#petroletteswrenchoff

PETROLETTES Wrench-Off is a freestyle wrenching competition created for the European female mechanics’ community with a mission to empower and inspire more women to get into the garage.

We want to connect women who ride and inspire to create.

What is the idea?

4 teams / 4 nations / 4 bikes / 1 goal: to build the hottest motorcycle

THE CHALLENGE

Irene Kotnikfounder and director of PETROLETTES Motorcycle Festival

At the beginning of 2019, PETROLETTES teamed up with ROYAL ENFIELD and sought out women who were passionate and motivated to take up the challenge of creating a custom build for the very first time within a limited time frame. Four teams received a brand new ROYAL ENFIELD TWIN 650 and were tasked with creating a bike which embodies their particular expertise and style.

The experience of each team as they overcome the challenges involved in the raw process will be documented by PETROLETTES.

The builds were revealed the first time as works-in-progress at PETROLETTES 2019 at the end of July.

The completed builds will participate in GLEMSECK101’s sprint race on the first of Septmeber 2019.

The WRENCH OFF motorcycles will also be exhibited at the Moto Circle Festival in Vienna, Austria on the eighth and ninth of September 2019.

To check out how the teams are doing on Instagram, follow the hashtag:

#PETROLETTESWRENCHOFF

» I wanted to find a way to highlight female motorcyclists working on their bikes for fun. I don’t see many women in the garage and quite offen I have a feeling we do hold back when it comes to the technical department.My idea was to encourage women taking part in mechanical professions and inspire more moto-ladies to take the tools into their own hands; to show that the workshop is a place where we can thrive. «

Twin 650 Interceptor

Twin 650 Continental

petrolettes.com

@petrolettes #petrolettes

» We have nothing to prove and everything to say.Let’s become tomorrow’s heroes! «

- PETROLETTES

EUROPE’S FIRST FEMALE MOTORCYCLE FESTIVAL

Female motorcycle enthusiasts from all over Europe are traveling far and wide to experience the unique atmosphere of a girls-only motorcycle event.

The festival features talks, workshops, test bikes, and training for all skill levels.

The absolute highlight of PETROLETTES’ is a huge ride-out in the German countryside and an adrenaline-fueled sprint race.

At night, a full lineup of the sickest girl bands and live entertainment will keep you partying into the blue hours.

All weekend a marketplace of select brands presents fashion, accessories and gear for the active lifestyle of a motorcycle adventures.

PETROLETTES

@alittlepickmeup | www.cayleehankinsphoto.ukPetroletts photos by Caylee Hankins

team sweden 'The Dot'

Ida OlssonHalmstad , SE

Ida discovered her passion for two wheels when she was a still a kid, riding through the southern Swedish countryside on a Puch Dakota and setting up mini dirt tracks with her brother. Although her father had no motorcycle license, his garage was always full of old mopeds, cars and motorcycles. When she got a scooter for her 16th birthday, it was clear, she was never going to stop riding.

»It´s that feeling of freedom, that really exist… the wind blowing through your hair, the landscapes passing by, the smells… it’s the closest thing to flying.«

Today, Ida is about all things on two wheels. When she got her license four years ago, she bought a Harley Davidson 1200 Nightster and started wrenching and building in a garage she shares with her partner.

She paints helmets, collects vintage bike gear, and writes about customizing and motorcycle travel on her website.

—The builder says:“My custom Royal Enfield 650 Twin is retro-looking, rough and ready cafe racer. I wanted to create a bike that looked like an old motorcycle that was a bit rough around the edges. Brushed steel is one of my favourite things, the unfinished surface makes it intriguing to look at. I have lowered the bike to streamline its stance and customised the wheel covers, side covers and changed the rear end. My Enfield wears the number ”87” which is the year I was born. I also made the seat by hand without a sewing machine.”

»I have always loved to create things. I like playing around with ideas and seeing how I can adapt things I’ve seen. That’s the cool thing about customizing – you can build a motorcycle just the way you really want it.«

Model: Twin 650 Interceptor

Website: www.idaliol.com Instagram: @idaliol

Sponsors: Caerbont Automotive Instruments Ltd, Caferacerwebshop, Kellermann, Milwaukee Sverige, Veldt

team GERMANY'O.P.A.A.T. - one piece at a time'»Two rebel hearts who thrive on freedom and the open road, we want to share our passion and do what we love; to be forever inspired and ready for the next adventure. Life is about enjoying the ride.«

MELANIE & CHRISTIE Berlin, DE

Mel a talented mechanic, Christie a traveler and philosopher, both with a fierce and abiding infatuation with motorcycles. Their vision centers around technical strength and utility, with simple elegance. Form follows function.

Born and raised in Berlin, Melanie is a state certified technical engineer and has worked since 2012 as a quality specialist in mechanical production for BMW in Berlin. Mel is a true petrolhead: she has spent her life working in the motorcycle industry and when she isn’t working, she is wrenching in her garage. She spends her free time taking apart and improving anything she can get her hands on. Her knowledge and skills are the technical backbone of the team.

Christie got on a plane to Berlin after completing her philosophy degree in New York. She has been working independently on various projects while living on the road all across Europe and North Africa. A free spirit to the core, she is happiest riding her vintage enduro up narrow mountain paths, cooking on campfires on the beach, and sleeping in the woods. When she is back at her base in Berlin, she works on vintage Mercedes buses and rides her classic BMW every free moment she gets. Christie has cherished a profound affection for motorcycles since she was a child and although classic bikes have her heart, she burns for anything on two wheels. Christie’s intensive experience with a wide range of bikes on a variety of terrains as well as her aesthetic sensitivity and vision make her an invaluable team member.

—The builders says:„At the beginning of the process, Mel found an old Royal Enfield tank from 1926 and we knew right away that we wanted to make it the centerpiece of the build. We love the character that time and use affords objects, and we really wanted

Sponsors: MotoGadget, Magura, Hedenau tires, LSL, YSS Suspension Europe, Kickstarter, Partners: metal-manufacture „Müller“ in Berlin, Nolan Helmet

Model: Twin 650 Interceptor

Instagram: @mel.o_dramatisch | @deliteindisorder

to incorporate that into our aesthetic.

With the help of metal-manufacture „Müller“ in Berlin we created an aluminum welded tank over which the vintage tank has been placed as a hull.To optimize performance, the brake lever has been replaced with a Magura HC3 black lever and we have replaced the mechanical clutch lever and cable with the Magura HYMEC System - a small lightweight hydraulic system for improved clutch control.Our suspension has been replaced with YSS racing shocks, and the airbox has been replaced with two K&N air filters directly on the throttle body. We moved the oil cooler up to the head of the bike, in front of handlebars that were originally made for chopper-style bicycles. The bike also features glassless polished m.view mirrors from Motogadget, as well as keyless ignition, m.unit blue and handlebar push buttons. We opted for Heidenau tires instead of the original Pirellis.We constructed the fiberglass seat ourselves.We self fabricated a number of small fittings in order to create a customized mounting system for two LSL foot rests.We also decided to move the footpegs, gear shift lever and brake pedal to to the rear in order to give it the look and feel of a land speeder.The motor has been painted black and the clutch, sprocket, and valve covers have been burnished."

photo by Patricia Sevillia Ciordia photo by Iron Birds photo by Idan Grünberg photo by Ida Olsson

team AUSTRIA 'Break Fast Club Twin'»We seize any opportunity to ride. We respect the diversity of the different kinds of motorcycles and how they challenge us, just like people. But it’s easier if you have a thing in common: like the passion for bikes!«

PATRICIA KAFKA, LILL BONNE DEVILLEVienna, AT

Patricia Kafka and Lill Bonne de Ville met on a ride-out through the Alps with 8 other women. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship and the beginning of »The Break Fast Club« – a collective of thirteen female riders in Vienna.

Patricia is a motorcycle enthusiast, a dirt bike lover, and a sports equipment technology teacher, all while being a mom to a small child. She started riding at a young age and has always been surrounded by the motorcycle community.

Lill has been riding for 10 years and has solo-traveled over several continents on two wheels. Her most recent journey brought her to Australia, where she rode a Royal Enfield down the coast from Sydney. For her, one of the most important and inspiring parts of motorcycle culture is meeting other female riders from all over the world.

Living in Vienna, a city embedded in a beautiful mountainous landscape and full of historical buildings and art, Patricia and Lill’s bike will be inspired by the Art Deco and Jugendstil movement.

—The builders says:“We brought things into our Royal Enfield 650 Twin design that we like without going too mainstream or using clichéd custom trends. We used our own interpretation of a fairing and a very different rear unit to enhance and slim the Enfield’s lines. The bike was also lowered and the air intake opened to match the racing cans from AJS. We like to be square, that’s why we decided to mount a rectangular light sticking out the small round fairing.”

Model: Twin 650 ContinentalSponsors: TECBikeParts.com, Kickstarter.de, Bobber-Store.com, KSRPartners: Patrick Kafka, Motosickle.net, Mostheuriger Reisberg

Instagram:@patricia.kafka | @lillbonnedeville | @breakfastclub_moto

team ITALY‘Gungnir’»From riding, to writing, designing, sketching painting, racing and building, I dedicate my life to all things motorcycling, with endless curiosity and a whole lot of creative sparks flying around.«

BELLA LITINETSKIBologna, IT

Bella is an automotive, product and graphic designer, as well as a motorcycle blogger and journalist, based in the Bologna area of Italy. Originally from Israel, she moved to Italy in 2011 in order to pursue her dream of living a life immersed in motorcycle culture. Her impressive career includes work at the Ducati Design Centre, a thesis in collaboration with Energica, work for Italjet, various freelance projects and a final Masters thesis (“best of the class”) sponsored by Suzuki.

Bella is a frequent contributor to blogs and magazines in Italy, Israel and the US. Since 2015 she has been a test rider and columnist for online magazines such as MissBiker, collaborated with Inmoto, Women On Bike magazine, as well as Israel’s Moto-Doogri magazine. Bella writes in English, Italian and Hebrew, helping to bring female motorcycle culture to all corners of the world.

In 2017 Bella placed in the 600cc Stock and Open Crono-Climber divisions at the Italian Hill Climb Championship. She is always exploring new ways of experiencing motorcycling on racetracks, flat track, in the snow, and off-road. Through her growing influence on social media she has been sharing her life’s journey and inspiring other women.

»A customizing project for women is so much needed, and ROYAL ENFIELD as a pioneering brand will be rewarded by supporting female motorcycling culture.«

For the Pertolettes Wrench-Off project, Bella took inspiration for her ‘Gungnir’ project from classic racing motorcycles which is evident in the bike’s bodywork and race-focused configuration. As for styling, Bella has applied Norse inspired symbols and decorations to the 650 twins engine and bodywork. Engraved into the engine cases are historically accurate Viking symbols and the bodywork is

www.thebellalit.com | Instagram: @thebella.lit | YouTube: /The Bella Lit

Model: Twin 650 Continental

Sponsors: Cardo Systems, Bike-Lift Europe, Grimfrost.com, Mithos Sport,Partners: Lucky 7 Colour, Yss suspension Europe, Motoforza Fairings, Hp Corse, Tcx Boots, Pando moto, Pivanti.it, Messner Moto, Old Archery, Power Tronic, Healtech, Jadus Motorcycle parts

divided by a runic racing stripe by Lucky 7 Verniciatura of Bologna. The name ‘Gungnir’ is a reference to the spear carried by the Norse mythological god Odin.

—The builder says: “The bike was fitted with old-timer fibreglass fairings. I adapted them to fit the Royal Enfield 650 twin proportions and mounted them using self-fabricated brackets. The rear suspension has been switched out for one-off, custom race-spec units from YSS. The rear set footpegs are prototypes by Pivanti while HPcorse GP07 silencers have been fitted to ceramic-coated black headers. On the front of the bike, black billet clipons host a quick action throttle and Messner Moto switches (mirrors coming soon).

The front and rear mudguards are made by Jadus Motorcycle Parts from raw aluminium. I fabricated the side panels entirely by myself and they carry the names and logos of the partners who provided their invaluable support for this project. Furthermore, a custom racing suit and boots that match the colour scheme have been created by Mithos Sport and TCX boots.

My custom Royal Enfield 650 Twin will also feature a Power Tronic ECU unit, Healtech quick shifter and custom 3D printed air filters for its racing debut at Glemseck 101.”

@idangrun | #motorcyclephotographyPetrolettes Wrench-Off photos by Idan Grünberg

Racing at Glemeseck101

Glemseck 101, the mother of the 1/8 mile and one of the biggest European motorcycle happenings starts into Round 14!

On September 1st, 2019 the teams will race at GLEMSECK101 and battle each other in speed:four Petrolettes Wrench-Off competitors will celebrate the final at 1/8 sprint race.

www.glemseck101.de

SEP 01 2019

Let’s pave the road -Let’s inspire and encourage women out there!

Thanks!for more info contact us:

petrolettes.com/wrench-off/

@petrolettes #petroletteswrenchoff

get in touch: info@petrolettes.com