It’s every week for boutique manufacturing bikes, as Arch Bike launches the 1s and the brand new Norton Commando breaks cowl. We’ve additionally obtained an Indian Chief racer, a Sportster constructed for desert racing, and a superb spoof of top-of-the-line motorbike movies ever made.
Arch Bike 1s In case you’ve been residing below a rock, Arch Bike is a boutique motorbike firm, launched in 2011 by Gard Hollinger and Keanu Reeves. Sure, that Keanu Reeves. Based on their mutual love of bikes and design, Arch at the moment presents two fashions, the KRGT-1 and the brand-new ARCH 1s.
Taking components of American cruisers, and smashing them along with race- and sport-style machines, the Arch 1s is a novel motorbike. The corporate is looking it a ‘Sport Cruiser,’ however this sort of bike transcends classification.
A proprietary 124 ci [2,032 cc] S&S Cycle twin cam engine is nestled inside a custom-made body. Just like the KRGT-1, the 1s body options traditional tube metal components merged with billet aluminum structural members.
That seems like a mismatched nightmare, however Arch has pulled off one thing actually stunning. It’s the sort of engineering you’d count on from an aerospace engineering firm, not an indie motorbike producer.
The swingarm can also be billet aluminum, and it’s the primary time Arch has used a single-sided design. There may be premium Öhlins suspension each entrance and rear, and the brakes are from the Swedish model ISR.
Carbon fiber is used extensively too; the gasoline tank facet panels, entrance and rear guards, curvaceous exhaust muffler and ultralight BST wheels are all carbon.
As with all Arch bikes, the 1s is totally handmade in Los Angeles by a staff of craftsmen. They’re all constructed to order, and prospects can spec a wide range of ergonomic and engine packages to swimsuit their fashion. All that, for the eye-watering worth of $128,000.
The 1s seems like a sportier providing than the extra energy cruiser-orientated KRGT-1, and it’s not as flashy as the corporate’s Methodology 143 prototype. Actually, it’s my favourite Arch motorbike so far. [Arch Motorcycle 1s]
New Norton Commando 961 SP and CR The Norton Commando is beloved the world over by individuals from all walks of life (individuals like Keanu Reeves, for instance). It’s one of the vital iconic British bikes ever produced—however the Norton title has taken a beating during the last decade.
Smothering the blazing dumpster hearth left by Stuart Garner is Norton’s new proprietor, TVS Motor Firm. Their plan to revive the model features a £100-million funding, and a brand new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility at Solihull, England.
Sure, despite the fact that TVS is the third-largest motorbike producer in India, Norton’s manufacturing is staying in Ol’ Blighty. They usually’ve simply thrown the wraps off their first new bike—the redesigned Norton Commando 961 SP and CR.
Underneath TVS administration, Norton is popping over a brand new leaf regarding its construct high quality. The earlier technology Commando was plagued with issues that TVS has addressed head-on by re-engineering greater than a 3rd of the bike, together with its body, gearbox and cam-train. We will solely go by the pictures supplied, however the match and end appear to have been stepped up.
The Commando 961 SP and CR are primarily the identical bike, however with two totally different driving positions. The SP continues the standard Commando setup with a extra upright handlebar system, whereas the CR options clip-on handlebars. There’s a full suite of adjustable Öhlins suspension, whereas the braking system is courtesy of Brembo.
The brand new bikes can be found in two shade choices—Matrix Black and Manx Platinum, that are each conventional Norton colorways. The air- and oil-cooled 961 cc parallel twin produces 76.8 hp at 7,250 rpm and 81 Nm of torque at 6,300 rpm. That doesn’t sound like a lot, nevertheless it’s traditional Commando, even when the re-phased crank now fires at 270 levels as a substitute of the standard Norton 360.
The highest-shelf elements, the corporate’s ‘status’ and the hand-built development does imply that the value is excessive. At £16,499 [about $18,432] for the SP, and £16,999 [about $18,990] for the CR, the brand new Commando doesn’t appear to have a very good bang-to-buck ratio—on paper, a minimum of.
However this bike just isn’t constructed for spec sheet scientists. It’s constructed for many who need the texture of a traditional Commando, however with out the complications typically related to classic bikes.
It seems like Norton is lastly onto a very good factor. [Norton Motorcycles]
Indian Chief by Noise Cycles and Zach Hindes This intriguing classic racer-styled Indian Chief makes a powerful case for the outdated adage; “teamwork makes the dream work.” It’s the results of a collaboration between DicE Journal and Indian Bike, who pulled collectively a number of the finest names within the {custom} bike enterprise to carry it to life.
To design the bike, DicE and Indian turned to Scott Jones from Noise Cycles in Nashville, Tennessee. Drawing on Scott’s huge expertise within the {custom} motorbike world, they determined to take the Chief someplace you’d least count on it—the racetrack.
Beginning with a bone inventory Indian Chief Darkish Horse, the bodywork was stripped away to disclose the stable underpinnings. Scott factors out that cruisers and race bikes have basic variations in body and steering geometries, so he had his work minimize out for him.
After Scott’s design was finalized and mocked up, the bike went to Zach Hindes of Prism Provide Co. fame, to handle the body and fabrication. An alloy tank was made by hand and polished to a mirror shine. The fairing is a classic unit from the Nineteen Seventies that Zach modified to suit.
The modified rear fairing can also be from the 70s, and now sits on prime of a {custom} subframe. Going for a sportbike fashion, the dual shock rear was changed with a mono-shock. Figuring out the heavy bike could be thrown round a racetrack with reckless abandon, Zach beefed up the subframe to account for the additional stresses.
Roland Sands despatched over a set of custom-made wheels (19” entrance and 17” rear), together with new rear-set mounts for the construct. The entrance forks had been modified to suit a second brake disc, supplied by Beringer, together with all the opposite braking elements. Sticky Dunlop Sportmax tires exchange the manufacturing facility choices.
The engine was left alone, however the staff couldn’t resist the {custom} stainless-steel exhaust system made by Zach. The 111 ci twin produces a mighty bellow from the Racefit muffler.
From lazy cruiser to fire-breathing monitor weapon, this constructed staff is a match made in heaven. However they’re not carried out but… subsequent, the bike will go to the inimitable Decorative Conifer for paint.
Keep tuned if, like us, you may’t wait to see the way it seems. [Indian Motorcycle | Images by Scott G Toepfer]
Harley-Davidson Sportster by Good Occasions Racing There’s one thing a couple of Sportster dressed up as a dust bike that simply feels proper. Possibly it’s the sheer impracticality, or simply the aesthetic awesomeness.
Regardless of the motive, I’ve obtained a mushy spot for dual-Sporties. And ever because the AMA added a ‘Hooligan’ class to the Nationwide Hare and Hound Championship within the States, it’s turn into widespread to see huge bikes on grids often populated by purpose-built dust bikes.
That is the ‘Bajarley’—a 1995 Harley-Davidson Sportster 883, closely modified by Wealthy Silva of Good Occasions Racing. Beginning on the enterprise finish, it wears a set of Honda CRF450 forks with RaceTech internals and a Scotts Efficiency steering damper. The 21” entrance and 18” rear wheels are from Dubya USA, and the knobbly tires and tubes are from Shinko.
The 17.5” piggyback rear shocks are from Racetech and the rear fender is from Lowbrow Customs, who additionally equipped the gasoline tank and cap. The outlandish paint was laid down by Donnie Walker Jnr, with lettering by Invoice Walker.
The inventory Harley seat needed to go, and was changed with a Vyrus Moto x Saddlemen Sportster motocross seat. Stealth Pipes supplied the stainless-steel high-mount scrambler exhaust, and a custom-made bash plate was bolted on.
Regardless that it seems like a showpiece, this bike has been put to good use. Wealthy and his teammate Joey Elms have raced the Mint 400 twice on the Bajarley, ending fifth in 2021, following up with a 3rd place in 2022. Wealthy additionally took third place on the Biltwell 100 in 2022. [Source]
On Any Different Sunday No, that’s not a typo. This isn’t the revered motorbike movie, On Any Sunday. It’s On Any Different Sunday—a spoof by Hoxton Moto, primarily based on Mert Lawwill’s phase from Bruce Brown’s iconic Nineteen Seventies documentary.
Hoxton adopted everyman, Dave, to the Malle Mile within the UK just lately, and filmed his shenanigans. Dave is a 31-year-old truck driver; a mean man that races a Honda Cub and a Suzuki GS400 for kicks. A daily Malle Mile attendee, he was the right topic for Hoxton’s brief movie.
“We tailored the unique script of the Mert Lawwill sequences, and mimicked the visible set-ups and construction, making an attempt to be as loyal to the unique as our non-existent finances allowed,” explains the movie’s producer, Shaun.
“Dave brings a pure comedy to his scenes. The unique opening reveal of a person strolling down a avenue, the workshop and touring pictures and the tire modification sequences had been direct from the unique.”
“Dave doesn’t have the massive fan base of Mert Lawwill, however his mates had been completely happy to step in as spoof ‘followers.’ Dave’s spouse has a tongue in cheek position after we see her completely delighted to see the again of Dave as he leaves residence to compete. And even Dave’s dad steps in to seem as his coach, buddy and father determine.”
Completed off with a 70s soundtrack, and a voiceover by the notorious Ichiban Moto, it’s a smile-inducing slice of Sunday cinema. [Hoxton Moto | Images by Sam Barham]
