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Amazing Motorcycle Concepts From Lien Ying-Te

Concept motorcycles are everywhere, with easy access to CAD software and 3D rendering tools, now everyone is a designer, or so they like to believe, but every now and then a real CAD master offers up a few ideas that are just gorgeous. Lien Ying-Te is one of those masters and the concepts shown here […]

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Custom Bikes Of The Week: 14 January, 2018

The best cafe racers, scramblers and bobbers of the week
A stunning new concept from the designer of the BMW Alpha Landspeeder, a gorgeous Hodaka Ace restomod, a 200 hp turbocharged Indian Scout from Sweden, and a Yamaha SR400 homage to the fashion designer Emilio Pucci. How’s that for variety?

Custom Hodaka Ace motorcycle
Hodaka Ace ‘Navajo’daka’ When Chris Tope found a $20 chrome gas tank at a swap meet, he thought it would make a cool desk lamp project. After researching its origin, that plan was scrapped and a full Hodaka build began. Eight months and ten days later, the Navajo’daka rolled out of the toy hauler he uses as a workshop—and jaws began to drop.

With only the tank to start with, Tope scoured eBay and managed to score a Hodaka Ace for another half-dozen Andrew Jacksons. The old Ace was complete, but it needed a lot of work. The frame received a 3-inch stretch and the welds were bolstered for added strength.

Replacement parts were tough to source, but persistence and patience paid off. The engine in Navajo’daka has been punched up to 125 cubic centimeters of two-stroke fury, and it now breathes through a 28mm Mikuni carb.

Custom Hodaka Ace motorcycle
But it’s the design details that really steal the show here. The Navajo theme stemmed from sketches Tope had made in a notebook, and he went to great lengths to ensure they were executed expertly.

There’s a 1882 Morgan coin on the tank, and Buffalo nickels on the grip ends—hand engraved by J. H. Ranger and complete with an integrated Hodaka logo. [More]

Mehmet Doruk Erdem's 'Khan' BMW motorcycle concept
Mehmet Doruk Erdem’s ‘Khan’ BMW motorcycle concept If the name Mehmet Doruk Erdem doesn’t ring a bell, it should. His design was the one that guided the hands on the achingly gorgeous Alpha we featured last year.

This time around, Mehmet has changed his gaze from the past directly into the future. The dustbin fairing has some otherworldly levels of aggression that both the Romulans and Denis Villeneuve would adore and, admittedly, so do I. Based around the boxer found in the R1100R, Khan may fall a few MPH shy of warp speed but its stance sitting still is slippery quick.

Über-Builder Mark Atkinson turned Alpha into reality, so we hope an equally exceptional builder decides to tackle Khan. [More]

200 bhp turbocharged Indian Scout by Fullhouse Garage
Turbocharged Indian Scout by Fullhouse Garage Shop Mixing modern technology with classic lines is nothing new to the custom world. Hell, the whole scene basically runs on that kind of thinking. And while there are plenty of builders doing it well, there’s only a handful that marry those elements impeccably. With their latest build, Stockholm-based Fullhouse Garage joins the elite.

Created to pay tribute to Indian’s original engine builder, Oscar Hedström, Anders Lundgren and Lasse Sundberg combined their talents to deliver this blown Indian Scout. But there’s much more going on here than a little turbocharged hot-roddery.

The Super Scout’s frame is completely bespoke and was crafted out of three separate components. The tank is a one-off unit, with the actual fuel cell now residing under the saddle—so some of the intricate plumbing on the Garret T25, as well as the throttle bodies, electrics and master cylinder, could hide.

The fueling is programmable, as is the boost control. And there’s a Bluetooth ignition system to transmit tuning data wirelessly, as well as adding spark to the 1133cc Indian V-Twin.

200 bhp turbocharged Indian Scout by Fullhouse Garage
Up front, the Super Scout rides on a W&W Indian leaf spring suspension and a Beringer inboard brake hugs the hub of the 23-inch hoop. The rear is a hardtail set-up, with a matched, cross radial laced wheel and a billet sprocket brake by Harrison that completes the 1920s boardtracker aesthetic.

According to Lundgren, final tuning is still being tinkered with but he’s already impressed; “It feels amazing—like you have moved back to the 1920s, with a rocket between your legs.”

Yamaha SR400 scrambler by Candy Motorcycle Laboratory
Yamaha SR400 by Candy Motorcycle Laboratory Combining a mix of tracker, scrambler and motocross styles, the two-man team from Japan has delivered a braptastic take on the Yamaha SR400. Named ‘Pucci’ as a tip-o-the-hat to the champion of colors, fashion designer Emilio Pucci, the bike’s stance and style is rivaled only by its extensive palette.

To nail the slender silhouette they were aiming for, Candy MC Lab handmade all of the bodywork and a new stunted subframe was grafted on. The tank, seat, rear cowl, exhaust and even the handlebars are all one-off, bespoke units. To scrounge a little more oomph from the 399cc thumper (and not waste the work on that exhaust), the carb from its bigger brother, the SR500 was fitted.

Yamaha SR400 scrambler by Candy Motorcycle Laboratory

The twin shocks from the factory were binned in favor of a cantilevered swingarm set-up and the forks have been re-jigged up front, too. Which is a good thing, since I imagine anyone twisting the grip on this thing will be searching out some rough terrain to roost with those knobby Michelin Trial Competition X11s. [More]

Custom BMW R nineT Racer by Tank Machine
Custom BMW R nineT Racer by Tank Machine Built in collaboration with BMW Motorrad France, ‘Redline’ is a dark and sinister approach to the R nineT Racer by aftermarket experts Tank Machine. With only a month to finish the bike, many of the parts and pieces can installed by us average Joes—but there’s still plenty of custom work to admire.

Custom BMW R nineT Racer by Tank Machine
The front fairing has been trimmed to slim down the stock nose, and in the process, builder Clement has neatly integrated a set of Motogadget Pin indicators. The roundels that typically adorn any Beemer have been swapped for a milled set, and the blood-red-on-black paint scheme looks spot on—although I’d have opted out of the ‘Racer’ graphics. An Akrapovič exhaust has been fitted up, and the boxer now breathes freely through color-matched, Uni pod filters.

For interested Racer owners out there, Tank Machine has itemized the bolt-on build sheet, which includes plenty from their own in-house developments as well as those from Rizoma and Motogadget. It may not be wild, in terms of modifications, but it shows how even mild changes can deliver a winner. [More]

Custom BMW R nineT Racer by Tank Machine

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Vespa Scooters Re-imagined

What happens when a scooter designer dreams? After all, one scooter from year to year doesn’t change much, but suppose one night, the designers, maybe after a night out, head back to the office, lock the doors on their studio and let the ideas flow. Who knows what might happen, you might get something like […]

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The 11 Best Motorcycles of EICMA 2016

The 11 Best Motorcycles of EICMA 2016
In Milan, the huge EICMA show is finally winding down. It’s the world’s most influential motorcycle showcase, and a barometer for the state of the industry.

This year, the giant halls were chock-a-block with new bike launches from all sectors of the market. Ducati showed the 1299 Superleggera for folks who like to wear one-piece leathers, and the Aerostich brigade got a treat with a whole fleet of new ADV and commuter bikes.

But the center of gravity was the modern-retro scene, with the ‘modern’ part finally catching up with the ‘retro’ part. There were 70s throwbacks a-plenty, but also some intriguing new approaches to stripped-back, classic styling.

These are the 11 bikes that revved our engines the hardest.

Honda CB1100 TR Concept
Honda CB1100 TR Concept We were a little disappointed with Honda’s CB1100 update revealed at the INTERMOT show. But this 70s-styled concept more than makes up for the half-hearted model refresh. The vibe is muscular and vintage—equal parts flat track and superbike—with angular new bodywork.

The suspension is top-shelf Öhlins all round, the wheels are shod with sticky slicks, and the Termignoni exhaust ends with a muffler pointed skywards. There are no plans for production, but the reaction to this concept has been astounding. Let’s hope Honda’s product planners take note and press the Go button.

BMW R nineT Urban G/S
BMW R nineT Urban G/S There are now five variants of the R nineT, and we reckon this is the prettiest of the lot. It’s largely a cosmetic exercise, though, with the emphasis on the ‘Urban’ rather than ‘G/S’ part of the name.

Mechanically, it sits between the ‘Pure’ and ‘Scrambler‘ models, with a 19-inch front wheel, fork gaiters, MX-style pegs and a raised front fender. (It comes specced with alloy wheels, but we reckon it looks better with the optional laced items shown here.) And of course there’s that nose fairing, white paint scheme and gorgeous red seat—all harking back to the original R 80 G/S.

Husqvarna Vitpilen 401
Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 We already knew the Vitpilen was coming. The real news is that the production version does not deviate much from the stunning concept we revealed here exclusively in November 2014.

The bike is based on the KTM 390 Duke, so it should be light and nimble. The post-modern Scandinavian styling is all present and correct, despite the presence of legal mandatories on the EICMA show bikes, like mirrors and license plate holders. The suspension is via WP, and there are four-piston brakes up front with two-channel ABS. The Vitpilen 401 is due to land in showrooms in Fall 2017, but there’s no word yet on US availability.

Husqvarna Svartpilen 401
Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 The Svartpilen is the evil twin of the Vitpilen, a blacked-out doppelgänger with a nod to the current scrambler craze. That means higher bars, knobby dual sport tires, a skid plate and a rather cool luggage rack atop the tank. Granted, it’s more for the show than go, but that doesn’t stop us lusting after it.

Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 Aero
Husqvarna Vitpilen 401 Aero Perhaps conscious that they needed more than just the productionized 401s to create a splash, Husqvarna also dropped a new concept—the show stopping Vitpilen 401 Aero. Like the production models, it’s mostly the work of Maxime Thouvenin of Kiska, the design studio closely aligned with Husqvarna.

For us, the Aero ties with Honda’s TR concept for the Best In Show trophy. It’s pitched as “A compact, single-cylinder ‘Real Street’ bike…a modern interpretation of what a faired bike should look like.”

There’s nothing retro about this design: It’s a 21st century interpretation of the café racer, with strikingly original bodywork. Let’s hope this one makes it into production too, even if it’s only a body kit for the regular Vitpilen.

Triumph Street Scrambler
Triumph Street Scrambler The launch of the new Bonneville range has been hugely successful, but until now there’s been an important piece missing from the jigsaw: the Scrambler replacement. Triumph has now plugged the gap with the reveal of the ‘Street Scrambler,’ and it looks very tasty indeed.

Hard information is scant though, because Triumph is following its now familiar procedure with this launch: show the bike and brief specs, but save pricing, power outputs and specific details for later on. We’re told that the Scrambler shares some basics with the Street Twin, but has a new chassis, a 19-inch front wheel and longer shocks.

Dirt-friendly features unique to the Scrambler include a bash plate, a chunky high mount exhaust, and ABS that can be switched off via the instrument panel. And the passenger seat is removable—with an aftermarket luggage rack available to mount in its place.

Limited edition Yamaha XSR900 Abarth
Limited edition Yamaha XSR900 Abarth Fiat and Yamaha are odd bedfellows, but as anyone who watches MotoGP will know, the relationship is deep and the Yamaha Motor Racing team is actually based in Italy.

We don’t often see the fruit of this relationship on the street, so this limited edition XSR900 is a novelty. Abarth is Fiat’s tuning arm, and its name will appear on 695 of these lightly tricked-out cafe racers. In dynamic terms the XSR900 is as good as it gets, but this model is boosted with a carbon fiber fairing, fender and tail unit, plus special paint and clip-on bars. Mechanically it’s standard XSR900, aside from the sinuous titanium Akrapovič exhaust. No word on pricing yet, but it’ll probably be worth it for the exhaust system alone.

Yamaha T7 concept motorcycle
Yamaha T7 concept EICMA had plenty of fresh new metal to keep dirtbike and ADV fans happy—from the Africa Twin Enduro Sport to the compact BMW G 310 GS. But the most radical machine was the Yamaha T7, powered by the MT-07/FZ-07 twin.

Developed in Europe, the T7 is a true high-ridin’ rally raider with a 21-inch front wheel, and a potential successor to the XT600Z Ténéré. We’re digging the aluminum bodywork, which makes the T7 look like it was designed to blast across the deserts of Tatooine. Expect to see a production variant of this machine in 2018.

Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled
Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled Mercifully, this ‘Scrambler’ is not a badge-engineering exercise. The existing Ducati Scrambler frame has been reinforced, there’s a new swingarm, and—most importantly—there’s now a substantial eight inches of suspension travel. The new seat has added plushness too, and the 19-inch front wheel and Pirelli Scorpion STR tires mean business. Ducati’s Scrambler finally has real purpose—and looks like an absolute blast to ride.

Ducati Scrambler Cafe Racer
Ducati Scrambler Cafe Racer Isn’t that one of the strangest names ever given to a motorcycle? A scrambler that’s also a cafe racer? Semantics aside, it’s a good-looking bike, and one that we’ve wanted to see Ducati produce for a while now. There’s a 17-inch front wheel, clip-ons, a radial master cylinder for the front brakes, and an appealing upkick to the tail. It’s a toss-up whether we’d take this or the new Monster 797, which also uses the 803cc air-cooled engine.

2017 Fantic Caballero
Fantic Caballero The tiny Italian manufacturer punched well above its weight at EICMA with the frankly gorgeous Caballero. The iconic name returns for a model with two styles—flat track and scrambler (shown here)—and three displacements. Yamaha is providing a 125cc motor, with 250 and 500cc engines coming from the Chinese maker Zongshen.

The frames are chrome molybdenum, the forks are adjustable 41mm USDs, and Arrow will be supplying the exhausts. We’re told the bigger-engined Caballeros will hit the showrooms in mid 2017, with the 125 to follow. If the pricing is right, we reckon this will be a hit, despite Fantic’s small network of dealers.

Those are our picks from EICMA 2016—which ones are your favorites?

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Going Huge: What it Takes to Design a Concept Bike

Huge Moto's retro-futuristic Honda CBR1000RR-based concept.
Last year, Huge Moto’s Honda CBR1000RR ‘cafe fighter’ conversion melted the EXIF servers. Bill Webb and his team focused on creating unique bolt-on parts—leaving the base motorcycle largely un-hacked.

The San Francisco-based outfit is now tackling its most ambitious project yet: a complete, ground-up concept motorcycle, called MONO RACR.

Huge Moto's retro-futuristic Honda CBR1000RR-based concept.
Even though we normally feature physical motorcycles that can be touched and ridden, this is a remarkable and unusually intriguing concept. So we squeezed Bill for a full look at it, and a glimpse into Huge Moto’s thought processes.

What’s the idea behind MONO RACR?

A retro-modern design aesthetic, combining the latest race bike tech with track-proven frame geometry, component setup and aerodynamics.

Huge Moto's retro-futuristic Honda CBR1000RR-based concept.
What did you base it on?

This virtual bike build began with one crucial component as a starting point: a Honda 1000cc inline four-cylinder motor. From there, every component was carefully considered, designing from the inside out.

Both the mainframe and swing arm are designed to be a mono-form carbon fiber construction, for added weight savings and performance. Our goal is to make this bike as real as possible—and not just another bullshit concept bike. We’re currently exploring fabrication options to make MONO real.

Huge Moto's retro-futuristic Honda CBR1000RR-based concept.
What was your frame of reference when designing the chassis?

We started with the idea of a futuristic carbon fiber frame and swingarm, which matched much of the track-proven hard point dimensions on race and sport bikes. We focused on the relationship of the frame to the motor and other significant components.

We tried as much as possible to learn from existing bikes and not re-invent the wheel on every component. Once we had a frame design we liked, we started laying out everything as efficiently and intelligently as possible—knowing we wanted to end up with a very clean, curvature continuous outer fairing design that would hug the hard bits.

Huge Moto's retro-futuristic Honda CBR1000RR-based concept.
How did you arrive at the retro-futuristic design of the bodywork?

Once we had a basic ‘virtual rolling chassis’ we focused on trying to come up with a design that could stand out from current sport bikes, for its design consistency and ‘clean’ aggression.

I think this is where the retro-modern aspect comes in… and what we found is that this was the biggest challenge to do without sacrificing function or performance. Once you account for all the same functional constraints as Ducati, Honda, Yamaha, etc., there isn’t much left. So it ends up being a difficult, or subtle, design exercise.

Huge Moto's retro-futuristic Honda CBR1000RR-based concept.
We don’t like all the crazy, over-designed elements that seem to get more pronounced year to year with the current crop of sport bikes. So we needed a bold, simple design element that could be a flexible theme that could pull the whole bike together visually.

So we came up with this idea of an angled vector line. The side view of the bike is comprised of these repeated design lines from front to back. This style of line works well with the constraints and ergonomics, and gives a ton of classic character without being too ‘mountain dew’ design.

Huge Moto's retro-futuristic Honda CBR1000RR-based concept.
How did you test everything virtually, to make sure it works in reality?

The short answer is that we haven’t done that yet. I had some engineering help with the few elements that aren’t already ‘proven’—namely the carbon fiber frame and swing arm.

The reality is that a full carbon fiber frame and swing arm is a huge challenge that the big manufacturers and MotoGP race teams are in the process of figuring out.

Huge Moto's retro-futuristic Honda CBR1000RR-based concept.
So how far is the MONO RACR from being a reality?

In terms of the industrial design process, I would say that this is at the stage of a refined concept, taken to about eighty percent real.

So that decision-makers can decide whether or not it is compelling enough to create a fully staffed team of engineers, to figure it out and tweak it into a final product. A realistic concept at an auto show to gauge interest, to put it another way.

Huge Moto's retro-futuristic Honda CBR1000RR-based concept.
A few of these renders had us doing a double-take…

People love Bike EXIF for the craftsmanship and the gritty reality of the bike builds. We didn’t want this bike to come across as some crazy neon bullshit, so we tried to present the bike and all the detail shots in a style that mimicked the garage-slash-warehouse environment of many builders.

So what happens next?

We’re hoping to drum up excitement see if there is interest in helping fabricate this. The carbon fiber frame and swing arm, for example, would be a huge challenge on its own… so maybe we could substitute aluminum and make something close.

Huge Moto's retro-futuristic Honda CBR1000RR-based concept.
Huge Moto is a side passion—our day jobs at Huge Design keep us busy. Huge Moto/Huge Design will be moving into an all new shop facility in downtown San Francisco within six months, with more machines and tools, and more capability to prototype bikes.

Huge Design | Huge Moto | Instagram

Huge Moto's retro-futuristic Honda CBR1000RR-based concept.

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RK Concepts Bearing Cycle is Oddly Interesting

If you’re looking for visual interest in a custom motorcycle, the RK Concepts Bearing Cycle offers a lot of it. I noticed this bike for sale and can’t remember seeing it before, though it’s not the type of build I usually follow so that’s not surprising, but it’s kinda neat. The entire center frame of […]

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Noise Cycles’ Harley Shovelhead Drips With 70s Style

This Harley Shovelhead by Noise Cycles Drips With 70s Style
Harley-Davidson styling has always been deliberately behind the times. Even in the 70s, the Shovelheads had more of an early 60s vibe.

But what if a little early superbike magic had rubbed off on the Big Twins? You’d get something like this stunning machine—a 1979 FL from master builder Scott ‘T-Bone’ Jones of Noise Cycles.

This Harley Shovelhead by Noise Cycles Drips With 70s Style
It’s called ‘Shovelhead KZ,’ and yes, there’s a hint of Kawasaki KZ1000 in there.

But sitting above those 74 cubes of Milwaukee grunt is a Yamaha RD350 tank. It shouldn’t work, but it fits just perfectly.

This Harley Shovelhead by Noise Cycles Drips With 70s Style
Right behind is a long and plush stepped seat, with ample room for two-up riding. Check out the stitching and trim—it’s incredible work from Jon Revilla, better known as The Seat Guy.

This Harley Shovelhead by Noise Cycles Drips With 70s Style
The tank is not the only Japanese part. Scott has slotted a Kawasaki headlight into the one-off aluminum nacelle, and fitted a discreet Honda stoplight to the chunky custom tail unit.

The fabrication is top-notch, as you’d expect from a man who worked with Jesse James and Ian Barry before setting out on his own just four years ago. Not surprisingly, he’s now a regular at the invite-only Born Free shows.

This Harley Shovelhead by Noise Cycles Drips With 70s Style
The 18-inch front wheel began life on a Honda Gold Wing, but the solid 16-inch rear disc is from the Harley-Davidson catalog.

Both rims are shod with Dunlop Qualifier high performance radials—no Firestones here.

This Harley Shovelhead by Noise Cycles Drips With 70s Style
The torquey motor was in good condition, so Scott has just tickled it a little. He’s grafted on a Harley FXS header, hooked it up to a custom Noise Cycles muffler, and coated both in a deep black. A Biltwell throttle controls the gas, installed on custom-made bars.

This Harley Shovelhead by Noise Cycles Drips With 70s Style
The ride has been brought up to date with the help of the fine folks at Progressive Suspension. “I didn’t realize while building it how comfortable it would be,” says Scott. “It’s super comfortable.”

This Harley Shovelhead by Noise Cycles Drips With 70s Style
And that deep, impossibly glossy paint? Full credit to Matt Ross Custom Paint and Jen Hallett for a sublime job.

Black and gold never gets old.

Noise Cycles | Facebook | Instagram | Thanks to Jose Gallina for the images

This Harley Shovelhead by Noise Cycles Drips With 70s Style

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The 10 Best Motorcycles of EICMA 2015

The 10 Best Motorcycles of EICMA 2015
As the giant EICMA 2015 motorcycle show closes its doors, we’re getting the feeling that manufacturers are shifting their focus. Everyone’s scrambling (see what we did there?) for a share of the modern-retro scene. They’re designing bikes that blend modern tech with classic aesthetics and timeless sensibilities.

That means motorcycles with neutral styling, more options for customization and, yes, more ‘scramblers.’ It’s a good time for motorcycling.

The biggest news was the new Triumph Bonneville range, but we’ve already covered that. So here are ten more releases from Milano that got our motors running.

EICMA 2015: Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 Concept
Husqvarna Vitpilen 701 Concept If last year’s 401 concepts had you frothing at the mouth, Husqvarna has a whole lot of good news for you. For starters, the Vitpilen 401 will be on dealer floors in 2017—along with a 125cc version of it. On top of that, we have this to drool over: the Vitpilen 701, a concept based on the same platform as the 701 Enduro and 701 Supermoto ‘big singles.’

It’s a stunner, right down to every little detail (note the line running from the back of the tank through the exhaust hanger). Husqvarna say they’re committed to expanding their street range; with any luck we’ll see these on the streets soon after the 401.

EICMA 2015: Ducati Scrambler Sixty2
Ducati Scrambler Sixty2 Ducati have finally confirmed rumors of a smaller Scrambler with the Sixty2. Think of it as ‘Scrambler Lite’—a 400cc variant making only 41HP and weighing about 7lbs less. Ducati have kept costs down with cheaper right-side-up forks and less powerful brakes, and they’ve ditched the swappable side panels on the tank.

The hope is that a cheaper (and less intimidating) Scrambler will help breed new Ducatisti. But considering that the Sixty2’s set to be priced at just $500 less than a ‘regular’ Scrambler, we’re not so sure.

EICMA 2015: Indian Scout Sixty
Indian Scout Sixty Another ‘Sixty’—but from the other side of the Atlantic. The Scout has been a smash hit for Indian, and Roland Sands has already proved it can be customized well. If you like the Scout—but not its price tag—the Scout Sixty is your bike. You lose eight cubic inches, about 10Nm of torque and one gear—but get to keep $2,000 more in your bank account (for the entry level model in black).

To prove how much fun the Scout Sixty can be, Indian gave Roland Sands five of them to prep for flat-tracking, and proceeded to race them in the ‘Super Hooligan’ class at the Superprestigio of the Americas event, held in Las Vegas.

EICMA 2015: Suzuki VanVan 200
Suzuki VanVan 200 Remember the beloved Suzuki VanVan? Originally manufactured in the 70s, Suzuki revived the series a few years ago. And now they’ve bumped the engine up from 125cc to a slightly more respectable 200cc. That means it’s now a legitimate option as a pocket scrambler—a light, laid-back throwback, that will hopefully get the same attention from custom builders enjoyed by the Yamaha TW200. [Suzuki product page]

EICMA 2015: Victory Ignition Concept
Victory Ignition Concept Remember Victory’s Project 156, the bike that Roland Sands built to race in Pikes Peak? Here’s that same engine in a new concept: the Ignition. It’s been designed by Swiss builder, Urs Erbacher. Erbacher’s drag racing history shines through—the 1200cc, liquid-cooled mill’s wrapped in a cast aluminum chassis, complete with performance brakes and suspension.

Is it a classically styled motorcycle? No. Is it ripe for customization? Perhaps not. But does it get our hearts racing? Oh, definitely. [Victory]

EICMA 2015: Benelli Leoncino
Benelli Leoncino We don’t hear much from Chinese-owned, Pesaro-based Benelli these days. So it was a surprise to see them revive the Leoncino name at EICMA. The original ‘lion cub’ was a post-WWII, 125cc bike. Now it’s a 500cc, twin-cylinder scrambler. Details are sparse, but its ergonomics and spoked wheels (19” front and 17” rear) suggest that the Leocino should be good for mild off-road use. Plus it’s really cute.

EICMA 2015: Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber
Moto Guzzi V9 Bobber Not to be left out, Moto Guzzi released their own ‘scrambler’ at EICMA: the V7 II Stornello. But it was their new V9 that grabbed our attention. Powered by an updated, Euro 4 compliant, 850cc mill, it’s available in two guises: the Bobber, and the Roamer. The differences are cosmetic, but the murdererd-out Bobber is too good to resist. All it’s missing is some pipe wrap and a set of Firestones…

EICMA 2015: Yamaha XSR900
Yamaha XSR900 When we rode the XSR700, and then saw Roland Sands’ ‘Faster Wasp,’ we knew it was only a matter of time before Yamaha revealed a MT-09-based standard. And here it is: the XSR900. A bike with the same ‘Faster Sons’ design philosophy as the XSR700, but wrapped around 850cc of triple-cylinder awesomeness.

Like the 700, it’s loaded with aluminum parts, round lights and a gorgeous seat, and will be just as easy to mod. Only now it also comes in a special, 60th anniversary ‘King Kenny’ yellow scheme (along with the rest of the Sport Heritage range). We can’t wait to swing a leg over it.

EICMA 2015: Bimota Tesi 3D RaceCafe
Bimota Tesi 3D RaceCafe The Bimota Tesi 3D blends hub-centered steering with the air-cooled, 803cc engine found in the Ducati Scrambler. The RaceCafe variant is Bimota’s attempt at giving it a more café-racer slant. Calling it a ‘café racer’ would be too much of a stretch—but it’s exotic and outrageous enough that we love it anyway.

EICMA 2015: BMW R nineT Scrambler
BMW R nineT Scrambler BMW’s Path 22 concept was a sure sign that a R nineT ‘scrambler’ was imminent. But it left us wondering: how close would the final product be to the concept? As it turns out, extremely close. The R nineT Scrambler is built on the same chassis and engine as the stock R nineT, but with right-side-up forks, cast alloy wheels (with a 19” rim up front) and a solo seat.

The ratio of bars-to-seat-to-pegs has been adjusted to be more ‘scrambler-ish.’ There are some cost-cutting features too—like a simpler fuel tank in steel, rather than the existing alloy unit. It all suggests that the Scrambler will be priced lower than the original R nineT. We give BMW top marks for styling; if they get the price right, it’s a shoo-in.

Those are our picks from EICMA 2015—which ones are your favorites?

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Yamaha OR2T 4 Wheel Leaning Motorcycle Concept

If there was any doubt Yamaha is devoting engineering resources to the idea of leaning multi wheel vehicles, this should erase those thoughts, it’s the OR2T, a 4 wheel leaning motorcycle concept, based on the Tesseract leaning 4 wheeler from 2007. It looks like a well developed test bed for finding out how it works […]

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Bikes of the Week

Bikes of the Week: the best custom motorcycles of the web
A CB750 plastered with gas station signs, a Yamaha RD350 turned into an oddball dual-sport weapon, and a show-winning Norton Atlas bobber. Matt Neundorf presents the most interesting customs breaking cover over the past week.

Honda CB750 by Vibrazioni Art Design
Honda CB750 Cafe by Vibrazioni Art Design The Daft Punk-esque duo from Vibrazioni Art Design have a penchant for welder’s masks—and turning nostalgic gas station paraphernalia into rolling works of art. Pennzoil takes center stage on this industrial CB750 build, which is devoid of anything befitting a garage queen.

It’s dirty, it’s raw, and it’s finished with a heavy dose of patina. This OG superbike looks like it could teach a new CBR a thing or two around the bends at San Marino. [More]

Custom Ducati Monster by the Dutch workshop Affetto.
Ducati Monster W101 Café Racer by Affetto Ducati Until its recent redesign, the Ducati Monster was a raw interpretation of naked speed on two wheels. This café racer version from the Netherlands Ducati specialist serves as a glorious reminder of the visceral reaction that simplicity can elicit.

The wheels on this Monster were swapped to 17-inch units to improve handling and looks. The brakes were upgraded to 996 spec, and from there—in true café tradition—everything unnecessary was eliminated. There are lots of handmade touches that set this bike apart, but the cheeky exhaust is what holds my gaze every time I see it. Bellissima! [More]

Yamaha XV1 custom by Magnum Opus.
#88 Dual Racer Yamaha XV by Magnum Opus The original intent behind the cafe racer movement was to add speed by shedding weight. When the build team at Magnum Opus completed their surgery on this Virago, some fifty to sixty pounds of OEM excess had been lopped off.

Hand built parts like the rear subframe, the new headlight and those exquisite down-shooting pipes help with the lightness as well as the looks. Other subtle touches involved swapping the tank for a CB750 unit, and fitting a tucked-and-rolled Motolanna seat to the modified frame—creating a stance and aesthetic that can’t be ignored. The dual sport rubber is a nice touch, too. [More]

1973 Triumph Bonneville custom by Drifter Bikes.
The Villain by Drifter Bikes A popular move for many builders is to cut the rear frame to shed weight, clean up the lines and facilitate an overall aesthetic. But on this 1973 Bonneville, dubbed The Villain, Paul from the Australian builder Drifter Bikes decided to go the opposite way—leaving the rear frame intact and customizing everything else to fit.

He’s repositioned the tank to create balance, and fabricated a custom, minimalist seat to fit the stock frame. But what sets this package off completely are those upswept flowing pipes that match the lines of the subframe support perfectly. [More]

Yamaha RD350 dual sport custom by Threepence Moto.
Yamaha RD350 by Threepence Moto This oddball Yamaha RD350 was crafted by Colorado-based Wesley Case to survive a run on the Trans-America Trail. The long-travel suspension is a must for tackling the gravel roads from Tennessee to Oregon, and a custom three-chamber gas tank keeps the two-stroke chugging during long days.

After the completion of the planned journey next year, Wes will be raffling off this mechanized jackrabbit: all proceeds will go to the Childhood Leukemia Foundation, in honor of a friend lost to the disease. [More]

Norton Atlas custom by Matt Machine.
Norton Atlas by Matt Machine If you were lucky enough to attend this year’s Born Free show, this custom Norton Atlas may look a touch familiar: it took home the trophy for Best British Build at the show.

It’s easy to see why. The crisp and clean lines of Matt Darwon’s Norton are nothing short of captivating. Combining elements from the bobber and flat-track styles, this heavily modified predecessor to the Commando looks like an absolute riot to ride. From the springer front end to the rigid rear set-up, it’s the absence of excess—the purposeful voids—that truly set this build off. [More]