Blacksquare

BLACKSQUARE is a unique custom motorcycle based on a HONDA CB550

Mona Lisa conforms to it. So does Michelangelo’s David. And so does “The Creation of Adam” on the famous ceiling of the Sistene Chapel. These are, the scholars enlighten us, the very best works of art in the world because of the Golden Ratio. That is precisely what makes them so beautiful, so owe-inspiring and so memorable. Golden Ratio? Really? Much has been said about the use of the Golden Ratio (Sectio Aurea) in design, architecture, nature, works of art, etc. And much praise has been given and odes sung. It has even been called the Divine Proportion.

A popular consensus in evaluating motorcycles for the presence of the golden ratio is to use the “juncture” between the seat and tank as the reference point. If the distance from this juncture to the front end and the distance from the juncture to the back end are in the golden ratio,…bingo! The bike is perfect, they claim. According to the above definition, BLACKSQUARE is exactly at the golden ratio as we can see from the image

It was built with the objective to optimize form and function, and to maximize the power to weight ratio. In other words, a custom motorcycle that is elegant and simple in appearance and which is safe and fun to ride. The solution was in pursuing a minimalist approach with attention to detail. Everything that is not essential for the machine to run has been eliminated. There are no instruments. No mirrors. No front fender. No switches. No blinkers. No conveniences. No luxuries. A headlight, taillights and a license plate holder are present and functional since they are required by law. The motorcycle is street legal.

Only the frame, engine, front forks, rear wheel hub, and side covers were retained from the 1977 original. All other motorcycle components were either custom-made or custom-fitted. Aluminum, brass and stainless steel were used for all new custom motorcycle parts such as foot pegs, clutch and brake pedals, seat pan, brackets, velocity stacks, exhaust pipes, wheels and spokes, and many others. As a result, the motorcycle’s weight was reduced to a total of 375 lbs. This makes it possible that machine and rider could weigh a combined total of 550 lbs. Considering the engine’s displacement is 550 cc, this translates to 1 cc for a pound of weight. That is as good as a 2014 PORCHE 911 Carrera 4 weighing in at 3,353 lbs. and sporting a 3,456 cc engine!