Jens vom Brauck has a knack for building custom motorcycles that just look right. His signature aesthetic is modern and unfussy; his bikes are compact and perfectly proportioned. But there’s another trait that marks Jen’s work.
The man behind JVB-moto loves to ride motorcycles more than he likes to stare at them, so he spends just as much time fettling their ergonomics as he does redesigning their bodywork. We’ve ridden two JVB-moto bikes to date—and both of them not only looked spectacular but felt right too. One look at this custom LiveWire ONE, and it’s clear that Jens’ philosophy hasn’t changed.
This isn’t the first JVB-moto LiveWire we’ve featured; Jens was one of the first custom builders to customize the Harley-designed electric roadster. “I still think there are a lot of advantages and a lot of disadvantages with electric bikes,” he says. “They’re not better or worse, just different—and I like that.”
“It’s exciting. It brings fresh energy to the biking experience—not something to be afraid of, just a new flavor. This bike should wear a warning sticker though, because instant torque is a dangerous drug!”
While this LiveWire shares a few details with Jens’ previous LiveWire, it takes a slightly different approach. That one was built as a one-off, but this one’s been designed so that the individual parts can be reproduced and sold in kit form. And while the previous LiveWire was a solo-seated affair, this one makes provision for a passenger.
“My grown-up kids insisted on a second seat,” Jens explains. “The fun you have taking a passenger on the LiveWire is one of the best things about electric bikes. Most people that ride shotgun have only ever experienced this type of acceleration on a rollercoaster.”
With that goal in mind, Jens set to work nipping and tucking the LiveWire for maximum rideability. The seat was redesigned to trace a similar line as the stock unit but with a 3 cm dip in the rider’s area. The entire unit wears fresh upholstery, with a far sportier design than the original cover.
Up front, a CNC-machined handlebar clamp grips new handlebars, while simultaneously supporting the LiveWire’s OEM dashboard. Fitted with Performance Machine grips, the bars are lower than before with more sweep. Together with the scooped seat, they’ve made the LiveWire both sportier and more comfortable to ride.
Another one of Jens’ goals was to give the LiveWire a more futuristic look than it has out of the crate—without, as he puts it, “getting into that fancy future plastic look.” New head- and taillights went a long way to making that happen.
Jens is known for his chunky headlight shrouds, so it’s no surprise that this custom LiveWire wears one. Here, he’s opted for a rectangular design, packing powerful LED internals into a carbon fiber housing. Motogadget turn signals flank the main housing, with powerful spotlights mounted lower down for dead silent night missions.
The carbon fiber taillight housing is custom too, and houses three vertical LEDs with Motogadget turn signals on either side. The way that the whole unit perfectly flows with the kicked-up tail is pure poetry, but getting it all to fit was no walk in the park. The LiveWire’s seat hinges at the back to access a stowage compartment for the charger, and Jens didn’t want to lose that functionality.
Echoing the blocky vibe of the lights is a custom-made ‘tank’ cover, formed out of fiberglass. The LiveWire also sports a new front fender, wheel covers, and air scoops, all made from carbon fiber. The license plate lives on a swingarm-mounted plate bracket, which can be adjusted to tuck the plate in tighter once you’ve passed Germany’s uber-strict TÜV inspection.
Jens is well aware that electric motorcycles have many detractors. So he’s deliberately finished his newest custom LiveWire in a light shade of purple to troll them.
“When nobody can hear you, the streets are all yours and you can let your inner hooligan out,” he says. “Plus the gentle lilac color makes a statement when you’re doing silent burnouts.”
JvB Moto | Facebook | Instagram
