Honda CBR 1000F Custom
Streetfighter by Ian McElroy
.
You’d be hard pressed to guess that
this bike started life as a 1987 Honda Hurricane, known less evocatively as the
CBR 1000F. This amazing machine took Ian McElroy two years to build, and if you
spot a little of the KTM RC8 in there, you’re right—the Austrian superbike was
one of the inspirations for McElroy’s stealth-fighter angles and curves. The
fenders are hand-crafted from aluminum, and a new subframe reshaped the back
end.
The bodywork is formed from sheets
of aluminum meticulously welded together, and the original gauges have been
replaced by a Veypor setup that can also record G-force, 0-60, quarter mile time
and lap time as well as speed and RPM. With 130 bhp on tap, the DOHC, 998cc, 16
valve four is not short of go—but K&N filters and a custom-made, less
restrictive exhaust system have given the motor an extra kick. And there’s
nothing stealth about the sound: McElroy’s Honda reportedly sounds like a drag
bike at the strip.