DANISH bespoke custom bike builder Lauge Jensen has unveiled a new cruiser, the 'Viking', designed for them by noted LA based designer Henrik Fisker.
The unveiling was at the prestigious 'Top Marques' luxury brands show at Monaco, and marks Fisker's first foray into two-wheel design, the Dane having made his reputation in the automotive industry, through work for BMW and Aston Martin, and as the designer behind the Fiskar 'Karma' - an electric 'series' hybrid luxury Sedan.
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| The 'Viking' concept cruiser, designed by Henrik Fisker |
Described as a "design study" the company says "this premium motorcycle blends the talents of two of Denmark’s most creative talents: Anders Kirk Johansen, an industrialist whose family invented LEGO, and renowned vehicle designer Henrik Fisker", and that it "points to a possible volume-production direction" for Lauge Jensen - a business that Johansen bought in 2012.
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| The company says it intends "to build a bike based on the 'Viking' Concept at higher volumes and with a lower price tag than the 'Great Dane'." |
The 'Viking' Concept is powered by an S&S Cycle 45-degree V-twin producing 100hp, which is said to make it capable of more than 130mph, and is believed to be "the first motorcycle of its type" to comply with the new, stringent Euro IV emissions regulations that come into effect in 2016.
Lauge Jensen says that the engine has been "carefully developed and tuned to achieve this without losing the character of the sound that is so loved by riders. Johansen and Lauge Jensen are proud to have achieved the new emissions targets without compromising the engine’s performance, safeguarding the production and character of future products."
Lauge Jensen currently produces the limited edition 'Great Dane' custom cruiser, which starts from €42,800 (around $59,000). The company says it intends "to build a bike based on the 'Viking' Concept at higher volumes and with a lower price tag than the 'Great Dane'."
Commenting on the design collaboration, Anders Kirk Johansen said: "We have been developing the 'Viking' Concept for some time. Potentially, it’s the next step for our company, beyond our limited production 'Great Dane' custom bike.
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| The Lauge Jensen 'Great Dane' starts at around $59,000 |
"It’s great to have Henrik, one of the world’s leading vehicle designers and a fellow Dane, working in partnership with us to help create a really special, emotional design. Revealing a concept bike is all about gauging demand, but, if it’s there, I look forward to producing the 'Viking' Concept for the mainstream market.
"It’s been a dream of mine to design and create a motorcycle for many years, and this is the first time I have the freedom to go and do it. I hope people like what we have created and that we can make more of them – for sure there’s plenty more to come from this collaboration between myself and Anders."
www.laugejensen.dk
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The first bespoke custom motorcycle company to achieve Euro 4 compliance
The engine featured in the new 'Viking' Concept was unveiled late last year and is the first air-cooled V-twin to meet the new Euro 4 emissions requirements.
A lot more stringent than the Euro 3 norms they replace (effective January 1st 2016), and subject a six stage testing procedure that is 50 percent longer than the protocol it replaces, Lauge Jensen say the engine is "mean, lean and green" and the only custom motorcycle manufacturer in the world to have global type approval.
Established in 2008 by Uffe Lauge Jensen at Horsens, Denmark, and bought last year by Anders Kirk Johansen, the company specializes in bespoke custom motorcycles, but sees this new engine and the 'Viking' Concept as a possible platform for volume production.
Uffe Lauge Jensen, who is still central to the project as Director of Development, says that his team "designed its own catalytic converter exhaust system which we calibrated specifically to the cat/chassis set-up.
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| The Lauge Jensen/S&S 11 inch fuel injected engine meets the upcoming Euro 4 emissions controls |
“Being first with EURO 4 may not be a primary concern for some of our customers, but it will give them the reassurance that they own a fantastic and personal motorcycle, which is future-proofed, and ahead of the rest in its low emission output.”
The fuel injected S&S 45 degree 111 inch V-twin was co-developed by Lauge Jensen and S&S Cycle in terms of emissions testing and tuning, both at S&S’ own facility at Viola, Wisconsin, and at TÜV Automotive in Pfungstadt, Germany.
To pass the Euro 4 test the motorcycle used must have been running for at least 1,000km to give a fair reading (the efficiency of catalytic converters declines with use), and the bikes are placed on a rolling road to simulate various riding situations and engine behavior.
The EURO 4 test lasts for 1,800 seconds and is completed six times, compared to EURO 3, which tests the vehicle for 1,200 seconds three times. Because of the importance of the exhaust system and the catalytic converters, S&S says they were "uniquely positioned to support our customer and help develop a package that is not only efficient and clean, but retains the character and sound that riders want from an air-cooled v-twin."