Custom Bikes Of The Week: 1 March, 2020
A nitrous-fueled Indian Scout racer in Siberia, the first Yamaha Yamaha FZX750 we’ve featured, a classy Monster from Revival Cycles, and what appears to be a two-stroke Suzuki Katana … but isn’t.
Read more »Sultans Of Sprint
The Sultans of Sprint is a European dragstrip challenge open to custom bikes powered by air-cooled twin cylinder engines. It’s not only focused on speed: it also rewards competitors for ‘style, creativity and craziness.’
There are two classes: the ‘Freak Class’ open to bikes powered by 4-stroke engines up to 1600cc. These often use nitrous oxide injection, ‘square’ slick tires, and turbos or superchargers.
The ‘Factory Class’ has no capacity limits, but the tuned bike is limited by a power-to-weight ratio. The base models can be from Yamaha (XSR700 or MT-07), BMW (R nineT or R1200R), Triumph (Thruxton or Bobber) or Indian (the Scout 1200).
Most Sultans of Sprint events are held at motorcycle shows, including EICMA and the Glemseck 101.
Continental Racer: Sinroja’s Royal Enfield Drag Bike
A couple of years ago, Sinroja Motorcycles were one of the first workshops to join Royal Enfield’s new custom program. They built a couple of bikes, and the relationship went well. So when Sinroja were looking for a brand partner for their latest project, they knew just who to call. The Leicester-based custom shop wanted…
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Achilles: BMW’s new R1250RS gets the drag bike treatment
In Europe, the Sultans of Sprint competition produces some of the wackiest drag bikes, year on year. It’s written in the rules: contestants vie for gold over an eighth-mile track, but points are also awarded for imagination and creativity. It means we end up with some very eccentric motorcycles, like this BMW-powered race bike.
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Drag Bike: A 130 hp nitrous-fueled Indian Scout Bobber
Right now, thousands of fans and motorcycles are converging on Monza for The Reunion—a weekend-long celebration of custom motorcycle culture. It’s also where the first round of the Sultans of Sprint sprint race series is happening. And that means that a whole lot of new drag bikes are breaking cover. This is the first one…
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The supercharged Thruxton leading the Sultans of Sprint
You’d imagine that a company called Mellow builds gentle retro roadsters, or laidback cruisers for old-timers. But that couldn’t be further from…
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Flame Thrower: The ‘Spitfire’ BMW from VTR and TW Steel
In this era of high tech, when every motorcycle spec sheet seems to contain a dizzying array of acronyms, it’s reassuring to…
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A smokin’ XSR700 tribute to the FZR750 ‘Gauloises’ racer
Epic 80s endurance racers and over-the-top sprint bikes both get our motors running here at EXIF. Now Workhorse Speed Shop has just…
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Endurance racer tribute: VTR Customs’ wild BMW K100
If there was ever a golden age of motorcycle racing, we’d pin it on the late 70s and early 80s. Those were…
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Boosted and Ballistic: A 350-pound nitrous-fuelled W650
It might have immaculate retro style, but you wouldn’t pick the Kawasaki W650 for its performance. With 50 horses on tap it’s…
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The Never-Ending Story: Building a Yamaha TR1 drag bike
The European sprint scene has exploded in the past few years. As well as the famous Glemseck 101 sprints, we’ve now got…
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Life’s A Drag: The Sultans Of Sprint at Wheels & Waves
The top European builders may be deadly serious about their craft, but they also have a sense of humor. Right now, 18…
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I’ll Be Blown: This BMW R100 is packing a Porsche turbo
There’s always been a small but vocal clique of motorcyclists who want nothing but absolute power and speed. So why haven’t we…
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