What do a Kawasaki KZ250 engine, a automotive’s spare wheel and a bicycle seat have in widespread? You’ll discover all of them on this curious contraption from Valen Zhou, together with a smorgasbord of different odd bits and items.
Straight out the gate, Valen admits that this construct isn’t notably sensible—in reality, it’s downright sketchy. However he didn’t initially intend it to be this manner. The Chinese language-born, Milan-based photographer and director had a really particular mash-up of kinds in thoughts, however as soon as he bought caught in, issues didn’t fairly pan out.
“The thought began a few years in the past, after I noticed board observe racing from the 1910s and Twenties,” Valen tells us. “As a result of I’ve all the time liked classic bikes and motorbike historical past, I used to be fascinated. However then I found drag racing, which made me really feel the highly effective allure.”
“I assumed that if I might make a board tracker crossed with a drag bike, it could be tremendous cool—even when it may not be attainable.”
Valen had some concepts about how the body ought to look, and the way the steering ought to operate. Nevertheless it quickly grew to become obvious that issues weren’t fairly going to pan out. So he modified tack, and determined to deal with the challenge as an idea bike of types.
“The whole motorbike is definitely my creativeness,” he says. “It’s my very own idea bike. I’m not knowledgeable engineer or an actual designer, however as a result of I like bikes, I simply wish to notice my idsprintea—and I hope everybody who sees it finds it tremendous cool.”
On the core of the bike is a home made metal body, constructed partially with jigs, and partially freehand. Many of the inspiration got here from Valen’s street bicycle—which accounts for the custom-built dropped bars, and the bicycle saddle and seat submit. The wrapping on the body’s spine is there so as to add additional grip whereas pushing the bike round.
For the suspension, Valen successfully made it up as he went. “I principally constructed the suspension freehand, similar to taking part in with Lego,” he says. “It’s utterly designed in keeping with my very own creativeness, so there will probably be huge issues, ha ha.”
The entrance wheel contains a Honda CG125 hub, a ‘common’ motorbike rim, and a pair of aero bicycle wheel covers. A half-size automotive spare wheel does responsibility out again, mounted to a single-sided swingarm. There’s just one brake; a repurposed motocross half on the rear.
On the coronary heart of the construct sits the motor from a Kawasaki KZ250—a 246 cc single that makes a modest 19 Nm of torque. The engine’s one more reason that Valen modified path on the challenge; its output would have been inadequate for the unique chassis design that he had in thoughts.
The Kawasaki mill is usually inventory, save for a brand new velocity stack and a {custom} megaphone exhaust. Gasoline is saved in an aluminum bottle, mounted behind the body’s seat tube in a bicycle bottle cage. “I designed it this technique to save weight,” says Valen, “but it surely was additionally impressed by street bicycles.”
“You are taking it off and refill it, similar to refilling a water bottle. Every bottle solely holds 500 ml [about 17 oz], which is barely sufficient for one run. So I put together many bottles, and substitute them after every run—similar to athletes drink water.”
Valen’s dash bike is loaded with eccentric particulars like this. On the handlebars, you’ll discover a custom-built throttle that makes use of gears, and a reversed clutch lever.
If you happen to’re searching for the foot controls, they’re approach larger than you’ll often discover them. The driving place right here is impossibly compact—very like a hard and fast gear or time trial bicycle.
“It’s not very comfy,” Valen concedes, “but it surely feels just like the wind resistance may be very little. Your arms get notably drained although!”
It looks like a waste to spend a lot time on a challenge (it took literal years to finish), solely to confess that it’s not notably usable. However that wasn’t the purpose right here. Now that Valen has let his creativeness run wild, he has an arsenal of concepts spooled up for the subsequent bike—and he’s nicely conscious of what works, and what doesn’t.
“This motorbike took a very long time from thought to completion,” he provides, “and additionally it is my favourite one. Though it has many issues and can’t be pushed on the street in an actual sense, every little thing about it represents my data of bikes… and my love for them.”
