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Spike Lee Directed Stylish Coach Ad Features a Harley XG750R and Michael B. Jordan

Words Matter, But Does Reality?

First off, the headline of this article is nothing more than a big name drop. With that said, there are some good names in there. Coach, the high-end retailer of men and women’s fashion items, employed superstar actor Michael B. Jordan and famous director Spike Lee to put together a killer video for #WordsMatter in an attempt to promote its men’s fashion line. 

While I wouldn’t trust a Coach jacket to save me in a crash, there’s no denying that Michael B. Jordan looks cool. The ad is kind of silly because Jordan is riding an awesome Harley XG750R Flat Track racer in the middle of a dust-swirling desert yet his clothes are spotless. That’s just good advertising.

In the video, Jordan stops his awesome bike, gets off for some godforsaken reason, and starts picking up rocks. The moral of the story here is that words have power and you should toss aside negativity for positivity, paying special attention to your word choice. I’m a big believer that words do matter, and that positivity is key to generally living a good life, so I’m all about the overall message here. I do find it funny that we’re relying on a fashion company and celebrities to teach us moral lessons, though. 

Anyway, it’s a good video, a well-crafted one by any rate, and if you want to see an awesome Harley XG750R riding around with a well-dressed man on it then I suggest you check it out. As far as actually wearing anything Coach sells while you ride a motorcycle, I’d caution against that. There’s plenty of gear that will actually protect you, and there’s stylish stuff out there, too. I suggest you check out our reviews to find something for you.

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The Best of the 2019 Mama Tried Motorcycle Show

The best of the 2019 Mama Tried motorcycle show
There are only four or five months of good riding weather in the American Midwest. The rest of the time, motorcyclists keep sane by wrenching. And nothing offers more inspiration than the annual Mama Tried motorcycle show in Milwaukee.

The sixth edition of the show happened just last weekend, shortly after the polar vortex was done ravaging the region. Visitors huddled away from the snow inside the Eagles Club—a ballroom and live music venue with a pseudo-psychedelic interior.

The best of the 2019 Mama Tried motorcycle show
Inside, custom motorcycles of all shapes and sizes filled the upstairs ballroom, with various moto-centric vendors lining the many hallways. Mama Tried is an invitational, but there’s no set theme; we saw choppers, bobbers, flat trackers, land speeders, café racers and a number of undefinable oddities.

The best of the 2019 Mama Tried motorcycle show
The show might happen in the chilly Midwest, but builders and visitors come from all over. It’s an eclectic smorgasbord of awesome machinery and interesting folks. And while you can circumnavigate the show’s square footage in a matter of minutes, it takes time to take it all in properly.

Here’s a brief look at our favorites from the show.

Brad Richard's 1962 Harley-Davidson FL
Brad Richard’s 1962 Harley-Davidson FL What sort of bike does Harley-Davidson’s Vice President of Styling and Design build in his down time? A vintage panhead, obviously. This FL hardtail is flawless, front to back—from the deep green fuel tank right through to the quirky exhaust bends.

Gunn Designs' 2018 BMW R nineT
Gunn Designs’ 2018 BMW R nineT We featured Dan Riley’s R nineT flat tracker before, but now he’s reworked it to be even radder. The new version features a Hookie Co. R nineT body kit, matched up to a tailpiece of Dan’s own design, with a Saddlemen seat pad. Seeing this collaboration between two of the sharpest designers in the biz up close was a real treat.

Cabana Dan's 1928 Harley-Davidson Peashooter
Cabana Dan’s 1928 Harley-Davidson Peashooter Nicknamed ‘Social Climber,’ this vintage H-D hillclimber drew more than a few stares at the show. Many of its details are period correct, but look closer, and you’ll notice the tank has shrunk, the frame has stretched, and there’s a host of neat little details. Dan also gets 10/10 for the drilled headstock and stunning tank graphics.

Chi-Jer's Vintage Bike Works' 1974 ½ Penton 400
Chi-Jer’s Vintage Bike Works’ 1974 ½ Penton 400 Would you have the guts to mod a classic Penton scrambler, or would you simply restore it? PJ over at Chi-Jers wasn’t afraid to let loose, and knocked it out the park with this Penton flat-tracker. The tank swap and mono-shock conversion are on point, but the really nice bit is John Penton’s signature on the tank. “He dug it,” PJ tells us. “I was utterly humbled.”

40cal Custom's 1929 Harley-Davidson Model JD
40cal Custom’s 1929 Harley-Davidson Model JD This contraption has the distinction of not only being one of the rarest motors at the show, but also of showcasing some of the best fabrication work. There’s precious little info out there on this bike, but reports are that the entire frame is a one-off. Our favorite bit? Everything on the in-frame tank—from the leather straps right down to the plumbing.

Church of Choppers' 1991 ZX750R
Church of Choppers’ 1991 ZX750R This brutal Ninja from master builder, Jeff Wright, ticks all of our early-90s boxes. With most of the fairing gone, all of its naughty bits are on full display, giving you the sense that Jeff built this one just for the fun of it. Best of all, we hear it was a total barn find.

1975 Harley-Davidson Sportster by Gardar Eide Einarsson and Trevor Wade
1975 Harley-Davidson Sportster by Gardar Eide Einarsson and Trevor Wade This Sportster’s perfect stance and bare metalwork immediately grabbed our attention. But it’s the details that kept us circling back to it. Note the subtle artwork on the fuel tank, the super-sano cockpit, and the pass-through two-into-one exhaust.

Utopeia Moto Company's 1977 Honda Z50
Utopeia Moto Company’s 1977 Honda Z50 Chris Tope calls this the ‘Baby Black Bomber,’ and it’s cute as heck. This minibike’s sporting an 88 cc kit, clubman bars, a CZ100 tank and a classic cafe racer tail section. After all, who doesn’t love a cafe racer that they can carry off under their arm?

Federal Moto's 2005 Suzuki DR-Z400S
Federal Moto’s 2005 Suzuki DR-Z400S This custom enduro was the result of a client asking Federal Moto to build something similar to their ‘Sunshine State of Mind‘ Yamaha SR500. Federal obliged, but decided to retain all of its off-road functionality. It still has its 21F/18R wheels and long travel suspension, but it’s a whole lot prettier now.

Noise Cycles' 2017 S&S Cycle Knucklehead
Noise Cycles’ 2017 S&S Cycle Knucklehead Scott Jones brought one of the rowdiest Harley hooligan flat trackers to Mama Tried that we’ve ever seen. But he also snuck this into the show—a charming little chop packing an S&S powerplant. The proportions are perfect, there’s not a hair out of place, and the artwork on the tank is nothing short of exquisite.

The best of the 2019 Mama Tried motorcycle show
We also spotted a new Kawasaki from Kevin Dunworth, a drool worthy Yamaha RD400 (above), Analog Motorcycles’ Ducati 250, and the prototype Custom Works Zon BMW we first saw at Mooneyes last year. And we caught a screening of Oil in the Blood, too.

The best of the 2019 Mama Tried motorcycle show
But Mama Tried is bigger than just the bikes on hand. It’s a full Milwaukee takeover, filled with pre-parties, after-parties and endless hangs. We ran into friends we didn’t know would be there, and made a ton of new friends too.

Here’s looking forward to next year.

Mama Tried | Facebook | Instagram | Studio images by David Carlo, atmos images by Wes Reyneke | Wes visited Mama Tried as a guest of Harley-Davidson

The best of the 2019 Mama Tried motorcycle show

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New Design Filings Reveal Info About Harley’s Upcoming Bikes

Get Ready for Harley’s Next Efforts

Harley-Davidson needs to innovate to change its fortune. Currently, the motorcycle manufacturer isn’t doing so hot. It hopes that new bikes will entice a whole new group of buyers. Recently, filings with the European Union Intellectual Property Office showed details about three of the company’s upcoming bikes. 

The Streetfighter, Custom 1250, and Pan America 1250 are the bikes that appeared in the filings. These bikes previously appeared in prototype form, but the new drawings show that they’re progressing quite nicely. Most of the changes to the bikes are minimal, though they are a major departure for the brand as a whole.

Harley Pan America 1250
Image from the European Union Intellectual Property Office

If Harley can pull these off and sell them globally for a reasonable amount of money, the company will have a chance of returning to its former glory but on a global scale.

The technical details are sparse, but there are some obvious changes you can see based on the drawings. For example, the Pan America 1250 gets cast wheels instead of the spoked ones seen previously and changes to the body pieces of the bike. The Custom 1250 has different rear sub-frame mounting points and also some changes to the styling. The Streetfighter features some aesthetic changes, but it also has a new license plate assembly.

Harley-Davidson Streetfighter
Image from the European Union Intellectual Property Office

RideApart pointed out the addition of saree guards on the rear of the Pan America 1250 and the Streetfighter. These guards help keep sarees worn by women from getting entangled with the rear wheel and drivetrain of the bike. This addition suggests Harley plans to sell the bikes in India and is targeting buyers around the globe.

That’s a smart move by Harley. However, it seems every motorcycle manufacturer is trying to take advantage of the Indian market. It will be interesting to see if Harley can pull it off and make these bikes popular there.

Harley-Davidson Custom 1250
Image from the European Union Intellectual Property Office

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Custom Bikes Of The Week: 3 February, 2019

The best cafe racers, classic and electric motorcycles of the week
Deus cracks the style code for a Sportster cafe racer. Plus a custom Ducati Paul Smart owned by the principal of a WSBK team, and a flotilla of jaw-dropping scale models from Thailand.

Ducati Paul Smart Special owned by the team principal of Althea Honda WSBK, Genesio Bevilacqua
Ducati Paul Smart Special Did you know that the principal of the Althea Honda WSBK team, Genesio Bevilacqua, has a private collection of rare and exotic race machines? We’ve just stumbled upon it, and we’re blown away.

The collection’s stacked with ultra-desirable bikes from Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Bimota and more. But right now, we’re crushing hard on Genesio’s Ducati Paul Smart Special.

Ducati Paul Smart Special owned by the team principal of Althea Honda WSBK, Genesio Bevilacqua
From what we’ve read, it’s been specced for racing—although it’s not clear who raced it, and in which series. It reportedly has a Bimota swing arm with an upgraded mono shock, and Marzocchi upside-down forks. The classic Paul Smart silhouette is still there, but the bodywork’s definitely been reworked to some extent.

Ducati Paul Smart Special owned by the team principal of Althea Honda WSBK, Genesio Bevilacqua
This Ducati’s also rocking a twin Arrow exhaust system, and an upgraded ECU. And a ton of other race-spec details that aren’t listed, but are clearly lurking. Power and weight are listed at 99 hp and 170 kg respectively; seven more horses and nine less kilos than stock. Who else wishes they could have a go? [More]

Sportster cafe racer by Deus ex Machina
Harley-Davidson Sportster by Deus Ex Machina The custom scene has had its fair share of Sportster café racers, but seldom have they looked as classy as this. Built by Frenchman Jeremy Tagand, at Deus in Australia, it’s an exercise in supremely good taste.

There’s no pipe wrap or vintage rubber here. Just a smorgasbord of stylish parts, that includes chromed wheels, Avon tires, and a stunning two-into-one exhaust from Bassani. (I’ve heard one of these systems on a Sportster before, and it’s wonderfully rowdy.) The fuel tank’s off a Yamaha SR, and the seat unit is from Tuffside.

Sportster cafe racer by Deus ex Machina
Jeremy also installed blinkers from Purpose Built Moto, an intake and brake fluid reservoir from Roland Sands, and a Motogadget speedo. And this Sporty now wears upgraded shocks, clip-ons with leather-wrapped grips, and new mid-mount foot controls.

Best of all, this one was a customer build—and both customer and builder saw eye-to-eye on the overall design direction. Which proves that good taste is alive and well, and living in Sydney. [More]

Classic desert sled: the 1967 BSA Hornet A65
BSA Hornet A65 Our friends at Silodrome are experts at curating the best vintage eye candy. This week, it was this stunning 1967 BSA Hornet A65 that caught our eye. And who could blame us?

The BSA Hornet was the quintessential California desert sled. BSA took their Lightning model, then adapted it to go head-to-head with the Triumph TR6C and the Norton P11. Differences from the Lightning included a high-performance race cam, and high-compression pistons. It also got different pipes, and new gear ratios that favored acceleration over top speed.

Classic desert sled: the 1967 BSA Hornet A65
This particular Hornet is a 1967 spec ex-racer. It’s been restored to close-to-factory spec, with a few key changes. The front fender, tacho and ignition key are gone, and the ignition’s been updated to a modern Boyer unit. If you’re a BSA expert, you’ll also notice that the tank decals aren’t quite OEM for the era.

Some lucky individual just snapped up this stunning sled for $3,220 from Bonhams. We’re secretly hoping it ends up being raced in classic events—and not relegated to display piece status. [More]

The Kalk& road legal electric bike
Cake Kalk& Cake is a Swedish electric bike manufacturer, that made waves at last year’s Paris Motor show with their Kalk OR dirt bike. Now they’re back with a street legal version: the Kalk& (pronounced ‘Kalk and’).

Visually the Kalk& looks similar to its dirt-loving sibling; both take heavy design cues from downhill and enduro mountain bikes. But there are a few changes beyond just a set of lights. For starters, the Kalk& has different gearing, and a higher top speed for highway use.

The Kalk& road legal electric bike
The Kalk OR weighs 69 kg with its battery, puts out 42 Nm of torque and has a range of 80 km. It remains to be seen how the Kalk&’s specs will differ, but we’re betting it’ll weigh a little more and go a bit further.

More importantly, it looks like it’ll be oodles of fun to hoon around on. And with a slicker aesthetic than some of the electric offerings currently out there, it’s high on our wish list. Full specs, final price and availability will be revealed when sales launch in late March 2019. [More]

TT Scale Model 1/12 Ducati model
TT Scale Model 1/12 models If you’d like something pretty to look at—but the real deal is just too expensive—here’s an alternative. TT Scale Model is a hobby shop in Thailand, specializing in custom scale model motorcycles. Yes, you read that right.

Shop owner Tew Tar-Ua explains that actual custom bikes in Thailand are extremely costly. So he scratches his itch by building 1/12 scale models of classic, custom and racing bikes. And the results are absolutely stunning.

TT Scale Model 1/12 Honda CX500 model
Tew constructs each bike using off-the-shelf scale model kits, which he then customizes. Some of the ‘custom’ parts are made by cutting and glueing existing bits, some are hand-molded, and others are borrowed from salvaged models. Then each bike is carefully finished off with an air-brushed paint job, and decals.

TT Scale Model’s bikes cost anything from $100 to $380, and can take from one to ten weeks to build, depending on their intricacy. I think I see an empty spot on my bookshelf… [More]

TT Scale Model 1/12 Honda CX500 model

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Harley-Davidson Says Goodbye to Profits Thanks to Trump Tariffs

Hard Knock Life for Harley-Davidson

Harley-Davidson’s earnings per share dried up due to the tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. According to Bloomberg, the earnings per share were zero. Before factoring in tariff and restructuring costs, the company managed 17 cents per share in profits, which came in below analyst estimates of 29 cents.

In Harley’s regulatory filing, it said the following: “Operating margin as a percent of revenue decreased in the quarter due to restructuring charges, incremental tariffs and higher recall costs,” according to Markets Insider.

All this comes after President Trump quarreled with the company after it said it would move some of its manufacturing overseas due to Eurpeon tariffs, which were in response to Trump tariffs.

While the tariffs may not be working in Harley’s favor, the company struggles on other fronts, too. Right now it fails to attract new buyers. With the Baby Boomer generation getting too old to ride, Harley struggles to find younger buyers for its motorcycles. According to Bloomberg, the company has seen eight consecutive quarters of sales decreases, with a 10 percent decrease in the latest quarter.

Harley’s Rocky Path Ahead

Harley has taken some steps to modernize. It has new bikes on the horizon and a new electric motorcycle leading that charge (pun intended). However, the LiveWire hasn’t been very well received. It’s simply too expensive for the kind of performance the bike offers. Harley’s other new gas-powered motorcycles will likely be a little more pricey, too.

Unfortunately, younger buyers don’t have $30,000 to blow on an electric motorcycle. Most don’t even have tens of thousands to spend on a new internal combustion engine Harley. All this will likely lead to future difficult times for the company.

LiveWire 2018
Image from Harley-Davidson

Even the CEO, Matt Levatich, seems to agree. He told Bloomberg that he expects 2019 “to be another difficult year.” He said the company will focus on selling cheaper bikes and more gear in the future. Levatich still seemed optimistic about Harley in the long term.

“Everything is angled at that core issue of building riders in the U.S. and leveraging growth opportunities we have in the near term and internationally,” Levatich said.

By 2027, Harley hopes to have half its sales come from markets outside the U.S. That means the company has a lot of work to do. However, Harley is making the right moves by building a production facility in Thailand. If they can get that up and running and sell more bike abroad, then they could turn sales around.

Can Harley Appeal to the Heritage Lovers and the Global Market?

Even if Harley can do that and sell motorcycles by the boatload overseas, I would be surprised to see it captivate American consumers again in the way it has in the past.

Harley is an American motorcycling icon, but going as hard after the global market as it is may hurt its brand image here in the States. People buy Harleys bikes because it’s an American brand.

The company has perfected wrapping itself in the American flag, but If the company starts changing that for a more global image it may have trouble selling its bikes to people back home. That’s especially true if they’re too expensive. Offering truly affordable modern motorcycles will go a long way, but it’s not the whole solution.

 

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Harley-Davidson Shows Off Its Electric Concepts In Action

Harley Looking Ahead

Harley-Davidson made a big effort towards the future with its new LiveWire. However, that bike hasn’t been very well received. Most people aren’t impressed with the range or price. Basically, $30k is a lot to ask for a motorcycle that only goes about 100 miles per charge. Harley showed off two other bikes when it debuted the LiveWire. Two smaller concepts and now there’s video

At the X Games in Aspen, Colorado, the company brought its two small concepts along and let some of the X Games folks ride them. The resulting videos are little more than advertisements for the company with a celebrity in the saddle.

Still, it gives you a look at what the little electric bikes are capable of. Oddly, Harley only posted one of the videos to its YouTube channel so far, so we only have one of them to show you, but you can head over to Harley’s website to check out the other one.

Between the two unnamed electric concept bikes, I have to say the urban scooter thing is the weirder of the two. The other bike is pretty much a mashup of an electric mountain bike and a dirtbike. It makes sense to me, and I think Harley could actually sell it if it targeted the market right.

Harley-Davidson Concept
Image from Harley-Davidson

The scooter-looking bike is kind of cool, but I’d be more inclined to buy a Vespa Electtrica than the weird Harley creation. If the LiveWire’s price is any indication of where these things will hit the market, I bet Harley’s scooter bike would be pretty pricey, and I’d almost rather have the trusted Vespa name carting me around city streets.

The post Harley-Davidson Shows Off Its Electric Concepts In Action appeared first on Web Bike World.

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Mooneyes Star: A hardtail knucklehead from Asterisk

Custom knucklehead hardtail built for the Mooneyes Japan show by Asterisk
The next Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show is over ten months away, but many top-flight builders are already plotting their next entries. After all, ‘Mooneyes’ is the top custom show in Japan. It’s jam-packed with supreme craftsmanship—so if you’re bringing a bike, it had better be good.

Here’s a closer look at a gem we uncovered at the most recent show: a magnificent hardtail with a knucklehead engine, created by Hideki Hoshikawa and his team at Asterisk Custom Works. Hoshikawa-san built it just for the show, and it took him almost a year.

Custom knucklehead hardtail built for the Mooneyes Japan show by Asterisk
If you’re wondering why it took so long, here’s a clue: We asked Hideki what the donor bike was, and he simply replied, “there is no base bike…we made it from scratch.” That’s right—this is no weekend special.

Hideki named the project in honor of the Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind, after watching the film The Greatest Showman. “I tried to recreate the real diva from the movie, in our custom bike,” he explains.

Custom knucklehead hardtail built for the Mooneyes Japan show by Asterisk
Hideki chose a S&S Cycle Type E Knucklehead motor for the project. He then decided to take the theme further, going full retro on not only the style of the build, but also the techniques.

So there’s no fancy CNC work going on here; all the custom bits were hand-made using basic tools.

Custom knucklehead hardtail built for the Mooneyes Japan show by Asterisk
The hardtail frame, for starters, is a one-off. Hideki took the steering neck, seat mount, rear motor mount and transmission mount from a shovelhead frame, but built the rest using chromoly steel. He then had it all chrome plated, before scuffing it up with a Scotch Brite pad.

It isn’t a simple design either. Hideki wanted a single down tube design, so he modded the neck to accommodate this. Then he manipulated the down tube with a unique bend at the base, mimicking the shape of the crankcase.

Custom knucklehead hardtail built for the Mooneyes Japan show by Asterisk
That little swoosh is repeated elsewhere too—including the hand-made side stand. The rear lower frame tubes also follow a definite kink, before joining with a pair of V-Twin manufacturing axle plates.

The perfect hardtail stance is equally impressive. The front suspension is a modified leaf spring setup from Cannonball, held in place by triples from Cro Customs.

Custom knucklehead hardtail built for the Mooneyes Japan show by Asterisk
The wheels are a F23/R19, wrapped in Firestone rubber: a Clincher at the front and a Deluxe Champion at the back.

Hideki’s only running one brake; a full KustomTech setup in the rear. He’s also installed a foot clutch and hand shifter, and an internally routed throttle. That’s left the swoopy custom handlebars (and the entire cockpit) super sano.

Custom knucklehead hardtail built for the Mooneyes Japan show by Asterisk
Then there’s that gorgeous fuel tank. It started out as a slightly modified shovelhead unit, but then Hideki decided to add some extra trim. While trawling the web for inspiration, he fell in love with the tail section of the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air.

The initial plan was to just carry some of the Chevy’s trim concepts to the fender, but the idea morphed into a pair of full-on Bel Air style side panels. The paint’s by Yossy; a single hue of green, complemented by a gold pin stripe.

Custom knucklehead hardtail built for the Mooneyes Japan show by Asterisk
Jimmy Dope handled the seat upholstery for the build. The rear fender’s a modified Russ Wernimont Designs part, mounted on a pair of custom-made stainless steel brackets. Other custom stainless steel bits include the hand-shifter, carb mount and side stand.

The Asterisk crew also fabricated a stubby two-into-one exhaust system, designed to avoid visually obstructing the frame in any way. A sand-cast aluminum air cleaner cover, made by Fork, adds an extra touch of class.

Custom knucklehead hardtail built for the Mooneyes Japan show by Asterisk
With perfect proportions, top finishes and a plethora of neat little details, ‘Jenny Lind’ sure is a showstopper. The bike’s for sale too. Tempted?

Asterisk Custom Works | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Satoru Ise of Vibes Magazine

Custom knucklehead hardtail built for the Mooneyes Japan show by Asterisk

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Custom Bikes Of The Week: 27 January, 2019

The best cafe racers, streetfighters and factory customs of the week
Harley’s global dealer custom competition launches with a fusillade of very tasty European builds. We’ve also got a Kawasaki KX450 with amazing 3D printed bodywork, a custom Ducati Panigale costing $114,000, and news of Triumph’s limited edition ‘TFC’ bikes—including a Rocket…

Battle Of The Kings 2019 entry from H-D Las Palmas
Battle Of The Kings 2019 Harley-Davidson’s dealer competition is back for 2019, and there’s a noticeable jump in quality this year—for both the bikes themselves and the standard of photography.

We’re seeing a few likely trophy contenders already, especially a pair of Sportster Forty-Eights: the yellow ‘Mustard’ from Shaw of the UK [top] and the ‘Mojo Desert’ from H-D Las Palmas in Spain [above].

Battle Of The Kings 2019 entry from H-D Bologna
Then there’s a Softail Heritage Classic from H-D Bologna called ‘Space Age’ [above], which celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 space mission.

Over 200 H-D dealers from more than 30 countries have been working on their custom creations, and the European stage of the competition is now open. There are three categories—Dirt, Chop and Race—and if you’re in Europe, you can vote for your favorite here.

Kawasaki Z1000 cafe racer by Cowboys Chopper
Kawasaki Z1000 by Cowboy’s Chopper When he started out, Alex Gao of Cowboy’s Choppers specialized in one style of bike build—choppers, as you can probably guess. But these days he builds customs in any style, and the latest machine to roll out of his Taipei workshop is this brutal Kawasaki Z1000 cafe racer.

Kawasaki Z1000 cafe racer by Cowboys Chopper
Alex’s customer wanted a machine that would be at home on Taiwan’s twisty mountain roads. So Alex took a 2003-spec Z1000 as his starting point. “The goal was to inject a dose of retro-flavour into an otherwise run-of-the-mill naked street bike,” he says.

After scrapping the Z1000’s angular plastics, Alex fashioned a new tank and rear cowl inspired by classic Norton Commando lines. He’s also upgraded the fork internals, installed an Öhlins TTX shock, and grafted on a stunning titanium 4-into-2-into-4 exhaust system. What a looker. [More]

Custom Kawasaki KX450 with 3D printing bodywork
Kawasaki KX450 by Alvaro Dal Farra Battery packs aren’t the only revolution happening in the moto world today. 3D printing is picking up speed within the custom scene, and offers some amazing opportunities—just check the bodywork on this KX450 from Italy.

It belongs to Alvaro Dal Farra, a freestyle MX rider and trainer from Italy. Alvaro commissioned the designers at Codoro Studio to come up with a futuristic revamp with the same colors as the first ever bike he lusted after, a 1980s Malaguti Grizzly.

Custom Kawasaki KX450 with 3D printing bodywork
Since Alvaro runs an FMX training school, he’s upgraded most of the hard parts on the KX, with a new brake system, a Zard exhaust, new engine internals from Athena/Get and new Kite wheels.

Custom Kawasaki KX450 with 3D printing bodywork
But it’s the new plastic that makes ‘3D Core’ worthy of a place in Bikes Of The Week. The designs were printed with HP Multi Jet Fusion technology by Skorpion Engineering, with subtle layers and a webbed effect that not only lightens the bike even further, but emphasizes the difference between solid metal curves and the potential of cutting-edge 3D. More of this, please. [Via]

Ducati Panigale custom by Officine GP Design
Ducati Panigale by Officine GP Design Word on the street is that Ducati will reveal a new Streetfighter V4 model at EICMA in November—but you can guarantee that it’ll look nothing like this.

Officine GP Design have taken a Panigale, stripped off the bodywork, added a girder fork from FG Racing, XDiavel lighting, a new tank cover, and very chunky spoked alloy wheels from Jonich.

Ducati Panigale custom by Officine GP Design
‘V4 Penta’ is the first of nine planned limited editions, and aside from the custom parts and new finishes, is sprinkled liberally throughout with Rizoma goodies. We’d love to know how the modern version of the classic parallelogram front end handles 200 hp of acceleration, but we’re not likely to find out: the sticker price of this bambino is 100,000 euros (US$114,000). [Via]

2019 Triumph Thruxton TFC
Triumph Factory Customs Triumph’s relentless release schedule shows no sign of abating. Even as the engines were cooling down at the Speed Twin launch, the Hinckley crew revealed two ultra-premium limited editions of current models, called TFC.

There’s a Thruxton TFC [above] with more power, less weight and a higher specification than the Thruxton R. Just 750 of these carbon-fiber-bodied machines will be built. Then there’s a ‘concept’ Rocket TFC [below] that hints at a return of the famous name to showrooms.

2019 Triumph Rocket TFC
The Thruxton TFC gets a power boost to around 105 hp, and a small torque increase too. Weight is down a useful five kilos, helped by Vance & Hines titanium silencers. The suspension is top-spec, fully adjustable Öhlins all round.

Details are scant on the Rocket, but it’s certain that the world’s biggest production motorcycle engine is on the way back. The Rocket III was launched in 2004, so a new model is well overdue. We’ll find out more on May 1, when full details are released. Power junkies, mark your calendars! [More]

2019 Triumph Thruxton TFC

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Rizoma Releases Aftermarket Accessories for the Harley-Davidson FXDR 114

Customize Your Power Cruiser

Aftermarket accessories company Rizoma recently released 22 different accessories to make the Harley-Davidson FXDR 114 into the motorcycle you always wanted it to be.

The company’s goal for the FXDR accessories line is to help you make the power cruiser from Harley-Davison even bolder than it currently is.

The Harley FXDR 114, for the uninitiated, is a power cruiser from Harley that offers a unique platform for the brand with a strong, 1,868cc engine that makes 90 hp and 119 lb-ft of torque.

Rizoma Harley FXDR Accessories
Image from Rizoma

The bike offers a unique take on the classic cruisers that Harley is known for, and now with Rizoma’s accessories, you can make the FXDR 114 even more of your own. However, I’m not sure I’d want to.

The Rizoma products look high-quality and will definitely add to the bike’s curb appeal, but I’d hesitate to add much to the Harley FXDR. I think the bike looks great as is, and Harley offers plenty of factory customization offerings. However, if you want to go to the aftermarket for your customization, Rizoma has some good options.

The Seven Colleciton

As a part of the company’s new accessories line for the Harley bike, Rizoma has also put together what it calls the Seven Collection. That’s a pre-selected grouping of the company’s accessories that all work together.

Rizoma Harley FXDR Accessories
Image from Rizoma

Included in the Rizoma Seven Collection are the following accessories for the Harley FXDR: Headlight Fairing, Dashboard Cover, Fuel Tank Cover, Front Fender, Upper Belt Guard, Rear Pulley Cover, and a Rear Shock Preload Adjuster Knob.

In addition to the seven accessories that give the package its name, Rizoma also adds in 2019 Collection Lunar mirrors for the bike.

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New Neurobiological Study Shows Benefits of Motorcycle Riding

Go Ride It’s Good For You

According to a new study funded by Harley-Davidson, riding a motorcycle can reduce stress and increase focus. The study found that riding a motorcycle also increased heart rates by 11 percent and adrenaline levels by 27 percent. That’s essentially the same as doing a light workout.

Reducing stress is probably one of the most important findings of the study. Motorcyclists have been saying it for years, but now they have a study to point to that backs them up. The study scientifically showed that riding reduces hormonal biomarkers of stress by 28 percent. 

The study also noted a sensory focus increase among riders. There’s a lack of percentage figures for the focus findings, but Harley cited its work well, including citations from academic journals like the NeuroreportInt. J. Psychophysiol, and Chin. Med. Sci. J.

How It Was Conducted and Its Findings

The researchers in charge of the study monitored the study participants’ brain activity and hormone before riding, during riding, after riding, while driving a car, and while resting. That way, there would be plenty of data for the team to make their conclusions.

Harley-Davidson motorcycle study
Image from Harley-Davidson

Dr. Don Vaughn, of UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, led the team that conducted the study. He said the findings of increased levels of focus and decreased stress “were quite pronounced.” He also said motorcycling can be a method for people to use to reduce stress on a regular basis. 

Harley’s Senior Vice President of Marketing & Brand, said the following in relation to the study’s findings:

The research findings Dr. Vaughn and his team identified helps explain what our riders have felt for the past 116 years – there’s a vitality and heightened sensory experience that comes from the freedom of riding a motorcycle. We hope their findings inspire the next generation of riders to experience these benefits along with us.

Harley’s study in conjunction with UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior is a cool study. However, it doesn’t really tell us anything we didn’t already know. Ask anyone who rides a motorcycle and they’ll tell you the same thing the study does. All this does is prove it in a scientific manner, not that any motorcyclist needed that.

Harley probably hopes this will be another reason for people to get on bikes and ride. I do, too. That said, I don’t know if a scientific study like this is going to bring out tons of people. Harley should spend its money making its bikes less expensive and more appealing to new riders. That would do more to get people on motorcycles than any study ever will.

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