Custom Motorcycles Thread

[DaveM]

Sleeper: A subtle Triumph Bonneville from 2LOUD

We’ve profiled 2LOUD’s work for almost two years now. From day one, builder ‘Max’ Yicheng has consistently delivered elegant and harmonious machines from his one-man-shop in Taipei, Taiwan. In fact, his work is so tasteful and restrained, the ‘2LOUD’ moniker borders on ironic.

Those are rare traits in today’s custom world, and they’re why we keep a close eye on Max’s output. And this custom Triumph Bonneville exemplifies the 2LOUD ethos. It’s so subtle that you’d be tempted to pass it over—but look closer, and you’ll discover a host of cracking details and useful upgrades.

It belongs to the same customer that commissioned the first 2LOUD bike we ever featured: a Suzuki TU250. Like the little Suzuki, the 2003-model Bonneville had to be transformed into a stylish street tracker—but without losing too much of its original style.

It also had to fit the owner’s lofty 6’3” frame. So Max has fitted longer-than-stock Öhlins shocks, to lift the rear a touch. He’s kept the original front suspension though, but serviced it and upgraded the oil.

The wheels were swapped out for a set of tubeless spoked items, from Alpina in the UK. The Bonneville’s known for lazy handling, partly thanks to its stock 19” front wheel, so Max has opted for an 18” front matched to a wider (160) rear.

The new rims are wrapped in Pirelli MT60RS tires, chosen for both their look and their grip on varying surfaces.

Max also upgraded the brakes with a full system from the legendary Swedish firm ISR. That included new calipers and discs, and new brake and clutch levers, with integrated handlebar switches.

Moving to the motor, he’s replaced the clutch with a new one from FCC, and installed a full set of new gaskets. The rest of the motor upgrades are external; there’s a pair of FCR37 flatslide carbs, and a British Customs airbox removal kit with K&N filters. It’s matched up to a full exhaust system from SC-Project.

Despite the number of bolt-on goodies, Max’s real strength is with sheet metal. But even here, he didn’t go overboard.

Instead, he’s cut-and-shut the stock Bonneville fuel tank for a slimmer effect, and added a vintage-style seam on top. His attention to detail is sublime—like the drillium front tank mounts, and the hand-made fuel tap.

Other custom pieces include the side covers, and a pair of stubby aluminum fenders. Max also trimmed and looped the subframe, capping it off with a genuine leather saddle that’s just long enough to accommodate two people.

To clean up the cockpit, Max purchased a headlight, with an integrated Motogadget speedo, from the French custom shop BAAK Motocyclettes. (The turn signals came from BAAK too).

New tracker-style handlebars from S in Japan were fitted, along with Biltwell Inc. grips. The handlebar clamps are particularly interesting; they’re a hinged design, CNC-machined to Max’s specification. All of the switch wiring runs inside the bars, making for a super sano setup.

As usual, small hand-made parts like the headlight mount and license plate bracket carry the 2LOUD ‘2’ motif. Final touches include an Evotech bash plate, an LSL sprocket cover, and a tail light from MS Taiwan. Max replaced the chain and sprockets too, for good measure.

Everything’s wrapped up in a livery as subtle as the rest of the bike. It works off a metallic silver base, with sections of green, and punctuated by gold foil pin striping.

Max designed the scheme, then handed it over to Line&Circle Custom Studio to execute. The frame and swing arm were treated to a tough new coat of gloss black.

A stock Bonneville is already an attractive machine, but Max’s version is downright gorgeous. He’s kept the Triumph’s classic appeal, made it look even more retro, and balanced it out with a stacked list of performance upgrades. And he’s done it without vintage tires or even an inch of pipe wrap.

It’s another feather in 2LOUD’s cap—and another reason to keep an even closer eye on this powerhouse shop.

2LOUD Facebook | Instagram

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[DaveM]

Forged From Passion: A blacksmith’s take on the Z650

Building custom motorcycles often involves a radical career change, and we’ve seen some pretty strange jumps over the years. Tom Simpson’s background is especially unusual: he trained as a blacksmith before setting up Foundry Motorcycle in England six years ago.

Tom now builds very stylish cafe racers and bobbers in his Chichester, West Sussex workshop. As you can imagine, he has a deft hand when it comes to fabrication—but this Kawasaki Z650 is more about smart mechanical modifications than English wheels and ball peen hammers.

“Originally there were two of us at Foundry, but my partner left when we discovered how hard it is to make a living in this industry!” says Tom.

“Fortunately, there’s a lot to be said for doing something you love as a job—as well as having a wife who’s prepared to work very hard to enable you to follow your dreams.”

This Z650 would be a dream machine for many classic bike fans, ourselves included. The inline four was the archetypal ‘Universal Japanese Motorcycle,’ and in many ways was a much better sorted bike than the Z1.

Designed by Ben ‘Mr Z1’ Inamura, the Z650/KZ650 had double overhead cams and pumped out a claimed 64 hp from its 652cc motor—but handled much better.

Foundry’s build is a 1976 ‘B1,’ making it one of the earliest Z650s. It belongs to regular customer Gary, but arrived at the workshop in a sorry state. “Gary had fancied having a go at building his own cafe racer, in his own garage. But fortunately for us, he’s far better at building houses than he is at building bikes!”

Before Gary handed the Z650 over, he’d had the engine rebuilt. But Tom and his apprentice Alex stripped it down again, taking it out to a 725cc with a bore kit—and putting all the other components back to factory spec.

“The original idea was to put together a fairly basic bike with a quick build, with a seat cowl that Gary wanted us to use,” says Tom. “But we convinced Gary to let us make it a little more unique. The lure of custom-made, polished parts was too much to refuse!”

The first job was to make the most of the uprated engine. So Foundry rebuilt and rejetted the four Mikuni carbs, wired in a Dynatek ignition and coils, and installed a custom crankcase breather. They’ve also built a stubby custom exhaust system out of stainless steel, with two sets of 2-into-1 pipes.

In stock form, the Z650 was only about a second off the quarter-mile time of its Z1 bigger brother, thanks to a class-leading 98 hp per liter engine output and lighter weight. With a freshly hot-rodded engine, this one should close the gap even further …

The brakes have been upgraded to match, with new EBC drilled discs, braided hoses from HEL, and a Honda CBR RR master cylinder.

A Koso speedo sits in a custom stainless housing, just ahead of the modified and polished top yoke. There’s a new 7” headlight in the classic bucket style, mounted on custom brackets, and the switchgear is from Motone.

Kellermann supplied the bar-end blinkers, which sit at the extremities of the Tarozzi adjustable race clip-ons. The hidden under-seat electrics are hooked up to a Motogadget m.unit, plus a keyless m.lock ignition system.

The gorgeous wheels use Morad rims laced up to new stainless spokes. They’re wrapped in Avon’s classic Roadrider rubber, and there’s a Talon sprocket at the end of the driveline.

The frame has been detabbed and the back end hooped—with an integrated taillight. It’s supported by new YSS shocks with a very stylish early JMC box section swingarm completing the linkage.

Client Gary supplied the seat unit, which Foundry had retrimmed by Trim Deluxe. The fuel tank is original, modified slightly to use a Monza-style fuel filler, and the stunning green and blue paint was supplied by local specialist S Jago Designs.

It’s almost as shiny as the raw metalwork, which has been buffed to a fine sheen by AM Metal Polishing.

“Gary is pretty patient,” Tom says. “Which is good, because the cleanest-looking bikes always take the longest time.”

Of course: as Einstein knew, genius is simplicity And in this case, the end result is worth it: it’s one of the sharpest-looking Kawasakis we’ve seen for a long time.

Foundry Motorcycle | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Chris Lanaway

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[DaveM]

Shitanes 61: VTR Customs’ outrageous BMW R nineT

There’s a lot to be said for elegance and subtlety. And there’s also a time and place for going completely over the top.

Dani Weidmann and his crew at the Swiss shop VTR Customs can play it both ways. This time, they’ve turned the volume up to 11 and built a BMW R nineT that’s about as subtle as an AC/DC riff.

It’s got 136 hp, a stonking 145 Nm of torque, and it’s called ‘Shitanes 61’—a reference to the famous Gitanes motor racing livery from the 1980s.

The story starts at the last Swiss Custom Moto Show, where VTR displayed their R nineT Pure ‘Street Tracker33’ bike. It was snapped up on the second day of the show, much to the chagrin of one of VTR’s regular clients.

“Talking on our stand, our client came up with an idea,” says Dani. “He wanted a bike that was even more radical than ST33, and faster.”

The concept was agreed on the spot: an R nineT with USD forks, engine tuning, a quickshifter, top shelf high performance parts, and a dash of 80s style. “That’s doable for us, because we grew up around that decade, and have done 80s theme bikes in the past,” says Dani.

While kicking ideas around during a coffee break, talk turned towards Formula 1 cars. “We came to the Gitanes design [used on the French Equipe Ligier cars] and voilà—Shitanes was born.” The #61 comes from the owner’s year of birth.

For the donor bike, VTR chose an R nineT with the Option 719 accessory pack—which includes goodies like milled cylinder heads, upgraded foot pegs and adjustable brake and clutch levers. But to get the 80s look, VTR decided to have the Spezial parts ‘shrink coated,’ as Ferrari cylinder head covers are.

It’s the engine that’s really the centerpiece of this build, though. It’s been bored out to 1320 cc (80ci) using new high compression pistons, cylinder liners and connecting rods from Wössner.

VTR have also reworked the cylinder heads for better airflow, and installed a Power Commander to get the mapping right for the modified engine.

The dyno sheet now shows 136 horsepower, a 23% increase over the standard 110. “It’s a beast,” says Dani, and we bet it sounds like one too: gases now exit via a straight-through Akrapovič titanium race exhaust system.

There’s a racing quickshifter from Translogic for banging through the gears even faster than usual, and Dani mentions that the traction control has to be turned off before full power can be used. “We stayed away from a NOS system though,” he says wryly, “because our client also wants to ride on the street.”

Grip will be plentiful thanks to Michelin’s race-bred Power RS slicks, which are wrapped around 17-inch Kineo spoked wheels—a hefty 6 inches wide at the back, and 3.5 at the front.

Bobbed fenders keep the crud away, and VTR also fabricated the alloy front and side alloy number plates. The tank is stock but the fuel cap assembly has been modified to accept a Monza-style cap.

The cockpit has been given an upgrade too, with the standard bars swapped out for a lightweight Magura SX bend. Magura also supplied the high-end HC3 radial master cylinders and VTR have added tinted green glass to the stock twin instruments.

Sitting atop the shortened rear subframe is a new seat pad, stitched in classic 80s style and made with the help of Carrosseriesattler Yves Knobel. Tiny multi-function taillights from Kellermann are only just visible—if you know where to look.

The Gitanes-style paint was applied by VTR’s regular spray guys, Freuler of Benken. And there are a few logos from the 80s scattered around too—some of them discreetly subverted.

The owner of Shitanes 61 usually trades in his bikes after a while, and then commissions another one. But this time, he asked for all the wordmarks and logos to be placed under the final clear coat: “I will keep this beast for ever!”

That’s bad news for anyone hoping to buy this BMW in the months to come—which includes some of VTR’s own staff, apparently. “None of the parts are available in our shop or as a kit either,” Dani adds. “One of the promises we make to our clients is that we build unique bikes, and no copies.”

So it looks like Shitanes 61 will forever be a one-off. But the good news is that VTR’s order book is open. If you want something a little different, and a guaranteed one-of-a-kind too, you know who to call.

VTR Customs | Facebook | Instagram | Images by PHOTOCAB / Andri Margadant

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[DaveM]

Morning Glory: Revival’s custom Moto Guzzi V9 Roamer

Situated at the crossroads of passion and pragmatism, the team at Revival Cycles knows when it’s time to shred the establishment, and when to walk alongside.

Morning Glory, a fine and upstanding Moto Guzzi V9 Roamer, is the latest display of craftsmanship and creativity to roll out of the Austin, Texas shop—and it’s an official build too.

“Moto Guzzi approached us and asked if we would take one of their newly updated models, the V9 Roamer, and customize it to our liking … carte blanche with no limitations” says Revival’s top man, Alan Stulberg.

“As Guzzi fans from way back, Team Revival jumped at the chance to make it happen.”

Carte blanche. That’s a big leap for a storied manufacturer such as Moto Guzzi and Revival is a company not known for holding back.

They’ve built oddities like ‘The Six’, a masterfully crafted, minimalist frame fitted with a massive Honda CBX 6-pot mill and hub steering. Plus a neon-colored Ducati ST4 Sidecarcross bike and a BMW S1000RR wrapped using ancient bodywork techniques. They’re not afraid to tear into anything.

As it turns out, Revival actually liked most of what they were given from Guzzi.

“That’s probably the point, it didn’t gut me to leave some things alone on this one”, Alan says with a little surprise. “We love Moto Guzzi, there’s so much soul and heart in these machines”.

With the heart and soul set, Revival began looking to the skin. “They call it the ‘Roamer’, and we wanted to continue along that theme by bringing in some of the early 1970’s aesthetics.”

“The fish scales, high-and-tight bars, metal flake… We decided to actually stay on-brand for a change!”.

On-brand? Perhaps. On point? Unmistakably.

Though the stock controls from the Italian-bred Roamer stayed, the seat, tank, tail and side covers were binned and replaced with an all aluminum unibody, painstakingly hand-formed by Andy, Revival’s resident metalsmith.

“Andy knew what to do. He’s a 70s kind of guy. He lives in a 1978 Bluebird bus with a tufted ceiling. He knows the 70s”, Alan says of his metal shaping master.

“The idea was to create something resembling the musings of a mad scientist from the high-pile, shag carpet era”. Extensive wire framing, hammer work, shaping, welding, and polishing rendered the desired effect with enviable accuracy.

With the seat, tank and tail setting the tone, Revival looked to massage the Roamer’s stance.

Not known for staying with status quo, using the stock rims was an unlikely yet astute choice for the team. “The wheels are cast alloy units from the Guzzi factory. Most people who see them think they are a custom set specifically made for this machine.”

An aftermarket girder front end was sourced, and reworked a bit, to give the functionality desired by Revival.

“With 4.7 inches of trail, the Guzzi has a rather stable cruising style, but still turns in well and has a reasonably light steering feel considering the narrow bars,” says Alan.

“Adding a Firestone rear tire and a skinny Avon tire up front give the bike the right stance and look and emphasize the OEM V9 Roamer wheels.”

After the stance was dialed and the look well underway, the merrymakers at Revival built out a fully custom stainless steel exhaust system with twin trumpets heralding the bikes presence. “They belt a mighty roar that sounds even bigger than the bike itself. The damn thing sounds !”

While it wouldn’t be unusual for Revival to rip the factory controls and electronics off and start fresh, the team agreed that many of components made the final cut straight from the factory.

“Uncharacteristically we chose to keep the factory electronics, switches and gauge package. Sure, we moved the speedo and LED readout to the gas tank and set it at a crazy angle, but the factory stuff is all really well done”, Alan says.

“We kept it all. The factory fuel injection is great and keeping things factory meant we also ended up with a bike that has fantastic, usable ABS brakes and traction control!”

The result? A vintage whip with all things modern running the show. Passionate, yet pragmatic.

If you’re traveling through the great state of Texas and find yourself in Austin, ring the shop. Morning Glory is available for rent.

Revival Cycles | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Brandon La Joie

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[Greyfell]

Love the paint job!

 

[DaveM]

Review: The 2019 Triumph Speed Twin

Most manufacturers have at least a couple of retro-styled motorcycles on sale. But Triumph has more skin in that game than anyone else: Hinckley’s modern classics outnumber their other models by a significant margin.

The new Speed Twin adds yet another name to the roster. So is the range too crowded now, or is the Speed Twin different enough to be significant? I headed to the usually sunny Mediterranean island of Mallorca to find out.

The Speed Twin gets its name from the groundbreaking parallel twin that Edward Turner designed [above] back in 1938. But it has far more in common with its current siblings. Think of it as a beefed-up Street Twin; or as a Bonneville with the Thruxton’s performance mindset, sans the café racer styling and ergonomics.

I’ll admit to initially dismissing the Speed Twin as a pointless in-betweener. But as a performance roadster, it actually has a lot going for it.

It’s powered by the ‘High Power’ version of Triumph’s 1,200 cc Bonneville parallel twin motor, with the same tune and compression ratio (11.0:1) as the Thruxton. But Triumph did more than just transplant the Thruxton mill.

There’s a new low-inertia crank and high-compression head. Plus a magnesium cam cover, a new clutch assembly, and ‘mass optimized’ engine covers (basically, they’re lighter). Combined, it makes for a 2.5 kilo (5.5 lbs) weight saving on the motor alone.

Output is the same as the Thruxton R—96 hp and 112 Nm—but it’s how it makes those numbers that’s notable. The torque curve on Triumph’s dyno chart is a thing of beauty. Peak torque is made at 4,950 rpm, but 90 percent of that is already in your hands by 2,500 rpm.

Traction control comes standard (and can be deactivated), along with three selectable riding modes: Sport, Road and Rain. The Speed Twin also features a six-speed box, and Triumph’s easy-to-use ‘Torque Assist’ clutch system. And it only needs its first service at 10,000 miles (16,000 km).

Weight is 196 kg (432 lbs) dry—ten kilos less than the Thruxton, and seven less than the Thruxton R. That’s helped by parts like the new cast aluminum wheels, aluminum frame cradles, an aluminum swing arm, and a lighter battery.

The chassis itself is an adapted version of the Thruxton’s, but with revised geometry. Triumph have stretched it out, with a longer wheelbase, a hair more rake and a few millimeters more trail.

Suspension is KYB all around, with non-adjustable 41 mm right-side-up forks, and preload-adjustable twin rear shocks. When quizzed as to why they didn’t spec the Speed Twin with adjustable suspension, Triumph put it down to cost saving.

They also assured me that the stock suspension would be up to the task, and pointed out that very few customers actually tune their suspension (which, to be fair, is very true). And when I asked if we could look forward to a Speed Twin R with upgraded suspension, they dodged the question. (So I’m betting we can.)

Braking is via twin Brembo four-piston calipers up front, and a single Nissin two-piston caliper at the back, with ABS included. The wheels measure 17×3.5 front and 17×5.0 back, and the Speed Twin comes from the factory with aggressive Pirelli Diablo Rosso 3 tires.

That’s a decidedly modern tire choice for such a classically styled motorcycle, but it’s this blend of old and new that defines the Speed Twin’s styling…and attitude.

It clearly shares DNA with the handsome Bonneville T120—but its stance is way more muscular and aggressive. The two bikes actually use the same 14.5 l fuel tank design, but the Speed Twin has revised mounts to alter its angle.

Items like the twin analogue/digital clocks, stylish Monza-style gas cap and twin upswept exhausts add to the old-school charm. But they’re offset by contemporary design touches, like alloy wheels, an LED daytime running light in the headlight, and a slim LED taillight and turn signals.

The complete package is damn good looking—and that’s not trick photography either. Seeing the Speed Twin in person gave me plenty of time to pore over the finer details, of which there are many. I noted the short, aluminum fenders, the bar end mirrors, and the extra trim on the side covers and throttle bodies; none of those are optional extras.

And yes, there’s a full complement of add-ons available too. Triumph had a parts display bike there, with kit such as brushed Vance & Hines mufflers [below], alternative seats and minor trim parts.

What’s more, Triumph has knocked the build quality right out of the park. Everything feels solid to the touch, with very little plastic in sight. And despite the fact that the Twin is liquid-cooled and packed with modern tech, there’s refreshingly little wiring or plumbing in sight.

I do have one gripe though. For all of the consideration that clearly went into the Speed Twin’s design, the junction between the rear frame, taillight and fender feels like an afterthought. Still, that’s about the only styling fault I could nitpick.

The Speed Twin comes in three colors: Jet Black, Silver Ice and Korosi Red. The silver and red versions were available at the press launch, and both paint jobs were as lush as they come.

What’s more, the graphite coach line surrounding the black graphic on each bike is painted by hand.

The white stripe and Triumph logo aren’t though—they’re just decals, covered by layers of clear coat.

So the Speed Twin stands out from the crowd on specs and aesthetics. But how does it ride? We took a 250 km route through Mallorca’s sprawling countryside and winding mountain roads to find out.

And then it rained. All day. We rode anyway, but with the rain turning the road surface from sketchy to extremely sketchy, I couldn’t really exploit the Speed Twin’s performance or handling.

I did learn that the ergonomics are pretty standout when compared to Triumph’s other twins. The pegs are 38 mm forward and 4 mm lower than the Thruxton’s, making the riding position slightly more relaxed.

But when you combine that with the handlebars—borrowed from the Speed Triple—and the tipped-forward bench seat, it makes for a very engaging riding position. The arrangement pushes your weight forward, over the bike’s center of gravity, and almost forces you to get your elbows out and your head up.

That setup hits the mark for me, even if I did find the seat a little harsh. I wouldn’t hate a little more padding, and a bit more of a step to tuck into. (On the up side, it actually seemed to get more comfortable as the day wore on.)

It also contributes to what is a pretty sweet handling bike. Even at a more cautious pace and with limited grip, I never had to fight the Twin to make it go where I wanted.

Triumph was right about the suspension’s capability too; it never once felt unsettled or outgunned. And when I did push a little too hard—and things started getting random—I could rein it back in.

We weren’t going as slowly as I thought, too. I was following our ex-racer lead rider, and a fearless Brazilian journalist, and our tail rider pointed out afterwards that we were hustling at a pretty respectable pace. Which is a testament to how planted the Speed Twin really is.

It’s also not lacking in grunt. That engine, with its 270 degree firing order, is a total peach—and even the stock cans kick out a pleasing rumble.

Granted, I spent most of the day in Rain mode, but even then I had plenty of usable power at hand, delivered evenly via the ride-by-wire throttle. And the clutch and transmission were both light enough not to tire me out.

It’s worth pointing out here that Triumph’s riding modes each feature their own mix of power delivery, traction control and anti-wheelie control. And that was abundantly clear when we eventually hit a short dry patch, and I flicked the Speed Twin right over to Sport mode.

It immediately went from mellow to rowdy, with a noticeably snatch-ier throttle response, and a front wheel that wanted to lift in both first and second gear. It’s here that the Speed Twin came into its own as a performance roadster, and I’m itching to have another go at it in better weather.

Still, even under the trying circumstances, I found myself riding a bike that was composed, sharp and ultimately fun.

Whether you’re looking at the Speed Twin’s styling or performance, there’s no denying its charisma. So who’s it aimed at?

Triumph are gunning for their own customers as much as they are for new business. Street Twin owners might be looking to upgrade, and might prefer the Speed Twin’s performance roadster vibe to the T120’s laid-back vibe or the Thruxton’s café racer style.

At $12,100 (black) or $12,600 (colors), the Speed Twin’s a fraction pricier than the BMW R nineT Pure ($11,995) and Kawasaki Z900RS ($11,199). And there’s not much between them on weight or performance numbers either.

So I was wrong: the Speed Twin does have a place in Triumph’s line-up: it hits the sweet spot for riders looking for yesterday’s style with today’s performance.

Myself included.

Triumph Motorcycles | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Kingdom Creative

Wes’ gear Shoei RYD helmet | Rev’It! Stealth hoody | Elders Company Arashi gloves | Saint Unbreakable Stretch denims | Stylmartin Red Rock boots

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[Rocky]

Sorry, as nice as this may be I'm sticking with my old Bonneville which has real fenders/mudguards and some glitz and shine.

 

[DaveM]

Deus builds a wild street tracker for Dani Pedrosa

Building a custom bike for a motorcycle racer is a tall order. And the stakes are even higher when your customer is one of the fastest riders in the world.

Dani Pedrosa hung up his MotoGP leathers at the end of last year, with 54 wins to his name. That makes him the seventh winningest racer in GP history, tied with Mick Doohan.

This mental Honda street tracker is Dani’s retirement present, built by Michael Woolaway in collaboration with Red Bull.

Woolie is the head wrench at Deus in the USA, and he’s big on machines that go fast: He’s currently a prepping a Ducati Hypermotard for his second entry into the Pikes Peak hill climb.

Dani spent every single one of his 13 years in MotoGP with Honda, so picking a suitable donor was a no-brainer. Woolie settled on one of the most ballistic machines Big Red ever made—the CR500.

He didn’t want the whole bike though: he was just after its monstrous single-cylinder, two-stroke power plant. So the team sourced a complete 1985-model CR500, and yanked out the motor. It’s now housed inside a completely bespoke chromoly frame, built by master frame builder Jeff Cole.

The CR500 wasn’t just known for being crazy powerful—it was also near impossible to kick start. Woolie did some research, and then decided to raise the port timing.

“The porting was done by Jim Wood,” he tells us. “Jim’s an old-school motor builder, and still has his notes from the days when he did more than two hundred porting jobs of this type.”

Woolie then moved the kickstand mount nearer to the left foot peg, to give 5’ 2” Dani a solid platform to stand on when kicking it. But after bruising his left foot arch (right through his trials boots), Woolie started searching for a better solution.

In the end, he added an automatic compression release to the cylinder head to solve the problem.

The engine rebuild also included the addition of coils, so that Dani can run lighting. Woolie also fitted a set of old hand-sandcast HRC engine side covers, and installed a hand-made radiator from Jeff Johnson.

Lectron came to the party too, with a special custom-built carb “that laughed at the idea of being affected by altitude.”

The chassis spec is equally impressive. It includes Öhlins forks, held by adjustable triple clamps from Davie Durelle. Jimmy Wood rebuilt the forks, and built a custom Race Tech shock according to data Woolie supplied. The wheels are 19” laced units, built by Dubya in California and wrapped in street legal dirt track rubber.

Next up, Woolie hand-shaped the Honda’s new tracker-style bodywork from aluminum. The number board, tank and tail section are all his work, and take inspiration from classic American flat track race bikes. The seat pad’s a custom job from Saddlemen, and has The Slide King’s number stitched into it.

It’s a good look, and if you’re digging it, Deus have just released a poster to celebrate.

Every last part on Dani’s new runabout is top shelf, from the custom exhaust system, down to smaller parts like the handlebars, controls and brakes. And since the project started with a fresh frame and motor, all the bits and pieces in between (like the brake mounts) are hand made.

The level of finish is high and the livery is beautifully subtle. All the right elements are present: Dani’s number up front, Red Bull’s logo ghosted onto the tank, and Honda’s wings on the tail section.

But it’s the combination of that beastly motor and a competition-spec chassis that has us impressed…and a little terrified.

“This bike is a bad little bike,” Woolie agrees. “It’s not intended for the average rider, as she is a bit of a weapon.”

“But when you’re building a bike for Dani Pedrosa…”

Deus Customs | Facebook | Instagram | Michael Woolaway Instagram | Studio photos by Scott G Toepfer, outdoor shots by Red Bull

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[DaveM]

New from Diamond Atelier: The ‘Groot’ BMW scramblers

In the premier league of custom builders, Diamond Atelier’s place is secure. The sleek creations of the Munich workshop look better than most factory-built show bikes—and they’re perfectly usable too.

But Tom Konecny and Pablo Steigleder don’t just design one-offs. Their ‘Mark II’ BMW café racers are in limited production, offering a faster and more affordable way to obtain that Diamond Atelier magic. And they’ve now just launched another ‘family’ of limited production BMWs, a series of stylish scramblers based on the R65.

“We’ll always produce our unique builds,” says Pablo. “Those projects shape the brand: they are radical and aggressive, and set the bar higher one notch at a time.”

“But since the beginning of Diamond Atelier, we’ve got emails asking ‘Do you also build scramblers?’ Or, ‘How about bikes with high bars and knobby tires?’”

So Tom and Pablo have now broadened their portfolio. Meet ‘Groot,’ a series of scramblers that’s had us quickly checking the health of our bank accounts.

But first, why the strange name? “We named the ‘Mark II’ after Tony Stark’s Iron Man suit,” Pablo explains. “So we’ve decided to stick to the Marvel Universe. And nothing fits our vision of riding through the forest better than the famous little tree monster ‘Groot’.”

“We both grew up in the city, and live and work there,” says Pablo. “So we love to escape at weekends. It could be hunting, climbing or camping—but the right bike to throw in the back of the van was missing.”

Diamond Atelier have never claimed to be BMW specialists, but their love for the iconic 2-valve airhead is obvious. Groot is based on a 248-spec R65, which can comfortably exceed 100 mph and weighs around 450 pounds fully fueled.

Like all Diamond Atelier builds, Groot is clean, well balanced and functional. New bodywork has been designed and built from scratch, with a Motogadget speedo set into the front of the gas tank.

The proportions are stunning, helped by a custom-made rear frame above the twin shock swingarm. The wheels are BMW ‘snowflakes’ and 18 inches both front and back, shod with Continental Twinduro TKC80 rubber.

BMW’s engineering on the original R65 was just fine, but suspension technology has improved a lot over the past four decades.

So the boys have fitted completely refurbished and black anodized 53mm USD forks from a modern Japanese sportbike. The shocks are adjustable Wilbers 630 Blacklines.

The front brakes have been upgraded too, with double 320mm discs and six-piston Tokico calipers connected to an ABM radial brake master cylinder via steel braided lines.

With high-riding suspension and a slim gas tank, there’s plenty of space around the iconic engine. But this is no stock boxer: it’s been fully rebuilt with a kit from the famed BMW performance house Siebenrock.

This bumps capacity up to 860 cc via Nikasil-coated cylinders and weight-optimised forged pistons, delivering a substantial increase in both torque and horsepower. “It makes Groot a ‘BMW R86,’” says Pablo.

After installing the refreshed engine, Diamond Atelier approached Mikuni guru Stephen Topham, who hooked them up with a pair of brand new TM36-31 carbs.

“We still get excited when we unbox a pair of those beauties! The carbs are individually jetted to work with the K&N air filter and our custom free-flow exhaust system.”

The hand-welded headers are wrapped around the frame down tubes, and sweep around the engine in typical motocross style. “It’s about what you don’t see,” says Pablo. “So the visual mass of the bike appears extremely lightweight.”

The electrical system is all new, and neatly tucked away. There are several components from Motogadget, including a Bluetooth m.unit control box, a keyless RFID ignition, and CNC-machined grips. The mirrors are Motogadget’s latest m.view innovation, with polished aluminum instead of glass for the reflective surface.

Although this is a series bike, there are plenty of personalization options. Buyers can specify a custom paint job: “Dark metallic colors with race-oriented patterns create an edgy and urban feel, while lighter pastels have a more old-school vibe,” says Pablo.

For the first bikes, Diamond turned to Munich-based artist Viktoria Greiner, who specializes in painting gas tanks and helmets. “We told her that we were thinking about a photo shoot in the forest, and she came up with the abstract fir cones theme. If you want to make your Groot even more of a piece of art, you can get it painted by Viktoria as well.”

The gas tanks on these R65s can be changed in less than five minutes, thanks to a neat plug-and-play setup, so you could even have two different tanks on hand. And if you want a matching helmet, Diamond have teamed up with Hedon to take care of custom orders.

Groot is the kind of bike you could use to escape for a few hours on a Sunday morning. And it’s also compact enough to fit in a cradle on the back of a campervan.

If you love leisurely rides down fire trails and dirt roads, but can’t bear the shiny plastics of most modern dual sport bikes, you’ve got another option right here.

Diamond Atelier | Instagram | Facebook | Photos by Lukas Magerl

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[DaveM]

Custom Bikes Of The Week: 27 January, 2019

Harley’s global dealer custom competition launches with a fusillade of very tasty European builds. We’ve also got a Kawasaki KX450 with amazing 3D printed bodywork, a custom Ducati Panigale costing $114,000, and news of Triumph’s limited edition ‘TFC’ bikes—including a Rocket…

Battle Of The Kings 2019 Harley-Davidson’s dealer competition is back for 2019, and there’s a noticeable jump in quality this year—for both the bikes themselves and the standard of photography.

We’re seeing a few likely trophy contenders already, especially a pair of Sportster Forty-Eights: the yellow ‘Mustard’ from Shaw of the UK [top] and the ‘Mojo Desert’ from H-D Las Palmas in Spain [above].

Then there’s a Softail Heritage Classic from H-D Bologna called ‘Space Age’ [above], which celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 space mission.

Over 200 H-D dealers from more than 30 countries have been working on their custom creations, and the European stage of the competition is now open. There are three categories—Dirt, Chop and Race—and if you’re in Europe, you can vote for your favorite here.

Kawasaki Z1000 by Cowboy’s Chopper When he started out, Alex Gao of Cowboy’s Choppers specialized in one style of bike build—choppers, as you can probably guess. But these days he builds customs in any style, and the latest machine to roll out of his Taipei workshop is this brutal Kawasaki Z1000 cafe racer.

Alex’s customer wanted a machine that would be at home on Taiwan’s twisty mountain roads. So Alex took a 2003-spec Z1000 as his starting point. “The goal was to inject a dose of retro-flavour into an otherwise run-of-the-mill naked street bike,” he says.

After scrapping the Z1000’s angular plastics, Alex fashioned a new tank and rear cowl inspired by classic Norton Commando lines. He’s also upgraded the fork internals, installed an Öhlins TTX shock, and grafted on a stunning titanium 4-into-2-into-4 exhaust system. What a looker. [More]

Kawasaki KX450 by Alvaro Dal Farra Battery packs aren’t the only revolution happening in the moto world today. 3D printing is picking up speed within the custom scene, and offers some amazing opportunities—just check the bodywork on this KX450 from Italy.

It belongs to Alvaro Dal Farra, a freestyle MX rider and trainer from Italy. Alvaro commissioned the designers at Codoro Studio to come up with a futuristic revamp with the same colors as the first ever bike he lusted after, a 1980s Malaguti Grizzly.

Since Alvaro runs an FMX training school, he’s upgraded most of the hard parts on the KX, with a new brake system, a Zard exhaust, new engine internals from Athena/Get and new Kite wheels.

But it’s the new plastic that makes ‘3D Core’ worthy of a place in Bikes Of The Week. The designs were printed with HP Multi Jet Fusion technology by Skorpion Engineering, with subtle layers and a webbed effect that not only lightens the bike even further, but emphasizes the difference between solid metal curves and the potential of cutting-edge 3D. More of this, please. [Via]

Ducati Panigale by Officine GP Design Word on the street is that Ducati will reveal a new Streetfighter V4 model at EICMA in November—but you can guarantee that it’ll look nothing like this.

Officine GP Design have taken a Panigale, stripped off the bodywork, added a girder fork from FG Racing, XDiavel lighting, a new tank cover, and very chunky spoked alloy wheels from Jonich.

‘V4 Penta’ is the first of nine planned limited editions, and aside from the custom parts and new finishes, is sprinkled liberally throughout with Rizoma goodies. We’d love to know how the modern version of the classic parallelogram front end handles 200 hp of acceleration, but we’re not likely to find out: the sticker price of this bambino is 100,000 euros (US$114,000). [Via]

Triumph Factory Customs Triumph’s relentless release schedule shows no sign of abating. Even as the engines were cooling down at the Speed Twin launch, the Hinckley crew revealed two ultra-premium limited editions of current models, called TFC.

There’s a Thruxton TFC [above] with more power, less weight and a higher specification than the Thruxton R. Just 750 of these carbon-fiber-bodied machines will be built. Then there’s a ‘concept’ Rocket TFC [below] that hints at a return of the famous name to showrooms.

The Thruxton TFC gets a power boost to around 105 hp, and a small torque increase too. Weight is down a useful five kilos, helped by Vance & Hines titanium silencers. The suspension is top-spec, fully adjustable Öhlins all round.

Details are scant on the Rocket, but it’s certain that the world’s biggest production motorcycle engine is on the way back. The Rocket III was launched in 2004, so a new model is well overdue. We’ll find out more on May 1, when full details are released. Power junkies, mark your calendars! [More]

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[DaveM]

Mooneyes Star: A hardtail knucklehead from Asterisk

The next Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show is over ten months away, but many top-flight builders are already plotting their next entries. After all, ‘Mooneyes’ is the top custom show in Japan. It’s jam-packed with supreme craftsmanship—so if you’re bringing a bike, it had better be good.

Here’s a closer look at a gem we uncovered at the most recent show: a magnificent hardtail with a knucklehead engine, created by Hideki Hoshikawa and his team at Asterisk Custom Works. Hoshikawa-san built it just for the show, and it took him almost a year.

If you’re wondering why it took so long, here’s a clue: We asked Hideki what the donor bike was, and he simply replied, “there is no base bike…we made it from scratch.” That’s right—this is no weekend special.

Hideki named the project in honor of the Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind, after watching the film The Greatest Showman. “I tried to recreate the real diva from the movie, in our custom bike,” he explains.

Hideki chose a S&S Cycle Type E Knucklehead motor for the project. He then decided to take the theme further, going full retro on not only the style of the build, but also the techniques.

So there’s no fancy CNC work going on here; all the custom bits were hand-made using basic tools.

The hardtail frame, for starters, is a one-off. Hideki took the steering neck, seat mount, rear motor mount and transmission mount from a shovelhead frame, but built the rest using chromoly steel. He then had it all chrome plated, before scuffing it up with a Scotch Brite pad.

It isn’t a simple design either. Hideki wanted a single down tube design, so he modded the neck to accommodate this. Then he manipulated the down tube with a unique bend at the base, mimicking the shape of the crankcase.

That little swoosh is repeated elsewhere too—including the hand-made side stand. The rear lower frame tubes also follow a definite kink, before joining with a pair of V-Twin manufacturing axle plates.

The perfect hardtail stance is equally impressive. The front suspension is a modified leaf spring setup from Cannonball, held in place by triples from Cro Customs.

The wheels are a F23/R19, wrapped in Firestone rubber: a Clincher at the front and a Deluxe Champion at the back.

Hideki’s only running one brake; a full KustomTech setup in the rear. He’s also installed a foot clutch and hand shifter, and an internally routed throttle. That’s left the swoopy custom handlebars (and the entire cockpit) super sano.

Then there’s that gorgeous fuel tank. It started out as a slightly modified shovelhead unit, but then Hideki decided to add some extra trim. While trawling the web for inspiration, he fell in love with the tail section of the 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air.

The initial plan was to just carry some of the Chevy’s trim concepts to the fender, but the idea morphed into a pair of full-on Bel Air style side panels. The paint’s by Yossy; a single hue of green, complemented by a gold pin stripe.

Jimmy Dope handled the seat upholstery for the build. The rear fender’s a modified Russ Wernimont Designs part, mounted on a pair of custom-made stainless steel brackets. Other custom stainless steel bits include the hand-shifter, carb mount and side stand.

The Asterisk crew also fabricated a stubby two-into-one exhaust system, designed to avoid visually obstructing the frame in any way. A sand-cast aluminum air cleaner cover, made by Fork, adds an extra touch of class.

With perfect proportions, top finishes and a plethora of neat little details, ‘Jenny Lind’ sure is a showstopper. The bike’s for sale too. Tempted?

Asterisk Custom Works | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Satoru Ise of Vibes Magazine

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[DaveM]

This CB750 cafe racer roams the capital of Pakistan

There are around 2.5 million motorcycles on the road in Pakistan. Which sounds impressive until you learn that the population is over 210 million—and most of those bikes are tiny Chinese- and Japanese-made commuters.

The custom scene is virtually non-existent, because the import duty on motorcycles is a whopping 50%, and there are sales taxes on top. Which also explains why there are only about a dozen Honda CB750s in the whole country.

This is one of those CB750s: a 1977 Super Sport owned by reader Haris Aziz of Islamabad. And it’s the first bike we’ve featured from the world’s sixth most populous country.

“I had no plans to make a cafe racer: I just loved the model as it is,” Haris tells us. “This Super Sport was a runner, but in poor condition. Most of the fittings were either broken or covered in surface rust.”

Haris rode the CB750 for a year and resisted the temptation to mess with it. “I absolutely adore the cafe racer look, but with imports banned, the remaining CB750s are the last of the breed.”

But when he couldn’t delay the repairs any longer, Haris found out that a stock restoration would cost too much—due to the poor rupee-dollar exchange rate. He decided to have it custom built.

“I chose Zeeshan Motorsports in Karachi to do the job,” he says. “They have exquisite attention to detail and experience with big Japanese bikes.” Karachi, by the way, is a 20-hour, 900-mile drive from Haris’ home city.

Haris designed the bodywork (“using my horrible Photoshop skills”) and ZMS beat it out to the exact same proportions. Interestingly, the guys used the Golden Ratio to achieve the perfect balance of tank, seat and cowl.

“A Bike EXIF how-to-article also inspired me: I made sure the angles were all perfect, such as the angle of the headers to the frame, the muffler to the seat, and so on.”

The subframe is actually unmodified, and retains the original seat hoop— although it’s been detabbed to give it that smooth and sleek look.

While the new bodywork was being hammered out, ZMS also carried out a complete engine overhaul and fitted a Barnett racing clutch.

The ‘sidewinder’ exhaust was custom-made in Pakistan with a stainless steel muffler. “Tuning the carburetors was a challenge,” Haris reveals. “So we built a custom airbox, mounted a single pod filter, and switched to a Suzuki GS1000 CDI ignition to make starting and riding more reliable.”

There’s a new headlight—which at 4400 lumens is a huge improvement on the original—and an aftermarket taillight and blinker set.

There’s also new wiring throughout, and an interesting starting mechanism: an aircraft-style toggle for the kill switch, and a starter button right on top of the triple tree. (“It makes starting her a joy every time!”)

“The Honda was built on a budget, so unfortunately we couldn’t fit high-end gear such as the Motogadget m.unit,” says Haris. “But that doesn’t rule out future upgrades!”

There were no corners cut on the paint scheme, though. It accentuates the flat, free-flowing bodywork, with coach lines hand painted by an expert local craftsman. The frame and (original) wheels were painted black, and the deep blue tank and cowl make the raw metal of the engine pop.

“We’re all extremely proud of the way she turned out,” says Haris. “Especially given the limited knowledge and budget we had.”

“The cafe racer culture is just starting here in Pakistan, but most bikes are single cylinders and no one is venturing into the complicated world of big four-cylinders.”

We reckon it’s an amazing result. And proof that sometimes, constraints can force you to be more creative.

Images by Saad Zia Photography.

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[DaveM]

Café Express: Freeride’s Montesa Cota 247 cafe racer

If you’ve ridden a two-stroke, you’ll know how addictive the power rush (and sound) can be. So we have a soft spot for anything that smells pungent and goes braaap—especially if it’s got a bit of history and a side order of style.

Montesa bikes tick all the boxes: the Spanish manufacturer was hugely successful in motocross and road racing from the sixties to the mid-eighties. Its Cota 247 model was also popular with trials riders—but who’d have thought a trials bike would make a great little café racer?

Proof comes from the small village of Graulhet in southwest France, which is home to Pierre Dhers and his company Freeride Motos Racing.

Pierre specializes in the repair and maintenance of classic bikes, and prepping machines for vintage racing series. But he’s also very good at creating sharp-looking, quirky customs—like the Honda CX650 scrambler we featured a few months ago.

“Although this Montesa was a trials bike originally,” Pierre tells, “our client wanted it transformed into a sport model. He was inspired by racing history, when Montesas skimmed around the circuits of Spain and the world in the 70s.”


It’s one hell of a transformation. At just 192 pounds (87 kilos) dry, the original Cota 247 is a nimble handler so weight reduction was not a priority.

At the core of this build is the engine, a punchy little 247 cc number that puts out 20 frisky horses in stock form.

Pierre has given it a full reconditioning, with new bearings and seals, and even a new crankshaft. He’s also tweaked the stock exhaust system and intake, and fitted a big bore piston kit from Italkit.

The original Amal carb has been upgraded to a Mikuni VM26 with a free-flowing BMC filter, and there’s now a Powerdynamo electronic ignition to keep the timing nice and regular.

After many ours of fettling and polishing, the motor looks as good the day it left the Barcelona factory in 1972.

Right above is the fuel tank from a Malaguti Olympic, a 50cc moped from the 1970s. It’s an inspired choice: in this context, the chiseled lines look amazingly contemporary and completely change the vibe of the Cota.

Pierre has added a custom fiberglass rear cowl to match, plus discreet aluminum fenders. Midwest Aero Design shot the intense red paint, and a fresh coat of satin black epoxy helps the frame fade into the background.

Pierre has modified the frame to suit the new lines, and also given it a thorough overhaul. “I cleaned up the welds with new TIG welds—for strength, because the originals are poor quality.”

The new rear cowl is covered in a racy black suede that extends over the seat pan, applied by Kabuki 
Sellerie. We haven’t heard of that French shop before, but they obviously know what they’re doing.

Since this Cota tips the scales at less than 200 pounds, full Öhlins superbike suspension would be overkill.

So Pierre has overhauled and cut down the original Betor forks. Now fitted with shorter springs, they’re hooked up to 18-inch period-correct Akront wheels using a hub from a 1960s Montesa Impala street bike. There’s a matching Akront out back, cushioned by new YSS shocks.

Converting a trials bike to a café racer involves a multitude of smaller details too. Pierre has created dozens of small parts—including new mounts for the tank, seat and repositioned footpegs—and adapted Tarozzi aluminum linkages for the foot controls.


He’s built new clip-ons too, adapting them to the stock Cota 247 top yoke, and installed a Domino throttle and Amal brake and clutch levers.

The little Montesa is now ready to hit the streets. And we don’t know whether to applaud the new owner for his unusual choice of steed, or feel slightly jealous.

This pocket-sized café racer is unlikely to break any lap records at Paul Ricard, but it’ll rule the roost at the traffic light Grand Prix. More of this braaaple sauce, please!

Freeride Motos Racing | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Sébastien Colombier

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[DaveM]

What if … Kawasaki had built a scrambler?

Think of a classic scrambler, and a Triumph desert sled probably comes to mind. BSA and Matchless also made pretty good scramblers, and Honda had its CL series. But the other Japanese marques were noticeably absent.

This stunning W650 hints at the missed opportunity. What if Kawasaki had got down and dirty with its W series in the 60s and 70s? Machines that, after all, were copies of a BSA.

This thoroughly hoon-able W650 scrambler is the work of Mark Huang, who runs a moto parts business in Taipei, Taiwan. He does small custom jobs month-to-month and a couple of full builds every year.

This scrambler is based on a 2004-model W650, and is packing a lot more custom work than you’d think. For starters, the frame has a new polished stainless steel backbone and subframe, joined to the original chassis via custom-made steel lugs.

The effect is classy and neatly executed. The original chunky backbone was ground off just behind the steering head, but it’s been cleaned up beautifully.

Mark’s also tweaked the stance for a scrambler vibe: It sits a little higher now, with a 21” front wheel in place of the original 19” unit, and a new set of Koni shocks out back.

The rear wheel still measures 18”, but both wheels are actually new. The guys built them up using vintage Triumph T120 drum brake hubs, stainless steel spokes, and rims from the Mark Motorcycles store stock.

That front brake is a stunner, but all the trick engineering is happening out back. The T120 originally used a left foot brake—so the crew built a linkage to operate the left side brake with the W650’s right-side pedal.

Up top, you’ll find a classic BSA fuel tank, complete with its traditional center-mount system (hence the new frame backbone that accommodates it). It’s also been adorned with stainless steel sections at the front and back, for a little extra flair.

The seat’s custom too, and consists of a fiber-reinforced plastic base and leather upholstery. Together with the lengthy rear fender, it nails the retro desert sled vibe.

Smaller upgrades and touches are littered throughout this W650. The carbs have been upgraded to Keihin CR35s, and the air box has been ditched for a pair of K&N filters. The exhaust is custom too; an elegant, high riding twin stainless steel system.

Mark also rewired the W650, repacking everything into a discreet battery box under the seat. The ignition’s been relocated, and there’s no speedo, leaving the cockpit very sparse. New parts include 1” bars, modded levers and basic switches—all from the Mark Motorcycles store.

The headlight’s a small 4.5” unit, mounted on a custom bracket with a petite cowl finishing it off. A side mounted tail light and a full complement of turn signals round out the lighting package.

Other touches include a beefy engine protection plate, and our favorite bit: a military fuel can repurposed as a pannier.

It’s a charming bike, made even more so by the top shelf paint job. Mark always works with Jeffrey at Air Runner Custom Paint—the same guy that paints Winston Yeh’s bikes.

The single tone blue seems basic, but just take a look at the shading on those graphics. And between the surfing octopus on the tank, and the penguin (from the movie Madagascar) on the pannier, there’s a healthy dose of playfulness here too.

Mark tells us the bike’s owner is an outdoorsy guy—so we’re guessing he’s over the moon with his new ride. Wouldn’t you be?

Mark Motorcycles Facebook | Instagram

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[DaveM]

Custom Bikes Of The Week: 3 February, 2019

Deus cracks the style code for a Sportster cafe racer. Plus a custom Ducati Paul Smart owned by the principal of a WSBK team, and a flotilla of jaw-dropping scale models from Thailand.

Ducati Paul Smart Special Did you know that the principal of the Althea Honda WSBK team, Genesio Bevilacqua, has a private collection of rare and exotic race machines? We’ve just stumbled upon it, and we’re blown away.

The collection’s stacked with ultra-desirable bikes from Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Bimota and more. But right now, we’re crushing hard on Genesio’s Ducati Paul Smart Special.

From what we’ve read, it’s been specced for racing—although it’s not clear who raced it, and in which series. It reportedly has a Bimota swing arm with an upgraded mono shock, and Marzocchi upside-down forks. The classic Paul Smart silhouette is still there, but the bodywork’s definitely been reworked to some extent.

This Ducati’s also rocking a twin Arrow exhaust system, and an upgraded ECU. And a ton of other race-spec details that aren’t listed, but are clearly lurking. Power and weight are listed at 99 hp and 170 kg respectively; seven more horses and nine less kilos than stock. Who else wishes they could have a go? [More]

Harley-Davidson Sportster by Deus Ex Machina The custom scene has had its fair share of Sportster café racers, but seldom have they looked as classy as this. Built by Frenchman Jeremy Tagand, at Deus in Australia, it’s an exercise in supremely good taste.

There’s no pipe wrap or vintage rubber here. Just a smorgasbord of stylish parts, that includes chromed wheels, Avon tires, and a stunning two-into-one exhaust from Bassani. (I’ve heard one of these systems on a Sportster before, and it’s wonderfully rowdy.) The fuel tank’s off a Yamaha SR, and the seat unit is from Tuffside.

Jeremy also installed blinkers from Purpose Built Moto, an intake and brake fluid reservoir from Roland Sands, and a Motogadget speedo. And this Sporty now wears upgraded shocks, clip-ons with leather-wrapped grips, and new mid-mount foot controls.

Best of all, this one was a customer build—and both customer and builder saw eye-to-eye on the overall design direction. Which proves that good taste is alive and well, and living in Sydney. [More]

BSA Hornet A65 Our friends at Silodrome are experts at curating the best vintage eye candy. This week, it was this stunning 1967 BSA Hornet A65 that caught our eye. And who could blame us?

The BSA Hornet was the quintessential California desert sled. BSA took their Lightning model, then adapted it to go head-to-head with the Triumph TR6C and the Norton P11. Differences from the Lightning included a high-performance race cam, and high-compression pistons. It also got different pipes, and new gear ratios that favored acceleration over top speed.

This particular Hornet is a 1967 spec ex-racer. It’s been restored to close-to-factory spec, with a few key changes. The front fender, tacho and ignition key are gone, and the ignition’s been updated to a modern Boyer unit. If you’re a BSA expert, you’ll also notice that the tank decals aren’t quite OEM for the era.

Some lucky individual just snapped up this stunning sled for $3,220 from Bonhams. We’re secretly hoping it ends up being raced in classic events—and not relegated to display piece status. [More]

Cake Kalk& Cake is a Swedish electric bike manufacturer, that made waves at last year’s Paris Motor show with their Kalk OR dirt bike. Now they’re back with a street legal version: the Kalk& (pronounced ‘Kalk and’).

Visually the Kalk& looks similar to its dirt-loving sibling; both take heavy design cues from downhill and enduro mountain bikes. But there are a few changes beyond just a set of lights. For starters, the Kalk& has different gearing, and a higher top speed for highway use.

The Kalk OR weighs 69 kg with its battery, puts out 42 Nm of torque and has a range of 80 km. It remains to be seen how the Kalk&’s specs will differ, but we’re betting it’ll weigh a little more and go a bit further.

More importantly, it looks like it’ll be oodles of fun to hoon around on. And with a slicker aesthetic than some of the electric offerings currently out there, it’s high on our wish list. Full specs, final price and availability will be revealed when sales launch in late March 2019. [More]

TT Scale Model 1/12 models If you’d like something pretty to look at—but the real deal is just too expensive—here’s an alternative. TT Scale Model is a hobby shop in Thailand, specializing in custom scale model motorcycles. Yes, you read that right.

Shop owner Tew Tar-Ua explains that actual custom bikes in Thailand are extremely costly. So he scratches his itch by building 1/12 scale models of classic, custom and racing bikes. And the results are absolutely stunning.

Tew constructs each bike using off-the-shelf scale model kits, which he then customizes. Some of the ‘custom’ parts are made by cutting and glueing existing bits, some are hand-molded, and others are borrowed from salvaged models. Then each bike is carefully finished off with an air-brushed paint job, and decals.

TT Scale Model’s bikes cost anything from $100 to $380, and can take from one to ten weeks to build, depending on their intricacy. I think I see an empty spot on my bookshelf… [More]

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[DaveM]

This scary TZ750 flat track racer is also street legal

When we were talking to Brad Peterson about his XR750 street tracker a month ago, he let slip that he also had a TZ750 in his garage. And it too was street legal.

An explosive Yammie two-stroke with classic flat track good looks is too hard to resist, so we just had to show it. But we’re not sure if we want to ride it: Brad may have balls the size of church bells, but we don’t.

The TZ750 was one of the most extreme flat track racers of all time: it was banned after one race win in the mid 70s, and Kenny Roberts would hit 145mph going down the straights.

Steve Baker was another rider who wrestled with the TZ750. “One of my buddies showed me a picture of Steve Baker’s original dirt tracker, and said that a TZ750 would make a crazy street tracker,” Brad recalls. “That one picture, which is still pinned to my garage wall, started this adventure.”

This TZ750 is built around a replica of a Champion Racing frame. And it’s not any old replica: the original Doug Schwerma design has been replicated and built by Jeff Palhegyi, a man with a very solid reputation in the twin worlds of motorsport and Yamaha tuning.

“I don’t have enough luck to ever come by one of the original six Champion-framed TZs,” Brad admits. “So putting together a replica is as good as it’s going to get for me.”

Nestling in that frame is a 1977 TZ 750D motor built by Scott Guthrie Racing, a company that has set over 380 land speed records. (This particular TZ motor owns several records itself, in other vehicles.)

The ‘D’ spec motor got a 30 horsepower boost over its three predecessors, and in stock formed pushed out 120 hp. This one has been outfitted with Lectron carburetors and has been gas flowed and tuned specifically for street use.

Those glorious expansion chambers are again Jeff Palhegyi’s work. He’s topped them off with a pair of tiny mufflers from TZ Mike.

“I’ve found you can’t sneak around on it much,” Brad says. “It’s an angry beast of a bike that makes an enormous amount of noise and leaves a trail of two-stroke smoke like you can’t believe.”

Like many flat track machines, this TZ750 is running Yamaha YZF-R6 forks, mated to the frame with custom triples. An R6 donated its brakes too—including the front caliper, and the front rotor (with a custom disk carrier).

Santa Fe Motors supplied the 19-inch rims (shod with Dunlop rubber) and there’s a quick-change rear hub, alongside another R6 caliper and rotor and Race Tech shocks.

The bars are from Flanders, one of the oldest names in the bending fraternity, and are graced with brake and cylinder masters from Brembo. The Scitsu tach and temperature gauges are original, though.

The discreet lighting from Baja Designs is required to make the TZ street legal. “It’s a total loss electrical system,” Brad explains. “Can’t remember when I charged the battery last. Crazy long life!”

The low-profile bodywork is by First Klass Glass. Brad painted it himself—in the Yamaha Canada red colors of #32 Steve Baker, of course.

“It’s legit street legal,” he adds. “Title, lights and all. Race bikes and motors are originally sold without titles, so I spent a lot of time working through the processes to get it to the street.”

The TZ750 has no starter, but it will bump start in less than six feet. “Once I figured out the right spark plug to use, it’s crazy how easy it starts. Originally Yamaha recommended two plugs—one for warming up and a second for racing—but I found a happy medium.”

The TZ might be legal to ride on the street, but the power band is akin to a light switch. “When the revs hit about 7,000, it lights the back tire up violently—and at the same time lifts the front wheel, pulling hard all the way to 11,000,” says Brad.

Brad lives in the same town as Steve Baker, who’s still a regular at the small local flat track. And there are plans in the works to get Baker and the TZ750 together in Canada on a 1/2 mile this summer.

We reckon Baker is a brave man, but it should be epic.

Images by John Meloy and Pierre Robichaud.

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[DaveM]

Tastemaker: A Scrambler built by the Editor of Meta

Ben Giese is a man of exceptional taste. As the creative director and editor-in-chief of the aesthetically superior motorcycle magazine, Meta, he has to be.

But he’s also a rider, who grew up racing motocross. So when his 2017-model Triumph Scrambler went under the knife, both form and function vied for top spot.

“I wanted to transform it into a true ‘scrambler‘ that could take me well beyond the paved city streets of Denver, and deep into the mountains and deserts of the Southwest,” Ben tells us. “The goal for the build was to be understated, refined and focused on performance.”

Ben slogged away in his father’s garage for three cold winter months to build his ideal bike. The result is a highly focused scrambler, with a perfect stance and near-Scandinavian levels of minimalism.

“I am not a professional bike builder by any means,” he admits. “I’m simply a graphic designer with a vision for what I want, and the tenacity to figure it out. Which means you can do it, too.”

The list of mods on Ben’s Triumph reads like a blueprint for the definitive desert sled. Off-road performance has been cranked up more than just a notch, with Race Tech suspension components at both ends. The rear shocks are custom G3-S units, measuring 1” longer than stock, and the forks have been upgraded with Gold Valve cartridge emulators.

Ben’s also fitted larger wheels, more suited to riding dirt. Woody’s Wheel Works in Denver laced up a set of 21F/18R Excel rims for him. They’re wrapped in Shinko SR244 dual sport tires.

The motor’s been left alone, but Ben’s installed a few hop-up bits. There’s a complete air box removal kit from Triumph specialists British Customs, which includes a pair of K&N filters. That’s matched up to their rowdy ‘Shotgun’ exhaust system.

There’s even an air injection removal kit from them too; a small mod that removes the stock emissions control, helping the exhaust run cooler and smoothing out the throttle at low revs.

Frame mods include a 6” subframe trim, and a new rear loop for a vintage vibe. Ben’s also shaved off the passenger peg mounts, and added new turn signal tabs.

The seat’s a custom unit, shipped over from Down & Out Motorcycles in the UK. Just behind it is a stubby rear fender, along with a Prism Motorcycles taillight on a hand-made mount.

The front light’s a JVB-Moto number, painted black. Just below it is the stock fender, re-mounted on a British Customs high fender bracket. Ben’s hidden the OEM rectifier (which is usually awkwardly placed under the headlight), along with the horn.

Up top are a set of vintage MX handlebars, paired with a set of Biltwell Renegade grips and a billet brake reservoir from British Customs. Ben’s swapped the bulky clocks out for a svelte dial from Motogadget, and mounted it just on top of the steering column, in front of the bars.

The last few parts include MX foot pegs and tiny Motogadget pin turn signals. There’s also a new sprocket cover, and a bash plate to stop renegade rocks. And just like the mods, the Triumph’s paint job means business: all black.

We’re pretty envious that Ben gets to hoon around on this sled—but it also sounds like he had a good time building it. “I knew this would be an enjoyable and therapeutic project that would get me away from the computer screen,” he says. “But what I didn’t anticipate was the genuine satisfaction I would feel from the entire process.”

“I formed a stronger bond with my bike. It became a part of me more than ever before. Or maybe it was the other way around. Either way, it became more than just something I owned; it became a reflection of myself.”

So, how did the final shakedown go? “Once the overhaul was finally completed,” says Ben, “I headed out to the California desert to put it to the test on the rugged back roads and sand washes of Joshua Tree.”

“The only thing I was looking forward to more than the process of building this bike was actually taking it out and getting it dirty. And it rode like a dream, just like I had imagined.”

Meta Magazine | Instagram | Ben Giese | Images by Dean Bradshaw

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[DaveM]

The Nineties are calling: November’s Kawasaki Zephyr 750

The Kawasaki Zephyr 750 is one of those under-the-radar bikes that deserves a higher profile. It played a big part in kickstarting the retro boom in Europe in the 90s, but mysteriously fell flat in the USA—despite outclassing the Honda CB750 Nighthawk on almost every front.

“The stable, no-surprises Zephyr works like a standard is supposed to,” said Cycle World at the time. “We can’t imagine why this bike isn’t selling.”

The Zephyr 750 has plenty of fans amongst riders in the UK, and two of those fans are Linda and Paul of November Customs. They’re based in a small town in the northeast of England, and run the business out of a tiny wooden shed in their back yard. It’s slightly smaller than a shipping container.

“We’ve got a Bridgeport miller in there, a hydraulic bike bench, a small lathe, MIG and TIG welders, and tools for sheet metal work,” says Paul. “The bed of the miller also acts as a work bench for pipe benders, sheet rollers and such like!”

Despite the cramped surroundings, business is thriving. Linda runs the company, while Paul chips in after-hours. This 1991 Zephyr cafe racer is Linda’s personal ride—designed and built to suit her excellent taste.

Like most November builds, the Kawasaki arrived as a partly finished project bike with low mileage. And the first change, surprisingly, was to a tubular Honda CB900 swingarm, to suit the frame better. The shocks are YSS: “We went for the ones without the piggy back reservoir, for a more simple look,” says Paul.

Then a complete Ducati 848 front end was grafted on, using a Ducati yokes, along with clip-ons from a Ducati 748. But the original Zephyr wheels then looked wrong at this point, so November tracked down a set of nearly new Triumph Thruxton 1200 rims.

New Brembo discs were fitted—the front discs being from a Triumph 675, which bolted straight on. Aprilia calipers were used as they had the same bolt spacing as the Ducati forks.

“Using the Ducati forks, Triumph wheel and Aprilia calipers, nothing lined up,” Paul reports. “We worked out that if we machined 4.5mm from each side of the front hub, the discs would line up with the calipers. Problem sorted!”

And those linkages behind the forks? It’s a mechanical anti-dive system. “This isn’t the first one we’ve done, and even though it was never the best idea first time round, we love the mechanical side of it,” says Paul.

“We also get people asking why only one side? When it was first done, manufacturers used single- or dual-piston calipers. But we’re using Brembo four-pots so having anti dive on both sides would just lock the front end completely. And hitting a bump would have the bike pogoing all over the place. I’ve no doubt we’ll get haters talking about it, but we like it—and it does actually work.”

The rear wheel went straight in, with the front and rear sprockets lining up perfectly. A Brembo twin-piston caliper was then hung on a one-off hanger made to suit. (“It’s a very snug fit but works brilliantly.)”

Brembo RCS radial master cylinders were used, keeping the Brembo theme going for the brake set up.

Then Linda and Paul stripped the air-cooled DOHC four, rebuilt it, and powder coated the cases black. The clutch has been converted to a hydraulic setup and the stock Keihin 32mm carbs were swapped out for FCR35 flatsides and a quick action throttle. (“Had to import them from Japan though, but worth every penny.”)

The identity of the exhaust headers is lost in the mists of time, but the intermediary pipe and muffler have been lifted from a BMW S1000R and made to fit with a little jiggery-pokery.

Next came the bodywork. “We’ve always wanted to do a monocoque setup with an endurance-type fuel cap,” Paul explains. “So we cut off the original subframe and made a new one to suit. This also houses the electrics in a tray under the seat.”

The tank is the original—but heavily cut and modified, and with the seam now extending into the seat unit. Then November welded a temporary frame to the headstock and used that to help shape and build the fairing.

“This took a couple of days of cutting and hammering on a leather bag, but we got there eventually,” says Paul. “When it came to cutting off that temporary frame, we had fingers, arms, legs and toes crossed that nothing moved or dropped off!”

The screen was lying around the shop, but turned out to be a good fit after a session with the angle grinder. It’s attached using endurance-style quick release pins.

The tailpiece houses a small lithium ion battery, and like the rest of the bodywork, is steel. “We get people tapping on it all the time to see if it’s steel. We don’t mind though, as people then go, ‘Oh my, yes it’s steel!’”

“Taking the bodywork off isn’t a five-minute job,” Paul warns. “So I’ve put the fuse box between the top frame rails under the rear of the tank, where it’s accessible with the bodywork on. It means getting down on your knees to check the fuses, but that’s a small price to pay.”

To finish the Zephyr 750 off, Linda and Paul rewired it, installed LED lights in custom billet surrounds, and drilled and lock-wired many of the bolts. The delicious Kawasaki green paint was laid on and the bike dyno’d to get the flatslides into optimum tune.

It just goes to show that you don’t need a workshop the size of an aircraft hangar to build a great bike.

And if you’re in the US, you can still get a mint Zephyr for under $3,000. Anyone starting to get some ideas..?

November Customs | Instagram | Images by Tony Jacobs

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[Rocky]

As nice are many of these custom bikes are, and would appeal to many, none of them do a thing for me.
While I may admire the talent and skill that went into them, they are just show pieces or have a very limited use - if they are roadworthy at all!
They just aren't my style or something I would even want to own.
As an old friend used to say, "If you like it, I have no problem with that at all, so fill your boots."

 

[DaveM]

Crossbreed: A Cub x BMX hybrid with a motorcycle engine

Little bikes are getting big love right now, and nothing sparks admiration quite like the Honda Cub. But we’ve just found something even cooler: a hybrid of a Cub and a BMX. If your inner child isn’t bouncing off the walls right now, check your pulse.

This cute little slice of whacky engineering is the work of Tom Dun. Operating as 56 Motorcycles out of Paris, Tom’s a half-French, half-Australian custom builder, and he specializes in Cubs and other small capacity Hondas.

Given Tom’s love for little Hondas, and his hobbies, building a mash-up like this was inevitable. He’s into everything from surfing to motocross and skateboarding. And skiing and ice hockey. And he’s been riding BMX and dirt bikes since childhood.

“I had the chance to ride motorcycles really young,” he tells us. “At four years old I was riding a Honda QR50, then an XR80, a CR80, and now a CRF450. All thanks to my dad, his brothers and my cousins.”

“I’ve always wanted to build a BMX with an engine. I remember as a kid, MBK and Peugeot had released a few…but they didn’t get the success they deserved. Two years ago, I finally had a bit of time to build one.”

At first glance, it looks like Tom has simply hung a small motor off a big BMX. But there’s a lot more to it than that. For starters, it’s technically not a BMX frame: it’s a completely bespoke unit, built from multiple parts.

Tom started with a piece of an old Cub frame and a section of a dirt bike frame, and then welded up the rest in steel. “I used the geometry of a Honda Cub for the lower bar,” he tells us, “and the rest just went naturally.”

The rear half is distinctly BMX-like, with triangular seat and chain stays, and a traditional bicycle seat tube. But the front end’s been designed to hold traditional Honda Cub forks, which have been reinforced with extra springs.

The frame top tube is also the fuel tank, holding a whopping capacity of 1.2 liters (about 40 fluid ounces). Tom added brackets lower down to hold the motor.

Even though the idea was to cross-breed a BMX with a Cub, Tom had a better idea in mind for the motor. So this scoot’s packing a YX 150 cc pit bike motor. And it’s been upgraded with a 28 mm Mikuni carb, a custom-made exhaust, and a snappier gear ratio.

Tom also added a Boyesen Factory Racing clutch cover—to show that the bike means business. Which it does, when you consider that it makes 15 hp but weighs a mere 66 kg (145 pounds). Sounds like fun, right?

The rest of the bike is delightfully minimal, and playful too. The wheels are 17” solid steel items, shod in Michelin supermoto rubber. Parts like the handlebars, foot pegs and side stand were all borrowed from pit bikes or MX bikes. The kick-start lever’s from a dirt bike, and has been modded with a bicycle pedal.

There’s nothing much in the way of handlebar controls, short of a generic throttle and a BMX lever adapted to function as a clutch. (The bike only has one brake—a simple drum unit out back.)

We asked Tom if the bike is street legal in France, and it’s not. “It could be with a 50 cc engine,” he explains, “but that’s not the goal at all. It’s really about having fun—like with a dirt bike or a BMX.”

Here’s the good news though: Tom’s already in the process of building more of these. New ideas include better brakes, better shocks, and a version that’s more dirt-focused. Sign us up!

56 Motorcycles Facebook | Instagram | Images by Guillaume Ducasse

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