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  • May 14, 2021 10 min read 1 Comment

    INTRODUCTION TO CLUBSTYLE

    Club Style motorcycles have existed for about forty years with the appearance of FXR chassis at Harley-Davidson .

    The denomination "Club Style" however, appeared only recently.

    Basically, this type of preparation is carried out on Harleys (Dyna) in order to make them better able to ride harder, further and longer.

    Like most preps, there's nothing superfluous about clubstyles . In theory, every modification should be rooted in something practical or performance-oriented ; therein lies the style of these motorcycles.

    Here are the basic elements of the appearance of a Clubstyle motorcycle:

    • 2 in 1 exhaust
    • high rear shock absorbers
    • improved engine
    • front fairing (often used)
    • T-bar handlebar

    We will see this in detail later in the article.

    DEFINITION AND ORIGIN OF CLUB STYLE

    An aspect of biker culture and generally ignored by the general public, biker clubs have been around since the 1940s and have proven to be essential to the structure of motorcycling like rallies.

    Image from the Son of Anarchy series

    Most of the early motorcycle clubs were founded by veterans looking for the brotherhood and camaraderie left behind at the end of World War II.

    Although every club is different, most require their members to do one thing: ride often, for long distances and above all, together, as a team.

    While the clubs favorite style of motorcycle has changed over the years, the current version is referred to as " club style " or " rogue style ".

    Essentially, they take stock American motorcycles and modify them with all the signature elements of Clubstyles . The idea behind these motorcycles is that they are meant to be fast, reliable, comfortable, slim, nimble and efficient in every definition of the word. These are “ready for anything” bikes .

    Clubstyle preparation has become popular with the arrival of the Dyna chassis which has a sportier frame.

    This style was popularized to the general public through the Son of Anarchy (SOA) series.

    This drama series chronicles the life of a tight-knit motorcycle outlaw club operating in Charming, a fictional town in Central Valley, California. It stars Charlie Hunnam as Jackson "Jax" Teller, vice -president of the club. He soon begins to question the club and himself. Brotherhood, loyalty, betrayal and redemption are constant themes. "

    (source: Sons of Anarchy - Wikipedia (wikipedia.org) )

    Today with the end of the Dyna-type chassis, Harley-based Clubstyle is realized on the Softail .

    It is important to note that we are seeing more and more Clubstyles made on the bases of other brands such as Yamaha or Honda . We will see it later.


    To sum up the philosophy of clubstyle , here is a word from the specialists at clubstyle-world.com :

    "The basic rules of a Clubstyle motorcycle:
    To be fast and efficient from point A to point B. Whether in the city or in the countryside."

    CLUBSTYLE VARIANTS

    There are several variations of this style of motorcycle. Like each preparation family, there are several sub-families.

    In addition to the "classic" clubstyle, a distinction is made between "Naked" and "GT".

    Classic

    The classic Clubstyle is the original model. In style, it sits between the Naked and Clubstyle GT.

    It differs from the Naked model by the presence of a fairing (front fairing).

    Naked

    A copy of a naked clubstyle presented on the instagram page of clubstyle_germany:

    The Naked (which means naked in English) is the lighter version of the Clubstyle . Unlike the GT.

    It does not have a front fairing. Here we find a round headlight.

    Otherwise we find the essential elements of Clubstyle .

    Clubstyle GT

    Here is the Clubstyle GT preparation from the Japanese at VIDA Motorcycle :

    The GT version is more imposing because it has a bulkier fairing (front fairing) and cases at the rear.

    Here is another example with @jen_tron's SportGlide :

    Possessing more important body parts, the Clubstyle GTs are often embellished with a fully elaborate paint job.

    The stylistic and philosophical boundaries of the GT are very close with the Performance Bagger .

    Indeed, the Performance Bagger is a customization term that appeared very recently which was justified with the creation of an American competition King of Baggers that appeared in 2020.

    This is a race where Indian baggers and Harley performances compete on the circuit.

    Here is a video demonstration:

    However these motorcycles called Bagger could be called Clubstyle GT given their characteristics.

    Indeed, these performance baggers do not have a front wheel similar to baggers. The saddle, handlebars, exhaust are the same as the club style and different from the bagger .

    The difference is the base used to make the preparation. The performance bagger uses a bagger base (the road glide for example) and the clubstyle GT uses a clubstyle base ( street bob for example).

    The second difference is that the tuners like to install turbos on the performance baggers in order to push the bikes around 200 horsepower .

    The Club Style style is brought to evolve again and again. It wouldn't be surprising to see dirt track piston clubstyles in the next few years.

    The characteristic elements of a clubstyle.

    As we have seen, clubstyle preparation is primarily geared towards improving the overall capabilities of the bike .

    The optimization of the performance of the motorcycle is oriented on 3 levels: the engine , the chassis and the cycle part .

    ENGINE

    A stage 1 type preparation allows you to already have good performance at a lower cost.

    Stage 1 allows you to take full advantage of the factory performance of the machine .

    For big budgets, engine preparation has no limit: big bore kit, ECU, camshafts, turbo etc...

    • NEW ENGINE MAP

    Here is an example of new mapping done for a Harley Nightster . The reprogramming associated with a performance air filter and free exhausts increases the power from 55 to 80 horsepower and the torque from 85 to 110 NM. The engine is finally released.

    • HIGH FLOW AIR FILTER

    As part of stage 1, changing the air filter is required.

    Performance air filters also bring a racing touch to the bike.

    As demonstrated by this K&N air filter installed on a Harley Iron 883 .

    • 2 IN 1 EXHAUST

    The 2-in-1 exhaust goes hand in hand with engine preparation. It is part of Stage 1.

    2 in 1: that is to say that the 2 tubes coming out of the cylinders come together to form a single tube. There is one exhaust tube per cylinder.

    A new exhaust releases more gas than the stock exhaust. Indeed, with pollution and noise standards, the original exhausts are generally "castrated".

    In addition, the sound is greatly improved.

    Why 2 in 1? This type of exhaust is more efficient than a dual outlet model. It has become the standard for a Clubstyle preparation.

    • FOR FURTHER

    A sprocket-chain kit replacing the belt can be installed for better power transmission.

    And why not a turbo kit to increase the power by 40-50% and reach up to 300 horsepower for certain preparations such as Trask offers, which sells turbos for Harley Davidson .

    FRAME

    The chassis is also improved to make the most of engine performance.

    • THE HIGH "T-BAR" HANDLEBAR

    This handlebar allows you to have a comfortable position on the motorcycle while having perfect control of the motorcycle.

    It is recommended that the handlebars be at maximum shoulder height in order to be most effective without being tiring on long journeys.

    A variant of this installation exists by installing long saddles (17 cm for example) and a standard handlebar.

    • THE HEADLIGHT FAIRING ("FAIRING")

    It is an accessory that more and more add to this preparation for the style that brings and its comfort (for some models).

    Here is an example of a rather bulky GT-oriented model:

    And here is a smaller model on a Yamaha Bolt :

    There is a wide choice of models, sizes and shapes for this element.

    • SADDLE

    The clubstyle has a very particular saddle which is unique for this preparation.

    It is recognizable by its shape and its right angle which separates the seat from the backrest.

    This shape provides good support for the rider and a comfortable seat .

    Here are two examples made by Badass Motors :

    Posted by Badass Motors on Monday, November 18, 2019

    In terms of style, the choice is wide. The saddle is made according to the taste of each .

    • THE SUITCASES

    This is the characteristic element of Club Styles GT . They bring a large storage capacity for backpackers as well as a different look to the bike, a bagger look.

    It is an aesthetic and practical accessory. This is not added to improve the performance of the motorcycle.

    Side panniers are sometimes installed instead of suitcases.

    • CUSTOM PAINT:

    GT clubstyles with more fairings usually sport full original paintwork.

    As this preparation demonstrates:

    The mudguards, side covers, panniers, tank and front fairing have benefited from a major paint job .

    Clubstyle Naked are generally less " extravagant ".

    CHASSIS:

    • HIGH REAR SUSPENSION

    The original shock absorbers of custom motorcycles and bobbers are generally not of super quality .

    Here is an example of installing FOX shocks on a Dyna:

    In order to improve the damping and increase the seat height, the installation of quality and longer shock absorbers is recommended for this preparation.

    • RAISED FORK

    Depending on the chosen base, it is possible to improve and lengthen the fork.

    Here is a Patriot Suspension Genesis spring kit for Harley:

    The goal is to increase ground clearance and improve suspension .

    Here is a tutorial for those interested: (1) SPEED-KINGS INSTALL: +2 49MM FORK TUBE KIT - YouTube

    • FOOTRESTS - CONTROL

    The forward controls can be replaced by mid-controls to avoid friction when going through quick curves.

    This is medium foot peg for Shadow. Source: Honda Steed Mid Controls Carousel

    This makes it possible to increase the ground clearance and thus be able to take more angle in turns.

    • BRAKING SYSTEM

    Along with increasing engine and chassis performance, it is important to increase braking performance .

    For this, the installation of 4-piston calipers at the front and floating discs improves the braking performance of the motorcycle.

    For example, the Harley Sportster does not have a good reputation when it comes to braking.

    Below is a prototype support for 4-piston caliper that we will soon be offering.

    OPTIONAL: SISSYBAR

    It is not uncommon to see Sissy bars on clubstyles .

    Whether the purpose is aesthetic or it is a support for luggage during long road trips , everyone finds their interest in this accessory.

    With the popularization of this type of preparation, most followers are only oriented towards an aesthetic preparation. They like the clubstyle look and don't necessarily have the same goals as the pioneers.

    Thus their budget will be devoted to the fairing, the saddle or the paint rather than the preparation of the engine or the brakes.

    THE IDEAL MOTORCYCLE PREPARATION FOR RODEOS:

    Add crashbars to your clubstyle and you can make it the perfect bike for stunt riding.

    Here is a demonstrative video about it:

    To be able to lift this type of motorcycle, it must be modified and optimized for this purpose.

    Clubstyle owners with advanced preparation are burnout and wheelie enthusiasts. It's part of the Clubstyle spirit.

    We can notice the different styles of Clubstyle in this video.

    The Clubstyle preparation changes the philosophy of the bike and it becomes an easy and agile bike like any other.

    THE BASICS FOR CREATING A CLUBSTYLE:

    A purist will say that a clubstyle is done on a Harley-Davidson base. In this case, the emblematic base for achieving a clubstyle is the Dyna .

    Otherwise, if you want to start from a new motorcycle:

    For a high-performance clubstyle, it is necessary to move towards the Low-Rider S models with the 114ci. Otherwise the streetbob will meet your expectations.

    Today this style is becoming more democratic and the bases of preparation are diversifying:

    YAMAHA BOLT 950

    This model is Yamaha 's custom proposal at an attractive price. The design of this motorcycle is traditional.

    There are more and more parts for this model to transform it into a clubstyle.

    Here is a beautiful creation in the Club Style spirit.

    HONDA CMX 500 REBEL:

    The new Rebel 500 (also available from 250 to 1000cc) is very popular with tuners, especially in Asia.

    We are starting to see more and more clubstyle preparation on this machine.

    This model is " pimped " with the addition of fairings, a skid plate and plain wheel.

    The basic design of the CMX and the addition of these parts gives a futuristic clubstyle .

    This model is also in the style of the K-Speed ​​preparations on CMX500 .

    And here is a model that responds more to the clubstyle standard:

    These preparations and the parts of these preparations were made by MOTOLORD available here: Honda Rebel CMX 500 (zeedparts.com)

    BMW R18

    This BMW R18 by MB Cycles is not a real style club but it is inspired by it for the fork fairing / handlebar assembly.

    It's the MB Cycles style, a mix of club style and bobber .

    Waiting to have a real clubstyle preparation on a BWM R18 .

    HONDA SHADOW

    The mythical Honda Shadow has already been worked on in every way: chopper , bobber , bagger … Here it is now increasingly transformed into clubstyle.

    Indeed, this motorcycle is present in quantity and owners find that the club style trend suits it perfectly.

    The productions on this model are still a little limited. If you know Shadow club style, do not hesitate to share them with us.

    YAMAHA VIRAGO 1100

    With the Shadow, the Virago is part of the classic Japanese customs .

    The Virago is even more prepared than the Shadow because it is often entitled to Cafe Racer or Scrambler preparations.

    Here it is in a clubstyle version with a superb painting done by MuayWat Custom :

    Source:Facebook

    Unfortunately, we don't have more pictures of this Thai preparation.

    TRIUMPH SPEEDMASTER

    This Triumph is one of the motorcycles with a strong potential for preparation and the clubstyle style suits it perfectly.

    This model is still little used in the field of personalization.

    Not all motorcycles make great clubstyles . Indeed, this BMW R NineT for example is the proof:

    Frankly, I think there are better things to do with an R Nine T than an attempt at bratsyle, right?

    TO GO FURTHER ON THE SUBJECT

    The French clubstyle community is growing more and more, I invite you to follow the Clubstyle Crew instagram page (@clubstylecrew) • Instagram photos and videos

    Here is an interesting interview on the Harley universe and clubstyles: The club style in Harley? Looks and performance! | Broaam: the melody of a good Big twin cover

    This blog devotes several articles on the subject of clubstyle.

    You can also follow the Youtube channel Parlons Harley by HD Liège which has already devoted a video to the subject of Club Style: PARLONS HARLEY: CUSTOM - LE CLUBSTYLE

    Andrea Koben Motorcycle has also already presented several Club Style on his channel: Presentation Club Style Dyna Street Bob Part 2 - YouTube

    So a clubstyle prep, would you like it?

    1 Response

    Michel
    Michel

    January 11, 2023

    Super article! merci

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