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Driving report, Titan Gecko

Titan gecko

Not only the Japanese chopper competition is getting stronger for the original from Milwaukee: The small company Titan from Phoenix fulfills extravagant wishes.

Greek mythology knows the titans as sons and daughters of earth and heaven. And in addition to the high-strength light metal named after them, five drag-bike-style choppers roll over US highways under the Titan logo. Gecko, Coyote, Sidewinder, Roadrunner and Scorpion is the name of the quintet from Phoenix in the US state of Arizona. Three years ago the spiritual fathers and titanium bosses Patrick and Frank Keery put their first titanium on the wheels, in which not a single part from Milwaukee was used. The 27-year-old Patrick Keery, managing director of Paragon Custom Cycles, had previously sold tuning parts for Harley-Davidson and not only convinced his father to build a new generation of choppers. Frank Keery, formerly CEO of an electronics accessories manufacturer, was already enjoying his retirement, but after an intensive market analysis he joined the “Titan” project. The British Dugie Butler, importer of American gym equipment, turned out to be the catalyst for the now 36-strong Titan crew in the spring of 1995. “After a day’s ride on the GThere was only one ecko for me, “explains the enthusiast of fat V-Twins, impressed,” importing it to England. “The Gecko presented here is the first street-legal titanium in Europe and at a price of around 62,000 marks in the standard version, it is also one of the most expensive production motorcycles, not just in the UK. The Gecko lives up to its flat amphibian namesake: Thanks to the extremely flat steering head, the wheelbase exceeds all series choppers. Together with the elegant, but narrow Arlen Ness handlebars, this is conducive to straight-line stability, but leads to excessive muscle training even in light stop-and-go traffic. Anyone who chops into the tight curb with too much vigor on the Titan certainly shows courage, but can degrade the bike to a sparkling marvel without difficulty. Although the steel version, unlike geckos from the animal world, does without flat-footed things such as running boards, with its low ground clearance, even an only hinted attempt at an incline is usually a thrill for the driver and wallet. Every grueling intimacy with the road surface costs the equivalent of 1,100 marks on the exhaust side of Supertrapp, the side stand opposite is a bit cheaper. Anyway, like its muscular sisters, the Gecko has qualities that the competition can only dream of: The one at S. & The 1573 cc engine, made in Viola, Wisconsin, delivers over 100 horsepower to the hydraulically operated dry clutch. The separate gearbox is equipped with a high-quality gear train from John Andrew from Rosemont, Illinois. Neatly processed tooth flanks and a special claw grind guarantee soft switchability and a long service life. The »speedometer«, which is traditionally mounted on the tank, seems to snap effortlessly towards the 100-mile mark in fifth gear. Although the fat twin shakes noticeably, the half-open, chrome-plated Urshel throttle is enough for the British 75-mph motorway limit without worrying about loose tooth seals. The four-piston calipers on the brake disks reliably intervene in the front and rear wheel and checkmate the propulsion of the show bike if necessary. The best for last: An upside-down fork from Enrico Ceriani guides the front wheel precisely and torsion-free. If none of the five standard titanium models is individual enough, you can upgrade your showpiece from the factory with 62 optional components, both technically and visually . The centerpiece, for example, is also available as a 1450 or 1688 cm³ version. No wonder, then, that none of the 14 bikes sold in England to date is the same. It is currently uncertain whether the gecko and their conspecifics will be imported to Germany. But one thing is certain: if you want to take a closer look at these top-class choppers, you can save yourself a trip to the north of London. Titan importer Butler is exhibiting the fine pieces at IFMA.

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Driving report
Titan gecko

Titan Gecko (FB) (archive version)

Air-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke 45-degree V-engine, crankshaft transversely, one underneath, gear-driven camshaft, two valves per cylinder, operated by hydraulic valve lifters, bumpers and rocker arms, dry sump lubrication, an S. & S Super E-carburettor with accelerator pump, 0 42 mm, contactless, programmable electronic ignition, E-starter. Bore x stroke 92 x 117.4 mm, displacement 1573 cm³, compression 10: 1, rated output 108 HP (79.4 kW) at 6500 rpm, max. Torque 94.5 Nm at 5500 rpm Power transmission Primary drive via toothed belt, hydraulically operated multi-plate dry clutch, five-speed gearbox, secondary drive via toothed belt. ChassisChrome-molybdenum double loop tube frame, upside-down fork, guide tube diameter 43 mm, with adjustable tension and compression damping, triangular rocker arm , with adjustable spring base, front disc brake with four-piston caliper, 0 330 mm, rear disc brake with four-piston caliper, 0 292 mm, composite wheels.Tire size front 80/90 x 21 rear 180/55 x 18Dimensions and weightsWheelbase 1730 mm Steering head angle 52 degreesSeat height 635 mmWeight full tank 229.7 kgTank Liter Price £ 25,469 (approx. 61,000 marks) Warranty 1 year / 12,000 miles General importer for Europe: Titan UK Concessionaires, 140 Finchely Road, London NH 3 5HSTelephone 01 71/4 31 19 91, Fax 01 71/7 94 33 09 Manufacturer: Titan Motorcycle Co . of America, 2002 East Indian School Road, Phoenix, Arizona 85016, Phone 6 02/9 56 78 93, Fax 6 02/9 56 85 11

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