samedi 24 janvier 2015
Ducati ; MOTO STUDIO DB900
Before we indulge in the details of the distractingly beautiful and purposeful black Ducati that originally lured you to read these words it is right and proper that we extend the gentlemen behind the bike a hearty Bikeshed welcome and a thorough introduction. Moto Studio is the result of a meeting of the minds and skills of two men in Miami, they are one of those builders that we have admired from afar but until now have not had the opportunity to feature here on the Bikeshed.
Bruce McQuiston and Ryan Arends met at Bike Night in their native Miami in the winter of 2013 and Moto Studio is the culmination of the ideas and ambitions they shared that night.
In the early eighties, while Bruce was studying Sculpture in Pennsylvania, he was usually found on two wheels carving the idyllic country roads of the State. Soon enough this pastime led him to the race track, where as it turned out, he was rather bloody good. He won the first motorcycle race he ever entered and went on to establish himself a career on the track as a race car driver, coach and engineer.
In the early eighties, while Bruce was studying Sculpture in Pennsylvania, he was usually found on two wheels carving the idyllic country roads of the State. Soon enough this pastime led him to the race track, where as it turned out, he was rather bloody good. He won the first motorcycle race he ever entered and went on to establish himself a career on the track as a race car driver, coach and engineer.
Ryan Arends is a certified mechanic from Aruba by way of Florida who alongside being an award winning bike builder has worked in the aviation industry as a technician. Oh, and he harbours a passion for electronics.
If you were compiling a Harlem Globetrotter esque dream team of motorcycle builders, the lives and skills of these two men would push their names high up the team sheet.
If you were compiling a Harlem Globetrotter esque dream team of motorcycle builders, the lives and skills of these two men would push their names high up the team sheet.
So welcome extended and introductions given lets get back to that motorcycle, the glorious, black Italian reason you are here. The donor bike was a trusty mid 90’s Ducati 900ss/sp, a model that we have seen receive some remarkable transformations here on the ‘Shed – it’s strong L-twin motor and slinky trellis frame providing the perfect underpinnings for a special.
As you may have expected from a racer and a mechanic, Bruce and Ryan were never going to be content leaving the mill’s power output at it’s standard level. In went a set of high compression pistons along with a Yoyodyne light weight flywheel. The heads were ported and a set of custom intake manifolds were designed and matched to the ports.
“The motor was modified to increase torque, this is a wheelie popping beast that is a blast to ride in the city as well as in the twisties.”
Keihin FCR 41 carburettors were installed and dialled to work with the custom made 2 into 1 exhaust system. Bruce invested a lot time into developing the carbon fibre reverse cone exhaust muffler which now performs flawlessly whilst producing a wailing cacophony of exhaust noise. We love the offset nature of the taillight and exhaust end cap, they combine to add a quirky wink to the end of the machine other motorists will likely see the most.
Suspension duties were assigned to Ohlins. Once again the builders track heritage shines through in the use of the highest quality components. The front wears a set of fully adjustable Ohlins road and track forks along with radial Brembo calipers, the rear sports an Ohlins 3-way shock.
In Motogadget Ryan has found a manufacturer with products that satisfy his love of electronics. Moto Studio use electrical components exclusively from Motogaget which they team with Ryan’s proprietary wiring harness design. The complete absence of visible wires is rare in a Ducati and a welcome fix. The simple, single Motogadget dial and subtle bar end indicators that satisfy both fore and aft signalling are the cherries on top of the electrical design.
The frame was extensively modified, not only to reduce weight but also to alter the riding position to suit the hand sculpted seat cowl and sub frame.
“For Bruce performance and design are equally important, that is why he hand makes all the components on the builds, the seat cowl and fairing and single rearview mirror housing are made out of carbon fibre. The paint scheme was made to accentuate the lines and curves on the body work. This bike weighs 321lbs, and the suspension settings are dialed in for the owners weight and riding style.”
The harlequin chequerboard tank scheme is an unusual yet effective design crowned by the glorious machined Moto Studio filler cap and the classic Giugiaro Ducati font. Choosing to finish the new rear subframe in a contrasting metal finish to the bulk of the black frame adds even greater visual lightness to its inherently minimal design.
Bruce and Ryan have created a head turning retro beauty of a machine without a single compromise in outright dynamics and performance. Built to be ridden hard, its matinee idol good looks merely providing a welcome view at the end of a long blast. Everything you could want in a bike. We look forward to seeing what the pair next roll out into the Miami sun, check out their website to see the past fruits of their labour.
tha bike shed
TOP 5 BMW R NINE T CUSTOMS
BMW came out swinging when they released the R nineT. Even before the bike went on sale, it was farmed out to some of the world’s top custom builders: a clear indication of BMW’s new-found love for the custom scene.
There’s a lot to love about the R nineT itself. It’s powered by the punchy 1200cc boxer motor and it’s kitted out with a hydraulic clutch, ABS brakes, beefy USD forks and twin Akropovic mufflers. So it’s an absolute blast to ride (we’re speaking from experience).
But it’s the R nineT’s looks that really set it apart: a stunning two-tone paint scheme and extremely minimalistic trim. It’s also a bit of a chameleon, with a configurable subframe and seat arrangement that allows users to swap between standard, café and bobber configurations.
Now that the dust has settled on the launch, we’re seeing more and more custom R nineTs coming through. Just last week we featured a stunning example by Texan shop Revival Cycles. Now we’ve rounded up another five that we just can’t take our eyes off.
Roland Sands Concept 90 Before BMW Motorrad officially launched the R nineT, they fired a warning shot: the Concept 90. Based on a pre-production R nineT, it was built by Roland Sands (in cahoots with BMW’s design team) as a homage to the iconic R 90 S.
The R 90 S was a pretty big deal in its day—but the Concept 90’s more of an evolution than a reissue. The unmistakable Daytona Orange paint scheme is an obvious throwback, as are the bikini fairing and tail hump. These are a lot more streamlined though—to match the R nineT’s more modern physique and to give it a racy feel.
Performance is improved thanks to Öhlins suspension, upgraded brakes, a unique air filter setup and dual Roland Sands Design mufflers. There’s also a stack of custom-made RSD parts—some of which will be available for purchase soon.
We’ve been lucky enough to see the Concept 90 in the flesh: to say that the level of detail and craftsmanship is impressive would be a gross understatement. So much so, that at 2013’s Wheels & Waves festival, it attracted more attention than all the other bikes put together.
Unique Custom Cycles’ Stockholm Syndrome Sweden’s UCC have been building custom motorcycles for almost 20 years. So, when BMW Motorrad wanted a bike to enter into the Norrtälje Custom Bike Show, they knew just who to turn to. In just 35 days, UCC created Stockholm Syndrome: the Concept 90’s naked, blue cousin.
They started by cutting and raking the frame, before building new forks and triple trees in collaboration with Tolle Engineering. Perka Nyström of Plebs Choppers supplied new insets.
The tank was trimmed—matched to a solo tail piece sitting on a new subframe. UCC also fabricated a new oil cooler and a stainless steel exhaust system, and hooked the latter up to a Burns muffler. Some tasty bits from ISR and Öhlins rounded off the package.
Stockholm Syndrome went on to take second place in the Custom Class of the Norrtälje show: no mean feat for a café-roadster in a competition dominated by choppers.
Cherry’s Company Highway Fighter The Japanese custom scene has always marched to the beat of its own drum. This was made abundantly clear when BMW Motorrad handed the R nineT to four of Japan’s top builders to do their thing.
Go Takamine, Hideya Togashi and Shiro Nakajima all built excellent examples. But this provocative black number from Kaichiro Kurosu of Cherry’s Company stopped us dead in our tracks.
Delightfully noir, Kurosu calls his vision “near future”. His hand-beaten aluminum bodywork is masterfully executed—complemented by a set of modified Custom Chrome RevTech Billet wheels (18” at the front and 16” at the rear). The stock forks have been lowered with custom internals to tweak the R nineT’s stance, and the subframe, top yokes, steering stem and foot controls are all custom.
We’re not sure what we love more: the skeletal mesh section between the tank and belly pan, or the subtle, hot-rod style pinstriping on the nose fairing and tail.
Smokin’ Motorcycles Elegant Bastard Based in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Smokin’ Motorcycles are relatively fresh faces on the custom scene. This R nineT (their third build) was their entry into the BMW Soul Fuel Challenge—a competition put together byBigTwin Magazine and BMW Motorrad Netherlands.
Smokin’ describe it as “an elegant motorcycle with rough edges, made for the ride.”
The most obvious addition is the hand-made aluminum tank—but the bike also features a number of CNC milled parts. For the subframe, Smokin’ 3D scanned the stock unit and designed their own using CAD software. They also created some carbon fiber bits: like the right hand side air duct cover, terminating in a K&N filter.
The new exhaust system is also custom-built, and flows up into twin copper-tipped mufflers. A sprinkling of Rizoma parts was selected to finish off the build, and the seat and grips were upholstered in African Antelope leather by Fred de la Bretoniere.
Rizoma The Italian brand makes some of the most desirable parts on the market. And now they’ve turned their attention to the R nineT, releasing a full line of bolt-on bits.
The range includes everything from fenders to engine covers, rear-sets, handlebars, bar-end weights and levers. You can even buy plates to cover up the stock handlebar clamp holes, should you go the clip-on route. The small fly screen pictured is also on offer, along with various license plate mounting options and turn signals that can double up as a tail light. The full catalogue can be ogled on their site or downloaded as a PDF.
It’s the perfect option for the garage customizer that doesn’t necessarily want to “build” anything. So, if you have a R nineT in your garage (and a healthy bank balance), the result you see here is completely attainable.
BMW Motorrad USA R nineT product page | Wesley’s review of the R nineT | Top 5 BMW R Series: Part I, Part II
via BIKEexif
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