The most recent Kodlin’s built radical Bagger was called “Outtalimit”. Three weeks ago, Fred Kodlin launched an invitation to the press for the unveiling of a new radical tourer announced to be much more extreme in terms of design, refinement, body fabrication, power and technology. For this reveal, Kodlin picked, like he loves to do it, an unusual location. A trendy restaurant called Sansibar located on the dunes of the German Sylt island famous for its prominent residents during the summer season. Well, on April 25th the press braved the unexpected at this time of the year cold and fog of Northwest Germany to watch the cover being pulled off from the Kodlin’s F32, the first all steel 32” front wheel European Bagger. A machine that you will hate if you are only into vintage and classic motorcycles, but that all of you should respect for the custom building prowess of its builders.
Builders is plural because F32 is born from the imagination of 2 men, the father and son team of Fred and Len Kodlin. About a year ago Len sketched the F32 with such a radical design that the project could only be credible if the bike was powered by a very special engine. Fortunately, during the 2014 edition of Mallorca Bike Week, Fred had a chance encounter with German V-Twin motor tuner Guenther Sohn to who the F32 drawings were shown. He immediately agreed to build a monster Twin Cam motor fit for such a project.
A former Top-Fuel and AHD Drag Racer Guenther pumped about 170 HP into the engine, “of course a reliable and lasting 170 HP” he underlines with a smile. “I have identified and analyzed all the problems inherent to the high-volume motors based on the Twin Cam configuration… and I cured them. It is great to see one of my engines in a high-profile custom with such stunning design.”
The entire sheet metal bodywork, from the front “side arms” to the tank to the tail end, to the “side cases” doesn’t need much explanation. Again, whatever your taste, just admire the expertise in steel shaping and massaging. For those in the know of what time is required to produce such flawless work, just try to evaluate the number of hours involved. And you will under estimate… Speakers integrated only to the left case make this side of the bike quite spectacular. I wish I could make you listen! Front & air suspension are of course a must to go in a few seconds from F32 art gallery staging to F32 road thundering. On this note, I remind you all that all Kodlin’s extreme Baggers, including those with very tall front wheels, have been TUV approved. Reality is that on this road legal criteria they beat many built-from-the ground-up naked customs.
F32 uses very few catalog parts like the Screamin’ Eagle clutch, the Performance Machine components. Most parts are one-off with some prototypes intended to become production parts. For example, probably the headlight mask, the floorboards and the air filter cover. On such an extreme design it is not surprising that the Kodlin crew went to today’s most high tech (meaning digital) way to control all the motorcycle functions. Of course, with a smart phone… Paint job by Len Kodlin and Marcel Sinwell is a wild diamond-shaped design reminiscent of a F-117 “Stealth Fighter”. Unfortunately photography under the low clouds of the North Sea during unveiling have flattened the awesome 3D paint effect.
To convice the skeptics regarding the road abilities on highways and small roads of this type of Baggers Fred intends to ride his F32 to and from many European rallies in 2015. He told me that he may also show up in Sturgis for the upcoming 75th edition of the rally. Hey, Fred, let me ride it in the Black Hills for a report to my readers. Fred Kodlin Motorcycles. (photography @ Horst Roesler for Cyril Huze)
Name: F32
Owner: Fred Kodlin
Location: 34582 Borken / Hessen, Rudolf Diesel Str.1
Year: 2015
Time: 1 year
Model: Kodlin Kustom Bagger
Estimated Value. 150.000 euros
Motor: Harley Davidson Modified by G&R Racing
Year: 2015
Displacement: 2030 cc
Air cleaner: F. Kodlin Motorcycles
Exhaust: Escapes by F. Kodlin Motorcycles
Transmission: H-D 6-speed
Clutch: Screamin’ Eagle
Frame: F. Kodlin Motorcycles Kustom Bagger frame
Rake: 38°
Swingarm: F. Kodlin Motorcycles
Suspension Front & Rear: F. Kodlin Motorcycles Air suspension
Front End: /Forcella anteriore/Garfo: F. Kodlin Motorcycles Air suspension
Front Wheel: F. Kodlin Motorcycles 32” with 140/40 tire
Rear Wheel: F. Kodlin Motorcycles 18 x 5.5” with 200/45-18 tire
Brakes
Front: Performance Machine 6-piston caliper
Rear: Performance Machine 4-piston caliper
Discs: F. Kodlin Motorcycles
Accessoires:
Bars: F. Kodlin Motorcycles
Grips: Performance Machine
Pegs: F. Kodlin Motorcycles
Gas Tank: Steel F. Kodlin Motorcycles
Seat: MaikX
Fenders: Steel F. Kodlin Motorcycles,
F. Kodlin Motorcycles
Rudolf Diesel Str. 1
34582 Borken / Hessen
Tel. 05682-70710
support@kodlin.com
Günther Sohn / G&R RACING
Fa. Schröder Oberflächenveredelung
Thorsten Müller / ACR
Jürgen Noll / Autolack Klauss
Marcel Sinnwell
MaikX
Lars Gimbel / Sandstrahltechnik
Not a fan of extreme baggers, but as Cyril wrote, this one has merit for originality and fabrication.
Angular lines make it less catoonish than other tall front wheel baggers.
A $150,000+ bagger?
Good advertising budget for Kodlin & Co.
Why speakers only on 1 side? It defeats the purpose of improving sound.
Yikes !
Well … i can’t say that I like it … cause in fact I really do not . But there’s no denying this is amongst the most original customs to show up in the last 12 months . So credit given where credit is due 😉
Looking at this abortion I almost lost my breakfast
Pretty funky. I like it. Later Jay
What surprises me is that this F32 bagger got a flowing design although there are a lot of broken lines. Well done from this point of view.
Fred is talented for sure. We have riden many times together and I can tell you that his stuff rides…..
Same bagger with a 23″ front wheel would look much better. Why to feel oblige to outdo the other builder with a 32″?
The Kodlins are genius builders from the other side of the pond
I have long admired their work on all types of cycles
But this one just misses the mark for me
Too angular, never been a fan of the “Big Wheel” 30 inch + thing
and definitely with Euro styling (which is not a bad thing)
But in this package it just all seems to be a bit much
Not putting down the effort to bring the creation to life
it’s just not my cup of tea…..
nice fabrication but looking at it as a motorcycle will burn your eyes out and break your heart…..
The stealthy look of this bike kinda’ grows on me the more I look at it. I wonder if Fred and Len ever considered a matching 2 into 2 angular exhaust system or just a 2 into 1 exhaust with an angular designed muffler during the initial building process. But, then again, maybe it made for too many angles on the bike. Be nice to see future pics of this bike taken in the sunlight.
Tourer??
Great job Fred way to think out side the box
Ladies and Gentlemen we have the Cartoon Bike of the Month Club winner.
I do think there’s quality workmanship exhibited here but to what point?
Why bother with a 2 liter, 170 bhp motor when the vehicle is barely rideable?
Worthy of the head cartoonist at Marvel Studios fertile imagination. Not so much as a motorcycle design…
What are the wings for?
They gave up before the got to exhaust design?
Speakers on just on side because it’s always going to be parked anyway?
Sort of expensive for a motorcycle shaped boombox, isn’t it?
No one could have said it more eloquently than Rodent. ..Z
Puke.
love it. want to see a second one with a 23″ front wheel to appeal to the low rider/ digger imprint in me.
(something arlen might be proud of?!)
YUK
I’d rather ride a Sportster with a fake kicker.
Please stop taking touring bikes and turning them into whatevertheseare bikes. Please.
While i’m sure some one put a lot of effort into this project, having said that i have to admit that it doesn’t interest me. Perhaps its the “form following function” thing…. who knows.
I simply doesn’t say any thing but “Way too much, over the top,…… etc”
Sorry.
-nicker-
love it. want to see, digger imprint in me.
Tough crowd!
I like it except for the overly large front wheel. If it had the same rake with a 23″ wheel, as long as the trail worked out ok, I think it would be a badass chopper bagger.
They’ve only done what most “chopper” builders out there are doing, selling their soul for what ever is trending, but they took it a step further by actually crafting a unique style with quality craftsmanship, not my taste either, but they’re keeping the Chopper skills sharp, unfortunately I’m afraid when choppers do make it “back” they may have 36″ front wheels
It’s kool
A bonfire, with S200,000’s notes, is also ‘unique’…
Another $150,000 bagger, and I use that term rather loosely, and it’s all riding on a $30.00 Korean tire!! Doesn’t make much sense but when you use this as a tt racer, (tavern to tavern) what does a piss poor tire matter.
and the DOT approval on that 32in front tire/wheel setup is good to go ? ever ? that thing should scare the crap out of everybody with any bike/builder common sense…but Fred is a very forward thinker..so..
Amazing build. Great looking build, I’d love to ride it.
Not a big fan of the bike per-say, but a “reliable and lasting” 170hp motor has my attention.
1 Pot Hole away from a very bad day .
This is supposed to be a rideable motorcycle ? Damn I miss the old days when you wrenched a bike together in your garage / living room. All this artsy fartsy crap is a joke.
I’m sure that bike is comfortable for everyone to ride 5’7″- 6’5″ ! Remember all the $100k cartoon choppers from the past …you can find them for less than $10k in someone’s garage next to the bike they enjoy riding!
I don’t think there is bike that FK has designed that I didn’t like. Very cool design exercise!
RUB.
Isnt a safe TUV tested 32″ front wheel better over pot holes than a smaller diameter one?