Australia’s Gasoline Motor Co. turns a Sportster into a fetching Harley XR750 replica, South Korea’s Crazy Garage transforms a Ducati Hypermotard, and the embattled Austrian marque KTM updates the razor-sharp 790 Duke. Then, in Las Vegas, a rare and unusual motorcycle with a wheel-mounted radial engine is about to go on the auction block.
Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 by Gasoline Motor Co. Made famous by Evel Knievel, and known for its domination in American flat track racing, the Harley-Davidson XR750 is arguably the most recognizable Harley in the world. It’s little wonder then that it’s regularly used as a style reference for custom-built Harleys—like this Sportster from Gasoline Motor Co. in Sydney, Australia.
Gasoline Motor Co. has built a Harley XR750 replica before—so when a customer approached them to create another, they jumped at the chance.
Starting with a modern fuel-injected Sportster 883, Gasoline cut things away until they were left with just the engine and frame. A Ceriani-style fork went onto the front, along with a custom numberplate and an LED headlight setup. YSS sent over some 15” rear shocks, and a pair of flat track-appropriate 19” spoked wheels were bolted on.
Gasoline converted the 883 belt drive to a chain for even more old-school charm. An HHB sprocket locker was fitted, along with a Vance & Hines fuel pack, an S&S Cycle air filter and a set of custom-made slash-cut pipes.
A Phil Little fiberglass tank was fitted, with a custom external fuel pump and regulator to run the EFI system. Even though the bike was rewired with all the new parts, it still retains the ECU, ABS and even the HD immobilizer. The seat is also fiberglass, sitting on a heavily modified rear subframe and a custom oil tank that was made to match the original XR750.
The handlebars are from Sydney’s Kansai Giant and are adorned with Motogadget switches and grips, Kustom Tech controls, and a Prism Supply single-cable throttle. A mini Motogadget speedo sends data to the rider from the handlebar clamp. Kellerman Atto indicators sit at all four corners of the bike, chosen for their diminutive style.
A classic Harley XR livery rounds out this vintage, yet modern, custom street tracker in style. We can’t think of a Sportster we’d like to own more. [More]
Ducati Hypermotard 796 by Crazy Garage When Chi-Hyun Kim from South Korea’s Crazy Garage was on the lookout for a lightweight, aggressive Ducati he could turn into a track bike, he found a 2011 Ducati Hypermotard 796. Since the 796 is more than 25 pounds lighter (and makes only 9 horsepower less) than the Hypermotard 1100 from the same year, it seemed like the better pick for track use.
Not one to keep things stock, Kim completely transformed the oversized supermotard into an extremely aggressive track-only machine. To kick things off, a set of Öhlins forks was installed with the Hypermotard wheels wrapped in super sticky Metzeler Racetech slicks. Sunstar brake discs, upgraded Brembo calipers, and a Brembo master cylinder slow the bike down.
As a fan of 80s AMA superbikes, Kim chose to fit an oil cooler at the front with a small bikini fairing used as a number plate. A custom front fender was made to complete the new front end.
The bike still has handlebar risers, but low Renthal bars were fitted for improved ergonomics. The fuel tank is from a Ducati 1098 and the rear subframe was made from scratch to suit the FRP single seat unit. The tank shape, seat, and rear-set pegs lock Kim into a full race position.
Kim made the crazy exhaust by hand, so it’s a shame that most of his artwork is hidden by the carbon fiber M Factory belly pan. The intake was modified to increase airflow and fueling was adjusted using a RapidBike EASY unit. The rear shock is another Öhlins item—Kim modified the linkage and mounter the remote adjuster under the seat.
To shake down the bike near the end of the build, Kim and his friends entered a seven-hour endurance race held in South Korea. Not only did the bike perform flawlessly, but they won their class. [Source]
1915 Williams Clady motorcycle Despite the fact this fat-framed bicycle contraption looks like a modern e-bike beach cruiser, it’s actually over 100 years old. And no, it’s not electric—the large fuel tank between the handlebars sort of gives that away.
This is a 1915 Williams Clady motorcycle and is one of four prototypes built. It’s only the only one in the world that is currently accounted for. But that’s not the only amazing thing about this bike—if you haven’t already noticed, there’s a rotary radial engine mounted inside the rear wheel.
Back in 1915, rotary radial engines were more commonly found in aircraft. Thanks to the way the engine rotates around the crankshaft, they were perfect for propellers in planes and early helicopters. This particular radial engine has a total capacity of 873 cc and pumps out around 10 horsepower. (Only Moto Guzzi would accept figures like those these days, but it was pretty good back in 1915.)
It has a two-speed transmission, a Bosch magneto ignition, and a footboard starter system linked to the engine with a chain drive. The fuel tank is mounted at the front of the bike, and the large-diameter sections of the frame tube house the engine oil (like an old Triumph Bonneville).
The wide handlebars have a twist-grip throttle, and the front end features leading-link suspension. The saddle-style seat is sprung to smooth out the ride from the rigid tail.
If the Williams Clady tickles your fancy, you’ve got until the end of the month to get your affairs in order. It’s going under the hammer at Mecum Auctions in Las Vegas with no reserve—but because of its rarity, design, and incredible condition, we reckon it will go for a pretty penny. [Source]
2025 KTM 790 Duke KTM is on the ropes right now, but that hasn’t stopped them from releasing model updates with the enthusiasm of a company on the up. This time, it’s the KTM 790 Duke that gets a slew of upgrades for the new year—including new tech and EURO 5+ compliance.
The Duke’s eight-valve, 799 cc powerplant goes largely unchanged, churning out around 103 hp. At 169 kg [372.6 lbs] dry it’s extremely light—but, because it’s a KTM, the seat height towers at 825 mm. (An optional seat drops the height to 805 mm.)
The headlight has been updated to match the current crop of KTMs, making it the only real aesthetic change over the previous generation. The WP APEX forks and rear shock have remained, with steering geometry still keen enough for the 790 Duke to maintain its ‘scalpel; nickname.
The light and agile handling is now paired with a new 5-inch TFT dashboard which replaces the old 4.5-inch unit. The new dash brings new functions, including a telemetry screen, anti-wheelie modes, and a selection of riding modes. (Which of those functions are accessible out of the box will depend on KTM’s idiotic paywalls.) The switchgear has been improved for more intuitive use and is now backlit too for when the sun goes down.
To increase the 790 Duke’s global reach, KTM also offers an A2 license-compatible version for Europe. Power is bumped down to around 93 hp, but the 87 Nm maximum torque figure stays the same.
Given that the 790 is KTM’s base model twin-cylinder Duke, the orange and black liveries it comes in are understated—and, dare we say, a little bland. That said, we’d probably pick the black one with the orange wheels. [KTM 790 Duke]
