Munich’s Diamond Atelier has produced some high-end motorcycles over the last few years. But lately they’ve taken a new approach, making a run of customised motorcycles all based around the same platform.
This allows them to nut out the quirks and challenges of each build and offer up limited batches of motorcycles that are cost effective and bloody gorgeous. The first to receive this treatment is a Ducati Scrambler Sixty2.
The Sixty2 is essentially the same bike as the fully-grown 803cc Scrambler, but with different internals giving it a 400cc capacity. As such the bike is better suited to small city runs than big mile munching. And that’s exactly what the Munich-based client uses this bike for; his workaday commute.
Practically cool
This is precisely what Tom from Diamond Atelier wanted to work around. He wanted to build a custom bike without sacrificing useability. A ride that’s reliable and practical, but doesn’t mean you end up atop a stock Suzuki Bandit each morning.
So the team at Diamond Atelier took a long look at the Scambler Sixty2 to work out what had to change. The first thing to get the chop was the frame. “The entire chassis was reworked, including the subframe,” Tom says, “We replaced the stock swingarm with the 803 Scrambler’s aluminium one and had a custom Wilbers rear shock built specifically for the bike.”
Up front, Tom and the team installed a new USD fork.
Underneath, the mags were thrown out and replaced with whopping 3.5” and 5.5” Kineo spoked rims, clever hoops designed to run tubeless tires – in this case a pair of Metzeler Racetec RR K3 semi-slicks, stickier than a 6-year-old’s keyboard. Not content with the traction offered by the rubber itself, the team added a Brembo PSC-16 brake pump as well as a set of braided steel hoses from ABM.
Tanks a lot
Taking a step back, Tom and the team opted to keep the standard fuel tank. “One thing I particularly like about the Scrambler is the shape of the gas tank and the way it flows with the lines of the bike,” he says. “So we kept that and handmade a suitable sub frame for it with a kick-up tail.” On top of that sits a cowhide leather seat that the team says can take a passenger. They must make ‘em skinny in that part of the world.
When it comes to the finer details of the Ducati, Diamond Atelier wanted to play things down a little more. “We didn’t want it to stand out from the crowd because of super fancy bodywork or overly flashy paint job,” he says. So many of the smaller touches are nicely subdued.
The headlight is stock Ducati Scrambler with a new aluminium surround above tiny prototype indicators from Kellermann. Engine wise the bike is stock, save for the airbox being completely removed and a SC Project exhaust system. “The free space behind the wheel really helped the tidy look,” Tom says, “as now you can clearly see the shape of the iconic V-twin engine”.
Budget diamonds
“With this build we want to show that you don’t need a huge budget. Sometimes a build can be as simple as this. A daily ride customised in a way that doesn’t interfere with day-to-day demands.” And he’s right, with the Sixty2 Scrambler still able to belt around crowded inner-city streets. “My wish is through this build people realise that it takes a lot less than they think to have something truly bespoke in their garage. And we’re here to make that happen.”
WORDS Marlon Slack for Pipeburn.com
PHOTOGRAPHY lukasmagerl.com
