C3M Violatrix

No doubt about it – Gurty is an ambitious project.

I don’t have a confirmed date yet, but I need to be ready for sea freight to the UK sometime in early 2023.

Come hell, high water, or ruptured ducks, I’ll need a reliable set of wheels ready to go on that boat.

I originally estimated that the timeline to complete Gurty would be tight, but probably-maybe-kinda do-able.

However, experience has shown that announcing your plans to the universe is tempting fate to caca on them.

Hence, it’s healthy to have a strong plan B.

Lucky I did, because my workumstances (i.e. everything in my life not bike-related) have been conspiring to restrict the amount of time I have to work on Gurty.

Also, external factors – such as the Engineer’s availability to inspect and certify my work – are proving challenging from now until early January.

Finally, I have been playing with video on my RubeTube channel – while this is a very enjoyable process, it is also a huge time sink.

My plan is to start multimedia documentation of these builds, but I have to get better at it so I can keep my work rate up while still maintaining reasonable quality.

Where there is doubt, there is no doubt, so I’ve had to make an executive decision.

Hence, Gurty is on hold, and this is Violatrix – a 2006 ex-Superbike I brought and converted for road use in 2008.


After being used for local riding, she was shipped over for a road trip around Europe in 2011.

From Port St Mary to the Nürburgring to Zagreb to Madrid, she never missed a beat.



Somewhat surprising considering she was built and tuned to race spec, and presumably ridden hard for her entire life prior to my ownership.


This is how she sits today, or rather, yesterday.



This is how she sits today.



Please excuse my rough mock-up – I had a couple of beers the night before, and forgot how to angle.


Anyway, since it’ll be relatively easy to get her ready in time for shipping, Violatrix is, once more, unto the breach.


So, I’ve started with some basic modifications to accommodate my various needs – mainly comfort, as I am far too old, fat, and slow to be contorting myself into the boy-racer crouch any more.


The last time we dynoed this bike, she had 173 horsepower at the rear wheel.

Obviously, more power isn’t really required.

But that doesn’t stop me wanting it.

However, that would probably involve doing some serious engine growcaine, and ain’t nobody got time for that.


I also want to replace the HRC ECU with an after-market jobbie to enable much greater tuning capacity and traction control etc.

Again, not enough time, so all that is a job for another day.


Preparation for this trip will be limited to:

· Re-coating the frame and swingarm – this will mean that I’ll need a Blow-Worth™ big enough to clean them up (what’s a Blow-Worth™ I hear you ask? About tree-fiddy. I’ll see myself out…)

· Re-wiring the street accessories, including the lights, indicators, horn, GPS, and heated grips (my antique bones get brittle at low temperatures)

· Having the forks and shock serviced – this is a job I’ll out-source to a couple of local fellers I’ve used before

· Re-making my home-brewed sub-frame and modifying the tank cover and front fairing a bit

· Servicing the brake calipers, replacing the braided lines, and re-fitting the thumb brake

· Fitting new clutch and brake master cylinders – probably Brembo, depending on deals

· Coating the wheels and brake rotor carriers, and fitting new wheel bearings and tyres

· Doing a thorough service and valve-set


If I am set back with any more distractions, I’ll forego the bodywork mods, and just focus on the basic maintenance tasks to make sure she’s ready in time.


She may be rough, but she’ll always be ready… maybe.


Credit where its due – the below bikes are my inspiration (I did include the original links for each picture, but was prevented from posting them).

















Admittedly, many of these bikes are renderings, and, as such, would not necessarily be capable of existing or functioning in the real world.

Nonetheless, they all have features and design elements I find both aesthetically and practically appealing.

More to the point, I’m comfortable I can build them in such a way that will make Violatrix better for this mission.

A few simple little jobs to fit in amongst my other projects.

Easy when you say it fast.

C3M.