There’s hardly a enterprise that hasn’t been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic ultimately. The Parisian {custom} store Dangerous Winners is aware of all about it—they’ve needed to navigate well being laws, lockdowns and provide chain points. They usually very practically didn’t get to complete this brutal Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 drag bike.
The construct was initially commissioned by Royal Enfield Europe close to the tip of 2019, and was meant to compete within the in style Sultans of Dash race collection. However when all occasions have been instantly canceled, Dangerous Winners founder Walid Ben Lamine bought the decision to place the undertaking on ice.
Uncertainty loomed for greater than a 12 months, till information surfaced of a ‘ghost version’ of the annual Wheels and Waves competition in Basque Nation. With the complete occasion unable to go forward, a handful of insiders have been getting collectively to maintain its spirit alive, and Dangerous Winners was invited.
Walid welcomed the information, however he was additionally anxious; Wheels and Waves was simply months away, and there was a lot work to be finished. With all arms on deck, the crew lastly buttoned the GT 650 up simply eight hours earlier than it needed to do obligation on the notorious Punk’s Peak street, nearly 500 miles away.
It’s clear that they didn’t reduce any corners although. Dubbed ‘Pegasus l’Étalon Noir,’ which roughly interprets to ‘Pegasus the Black Stallion,’ this Continental GT is all enterprise. Low, lengthy and lithe, it’s a beguiling mixture of carbon fiber and efficiency upgrades.
It’s no present pony although. Lurking beneath the hood is an 865 cc huge bore equipment from S&S Cycle within the US, full with an upgraded camshaft, Carillo connecting rods and a strengthened clutch. S&S reworked the cylinder heads too, and equipped Dangerous Winners with a two-into-one exhaust and a programmable ECU.
Dangerous Winners swapped the air field for a pair of velocity stacks, and rewired the GT 650 from scratch. They usually plumbed in a nitrous system from Nitrous Categorical too.
Since this bike’s main goal goes quick in a straight line, Walid and co. determined to increase its wheelbase. They began with the inventory swingarm, stretching and bracing it with new chromoly metal sections.
The OEM twin-shock association is gone too, changed by a single Öhlins unit. Dangerous Winners fabricated a brand new higher shock mount and subframe, together with prolonged foot peg mounts to set them way back to attainable. They’re fitted with {custom} pegs, controls and linkages.
The wheels are aluminum objects from Dymag, and are wrapped in Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SC2 tires. A full Beringer brake set handles stopping duties.
Up prime is a full complement of {custom} carbon fiber physique panels. Dangerous Winners first designed the entire physique with CAD software program, then 3D-printed prototype components. These prototypes have been used to make the ultimate carbon fiber components, which embrace the entrance quantity board, tank cowl and tail piece.
Gas is saved in a custom-made aluminum reservoir mounted beneath the ‘tank.’ Accessible by way of a gap within the carbon cowl, it holds lower than half a gallon—sufficient for 1/eighth mile race runs.
Dangerous Winners stripped the cockpit all the way down to the naked necessities. Up entrance is a Koso speedo, flanked by Renthal clip-ons and grips, and Beringer levers. This bike doesn’t must be road authorized, so it’s not kitted with any lights or flip indicators.
Like most race bikes, the GT 650 wears its sponsor logos proudly. However in contrast to most race bikes, it’s not plastered in brilliant colours—Dangerous Winners stored issues monochrome, wrapping the uncooked carbon fiber in a excessive gloss lacquer.
Pegasus l’Étalon Noir lives as much as its title; a legendary creature designed to hold thunderbolts for the gods. We’re positive Walid is counting the times till Sultans of Dash is again on the calendar, and he can begin burning by these Pirellis.
Within the meantime, in the event you’d wish to see this menacing GT 650 within the flesh, it’s simply been unveiled on the Bike Shed Present in London.
Dangerous Winners | Fb | Instagram | Photographs by Photos and Movement Studio
