Wednesday 21 December 2011

JvB Urban Motors Brit Bob

Jens com Brauck sent us this cracker and the press release below. We're big fans of JvB. Read all about him in Sideburn 8.
Sideburn's blog regularly brings the best bikes in the world to you first, then other websites pick up on them. No problem, we're not even bothered they don't namecheck us, but if you like what our blog does, please click a link on the side to buy something, we know you'll like that too. This blog only started to promote the magazine. We don't sell ads on the blog (but we do push our own stuff), we try keep it simple and inspiring. No mag, no blog.
Over to you, JvB...

There is a paradox at the centre of the British character that is hard to explain - it's the gentleman and the hooligan, it's country houses and edgy pop music, and sometimes it takes a foreigner to express it. Jens vom Brauck the Cologne based designer, working with the Berlin bike builders Urban Motor, has taken a polite, old-fashioned Triumph Thruxton and given it some street attitude. The high bars, low slim seat, sleek side-panels and neatly integrated short mudguard have changed the proportions completely – it looks like it's been working-out. The engine and tank look bigger and more muscular and the rest is slimmed down and taut. You sit low and relaxed, but the bars (Jens calls them chopped down ape-hangers) bring your fists up in front of your face. Start the engine and even at tick-over the the two-into-one high-up exhaust has a hint of menace that you don't expect from a Thruxton motor. It's daring you to pump up the volume. Peter Dannenberg, the boss of Urban Motor, is really pleased with the result, “The Triumph is a great basis When you strip it down, underneath you find an authentic motorbike in it's purest form.”
All the details are as clean and elegant as you'd expect from JvB, but there's a toughness there and this mixture of rough and refined is as British as Daniel Craig.
The front has been lightened up with the designer's trademark headlight and there's an old-school mini speedo from Motogadget. But it's at the back that the biggest changes have been made, “I put a lot of work into sharpening up the rear,” says Jens, “on Hinckley twins the seats are wide, and long enough for 3 rugby players - I've changed everything.” The seat, side-panels and mudguards are hand-made by the designer.
“As soon as the Brit Bob was finished I wanted to try it out, and we went down to the river and hooned around a bit, took a few photos. The handling's sorted. We've got the weight down to about 200kg, the centre of gravity is low and it drifts like a good'un.”
You can already order a Brit Bob and there will soon be kits and parts for Triumph twins. JvB-Moto and Urban Motor are also making plans for new projects.


Technical data: JvB URBAN MOTOR Brit Bob
Basis: Triumph Thruxton Details: stainless steel exhaust system, seat, rear frame, handlebar, instrument motogadget tiny, side covers, headlight, fender, footrests, wheels, bellows (gaiters)
Weight: < 200 kg
Suspension: Original fork, spring preload, suspension struts YSS, spring preload, height adjustable
Tyres: Bridgestone BT45 Front: 100/ 90-18 Rear: 150/ 70-17
Price: from 15.000,- €

6 comments:

Harley said...

Good looking bike but, if you're putting a Thruxton on a diet, why not go for a smaller tank as well?

Sideburn Magazine said...

Practicality. Something so many builders forget (including us). G

Guy@GK said...

I like it. Beefy.

KrookStreetRacing said...

I like it too. Especially the restrained colour scheme. Nice. And black rims rule.

Anders said...

Fine looking bike.

Ogri said...

The Emperor has no clothes!

I'm amazed that people are finding this attractive. It's the anithesis of what a Triumph should be. Rather than svelte, light & purposeful it looks like a two-wheeled version of one of those fat, retarded kids whose parents would rather have them eating than microwaving the cat.

FFS, just because you CAN make custom bikes that don't follow classical lines doesn't mean you SHOULD, nor does it make it right.
Fuck off with this gay hipster bollocks.