A completely bespoke vintage American V-twin takes center stage this week, built by the folks at Competition Distributing in the USA. Our list also includes a Suzuki GN400 bobber from Poland, a look at the new Indian Challenger Elite and Pursuit Elite, and the production-ready Trevor DTRe Vince electric scrambler.
The scratch-built Pennsylvania 8 If you’re a vintage motorcycle enthusiast, you’ll know that finding period-correct parts is getting harder by the day. But the vintage parts specialist Competition Distributing has a solution.
Originally started by Lonnie Isam in 1968, Competition Distributing is now run by friends Sean Jackson, Tom Banks, and Kevin O’Neal. They supply parts for American motorcycles built from 1910 to 1936. And when they can’t find a part, they make it themselves—either using traditional methods, or by 3D-scanning, modeling, and replicating them using techniques like 3D metal printing.
This vintage board tracker, dubbed the Pennsylvania 8, is a rolling showcase for Competition Distributing’s capabilities. Short of the engine cases and the transmission, which came from a 1926 Harley-Davidson JD, almost everything else was designed and manufactured from scratch.
The chassis uses a 3D-printed headstock, stacked double downtubes, and a wonderfully organic single-sided rigid rear end. The cast scissor-type forks were made using wax molding, and the wheels feature custom hubs with 23” clincher rims.
From the engine cylinders to the four-valve heads and the pushrods, rockers, and valve springs, everything was created in-house. With compression-forged pistons and lightweight titanium conrods, the engine is a work of art on the inside and the outside. (Oh, and it features a custom-made supercharger too.)
Bespoke bodywork, a proprietary pre-lube oil system, top-shelf paint and upholstery; the work done on this impossibly elegant machine could fill volumes. The only question we have is if Competition Distributing is taking orders. [Source]
Suzuki GN400 by JasinTom Motorcycles If you’re tired of all of the frou-frou on modern motorcycles, this cheeky Suzuki GN400 is the antidote. Built by Tomasz at JasinTom Motorcycles in Poland, it’s a no-frills runner that leans into the GN400’s inherent simplicity.
“The idea was to create a machine that does not require daily care, charging, or checking indicators,” says Tom. “Just start and go.”
Dubbed ‘Gold Nickel 400,’ the 1981-model Suzuki GN400 wears an eclectic mix of parts. The fuel tank is from a vintage German-made Simson SR2. Sitting behind it is a chunky seat for one, upholstered in leather.
Tom trimmed the subframe too, before finishing the tail off with an abbreviated fender. A custom-built battery box sits under the saddle, with a pod filter replacing the airbox that once lived there. The license plate and taillight, which sports a handmade housing, are mounted to the swingarm lower down.
The Suzuki still rolls on its original 18F/16R rims, with a disc brake up front and a drum brake at the back. A new one-into-two exhaust system runs along the right-hand side of the bike, while a small chromed headlight adorns the front. The cockpit is dead simple, equipped with chromed handlebars, fresh grips, basic controls, and a single mirror.
Tom finished the bike off with black pearl paint on the frame, and a silver coat on the swingarm. And then there’s the eye-popping fuel tank, which wears swathes of gold and blue metal flake paint. [Source]
2025 Indian Challenger Elite and Pursuit Elite limited editions Indian’s decision to withdraw from flat track racing to focus on the bonkers spectacle that is bagger racing, is a clear indication that big touring bikes are high on their agenda. This week, they announced two highly exclusive limited edition additions to their ‘Elite’ series of builds—the Indian Challenger Elite and Indian Pursuit Elite.
In stock trim, the Indian Challenger and Pursuit are two sides of the same coin. They use the same chassis and PowerPlus V-twin engine, but the Challenger skews towards sportier riding, while the Pursuit is a full-dress tourer.
The individually numbered Elite models up the ante with high-end finishes, details, and components. Both versions use Indian’s bigger PowerPlus 112 motor, which has proven itself in the company’s bagger race bikes. Featuring liquid cooling, overhead cams, and four valves per cylinder, it delivers 126 hp and 181.4 Nm of torque.
The Elite models also get inverted performance forks and twin front radial Brembo brakes. 5-spoke machined wheels wear Metzeler Cruisetec tires, with Indian’s Pathfinder adaptive LED headlights fitted to both bikes. Electronically adjustable windshields, remote-locking luggage, upgraded rider and passenger floorboards, and armrests on the Pursuit Elite add comfort and convenience.
On the tech side, features like a keyless ignition, cruise control, and USB charging are standard issue. Each bike comes fully loaded with just about every electronic aid you can imagine—from switchable rider modes to hill hold control, combined braking, blind spot warning, tailgate warning, and rear collision warning. You also get a 7” display, Indian’s top-of-the-line infotainment system, and a bunch of other niceties.
But the real kicker here is each bike’s drool-worthy paint job. Aiming for maximum style and exclusivity, Indian’s paint department spends up to 24 hours laying down the multi-layered paint on each Elite model.
The Indian Challenger Elite pays tribute to Gene ‘Alabama Flash’ Walker, who set a land-speed record back in 1920 aboard an Indian PowerPlus. The Challenger Elite’s red candy paint riffs off the red hue that the 1920 PowerPlus came in, punctuated by sections of black candy and white pearl satin. Glass particles in the paint add extra shimmer and depth.
The bike also gets hand-painted details, and black finishes on select hard parts. The saddle is finished with white and red contrast stitching, with an image of Walker’s PowerPlus race bike atop the center console.
The Indian Pursuit Elite’s style is inspired by the Indian PowerPlus bikes that were produced for the US Army in 1916. Its tri-tone livery uses candy black and green paint, with hand-painted gold accents. Like the Challenger Elite, it gets a smorgasbord of black finishes, and both bikes are finished with exclusive Elite badging.
Indian is only producing 350 examples of the Challenger Elite and 250 of the Pursuit Elite, worldwide. Pricing (in the USA) starts at $39,999 and $44,999 respectively. Tempted? [Source]
Trevor Motorcycles DTRe Vince The Belgian boutique electric motorcycle manufacturer Trevor impressed us a few years back with the DTRe Stella—a lightweight bike with sleek flat track looks. Now they’re back with their next production-ready model: the Trevor DTRe Vince.
According to company co-founder Jeroen-Vincent Nagels, Trevor set out to design the DTRe Vince as a cheaper version of the Stella. But it became its own machine along the way. So while the Stella still boasts a more premium parts spec and a lighter build, the Vince offers improved power and range and costs less.
Designed as an urban scrambler, the Trevor DTRe Vince wears lithe bodywork over an equally lithe trellis frame. The forks, rear shock, and wheel hubs are proprietary items, the rims are 18” Excel items, and the brakes are from Nissin.
Weighing 121 kilos [267 lbs], the Vince’s upgraded drivetrain is good for a top speed of 90 km/h [56 mph] and utilizes a Gates belt drive. I can go up to 120 km [75 miles] on a charge (depending on how you ride, of course), with a charge time of just four hours. Those numbers might not seem particularly mind-blowing, but they’re fine for a lightweight machine built for urban environments.
Finer details include a short high-mounted front fender, a quirky rectangular headlight, and a slick LED taillight, all of which make the Vince feel more like a custom bike than a production machine. The cockpit is equipped with scrambler bars, Domino switches, and an LCD dashboard.
All that will set you back €9,950 [about $11,296]. A pre-order deposit of €350 [about $397] secures your Trevor DTRe Vince, and shipping is expected to start in the third quarter of this year. [Source]
