Steam Punks - Muse For New Street Fighter Bike Build

Getting ready to start the new chopper build on the Buell Cyclone and really interested in the ideas of late by the Steam Punks. Their ideological foundation is based around speculative fiction with a mix of sci fi and the Victorian era with the name also alluding to a world in which steam power is still king. A lot of the artisans in this arena create objects that look stout in their demeanor due to the overtly mechanical visual assemblage and use various materials that have a distinct color tone. Whether it be iron, copper or another form of steel the coloring tends to be darker or golden brown metals.

With this overtone on the new Street Fighter build, I plan on keeping the original Buell frame but modifying significantly the swing arm, tail section and overall finish. The frame is already great and has a lot of flex with the tubular structure, so why fix what isn't broke? But what I am really pushing for in the styling is a streamlined mechanical finesse. I want the bike to look overly mechanical and interesting. For years builders have been trying to hide the lines to streamline every single angle. Screw that, I want folks to walk around the bike and be interested in seeing a braided steel oil line or riveted tank. Mucho thanks goes out to Jules Verne, the Nautilus has been stuck in my head for years thinking on this idea for a build. Have a look at some Steam Punk and overtly mechanical bike builds by Chicara and AMD Bike Building Champ Dave Cook. Cook Customs is hands down my absolute favorite bike builder, would dig picking his brain for hours.

Steampunks on Wikipedia

Chicara - Custom Builder

Dave Cook - Custom Builder