Most cars are designed with a streamlined look and elegant curves to help you visualize them in motion and to imagine yourself in the driver’s seat. Motorcycles are designed the same way, and the 2008 Buell Lightning Long XB12Ss illustrates this perfectly thanks to organic curves that move across its body. Engineer and racer David Sanchez has teamed up with designer Hugo van Waaijen to create the Bottpower XC1 Cafe Racer model, which is inspired by the Buell Lightning Long.
This version is kit-based, so anyone who has read Zen and the art of Motorcycle Maintenance can put together their dream motorcycle without having to cut or weld any material. But if that is too much work, Sanchez and his team will gladly build one for you. This particular masterpiece features charming details like a single headlight with an extruded and oversized shape, lending the XC1 a retro look. The cafe racer handlebars that give the bike its name hold a lone speedometer for both aesthetic reasons and for better focus on the road. But the crowning achievement of this design is the seat and fuel tank duo. The body spells confidence with shapes that are less organic and more futuristic. A red line runs across the two pieces accentuating the elegant streamlined effect. This vehicle’s unique character is displayed through the contrast between the trapezoid and waved bright white seat which boasts clean lines, and the industrial accents of the exposed machinery. The effect is stylish and modern, signaling a new direction in motorcycle design. To order your own custom-made motorcycle, simply go to the Bottpower website.
