with fatter rubber , the narrower tire helps make this two- wheeled tractor handle like a half- size 1,200cc Euro streetfighter .
Audette has dialed in the bike ’ s steering geometry perfectly , with the wide handlebar supplying good leverage to flick the Velos from side to side through series of twisty turns , aided by the reduced gyroscopic effect of the BST carbon wheels .
Cranking the bike on its side around left- handers delivered the 37 degrees of lean promised in the brochure , but cornering speed is compromised on the right side by the rear cylinder ’ s header pipe , grinding out at around 20 degrees of lean . Customers can now choose an exhaust that has the pipe tucked in for extra clearance .
The suspension eats up bumps and lumps in the road surface , whether upright or leaned over . The
twin radial Beringer / Galfer front brake setup offered strong power , but the rear brake was pretty ineffectual . Audette has since made changes to rectify the situation .
Above all , it ’ s the irresistible urge of that jumbo motor that ’ s so enticing , pulling seamlessly away from as low as 1,500 rpm as you ride the titanic waves of torque peaking at just 3,150 revs – the 3,000- rpm zone is the bike ’ s happy place . Shifting up at four grand as shown on the hard- to- read digital panel of the stock Indian gauges has you right back in the fat part of that massive torque curve .
The biggest disappointment of my daylong cruise was needing to be brutal with the shifter when trying to select bottom gear , but Audette has apparently since resolved the issue .
“ I altered the shift lever ’ s leverage ratio from 1:1 to 6:1 , and it is now
smoother than the Indian Chief factory shifter ,” he reported via email . The same tactic has supposedly resolved the weak- feeling rear brake .
Bull ’ s Eye After riding it , I ’ d never guess that this is Audette ’ s first crack at building a motorcycle from the ground up . It handles far better than a bike of this displacement should , it has torque for days , and its proportions and finish details make it look fantastic . The Velos is a streetfighter on steroids that ’ s thrilling to ride .
It may be cliché , but here goes anyway : If ever a motorcycle deserves to be called an equivalent of the legendary Shelby Cobra , it ’ s the Audette Velos , a new machine whose qualities are redolent of a bygone age . This minimalist motorcycle with muscle aplenty is one super- desirable set of wheels .
Motorcycles and airplanes mix beautifully together . Audette ’ s dad also worked on the Corsair seen here , a warbird that starred in the 2022 movie Devotion .
44 | OCTOBER 2023 | AMERICANRIDER . COM