So that you like previous Harleys, do ya? Properly, clearly you do, as February’s stats don’t lie. Loosen up, your secret’s protected with us, and each member of the Bike EXIF employees has not less than one previous HD within the secure along with the each day drivers.
Whereas February’s numbers verify a pattern we’ve been noticing for the final yr, we welcome every kind round right here, and our prime performers embody a seemingly showroom BSA and a wild two-stroke Honda Grom as properly. So be a part of us, if you’ll, for a victory lap for final month’s most viral {custom} bikes—V-twin or in any other case.
BSA Gold Star Café Racer by Metallic Malarkey
Typically one of the best customs pull you in two instructions without delay: they respect heritage however refuse to be a museum piece. That’s precisely the vibe of this BSA Gold Star café racer from England’s Metallic Malarkey Engineering. The Gold Star’s status as a quintessential British café donor is properly earned, however somewhat than lean on an previous survivor, the staff constructed a model new interpretation from the bottom up—proper all the way down to the bespoke body and near-new engine.
As a substitute of reusing a classic chassis, Metallic Malarkey drew inspiration from the traditional Metisse Mk3, fabricating a cold-drawn seamless metal body with elegant bronze welds and an identical one-off oval swingarm. The powerplant is a contemporary machine from Dutch specialists ABSAF, constructed within the spirit of the late-’50s DBD34 Gold Star however upgraded with fashionable internals. Highlights of the engine’s spec sheet embody a relocated spark plug, modded ports, solid piston, stainless valves, Nikasil liner and heavy-duty bearings, all paired with a five-speed Nova gearbox.
Beneath the traditional strains you’ll discover duplicate Ceriani 38 mm forks, bespoke Maxton rear shocks, 18-inch wheels with Talon hubs, Avon Roadriders and Brembo brakes on handmade mounts. The bodywork blends sourced elements and {custom} fabrication: a Lyta-style gasoline tank and café racer seat cowl from Tab Classics sit above a custom-fabbed oil tank and stainless fenders.
The cockpit strikes a stability between period homage and fashionable usability, with Brembo levers, Oberon LED bits, Biltwell grips and twin Smiths gauges mixing analog appeal with up to date practicality. A tasteful candy-red and gold livery by Graham’s Storage and Lee Morgan Artworx rounds out a construct that would simply go for a meticulous restoration—besides this one is new. [More]
Honda Grom Avenue Racer by Cohn Racers
The Honda Grom is already certainly one of motorcycling’s most adorable oddities—a tiny, grin-inducing mini-moto that launched an expansive aftermarket and scores of imaginative builds. For Florida’s Cohn Racers it was the right canvas for a enjoyable diversion from their normal work. Recognized for burly Sportster scramblers, the staff determined to show a 2019-model Grom into one thing sudden: a pint-sized avenue racer with actual two-stroke character and real efficiency intent.
Somewhat than chase headlines with an outsized engine that may overwhelm the body, builder Chet Perez selected a Yamaha YZ125 two-stroke engine as the guts of this challenge. That alternative was purposeful—mild, full of life and linked to racing DNA—nevertheless it launched the traditional problem of vibratory chaos in such a small chassis. The answer was a totally rubber-mounted engine setup, machined with {custom} brackets that isolate harsh two-stroke vibes whereas sustaining alignment and rigidity.
This isn’t simply an engine transplant with half-hearted elements bolted on. A bespoke entrance consumption and Professional Circuit-derived exhaust with an Akrapovič silencer articulate the engine’s efficiency, whereas a Boyesen Manufacturing unit Racing cowl and Polisport safety items present that perform was a precedence. Cooling was rethought, too, with a relocated water-cooling system positioned for direct airflow to maintain temps in examine underneath laborious driving.
The chassis modifications are simply as deliberate. Öhlins suspension at each ends elevates the dealing with properly past inventory, the {custom} aluminum swingarm provides energy and purposeful observe geometry, and upgraded Brembo brakes with outsized discs and braided strains be sure the tiny bundle stops with authority.
Cosmetically, it wears a full fiberglass physique equipment sourced from Asia, which Cohn revised with improved rubber mounting to scale back vibration and enhance refinement. A conventional HRC-inspired paint scheme reinforces the racing intent, whereas carbon accents, CNC rear units from Neverland and an Alcantara-covered seat carry high quality to each touchpoint. On the highway, the bike lives as much as that character: explosive energy supply, sharp dealing with and stunning composure from a platform most individuals write off as a toy. [More]
Knucklehead Board-Monitor Racer by Infinity Inc.
Masumi Tsuchino of Infinity Inc. was invited by S&S Cycle to construct a motorcycle for the Japanese leg of the S&S Cycle Classic Tour and selected a model‑new S&S KN93 Knucklehead engine for his entry, regardless of by no means having labored with a Knuckle earlier than. Out of gratitude for the chance, Tsuchino imagined what an S&S-fielded board tracker from the Twenties would appear like, however clearly the scope of the challenge extends past appearances.
Upon receipt, Tsuchino despatched the Knucklehead engine to Tamamura Motors for a efficiency overhaul, paired it with a six‑velocity Baker transmission and S&S Tremendous B carbs, and polished all of the circumstances whereas it was aside. A 1936 Knucklehead duplicate body from V‑Twin Manufacturing turned the spine, however Tsuchino reshaped the entrance finish with a British Forties Ambassador 250 girder fork at a steep rake to compress the wheelbase and tighten the stance.
Wheels are interval‑appropriate 28‑inch entrance and 26‑inch rear board‑observe rims laced to classic‑type drum hubs, with refurbished linings for usable braking. The slim entrance forks even required machining the hub to suit. The rear triangle was reshaped to cosy up across the slim tire, leading to an asymmetrical body hidden by the bespoke exhaust, which references Twenties race bikes and classic Knucklehead mufflers.
Masumi fabricated an extremely‑slim {custom} gasoline tank that echoes traditional split-tank styling, whereas incorporating a tiny motogadget speedo embedded within the spine tube. Underneath the seat is a home made field housing oil and electronics. A Twenties‑type saddle, abbreviated rear fender, bespoke bars with modified grips and a small triangular headlight full the construct.
Not like many interval‑impressed builds that go for foot clutches and hand shifters, Tsuchino retained a standard see‑noticed foot shifter beside the BDL major, prioritising ease of use. Painted by New Traditional Portray and completed with tasteful signal work by Rio Studio, the result’s the slimmest bike Infinity has constructed and a standout board tracker that stays true to its imagined period. [More]
1978 Harley-Davidson FLH by Fatech
Minoru Watanabe of Fatech has constructed a status on bikes that mix conventional {custom} Harley cues with hot-rod influences. This one—primarily based loosely on a 1978 Harley-Davidson FLH—isn’t any exception. Dubbed Sol Invictus, the bike was rebuilt round a home made twin-down-tube body with a dramatically sloping spine and a one-off asymmetrical swingarm designed to maintain the stance low whereas nonetheless offering rear suspension.
The rear finish is the bike’s visible social gathering trick. From the best facet, the rear wheel seems nearly unsupported, floating behind the engine. Solely whenever you circle the bike do you see how Watanabe pulled it off—a braced swingarm and a horizontally mounted Öhlins shock tucked neatly alongside the body. Up entrance, a set of chromed Ceriani forks maintain a 19-inch wheel with a large 250 mm Fontana drum brake, whereas Borrani rims and the traditional combo of an Avon Speedmaster entrance tire and Firestone Champion Deluxe rear preserve the classic racing vibe intact.
The engine began life as a inventory Shovelhead however was handled to a radical efficiency refresh. Inside are Carrillo rods and Truett & Osborn elements, together with WPC-coated pistons and a Dynatek ignition. A pair of S&S Cycle Tremendous B carburetors feed the motor, whereas the gearbox was rebuilt with Andrews Merchandise internals and spins via a chunky three-inch major drive.
Virtually every thing else on the bike was formed by hand. Twin gasoline tanks sit over the engine, joined by a middle strip with a mesh window element, whereas the compact tail part doubles because the oil tank. The cockpit mixes slim bars with refurbished Nineteen Sixties controls, Tomaselli grips, a Smiths speedometer and a classic 4.5-inch headlight.
Paint by Shakin’ Velocity Graphix finishes the bike in deep burgundy with chrome accents, gold logos and delicate striping. The title Sol Invictus—Latin for ‘unconquered solar’—feels becoming for a machine that blends traditional Harley type with the form of creative engineering that’s turn into Fatech’s signature. [More]
Harley Knucklehead Bobber by Bull Motor Firm
The Harley-Davidson Knucklehead engine has at all times carried a sure mythos. Almost ninety years after its debut, the silhouette of these distinctive rocker containers nonetheless alerts the beginning of the fashionable Large Twin—and the inspiration for generations of bobbers and choppers. That legacy is why Justin Powers from Bull Motor Firm has been fielding the identical request from clients for years—a Knucklehead-style bike that retains the early Large Twin aesthetic with out the quirks that make unique machines tough to reside with. As a substitute of constructing them one after the other, Bull Motor Firm dedicated to a small manufacturing run constructed round confirmed elements, even providing the uncommon promise of a guaranty.
The inspiration is an OE-style Harley FL wishbone body, the identical primary structure used on Large Twins from the late Forties via the early ’50s. Up entrance sits a conventional springer fork fitted with inverted speedster bars and a scalloped headlight bucket, whereas a Efficiency Machine disc brake provides a dose of real-world stopping energy. Spoked 16-inch wheels wrapped in Avon Security Mileage tires preserve the stance firmly rooted in traditional bobber territory.
Energy comes from an S&S Cycle KN93 engine—a contemporary tackle the Knucklehead that preserves the enduring look whereas including sensible enhancements. Displacement climbs to 93 cubic inches and the up to date backside finish and oiling system handle among the longevity points that plagued unique motors. Gasoline and spark are dealt with by an S&S Tremendous E carburetor and Tremendous Inventory digital ignition, with energy despatched via a Baker four-speed and open chain remaining drive.
The bodywork sticks to bobber fundamentals: a solo saddle, a tidy bobbed rear fender and a scalloped gasoline tank that highlights the engine’s signature rocker containers. The oil tank is an sudden contact—primarily based on a Harley FXCW Rocker unit that was narrowed by 4 inches and recast to suit the FL body, giving the bike a finned centerpiece beneath the seat.
The place the construct actually separates itself is within the end. Impressed by the patina of a Colt M1911 pistol, most of the steel elements have been chemically handled with a black-oxide course of much like gun bluing. Mixed with aged aluminum, brass accents and a bronze-toned body, the result’s a machine that appears many years previous regardless of having no paint anyplace on it. [More]
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