Concept Motorcycles
Cobra Engineering has announced a multi-bike custom motorcycle project, and Cobra will build two customs based around two of the five Honda RS750 concepts presented here.
Ken Boyko (VP of the Cobra Special Projects Division) says: "If we had enough time, we’d build all five of these bikes. Each is so cool and every one would be a blast to ride."
The five concepts are: Scrambler, Café Racer, Street Fighter, Dirt Tracker, and Bobber.
The Scrambler: This version is a recreation of the famous Honda CL72 (250cc) and CL77 (305cc) scramblers from the 1960s, down to the red frame, and rubber tank side pads. High pipes with distinctive heat shields are key visual cues for this bike.
The Café Racer: This style of motorcycle has become quite trendy in urban areas. This bike’s single seats, lowered bars, raised pegs, bikini fairing, and chopped rear fender are key features, as are short megaphone mufflers and head pipes with no head shields.
The Street Fighter: Stripped to essentials with a small headlight, nasty exhaust, and powerful brakes, this style of bike perfect for the times. An engine that screams performance and eye-catching paint completes the look.
The Dirt Tracker: Ricky Graham and Bubba Shobert in the mid-’80s took it to the Harley-Davidson factory teams on the AMA National miles and half-mile dirt-track circuit on their hand-built bikes, crafted by Ray Plumb and Skip Ekins. Cobbled together at first, the bikes evolved into beautiful, elemental tools designed to win at tracks such as San Jose, Indy, and Springfield, and win they did. This is what the RS series is all about–a replica of the 1980s RS racers.
The Bobber: Bobbers hearken back to the post-WWII era when returning soldiers wanted speed without the frills. They took whatever motorcycle they could find and remove just about everything but the engine, rolling chassis and seat. The look included a minimalist fender and a single seat with the rear fender bobbed as short possible. Spray-can paint, mostly flat black, was the color of choice.
Ken Boyko says: "We plan to unveil these at the Long Beach Motorcycle Show on December 17, 2010, so we’re going to pick two and let the others rest for now."
Look for a full review of the stock Honda RS750 in the October 2010 issue of Ultimate MotorCycling.
