2018 Vanguard Roadster First Look & Photo Gallery
As we progress as a society, socially and technologically, the yearning for advancement is always there, almost as a collective thought. Perhaps that’s the kind of thinking that enthralls onlookers, inspires the designers and engineers to persevere, and led CEO Francois-Xavier Terny and designer/CTO Edward Jacobs to develop FXE Industries’ radical Vanguard brand.
Vanguard is just that—a manifestation of potential. Jacobs and Terny set out to create a motorcycle with exquisite attention to detail, evidenced in the painstaking level of machine work done throughout the build. Foreboding and masculine, Vanguard invokes its namesake in both the metaphorical and physical sense.
FXE Industries envisions three different Vanguard models—Roadster (shown), Cruiser, and Racer. The starting price of $29,995 for such a sophisticated motorcycle is perhaps the most audacious goal of all. Building them at the Brooklyn Navy Yard only enhances our respect for the brand.
Providing roughly 110 ft/lbs of torque, the S&S engine serves more than one purpose. It is not only the heart, also the core in the monocoque design. The idea of Vanguard extends from that point.
Every case and cover has been meticulously milled and machined in order to show a raw sophistication; it’s deceptively simplistic, until the onlooker begins to fathom the time and effort that went into creating this.
The component mating perfectly—visually and functionally—the 2018 Vanguard Roadster exudes a level of craftsmanship that is not often matched. This is fully represented in the enclosed, underslung exhaust. Plexiglas viewports allow us to watch mechanical intricacies at work, from the clutch and timing belts to the suspension, the Vanguard Roadster mesmerizes.
Moving to the right side of the bike, a large shaft drive demands attention, as it is a departure from the expected belt or chain. When we consider the typical V-twin custom build, this only adds to the individuality that the designers have seized upon. Its housing angular, leading directly into a dished alloy rear wheel. The single-sided swingarm is controlled by an Öhlins shock that is visible through yet another viewport.
The Vanguard Roadster’s traditional, upright riding position, leaning towards the aggressive side. A long, carbon fiber tank leads directly into a svelte, textured seat. But from end-to-end, we can tell that every aspect of this bike has been agonized over by the builders. The striking array of headlights sits in a beautifully machined triple clamp assembly, a Plexiglas cover pulling it all together. Propping up the front end are 48mm Öhlins 48mm inverted forks in black, rather than the typical gold.
Controls made to match—knurled, machine grips adorn clip-on style handlebars. With a seat height of 32 inches, one must fight the urge to become enthralled with the mechanical nature of the Vanguard before pressing the ignition button.
At a claimed weight of 550 pounds, braking will then become a thing of upmost importance. Vanguard is well aware of this, providing dual 320mm semi-floating rotors up front, and a 245mm disc in the rear, complete with Brembo calipers all around.
It is brands such as the FXE Industries’ Vanguard that define ingenuity. Vanguard rests at the pinnacle, waiting for the rest of us, and mainstream manufacturers to catch up. Just as we are watching for the 2018 launch of the Vanguard Roadster, so, too, is the rest of the motorcycle world.
A new line in the sand has formed, and in time, that one will be surpassed. Motorcycle brands such as Vanguard are critical progressive steps on a road. There, we all take our places, admiring and waving them forward.
2018 Vanguard Roadster Specs:
ENGINE
- Type: S&S Cycle X-Wedge based 56-degree V-twin
- Displacement: 117 ci (1917cc)
- Maximum torque: 110 ft/lbs (target)
- Transmission: 6-speed w/ shaft drive
CHASSIS
- Frame: Structural engine
- Front suspension: Fully adjustable 48mm inverted Öhlins forks
- Rear suspension: Öhlins shock w/ single-sided swingarm
- Front tire: 130/60 x 18; Metzeler ME880 Marathon
- Rear tire: 240/40 or 200/50 x 18; Metzeler ME880 Marathon
- Front brakes: 320mm semi-floating discs w/ Brembo 4-piston calipers
- Rear brake: 245mm disc w/ floating Brembo 2-piston caliper
DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES
- Wheelbase: 65.5 inches
- Rake: 27 degrees
- Seat height: 32 inches
- Fuel capacity: 5.5 gallons
- Weight: 550 pounds (target)
2018 Vanguard Roadster price:
- $29,995 (target)
2018 Vanguard Roadster Photo Gallery
What a breath of fresh air!
Please get this hog killer off the ground. Its important to motorcycle enthusiasts everywhere that have been getting duped by Harley Davidson in particular into paying a premium for century and a half old antiquated designs with deplorable performance and quality. Even the better quality imports have stuck to copying the hog model look for cruisers and touring bikes and its disappointing to say the least. Albeit much better performance. Every bike manufacturer (major one anyway) has latched on to it because of the consumer base being told what it likes by marketing geniuses and its terrible, just terrible. People are paying $30,000 USD plus for late nineteenth century technology with copious amounts of chrome and branded accessories that do nothing but cost exorbitant amounts of money and fall apart. Well the “American Hog” anyway. Fitting nick name for a sloppy piece of engineering.
This is the first piece of production engineering the public is going to see from this company, can you imagine what it would be in five or ten years? We can only hope this type of innovation is fed like a pig and kept in shape and moving forward.
If you are going to stick to premium priced petrol based power between your legs it would probably be best to do it with something engineered to be top level. I hope this is the future of the gas powered motorcycle, this industry needs a shake up in every department and this is the perfect example of how it is to be done.
This is the type of thing that excites and entices engineering at all levels and should be brought to the STEM education administration’s attention to help expose the field to the current and next generation of engineers, designers and artists that will pull society to the next level. Much like the space race did. We don’t need smarter bombs, we need smarter bikes.
If you are going to stick to premium priced petrol based power between your legs it would probably be best to do it with something engineered to be top level. I hope this is the future of the gas powered motorcycle, this industry needs a shake up in every department and this is the perfect example of how it is to be done.