This week’s edition of Speed Read lives up to its name. It starts with a Suzuki GSX-R1000 prepared for endurance racing and ends with a replica of an early 1900s dirt bike. Sitting in the middle is an 890 cc off-roader from KTM and a custom Kawasaki Z1 is completely bunker.
Suzuki Classic Team Suzuki GSX-R1000 If you want to feel old, consider this: The Suzuki GSX-R1000 K1 was launched over twenty years ago. Lighter and faster than its predecessor, it is considered by many to be a future classic. It’s also now officially old enough to race in the European Endurance Cup—which is why Team Suzuki Classic has just prepared one for the race.
Team Classic Suzuki is a key member of the European endurance racing circuit, where they have been using the highly modified Suzuki Katana since 2017. But the rules have changed and the GSX-R1000 is noticeably faster. So the Katana expired and Gixxer joined.
Team Classic Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 wears a list of forklift parts. Under the hood is a newly built GSX-R1000 engine, with Yoshimura cams and an all-titanium Yoshi exhaust system. A factory Suzuki GSX-R750 endurance racer loaned the project its swingarm and wheels from OZ Racing.
The front fork is Team Classic Suzuki’s own design, upgraded with K-Tech interior. K-Tech shock absorbers support the rear, while Brembo brakes handle the task of stopping the car.
Some of the parts used are taken directly from the Suzuki Racing Parts Program. It’s a race-parts support and discount initiative for UK club racers—so weekend warriors can take notes from Team Suzuki Classic to tune in. their own opponents. And there’s a lot to take note of.
Dressed in Team Classic Suzuki’s signature paint job, this GSX-R1000 makes a strong case for the model’s future classic status. We can’t wait to see it ride in anger. [More]
KTM ‘890 SX-F’ by JZ Handmade Even if you don’t know Jan Žuži’s name, you’ve seen his work. He is the builder responsible for the incredible Praga ZS 800 prototype (a fact he was only able to reveal recently).
If you need more proof that the man is skilled, we recommend this wild KTM. Built for 67-year-old Czech off-road racer Jiří Heiník, this Franken-dirt-bike features a KTM 890 Duke R engine in a KTM 250 SX-F chassis. And it’s not just for show; Jiří plans to race it in the legendary Erzberg Rodeo.
The sad thing is that the ‘890 SX-F’ looks a lot like an original KTM enduro bike from a distance… but it really isn’t. As you can imagine, dropping a twin-cylinder engine into a slim motorcycle frame isn’t exactly a walk in the park. Jan started by removing the SX-F’s steering tube from its frame, then welded a new frame using cut pieces of the original.
Jan also extended the OEM swingarm to accommodate the wider engine. Next, he built a ‘hidden’ aluminum fuel tank inside the subframe, a new airbox and custom radiators.
The car also gets new wheels and yoke, custom engine guards and gearshift levers, and new wiring. The titanium exhaust tips are handcrafted and finished with a titanium Akrapovič silencer.
The result is a completely insane off-road bike that makes 120 horsepower and weighs just 290 lbs. “It’s creepy and crazy, but it can also ride surprisingly smooth and quiet like a regular 250 mountain bike,” says Jan. I can also imagine that with a valid license plate on the road and supermoto wheels, it could be the bike of the millennium!” [Via]
Kawasaki Z1 by Bull Dock In the world of Japan’s iconic superbike recover, a handful of stores operate on an entirely different level—and Japan’s Bull Dock is one of them. It just takes a look into these eyes Kawasaki Z1 to know that they are in a league of their own.
Built with support from British suspension brand Nitron, the ‘GT-003’ is stacked with top-of-the-line parts and some pretty wild mods.
For starters, the engine has been bumped up to 1,230 cc, with a flow head, forged pistons, new valves and a Yoshimura cam. Other upgrades include a Yoshimura flat-slide carburetor, a hydraulically-operated dry clutch, and a host of parts from Bull Dock’s Win McCoy lineup.
With so much work going on in and around the engine, the Kawasaki Z1 needed an exhaust to match. It carries an all-titanium system, hand-welded and wrapped with a Win McCoy silencer.
Moving on to the chassis, Bull Dock has removed the twin rear shock absorbers for a custom monoshock arrangement. It’s hooked up to a Win McCoy swingarm, with custom piggyback shock absorbers from Nitron.
The rear suspension setup is digitally designed and tested with simulation software to optimize handling. The rear suspension is not only different from the original, but the frame is also straightened and bracing in many places.
The front end uses billet yokes and an adjustable right Nitron fork, with Bitubo steering damper. Between the tweaked front end and the carefully designed rear end, the Z1 now has better mileage than it did in the 70s.
Forged Lavorante wheels help reduce turning mass, while Pirelli tires provide modern grip. Braking uses Brembo brake calipers with Sunstar discs and a single rear master cylinder. A set of Win McCoy propeller pins in matching green wheel color.
And then the bodywork. Using a mix of OEM styling and custom parts, built with everything from carbon fiber to reinforced fiberglass, it makes for a classic superbike convertible – especially when you count on bold paint colors. [Via]
1909 North London Garage 2.7 Liters JAP North London Garage was a small motorcycle manufacturer that existed in London in the early 1900s. In 1909, they built a motorcycle for racer Will Cook, with the goal of setting a new land speed record.
Their recipe is quite simple; The current record holder motorcycle has a 2.5 liter engine, so their bike will use a 2.7 liter JAP V-twin engine. The company built a bespoke racing bike using a 20hp JAP engine, capable of reaching speeds of around 90km/h. [56 mph]. Will Cook brought it to Brooklands to make history, but the timing device failed during his run and he never officially timed it; record stands.
This is not that motorcycle, even if it looks exactly like it. It’s a true recreation, crafted by Pavel Malanik—a mechanic and engineer in Czechoslovakia with a passion for motorcycles manufactured between 1900 and 1910. some clones, even built engines from scratch.
The project was conceived when Pavel discovered historical photos and information about the North London Garage (JAP) and decided it was worth replicating. Details about the bike were scarce, so he used the photos to calculate the bike’s dimensions, then created drawings to serve as a blueprint.
After a year of research, Pavel started building the JAP engine from scratch. Each cylinder is machined from a solid block of steel, the cylinders are drilled out, the two halves of the crankcase are milled, and the crankshaft and camshaft are rotated on a lathe. Working piece by piece, Pavel finally had a working engine.
Next, he fabricated the frame from steel pipes. That was a huge task in itself, as the bike’s original design included a lot of bracing to compensate for the massive engine.
Every part of this fascinating motorcycle is handcrafted—except for the Avon tires. Once the bike was ready, Pavel started learning how to ride it (as you can imagine it was quite difficult), then took it to the track. You can hit ‘play’ below to see how that goes. [Via]
