Rider Spotlight: Why Bourbon Bobber Rides by Sound

From Canadian forest roads to reverse cones: one rider's take on Hitchcox Motorcycles

Some riders build for looks. Others build for speed. Julian Bleau - known to his followers as @bourbonbobber on Instagram builds for sound.

Based in Canada, Julian rides through forest roads where the right note matters as much as the right line through a corner. We caught up with him to talk about his bike, his Hitchcox exhaust, and why he trusts his ears over his eyes.

Why Hitchcox?

For Julian, it came down to character. "I chose Hitchcox motorcycles because of its crisp, clean and exotic sound and look and the bike being European just felt right to stay true to its nature."

The look - and then the sound

Julian's bike turned heads before the exhaust ever went on. But the reverse cones changed things. "My favourite thing about the bike was the look at first. Then I got the reversed cones exhaust and my oh my that elevated the look to it."

Riding by ear

Ask Julian what's changed since fitting his Hitchcox Motorcycles exhaust, and he doesn't talk about numbers, he talks about feel. "It changed my ride in a way that only when you ear it you know. Being a rider that rides by sounds it is very important to have a good quality exhaust you can ear."

A ride through the Canadian forest

For Julian, the most memorable rides happen off the beaten path - deep in Canada's forested backroads, where the acoustics do something the open road can't. "There is no better feeling than riding in nature like environment with this exhaust. I ride mostly in forest crowded areas in Canada and the echo acoustic of the exhaust is just miraculous."

What stood out about Hitchcox Motorcycles

It wasn't just the sound that won Julian over, it was the craftsmanship behind it. "What stood out to me is the quality, handmade with perfection to details. This thing is just amazing."

What's next

Julian's build is nearly there, with just one more change on the horizon. "Looking into widening the front and back end for wider wheels. Other than that the bike is pretty much done building."

Follow Julian's build at @bourbonbobber and if you ride by sound too, you'll know exactly what he means.