Bolt Racer: A custom Suzuki DR Big with Schwantz style

Remember the Suzuki DR Big? Born from Suzuki’s late-80s factory Dakar rally bike, it featured bold styling and the biggest single-cylinder engine on the market. It would go on to become iconic—so iconic, that Suzuki even brought back its styling in recent years, with their V-Strom 1050 XT adventure bike.

Despite how distinct the DR Big’s aesthetic is, there’s not a shred of it left on this custom street tracker from Bolt Motor Co. In fact, the only recognizable parts left on this DR Big are its frame and its stonking 727 cc motor.

Bolt shop boss, Adrián Campos, also happens to be the team principle of the Campos Racing team (Bolt even uses the Campos Racing workshop). So it’s usually a given that their custom builds are imbued with a sense of performance. On this build, that meant turning the DR Big into a squat street tracker with an assortment of upgrades.

Starting with a 1989-model Suzuki DR750 S Big, the crew stripped it down and tossed all of its plastics in the bin. The engine was rebuilt with a lightened flywheel, and two 42 mm Keihin carbs that inhale via a pair of Uni filters. Bolt fabricated a new exhaust header too, running it through the frame and terminating it in a Supertrapp muffler.

Sitting just in front of the engine, off to the left, is a custom-made radiator, plumbed with Goodridge lines. The placement is purposeful—Bolt put it there to create more clearance for the front wheel, because the whole bike’s been lowered.

Up front are the upside-down forks and dual Brembo disc brakes from a Suzuki GSX-R. Bolt CNC-machined custom yokes to install the new front end, and added a tidy little fender. Tucked between the yokes is a 3D-printed number board with an LED headlight poking through it.

Just above that you’ll find a set of tracker-style handlebars, fitted with the original Suzuki switches, new grips and Brembo levers. A tiny digital Motogadget speedo sits neatly between the risers, along with the bike’s LED warning lights.

Not content with just sprucing up the front of the bike, Bolt had ambitious plans for the rear too. They had the idea to fit a matching Suzuki GSX-R swingarm, but it turned out to be the biggest headache of the whole build. The main issue was that the swingarm was narrower at its pivot point than the frame—but Bolt managed to make it work in the end.

Next, a pair of 19F/18R wheels were adapted to fit the Suzuki, and shod with Dunlop rubber. They’re a welcome departure from the stock 21F/17R combo, which would have look comically unbalanced with the bike’s revised suspension.

Bolt was just as discerning when picking out the DR Big’s new bodywork. After bouncing a few ideas around for a new fuel tank, they settled on the reservoir from a Honda CB750 K2. The idea of putting a 70s Honda tank on a late-80s Suzuki sounds nuts, but it works remarkably well.

Paired with the new tank is a flat track-style tail unit, complete with removable side boards and an integrated LED taillight. Bolt designed and produced it in-house, using 3D design and printing tech. The Suzuki’s subframe was modified to suit it.

Thanks to a judicious rewire job, the area under the seat is clear to show off the exhaust and shock. Other custom parts include a license plate bracket [not pictured] and new foot pegs.

Classic motorcycle race fans should recognize the Suzuki’s new livery. Bolt designed the DR Big as a tribute to Kevin Schwantz, and his Lucky Strike-sponsored Suzuki RGV500. They even added the number 43, as a homage to Schwantz’s race number, 34.

Bolt put their own spin on this classic paint job with a recurring lightning bolt theme. It’s even repeated on the seat stitching, courtesy of the automotive upholstery expert, Llop.

We never would have imagined that a Suzuki DR Big would make for a good street tracker with classic GP racing underpinnings. But Bolt did—and they’ve brought it to life with all the panache that we’ve come to expect from them.

Bolt Motor Co. | Facebook | Instagram

from Bike EXIF https://ift.tt/THpvt0O

Speed Read, February 26, 2023

Deus ex Machina returns to their roots with a no-nonsense Kawasaki W650. We also profile a Honda CB550 café racer, a Kawasaki KZ400 restomod and RGNT’s all-electric ice land speed record-breaker.

Kawasaki W650 by Deus ex Machina It feels like we don’t see that many Kawasaki W650 customs around as we used to, and more’s the pity. The plucky little twin is a joy to ride; easy going with one of the best-looking engines around. And it’s fun to customize, too.

Deus Ex Machina has been building custom W650s since the Australian shop’s early days. So it’s refreshing to see head wrench Jeremy Tagand return to the platform, with a tidy custom W650 nicknamed ‘Goldy.’

If you’ve been following Deus’ work for a while, you’ll recognize some of Jeremy’s signature W650 mods. The banana seat is a popular aftermarket part, while the handmade side covers recall Deus’ early W650 builds. An aluminum TT-style fuel tank sits up top, with a cutout that traces a line over the top of the engine.

The stock 19F/18R wheels are wrapped in dual-sport rubber from Pirelli, with stainless steel fenders floating above them. Jeremy’s seen to the W650’s biggest weakness—its rear shocks—with a pair of custom-built Icon units.

Other upgrades include a pair of DNA pod filters, and a two-into-one exhaust from SC Project in Italy. The LED headlight is a Highsider part, the turn signals and rear three-in-one LEDs are from Purpose Built Moto, and the speedo’s Daytona item. New handlebars wear Vans grips and Rizoma bar-end mirrors.

Compact and minimal, Goldy is the perfect blueprint for anyone that wants to mod their W650, without shedding an iota of its approachable nature. More of these please, Jeremy. [Deus ex Machina]

Honda CB550 by Skog Motorcycles It’s hard to imagine a better donor for an archetypal café racer than a Honda CB. You could argue that the new wave café racer scene was built on Honda CB750s, CB550s and CB450s.

This tidy Honda CB550 comes from Dave Skogerson in Seattle, Washington. It’s quintessential café fare; stripped to the bare essentials and “built to ride,” as he puts it.

Sensibly, Dave kicked the project off with an engine rebuild. The heads were ported and polished, the clutch was rebuilt with a Barnett kit, and anything beyond its sell-by date was replaced. Dave ditched the airbox for a row of velocity stacks and fitted four-into-one headers from MotoGP Werks, then tuned the fueling to squeeze the maximum performance from the inline four.

The Honda also had its wiring redone, and upgraded with a Motogadget controller, a modern ignition and a tiny Lithium-ion battery. The suspension was overhauled, with Hagon springs inside the OEM forks and new Hagon shocks out back, and the wheels were rebuilt. They wear modern Continental ContiGo! treads, while a number of tweaks to the brakes help to slow them down.

Shedding weight was high on Dave’s agenda too, so he de-tabbed the frame and installed lightweight aluminum yokes up front. The CB550 tank is the only piece of stock bodywork remaining. The tail section is an aluminum unit from Bedlam Werks, and the side covers and fenders are now in the bin.

The entire bike is delightfully minimalistic, wearing only what it needs and nothing more. Woodcraft clip-ons, a pair of aftermarket gauges and a classic 5 3/4” headlight adorn the front, with tiny Motogadget turn signals fitted at both ends. Tarozzi rear-sets round out the kit.

The paint job is equally restrained. The CB is mostly black, with a hit of brown on the seat and tasteful Honda ‘wing’ logos on the tank. [Via]

Kawasaki KZ400 by Andy Greaser This 1978 Kawasaki KZ400 restomod belongs to longtime RevZilla Common Tread writer, Andy Greaser. Andy’s name has appeared in Common Tread bylines for about six years now, but he’s recently left the team to pursue new opportunities. And he’s going out with a bang—by using his last article to feature his very own bike.

To be fair, Andy’s article isn’t really about his bike. It’s about something else that we’re very passionate about; photography. Working with RevZilla staff photographer, Luke Darigan, Andy unpacks what it takes to commission a pro photographer to photograph your bike, with the express goal of having it featured on websites like Bike EXIF.

Using Andy’s KZ400 as a model, Luke delivers a set of textbook glamor photos worthy of any website or magazine. Based off that process, Andy delivers sage advice to anyone that loves building custom motorcycles—but isn’t quite sure how to present their work to a wider audience. Whether you’re a builder or a photographer, it’s a must-read.

As for the bike itself—it’s as unassuming as it is charming. It wears the fuel tank from an older KZ400, with its natural patina left intact, with a ‘bread loaf’ seat that uses recycled material from an old hot rod’s soft top. The fiberglass fenders are Triumph parts, and the rear shocks are aftermarket items, scalped from a Sportster.

The engine was treated to a top-end rebuild, with a new clutch and a row of Mikuni VM carbs, tuned for midrange power. Other changes include new wiring, Renthal bars, a vintage oil temp gauge, oversized exhaust flanges, and the Peterson Air Force Base (now Space Force Base) parking sticker from the bike’s past life.

It’s not a wild custom by any means—but Andy knows that. “I’d say this KZ400 is a perfect example of a custom anyone could build at home with a MIG welder, some basic tools, and a little know-how,” he says. “I took my time and tried all kinds of ideas before finding solutions I liked.”

“You can avoid a lot of frustration by being honest about your motorcycle. Don’t waste time, don’t waste money, and don’t waste potential.” [Andy Greaser | Images by Luke Darigan]

RGNT sets new electric land speed record The Swedish electric motorcycle company RGNT has just set the new land speed record for an electric motorcycle on ice. And they did it with a motorcycle styled like a classic café racer, no less.

RGNT kicked off the ‘Aurora’ project with their own RGNT No. 1 Classic SE model. It’s effectively an electric retro standard, with slick styling that wouldn’t look out of place in a Triumph or Royal Enfield showroom. Working after hours and on weekends, they rebuilt it into a café racer that’s more racer than café.

The No. 1 Classic SE shed its original seat and fenders, but kept its ‘fuel tank.’ RGNT’s in-house team fabricated a lightweight fairing to cut through the air, equipping it with an HMI race screen. With studded tires, clip-ons to tuck the rider in tight, and a software hack to unlock another 9 kW from the motor, the crew was ready to race.

RGNT headed to the Svenska Motorsport Alliansen-sanctioned and -licensed Speed Weekend in Årsunda, Sweden this weekend to take Aurora to the ice. With RGNT engineer Timmy Eriksson behind the bars, RGNT set three new records with this bike, and a bone stock RGNT No. 1 Scrambler SE.

Those records are the fastest electric motorcycle on ice (155.14 km/h), the fastest electric A1 motorcycle (135.03 km/h) and the fastest electric motorcycle production model (114.3 km/h).

RGNT didn’t have to make their bike look this pretty to set those records, but they did it anyway, because aesthetics are baked into the company’s DNA. As their company motto reads; “Ride clean. Ride in style. 100% electric.” [RGNT Motorcycles]

from Bike EXIF https://ift.tt/YhyVuZW

As seen on TV: An S&S-powered panhead by MB Cycles

There’s not much reality in reality TV these days. But there are still shows out there that are more interested in their source material than they are in hype. The German program, Handwerkskunst!, is a prime example.

Handwerkskunst! (which translates to ‘craftsmanship’) is dedicated to craftspeople of varying vocations and backgrounds. Each episode focuses on an object, whether it be a cabinet or a carnival float, and the process of building it from beginning to end. There’s no fancy title sequence or even background music—just selective narration, and the rustling of the tools and machines used in the process.

If you tune in to the show a month from now, you’ll get to see how Martin Becker at MB Cycles built this shimmering Harley-Davidson panhead. The project itself was commissioned by a friend and regular client (this is his fifth MB Cycles custom), but it provided the perfect opportunity to go behind the scenes. So Handwerkskunst! filmed the whole process—from raw frame to final test ride.

As we’ve come to expect from MB Cycles, this panhead is an intoxicating mix of vintage, reproduction and custom parts, all masterfully blended together. Like a good chef, Martin knows how to pick the right ingredients—and how to turn them into a five star dish.

Calling it a Harley-Davidson is a little deceptive, because very little here actually comes from The Motor Co., save for the bike’s frame. Martin started with a 1946 H-D ‘Wishbone’ unit, then matched it to a reproduction Springer front-end from W&W Cycles.

The wheels are a mixed set, and both sport drum brakes. A 21” Kustom Tech item sits up front, with an aftermarket part of undisclosed origin at the back. Both are wrapped in sawtooth treads from Firestone.

The engine is just as tasty. It’s a 93 ci panhead motor from S&S Cycle, hooked up to an S&S Super E carb, and aftermarket exhaust headers with MB Cycles mufflers. The ignition, coils and oil pump are from S&S too, while the charging system and regulator are Accel parts.

Other changes include a six-into-four transmission conversion, an FXR clutch cover, and a BDL Shorty open belt primary with an Antigravity battery wedged ‘into’ it. Martin converted the panhead to an electric starter too; you’ll spot the start lever tucked away under the oil tank.

With a foot-operated clutch and a hand-shifter, the panhead’s cockpit is delightfully sparse. Martin started with a set of his own ‘Snake Low’ handlebars with integrated risers, fitted with a single Kustom Tech lever and an internal throttle. A teeny tiny Motogadget speedo sits just below the bars, with two LED warning lights mounted to the top yoke (the bike does have switches, but you have to know where to look).

Rounding off the front end are a single rear-view mirror and a tiny headlight. Both are neatly mounted to the springer forks.

Further back you’ll find the repurposed tank from a Harley-Davidson Sportster. A slim seat sits just behind it, with a cutout that offers access to the oil dipstick. Rounding out the bodywork are a custom oil tank, and a rear fender from Cooper Smithing Co. that Martin tweaked a little.

Mounted to the left of the frame are a MB Cycles license plate bracket, and a single-sided fender strut that also holds mini taillight from FNA Custom Cycles.

These sort of trick details are lurking everywhere on this vintage dreamboat. The small brace that secures the back end of the fuel tank is ridiculously elegant for such a small part. And the gas cap and Prism Supply Co. foot controls are all adorned with engraving work, masterfully executed by Carsten Estermann.

The paint job is just as exquisite. Done by frequent MB Cycles collaborator, Chiko’s Pinstriping, it features a deep yellow metal flake base, punctuated by silver leaf striping. The panhead’s finished off with powder-coating work by Metal Skin Works, and chroming and polishing by Polierservice Zwickau.

Martin’s Handwerkskunst! episode airs on German television (and on YouTube) on the 24th of March. You can bet we’ll be tuning in—we’ve admired his work from afar for the longest time, and the chance to see his process up close is too good to pass up.

MB Cycles | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Riders Eyes Photography

from Bike EXIF https://ift.tt/6ws2XcQ

High-flyer: An aircraft-style BMW R18 by VTR Customs

As the custom arm of an official BMW motorcycle dealership, VTR Customs is well-versed in the art of modifying BMWs. But that doesn’t mean that the Swiss outfit has it easy. Their builds aren’t always mild—and when they’re wild, they’re really wild.

That’s mainly because VTR boss, Dani Weidmann, isn’t one to shy away from a challenge. So when a client asked him to customize a BMW R18 in the style of a 1930s airplane, he said ja.

The commission came from an existing VTR customer (they had customized his R nineT previously), who was enamored with the German-made Junkers Ju 52. The project was dubbed ‘Iron Annie,’ after a famous Ju 52 that was restored and owned by the American author, Martin Caidin.

It’s not the first time that VTR have built a custom BMW with an aeronautical theme. Their aluminum-wrapped, fire-spitting BMW R1200R lit up the European Sultans of Sprint race series a few years ago. But Iron Annie had to do more than just go fast in a straight line; she had to be completely street legal too.

VTR started with a stock BMW R18, which they stripped down to rid it of all of its chrome. The engine was refinished in black with custom-made ‘Iron Annie’ badging, and even the fork stanchions were treated to a black diamond-like carbon coating.

The forks were shortened too, with a new Wilbers shock fitted out back. VTR wanted to tweak the R18’s stance to make the big boxer feel more compact, so they swapped out the wheels for a bigger set. Measuring 21” up front and 18” at the back, they were custom built for the project by Kineo.

All of that was relatively straightforward compared to VTR’s next task; sculpting the R18’s new aircraft-style aluminum bodywork. The fuel tank looks like fairly traditional fare from a distance—but the bodywork gets progressively more detailed as it tapers off.

A number of aluminum panels flank the bike, joined by dome head fasteners that look like rivets from afar. Details include mesh-lined vent inserts, and side scoops to accommodate the air intakes. The whole arrangement tapers to the rear, with a slender tail piece that mimic a plane’s tail fin.

The closer you look, the more interesting little additions you’ll find. See that indentation on the left side with what looks like a plane’s door handle? That’s actually the lever that engages the R18’s electrical reverse gear.

“One of the big challenges was the replica cooling fins in the area of the rear silencers,” says Dani. “Shaping these parts into parallel and beautiful radii, and at the same time still fastening them harmoniously, took a number of attempts.”

Moving to the front, VTR fabricated a small nacelle to house a Highsider LED headlight, finishing it off with a small cockpit-like window instead of a traditional windscreen. A stubby front fender sits just below it, with a handmade belly spoiler mounted further down.

The R18’s cruiser bars were swapped out for ABM clip-ons, fitted with Magura HC3 brake and clutch controls. Clip-ons seem like a weird choice for a bike of this size and stance, but there’s method to VTR’s madness; the idea was to tighten up the R18’s profile as much as possible. Besides, it’s unlikely that its owner will go touring with it.

The speedo was relocated to a housing at the front of the fuel tank, and customized with a new arm by the watchmaker Zeitzone Zürich. Further back is a handmade leather saddle, upholstered by frequent VTR Customs collaborator, Yves Knobel.

Accompanying VTR’s custom work is a handful of top-shelf parts from other custom workshops. WalzWerk supplied the exhaust silencers, while Berham Customs took care of the number plate holder. Avon Cobra tires, and turn signals and taillights from Kellermann, round out the parts spec.

For the R18’s final livery, VTR dug into the annals of Junkers history. With help from Freuler AG, they painted the bike in the same colors as the Ju 52 the Lufthansa flew in the mid-30s. It looks great—but it could have turned out very differently.

“What almost pained us a little when we saw all the handmade, bright aluminum sheets shimmering and shining, was that they would have to be painted,” says Dani. “However, we are extremely satisfied with the result—because Iron Annie differs even more clearly from our well-known ‘Spitfire’.”

Aeronautically-themed motorcycles can so easily become rolling clichés. But VTR Customs has proven, once again, that they know how to execute this style with supreme elegance.

VTR Customs | Facebook | Instagram

from Bike EXIF https://ift.tt/7ZdEitR

2023 Indian Sport Chief: Club style for the masses

The Sons of Anarchy TV show may have ended eight years ago, but it forever changed how people see motorcycles and motorcyclists. Though it never showed a perfect example of bikers, we can thank SOA for showing Southern California club-style bikes to the world.

Forget the ‘Sons of Arthritis’ parody shirts on Facebook and the guys trying to look like Jax on a Dyna Wide Glide at the local biker bar. The show will likely be remembered for exposing us to cruisers with sporty suspension, mid-pegs, and slender fairings that are meant for fast riding. They’re meant to handle. They’re meant to be ridden long and hard.

Those bikes have become the style of modern cruisers in America. But you don’t have to take our word for it. Ola Stenegärd, Indian Motorcycle’s head designer, agrees. As the style has taken over in the custom (dare we say ‘club’) scene, Stenegärd is seeing that buyers are gravitating towards that style in the showroom, too.

Today, Indian releases Stenegärd’s latest bike: the Indian Sport Chief. An upgraded version of the existing Indian Chief, it’s a blacked-out cruiser that includes a tall and narrow fairing, mid-pegs, raised narrow bars, a sportier stance, and a solo seat. There are no giant valenced fenders here.

“I’m careful with the term ‘club bike’,” Stenegärd says. “First of all, I also say ‘club style,’ but it’s something like West Coast performance style. I love subcultures and underground stuff and I love where things come from. That whole scene has always fascinated me.”

“Sons of Anarchy took it to the mainstream, but that style has always been around.”

The bikes that were ridden in the 1960s and 1970s were closer to this style than the raked-out choppers we think of from the days of shag carpet. Think Dennis Hopper’s Billy Bike in Easy Rider, not Peter Fonda’s raked-out ‘Captain America’ chopper.

“Dennis Hopper’s bike was typical late 1960s. That’s the coolest bike in the movie,” Stenegärd continues. “If we go full circle, it’s the club bike of today.”

Stenegärd adds that he also took inspiration from the Southern California scene, but not exactly today’s Southern California scene. “It’s like a club bike from the 1940s. That’s the kind of bike clubs would ride to the racetracks like Hollister and you’d take the screen and the bags off and race a little bit. And you needed a club to race.”

To drive home the performance aspect of the Sport Chief, Indian added 43 mm upside-down KYB forks, a pair of Brembo radial calipers on the front, Fox piggyback shocks and Pirelli Night Demon tires. Those are exactly the kinds of parts that club riders add to their bikes. And if you’re still not satisfied, Indian has a full range of bolt-on accessories too, naturally.

The bike has a lowered rear that Stenegärd calls “tail dragging,” so that it doesn’t pitch forward and look like it’s stopping when it’s going. (Buell, too, has leaned into this style with its new Super Cruiser.)

Maybe you could take your new Sport Chief to the dirt track and try out some tail-sliding. The Chief’s big Thunderstroke 116 engine (with 162 Nm of peak torque) would likely be game for the antics.

However, the Sport Chief also makes a nod to riders who aren’t grouches about modern things like screens. On the Sport Chief, the moveable 4.0-inch round TFT display hides convenient touches like turn-by-turn navigation and phone connectivity.

Though SOA is off the air, it is responsible for giving non-motorcyclists an insight into what SoCal riders build, and what many of us now think of when we see a blacked-out custom bike with T-bars. Though not all of us want to look like a featured extra in SOA, let’s face it, it does feel cool to sit on a big, loud, bike with high bars.

We’d just skip the ‘Sons of Arthritis’ shirt.

Indian Motorcycle | Instagram

from Bike EXIF https://ift.tt/e8oOS9y