The brand new(ish) Royal Enfield Bear 650 is good-looking sufficient as-is, however that didn’t cease Spain’s Gas Bikes from turning it right into a rally-inspired desert shredder. We take a more in-depth take a look at it, together with the BMW Idea RR superbike and an Akira-inspired electrical motorbike.
Royal Enfield Bear 650 by Gas Bikes The Royal Enfield Bear 650 has been a house run for the Indian firm. A scrambler-ized model of their fashionable Interceptor 650, it scores excessive on each specs and elegance, with a scrumptious set of liveries on supply.
The platform is ripe for personalisation, too. Royal Enfield lately handed one to Gas Bikes to see what a significant {custom} home might do with it, and the Spanish outfit knocked it out of the park.
The Barcelona-based crew runs Scram Africa—an annual off-road jaunt throughout Morocco. With a contemporary Bear 650 in hand, they set their sights on an old-school desert racer that they might use for the journey.
Gas wished to construct a motorcycle with a 60s soul that would deal with any off-road race on this planet, so suspension upgrades have been the primary merchandise on the record. Lengthy-travel upside-down forks have been bolted to the entrance finish, held in place by new yokes and upgraded with springs and oil to swimsuit the Bear’s weight.
Subsequent, Gas modified the manufacturing facility 19” entrance wheel for a sand-friendly 21” motocross setup, with new Mitas rubber at each ends. A excessive entrance fender was bolted on, together with fork guards, Renthal handlebars, and difficult aluminum-backed hand guards.
The lighting setup is that this Royal Enfield Bear 650’s greatest options. The Gas crew fabricated a dual-headlight association from scratch, full with an enduro-style guard and a detachable cowl. A Motogadget Motoscope Mini speedo runs off a Motogadget m.unit mind, with a rally navigation tower and small windscreen rounding out the purposeful cockpit.
The tank and aspect covers are inventory, and, relatively than mess with the manufacturing facility subframe, Gas designed a rear fender that completely covers the again finish and gives ample safety. The seat was re-profiled and coated in Alcantara, and a set of wider, toothier foot pegs was bolted on for further consolation and grip.
Different upgrades embrace long-travel shocks from Bitubo and a custom-made sump guard.
A beautiful pink, white, and black coloration scheme was chosen to focus on the design modifications, with racing legend Eddie Mulder’s race quantity emblazoned on the aspect covers. The Royal Enfield 650 twin is an actual peach of an engine, so it was merely opened up somewhat with a modified mid-pipe and a {custom} muffler.
We didn’t suppose it was attainable to make the Bear 650 any higher trying, however we’re completely happy to be confirmed fallacious. [Fuel Motorcycles | Images by Jake Baggaley | Via]
BMW Motorrad Idea RR BMW’s four-cylinder superbike, the BMW M 1000 RR, screams ‘velocity.’ From its angular bodywork to its top-shelf parts and excessive price ticket, the range-topping BMW is the weapon of selection for the discerning rider who desires a race bike for the street.
It additionally types the idea of BMW’s World Superbike contender, which Toprak Razgatlioğlu piloted to his second, and BMW’s first, WSBK championship final 12 months.
Constructing on this success, the German marque lately gave us a glimpse into the way forward for the M RR with the unconventional BMW Motorrad Idea RR. The bike was unveiled on the prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza on the shores of Lake Como—so we all know these photos are the actual deal, and never the type of AI-enhanced renders that we’ve come to anticipate from BMW.
BMW has saved shtum on the small print, however we do know just a few issues. For starters, the inline 4 that powers it’s able to north of 230 hp. BMW has additionally confirmed that this explicit bike additionally inherits its electronics bundle from Razgatlioğlu’s WSBK M 1000 RR, together with (however not restricted to) engine administration, traction management, and engine braking settings.
There’s a giant give attention to weight discount right here, too. An ample use of carbon fiber and aluminum is on full show, with the one seen little bit of paint showing to be on the 2 BMW roundels.
The swingarm is carbon, as is the futuristic bodywork. The tank and tail part are aluminum, the latter of which appears to be milled from stable billet.
Whereas most trendy superbikes go overboard with aero, the Idea RR workout routines restraint. There’s a pair of wings on the entrance, however they’re nothing just like the elaborations on the WSBK M 1000 RR or present MotoGP race bikes.
Moderately than add one huge wing, it seems that BMW has targeted on reworking each inch of accessible bodywork into an aerodynamic help. The bodywork is so intricately sculpted that it’s extra akin to the underpinnings of a contemporary System One automotive than a WSBK machine.
There’s no phrase on pricing, because the Idea RR is simply that—an idea. That stated, all of BMW’s idea bikes lately have been manufacturing fashions in disguise.
So the actual query is, are we taking a look at a significant replace to BMW’s ‘RR’ vary, or have they got their sights set on MotoGP? Solely time will inform. [BMW Motorrad]
Akira Tribute by J Balvin x DAB Motors When Colombian celebrity J Balvin was on the lookout for a brand new electrical motorbike, he turned to French firm DAB Motors. The DAB lineup has expanded this 12 months with the inclusion of the brand new 1⍺X scrambler, however Balvin was on the lookout for one thing somewhat extra distinctive.
When Balvin shouldn’t be jetting all over the world performing in entrance of tens of millions of individuals, he dabbles in design. He and his good friend Mattias Gollin run a studio, Vita Veloce Group, so the thought of collaborating on a {custom} electrical bike was a no brainer.
The bike makes use of a DAB 1⍺ as the bottom and attracts inspiration from the favored anime, Akira. Utilizing a mixture of hand-finished craftsmanship and AI-powered design, the crew dressed the 1⍺ to the nines, whereas nonetheless holding it rideable.
Up entrance is a sculpted fairing and set of huge fork shrouds, an apparent throwback to the Akira motorbike. Two projector LED headlights are recessed into the fork shrouds low down, with a strip LED inserted on the base of the curved windshield. The fairing is mounted on 3D-printed brackets hung from the headstock.
Blue TRON-style lights illuminate the Pirelli Diablo Rosso tires, which distinction properly towards the intense pink wheel covers. The remainder of the pink 3D-printed bodywork is spot on, with its nearly shrink-wrapped fitment and improbable paint job. The bike’s body tubes are solely seen at two factors across the battery pack, which is a pleasant nod to the unique design.
The ‘tank,’ seat part, and taillight appear like they’ve been lifted straight off the 1⍺. A {custom} Quadlock wi-fi telephone charger is mounted forward of the handlebars—one other good, delicate contact.
The crew accomplished the construct in three weeks—simply in time for Balvin’s fortieth party in Tuscany, the place the bike was unveiled as a shock. That is about as good an Akira tribute we’ve seen, even when it isn’t an precise reproduction of the well-known anime motorbike. [DAB Motors]