Velocity Learn, March 12, 2023

Basic silhouettes are the theme of this week’s Velocity Learn. From Unikat’s Harley-Davidson’s Sportster 883, to RF-Biketech’s Kawasaki Z1000R and a ravishing Honda CB400 café racer from By no means Ending Cycles, we’ve got three completely different construct kinds, riffed on by three proficient builders. We finish off with a brand new quick movie from Harley-Davidson, documenting their 2022 King of the Baggers marketing campaign.

Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 by Unikat Motorworks The Sportster 883 has been reimagined in practically each approach you may consider—but each time we are saying that, it looks like a brand new one pops up with particulars and issues we haven’t seen earlier than. This construct from Unikat Motorworks in Poland takes the favored {custom} platform, strips it down, and provides distinctive, practical touches, whereas protecting the general aesthetic very traditional.

The person behind Unikat Motorworks is one Grzegorz Korczak, additionally identified for his work as a visible artist. As an artist, Grzegorz is aware of that extra just isn’t at all times extra, and a larger visible impression can typically be obtained by eradicating mass and litter. That is demonstrated superbly in his newest Sportster construct.

The bike’s proprietor approached Unikat with two targets: he wished the bike to be comfy, and he wished the venture to be enjoyable for the builder. After tossing some concepts backwards and forwards, the “metropolis scrambler,” aesthetic was determined upon, and Grzegorz set to work.

Apart from the custom-fabricated tail loop, a lot of the modifications completed to the 883 had been conceived, fabricated, after which merely bolted on to the platform. An 18” rear wheel and 19” entrance decide the chassis up and provides the bike a extra scrambler-y silhouette. Öhlins shocks add a efficiency aesthetic, and a pleasant pop of yellow to go together with the light-grey-blue paint.

A shorty rear fender was tucked underneath the brand new custom-upholstered seat. Tiny flip indicators had been added each entrance and rear, with a small Bates-style taillight put in. Lastly, the license plate was relocated to the left facet of the swingarm.

To maintain issues clear on the handlebars, the speedo was relocated to the left facet of the bike’s engine. An etched badge sits on high of the spherical headlight mount to point the bike’s maker—a pleasant completion that the rider will see each time they’re on the bike. [Via]

Kawasaki Z1000R by RF-Biketech Eddie Lawson is an absolute legend. As a four-time GP World Champion, his status for ending each race and never crashing out earned him the nickname ‘Regular Eddie’—even when the bikes he was using on the time are type of absurd by at present’s requirements.

Superbikes of the 70s and 80s had been good at making energy, however suspension, tires, and brakes nonetheless had a methods to go to catch up. So when a German buyer that likes to trip on each highway and monitor introduced a 40-year-old machine in to RF-Biketech, it was clear the place the builders wanted to focus.

The beginning platform was a 1981 Z1000 ‘J’ body, which is the 12 months the engine’s displacement was just below 1,000cc, in order that it may nonetheless be raced within the Superbike class. Updating the Z1000’s body was the primary process on the checklist, with no corners reduce. The steering head angle was adjusted, and additional materials was added all through the body to strengthen it and cut back flex.

The rear of the body was shortened, as there’s now not a necessity for a passenger seat. The brand new plate bracket is definitely detachable too, to modify from road- to track-mode in minutes.

A light-weight {custom} aluminum swingarm was made by way of a mix of CAD design, CNC milling and hand fabrication. This was then paired with a set of absolutely adjustable shocks to maximise the brand new swingarm’s effectiveness. HyperPro forks mount to beefy new triple bushes, whereas clip-on handlebars and adjustable rear-set foot controls put the rider in an aggressive and race-ready place.

Whereas the story of the ‘J’ body and early superbike homologation could be very fascinating, it doesn’t have to play any position in how this machine features. In order that just-under-1,000 cc engine was changed with a high-compression 1,170 cc unit out of a GPZ1100.

Fitted with RS36 flat slide carbs, pod filters, and a {custom} four-into-one exhaust system, the bike now places out over 130 hp and weighs lower than 200 kilos [441 lbs]. [Via]

Honda CB400F by By no means Ending Cycles Few platforms exemplify café racer type like a 70s Honda Tremendous Sport. However by constructing on a platform identified for this type, you’re leaping right into a pool stuffed with very proficient builders. Fortunately the workforce at By no means Ending Cycles was as much as the problem.

The construct began with a father wanting to provide his sone a commencement current. On the lookout for a trendy and dependable platform, they selected a 1975 Honda CB400F Tremendous Sport—a motorbike that was each clean and fast for its time, however extra importantly, a rattling nice trying machine with clear traces and a snaking four-into-one exhaust system.

Based mostly in Wisconsin, By no means Ending Cycles is thought for classic German and Japanese metallic, putting this inline-four comfortably of their wheelhouse. The construct was to be a dependable day by day rider with sufficient type and aptitude to maintain issues thrilling, so a set of inverted forks off of a Suzuki GSX-R had been put in, together with its brakes.

Subsequent, an aftermarket café-style tail part from Tuffside was added. The brand new {custom} bodywork blends with the traditional Honda traces, all painted white and blue. Customized grips match the newly upholstered seat in quilted brown leather-based.

Lastly, the bike was fully rewired with a brand new battery tucked into the tail part. Rolling on new hoops, geared up with LED lighting and looking out clear sufficient to eat off, it’s the nicest commencement present we’ve ever laid eyes on. [Via]

Pushing the Restrict documentary Bagger racing is arguably one of the vital absurd and entertaining issues to occur to motorcycling in many years. The bikes are big, and so they have completely huge engines with each drop of energy squeezed out of them. What’s to not love?

Now Harley-Davidson has launched a brand new movie to have a good time the 2022 King of the Baggers racing season. Titled ‘Pushing the Restrict,’ the movie, which is simply over an hour lengthy, focuses on the Wyman brothers, H-D’s manufacturing unit bagger racers, as they observe, tune, and race these unbelievable machines.

We hear from the racers, the crew, and from higher-ups at Harley-Davidson, about simply what makes this racing so particular, and why People throughout have completely fallen in love with this new tackle the game.

Observe alongside as they tour the nation racing baggers and get excited for the 2023 season, which kicked off this weekend with the primary race in Daytona Seaside, Florida. The video is completely free to look at on YouTube proper now—simply hit play beneath.