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Compiled by Avinash Yadav What does it take to create a product that is hailed as the most beautiful piece of work? It needs a guiding principle that gives form to simplicity by eliminating the clutter! Driven by a common love of mechanics and motorcycle design, the Muharremi brothers - Bujar and Gazmend - design two of the most imaginative motorbikes by their British marque Auto Fabrica. When you set out to achieve something different, you’re bound have at least a modicum of inspiration. That’s the case with Muharremi men, who are not just fascinated by expensive car and bike designs from 1910 to 1980s; but also brands like, Ettore Bugatti that has inspired them to name their exceptional motorbikes using the word “Type.” A personal touch in design makes Auto Fabrica type 6 and type 8 bikes absolutely unique; first hand-sketching the design and then photo-shopping it to make a virtual bike before the manual labour of love begins. The duo strip vintage motorbikes (‘donor bikes’) to their bare essentials and refit them with their own manufactured parts, but “hide” as much of the bike’s moving parts as possible so that at the end only three essential component groups are visible to the observer: the frame and wheels, the bodywork, and the engine with the exhausts. And to accomplish this with finesse, the duo has diligently learned vintage manufacturing techniques of creating hand-made tanks and seats using modern materials for stability and longevity. So, the Auto Fabrica Type 6 emerges from the remains of a 1979 Yamaha XS650, where the original design idea was to use the opening as a ram air-inspired intake. However, this became impossible to achieve without compromising on the restraint of the projected design. So to create and preserve the simple lines, the tank and seat base are built as one piece by hand-rolling manually-formed aluminium. The engine is rebuilt using 0.5-oversize pistons and Auto Fabrica manufacture-made stainless steel adds a sleek look to the handlebars, levers, and fork covers. Moreover, the bare metal has a matte finish, while castings and aluminium components’ surfaces are aqua blasted. Type 6 is a perfect example of complexity expressing simplicity. Type 8 is a modification of 1981 Honda CX500; its “naked” form had a great organic shape laid over the (now fully rebuilt) engine, a rarity among 1980s Japanese bikes. This provided them with some new ideas such as making the hand-formed aluminium tank as an extension of the frame. The stainless steel exhaust pipes then run high to provide a unique look to the bike, a detail not without its own challenges. The Type 8’s main focus is flowing lines. Hence, it is reduced to perfection. Muharremi brothers prove, if diamonds are girl’s best friend then motorbikes do take centre stage in a guy’s heart! Click here to view the images on indiaartndesign.com
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automobile design, motorbikes, vintage motorbikes, heritage, bike design, motorcycles, design, technology,
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