Actor Norman Reedus, aka Daryl Dixon from AMC’s TV show The Walking Dead, has a new bike. The custom motorcycle was built by the team of Classified Moto and they created a machine that embodies both Reedus’ personality and Daryl’s character perfectly. The bike that was born as a 1990 Honda CB750 even has a a crossbow holder in the back. Click though the details.
Daryl’s bike is badass
If you own a TV and don’t live under a rock, you probably know the TV show The Walking Dead. The post-apocalyptic show is the network’s biggest hit yet and one of its main characters is Daryl Dixon, the down-to-earth tracker who is best known for his fearless efficiency in killing zombies.
Two identical bikes were built for the show
Norman Reedus, the actor who plays Daryl, loves riding. When it turned out that this season’s storyline features Daryl building a new bike from scratch, Reedus contacted the team of Classified Moto and after a series of events, the guys at the small company were tasked with designing and building the new bike. Reedus wanted them to build a personal bike so he got involved in the project.
Looking good with hose tires
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In the end, two bikes were built. The team chose a pair of 750cc Hondas from the ‘90s because they could get parts easily to these machines. The front end, wheel and brakes come from a YZF-R6 while the rear wheel is stock. Of course, they used big knobby dirt bike tires for good off-road handling and a super aggressive look. The suspension was also upgraded. Beneath the scars is a $1000 pair of Progressive shocks.
The coolest feature is at the back
The most difficult task was to make the bike look old and beat up. “You might think, ‘Rusty tanks and fenders? Ratty paint? No problem.’ But replicating those irregularities is really hard.” says Ryland. The bike had to look rusty and aging like it was made from pieces of lots of different makes and models – thanks to a paint job by Ryland’s wife Betsy. “She made the engines identical down to the last scratch and smudge, applying layers of different paint colors and then sanding and stripping away those layers.” says Ryland. Ryland took care of the rust: “We didn’t have time to let the parts rust naturally, and even if we did, it’d be impossible to make them look identical. So I made a rust concoction using steel wool, vinegar, peroxide and rust powder.”
One of the coolest features of the bike is the bag that fits under the seat of the bike. It was introduced to add some visual weight to the bike after they stripped all the unnecessary parts off. To do that, the guys had to relocate a few components and use a tiny Shorai Lithium Ion battery. The ancient military style waxed canvas bag is removable and fully functional. Another cool feature is crossbow holder in the back: the four padded posts fit into the hollows of the crossbow stock.
The bike is fully functional
The result is a post-apocalyptic, badass looking, beat up bike that’s safe to ride and that will look great in the series.
Specifications
Donor: 1992 Honda CB750 Nighthawk
Front end: Yamaha YZF-R6
Front wheel: Yamaha YZF-R6
Front brakes: Yamaha YZF-R6
Rear wheel: Stock Nighthawk
Tires: Kenda Big Block
Shocks: Progressive Suspension 970 piggybacks
Tank: XS650 reproduction
Bars: SE CR Hi
Intake: Twin billet aluminum mesh units CNC milled by Seth Ingham
Exhaust: Modified stock with custom baffles
Seat: Leather, custom upholstered by Roy Baird, Richmond, VA
Battery: Shorai Lithium Ion
Chain: DID X-ring
Rack: Custom crossbow mount
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Source: Classified Moto
