Royal Enfield set their sights on the small bike market this week with the new Meteor 350, while Voxan break records with their electric-powered Wattman. Plus Hookie Co. are back with a slick Triumph Bobber Black conversion, Nmoto have a new concept based on a BMW scooter, and a Triumph Trackmaster replica has just sold for new bike money.
Triumph Bobber Black by Hookie Co. The German shop Hookie Co. have been pretty busy. Last week, we featured a Triumph T120 from them—now we’re looking at a suave Triumph Bobber Black that’s just rolled out of their Dresden premises. Neither bike is an extreme, ground-up custom, but both convey how just a few key changes can make a big difference.
The Bobber Black is a hard bike to improve on, but Hookie have done well here.
The fuel tank is stock, but the Alcantara seat is new, along with a floating aluminum fender that mounts without the Triumph’s OEM struts. A lick of paint and a hand-lettered ‘H’ from Chiko ties it all together.
Hookie have also been busting their asses to product an every-growing range of plug-and-play parts. This Bobber is stacked with their new ‘Frozen’ grips and valve caps, and their ‘Rapid’ turn signals and taillight. The radiator guard and the covers on the faux carbs are also from their catalog.
A few more tweaks take it over the finish line; the front forks have been lowered a touch, the engine and Zard cans have been blacked out, and there’s a new gas cap from Motone. There’s also a Koso LED headlight, Motogadget speedo, new handlebars and a set of bubbly Heidenau tires. Added up, it’s a rad twist on the already handsome Bobber Black. [More]
The New Royal Enfield Meteor 350 The motorcycle market is jonesing for small, affordable bikes with style. And Royal Enfield might just have the answer in their new Meteor 350.
Just launched in India, and coming to Europe in 2021 (no word on the USA yet), Royal Enfield is pitching the Meteor as an ‘easy cruiser.’ Designed as a collaboration between Enfield’s Indian and UK design centers, it’s powered by a 349cc air-oil cooled single that’s good for 20.2 hp and 27 Nm. The setup includes a balancer shaft and a five-speed ‘box, and should make for an approachable and easy-going machine.
As you’d expect from a small cruiser the seat height and center of gravity are low and the pegs are forward mounted. It’s available in three different guises: the base model Fireball, mid-spec Stellar, and full-spec Supernova, which comes with a passenger backrest and screen too. All three models come with 19F/17R alloy wheels, ABS-equipped brakes and LED lighting.
Royal Enfield have also equipped the Meteor with the ‘Tripper’. It’s a simple, turn-by-turn navigation system that runs on the Google Maps platform and interfaces with your smartphone, and it’s a really nifty detail.
The Meteor looks nothing like the 1950s Enfield it’s named after, but it does have a small hint of styling from the marque’s popular Bullet model, and it does look good. We mostly love it for how unpretentious it is, and can’t wait to ride it. [Royal Enfield]
The Voxan Wattman breaks records Back in July, we reported that boutique French manufacturer, Voxan, were going to attempt to set a new world record with their electric-powered Wattman. And they’ve done just that… in spectacular fashion.
Designed by Sacha Lakic and piloted by GP legend Max Biaggi, the 425 hp Wattman was aiming for a speed of 330 km/h. It shattered that record, setting a speed of 366.94 km/h [228 mph] in the ‘partially streamlined electric motorcycle over 300 kilos’ category.
Then a naked version of the Wattman (above) broke the ‘non-streamlined’ record, with a speed of 349.38 km/h [217 mph].
There’s a process to setting a land speed record: you need to do two one-mile runs in opposite directions, with a flying start. Your official speed is then calculated by averaging the two runs. So the top speed that the Wattman reached was actually 408 km/h [253 mph] with its fairing, and 372 km/h [231 mph] without.
Voxan and Biaggi didn’t just break existing records on the day—they set a bunch of new ones too. Over various distances, from both standing and flying starts, and with and without its fairings, the Wattman laid down a number of top speeds that are going to be hard to top. But we’re hoping someone tries. [More]
Nmoto Golden Age concept Florida-based Nmoto are mostly known for their ‘Nostalgia’ design—a kit that transforms the R nineT into a modern-day homage to the classic BMW R7. They’ve just unveiled their next project, and it’s just as art deco as ‘Nostalgia.’ Dubbed ‘The Golden Age’ and still in concept phase, it’s a design that tips its hat to the 1936 Henderson Courtney Prototype, but uses a scooter as its base.
That’s right: The Golden Age kit will be built to sit on top of the relatively new BMW C 400 X scooter. I’m an unashamed fan of the convenience and fun factor of scooters, and the C 400 X is one of my favorites. It’s nippy and easy to ride, and is packed with tech features, like a TFT display with full smartphone connectivity.
The render shows a Henderson-inspired body kit to sit on top of the BMW chassis, but Nmoto’s press release promises that none of the scooter’s tech will be neutered in the process.
If they pull this off, it would make for one truly interesting machine—all the style of yesterday on a modern, usable base. And it’s the sort of style that could work well with an electric drivetrain, too. (Plus those BMW kidney grills up front are just magnificent.) [Nmoto]
1972 Triumph Trackmaster Replica Here’s one to file under ‘just missed it’: this fabulous Trackmaster replica just sold for $12,500 on Bring a Trailer. That’s about the same price as a brand new Speed Twin… but this an entirely different machine.
Original Trackmaster Triumph race bikes are as rare as they are revered, so this one’s a carefully constructed replica. Located in Portland, Oregon, it was reportedly bought from a collection in 1991, and restored in 2002—but details on its true origins are light.
According to the listing, it was built in the style of a period-correct TR6R racer, using a Trackmaster frame and a 750 cc 1969 TR6R parallel twin motor. The motor is mated to a five-speed transmission of unknown origin, converted to right-side shift, with a Tony Hayward clutch and a battery-less ignition system.
The carbs are Mikunis, and the exhaust is a blacked-out twin pipe system with open megaphone mufflers. The engine was apparently rebuilt during the last restoration, but it hasn’t been started since.
The rest of the build includes 18” spoked wheels on Barnes hubs, Ceriani forks, Works shocks and Grimeca brake calipers. The bodywork consists of an alloy tank, and a red tail section and fairings. It’s a hella neat replica that should provide miles of smiles—once the new owner gets it running again. [Via]
