Winston Yeh of Tough Crafts takes a fast break from constructing menacing Harleys to design a wild Husqvarna supermoto. We additionally take a look at KTM’s bonkers new RC 8C superbike, a Harley Sportster with classic flat observe fashion, a Moto Guzzi V65 wrapped in aluminum, and a {custom} Volcon Grunt electrical bike.
Husqvarna FE501 by Tough Crafts Scrolling by way of Instagram, our thumbs froze as we got here throughout a lean, lithe and murdered-out Husqvarna supermoto. Standing in entrance of it was none apart from Winston Yeh of Tough Crafts in Taiwan.
We’ve ridden the FE501’s KTM counterpart (most Huskies are simply rebadged KTMs), and it’s a powerful machine out the field. It’s principally a 500 cc motocross bike with lights and a license plate—and if we had one within the storage, we most likely wouldn’t do a lot to it.
That’s the path Winston’s taken. He’s saved the mods minimal and tasteful, including a hearty dose of Tough Crafts fashion whereas injecting some highway manners.
Up entrance, the manufacturing unit WP Suspension forks have been changed with Öhlins RFX48S models and STM Supermoto fork legs. Instead of the 21F/18R wheels are a pair of 17” Marchesini M10RR Kompe Motard wheels, fitted with Pirelli Rosso Corsa II tires. Braking forces are equipped by Beringer, with a four-piston caliper and 310 mm disc up entrance, and a two-piston caliper squeezing a 230 mm disc within the rear.
Tough Crafts put in a carbon gasoline tank and body guards from CMT, and had the body powder-coated black. The headlight is from Koso, housed inside a {custom} entrance numberplate. And the entrance fender is the manufacturing unit unit, albeit barely shortened.
The engine’s inventory, however the exhaust’s been upgraded; a titanium Akrapovič header is mated to an SC-Venture muffler. The seat is {custom}, and the rear shock is an Öhlins TTX Stream merchandise.
Driving the purpose house is a surprising {custom} graphics equipment. The manufacturing unit Husqvarna bodywork has by no means regarded so good, sporting a {custom} vinyl wrap from MTR Customized Wrapping. The black and gold livery matches the wheels and Öhlins suspension completely.
It’s slim, gentle, highly effective and it appears to be like rattling good. Ought to Tough Crafts do a sequence of those? Most undoubtedly. [Rough Crafts | Images by Kin Lin]
2023 KTM RC 8C What’s black, orange and bought each 0.79 seconds? When you guessed the 2023 KTM RC 8C, then you might be right.
When you don’t know the RC 8C, it’s a track-only superbike that borrows tech from KTM’s RC16 MotoGP race bike. Evidently, it’s bought in extraordinarily restricted numbers.
Constructing on the success of the earlier mannequin, the 2023 KTM RC 8C has been tweaked to ship an “even sharper Able to Race” expertise. The LC8c parallel twin engine has been upgraded with varied titanium components, with the facility boosted to 135 hp at 11,000 rpm. A brand new Akrapovič titanium exhaust system helps maintain the dry weight down at 142 kilos [313 lbs].
The electronics suite additionally has a couple of upgrades. The throttle response and engine braking are adjustable, and that can assist you put the facility down, there are traction, launch and anti-wheelie management choices.
The suspension is from WP’s Professional Elements vary and the braking comes from Brembo. The transmission incorporates a reversed shifting sample, similar to a MotoGP bike, whereas the wheels are wrapped in tremendous sticky Pirelli Diablo racing tires.
The edges, chain, CNC fork clamps, handlebar switches and dashboard are all new. The carbon entrance fender and big entrance fairing wings seem like they’ve come straight off the RC16 MotoGP. Additional cementing the RC 8C’s track-only vibe are the crash-damage-prone components that may be simply swapped out within the pits.
If all this sounds proper up your alley, I’ve some unhealthy information. All 200 2023 RC 8Cs bought out in a mind-blowing two minutes and 38 seconds. When you’d like to hitch the ready checklist and take a look at your luck, contact your nearest KTM seller. [KTM RC 8C]
Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 by Duecilindri Upon listening to a reputation like Duecilindri, you’d be forgiven for interested by Italian twin-cylinder bikes. Nonetheless, Paolo Ghiringhelli of the Italian Duecilindri weblog and YouTube channel is definitely extra excited about American twins—specifically Harley-Davidson Sportsters.
That is Paolo’s private bike, based mostly on a 2007 Sportster 883—and as you’ll be able to see, he’s made some modifications. “The bike is intentionally easy,” says Paolo. “I don’t like extra, and I needed it to at all times recall the unique mannequin.”
Paolo has styled his Sportster like a road-going homage to Harley’s iconic XR750 flat tracker, and it positive appears to be like the enterprise. The Sportster 883’s inventory peanut tank sits in entrance of a custom-made tail unit and seat. It’s a easy change, however it’s undeniably efficient.
Up entrance are a pair of Brembo brakes, squeezing Discacciati discs by way of Goodridge braided brake traces. The suspension has been reworked, with Öhlins rear shocks and a equipment from Misano within the entrance forks, full with preload adjusters.
There’s a smattering of carbon fiber components on the bike too, such because the headlight cowl, facet covers, air filter cowl and chain guard. The engine has been bumped as much as 1200 cc, courtesy of a Screaming Eagle equipment. A stainless-steel flat observe exhaust was additionally fitted, terminating in a pair of Supertrapp mufflers.
Carrying Pirelli MT60 tyres and that attractive orange paint, this Sportster appears to be like like a blast to trip. We’ll ask it once more: why didn’t Harley launch this as a manufacturing unit Sportster again within the day? [Duecilindri]
Moto Guzzi V65 by 7089 Storage Antonio from 7089 Storage has an affinity for uncooked steel. Closely influenced by Japanese bike builders like Shinya Kimura, Antonio has at all times admired their mastery of steel shaping.
Approached by a buyer who needed a “rideable present bike,” Antonio selected a 1981 Moto Guzzi V65 as the bottom. The V65 is principally a smaller model of the venerable Moto Guzzi Le Mans. These small block Moto Guzzis are plentiful, make an incredible noise and deal with like a dream.
This additionally makes them excellent for {custom} builds. To make his Guzzi stand out, Antonio crafted all of the bodywork by hand from aluminum. Utilizing conventional steel shaping instruments, he created the entrance fender, fairing, tank, tail and facet covers. He additionally made the alternator cowl, and added brass highlights to the foot pegs and rear shock bolts.
The V65 entrance finish is spindly, to place it mildly, so Antonio swapped it out for a set of contemporary upside-down forks. Whereas the forks make for a smoother trip, a twin disc entrance finish offers a large enhance in braking energy.
Protecting many of the bike, the flowing bodywork has an virtually natural kind to it. Which is strictly why Antonio opted to not paint any of it. We’re positive the brand new proprietor can be simply as completely satisfied taking a look at it as they might driving it. [Via]
Volcon Grunt by Revival Cycles When the Austin-based EV producer, Volcon, was on the lookout for a store to collaborate on a {custom} construct, they regarded in their very own yard. After a short journey to the opposite facet of city, they delivered a Volcon Grunt to the crew at Revival Cycles with a comparatively easy temporary.
Volcon requested that the large tires and many of the body keep intact, however the remainder was as much as Revival—so long as they constructed one thing fully distinctive. Fortuitously for Volcon, distinctive is one thing that Revival does very effectively.
Leaving the chunky tires the place they have been, the bike was stripped all the way down to get a good suggestion of what the Revival crew needed to work with. They then teamed up with designer Ed Boyd to create quite a few 3D fashions in CAD. After selecting a path, it was all methods go.
They settled on a design that mixes glossy monocoque-style bodywork with a cantilevered tail part. The bodywork is all fiberglass, inbuilt collaboration with Calton Circumstances. Calton is historically recognized for his or her {custom} guitar circumstances, however that they had all the appropriate instruments to assist Revival knock out the Grunt’s new bodywork.
With that sorted, the Revival staff chopped off the Volcon subframe and welded their very own in place. Narrower and stronger, it helps the {custom} seat and tail with ease. The swingarm was inverted, with the trip smoothed out by an Öhlins TTX36 shock absorber mounted on {custom} brackets.
Different modifications embody {custom} chrome steel foot pegs mounted on CNC-machined brackets, and twin LED headlights. Painted in brilliant, flashy colours, the bike appears to be like exceptionally enjoyable to have a look at and trip. If that is what the way forward for electrical bikes appears to be like like, signal us up. [More]
