Brice Hennebert is a star in the custom motorcycling scene. He is the creator of some of the wildest custom bikes, like the Appaloosa and Appaloosa 2, both of which are based on the Indian Scout. Now, his custom-house, Workhorse Speed Shop is back at it with a radical and stealthy creation with the Indian FTR Black Swan.

This all-carbon-fiber creation is an embodiment of Brice's vision of building a 90s GP-styled machine. There are inspirations from RWB Porsches and current GP race-cars as well. The Black Swan is a worthy stablemate to another eccentric creation by Workhorse Speed Shop, called the Indian FTR AMA.

As always, Brice went the extra mile to create this all-black coolness. Weight reduction has been the theme here, with the one-piece carbon-fiber body weighing in at under 4 pounds. Even the braking setup is a prototype kit that weighs well under 2 pounds!

With an eye-lid, an artistic Akrapovic exhaust system, and carbon fiber everywhere! The 3D-printed Indian FTR Black Swan is Hennebert's vision of a 90s GP-inspired race machine.

Indian FTR AMA Custom Gets An Equally Radical Brother

Indian FTR Black Swan and Indian AMA FTR in one frame
Via: Indianmotorcycle.media

Indian FTR Black Swan is a creation by Brice Hennebert, made for an eccentric customer. This is one of the two commissioned custom motorcycles that Hennebert built for two brothers. The other offering is the retro-splashed Indian FTR AMA. Despite being built upon the same vision, both these custom FTRs are the exact opposite in terms of visual appeal.

Indian FTR Black Swan parts ready to be assembled
Via: Indianmotorcycle.media

While the FTR AMA is all about the 80s Motorsports splash, the Black Swan is a more sinister iteration of the 90s racing scene. The vision to build this bike was there in Hennebert's mind for quite some time now. He got the idea of building a 90s GP racebike-inspired machine when racing at Wheels & Waves against Miracle Mickey on the Indian Scut by The Young Guns.

He wanted this build to be aggressive with an all-carbon-fiber construction. The Black Swan also takes inspiration from RWB Porsches and modern GP cars. And just like all his projects, Brice Hennebert has gone the extra mile to make the Indian FTR Black Swan a unique proposition.

Related: 10 Things Every Motorcycle Enthusiast Should Know About The 2022 Indian FTR S

Indian FTR 1200's V-Twin Engine Is The Only "Stock" Part Here

Indian FTR Black Swan engine close-up cinematic shot
Via: Indianmotorcycle.media

It would have been a shame if this machine didn't retain the hooliganistic V-twin motor from the stock FTR 1200. The mainframe and engine have been retained from the stock motorcycle. The liquid-cooled 1,203cc V-Twin engine is now complemented by a beautiful-looking custom 2-to-1 Akrapovic exhaust system. This underbelly setup needed Brice to take a trip to the Akrapovic headquarters in Slovenia.

Indian FTR Black Swan cockpit view
Via: Indianmotorcycle.media

While performance figures have not been disclosed, we suspect the Black Swan to have a performance air filter along to complement the exhaust system. So the numbers are well above the stock 123 hp and 87 lb-ft figures. The other stock component has to be its all-digital instrument cluster that now sits tucked neatly in a cowled compartment.

A Unique Set Of Custom Components For This Unique Creation

Indian FTR Black Swan with the headlamp lid closed
Via: Indianmotorcycle.media

The retro-vibing design was first molded in clay. And the interesting aspect is that Brice made a wireframe design of the layout and put clay on just half of the length. Then the clay design was passed onto Formae Design, a collaborator. These guys refined the layout and built a full-body symmetry.

Vinco Racing Engineering hoped to take care of custom CNC machined components like swingarm fitting, chassis plates, fuel cell components to name a few. Also, the swingarm was fabricated from 7020 aluminum for added sturdiness and lightweight construction. The dramatic eye-lid for Black Swan was a challenging design element for Brice.

Indian FTR Black Swan front braking setup close-up view
Via: Indianmotorcycle.media

It has two stepper motors controlled by an Arduino to control the opening and closing. The suspension duty was taken over by Ohlins Racing provided Brice with a special piggy bank rear shock. The front setup was retained from the stock machine, but both ends were painted black to go with the Stealth appeal.

Indian FTR Black Swan taillight assembly close-up view
Via: Indianmotorcycle.media

​​​​​​​The brakes are a prototype unit from Beringer and are one of their lightest systems. The front setup weighs in at just 1 kg ( 2.20 pounds). The wheels are also (you guessed right!) carbon, made by Rotobox and wrapped in Dunlop GP racer tires. A bit of flair was also added by Silver Machine Seats. The dashboard area and custom seat were covered with Alcantara for added "go fast" appeal. There are other tiny cool aesthetic bits like the taillight setup which gets a tiny air filter in one of the dual pot layout.

Related: Indian Takes A 2020 FTR 1200 To ‘Chvrch' For The One Moto Show

There Is Nothing Like Too Much Carbon Fiber

Indian FTR Black Swan side profile view
Via: Indianmotorcycle.media

Another interesting trivia here is that the whole body is a one-piece layout. It was 3D-printed and handed over to 13.8 Composites, to carve the beautiful all-carbon surface. In the end, the entire body panel weighed just 1.8 kg (3.96 pounds).​​​​​​​ The underbelly exhaust system was given a sleek belly pan to help resist exhaust heat better.

Indian FTR Black Swan tank view
Via: Indianmotorcycle.media

Brice even got to choose the carbon weave he wanted on the Black Swan. The end product was an addictive overdose of carbon fiber, and we dig it. The custom fuel tank came with race-spec fueling heads for swifter refills. Apart from being hardcore, it looks cool on the Black Swan as well.

Indian Motorcycles Are Turning Out To Be A Perfect "Custom" Canvas

Indian FTR Black Swan cruising on city roads rear third quarter view
Via: Indianmotorcycle.media

Brice Hennebert has been in the custom scene for quite some time, and some of his famed custom motorcycles are based on Indian offerings. We are seeing an interesting shift in the canvas that custom houses are picking up for their projects. There was a time when Harley-Davidsons were the go-to name. But now, Indian Motorcycles are catching up fast. And with Brice having two eccentric creations based on the FTR, this modern street tracker might end up being the go-to custom canvas.

Sources: Indianmotorcycle.media, Motorcyclecruiser.com, Hiconsumption.com