From Automotive Design To Custom Motorcycles: Earle Motors Builds Ducati-based Street Tracker

Car designer by day and street-tracker inspired custom motorcycles by night, Alex Earle is the Design Program Manager for Volkswagen of America who is equally passionate about bikes. His custom Ducati Monster-based flyer is a sight for sore eyes.

 

The simple concept of putting together a lightweight, modern day tracker with cutting edge carbon fiber construction, the bike is “the perfect convergence of my personal interests,” said Earle. “Excellent Ducati drivetrain, oversized wheels shod with aggressive rubber, tall seat height, and pure flat track proportion and graphics.”Using the same prototyping process as those used in automotive studios, Earle achieved the perfect stance for his street tracker. From sketches, he made a 1:5 scale model before 3D-scanning it, the data of which then went into a milling machine that produced the mold for the bodywork.

“The beauty of working in Los Angeles is that there’s a small but fanatical group of fabricators who can realize just about anything you can dream up,” he says. “Guys have 3D scanners, big 5-axis mills and 3D printers. And most importantly, a deep well of experience with carbon, engineering, engines and exhaust dynamics.”

 

Every recalibration and design specifications were made with weight saving in mind, from the billet-machined LED lights to the 19-inch wheels.  After the development of a full carbon monocoque design and improvements with the fuel capacity, assembly and tolerances, the bike weighed in at just 347lbs without fuel.

The seat has a commanding height of 34 inches, with vortex flat track bars that are wide and swept-back, offering the best upright position that is perfect for charging the canyons supermoto style. It also consists of a carbon fiber base with Nirrox synthetic ultrasuede covering and a numbered plate.

For engines, Earle uses Ducati’s 900cc air cooled, carbureted motors from the late 90s—as found in the Monster M900. Each motor is hooked up to an exhaust system tuned for maximum horsepower and constructed from stainless steel, with water jet-cut collars.

For more information, visit earlemotors