The Cobalt Storm
Project Cobalt Storm is our design concept on how to make the Harley Davidson Sportster even more minimalistic than our Ivory Comet café racer (#ProjectIvoryComet), give you more reason to ride, and the itch to ride just by looking at it. With the Cobalt Storm, the styling needed to be timeless as possible without adhering to trends. We want something you will choose to ride more and further everyday, and take it for some light off-roading just because you can.
Photographer: www.JOEsEYE.com
With this idea in mind, we found that it will be cool by adding tracker influences for an upright riding position and knobby tires to achieve some off-road capabilities. This gives us the performance of a café racer without the discomfort of a slouched position and more reasons to ride. But if that’s the main desire, the handlebar and tires can be swapped for the complete café racer ride.
Photographer: www.JOEsEYE.com
Tank
The fuel tank may look like one from the outside but there are lots happening in the space inside. The tank has two sections, the right half contains the fuel tank and the left half contains the electronics. To achieve having the electronics inside such a compact space is by reducing the clutter. We use Motogadget M-Unit and M-button to reduce wires, relays, fuses and etc. We also have an RCE lithium-ion battery that is ultra compact yet powerful enough to provide stable electric flow to start and move the pistons in the Harley Davidson Engine. We also elected to use FCR carbonator for its performance and simplicity with reduced amount of vacuum hoses and clutter found from alternative methods.
Photographer: Johnson Yang
Frame
It is interesting to us why Harley Davidson’s (HD) V-Rod doesn’t catch on in the USA while in other countries it’s quite popular. It has more modern performance compared to other HD but maybe it does not have enough of the long known HD soul and character? We try our balance on keeping the HD soul and character while adding modern twists and performance upgrades to the Cobalt Storm. From the words from JSK Moto Co. founder Samuel Kao, “JSK ride must ride better than stock, then we can talk about how it looks.” With this, the whole suspension is tweaked: CNC Racing reinforced triple clamps for improved handling, custom Gears Racing rear shock, transplanted single-sided swingarm from a Ducati 916 and Showa front forks to complete the suspension modifications.
Photographer: www.JOEsEYE.com
Overall design
This year, we have bikes that follow geometric elements such as #ProjectRhodiumOmega, which design is based on hexagons. Project Cobalt Storm design elements are related to the triangle, whether from the headlamps, the seat bracket, or the oil drums, all have a triangular element consistent throughout the design.
Photographer: www.JOEsEYE.com
To sum up
JSK wants to bring out the classic taste that reminds us of good old times yet bring in modern methods, and new elements to stir out more sparks within people. Project Cobalt Storm continues this ideology. We are fortunate to be in the modern era with new tools and techniques that were not available in the past. Cobalt Storm achieves some café racer sports bike feel and with tracker influence so it can be ridden further. If you change the tires and the handle bar, it can also be converted to a café racer to tear up the streets if so desired.
Make: Harley Davidson Model: Sportster 1200 Year: 1997
Upgrades: • Air Filter, Horn: Arlen Ness • Battery: RCE • Brakes: Brembo • Control Unit: Motogadget M-Unit, M-Button • Custom Paint: Air Runner • Engine Head and Primary Cover: EMD • Exhaust: Bizzar • Master cylinder and clutch cover: RSD • Pinstriping: Mr.G Tiki • Rear Shocks: Gears Racing • Rims: Kineo • Triple Clamp: CNC Racing • Carburetor: FCR Carburetor • Front Forks: Showa • Rear Brake Reservoir: PSR Integrated Rear Brake Reservoir
