Streetfighter Motorcycle News

Merging styles and influences can be a great way to add a bit more style and uniqueness to a build. Many of us come from very diverse backgrounds. Motorcycles, cars, airplanes, music, industry, art, etc. We all have varying interests. Combining some elements of these other interests can bring out a distinct look and style.

Now, I’m not talking going for a full on OCC theme project. Please, PLEASE! Stray far, FAR from this urge. I’m talking a bit subtler. For instance, the next closest descendent to motorcycles, Cars. Yeah, yeah, too many wheels, seats, Doors, a roof. But they do use similar parts. Wheels for example can be modified to work on a bike. Exhaust parts can be fairly easily incorporated. But instead of just slapping on a muffler tip, check out some styles of exhaust.

Old hot rods had some cool stuff going on. Side pipes, Zoomies, duals. But they don’t just have to hang off the side. Think WWII fighter jets. Short pipes sticking out the side of the fuselage. A good play off this would take 4 tips sticking through the belly pan. Or maybe the tips pointing up out of the side of the tail. While we’re talking aero parts. If you are lucky enough to live near a plane junkyard. Raid that place. Old airplane gauges and gas caps are very detailed and interesting looking. Even just small airplane parts can be cool finds and add that extra touch.

Industrial design is a neat look. Rivets, exposed bolts, hard lines and plumbing. Take a walk around your local power station or water treatment facility. Just watch for the rent a cop. But aside from hard parts. Take a look at finishes. Nickel coatings, hard anodizing. Art also plays a role in this, along with music. These are 2 subjects that go hand in hand. Album covers along with T-shirt designs. When you’re dreaming up your next paint scheme these are cool places to look for inspiration. Even the custom car and bike world has offered up many excellent themes as far as paint and body mods. From the infamous flat black of traditional rods to Candy and flake of Lowriders. And let’s not forget the ever-wild abstract art of the mini truck. Racecars offer up the most timeless of designs. How many of us know our favorite drivers car better then their face? Molding parts is a part of this idea too. Frenched lights, gauges, molded body parts and frames. Pick up some of those old hat rod and chopper mags. And I mean old. Look at the 60’s and 70’s. Really good old school tech in some of these that still holds true today.

Now since I started on about old tech and we are now on about the Café build off. This is where all the jumbled ramblings come together. We are all Fighter builders. We don’t exactly conform to a strict style or genre. The café build shouldn’t be any different. Think of the café era as your guideline. Keep that style in mind, but there’s always ways to interpret and enhance. The bikes were all about light, fast, well handling machines. But they were also bright and intricately detailed. Every part was well finished and polished. So before you dive into you project, think of a few different influences and see if you can make small parts of them work together. Good luck to everyone competing and happy building.

by: Shaun “Scrapyard” Kelley

Article Source: Custom Fighters Streetfighter Motorcycle Forum

So we have the basics of swapping tail sections, installing flat bars, changing lights, etc….

But what about the parts that bolt to these parts?

And the parts that bolt to those parts? And so on and so forth.

Basically what I’m getting at is there are so many ideas that we could implement into our builds.

Let’s take some ideas form the German scene to start. They have some of the most detailed bikes around. They use a large amount of custom billet parts that have been designed to clean up all the OEM plastic and roughcast parts that come out of the factory.

Fork covers are starting to become more common among many of the show bikes. A cue taken from the cruiser crowd that cleans up the front end. Most often matching the diameter of the triple clamps creates more of a seamless look from top to bottom. Also staying at the front end is integrated risers and bar clamps. Still using flat bars, but without the obtrusiveness of risers sticking up in the air. The riser cap is made to look flat against the clamp either on top or on the front side of the clamp.

Another neat look that has been popping up a lot more. Billet brake reservoirs. Get that ugly hunk of plastic off the bike. These pieces either just replace the plastic cup or can bolt into the master cylinder itself for more of a one-piece look.

A low buck version of this has been used on race bikes for many years. A capped off clear tube filled with fluid acts as the ressy. The neat part about this, aside from its weight saving quality, is it can be made as big or small as you like. A small piece of solid wire bent to position inside the tube aids in rigidity and allows it to be positioned in almost any direction.

The next level to this idea is building the reservoir into the handlebars. A look at the Gregg’s Customs Hellion gives a great example of this mod.

Since we are talking about hiding things, what about all those cables? Another look to the chopper crowd gives us a neat solution. Internal throttle setups have been copied and reproduced to a much more affordable price range. The down side is they are rarely made to fit 7/8 bars. But I have your solution:

Once upon a time Honda offered the CT70 mini bike that used and internal throttle assembly. And guess what? It was a 7/8 diameter. The best part is it is still available and for the low low price of $25.99 you too can have this super clean super trick part that all the cool kids are doing.

These can be purchased from various websites, such as: http://www.hondaminitrail.com/ct70.html. I have also run across some billet versions on ebay, but they are rare and quite a bit more. And while you’re at it, why not go for that ultra clean look and put one on the clutch side too!?

Speaking of swapping tail sections. We all want that ultra slick piece of plastic to make our ass look good. The aftermarket stuff is rare and expensive. Some have gone the way of seriously modifying OEM plastic, some have made their own from foam molds and fiberglass. I’m totally for these ideas. It’s a great exercise in creativity. For those of us that my not have honed these skills yet there are other options. Look at other alternatives. Pocket bikes for example. A lot of the mid size bikes are copies of some of the more popular full size bikes. They’re just much smaller. Best part is they are cheap. Most can be had for around $40. Also, some of the oddball scooters offer really neat taillights and surrounds that can be made to work with a little thought and ingenuity. Keep your eyes peeled. There may be things you never thought of before.

-Shaun “Scrapyard” Kelly

Article Source: Custom Fighters Streetfighter Motorcycle Forum

The age-old question has been asked more and more lately. What defines a Fighter? Well, depending how many people you ask, you’ll typically get that many different answers. We’ll get the obvious out of the way. Sport oriented motorcycle removed of anything unnecessary to its function. Typically stripped of most bodywork, fitted with higher rise handlebars, smaller, lighter parts to reduce weight and as much performance mods as available to make it wicked fast. So now that we have the basic idea in our head, I’d like to expand on this view of how fighters are perceived around the world.

Let’s start with the motherland of Streetfighters. The grand old U.K. Home to Big Ben, Fish and Chips, Teatime and the Queen Mum. Some will argue it started back in the ’50’s with the Café racer. Some say true fighters begin in the early ’80’s with the bike messengers fighting London traffic and marring their fairings. Bike messengers don’t exactly make grand salaries so instead of replacing their war torn bodywork, they simply removed them.

The basic style has remained constant over the decades. Remove fairings, add flat bars, secure dual spot headlights, and kick up the tail. For the most part the styling has remained somewhat reserved. Swap your tail section for some more attractive OEM unit from another model. Some trick paint and polish. Maybe update the running gear for the latest and greatest in go fast hardware. To top it all off, we tear the motor out and either build some octane-snorting monster or replace it all together for the biggest fastest lump that will fit.

Some things never change. There has been some crossbreeding of the genres as of late. Longer lower bikes are starting to become more popular. Not exactly slammed but set for better launch control. Also, Paint has gotten more detailed with large murals and wild colors. The drag racing scene has more them likely brought on this new trend. But also we see some return to the old school with some retro styled Café fighters. Embracing history in a very positive way.

Next we move across the channel to Germany. Fast Luxury cars, Cold Beer, Hot Bratwurst and Lederhosen, huh!? OK, the later probably isn’t as prominent but it made you laugh right? Now here is a scene that pulls out all the stops. Mad amounts of Polish and Chrome, Extreme amounts of Custom Billet parts, Big Horsepower motors, Wild almost demonic bodywork, Fat Rubber and paint that jumps off the sheet metal.
Walking into a Fighter show here looks like a Candy colored Horror movie. Maybe Rob Zombie should have a look into this.

Maybe not the originators, but definitely innovators.

And here we can definitely start dissecting the genre. Here we can see a lot of unique ideas that started in this area, but there’s also some Euro Cruiser/ Chopper inspiration as well. Fork tube covers are becoming more present. These covers usually smooth out the front end to make more of a seamless tube from top to bottom. Some have even gone as far as to machine grooves and designs in them to add a little extra flash to the front of the bike. More influence from the custom scene is found in dressing up the cables with bright braided lines, cleaner shinier engine covers, Stylized billet grips, Hidden axle covers, integrated handlebar risers and clamps. The list goes on forever.

Their big claim to fame being the very exaggerated tail heights compounded by short tail lengths. And the crazy looking bodywork that has got the Fighter world wanting more. Very sculpted and aggressive looking. And going along with sculpture in motorcycles is some of the tank mods that look like they were pulled from scenes of a Friday the 13th movie.

Tire size seems to be getting wider and wider around the world, but instead of just focusing on the rear tire they are paying just as much attention to the front. Widening the front wheels to except rear tire widths. 180’s and 190 section tires matched with 240 and larger rears. Bringing a whole new look to the fat tire game.

If we head north we find the Nordic fighters. The land of the long night brings out some seriously mean bikes when the ice thaws. With less then 6 months of daylight let alone favorable riding weather this leaves a lot of time to tinker in the shed.
These new age Vikings like to go FAST!!!

Turbos are not uncommon when they start building fighters. And with the ever-growing drag racing scene building in the warmer months long and low goes along with the fast and mean theory.

What is neat is some of the paint schemes that come along with these bikes. Leaning a bit towards the American Hot Rods of yore Flames are most notable. Although, it’s not necessarily traditional flames. Some opt for tribal licks or lay them out in candy and flake.

But the other scene that’s gaining ground is Stunt riding. MX bars, cages, 12 bars, hand brakes strapped to naked bikes and adorned with all the sponsors and eye catching paint they can get.

The Land Down Under is stepping up the game with some very clean and tasty fighters. They have some of the very well engineered and eye-catching fighters I have seen. Adopting some global fighter styling, but also putting the Aussie spin on it. Very unique ideas and adaptations are happening. It’s a good mix of English cleanliness along with German extreme. Big power bikes are definitely abundant along with a healthy dash of polish and bling.

Here in the Good old USA and our friends to the North, Canada, the Fighter scene came to be by way of the stunt world. Once again form followed function when plastic got shattered learning all the crazy tricks and combos.
Some felt they had more maneuverability and control on a naked stunter as apposed to a fully faired bike. Soon naked bikes started popping up more and more.

Some saw a resemblance to the chopper crowd, but liked the power and handling of a sport bike as apposed to the lumbering sled of a cruising machine.

Others grew up on the pegs of a dirt bike and felt the natural switch to big bars and tall seats.

Others remember the hey day of the Jap invasion and wanted to recreate the classic CB’s, GS’ and KZ’. Some just felt the need to stand out in the crowd and build something different.

We are also taking bits and pieces from around the globe and making our own style.

From caged and barred stunters to lean mean hooligan machines to full on customs that rival any big bank account chopper.

Looking around the world we see many different styles that share a key piece of their culture but also we are seeing a mix of cultures trickling through to create new and interesting ideas. What’s next to roll from the garages sheds and work shops around the world? Only time will tell. With our global world the possibilities are limitless. What will you create to set the Fighter world on fire?
by Shaun “Scrapyard” Kelly

Article Source: Custom Fighters Streetfighter Motorcycle Forum

In the wonderful world of Fighterdom, you are only limited by your imagination. In the grand scheme of things, we are working with 3 main elements: the wheels, the engine and the seat. The way in which these elements are connected, to work as a whole, are practically limitless. Chassis design, suspension components, and body design are all key factors of what makes a motorcycle unique. Each part that is assembled with the machine not only adds in its function but also to it’s style.

One thing that has always intrigued me was frame design. With out a frame we basically have a pile of random parts, but there’s more to it then just a place to bolt it all together. This is the beginning and end of how well your bike is going to perform. You can put the best suspension, biggest brakes, and lightest wheels you can afford on your bike, but if the frame is weak and twitchy all those killer parts are for nothing. In the day and age we live in, it’s hard to beat the quality and construction of the latest and greatest factory superbikes. Let’s face it. They have the time and money to put all the R&D and design into them they want until you have a super light, super rigid frame. Now that doesn’t mean we have to swear off the idea of designing our own. This is kind of the crème de la crème of building a special. A truly one off frame separates the men from the boys so to speak. For those of us with older bikes this can greatly help overall performance and handling by making the bike much more sturdy and responsive. But also on a styling note this is where you can really start laying out the look of a bike. The chopper crowd has been stretching and raking frames for decades. This was for a mater of style. But when you start building your own frame you can make it all work together. You can have the style and performance in one package.

Different Streetfighter Motorcycle Frame Designs :

Trellis Frames:

For those of you that have been around the fighter scene, you no doubt have seen the beautiful examples built by Spondon, Harris, RAU and some of the later builders such as Martek, Steelheart and PEST. The most common design of these frames is a trellis format, similar to Ducati and MV Agusta. Built from either large diameter aluminum tube or chromoly steel, they offer a very light and rigid construction, but also give the builder a range of adjustability in component placement and over all layout. Mounting points can be made to fit many different engine configurations and also allow for a range of suspension locations.

Backbone or Cradle-Style Frame:

The next form of frame configuration is the backbone style or cradle frame. Most commonly found in older bikes and traditionally styled cruisers. RAU has adapted a version of this to act as a stressed member frame. Instead of a full cradle frame that has mounting points for the engine to sit into, they use the engine to mount the frame. This style does away with the lower frame rails. It incorporates a large diameter tube for the “backbone” and a section of down tubes to connect to the engine mounts. Honda has also adapted this style frame on their Hornet line. This setup is not only very rigid but also allows to showcase the engine. The down side is the frame has to go over the engine witch can make the bike rather tall.

Twin-Spar or Twin-Beam Frame:

The twin spar or twin beam frame is one of the most commonly used frames among sportbikes. If you’ve owned a GSXR, YZF, CBR or ZX of the last 10 years you’ve ridden a twin spar. They are very rigid, and strong frames. They can be heavy and bulky compared to other examples but in recent years the manufacturers have come up with new technologies to help cut the weight while still maintaining the strength. Arguably not the prettiest of designs but can be made to work as eye candy if done well. Another advantage of this design is the ability to hold or hide some of your components or fluids. Case in point the Buell XB series with its fuel in frame design.

Monocoque Frame:

One of the most unique designs is the monocoque. This can be done a number of ways. A number of panels that bolt together, tubes that mount in triangulated shapes, even just bolting everything to the engine. It’s a complex structural design that pulls the machine together in a very unorthodox way.

As for materials these frames can be made from, the range is also large. Steel and aluminum being the most common, although there are examples that have been made of carbon fiber, stainless steel and titanium. All these materials require a certain amount of skill to work with. Steel is probably the easiest and cheapest although is the heaviest of materials. The up side is it is the most resilient to flexing forces and if designed right can weigh in very close to an Aluminum frame. Aluminum would be next up the scale but takes more skill to work with. Welding aluminum can be tricky. It melts faster then steel and you have to have a good working knowledge of this material for it to weld right. It is very rigid and strong though and also half the weight of steel to gain the same strength. Titanium is very expensive and hard to get in large quantities but is the lightest and strongest of the more common metals. Carbon fiber is also getting harder to get and requires a totally different set of skills to work with. It also requires quite a bit to gain the same strength as the aforementioned metals. It is brittle though and has been known to shatter under the right forces.

So how do we lay all this out and make it work? Well, like I said earlier, that’s what you have to figure out. I will say this. Start drawing lines from the steering head to the swingarm pivot and go from there. Look at some new bikes and how they are laid out. Specifically, look at there mounting points; steering, engine and rear end. Break out your imaginary pen, A.K.A. your finger, and start drawing lines from one point to another. I’m interested in what you’ll come up with. There’s a lot more to this as well, such as component positioning, center of gravity, rake, trail ride height etc., but we will attack these issues another time!

-Shaun “Scrapyard” Kelly

Article Source: Custom Fighters Streetfighter Motorcycle Forum