Shaw Speed & Custom – Bat Bike

Shaw Speed & Custom has been a vibrant part of the Shaw Harley Davidson dealership for many years now and continues to surprise the world with beautifully created custom motorcycles. Located in the South of England right outside of Brighton, Shaw Speed & Custom holds several bike show awards in both Europe and the United States. One of their greatest accomplishments was their first place victory in the Modified Harley Davidson class at the Sturgis AMD World Championship of Bike Building.

So what’s the story behind the Bat Bike by Shaw Speed & Custom? Well the predecessor to the Bat Bike, and what provided plans for its origins, was the impressive Mission Impossible build. The Mission Impossible was the bike that had won two big Custom competitions on the Isle of Man. Whenever Shaw Speed & Custom received the customer’s request reading “I would like a bike to represent Batman meets Bond,” the UK based team knew exactly what needed to be done.

Using the brief from the customer, Shaw quickly set out to find the perfect donor bike for the Bat Bike project. According to the crew, “It needed to be “out there” in look, one that demanded attention when on the road or stood stationary.” This is where the previously built Mission Impossible bike began to inspire the team into using the powerful VROD Muscle. It seemed to perfectly fit the description with awesome qualities such as low lines, significant power and the right amount of mass.

The VROD Muscle was stripped down until it was completely naked, and the frame was constructed so that the rear shock absorbers were relocated to the base of the frame. The forks in the front were in need of replacement, so a set of Marzocchi superbike forks and customized yokes respectfully took its place. The brake rotors were replaced with a larger variety and the brake calipers were upgraded to six pot specials to ensure an accurate and solid braking system.

Some of the many custom parts that were added to the body include a custom made exhaust system, along with new headers to create a deeply fierce roar. Other upgrades include a 300mm rear wheel and a cover for the front radiator to give it that mean and muscular look. Following the creation of the Bat Bike, Shaw Speed & Custom took the motorcycle to the Euro festival and St Tropez and won first place in the Custom Show at Grimaud.