This special motorcycle is based on a 1981 Honda XL500 and it took the British car designer Niki Smart over a decade to complete. It has won two awards at the prestigious Quail Gathering in Custom/Modified category and the Design and Style award.
From the designer, “Wheels: 26×3.75” Front and Rear – Modular construction, aluminium CNC machined hub with unidirectional carbon fibre spokes threading into the hub. Bolts through the rim capture the spokes.
Front Suspension: Hossack arrangement first developed by Norman Hossack. The fork uprights are made from chromoly tubular steel, with investment cast dropouts capturing a large diameter aluminium hollow axle bolt. Spherical bearings facilitate turning and connect to the investment cast aluminium wishbones. They attach to the frame with deep groove ball bearings. The lower wishbone is connected to a pull rod that via a frame mounted rocker arm, actuates the adjustable air shock that sits between the fuel tanks.
Rear Suspension: Swing arm made from chromoly tubular steel with investment cast 4130 dropouts and actuates the adjustable air shock that resides under the seat.
Head lights: LED projectors mounted to the side of the front fork. They are packaged behind a small fairing/numberplate. Tail lights: LED brake and stop light packaged under the seat.
Fuel Tanks: Split design. They are constructed in carbon/glass fiber composite with brass fittings. The shoe box construction creates a volume in between the tanks to package the front shock absorber, battery, regulator, rectifier and the main electrical loom.
Engine: 1980 Honda XL500s 497cc Engine and 5 speed gearbox pumping out something like its originally claimed 33hp. Carburetor is a standard Keihin, with a rapid prototype (FDM) custom air intake trumpet mounting to a conical air filter. The 6V electronics have a 12V step up converter to power the compact gauges and LED projector lighting.
Seat: Carbon/kevlar fiber stressed seat is cantilevered off of the back of the main frame providing a lightly sprung ride and sits over and around the rear shock absorber.
Gearing: 15/46 to compensate for the larger 800mm OD tire and a 520 roller chain connects the Honda motor to a custom sprocket and spider mounted to the rear wheels hub.”