Rodsmith / Haas "The Killer" Custom Front Wheel Drive Motorcycle Build Process, Photoshoot, and BTS

In 2018 Craig Rodsmith was challenged by Bobby Haas of the legendary Dallas-based Haas Moto Museum to build a front wheel drive front wheel engined custom motorcycle based on the rare 1935 Killnger Und Freund motorcycle of the same driveline format. (https://www.bikeexif.com/killinger-und-freund)

Craig Rodsmith YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5y43Pa19HmErMadCu8bmqw
Craig Rodsmith Website: https://www.rodsmithcustoms.net/
Haas Moto Museum YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBMjUBTJlYWDTegOE8iXyaA
Haas Moto Museum Website: https://www.haasmotomuseum.com/

Craig, knowing this would be an extreme engineering challenge was hesitant to take on this unique commission. However, Bobby the optimist that he is, was confident that Craig was the right man for the build.

The build was destined for the ages and while Craig may have not been the most confident in his own skills, Bobby was right to entrust him to this epic project.

The build took the better part of a year to complete. Craig hand crafted nearly every part on the bike aside from some of the individual engine components, the tires, and the actual headlight itself.

I had the chance to visit Craig a couple times during the build to capture some of the details and the progress and then Craig & Bobby also invited me to do the final photoshoot that would be hosted on BikeExif.com. (https://www.bikeexif.com/front-wheel-drive-motorcycle-art)

This custom motorcycle is well beyond your average cafe racer build and I count myself lucky to be considered to photograph it. While the bike isn't something you'd jump on and go for a ride - it's more a work of art or even sculpture - it does push the boundaries of the otherwise somewhat homogenous motorcycle styling of the 21st century.

I've included a number of before and after edits from our final shoot as well so you can see the work that's been done to show off this incredible motorcycle in the best light. Shoot was with a Nikon D850, Nikon 24-70 F2.8, Nikon 70-200 F2.8, and a Godox / Flashpoint AD600 with 6' parabollic umbrella and diffusion panel mounted. All photo, video, and editing done by myself.

00:00 Intro
00:19 Mounting the front wheel engine
04:50 Progress photos
07:48 Final photoshoot

Видео Rodsmith / Haas "The Killer" Custom Front Wheel Drive Motorcycle Build Process, Photoshoot, and BTS канала Anything That Moves You - Grant Schwingle Media