Photo: Enginethusiast
Calling this bespoke XB12R impressive would be an understatement. This thing is downright flawless!
Miguel Padilla’s two-wheeled undertakings can be admired on his Instagram profile. As you browse through the photos, you’ll eventually stumble upon a carbon-clad beauty that’s been crafted using a damaged Buell XB12R Firebolt as the starting point. Moreover, the solo mastermind behind this feat was involved in an unfortunate crash prior to kicking things off, but that didn’t stop Padilla from pursuing his vision.
The donor for this venture carries a 45-degree 1,203cc V-twin colossus, with four pushrod-actuated valves and a compression ratio of 10.0:1. This unforgiving piece of twin-cooled machinery reaches its peak horsepower figure at around 6,800 rpm, whereas as many as 103 ponies will be unleashed. At 6,000 revs, the engine will be more than happy to generate a feral torque output of up to 84 pound-feet (114 Nm).
A belt final drive receives this ungodly force from a five-speed transmission. This whole ordeal enables Buell’s ruthless leviathan to cover the quarter-mile distance in no more than 11.4 thrilling seconds. Finally, its top speed is rated at a staggering 155 mph (250 kph). All things considered, we find it perfectly reasonable to conclude that Miguel had a genuine marvel to work with on this venture!
He kicked things off by massaging the bike’s frame to fix the damage it had previously sustained. At the rear, the entire subframe was amputated to make room for a unique chromoly item, while the electrics have been relocated underneath the airbox for a clutter-free aesthetic. The following step consisted of fabricating a one-off wiring harness from scratch, which proved to be the most challenging aspect of this project.
With the dreaded electrical work out of the way, Padilla went about treating XB12R’s gargantuan V-twin to a K&N air filter and a premium exhaust from Graves Motorsports. The original forks were rebuilt to remove their battle scars, while the stock headlight was discarded in favor of a Vetter LED alternative. After installing aftermarket clip-ons and rear-mounted foot pegs, Miguel went as far as creating a carbon fiber monocoque masterpiece that replaces the machine’s standard bodywork.
Well, I think I might’ve just fallen in love with this gem.
The donor for this venture carries a 45-degree 1,203cc V-twin colossus, with four pushrod-actuated valves and a compression ratio of 10.0:1. This unforgiving piece of twin-cooled machinery reaches its peak horsepower figure at around 6,800 rpm, whereas as many as 103 ponies will be unleashed. At 6,000 revs, the engine will be more than happy to generate a feral torque output of up to 84 pound-feet (114 Nm).
A belt final drive receives this ungodly force from a five-speed transmission. This whole ordeal enables Buell’s ruthless leviathan to cover the quarter-mile distance in no more than 11.4 thrilling seconds. Finally, its top speed is rated at a staggering 155 mph (250 kph). All things considered, we find it perfectly reasonable to conclude that Miguel had a genuine marvel to work with on this venture!
He kicked things off by massaging the bike’s frame to fix the damage it had previously sustained. At the rear, the entire subframe was amputated to make room for a unique chromoly item, while the electrics have been relocated underneath the airbox for a clutter-free aesthetic. The following step consisted of fabricating a one-off wiring harness from scratch, which proved to be the most challenging aspect of this project.
With the dreaded electrical work out of the way, Padilla went about treating XB12R’s gargantuan V-twin to a K&N air filter and a premium exhaust from Graves Motorsports. The original forks were rebuilt to remove their battle scars, while the stock headlight was discarded in favor of a Vetter LED alternative. After installing aftermarket clip-ons and rear-mounted foot pegs, Miguel went as far as creating a carbon fiber monocoque masterpiece that replaces the machine’s standard bodywork.
Well, I think I might’ve just fallen in love with this gem.
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