Levis V6 Café Racer Prototype

This Levis V6 Café Racer, a 1200cc V6 derived from a V10 automobile engine, is the brainchild of auto designer Phil Bevan and co-designer Steve Kirk.  They decided to revive the Levis name which began building two-stroke and four-stroke motorcycles from 1911.  According to Levis, the last bike came off the production line in 1941.

Here is the press release on the V6 Café Racer:

Since the initial launch feature which was published in December’s 2017 edition of MCN the team at Levis have been working hard on the development of each of the bikes components and systems. We are making good progress to date though as anyone who has designed and built of motorcycle from scratch knows, it’s a very complicated and arduous task, especially when you are trying to create something as unique as the New Levis Café Racer!

Engine

At the heart of the bike is our own V6 1.2 litre narrow angle engine which is mounted longitudinally in the frame. We are approaching the end of the design stage having completed the block, head and internal component design. Our first two test blocks have been cast, X rayed and successfully checked for porosity. We are now finalising the intake and induction design and hope to be manufacturing these components very soon. The engine development is going well and indications show we are on target to realise the initial power and torque figurespeaking at120hp with a similar torque figure. The firing order is very unusual for a V6 being, 1-2-3-4-5-6. This should aid power delivery and reduce harmonic imbalances giving a very smooth running engine. Indeed the engine has no need for an internal balancing shaft as it runs so smoothly.

The engine also features a unique rear flywheel / pulley / counterbalance that runs a V belt up to an ISG mounted directly above so no need for a separate starter motor and alternator.

The front of the engine will now only have a timing wheel, nose balance weight and a radial fan to keep the length of the engine to a minimum.

We are also planning a supercharged version of this engine. This would be featured in a limited special edition run to commemorate the first Levis motorcycle to win its class in the Isle of Man TT in 1920. The bike would be launched in 2020 in celebration of this special 100^th anniversary. More details of this will be released as and when the development program allow.

Gearbox

We have developed our own six speed inline gearbox to maximise our engines power characteristics and to give us the best combination of performance, economy and shift quality. The sixth gear would be an overdrive running at 33% engine speed. The casing will be machined from solid billet aluminium and we are currently looking at both shaft and chain drive systems to suit the particular model in our proposed range of motorcycles. The gearbox is being designed to suit all models in the range with a possible change in ratios to suit the proposed V10 cruiser version.

Frame, Suspension

Our first stainless steel frames are currently starting production following manufacturing trials. These will bear a very close resemblance to the original artist’s impression launched in the Dec 2017 MCN issue. The curved main frame rails cradle the engine supporting it at the top front and rear with a lower cradle mount for the engine / gearbox. The lightweight frame has interchangeable stainless panels allowing these to be finished differently to the frame. For instance the frame rails could have a polished finish while the panels could have a brushed or coloured finish. These could be tailored to the owners requirements giving a unique bespoke look.

The front forks, yokes, hand controls, and headlamp are all CNC machined from solid aluminium billet. Careful attention has been given to removing any excess weight from these components without compromising the look.

Our unique design will incorporate the brake and clutch cylinders into the top yoke design to give a clean minimal look together with running all wires internally.

The single front and rear shock absorbers are specially built for our application by a leading UK shock absorber manufacturer and are fully adjustable for preload and rebound. They will be made to match the specific finishes of each model.

Wheels & Brakes

The solid wheel design of the Cafe Racer model is a little deceiving as its not solid. The wheel is machined from aluminium billet in two halves. This allows us to take weight out of the thicker inner parts of the wheel such as the spokes and central tapered sections. The sides are bolted together from inside the rim so no fixings are visible from the outside. The two halves have a sealant applied to keep them airtight. The valve is located in one of the spokes behind the brake disc so as not to be visible and an air pocket runs from the valve inside the aluminium through the rim into the tyre.

The 305mm diameter front brake discs and rear disc are machined from stainless steel and have a drilled and polished finish. They also have the Levis logo etched into the outer surface at the end of each of the six spokes.

The radial callipers are specially made from billet aluminium to our own design and are finished in a range of polished or powder coated finishes to match the bike.

The bike shown in the photographs is a development mock up to test the ergonomics, look and proportions of the styling, and to trial / test fit the various parts that are specially built for this unique model. As such its fit and finish are not truly representative of a production model and there will be many tweaks and detail changes made to the CAD model to achieve the refinement and sophistication we are striving for.

We are planning to launch five versions of the V6 engined concept. The first being the Café Racer, followed by the Urban Roaster, then the Flat Tracker, followed by two sports versions. Details of these will be released in due course.

As a bespoke manufacturer we take each basic model as a starting point and work with the prospective owner to personalise his or her motorcycle. The colour, finish, leatherwork, wheels, exhaust etc can all be tailored to personal preference resulting in a motorcycle that is truly unique to the individual.

Source Levis Motorcycles