The Essen Motor Show in Germany has a long-standing reputation as the country's most important motor sports trade show and exhibition. While the vast majority of vendors, and also the main focus of the show itself, is clearly on automobile tuning and customizing, the organizers put together special exhibitions every year featuring special interest vehicles including custom motorcycles. For the first time this year, the Essen Motor Show intends to put more emphasis on bikes than in previous years, resulting in an expansion of the Motorcycle Pavilion and, for the first time in 42 years, the Speed Bike Show alongside with the already well established show bike display. The organizers are also working on expanding the range of suppliers and dealers from the motorcycle market. Here is a sneak peek at some of the rides the guys in Essen will be showing off this year from November 28 to December 6.
You have probably seen this monster before: The Gunbus, the largest ridable motorcycle in the world, was built by Leonhardt Manufacturing in Eppingen, Germany. The dimensions are mind-boggling: almost 5 feet high, over 11 feet long and nearly 5 feet wide. At a whopping 1,400 pounds, the engine puts out 350bhp.
A very different approach to an ice racer comes from TGS Motorcycles in Tittling near Passau, Germany. This one off custom named Seppster 2 with the looks of an ice speedway machine carries a turbo charged S&S 1,524cc engine that presses 100bhp on the ground. Each tire is equipped with 120 razor sharp spikes. Another rare feature of the bike is the single sided front fork. Building custom bikes and motorcycle conversion in his professional shop since 1999, Tobias Guckel has won several important prices with his creations, such as the World Championship in the USA last year, as well as the trophy for Radical Over 1000 at this year's Rats Hole Show.
Also built by Tobias from TGS is the Carerra, a bike in arrow design, propelled by a 1,640cc, 100hp RevTech engine. The Carerra features an upside-down fork, 130/60-18 tire in the front and a fat 240/40-18 in the rear.
A contribution from England is the Night Shadow with charging jaguar bodywork and the heart of 1200 Buell. This bike weighs in at almost 800 pounds thanks to the fiber glass cat. Last time this bike changed hands, it reached a price of Euro 325,000 – seriously.
Back to the V-twins: Yamaha's XVS650 engines power these two one off custom bikes. Mario Baer went for an extreme prostreet style and fat rear tire with his aggressive red Lowstar, while his orange bike follows the classic influences of an early tracker.
The guys in Essen promised us a lot more prime examples of custom bike building to be on display at this year's 42nd Essen Motor Show. Should you be in Germany some time between November 28 and Decmber 6, make sure to stop by at the show and let them know BIKERNET sent you. For more information, go to www.essen-motorshow.de
– – C. S. Berg, photos Essen Motor Show
