Classic ball is This week’s Speed Read theme. From Unikat’s Harley-Davidson Sportster 883, to RF-Biketech’s Kawasaki Z1000R and a stunning Honda CB400 cafe racer From Never Ending Cycles, we have three different building styles, made by three talented builders. We close with a new Harley-Davidson short, documenting their 2022 King of the Baggers campaign.
Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 by Unikat Motorworks The sports 883 has been reimagined in nearly every way you can think of—however, every time we say it, it seems like a new way emerges with details and consideration we never had before. seen before. This build from Unikat Motorworks in Poland uses the popular custom background, removing it and adding unique, functional accents, while preserving the overall very classic aesthetic.
The man behind Unikat Motorworks is Grzegorz Korczak, also known for his work as a visual artist. As an artist, Grzegorz knows that more is not always more and that a greater visual impact can often be achieved by removing volume and clutter. This is superbly demonstrated in his latest Sportster build.
The owner of the bike approached Unikat with two goals: he wanted the bike to be comfortable, and he wanted the project to be interesting to the builder. After bouncing back and forth with several ideas, the aesthetic of the “city car” was decided and Grzegorz set to work.
Aside from the custom-built tail ring, most modifications made to the 883 are conceived, fabricated and then simply bolted to the base. The 18” rear and 19” front wheels lift the frame and give the bike a more movement-like appearance. Öhlins shock absorbers add to the performance aesthetic and a nice yellow accent comes with a light gray-blue paint job.
A short rear fender is hidden under the new custom upholstery. Small turn signals were added at both front and rear, with small Bates-style taillights installed. Finally, the number plate has been moved to the left of the rear swingarm.
To keep things clean at the wheel, the speedometer has been moved to the left side of the car’s engine. An engraved badge sits atop the round headlights to indicate the bike manufacturer—a nice finishing touch that riders will see every time they take control of the bike. [Via]
Kawasaki Z1000R customized by RF-Biketech Eddie Lawson is an absolute legend. As a four-time world GP champion, his reputation for finishing every race and not slipping has earned him the nickname ‘Stable Eddie’ — even if the bikes he rides on. going at the time was absurd by today’s standards.
The superbikes of the 70s and 80s were good at generating power, but the suspension, tires and brakes still have a long way to go. So when a German customer who loves to go both road and race brought a 40-year-old machine to RF-Biketech, it became clear where the builders needed to focus.
The original platform was the 1981 Z1000 ‘J’ frame, the year when the engine displacement was just under 1,000cc, so it could still race in the Superbike class. Updating the Z1000’s frame is the first task on the list, with no corners cut. The steering head angle has been adjusted and additional materials have been added throughout the frame to increase stiffness and reduce flex.
The rear part of the frame has been shortened because a passenger seat is no longer needed. The new license plate holder is also easily removable, to switch from road mode to race mode in minutes.
The lightweight custom aluminum swing arm is crafted through a combination of CAD design, CNC milling, and handcrafting. This is then combined with a fully adjustable shock absorber to maximize the efficiency of the new swingarm. The new HyperPro fork attaches to the powerful fork, while the grip-style handlebars and adjustable rear foot controller put riders in aggressive and race-ready stance.
While the ‘J’ frame story and early superbike similarities are interesting, it doesn’t necessarily play any role in how this machine works. So that just under 1,000 cc engine has been replaced by a high-compression 1,170 cc engine from the GPZ1100.
Fitted with an RS36 flat-slide carburetor, a pod filter and a custom four-in-one exhaust system, the car now has more than 130 hp and weighs less than 200 kg. [441 lbs]. [Via]
Never Ending Cycles’ Honda CB400F Few platforms embody the cafe racer style like the 70s Honda Super Sport. But by building on a platform known for its style, you’re jumping into a pool filled with very talented builders. Fortunately, the team at Never Ending Cycles passed the test.
The construction started with a father wanting to give his son a graduation present. Looking for a stylish and reliable platform, they opted for a 1975 Honda CB400F Super Sport—a car that was both smooth and fast at the time, but more importantly, a machine that looked good on Clear lines and a solid four-in-one exhaust system.
Based in Wisconsin, Never Ending Cycles is known for its classic German and Japanese metalwork, placing this four-row bike comfortably in their garage. The build was intended to be a reliable everyday rider with enough style and flair to make things interesting, so a set of Suzuki GSX-R upside-down forks were installed along with it. with its brake system.
Next, an aftermarket cafe-style tail section from Tuffside was added. The new custom bodywork blends with classic Honda lines, all painted in white and blue. Custom handles to match the new seat upholstered in brown quilted leather.
In the end, the car was completely rewound with a new battery inserted into the rear end. Rolling on new hoops, LED-lit and looking clean enough to eat off, it’s the best graduation present we’ve ever laid eyes on. [Via]
Documentaries push the limits Three-wheeler racing is arguably one of the silliest and funniest things to happen to motorcycling in decades. The bikes are huge and they have incredibly large engines with every drop of power squeezed out. What’s not to love?
Now, Harley-Davidson has released a new film to celebrate the King of the Baggers racing season in 2022. Titled ‘Push to the Limit’, this hour-long film focuses on the brothers. the Wymans, the bagger racers at HD’s factory, as they practice, tune, and race these incredible machines.
We hear from riders, teams, and seniors at Harley-Davidson about what makes this race so special and why Americans around the world absolutely love it. love this new sport.
Stay tuned as they tour the country’s baggers and get excited for the 2023 season, which begins this weekend with the first race in Daytona Beach, Florida. You can now watch this video completely free on YouTube—just hit play below.
