[MOC] Custom 1:5 Motorbike

[Lipko]

Hi All!

After almost one year of struggle, the motorbike is finished.

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1ddjQtZBo4UZ39zK-uT3KtXG3sK02aJgz

It's not based on a real motorbike, but loosely resembles Ducati naked bikes.

Features:

• Suspension, with double wishbone suspension of the front (Hossack suspension)
• V4 fake engine with working timing belts
• 3+N sequential gearbox with proper switching order
• most handles "work" (they spring back)

The struggle: I don't have time to write up a lengthy story that I usually do. To sum up the struggle: I didn't have any idea how motorbikes work before starting the project, I didn't even know how they look, so the layout and the bodywork went through several iterations, I think at least 200 hours went into this project which is ridiculous considering the scope of the project. The last struggle was about the color. I wanted a much more interesting and cool color scheme but there were always some parts missing in a particular color.

Anyhoo: I'm okay with the result, but I still feel that I have no idea how motorbikes look...

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1qjjiSEQpIltBKJPTAkmSfDVAxOIB2YAk
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=17bFiIR6eySeYO2UlVv8vL2l2VNbKBlzO
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1iGdmvcNx5HYB885dIDYy30KT9tGvEvGl
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=154lGrRJavoSeaRKx36YymBYo9k-afAR3
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1xVENCGiT819376qvnC06XU-dmRoW_CvN
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Im9DKjeBOINe-wo9GxocG_HrlY67J7-x
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Gtdn8of2HdvbLcftDRcNEl2B8pQ0Nl3C
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1VCNisFUfvX807rimtP7C0eQ4BUiekw3U
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1PMon4IuKtaMQgCqfSKR6Ws4bBI5yT4Al
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=10GUQ8N39CDUINVnhpi1-IEw7fCmDj5v5
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1Hm-dVrkmg_sv0wB-EHMZlNaytc6l5m47
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1gKcUUorHJF3BZt8XLOhMA5mPh43FLp75
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1g7VF_xH6xIufiSX2jeb-OQFtuUy8YYgX
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1prWU-exrTh1obwu52rtWOz65PLXhAwGG
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=1QZ7BLuX2og7KvAa2E1kTcm1321Xad5OC
 

This is the WIP of this project. There were many more iterations than showen in the WIP, I can share some more WIP pictures and details if someone's interested.

EDITED: I don't have time to properly host the pictures now, sorry for that. Mayme some time in the future...

Edited August 13, 2025 by Lipko

[Milan]

Frontpaged.

[Thirdwigg]

Stunning build.

I find motorcycles to be the most difficult subject area, and you nailed it. The proportions are just right, and I like the color even if you find red a little boring.

I'm fond of the front suspension, and it make the front of the bike sharper looking. The engine details really flesh out the bike's design as well. Also, I love the exhaust.

Great job!

[jorgeopesi]

Amazing work of art, I like the front suspension a lot, I dream about can see a bimota steering set up.

[eric_son_of_joseph]

Damn, that's amazing.  Full of details.  Nice one

[MangaNOID]

I like seeing builds that replicate real life but seeing creativity of one’s own design is much better IMO. Especially so because there is so much replication at the moment.

A breath of fresh air that it got frontpage featured too without being a replica of something   (technic does seem to suffer from this for some reason, look at the technic lineup on LEGO.com, which might be a whole subject by itself…)

 

[Plumber]

Amazing result. Really like the tubular frame and the tank is brilliant shape with no great gaps. Kick stand nicely tucked up and it holds the bike when deployed!

Observations of a lifetime biker: As per Steph's comment in the WIP thread seat is high - not gonna sell many of these to the ladies :-) of more concern to me as a prospective rider would be the centre of gravity-  its gonna be high with the engine so high in the frame would make it 'interesting' to ride, I'm guessing the gearbox is wrapping under the engine and so pushing it up?  IRL it would sit more behind and above crankcase but IRL would not need so many shafts!

Would never guess you started with little knowledge of bikes.

[Lipko]

39 minutes ago, Plumber said:

Amazing result. Really like the tubular frame and the tank is brilliant shape with no great gaps. Kick stand nicely tucked up and it holds the bike when deployed!

Observations of a lifetime biker: As per Steph's comment in the WIP thread seat is high - not gonna sell many of these to the ladies :-) of more concern to me as a prospective rider would be the centre of gravity-  its gonna be high with the engine so high in the frame would make it 'interesting' to ride, I'm guessing the gearbox is wrapping under the engine and so pushing it up?  IRL it would sit more behind and above crankcase but IRL would not need so many shafts!

Would never guess you started with little knowledge of bikes.

Thanks for the replies!

The clutch cover position, which is a good indicator of the engine placement, is maybe a stud higher than most motorbikes I saw as reference. The saddle height also matches many bikes of this type. KTM Brabus was one of the main references I used.

The biggest issue with the engine that it looks a lot like a V2 Ducati engine, but it's a V4. The piston angles are not realistic for a V4, and from the side it looks too small for a V2. And yes, the clutch cover for the V2 should sit much more towards the back of the bike.

The belly of the bike is a tad closer to the ground than the references, but I saw designs like these too.

Of course the clutch cover is fake, so the actual axle and also the cranckshaft sit higher than the shapes imply. But considering how unrealistic crancksaft layouts most Lego motorbikes have (like double crankshafts, totally misproportioned gearboxes, etc), it was an acceptable compromise.

The gearbox sits where is should be, it is the gear shifing mechanism that pushes the whole engine higher.

 

It would not be a confy ride, that's true, but this mimics more of a concept bike or outrageously customized bike, than a production bike. And for me looks much better than the fat TLG models.

Edited August 7, 2025 by Lipko

[steph77]

I can't miss to reply this.

I first thought to a long congratulation post.

But it's more pertinent to sum it up.

State of the art model.

S.

[Jundis]

Simply marvelous!

[Attika]

On 8/6/2025 at 9:54 AM, Lipko said:

Anyhoo: I'm okay with the result, but I still feel that I have no idea how motorbikes look...

 

There isn't a single reason that justifies for you to be humble about this..  Such a beauty (I've seen the pics b4 they gone)

[astyanax]

Sadly the photos don't display for me, links are broken.  I wonder if it's just me... Would've loved to see this!

[Lipko]

Give me an hour to fix the pictures. They were facebook pictures...

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=3149187708565971&id=537365306414904

[Lipko]

2 hours ago, astyanax said:

Sadly the photos don't display for me, links are broken.  I wonder if it's just me... Would've loved to see this!

Updated the links, but I can't direct link pictures, and I don't have time now for proper hosting (Brickshelf login doesn't work, so I can't use that either)