Remember me
Earlier this month, we showcased a custom-built board tracker with an S&S Cycle motor, built as part of the Japanese leg of the performance brand's Vintage Tour. Today, we're looking at one of the bikes that shared the stage with it at the Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show—a stunning Panhead from Hiroshima's Satomari Motorcycle.
Chosen to take part in the exhibition, Satomari founder Yusaku Sato was offered his pick of S&S Cycle's vintage-style V-twin engines to work with. “It was the first time I'd received such an offer,” he tells us. “I was simply thrilled.”
Sato-san settled on the S&S P93—a 93-cubic-inch Panhead—and paired it with the frame from a 1969 Shovelhead. Then he had the daunting task of figuring out which direction to take the project in.
“After much deliberation, a machine he'd built 10 years earlier, fitted with 23-inch wheels, came to mind,” says our man in Japan, Kaz Matsumoto. “Of all his previous work, he wanted to recreate this most memorable bike using current technology and sensibilities. He also decided to incorporate a racing feel and new techniques that he had been wanting to try.”
The first step was a drastic redesign of the 69 frame. Yusaku fabricated twin top tubes that run close together at the neck, gradually splitting before merging with the rigid rear triangle. A single beefy down tube sits at the front, with a unique asymmetrical subframe holding the motor.
The forks are modified FL-series units, held in place by custom yokes. Yusaku stretched the Harley's wheelbase too, so that he could squeeze in a pair of 23” rims. The wheels use stainless steel spokes, tiny drum brake hubs, and Shinko tires.
Draped over the top of the bespoke chassis is all-new handmade bodywork that draws on myriad influences. The aluminum front nacelle was inspired by motocross bikes, while the scooped saddle and tail section are reminiscent of drag racers.
Split fuel tanks take center stage, with a one-off oil tank wedged between them. Tying it all together is a saddle with elegant upholstery that extends onto the tanks.
Satomari's Panhead is dripping with crafty details. The cockpit features a special center-mount plate with integrated clip-on bars and space for a Motogadget speedo. Keen eyes will notice the lack of a clutch lever—the bike uses a foot clutch with a custom jockey shifter poking out behind the seat.
Bolted to the bodywork, just in front of the shifter, is the receiver for a Motogadget RFID tag, mounted in a drilled surround.
Other details include custom gas caps and foot pegs, an open primary from Belt Drives Ltd. with endless drilled details, and a license plate bracket that's bolted on just behind the primary. The engine sucks air through a pair of velocity stacks, and makes noise through twin exhausts that sit on either side of the bike and run 'inside' the frame. (Although the exhaust system's design is asymmetrical, the headers are identical in length.)
For the Panhead's alluring livery, Yusaku called on regular collaborator Freestyle Paint. “When building a bike from scratch, the two of them routinely travel between Shizuoka and Hiroshima and stay overnight, carefully considering the balance and color scheme before painting,” Kaz tells us.
Gold leaf details pop against the warm grey-green base—a color that Yusaku finds hard to define. “It's a mechanical color, like a machine tool. But depending on how you look at it, it can also look cute—it's mysterious.”
Nicknamed 'Lindberg' after the legendary aviator, Satomari's S&S Panhead debuted at Mooneyes to rave reviews. Then again, we wouldn't expect anything less from Sato-san.
Satomari Motorcycle | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Kazuo Matsumoto (Domo arigatou gozaimasu, Matsumoto-san!)
Comments (0)