There was nothing wrong with this 2005 Harley-Davidson Road King Custom before California-based Chris from Fox Custom Paint and Ric Greene from Southeast Custom Cycles began working at it and now it looks like everything’s wrong with the American bagger. That is because our guys decided to get the bike rid of its shiny paint and chrome only to create the distress look that they think fits this H-D model very well.
Indeed, after noticing how much attention rat rods were getting at custom shows, the Californian boys uncovered the clean metal underneath Harley’s impeccable paintjob only to then start applying their own sky blue paintjob (actually several layers of basecoats and different color primers), which also had to be partially sanded off.
But it is the finishing touch that gives the bike its rusty look. A spray bottle of different color base was used to squirt paint on the thing and obtain the rust-like spots that are actually eye-catching.
This is definitely something we don’t see every day, although we could start living with this. While most custom builders aim towards Harley’s quality finishing, these guys have just tipped the scale in the complete opposite direction.
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What looks to be a slightly more complex approach towards the classic idea of a mountain bike actually ends up being claimed the "Ferrari of electric bikes". Yes, this is the M55 Bike EVO-001, an electric bike that simply cannot pass unnoticed by those interested in this particular segment of electric vehicles.
Based in Hungary, M55 have developed the bike for the past three years and after five prototypes, they’re taking it to the production line. Built around a one-piece molded aluminium frame, the M55 Bike EVO-001 doesn’t seem to bring anything new on the market, but it is actually its integrated battery pack and a centrally mounted motor that make a difference.
M55 has put together two different versions for two different types of fun. The most powerful isn’t street legal, but an off-road sport version with a 1300 W (1.7 hp) motor, while its homologated sibling comes powered by a 250 W (0.33 hp) motor.
So, what is it that could turn this into a Flinstone vehicle because it certainly ain’t the motor. Well, the fact is that on both bikes the engine speed is controlled by the rider through the pedals. This means that both man and machine work together towards…Flinstones-style commuting? But let’s not be mean as this is an ingenious way to save up the A123 systems battery.
Furthermore, the five-speed engine is backed up by a Rohloff Speedhub with 14 gears, which is positioned in the rear wheel hub. All these combined turn the sport version of the M55 Bike EVO-001 into a 43 mph green machine, but definitely not into a Ferarri.
Other fancy, but not entirely necessary, bits are the Brembo disc brakes.
The Hungarian manufacturer only plans to produce 250 of these bikes, so don’t expect them to be cheap. Hit the jump for the official video.
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This Hildebrand & Wolfmüller is the world’s first-ever patented motorcycle and it recently sold at auction for $131,200. Made in Germany, the motorrad is powered by a 1488cc four-stroke twin engine developing an impressive for the time 2.5 hp at 240rpm. Weighing around 132 pounds and reaching a top speed of approximately 31 mph, this was the time’s only and best mechanical horse around. And it showed german ingenuity. For instance, the water needed for cooling the engine was held in the rear fender, while the transmission system is similar to that of a locomotive.
The vintage production motorcycle sit in an US barn for the past 70 years and after being auctioned off in England it now sees its way back to Germany for display. Hit the jump to see a restored 1896 Hildebrand & Wolfmüller buzz around.
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Ever wondered how a Buick motorcycle would look? Well, Marc Senger has conceptualized such a machine and it probably qualifies as one of the smoothest seen so far. Called the Buick Bombrunner, the concept takes us back into the good old days when a V8 motor was just the right thing to power everything around, but it also gets a fancy hubless front wheel. Too bad everything is masked by the car-like body shell.
Overall, the Buick Bombrunner is an all-American concept motorcycle, but it stands no chance considering today’s requirements. Still, we like it.
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With designers struggling to come up with eco-friendly and space sufficient concept bikes, especially for urban use, it seems that ingenuity is the way to follow. We just came across such a solution in the form of the Monobike, an electric concept motorbike that is even able to be parked vertically in order to save space in your garage and make it easier for you to find a place to park in the future’s even crowdier cities.
Designed by Ilia Vostrov, the Monobike’s main goal is maneuverability, which is offered by the two leaning front wheels and a much smaller rear one. This makes the bike safe enough to allow speeds of 110 mph and that’s where the rider can open a special ducting to accelerate and change air direction, lifting the rear wheel off the asphalt for a more aggressive riding experience.
Overall, this concept looks rather interesting, but details are scarce in what concerns the power of its electric engines and range, not to mention it looks rather dangerous.
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