The Exile

By: Kase van Rees & Connor Anthony

I've had the great opportunity to be around a lot of impressive vehicles in my life. Through all the cars, trucks, bikes, busses, boats, and tractors I've wheeled, one machine stands out among them all. Custom built by Exile Cycles in 2001, this fat tire bobber is really just the frame for a hard mounted 1,850cc V-Twin. Although there are definitely faster bikes, and some with even bigger motors, hardly any deliver the same quality of experience.

When a large manufacturer builds a bike, they generally try hard to disguise the violence of internal combustion. Making a vehicle smooth and vanilla makes it easier to be around, which increases mass appeal. The Exile, on the other hand, is the most chaotic and visceral machine I have operated by a significant margin. Turning over that big twin starts the thunderous pounding of noise and vibration that aptly sets the stage for what is to come. In low gears the bike seems unhappy maintaining speed. But nobody straddles a doomsday device like this to go slow. Point the front end, turn the throttle, and you explode forwards with a flurry of roaring torque and vibration that makes the landscape ahead appear blurry with earthquake-like intensity. The orchestral combination of grunting exhaust and the whirring drive belt sound are unlike the noises you get from any other bike.

But whereas some machines feel chaotic as a result of poor design, the Exile is very obviously well executed. Every part of this two-wheeler is perfectly engineered and applied to make it a stunning vehicle to inspect as well as operate. Style being the number one priority though does rob it of good handling. Every turn is an inevitable fight with the 150mm front tire, which is meant for the rear wheel of a sizeable bike.

Despite all of the craziness, the Exile is an astounding thing to be around, and even greater to ride. Not many vehicles showcase the excitement of their power plants as well as this. The attention paid to style and power makes this my favorite motorcycle of all time. If you're lucky enough to be near a bike like it, you won't want one, you'll need one.