Randomly selected from the thousands of public voters , Fabien Orquin , an automotive engineer from the French city of Rouen , won a VIP trip to the 2022 Wheels & Waves festival to enjoy the event and be presented with his customised Indian Chief .
“ When I was told I had won , I just couldn ’ t believe it , it was incredible ,” said Orquin . “ I am so happy to know that this amazing motorcycle is going to be mine , especially because it is the design I voted for . It was also great to meet Clément and hear about the design and build process . Everything about the bike is amazing , every time I look there is another detail to discover .”
The Design and Engineering teams at Indian Motorcycle always had customisers in mind when bringing the Indian Chief to life . A key tagline being ‘ Keep it simple so you can easily work on it and customise it ’ and a feature of the Chief that Tank Machine took advantage of .
“ There are so many nice pieces of the stock bike , especially the central and most beautiful piece , the engine ,” said Molina . “ The Indian Chief is really easy to strip back to a great base and the idea was to remove a lot of things , keep only the essentials and then build back up with a different balance , adding details that really change up the look of the final machine .”
GRIND Machine ’ s unique look begins with the big block Continental TKC enduro tyres wrapped around black Excel spoked rims that work with new bars , new rear suspension , and one-off seat unit to change the stance and overall lines of the bike .
Tank Machine created new wider handlebars and lower risers for a vintage style that is echoed by the gaiters applied to the forks and rolled up poncho attached to a custom bracket by webbing straps . At the rear , Öhlins piggyback shocks with longer top mounts lift the bike slightly and add a colour accent as well as providing a high-quality ride .
The one-off seat unit , all designed in house , features the names of the project ’ s partners discretely machined into the base and the seat pad enhances the retro bobber look with a brown leather top with waxed material sides . A bottle opener hanging from the right of the seat is a nod to the after-ride party atmosphere of Wheels & Waves and a detail that really connected with the new owner . “ My hobby is brewing my own beer , and when I saw the bottle opener , it really made me smile ,” said Orquin .
Keeping the stripped back bobber look clean are handfabricated minimalist fenders , mini-indicators on the forks and seat unit , mini taillight and a LED headlight with ring running light . A secondary guarded PIAA yellow light adds a cool retro touch .
The ‘ Board Culture ’ of Ride Designs is reflected in the
NEWS MAGAZINE
TRAVERSE 134
134