R nine T Custom Project: the builders

It’s not often that we get an insight into the minds and work processes of Japan’s custom motorcycle builders. The language barrier is simply too much. So we’re wrapping up our coverage of BMW’s R nineT Custom Project by interviewing the four builders involved.

Although they’re at the top of their game—and undoubtedly some of the most proficient builders in the world—customizing the R nineT presented unusual challenges. After all, there’s a big difference between a modern motorcycle packed with electronics and a vintage Harley or Yamaha SR.

Thanks to motorcycle journalist Tadashi Kono, we take a look at the obstacles faced by the builders, and how they overcame them.

Shiro Nakajima, 46Works

What aspect of the custom build did you focus on? I paid particular attention to the ‘drive’ it produces. So you could say I focused on aspects such as lightness, speed, and ease of operation. I think I have created a bike that would be enjoyable to ride on winding mountain roads.

What was the most difficult aspect of the design and creation? The external design. Until this bike, I had only made one tank from aluminum plating and only one seat too—so I had little experience. And having to make everything by hand from scratch was the hardest part. After that, I made other components like the muffler and the rearsets: these are things I have previous experience with, and weren’t as difficult to work out. It was the external design and look of the bike that was difficult.

In what areas do you think that you have been able to stamp your own individuality on the bike, in comparison to the standard R nineT? The standard R nineT is a great bike, enjoyable and well made. So my aim was to create a bike that would retain the great ride while adding more enjoyment and a good feel.

The first thing I concentrated on was lightness—I haven’t added anything that would make the bike heavier. It is composed of materials aimed at making it lighter, without compromising performance. Although I haven’t weighed my bike, I would guess that it is approximately 30kg lighter than the standard R nineT. The rider can actually feel that the bike is lighter, simply by pushing it. I believe that lightness equals speed and a good ride, so that is the aspect that I gave most attention to.

What was the R nineT like as the base for your custom bike? When I first saw the bike I thought that it would be difficult to create a custom build. There are many electronic parts, including computers and ABS units; I thought that it would be a difficult task to move and relocate these components. But I found that these parts could be removed and relocated, which made the work easier. There were no aspects of the design that I compromised just because the R nineT is a brand new bike.

Are there new bikes like this one that are difficult to work on because they are the latest models? Most other BMW models employ the Telelever, which is different to a standard front fork and makes it difficult to decide on a style for a custom built bike. As the R nineT is a relatively orthodox bike, I think it is easier to customize in various styles. As a base bike it is fun to work with and gives you the freedom to achieve various designs.

The most intensive work on the bike was in the later stages, but did you have an idea or vision for the kind of bike you wanted to create right from the beginning? Right from the start I had decided on a direction for the kind of style I was aiming for. However, our workshop moved to a new location, and it took time for the environment to be prepared to start the custom build. Right at the end I was rushing to complete the finalized bike. Even with only one day to go before the deadline, there is always something that you want to try one more time—or something that you want to tinker with.

Have other bikes you have worked on been in a similar style? It is very unusual to be left to custom-build a bike exactly how you want to do it, without input from other people. It was also a unique situation with four people being asked to create their customized version of the same bike. I didn’t want to let myself down, and this gave me the motivation to do everything I could, and work on the bike right up to the deadline.

What was the part of the process that caused you the greatest headache? I redid the tank in different ways, and asked for advice from people who are more expert in panel beating than me. In the end it was possible to create the tank and other components through a process of trial and error.

How satisfying has this custom project been for you? If I had more time, there are still things that I would have like to have done. But this was work and not a hobby: I had to work to a deadline, and from that perspective I can say that this project has been really satisfying.

Kaichiro Kurosu, Cherry’s Company

What aspects of the custom project did you focus on? The line of the bike is the thing I particularly concentrated on. So that all the parts would come together as a unified whole, I worked to create a single body, bringing the tank, fenders, and fairing together. I designed the bike so that it would be in beautiful alignment when looking from front to rear, and focused particularly on the shape. I am satisfied that I accomplished what I set out to do.

Was there anything that you found particularly difficult? I used a long piece of wire to devise the lines for the bike, placing the wire along the body to see how it would look. This process took a long time until I decided on the kind of line I would create.

Was there a bit of guesswork involved in the process? The actual three-dimensional shape of the bike developed and evolved in my mind. I wouldn’t have been able to do anything if I didn’t have an idea in mind in the first place. For me, I usually imagine the finished product in my head before engaging in the actual work process.

In an interview during the creation process you said that you were worried about certain aspects, and had lost sight of what you were aiming for. In the end, did you find that you were able to create the kind of bike you initially visualized? Yes, I was able to express the image I had in mind. Once the paint was applied I knew that I wasn’t wrong. I was very relieved. It’s a little bit strange, but there are always aspects of a project that you don’t know where to start.

In the ‘production process’ interview you mentioned a theme that you had in mind. BMW Motorrad is approaching its 100th anniversary, so I was thinking about the bikes that BMW has created over the years. I then came up with a theme of the “near future.” After all, ten years from now would be the “near future” wouldn’t it? That was the starting point for the “future” theme.

So what specific parts of your bike express a “future” theme? That’s a difficult question, hard to explain in words. For example, if the engine in the bike were to be replaced with an electric motor, it wouldn’t have a bad impact on the style of the bike. That is what I had in mind when I was designing it. I believe that electric motorbikes will become a reality in the future and I wanted to create a bike that would suit even an electric-powered machine. That was part of the theme I had in mind.

How is your bike different to the standard R nineT? The standard R nineT is a really enjoyable bike to ride, but I wanted to see if I could improve the position and also the appearance. I think that by changing the positioning, the ways that the bike can be used and also the ways to enjoy it have also changed a little.

In changing the position, my idea was to make the bike into something sportier and more aggressive. The standard R nineT is a bike that makes you want to set out on a long road trip, but I think my bike is more for other times when you just want to “get up and go!” Neither of these images is better than the other, but I think that it is this image of wanting to set off and go that is different about my bike.

What was your impression of the R nineT as a base for customization? This was the first BMW I had ever customized, and although I didn’t think it would be easy, I didn’t know that it would be easier than other BMW models, because this was my first time to work with a BMW.

Now that the project is over and I look back, I can see that there were parts that were easy to do. Although it’s difficult for me to speak about this as I don’t have experience with other BMWs to compare it with, the BMW bike was how I thought it would be. It was also perhaps easier to customize and reconfigure than other recent motorbike models. It was probably because the R nineT doesn’t have an electronic-controlled front fork and does not feature too many electronically controlled components, and the fact that the frame is expertly made that it was easy to customize and incorporate parts. I think that among BMW bikes, it was probably an easy one to customize.

What sort of presence do you think that your finished bike has? I think that in the end I have created something that is still a BMW at heart. This was something that I kept in the forefront of my mind, namely that this was a BMW bike and that I couldn’t eliminate that “BMW feel.” However, if you ask me what it is that gives a bike its “BMW feel,” that is again something that is difficult to explain because it is intangible. That may be my own preconceived idea, though. However, I believe that my bike is one that is ultimately still recognizable as a BMW and I am pleased about that.

Customization work is also for a customer and if the customer requires a touring bike, then you must create a bike according to that request. However, this time I made the bike for myself. I wondered what the bike would feel like to ride and I actually took it out on the road before it was customized, which helped me to identify the things I wanted to do with the bike and probably helped in the process of creating its final form.

What name would you give your bike? It has a name. I have called it “Highway Fighter.” It gives it the image of burning up the highway and disappearing into the distance.

What have you gained from this custom project? I have gained a great deal. As I noted in the “production process” interview, I realized from this project that I needed to renew myself and my ideas. And I thought that this project would be the kind of thing that would help me to create something new. After all, this was the first time I produced a custom design for a BMW. In that sense, although I am not boasting, I believe that the project was very important for me in that it has given me new choices for next steps and the directions that I can take from now have increased. I want to continue to work on custom projects as I feel it is something I must carry on doing. That was one of the really big results of this project for me.

Would you like to take on a challenge like this in the future? Yes, if something came up, I would. If a BMW customer came to me there would be no reason to refuse. I think that before this project, if someone had brought a BMW motorbike to me, I would have refused the job because I had no previous experience. From now on, if someone were to give me the chance to customize a BMW bike, I would be delighted to accept!

Hideya Togashi, Hide Motorcycle

What aspect of your bike did you focus most attention on? The aluminum tank. I wanted to show the aluminum in its natural state, without painting it. I therefore had to beat out the shape—this was the task that was most difficult, and caused me the greatest trouble.

So is the aluminum tank also the key characteristic of your bike? It was a case of self-gratification really. But in my image of the completed bike, I wanted to show the aluminum. Is it difficult to show the tank in its raw and natural state? If you paint the tank you can cover any slight deformations by creating an undercoat from putty, and then sanding the tank down to make the surface smooth. With a natural aluminum tank this is not possible, so you have to beat out any deformations from the inside to create a smooth surface. That process is really difficult. The tank can become distorted or lose its symmetry, so the work to create the tank is a real headache. It took a month to complete. I had to think carefully while I was creating it.

Would you say that this is the prime characteristic of the bike you have customized? Yes. Although the overall shape and form of the bike has its own individuality, on any bike it is the tank that your eyes naturally go to first. The fairing also caused me difficulty: to create the base shape you use wire, which you then spray with urethane foam. After that, you sand it down to the shape you require. And if you sand off too much, you can easily go back and do it again, or add a little more volume where required.

Although it takes time, it is a job that anyone can do. In contrast, the aluminum tank requires technical skill. That is the difference, and that is why I selected the tank as the main characteristic of the bike.

What differences have you have been able to express with your custom bike in comparison to the original R nineT? With a customized bike anything is possible. And as you can see with this project, four very different bikes have been created under the same conditions and in the same time frame. The original bike was easy to reconfigure, but the most significant factor was that we were free to do what we liked with this custom build. In truth I don’t know what the ride of my bike is like, as I haven’t had the chance to ride it that much!

It is largely Harley Davidson bikes that tend to be customized. What was it like to work on the R nineT as the base for a customized bike? It was a really good experience. Harleys are rather unsophisticated aren’t they? [Laughs] I don’t think I’ll be allowed to use a Harley if I say this, but if you spend between 100 to 300,000 yen on a custom project on a Harley you can improve the areas that the manufacturer left a little rough around the edges—and make the bike better and more stylish.

But the standard R nineT is already extremely well made, and there aren’t many things that have been overlooked or need tweaking. It’s already a very stylish and good-looking bike without being customized. So the challenge is to consider what you can improve, or how you can make it look better with a custom build. That is the concept I was working on for this project, and in that sense I don’t think that it has been a normal custom build project.

How did you find working on this project with its limited time frame? Have you done everything you could have done? I did everything I could until there was no more to do. The only thing left is to actually take it out on the road, and give some attention to the ride itself. In terms of the custom build I don’t think there is anything left to do.

What sort of presence does your finished bike have? I was thinking about where we go from here. If it was my own bike, I would take it out to fine-tune the ride and ensure that it was enjoyable. I would be looking to make adjustments—such as the suspension settings—and make sure it is a bike that is in tune with my own body. That is the way to boost the enjoyment of the ride, and increase love for your machine.

Has this project provided you with a good experience for future custom build projects? I really racked my brains to make this bike. Sometimes, when you open up the drawers of your mind, you find that there is nothing there. This project was one where I had to delve deep into my mind and draw on my experience, and it has given me great motivation for my next custom project, and the kind of bikes I would like to build in the future. In that sense it was a truly great experience.

Go Takamine, BratStyle

What aspects of the design did you concentrate most on, and what are you most satisfied with? I wanted to create a normal bike for riding around the city. So I focused on creating standard parallel lines that would not look unusual if the bike were to be lined up with the SR and SX bikes that we often deal with at BratStyle.

What aspects did you find difficult? As the frame of the R nineT does not lend itself to the kind of parallel lines I was seeking to create, that was the aspect that I spent the most time thinking about.

Do you create a customized bike based on gut feeling? Yes, I work from instinct. But there are times when instinct alone does not go as well as you thought.

How is your bike different from the standard R nineT? At a glance I think that my bike probably looks like an older bike. I have changed the size of the tires, and the external look is entirely different. I think I have achieved an interesting feel that mixes both new and old.

What is the ride like? The ride has become lighter. I think that the standard model is easiest to ride, but you can have a good time on this customized version too.

What was the R nineT like as a base model for customization? It wasn’t easy, but it provided a challenge that increased my passion for the project.

What aspects did you intend to show in your bike? I wanted to create a bike that you would normally ride around the city. Although I have customized many parts, I didn’t want them to be obvious. My aim was to create a normal city bike, not a show car.

What specific things did you find difficult? When you start taking parts off, you realize that there are quite a few that aren’t particularly stylish or good-looking. I disguised these parts with pipes and adjusted the length or width to find a balance that I liked. I originally had not intended to change the front fork, but in the end I changed it for a standard upright fork.

Through this project you got to customize a bike that you would not normally handle. Has the process changed you in any way? I have learned a lot and would like to do more of this kind of work on new bikes. It was a really interesting project.

You have said that the ride of the standard R nineT is best, so what is the attraction of a custom build? I like that I can make a bike that you won’t find anywhere else. I make them so that this unique aura shines through. Although there may be aspects that aren’t as good as the standard model, I think it is good for bikes to have an original feel to them.

What do you think about the bikes created by other builders? They’re all amazing—the character of each person really comes through.

To see the builders’ detailed project diaries, visit the official R nineT Custom Project website. For more images of the custom builds, check out Part 1 of our coverage.

So you want to build custom bikes?

By Wesley Reyneke | Rather Be Riding

For the second edition of The Bike EXIF Panel, we’re picking the brains of seven of the world’s top custom builders. The topic: what’s it like building custom motorcycles for a living?

From the USA we have Richard Pollock of Mule Motorcycles, Alan Stulberg of Revival Cycles and Greg Hageman of Hageman Motorcycles.

Across the pond are Tim Rogers of Spirit of the Seventies in the UK, Winston Yeh of Rough Crafts in Taiwan, and the legendary Wrenchmonkees crew in Copenhagen: Nicholas Bech and Per Nielsen.

Onto the questions:

What advice would you give to anyone considering a career as a builder?

Pollock: Like anything else, start with the basics by working on bikes at a shop. It’s tough to start out just “building custom bikes” when the basic engineering, parts location, tuning—not to mention making a bike ridable and safe—is where a bike build really should start.

It’s much more romantic to call yourself a builder than a mechanic, but don’t skip over the basics—there’s a huge time investment up front that you need to be willing to make. Also, the current design trend of just removing parts, wrapping the pipes and painting everything flat black is kind of a cheat. Designing parts that have to function and actually be installed back ONTO the bike. That’s what separates the men from the boys.

Hageman: My advice for new builders: as long as you have the passion, and understand it’s no easy road, you can do it. I’ve been building for years and still just get by. There are so many other things to do to achieve success besides just building bikes—promotion is huge and media coverage is a must to survive.

Rogers: I’ll never forget a successful photographer preaching a dispiriting sermon to us at art college back in the 90s. “Look around, most of you won’t make it,” was the upbeat message. If you’ve got time on your side, a desire to learn, an aptitude, and most importantly, passion, you have every chance of having a fulfilling career.

If you want to work with others find the best, be proactive, be polite, and be persistent. If you already have a successful career, a young family and a fat mortgage, stay where you are and commission a bike from the guys who need your business!

Yeh: Stay hungry, keep studying, stay up to date, and know what’s happening and what today’s standard of quality and technology is, so that you know where you stand. Also understand yourself, your strengths and weaknesses—make the most of your strengths and figure out how to hide your weaknesses.

Stulberg: Even though I ultimately committed to taking this hobby/passion seriously and not going back to a ‘real’ job, I can’t say it was a pondered decision between some other direction and THIS. For me (and Stefan, my partner in Revival), it was simply an inevitability that we accepted as something we had to try.

Nobody knew, especially us, that we’d actually end up in-demand enough to consider it a career. Every time we sit around and feel sorry for ourselves for our intense schedule, the challenges that face us daily or how hard it’s all been, we come back to the same point that neither of us actually expected it to go this well ever.

The short answer: Follow your passion. And if your passion happens to be motorcycles, and you have a group of supportive and talented people around you, and you’re the perfect combination of talented, stubborn, willful, confident and stupid, then perhaps you can stick through the tough times and get to some level of self-sufficiency.

Wrenchmonkees: First of all: make your family and friends believe in you. Believe in yourself and believe in the decisions you make. Stay humble, work hard and maintain your integrity! Don’t think you can do everything yourself. Team up with people who are better than you, and don’t think that their strengths are your weaknesses—just make sure you are on the same mission!

Be stubborn and at the same time willing to make sacrifices—but don’t price your work too low. Then everything will be OK. (No promises, haha!)

What influences your current aesthetic and design philosophy?

Hageman: My influences and designs come from bikes I remembered when growing up in the ’70s and ’80s—bikes that I would sit and stare at in awe, just waiting to get my hands on the next issue of the latest motorcycle magazine. I rely on the memories and draw from images left in my head, and work towards those images that made me smile when I was younger.

I like to combine those ideas and thoughts with modern technology; I consider myself a mechanic first, and designer after that. Simple, reliable mechanics of the bike come first, then design follows—I have no use for an un-ridable bike.

Pollock: My philosophy is a product of competition: make it simpler, faster, lighter, more durable and trouble-free. Twenty-three years in aerospace gets you into the habit of paying attention to even the smallest details that may never be seen—but I’ll know that it’s right. Looking at other builders’ work, simplicity in solutions is where the real talent is and what I search for. Simple solutions are the biggest influence, followed by MotoGP and hot rods.

Stulberg: The balance I try to achieve is a combination of subtle elegance and superior functionality. I’ve found that it’s easy to slap together a brightly colored, bedazzled machine that has fancy bright paint, knobby tires, and flagrant anodized gold-colored accessories to catch attention and Internet ‘notoriety.’

On the other hand, it’s also possible for a skilled designer or sculptor to craft a fine piece of well-proportioned art that will roll down the road OK, but will certainly never go out and win even the easiest of races or garner an effortless weekend of carving up twisties on your favorite switchback road. I believe it takes a metered, skilled and careful approach to combine performance, design and engineering to actually make a rolling sculpture simultaneously astound the eyes AND perform better than the average production machine.

Rogers: We’ve always believed in the mantra that ‘less is more’. What’s been really interesting over the last couple of years is the increasing mix of sports bikes that we’ve been asked to work on—models like the Triumph 675 and KTM Super Duke have given us the opportunity to diversify and push the boundaries.

Yeh: Cars, bikes, furniture, sculptures—everything around me that was designed and made by humans affects me every single day. As my brand, Rough Crafts, grows, I need to take all that in and re-construct it into a cohesive ‘look,’ which to me has always been a main guideline for constructing a brand.

Wrenchmonkees: We are constantly working on our style, trying to refine our simplicity and designs. Our biggest influence is all kinds of bike builds out there. We love to work out new solutions and ideas, but we also ‘borrow’ design and fabrication solutions that others have spent time developing. It’s difficult to pinpoint what inspires us, everything from nature to man-made designs are inspiring!

And of course we would love to mention all the idols we have, but the list is long and our tastes are wide: from Valtoron in Spain, Death Spray Customs in the UK and Hidemo in Japan, to Brawny Built in the USA.

Is there a motorcycle you wouldn’t dare customize? Or is anything fair game?

Stulberg: I’d say most everything is fair game that has been mass produced. I wouldn’t want to disrespect a fine bespoke machine built by anyone and cut it up to suit my tastes, I’d rather start over with my own design that might be ‘inspired by’ instead of ‘taken from’. I would NEVER touch a Moto Guzzi V8 or other storied racing bike—they were made as the manufacturer/builder intended, and to change them in any way is to remove the story that goes along with their racing lineage.

Having said all that, I’d REALLY like to take on a Ducati Apollo custom job.

Wrenchmonkees: Everything is fair game, no doubt, but there are bikes we wouldn’t mess with to the same extent than we usually do, simply because they are too complicated or pure masterpieces in our minds! Who wouldn’t love to own a factory Ducati 1199 Superleggera?

Yeh: It’s all about ability and possibilities—when I see a bike I see the potential of the bike, but it has to go back to the mechanical. Nowadays all performance bikes are built to such a high standard with all the electronics and finest details, if the technology and mechanical aspect is not an issue I think anything is fair game—there’s no bike too cool to custom.

Pollock: I’d take a saw to just about anything, although just this year I’ve had to say “no” to two requests. When you transition into building bikes as a business, if something looks like it’s gonna be a ‘time vampire’, it’s best to just say “no” and walk away. People usually come to me having seen what I’ve done in the past, so I don’t get requests for choppers or brat bikes. That said, I’m doing my first bobber and it’s really fun. Won’t be the garden variety though—a little more high tech.

Hageman: There is absolutely no motorcycle I wouldn’t touch. I do think though, that rare vintage survivors should be left as such. I only modify or alter bikes that are either plentiful or un-restorable.

Rogers: We’ve already faced that kind of scenario, we recently completed a ’76 BMW R90S. It’s an iconic machine and Kev and I both felt that chopping it about would be the wrong thing to do. We didn’t even need to have the conversation. Instead, the bike was given a subtle cosmetic overhaul but with significant engine and brake modifications within, we call it a resto-custom. There are different approaches for different machines—we won’t be making a Desmo flat tracker any time soon, but we would give one a makeover that emphasized its existing beauty.

What’s the most expensive lesson you’ve ever had to learn?

Wrenchmonkees: Plenty of lessons to choose from (see our answer to question #1), but one big lesson is that you should always match your expectations with the client’s, and make sure they know what extent of customization they are getting with the price level they are willing to pay!

Yeh: Don’t consider the customer’s opinion to be the top priority over your own style—building a bike for a customer without your own style and taste is only making quick money and not helping you as a builder, or your brand, grow. Most of the time you’ll end up hating the bike, and the customer might not be happy either.

Hageman: Oh man, too many lessons to list. All I can say is: once you find good, reliable vendors, treat them right and be loyal. If you actually come across a kick-ass painter, powder coater or upholsterer—remember there are too many out there that aren’t so “kick-ass.” I’ve flushed a lot of money down the toilet getting things redone, over and over to get them right.

Stulberg: Picking the wrong people to work with has always been the most expensive thing for me—I try to surround myself with people that I want to emulate for the right reasons. In my experience, I can’t lose if I trust people that have earned collective respect in true and genuine ways rather than those that simply appear to be so from afar, or dare I say ‘on the internet’. If they don’t stand on their own as someone genuinely and consistently impressive in their own right, then they aren’t likely going become amazing at anything with or without your influence.

Also, if you’re looking for something crazy simple or mechanical, then I’d say that communicating DIRECTLY what you want or feel about something is the ONLY way to live. I’ve learned time and time again that the more vague I am, the more opportunity and money I lose and the more disappointed I stand to be.

Rogers: In the early days we had more knocks than Rocky Balboa! In any business you come across unscrupulous people but you gave to pick up the pieces and move on. We don’t work on older bikes so much any more, but one thing I always strongly recommend is an engine rebuild, particularly on a newly owned bike, especially if it has just had a restoration by an enthusiastic amateur!

Pollock: Don’t be in a hurry when designing or drawing a blueprint. Getting 20 hubs made that are slightly off, or triple clamps, or a frame design, or anything where you get a large quantity of parts made, and when you get deeper in you find the mistake—that’s costly. For 15-18 years or so I was doing one-offs, so it didn’t matter as much—mistakes are gonna happen, right? Multiply it times 20 or 50 and you’ll be stayin’ awake at night, but you have to come up with a work-around and keep moving forward.

If you had to customize a brand new (2014/2015 spec) motorcycle—what would you pick, and what would you do with it?

Yeh: Rough Crafts is all about late model Harleys at this point, so this is easy, and I’m doing it right now: a 2014 Harley Dyna Street Bob. But a BMW R NineT build sounds fun too. For the Dyna I’m running all the trick performance suspension and brake packages, blending them with a ‘special ops’ edgy look, while still keeping the Rough Crafts style intact.

Pollock: The less complex a bike is, the more fun it is to start modifying. So many bikes you see new builders start out with are 70’s air-cooled singles, twins or in-line fours—they are simple mechanically and you can get your head around them while making huge upgrades or improvements. I still think that way. Though I would like to do the new Yamaha FZ7 or the FZ9, and I think many of the current sport-bikes could look really good as well if you remove all the plastic and get back to motorcycle basics. That’s why I like street trackers: no B.S. to muddy up the waters.

Hageman: If I had to pick a new bike, hmm … I’m infatuated with the SR400, a typical retro/modern build. I like the lightweight small cc idea. I think it’s got a ton of potential.

Rogers: It would be great to get our hands on a new Speed Triple and adapt our kit that’s in development for the previous generation. Performance custom engineering sits very well alongside the increasing numbers of Triumph classic models, Kawasaki W800s, Moto Guzzi V7s, etc.

Wrenchmonkees (Bech): I would love to build an uncompromising version of our Monkee #28 to use for travelling and as my everyday commuter! A 1200 Harley Sportster, with an upgraded home-built alloy tank, Öhlins suspension, Brembo brakes and plenty of usable travel features!

Wrenchmonkees (Nielsen): As I really love the Ducati engines, I would go for the new 2015 Scrambler. I don’t know what it looks like yet, but I’m sure it’s possible to make a leaner and cleaner version! Low and long, spoke wheels (17″ rear, 18″front), aluminum fenders, and intake and exhaust upgrades—a bike for commuting, but also the perfect bike for the small winding country roads outside Copenhagen!

Stulberg: I naturally trend towards underdogs—I choose heavy and bloated for transformations as the end result is then more severe and satisfying. Right now we’ve got our sights set on a complete custom build of the new Moto Guzzi 1400 California. The technology Guzzi has used to make such a big bike feel nimble and responsive is fantastic and I’d like the chance to change the entire shape and design philosophy while simultaneously slicing a hundred pounds off of it to see just how drastically different we can make it. Ewan McGregor has one and he’s the man we hope to build a complete custom for soon—I hope he’s listening.

Another choice would be the Ducati Desmosedici GP bike. Sinking my design chops into the simple image of a GP bike with vintage flair and bare aluminum bodywork has my imagination reeling.

With thanks: Wrenchmonkees | Revival Cycles | Mule Motorcycles | Rough Crafts | Spirit of The Seventies | Hageman Motorcycles

Our first Bike EXIF panel explored the state of motorcycle design today.

Motorcycle Design: The State We’re In

By Wesley Reyneke | Rather Be Riding

This week we’re kicking off a new occasional series: The Bike EXIF Panel. With each edition, we’ll pitch five questions to leading personalities in the custom scene and motorcycling industry at large.

Today we’re asking our panelists to weigh in on the state of the new wave custom scene and motorcycle design in general. We’re also looking at the areas where custom and OEM collide, and what that means for the industry.

On the side of the manufacturers are three leading lights from European marques. We have Miguel Galluzzi, Head of the Piaggio Group Advanced Design Centre, father of the Ducati Monster, and designer of the new V7 and California for Moto Guzzi. Then Ola Stenegärd, BMW Motorrad’s Head of Vehicle Design and the man behind the smash hit R nineT. And Diego Sgorbati, the Director of Motorcycle Related Products at Ducati and the man responsible for parts, accessories and brand partnerships.

In the custom corner we have heavy hitters Roland Sands, Pedro García and Efraon Triana of Café Racer Dreams, and John Ryland of Classified Moto.

So, the questions:

Has modern motorcycle design hit a rut? Or do you think that the strict regulations enforced on manufacturers limits their freedom?

Stenegärd: I don’t think so, at least not for us: we just launched the Concept Roadster (below), which took a lot of people by surprise. Just go to EICMA or Intermot and see all the exciting stuff that keeps rolling out from the industry. Creative designers and engineers will always find a way to work with rules and regulations.

Galluzzi: It’s clear that we are at the end of an era—think for a moment, all the other times that motorcycles suffered a radical transformation were after big wars. Only then, motorcycles changed and moved forward. Motorcycles were intended to be simple machines, not a crazy bunch of electronic devices to control something that nobody really needs. So, we are heading in a direction in which the motorcycle is going to be revolutionized.

Ryland: I’ve only been paying attention to motorcycles for the last seven years or so (I was a very late bloomer), so I still see a lot of cool design aspects on newer bikes. I’m a big fan of nice textures and exposed mechanicals, and I feel like there are plenty of those elements that are alive and well. I know it must be a drag for the big manufacturers to have to put giant mufflers and emissions systems on their products, and the designs definitely suffer.

Sands: Regulations will always be there, but I have friends who are OEM designers and their attitude points towards exciting new bikes. Manufacturers outside of Harley-Davidson are starting to see the importance of customizability, which really points towards simplification. When you couple that with modern performance, then you really have something I look forward to riding and working with.

Café Racer Dreams: We sincerely believe that most brands are unaware of what people are looking for in motorcycles. They are very late in terms of tastes and trends, and almost all new formulas that are used are wrong.

Sgorbati: There’s still a lot of room to push the limits of bike design, just think of the way our Panigale (below) stormed the sports-bike design scene. However, the shrinking motorcycle market possibly had the effect of “try to reach a bigger slice of the cake” instead of “explore the ultra-niche because there’s room for everybody.” I think this will come to an end soon and manufacturers will build, within the frame of regulations, many exciting and ‘emotionally radical’ street bikes.

What’s your perception of the custom scene at the moment? Do you think ‘new wave’ customs are in it for the long haul?

Stenegärd: Yes I do. And it’s so inspiring to see how this creative-motorcycle-mindset is bringing a new young generation into riding bikes. I’ve been into bikes my entire life … but never seen something like this: it is the Easy Rider or On Any Sunday of our time!

Sands: New wave—meaning chopped and simplified flat track, beach-style, café racer, bobber scramblers with shitty fabrication—will be around as long as there are old shitty bikes to chop up and new builders honing their skills. The key change is that people are putting far more effort into non-Harley-Davidson based bikes, and we are seeing high-quality, fresh takes on nearly every style and make of bike. The challenge now seems to be how shitty of a bike can you start with and how bitchin’ can you make it, and I love that.

Ryland: I think there are tons of great ideas out there at the moment. It’s really fun to watch the guys who are true garage builders, who have been influenced by the ‘for-profit’ guys but don’t have to make money on their projects—lots of intricate detail work that would cost a bajillion dollars if they were getting paid by the hour. It’s very pure. I don’t think there are any signs that what’s happening now is slowing down, and certainly no signs that there will be a resurgence of the prevailing styles of mid-2000s reality TV.

Café Racer Dreams: There are different perspectives on the current custom scene. There are those that have taken the baton passed on from the chopper scene and build tasteful, honest, good quality bikes—this will move the scene forward. But there are also those who build rare and pointless bikes just to sell clothing, or earn reputations as ‘builders’ just by being cool,’ when they don’t actually have the skills. To make a living selling bikes, you must be working every day—inventing new things and being the first to get them out.

Galluzzi: ‘New wave’ customs!? The need to get our hands dirty has never changed, and never will: We are just getting more dirty than ever because of what’s available in the showrooms. It was no different in the 1920s-1940s, or the 1950s-1970s. And today we are in need of substance, once again!

Sgorbati: Everyone dreams of having a custom (at least one), but in most EU countries these creations can only live in living rooms and garages because of the aforementioned strict controls. This could prevent large-scale diffusion in Europe. And then, let me ask you a question: do customs attract and fit the needs of millennials, or are they just more toys for 40- to 50-year-old petrolheads like us?

More and more manufacturers are taking note of (and getting involved in) the custom scene. Do you think this will influence the way manufacturers approach motorcycle design?

Sgorbati: Sure, but a lot depends on execution. The key is making bikes that inspire and leave room (technically and aesthetically) for customization. That means bikes with very simple technical elements and ‘roomy’ layouts that allow for easy modification and transformation.

Stenegärd: For us it did. It was one of the main objectives while developing the R nineT (below). We in the team all live in this scene, and we all have a pretty good idea how we would like a customizable bike to be set up as a platform. But we also appreciate how important it is to acknowledge and listen to the scene and its builders to get cool ideas and creative input as well.

Café Racer Dreams: Correct! After a few years in the shadows it seems some brands are watching this scene, even trying to release new models to quench the thirsts of customers with these tastes. Mostly too late though, but that’s normal—to develop a bike takes years. At the same time we find it very interesting, and we think that some customers are happy to see that brands are now catering for them.

Galluzzi: Yes, yes and YES!! No matter what, the simplicity of certain custom designs is something that inspires everybody. In my case, the Moto Guzzi V7 Racer is one example of how a manufacturer tries to understand the change. The need for simplicity to enjoy the ride with something that anybody could have built in their garage is a concept that doesn’t suffer the passage of time.

Ryland: I feel like I can see glimpses of big manufacturers taking notice of the modern custom scene. Several are actively encouraging customization—like Yamaha’s Star Bolt Build-Off, where builders got to chop on a brand new bike and put their spin on it. [Roland Sands’ design shown below.] I guess the trick will be seeing if the manufacturers can make it profitable on a large scale. It seems possible, but they might have to ditch some of the molded plastic—all that plastic just fights with the design of some otherwise sweet bikes.

Sands: Most new bikes are so heavily designed from tip to tail that it’s very difficult to edit the aesthetic without major modifications. The OEMs that understand customization from the ground up and build bikes accordingly will see customers who do more with their bikes than just own them. Owners will make the bike a part of their lifestyle and culture, and that has unparalleled long-term marketing power. Just ask Harley-Davidson.

With the reveal of Harley-Davidson’s Project LiveWire, all eyes are on electric motorcycles again. What do you think we’ll see in the next five years?

Galluzzi: The LiveWire is another example of manufacturers trying hard to understand what’s next. Harley electric? Sounds new, which again is a good thing—different crowd, different needs, new business!

Café Racer Dreams: There’s certainly a part of the market that will accept electric motorcycles. We ourselves have been taking time out to develop an electric-powered project, so we definitely believe in the idea.

Sands: The LiveWire is pretty slick and HD has gone way off the reservation, which is a good thing. With an electric bike winning overall at Pikes Peak, a lot has been proven in a short time and HD is striking at the right moment. The future might be a lot more electric than we think, but it’s still up to the OEMs to deliver that motorcycle experience without the ‘motor.’

Stenegärd: I think we will see a lot more electric and hybrid two-wheelers. Especially in the commuter area. We attacked this question with the C Evolution which is our answer to how such a two wheeler can be both sustainable and green, and yet typically BMW Motorrad dynamic.

Ryland: I saw my first fast electric bike in action at The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb a few years ago and wondered when you’d see them in numbers on the street. As much as I love a good exhaust note, I think it’s pretty obvious that the planet could use some internal combustion alternatives. I predict in the next five years we will have gone through several rounds of battery technology trial and error before there’s a standard that checks off all the environmental, economical and public opinion boxes. At which point I’ll probably buy a 2015 Harley LiveWire for cheap and Classify it.

Sgorbati: I still do not understand why people should ride electric bikes, unless forced by regulations or bans. Bikes are, generally speaking, not household appliances such as cars or scooters, where electric makes a lot of sense. However, electric is still far better than no bike at all.

You have $25,000 burning a hole in your pocket and it’s time for a new ride. What builders (other than yourself) would be on your shortlist?

Stenegärd: Dude! Since I build all my bikes myself I would get a new TIG welder, new lathe and a Eckold KF planishing hammer! Or I would do what we actually just did: turn to one of our ‘First Nine’ Soulfuel customizers—probably with Roland Sands coming out in the lead on points, since he always makes sure you can ride his bikes hard as hell! And I do dig that!

Sands: Harris Performance in the UK. I need a good track day bike and you can get a good MOTO2 bike for $25K.

Ryland: There’s so much great stuff out there right now, practical and otherwise. I’d probably look at something from El Solitario [Petardo shown below], See See or DP Customs—I love all their bikes and there is a fun vibe to all of them that comes through in different ways. I’d rather put my money on something that puts a smile on my face than something that fills me with technological awe.

Galluzzi: Give it to me, Shinya Kimura is my man! Guzzi 850 engine? Tonti frame? Then … let the man create!

Café Racer Dreams: We like the way the Wrenchmonkees work, and some of Deus Ex Machina’s bikes.

Sgorbati: Ideally, I’d take one month’s vacation and $5,000 of parts to build a bike on my own – the donor bike is already in the garage waiting for me. If there’s no chance of getting a holiday signed-off, I’d go to Radical Ducati in Spain and order a bike to get them back into business.

With thanks: Moto Guzzi | BMW Motorrad | Ducati | Roland Sands | Cafe Racer Dreams | Classified Moto