Feast Your Eyes On This V-Twin Supercharged Hesketh Valiant

Good afternoon folks! Pardon me for my overly enthusiastic behaviour. I understand that it’s just another boring Thursday afternoon, and I am sure you are eagerly waiting for the long weekend that’s fast approaching, thanks to the ‘Holi’ holiday on Monday. However, it’s because of this very reason that I thought of cheering the little motorcyclist in you with this rather menacing supercharged Hesketh Valiant. Composed of shiny carbon fibre components and a polished chromoly chassis, the bike can make you go blind if you stare at it for too long. Well, not exactly, but with all those glittery parts that it adorns it is just impossible to ignore, isn’t it?

Hesketh, which to me sounds more like a don family’s name from the Godfather movie, attempted to make motorcycles back in 1982, thanks to its F1 successes with the “charming” James Hunt. However, their efforts to offer a machine in a market dominated by Japanese manufacturers failed, but the imposing machine did leave a mark on the industry. Now, revived back with this steamy cafe racer, the company is attracting a lot of attention.

The compact black tank along with the rear panels and the underbelly exhausts lends it a unique appeal, topped-off by retro golden pinstripes. Then it is the quilted red leather seat, a tight headlamp and front visor set up along with the Smith’s single pod instrument cluster, which accentuates the retro personality of the bike. The Valiant, named after a Royal Air Force (RAF) bomber from the 50s and 60s, uses billet alloy (a single metal log) to carve out parts like the wheels, pegs, yokes and rocker covers.

But, this is not what you are here for, you are here for the engine. It is powered by the S&S* 2,100cc X-Wedge V-Twin motor that produces a monstrous 210PS of power! That’s 105PS each from the two giant 1,050cc displacing pistons, reciprocating in all their brutal glory! A bit out of the equation, but it makes the Baleno’s inline three-cylinder 1.0-litre Boosterjet motor (100PS, HA!) look like a mixer grinder. Courtesy a Rotrex supercharger from TTS performance. Torque? 245Nm. Period.

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To get the power to the ground effectively, the front end is suspended by Öhlins and K-Tech (upside-down) front suspension unit and K-Tech razor mono shock at the back. The tyres are from Avon. For stopping the bike, Hesketh has fitted it with dual disc six-piston callipers (on each rotor) up front and a Beringer four-piston calliper at the back.

Undoubtedly, the hand-built bike is quite exotic and is yet to go into production. According to reports, when launched early next year, it is expected to be priced around an eye-watering £50,000 (approximately Rs 41 lakh).

S&S*: The same manufacturer that supplies V-Twin motors to Confederate Motorcycles (USA)