Thunderbike Harley-Davidson Niederrhein wins in the German “Battle of the Kings” final
• Strict rules in the international “Battle of the Kings” customizing competition • Thunderbike wins the national final and competes for Germany • This custom bike is a father-daughter project
(Neu-Isenburg, May 20, 2016) The idea is as simple as it is effective: In the “Battle of the Kings” contest, which entered its second round in 2016, Harley-Davidson authorized dealers from Europe, Africa and the Middle East asked to to transform an Iron 883 into a strong custom bike. The catch: The machine had to be ready within twelve weeks, could not end up costing more than 16,600 euros and half of the parts installed had to be made by Harley-Davidson.
31 German authorized dealers took up the challenge. In a large online vote, five audience favorites emerged, who faced a jury of six specialist journalists in the national final on May 12th. The winner: Thunderbike Harley-Davidson Niederrhein . The reaction: tears of joy. Not only with the successful Thunderbike boss Andreas Bergerforth , but also with his daughter Kim because the Thunderbike Iron was the first father-daughter project in the Bergerforth house.
Kim's blood and she (of course) works at Thunderbike - but she has never customized a motorcycle before. When her father asked her at Christmas to create her first work with him, she was immediately hooked: “First we stripped the iron to the maximum,” says the young customizer , “then we sat in front of the framework for hours, creating parts We stuck with it and thought together about what would fit and what the whole thing could look like.” It was clear that it wasn’t going to be a scrambler or a cafe racer anyway – Kim always wants to swim against the current. But only gradually did the look crystallize, which is somewhere between chopper and drag style . Flex was added to the rear, the remains of a rear fender were mounted very low and a peanut tank was mounted very high, plus coarse tires, a high-flow air filter, a Zard exhaust and an upside-down drag bar handlebar - super cool! The extra-flat seat, the cover of which comes from a pair of leather trousers purchased on Ebay, as well as the license plate holder and indicators are among the components from Thunderbike; the paint job was carried out by in-house painter Ingo Kruse.
Kim's Iron is not for sale (for now) because the builder has fallen madly in love with her work. No wonder!
Harley-Davidson congratulates and the German fans keep their Kim and Andreas for the grand finale in June, in which the bike competes “Custom King”“Wheels and Waves” festival in Biarritz . Contest fights.
Further information about Thunderbike can be found at www.Thunderbike.de and the website Customkings.Harley-Davidson.com will keep you updated about the competition.
Text copyright: Harley-Davidson Germany GmbH / photo credit Thunderbike
Review: With the Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide from Kiel to Faak and back again!
GREATEST TEST RIDES
At the beginning of September I rode the Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide about 1300km from Kiel to Faak for the European Bike Week in Austria.
It was just a matter of seeing how long you could last on the bike in one go. The result really surprised me. I usually ride old Harleys and I've now found out what Harley-Davidson means by a tourer .
So you can say this much about it: after I arrived at Lake Faak after about 17 hours of driving and found a room, I was drawn to the slopes in the evening for the European Bike Week.
Pack well, everything important must be with you!
I start near Kiel in the evening
The European Bike Week ran from September 8th to September 13th, 2015. I wanted to be there on Tuesday, the 8th. During the day I prepared the bike well for the tour, polished it nicely and with a full tank, I started packing. This has to be carefully considered, I always have a lot of technical equipment with me, more than just clothes.
Space on a motorcycle is generally limited and it's actually a good thing that you can't carry everything you don't need with you. The Street Glide's cases are very practical, and what's particularly important is that they are also lockable, especially when you leave the bike at a stop to rest or want to calmly drink a cup of coffee, you feel a little more calm.
Mega sound or space
However, the CVO cases don't fit quite as much into them as the Street Glide Special, the CVO has a mega sound system on board, the amplifier and the speakers also need their space, so opinions may differ on that it's superfluous and others think it's good to have a good sound.
That always depends, I often would have needed the space, but the quality of the BoomBox II system is also a pleasure, there are situations that are just right, listening to good music loudly on a nice route, with the right songs really like that.
In addition, the navigation and traffic information are very easy to understand and everything can be adjusted individually, whether you prefer to have it on your headphones or listen to it via the bike's sound system.
Everything is very easy to use, either via the touchscreen or via the switches on the handlebars. Some training is required, but once you understand the menu, it works well.
equipment
The weather forecast only predicted cold and no rain, but I have to go back again. When I remember the rain from 2014, I get a chill. Therefore, it is better to pack a rain suit and waterproof boots.
In addition to the Harley-Davidson Jet II helmet, I took a full-face helmet for the ride, then the tried and tested onion technology, T-shirt, leather shirt, windproof Harley-Davidson jacket and a Harley-Davidson leather jacket over it, plus a long Emma and the Rokker Revolution Pants , so you are well and safely packaged.
Thick gloves and what was very important, the muffs, which are handlebar cuffs, especially when it gets cold and wet, they are worth their weight in gold, they have already proven themselves on my Norway tours. What I also particularly appreciated are the protectors in the Rokker Jeans , they not only protect you from the cold in the event of a fall, but also while driving. The pants are waterproof anyway, so you can't go wrong.
I had temperature differences of 5 to 28 degrees on the journey, so you're happy to be able to take off a jacket when the sun comes through, that's clearly the advantage of the onion look.
The tour to Faak and the Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide
As you can see from my tour on the Google Map, I always covered 300 kilometers in stages. On the outward journey I was a little weaker at 5 in the morning after about 8 hours of driving, but I was able to hold on particularly well on the return journey, but one thing is Of course, you can't do that in such a relaxed manner with every bike.
Some bikers were on the way back north on old Evo's, one was driving a lot towards Berlin, I rode with him for quite a bit, and Norwegians were also on their E-Glides heading home had to go further than I did, respect!
The 1.8L engine has 156Nm torque
With a CVO Street Glide and the 1.8 liter engine, that's a nice thing, there's always enough torque when going up and down the mountains. The ideal cruising speed is around 140 km/h, the Street Glide sits comfortably on the road and is well protected by the fairing and can eat up a lot of kilometers.
On the Street Glide, the windshield is not quite as high, so the rider still gets some wind, which can also be increased using the new ventilation duct, a good solution, especially at high temperatures.
I would do it again and again with a bike like that, even in the rain the Harley held the road very well, the tires had already covered a few thousand kilometers, but with over 400 kilos there was enough pressure from above!
The consumption is really ok, everything is well coordinated and can be influenced by your own driving style. If you drive very calmly, you will get under 5 liters per hundred, but when driving normally, the stated 5.8 liters are really manageable, as we are used to something different from some cars.
The chassis is ok, overall the bike could be a bit stiffer, in unfavorable slipstream situations or cross joints at around 170 km/h on the motorway, it rocks a bit, the bike can easily reach 200 km/h, in my opinion I noticed that it drives noticeably more stable at higher speeds if you close the left ventilation flap and open the right one.
The BoomBox II navigation has proven itself on the tour!
Navigation – Harley-Davidson Street Glide CVO
You don't want to be without it in the car anymore, the navigation takes us wherever we want, the BoomBox II entertainment system has a good navigation system built in, a large display that can be operated via touchscreen, and the destination can be entered via voice input via the headset or simply type it in.
If you want, you can prepare the tour on your PC using the Ride Planner from Harley-Davidson (Link) and import it into the navigation using a USB stick. That's all possible, but it certainly won't suit everyone. I liked it, but I don't have any problems with the technical world.
The operation generally requires some practice, it's not a TomTom or something similar, the Americans have their own ways to achieve their goal, but with a little practice it can be done. What I found particularly good is that when the tank goes into reserve, the navigation immediately shows the nearest gas station in the area with a brand, and you can easily activate route guidance to the gas station.
This is particularly helpful in unfamiliar surroundings. On the highway you only have to drive straight ahead, but if you run out of gas before the next gas station, you'll be happy to be able to quickly find the shortest route to the next gas station.
I was traveling at Lake Faak in the border triangle, whether Italy or Slovenia, the map always worked and took me back to Lake Faak, this entire communication system is simply fun on the Harley-Davidson Premium Tourer.
The Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide in Scorching Yellow
Technical data (according to the manufacturer): Engine: Twin-Cooled Twin Cam 110 Cui Displacement: 1800ccm Power: 98 HP at 5010 rpm Torque: 156 Nm at 3750 rpm Tires: Dunlop front 130/60 B19, rear 180/55 B18 empty weight: 395kg (ready to drive) payload: 222kg tank capacity: 22.7 L, of which 3.8L is reserve seat height: driver 690mm price: approx. 38,035 euros (as of 09/2015)
Manufacturer information
Excerpts from postings on Facebook.
Departure September 7, 2015
1. 9:25 p.m. – My tour to Lake Faak 2015 begins in Kiel! – So friends, I'm heading to Faak, it's really cold tonight, but what the heck, now we're heading from Kiel towards Berlin, to the next gas station, the tank should be enough for 300km, I'll drive the Street Glide CVO for that long until I fall off the saddle, hopefully that won't be until tomorrow morning at Lake Faaker See! Today we added another 1,000 new fans to Facebook, which of course makes us very happy!
2. 11:49p.m.– In the direction of Berlin/Potsdam – So, now go to the first gas station! After 286 km, I reached the turnoff to Berlin/Potsdam on the A24. We're about to refuel for the first time!
3. 11:58p.m.- First fuel stop just before Berlin - After 297km the tank is in reserve just before Berlin, now fill up and get your first coffee!
4. 3:00a.m.- Second refueling stop Weißenfels - After another 274 km of hard driving, the tank is in reserve behind Leipzig, and at 3:00 a.m. we finally had coffee again.
5. 4:45a.m.– Autohof Berg on the A9 – coffee break at night at 4:45 a.m. at 5 degrees. Now it's getting pretty cold and the tiredness is starting to come through for the first time.
6. 7:00a.m.- Stop in Pegnitz - Between Leipzig and Munich it's time for coffee and gas, I'm a bit tired now, something lying on my back on the bike is in order. 767km so far and now it's 7:00 a.m. and we continue, that was the longest break on the route.
7. 10:00a.m.– fuel stop and McDonald’s – Irschenberg. Between Munich and Salzburg, here I bought the toll posters, gas, food and coffee! Finally the sun came out!
8. 1:00p.m.- Another break at McDonald's - refueling wasn't necessary yet, but a break was even more important, at 1:00 p.m. we continued again, time is short, I still have to go to the tourist information office at Lake Faaker See!
9. 2:15p.m.– You have reached your destination at Lake Faaker See! – I arrived at my destination at 2:15 p.m. after about 17 hours of driving! Well done! That was 1300km on the Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide , now find a room and the party can begin!
On September 13th, 2015 we went back from Lake Faak towards Kiel.
1. 6:50a.m.– Here the journey started again. From here the journey starts again early in the morning at 6:50 a.m. I didn't have the opportunity to refuel during the night, I only came back from the event at midnight, the time can now also be found on the route. The Harley's odometer shows 8,063 kilometers, I've been driving quite a bit over the last few days. So far I have covered 1,907 kilometers from Kiel on the Harley-Davidson Street Glide. It's still pretty cold, but once you drive it's okay! Post on Facebook https://goo.gl/UrzI4Z
2. A quick look over the beautiful Lake Faak - Early in the morning at 7:00 a.m. you get a beautiful view of Lake Faak. Post on Facebook: https://goo.gl/IIJupj
3. 7:30a.m.– First fuel stop – Now fill up the tank and move on straight away, otherwise you won't get anything done! Breakfast and coffee were already available at the guesthouse.
4. 8:00a.m.Toll station – If you want to drive through the Tauern Tunnel, you have to pay. I think I got rid of 11.00 euros. Post on Facebook: https://goo.gl/954xWq
5. 8:37a.m.– Just stopped for a moment! – The toilets are worth mentioning, they looked really good!
6. Beautiful view – Another quick look at the beautiful mountains!
7. 11:20a.m.Second fuel stop - I've now driven 360 kilometers and it's not in reserve yet, I used 19 liters for the route, that's impressive. 5.2 liters per hundred, packed full on the highway.
8. 2:10p.m.Refueling shortly before Leipzig - First coffee break, after 297 kilometers from the last stop, I've gotten through well so far. Post on Facebook: https://goo.gl/NUjFhI
9. 3:50p.m.- Refueling shortly before Berlin - After 193 kilometers the tank is not yet in reserve, but the next gas station might be too far away and a coffee wouldn't hurt either. Post on Facebook: https://goo.gl/irLKaA
10. 7:15p.m.Refueling in Wittenburg - Only rain since Berlin, sometimes quite heavy, but the bike sits well on the road and the Harley-Davidson leather jacket is just as tight as the Rokker Revolution pants. Another moment when you appreciate the protectors, they also protect against cold on the knee. I drove 253 kilometers in the rain and the tank is still over 1/4 full.
11. 8:50p.m.– Arrived at the destination after about 14 hours! After about 1,300 kilometers and almost 14 hours of driving, I arrived back in the north on September 19, 2015. The return journey was a few hours quicker, but I was also a little more rested than on the tour south. Even though I had to ride in the rain on the last few kilometers from Berlin, it was a great tour on the Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide. Post on Facebook: https://goo.gl/N8dcJj
The return journey from Lake Faak
Conclusion: A nice tour, on a beautiful Harley-Davidson that was built for touring. I traveled on very different routes, whether on the highway or in the mountains, I always had the right bike under my belt. Long distances are no problem at all, it has top brakes, ABS and enough pressure to overtake or drive quickly from A to B.
It can also act as a mobile office, you can use the system to make phone calls, you can quickly stow your jacket, kidney belt, etc. in your suitcase, clip the helmet to the suitcase and no one will have the idea that you are traveling with the Harley.
In terms of price, it belongs to the premium segment, but there is also the Special, which is also one of the good tourers, just like the Road Glide, so it just depends on your taste and your wallet.
I had a lot of fun touring on the Harley-Davidson CVO and that's what it's all about! By October, I had ridden over 11,000 kilometers on the bike and enjoyed every kilometer.
The route Kiel to Faak for the European Bike Week, on the Google Map. Click on the markers in the map to see the information.
Joined the tour via Facebook, it was great how some fans were there in the middle of the night!
So friends, I'm heading to Faak, it's really cold tonight, but whatever, now I'm going from Kiel to...
On the road in Alsace with the Sportster Forty-Eight
The no-frills 1200 Sportster Forty-Eight has enough pressure and charm at the same time in every situation!
The Sportster models are often considered the entry-level models in the Harley-Davidson scene; a new one can be picked up from the Harley-Davidson dealer of your choice for €10,000. But is that actually true? Are you just an entry-level Harley? Somehow that sounds demeaning, as if it were just something for beginners so that they could get something bigger later.
That's not the case, it's undoubtedly a good entry-level model, but many Sportster owners stick with their beloved Sporty, it's one of those Harley's that looks great right out of the box, you can put it on and go without messing with it. Subtle changes are of course allowed, air filters and yes, the exhaust system is often on the wish list, the new emission standards have an impact on the sound, but there are various legal solutions. A very big plus is the retention of value of the Sportster models, which is not a given these days, the Sportys are always at the top of the list when it comes to value retention.
At the end of September I had the opportunity to test a Sportster Forty-Eight with ABS, it had the powerful 1200 Evolution engine installed. I've always liked the Forty-Eight, the mirrors are beautifully installed downwards in drag style, a very compact design, not overloaded, somehow simple but not cheap. The cockpit seems sparsely equipped, but that is deceptive, everything important is there, all important data is shown on the digital display, there is even a gear indicator, everything important can be accessed with a simple step through. I know a lot of friends who swear by their Sportster, they could drive something else, whether a Fat Boy or a Tourer, but no, it has to be a Sportster, I've never had the pleasure of driving one before, but now I have finally the opportunity.
And off we went with the Forty-Eight, the sound was nothing at first, you could literally tell that it wanted more but wasn't allowed to. But that doesn't matter now, a great route was waiting for me, where everything was needed, a good brake that works properly in every situation, and the wide tires were responsible for the grip when braking. It went through Alsace on different road surfaces, the Sporty grips properly and has enough torque to pull out of the curve. It has both, the brakes are powerful, plus the ABS, if you don't know it, you should have it explained to you, or just full brakes, in an emergency situation you shouldn't be alarmed if it starts to stutter, especially on damp roads When there is sand on the road, it offers particularly high safety reserves thanks to ABS.
I myself had a similar situation with a Harley-Davidson Street Glide where I was able to avoid a deer thanks to ABS, which saved me from a collision. For the inexperienced, there are also re-entry courses every year, which can also be given away as a voucher for Christmas. The Forty-Eight has the fat Michelin Scorcher installed at the front, which really makes a good impression in the front wheel fork. It's a little more cumbersome in the corners than if a rather thin tire had been installed, but it sits really firmly on the road and the roller matches the styling.
At the back, the setting of the two springs can be easily changed with an adjusting key, which can be very practical if you have the key with you. My suspension was set to very soft, with 95 kilos of weight you should be careful where you drive over with this setting, otherwise it will bottom out mercilessly and right into your back. But you can change it and everything will be fine again, because the chassis is really good, it can handle anything. I was really surprised at how much you can like it, but it's not a big hurdle to take it for a test ride yourself, either at the dealer when the truck with all the bikes is on site, or at the big Harley events you always have the opportunity to try out the latest bikes.
Jeep meets Harley and both are on innovative paths.
Both manufacturers have brought a lot of new things to the road, whether it's the modern communication radio BOOM!BOX sound system with 2x 300 watts of pure power, including USB connection and voice-controlled navigation, or the new highlights in the Jeep Renegade , which are called Uconnect, with internet radio or active lane control.
Harley-Davidson & Michelin , these are two brand names with a concentrated tradition, each company has its own story. Who doesn't know him, in the early 70s he shined magnificently on every big truck that drove on our roads, the Michelin man !
And even today, it is still the trademark of the successful French company, which operates worldwide and will continue to expand its successful collaboration with Harley-Davidson next year. The Michelin Man is even a little older than Harley-Davidson ; it was founded in 1898 by the company's founder, Édouard Michelin.
What is the mascot for one person is the logo for another and that is why the Bar & Shield logo and the Harley-Davidson lettering shine on every Michelin tire that was developed together with Michelin according to the Harley-Davidson load catalog.
Michelin at Lake Faaker See for the European Bike Week
Michelin invests a lot in the development and research of tires, is present at many events, and has a special motorcycle team that takes intensive care of all aspects of motorcycle tires.
They travel a lot, including at Lake Faaker See for the European Bike Week, and are looking to be close to customers in order to find out their most important requirements, what criteria they use to choose their tires and what their experiences are. Customers expect a lot, the price, design, safety in wet conditions, grip and, if possible, long mileage.
Well, if we're honest, everything can't work and every model and every biker has their own specific tire requirements that should be met.
A Sportster is not a long-distance bike; it places completely different demands on the tires than a tourer that travels a lot on the highway.
But we know all this at Michelin and we also know that the Harley driver is loyal to the brand as long as he is satisfied and his requirements are largely met.
So you go to the events and just ask him, as the original equipment manufacturer for the Harley-Davidson ® Sportster ® , Dyna ® , V-Rod ® and Street ® models, many customers already use the Michelin Scorcher tire and that will continue to be the case in the future remain!
Michelin man
And whatever is done, you get salespeople and mechanics from Harley-Davidson who deal with customers every day, as well as experienced bikers from the Harley scene and get the SKS truck with the Harley-Davidson Road Show including the current bikes , put new Michelin Scorcher tires 11 and 31 of the respective models everywhere and off you go!
At the end of September, catch the last rays of summer sunshine and go on a beautiful Harley-Davidson motorcycle tour in Elsas, along the beautiful vineyards and Vosges, all the way to France.
Tom, Michelin's Develope Manager, drove in advance. After the first few kilometers we knew that no coffee driver was leading us, he knew the route exactly and his trust in the tires was quickly passed on to the people behind him, he pulled along like a locomotive His followers through the S-curves and bringing up the rear was Achim, from Michelin Product Technology, together with Christelle from Marketing.
You know that at the end of a group it will always be a little faster, especially if there is no loitering at the front, but Achim has already completed many corners on his bike in his life, as a successful motorcycle racer who also competed in the German Pro Superbike Championships and 24 Hours of Le Mans, he could probably have overtaken us with a pillion passenger if he had wanted to.
Really a great Michelin team with plenty of fuel in their blood!
Lots of curves, fast sections, up and down the mountains, we didn't want to race, but we wanted to look for the limit area of the tires in the curves, that doesn't mean that you only found it when you fly out of the curve. You can tell exactly whether the tire has grip or is lubricating.
The bikers, or rather the tires and the Harleys, had to deal with various road surfaces and challenging curves. After the first few kilometers something very important developed, that was trust! We pulled through the curves nicely and no matter whether it was the V-Rod or the 1200 Forty-Eight, every now and then a footrest would scratch the asphalt or the exhaust would spark something.
Nils, from Harley Augsburg, wanted to know exactly, he tortured her because he knows customers ask a lot of questions!), but the tires were never overwhelmed, the limit is set by the bike and not the Scorcher tire.
But we're not talking about Brenners here, we're talking about beautiful bikes with which you can have fun on the country road and also in the curves. The V-Rod and the Muscle, they are the faster variants from Harley-Davidson and are intended for bikers who occasionally need the torque kick and more speed, as can be seen in the photos, the combination of machine and tires brings big smile on your face.
We drove across the French border to Wissembourg, had a short coffee break and continued on, back to Germany. We had lunch in Climbach, where we were able to calmly exchange our first experiences.
A team from Harley-Davidson Germany was also on site; they are also very interested in the test riders' feedback, as the successful collaboration with Michelin is set to be further expanded next year.
Conclusion: What did we find? The Michelin Scorcher 11 and 31 have a lot of grip, a very high level of driving comfort and they also did their job perfectly when it came to braking.
In combination with ABS, it all fits together very well. We didn't have any rain, which is certainly an important position, but there are too many different situations that we couldn't recreate on one day. There will be more on that next year.
We also didn't want to ruin the beautiful day with bad weather and most bikers are out and about in good weather, so a tire has safety reserves even when it's wet - that's what Michelin demands of itself.
For the Harley-Davidson Fat Bob there is the Scorcher 32 at the turn of the year, it looks a little bit sturdier on the rim, the development is not quite finished yet, but you can already see it mounted on the Fat Bob in photos.
The tire on the front wheel makes a really fat impression, just like on the Forty-Eight, for example, that looks really cool. In the corners, the Forty-Eight doesn't fall into the corners as easily as if it had a slimmer tire, but it has a lot of grip thanks to the wide tread and that's really fun to pull out of the corners with the high-torque Sporty.
What was impressive to me was that despite the different Harley-Davidson model ranges, we all stayed together very well and test riders who usually drive a Street Bob or Fat Bob, for example, pushed a Muscle or Sportster through the curve without any problems.
Of course, each test driver got their own impression of the Michelin Test Ride; my impression was that our opinions were not far apart. The Scorcher tires definitely have their strengths on dry roads, they offer plenty of reserves in the corners and give a lot of confidence.
They are Harley-Davidson original equipment manufacturers and are also a very good tire choice, and are constantly being further developed to meet all requirements.
Take the opportunity and go to the Michelin stand at trade fairs and events, you will almost certainly meet some of the Michelin team with whom we drove and it is nice to know that they know exactly what they are talking about can speak from my own experience!
Beginning fall 2015, MICHELIN Scorcher ® will be available at authorized Michelin dealers in addition to certified Harley-Davidson ® dealers.
140/75 R 15 M/C 65H TL 180/55 R 17 M/C 73W TL 150/60 ZR 17 M/C (66W) TL 150/70 ZR 17 M/C (69W) TL 240/40 R 18 M /C 79V TL 200/55 R 17 M/C 78V TL
Michelin Scorcher 31
IN FRONT
130/90 B 16 M/C 73 H TL/TT 130/80 B 17 M/C 65 H TL/TT 130/70 B 18 M/C 63 H TL/TT 100/90 B 19 M/C 57 H TL /TT 80/90 – 21 M/C 54 H TL/TT 130/60 B 19 M/C 61H TL/TT NEW
REAR
150/80 B 16 M/C 77 H TL/TT 180/65 B 16 M/C 81H TL/TT 160/70 B 17 M/C 73 V TL/TT 180/60 B 17 M/C 75 V TL/ TT
Harley-Davidson Street Glide CVO since the beginning of August . A so-called top model straight from the factory, I think to find a suitable comparison, if we were talking about Mercedes Benz we would talk about the AMG model, at Jeep it would be the SRT version and at Harley-Davidson it would be CVO and Screamin Eagle .
It has almost everything in it that makes your heart beat faster! The heart of the Street Glide also beats quite strongly, an incredible 1.8 liter V2 engine pushes the 400kg over the track. The starter itself is a real power plant; after all, it should be able to start the powerful engine!
Powerful 1.8L V2 engine
Screamin Eagle Engine
The engine really has enough reserves if you want to overtake briefly or are just in a hurry, then it starts, all you have to do is turn the throttle.
The cruise control works up to 140 km/h
Up to a maximum of 140 km/h it is also possible to activate the cruise control switch and the desired speed can be maintained in a relaxed manner using cruise control. I never thought I would use the technology on a Harley, but yes, it does!
I remember it from the old EVO, with the locking screw on the throttle grip, which is useful on long journeys. But that's just the beginning of what the Street Glide has to offer, for a technology enemy it's a challenge, for a technology fan it's the ultimate!
The BOOM! BOX communication system
Keyless Go, Radio BOOM!BOX sound system with 2x 300 watts of pure power, USB connection for the iPhone or many other cell phones, the USB stick and whatever else there is to connect. Of course Bluetooth, so you can connect multiple cell phones at the same time, or an iPod.
But you can only use one device to make calls, so a lot is possible! There are many communication systems that deal with the Boom! Have the box connected.
Harley-Davidson Street Glide CVO
In any case, you should inform yourself beforehand, the connection did not work with the Cardo System G9X so far, the manufacturer kindly provided me with a Cardo G9X set, but I already knew that there were still problems, just who the problem is is not so clear yet. It's a shame, Cardo is the market leader in this area and I would have liked to test the system with the Street Glide.
Communication is very important at Street Glide!
Harley-Davidson Navigation Boom! Box II
Harley-Davidson offers a wired communication system. The socket to the left of the navigation system is intended for this.
The microphone and headphones are attached to and in the helmet, which works perfectly.
A cable is always ready for use, that's the advantage; with a radio system the battery can be empty by chance.
Navigation with voice control
Using the voice set it is even possible to operate the navigation via voice control, which worked great for me! Press the button on the handlebars once and the voice control is active!
New destination, announce address and OK! Done, the navigation system looks for the destination, if there is a similar street, there is a selection that is offered, either you say the number or you tap on the touchscreen.
Navigation is a big issue tourer Because the Street Glide was built for touring and they did it well.
There are different websites where anyone can put together a tour for free and import the tour into the Harley's navigation system via USB stick. Anyone who has done this will find it very easy. Exporting would also work, but more on that later in a separate report.
Touring, driving, cruising!
Anyway, I rode the Street Glide over 3000 km across the country in August and it was a lot of fun! Roughly speaking, my first tour was from Cologne to Kiel, the route was around 600 kilometers long and the majority of the journey was on the motorway and country roads.
If you don't just open the throttle fully, you can cover a good 300km with the Street Glide without using up the reserve. Personally, I think this is a good value; stopping every 300 km on a long journey is a good rhythm.
Ventilation flap on the Harley-Davidson CVO
But I had a painful experience: the engine of the Street Glide CVO is supported by water cooling compared to the Street Glide Special. This is no longer entirely new and has already existed on other Harley models.
My first tour was more than hot, the outside temperature was around 35 degrees and the big block under the driver gets hot, hence the water cooling, I say. To the left and right of the water cooling there are ventilation flaps that control the supply air, or not, when it is closed.
She can also get hot
It was open and at some point on the exhaust pipe on the right it gets really hot. I was Rokker pants , any other pants would probably have burned!
I didn't have the right setting for more than half of the tour, but once I found it, the problem went away. Unfortunately, I had a pretty big blister on my lower leg, but you have to go through that if you don't set it right straight away!
So far I'm thrilled, I'm not so sure about the chassis or tires yet. The bike rocked three or four times on the motorway at higher speeds, which can be controlled in a controlled manner, but it's not nice.
Sometimes it was due to cross joints on the highway, or when there is a lot of wind. The tire is from Dunlop and has special properties, the compound is harder in the middle than at the edge, this is supposed to be an advantage.
The tire has been driving well so far, I haven't had any noticeable problems even when it's wet, but this rocking doesn't work, so I'll have to experiment with different tire pressure settings or the chassis, which can be adjusted quickly and easily.
Factory sound
The sound is ok, it's absolutely fine for a machine from the factory, Harley-Davidson has also come up with something else that makes the sound, the Mega Screaming Eagle air filter makes such an aggressive intake noise that you get the feeling that it's... Give it gas and everything in the area will be sucked in if it doesn't hold on properly somewhere!
With a Harley-Davidson Street Glide CVO at the rest stop
Replacing the exhaust system is often the first step. I think it would run even more freely with a mapping and a different system, but I haven't missed performance yet, it simply has plenty of torque and power.
But after the first 3000 kilometers I don't pay any attention to it, I'm still more concerned with the sophisticated BOOM! BOX system!
It has a mega sound system
The sound system is simply awesome, when the music is played via USB directly from the cell phone via media, the sound quality is best, an amazing sound comes out of it.
The navigation is clear to understand and telephone conversations can also be made while driving, either via headphones or over the loudspeakers, which I did enough.
A comfortable Harley-Davidson tourer
It's very comfortable, the Harley-Davidson Street Glide CVO is a tourer and a very innovative one at that!
I probably can't avoid making a video about the navigation, that shouldn't be a problem, but the European Bike Week is coming up in September, a distance for me is easily 1,300 kilometers, I'll take on the challenge for now ! See you in Faak!
• Customized with fine ingredients from the Harley-Davidson accessories range • Only 140 units for Germany
A perfectly fried, juicy, tender Black Angus steak can release a lot of happiness hormones, regardless of whether you add potato wedges, herb butter and a grilled tomato or whether you simply enjoy it plain and “without anything”. The same is true with motorcycles like the Street Bob , the cool, long-term bestseller in the Harley-Davidson model range . When its designers put it on its wheels a good ten years ago, they had a driving machine in mind that was reduced to the essentials. But countless customers refined their Street Bob with individual ingredients and often created small works of art that expressed the owner's very own character.
The many refinement projects around the globe have now inspired the Motor Company to create afactory custom bikethat comes with a number of fine ingredients right from the factory.We're talking about the new Street Bob Custom.The forward footrests contribute to the chopper-typical sitting posture on this casual machine.A high Z-handlebar, whose sharp angle harmonizes perfectly with the fork tubes, is reminiscent of the colorful seventies and guarantees a strong appearance on the show mile.Harley-Davidson installed a Daymaker headlight underneath, whoseLED technologyalready turns night into day on numerous touring bikes.And because the series name “Dyna” is derived from “Dynamic”, the sporty qualities of the machine are underlined by a perfectly coordinated cartridge fork.High-quality “Premium Ride Emulsion”gas pressure strutsused at the rear.Of course, all parts are originalHarley-Davidson Partsand Accessories.
If this look makes your mouth water, you should quickly go to your nearest authorized dealer, because the new Street Bob Custom will only be available in 140 units in Germany. The factory custom bike, available in Vivid Black or Black Denim, starts at 16,195 euros. Further information is available at www.harley-davidson.de or at your nearest Harley dealer.
Text & Photo: Copyright Harley-Davidson Germany GmbH
Power and performance are the attributes of the Night Rod. That's exactly what Jekill and Hyde when designing the new Thunderbolt complete exhaust system for the Night Rod. The most important criteria were to ensure a crisp look and full night rod power even when the exhaust system is closed. In deep black and with its own manifold, with heat shields and crisply short pipes, the exhaust system underlines the look of the bike and can be mounted precisely with specially made holders on all bikes with a standard swing arm and max. 280 tires. In order to present the whole thing and pack it into a package, No-Limit-Custom and Jekill & Hyde are working together on the Thunderbolt project to put a cool promo bike on the wheels. The aggressive look of the NLC parts fits exactly with the style of the exhaust system and so NLC to the night rod . The front fender, rear fender and almost all add-on parts were removed and replaced with parts from NLC, which can easily be replaced with the original due to their perfect fit.
The NLC team chose a set of rims from their own production that are as precise as they are visually sophisticated.In order not to destroy the look, the brake discs were also chosen from NLC to match the rims and for the crisp and aggressive front, the team installedNLC handlebarswithrisers.A height-adjustable chassis is used at the rear so that the bike sits flat on the ground at trade fairs.The radiator cover and the seat also fell victim to the radical treatment and were replaced with parts that visually matched the style.After NLC had completed the conversion work, the scraper machine was used, with Danny given the instructions to stick to the company colors and the“adjustable exhaust”.He took up the theme, painted mufflers with the gas flow of the Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde system and designed the bright parts on the bike in the style of exhaust insulation material, which fits the theme 100%.In the end, Dr.Jekill & Mr. Hyde Team put the new Thunderbolt exhaust on the Night Rod, which gives the bike a cool performance and sounds correspondingly deep.Theadjustable exhaust systemis 100% legal in automatic mode and can also be driven completely closed.A “Race only” mode is available for the drag strip or for testing, which gives the engine performance even more power.Since then, the Night Rod has been the most popular bike in the company, with employees happy to ride it to one more trade fair than planned.Information in specialist retailers or on the new website:www.Jekillandhyde.com
Photo credit: Frank Sander
Technical data / Tech Data
Builders Names: NLC Owner's Name: Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde Name of the bike (Bike Name): Red Thunderbolt Model/ Year of Manufacture: (Year/Model): 2014 Construction time (Time to build): 6 weeks
Engine version (Engine Make/Size): HD Exhaust system: Dr.Jekill & Mr. Hyde Thunderbolt Ignition:
Gearbox / Transmission Type: HD
Chassis Frame Manufacturer/Type (Frame Make/Type): HD Steering head angle (Rake): Stock Fork (Front End): NLC Triple tree: NLC Swingarm: NLC Shock absorbers: Legend Air Brake discs: NLC Calipers: HD Front wheel: NLC 3.5×18 Rear wheel: NLC 10.5×18 Tires Front: 130 Tires Rear ): 260
Accessories Risers: NLC Handlebar: NLC Grips: NLC Front fender: NLC Rear fender: NLC Seat: NLC Footrests (Forward controls): HD Tank: HD oil tank (Oiltank): HD Electrics (Electrics): HD / NLC Lamp (Headlight): HD Taillight (Taillight): NLC Indicator (Flasher): Kellermann Paint Idea (Paint Idea): Schrammwerk / Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde Lack (Paint): Schrammwerk
Dr.Jekill & Mr.Hyde Thunderbolt NLC Night RodPower and performance are the attributes of the Night Rod. That’s exactly what…
Florian Engel and his young team received a request from Customshow Emirates as to whether he would be interested in taking part in the Biker Build Off because the organizer wanted two extremely young teams to compete against each other.
After a short thought, Flo agreed and after a few days realized that such a project was quite complex, because after all, he not only represents his young company, but also represents Germany in the United Arab Emirates, at BBO UAE vs. Germany. So, with the help of Danny from Schrammwerk , an unusual design was developed for which there was no frame, swing arm and other parts available anywhere. So Flo from Engels Schmiede , with the help of a few friends, set out to put a Twin Cam engine on the workbench and draw a 1:1 sketch on the wall. Everyone who came to the workshop said Flo was crazy because his budget for the project was very limited, as the young company was only founded in 2011 and had moved into a new hall a few weeks before that had to be renovated, but this gave it a chance It's not every day, so free time was canceled and full throttle was the motto. So, with the help of his team and friends, he began bending the first pipes and wanted to do as much as possible himself, not least because of a lack of money.
Once the first tubes were bent and stapled together, he sawed two wheels out of wood and placed two tubes on the frame, simulating the fork and 30″ front wheel as well as the 20″ rear wheel. He ordered two blanks from Ricks and was told that they would never get a 30″ front wheel milled in 3D on the first try, but Flo was undeterred and used a friendly company's milling machine for several nights to get two wheels in 1a quality and 3D design came out of it. In the meantime, he still had to earn money during the day and he also started looking for sponsors for the project. NHPower found the idea so crazy that Swen provided a drive system that Engels Schmiede modified again to suit the bike. Dr.Jekill and Mr. Hyde contributed two silencers, which were ultimately put on two self-made manifolds and when Michael Naumann from Naumann and Co. heard about the project, he made an airride for the front and rear of the bike.
A small financial injection came from VW Hamburg and so the trip to Abu Dhabi no longer in the way; except a lot of work. Instead of relying on simple technology, the self-made swing arm and the fork with a specially made triple clamp were equipped with an airride. Then came the bold idea of controlling the entire bike via a touch panel, which was to be embedded in the tank fairing. A friend of the house helped here too, so that in the end the company logo on the display was supposed to control everything by touch. Starter, airride and lighting control etc. were programmed and how could it be otherwise, the electrics promptly went up in smoke on the first try. Due to lack of time, a second attempt was not possible and so the second control unit went into hand luggage in the hope that everything would work in Abu Dhabi without installing additional security in the form of a button or toggle switch as Plan B. Time was running out, as always with a project like this, and Flo welded day and night on the bike's body until, in the last few days before departure, he mobilized everything that could weld and screw.
The parts that had to be coated were heated in a self-built “Pulvermat 2000”, which previously served as an oven because the right powder oven was a long time coming. It should be noted that despite the stress, he still found enough time for his girlfriend and they will soon be a threesome. After the sheet metal parts were prepared, everything went to the scraper factory, where the bike was painted in record time, which was intended to delight the Arab audience with various painting techniques and endless layers of clear varnish. A few days before the BBO, the engine was finally overhauled, a manifold was built and pretty much everything was done, but the bike wasn't even completely assembled when it was delivered in the box to DHL and set off on its journey. The team's luggage was correspondingly different, with various sockets, screws and other small parts almost driving the customs officers to despair, but in the end they were allowed to import everything into the UAE. At the BBO they competed against Lycan Customs from Dubai, who built a Chicano Bobber with two 30″ wheels, a pan/shovel motor and lots of gold.
Florian Engel from Engels Schmiede & Omar from Lycan Customs
Both teams got along straight away and Omar from Lycan Customs helped Flo's team out with one or two screws and small parts that no longer fit in their luggage. At the end of the third day of the Biker Build Off , the team from Dubai had already been busy cleaning and polishing for some time, while the Engels forge was working until the last second. When the signal was given to start the engines, the team dropped the tools, Jojo put down the crimping pliers and the soldering iron and was visibly excited to see whether the electrical system would cooperate. Both bikes started straight away and on the Unique Thirty everything could be controlled via the panel as planned. While both bikes were driven to the stage, a team of four people from Germany and the Arab Emirates evaluated the votes of the bike show participants, the industry and the audience, who each had a third of the vote. When Frank Sander announced the decision on stage, the young team couldn't believe that they were the first European Middle East BBO champions .
together with Lycan Customs and the competitors became friends, both of whom said beforehand that it didn't matter who won, because being at a show like this is an honor and each team praised the other's bike to the skies. The next morning, both teams demonstrated the roadworthiness of their bikes on a tour through the 35° warm Abu Dhabi, although Flo, who was outside Europe for the first time, still had to struggle with his emotions on the tour. At the end he just said that it had been the hottest experience in his life so far and spontaneously invited Omar from Lycan Customs to visit him in Germany. Now the next big event is coming up and Flo already had an idea for the name of his offspring, but his partner didn't agree with either Simply Thirty or Abu Dhabi.
Builder's Names: Engels Schmiede Owner's Name: Engels Schmiede Bike Name: Unique thirty Model/Year/Model: 2015 Time to build: 7 months
Engine version (Engine Make/Size): HD Twin-cam B Displacement: 96cui Cylinder: HD Cylinder heads (Top End): HD Camshaft (Cams): HD Carburator Mikuni 42 Exhaust system : Jekill&Hyde Krümmer: Engels Schmiede Ignition: Altmann
Back to life, that's how you could describe the 1963 project by Chopper Kulture from Abu Dhabi.
The bike, built at the Biker Build Off in Dubai, was built on the show stage in 3 days, of course not without a lot of preparatory work. A few weeks earlier Mario met his customer Henning, from Germany, who was really looking for a 1963 Panhead engine and wanted a Chopper Kulture bike. The decision quickly came to build something original, but not without the typical signature of the bike builder from the Emirates. Billy from BB Racing in New Orleans found a '63 model at short notice, but it was in poor condition and the engine block was cracked, but this wasn't a problem for Billy.
The engine specialist repaired the engine block and gearbox, procured a Paugho frame with the exact original dimensions as the standard frame could not be saved and the bike was sent on its journey to Abu Dhabi, where from that day on the nights became damn short. Mario still had 4 weeks to prepare the bike for the BBO, where the final assembly then took place. The name Dominatrix was decided quite early on because the bike controlled him like a dominatrix and wouldn't let him off the leash because he once again wanted to equip this project with details that you can neither buy nor produce on a CNC machine. The 1200ccm Pan engine was completely overhauled and of course visually and technically refined. He chose a TechCycle primary with a centrifugal clutch as the drive, which makes driving with a manual gearbox and foot clutch much easier.
The frame was slightly modified and rims were ordered for the Cocker Oldschool tires. Just as he had the name in mind, it was clear to him that this bike should have a ducktail rear fender, which he made himself, and he also had an unusual tank shape in mind, which is also not available on the market. So he worked day and night to get the sheet metal parts into the desired shape and adapt them to the bike, without losing sight of his tight schedule, because after all, the bike also had to be painted, which Danny from Schrammwerk was supposed to do.
So the add-on parts went to Germany, where Danny let his imagination run wild and in a few days created a work of art using paints, gold leaf and matt varnish, which was back in Abu Dhabi after only 2 weeks, but according to Danny, this was only possible because he had reserved the appointment long beforehand. In the meantime, Mario had completed the engine, prepared the first pieces for the exhaust and made a handlebar. The oil tank from AT Cycles as well as the taillight and exhaust caps from Runaway Choppers had also arrived and the Cocker tires were mounted on the rims. Now work began on the fender struts with integrated indicators, the self-made brake system with double brake calipers and only 6.25″ brake discs.
There was also a specially made kicker made of stainless steel and a set of modified footrests and of course the tank holders and the usual Chopper Kulture wing nuts, which have now become his trademark. To match the style of the bike, a 1947 Springer fork was installed and a seat according to his ideas was ordered from the USA. A few days before the BBO it became clear that the seat would not be finished and so Ute from Bukaneer Design in Hamburg stepped in, who, based on rough drawings and approximate information about the dimensions of the seat pan, hallmarked and manufactured the somewhat controversial Dominatrix seat with Mario as is usual in boxing or wrestling, provoked his opponent.
After the rough work was done, we went to the Middle East Motor Tuning Show, where there was still a lot of work to be done before the bike was finished. With Billy, Jason and the comedian Krank Williams from the USA, who entertained the team more than he did any work, he and the team began to put the bike on the wheels. On site he welded the exhaust, assembled the individual parts and wired the bike, while Marco Möller hand-made a Chopper Kulture kicker pad made of brass.
Danny from Schrammwerk was also on site, drew freehand lines on the painted parts and painted a matching helmet and so the team had three days of hard work, which was observed by the audience and the personalities from the Emirates present. In the end, the bike started as expected and we had to do a lap around the outdoor area, which the Dominatrix managed without any problems and ultimately won the BBO.
Photographer: Frank Sander | Model Biggi Bardot | Mario Kyprianides
Frame manufacturer/type (Frame Make/Type): FX stock Steering head angle (Rake): 30 deg Fork (Front End): 1947 stock Triple tree: stock Swing arm : Stock round tube Shock absorbers: Progressive suspension Brake discs: Chopper Kulture 6.25″ Front (Front): Chopper Kulture custon 6.25″ dual 2 piston caliper s/s Rear (Rear): Chopper Kulture custon 6.25″ dual 2 piston caliper s/s Brake calipers (Calippers): Front: Jay Brake 2 piston Rear: Jay Brake 2 piston Front wheel: DNA Rear wheel: DNA Front tire: Coker 16″ Rear tire: Coker 16″
Accessories Risers: None Handlebars: Chopper Kulture Custom Grips: Kustom Tech Front fender: None Rear fender: Chopper Kulture Custom Fender struts: Chopper Kulture Custom Seat: Chopper Kulture/ Leather by Bukaneer Leather footrests (Forward controls Runaway choppers custom Tank: Chopper Kulture custom oil tank (Oiltank) AT Cycle /Chopper Kulture Electrics (Electrics): Motogadget lamp (Headlight) Chopper Kulture taillight (Taillight) Runnaway Choppers indicators (Flasher) Wonderlicht Paint Idea: Chopper Kulture / Schrammwerk Paint: Danny Schramm/ Schrammwerk
Other (Specials):
1. Engine case welding BB Racing New Orleans 2. Engine build By Mario Kyprianides 3. Transmission rebuild BB Racing New Orleans 4. All brackets supports for oil tank, fender, fuel tank and engine and number plate supports all hand made s/s 5 .Exhaust tips by Runnaway Choppers 6. Chopper Kulture Custom s/s Kikker arma nd brass pedal. 7. All engraving by Marco Müller Motto 8. Build has fully functional electrics.
