If you thought we’d never see another street-legal two-stroke sportbike, you’re not alone. There hasn’t been a full-size two-stroke motorcycle for the street in the United States since the Yamaha RZ350 of the mid-1980s. Langen Motorcycles, situated in Wigan, between the English cities of Manchester and Liverpool, is working to change that—at least on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean. The new Langen Two Stroke will make its public debut at the Salon Privé in less than a week, but we have a first look at the bespoke motorcycle.
The Langen Two Stroke is powered by a 250cc V-twin powerplant produced by Vins Motors in Maranello, Italy. EFI, computer-controlled oil injection, electronically manipulated exhaust valves, and carbon fiber reeds work together to keep the power up while controlling emissions to achieve street legality. With a 14,500 rpm redline, the fuel-injected V-twin pumps out a peak of 75 horsepower and 33 ft-lbs of torque. Any two-stroke fan’s heart will race at the sight of the two expansion chambers—one underslung, and the other under-seat.
The chassis is a work of bespoke art. The frame and swingarm are handmade from large-diameter aluminum tubing. To connect the pieces together, the connection points are either machined or bonded. Öhlins provided the fork, and K-Tech the twin cantilevered shocks. The carbon fiber used for the bodywork and fuel tank is hand laid. Gold-leaf detailing is also is the result of the human touch. The claimed dry weight is a feather-like 251 pounds.
Each Langen Two Stroke is a custom motorcycle, as they are built-to-order. To enhance performance, the ergonomics are tailored to the buyer, and the cassette-style gearbox and be configured to the rider’s preference. Additionally, the wheels and suspension can be changed to satisfy the personal demands of the owner. Further, the colors and chassis finish can be chosen by the buyer.
“The company has been founded with the aim of producing motorcycles with a simplicity and purity of days gone by, like the Ton-Up Boys and their café racers, yet pushing the limits of modern technology,” Chris Ratcliffe, the creator of Langen Motorcycles and the designer of the Two Stroke. “My dream has always been to create a small piece of British motorcycling history. To be able to launch this special motorcycle under a completely new brand really is a dream come true. The aim is to continue to push boundaries and create more interesting bikes, which we hope will really please people.”
To remind the owner of the unique quality of his motorcycle, each machine is individually numbered, with the initial build limited to 100 examples. According to Langen Motorcycles, the goal is to build an additional 150 motorcycles in 2022, which will enable world homologation.
The price of the 2021 Langen Two Stroke is £28,000, and a £1000 deposit gets you a spot in the pre-order line.
2021 Langen Two Stroke Photo Gallery