DRC-017 The Brain Eraser - Custom Motorcycle

The DRC-017 The Brain Eraser custom KTM cafe racer is a father-and-son build completed to a one-year deadline, priced at 99,999 euros and built around a single conceptual obsession: making the air filter the visual centrepiece of a motorcycle the way an exposed engine defines an American muscle car.

The Concept

The project began at the EICMA International Motorcycle Show in Milan, where the team formed the brief that would consume the next twelve months. The name DCR-017 stands for DNA Cafe Racer, built in 2017, a reference to both the studio's name and the year the obsession became hardware. Visual inspiration came from the 1970s and 1980s: a period when motorcycles were stripped, purposeful, and intimidating. The central design decision was unusual: rather than hiding the intake system, expose it completely. The air filter sits at the heart of the machine, immediately visible, immediately felt. Every other decision on the bike flows from that starting point.

The Build

The donor is a KTM RC8 Superbike, chosen for its LC8 1190cc V-twin architecture. The team spent two months designing the build before cutting metal. Every custom component was fabricated in-house. The three major structural parts: tank, seat, and under-seat unit, were each machined from a single block of billet aluminium. The fuel cap is CNC machined with visible tool paths matching the tank finish, anodised orange, and shaped as a female D profile. To open it or start the motorcycle, you insert the D key, a Delrin male-D form that also activates the NFC ignition system. The seat began as a 60 kg billet block; after 60 hours of CNC machining the final component weighs 1.2 kg and shares the fingerprint surface finish of the tank, protected by clear anodising. Fenders are CNC machined from single aluminium alloy billets. The frame and subframe are powder-coated Black Charcoal with a sandblast finish containing metal particles. The front light is LED with high, low, and daylight beam, incorporating a tilt sensor that steers the beam in the direction of lean. The tachometer is a single analogue white-face unit with a small LCD secondary display. Switches are machined from billet aluminium, anodised gloss black. Front brake calipers are superbike-spec 4-piston monoblock radially mounted units; front discs are 320mm fully floating cast iron with direct-link technology. The rear runs 2-piston race calipers with a 220mm fully floating direct-link disc. The exhaust system is full titanium, custom-made by Akrapovic for the DRC-017 using Evolution 4 headers and a final section derived directly from the MotoGP programme.

Performance

The KTM LC8 engine was tuned to SBK specification using the KTM Power Parts race kit. Secondary butterflies were removed and a DNA custom MK3 air filter installed, with custom in-house mapping and fine-tuning. Output was raised to 186 hp at 10,400 rpm, with 13.55 kgm of torque at 7,100 rpm and an 11,300 rpm redline. The engine is finished dark grey; a race anti-hopping clutch is installed. Oil cooling was converted from water-to-oil to air-to-oil. Positioned close to the rider's body, the air filter transmits intake pulses directly, the roar of a V-twin at SBK tune felt as much as heard.

Specifications

• Builder: DRC017 (father and son team)
• Edition: 1 of 1
• Base motorcycle: KTM RC8 Superbike
• Engine: KTM LC8 1190cc V-twin, SBK spec
• Power: 186 hp at 10,400 rpm
• Torque: 13.55 kgm at 7,100 rpm
• Redline: 11,300 rpm
• Air filter: DNA custom MK3, CNC machined, orange anodised
• Ignition: NFC D-key system (Delrin)
• Tank: Single billet aluminium block, CNC machined
• Fuel cap: CNC billet aluminium, orange anodised, D-profile lock
• Seat: Single billet aluminium block, 60 kg raw to 1.2 kg finished (60 hours CNC), clear anodised
• Under-seat: Single billet aluminium block
• Fenders: CNC machined single aluminium alloy billets
• Frame finish: Black Charcoal powder coat, sandblast with metal particles
• Front light: LED (high/low/daylight), tilt-sensor beam steering
• Tachometer: Single analogue white face with LCD display
• Switches: Billet aluminium, gloss black anodised
• Front brakes: 4-piston monoblock radially mounted, 320mm fully floating cast iron discs (direct link)
• Rear brake: 2-piston race caliper, 220mm fully floating disc (direct link)
• Exhaust: Full titanium Akrapovic, Evolution 4 headers, MotoGP-derived final section
• Clutch: Race anti-hopping
• Oil cooling: Air-to-oil (converted from water-to-oil)
• Engine finish: Dark grey painted
• Price: 99,999 euros

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