The annual Yokohama Sizzling Rod Customized Present is poised to unleash a flurry of visible delights when it opens its doorways to the general public tomorrow. Colloquially referred to as Mooneyes, it is not solely Japan’s high present but additionally arguably some of the prestigious on this planet. So if you happen to’re planning to unveil your newest construct there, it had higher be good.
Custom Works Zon founder, Yuichi Yoshizawa, and his right-hand man, Yoshikazu Ueda, are common faces at Mooneyes with a number of trophies to their names. However this 12 months’s CW Zon entry may be the store’s wildest but. It is based mostly on a Royal Enfield Traditional 650—or, extra precisely, two of them.
“Most {custom} bikes showcased at HRCS are powered by large-displacement engines,” says Yoshizawa-san, “and the engine’s visible influence is all the time an important aspect. The Traditional 650 engine is gorgeous, highly effective, and stuffed with character—however I wished to raise its presence even additional. That’s how I arrived on the concept of utilizing two engines.”
A twin-engine construct is all the time an formidable endeavor, however Yuichi had a selected imaginative and prescient for the construct that may add an additional layer of complexity. The place most twin-engine bikes are usually stretched land-speed racers, he wished one thing nearer to the proportions of a chopper.
“Land-speed racing feels considerably distant from the mainstream {custom} bike tradition in Japan,” he tells us. “Choppers, however, are extraordinarily well-liked. Debuting a dual-engine chopper would create a a lot stronger response—and personally, I’ve all the time liked choppers.”
The Royal Enfield Traditional 650’s parallel-twin motor is a chic piece of equipment, however Yuichi knew that if he positioned one completely in entrance of the opposite, the general measurement could be unavoidable. So he had an concept: What if he might offset the peak of one in every of them?
“The entrance engine did not require a gearbox,” he explains. “So by separating the transmission part and trimming the crankcase, I might place it nearer to the rear engine, which retained its gearbox. By staggering their peak, I decreased the gap between the 2 models much more—reaching the highly effective presence of a dual-engine machine whereas protecting the general chassis compact.”
CW Zon has expertise modifying the crankcases and cylinder heads of classic bikes, so this a part of the job wasn’t too nerve-racking. The massive problem was determining a solution to join the 2 motors mechanically. The blokes ended up utilizing a custom-made extension for the entrance motor’s crankshaft, after which including a major gear and chain to hyperlink every thing up.
“It sounds easy when defined now,” Yuichi says, “however reaching that answer required plenty of trial and error. We found that the extension shaft for the entrance engine should use a left-hand thread, and the rear a right-hand thread. The chain line of the 2 major gears additionally needed to be completely aligned and maintained throughout engine mounting, which demanded excessive manufacturing precision when constructing the engine mounts.”
“To put the engines as shut as doable, clearance between the entrance engine’s throttle physique and the rear engine’s exhaust pipe was decreased to a minimal. Positioning that appropriately, together with the fabrication of the exhaust system, was one other problem. Synchronizing the 2 engines was simpler than anticipated—a single ECU manages each. Because of the trendy engine platform, reaching synchronization was remarkably easy.”
The four-cylinder drivetrain solely tells a part of the story, although. With such a singular engine in play, the inventory Traditional 650 body was now not enough. CW Zon fabricated a brand new hardtail body as an alternative, together with a bespoke girder entrance finish.
Each the body and fork have been imbued with a way of magnificence. The girder arms have been made out of 12 mm metal plates that have been bent earlier than being carved by hand. The body’s important spine was constructed as a lot for power because it was for type, and the decrease rails have been designed to be removable to make the engines simpler to take away and reinstall.
Subsequent, the Royal Enfield was propped up on 26F/18R wheels, geared up with Efficiency Machine brake calipers, Sizzling Dock discs, and Neo Manufacturing unit grasp cylinders. With the rolling chassis sorted, the crew switched focus to the brand new bodywork and myriad handmade particulars.
An aluminum gas reservoir was constructed and mounted underneath the seat, whereas the area the place a tank would historically sit was stuffed with a field that homes key digital elements. A good friend of Yuichi’s and skilled furnishings maker, Hanafusa Heritage Carving, helped add lovely mahogany trim to the bike, whereas Kuureiyonsoku took care of the masterful leatherwork. Yuichi completed the bodywork off with a sculpted aluminum adornment that resembles a hen in flight.
“To rejoice the uncooked character of every materials—metal, aluminum, and wooden—I left all the outside elements unpainted,” he provides. “The jockey shifter is hand-forged Damascus metal. I personally discovered forging methods by visiting a Japanese swordsmith’s workshop, buying a furnace and hammer, and forging the piece myself.”
“The bike’s identify, Vita, comes from the Latin phrase for ‘life.’ By the hen sculpture, and thru the expressive qualities of metal, aluminum, and wooden, I wished to convey a way of vibrant life and uncooked vitality.”
CW Zon | Facebook | Instagram | Photos by Hiromitsu Yasui
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