Church of Choppers (CHVRCH) is a world-class, major league bike custom shop and has been since 1995. There hasn’t been a single genre of motorcycle that CHVRCH owner Jeff Wright hasn’t built from donor machines. The one thing in common in all his builds is that they are stunning and feature the same thought delivery of “weight isn’t great”.

After initial talks with Ola Stenegard (Creative Director Heritage / Head of Vehicle Design BMW Motorrad) on getting involved with an R nineT Soulfuel project, Jeff immediately set about researching the standard Boxer-powered R nineT that has been the basis for many memorable projects across the globe. “I did my research, but none tripped my trigger. It seemed like every one I saw added weight to the bike. I don’t like weight,” said the father of three that is Jeff Wright.

The bare-metal creation from Jeff’s mind and hands oozes class and the ability to be pushed harder than the standard bike, much in the same way as the Project R nineT Japan ‘Clubman Racer’ built by Shiro Nakajima from 46Works. Jeff took a different but similar performance approach in the building of his R nineT project. But was it easy to come up with the final appearance or did it involve a lot of thought / beers/ pushing of pencils? Jeff: “It was fast. I only had seven weeks to complete. So I looked at what others did, and went opposite and did what I would want in the bike.”

The reason for the urgency in completing his R nineT build was to get in the spotlight of the fast approaching The One Motorcycle Show, a seriously brilliant bike show made famous for showing unique builds in a super-cool atmosphere. As it happened, the bike was completed to a point where it looked finished, apart from the bare, uncoated body. The bike premiered at Michael Lichter’s “Naked Truth Show” in Sturgis and since then it has also exhibited at the IMS bike show, held in New York just before Christmas 2015.

Stood naked, devoid of covering paint, the bike has caused many a stir; such is the styling and detail that exudes from every section. One of the bike’s biggest admirers is Ola Stenegard: “This is the first officially endorsed R nineT Soulfuel custom in the USA. And to do it with a guy that is so influential in the scene like Jeff is an honour! Jeff Wright is one of the most cutting-edge customisers and artists I know. He can attack any kind of bike and he has an amazing imagination to do new, avant-garde, sometimes provocative, sometimes raw, but always very cool stuff. And often with a strong taste of high performance. For his R nineT project his mantra was obviously ‘if it doesn’t make it stop or go: away with it, I say’.”

Once again Motorrad didn’t lay down any rules into the build; rules have a strong tendency to kill creativity and Jeff was given free rein to do whatever he wanted. Jeff did exactly what Motorrad and Ola were hoping for: he just did his thing and it’s brilliant. Who else would throw away the electronic ignition and the injector system and replace it with good old FCR flatslide carburettors and a massive magneto before he’s even ridden the bike? Jeff Wright that’s who.

According to Ola – a man who knows design and style – there are many pieces of the R nineT build that really rock his boat. “Oh, the stance rocks! And the signature Jeff Wright pipes and Racefit mufflers are killers! No one routes pipes as cool as Jeff. The magneto and FCR carbs go without saying. I also really dig the whole tail section with the battery peeking out of the top, and the seat combo is very well executed. It’s also interesting to see the mods on the tank and how the new transparency really puts focus on the typical R nineT signature. All-in-all a raw and very, very cool addition to the R nineT Soulfuel family.”

Of course there is so much more about this bike. Not one area has been left untouched. A few of the changes involve the fork yokes, exhaust system, subframe, fuel tank and seat, which have been hand fabricated like so many so other components on the bike. This all takes hard work and, of course, time. But as Jeff admits, all the hard graft was worth it upon that first start-up. “When we started it, I had a smile for miles. It sounds so good.”

The biggest problem to crop up during the build was the fitment of a magneto, a lighter replacement system for the original electronics. It was, as Jeff says, “difficult in getting the magneto to work. I had nothing to work from. No instructions were about and, as far as I knew, nobody had ever put a mag on a 2015 bike before. Very mind boggling.”

Jeff Wright is not only a cutting-edge bike builder but a through-and-through motorcycle rider. This guy has ridden everything and everywhere – rain, shine or snow. He is also an amazing illustrator and artist. He knows how to sling a pen and brush. And he is running his own company (FTWCO), where his work crowns everything from clothing, caps, stickers and more. Above all he has produced an incredible R nineT Soulfuel custom bike – a bike that will look even more stunning when it appears dressed in equally detailed paintwork at The One Motorcycle Show 2016.

资料提供 [ BMW Motorrad ]