Based in Riga, Latvia, Ģirts Ozoliņš is the founder of Erica Synths and a total motorcycle fanatic. This is his custom-built KTM RC8 streetfighter.
In the late 80s, sportbike riders with crashed bikes and empty wallets ditched broken plastics and ran their machines without fairings. The streetfighter was born—and by the 90s, it had evolved into a bona fide build style. Now, custom builders are pushing it into uncharted territory.
This savage KTM RC8 belongs to Ģirts Ozoliņš in Riga, Latvia. While it pushes the boundaries of the streetfighter definition, it also testifies to just how far the genre has come.
Ģirts is the founder of Erica Synths, a boutique synthesizer and effects manufacturer that counts Hans Zimmer and Depeche Mode among its clients. But his passion for motorcycles is arguably bigger than his love for synths. It’s infectious, too—everyone in the Erica Synths office rides, and the company even has a dedicated bike garage.
At first, Ģirts intended to use the 2010-model KTM 1190 RC8 R for racing. But never quite got into it, so he relegated the 152.2-horsepower twin to traffic duty instead. Then he decided to modify it. “As a street bike, I find its bright orange appearance a bit too extreme,” he tells us. “I also have a soft spot for single-sided swingarms, which the RC8 doesn’t have.”
Ģirts customized the RC8 with help from his friend, Andis Zeps. “He’s a genius bike builder and repair guy, but he keeps a low profile and has no online presence. Since we have similar tastes in motorcycles, we agree on the concept, and we almost never do detailed drawings—the bike evolves on its own during the process. Andis does all fabrication and welding; I take care of wiring, sourcing parts, and working with third parties here in Latvia for the paint job, upholstery, and exhaust system.”
Ģirts and Zeps started by making radical changes to the RC8’s chassis and running gear. The front-end was upgraded with an exquisite billet aluminum girder fork, designed to accommodate the KTM’s Marchesini front wheel and twin Brembo brakes. Custom-made by FGirdex, a division of FG Racing in Italy, the fork uses a piggyback shock from Maselli Suspension.
At the other end of the bike, you’ll find the curvaceous single-sided swingarm, split-spoke wheel, and WP Suspension shock from a 2016-spec KTM Super Duke R. Fitting everything took some finagling—including modifications to the lower section of the fuel tank.
With the chassis sorted, the duo focused on the bodywork. More work was done on the tank to smooth out some of its hardest edges, while the rear end was treated to a bespoke subframe and a fiberglass tail section. A local craftsman took care of the seat.
Handmade aluminum side fairings flank the RC8’s trellis frame, with smaller louvered panels tucked against the now-exposed OEM exhaust. A handmade headlight nacelle earns the bike its nickname: General Grievous.
Tucked behind the front shroud is the KTM’s original dashboard, with LSL handlebars fitted further back. The bar-end mirrors are from Motogadget, while the LED headlights and turn signals are Highsider items.
“The electrical work was tricky,” says Ģirts, who used to wire up synths in his bedroom. “The RC8 uses a CAN bus system, and the original LED turn signals have a 6V supply, which renders most aftermarket turn signals useless. I created a workaround by installing relays that operate off-the-shelf Highsider turn signals.”
Ģirts and Zeps had one more hurdle to get over: getting the drastically-altered KTM RC8 road-registered. “In Latvia, we have some of the most extreme and strictest regulations for vehicle customization. All alterations have to be certified by a department of traffic safety.”
“The bike is street legal—but, I must admit, due to the extreme nature of the KTM RC8, it’s almost impossible to obey traffic laws.”
Images by Maris Locmelis
