A jawdropping modified Ducati 1000SS, a very clever custom BMW R1100GS, a rare (and running) BMW R57 that could sell for $70,000, and a wild, multicolored Buell Thunderbolt built for the Greasy Dozen show.
BMW R1100GS by North East Custom Even though it’s not as complicated as a current-day GS, the 1990s model is notoriously hard to customize. Its Telelever front wishbone suspension is one stumbling block, and it’s also built to fit together in only one way. So on most R1100GS customs, either the front end or tail end (or both) usually looks out of whack.
The Italian brothers at North East Custom seem to have cracked the code with this one though. It’s a subtle custom that doesn’t scream for attention—and there’s not a single thing that looks out of place, either.
North East ditched all the bodywork, except for the tank. The rear end features a custom subframe with a new perch, and a hand-made fender with an 80s enduro tail light. Up front, the brothers fitted a classic BMW boxer headlight, sitting on custom-made brackets.
Finishing kit includes one-off perforated tank side panels, a Leo Vince muffler and Continental TKC80 tires. Capped off with a neat little front fender and a slick blue and white paint job, it’s a great look for the 90s GS. [North East Custom]
Ducati 1000SS by Scales Studio This track-inspired Ducati is the textbook definition of classic style and modern performance. It’s based on a 2005-model Ducati 1000SS, modified by Trevor Scales at Scales Studio in Miami. Trevor’s styled it with cues from 1970s Ducati and MV Agusta race bikes, and upgraded its components with a mixed bag of parts.
The bodywork took the most time (about 400 hours). Trevor shaped a fuel tank cover out of carbon fiber with a single internal layer of kevlar, then added a Rizoma gas cap. The fairing’s a classic Ducati unit, modified, and the tail section’s been borrowed from a SportClassic.
It’s got a custom-made alloy heat shield underneath it, to protect it from the twin pipes poking out the back.
Under the tank cover you’ll find the actual fuel reservoir and most of the electronics, neatly repackaged. The chassis is sporting the Öhlins forks and Brembo brakes from a 1098S, with Speedymoto yokes, an Öhlins steering damper and Ducabike rear sets.
Trevor upgraded the motor too, swapping it out for a 1100 cc Ducati Hypermotard mill. Ducabike in Atalanta bumped it up to 1200 cc, ported the head, balanced it, and installed NCR race cams and a Microtech ECU.
A pair of custom-made titanium intakes feed the motor, and the two-into-one-into-two exhaust was actually designed using specialist software for optimal performance. It’s finished off with collars from Speedy Siegl, and end cans from Competition Werks.
There’s a lot more work than what’s listed here, making this Ducati a masterpiece with go to match it’s show. Let’s just hope those race slicks mean it’ll actually see track time. [More]
A 1928 BMW R57 on auction The Barber Motorsports Museum is busy unloading a collection of vintage BMW machines, and this stunning R57 is one of them. And every motorcycle in the mostly pre-war collection is in running condition.
The R57 replaced the outgoing R47, and featured the art deco look that had eventually fallen away in BMW’s line by the mid 30s. Highlights included a three-speed box, an output of 18 hp, and leaf spring front suspension (with nothing at the back). Plus the R57 had revised electrics, with a newer Bosch high voltage ignition system.
BMW only ever built 1,000 R57s, so finding one that runs is a rare occurrence. The auction listing shows that Bonhams is expecting this one to fetch between $50,000 and $70,000, and we’re not surprised. [Via]
Buell Thunderbolt by Nigel Mount Presented by Old Bike Barn, the Greasy Dozen Collective is an annual bike building initiative, where sponsors come together to help a dozen garage builders create something rad.
Nigel Mount is one of the up-and-comers who got the nod this year: He’s a fabricator based in Colorado who got his start in his dad’s car restoration shop, and now works at a Harley-Davidson custom shop.
Nigel originally bought this 2002 Buell Thunderbolt S3T because he was broke, and it was cheap. When he got the call for the GDC, he had to kick it into high gear—working during his lunch breaks, evenings and on weekends. And he managed to cram a lot into that time, turning it into a whacky cross between an adventure v-twin and a street tracker.
This Buell features custom aluminum bodywork, along with a billet aluminum subframe and a modified KTM seat. Nigel built a custom swing arm and relocated the shock mount, but also made the setup adjustable, so that he could fine tune it. Then he adapted the six-piston front brake to run on the rear, leaving the front brakeless.
Nigel also cleaned up the top yoke, then fitted new clamps and ProTaper handlebars. A pair of LEDs handle headlight duties, tucked behind a clear acrylic screen. There’s also a custom dash on top of the tank, and a specially designed dual intake that feeds a Lancia Fulvia carb.
And if you’re wondering about the off-road tires, they’re there because Nigel’s favorite Colorado roads include sections of gravel. [More]
