TOP 10 custom motorcycles of 2014

TOP 10 custom motorcycles of 2014
NURBS by krugger
images courtesy of bikexif

2014 was the year that custom motorcycles moved into the mainstream, with many major bike brands working with independent builders: some publicly, and some privately. modifying models by BMW, ducati and harley davidson, motor enthusiasts have created and tuned a numerous amount of eye-catching and high performance bikes, using a wide range of equipment in workshops across the globe. in collaboration with the readers from the custom moto site, bike EXIF, and as a continuation of our annual round up, designboom lists the TOP 10 custom motorcycle designs of 2014.

‘NURBS’ by krugger, is a modification of the BMW ‘K1600’ which has six cylinders, seven computers, multiple drive modes and adaptive headlights. you may question why anyone would want to customize the original but for fred bertrand, the ‘K1600’ was just another challenge. when the modifications were complete and it was fully functional, it delivered the belgian his second AMD world championship.

moto guzzi v7 stone by venier customs

image courtesy of venier customs
photo © alex logaiski

brooklyn-based venier customs restyled a ‘moto guzzi v7 stone’ into what they call ‘tractor 02′ for a client in new york. the aim of the project is to be comfortable for two people while riding throughout the bumpy streets of manhattan and swerving between the crowded traffic of taxi cabs and buses. in comparison to the existing model, the tubular steel frame is powered by a 90° V-twin motor with 2 cylinders and 4-strokes capable of reaching a max speed of 109 mph/175kmh.

senna tribute by marcus walz

german builder marcus walz is a familiar face in the formula 1 pit lane as he has customized motorcycles for seb vettel, kimi räikkönen and david coulthard. he paid tribute to another well-known F1 rider, the late ayrton senna. this moto guzzi le mans Mk I is all about power and style, with an engine punched out to 1040cc and a paint job reflecting senna’s famous helmet designs.

ronin by magpul

the buell motorcyle that batman would ride, is the magpul ‘ronin’, a limited-production machine costing $38,000. points of the original ‘1125’ that have been redesigned with ruthless precision, include the rotax engine which is now cooled by a high-flow radiator, and the showa forks have been replaced by an alloy linkage that gives the bike a menacing, hunched-forward look.

voltron’ by ER motorcycles

the slovenian workshop, ER motorcycles, created the ‘voltron’, one of the fastest-rising stars on the custom scene. named after a giant robot from the animated TV series, the motorbike is a clever, retro-futuristic mash-up of styles and eras. it is a mix of vintage BMW parts, including a 1964 R69S frame, an R80 engine and front end, and a classic ‘toaster’ tank.

tramontana by triumph

with five spanish engineers who were at a loose end after signing off the tiger 800XC prototype, triumph developed an off-road scrambler called ‘tramontana’. it is an essay in mechanical engineering, with revised geometry, massively increased suspension stroke, ultra-light excel rims, new ergos and a weight loss of 40kg.

urban cavalry by rough crafts

the ‘urban cavalry’, a redesigned harley-davidson ‘dyna’ by taipei-based winston yeh, has a sinister, sci-fi look to it. as a former roland sands protégé, winston, has made a name for himself with milwaukee metal. the custom bike is based on a 2014-spec ‘dyna street bob’ but its running kawasaki sportbike forks and a custom alu swing arm, powers a boost from S&S ‘super G’ carburetion and a titanium exhaust worthy of a Formula 1 car.

triumph café roadster by mule

richard pollock, dubbed the king of trackers, has built over 100 motorbikes so far, but every now and then he tries something different, such as this roadster with a café racer vibe. similar to all bikes that roll out of the mule motorcycles workshop, it is a high performance machine with forks from a yamaha ‘YZF-R1’, six-piston brakes are from beringer, and top-spec sun alloy wheels.

full moon motorcycle akrapovic

image courtesy of akrapovic

premiered at the bad salzuflen custombike show in germany, the akrapovic ‘full moon’ motorcycle concept developed alongside dreamachine motorcycles, aims to avoid being categorized. its extravagant characteristics and technically exceptional personality reflects this focus and also differentiates itself from their previous 2011 morsus product. however, similar to its predecessor, the ‘full moon’ was designed to excite and with its S&S knucklehead 1,524 cc engine, the model does just that.

track chief by roland sands and indian

roland sands created the ‘track chief’ to showcase indian motorcycles’ spectacular thunder stroke’s engine which highlights the companies’ fine sporting heritage. with the tuned motor nestled into a skinny frame, the bike has a classic board track look that is complemented by the symmetry of the wheels.