The last time we checked out Ludovic Lazareth’s site over in France was when he was showing off the Trirazuma. Our favorite French builder has been hard at work and this Supercharged Buell is the latest bike to roll out of his shop.
There aren’t a lot of details on his site but he took a Buell XB12S Lightning and added a blower from a Mini Cooper S, a unit he’s used before on other bikes. There’s just enough of a guard around the belt to keep your knee out of trouble. Then he added single sided front suspension, aluminum chassis modifications and new front bodywork around the headlights. The rearview mirror is impossibly small but that’s just being picky. Pretty interesting and just enough excess power to keep most anyone happy.
Lazareth has a very unique style and his work continues to amaze. The first time I saw his V-max with single sided swingarms front and rear I knew he was on a path of his own and he’s been turning out great work ever since.
Thanks for the tip, Chris!
Link: Lazareth
Related: Quadrazuma
Related: Lazareth Roadster V6
Richard says
I’m not a fan of this recent trend in stubby tail sections. In the second picture, the plastics look like a giant bird beak, trying to gobble up the front tire. The engine and exhaust pipes appear to be detritus on its way to the gullet.
Sid says
On his site there were some pictures of Lazareth’s booth at the Paris convention. Erik Buell stopped by the booth.
Where did the oil reservoir go now that the swingarm is single-sided?
Phoebe says
Although I do find almost any kind of monstrosity like this very interesting, that exposed belt is downright scary!
I’ll bet it sounds pretty evil, too.
Mayakovski says
Undecided on what I think of the look of this beast, but have to give the man some complements for creative design and fabrication work.
It’s a little to busy and unfinished looking for my tastes, to me I think it needs a few more weeks/months of refinement to be done.
I agree with “Richard” about the stubby tails, they just look like someone did a wheely for too long and broke the backend.
Mayakovski says
Good point Phoebe, I want to hear this thing howl.
Hey Kneeslider, can you get us an audio file of this thing spinning up?
Clive Makinson-Sanders says
i just plain dont like single sided front suspensions. on the empty side they are cool but on the other side they look bulky and unnecessary.
todd says
I don’t get it. Do the people who build these things actually think about how they will function?
Buell already builds in a certain amount of tippiness with short swing arms, tall, stiff suspension, upright seating, etc to add to the perception of power. Now this bike appears to have the swing arm shortened even further and with the addition of a supercharger you can probably never keep the front wheel on the ground.
In the long run, the bike might actually be slower because of it. You can only accellerate so much before the wheel starts to lift. At that point all the extra power is worthless.
-todd
Jeff says
Hang the heck on ! I’d love to hear this thing growl also .
Tanshanomi says
An already ugly bike made uglier.
Rick_a says
It looks like more of a showbike than anything remotely rideable.
That blower belt is an exceptionally hideous solution.
chris says
i don’t really see the point in an elongated tail. if you’re not carrying a passenger then what is it doing back there? that and i think the the stubby ones look good.
Sean says
I personally am not a fan of single sided front forks. Single sided rears? Okay, but only because the one on the Street Triple is amazing. The new front looks great, but the belt could have been taken care of much more efficiently. Still, kudos for trying.
greer says
serious question, does anyone know if the front suspension is actually functional? if it is it doesn’t look like it could have more than 2″ of travel. I’m a big fan of the lazareth bikes, but do any of them actually get ridden?
guitargeek says
That looks very dangerous, and I find myself strangely aroused…
screwston says
For all of you haters, this is a very good looking bike, it isnot a production bike and none of you will ever ride it. Appreciate it f for what it is and that is someones innerimagination in the form of a bada$# bike!
me says
exactly, just appreciate it.