City Slicker: deBolex gives the Buell XB9 a sharp new suit

There has always been something special about the machines built inside the deBolex workshop, a few miles south of London, England. They are sleek and minimal, with factory levels of finish hiding some very smart engineering and technical decision-making. Shop owner Calum Pryce-Tidd is one of Britain’s finest bike builders, and takes his inspiration from the racing cars of the 1950s and 60s. In those days, teams would often remove heavy steel bodies and replace them with lightweight aluminum versions. “It’s an important part of our ethos not to tear up a great production bike to make something potentially harder...