Three young designers working at Honda Research and Development Americas in Southern California had three months and a limited budget to come up with radical variations on Honda’s VT1300-series cruisers. The bikes had to be operational and retain key elements of the production machines.
Designer Eric Dunshee built the Slammer beginning with a 2010 VT1300 Stateline.
He added a specially designed 23-inch front wheel, ride-height-adjustable air suspension, and the pièce de résistance, a 500-watt, three-speaker sound system including a 10-inch sub-woofer guaranteed to annoy youngins in their souped-up Civics.
Other mods include a navi/multimedia head, custom bodywork and crossover exhaust pipes.
Ohlins adjustable suspension, wave brake rotors and Brembo calipers are but a few of the race-ready components Edward Birtulescu used to create the Switchblade.
Inspired by F1 and MotoGP, Birtulescu used a VT1300 Sabre as the basis of his build, and aside from the above-mentioned items, he also switched to a single-sided swingarm and converted from shaft drive to chain.
Wheels are carbon-fibre, as is the bodywork and seat, and the bike is equipped with a lap timer and data acquisition — to keep track of those speedy trips around the block.
Nick Renner went somewhat old school in designing the Furious, probably the most radically altered bike in this trio.
Using a VT1300 Fury, Renner took the hardtail route, substituting the rear suspension for rigid steel tubing. A 45-degree rake was achieved by combining a 37-degree steering head with an eight-degree fork angle offset.
Wheels were swapped with a 20-inch rear and 23-inch front, and of course, a chopper wouldn’t be authentic without a straight-pipe exhaust.
The high-end components used on these machines would indicate that the "limited" budget was certainly generous.
There’s no doubt that these custom bikes are imaginative efforts, but Honda might be a little late in producing these radical concepts; hasn’t the chopper fad faded already?
Ha Ha Honda choppers what a f… joke no one will make a Pamela Anderson with Mother Theresa.
Honda should stay on what they do best lawnmower.
How are you going to make a bobber or street tracker with a VT1300?
These are existing bikes that they customized, not completely new concepts, I think they did a pretty bad a$$ job to be honest
WTF?? I like a Custom Cruiser as much as the next guy (Hey, I like all types of Bikes … I’m a motorcycle guy after all!), but these just don’t cut it … the Chopper thing has been so done IMHO. that Bagger “might” be the best of the 3 … with Bobbers and Street Trackers currently the thing in Customs, you can bet that Honda and the other 3 of the Big 4 will jump on that trend after it has passed too …
The bikes on a 6″ to 2.25″ airide if you read the article, I think your good to go for as long as ride as you want. Check out the video, not such great quality but gives you a good idea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzwU2HzO_9Y
The bagger is awesome, who did they copy? I’ve never seen anything like it to be honest? I dont see why you think you couldnt ride the bagger? Its a completely relaxed position from what I see, I’d rock that thing in a second.
The herd may have moved on, but there were fans of the custom before the herd arrived. I like the bikes. Also like that Honda has focused it’s custom line on the 1300 engine. In the custom/cruiser field the idea of engine size was getting absurd. Nice bikes.
I kinda like that bagger, but isn’t it called plagurism when you copy other peoples work?
Hey Honda – that ship has sailed! (years ago)
Baggers are currently the in thing in the V-twin custom world. Granted it’s a concept, but the Slammer is a very popular design. Priced right, Honda could have something here. Wasn’t the Fury a big seller here in Canada, even after the fad?
Okay – new law.
Anyone who builds stuff like this shall be forced to ride them for a full 800 km day on public roads.
Yawn….