David Anderson is the raddest customized bike builder that you simply’ve by no means heard of. He has zero on-line presence, and the one two bikes we’ve seen from him have been constructed 12 years aside. However he has a 100% success charge at knocking our socks off.
His final mission, a Husqvarna avenue tracker that he constructed earlier than avenue trackers have been cool, nonetheless holds up at this time. And his newest creation is equally superior. Primarily based on a Kawasaki Z1000, however powered by a hopped-up Suzuki Bandit 1200 engine, it’s a wonderful celebration of the surplus of the 80s.
David makes a residing as a copywriter and model marketing consultant in Sweden, so customized bikes are only a passion for him. He does it below the banner of ‘Krook Road Racing,’ which he calls his “personal little make-believe race store.”
“Like many Gen X-ers, I like 80s AMA superbikes,” he says. “However the issue is that 80s bikes are a bit underwhelming to experience. I wished that chunky ‘Quick Eddie Lawson’ race look, however in a motorcycle that was lighter and quicker.”
David kicked the mission off with a 1982 Kawasaki Z1000J donor bike and the items of a Suzuki Bandit 1200 engine from round 2001. However there’s nothing inventory concerning the motor now.
“It began life as a backyard selection Suzuki SACS oil-boiler,” says David, “however I had it bored out and rebuilt by the Swedish former European High Gasoline champion. It’s now ‘further all the pieces’; larger valves, ported head, excessive carry cams, 1,216 cc excessive comp pistons, stronger con rods, and extra. It’s received some shove, to place it mildly.”
Transplanting the Suzuki engine into the Kawasaki body was a bit trickier than what David had initially anticipated. “I feel I fabbed 4 or 5 totally different engine mounts earlier than I received the drive sprocket within the right place, whereas on the similar time permitting area for the flat slide carbs below the tank. Fortunately the Bandit 1200 engine is means lighter to carry out and in than the previous mill.”
On the consumption facet, the Kawazuki’s Keihin carbs suck air by means of chunky RamAir foam filters. Connected to the other finish of the engine is a customized exhaust system, from Racefit within the UK. It not solely seems rowdy as heck, nevertheless it reportedly weighs a substantial quantity lower than the unique system.
David additionally braced the Kawasaki Z1000J body in a number of locations, and rid it of any superfluous mounting tabs. The shock mounts have been moved ahead, whereas a buddy with a big press stamped out new gussets to bolster the body triangle below the seat.
With the Suzuki engine taking on much less area than the Kawasaki motor did, David wanted a solution to fill within the unpleasant hole behind it. So he fabricated a catch tank to sit down in entrance of the swingarm and welded in an aluminum blank-off plate to spherical issues off. Look carefully, and also you’ll see a repurposed Yamaha rear hugger tucked away in there too.
The remainder of the construct’s components spec simply reinforces how good David’s judgment is. Gawk with us on the burly 52 mm right-side-up forks, swiped from a Yamaha V-Max and handled to a black anti-friction coating. Then forged your eyes to the rear of the bike, the place new Öhlins shocks (completed in black) hook up with a customized swingarm.
“It was made to my specs by GIA Engineering,” David provides. “I wished to maintain the unique wheelbase, and most fashionable aftermarket swingarms are simply too lengthy.”
17” cast Aprilia wheels sit at each ends, wrapped in grippy Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tires. Getting them to suit concerned executing what David calls the “AC Sanctuary mod,” which includes ‘widening’ the chain line to clear the broader rear rim. A skateboard wheel chain curler provides one other fashionable, albeit refined, contact.
The brakes come from David’s compatriots at ISR, who have been additionally form sufficient to machine the yokes he wanted to carry the large V-Max fork stanchions. The cockpit sports activities extensive ProTaper bars, with ISR brake and clutch levers that characteristic push buttons built-in into their mounting clamps. Below the hood, David rewired the bike with a Motogadget mind and put in a light-weight Lithium-ion battery.
A smorgasbord of smaller customized components ties all the pieces collectively—just like the rear brake mount, handlebar risers and fork brace, and a pair of ‘wings’ that shield the radiator. “One among my favourite issues about tinkering with bikes is trying over the shoulder of people that, versus me, truly know what they’re doing,” he tells us. “This time I managed to select up sufficient tricks to do some TIG-welding and CAD-drawing of my very own.”
“I designed lots of the components on my pc after which had them milled or printed. I wished to maintain the enduring ‘angular; unique entrance fender, however like all the unique parts it was tremendous heavy, and didn’t conform to the curvature of a 17” wheel. So, I made a mildew in Fusion 360, had it 3D-printed, after which did a carbon fiber moist layup.”
The truth that all the pieces sits collectively so effectively with the Kawasaki’s blocky bodywork, is a testomony to how sharp David’s eye is. From the extensive ProTaper handlebars to the endurance-style gas filler and twin taillights, there’s nothing we’d change. Even the olive inexperienced and orange paint job, which sounds terrible on paper, is impressed.
And if the chunky carbon fiber quantity board and headlight association remind you of Bottpower’s work, you’re proper on the cash. “The look and placement of the lights, and the second oil cooler below the quantity plate, was closely impressed by Bottpower’s superb Buell XB Racer,” David confirms, “which continues to be my favourite bike on Bike EXIF, ever.”
“It annoys me a bit that I didn’t weigh the bike earlier than I began, however in keeping with the MOT man, it now weighs 202 kg with oil and half a tank of fuel. I wish to fake that it might give Eddie’s 1982 race bike a run for its cash at Laguna Seca—if solely I might ship it again by means of time.”
Though we’ll by no means know, what we do know is that this monstrous mash-up is one other smash hit from Krook Road Racing. We’re itching to see what David comes up with subsequent—we’re simply hoping we don’t have to attend one other 12 years to seek out out.
Photos by CarlMagnus
