Your weekly dose of moto-goodness begins with two motorcycles that put “Speed” in “Reading Speed”. We started with the classic turbocharged Triumph drag bike, then followed it up by taking a look at the new KTM Super Duke RR. Bringing us home is a daring street-tracking Suzuki DR650 and a rare Swiss-made Ducati race car.
Weems Motor Co.’s turbocharged Triumph 750 tow bike. Really, what is a motorcycle? In its purest form, we mean it’s a frame, two wheels and an engine. Should towing a bicycle that Jared Weems of Weems Motor Co. built here is truly a quintessential motorcycle. What it lacks in the bodywork, it makes up for in length… and power.
That’s because this incredible machine is built for one purpose—tear banding, fast autofocus. But what exactly is it?
Well, it’s a turbocharged 1956 Triumph 650 engine, bolted to a hand-built frame that has been stretched 5 inches with a 2.5-inch drop in the neck. The backbone of the frame is the oil tank, while the two ‘tanks’ on either side hold the fuel. The bars are custom, as are the internal throttle and clutch systems.
It runs on alcohol, which is cooler than regular gasoline (both physically and metaphorically). That means Jared can get away with shaving the cooling fins off the head, thus saving a few ounces of precious weight. With new aluminum cylinders (up to 750 cc capacity), the engine looks completely unique.
There are so many details to enjoy. Note the exposed levers and levers, as well as the transparent window revealing the cam gears and oil pump. It’s mechanical art at its best.
As if that wasn’t enough, Jared also attached an AMR300 supercharger to it, running 1:1 in increments of 6 lbs. It also has a rare Wal Phillips mechanical fuel injection system. Completing the spec is an authentic Invader wheel, with an elongated and extended swingarm.
No wonder Jared took the top spot for ‘Best Competitive Motorcycle’ at the last Born Free show. There was only one thing left to do now; actually run the bike down the drag strip to see what it can really do. [Via]
KTM 1290 Super Duke RR Like an invading force of seafaring rapcallions, KTM agrees that the more Rs, the better. This is Super Duke RR 2023 and its numbers are astounding. It’s a two-wheeled pirate ship that can make even the Black Pearl die in the ocean.
The Super Duke RR’s 1,301 cc V-twin engine produces 140 Nm of torque and 180 hp, while the whole machine weighs 180 kg [397 lbs]. Math has never been my forte, but even I can tell the 1:1 power-to-weight ratio when I see it. It definitely puts “Hyper” in Hyper Naked.
Taking all that power down the road requires top-of-the-line suspension, which KTM is happy to offer. Up front is a WP APEX PRO 7548 sealed box fork, designed specifically for the RR. The rear end is tested with WP APEX PRO 7746 shock absorbers and KTM also equips WP APEX PRO 7117 handlebar shock absorbers for good measure.
How did KTM lose 11 kg compared to 1290 Super Duke R Evo before RR? To begin with, the extensive use of carbon fiber. The subframe, single seat and all body panels are made of carbon.
The wheels are forged ultralight and the standard battery has been replaced with a lightweight lithium-ion battery. A full Akrapovič EVO series exhaust is also available for the vehicle as an optional extra.
Look, we all know that the KTM isn’t the prettiest model — but we can’t deny their pursuit of form. The RR is angular, aggressive, and frankly quite intimidating. But that’s the idea behind Hyper Naked, isn’t it?
You also can’t argue with how nicely the bright orange frame stands out from all that carbon. That, and the fact that it makes 180 horses. Quantities are limited to just 500 units—so if you’ve always dreamed of being a pirate, now is your time. [KTM]
Suzuki DR650 by 485 Designs I don’t know if it’s a coincidence, internet algorithms are tracking me or both, but I’ve seen some interesting things Suzuki DR650s for sale recently. The dependable, go-anywhere, do-anything motorcycle is a popular base for custom builds—from retro adventure bikes to café racers and everything in between. .
However, above all they do well street tracking And supercar. One person who shares this view is Nick Mercer of 485 Designs. He lives in Colorado, and here’s his wonderfully proportioned custom DR650.
Honestly, the original DR isn’t much left—just the main frame, engine, and swingarm. The plastic bodywork is gone, replaced by metal, metal and more metal.
The front end is from the Suzuki GSX-R, complete with Tokico twin brakes; a big improvement over the original DR650 single. The front end has significantly lowered the car’s height, as has the new 17-inch front wheels. A new set of ProTaper Contour bars have also been bolted, along with a full set of electrical upgrades.
The fuel tank (painted in black and gold to match the new front end and wheels) is from a Kawasaki KZ-model. The engine looks almost original, which is not a bad thing given the incredible weight, it looks like Nick has scraped off the old duster.
Nick built a new stainless steel exhaust for the bike, though, because, look at it. Perfect. The entire factory rear section was dumped in the trash, replaced by a custom subframe that Nick deftly cantilevered over the rear tire.
With matching 17-inch rear tires, wrapped in sticky modern rubber, it’s reported that this thing completely crosses the canyons. It’s easy to see why. [Via]
Auction: Rare Condor A350 We love a good classic Italian motorcycle and this one is on the ‘pretty cool’ list. These are the Condor A350s—and if you’ve never heard of them, that’s okay, neither have we by now. Luckily, our friend Ben Branch at the Silodrome is a master at unearthing little-known motorcycles.
The Condor A350 was built in Switzerland (everywhere) for the Swiss Army, with production starting in the 1970s. Who knew the Swiss had more than just a great multi-tool? That said, that’s the whole point of the Condor A350—tough, reliable and long-lasting, you could say it’s Victorinox Swiss Champ’s motoring cousin.
Everything is made in Switzerland except the engine and suspension. For those items, Switzerland looked to Italy, with Ducati supplying the 350 cc engine and Marzocchi initially providing the suspension (before Condor switched to Koni).
The radiator fins on the overhead cam engine controlled in a 90-degree bevel direction are immediately recognizable as Ducati’s. All Ducati 350 Scrambler engines are specified for Condor with a compression ratio lower than 8.2:1 when the military has to run on lower octane fuel. The muffler is designed to be as quiet and stealthy as possible; they are even coated with a white paint made from non-reflective aluminum.
Condor produced around 3,000 A350s and amazingly, they were used by the Swiss Army until the 1990s. After their retirement, they were put up for sale to the public, making them very popular pieces. interesting for collectors.
If you want a piece of interesting motorcycle history, you’re in luck—this particular example is sold through Bonhams’ Market right away. We can’t help feeling that the $1,500 to $2,000 guide price tag doesn’t reflect just how great this bike is. So go ahead, get yourself a cheap future collection. [Via]
