The custom motorcycle scene in New Zealand is a lot like Kiwi people: quiet, subdued and not out to make a big fuss. But when a Kiwi build makes it big, it’s time to really celebrate excellence.
Each year Royal Enfield hosts a custom build competition utilising the brand’s lineup called the Busted Knuckles Build Off. Kiwi builds have previously been well received, with Wanaka Powersports taking the people’s choice gong in 2020.
For 2022, however, it was Hamilton’s Royale Cars and Motorcycles' time to shine with its build dubbed the No.55 GT 650 Production Racer. Not only did the Royale team’s entry take out the top spot - the Expert’s Choice Award - it also claimed the People’s Choice award.
Royale Motorcycles took the win after pouring roughly 350 hours of blood, sweat and tears into the build. The rules of the Busted Knuckles Build-Off are pretty simple. Apart from being a Royal Enfield dealership, the only catch is the build-off bike must be based on a model from the current range.
READ MORE
Built from a 650 twin base, the Royale No. 55 hasn’t just been put together to look the business, it’s built to race as well.
Taking inspiration from India’s domestic Royal Enfield GT Cup Production Racing series, Royale Motorcycles decided it would try something similar, if not a little more like a sports bike.
While you may think that a sportbike is just about as far away from Royal Enfield's GT as you can get, remember that the original café racers that inspired the GTs were themselves a homage to the Isle of Man TT racers of the 1950s and ’60s. These were the sports bikes of their time, so making a modern racer out of the 650 twin was inevitable.
Royale cut as much weight as possible from the Continental GT base bike and went to work in taking the bike from woah to go in the best way possible.
The 17-inch wheels have been fitted with Pirelli Diablo racing rubber, including a beefy 120mm boot on the rear. Continuing with the racing theme, the team also constructed a bespoke exhaust system. A super-slick, hydroformed HP Corse end-can for some added racing vibes and no doubt a better engine note as well.
Royale didn't just want the No. 55 to look the part with its slick fairing and seat cowling, it went all in.
The suspension setup is tuned by Kiwi Racer Dillon Telford and consists of a Triumph Daytona front end with all its fully adjustable goodness and Nissin radially mounted four-piston brakes, while the rear shock is a fully adjustable unit from Öhlins.
Also at the rear, the factory swingarm was chucked in favour of an aluminium unit pinched from a Honda CBR400. The Kawasaki Ninja 400 rear wheel continues the theme of poaching parts from other manufacturers.
With so much pure sportsbike DNA thanks to all those parts it, would be a shame for such a well set-up bike to languish away on display. Royale has given builder Dillon Telford the go to campaign the bike on track this coming season.
HARLEY MTB
When you think of a Harley-Davidson you naturally will think of a large capacity cruiser with a thumping great V-twin engine. But as LiveWire proved, there is far more to Harley-Davidson than meets the eye.
The latest offshoot from Milwaukee is Serial1, an eBike range developed in-house by Harley-Davidson engineers in 2018.
While it sounds like another utterly bizarre attempt by Harley to be cool, the Motor Co isn’t the first big name brand to get into the eBike world. Ducati has been partnered with Thok since 2019 and boasts a range covering both road and off-road disciplines.
The latest bike to come out of Serial1’s doors is the Bash/MTN - a limited edition eMountain bike destined for the US and European markets.
“Less is more,” says Aaron Frank, brand director at Serial 1. “That’s the promise of Bash/MTN. No fussy suspension to tune, no finicky drivetrain to adjust—just two wheels, one gear, and one purpose, to provide the most direct connection between you and the trail. The less you worry about managing and maintaining technology, the more you can focus on enjoying every ride.”
Priced at US$3999, the Bash sports a 90Nm mid-mounted motor as well as integrated lighting and full app functionality.
It’s a serious bit of kit, but the question has to be asked: at which point do these eBikes become more motorcycle than bicycle, and should we hate them?
KICKSTAND
2014: Harley-Davidson debuts prototype LiveWire
3 seconds: The 0-100km/h time of the LiveWire One
14: The number of Harley-Davidson LiveWires actually registered for NZ roads