At Motorcycle Live, which kicked off on November 15 in Birmingham, UK, British boutique manufacturer Langen Motorcycles unveiled the production-ready version of its powerhouse, the Lightspeed streetfighter. First deliveries of the 185 handmade examples of this limited edition will take place in the spring, at a base price of £44,400 in the UK including 20% VAT.
The Lightspeed was presented as a prototype at the same location exactly two years ago, as the successor to Langen’s first production motorcycle, the 250cc Two Stroke. All 100 copies of this unique café racer, which defied convention by bringing a performance-oriented two-stroke engine back to life for street use, have now been sold. This allowed founder and CEO Chris Ratcliffe to fully focus on the successor model, the Lightspeed, the latest creation from his company in Wigan, Lancashire, which is dedicated to building unique, high-performance limited-edition motorcycles with the best components, driven by a passion for innovation and emotion.
The Lightspeed is a striking streetfighter designed by Ratcliffe, and is powered by a liquid-cooled DOHC 72° V-twin eight-valve 106 x 67.5 mm engine, manufactured in the USA by Buell Motorcycles in Grand Rapids, Michigan. With a high compression ratio of 13.4:1, this 1190cc engine delivers 185 hp at 10,600 rpm at the crankshaft, through a six-speed gearbox with oil bath slipper clutch. The engine was originally developed by Rotax for the Buell 1125R, produced from 2007 until October 2009, when Buell was closed by parent company Harley-Davidson. 
Three days before the unveiling, our man Alan C. was already allowed to sniff it. An extensive test is already plannedLater, this engine formed the basis for the EBR 1200, which Erik Buell Racing raced in the AMA Superbike series in 2012-2014, with sponsorship from Indian manufacturer Hero Motorcycles. The team moved to World Superbike that year, with just one points finish by lead rider Larry Pegram. Buell has since changed hands, and now produces the Roland Sands-designed Super Cruiser, also with the 1190SX engine found in the Langen Lightspeed.
Purchased direct from Buell in Michigan, the Langen-tuned engine features a UK-developed exhaust with huge 60mm headers and delivers 138Nm of torque at 8,200rpm. It has dual Bosch 60mm throttle bodies with two injectors each – a side port injector under the butterfly and a centrally located top injector directly above the intake. The engine is controlled by Langen’s own ECU, including adjustable traction control, wheelie control, launch control and three riding modes: Sport, Touring and Rain.
The Lightspeed’s Buell engine is built into a high-quality chrome-molybdenum tubular frame, designed and manufactured by Langen Motorcycles. Equipped with Öhlins suspension, a fully adjustable 48 mm FGRT upside-down fork and Langen’s signature twin gas STX shock absorbers, adjustable for compression, rebound and spring preload. HEL radial-mount four-piston CNC-machined calipers grip two 320mm EBC floating discs at the front and a 265mm single rear brake with two-piston caliper, paired with dual-channel Bosch ABS. The whole thing weighs only 185 kg dry.
Langen’s own beautifully crafted 17-inch forged aluminum wheels, CNC-machined in-house, are fitted with Pirelli Diablo Rosso III tires, with a wide 6.00-inch rear rim and an impressive 240/45 tire. Seat height is 790 mm and the CNC-machined round TFT dashboard has a touchscreen and switchcube interface. The minimalist bodywork is made entirely of carbon fiber V-Weave, including the large hood over the 19-liter metal fuel tank.
Production of the 185 hp Langen Lightspeed, with a dry weight of 185 kg, will be limited to 185 units. As with the Two Stroke, customers can choose from a variety of customization options, including paintwork, handlebars, wheels and other personal finishes. More than 20 construction sites have already been reserved, including by existing Two Stroke customers who have already paid a deposit without seeing the finished Lightspeed or having the price confirmed. Several interested parties from the US, New Zealand and Australia have been reported from Langen’s head office, where official import regulations for small producers apply. The Lightspeed can be ordered now with a £1,000 deposit to reserve a building site.
Chris Ratcliffe, CEO Langen Motorcycles, says:
You can drive it to the Alps in comfort, and have fun on winding roads and steep slopes along the way. It combines the character of a muscle cruiser or streetfighter with the practicality of a sports tourer – optional screens and luggage are available. It’s a versatile but exciting engine, and the Buell engine makes the difference. As soon as you sit on the Lightspeed, you realize that this is not just a motorcycle, but a heart-pumping, soul-stirring symphony of power and style.”
With permission from Chris Langen, I rode the bike three days before the official unveiling at Motorcycle Live – so no pressure! – and while this wasn’t a full test, it gave a positive impression of what is undeniably an excellent motorcycle. A more extensive article with first driving impressions will be published just before Christmas, so that it will hopefully be available on Motorfreaks.nl this year, otherwise in early 2026.
Text: Alan Cathcart
Photography: Langen/Gunhill Studios, Oli Tennent
– Thanks for information from Motorfreaks.