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- Nik & Fabian are making fast progress on the Young Guns Scout
- Support from top aftermarket brands
- First test expected to take place in four week’s time
Nik and Fabian from the Young Guns Speed Shop continue to make progress on their Scout project ahead of an exciting summer of sprint racing.
Their stock Scout has been stripped right back and they’re pleased to announce some help from top brands to support the transformation, namely Ohlins, Brembo, motogadget, Akrapovič, LSL Motorcycle Parts and the Wizard of Nos.
“We are now working towards making a snarling sprint machine,” Nik explains. “It will be very contemporary.”
Over the past month the Young Guns have taken the Scout’s fuel tank off, resized it, removed the battery and electrics from their home under the seat and relocated them to under the fuel tank.
The fuel tank won’t hold fuel anymore, instead the pair are crafting two separate fuel tanks (with a fuel pump) to fit in the gap left by the electrics. While there are now many custom Scouts appearing all over the world, it has been very rare to see this level of rebuild and replacing of standard parts.
“We took off the fuel tank, cut it down smaller and welded it back together,” Nik enthuses. “We made it smaller, mainly so we can grip the tank more easily with our legs while racing, but also because we wanted to relocate all of the electrics and add a lighter battery directly underneath it.”
Next steps involve removing the Scout’s standard radiator and replacing it with two separate units that will be half the size of the original.
“Changing the radiator will mean you will be able to see more of that V-twin engine from the front,” Nik explains. “We’re making very big step with this build and we think that in another four weeks we will be able to do our first test ride, which will see us on schedule to show the bike at the Art & Wheels show in May.”
Nik and Fabian took time out from their workshop to attend their local SWISS-MOTO motorcycle show held earlier this month. While Fabian scoured the show for inspiration and parts, Nik accepted the keys to a second Indian Scout, this one being red and A2 licence friendly so that he can sit his motorcycle test.
“I have been riding since I was a kid,” says Nik. “So I don’t think I will need to take many lessons to pass. And then as well as having the Young Guns Scout project to race in the summer, we now also have this red Indian Scout to ride around on local roads.”
Look out for more from the Young Guns over the coming months.
Follow on them Facebook www.facebook.com/younggunsspeedshop/ or on their website www.ygspeedshop.com
A large gallery of hi res images of the pair’s workshop and the Scout are on the media site.
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ABOUT NIK HEER
Nik is the head of the Young Guns Speed Shop and a creative brain and mechanical mastermind. From an early age, Nik was fascinated with engines; he read his first book about engines long before he was allowed to ride a motorised bike. His Dad loved old sport cars and boats as runabouts and his uncle is a mad sportsbike collector. During his youth he was constantly working on bikes, the only thing that changed was the size of the toys. He soon started to help out his fellow friends to fix and modify their bikes. After finishing his education as a multi-disciplined engineer, Nik now builds, restores and customises motorcycles for a living, working on a wide range of bikes. Aged just 26 Nik is one of the very young bucks that holds a record in Bonneville. Besides land speed racing he is a feared dirt track rider and when not working on his projects or racing motorbikes, he can be found snowboarding, skateboarding, making music or working on his art projects.
ABOUT FABIAN WITZIG
Fabian is a mechanical mastermind. His father owns a tractor company and as soon as he could start walking he was surrounded by an enormous garage of agricultural machines and started to learn everything about wrenching. Fabian is never short of an idea how to work around a technical problem with any type of motorcycle and this makes him a true master of craftsmanship. He holds a degree in engineering and for his very young age has an extremely independent free-spirited mind. When he sets his mind into something he won’t let go until it’s accomplished and exactly the way he wants it. Everything that he spies with his eyes inspires him and he is continuously curious. When he is not in the workshop (where he currently is almost 24/7) Fabian loves playing guitar, or he helping out on his dad’s grain farm. He is a warm fellow that loves jamming with his guitar together with friends around bonfires and drinking rum until late into the night.
ABOUT INDIAN MOTORCYCLE
Indian Motorcycle, a wholly owned subsidiary of Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII), is America’s first motorcycle company. Founded in 1901, Indian Motorcycle has won the hearts of motorcyclists around the world and earned distinction as one of America’s most legendary and iconic brands through unrivalled racing dominance, engineering prowess and countless innovations and industry firsts. Today that heritage and passion is reignited under new brand stewardship. To learn more, please visit www.indianmotorcycle.eu
MEDIA CONTACT
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