Street Tracker

Copper Boss ¿A Triumph Bonneville?

25 October, 2019 by caferacer Leave a Comment

At the end of 2014 the owners of one of the largest Triumph dealers in Europe, located in Belgium, visited Fran Manen to learn about their work and the facilities of Lord Drake Kustoms in Spain. At the beginning of 2015, that visit became an agreement for Lord Drake Kustoms to begin modifying and customizing motorcycles for the aforementioned Triumph dealership.

The first commission was a Triumph Bonneville with the objective that it be different, attractive in appearance and that it could be done in a little less than a month, because it was the first … It had to coincide with the opening of a new line of sales of exclusive and customized motorcycles by LDK, and this must be the flagship. Although time was short, here is the result: the “Copper Boss”. They practically left the owner of LDK white letter to do what he wanted with the motorcycle and only gave him a note: “Street tracker with very urban airs.”

And Fran had it very clear, nothing of typical black, gray or brown colors. No anti-caloric tape in the leaks. No long table seat. No arc at the end of the chassis and no Firestone tires, “all of them elements that, apparently, have become characteristic in most Triumphs when they are customized, whatever their style,” Fran tells us.

And what were the modifications?

Elegant ivory color and, for being the famous British brand, decided to combine ivory with a “British racing green” type tone that resulted in a somewhat lighter green than the original Triumph … and finally it was necessary to give it the striking touch but at the same time vintage and it was an aged copper that took care of it. Because it was the first commission, the number 1 was placed and from there the project began to be shaped.

Fuel tank made especially for this motorcycle. The entire metal rear section with a somewhat different style to what we are used to seeing, the seat and its handmade upholstery. In addition to many other modifications and small details such as the rear turn signals integrated into the motorcycle’s own chassis bars. And most importantly, immaculate details and finishes and outstanding in the last screw of the motorcycle.

This motorcycle was presented in Belgium, and has meant a before and after in the concept of transformation of this type of motorcycles … Such was the acceptance of the work of LDK, that two other orders were made: a Triumph Bonneville T-100 and a Triumph Thunderbird 1700 cc (Beauty and the Beast).

Technical data

Name: Copper Boss
Motorcycle: Triumph Bonneville year 2005
Engine: 800 cc carburation
Deposit: steel made by LDK
Filter: open box filters K / N
Chassis: rear part and rear footrest trimmed
Exhaust: modified by LDK
Handlebar: made by LDK
Rear: manufactured by LDK in metal
Seat: manufactured / upholstered by LDK
Front fender: original modified
Front suspension: original modified by LDK
Rear suspension: higher air, shock absorbers
Flashing: rear incorporated to the chassis and front on handlebars
Tail light: built into the tail
Wheels: Continental off road tires
Others: mini odometer, oil meter watch, old copper details, gas cap, headlight with shallower depth, Avon cuffs, footrests, front sprocket covers, etc, etc.

Sportracker, a scrambler with V-Twin heart

23 October, 2019 by caferacer Leave a Comment

Knowing that every day the request for Scrambler models is increasing, it is a shame to think that Harley is not ready to extend the XL family with an Off Road version. Luckily for us an for all this type of motorbikes lovers; there will always be someone willing to do it…

Sportracker, a scrambler by Lord Drake Kustoms

At the sales level, Triumph Scramblers work very well; Ducati has just released one that they are going to treat as an independent brand that those of Borgo Panigale are sure that they will give a lot of “cane” in the sector, and if we add that they already begin to hear rumors that point to a Japanese brand is going to open its “trunk of memories” to surprise us very soon with a retro model that will satisfy both the urbanites daily and scares the weekend rabbits, it means that the Scrambler segment is going to get the most entertaining. And more than it would be if those of Milwaukee decided to join the parties instead of letting some of their most prestigious dealers develop new products at their own risk, although that is another story that today is not about .

Lord Drake Kustoms, or Fran Manen who owns it, is not a Harley dealer nor has an interest in being so, but a transformer with workshops in Europe and across the Atlantic, in Florida to be more exact, who knows so well what They want their customers that not long ago made a Scrambler project using an XL as a starting point.

And the invention liked it so much and it had such a good reception on a commercial level that it has been encouraged to develop a complete kit with which the owner of a Sportster can transform it without having to wait for those of Milwaukee to decide to do so.

Although, of course, the less “tricky” in mechanical matters can always order Fran the complete bike already finished or to transform theirs.

How it was made

The kit in question was developed on this Sportster 1200 custom carburetion, in which the first thing we notice is that its height has increased considerably with respect to the original model thanks to new fork bars and RFY gas shock absorbers with separate tank .

By giving that feeling of greater height so characteristic of any field motorcycle, the subframe supplement installed under the seat also contributes to which a rear fender with integrated LED pilot is attached, located in a position very far from the Continental Twinduro tire of 80 and 150mm wide profile.

The choice of this rubber by Fran was due to the fact that this XL is one of his private motorcycles and he uses it almost exclusively for excursions on the mountain and dirt roads, so that a mixed tire would have made no sense.

The seat’s design, in the shape of a banana, along with a X cross handlebar holded to the top triple tree with LDK risers enables to have a comfortable and relaxed position on the motorbike and at the same time, that enables to move it easily at low speed.

To be perfect, the foot plate should not have been brought forward but it was part of the choice of Fran, who already told us that for the “comercial kit” he has already considered other options to consumers.

In the Sportracker they also replaced the rims by new black anodized ones of 40 that turn out to be lighter than the original ones, ande the driving position, as it was for former motorcycles, the decided to eliminate all the extras with the exception of the speedo which is centrally located in the superior post, offering a perfect view.

As the V-Twin, Sportster is the typical motor that is used for almost all motorcycles, for this new off road version, Fran decided to make only a few changes: set up a new air cleaner and to recalibrate the carbuetor to adapt the fancy new RSD 2 in to 1 exhaust.

For a future version, if he finally decides to take part with a Sportster in Baja style races, he will probably replace the ratios of the gearbox, but for now he is convinced that the secondary chain transmission is enough to satisfy all the customers who the Milwaukee brand doesn’t seem willing to please with a Scrambler.

Daredevil (the scrambler) is a tribute to Evel Knievel

17 October, 2019 by caferacer Leave a Comment

Daredevil: Reckless, who enjoys doing dangerous things.

Daredevil, a scrambler custom motorcycle by Lord Drake Kustoms

Fran Manen (owner of Lord Drake Kustoms) had been listening for a long time to his good friend Frank Mahieu, owner of the Belgian company “The Motocyclist”, to discuss his idea of paying tribute to Evel Knievel.

One afternoon they were chatting about the new electric bicycles and suddenly the “Evel Knievel” spark that had been out for some time jumped … Not everything is going to be bicycles, it’s time to do something with more gas and that’s when Frank commissioned Lord Drake Kustoms who will begin to shape a motorcycle, tribute to the famous American jumper.

So was the beginning of the return journey of “Daredevil” to earth. The base was a Sportster 1200, but this time the acronym HD did not mean Harley Davidson … they said: Harley Daredevil, which came as a ring to the finger. To give a more retro scrambler air, the modified Peanut-style tank was combined with a 21 ”front tire.

The graphics and colors were very easy to choose, the helmet and the cape served as inspiration. And as always you had to meet the three essential requirements of LDK for your bikes: simplicity, elegance and class where “less is more”.

Currently this scrambler is in Belgium attending various events related to the world of two wheels.

Softail Springer “SDT Vintage” by LDK

11 October, 2019 by caferacer Leave a Comment

One day the world will run out of things to do with a Softail, but there’s no sense of that happening any time soon.

We shouldn’t be that surprised. Folk around the world have been changing bits of a tiny range of motorcycles for generations now, and still keep coming up with new combinations of parts! Okay, some bits won’t necessarily be original, but then a good custom bike is always more than a combination of its parts.

Springer "SDT Vintage" by Lord Drake Kustoms

Take this simple Springer Softail as a case in point. No rose-tinted, retro pastiche this, it looks aggressive with its steep stock rake, and that short flat hugger mudguard foreshortens it further: it’s on the short side of squat and spoiling for a fight. In fact anything that might visually stretch it out a little has been modified!

The powdercoated hot-rod red DNA Fat Daddy wheels with blacked-out spokes do nothing to soften its lines but tie in nicely with the blacked-out Springer forks and the red race number on the round oil tank, and the abraded and distressed steel of the tank beneath a layer of semi-gloss clearcoat lends it a purposeful look.

Why’s the oil tank black? Because it’s right! Commissioned by SDT Graphics and built by Lord Drake Kustoms, whose work we’re seeing more of, it’s an example of the sort of cross-over styling that is resulting from new ideas coming across.

Fran Manen has got a name for himself locally as a café racer man, and a builder of low, lean Triumphs but he likes to wrong-foot those who would typecast him. We’ve seen his Rat’s Hole-winning Dyna, 883R Sportster Racer and it was always going to be to see what he’d do with a Softail.

It’s as close to an ‘old school’ custom as you’ll get from LDK, and is based on a 2005 FLSTSC – a Springer Classic – which was specifically chosen because he didn’t want to use “typical and cheap aftermarket Springer forks”. It had to be authentic: it had to be more authentic and more radical. It also came with black forks already, which was a bonus.

There’s nothing much that hasn’t been messed with in some form or other and having stripped the bike down far enough to get the original oil tank out – leaving just left the motor in, and even that lost its covers while they were refinished – he lopped the fender horns off and got busy.

The engine covers were the easy bit: lose the chrome and apply a textured black powdercoat, and finish them off with RSD’s ‘Clarity’ covers: there was no place for chrome on this machine and it’s a miracle the fork springs and damper came out unscathed.

The tighter rake of the FL forks combined with the 120/70 Avon Venom wrapped round the 21-inch rim to pick the front end off the ground and set the stance, and with a set of near flat bars in place of the near beach bars of the original bike, one of the primary triangulation points was in place: the top of the headstock.

Yes, technically, the top of a headstock is the top yoke which is physically in touch with the steering heads bearing’s cone, but visually here it isn’t. Springers don’t have a highly visible slab of cast or billet aluminium to guide the eye, and you choose where you want the eye to be drawn to. Here it is the handlebars, as though they were bolted to a notional top yoke.

With a lower tank, those flat bars would look like drag bars on straight risers – which, technically they are – but by lifting the modified XL tank above the frame, using a neat trick to hide the production economies of a part of the frame that was never intended to be seen by the public, its spine is visually raised, and indeed you eye is drawn to the top line of the tank which flows from the bars to the rear wheel spindle in a single curving arc: the second triangulation point.

The straight line from headstock to spindle is often held as a panacea: a throwback to the days of rigid frames and inherently right! And while not cast in stone, it works more often than not and Fran has got that line with a difference: while most such curves are gentle, the SDT Vintage is aggressively steep. It’s punctuated only by the minimal solo seat – upholstered in the same leather that Ferrari use to trim their cars – fitted rigidly and sympathetically aligned.

To keep the bike level, height has been added at the rear, and the overall effect is of a bike that was already compact looking even shorter!

What bodywork LDK didn’t make, they modified to get the lines they were after, which included the tank and its raised mount, the ignition relocation bracket, the oil tank with all fittings and the entire seat. And while they ordered-out when dressing the motor with a few RSD bits – in the form of rocker boxes and the air cleaner on the fuel-injected 88B motor to match the clarity covers – they also made the wrapped short exhausts which play along with the ‘short’ theme, barely reaching the transmission.

The speedo relocator, halfway down the front leg, on the primary side came from Joker Machine, as did the LED indicators and the shifter link – you can’t make everything, or at least it doesn’t make much sense to when the right bit is available – and you might spot there’s still a trace of the original Springer Classic in those Vintage footboards, except they would have been the squarer Electra Glide type rather than these half-round ones.

And the simple tank has been finished off with a simple graphic, even if it has been topped off with some contrast-cut RSD billet.

All-in-all, not your average Softail custom, and it’s certainly not your average Springer Softail, but who wants average?

And it’s not a Café Racer either … at least not in the conventional sense, or even the emerging style. Well, not stylistically: I reckon it’ll lend itself to that head down, hunched over stance: well, a man has got to have his vices.

But old school? Well, old is relative. It’s going to be interesting to see whether this style makes it across the Atlantic, but with LDK has set up a European operation in southern Spain, there are at least be one outlet promoting such crossover customs.

Data Sheet

Original motorcycle: H-D Softail Springer Classic FLSTSC
Year: 2005
Builder: Fran Manen
Company: Lord Drake Kustoms
City: Miami, FL (USA)
Engine: 88 Twin Cam 1,450 cc
Exhaust: LDK
Oil tank: LDK
Handlebar: LDK
Rear mudguard: LDK
Filter: RSD
Tires: DNA Fat Daddy (16 “back and 21” front)
Tires: Avon
Front Suspensions: Springer
Rear Suspension: trimmed 1 inch
Fuel tank: Peanut 3.3 gallons (modified by LDK)
Tank base and location on: by LDK
Seat and base: by LDK
Repositioning reels: by LDK
Painting and rest of finishes: by LDK
Others: RSD caps, Leds flashers, relocate speedometer, H-D Vintage footrests, Avon cuffs …

Ducati 999 “Neoracer” for racing lovers

10 October, 2019 by caferacer Leave a Comment

After a lifetime in circuits this Ducati 999 is resurrected for the street.

Ducati 999 "Neoracer" by Lord Drake Kustoms

Its owner who lives a few kilometers from the circuit of Cheste (Spain); decided a few months ago that the time had come to recycle this magnificent motorcycle and turn it into a more comfortable, current and quiet style. That was how one day he decided to call Lord Drake Kustoms, where Fran Manen (owner of LDK) would attend him and exchange ideas of how the new Ducati 999 could be. After the telephone conversation the project was closed and ready to begin Act.

At a time when it seems that only some old motorcycle models can be transformed and in which many people seem to be crazy to find some scrap from 40 years ago in which to spend a disproportionate amount of money (for the type and state in which they tend to be) what better job than to transform a motorcycle totally opposite to the fashion trends … a relatively modern motorcycle and also total racing! Nothing more and nothing less than a 999 Ducati.

The owner of Lord Drake Kustoms told us: “For me it was a very nice project, because I love the Ducati and this was the first time I worked with one that was not a Monster model.

“A LOT OF PEOPLE SEEMS TO BE CRAZY TO FIND SOME 40 YEARS OLD SCRAP IN WHICH TO SPEND AN AMOUNT OF DISPROPORTIONED MONEY”

I must admit that at first the idea overwhelmed me a little, because the 999 unlike the Monster, comes loaded with parts and elements that were hidden behind the fairing … which would be one of the main challenges: leaving the bike aesthetically clean , beautiful and functional once the fairings were removed. Then, if we wanted to make a difference, we were clear that the tires should be different and in this case nothing better than some of the spokes to give it a more classic touch “.

Fran Manen has also modified the entire subframe and incorporated the rear turn signals on it. In addition, part of the stainless steel exhaust manifold has been manufactured to convert it into a 2: 1 and adapt a Supertrapp tail. All hand controls have been modified just like the front suspension. The rear brake caliper has had to be modified in its position to be used with the new spoke wheels. The front fender and the side cover of the battery have been manufactured by hand and many other modifications that you can see in this report or in the complete photo album of the page www.lorddrakekustoms.com.

Finally, the whole bike has been painted. The chassis has gone from gray to red, the engine from gray to black and the fuel tank has been painted in a simple white with the somewhat more classic Ducati graphics, to give it a more elegant touch and obtain as a result wonderful Ducati 999 “neoracer”.

MODIFICATIONS DUCATI 999 NEO RACER

Motorcycle: Ducati 999
Year 2003
Wheels: spoke wheels with original measurement tires.
Flashers: The formers integrated in the handlebars and the backs in the subframe.
Frontal: Semi-handles, controls, handles, grips, odometer and modified headlight.
Suspension: Modified both the front and the rear.
Fender: Artisan.
Seat: Craft.
Escape: First original section, second section 2: 1 stainless steel craft and Supertrapp tail.
Subchassis: Original modified and reinforced.
Rear: Led pilot, license plate holder and modified rear brake caliper.
Others: Powder paint, artisanal battery cover, modification and replacement of transmission kit, modification of belt covers, etc.