Lock Baker’s Custom Motus Chop
Lock Baker is a nerd. But like the coolest nerd you’ll ever meet. Not in any derogatory sense; he’s the type of nerd who makes you wish you paid more attention in school. He’s the guy who made it—who turned his tutelage into something tangible that would ultimately carve out his predestined career path. Me? I’m pretty much a hack who followed the path of least resistance because I’m tragically lazy and I like riding motorcycles. But such is life.
When carrying on a conversation with Baker, it’s as if he’s on some higher level of consciousness. Like he’s one step away from total enlightenment, almost as if he’s a zen master. He carries himself with poise, and it’s clear that his demeanor is one of humility and grace. I feel like a complete moron when talking with this knifemaker, metalshaper, bike builder, and extremely righteous dude.
RELATED: 2018 Hot Bike Tour Invited Builder Lock Baker
Lock’s favorite part of “Red Asphalt” is, not shockingly, the engine. “It’s incredible in every way; the sound, vibrations, power delivery, and personality. The sound has been described by others as ‘NASCAR,’ ‘Indy car,’ and generally muscle car-like.”
Jeff Allen
All of which explains “Red Asphalt,” the Motus-based custom he conjured out of his gray matter for last year’s Hot Bike Tour. Making a machine this ambitious takes most of the skill set listed above. Lock may not have called upon his bladesmithing abilities for Red Asphalt, but if the plan had called for a bayonet on it, he’d have knocked that out too.
Starting with a 100-inch Motus V-4 as a headliner, Baker wrapped it in his own skeleton, to which he mixed in a melting pot of stock and custom parts from a variety of sources to really make this machine his own animal.
Dual Brembo calipers and ’Busa discs give that powerplant gobs of stopping power too.
Jeff Allen
Just check out the wheels and brakes equation and you’ll see what I mean. BST wheels bracket the Eastern Fabrications frame at either end. Both use Brembo calipers for stopping power but the front rotor came from a Hayabusa. For you kids keeping score at home, that’s aftermarket wheels and calipers, a custom frame, and a touch of sportbike. Talk about fusion cuisine!
Just part of the Trail Tech and Motogadget gauges and switches that add to the unique funk of this machine. That gas tank isn’t exactly a stereotype either, and that’s a good thing here.
Jeff Allen
What little bodywork there is on Red Asphalt is also Lock Baker’s work, as are the handlebars and seat. Brembo hand controls cap said bars, while at foot level control duty falls to a set of parts that are a combo of Lock’s fabrication and Brembo pieces.
“The idea going in was the exact same goal as every other bike,” Lock says, “build Lock Baker’s perfect motorcycle. The parameters I have always contained myself within are A; reliability B; a high percentage of handmade, original parts C; Designs that are not trendy, and D; hide nothing.” I’d say he hit the mark on almost all of those; that whole perfect motorcycle idea tends to only last until the next perfect motorcycle.
No attempt was made to hide the workings of the Motus, but why would there be? Hiding it detracts from the industrial, machine look of the bike.
Jeff Allen
Spec Sheet
| General | |
| Owner | Lock Baker |
| Shop | Eastern Fabrications |
| Shop Phone | (203) 450-3846 |
| Website | easternfabrications.com, lockhartknives.com |
| Year/Make/Model | 2018 Efab custom build “Red Asphalt” |
| Fabrication | Lock Baker |
| Build Time | Two years |
| Engine | |
| Year/Type/Size | 2018 Motus MSTR 100ci V-4 |
| Builder | Motus Motorcycles |
| Cases | Motus |
| Cylinders | Motus |
| Heads | Motus |
| Rocker Boxes | Shane McMullen |
| Cams | Motus |
| Throttle Body | Motus |
| Exhaust | Eastern Fabrications |
| Air Cleaner | Eastern Fabrications |
| Transmission | |
| Year/Type | 2018 Motus 6-speed |
| Gears | Motus |
| Clutch | Motus |
| Primary Drive | Motus |
| Frame | |
| Year/Type | 2018 Eastern Fabrications |
| Rake/Stretch | 25°/ N/A |
| Suspension | |
| Front End | |
| Length | Stock |
| Triple Trees | Eastern Fabrications/Ryan Boyd |
| Rear End | |
| Swingarm | Eastern Fabrications |
| Shocks | Race Tech |
| Wheels, Tires, and Brakes | |
| Front | |
| Builder/Size | BST 19-in. |
| Tire/Size | Pirelli 19-in. |
| Calipers | Brembo |
| Rotors | Suzuki Hayabusa |
| Rear | |
| Builder/Size | BST 17-in. |
| Tire/Size | Pirelli |
| Caliper | Brembo |
| Rotor | Braking |
| Pulley | Superlight |
| Finish/Paint | |
| Colors | Graphite Black |
| Paint/Graphics | Cerakote by Dunham Metal Processing |
| Plating/Polishing | N/A |
| Powdercoating | N/A |
| Accessories | |
| Front Fender | N/A |
| Rear Fender | Eastern Fabrications |
| Gas Tank | Eastern Fabrications |
| Dash | Eastern Fabrications |
| Gauges | Trail Tech and Motogadget |
| Handlebars | Eastern Fabrications |
| Grips | ProTaper |
| Mirrors | N/A |
| Hand Controls | Brembo |
| Foot Controls | Eastern Fabrications/Brembo |
| Floorboards | N/A |
| Headlight | Harley-Davidson |
| Taillight | SL NYC |
| Turn Signals | N/A |
| License Mount | Eastern Fabrications |
| Seat | Eastern Fabrications |
| Stereo | N/A |
| Amplifier | N/A |
| Speakers | N/A |
Talk about a minimal seat! At least it has a resting pad for your junk.
Jeff Allen
There’s a BST 17-inch wheel out back. Its partner up front is a 19-inch.
Jeff Allen
Man and machine: Lock Baker and Red Asphalt at rest (for once; blink and you’ll miss it).
Jeff Allen
For as happy as Lock was with Red Asphalt he did cite one minor alteration he’d make if he were doing it again: a slightly larger wheelbase. Apparently, the front end gets up on a dime.
Jeff Allen
Baker kept the Motus six-speed transmission too, but the dual 2-into-1 exhausts (and air cleaner) are entirely his shop’s work.
Jeff Allen
