system. Keen eyes will also spot the relocated instrument cluster and a JW Speaker LED headlight, plus Rizoma fluid reservoirs, and finned engine covers. Kineo wheels reduce weight, a steering damper keeps the front end tight, and there are new grips and bar-end indicators from Motogadget.
The RS is finished off in Porsche’s Crayon Grey paint, which is rapidly replacing Audi’s Nardo Grey as the flat color du jour for cars. And it looks just as good on the Triumph as it does on a 911. [Tamarit | Source]
Delta-XE by Electric Superbike Twente Given that electric motors have instantaneous torque, you’d have thought showrooms would be full of battery-powered superbikes by now. But no — sporting riders really have only the Zero SR/S or Energica Evo to choose from. And Ducati recently dismissed any imminent move towards electric, citing difficulties in making current battery tech feasible.
Those issues don’t seem to have affected a group of students from the Twente and Saxion universities in the Netherlands though, who have just revealed their fourth electric motorcycle design.
When we first clapped eyes on the Delta-XE, we didn’t even realize it was electric at first—it’s just a stunningly good-looking racebike. It has a top speed of 300 kph, weighs 220 kg, and can accelerate to 100 kph in less than three seconds.
The 200 kph mark comes up in less than nine seconds and the proprietary battery pack has a total capacity of 13.5kWh—similar to the superbikes in the MotoE competition.
The charging system uses a CCS plug, the same charger you would use for a Tesla, and for extra safety the high voltage circuit is enclosed within the battery pack.
For a student team, the level of work here is simply amazing. Unfortunately, opportunities to race are few and far between, given COVID lockdowns in Europe. Wouldn’t it be great if that became an incentive to make the Delta-XE road legal? [Electric Superbike Twente]
Ducati 750 SS by Bolt The 750 SS is getting on a bit now, and most of these bikes will be pretty tired unless they’ve had a thorough refurbishment.
So when the race mechanics at the Spanish shop Bolt got their hands on a 1992 model, they decided to do more than just a rebuild—they’ve turned the Ducati into a stylish and practical naked.
After ditching the plastics, the suspension was rebuilt and recalibrated for better handling and new spoked wheels fitted. The brakes were rebuilt too, with new levers and reservoirs, and the new bars are straight rather than clip-ons. They’re fitted with Motogadget grips, switchgear and indicators.
The frame has been shortened slightly and looped at the rear, before being sandblasted, painted in Ducati red, and kiln dried. There’s a plush new seat upholstered in waterproof leather, which even has room for a passenger—at a pinch.
The engine has been refreshed and fettled in-house, and the custom exhaust system releases a few extra ponies. “It exudes a vintage vibe and a roar that makes our hair stand on end!” Bolt tell us.
The wiring loom has been overhauled, and sends juice to a modern LED headlight tucked in tight between the fork stanchions with a custom-made bracket.
The 750 SS is now ready for the next stage of its life, as a surprisingly practical roadster for its owner—“a true motorcycle enthusiast who is now riding the bike of his dreams.” [Bolt]
Motors Of War Festival The European moto show season has been hit hard by COVID. A few days ago, Wheels & Waves was cancelled at the last minute in Biarritz, France. And just before that, the organizers of Glemseck 101 in Germany had to pull the plug when they couldn’t get formal clearance from local authorities in time.
They do things differently in Russia, though: the Motors Of War festival for vintage enthusiasts passed without a hitch a couple of weeks ago. It was held near the small and remote village of Petra Dubrava, about a thousand kilometers east of Moscow.
The festival was organized by the local ‘Motorworld by V. Sheyanov’ museum [below], an amazing repository of over 100 vintage motorcycles, many with a military provenance.
Twelve of Motorworld’s own WW2 bikes were on display—restored machines from not only Russia, but also Europe and Japan. There were organized rides along scenic roads, plus a smattering of bigger military vehicles, for fans of four wheels (and caterpillar tracks).
Russia is a little too far to go for most riders in Western Europe, but there’s room for cautious optimism. The colossal European Bike Week festival in Austria in September has not yet been cancelled, and has a reasonable chance of going ahead.
BMW is planning to revive its Pure & Crafted Festival in Berlin a few days after that, and a handful of country-specific Harley Days are still on the summer schedule.
As the Wheels & Waves organizers know, plans can fall apart at the very last minute. Let’s hope the other European festivals don’t suffer the same fate. [Motorworld by V. Sheyanov]
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