Modified Bikes

No, that’s not a new Royal Enfield model for the overseas market but the result of a passionate biker’s dream of making a V-twin

 

For Aniket Vardhan, it was his love and passion for Harley-Davidsons (and their awesome V sound) together with a dream to visit the legendary bike maker’s homeland that lured this Delhi-born bike nut to the States. But before he left India, he had enough time to toy around with his own bike, a Bullet and try to gather whatever information he could on V-twins. In 2002, he went to the States finally to pursue a Masters in Industrial Design. The idea of picking up an old Bullet engine, while on a trip back home in 2003 helped him kick off the whole V-twin dream project – the final result of which you see on these pages. Yes, that an actual working V-twin motor made by using, well, two 350cc Royal Enfield engines!

After months of patience, hard work as well as a few minor setbacks, Aniket was about to give up when he thought of getting back to the basics. For instance, he kept the engine stock – same old tappets, stock piston, oil pump, etc. Tweaking the oil filter slightly, having external copper oil pipes and keeping the same single downtube frame were some of the things that were essential for Aniket. He also had to learn machining and thus sought the help of Mr. Boggs who was kind enough to let him use his workshop. After a year of machining, one fine day, unbelievably, the lump of metal, err, the V-twin fired up on the very first try! Mild Bullet cams have been retained and the compression ratio is a low 7:1. Power modifications are in the pipeline but even without them, the bike pulls cleanly from as low as 30km/h with the stock four-speed gearbox which Aniket intends to replace with a new five-speed one. The second piston also helps cut the vibes to an extent which means that this bike makes fewer vibs than Aniket’s Triumph Bonny!

On the mechanical front, the two cylinders share the same crank and transmission. The oil pumps are stock but the flow rate has gone up by four times. Aniket is looking at raising the compression ratio, fitting lumpier cams, some porting job and of course bigger carburetors. All these changes should make the new engine churn out around 50 horses!

The Musket, as he lovingly calls his bike, is a rare outcome of a biker’s dream and passion of doing something. Words can’t describe what this bike sounds like. So log onto www.bikeindia.in and listen to the lovely beat of the two cylinders on the move.

 

Boasting of true American character, Confederate Motorcycle Company redefines the laws of motorcycle building by creating rebellious bikes
Words: Ravi Chandnani
Photography: Confederate

I believe that conventionality has a new challenger in the form of Confederate Motorcycle Company that specializes in building some of the wildest motorcycles in the world. Their one-off creations are scintillatingly awesome and mature enough to give healthy competition to some of the biggest names in the custom bike industry. H. Matthew Chambers, the alpha male who dominates the Confederate jungle, is the mortal who can be held responsible for initiating the company with a vision that was sculpted out of rebellion and carved by individuality. Chambers started off as a lawyer and worked his way up the ladder but after winning a major case, he opted out in order to follow that little rebellion inside him and build motorcycles that were adorned by the true American industrial design character and his love for hot-rods.

He established Confederate Motor Company in 1991, and since then there has not been a single product that has wandered off CMC’s core values. Products like the Hellcat Combat and the Wraith rocketed CMC to new heights in the galaxy. In 2005, the Hellcat Combat made its debut and to the world’s surprise, it took the company global. After that, came the Wraith which needless to say, was the ultimate custom bike that truly portrayed American rebelliousness with elements that shouted industrial designing. The firm’s latest machine, the P120 Fighter is as solid and rugged as American designing can get. Machines built by CMC are more like rock stars with a love me or hate me attitude.

F131 HELLCAT COMBAT

If you think custom bikes are motorcycles that only boast of poser appeal, then I would recommend you reconsider. The F131 Hellcat Combat is an amazing CMC creation that will perish all the images of chrome laden custom bikes with raked out fronts and fascinating paint jobs from your bloody brain. The design of this beastly machine screams American industrial design which forms the base of CMC’s core values. The F131 is loaded with components that surpass the regular benchmark and create a new niche in terms of quality and exploitation of technology. Use of aircraft grade aluminium and carbonfibre along with exclusive and expensive metals make the Hellcat one expensive ride. However, you get a whole lot more bang for every penny you pay starting with the design itself. The marvellous silhouette of the bike presents a perspective that visualizes future custom bikes. High quality Marzocchi racing front forks clamped to the solid triple trees hold the highly durable 18-inch carbonfibre wheel that is shod with 130/60 Metzeler rubber. The sleek and minimalist front with three tiny lamps and a single speedo/tacho unit with a touch enabled switch gear give a futuristic character to the Hellcat. The uniqueness of the bike lies in the frame which is constructed using thick carbon steel tubes enabling the chassis to hold oil inside these tubes. But the biggest feature on the F131 is the handcrafted radial twin engine. It boasts of mammoth proportions of torque which happens to be 203Nm and 151PS of power. All of this is transferred to the huge 9.4-inch wide rear tyre via a five-speed transmission designed by CMC. Massive braking power comes in the form of six piston, monoblock front callipers with semi-floating 300mm rotors and a two piston CNC machined rear calliper with 240mm rotor. The F131 is a pure example of traditional American custom bike designing meeting contemporary technology and materials to create a futuristic machine.

B120 WRAITH

Have you ever wondered how tanks are built? If not, then I would suggest you read on. Comparing a bike to a tank might seem way to much, however, one look at the Wraith and your queries are answered. This is a machine from Confederate that challenges conventionality. Many creative minds would put up an argument on whether this is a bike or some sort of army experiment. However, in my book, this is definitely a motorcycle and that too an intriguing piece of art and technology. Built using some of the most expensive and exclusive materials, this has to be one of the wildest and the most gorgeous bikes ever built. The B120 features a carbonfibre monocoque frame that makes it more agile and lends excellent torsion and bend rigidity. The frame also eliminates the need for body work as it has the capability of storing fuel and oil in carbon tubes. However, the most eye-catching feature of the Wraith has to be the Girder style front forks. Such suspension units were initially seen on examples such as the Brough Superior, the Vincent and a few others. They had units made out of steel, however, the Wraith features a unit built entirely out of carbonfibre. With CMC everything is exclusive and the Wraith is no exception. Breathing fire whilst sitting in the monocoque frame is a 2.0-litre V-twin motor hand built by Jims/CMC to develop a whopping 176Nm of turning force and 126PS of power. All of which is directed to the rear wheels via a five-speed tranny developed by CMC. The Wraith weighs around 176.9kg (dry) which might be on the heavier side, however, the ride is awesomely comfortable thanks to the well calibrated Penske suspension unit at the rear and high end Girder forks up front. The overall ride quality of the B120 is quite sporty as its dimensions are pretty similar to a sports bike. These examples are built in very few numbers with an ultra high price tag, hence it’s best just to dream about the Wraith.

 

P120 FIGHTER

After creating the wild and furious Wraith, many were curious about what the company would introduce next. High-end technology and expensive materials were all utilized in the making of the Wraith and many thought that the next CMC creation would follow similar cues. However, Chambers came up with a unique idea. To an extent, he excused the use of carbonfibre and diverted his attention on utilizing a metal that has been used by CMC since the Hellcat – aircraft grade aluminium. Hence his latest creation, the P120 is a hell of a lot different than the other two bikes. To begin with, the P120 features a frame that is built entirely out of aircraft grade aluminium which eliminates the heavy factor from the equation thus creating an agile frame. At first, the massive backbone tube might appear to be hollow at the beginning. However, a closer inspection reveals that the hollow part is actually an oil reservoir which feeds oil to the engine via copper hoses. The backbone also doubles up as an 18-litre fuel tank with a tiny little seat attached at the rear of the tube. But what steals the spotlight is the radial twin monster nestled in the monocoque frame. This 2.0-litre beast develops some staggering figures for a bike made completely out of aluminium. Turning force is rated at 183Nm at the rear wheel with a maximum power output of 162PS. These figures are transmitted to the massive 8-inch wide carbonfibre wheel fitted with 9.4-inch wide Pirelli via a five-speed close ratio tranny from CMC. The cherry on the cake has to be the Girder front forks, again fabricated using aluminium which makes the front extremely agile just like the frame. The P120 might appear to be a rhinoceros, however, it weighs just over two quintals with dimensions close to a sports bike, thus making the handling butter smooth. The P120 is a classic example of rebelliousness and true individualism that is based on the CMC philosophy.

 

Here’s how you transform 200 odd kilos of a classic era heavy metal into an evocative café racer
Words: Saeed Akhtar

Regular readers of BIKE India will be familiar with the name of Chanderjeet Rai whose story we featured on these pages two years ago. He loves all things automotive, especially those that need two wheels for locomotion and an engine in between. This time round, Chanderjeet has directed his biking endeavours towards another realm – bike customization.

It all began way back in August last year when a local dealer offered him a 1972 Royal Enfield B-model 350cc motorcycle. Sensing that he was onto a good thing, Chanderjeet duly decided to go further and customize the bike in order to give it that distinctive feel. Since he already had an AVL 500 sitting in his garage, Chanderjeet was not too keen on retaining the bike’s original looks and decided to do away with it. Thus, the café racer project was born (he briefly mulled over a trials version too, but decided it had more cons than pros in India anyway).

First, every part that could be stripped off the bike was taken off. Then it was the fuel tank, the seat and the rear cowl which got the boot. In their place came an especially handcrafted custom tank in addition to a small, rearward mounted humped seat and an aerodynamic rear cowl. Complementing them were the modified handlebars for that signature café racer crouched riding posture. The non-folding kick starter was ditched and the footpegs were replaced by custom made rearsets which completed the riding position. Chanderjeet hasn’t fiddled much with the engine, considering its venerable age, and hence the only concession to performance is the free-flow exhaust. Over a period of six months, the old warhorse slowly evolved and after a final dash of chrome to the tank, it was ready to roll. As a fitting tribute to his better half, Chanderjeet chose to christen the now gleaming café racer as Richenfield – a portmanteau word that blends his wife’s name Richa and Enfield.

 

Young guns are building custom choppers. Are we getting ready for future biker build-offs?
Words: Adhish Alawani  
Photography: Sawan Sekhar Hembram

Custom choppers are gaining popularity in the country. With a growing consumer base, we have newer and younger talent showing their skills at building custom choppers in the market. The latest chopper customizer we come across is from Gujarat. Calling themselves the Trojen Horse Customs (THC), Pandit brothers Dhruv and Nipun are involved in building custom choppers.

Dhruv has always been a motorcycle fanatic. His passion for modifying bikes and an education in Commercial Art tempted him into the business of building custom choppers. Having met the brothers at the Auto Expo and witnessed their obsession for modifying motorcycles, we decided to get hold of one of their machines in Mumbai and see for ourselves what the Pandit brothers were up to.

Achilles, the first of the THC bikes to have hit the road, carries the basic ideals followed by the builders of the chopper – innovation and uniqueness. Built on the Thunderbird frame, the bike’s side profile shows a mixed blend of flowing curves and flat panels. The tank’s top outline flows smoothly and gels into the seat nicely. The curve continues to dip beyond the centre of the seat and then rises up further beyond the seat in the form of steel tubes. Though it’s a smoothly curving shape that we see from the side profile, it actually turns out to have a sharp edge if seen from any other angle. The flat, slanting side walls of the tank give it the feel of a stingray. The twin tank comes as a part of THC’s innovative thinking. Separated by the backbone tube, the two tanks supply fuel through two different fuel pipes that converge into one and are then connected to the carb. A bigger 19-inch front wheel and a smaller 17-inch rear wheel shod with fat 190mm rubber give the bike a typical American chopper look. However, with the rake angle unchanged and the handlebar pulled back, the bike’s geometry doesn’t turn out to be very appealing. The front forks are straight from the Thunderbird while the rear one is the monoshock from the Honda Unicorn. Custom detailing is seen everywhere on the motorcycle, right from the flamed mirror rods to the forked footpegs to the LED tail lamp strips. Highway bars have also been incorporated for long cruising journeys. The Bajaj Avenger’s front disc has been used on the Achilles as a rear brake.

The THC Achilles comes with a twin tank that supplies fuel through two individual fuel pipes	The engine and transmission come from an old Bullet

The THC Achilles is the Pandit brothers’ first attempt in the market. There has been an investment of thought, art and skill in the product. However, there is a lot of scope for improvement at the same time. The fit and finish needs to be worked upon. Better engines and transmissions would help them make better bikes. Some elements like the two headlights sandwiching the registration plate, the handlebar design and the front alloy wheel don’t suit my taste. Nonetheless, the end consumer has an option of customizing the bike according to his own choice. THC is working on a couple of more bikes which could probably include new stuff like a single sided swingarm, airbrush art paint jobs, an alternative to the chain drive, etc. We are waiting!

NIPUN PANDIT
Nipun, who took time out on a Saturday morning for the shoot, handles the marketing for THC in Mumbai currently. He plans to expand sales by tapping the markets in Goa, Pune and Delhi in the future

 

Oshan Kothadiya can’t take his eyes off the latest custom bike on the block built by Rajputana Customs
Photography Vijay Singh

Custom bikes are gaining popularity by the day in India. Even at the 2010 Auto Expo, what really caught my eye was the custom bobber built by Vijay Singh from Jaipur. After completing his studies in Canada, he returned to India recently to pursue his passion for custom motorcycles and built the Original Gangster using a 350cc Royal Enfield Thunderbird twin spark engine. The frame is built by him and his team at Rajputana Customs from the ground up. No compromises were made in the materials used too.

The bike oozes a classy vintage appeal. The retro looking white walled tyres are hard to find in India. The air filter cover looks like a revolver tumbler which sticks to the theme. The Rajputana Customs emblem and the neat detailing given to the footpegs add to the bike’s individuality. The frame has been built from carbon steel and the accelerator is internally built in the handlebar which gives it a
clean look. Adding to the bike’s vintage appeal is the hand shifter (Jockey shifter) which was used in Harleys in the 1940s and 50s. Since the bike is a hard tail, the rider’s seat is given a spring to cushion the ride. The Springer suspension which works on a linkage mechanism looks brilliant and has been totally hand built by Vijay. The bike rides on 21-inch front wheels and 17-inch rears. The wheel hubs for the front tyres too have been built by Vijay.

Equal attention is given to the battery box that is neatly tucked below the rider’s seat. The dual fuel tank is simple but well executed. Even the fuel tank lid does not look like it has been borrowed from some other bike and adds to its distinctive touch.Though the bike is unique it does not lose the Royal Enfield feel. A custom vintage bike like this would cost you around Rs 2.5 lakh which is not a very steep price. We would love to see more bikes from this youngster.