We open this week’s proceedings with a collaboration between two luxurious manufacturers—Brough Superior and Richard Mille. We additionally check out the brand new Triumph Scrambler 400 XC, and a customized Indian Chieftain PowerPlus, constructed by an ex-freestyle motocrosser for a professional skateboarder.
Brough Superior x Richard Mille RMB01 In what would possibly look like an unlikely alliance, boutique bike model Brough Superior, and prestigious watchmaking firm Richard Mille, have teamed as much as create a really particular machine—the Brough Superior RMB01.
Dive a bit of deeper into the historical past of each manufacturers, although, and also you’ll see that, similar to high-end luxurious timepieces, limited-production, hand-built bikes are constructed with meticulous craftsmanship and care. Each disciplines require the usage of cutting-edge know-how and are a labor of affection, quite than a option to make a fast buck.
Brough Superior was revived in 2013 (after a quick 73-year break), and their base of operations was moved from England to the Toulouse area in France. There, principal proprietor Thierry Henriette continues the Brough spirit of innovation and hand-built high quality, with each a part of their bikes manufactured and assembled by a crew of professional craftspeople.
The Brough Superior SS100 line has been carried into the current age—however the place the brand new SS100 is a re-interpretation of the bikes favored by Laurence of Arabia within the Nineteen Thirties, the RMB01 is a totally fashionable beast. It’s extra harking back to the AMB 001—Brough Superior’s turbocharged sportbike collaboration with Aston Martin (however with out the AMB’s turbocharger).
This particular collaboration attracts on a broad vary of racing influences, from classic board observe racers to modern GP machines. We’d anticipate nothing much less, because the Richard Mille identify is plastered over Components 1 automobiles and worn by all types of racers and sportspeople.
Up entrance is a Hossack/Fior-style fork, milled from a single piece of aluminum. The headlight is encapsulated by a transparent display and flanked by a pair of aerodynamic carbon fiber wings. The one-piece handlebars are bejeweled with a surprising customized dashboard, made to resemble the interior workings of a Richard Mille watch.
Sticking with horology, the wheels have been constructed to imitate the intricately stacked gears you’d discover on a luxurious timepiece, with slotted brake discs including to this tourbillon-like impact. The aluminum swingarm, footpegs, and rear suspension linkages match the entrance in each complexity and wonder, whereas the dual, side-exit exhaust cuts a softer line.
The 997 cc liquid-cooled V-twin engine musters 130 wholesome steeds by a slipper clutch and a six-speed transmission. The engine serves as the primary structural aspect of the bike, with the entrance suspension, rear subframe, and swingarm all bolted to it to scale back weight. Additional weight discount comes courtesy of the intensive use of solid carbon fiber, and the limitless aluminum elements which are milled to perfection.
At first look, the RMB01 is so much to absorb. Identical to the design of the AMB 001, the Ariel Ace, or any bike from Vyrus, it’s daring and unapologetic—which implies that, even in the event you hate it, it would simply develop on you.
Simply 150 models of the Brough Superior x Richard Mille RMB01 are being produced, with every one being assembled by hand in France. You’ll be able to select from three colours; Pearl of Velocity (white), Selene (anthracite), and Noctural Sapphire (darkish blue). The value just isn’t listed—which normally implies that we will’t afford it. [Brough Superior | Richard Mille]
Triumph Scrambler 400 XC Triumph has injected extra off-road aptitude into its small-displacement single-cylinder lineup. Becoming a member of the Velocity 400 and Scrambler 400 X (and utilizing an identical nomenclature to its 1200 cc brother), is the brand new Triumph Scrambler 400 XC.
Triumph’s 400 cc line of single-cylinder bikes was first launched two years in the past. They’re produced in partnership with Bajaj Auto in India, with smaller engines and a cheaper price tag than Triumph’s twin-cylinder fashionable classics. Regardless of this, they’re nonetheless unmistakably Triumph, with the extent of match and end we anticipate from the British marque.
In a historically complicated Triumph approach, the brand new Scrambler 400 XC shares nearly all the things with the Scrambler 400 X, making the XC variant solely a gentle improve. They use the identical body, 43 mm USD forks, and rear monoshock with preload adjustability, with an identical suspension journey quantity (150 mm at every finish).
Each bikes additionally roll on 19F/17R wheels—however the place the X makes use of alloy hoops, the XC sports activities harder spoked tubeless wheels which are extra geared to off-road driving. The XC additionally will get a set of adjustable levers.
The XC can be geared up with a decrease engine guard as commonplace and incorporates a raised entrance fender that’s mounted to the underside of the decrease fork clamp. A blacked-out fender covers the rear portion of the entrance wheel to guard the small radiator in entrance of the 398 cc single. The XC additionally will get a small windshield up entrance, which appears proper at house with the matte black headlight grille.
The seat top stays at 835 mm [32.8 inches], which is sort of tall, particularly for learner riders.
The additional stuff bolted onto the 400 XC means it weighs in at about 419 kilos—about 11 kilos heavier than the 400 X. (That’s additionally 15 kilos heavier than the Triumph Avenue Triple RS, which has nearly 90 extra horsepower than the 400.)
Granite, Racing Yellow, and Vanilla White are the three livery choices for the 400 XC. The Racing Yellow caught our eye first, and though the modifications from the X to the XC are delicate, we really feel like Triumph’s baby-faced Scrambler is slowly coming into its personal. [Triumph Motorcycles]
Indian Chieftain PowerPlus by Jeremy ‘Twitch’ Stenberg Twitch is a six-time X-Video games gold medallist and freestyle motocross legend. He’s just lately turned his consideration to street bikes, and is now internet hosting Indian’s newest ‘Cast’ customized construct sequence on YouTube.
As a part of the sequence, Indian requested Twitch if he knew anybody who would love a customized 2025-spec Indian Chieftan PowerPlus. Twitch knew precisely who to name—none aside from skateboarding legend Ryan Sheckler.
“Sheckler stated if he ever had a motorbike, he wished it to appear to be Knight Rider—mainly all black all the things,” says Twitch. “In order that’s precisely what we did. We went gloss black, matte black, and satin black and had some enjoyable with it.”
Twitch reworked the Chieftain PowerPlus with a variety of snazzy elements. The OEM fairing now wears a Klock Werks windscreen and a Baja Designs headlight, with yellow-lensed Baja Designs fog lights decrease down for night time driving. Glossy LED flip indicators from Rizoma substitute the inventory gadgets, whereas the taillight comes from Trip Tradition.
The entrance fender was swapped out for a light-weight RWD merchandise, however the tail received a lot of the consideration by way of bodywork. TNA equipped a customized carbon fiber rear fender and matching baggage, that are mounted on customized spacers to scale back the rear finish’s sizeable girth. A Saddlemen seat was put in, together with hinge covers from Ceaselessly Rad.
Twitch knew that Sheckler grew up driving dust bikes, so the Chieftain’s suspension was tweaked to go well with his driving type. Now operating a full suspension bundle from Huge Bear Choppers, the rear has been lifted 1.75 inches, which supplies the large bagger some much-needed floor clearance. Hart Luck risers and handlebars have been fitted to carry Sheckler right into a much less laid-back driving place, together with MX grips from ODI so as to add dust bike aptitude, and Kraus floorboards for additional grip.
The wheels are from Arlen Ness, measuring 21 inches on the entrance and 18 inches on the rear, and are wrapped in Dunlop rubber. Brembo calipers have been used back and front (with the rear fitted utilizing a Ceaselessly Rad mounting block), squeezing Galfer efficiency rotors. Beringer equipped the brand new clutch and brake grasp cylinders.
The Indian PowerPlus engine was left principally inventory, however the air filter cowl was changed with a carbon fiber unit. The brief two-into-one exhaust and the carbon fiber radiator guard are extra Hart Luck gadgets.
The extremely detailed paintwork was laid down by Stephen at End FX. It might look all black, however nearer inspection yields a lace rose sample on the fairing and baggage and numerous pinstriped easter eggs—together with the names of Sheckler’s kids on the dashboard.
Better of all, it seems that Sheckler has all the time wished a street bike, however by no means received round to getting one due to his busy schedule as a professional skateboarder. This practice Indian Chieftain PowerPlus is one heck of a option to get began. [Indian Motorcycle]
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