Motorcycle specifications Voxan1000 BLACK MAGIC 2009 The arsouille scent

Sportbikes are in vogue... from yesteryear. Triumph paved the way with the Thruxton, and Voxan is following suit with the Black Magic. The advantage of being a small manufacturer is that you can innovate, surprise, shake things up, even shock. And that's exactly what this new café-racer does. A plastic design copying crescendo the British models of the sixties!

It's clear, it's got everything you need to get noticed: bracelet handlebars favoring a Norton-style face, an authoritative and selfish seat, minimalist and singular pots, a very distinctive fuel tank, and a prominent engine, hidden only by the exhaust pipes.

Aside from the aforementioned attributes, the Black Magic's components are taken from the Café Racer and Roadster. The wheelbase is slightly longer and the rake a little more open, to improve stability. So there's no need to worry about roadholding. As for the mechanics, the Voxan twin has proved its worth: powerful, it exudes charm and character. The chassis is beyond reproach, allowing you to have fun without a second thought, to show off, or to try your hand at the TT style of .

When past and present come together, the result is something like this Black Magic. A motorcycle from the 60s with the technology of the year 2000. British café-racer at heart, naked sports bike in content. An invitation to riding pleasure shaped by stainless steel and aluminum. The emphasis is on noble materials, and it's impossible to imagine this machine decked out any other way. The dashboard is clad in plastic, however, which makes you wince. A nice piece of aluminum would suit this machine better.

The Black makes up for it in every other respect. It offers itself almost naked, without artifice, looking as if it had just come out of the sculptor's workshop without having been soiled by industry. This is evidenced by the visible welds on the fuel tank and the footrest plates carved from solid by a goldsmith. A raw edge in stark contrast to the usual Japanese creations. Where the Japanese hide their insides with fairings and plastic, the sporty-café-racer from Auvergne doesn't bother to dress up - the famous French fashion

to make matters worse, it's as pretty as it looks. The excellent twin from Issoire is as available, powerful and pleasant as ever, with the added bonus of a surprising potency once the 6,000 rpm mark is passed. The Café Racer cousin may be a little fuller at mid-range, but doesn't have the same gniak at the top end. The gearbox responds in exemplary fashion - a real pleasure to use.

The Magic leaps from bend to bend with exact measure. At once fun, easy, efficient, rigorous and lively, the bike is a toy to be ridden with ease and enjoyment. As a result, only one word seems to register on the trajectory: Attack! You can go hard, but the machine doesn't flinch. There's no guiding to speak of, and stability is in every turn of the wheel. Braking is on a par with the machine: the feel is excellent and allows you to dose power with finesse. It's enough to give you a trapper's braking action, before going on the attack again.

More than an old-fashioned sports bike, Voxan has created a sculpture that will blow your mind. Visual shock, riding pleasure, mosquitoes in your teeth... Are you still reading? What are you waiting for to plug into the café-racer concept?

M.B
(test text inspired by Moto-journal n° 1 630
manufacturer's photos)