The Chief Racer!

Can’t stop the Krauts from customizing:
Cafè Racer power for Indian’s 111 Thunderstroke Twin!

Text and Photos: Frank Sander, Thunder Media

What the dark night oft he arctic winter is for the Scandinavian Chopper builders does have a similar effect on North Germany’s customizers: In the plains north of Hannover up tot he Danish border, the nights are not as long as above the Polar Circle, but the weather can be similar nasty and depressing. A great time to close the doors of a well-heated workshop and to start throwing ideas around. Especially when two of the top-notch custom pros of Germany team up for a winter project that certainly will get the attention of many Indian dealers of the “newer” Indian motorcycles all over the world. The almost complete re-configuration of a 111 Indian “Chief” touring motorcycle into a state-of-the-art Café Racer!

Swen Naber, designer, inventor and boss of well known German primary belt drive manufacturer NHPower and innovative sheet metal specialist Michael Naumann, creator of many show-winning bikes with often extreme and advanced sheet matal work united their forces to create some extraordinary and inspiring: Not just was the plan to build a truly “genuine” and authentic Sixties-style Café Racer, they planned to perform the task with one of the most difficult motorcycles to modify: The “new” Indian “Big Twin” 111 “Thunderstroke” motor! Rather than taking the “easy way” to built a Café Racer by using a classic parallel twin, single cylinder or boxer base, both agreed to try the retro-styled, but modern technology Indian V-Twin to create the desired effect. And both of them knew before the start, that the 111 “Thunderstroke” always comes with a massive Touring- or Cruiser-style motorcycle built around it. A spare “motor-to-go” or aftermarket options such as S&S, RevTech and others in the Harley scene? Not a chance! Consequently, the experienced team studied and analized the potential of the “behemoths” rolling from Indian’s assembly lines – and before the 2019 introduction of the “Challenger”, anyway equipped with a new and completely different motor, you could hardly go any bigger than the Indian “Roadmaster”, Indian’s competitor and equivalent of the Electra-Glide Ultra Classic with all possible (and impossible…) touring equipment!

Some heated discussions later, and very aware of the possibilities that a project of this magnitude may as well fail for many reasons. Nevertheless, the two had been beating all odds before on their particular fields, but kept on customizing. Why not combine the efforts of two of Germany’s sharpest minds in customizing and try the impossible? Reason is one thing, passion another – and they went for the latter!

Following the acquisition of a touring monster, the “Roadmaster” was thoroughly measured, analized and then completely taken apart – which left a shocking pile of parts, in which the electric system formed an almost impenetrable and confusing mass of cables, black boxes and sensors that somehow would have to be unravelled and cut down to the essential functions. As all “Touring Bike” manufacturers plan their production bikes, contacts and cables for accessories and gimmicks later to be added are already part of the wiring harness, thus simplifying the later addition of authorized accessories by authorized dealers. Consequently, all of today’s motorcycles carry some “dead weight” in form of wiring around with them, waiting to be “accessoriezed” rather then the other way around.

Using the acquired and measured data for a CAD drawing of the base bike, it soon was obvious that a new frame, modified from what possibly could be retained from the stock rolling chassis, would be needed and a special frame rig and completely new tooling was required, even before the first tube of the new frame was bent! Not rejecting Indian’s stock frame completely, the forward section, including steering head was retained, while the 111 “Thunderstroke” was encircled by a double loop frame that definitely can’t hide its origin: The “classic” Café Racer frame of all times, Norton’s famed “Featherbed” frame, created for the Norton Manx Racers to win the Isle of Man TT in the Fifties.

According to the original planning, as many components as possible were to be retained from the stock bike, especially as ABS, fuel injection and other functions were to be continued in the Café Racer version. With great effort, an estimated 10 Kilometers of wiring harness and multiple electronic boxes had to be hidden under a “nothing” of bodywork. Surprisingly enough, the team did even retain heating grips and integrated speed control while integrating small Kellermann indicators. Nevetheless, there must be a lot of dead end connectors be hiding under the bodywork.

Consequently engine and integrated primary/gearbox remained untouched, except for exhaust system and air filter. The slimming from tourer to Café Racer cut away a stunning 112 kg weight: The “Chief Racer” slimmed down from the stock 408 kg to 296 kg – quite an achievement. Fork and swingarm, slightly modified, were retained from the stock bike, only the rear suspension is now “sixties style” utilizing two “Indian Scout” shocks instead of the stock central mounted part.

Also distinctively retro-styled are the wheels: Nothing but spoke wheels would do – and the rather difficult task was given to Matthias of “Bike & Wheels”: He found fitting lightweight aluminium rims to reduce the rotating masses and spokes that allowed to – belive it or not – use the stock wheel hubs and subsequently, the stock ABS-equipped brake system!

Almost mandatory for a Café Racer bike, a M-type handlebar was a must and renowned German handlebar manufacturer V-Team in Iserlohn was the choice to perform the task. Which they did in perfection, but not without declaring the North German customizing team up, when explaining why they needed a one-off handcrafted M-bar rather than buying any cheap stock of clip-ons, as, original quote: “Completely NUTS!” All parts were discussed and cataloges were searched: The taillight discovered at Hamburg-founded parts distributor Detlev Louis…

When the frame was finally bent around the motor, all body parts had to be manufactured – not a single component did exist that could be used on this unique project. Nothing that could be acquired to be modified – every part had to be created, handcrafted from sheet metal. Which has been the special ability and passion of Michael Naumann, one of Germany’s top sheet metal specialists. The team went to work with determination and zeal: Not just would every part be handcrafted – Michael would have to take care that these parts could be reproduced and designed for a possible limited edition production, should the frame-concept become a success! In the following weeks, the prototype frames were hammered around forms that also had to be created as part of a future re-manufacturing effort that would allow to reproduce tank halfs, tailend, dashboard and the speedo cover – all designed and built in a trial and error process to allow later production. When Michael Naumann entered the “production stage” of the first prototype parts, he added another bold detail to the finish of the bike: To underline his craftsmanship and the quality of the parts created, all bodywork components would be created in brushed bare metal finish – no the slightest room for error here! Which explains the look of the rolling prototype – and is in the best tradition of the original Café Racers.

A lot of small parts, shocks and even the footpegs came from a Indian “Scout”, the headlight came from BMW. Since all electronic gimmicks and blackboxes had to be re-programmed, the authorized Indian dealer of Chemnitz/East Germany – Wild-East-Motorcycles did support the project. Here the fine tuning and re-programming of engine and electronics took place, as neither Swen nor Michael had easy access to this type of electronic equipment. Several hundreds hours of work and handcrafting resulted in a completely modified Indian Chief “Racer” – and likely a future “Customizing-option” for all dealers of the new brands, many of which are looking for ways to realize requests from their customers that – with the stock rolling chassis seem to be out of reach. Swen Naber is currently working on the homologation for his frame concept, as well as all components that would be needed to complete a “111 Thunderstroke” powered Café Racer.

Frank Sander did a short testride when photoshooting the bike and was impressed by the easy handling, even with the unusual (at least for custombike experienced riders) M-shaped handlebar. Not to diminish the outstanding effort of the builders to cut the weight and optimize the riding performance, the Café Chief handles and rides like a Buell, albeit one that was a little bit overfeeded. But who cares about a little overweight, nobody would compared this stunning beauty with a 500 cc “Manx” – this Chief has lost one quarter of its weight in a few weeks – and even looks much lighter than that…

Tech  Data

Erbauer  (Builders Names): Swen Naber / Michael Nauman

Besitzer (Owner’s Name): Swen Naber (NHPower)

Name des Bikes (Bike Name): Chief-Racer by NHPower

Model/ Baujahr: (Year/Model): Indian Chief Roadmaster 2017

Bauzeit (Time to build):  5 months

Motor Ausführung (Engine Make/Size): V2 49°

Hubraum (Displacement): 1811ccm / 111cui

Zylinder (Cylinder): 2

Zylinderköpfe (Top End): OEM 2 Ventile

Nockenwelle (Cams): Indian Stage-2

Vergaser (Carburator) 54mm fuel injection

Auspuff (Exhaust system): NHPower with catalyser (but not yet homologated)

Zündung (Ignition): OEM

Getriebe / Transmission Type: Stock Indian

Gänge (Gears): 6-speed shifter

Kupplung (Clutch): OEM

Primärantrieb (Primary): OEM

Fahrwerk (Chassis): NHPower double loop frame

Rahmen Hersteller/ Typ (Frame Make/Type): Steering head (upper frame section) OEM

Lenkkopfwinkel (Rake): 25°

Gabel (Front End): OEM

Gabelbrücken (Triple tree): OEM modified by NHPower

Schwinge (Swingarm): OEM modifiziert

Stoßdämpfer (Shock absorbers): Indian Scout OEM modified

Bremsscheiben (Brake Discs): OEM

Vorn (Front): OEM 2x300mm

Hinten (Rear): OEM 1x300mm

Bremssättel (Calippers): OEM

Vorn (Front): OEM 2x4-piston caliper

Hinten (Rear): OEM 1x2 piston caliper

Vorderrad (Front wheel): Morat Aluminum rims 3,5x18 feat. OEM hub / Bike&Wheels

Hinterrad (Rear wheel): Morat Aluminum rims 5,5x18 feat. OEM hub / Bike&Wheels

Reifen vorn (Tires Front): Avon Cobra Chrome 140/70-18

Reifen hinten (Tires Rear): Avon Cobra Chrome 180/55-18

Accessoires

Riser (Risers): OEM modified

Lenker (Handlebar): 32 mm stainless steel  M-bar NHPower, bent by V-Team/Iserlohn

Griffe (Grips): OEM with integrated 10-settings heated grips

Fender vorn (Front fender): NHPower / Michael Naumann

Fender hinten (Rear fender): NHPower / Michael Naumann

Fenderstruts: --------

Sitz (Seat): NHPower / Michael Naumann

Fußrasten (Mid controls): NHPower Indian Scout modified

Tank: NHPower / Michael Naumann

Öltank (Oiltank): ------------

Elektrik (Electrics): Original / NHPower modified

Lampe (Headlight): BMW

Rücklicht (Taillight): Louis LED

Blinker (Flasher): Kellermann Atto-Dark

Lack-Idee (Paint Idea): NHPower

Lack (Paint): raw natural aluminium finish

Sonstiges (Specials): ---

Tachometer, Instrumente, Speedo: OEM housing NHPower / Michael Naumann

Schalter / Switches: OEM

Griffarmaturen / Grips: OEM

Spiegel / mirrors: Rizzoma