Flicking by means of photographs of the current Bike Shed customized bike present, one bike specifically caught our eye; the PiperMoto J Series. On the surface, it appears like a scooter, albeit a somewhat trendy one. But pop the hood, and also you’ll uncover a KTM 690 Duke engine hosted in a bespoke chromoly chassis.
PiperMoto’s founder, John Piper, calls it a “super scooter.” Maxi-scooters are nothing new—however the J Series’ high-end aesthetic, 67 hp motor, and wild engineering put it in a category of its personal. Which is no surprise, given John’s pedigree.
An engineer and designer, John’s portfolio contains F1, Le Mans and World Rally Championship automobiles, plus quite a few prototypes and ideas. He designed the gearbox for Nigel Mansell’s 1985 Williams FW10, the Foggy Petronas FP1 World Superbike bike, and the automobile that presently holds the diesel-powered World Land Speed file.
John shaped PiperMoto a decade in the past—drawing on his expertise to construct bikes that mix precision engineering with a hand-built really feel. And that’s precisely what the J Series is. Sticking an enormous engine right into a scoot is one factor, however this can be a ground-up machine that additionally occurs to look impossibly trendy.
At the core of the J Series scooter sits a TIG-welded chromoly house body; a murals by itself. The KTM 690 mill is housed towards the again of the bike, tucked right into a life-sized Meccano set that hyperlinks up the customized rear suspension system. Offering 120 mm of progressive journey, it options an ExeTC distant reservoir shock, hooked as much as a customized swingarm by way of a push rod and rocker.
The entrance suspension is barely extra conventional, using a set of KTM upside-down forks with 150 mm of journey. 17” laced wheels sit at each ends, wrapped in Bridgestone Battlax BT090 tires. The brakes come from Brembo, with a four-piston caliper grabbing a 320 mm disc up entrance, and a single-piston floating caliper biting down on a 240 mm disc on the again.
Accompanying the KTM LC4 engine is an assortment of tasty upgrades. It inhales by way of a beneficiant pod filter and exhales by way of a stainless-steel exhaust system. The exhaust terminates in a field muffler that blends seamlessly with the bodywork, and even features a catalytic converter.
Other options embrace a semi-dry sump with twin Eaton oil pumps, and a pair of aluminum core radiators with electrical thermostatically managed followers. Fuel is held in a 14 liter [3.7 gal] reservoir that sits in entrance of the engine, with an inside gasoline pump. And the six-speed transmission shifts gears by way of an digital system, triggered by paddles on the switchgear.
And then there’s the J Series’ elegant bodywork. Made from a woven carbon composite materials, and completed with well-judged chrome touches, it has a premium OEM really feel. Where most scooters are utilitarian and primary, the J Series makes an announcement.
To create it, the PiperMoto workforce began by constructing a wood armature to work round. Next, they perfected the using place and ergonomics. Pieces of cardboard have been laid over the construction subsequent, then the ultimate type was formed out of clay.
The last design is extremely cohesive, displaying ridiculous ranges of consideration. The scooter sports activities twin storage compartments within the entrance fairing, each lockable, whereas the rear shell flips as much as supply entry to the engine and rear suspension. It’s completed in a jaw-dropping blue paint job, with cut up saddles that recall classic Vespa and Lambretta designs.
Twin Smiths gauges sit within the cockpit, alongside a mixture of lovely CNC-machined particulars and extra OEM-style trim. The mirrors, flip alerts, headlight, and taillight all really feel like manufacturing unit objects, as does the rear license plate bracket. Packaged neatly underneath the bodywork are a maintenance-free gel-type battery, and a military-grade wiring loom.
If you want geeking out over numbers, the J Series scoot has a 1,500 mm wheelbase, a 52-degree lean angle, and a dry weight of 160 kilos [353 lbs], with a 50-50 weight distribution. It can do zero to sixty in 4 seconds, with a high velocity of 120 mph.
If that piques your curiosity, the excellent news is that the J Series isn’t a one-off. PiperMoto will construct these to order, with a number of personalization choices to swimsuit potential prospects.
Maxi-scooters are usually sporty, angular affairs. But what PiperMoto has created, is a high-performing customized KTM scooter, with a timeless look that straddles the road between retro and fashionable. More of this, please.
PiperMoto | Instagram
Source: www.bikeexif.com