dWRENCHED

Zen Motorcycles -France. It's a shop owned by Laurent Dutruel.
''Born in a mechanics family, I was sooner in contact with tools, different kind of engine, and metal objects, I always play, work and create things with my hands.
That’s why now, through my different knowledge, I try to build some original motorcycle, with its own identity.'' 

Two of his breathtaking creations  are The Hagakure Project and the WLT 45.

WLT 45 is a custom motorcycle with it's own design. I can't describe it. Nothing less than wow. It's not a classic or a chopper. It's a little bit of everything. He called it a ''neo retro racer''. It's name comes from the Harley-Davidson WL 45 cubic engine, built in 1942. Most of the wrench-monkeez would cut out a sportster's gearbox. In this case, Laurent added one. And why not an adapted turbo as well! The alloy single down tube frame was made in-house. Just like the most of the parts from WL 45. Parts like the gas tank and the oil tank.  Front fork, swing arm, bars, pegs, the beefy exhaust, seat or kickstand. No paint, just polished aluminium. Don't even want to think about the work put into this one...(1300 hours) .






















Photo credit : Zen.




HAGAKURE

Meaning ''Hidden by the Leaves'' or ''headden leaves''  is a practical and spiritual guide for a warrior, drawn from a collection of commentaries by the Samurai Yamamoto Tsunetomo.  Hagakure is also known as The Book of the Samurai. (Wiki said so! )
Clearing the name's history, Laurent got his inspiration from the famous minimalist Harley boardtracker with the same name built in 1995. By the Japanese builder Masayuki Morimoto.



The bike was built for having fun at Bonneville. Handmade frame, mini gas tank, mini reservoir behind the cases. Then engine is from a modified Buell XB 9. No front suspension, no gearbox ! Just the clutch and a mini disc brake. Optima / Zen ignition and no starter. 19inches front wheel from The Rocker and the V-Rod's on the rear. Magnificent boardtracker !



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo credit: Cyril Huze blog / Moto Jurnal Fr.