Speed Read: VTR Custom’s wild BMW F900GS, and more

The new BMW F900GS has only just hit the scene, and VTR Customs has already got their grubby paws on it. Other highlights this week include a Rotax framer from the UK, a BMW R100GS rally replica from the US, and a look at Biltwell Inc.’s new collaboration with Santa Cruz Skateboards.

BMW F900GS by VTR Customs If you’ve ridden the new BMW F900GS, you’ll know it’s a marked improvement over its predecessor. Gunning for rivals like the Yamaha T7 and Triumph Tiger 900, BMW has not only given their middleweight adventure bike more power, but it now has bonafide off-road chops too—with looks to match.

It’s still not wild enough for the crew at VTR Customs though (although, to be fair, few bikes are). The Swiss crew loves to take BMWs, old and new, and crank them up to eleven. For this round, they’ve given the BMW F900GS a louder livery, and a handful of tasteful mods to tighten it up.

Since VTR Customs is the custom arm of a popular BMW dealer, the bike sports several BMW parts too. These would be the tinted windscreen, billet brake and clutch levers, hand guards, and the sporty rally-style solo saddle.

All the OEM frou-frou behind the seat is gone, replaced by a prototype tail tidy arrangement that holds the license plate, a slim taillight, and a pair of tiny Kellermann turn signals.

With no need to swap out the BMW’s fully adjustable suspension, Brembo brakes, or tubeless laced rims, the only performance upgrade is a burly SC-Project exhaust. VTR coated it black, then blacked out the frame and most of the bike’s hard parts.

There’s not a heck of a lot of fat to trim on the new F900GS, but VTR has done well to cut it down where they can. It’s also only the first F900GS that we’ve seen from them—so we’re looking forward to seeing how far they can push what is currently one of our favorite adventure bikes. [VTR Customs]

Rotax framer by Partridge Design Anthony Partridge has had his fingers in many pies over the years—including a stint in reality TV as part of Discovery Channel’s Goblin Works Garage. But, as we all know, there’s not much reality in reality TV. Part of hosting Goblin Works Garage meant outsourcing certain jobs in order to make deadlines while filming; something that has never sat well with Ant.

This Rotax flat tracker was one such contentious project. Ant was building it on the show for his friend and retired British motorcycle racer, James Haydon, but had to scrap the project thanks to shoddy work by a third party. Not wanting to let the bike go though, Ant eventually rebuilt it from the ground up and kept it for himself.

The bike was originally a third-hand flat track race bike with a chromoly frame from Knight Racing, powered by a single-cylinder Rotax motor. Years of being ridden in anger meant that the chassis was in need of a refresh, so Ant repaired and reinforced it, and built a new swingarm with aluminum extrusions from Metmachex Swingarms. The frame was powder-coated black, and the swingarm and myriad other parts were treated to a grey Cerakote finish.

Next, Ant fitted Öhlins suspension components at both ends, plus a Brembo caliper on a custom mount, gripping a Galfer disc, on the back wheel. Sudo Cycles pitched in with a pair of unique billet fork guards, along with the carbon fiber sprocket and chain covers.

The engine didn’t go untouched either. Sportax Racing rebuilt it with an Omega piston and a reworked head, courtesy of Racetechnics. It’s been bumped up to 640 cc, and runs with an upgraded cam, a hydraulic clutch, and a 44 mm Mikuni carb, for a thumping output of 60 hp.

Co-Built Fabrication created the stainless steel exhaust, while the tank, saddle, and side covers are Ant’s handiwork. The seat uses an alloy base with six layers of cut-up yoga mats, and was upholstered by Air-Cooled Upholstery. As for the carbon side covers, those were made from salvaged panels from one of Ken Block’s Ford Fiesta rally cars.

Goblin Works co-host Helen Stanley laid down the illustrations on the fuel tank, echoing the accents on the Neken Jared Mees flat-track handlebars and Alpina rims. [Source]

BMW R100GS by Tyson Carver Like many custom builders, Tyson Carver’s foray into building custom bikes originally started as a hobby. But word spread, and pretty soon he was taking on client work. After an eight-year stint only building bikes for others, the yearning to work on a personal project had reached a fever pitch—so when the opportunity to snap up this 1989-model BMW R100GS came along, he jumped.

The bike had been bought by a friend some time ago, sporting an Acerbis fuel tank, a rudimentary dash, and signs of abuse. Over the course of five years, Tyson’s friend had had the bike worked on by two different shops. He had got as far as having the engine, transmission, and final drive rebuilt, and the frame powder-coated in BMW’s classic Alpine White.

Forward progress had stalled, and so the bike ended up at Tyson’s workshop to get it over the finish line. A few days later though, his friend asked him if he wanted to buy the bike instead. With a head full of ideas, Tyson said “Yes.”

The bike now rides on fully custom suspension; an Öhlins shock sits out back, while re-valved WP Suspension forks from a KTM 450 prop up the front. There’s also a KTM hub up front, laced to an Excel rim with Buchanan spokes. A Brembo caliper grabs a Galfer disc, while a quick-pull axle holds the wheel in place.

The yokes and risers come from Myth Motor, the fairing is from SWT-Sports, and the front fender is a new-old-stock Acerbis part from the 80s. Tyson fabricated a mount to house a KC Lights headlight in the fairing, and added a custom carbon fiber dashboard panel. It’s kitted with a Siebenrock gauge, the stock ignition, custom warning lights, and a cleverly integrated Quad Lock smartphone mount, complete with a vibration dampener (hidden behind the dash) and a wireless charger.

There’s also a small knob to adjust the low-beam brightness of the spotlights that Tyson’s mounted to the crash bars. Other upgrades include ProTaper bars, trimmed Acerbis hand guards, and Doubletake mirrors.

Rebuilding the BMW R100 engine wasn’t originally on the cards—until Tyson rode the bike and realized that all was not well. So he bought a new engine block from a local BMW expert and set to work swapping everything over. A smorgasbord of new Siebenrock parts, including a clutch assembly, pistons, wrist pins, and conrods, were all balanced and installed.

There’s also an upgraded SWT-Sports airbox, a Siebenrock exhaust system, and a Silent Hektik charging system. Finally, Tyson rewired the bike with an NWT ‘brain’ and an Antigravity battery.

Moving to the frame, Tyson took a stock R100GS subframe, trimmed it by 9.5 inches, and added a mix of custom and repurposed BMW luggage racks. The bike can now be fitted with classic BMW plastic cases, aluminum panniers, or soft luggage. An Acerbis fender sits out back.

Tyson also fitted a modified R80G/S seat, lengthened the factory center stand and aftermarket side stand, and re-laced the rear wheel to fresh Buchanan’s spokes. Ballin Customz covered the seat with fresh vinyl, while Leech Custom Cycles handled the throwback Paris-Dakar paint job. Tyson’s BMW R100GS treads familiar ground, visually, but it’s rare that you see a retro rally replica built to such an exacting standard. [Tyson Carver Instagram | Images by Anna Carver]

Biltwell Inc. x Santa Cruz Skateboards Gringo For many of us, skateboarding and motorcycling go together like mac and cheese. To celebrate this, Biltwell has released a limited edition of their super-popular Gringo helmet, featuring what is arguably the most iconic skate logo of all time.

Emblazoned on the side of the gloss vintage white Gringo is Santa Cruz’s ‘Screaming Hand’ graphic. First created in 1985 by Jim Phillips (who was also responsible for Santa Cruz’s ‘dot’ logo), the Screaming Hand has been in constant use since, proving its timelessness. So it’s been burned into the collective consciousness of our friends at Biltwell.

For this limited collaboration, Biltwell has paired the Santa Cruz graphic with their full-face, visor-less Gringo helmet. It’s a no-nonsense helmet with a classic design, using an ABS outer shell, a dual-density internal shell, and a molded urethane chin bar. The interior uses ventilated padding with fleece lycra pads, balancing comfort and breathability.

Going for $274.95 ($50 more than a ‘plain’ model), the Biltwell Inc. x Santa Cruz Gringo is DOT and ECE 22.06 compliant. It’s also on its way to me right now; as a semi-reformed skate rat, I couldn’t be giddier. [More]

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E53 vs E70 BMW X5 30d Facelift – Which One Should You Buy?

We are at the end of 2024, and we still see how the first two generations of BMW X5 are still present in a very large number among us, which proves that there were two very successful generations of BMW X5.

The BMW X5 is among the loveliest vehicles in today’s market’s midsize luxury SUV segment. The first generation was codenamed E53 and it started in 1999. The second-generation BMW E70 X5 was introduced in 2006 and as with many second-generation vehicles, it came in with a new set of enhancements.

The two common engines for these two generations are the 30d diesels for the E53 facelift and the E70, with the E53 X5 30d facelift having an engine power of 218hp (M57 engine), respectively 245hp for the E70 30d facelift (N57 engine).

But which of these facelifted models are more superior?

See below the differences between the 3-liter diesel models of the first two generations of BMW X5, to give you an idea about performance, reliability, price, and other aspects.

Table of Contents

• Release Dates
• Technical Specifications
• Engine Power and Acceleration
• Fuel Consumption
• Reliability
• Pricing
• Conclusion

Release Dates

The first generation E53 BMW X5 came to the market at the end of 1999. In 2004 BMW released the Facelift model with slight changes done on the exterior as well as the interior of the car. The E70 X5 Facelift has been on sale until 2007.

The second generation E70 BMW X5 was released to the market in November 2006. Like its previous model, it was also facelifted in 2010 for the 2011 model release in the market. So, the X5 has a generational update every 5 years.

Technical Specifications

Defining the parameters of both generations of X5 makes it possible to mark them as cars with marvelous performance regardless of the size and weight of midsize luxury SUVs. They both have permanent full-time all-wheel drive installations for the purpose of providing for various road kinds.

The E53 facelift comes fitted with a 6-speed automatic and the E70 comes with a more refined 8-speed automatic transmission with more speed and a quicker shift.

Some key technical specifications:

E53 BMW X5 Facelift 30d
Engine: M57 3.0L inline-6 ( single turbo )
Power: 218hp
Torque: 380lb-ft
0-60mph: 8.1 seconds
Curb weight: 5050lbs

E70 BMW X5 Facelift 30d
Engine: N57 3.0L inline-6 ( single turbo )
Power: 245hp
Torque: 406lb-ft
0-60mph: 6.9 seconds
Curb weight: 4903lbs

Let’s look at the thus rated numbers they bear: here, both have 3.0L diesel straight 6 power plant configuration, though improvements are found to be clearly discernible in the E70 due to upgraded twin turbocharging. The E70 is also lighter than the E53 by 147lbs.

Engine Power and Acceleration

The performance numbers are there as a testimony – the E70 30d’s engine delivers 245hp and 406 Nm of torque as opposed to the E53 with the output of 218hp and 380 Nm of torque.

This power advantage is well translated into acceleration; the E70 30d goes from standstill to 60 mph with a speed of 6.9 seconds; 1.2 seconds faster than the E53. Therefore, regarding those who desire a stronger and quicker accelerating BMW diesel SUV, the E70 30d clearly deserves the win in this sector. It is smooth but has good punch right through the rev range and is very usable in the real world.

Fuel Consumption

While faster and more powerful, the E70 X5 delivers similar fuel mileage numbers to the older E53 due to enhancements in engine and transmission efficiency technology:

E53 X5 Facelift 30d: 22/29/25 mpg

E70 X5 Facelift 30d: 23/31/26 mpg

Thus, drivers can realistically look forward to an additional 1-3 mpg for city, highway, and average in the fresh new second-generation model. This is a relatively slight increase in fuel economy, which is rather commendable bearing in mind the massive hike in power.

While both facelifts’ of the first and second generations of the X5 30d diesels contain similar fuel tank sizes, the overall range one can obtain per tankful is effectively identical at approximately 674-685 km. As for longer-distance motorway travel, the E70 may have the upper hand given its +2 mpg rating in terms of highway use.

However, they are both some of the most fuel-efficient cars in terms of being SUVs with lots of luxury factors added to them.

Reliability

Both generations of BMW X5 are generally reliable vehicles, but they have had some typical issues:

E53 common problems:

• Transfer case wears out too soon
• Faulty fuel pumps
  The other problem with suspension air compressor

E70 common problems:

• Oil leaks
• Electrical glitches
• Faulty fuel injectors

While used cars usually present more problems to foresee, it is advisable to search for cars with many service records. However, when considering the inline-6 engines in these vehicles, they have held up well with just normal standard maintenance. Some parameters do take a hike when it comes to the repair costs and, indeed, complexity – the choice of the V8 instead of the more reliable straight 6 engines.

Pricing

As expected, current resale values tend to favor the newer second-generation X5 models:

E53 X5 Facelift: From $10,000 to $15,000 depending on the year, the first owner, mileage, and overall condition.
E70 X5 Facelift: Price ranges: $15,000 – $25,000 depending on year, mileage, and condition

Given that these cars were sold for $60,000-$100,000 when new, this shows durability and continuing market interest in the BMW X5 even with two new generations in circulation.

Clients do actually get more for their money by opting for the newer E70 with more power, quicker acceleration, the same efficiency, and far superior, up-to-date infotainment technology. That’s where the E53 comes in handy if a person is interested in a more traditional and affordable BMW X5 model.

Conclusion

Namely, engine power, acceleration ability, transmission system, technology, etc, while the older E53 model still holds its ground and arguably would have outclassed the E70 X5 30d in other speeds and features if it had been built several years later.

Both vehicles offer sport-tuned on-road manners despite the bulky size of SUVs. It provides rewarding fun to drive along with the practicality of a people mover and load carrier.

The E70 is slightly pricier; however, it comes with improved performance and additional recent interior amenities. In a nutshell, for buyers seeking plenty of value, there is nothing wrong with making the E53 X5 one of your used luxury vehicle resource options.

Those seeking power and the thrill of a drive can benefit much more from the exceptional E70 instead. That’s why it boils down to which is more important to you: new tech and a high level of objective performance or as much as possible for your money, which will still give you a very good luxury SUV.

Either way, both the E53 and E70 BMW X5 suit the luxurious family’s needs rather well.

What is your opinion regarding both models? Which one would you prefer? Let us know your opinion in the comments below.

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New Found Hope: ICON’s nostalgic Honda VF1000F Interceptor restomod

As far as 80s sportbikes go, the Honda VF1000F Interceptor often gets overshadowed. Riding on the success of the VF750F, Honda introduced the VF1000F to expand their V-four lineup and offer a sport-touring option for riders craving more power and range. But the VF1000F never quite matched the popularity of the 750, and was outgunned by rivals like the Kawasaki GPz900R Ninja.

Still, the VF1000F holds a special place in Honda’s history, since it served as a crucial stepping stone to the legendary VFR series. It’s also hard to look at the old Interceptor now, 40 years on, and not feel a wave of nostalgia for this underappreciated machine.

This gnarly Honda VF1000F Interceptor restomod is the work of ICON Motosports in Portland, Oregon, USA. ICON’s motorcycle gear has one foot in the past and one in the future, so it’s no surprise that the crew was starstruck with the Interceptor in its heyday—especially in its timeless HRC livery.

With a 1984-model Interceptor on the bench, ICON had the arduous task of getting the aging Honda’s motor up to par before moving on to the fun stuff. It took almost a decade to source all of the parts needed to revive the tired old V-four, with most of them coming from three additional VF1000F donors. (Appropriately, the bike was quickly dubbed ‘New Found Hope.’)

With the Interceptor’s engine once again ready to be revved beyond reason, ICON turned its attention to the bike’s running gear. The forks were swapped out for a superior set of Honda CBR900RR items, chosen for their burlier stanchions and traditional right-side-up configuration. The CBR also donated its twin Nissin disc brakes.

Out back, the crew massaged the single-sided swingarm and rear wheel from a Honda VFR400 into place. A Nitron piggyback shock was tucked in beneath the VF1000F’s bodywork, hooked up via a bespoke adaptor plate. Finally, a Ducati Diavel front wheel was slapped on, for no other reason than to match the spoke count of the rear wheel.

Moving to the bodywork, ICON decided to focus exclusively on the tail end of the Interceptor. Their reasoning was that “the distinctive mid-80s bodywork was a thing of beauty in the mid-80s, and still is.” So the VF1000F’s fairing, windscreen, fuel tank, and belly pan are all original parts.

Out back, the crew tore apart the OEM tail section, shortened it, and dressed it with fiberglass-reinforced 3D-printed sections. The subframe underneath the bodywork has been trimmed, the taillight has been pushed deeper into the bodywork, and the passenger accommodations have been replaced by a louvered tail hump. Racy number boards hang from the side, paying homage to the Interceptor’s year of inception.

Other modifications include an endurance-style filler cap atop the fuel tank, updated oil lines, and custom-made aluminum radiator shrouds. Handmade stainless steel exhaust headers terminate in a pair of salvaged Leo Vince cans, which have been modified with billet aluminum baffles.

The VF1000F’s stock clocks still sit behind the high-riding fairing; battered and bruised, but still ticking. The handlebars are tapered carbon fiber numbers that ICON rescued from their parts bin. The top yoke was modified to house a set of MX-style bar clamps, and the bars were outfitted with Brembo clutch and brake controls.

Wrapping the Interceptor are new graphics that pay tribute to HRC’s tried-and-true red, white, and blue. As an American company, that particular color scheme was irresistible…

“As youths, we gazed at the patriotic liveries of the Interceptor offerings,” reads ICON’s ode to the venerable VF. “They were from a time when Honda took chances—when red, white, and blue dominated in both tech and style. It was the dawn of the sportbike, and there would never be another.”

“For 40 years, we’ve chased the feeling that 1984 gave us—40 years of longing for the same adolescent desire. And in New Found Hope, we found it.”

ICON Motosports | Facebook | Instagram

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Sport Edition: JvB-moto’s radical 1988 Harley FXR

Cries of heartbreak echoed across the internet when Harley-Davidson discontinued the revered Dyna. But it’s easy to forget that the Dyna’s inception caused an outcry of its own. That’s because it replaced what many consider one of The Motor Co.’s most iconic motorcycles—the Harley-Davidson FXR.

Introduced in 1982 as an answer to the sportier bikes coming out of Japan, the FXR quickly became known as a Harley that could carve corners. It was so popular, that Harley brought it back as a limited release in the late 90s, alongside its replacement, the Dyna.

Jens vom Brauck isn’t much of a Harley guy, but that hasn’t stopped him from building one of the slickest custom FXRs we’ve seen. The man behind JvB-moto is known for his modern style, and has a knack for trimming the fat off a bike while perfecting its ergonomics.

“A couple of years ago, I got myself an old 80s Harley Electra Glide as a contrast to all the fast modern bikes I was working on,” he tells us. “Not surprisingly, after some time, I found that I do love the old Evolution engine—but that the heavy bike didn’t really fit my riding style. So when I learned about the FXR, I knew that this would be just the right bike for a project.”

“My chopper friends asked, ‘Why that ugly frame?’ Some people say ‘It’s the ugliest Harley ever, don’t touch it, it’s no good for customizing.’ Yes, it’s got an odd frame, but all the FXR owners you speak to really love their bikes—some of them say it was the best H-D ever built.”

Jens’ FXR is a 1988-model Harley-Davidson FXRS-SP Low Rider Sport Edition. It came to him well-maintained with very little on the clock, so he opted to maintain the original patina, rather than strip the motor out and overhaul it. “I really like the 80s vibe it has,” he adds.

“I like to have that in many of my builds, so I tried to conserve that, by keeping many of the original parts and designing new parts in that style. And I tried to keep it simple. No bling-bling—just parts that make sense; parts that make the bike more enjoyable, lighter, and more nimble.

“I tried to take the ‘Low Rider Sport Edition’ title literally, so the riding position is a mix of cruiser and roadster. I also like the analog feel as a contrast to my latest builds. No fuel injection, no electronic devices, no digital displays, no error messages; very pure riding.”

The FXR’s fuel tank is still in play, albeit with a fresh paint job (courtesy of Jen’s uncanny abilities with rattle cans). But the rear half of the Harley has been treated to an extreme makeover. Gone are the traditional fender struts, generous rear fender, and twin seats, and the subframe is now an inch shorter.

The bike now sports a solo seat, nestled against a handmade fiberglass tail section. The whole arrangement works with the kooky vibe of the FXR’s frame instead of battling it, and features a squared-off style that Jens has embraced of late. An LED taillight sits below the lip of the tailpiece, with LED turn signals Frenched into the frame rails.

Jens fashioned new fiberglass side covers too, plus a headlight shroud that houses a rectangular light; a look that’s become a JvB-moto signature. One-off risers are mounted to the top yoke, gripping a set of heavily modified Triumph handlebars that Jens plans to reproduce in stainless steel. (He has a long history of producing bolt-on stuff via the European parts specialist Kedo, so most of the parts on this bike could make it into production if there’s interest.)

The throttle and single mirror are from Biltwell Inc., while the switches are repurposed 1980s Kawasaki items, modified to fit the one-inch-thick bars. Tiny LED turn signals poke out from below the clutch and brake levers, while a small MMB speedo sits off to the left of the steering neck, held by a custom-built vibration-dampening mount.

Everything from the bars to the slim tail emphasizes the FXR’s low-riding stance. But Jens took it even further, by fitting shorter-than-stock KONI rear shocks. The forks are stock on the outside, but they’ve been rebuilt with Progressive Suspension springs and preload adjusters, and stabilized by an aluminum fork brace.

Jens retained the bike’s OEM front wheel but swapped the rear for the solid hoop from an FXLR Low Rider Custom. They’re wrapped in Michelin Commander 3 rubber, with a chunky, but not unreasonable, 150-wide tire at the back. Other mods include a narrower belt and pulley, and a full Beringer braking system to ensure that the FXR stops better than it did in the 80s.

Although Jens didn’t crack open the engine, it’s not quite stock. “It was mildly tuned in the 90s,” he tells us. “I don’t know exactly how much power it makes—but together with the Mikuni flatslide carb, Supertrapp exhaust, and Dyna ignition, it runs pretty damn well.”

“Sure, this bike is not a road racer. But it’s great fun to cruise and to go reasonably fast. With a weight of 245 kilos [540 lbs] and a low center of gravity, it’s a lot lighter and nicer to ride than the modern big twins.”

JvB Moto | Facebook | Instagram | Action photo by Tim Davies

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Rare Rocket: A 56 hp 1959 NSU Prima 3 drag racing scooter

Popularized by events like the Glemseck 101, 1/8th-mile drag racing has given European custom builders a whole new arena to showcase their skills. And with myriad classifications housed within multiple annual events, just about anything goes.

Typical fare at these events includes big bore machines with extended wheelbases, rigid frames, nitrous oxide, and turbo- and superchargers. Hopped-up scooters from defunct German manufacturers—like this 1959 NSU Prima 3—are a rarer breed.

The scoot belongs to and was customized by Krzysztof Szews. An automotive designer by trade, he’s the man behind the custom motorcycle workshop Man and the Machines and one-half of Renstall Moto. He’s also a co-founder of the Rocket Race Club—one of the leagues on the European sprint racing scene.

Rocket Race Club added a scooter class to their race series last year after being approached by an organization of German vintage scooter racing enthusiasts. The inaugural race happened at the Glemseck 101, to the huge delight of the attending masses.

“The crowds were ecstatic, to say the least,” Kris tells us. “Up until then, a scooter was perceived as something very old and slow to get you to the ice cream place at its best. Nobody was expecting this level of noise and speed from these old machines, and such passion and dedication from their builders.”

Kris gets it, since he’s been riding and tuning vintage scooters since the age of 16. So, for this season, he figured that he should throw his hat in the ring with his very own racing scooter.

“I initially wanted to use my Series 3 Li 150 Lambretta as a base,” he says. “I had only recently resto-modded it and was hesitant to rip it apart again. I started to draw out the project anyway, when I accidentally stumbled upon a classified ad of an NSU Prima 3 from 1959.”

NSU was once a prolific marque with multiple land speed records to its name. In the early 50s, they built Lambretta scooters under license in their factory in Neckarsulm, north of Stuttgart. When the license ran out, they switched to building their own version of the Lambretta designs—renaming them the Prima 3 and Prima 5.

“Despite my extensive history with vintage scooters, I had never seen one before,” Kris adds. “I fell in love with the shape—but even more with the fact that it is super rare, and nobody will have ever been silly enough to build a race bike out of one.”

“The scooter I bought was completely dismantled for restoration and not too far from my house. My research showed that the construction of the NSU Prima is fairly similar to a Lambretta, so I thought that I should be able to retrofit a Lambretta fork and engine and make use of the large spectrum of Lambretta tuning parts available. I ended up buying it and knew from the start that all I was going to keep was the frame and parts of the bodywork—everything else would either be off a Lambretta or fabricated.”

Since Kris was going up against experienced scooter-racing madmen, he knew he would have to pull out all the stops. His checklist was extensive and included stretching the wheelbase, lowering the center of gravity, and redistributing the scoot’s weight to keep the front end planted on takeoff.

To this end, one of Kris’ first mods was to move the fuel forward. It now sits in a stainless steel fuel tank between the rider’s legs, rubber-mounted to a custom-made frame brace. A welded-in brass sight glass helps to keep an eye on the fuel level between runs since the tank only holds 2.5 liters [0.66 gallons].

In the meantime, the NSU’s engine (which is good for 7 hp in stock form) went off to a friend for a major upgrade. It came back with a Casa Performance billet aluminum engine casing, prototype cylinder, and performance crankshaft, tweaked to the tune of 56 hp. The exhaust, clutch, and transmission are all Casa items, while the fuel pump and carb are Dell’Orto parts.

With the rebuilt engine in hand, Kris had two tasks ahead of him; mate it to the NSU frame and somehow extend the wheelbase. To kill two birds with one stone, he trimmed the back of the original frame and built a new engine ‘subframe’ to push the motor further back, effectively adding 210 mm to the wheelbase. An extra brace, welded directly to the original frame, offers a stable place to mount the modified Yamaha R1 rear shock.

The work also involved de-tabbing the frame and trimming back the original bodywork in several places. Kris wanted to maintain as much of the original patina as possible, so he took extra care in how to cut the bodywork.

Moving to the front, Kris ditched the NSU forks in favor of a Lambretta Series 3 setup. The scooter’s head tube and headset bearings had to be modified, and the fork legs and springs were shortened to slam the front end and limit suspension travel. Kris also engineered a set of adjusters to set the suspension height and spring preload, and modified the original steering stop.

Kris’ super-scooter rolls on a classic 10” Lambretta front wheel, while the 10” real wheel comes from the massive German scooter tuning outlet, SIP Scootershop. Both hoops are wrapped in racing slicks from PMT Tyres in Italy. Kris also updated the front wheel with a disc brake, using a Magura HC3 master cylinder and a braided stainless steel line.

The cockpit uses a mountain bike stem to hold a set of modified bars with modified clip-ons on the ends of them. The throttle is from Magura, and the handlebar-mounted gear shifter is from MB Scooters. Kris built the drilled aluminum seat pan by hand, and added some bite to the floor boards, brake pedal, and kick starter by coating them in skateboard grip tape.

As a nod to the rare NSU’s origins, Kris left its 65-year-old red paint job alone. The only additions are a set of decals to thank his sponsors, and a very special adornment at the front.

“The dragon on the fender was inspired by WW2 airplane nose art,” he tells us. “It was designed and painted by my 11-year-old daughter, Ava. She spent around three days laying it out, pre-drawing everything with pencil, and used pin-striping paint to do the final coloring.”

Working under the rule of “form follows deadline,” Kris managed to button the NSU up just in time for this year’s Glemseck 101 event. As a rookie, he didn’t rack up too many wins—but he did walk away with the ‘Best Style’ trophy, which he counts as a big win. He’s also relieved that the scoot performed as intended…

“Having never built a dedicated race machine with such an insane power-to-weight ratio and such heavy changes to the frame geometry, I had no idea if this thing was even going to drive in a straight line, if it would wheelie, spin the rear wheel, or do anything else unexpected. A few improvements are planned for next year’s season, but all in all the machine works great!”

Man And The Machines | Facebook | Instagram | Images by, and with thanks to, Marc Holstein and Christine Gabler

Kris would like to thank Micky and Lorenzo at Casa Performance, Magura, Jesco Schmidt and André Jueterbock at SIP Scootershop, Falco Engelfried, Sebastian Neumann, and the very special engine builder who became a friend and prefers to stay incognito.

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