Confederate Motorcycles X132 Hellcat Speedster

Written by Ian Lee.

In the beginning there was the Confederate X132 Hellcat. It was good and fast and broke speed records. But it needed something else. It needed the touch of Pierre Terblanche. The former Ducati designer was brought in to give the American hotrod a different style, something fresh and unique. And it takes a hell of a designer to take an already out there bike and make it even more… well… out there. Let us introduce you to (deep breath) theConfederate Motorcycles X132 Hellcat Speedster. 

The bike is dominated by that big 132 inch V twin of Confederate’s own design. Putting out 140 torques, the fuel injected powerplant is the same one that propelled the Hellcat to a speed record at Bonneville a few years ago. With an ECU that is tuned for performance more than cruising capabilities, the power is sent through a five speed transmission fitted with drag racing ratios. 

All that power means nothing without being able to put it into the ground. At the back end is a custom Race Tech centre mounted shock. The 29° front forks are 48mm, fitted up with a Beringer four pot dual caliper biting into Beringer ductile rotors. Both front and rear suspension are fully adjustable, for both rebound and compression. The rolling stock on the machine are 18 inch Blackstone Tek Carbon Fibre, shod in Metzeler Me880 rubber. 

The fuel tank is a one piece seamless unit, designed in house at Confederate Motorcycles. Finished in clear coat over carbon fibre, it follows the curve of the 3 inch backbone beautifully. To give that American riding position, a leather bound tractor style seat was utilised, along with forward controls. 

This Hellcat Speedster is being limited in production to only 65 bikes, ensuring that these already unique bikes maintain their ability to stand out in a crowd. From the CNC billet engine case, to the work of art exhaust system draped upon the engine block, the amount of work put into this bike shows. With a touch of Terblanche, this naked bike is just the beginning of a new styling direction for Confederate motorcycles, and the future is looking good. 

via PIPEBURN

'The Raging Bull' by OLD Delhi Motorcycles

photos by Manav Parhawk Photography

MARIA RIDING CO

Maria Motorcycles based out of Lisbon in Portugal first came to our attention with their beautiful, sea blue Ducati 750 Cafe in 2012. Back then their website was under construction and our information was limited but they had us hooked with their obvious talent and eye for the beautiful. Now that the gentlemen of Maria Riding Co. have fully established their brand and their website is a hive of beauty and information, we realise that the bike that began it all for them was actually this XS650. In an interview with Iron & Air, head mechanic and designer in chief Luis said of his original steed,“Your first love will always be remembered for life with a special feeling. Eva is that first tattoo on Maria Motorcycles’ arm.” It was one hell of a way to start.

In Portugal these old models are something of a rarity, so despite the extremely tired state  in which Luis found this old girl, there was no question in his mind that she would be worth the effort. “The first part of the build was easy, removing all the dirty and rusty parts, we took care of all the damaged parts, and sourced new ones.” During the process of the restoration his ideas came together to create a “single and unique motorcycle.” But first he needed it to run.

Luis luckily had some friends with the required skill set so the engine was dispatched to his buddies and rebuilt from scratch, “this was a big motivation boost which let us believe that all the rest was going to be possible.” With the motor taken care of, he set abut the frame.  The tail was shortened and a kicked loop added creating that recognisable, short Brat stance. Next came the task of fabricating some bespoke parts to team with those he had purchased or refurbished. These included the battery box, headlight and backlight supports along with a few other parts.

The original wheels were refinished in gloss black and chunky classic Firestone Deluxe tyres were chosen. Twin air filters replaced the air box whilst a gel battery was hidden beneath the seat in the aforementioned box along with all the wires and condensers. The simple, clean look was the order of the day.

“Getting the engine started was something tricky to solve. Hours and hours checking all details from the new electrical system.” But when it finally ran, it felt like a brand new bike, testament to the work carried out by Luis and his mates.

The seat proved problematic, “It was the best of 4 prototypes. We really knew what we wanted, but it was not simple to get there…!” When Luis was finally satisfied with the profile and fit it was covered in a pale brown leather that compliments the gold detailing on the tank and the headlight. Crisp white was chose for the tank and grips. “The design and the graphics just came out to be a very natural thing, since that’s our professional skills area.”

“We are very pleased with it! Riding it is even better! The sound and the feel is amazing. We have not so much comfort, but the fun is outstanding!” That fun is the essence of the Maria experience, they talk on their website in glowing terms of the fun we used to have and how they intend to reclaim it with their motorcycles,

“Everyone’s old days are usualy full of precious stories and adventures. The past is often the best. The more stories to remember, the more interesting moments to share.… and a good ride is usually a true and instant story maker.” 

The experience Luis had and the skills he learned in the building of this bike are what went on to form the Maria Riding Co. of today. If this was “the first tattoo on the arm” then the sleeves are certainly coming along nicely with numerous projects completed since and plenty in the pipeline. See more of their work on the Maria Riding Co. Bikeshed page and expect it to receive more ink soon.

via The Bike Shed

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