Hunter C The Ride New Custom Motorcycles and Their Builders PDF
Hunter C The Ride New Custom Motorcycles and Their Builders PDF
Hunter C The Ride New Custom Motorcycles and Their Builders PDF
MotorcYcles
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Chris Hunter:
2
you bought a UIM-a Universal Japanese Motorcycle. lt was
a golden age for motorcycling. Most riders were satisfied
with the production bikes on offe[ so it was the more radical
end of the custom scene that flourished.
This extremity, which excited some at the time, was the
beginning of the end. Custom motorcycles began to lose
-1 their way: overloaded with chrome and aluminum billet, they
became caricatures of what a motorcycle should be.
Meanwhile, the public at large was tuning into reality
television shows such as American Chopper and Biker
Build-Olf. Both launched in 2OO2, they sacrificed good
taste in return for good ratings and pushed North American
builders to create more outlandish bikes than ever before.
As the paint became more lurid, the cool factor be-
stowed on motorcycles by films such as Easy Rider slowly
ebbed away. The nadir was surely the n'bagger" custoffi, with
an impossibly wide fairing, hard cases at the back, and a
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f cartoonish chromed front wheel of 26 inches or more.
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To its credit, Harley-Davidson was one of the first to
fr' sense an impending backlash and stafred to promote its
low-key "Dark Custom" bikes.
Some of the United States's more forward-thinking
builders also started to distance themselves from the be-
hemoths of bling. Builders like Fred Krugge6 lesse Rooke,
Roland Sands, and Exile Clcles' Russell Mitchell pared back
their designs and laid the ground for a new direction.
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Further glimmers of hope came from Triumph and
Moto Guzzi,who attracted legions of new riders with their
traditionally-styled Bonneville and W ranges. And to this
day, secondhand demand remains strong for Ducati's short-
lived SportClassic range, a marriage of retro aesthetics and
sweet handling that finished production in2O1@,.
For many riders, few other modern-day production bikes
have any appeal. The hard-wired connection between man
and machine is faltering, replaced by interventionist elec-
tronics designed to increase safety and performance, and
lower fuel consumption. (And also designed to ensure that
only a licensed dealer could effectively service the bike.)
/, At the sportier end of the market, power outputs have
risen to impractical levels. Production bikes putting out well
over a hundred horsepower are common, but often intimi-
dating to ride. The American iournalist Mark Gardiner re-
cently calculated that some of these sportbikes are almost
as fast aS a MotoGP racer. "lt'S incredible that any ordinary
guy with a middle-class income can go into a local shop and
buy a bone stock production motorcycle that is, for practical
purposes, nearly as fast as the fastest motorcycles on the
planet," ho said.
lncredible, yes. And perfect for the safe, closed envi-
ronment of a track day. But for many riders, even 6OO cc
sportbikes are out of sync with today's riding conditions and
speed limits. These highly-strung projectiles require train-
ing and skills well beyond those of the average riden The
larger-engined sportbikes can exceed 100 mph in first gear.
Former Ducati CEO Federico Minoli summed it up well in
a recent interuiew: "People are tired of performance alone.
They're exasperated by it; they don't want those monsters in
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the street. But the coolness of motorcycles remains; we are Many of these A-list shops are influenced by trends in la- stripped of artifice, fitted with modified bodywork, and often
all passionate about it and we are always talking about what pan, which has a remarkably fertile industry of customizers. given a tune-up too. The parallel with the bikes that raced
will be the next big thing." Minoli has put his money where The lapanese scene is broad, with endless niche genres. around London's North Circular in the 196Os is obvious. Ex-
his mouth is: he's joined forces with the Australian custom There's something for those who love traditional British iron, cept Brat Style bikes are usually smaller and more manage-
builder Deus Ex Machina to open a store in Milan. and something for those who crave the wildest extremes able, fitted with flatter seats, and treated to higher-quality
Deus is one of the workshops at the forefront of the of performance. But one particular genre has had a huge finishes. Glossy powder coat and intricate paint jobs are the
custom revival, filling the gap left by product planners at impact. lt's known in the west as Brat Style, after a Ieading order of the day.
the big factories. lt's a multi-faceted business with stores exponent, and it's a distant relative of the cafe racer scene As the bikes have changed, we've also seen a return to
in Sydney, Los Angeles, dnd Bali-and a carefully nurtured popular in Britain 5O years ago. the traditional values of motorcycling. More people now
brand that appeals to riders and non-riders alike. Brat Style bikes are stylish, practical to ride, and afford- want to modify their bikes themselves, learning the tradi-
ln Europe, other builders have rapidly attracted the eye able. Designed for short trips around the city, they're often tional skills of wrenching, welding, and fabrication-what
of an appreciative public. Shops like the Wrenchmonkees based on Yamaha's ubiquitous sR series, and smaller- some have called "meaningful work," as an alternative to
(Denmark) and Cafe Racer Dreams (Spain) are becoming the capacity Hondas-o[ at the larger end of the scale, the a desk job. But the bikes being built in garages around the
darlings of the mainstream media. evergreen Kawasaki W65O and Honda CB75O. The bikes are world are not the motorcycles that you'll see in a reality tele-
4
vision series. They don't sport giant rear tires or stretched Thor Drake's One Motorcycle Show has become a traveling
forks. They're a blast from the past: stripped back, Iighteq circus, moving from Portland, Oregon, to Austin, Texas.
and more fun. Traditional motorcycle apparel manufacturers are enjoy-
Of course, motorcycles are also about showing off in a ing a renaissance too. Brands such as Barbour and Belstaff,
sanitized world. And events catering to the new wave scene already popular with vintage motorcycle fans, have been
are exploding in popularity. ln Biarritz, France, hundreds of adopted by the new wave custom scene. lackets and boots
motorcycles line up on the seafront for the annual Wheels with a traditional cut and minimal decoration have become
& Waves festival, drawn from all corners of Europe. The at- the clothing of choice, rather than clown costumes fes-
tention is on classics from the 1970s and 1980s, from Moto tooned with logos. Veteran brands such as Langlitz, Lewis
Guzzi caf6 racers to modified Honda CB7SOs and Kawasaki Leathers, Schott NYC, and Vanson are prized for their au-
Zeds. ln the United Kingdom, events like the Bike Shed MC thenticity. Newer names have been quick to catch on: manu-
show and Sidebu rn Magazine's Dirt Quake attract hordes of facturers such as ICON and Roland Sands have introduced
riders on customs and flat-trackers, another genre enjoy- gear that cleverly blends hi-tech armor with vintage styling
ing a resurgence in popularity. And in the United States, that wouldn't look out of place in a 196Os transport caf6.
lames Crowe, motorcycle builder
Chris Hunter
Matakana, New Zealand, luly 2013.
lntroduction
Paul d'Orl6ans:
A Glossar
Custom Motor cle Terms
Gaf6 Racer Bobber Chopper
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Street Scrambler Street Tracker Board Tracker
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Deus Ex Machina:
down, one of Sydney's less salubrious inner-city suburbs. lt Creator: Dustin Humphrey Year of Rebuild: 2012 Brakes: Front Yamaha Mio brake master PainVPowder: Pea rl white
Support: Mustang (mechanic), Bagio Bodywork Hand made front fender; with GL 1OO disc and caliper; back is Parts: Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Posh,
was a deliberate move: in this age of rising rents and soul- (fabricator) head light; gas tank; seat and seat base; Suzuki 15O FU disc brake and master Daytona
less malls, space is the new luxury. tail section; swing arm brake Other Modifications: Original gas tank
Deus Ex Machina opened its doors in October 2@@5. tI] Donor Motor: Rebuild S9O engine, convert Hand Controls/Handlebars: Clip-on was split rebuilt adding a lip that follows
Manufacturer: Honda from point to cdi system,12 volt handlebar polished the fenders
Within months, it seemed like every motorcyclist in Sydney Model: S90 Exhaust: Custom chrome exhaust from Foot Controls: KTC polished alloy Approximate Work Hours: 240 hours
knew about it-and had an opinion on it. A motorcycle shop Year of Build:1976 Japan Electrics/lnstruments: Suzuki GT head- Retail price: e 5,OOO/$ 6,500
13
14
coated, and the mechanicals are impeccable. A lot of that
is down to Deus's secret weapon, their mechanic Taka: he
knows who to call in lapan for the very best components,
from grips to seat units.
15 Deus Ex Machina
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Bike Name: The Moto Grigio tUI Rebuild revolver throttle formance shocks Electrics/l nstruments: M otogadget
Make: Deus Ex Machina Bike Category/Gene: Caf6 racer Exhaust: Stainless-steel headers Tires/Wheels: Buchanan stain less-steel s peed om ete r/tachomete r
Year of Rebuild:-2012 into SuperTrapp exhaust with custom spokes and nipples with Sun rims Paint/Powder: Grigio scuro (dark gray)
tU Donor Frame Modifications: Custom chrome- hangers Brakes: Front brake is 6-piston Beringer is a vintage Ferrari paint color; changes
Manufactu rer: Kawasaki moly swingarm Front Suspension/Fork: Ohlins forks; caliper; Brembo rotor and lever colors in different lights, from gray to
Model: W65O Bodywork: Custom made tank adjustable offset triple clamps from Hand Controls/Handlebars: ASV clutch black with lots of green
Year of Build: 2OO3 Motor: BOO cc, polished engine cases, Durelle Racing lever; Woodcraft clip-ons Edition: Unique
FCR flat side carburetors, Motion Pro Rear Suspension/Shocks: Works Per- Foot Controls: Custom rear-sets
16
The secret to getting the right look is building a mockup
of the bike-an approach that requires patience as well as
passion. With a picture of the finished result in his head,
Jeremy strips the machine down to a rolling chassis. Then
he orders in the parts and builds a rough mockup. "That's
when I sometimes start to rethink and change things," he
says. The next stage is to figure out how to hide anything
that doesn't add to the overall effect and wire up the elec-
trics. Unusually, the electrics are something that leremy
enjoys-most other builders dislike this part of the process.
With the bodywork on and everything in place, the bike
is photographed from several angles and used as a blank
canvas to work out colors and graphics. lt'S then taken
apart again, and the final finish applied-whether it's paint,
blasting, ot'powdercoat. The process is time-consuming
and the materials are not cheap, but it comes down to qua!'
ity control.
He counts the Cherry Red Bonneville as his favorite
the apparel and caf6 generate the day-to-day cashflow New Ieremy's style is central to Deus's success. "l always try build-a slammed Hinckley Triumph that epitomizes Deus's
partner Barry Davies, the merchant banker who handled the to be creative," he says. "l want to build bikes that are inter- meticulous approach and fanatical attention to detail. lt's
Mambo sale, looks after the financial side. esting, that inspire different feelings." His goal is to create also one of the more heavily modified bikes to come out
Now that the concept has been proven, the expansion is a bike with a high standard of finish that also looks cool and of the Sydney shop, with a revised frame and an extended
underway. The two-acre Bali compound, a partnership with has a lot of character. "But the most important thing is that swingarm. There's some smart engineering on this ma-
surf photographer Dustin Humphrey, is thriving. The Venice it can be ridden at any time. Day or night, sun or rain." Trailer chine, much of it hidden: the Kawasaki W65O tank, for
Beach store, wholly funded by Deus, includes stars such as queens are not on the agenda. example, hides the fuel pump.
Orlando Bloom, Billy Joel, and Ryan Reynolds in its clientele.
The Milan outpost is a joint operation with former Ducati
CEO Federico Minoli, the man widely credited with revitaliz-
ing the Bologna marque in the late 199Os. And in a supreme
twist of irony, there is even talk of a store in Tokyo.
It looks tike Dare lennings and his crew have found the
elusive sweet spot in the bike-building industry: a way to
turn passion into a fully-functioning business. txl
leremy Tagand:
Deus Sydney
17 Deus Ex Machina
The Sacred Cow
Singer Billy Joel is a tough customer. The rock-n-roll Hall of Famer knows mo- wearing Avon Speedmaster rubber adds English flair, as does the 1969 Triumph so he specified a 73O cc big-bore kit for the Kawi. Talk about your New York
torcycles, is a longtime rider; and even runs his own bike shop in NewYork state. twin-leading-shoe front brake. A Triumph also gave up its classicalty shaped state of mind... (DE)
On tour in Australia, he discovered Deus Ex Machina and commissioned this gas tank, though here the sides have been dished and it's been left unpainted
Kawasaki W65O bobber all in the same day. save for a coat of clear to ward off rust. A pair of sausage-shaped mufflers
Deus has the bob-job transformation of Kawasaki's retro twin down pat, hav- keeps with the U.K. theme, while the sprung solo saddle and Sparta taillight are
ing developed their own bolt-on hardtail frame section. For Joet's bike, though, strictly United States.
the level of authenticity was ratcheted up several levels. A 21-inch front wheel The Piano Man likes a little speed during his Long lsland backroad rides,
Bike Name: The Sacred Cow tII Rebuild solo saddle; Deus hardtail section; dard W65O front end; Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom
Make: Deus Ex Machina Bike Category/Gene: Bobber battery box. progressive springs bars and custom switches
Creator: Mr Billy Joel and DXM Year of Rebuild:2A1A Motor: 73@cc big bore kit; Rear Suspension/Shocks: N/A Foot Controls: Standard
Frame Modifications: Complete strip of airbox remova! Tires/Wheels: Front: 21" shod with an Electrics/lnstruments: Custom clocks
tUl Donor the chassis; fabrication for seat, tank, Exhaust Custom straight through 2-2 Avon Speed master; rear: standard 18" kint/Powder: Custom paint and pow-
Manufacturer: Kawasaki exhaust, battery box, and hardtail sec- pea shooter stainless exhaust with Firestone rubber der coat throughout
Model: W65O tion engineered by Deus Front Suspension/Fork: 1969 Triumph Brakes: Front: early Triumph twin lead- Approximate Work Hours: 3-4 months
Year of Build: 2AO8 Bodywork Triumphfi20 tank; custom front hub and brake grafted onto stan- ing shoe; rear:standard W65O hub Edition: Unique
18
Deus Ex Machina
The Moulin Rouge
Deus Ex Machina head wrench Jeremy Tagand claims to have gone three the Moulin a unique character. The early Triumph tank with straight through
days without sleep to get this pony ready for the Parallel Universe motorcycle pipes, the custom solo saddle, and the Yamaha twin leading front brake work
festival. At its heart is a 2OOB Kawasaki W650 tuned to 73O cc and atop well in assisting the Moulin grab the attention it deserves. Heritage meets the
there's a performance camshaft. The Deus hardtail section is complemented new in this Deus Ex Machina classic.
by a girder fork assembly. A great combo of cultures pooled together giving
Bike Name: The Moulin Rouge tIl Rebuild Bodywork: Triumph T12O tank; custom Rea r SuspensionlShocks: N/A bars and custom mini switches
Make: Deus Ex Machina Bike Gategory/Gene: Bobber solo saddle; Deus hardtail section; bat- Tires/Wheels: 21" front-laced in stain- Foot Controls: Standard
Year of Rebuild:2011 tery box; solo saddle less to a Yamaha SR4OO front drum; Electrics/lnstruments: Custom clocks;
fOI Donor Frame Modifications: Complete strip Motor:730 cc big bore kit; airbox standard rear W650 drum; Avon Speed- bates style headlight; Posh indicators
Manufacturer: Kawasaki of the chassis;fabrication for seat, removal master front tire; Firestone rear Paint/Powder: Custom paint and
Model: W65O tank, exhaust, battery box, and hardtail Exhaust Custom 2-2 shorty system Brakes: Front Yamaha SR4OO drum; powder coat throughout
Year of Build: 2OO8 section engineered by Deus; custom Front Suspension/Fork Custom rear W65O drum Approximate Work Hours: 2-3 months
girdraulic girdraulic front end Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom Edition: Unique
20
Deus's style is much broader now than the "Brat Style"
machines that dominated in the early years. "People are
looking at the scene with more open eyes," leremy reckons.
"lt's amazing how fast it's growing, and how wide the inter-
est is-from kids to grandfathers." He credits the internet for
this growth, and also for providing inspiration for builders.
"You can see ideas from all over the world ... I think builders
are inspiring each othe4 more than ever before."
Surprisingly, leremy doesn't have a bike of his own at the
moment: he's just sold his high-performance SRS9,@, which
sported a bored-out motor and an unusual twin mono-
shock arrangement. But he knows what he wants to build
next. 'A beautiful caf6 racer based on a Triumph scrambler,
with a one-liter engine."
Keep an eye out for it. txl
Michael Woolaway:
Deus Venice Beach
>
ha TR35O factory racen Oh, and a KTM 300 XC enduro too.
l ''*tr A
21 Deus Ex Machina
"lf l'm building for a cusfomer
I ask them how they're going to
use the bike. Will they be riding
on the highway, or in town?
Going from caf6 to caf6, or up into
the canyons?The use determines
what kind of power and what kind
of motor we sfart with."
Michael Woolaway
Woolie started building customs in third grade. "We lived to learn different welding and metal techniques, and how images of things that inspire them. "lt could be other mo-
on top of a big hill in Reedland Woods in Tiburon, CA, and to make things by hand. Racing was my passion. I never set torcycles, or it could be cars, furniture or even landscapes.
my first proper custom was al2-passenger coaster," he out to be a custom motorcycle builder-it was iust some- It's so I can get in their head and figure out what they love,
says. "l built it with my best friend, Perry. lt had three levels thing that I had to do if I wanted to race." and then I try to come up with a design that suits their
with windows all round, and on the top level there was room Today, Woolie is one of the top builders in the United needs and style."
for two kids lying down. States. And that's despite not riding on the street-after The process is not always smooth: collaboration some-
"We took off down the hill. I tried to push for a turnout all these years, he's still a racer at heart. lt means that his times leads to compromise. "Some people have tastes that
and Perry pushed to go straight, and the thing disintegrated bikes are infused with a racer's logic: they're as light and are unusual, compared to mine. And that's when it gets dif-
about halfway down. lt looked like an airplane crash, kids all fast as he can make them. ficult. You try to lead them in a direction that's good, but it's
over the place. Luckily nobody went to the hospital." "lf I'm building for a customer I ask them how they're go- not always possible. Sometimes you end up with something
After that inauspicious start, Woolie switched to rac- ing to use the bike. Will they be riding on the highway, or in that really isn't what you wanted to do. lt's tricky."
ing and building motorcycles, with more success. "Back town? Going from caf6 to caf6, or up into the canyons? The The workshop is small but functional. "l got the oppor-
then, you had to develop and build all your own parts. So my use determines what kind of power and what kind of motor tunity to design it. So I put a grinding room by the entrance
school days were spent in the metal shop. I even cut classes we start with." Then Woolie gets the customer to send him with a fan system, so there's a negative vacuum in the room.
22
All the metal and debris ends up by the entrance, which
Cherry Cafe Racer keeps the shop really clean." At the other end of the shop,
This custom Yamaha SRSOO is not for introverts. Bucking the trend for mono- tiny fairing are custom clocks, and further back are progressive-rate shocks a large window casts light over a lathe, mill, and welding
chrome customs, it leaves Deus's Australian workshop resplendent in bright from lkon.
An airbox eliminator frees up the engine breathing, and the stock carb has
equipment.
red powder coat and paint, with shiny metal highlights. Even the swingarm is
given the red treatment. been ditched for a smoothef high-performance round slide item. And with a Woolie works with an apprentice and a parts specialist.
The detabbed frame has been modified to take a custom seat, plus clip-on straight-through stainless exhaust, the Cherry Caf6 Racer sounds as loud as "l hate the parts ordering. I hate the waiting for things. lt's
bars, and custom rear-sets for a sportier riding position. Sitting behind the it looks.
not a creative stage of building motorcycles." What Woolie
loves is designing, building, and making parts by hand, es-
Bike Name: Cherry Caf6 Racer tUI Rebulld battery relocation Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom pecially tanks and seats-and watching it all unfold. "l like
Make: Deus Ex Machina Bike Category/Gene: Cafe racer Exhaust: Custom straight through stain- clip-on bars
less exhaust Foot Controls: Custom rear-set pegs
the geometry stage of the build, figuring out the rider's
Year of Rebuild:2@11
tTI Donor Frame Modifications: Complete tear Front Suspension/Fork lkon progres- Electrics/lnstruments: Custom clocks weight and the steering head angles, and using numbers
Manufacturer: Yamaha down; removal of tabs and lugs sive springs Paint/Powder: Paint and powder coat from the past, from bikes like the Ducati 916."
Bodywork Custom alloy tank, fairing, Rear Suspension/Shocks: Sta nda rd through out
Model: SRSOO
TiresAlllheels: Standa rd Approximate Work Hours: 1-2 months
His favorite build is Sevenish, a Kawasaki W65O com-
Year of Build:1983 seat, fenders
Motor: Standard airbox eliminator; Brakes: Braided line missioned by a helicopter pilot who has worked on Bond
23 Deus Ex Machina
The Grievous Angel
It's not easy to build a knockout Yamaha SR500 anymore. The SR has prob- the sleekest alloy bodywork imaginable. The engine gets a useful power boost, Top Gear's James May liked the Grievous Angel so much, he bought one. Then
ably received more attention from Japan's ace custom builders than any other thanks to a K&N pod filter kit and a short pipe from Over Racing. The tweaked Sydney's Powerhouse Museum took a shine to it too, putting one on display.
platform. frame has been treated to a deep coating of glossy black powder, and likewise
But Deus stepped up to the challenge, and promptly hit the ball out of the the mag wheels. lt's all topped off with a ducktail seat, a streamlined tracker-
park. The slightly conservative looks of the stock SR have gone, replaced by style tank, and bead-blasted engine cases.
Bike Name: The Grievous Angel tUI Rebuild heads seat Rear Suspension/Shocks: lkon custom Foot Controls: Standard
Make: Deus Ex Machina Bike Category/Gene: Caf6 racer Motor: Big bore 542 cc engine with units Electrics/lnstruments: Custom clocks;
Year of Rebuild:20€16 high lift camshaft; ported polished big Tires/Wheels: Standard wheels powder- Posh indicators
tTl Donor Frame Modifications: Complete strip of valve head coated in black; Firestone tires Paint/Powder: Custom paint and pow-
Manufacturer: Yamaha the chassis;fabrication for seat, tank, Exhaust: Custom straight through stain- Brakes: Standard der coat throughout
Mode!: SR50O exhaust; removal of tabs and lugs from less exhaust Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom Approximate Work Hours: 1-2 months
Year of Build: 1978 the chassis Front Suspension/Fork: Progressive clip-on bars Edition: One of quite a few
Bodywork Alloy tank; alloy fairing; Nitro springs
24
movies. "lt's really a flat-track race bike, subtly converted part is dealing with so many different people. I'm the sales-
to a street bike. lt works just as it should. You can hold it to man, the fabricatoq the designer, and the liaison. lt's a lot to
the redline and dump the clutch on the pavement, and it handle. And when the waiting list gets really long-like it is
right now-and people realize that their bike can't be built
"l hate the parts ordering. until way into the future, it can get uncomfortable."
If you've guessed that Woolie doesn't get much time to
I hate the waiting for thingls, relax, you're right. He'll be retiring in ten years, and he wants
,f's not a creative sfage of to make the most of those years. "When I have spare time,
I'm either riding around a racetrack or spending time with
bu i ld i ng motorcycles, " my wife. I don't really go to custom bike shows, but I see
Michael Woolaway more and more people using their own hands and making
things. People are interested in having something that's
just spins the rear wheel and accelerates. You can slide it personalized, instead of a manufactured machine that they
into turns and wheelie it out. !t's one of the most fun bikes just buy and ride."
I've ever ridden. lt doesn't let you down. You get on it and There's a word of warning, though. "l think the younger
you just smile." generation tends to gravitate toward taking somebody
Woolie's style is defined by function, not form, so he else's content and then sharing it in their own system.
doesn't get his inspiration from trends or fashion. "My dad Rather than creating their own parts, or designing things.
inspires me. He raised six kids, worked hard, and always I hope more people start using their hands.
gave us everything we needed. He's my inspiration to get "Thke that metal shop class. Go make something." (GHl
through the week, every week." He also looks up to racers
like Nicky Hayden and Valentino Rossi: "Not because of
what they've achieved, but because of their approach to it-
their never-ending fight." Building motorcycles is difficult.
"You run into dead ends and you have to fight your way out.
You have to figure out how to make something work."
People like the way Woolie thinks, but the flip side is the
constant demand on his time. "Sometimes my least favorite
25 Deus Ex Machina
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Ad Hoc Cafe Racers His debut build is a little out of the ordinary, based on a 1986 Moto Morini 350
K2, an interesting little ltalian V-twin not exactly known for its prodigious output
of horsepower. Nor was this used-and-abused version in very good shape when
Europlast, an ltalian company specializing in classic roadracing bodywork,
provided the fiberglass gas tank and seat that the paint adheres to, while an
old Puch dirtbike was relieved of its alloy fenders, nicely polished up after being
Moto Morini 350 Ad Hoc #1 he acquired it. "Just horrible looking," Gonzales recalls. trimmed to f it. lf the twin f ront disc brakes look a little "out of era," that's because
Its sorry condition gave David the freedom to rebuild it any way he wanted, so the rotors and hub are from a Honda Transalp rally-style bike. Gonzales wanted
The enduring appeal of caf6 racers is illustrated by David Gonzales, 37 years he kept the engine, frame, and forks, tossing just about everything else. While spoked Akront rims and modern stopping power for his Morini, and the Honda
old, whose parents had not even met when England's rockers first made cafe the motor was being rehabbed, the naked frame was de-tabbed and its rear hub was key to accomplishing that. A pair of ltalian Grimeca calipers puts the
racing cool back in the Swingin' Sixties. After seeing his first neo-caf6 bikes section abbreviated, then the whole thing was packed off to the chrome-plat- bite on the Transalp discs. Total construction time was about three months. ln
in 2010, Gonzales fell fully under their spell, so much so that he recently er's and dipped in shiny stuff. Chroming a frame is an old 1978s chopper trick, the years since, the shop has gone on to build an award-winning Honda 75O
opened his own small shop, Ad Hoc Cafe Racers, in the hills above Barce- rarely seen on more sporting hardware, But it works here, playing off the bike's cafe and a nice Ducati 35O, but Ad Hoc #1, the formerly down-on-its-luck Moto
lona, Spain. rich gray-and-cream paint scheme. Morini that started the company, will always be special for Gonzales. (DE)
Bike Name: Moto Morini 35O Ad Hoc #1 Year of Build: 1986 Ad Hoc Brakes: Grimeca Approximate Work Hours:3 months
Make: Ad Hoc Cafe Racers Motor: General overhaul of engine Hand Controls/Handlebars: Ad Hoc Edition; Unique
Creator: David tUl Rebuild Exhaust: Megaphones Foot Controls: Originals modified Retail price: e7,AOA
Bike Category/Gene: Cafe racer Front Suspension/Fork: Original Mar- Electrics/lnstruments: Simplified by
IiUl Donar Year of Rebuild:2812 zocchi overhauled Ad Hoc
Manufacturer: Moto Morini Frame Modifications: Cut subframe Rear Suspension/Shocks: Marzocchi Paint/Powder: Chromed frame; Paint by
Model:350 cc K-2 Bodywork Tank by Europlast; seat by Tires/Wheels: Akront rims Pintotodo
26
La Corona Motorcycles:
Urban Tours
La Corona Motorcycles builds street tracker motos
for elbowing through European traffic in style.
28
1f new kind of motorcycle has emerged in the work- custom owes its heritage to the upright, wide-bar stance of fessionalism to the Street Tracker genre, which began as a
lflsnops of urban Europe to deal with an old riding issue: American dirt-track racers, built with steering leverage and stripped-down "rat" style of urban warrior bikes. High stan-
even with gasoline prices topping $tO a gallon, the streets a heads-up attitude to handle a constantly shifting dirt sur- dards of finish, combined with an appropriate level of detail,
of every big city are jammed with cars and the ubiquitous face. Substitute the "to the millisecond" decision-making still make for an affordable sale price, and a very appealing
scooters that move around and between them. What is a while flat-out on a dirt oval, with the same requirements in package. The typical response to a La Corona machine is "l
motorcyclist bent on riding something out of the ordinary to the unpredictable and chaotic dance of commuter traffic, want that!," which is a high compliment in a market increas-
do? Choppers are impossible in the cut-and-thrust of urban and the street tracker is a perfect urban solution. l-a Corona ingly crowded with new Gustom builders. Still, with La Co-
road warfare, and caf6 racers don't have enough leverage Motorcycles works from its shop in Barcelona, Spain, rona, young European professionals can handlebar through
with their clip-on bars for the constant emergency-level building just such urban machines, which are increasingly traffic in style, and arrive at work "de moda" on the coolest
manhandling required to slip-with inches to spare-be- popular from Sweden to Sicily. motos in town. (PdOl
tween tiny cars and enormous buses. The n'Urban Warrior" La Corona is consistent in its builds, adding a clean pro-
La Corona OO1
The first La Corona motorcycle is based on a 1976 Yamaha XS65O, which was phone, all of which helped make the machine lighter with better breathing. The
stripped to the nuts to begin the process of transformation to a lighter and more electric starter was ditched, and an electronic ignition was added for easier
agile tracker. The rear subframe was narrowed and new tabs/tubes welded to kickstarting, while the fat Firestone tires have the proportions of flat-track rub-
accept a narrowed tank, the electric starter was ditched, wide dirt-track bars ber, just the right touch for playing Jay Springsteen on the roads of Spain,
added, along with a tiny, tucked-away headlamp and a simple flat seat. The With blacked-out wheel hubs, brakes, and rims, the lovely white-and-copper
air- and battery-box zone under the seat was gutted, while pod air filters and a fuel tank really shines, making this a very pretty street tracker, for all its tough
free-flowing, 2-1 exhaust were built up, ending in a classic reverse-cone mega- minimality. (PdO)
29
La Corona OO2
Reaching into the "uncool" territory of neglected models, l-a Corona applied strument treatment, and adding a set of abbreviated replacements such as
their considerable skills of transformation on a 1978 Kawasakt }<Z4OO twin, short fenders, a plank seat, "shorty" mufflers, and a tucked-away headlamp,
a small-capacity, lightweight machine that can be purchased cheaply in any the bike became lighter, with better performance. The paint makes for an un-
urban area, typically found in a sadly neglected state. Nobody cared about usual touch, combining earth brown tones with metallic grays, €t late-night
lhe "K2," until it had the Cinderella treatment; using mostly stock parts (en- color combination of subtle distinction, turning the ordinary commuter bike into
gine, frame, suspension, tank, handlebar controls), this formerly mundane 'Agent OO2." (PdO)
roadster was converted into a formidable street tracker. By deleting a few
excess styling cues, like the side panels, thick seat, and heavy headlamp/in-
Bike Name: La Corona 002 Model: KZ4OO Exhaust Modified Hand Controls/Handlebars: Original
Make: La Corona Motorcycles Year of Build: 1978 Front Suspension/Fork: Original Foot Controls: Custom
Creator: Santi Garcia and La Corona Rear Suspension/Shocks: H igher Electrics/lnstruments: Custom
Motorcycles tgl Rebuild suspension FainUPowder: Frame powder-coated
Bike Category/Gene: Street tracker Tires/Wheels: Firestone Champion and custom paint job
tTI Donor Year of Rebuild:2811 Deluxe Edition: Unique
Manufacturer: Kawasaki Motor: Original Brakes: Original
30
La Corona OO3
While the typical street tracker has a single-cylinder, or at most a twin-cylinder, are clad with military-spec Firestone tires, while the twin front disc brakes are
engine, La Corona stretched the genre by basing their "OA3" on a US-import the standard items, using braided steel lines. The seat is a La Corona item, as
1979 Kawasaki KZ65O four-cylinder roadster. Converting the KZ65O to a "dirty" are the 4-into-1 exhaust system, short front fender, battery housing, and tail-
look required motocross handlebars, Beston grips, and aftermarket ISR levers light. The result of their efforts creates an interesting quandary; four-cylinder
with integrated switchgear. The matte black headlamp has an enduro-style bikes weren't raced in flat-track events, as their engines are a bit bulky and
stone guard, and the speedometer is a tiny 6O mm unit tucked against the top heavy compared to lighter twins, but the La Corona OO3 makes the case that
triple clamp. The tiny "can" taillight sits on the back of a short rear fender, and more cylinders are not necessarily a bad thing on a street tracker. (PdOl
abbreviated turn signals make the bike fully road-legal. The flanged alloy rims
Bike Name: La Corona OO3 Year of Build:1979 Exhaust: Custom 4-1 exhaust and Foot Controls: Custom
Make: La Corona Motorcycles muffler Electrics/l nstruments: Custom
Creator: Jonas Hendrix tTl Rebuild Front Suspension/Fork Original hint/Powder: Powder-coated and
Bike Category/Gene: Street tracker Tires/Wheels: Firestone ANS Military custom paint job
tTI Donor Year of Rebuild:.2O11 Brakes: Original Edition: Unique
Manufacturer: Kawasaki Frame Modifications: Frame shortened Hand Controls/Handlebars: S R
I
31 La Corona Motorcycles
Hawgholic Motorcycles right off the pages of an old Easyriders magazine. ln fact, the shop is not locat-
ed in the American heartland but rather on the crowded streets of Tokyo, Japan.
Stoned Yellow, a 1945 Knuckle chopper, is typical of the bikes on hand. Rigid
1945FL Stoned Yellow frame, springer fork, apehanger handlebars, lots of chrome, Frisco-style gas
tank, pearl-yellow paint, all straight out of the heyday of early 197Os choppers.
lf you didn't know otherwise, you might rightly think Hawgholic Motorcycles' Unlike later customs, which grew longer and longer forklegs, the frame geom-
mailing address is somewhere squarely in the American Midwest. The shop etry here looks almost rational. The same cannot be said of the exhaust pipes,
specializes in Knucklehead, Panhead, and Shovelhead Harley-Davidsons, any- though! lf two are good, then why not four? Likewise, the sky-high sissybar has
thing built before the mid-l980s. Most are authentically "barn-f resh" with some doubled-up tubing. Who would have guessed a trip to the Orient would yield
mild period modif ications; others are f ull-on customs that look they were ridden something so typically American? (DE)
32
Speed Shop Design film models, and the result is so far outside "the box" it is typically met with curi-
osity, before the technical brilliance of his design sinks in. The hand-fabricated
al, but it works well in practice. The sguared-up chassis makes the BSA "egg"
motor look sexily curved, and is a nice balance to all that futuristic extremity.
'
frame, forks, bodywork, and controls are blade-slim and almost Art Deco in pro- Speed Shop Design, we await your next creation! (FdOl
The Beezerker file. The box-section sheet-metal girder forks are completely harmonious with
the square-tube frame, and the hard-edged tank and seat are seemingly cut
Namesake of shield-biting Norse warriors, this BSA A65-hased machine is from solid to accommodate a rider, who sits on a tuck-and-roll seat-one of the
among the most original caf6 racers ever built. Free of standard visual refer- few clues to Custom heritage. The handlebars, controls, and even cast hand-
ences, the hand of builder Chris Flechtner seems inspired by 1930s-era sci-fi grips are stainless-steel; the clutch is engaged by twisting the left grip; unusu-
Blke Hams Beezerker I$I Rebuild Exhauet Custom stainless-steel hand grips by Speed body; sprayed lmron single-stage paint-
Make: Speed Shop Design Blke Category/Gene: Vintage racer Front Suspenslon/Fork: One-of-a-kind Shop Design; bars and grips are de- on fork and frame; powder-coated rims
Crcaton Christopher Flechtner Year of Rabulld: Completed 2O1O design signed to be externaltwist hand clutch and hubs
Suppork My dogs Rlta and Sophie Frame Modlflcations: Custom Tircs/Wheels: Firestone Chevron and throttle with symmetrica! cabling Farts: Leather seat hand-crafted by
BodTwork Custom hand-formed 3OO3 Clincheq 385 x 2O" Foot Contmls: Custom hand-forged and Afiila Earcha @ Stough lt
t$l Donor aluminum sheet Bralres: Custom formed stainless-steel toe levers with Other ltilodlficatione: Motorcycle is
Manufaeturer: BSA Motor: Stock; 65O cc engine completely Rear brake Mechanical disc bralte drive one-otf machined aluminum foot rests completely street- ega
I I
Modeh 465 Lightning restored and rebuilt;clutch lever and sprocket; design by $peed Shop Design Electrlcs/l nstruments El ectro n ic igni - Approximate lllhrk Houts \2AA hours
Year sf Bulld:1965 motor cover modified for operation by Hand Gontrols/Handlebars: H and- tiou custom lithium-ion battery Editlon: Unique
twist hand clutch formed stainless-steel with cast 316 FainUFouden .Hand-polished aluminu m
34
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Walt Siegl:
The Restless
Craftsman
Walt Siegl has finally settled down. Ensconced inside an old mill building in a tiny New
Hampshire town, he creates some of the world's most elegant custom motorcycles.
{-.-,,' - -.*'.
38
a gentleman and a crafts- was a Yamaha XSSO,O; it was given to him when he was 17 as
lf,I"lt Siegl is renowned as
f f man. He's also one of the few builders to have a present from an older girlfriend who made good money as
earned a profile in the WallStreet lournal-a measure of a model.
how far his reputation has spread. He's come a long way Walt soon had to earn his own money though, and head-
from the small Austrian town where he grew uP, and his life ed for the busy port of Marseille in France, where he found
has taken many unconventional twists and turns-but he's work as a shunter in a train yard. The Yamaha XSSOO was
used those experiences to shape the exquisite motorcycles replaced by a Honda CB55O, which he perpetually modified
he builds today. and eventually converted to an Egli chassis. Then followed
Walt's story is one of constant change. He's moved
around a lot, a trait that runs in his family. "One of my grand- "l've been building bikes in every
fathers was an orphan, raised by a blacksmith in Montpelier
in FranGe," he says. "Then he moved to Germany, where he
minute of my spare time ever since,
Was drafted and sent to fight on the Russian Front." Recov- but only turned it into a profession
ering from injury Walt's grandfather became a successfu!
businessman in Austria. He lost his life riding his beloved
in 2006."
NSU motorcycle when Walt was iust six years old. Walt Siegl
Around this time, Walt became absorbed in the fields of
art and design. "l marveled at the frescos in our local clois- numerous Suzukis, and a Ducati Pantah that Walt describes the international community in Moscow was small and well
ter," he recalls. He traces this influence to his other grand- as "temperamental." networked, and Walt found himself talking to the Austrian
fatheq an artist denounced as a socialist during the war. He ln France, Walt spent his weekends racing up the moun- Foreign Service. He took courses at the diplomatic acad-
was sent to Dachau, but survived. tains outside Marseille in time trials, and his ability on a emy in Vienna, and was soon back in the USSR to work for
Walt inherited the artistic tradition. When he left home at motorcycle landed him a contract with a small endurance the Austrian consulate.
14, he went to art school. "My father said that when us boys racing team. "There was no chance to score any points When Gorbachev rose to power, it was time to leave the
were big enough to leave, we needed to get out-which I against the big teaffiS, but it was a lot of fun." Then a maior Soviet Union. ln 1985 Walt defected to New York City and
couldn't understand at the time." Walt developed an eye for accident and a spell in hospital cut his racing career short. landed a job with Austria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. For
a good line, and a sense of what is aesthetically "right." He took an apprenticeship with a German machining over two decades he was a cultural representative, the face
Like many youngsters on mainland Europe, h€ started company, and learned the intricacies of tool-making. More of Austrian art and design in the New York diplomatic com-
riding mopeds in his early teens. His first "real" motorcycle travel ensued, to ltaly and the Soviet Union. ln those days, munity.
39
Sordillo Salt Flat
Arthur Sordillo's interpretation of a Harley-Davidson hot rod. The artist had to be cracked everywhere, so they opted for a small engine build by the guru
handed Walt Siegl a cardboard model of the tank, with the words: "Build me a Andrew Rosa. With Sordillo sticking to his idea that everything about the bike
bike that goes with this." He had picked up a set of 195O Panhead cases with had to answer the shape of the cardboard tank model, the entire project turned
papers for cheap and together they planned to build a bike around a small mo- out to be very challenging and expensive, and at some point, the plans to go to
tor and run it in the 2OA cc class at the salt flats. The original cases turned out the flats were given up. What remained is an astoundingly different motorcycle.
Bike Name: Sordillo Salt Flat fTI Rebuild Siegl ris Magneto ignition
Make: Walt Siegl Motorcycles Bike Category/Gene: Chopper Rear Suspension/Shocks: Rigid frame Paint/Powder: Custom
Creator: Walt Siegl Year of Rebuild:2OO7 Tires/Wheels: Akront rims; Firestone Parts: V-twin, STD, Sputhe, S&S, Akront,
Support: Arthur Sordillo Frame Modifications: None tires AP Racing
Bodywork: Walt Siegl Brakes: AP Racing rear caliper Approximate Work Hours: 6 months
tTl Donor Motor: Andrew Rosa-built 45 degree Hand Controls/Handlebars: S&S, Walt Edition: Unique
Manufacturer: V-twin, STD, S&S Twin Siegl
Model: Panhead Exhaust: Custom Foot Controls: Custom
Year of Build: 2OOg Front Suspension/Fork V-twin, Walt Electrics/lnstruments: Walt Siegl, Mor-
40
He also wanted to embrace everything American-espe- he puts it. "l can marvel over a watchband, or the colors
cially American motorcycles. "l bought a $ 6OO Harley-Da- of the leaves in the morning sun when I drive my boy to
vidson Sportster in pieces, Stored in milk crates," hB recalls. school." He's still inexorably drawn to art, but "mainly for its
melancholy. Design, on the other hand, is much easier for
me to bounce around."
"Art sf Arthur Sordi[lo's interpreta- He discovered design early on, attracted to the boxy little
tion of a Harley-Davidson hot rod. Renaults and Simcas that broke new ground in the European
car market. "They led me to question motorcycle design: it
He handed me a cardboard model seemed stuck, with very little room to grow. But car design-
of the tank and said "'build me a ers hired by motorcycle companies to create new models
mostly failed, aS we all know. I think motorcycles only caught
bike that goes with this."' up when they started using high-tech components, when
Walt Siegl almost all elements became performance-driven."
qf
.=.
o'$
41 Walt Siegl
Leggero Nn 4
Walt Siegl built this machine for himself, based on his successful Leggero se- and better cams, and Meyers also reworked the head. The flywheel has been which is nearly as light as the carbon fiber normally used on a Leggero. And the
ries of road-going bikes. The idea had come during dinner with friend Bruce shaved to half the weight of the stock unit. The base Leggero is light and strong, paint, much brighter than most Walt Siegl bikes, is entirely appropriate for the
Meyers, who ran the legendary Ducati shop, BCM Racing, until five years ago, with a 4130 chrome-moly steel tube frame, so Siegl has left that alone, but in- purpose. Siegl has always been very attracted to the youthfulness of small race
Meyers agreed to rebuild a 1992 9OOSS engine for Siegl, and to upgrade it stalled an Ohlins monoshock arrangement, and a Conti-style custom exhaust bikes, and since the Leggero has the feel of a gazelle, he decided on paint that
without using hyper-exotic parts. The motor is now running lightweight pistons system kicks up higher at the back. The bodywork is vacuum-molded urethane, reflects that notion.
Bike Name: Leggero Nr. 4 Year of Build: 1992 Motor: Bruce Meyers high-performance Hand Controls/Hand lebars: Brem bo Approximate Work Hours: 7 weeks
Make: Walt Siegl Motorcycles unit Gold Edition: Nr. 4 of 12
Creator: Walt Siegl t[l Rebutld Exhaust: Walt Siegl Foot Controls: Tarozzi, Walt Siegl
Support: Erik Cooper Bike Category/Gene: Racer Front Suspension/Fork: Fully adjustable Electrics/lnstruments: Alex Vogel,
Year of Rebuild: 2O13 Showa Motogadget
tTl Donor Frame Modifications: 3140 Chrome- Rear Suspension/Shocks: Showa Paint/Powder: Dave Goddard
Manufacturer: Ducati moly tubings Tires/Wheels: M ichelin Pilot Parts: Spiegler Performance, Ducati
Model: 90OSS Bodywork: Walt Siegl Brakes: Brembo Gold
42
Riviera Ducati SS
Nicknamed the "Riviera Ducati," this compact and muscular custom Ducati has also built the frame-using .065 chrome-moly steel-and the carbonlkevlar with new springs to counteract the lighter weight of the bike. The swingarm
900SS has taken Walt Siegl four months of working days and nights in his work- fuel tank, which is influenced by early NCR Ducati bikes. Other unique parts is an aluminum Ducati item adapted to suit an Ohlins twin-shock setup, and
shop. Power comes from a torquey 900SS air-cooled V-twin, upgraded from include the stainless-steel exhaust system and the rear-sets, which are fash- the wheels are Brembo-made Marchesinis from a Ducati 999. The rear hub
9O4 to 944 cc with a big bore kit, and given a further boost with a carburetor ioned from 7075 aluminum alloy. Up front are Triumph forks, chosen for their and cush drive have been modified to align the final drive. The instrument is a
upgrade to 39 mm flat slides. An old-school craftsman of many abilities, Siegl increased offset compared to Ducati/Showa items. They're revalved and fitted simple but classy combined speedometer and tachometer from Motogadget.
Bike Name: Riviera Ducati SS Year of Build: 1993 Motor: Big bore 944 engine Brakes: Front: Triumph; rear: Brembo Paint/Powder: Vintage Mercedes Benz
Make: Walt Siegl Motorcycles Exhaust: Custom Gold blue
Creator: Walt Siegl t$l Rebulld Front Suspension/Fork: Custom ized Hand Controls/Handlebars: Brembo, Parts: Ducati Performance, Walt Siegl
Support: Brady Banks Bike Category/Gene: Caf6 racer Triumph 955 Walt Siegl Other Modifications: Many modifica-
Year of Rebuild:2O11 Rear Suspension/Shocks: Ohlins Foot Controls: Customized, aircraft tions!
IUI Donor Frame Modifications: Chrome-moly shocks spec 7A74 aluminum Approximate Work Hours: 4 months
Manufacturer: Ducati tubings Tires/Wheels: Dunlop Q2s, magnesium Electrics/lnstruments: M otogad g et, Edition: Unique
Model:90OSS Bodywork: Custom Marchesinis Alex Vogel
43 Walt Siegl
when building motorcycles, walt allows form to follow
function, and eschews frippery. But there's more to it than
naked functionality: a Walt Siegl creation has balance,
stance, and presence. ln component terms, it's not only the
best of everything, but also every thing in the right place.
His favorite aspect of building is creating many of those
components himself; he strives to create a "harmonious"
machine.
For someone whose work personifies the brutal romance
of motorcycles, Walt's approach is surprisingly unsentimen-
tal. "Before I start a build, the bike is 'done' in my head,"
44
t '':}|
FX Roadster
Most custom motorcycles fit within a particular genre. And that genre will strong operating diaphragm clutch in a lightweight aluminum clutch basket, a
have its own conventions, as well as its fans and detractors. But occasionally two-inch belt drive, and a quiet electric starter. Siegl reworked the Harley-Da-
you see a bike that is utterly timeless, almost beyond "classic." One of them vidson frame and reduced the rake by two degrees. He added a frame loop in
is the Walt Siegl FX Roadster. Combining the charm of the big roadsters from the back and a newswingarm for bettersteering, and filled the39 mm Showa
the 196Os and 1970s with modern performance, Siegl built this extraordinary forks with Progressive Suspension springs and performance sliders. Works
bike out of a beat-up 1970 Harley-Davidson Shovelhead. Andrew Rosa of Performance helped him with the rear suspension, providing shocks that
Rosa's Cycles on Long lsland rebuilt the engine and transmission. The pres- gave him the ride height he was after, without sacrificing performance and
ent motor is an B4-inch stroker with balanced flywheels, lightweight pistons, comfort. The rims are high-shoulder Excels, fitted with Buchanan stainless
a performance cam, and worked heads that flow better than stock. And the spokes, and the brake calipers are modern-era Harley-Davidson units with
transmission is now filled with gears that have better ratios for acceleration semi-floating rotors. A heavily altered Benelli tank and straight bench seat,
and highway speed. Allthe primary parts are byTech Cycle, with a smooth and upholstered by Vivian Smith, give the bike a classic profile.
Bike Name: FX Roadster tTl Rebuild valved internals Electrics/lnstru ments: Alex Lerner
Make: Walt Siegl Motorcycles Bike Category/Gene: Roadster Rear Suspension/Shocks: Custom- Paint/Powder: Dave Goddard
Creator: Walt Siegl Year of Rebuild:2O11 made Works Performance Approximate Work Hours: 3 months
Support: Brady Banks Frame Modifications: Chrome-moly Tires/Wheels: Conti nental, Excel Edition: Unique
tubing Brakes: Front: Harley-Davidson; rear:
tUI Donor Bodywork: Custom Brembo
Manufacturer: H a rley-Davidson Motor: 84" stroked engine Hand Controls/Handlebars: Mag u ra,
Model: FX Exhaust: Walt Siegl, Dunstall muffler Tommaselli
Year of Build: 1970 Front Suspension/Fork: Showa re- Foot Controls: Custom
45 Walt Siegl
bespoke custom motorcycles is tiny. To move beyond bolt- Van's Shovel
on parts takes hours of craftsmanship, and true artisans
don't come cheap. Bikes like Walt's, lusted after by so many, Walt Siegl's Van's Shovel is a high-rewing point-and-shoot hot rod based on frame. British Dunlop 40-spoke wheels are shod with Avon tires. lnstruments
a 1972 FX Harley-Davidson. A mixture of English caf6 racers, American bob- are by Jane Kennedy and there's a Morris Magneto ignition. lt comes powdered
are affordable by relatively few. ber/choppers, Japanese low-slung street machines, and ltalian road rockets, in silver metal flake.
Walt has taken a step to correct the imbalance with his the eclectic metal machine features an upgraded and lightened engine dual
new Leggero Series, ? limited run of production machines Weber carburetor, a custom exhaust, and a de-raked wishbone reproduction
46
.\N tii:-;ti
Bike Name: The Four Speed t+l Rebuild Front Suspension/Fork: 1948 spri nger Electrics/lnstruments: J a ne Kennedy
Make: Walt Siegl Motorcycles Bike Category/Gene: Bobber fork Paint/Powder: Ca ndy Gold
Creator: Walt Siegl Year of Rebuild:2OOT Rear Suspension/Shocks: FLH shocks Parts: Harley-Davidson, S&S
Support: Jane Kennedy Frame Modifications: De-raked Tires/Wheels: Firestones on Harley- Other Modifications: Many modif ica-
4-speed frame Davidson rims tions
tIl Donor Bodywork: Custom Brakes: Harley-Davidson banana Approximate Work Hours:3 months
Manufacturer: H a rley-Davidson Motor: lnternally lightened 134O HD caliper, rear Edition: Unique
Model: FLH engine; modified 4-speed transmission Hand Controls/Hand lebars: Custom
Year of Build:1974 Exhaust: Custom Foot Controls: HD, Walt Siegl
47 Walt Siegl
1977 R'|OORS, good for an estimatedTO horsepower. While the engine was out,
Urban Motor the frame was sandblasted, repaired and de-tabbed as needed, had its rear
subframe modified, then was powder-coated black. That same donor R1OORS
least the black leather covering the seat comes from Porsche stocks. You have
to look hard for the headlight, below the alloy front number plate, tucked un-
der the lower triple-clamp, its projector beam mounted in the repurposed tail-
Earl Grey also supplied its front end, complete with dual disc brakes, so now the G/S has light housing from a classic RsO Beemer. The rear monoshock is from Wilbers,
more go and more whoa! Presumably as a tip of the hat to the hard-riding Lon- the handlebars from Magura, the tires f rom Metzeler, the miniscule turn signals
There's something deliciously wrong about a BMW special, just because you don originators of caf6 racing, the bike was dubbed "Earl Grey" afterthe British from Kellermann.
know somewhere some outraged Beemerphile is tut-tutting the unmitigated prime minister and tea-blend namesake. No doubt there will still be some non-believer BMW types out there, but the
audacity of messing about with the factory's Teutonic idea of perfection. Good Germans, though, the Urban Moto crew made sure to incorporate many completed project is so right it can't be wrong. Not that Urban Moto is waiting
The guys at Urban Moto, a three-man operation in Berlin, Germany, don't of their country's fine products in the build. The twice-pipes zooming along the for any outside affirmation; they're already on to their next project. Hide your
mind any angry mail. They're having too much fun, as evidenced by this 1983 bike's right side are from Hoske. "Splendid organ music," says Urban. "This way Beemers! (DE)
R80G/S adventure-bike turned into a caf6 racer. First step was to remove the passers-by get a treat, too." The hand-hammered aluminum gas tank and seat
old motor in preparation for installing the freshe[ more powerfulflat-twin from a cowl may be painted a very American shade of 1967 Shelby Mustang Gray, but at
Bike Name: Earl Grey Model: R80G/S Frame Modifications: Rear frame Exhaust: Hoske 2-1-2 Aprilia, Brembo Shelby 1967
Make: Urban Motor Year of Build:1983 handmade Front Suspension/Fork Original Foot Controls:Tarozzi Parts: Loads
Bodywork: Tank and seat handmade Rear Suspension/Shocks: Wilbers Electrics/lnstruments: Motogad get: Other Modifications: Loads
t$l Rebuild aluminium; Porsche leather; Eco Line m-unit, m-lock; Chronoclassic; head- Approximate Work Hours: 3OO-4OO
tTI Donor Bike Category/Gene: Caf6 racer clip-ons etc. res/Wheels: Metzeler
Ti light hidden hours
Manufacturer: BMW Year of Rebuild : 2@Q9/1O Motor: BMW R1OORS Hand Controls/Handlebars: Magu ra, Paint/Powder: Ford Mustang GT5O0 Edition: Unique
48
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49
lan Barry:
50
Iluilt around a 1950 Triumph Thunderbird motor and
Elmme, the Bullet was Falcon's first motorcyclen but
not Ian Barry's first Triumph custom. HeU been modifying
Triumph twins for himself and a few customers for nearly ten
years before forming hlcon Motorcycles with his fianc6e
Amaryllis Knight.The Bullet is a link with Barry's past, being
a well-executed Triumph custom, and a pointer to its future,
being particularly well-crafted with a compelling Board Track
aesthetic. lt won "Best Custom" at its d6but showing at the
Legend of the Motorcycle Concours d'Elegance in 2OO8.
While the time invested in the Bullet pales by compari-
son with later Falcons, the assemblage of Webb girder
forks, a stretched out rigid frame, the dropped handlebars
with inverted levers, converted vintage gas headlaffiF, and
old-style leather racing saddle, all added up to catnip for
Custom bike lovers. The Bullet is an elegantly aggressive
design that is ultimately simple enough to be copied, and
thus became the pattern for dozens of lookalike machines,
using all manner of engines in rigid frames and girder forks,
from Triumph to lndian to Motosacoche. The stretched
frame, steep fork angle, and dropped board track handle-
bars add up to a kind of "inverted choppar," suggesting
hot road performance, and the 75O cc cylinder kit with twin
Amal carbs delivers just that. The bike is light and quick,
and looks badass.
The Kestrel d6buted at the Quail Motorcycle Gathering
in 2818, fulfilling two years of rampant speculation, internet
discussion, and a book's worth of print press coverage of
The Bullet. This interim gave rise to a curious cult around
the Falcon, building mountains of praise from a single
motorcycle, and an equally curious anti-Falcon reaction to
all the hoopla. The Kestrel didn't silence every critic, but
it was a huge leap forward in the level of detail, quality of
finish, amount of work, and time invested in building a bike.
lan Barry challenged his own working formula, saying at the
time he "had a pretty good formula for creating an appeal-
ing 1960s Bobbe[ but my work on the bikes didn't reflect
the thought that went into a single lTriumphl casting lug or
timing cover ... What if ! built a whole bike like that? What
would that be?" He decided Falcon would "not make any
compromises anywhere. Every piece of hardware, every
curue, every part of my bike should reflect the thought that
went into that timing cover." With such a mission statement,
is it any wonder the finished bike is a sensation?
The Kestrel was built from a basket case 197O Bonneville
with a ruined gearbox casting; Barry took the radical step
of cutting off the gearbox entirely, making a "unit" engine
appear pre-1963. This allowed for a creative primary case,
a stylishly accomplished blend of early and late castings, The Bullet
with the rear half matching its early Triumph gearbox. The
separate gearbox meant the 197O frame was out of the Bike Name: The Bullet Year of Rebuild:2O@8 Exhaust: Amal concentric carbu retors
Make: lan Barry Frame Modifications: Aluminum; brass; Front Suspension/Fork Modified Web
question, so the Falcon team fabricated a frame that used
brass buckle; bronze; cloth; copper; girder fork
the same steering geometry as a 196Os Triumph, while tUI Donor enamel; epoxy; Farmall tractor leaf Tires/Wheels: Avon tire; Goodyear tire;
looking like a1949,s model; the stretched-out Custom look Manufacturer: Triumph spring; glass; nickel; leather; Rolls Royce Dunlop steel wheels
Model: Thunderbird 75O Silver Ghost light; rubber; screws Electrics/lnstruments: Smiths revula-
was gone. The Kestrel is a compact package, with a short
Bodywork Modified Triumph primary tor; pre-Second World War taillight
wheelbase and close-hugging handlebars, tanks, and seat tUl Rebuild cover Editlon: Unique
all tucked in tight. Bike Category/Gene: Bobber Motor: Modified 1950 Triumph engine
51
The Kestrel
Bike Name: The Kestrel t[J Rebuild nickel; paint; palladium leaf; rubber; Tires/Wheels: Firestone tire; Venom
Make: lan Barry Bike Category/Gene: Bob ber safety wire; stainless steel; steel Avon tire; Borrani WMl wheel; Borrani
Year of Rebuild:2O1O Bodywork: Suzuki GS55O clutch; tape WM2 wheel
III Donor Frame Modifications: Modified alterna- Motor: BSA A-14 transmission; Triumph Edition: Unique
Manufacturer: Triumph tor; aluminum; brass; brass mesh; generator cap; De-unitized 197O Tri-
Model: Bonneville bronze; cloth; copper; glass; gold leaf; umph Bonneville engine
Year of Build: 1970 iron; leather; leather rope; Loctite; Exhaust: GP carburetors
52
53 lan Barry
The Black
Bike Name: The Black M Donor fEI Rebuild alloy; copper; cloth; enamel; epoxy; engrne pads
Make: lan Barry Manufacturer: Vincent Bike Category/Gene: Bobber glass; leather; nickel; pyrex; rubber; Tires/Wheels: Avon tires; Borrani 21 Electrics/lnstruments: Li g ht-emitti ng
Model: Black Shadow Year of Rebuild: 2O11 silver; stainless mesh; stainless steel; WM1 wheel; Borrani 20 WMz wheel diodes
Frame Modifications: Acrylic; 7@75 and steel; springs; titanium; white gold leaf Brakes: Harley calipers with cross- Edition: Unique
6061 T6 aluminum; brass; 954 bronze Motor:1952 Vincent Black Shadow drilled rotors and high-performance
54
iu
'lrfl
mudguards. Their silhouette is familiar aS 'nVincert," but
everything is changed. The forks are modernized Girdrau-
Iics, their blades reshaped holloq their bearings all needle-
rollers, the shocks modern gas units by Works Performance.
The front brakes have four leading shoes on twinned drums,
with double the braking power of the original items, Y€t are
Iighter while being much stronger.
The triangulated swingatffi, a Phil Vincent patent from
1928, is lengthened to cure notorious Vincent "speed
wobbles," their pivot area is robustly fortified, with motion
damped by more Works shocks. The seat, perhaps the Ieast
satisfactory element on a Vincent, is replaced by a small
saddle, very light and cleverly constructed with a 3D spring-
ing system inside a pelvis-shaped stainless frame, which
is very racy indeed. lts leather cover can be snapped off in
seconds to reveal a mesmerizing work of functional beauty.
The oil tank is the frame of a Vincent, and Falcon fabri-
cated its own of stainless steel, with cooling fins ducted via
the pannier fuel tanks, whose hollows guide onrushing air
toward the cylinder heads. These hand-hammered alumi-
num tanks press-and-click onto spring-loaded pins, on or
off in seconds, via push-fit marine fuel taps. The dropped
apart, beyond its obvious beauty: time for consideration of a handlebars have a unique locking system allowing six
thousand small details required of a motorcycle's function; positions of adjustment, without using tools. In fact, in the
time to design new solutions for old problems; time to build spirit of the original Vincent, The Black can be adiusted or
the parts to assemble the machine; time to make those partially dismantled with no tools at all, using various clever
parts breathtakingly beautiful. lan Barry declared it his last adjusting or locking systems invented by lan Barry.
Like The Kestrel, The Black, while a sery and muscular
"Every piece of hardware, every beast, provides an education to the close observer. With
untold thousands of hours (Falcon stopped keeping track)
curve, every part of my bike should spent on its design and final construction, one must look
reflect the thought that went into deeper at the machine than its shape and principal fea-
tures to discover the rabbit holes those hours ran down.
that timing cover." Meditate, for instance, on the fully adjustable footrest and
lan Barry gearshift syst€ffi, which might look straightforward, until
its function is explained. Only then will it become clear the
AII of which was clear from ten feet away, or at first Triumph, but really, what more did he need to say? time, thought, and skill required to make the parts not only
glance on the Web: what was less obvious, and required/ While The Kestrel was an artistic monument to time work in a completely new way, but ultimately become a
rewarded serious scrutiny, was the detail. With exquisitely invested in new ways of making a motorcycle beauti- system of absolute sculptural beauty. Multiply that achieve-
sculpted levers, controls, turnbuckles, and even nuts and fully functional, The Black, based on a 1950 Vincent Black ment on one small system, times the dozens of similarly
bolts, The Kestrel clearly took an almost absurd invest- Shadow, took that time and squared it, to stunning effect. conceived and executed solutions required to make The
ment of time to create, far more than a "Triumph Custom" The Black's chassis was fabricated entirely by Falcon; Black the machine it is, and really, the only proper reaction
had any right to expect. lt was time that set The Kestrel frame, forks, brakes, tanks, handlebars, controls, seat, is awe. (PdOl
55 lan Barry
Mule Motorcycles rience tuning race bikes and his later career doing fabrication for the aero-
space industry. "Aerospace metalworking is different than everyday motor-
racing-style seat-made f rom ultralight balsa wood with mahogany stringers,
then glazed over, just like a vintage surf board. (PdO/DE)
cycle repair and requires a different set of tools and skills as well as extremely
Web Surfer TWo strict quality requirements," he says. "ln the rocket-building business, mis-
takes are heavily f rowned upon. One mistake is one too many." Pollock's Web
Richard Pollock has been "messing around" with motorcycles since 1969, Surfer Two runs a hot-rodded Buelll2OO engine in a C&J monoshock frame,
motocrossing and flat-tracking his way by 1975 to San Diego, where he also the swingarm's actions controlled by a side-mounted Penske shock. Front
joined the legendary SoCal surf culture. His Mule Motorcycles reflect the suspension is handled by Buell X-1 inverted forks.
dominant racing scene of 1960s /197Os California, the golden era of Flat Track The bike's name is a pun on the age of internet parts searches (Pollock
racing. Mule's specialty is street trackers. They reflect his decades of expe- sourced many of this bike's parts from eBay), plus the construction of that
Bike Name: Web Surfer Two wI Rebuild Exhaust: Mark McDade stainless Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom Paint/Powder: RW. Little
Make: Mule Motorcycles Bike Category/Gene: Street tracker Front Suspension/Fork Buell X-l stainless bars; Brembo master cylinder; Powder-coating
Creator: Richard Pollock Year of Rebuil d: 2O12/2O13 Rear Suspension/Shocks: Monoshock, Buell clutch lever; Ducati HyperMottard Parts: Many, many
Frame Modifications: C&J monoshock Penske throttle assy Other Modifications: Handmade
tUI Donor custom Tires/Wheels: Front: Kawasaki Morris; Foot Controls: Custom, KTM/Brembo wooden seat; fiberglass by Mark Smith
Manufacturer: Buell (motor only) Bodywork Storz aluminum fuel tank; rear: Harley Morris rear master cylinder Approximate Work Hours:260 hours
Model: Buell M-2 Cyclone Custom wood seat Brakes: Front: Kosman; rear: custom Electrics/lnstrumentation: Acewel I Edition: No.2
Year of Build: 2OO1 Motor: Richard Pollock Brembo calipers multi-gauge Retail price: $3B,OOO
56
street-riding enthusiasts. Retired racing bikes already have "the look" of a caf6 to check over and tidy up. ln the meantime, he ditched the original cast mag
Machine racer; all that was reguired was the reluctant addition of lights for highway legal-
ity ... other road reguirements like turn signals, horns, and quiet mufflers were
wheels, and laced up Akront alloy rims to earlier Guzzi wheel hubs, which re-
ally gave the proiect a 196Os look. Further emphasizing a "classic" caf6 racer
Guzzi MarkI Le Mans added only under duress, such as an unwelcome summons from the judiciary! aesthetic is the Norton Manx-style alloy fuel tank, which was built to tit the fa-
Matt Machine builds custom bikes of all stripes out of his shop, Machine, mous Lino Tonti frame, which gives the Le Mans such good handling. A hump-
While builders of caf6 racers in the 196Os and 197Os were busy hopping up in New South Wales, Australia. He found the Moto Guzzi Mk 1 Le Mans as an back seat and "bikini" fairing were fitted as standard to the Le Mans, but Matt's
their road-going machines in imitation of their racing heroes, and reaching for ex-racer already brought back to street legality. That meant he inherited a seri- versions in bare alloy make the plastic originals look clunky, which is really a
extra performance (and looks) to match track bikes, the "next wave" of caf6 ously pumped motori bored out to g5O cc with ported cylinder heads and 40 statement. To rephrase, the Mk1 Le Mans is a design icon, among the very best
enthusiasts from the 198Os onwards reaped the benefits of their 1960s and mm Dell'Orto "pumper" carbs. Although the bike ran well, he stripped the ma- 197Os motorcycles, ltalian or otherwise, and Mafi Machine managed to make
1979s racetrack icons becoming obsolete, and filtering back to the hands of chine completely, handing the engine and gearbox to specialist Peter Roper it better. tFdOl
Bike Name: Guzzi Mark 1 [,e Mans EUI Rebuitd Ducati Marzocchi FainUPowder: Black powder coat and
Make: Machine Blke Category/Gene: Cafd racer Rear Suspenslon/Shoclcs: I kon polished alloy
Creator: Matt Machine Year of Rebulld: 2911 Tirce/Wheels: Akront alloy with Farts: Thunderbikes Australia and
Bodywork Alloy stainless-steel spokes Motociclo Sydney
fSI Donor Motor: Peter Roper Brakee Brembo Approximate tttork Houte: 2gO hours
Manufactulel: Moto Guzzi Exhaust Custom, stai nless-steel Hand Gontruls/Handlebare: Tommasell i
Model: Le Mans Mark 1 eonstruction Foot Controls: Tarozzi rear-sets
Year of Build: 1976 Front Suspenelon/Fork: Machine, EleEtricE/lnstru ments: M ach n e custom
i
57
I
I
I
I
i.
I
IvB-moto All JvB-moto's bikes have a compact brutality about them. Everything is as
tucked in as a clenched fist. His trademark headlight nacelle shrinks between
lvB made the one-off carbon seat unit and one off fuel tank. He even has a
back story for his rnachine...
Ducati Pantah the forks stanchtons like the head of startled tortoise retreating into its shell. "l wanted the bike to look a [rit like it was founcl in a shed in Bologna... a far-
The exhaust on vorn Brauck's personal Pantah remains completely within the ahead futuristic design study for the 1g81 Bologna lVlotor Show, but never on
Jens vorn Brauck made a name for himself creating hot rod Ducatis out of his conftnes of the frame, nothing poking out to get in the way" JvB likes his bike dtsplay," vom Brauck explains- The 1970s Jaguar car color, left matte, add cred-
derelict Cologne workshop. He also produced a concept bike for the now-de- light ancl skinny. ibility to the story. ,'tr wanted to keep a l97Os appeal, so the thin wheels had to
funct MZ factory, builds the toughest Hinckley Bonneville scrarnbrlers under the The modified Ducati frame is so minimal it virtually disappears, leaving the stay original, only covered with sonre thin carbon covers." (Gl)
JvB-moto banner and also wonderful SRSOOs for Gerrnan corrpany Kedo. 1982 air-cooled, desrnodromic, 650 cc engine to hog the limelight.
Bike Name: Ducati Par-rtah t$l Rebulld Front Suspension/Fork: Stoc k matte
Make: Jvts-nroto Bike Category/Gene: Cafe raeer Rear Suspension/Shocks: Koni Other Modifications: Custom made
Creator: Jens vom Brauck Year of Rebuild:2812 Tires/Wheels: Stock rvith carbon fiber carlron f iber headlight by JvB-moto;
Frame Modifications: Rear frame short- COVETS carbon fiber details; one-off aluminunr
ISI Donor ened and many details Brakes: Ducati 988ss, i.e", Brembo f ront f iller cap/control light panel on tank
Manufacturer: Ducati Bodywork: One-off carbon flber tail unit; Hand Controls/Handlebars: Modified Approximate Work Hours: Many
Model: Fantah 650 one-off f uel tarrk based on origir-rai Magura 1 9BEs-style elip-on Edition: Unique
Year of Build: lg82 Motor: Overirau ed 658 cc engine Foot Controls: Modified stock Retail price: €35,400
Exhaust: Unique 2-1-2 exhaust Paint/Powder: 1972 Jaguar "llme f lo!n/er"
58
DP Customs:
Brothers in Arms
Jarrod and Justin Del Prado have carved out an enviable reputation by focusing on
Harley-Davidson Evos and lronheads-traditional builds with an unusual twist.
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lJ ow does a builder get started in this business? For
I I the Arizona-based Del Prado siblings, it started with
a moment of revelation: after 2@ years in the corporate
',+' lt&
world, they needed to get out and start doing something ,t':
they loved. -\
Jarrod loved MotoGP and Formula One, and rode a sport- itr
.ir
,
bike. Justin was into vintage hot rod automobiles, and rode
a Harley-Davidson. They both owned restored 1966 Ford
Mustangs.
"Justin has been mechanically savvy since the day he
was born," says Jarrod, the younger brother by four years.
'*l wasn't, but I loved to ride fast. We're best friends and had
been talking for years about getting out of the rat race and
into business for ourselves. Then one year Justin bought
an old Harley-Davidson, fixed it up, and made a few bucks.
Then he did it again."
The brothers signed up for a business seminar. After
three days in class, they realized it was time to quit the day
jobs. "Otherwise, you'll always just be a dreamer, Quitting
your job means you have to chase your true passion-or you
!t (
won't survive."
DP Customs started in 2QQB in Justin's garage, Over the
next yea[ the Del Prados acquired everything they needed,
including a dedicated workshop in the town of New River
and a paint booth. Today, they each own 5O percent of one
of the United States's most highly regarded Harley-David-
son shops.
They're not getting rich, but they're happy. When not
are hardtails with a strong retro or bobber feel, they're also Make: DP Customs Bike Category/Gene: Bobber with fork brace Parts: Biltwell lnc.
Creator: Justin and Jarrod Del Prado Year of Rebuild: 2O13 Tires/Wheels: Pirelli Night Dragon tires; Other Modifications: DP Customs
designed to be ridden in anger. "Our goa! is to build a bike Frame Modifications: Ha rdtail, front: 19" 110/90; rear: 17" 160/78 exhaust
that looks cool and rides wel!. We are very disciplined in t{l Donor 4" stretch and drop Brakes: Brembo Approximate Work Hours: Too many
Manufacturer: H a rley-Davidson Bodywork: Custom Hand Controls/Handlebars: Exi le to countl
sticking to what we Iike, and don't follow trends."
Model: 12OO cc Sportster Motor: Stock with Crane single-fire igni- Cycles Edition: Unique
The Del Prados name Mule, Deus Ex Machina, and the Year of Build: 1995 tion/coil and Big Sucker intake Foot Controls: DP Customs rocker
Wrenchmonkees as builders they admire. But most of their Exhaust: Custom shifter
61
,f*D
62
-;t
DP Customs
Top Fuel ll
It may be named after a dragster, but DP Customs'Top Fuel ll lronhead Sport- It looks all hunkered down like a stock car on the high banks, thanks to a revealed largely unmolested internals, not always the case with these old, hard-
ster is actually an homage to NASCAR, in particular Ned Jarrett's 1965 title- springer f ront end shortened by four inches, and to a slight stretch in the hard- working motors. No major surgery required, just renew, refresh, and put back to
winning Ford Galaxie, right down to the blue paint, white wheels, and sidewinder tail frame. Also helping with stance is the big, balloon-like 16-inch Firestone- spec. lt would be hard to get more American than this NASCAR-|nspired lron-
exhaust, and even the style of hand-lettering. And that's Ned's #11 plastered on replica tire out back, head Harley-Davidson. (DEl
top of the gas tank. "My brother Jarrod and I are huge racing fans," says shop Like almost all of the lron Sportys that emerge from the Del Prado brothers'
co-founder Justin Del Prado. "We've owned and love old Fords." Arizona shop, this 1981 motor was treated to a rebuild. Thankfully a stripdown
Bike Name: Top Fuel ll t{l Rebuild Tires/Wheels: Front: Avon .l9"; rear: Approximate Work Hours: Too many
Make: DP Customs Bike Category/Gene: Bobber Firestone 16" to countl
Creator: Justin and Jarrod Del Prado Year of Rebuild: 2O11 Brakes: Front: DNA; rear: Harley-
Frame Modifications: 4" stretched and Davidson
tUl Donor dropped hardtail Hand Controls/Handlebars: Biltwell lnc.
Manufacturer: Harley-Davidson Bodywork: Custom Tracker bars
Model: lronhead Sportster Motor: |OOO cc lronhead Foot Controls: Harley-Davidson mids
Year of Build: 1979 Exhaust: Custom Paint/Powder: DP Customs
Front Suspension/Fork: Spri nger Parts: Biltwell lnc. solo seat
64
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Beach Cruiser
And now for something completely different from the brothers Del Prado at DP ride. The cruiser-style bars make for an easygoing riding position-but don't be shark-fin tips. Justin has since sold the bike. Not to worry, he can always make
Customs. While most of their lronhead Harleys look like racetrack refugees, this fooled, the 1O0O cc motor pulls strong!" another one for himself, though chances are that one will get bought out from
one has a more laid-back retro vibe. Maybe that's why it's called Beach Cruiser. Jarrod notes that the man-hours involved in construction totaled "too many beneath him as well! (DE,
Says Jarrod, "This bike was originally built as Justin's daily rider. He's an avid to count," but a quick scan of the bike reveals where some of the work was
VW enthusiast, and it has the same Green & Wimbledon White paint scheme concentrated, namely the front-mounted oil tank, shaped like a gentleman's
as his 1958 Bug had. He wanted the bike to lookvintage and have a comfortable oversized hip flask, and the side-by-side exhaust pipes that terminate in twin
Bike Name: Beach Cruiser t[,lRebuild Rear Suspension/Shocks: Stock Approximate Work Hours: Too many
Make: DP Customs Bike Category/Gene: Cruiser Harley-Davidson to count!
Creator: Justin and Jarrod Del Prado Year of Rebuild:2011 Tires/Wheels: Front: 21"; rear'. stock Edition: Unique
Frame Modifications: None Harley-Davidson 18"
I:rI Donor Bodywork: Custom Brakes: Stock
Manufacturer: Harley-Davidson Motor: Stock lOOO cc Hand Controls/Handlebars: Stock
Model: lronhead Sportster Exhaust: Custom Foot Controls: Stock mid-controls
Year of Build: 1977 Front Suspension/Fork: Lowered and PainUPowder: Paint by DP Customs
stiffened Parts: Biltwell lnc.
65 DP Customs
riding they plan on doing, and the general ergonomics. This
will define if the bike will be a full suspension caf6-style ma-
chine, or a hardtail. Then we select individual components,
like the best type of bars to use."
The overall style is usually defined by a loose concept
from the customer. Sometimes there are specific requests:
on the bike that became known as Black & White, the
66
-#,*fl.*:&,*
67 DP Customs
Naked Caf6
According to workshop co-owner Justin Del Prado, this is DP Customs' fast- cowl, oil tank, exhaust, and seat. The builders spent "countless hours" fabbing
est and best-handling bike yet. Starting f rom their favorite platform, the Harley- up details, many of which are hidden within its impressive body. The "Quantum-
Davidson Sportster lronhead, Del Prado and his team turned a 1980 donor into port" exhaust system is a symmetrical 2-1 chamber, giving a good amount of
a caf6. Plenty of open space in the stripped down frame lightens up its look. back pressure. The titanium wrap is for protecting the rider's legs and keeping
The tank is a classic 1970s Maico made of raw aluminum, and its angular lines the heat in the pipes. The bike's overall color scheme and angular shapes were
inspired the rest of the bike. Many parts are DP one-offs, including the rear inspired by the Le Mans winning Audi R18 TDl.
Bike Name: Naked Cafe tTl Rebuild Exhaust: DP Customs box pipe Hand Controls/Handlebars: Stock Approximate Work Hours: Too many
Make: DP Customs Bike Category/Gene: Caf6 racer Front Suspension/Fork: Stock, Foot Controls: Chainsikle rear-sets to count!
Creator: Justin and Jarrod Del Prado Year of Rebuild:2011 lowered 2" Electrics/lnstru ments: nstru ment
I Edition: Unique
Frame Modifications: Chopped f ra me Rear Suspension/Shocks: Stock delete
tTl Donor after the rear shock mounts Harley-Davidson Paint/Powder: Paint by DP Customs
Manufacturer: Ha rley-Davidson Bodywork: Rear cowl: DP Customs; gas Tires/Wheels: Rims powder-coated Parts: Biltwell lnc.
Model: lronhead Sportster tank: vintage Maico gunmetal; Pirelli Sport Demon tires Other Modifications: DP Customs front-
Year of Build: 19BO Motor:1OOO cc lronhead Brakes: Stock mounted oil tank
68
ished with a matte clear coat that works beautifully with the vice," SayS larrod. "We make the process fun for our clients,
bright colors underneath. Another favorite is Del Rey, finished and build a quality relationship with them."
in the Elf colors of blue and white. "l know our best is yet to Not surprisingly, there is no shortage of clients for DP
Customs. The Del Prado brothers are proof that you can
"lt's organized. Zero clutter, very make your passion your profession-even in the hyper-com-
petitive world of custom bike-building. (CHl
clean. Cold beer in the fridge."
Iaruod De! Prado
come though," says Jarrod. "l'm thinking it'll be a caf6-style
bike with Brembo brakes and top-of-the-line Suspension."
Mechanical ability is only one part of a custom motor-
cycle business, though, and the Del Prados know that well.
"You need a strong business Sense and good customer Ser-
69 DP Customs
Mele
When you're building a "theme" custom, it's way too easy to get carried away dlebars and gummy Pirelli Sport Demon tires, items not usually seen on a head, installing hot cams, doing some headwork, hooking up a Mikuni carb to
and end up with an embarrassing circus wagon. Watch reruns from any of last stretched rigid-frame Sporty. And if the twin Harley-Davidson brakes up front the Branch manifold, and letting it breathe through a2-2exhaust.
decade's bike-builder television shows to illustrate the point. Have to say that aren't quite ready for MotoGP, they're twice the setup seen on most Harley- Last bit of race-car reference is the mini-spoiler on the rear fender. This eas-
DP Customs got things right with this race-car-inspired Sportster; though. Davidson customs-if they run front brakes at all! ily could have come off as over-the-top-and in other builders' hands, it might
It was built for Pro-Mazda-series driver Perry Mele, hence the clip-on han- Mr. Mele appreciates performance, so DP leaned on the 1979 rcOO cc lron- have-but here it's just right, like the rest of the bike. (DEt
Bike Name: Mele fUl Rebuild Exhaust: DP Customs X-Pipe Hand Controls/Handlebars: DP Cus- by Biltwell lnc.
Make: DP Customs Bike Category/Gene: Bobber Front Suspension/Fork Lowered 2", toms clip-ons Approximate Work Hours: Too many
Creator: Justin and Jarrod Del Prado Year of Rebuild:2O12 turned on the lathe to remove fender Foot Controls: Harley-Davidson mid- to count!
Frame Modifications: Hardtail with 6" mounts, and polished controls
[It Donor stretch and a 4" drop Tires/Wheels: Pirelli Sport Demon; front: FainUPowder: Paint by DP Customs,
Manufacturer: H arley-Davidson Bodywork: Custom 19";rear:16" "Near Chrome" powder-coated frame
Model: lronhead Motor: lgOO cc lronhead with headwork, Brakes: Stock Harley-Davidson calipers by APC
Year of Build:1979 cams, and intake by #1 Cycles and with cross-drilled stainless rotors and Parts: Slimline seat; Kung-Fu grips;
Machines and Machines high-performance pads Whiskey throttle sleeve-a I I
70
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DP Customs
Raccia Motorcycles the task of making a bike with all-Japanese specs, which echoed the immortal
Honda RCl8l, but didn't imitate it. "l've always had a schoolboy crush on the entire
effoft to get right, but the finished article looks so right he's selling replicas of his
replica. Sticking with his allJapanese theme, a big Suzuki Water Buffalo double-
Honda RC line up, and the Rfi81 is absolute perfection.'n The mid-1g70s Honda
Honda CB55O CB55e four-cylinder engine is a near approximation of a 1960s 5OO cc GP motor,
sided 4 leading-shoe front brake sits in heavier CB75O forks, white the rear drum
is a beautifully reworked CB77 brake. That subdued blue-gray tank looks like a fac-
but the Honda chassis has long been a limiting factor in creating a truly sporting tory race-team discard, but it is actually an artfully bashed-in lGwasaki KZIOOOR
When it comes to iconic racing machines, few have the charisma, or winning motorcycle. LaFountain's first order of business was to rectifythat probtem; he set item. With a delicate race seat and narrour front fender also painted steely blue,
streak, of the early 196Os Honda factory team, which dominated tracks around about chopping bits of tube from the standard CB frame until he was left with a plus slim handmade controls and discreet matte black 4-1 exhaust, the machine
the world. Their familiar red and silver livery has been copied countless times by rnere 39 percent of the original metal, then added tubing to create the silhouette has an understated harmony, and looks both vintage and authentic. Anyone who
wannabe owners of ordinary roadsters, for better and worse. Mike LaFountain of of a factory Honda racer, a lightweight twin-loop design, which is the legacy of really knows their "CBs" won't be fooled, but will be intensely curious about how
Raccia Motorcycles also has a deep love of Honda factory racers, but set himself Mike Hailwood's demand for better GP handing. The frame took serious time and this gorgeous period piece came together so well. (FdO)
Bike Name: Honda CB55O I|EI Rebuild Motor: Engine: performance eamshafts, Rear Suspension/Shocks: Cu sto m Electries/lnstruments: Handmade
Make: Raccia Motorcycles Bike Gategory/Gene: Caf6 racer oversized pistons, port, and polish TiresAlllheels: Excel high-shouldered FainUPowder: Painted by my painter
Creator: Michael l-aFountain Yeer of Rebuild:2Q12 Exhauet Started as old after-market rims; Avon tires Geoff Giammarco
Frame Modifications: Frame: Raccia headers then made a muffler and fused Brakes: Front modified Suzuki GT75O Approxlmate Work Hours: Hundreds
IUI Donor (see below) them together drum; rear: modified Honda CB77 Edition: Unique
Manufacturer: Honda Bodywork Tank is a heavily modified Front Suepension/Fork Honda CBTSO Hand Gontrols/Handlebars: Magura
Model: CB55O Kawasaki I{ZrcOO; other bodywork heavily modified with race internals; race bars
Year of Bulld: 1977 handmade out of aluminum reshaped stock triple clamp Foot Controls: Handmade
72
tains the mass-with production seams at the bottom, which is the giveaway to
Raccia Motorcycles its origins-while skillfully eliminating 1980s bloat.
n'l'm
always trying to change
proportions and form ne,w lines to create a unique look, which stems from my
TR6 love of vintage GP race bikes. A purist would probably think it's blasphemy to
put a lapanese tank on a British bike, but I haven't had any complaints yet!"
The venerable Triumph Trophy is probably the most-customized British motor- After altering the frame for a more compact overall package, Mike built an alu-
cycle eve[ so making a standout machine takes some kind of ingenuity. Rac- minum battery box and the seat, whlch has a Manx-like cutout for the oil filler.
cia motorcycles created perfect proportions to their caf6 racer TRO by doing With swept-back pipes and lowered forks, he's captured the feel of a 1966s GP
the unthinkable; adding a lapanese big-bore multi-tank to the delicate Triumph bike; compact, tidy, and very appealing. {FdO}
chassis. The KZleOeR tank was heavily moditied by Mike lsFountain, but re-
Bike Name: TRE ITI Rebullcl Motor: Rebuilt with Morgo 75O kit per- Brakes: Stock drums
Make: Raccia Motorcycles Blke Category/Gene: CafE racer formance valves Hand Controls/Handlebars: Clip-ons
Creator: M ichael LaFountain Year of Rebuild: 2911 Exhauet Handmade Foot Controle: Handmade from
Frame Modificatlone: Removed tail Front $uEpenslon/Fork: Rebuilt/modi- aluminum
tU Donor section fied cartridges Electries/lnstru ments:
Rewi red
Manufactunar: Triumph Bodywork Handmade seat made of Rear Suspension/Shocks: Hagon FainUPourder: Frame tank and seat
Model: TRG aluminum; modified Kawasaki KZIOO9; shocks painted
Year of Build:1969 handmade oil tank Tl ree/Ullheels: Avon Road rlder Ediltion: Unique
73
Golorado Norton Works in a row-into more reliable, easier starting, fasteri and lower-slung caf6 racers.
"l believe that stripped down British bikes built in the 195Os and 196Os truly are
timeless, and the look is hard to beat." The Limited Edition Cafe Commando
CNW Limited Edition Caf6 is built around a new frame designed by Rambow and Jeff Cole (C&I Frames),
which is compact yet retains the standard Norton geometry, developed from
Some customizers focus on one make of motorcycle-usually Harley-David- decades of GP racing. Marzocchi forks with Suzuki 4LS brakes are about as
son, but sometimes Vincent or Ducati-but it's rare to find a builder whose spe- good as drums get, and give an old-school feel. And while the custom Evan
cialty is one model exclusively. Matt Rambow's Colorado Norton Works could Wilcox aluminum bodywork is pure'l960s race style, the extensive engine de-
be named Commando Works, as uprating the late Norton twin is his calling. He velopment, reconfigured cylinder head, and flat-slide "pumper" carbs make the
transforms ordinary Commandos-which won "Machine of the Year" five years 858 cc machine as "good to go" as it is for show. (PdOl
Bike Name: CNW Limited Edition Caf6 tUI Rebuild Bodywork: Custom alloy fabricated by Exhaust Fast Frog Big Bore'16/a" medium body calipers; Brembo master cylinder
Make: Colorado Norton Works Bike Category/Gene: Caf6 racer Evan Wilcox; design by CNW and Evan stainless-steel Tires/Wheels: Sun rims; stainless Electrics/lnstru ments: C N W electron-
Creator: Matt Rambow Year of Rebu i I d: 2011-2@14 Wilcox Front Suspension/Fork Custom; based spokes, and nipples; front: WM3 x 18"; ics package with center console
Frame Modifications: Custom-made Motor:858 cc Commando; Fullauto on a 39 mm Showa; modified internals; rear: WM4.5 x 17" PainVPowder: CNW powder coating
tTI Donor frame by leff Cole; design by CNW and ported head; modified JE pistons; cus- modified legs; CNW stainless axle; Brakes: Front: CNWBrembo Dual 12" with primel base coat plus clear coat
Manufacturer: 850 cc Norton Jeff Cole; oil tank in back bone using tom'l mm Total Seal rings; web cam; lowered 2" full floater with 4 pad calipers; Brembo Approximate Work Hours: 350 hours
Commando Commando geometry; TIG welded radiused lifters; ceramic coated barrel; Rear Suspension/Shocks: Hagon; Radial, master cylinder; back CNW Edition: Total production of 13 bikes
Year of Build: 1973/1974 chrome-moly tubing crank case breather modification stainless-steel body; 20 kg spring; Brembo 10.5. full floater with 2-piston Retail price: $++,9SO
74
for Brit bike-mounted Rockers and scooter-riding Mods to visit on the week- brake and heavily modified Yamaha XS65O rear drum; custom-made billet triple
Champions Moto ends and public holidays. Brighton, a former favorite vacation spot for British
royals, gained public notoriety due to the fact the seafront would sometimes
clamps made to look like cast items; fork gaiters and Ace bars.
Thanks to a massive reduction in mass and a healthy increase in horsepower,
Brighton become a battleground as the two factions fought for pride and teenage kicks, the Brighton's power-to-weight ratio comprehensively trumps the Thruxton,
Triumph's own cafe racer-styled twin. With high rear-sets and twin exhausts
throwing deck chairs and clenched fists. Thanks to its thoroughbred racetrack
One of three Champions Moto Hinckley twins to be featured in The Ride, the genes, this caf6 racer could hold its own in a traffic-light skirmish, too. tucked out of the way, riders would have to be on a mission to run out of ground
Brighton shows the versatility of both the donor bike and Champions Moto The competition pedigree is in evidence in the form of the chrome-moly chassis, clearance, too.
chassis, parts, and concept. Rather than a stripped-to-the-bare-bones street Keihin f latslidecarbs, and RaceTech adjustable reartwin shocks.The performance Being faster, lighter, and more stylish than any showroom bike was always
tracker, the Brighton is a classy caf6 racer with a dozen neat touches. modif ications have been mixed with the traditional elements of hand-formed alloy the caf6 racer's raison d'6tre and the Brighton upholds the tradition tremen-
The name comes from the English seaside town that was a mid-l968s mecca bodywork-painted to resemble an earlyTriumph Speed Twin;Grimeca f ront drum dously well. (Glt
Bike Name: Brighton Year of Build: 2OO4 Motor: 865 cc twin; custom ported Rear Suspension/Shocks: Race Tech Paint/Powder: Custom
Make: Champions Moto head; cams; lightened flywheel; CP pis- Tires/Wheels: Excel Akront-style; 18" Edition: Unique
Creator: Richard Varner and Richard lTl Rebuild ton; MSD programmable ignition; Keihin Du nlop vintage-style KB1/K7O Retail price: $32000
Pollock Bike Category/Gene: Cafe racer 39 mm carbs Brakes: Brembo/Grimeca 4 leading
Year of Rebuild:2O1O Exhaust: Custom pipes with shoe drum
tTl Donor Frame Modifications: Custom frame megaphones Hand Controls/Handlebars: Cham pions
Manufacturer: Triumph Bodywork: Champions Moto tank; Front Suspension/Fork: Triumph, Moto clubman bars
Model: Bonneville seat; side panels custom triples Foot Controls: Custom
75
Champions Moto the-shelf items, they tend to be race components, and
sure they work without problems on the road.
he works hard to make as lower-specification replicas and rolling chassis. The tank is alloy, the seat
carbon-fiben spokes for the tubeless tires are titanium, as are the brake discs.
Richard's company, Mule Motorcycles, has been building this style of dirt The frame, swingarm, triple clamps, footrests, sidestand, and titanium exhaust
Street Master track-bred road bike since the 1990s. A master designer and former dirt track are all Mule designs created for, and marketed by, Champions Moto.
racer, Mule has the all-important stance of this style of bike nailed. Streetmaster developed the hydraulic clutch and new primary cover to replace
Former aerospace fabricator Richard "Mule" Pollock consistently raises the Mule developed the Streetmaster for Champions Moto. This is the prototype, the stock Bonneville's cable-operated original.
bar when it comes to creating street trackers. When compared to other mo- and weighs just AA kg (31O lb); an incredible figure considering the original The finished Streetmaster was track-tested on the dirt ovals of southern
torcycles in this genre, his bikes mix unprecedented levels of go and show. He Triumph engine alone is close to 90 kg eAO lb). To reach that weight cost California and it f lew. (Gl)
solves problems most builders are willing to live with, by creating or commis- $75,OOO in research, development, and titanium.
sioning his own triple clamps, hubs, frames, and bodywork. When he uses off- The frame is chrome-moly and was designed for Champions Moto to sell
Bike Name: Street Master Year of Build: 2AO4 head; cams; lightened flywheel; CP pis- Tires/Wheels: Jupiter wheels, Dunlop 19"
Make: Champions Moto ton; MSD programmable ignition; Keihin d i rt track (Dl 637/D361 6)
Creator: Richard Varner and Richard fIl Rebuild 39 mm carbs Brakes: Wilwood
Pollock Bike Category/Gene: Street tracker Exhaust: Champions Moto custom Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom
Year of Rebuild:2OOB titanium 2:1 pipes Paint/Powder: Custom
tTI Donor Frame Modifications: Custom frame Front Suspension/Fork: Triumph Speed Edition: First edition
Manufacturer: Triumph Bodywork: Custom tank and seat Triple Retail price: $32000
Model: Bonneville Motor:790 cc twin; custom ported Rear Suspension/Shocks: Race Tech
76
77
Champions Moto Like the Streetmaste[ the Miler's lightweight chrome-moly chassis takes
inspiration from a dirt track race-bike frame in weight, design, and geometry.
clamps, wide bars, and Race Tech shocks. The bodywork and styling was devel-
oped by Pete chapouris and limmy Shine of the so-cAl Speed shop.
That's where part of the name comes from, the mile-long oval dirt tracks that The curves and colors evoke memories of Bonneville Salt Flat speed trial
SO-CAL Miler host the blue-collar bike sport of dirt track racing. The frame's downtubes ter- streamliners built by the legendary SO-CAL Speed Shop-whose history dates
minate at the front engine mounts, not extending under the frame like the stock back to the very first days of Californian hot rod culture. Champions Moto col-
With its hand-beaten and highly polished aluminum bodywork, the SO-CAL bike's bolt-on rails. laborated with the custom car builders to develop and produce a limited run of
Miler is a very different proposition to Champions Moto's other featured street The rolling chassis was built by Mule Motorcycles and features fat 19-inch 2O built-to-order Milers-a bike they describe as a "Deuce Hi-boy roadster with
tracker, the Streetmaster. rims running chunky Dunlop dirt track race tires, Brembo brakes, custom triple two fewer wheels." (GI)
78
Cafe Racer Dreams:
Pedro Garcia and Efraon Triana have bucked the economic trend in southern
Europe, hitting the sweet spot between retro style and modern mechanicals.
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Garcia (left) and Efraon Triana (right)
80
frJ
Cpain may have been hit harder than most countries remembe[ and his interest turned into an obsession when in fear of my mothe4" Pedro laughs. "But now that bikes are
J by the Great Recession, but it has a tremendously he rode a little Yamaha PW dirt bike at the age of six. But his my professional life, ffiy mother is my #1 fan!"
resilient custom scene. lt helps that the lberian Peninsula mother didn't want him to have his own bike, so he had to wait Pedro's life has always been a mix of art and petrolhead
is steeped in motorcycle culture-just look at the number of until he was a teenager before he could buy a small moped, passion. For five years, he worked as an assistant to well-
teenagers on bikes in the cities, or the number of Spanish That moped was soon replaced by a more grown-up known sculptors in Spain. Then he spent two years as the
riders on MotoGP grids. Vespa, then a Honda NSR, then a Yamaha RD350, and then sales manager for Ducati Madrid, and five years as a driver
One of the companies driving the Spanish scene is Cafe a succession of fast spoftbikes-from a Suzuki GSX-R7SO to for Porsche during new car launches. But after taking a year
Racer Dreams, o Madrid-based workshop started by Pedro a Honda CBR60O and several Ducatis. Yes, Pedro feels the out to travel around Australia, he decided he wanted to build
Garcia in 2010.. He's Ioved motorcycles as long as he can need for speed. "l bought the bikes with my own money, but bikes for a living.
81
"There's a new culture among
younger riders and even fhose not
so young. People want to be more
individualistic, and one way is to
own a custom vehicle."
Pedro Garcla
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Bike Name: CRD #14 The Challenge tIl Donor t{l Rebuild
Make: Cafe Racer Dreams Manufacturer: BMW Bike Category/Gene: Vintage scrambler
Model: R75/5 Year of Rebuildl. 2O12
Year of Build:1971 Frame Modifications: /2 lrame
1
84
Cafe Racer Dreams
When pressed to name contemporaries that he admires,
Pedro mentions Deus for their brand and the Wrenchmon-
kees for their bikes. 'At the start, the Wrenchmonkees in-
spired me to customize motorcycles, but in a different style.
You can't copy their designs, which unfortunately happens
daily with them-and is starting to happen with us too."
Like most successful builders, Pedro and Efraon are
exploiting a widening gap in the market: they're capital-
izing on most manufacturers' inability to design bikes
that inspire passion. "There's a new culture among
younger riders," Pedro notes, "ond even those not so
young. People want to be more individualistic, and one
way is to own a custom vehicle. Automakers are doing this
well-look at the sales success of Mini and the Fiat 5OO.
It's about mixing two things, personalization with vintage
or'retro.' There's also a growing appreciation of vintage
fashion, of reusing materials, and a distaste for anything
too 'modern' or disposable. lt's the opposite of the 199Os,
when everyone loved plastic. Now everyone loves metal-
recycled metal."
Cafe Racer Dreams is strongly associated with Triumph
Bonnevilles-the perennial favorite of custom builders ev-
erywhere, and along with Moto Guzzi's \7 range, one of the
few current production bikes to acknowledge the past. But
Pedro's favorite build is a departure: it's a 1971 BMW R75/5
reconfigured into a dual sportbike. "That was the first BMW
we made, and we were not sure of the result," says Pedro.
"lt wasn't a commission, either. But it came out good, and
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Bike Name: CRD #19 Apolo Iitl Rebuild Tires/Wheels: Excel rims 18" and 19"
Make: Cafe Racer Dreams Bike Category/Gene: Street tracker Pirelli Scorpion MT 99
Year of Rebuild:2O12 Paint/Powder: Custom
ITl Donor Frame Modifications: Half of the chas- Approximate Work Hours: 2OO hours
Manufacturer: Honda sis (rear part)
Model: XR600 Exhaust: GR handmade exhaust system
Year of Build:1991 Rear Suspension/Shocks: Ohlins shock
2 cm shooter
86
CRD #21The Stroke
The Harley-Davidson brand is strong in Cafe Racer Dreams' home country, with Ohlins components, and the headlight relocated well below the line of the
Spain, but most customs are of the f ringed leather variety. So Pedro Garcla and bars. Controls and brakes are by Performance Machine, foot controls by Taro-
his team took a different approach. Fitting l7-inch wheels, they created CRD zzi.Theseat is custom-made and fitted onto a modified rear frame. A complete
#21, nicknamed The Stroke. Based on a2OQ7XL12OA, the 2O'13 rebuild runs a repaint, including hand-lettering, finishes the muscular, nose-down Sportster.
tank by Storz Performance, which also supplied the pipes, with breathing en-
hanced on the inlet side by K&N filters. The suspension has been upgraded
Bike Name: CRD #21 The Stroke tTI Rebutld Ontins Performance Machine
Make: Cafe Racer Dreams Bike Category/Gene: Naked bike Tires/Wheels: Pirelli Scorpion, front: 17' Paint/Powder: Paint by Cafe Racer
Creator: Cafe Racer Dreams Year of Rebuild:2A13 PA/7@; rear 17" 164/6@ Dreams
Frame Modifications: The rear part of Brakes: 320 mm (disc) 2OA7 Suzuki Other Modifications: Gasoline tank
wl Donor the chassis GSX-R brakes from Storz
Manufactu rer: H a rley- David so n Exhaust: Storz Hand Controls/Handlebars: LSL Approximate Work Hours:185 hours
Model: XL12OO N ightster Front Suspension/Fork: Origina I Foot Controls: Tarozzi Edition: Unique
Year of Build: 2OOT Rear Suspension/Shocks: 36O mm Electrics/lnstruments: Control lights by Retail price: €15,000 to custom
CRD #1 Bold'Or
Cafe Racer Dreams' debut bike, the CRD #1 Bold'Or is special for the company ferent head- and taillights, and custom paint. A trimmed endpiece amounts to
and its makers. They took a 1983 Honda CB9OO Bol d'Or as a basis, but dis- a look much sharper than that of the Honda CB9O0 Bol d'Or. There's a hint of
mantled it completely to restore and reassemble it precisely in line with their Craig Vetter's Triumph X-75 Hurricane in the way the CRD#01 Bold'Or's body-
ideas and specifications, adding unique features such as a custom seat, dif- work flows f rom the tank to the side panel.
88
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outside Cork, lreland, took away the World Championship at gained a following for their unique ltalian-based customs,
New the 2O13 AMD show in Essen, Germany. Even more surpris-
ing; the winning bike was a caf6 racef and a Moto Guzzi flat
single at that! lt was in some ways the best possible out-
come, as the l0th anniversary AMD show was the first World
which emphasize road performance. The southern lrish
countryside has a rich, historic motorcycle culture, which
stretches back to the dawn of racing, producing a string of
GP and TT champions. Several World Speed Records were
By building a futuristic caf6 racer Ghampionship held outside the United States, and while
show organizers at American Motorcycle Dealer magazine
made on Cork's public roads in the 1930s. Medaza's princi-
pals, Don Cronin and Michael O'Shea, hang out with a Iocal
custom to suit their local riding are exclusively V-twin focused, voting for the World Cham- club known informally as "the Ducks," though Don clarifies
pionship is conducted by the entrants, not the hosts or a
habits, Med aza del ivered a bike panel of judges. And the Euro-heavy competitors had no
"lt's not so much as a club as a loose group of bike-building
buddies living locally," and reminds us that "of the five pre-
for the ages, issue with handing laurels to a non-American bike. vious lrish AMD champions, four were 'Ducks."'They're also
90
Bonnevilles, plus many others. I never really considered Cronin had the idea for a Moto Guzzi single-cylinder
those bikes caf6 racers. The term was out of fashion at the custom for some time, but the original, pre-1967 Fal-
time; they were iust the bikes I was into. I live out in the coun- cones are coveted, and "too expensive to break up." But
try and there's a bend every 5O yards, so big cruisers are no the 19n -1976 version, the Nuovo Falcone, is considered
good-light and nimble is the way to go. Parts availability was something of a mule, and is relatively inexpensive, if still
near zerofor my machines, so ljust kept modding them with rare. The Nuovo was built for utility as a police and military
bits from other stuff. I was quite surprised to see that type hack with no sporting pretensions, featuring a full-cradle
of bike come back into style, but I guess it's true what they tube frame with conventional forks and rear shocks, and a
say-if you wait long enough... I'm not so much fashionable unit construction wet-sump 5OO cc pushrod motor in a very
as so far out of fashion that the bunch have Iapped me! mild state of tune. The Nuovos were never fast, but they
"l've always had a soft spot for ltalian machines. I ad- were stone reliable, and built to withstand the heavy boots
opted the moniker Med aza Gycles in 2OO9 after building of soldiers and cops. "The Nuovo Falcone is considered the
the Medaza 5OO (a Morini-based chop) for the AMD World poor relation of the more venerable Falcone, so they're a bit
Championship that year in Sturgis. If we had a philosophy it easier to source. ln standard form they're ugly as sin, but
would be 'ingenuity before bought'. A lot of the real creativ- therein lay the challenge! The donor bike for the build (a 1971
ity happens in the workshop after hours when myself and model) turned up as a project, so it fit the bill."
a few good friends work on each other's bikes as a kind of Cronin and O'Shea completely reimagined the Falcone
social thing. The bikes are built for the pleasure of it, and I Nuovo, turning an ugly duckling into bird of prey. All that
hope it shows." remains of the original machine is the engine, and even
Rondine
Bike Name: Rondine fU Donor Cronin; rake: 56"; stretch: 45 mm; trail: Exhaust One-off stainless-steel ex- discs; caliper mounts by Medaza chromi ng/plating by owner
Make: Medaza Cycles Manufacturer: Moto Guzzi 140 mm; front end: one-off girder haust by Medaza Hand Controls/Handlebars: Stainless Other Modifications: Seat upholstery by
Creator: Don Cronin and Michael Model: Nuovo Falcone Bodywork One-off by Don Cronin Front Suspension/Fork: One-off girder bars and levers by Medaza; modified Grant Ward
O'Shea Year of Build: 1971 Motor:5BO cc bore; raised compres- forks by Medaza Cycles incorporating Brembo master cylinder Approximate Work Hours: Two winters;
Support Chris Harte and James Mc- sion; lightweight valves and uprated V-Rod swingarm and Fournales shock Foot Controls: One-off Medaza foot who's counting?
Carthy ITI Rebuild springs; modified lubrication system; Rear Suspension/Shocks: Monoshock controls Edition: Unique
Bike Category/Gene: Vintage racer pumper carb; one-off Iightened Tires/Wheels: Modified V-Rod with 19" Electrics/lnstruments: Electrics by Retail price: p.o.a"
Year of Rebuild: 2@12/2013 flywheel; one-off permanent magnet tires Chris Harte (the Oracle) at Medaza
Frame Modifications: One-off by Don alternator; motor rebuild by Medaza Brakes: Harrison billet calipers; one-off Paint/Powder: Paint by Spectrum Paint;
91
that was stretched and shaped to suit Medaza. "The engine
rebuild included the fitting of a 58O cc piston and compres-
sion increase, lightweight valves with uprated springs, ?
modified Iubrication system, puffiper Dell'Orto carb, and
one-off permanent magnet alternator." Unlike the original
Falcone, the Nuovo uses a large aluminum engine cover
to keep the external "bacon slicer" flywhee! away from
soldiers' feet; Cronin did away with the cover entirely, and
machined his own flywheel of chrome-plated steel, with an
aluminum Moto Guzzi plate fitted into a recess.
Where the Rondine really shines is the chassis, which
incorporates a surprising number of aluminum Harley-Da-
vidson V-Rod parts. Both the wheels are ex-Rod, modified to
accept large-diameter disc brakes, and a V-Rod swingarm
has been split in two and reshaped to form the blades of a
"Girdraulic"-type front fork, reminiscent of a Vincent Black
Shadow. "lngenuity before bought," or in this case, the
ingenious reinvention of junlqyard-salvaged parts to serue
functions never imagined in Milwaukee.
The V-Rod wheels and swingarm are nearly the only
off-the-shelf parts used on the Rondine. "The frame, tin-
ware, and most of the other components were engineered
in-house." Sweet touches include a 192Os Andr6 steering
92
Medaza Cycles
Sundance mannered',l965 XLH Sportster, but with modern technology and build quality.
It's really an entirely original creation," says Sundance boss and chief fabricator,
Zak Shibazaki.
erage steel originals, and widened one inch to accommodate modern rubber.
What starled out as a stock Sportster BB3 five-speed engine now displaces
1300 cc via a 93 x 96.7 mm bore/stroke, with billet aluminum cylinders crowned
Super XRH13OO Underneath that conservative beige bodywork there's a genuine C&J oil- by Zak's hand-ported high-performance Super XR heads. A custom-made,
carrying flat-track frame, its rear subframe modified to accept dual "chrome period-looking 2-2 stainless-steel exhaust system boosts power output to a
At first glance it may seem like just another nice old Harley-Davidson, may- rocket" shocks and a big bench seat. Sundance had a stock fuel tank replicated nasty 11O hp-that's dyno-tested at the rear wheel. As Elvis himself might say,
be even something once owned by Elvis Presley. ln fact, Sundance's Super in aluminum, its right side notched to clear the first of two Sundance-Keihin flat- "Lawdy, Miss Clawdy!" (DEl
XRH.130O is anfihing but nice and old. "lt's designed to look like a classic, mild- slide carburetors. Fenders are fiberglass lookalikes patterned after the ful[-cov-
Bike Name: Super XRHl3BO ITI Rebuild fender widened for larger-profile tire; Exhaust: Custom-made sta nless-steel
i Tires/Wheels: RK aluminum rims dual plug configuration; Compu-Fire ig-
Make: Sundance Enterprises, lnc. Bike Category/Gene: Roadster classic-look "Buddy"-style seat and FRP 2-2 exhaust with period-look XLH-style mounting front tires: 1AO/9O-19; rear nition; li g htwei g ht I ith i u m-ferrite battery;
Creator: Zak Shibazaki Year of Rebuild:2OO2 base by Sundance mufflers mounted on right side tires: 149/79-18 modified Harley-Davidson gauges
Frame Modifications: Modified C&J Motor: Stock Harley-Davidson Sportster Front Suspension/Fork: Harley-Da- Brakes: Harley-Davidson brakes with Paint/Powder: Powder-coated f ra me;
t$lDonor flat-track racing f rame; new seat sub- S-speed crankcase; billet high-silicon vidson Sportster BB3-base forks; Sun- sintered metal pads bodywork urethane paint
Model: Sportster B83 f rame, modified for attachment of dual aluminum cylinders; N ikasil-plated; bore dance Traktek fork springs; triple-clamp Hand Controls/Handlebars: Aftermar- Parts: Essentially, most parts created by
Year of Build: 1998 rear shocks x Stroke: 93 x 96.7 mm; displacement: offset reduced by 50 mm ket classic-style handlebars Sundance
Bodywork: Custom-made al u minum 13OO cc, 11O hp at rear wheel; S&S Rear Suspension/Shocks: Modified Foot Controls: Stock Harley-Davidson Edition: Unique
fuel tank and fiberglass fenders; rear cra n kshaft/f lywheel assem bly XLH-style shocks Electrics/lnstruments: Nology coils for
94
Rough Crafts:
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lf,Iinston Yeh is not your everyday custom motorcycle
f f builder For starters, he often rides a tiny PGO 125 cc
scooter to work. He likes to build furniture. He's an accom-
plished graffiti artist and he's even created artwork for the
fashion designer AgnBs b.
The world knows him best for his "Guerilla" series of
bikes, though-menacing, somewhat militaristic Harleys
with huge curb presence. lt's a style that has also won the
approval of his peers: just three years after starting Rough
Crafts, Winston won the Modified Harley-Davidson class
at the 2A1R AMD World Championship of Bike Building. His
bike Stealth Bullet wowed the judges with its astonishing
detail and billet girder front suspension.
Winston is now a household name in the custom world,
but his success was a long time in the making. He traces
it back to his childhood, which he describes as nerdy. "My
father was an engineer who specialized in production de-
and I learned a lot. And when I finished my studies and had Manufactu rer: H a rley-Davidson Bodywork: Custom Morris Black-Ops wheels Paint/Powder: Air Runner custom paint
to return to Taiwan, Roland allowed me to choose a set of Model: Twin Cam Softail Motor: Stock with RSD Motor covers and Brakes: Performance Machine calipers Approximate Work Hours: 3 months
97
Pefformance Machine wheels. Those wheels started my
professiona! bike-building, and I put them on the AMD
Championship bike."
Success didn't happen overnight, though. When he
arrived back in Taiwan, Winston found himself facing an
uphill battle. One of the biggest obstacles was the annual
98
Rough Crafts
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lron Guerilla
The lron Guerilla is a subtle reworking, and that's by intention. Taiwan has bikes, and if they look too modified, they will not be road-legal. With that in emerges at second glance. The bike takes Harley-Davidson's Nightster theme
a regulation that all bikes bigger than 25O cc need to go through an annual mind, Rough Crafts'Winston Yeh tried to keep comparatively close to the look a step further, with a chopped f ront end, new bars, bodywork, and lighting-and
test after they are older than five years. They are compared to images of stock of the donor bike, a Harley-Davidson lron 883; the delicate customization only a terrif ic exhaust system that adds to the compact, muscular vibe.
Bike Name: lron Guerilla IUI Rebuild ened Electrics/lnstruments: Rou gh Crafts
Make: Rough Crafts Bike Category/Gene: Bobber Rear Suspension/Shocks: Custom grill-type headlight/taillight
Creator: Winston Yeh Year of Rebuild:2A1O Tires/Wheels: Coker Beck-style tires Paint/Powder: Air Runner custom paint
Frame Modifications: Subframe cut off on stock HD rear wheels (both front
tSl Donor Bodywork: Custom and rear)
Manufacturer: H arley- Davidson Motor: Stock Brakes: Stock
Model: lron BB3 Exhaust: Custom Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom
Year of Build: 2OOg Front Suspension/Fork: Stock short- Foot Controls: Stock
100
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Isearch for the best fabricator, the best rnechanic, and the
best painter in Taiwan for each proiect."
When it comes to CNC manufacturing and billet parts,
Taiwan is a world leader. *'lf you need any kind of machining,
laser cutting, CNC, or tube bending, there'll be a shop no
more than an hour's drive away. So it's easyto'make'stuff
without having to buy all the equipment." (lronically, when
Winston Sources obscure custom parts from the United
States, he sometimes finds that they were originally made
in Taiwan.) He also has people to help run his mail-order
parts operation, selling components that have debuted on
"official" Rough Crafts bikes.
The bike that really put Winston's name on the map is the
Bomb Runnel the second in his Guerilla series of builds. At
first glance, the machine could atrmost be a stock Harley-
Davidson Sportster, but closer inspection reveals its subtle
magic. "l like to keep the same Iines on the tank," Winston
explains, '*but iust narrow and shorten it. l'm basically
refining everything on the bike, turning it into a high-quality
custom, but retaining the stock frame""
102
Zero Crafter
There's a wonderf ully gothic, Victorian vibe to Zero Crafter. lt's built around an The frame is Zero's Type 6, and other Zero parts include the springer forks
S&S Harley-Davidson Knucklehead motor, using a kit f rom legendary Samu- and seat. Most of the sheet metal is pure Rough Crafts though, and a showcase
rai chopper-builders Zero Engineering. "The 'Zero Style' created by Mr. Shinya for Yeh's fabrication skills. "When you've got this great canvas to work with, you
Kimura has always been amazing to us," says Winston. "When we finally got just want to add more and more details," says Yeh. "Like custom foot controls,
our hands on aZero kit, we decided to build a bike that was inspired by Shinya's and weld-on hand controls with a remote hydraulic master cylinder."
creations, yet still has that Rough Crafts flavor."
Bike Nam e: Zero Crafter Frame Modifications: Zero Engineer- Rear Suspension/Shocks: None Paint/Powder: Air Runner custom paint
Make: Rough Crafts ing frame Tires/Wheels: Firestone tires on spoked Parts: Zero Engineering
Creator: Winston Yeh Bodywork: Custom l6" wheels front and back Approximate Work Hours:12 months
Support: Chou, Ching-Tang Motor: S&S Knuckle Head; Primo open Brakes: Front: HD; rear: Wilwood
primary Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom
t{l Rebuild Exhaust: Custom Foot Controls: Custom
Bike Category/Gene: Bobber Front Suspension/Fork: Zero Engineer- Electrics/lnstruments: Rough Crafts
Year of Rebuild:2O11 ing springer grill-type head Ii g ht/tai llig ht
Bike Name: Brass Racer lUl Rebuild Front Suspension/Fork: Stock short- Foot Controls: Custom
Make: Rough Crafts Bike Category/Gene: Bobber/board ened; Rough Crafts billet fork covers Electrics/lnstruments: Rou gh Crafts
Creator: Winston Yeh tracker Rear Suspension/Shocks: Custom gril l-type headlight/taill ig ht
Year of Rebuild: 2A1O Tires/Wheels: Firestone tires on stock Paint/Powder: Air Runner custom paint
tTl Donor Frame Modifications: Subframe cut off wheels Approximate Work Hours: 5 months
Manufacturer: H arley-Davidson Bodywork: Custom Brakes: Stock
Model: XL BB3R Motor: Stock Hand Controls/Handlebars: Rough
Year of Build: 2OAg Exhaust: Custom Crafts/Brembo
10,4
Rough Crafts
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Atom Bomb Motorcycles But a fully functioning scrambler is a long way from a low-slung bobber, re-
quiring a bit of an attitude adjustment from the builder. "l'd never built a bike
So he welded up and remachined the cylinder head so the dual Amal 930s
mount parallel, directly behind the cylinders. "There's easily 5O hours of work
with long-travel suspension before," says Rathburn. "l had to connect the dots, on the head alone!" he says.
RVA Overland think it through, retrain my brain." No hour-count on the complicated 2-1 exhaust system, with swirling head-
Yamaha TT600 forks up front and Race Tech shocks out back would give pipes by Rathburn mating to a muffler from Burns Stainless. The bike's body-
Clay Rathburn made his name building stylish British bob-jobs, so itwas a sur- the RVA Overland the kind of wheel travel Rathburn was looking for. He then work was also Iabor-intensive: hand-hammered aluminum for the fuel tank, oil
prise when this dirt-worthy scrambler rolled out of his Atom Bomb workshop in gulped hard and drew up his own frame for the project. With the engine in a jig, tank, and sidepanels, the latter with mesh screens in place of numberplates.
Richmond, Virginia. At least the engine was familiar territory, a 1974 Triumph frame tubes sprouted as needed until it was complete. Crafted of mild steel, the Add unbreakable fenders from DC Plastics, a custom seat, plus a set of Pire-
Bonneville 750. Almost everything else, though, had to be fabricated. scratch-built structure was then nickel-plated in the fashion of British off-road lli MT-43 trials tires, and Rathburn's surprise scrambler was ready to hit the
"The idea was to create the ultimate go-anywhere custom Triumph," Rath- specials from Rickman or Cheney. trails. (DE)
burn says. "This project was designed and fabricated from the ground up by Getting the Triumph twin to fit neatly in the frame's engine bay required more
Atom Bomb to withstand the punishment of serious dual-sport riding-and look brainwork from Rathburn. The stock splayed carburetors just didn't package
good doing it." well, fouling the rider's knees, especiallywith the required aircleaners in place.
Bike Name: RVA Overland Model: Bonneville Bodywork Custom alloy tank and side fork; revalved and resprung by Race Hand Controls/Handlebars: FLY Racing tics; Rebel Gears; Powder365; Carbon
Make: Atom Bomb Motorcycles Year of Build:'1974 panels; fenders by DC Plastics Tech; carbon-coated tubes bars; Magura levers; Motion Pro throttle Raptor
Creator: Clay Rathburn Motor: Stock rebuild in modified1974 Rear Suspension/Shocks: Custom rear Foot Controls: Custom Approximate Work Hours: 1,OOO hours
Support: Jared Weems, Tony Hall, and tVl Rebutld Bonneville cases; modified cylinder shocks by Race Tech Electrics/lnstruments: Pazon ignition Edition: Unique
Andrew Swenson Bike Category/Gene: Scra m bler head to relocate carburetors Tires/Wheels: Custom-built wheels with Paint/Powder: Powder by Atom Bomb; Retail price: $ 25,000
Year of Rebuil d: 2O1O-2O12 Exhaust: Custom-built stainless; com- Sun-Ringle rims; Pirelli MT43 trials tires fenders painted by Andrew Swenson;
tUl Donor Frame Modifications: Custom-bu lt i ponents by Burns Stainless Brakes: Front: Yamaha TT600; rear: plating by Hanlon Plating
Manufacturer: Triumph frame and swingarm Front Suspension/Fork KYB 43 mm stock 1974 Triumph Parts: Race Tech Suspension; DC Plas-
108
109
lames Crowe:
The Esca e Artlst
lames Crowe builds escape machines. Using traditiona! metalworking skills, he's
giving older bikes a new lease on life-and winning many new fans along the way.
110
ames grew up in Whistler, a resort town in British Fresh from graduation, lames went to work for one of the
I
I Colombia. Even as a kid, he was good with his hands. United States'S most renowned street-rod builders, Steve'S
"lf your lawnmower or chainsaw went missing, it was most Auto Restorations in Portland. For five years he finessed his
likely being used in one of my go-karts," he says. His play- skills and picked up some business smarts. Then he set out
grounds were the coastal mountains: in winter he was a ski on his own, working for himself, mostly on motorcycles but
bum and in summer he thrashed MTBs around the trails. occasionally fabricating parts for others. His own name is
It sounds Iike an idyllic environment, but there was one now above the door.
thing missing: the smell of gas. "Whistler had no custom car James shares his workspace with the bicycle-maker
or bike scene at all," lames recalls. "l think that's why l'm so Jordan Hufnagel, another outlier with renowned craft skills.
drawn to this kind of work." When he was 18, he left home On first meeting Jordan, James suspected he was iust an-
and enrolled for courses in metal-shaping and machining - other fixie-riding hipster. But the two are now best friends,
and had an epiphany. "l suddenly realized how much oppor- and spend every chance they get on the road together. "We
tunity thereis. You can make a career out of what you love.nn bounce a lot of ideas around. I've learned a lot of metalwork
Camper Special
It's good to see the occasional long-haul machine given the custom treat- frame to match the curve of the custom rear fender. New Church Moto created
ment-like James Crowe's 1978 BMW R8O/7. the seat and rear rack, which is supplemented by pannier mounts and soft bags
The front suspension is from a Suzuki DR65O, which was a surprisingly easy from Lemolo Bags.
fit. ("The DR650 bearing races are the same as the stock BMW ones," Crowe The under-tank master cylinder is now actuated by a set of CNC-machined
notes.) To complete the install, a custom brake rotor was machined, along with perches and levers, hooked up to an integrated throttle unit" Crowe also made
new fender mounts. And at the back, Progressive Suspension shocks improve the bars, selecting a wide scrambler-style bend, and designed the ceramic-
the ride. coated exhaust system. And believe it or not, there are even mounting points to
Crowe relocated the battery under the transmission and made a new sub- carry a full-size MTB bike on the back.
Bike Name: Camper Special tIl Rebuild prpes custom-made rotor Other Modifications: Seat upholstered
Make: Crowe Metal Co. Bike Category/Gene: Scrambler Front Suspension/Fork 2OgO DR650 Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom- by Ginger McCabe at New Church Moto;
Creator: James Crowe Year of Rebuild:2O11 forks that have been lowered made bars/levers and throttle custom saddlebags made by Elias Grey
Frame Modifications: Custom-made Rear Suspension/Shocks: Progressive Foot Controls: Custom-made brake at Lemolo Bags
tIl Donor rear subframe suspension lever Approximate Work Hours: 6 months
Manufacturer: BMW Bodywork: Handmade fender Tires/Wheels: Stock wheels with trials Electrics/lnstruments: Simpl ified using Edition: Unique
Model: RBO/7 Motor: Stock specs tires stock components
Year of Build:1978 Exhaust: Custom-made high-clearance Brakes: 2AAO DR65A caliper with Paint/Powder: Done i n-house
111
"When I build a bike, lwant it to be
relevant and timeless, I don't want
people to see a 'customt-lwant
them to see a machine that'll
help them to escape."
James Crowe
The warehouse is now home to vintage machine tools
from the 195Os, sheet-metal-shaping equipment, and CNC
machines. "My workshop is my world. It's a very personal
space, where everything has a purpose and a place." The
walls are adorned with a dizzying array of hand tools. "Lots
of bits and pieces gathered over the years," says James,
"plus good music." He's a fan of Neil Young.
He rates builders who are famous for their traditional
skills, like Paul Brodie of Flashback Fabrications and Bran-
don Casquilho of Mullins Chain Drive. Guys with sharp eyes
and steady hands, building bikes the old-fashioned way.
"When I was 18, I was living in a storage unit in Wyoming and
going to tech school. I was trying to figure out what I thought
was cool. Then I picked up an issue of Garage magazine and
there was a shot of Brandon sitting in his shop with a bare-
metal Triumph hardtail in the background. lt blew my mind."
It was the staft of lames' interest in classic motorcycles.
He realized that older machines have a simplicity and
112
"lt can even do dirt logging roads in British Colum-
a week of
bia, carrying camping gear for me and my girlfriend. I like
filling up at the gas station and not having a conversation
about my 'custom bike.' People iust think it's an old Beemen"
The second machine that everyone knows is the Tarantu-
las bike-a Honda C8750 belonging to a member of a local
riding (and building) collective. The owner, Scott, asked
James to create a new seat unit. But before long, a full-scale
rebuild was under way.The bike has a deceptively low-key
toughness that most modern bikes cannot match. And last couple of years has shifted more towards bikes built for frame tubes and shaping the tins, you start to see your vi-
technological "progress" is not always what it seems-or multiple terrains," he says. "Having one bike that you can sion come togetheli"
desirable. "There is a Sense that nothing can be truly neq" use to get the groceries, and then take the bags off and go Before starting a build, James works out how the bike can
he says. 'All things depend on their predecessors ... I make for a blast around the trails. Or load it up, and take off with best fit its purpose, and how it needs to be modified. Then
things with this in mind, and designed to take you wherever your girlfriend for a week." lt'S a classic case of form fol- he works on the stance, and chooses the wheels and tires.
you want to go. When I build a bike, I want it to be relevant lowing function. "My goa! is not to create a showpiece," he "Once the ride height is set, I'll do a full foam mockup of
and timeless. I don't want people to see a ncustom'-l want cautions. any parts that we'l! need to make," he says. "Then I let the
them to see a machine that'll help them to escape." James' own 1978 BMW is something of a testbed for his bike sit for a week or two. I play around with the foam and
Escape is a word that comes up a lot with lames: it's an theories. Known aS the Camper Special, it's one of two ma- the stance, changing things a little here and there, and iust
important concept for him. He'S an inveterate road tripper, chines that have come to define Crowe Customs. "The BMW stare at it."
and thinks nothing of loading up a motorcycle and head- has taken me all over the United States. l've had some of the Once he's happy with the direction, he starts working
ing out into the snow for a camping trip. "My focus over the best days of my life on it." He describes the bike as "a tank": on the frame, makes bucks for the sheet meta!, and starts
Bike Name: The Natural I+l Rebuild Exhaust: Carbi header with modified tip Brakes: Under tank cable-actuated tery hidden under rear cowl; seat done
Make: Crowe Metal Co. Bike Category/Gene: Cafe racer Front Suspension/Fork: Lowered; stock master cylinder with dual f ront rotors by Ginger at New Church Moto
Creator: James Crowe Year of Rebuild:.2O1O specs Hand Controls/Handlebars: Handmade Approximate Work Hours:7 months
Frame Modifications: Modified rear Rear Suspension/Shocks: Progressive clip-ons, levers, and throttle Edition: Unique
M Donor sunf rame suspension Electrics/lnstruments: Simplified elec-
Manufacturer: Honda Bodywork: Custom-shaped seat/tail Tires/Wheels: Stock powder-coated trics, with modern reg/rectifier
Model: CB75O cowling with Firestone tires Paint/Powder: Raw finishes, wd-40
Year of Build:1976 Motor: Stock specs Other Modifications: Oiltank and bat-
114
James Crowe
iFfif-n"
XR6OO Expedition
Taking Honda's 1992 XR6OO R as a basls, James Crowe built these two identi- gear and 3O liters of gas, but also hold up to the abuse of crashing. Equipped
cal XR6OO Expedition enduro bikes for himself and a friend. Made to comply with specially-tailored luggage racks, a sealed airbox with a snorkel that goes
with the demanding conditions of a one-year trip from Canada to the south- through the handmade gas tank for deep-water crossings, the XR6OO Expedi-
ern tip of South America, the bikes not only needed to carry all their camping tion enduro bikes truly live up to their name.
Bike Name: XR6O0 Expedition f$l Rebuild FMF muffler made handle bars water crossings
Make: Crowe Metal Co, Bike Category/Gene: Off road Front Suspension/Fork: Stiffer springs Foot Controls: Stock Approximate Work Hours: B months
Creator: James Crowe Year of Rebuild: 2?rc Rear Suspension/Shocks: Stiffer Electrics/lnstruments: H ig h-output Edition: 2 identical units
Frame Modifications: Custom-made springs ricky stator
tTl Donor rear subframe Tires/Wheels: Dunlop tires on Paint/Powder: n-house
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Manufacturer: Honda Bodywork: Handmade tank stock rims Other Modifications: Custom luggage
Model: XR60O R Motor: Stock specs Brakes: Stock racks; sealed airbox that has a snorkel
Year of Build: 1992 Exhaust: Custom-made exhaust with Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom- that goes through the gas tank for deep
116
"This is what I do, what lthink and
dream about, what I love. lam
lucky to have foundsomething
like this, to be able to work to-
wardsomething and care about it.
There rs a sense that nothing can
be truly new, that all things depend
on the anfece dentsl pas tl prede-
cessors and simultaneously each
and every thing extsfs uniquely.
I make things with this in mind and
I make things that get there."
James Crowe
shaping. "l'm always thinking about how everything will look
as a unit-l try to keep a cohesive feel. Once the foundations
are done, lworkout all the little details Iike the controls and
lights." Rarely is anything contracted out, although New
Church Customs generally handles the upholstery.
James'skills are now in big demand. Like-minded souls
are seeking him out to build bikes that combine the best
of the old and new. Although it's been a rough ride over the
years, James has finally found his place. "This is what I do,
what I think and dream about, what I love," he says.
"l am lucky to have found something like this, to be able
to work toward something and care about it." (CHl
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Tractor Tracker
Farmer's Racer build a Yamaha Thumper
that's part business, part lifestyle, all cool.
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118
It's easy to see how a simple, seemingly timeless design
like the single-cylinder SR Yama-thumper would appeal to
Gustavsson's sensibilities. We forget nowadays when the
two-stroke engine has been all but Iegislated out of exis-
tence, that there was a time when Yamaha was a newcomer
to four-stroke technology, Yamaha's early history-and
especially its racing success-was with two-strokes. The
XS65O twin was the company's first four-stroke in 1968, fol-
lowed by the 5OO cc kickstart-only single used in XT and SR
models. The SRSOO proved to have amazing longevity. The
classically styled single made its debut in 1978 and was sold
in the United States through 1981, but continued in other
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for his SR4AO, including shortened fork travel, but the gravel i Qr+
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roads that crisscross his native Smiland countryside forced
a rude rethink when an unseen pothole caused a crash. "l
was happy to be able to walk and speak straight afterward,"
he says, but the dinged Yamaha was rebuilt as more of bob-
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riding environment.
"lt all starts with how to bring balance to a design," h€
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explains. "The difference between a bobber and a tracker
is not the amount of chrome or tire choice. lt comes down
to the stance. Originally this bike was lowered two inches,
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119
SR4ee with wlseco 1g:1 piston
It's a trick learned in design school, to partially hide tech bikes and materials, but since there is no carbon fiber
something you really want to draw attention to. And on on this racer, I needed a look that was closer to tractors than
the SR it's working, sometimes to the detriment of curi- dragsters. ffier a few hours bent over the lathe and the TIG
ous Swedish gents of a ceftain age. "l'm spending a Iot of welde[ six funny looking nuts and two spares were born
time helping old men up from their knees in parking lots," (don't forget to make your own spare parts). A washer was
Gustavsson laughs. The panels, mounted on stainless- welded on each mounting rod, threads wene turned, leather
steel rods, are quick-detach in case the 4g6^ requires some
hands-on attention. 'As the engine is 30 years old, I need "The resultis a bike that is lean-
regular access to the sparkplug," he says.
How Gustavsson arrived at the fasteners that hold the
ing srrgthtly forward, and the back
panels to the frame rods is illustrative of his approach to wheel is racing behind the bike-
building the whole bike. "l spent hours on the web trying
to find a retro way to fix the panels to the rods," he says.
not inside the frame."
"There are a lot of nice little locks that blend in with high- Lars Gustavsson
shims were made and so on. The hours of work within this
few square centimeters makes me laugh as I look back!"
Stylistically, the side panels offset the mass of the two
iumbo retro-style Firestone Deluxe Champion tires at either
end of the Yamaha. Everywhere else, though, Lars went
minimalistic. The rear frame loop was altered to accept a
stock fender that has been bobbed to within an inch of its
life. "The original fender was big as a boat, but there was
one section that was really useful-the center piece. Ev-
erything else was cut away," he says. Painted matte-black,
the fender is almost invisible. While he had his welder out,
Gustavsson fabricated a couple of rear rails, tailor-made to
accept a pair of Farmer's Racer waxed-cotton saddlebags.
Hey, the SR has to earn its keep as a rolling calling card for
the company.
No front fender, of course. The original plastic airbox
covers remain, but because they now only have to shield
a small K&N filter, Gustavsson could move them inboard.
"They are now riding two inches further in, under the seat,
showing the frame, not adding to the width of the bike,"
he says,
The seat is a thin squab with tuck-n-roll upholstery
though it sometimes wears a farmer-inspired accessory
a prototype cushion held in place with rubber bands and
jeans buttons. 'At! old tractors in the neighborhood have
a homemade padded seat cushion to bring some more
comfort to the farme6" Lars explains. "Farmer's Racer is
bringing this tradition to motorcycling. The top layer will be
120
mostly denim or corduroy cloth. Rubber is added under-
neath the padding to keep the cushion in place."
Other details include a small Bates-style headlight and
brass-bezeled taillight, both offset to the right "farmer-
style." The gas tank, a stock SR piece, was painted a non-
descript gray-green with its sides left purposefully in bare
metal, all part of Gustavsson'S grand plan: "The sides of the
tank are starting to rust. All this-time eating materials-
is adding to the story of the bike, slowly blending in with J'*
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then the bike will tell a story far longer than the age of the
materials."
Built, as he SayS, "to race Squirrels and rabbits to the
highest point of a gravel road," the Farmer's Racer SR4OO
has become an impoftant, ongoing part of Gustavsson'S
!ife, a work-in-progress that will never be done, which is just
fine with him.
"My focus during the rebuild has been to make the new
design blend with the old bike-to make an old friend. My
goal has not been to make anything radical, iust to balance
the parts, lines, and stance of the bike, adding details where
needed, removing things that disturb the story'"
Done, done, and done, Lars. (DE)
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Fuel Bespoke Motorcycles "lf you got here it is surely because you are one of those who believe that the
bikes of today don't have the soul of the motorcycles of yesterday and you are
sure that it's possible to enjoy adventures as others did 30 or 4O years ogo,"
BMW R8O S Trial says the teaser line to the 1O-day, 1250-mile tour.
It's no coincidence that Vives builds bikes that are right at home in the African
For a guy who freely admits he wasn't very mechanically inclined, Karles Vives desert-or the Austrian Alps, which is where this 1984 BMW R8O ST ended up
is doing pretty well. His business, Fuel Bespoke Motorcycles in Barcelona, after Fuel spent five months making it over. lf it also happens to look like it got
Spain, has become known for its vintage BMW scramblers, some of the best lost on the way to the starting line at the 1975 lnternational Six Days Trial, so
nostalgic T-shirt designs in motorcycling, and for organizing Scram, a tour of much the better. (DEl
Morocco geared specifically for older enduro bikes. Yes, there is a theme here.
Bike Name: BMW RBO S Trial tfl Rebuild collectors with a single exhaust) and Tires/Wheels: Continental TKC BO tires Foot Controls: SW-Motech On-Road/
Make: Fuel Bespoke Motorcycles Bike Category/Gene: Scra mbler also varying the angle of the mufflers Brakes; Brakes improved with 320 mm Off-Road Rider Footpegs
Creator: Karles Vives Year of Rebuild:2O13 Front Suspension/Fork: BMW K75 oversized disc; 4-piston Brembo caliper Other Modifications: Ural gear shift as
Frame Modifications: New subframe Sport front fork with customized front and Nissin master cylinder; entire front a choke
tirl Donor designed by Fuel axle and triple trees disc and displacer caliper designed by Edition: Unique
Manufacturer: BMW Bodywork: Kawas aki KZ75A tank Rear Suspension/Shocks: Rear Fuel and built by a specialist
Model: RBO ST Exhaust: Set of 2 plus 2 exhaust suspension Wilbers shock with multiple Hand Controls/Handlebars; Switch
Year of Build:1984 manifolds (originally the RBO has two adlustments from an old Triumph
122
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Skuddesign French graphic artist Nicolas Barthelemy of Skuddesign, for instance, who
came up with this spectacular Kawasaki W65e in his veryfirst try at bike-build-
shorty set of custom stainless-steel mufflers spitting spent gasses out the left
side. A pair of long Hagon shocks shore up the back end, looking like classic
ing. "l wanted to mix aesthetic codes-bobber, brat style, and street tracker-to sheathed Girlings as used on Triumphs, BSAs, Matchlesses, etc. A cut-down
W65O Homemade Scrambler create a motorcycle that corresponds to my world," he says. Maybe so, but the seat and the small gas tank f rom a Honda'125 help the W65O shrink in size. The
result is classic 1960s scrambler, the finished product even more remarkable front fender was removed altogether; the rear was replaced with a simple and
Scramblers have always been cool. Steve McQueen rode Triumph scramblers. when you learn that Skuddesign is not exactly a fully stocked bike shop. "My short chrome-plated piece. Mitas enduro-trial tires front and rear are ready to
The Beach Boys sang about Honda scramblers. As a result, at one point in the workshop being my living room, the customization was not an easy thing," Bar- dig into the dirt.
early'1970s fully 6O percent of new bikes sold in the United States were scram- thelemy says. To keep the gendarmes happy, Barthelemy made his W65O minimally street-
blers. Today, the scrambler is back in vogue, taking its place alongside bobbers, He can be excused, then, for leaving the W65O's frame, forks, and brakes as legal by fitting a vintage Bates headlight, a tiny taillight, even blacked-out blink-
cafe racers, and street trackers as a style being adopted by a new generation delivered from the factory in 2AO2. Likewise the engine is largely untouched, ers. Steve McQueen, may he rest in peace, would no doubt approve. (DE)
of customs builders. with a Dynojet Stage ll jet kit and K&N air filters freeing up the intake, and a
Bike Name: W65O Homemade Scrambler t$l Rebuild 29O mm by Carrosserie Velasco Pascal
Make: Skuddesign Bike Category/Gene: Scra m bl er Tires/Wheels: Mitas E-45 4.OO-19 (front) Parts: WWAG, Lloyd Vintage, Newsold-
Creator: Nicolas Barthelemy Year of Rebuild:2O11 and ET-OI 4.0ARlB (rear) stocks.com
Bodywork: Tank; seat Hand Controls/Handlebars: H and lebars Other Modifications: K&N air f ilter set-
ITI Donor Motor: Engine; transmission; Dynojet Kawasaki KZ4OO of 1976 (cut by 25 mm) ting by MFC 17 Kawasaki; custom seat;
Manufacturer: Kawasa ki stage 2 kit; K & N air filter Electricsll nstru ments: M oto g ad get upholstery Duval
Model: W650 Exhaust: 2-2 MECATI G -vattier Tiny Mini Approximate Work Hours:3OO hours
Year of Build: 2OA2 Rear Suspension/Shocks: Hagon Paint/Powder: Ruby gray paint created Edition: Unique
126
127
Blitz Motorcycles machine matte black, and adding studded off-road tires, the formerly staid
sidecar hauler became an aggressive enigma-"You aren't really going to take
that mud-plugging, are you?" The blackout touch of Paris's Blitz Motorcycles
The Great Escape caused a storm of internet buzz as outraged traditionalists and BMW cultists
did online battle with the Custom kids (plus anyone open to the New), and Blitz
Genius typically appears in the simplest solutions, those which might seem won. They've continued to address BMW and many other marques, with their
obvious after that fact, but it still takes that first person to work it out. Fred tradition-free and moderate-budget creations, which are intended as urban
Jourden and Hugo J6z6gabel made just such a genius-simple creation using a runabouts rather than adrenaline-kick racers. lt hasn't hurt that both builders
1963 BMW RGA/2, the unloved workhorse sister of the sportier R69s. By strip- are model-handsome, their own best photo-op on the machines they're seen
ping the old girl of fenders and anything else extraneous, painting the entire riding all over Europe. (PdO)
Bike Name: The Great Escape tUl Donor Frame Modifications: Matte black Rear Suspension/Shocks: Original and frame have been matte black
Make: Blitz Motorcycles Manufacturer: BMW powder painting Tires/Wheels: Mitas cross 18" tires both powder-coated
Creator: Hugo Jezegabel and Fred Model: R6O/2 Bodywork: All parts matte black front and rear Parts: BMW OEM
Jourden Year of Build: 1963 powder-coated Brakes: Original Other Modifications: Fenders removed
Motor: Engine general overhaul (piston, Hand Controls/Handlebars: Original Approximate Work Hours: 200 hours
tTl Rebuitd rings, valves, gaskets) Foot Controls: Original Edition: Unique
Bike Category/Gene: Dlrt tracker Exhaust: M ECATI G-vattier pipes Electrics/lnstruments: O ri g nal
i Retail price: €15,0O0
Year of Rebuild:2OO9 Front Suspension/Fork: Origina I Paint/Powder: All parts of the engine
128
129
Wrenchmonkees:
Reduce, Reuse,
and Re le
The lads from Amager have taken over the world. Pel Nicholas, and co. are the standard-bearerc for the
new wave scene, ditching the chrome for blacked-out, low-key elegance.
130
I f there's one company that symbolizes the visual style of Monkee #55, Monkeefist
I tne new wave custom scene, it's the Wrenchmonkees.
Their motorcycles are raq simple, and pure-the legendary The Yamaha XJR13BO is an uncomplicated bruiser of a bike, an unassuming forks and custom-built spoked wheels. The front is a"l9-inch and the rear an
Danish design aesthetic applied to two wheels, and roughed retro-style naked powered by a air-cooled motor with a lineage over a quarter 1B-inch for an old-school look that contrasts with the R1 forks and six-piston ra-
of a century long. But it rs has also been ripe for this makeover by the Wrench- dial calipers. Custom-fabricated rear-sets increase the ground clearance and
up a little. the Wrenchmonkees replaced the flat handlebars with clip-ons. The exhaust is
monkees. Monkeefist is the first in a series of "yard-built specials" commis-
The Wrenchmonkees' signature is a dark and monochro- sioned by Yamaha from leading custom builders. Having decided to go for a a hand-built stainless steel system that harks back to the twin muffler mega*
matic look-a slightly menacing vibe, but a beautiful one too. caf6 racer style, the builders'first question was how many parts to change in phone look of the older XJRs, but brought up to date in a modern MotoGP style.
order to create something inspirational and unexpected for XJR fans while still To accentuate the caf6 racer feel, a completely new seat unit was built to sit
The bikes are photogenic but have even greater presence in on the existing sub-frame. The XJR's battery box was removed and the wiring
keeping the identity of the bike. lt was decided to leave the tank, engine, and
the metal, devoid of awkward angles or clumsy details. lt's a major parts of the frame unmodified, and then see what to modify around that moved into a custom-built tail unit" A small lithium battery now nestles in the
style that is widely copied, but rarely equaled. base. The first job, then, was to change the front end. On went a set of YZF-R'1 space behind the engine.
floor of an unprepossessing three-story redbrick building, Make: Wrenchmonkees Frame Modifications: Frame cleaned swingarm and shocks swinga rm
up; brackets etc. Tires/Wheels: Front: 19" x 3.5" spoke- Paint/Powder: Custom
opposite a park and next door to a Citro6n dealership. A tIl Danar Bodywork: Standard Yamaha tank; wheel; rear: 18"x5.5" spokewheel; WM Approximate Work Hours: 3OO hours
kilometer to the east is the @resund, the chilly strait that Manufacturer: Yamaha custom seatcowl one-off Edition: Unique
Separates Denmark from Sweden. From the outside the Model: XJ Ri3OA Motor: Standard engine; finned engine Brakes: Yamaha Rl brake discs and Retail price: €35,400
Year of Build: 2012/2A13 covers; WM calipers front and rear
building looks mundane, but inside, magic happens. The Exhaust: 4-2; spark mufflers Hand Controls/Handlebars: Mag ura;
Wrenchmonkees now have over 5O acclaimed builds to tTl Rebuild Front Suspension/Fork: Yamaha Rl TRW
their name, and an international clientele. Bike Category/Gene: Caf6 racer forklegs; WM yokes Foot Controls: Custom
131
They describe the workshop as 'na big creative melt- wrench" and flipped it to become "Wrench Monkeys." When Nicholas, who rides a custom Honda CB75O. "But what
ing pot with room for shitloads of experiments, and good they discovered that the domain name was already taken, started as a 'hobby' garage has now grown into a company.
people with too many ideas. Sometimes we miss our first the t'y" was replaced with an "e." Wrenchmonkees.com It's a creative factory that's allowed us to go beyond the
small shed and doing only one bike at a time, but we can't went live and the Wrenchmonkees were in business. challenge of simply crafting motorcycles, and expand our
help pushing things furtheli" Like all the best workshops, it's "lt was a big step to take," Nicholas recalls. "lll/e had to business into areas such as clothing, and promoting the
a second home too. It's been used to host everything from say goodbye to holidays and savings accounts and all the men's charity Grab Your Balls."
kids' birthdays to rock concerts and fashion events. ('And unnecessary consumer goods that are supposed to make Despite the global order book-8O percent of their bikes
for sleeping over when our women get angry at us for work- us happy." They carried on making one bike at a time, get- are now exported-the Wrenchmonkees have not changed
ing too long hours!") ting the best out of almost nothing. the way they work. Like most top builders, they start by
The Wrenchmonkees have always been a trio: the "ln the beginning, it was actually quite simple," says removing everything that is not essential to the function of
original Iine-up was technical designer Per Nielsen and
two advertising photographers, Nicholas Bech and Anders
lnvartsen. ln the early 2@@Os they ran a small private garage
after hours, building bikes for their own enjoyment-mainly
sportbikes and supermotards. "Then we started playing
around with old and ugly bikes, the ones that nobody want-
ed anymore," says Per. "We wanted to see what we could
make out of these deserted machines, rather than make a
bike that is already beautiful even more pretty."
Their friends liked what they saw and started ordering
bikes. Then friends-of-friends started placing orders, and by
2OOg the boys realized it was time to get serious. They just
needed a name. They liked the American phrase "monkey
Bike Name: Monkee #11, Gorilla Punch tVl Rebuild Front Suspension/Fork: 4'l mm Kawa- Tokico caliper
Make: Wrenchmonkees Bike Category/Gene: Caf6 racer saki forklegs; WM yokes Hand Controls/Handlebars: LSL, WM
Year of Rebuild: 2OOg Rear Suspension/Shocks: Kawasaki Foot Controls: Custom
tTI Donor Frame Modifications: Frame cleaned swingarm; progressive suspension Electrics/lnstruments: New wiring; bat-
Manufacturer: Honda up; brackets etc- shocks tery under seat
Model: CB75O Four Bodywork Honda CR750-style tank; Tires/Wheels: 16" spoked wheels, with PainVPowder: Custom
Year of Build: 1975/1976 customized seatcowl steel cover; Coker whitewall tires Approximate Work Hours: 3OO hours
Motor: Standard engine; rebuild Brakes: Braking brake discs front, Edition: Unique
Exhaust: 4-2: shorty mufflers Tokico calipers; ISR brake disc rear, Retail price: C21,OOO
133 Wrenchmonkees
the bike. "For us, a bike is basically two wheels, a frame, and figuring out what is possible. We hang on to the principle of Per likens the build process to getting a Lego set at
an engine," says Pe6 who rides a constantly modified Ka- reduce, reuse, and recycle as far as possible." They try to Ghristmas. "You catch yourself experimenting as you go
wasaki GPzllOO. "Why make things more complicated than push clients to try something new, but sometimes the client along, rather than following the instructions." When mock-
they are? There's plenty of beauty to craft from those three has already fallen in love with a previous Wrenchmonkees ing up a bike, he and Nicholas start by mixing and match-
elements. We find it by being curious and looking for the bike. "Then we have to improvise ..." says Per. ing different parts-taking new pieces off the shelves and
unexpected. It might not appear at first glance, but when it There is no "typical" Wrenchmonkees client. "We've had cannibalizing parts from other bikes in the garage. "Then
does appear, it makes a difference." police officers, teachers, tattoo artists, and carpentens," our hearts start pumping and discussions become hot-
There are no sketches or computer mockups. 'After we says Nicholas. 'At the other end we've worked for millionaire tempered! But it's the way those parts come together that
get the brief from the clientn we ask him (or her) to set us consultants, pro sports dudes and motorcycle collectors- makes a bike. Only by challenging each other's ideas can
free, and let us do our best," Per says. The only restrictions aficionados for whom discretion is everything. The cool we get the best result," says Per.
are budget and national regulations: "Each country has its thing they all have in common is that they look for a low-key They are acutely conscious of the pressure to succeed,
own idea of what a bike should be. lt's usually little details, elegance, and don't need to show off with a 'bling-bling' and make each bike better than the last. And there are
but they often affect the build. We keep pushing ourselves, bike. Having a good time with these dudes comes easy!" legions of amateur builders following their every move.
134
Club Black +fl
ln 2O1O, the Wrenchmonkees were commissioned to build three motorcycles Within days, the dark and moody photoshoot was featured on dozens of web- being showpieces, the bikes are heavily modified in the usual Wrenchmonkees
for a nightclub in Herning, a town in central Denmark. Although the Club Black sites-and the bikes attracted the attention of motorcycle magazines around fashion: the CB75O, for example, has a chopped frame, a Kawasaki Z'1000J
bikes were static showpieces, they epitomized the minimalist Wrenchmonkees the world. The first Club BIack bike is based on a Honda C8750, the second swingarm, and Harley forks.
style and attracted a huge amount of media attention. on a Harley-Davidson Sportster, and the third on a Yamaha RD4OO. Despite
Bike Name: Club Black #1 tul Rebuild son front fork and wheel Paint/Powder: Custom
Make: Wrenchmonkees Bike CategorylGene: Show bike Rear Suspension/Shocks: Kawasa ki Approximate Work Hours: 150 hours
Year of Rebuild:2O10 swingarm and Bitubo shocks Edition: Unique
tIl Donor Frame Modifications: Frame cleaned Tires/Wheels: Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Retail price: €25,000
Manufacturer: Honda up; brackets etc. 16" wheels; Coker tires
Model: C8750 Four Bodywork: Honda C8750 K7 tank Brakes: Lockheed calipers; Harley-
Year of Build:1975 Motor: Standard engine Davidson discs
Exhaust:4-'1 Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom
Front Suspension/Fork: Harley-David- Foot Controls: Custom
135 Wrenchmonkees
on the XJR13OO. Monkeefist, as build #55 became known,
threw the spotlight back on to Yamaha's venerable heavy-
weight and attracted huge publicity for both companies, lt
was a good experience too, despite a tight deadline. "Ya-
maha didn't put any restrictions on us," Per reports. "They
just asked us to do our best. Monkeefist was a satisfying
result-a mix of new and old, modern tech mixed with old-
school simplicity."
The publicity generated by ioint ventures like this is
critical. "lt takes a lot of hard work to pay the bills," says
Nicholas. "Building bikes is a way of life you choose be-
cause you simply can't let it go. We're not really business-
men, and the administration required to run the company
eats up a lot of time."
ln 2O11 Anders lnvaftsen left the Wrenchmonkees and
Andreas Msrk-Hansen came on board. With a background in
marketing and communications, Andreas has taken over the
commercial side and enabled Per and Nicholas to concen-
trate on the bikes. A balance has been found between the
high jinks and the cold, hard reality of making a living. "We're
still a small team," says Andreas. "We value friendship and
loyalty more than chasing prestige careers and superficial
relationships. Yes, we have long days and nights, but also
short days when we pick up our children from kindergarten."
They still avoid business plans and meetings with bank
managers. "You never really know where life will take you,
and not even the best plans will save you," says Andreas.
"We must have made about a dozen business plans, but
136
Club Black #2
Bike Name: Clr-rb Black #2 IUI Rebuild Front Suspension/Fork: Hariey-David- Paint/Powder: Custorr
Make: Wrenchrnonkees) Bike Category/Gene: Sirol'r bike son f ront fork and wheel Approximate Work Hours: I58 hours
Year of Rebuild: 2010 Rear Suspension/Shocks: Standard Edition: Unique
l+l Donor Frame Modifications: Frarre cleaned swingarrn arrd shocks Retail price: C3B,e80
Manufacturer; Harley-Davidson up; brackets etc. Tires/Wheels: Firestone tires; f ront
Model: Sportster Bodywork: Kal,rasaki tank; custornized w[-leel: ]6"; rear: 19" Harley-Davidson
Year of Build: lgBB seatcotvl Brakes: Harley-Davidson
Motor: Standard engine Hand Controls/Handlebars: C ristom
Exhaust: 2-1 Foot Co ntrols: Cn stor-n
137 Wrenchmonkees
then something unexpected happens-and you have to
find new solutions. We've had to learn along the way, but we
still control our own business. We don't owe the bank any
money,"
"Sometimes it's difficult to handle it all," Nicholas ad-
mits. "But at the same time, our horizons are growing far
beyond our imaginations. And we're working with mates and Club Black#3
meeting people who share our passions. lt's a great journey.
This is not a business to get fat on, but it's still 'living the Bike Name: Club Black #3 tIl Rebuild Front Suspension/Fork: Sta nda rd, Paint/Powder: Custom
dream' for us. We treasure every crooked step along the Make: Wrenchmonkees Bike Category/Gene: Show bike lowered Approximate Work Hours: 15O hours
Year of Rebuild:.2O1O Rear Suspension/Shocks: Standard Edition: Unique
way, and we'll have some good stories to tell when we're tUl Donor Frame Modifications: Frame cleaned swingarm Retail price: €15,000
old and living with iron Iungs, missing fingers, and broken Manufacturer: Yamaha up; brackets etc. Tires/Wheels: Standard 1 B" wheels,
bones." Model: RD 4OO Bodywork: Kawasaki tank; customized Dunlop K1B0 tires
Year of Build: 1978 seatcowl Brakes: Standard
"We know how it started, but we have no idea how it will Motor: Standard engine Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom
end." (CH) Exhaust: Shortened Foot Controls: Custom
138
"lt's a great journey. Ihis ,s not a
busrness to get fat on, but rf's still
'living the dream'for us,
We treasure every crooked sfep
along the wdy, and we'll have some
good sfories to tell when we're old
and living with iron lungs, rrlrssing
fingers, and broken bor?es. "
Nicholas Bech
139 Wrenchmonkees
Sundance Sundance specializes in high-performance motor mods and started this build
with Delkron alternator/generator-type crankcases. The stout cases would be
massive Bx1S-inch Pro Stock drag-race wheel wearing a Goodyear automo-
tive tire. Up front we see a springer-style fork, shortened for the proper stance,
needed, as the thoroughly massaged engine would be punching well above of and wearing doubled-up drum brakes, d la Vincent Black Shadow. Rear brake
Wild Olive its 1683 cc displacement. An S&S crankshaft anchors the moto[ weighted and is a 'Juiced" Harley-Davidson hydraulically operated drum from the 1960s. The
rebalanced by Sundance for stump-pulling torque. Special-design Sundance- aluminum fuel tank was created in-house, with brass caps and instrument be-
lf Wild Olive looks to you like a time-traveler on two wheels, then congratula- Andrews cams spin away in the cases, while Zak's own hand-ported Super XR zels, and old-style notches on the right to clear the faux Knuckleheads. The oil
tions, you get it. Says builder Zak Shibazaki, "lt's an imaginary drag bike as it heads are fed by twin S&S Super B carbs for increased cylinder efficiency. ln tank and fenders are steel. All were painted Olive Green, Milwaukee's standard
might have appeared in the 193Os, but made to be ridden on modern streets, classic XR style, the exhaust pipes exit on the left side, taking a tight curve color throughout much of the 192Os and 193Os. Getting the same hue was the
not just to be looked at." over the open primary belt before terminating amidships in brass end caps. '19-inch front wheel, the solid rear rim,
the headlight shell, even the timing chest
Shibazaki is founder of Sundance Enterprises, one of Japan's leading Harley- Adding a retro feel to the top end are Knucklehead-style dress-up covers. Old covel and the magneto top. Just like brass-era Harleys, red pinstriping and let-
Davidson performance houses, based in Tokyo. Wild Olive is his afterhours shop and new also coexist in the chassis. The frame is an aftermarket Panhead-style tering complements the green paint, proof that good taste never goes out of
proiect, built after about two months of intense work following closing time. rigid, very vintage, but the rear section has been heavily modified to accept a style. (DEt
Bike Name: Wild Olive extended from 30" to 33"; rear frame special-design Sundance-Andrews striped rim; rear: I x 15" Pro-stock drag hydraulic drum Parts: Essentially custom-made by
Make: Sundance Enterprises, lnc. widened for automobile tire cams, Axtell Evo-ty race wheel mounting 225 Goodyear Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom- Sundance
Creator: Zak Shibazaki Bodywork Custom-made aluminum Exhaust Custom-made by Sundance automotive tire made by Sundance Approximate Work Hours: 8O hours (30
fuel tank; steel oiltank and fenders by Front Suspension/Fork Aft erma rket Brakes: Front: Aftermarket Harley- Foot Controls: Custom-made by days, done after closing time)
tUI Rebulld Sundance softail-type springer fork, shortened and Davidson springer-style double drum Sundance Edition: Unique
Bike Category/Gene: Drag racer Motor: Low-compression engine; bore x modified by Sundance brakes; right-side drum modified Electrics/l nstru ments: Ana log meters
Year of Rebuild:1997 Stroke: 13/16 x 1/2; displacement: 1,683 Rear Suspension/Shocks: Rigid frame for mirrored configuration; standard customized by Sundance
Frame Modifications: Aftermarket cc, Delkron crankcase, S&S crankshaft; TiresAltlheels: Front: 1 00/9O"; with leading-trailing brake shoes; rear: Paint/Powder: Classic olive color
Panhead-style rigid frame; neck rake weighted and rebalanced by Sundance; classic-style spoke wheels, painted and 196Os Harley-Davidson swingarm-type urethane paint
140
141
Arie VanSchyndel:
Made in America
Arie VanSchyndel builds a Triumph chopper the American way.
Itthile it's true that Triumph motorcycles were bolted
UU together between tea breaks in Merry Olde England,
in reality they were "made" in the Good OI' US of A, home of
baseball, hot dogs, and apple pie.All due respect to Edward
Turner-bloke designer of the legendary 1938 Speed Twin,
later to become company boss-but if it were left up to him,
Triumphs might never have been anything other than tidily
styled 5OO cc roadsters.
lnstead, Triumphs were adopted by Americans and
turned into everything from bob-jobs to desert sleds to flat-
trackers to bus-iumpers, all of which called for ever more
power, as Turner's inline-twin grew first to 65O cc thenTSO
cc. American riders gunned Triumphs to considerable glory
on dirt ovals, TT steeplechases, dragstrips, road courses,
enduro trails, and scrambles tracks. Add the wow-factor of
star ownership and it's easy to see why old Triumphs are still
regarded as some of the coolest two-wheelers ever. Marlon
Brando rode a Triumph, as did James Dean, Steve McQueen,
and Bob Dylan, a veritable Quadfecta of Coolness.
"Triumphs may have been born in Britain, but they were
bred in the United States," says Lindsay Brooke, noted
marque historian and author of several books on the brand.
"lust as Winston Churchill was half-American by blood,
Triumphs in the post-second World War era were heavily in-
fluenced by us Yanks. We bought 'em by the boatload, then
proceeded to customize, modify, race, and generally flog
the machines in every imaginable way on road and track." q\
No telling what Edward Turnei dead since 1973, would
think of Arie VanSchyndel's Triumph 500, a rigid-framed
chopperi not that Arie really cares.
VanSchyndel lives the Kustom Kulture lifestyle, all day
every day. He and brother Mark produce the Hot Rod Havoc
and Two Wheel Terrors series of videos, plus Arie runs lDA,
an underground fabrication shop in Costa Mesa, California,
creating hardtail frames, goS tanks, handlebars, sissybars-
basically anything that requires cutting steel then welding,
grinding, and bending it into shape. As if all that doesn't
take up enough of his time, he and a partner started Black
Deck, a small skateboard shop. Not that Arie is complaining
about any lack of downtime.
"We like skateboards, punk rock, motorcycles, low riders,
anything that's cool," he says. "lt allows us to have fun all
day!"
VanSchyndel sees a strong connection between his fa-
vorite musicians and the custom bikes he likes to build and
ride. "Look at how punk rockers dress," hB explains. "They
take something, cut it, add this, add that, change it, make it
coolen Same as with a bike or car."
The opportunity to put that build philosophy into action
came when VanSchyndel acquired al97?Triumph 5OO from
a friend. His first step in turning a stocker into something
custom? n'Take everything off, now you have a motor, a
frame, the two wheels," hB says. "Then you even take stuff
off the gas tank, cutting it, making it smaller."
ln the case of this Triumph, the frame also came in for
special treatment. Off came the rear section, the shocks
and the swingarffi, replaced by a welded-on triangulated
143
hardtail done in the JDA (Just Do Anything) shop. VanSchyn-
del, having seen one too many awkward stretch jobs, had a
particular look he was after: "l didn't want the bike to sit too
low, like most choppers you see, I wanted it to stay tight and
short," he says. "l also wanted the hardtail to look like it was
from the factory."
Early Triumph telescopic forks, a Z1-inch front wheel with
tiny "hillstopper" brake, and a 16-inch chromed rear rim
wearing a meaty tire had the bike's stance just right. Arie
borrowed the Bates-style headlight, seat, and ribbed Wassell
rear fender from another of his bikes. When it came time for
a fuel tank, a quick search of JDAs shelves turned up some-
thing useable-albeit after a Iittle in-house modification. "l
had a tank laying around the shop, but it looked too wide so
I cut it apaft and made it narrower" he explains. "l also low-
ered the tank's tunnel so that it sits nicely on the frame."
Now in need of handlebars, vanSchyndel fired up his
welder again to create a set of narrow Z bars, left un-
chromed. "l had some bars already made but none looked
quite right, so I made a set just for this bike," he says
matter-of-factly.
As befits any bike from a company whose full name is JDA
Bare Metal Customs, the frame on vanSchyndel's iilumph
goes down the road without benefit of the rust-inhibiting
propefties of a paint job. The industrial look is in and, be-
sides, corrosion isn't much of a problem if you live in sunny
so-cal. The gas tank and rear fender; however, would not
go uncoated. Just as in the 196Os when Von Dutch paint and t 1g',r ipffi
pinstripes put a custom bike or car over the top, these days
a painter who goes by the "nom de brush" of Skratch is high-
ly sought after in southern California. When Skratch stopped
by JDA for a visit and saw the 5OO in mockup form, he
persuaded Arie that the right paint job would really set off all
that raw steel. The result is a complex scheme of diamonds,
Iines, panels, and shading in a chunky metalflake that would
do a rock band's drum set proud. And true to the painter's
word, the juxtaposition between his glossy, involved paint
and the rough, unhewn frame tubes, handlebars, and fender
struts works to complement both treatments.
From the last three years of rriumph 5oo production,
the chopper's tightly drawn unit-construction twin is a good
match for VanSchyndel's compact rigid frame. In keeping
with the bike's overall theme, its cases were cleaned up but
remain far from show-polished. Adding all the visual bling
the motor needs are a quartet of finned alloy rocker inspec-
tion covers, and sprouting from the right side of the bike a
very purposeful-looking Joe Hunt magneto plugs into the
stock points cover location, negating the need for a battery.
Both additions are period-correct accessories and add to
the chopped Triumph's ring of authenticity.
We suspect that even the right honorable Edward Turne6
wherever he may be, wouldn't be all that unhappy with the
outcome. (DEt
144
L=+
5OO Triumph
Bike Name: The Mouse Trap wI Rebulld unit; custom fenders Rear Suspension/Shocks: Revised rear bars
Make: Deus Ex Machina Bike Category/Gene: Mini caf6 racer Motor: Standard airbox eliminator; bat- spring rate Foot Controls: Standard
Year of Rebuild.2012 tery relocation Tires/Utlheels: Custom 17' wheels; Electrics/lnstruments: Custom clock
tUl Donor Frame Moditicatlons: Complete strip of Exhaust Custom header into l-aser twin powder-coated hubs and rims laced in PainUPowder: Custom paint and
Manufacturer: Yamaha the chassis; fabrication for seat, tank, muffler stainless powder-coated th roughout
Model: Scorpio 225 exhaust, and battery box Front Suspension/Fork Lowered with Brakes: Braided line Approximate Work Hours: 1-2 months
Year of Build: 2OO7 Bodywork Custom alloy tank; alloy seat progressive springs Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom Edltion: Unique
146
147
@
ta
- \A'-
't
,F
*f -..
r
new company its direction. Produced from 1957 to 1985 when it was replaced spans the distance between tank and tail.
DP Customs with the all-aluminurn Evolution design, the iron-barreled Sportster was by then lustin prefers the later XL1O00 versions of the lronhead V-twin, like this1985
seen as old, oily, and unreliable. Available inexpensively, used lronheads worked model, and he's become expert at rebuilding the motors. Standard operating
Grabber Blue Caf6 nicely with DP's business plan of making affordable custom motorcycles, "Built pnocedure for the weepy XLs: "We go through every seal and gasket until it's
by the workiR' man for the workin' man," priced as close to $10,000 as possrble. 100 percent leakproof." The buttoned-tight motor runs DP's Crossover exhaust,
Brothers and best friends lustin and Jarrod Del Prado both chucked promising While most of DP's builds are muscular bobber-style rigids, the boys know with the rear cylinder's pipe working its way forward to cur[ around the f ront jug
corporate careers to follow their passion and open their own custoR-r bike shop. their way around fully suspended cafe racers, too, as shown by "Grabber," and dLrmp gases off the bike's left side. For this build the f rarne was left Iargely
That was several years back. Ever since, DP Customs has been turning out a named for the 1978s shade of factory Ford blue on its tank and tailsection, stock, with the rear f rame rails bobbed just aft of the shocks to work with the DP
steady stream of stripped-bare specials f rom a small but well-equipped metal- broken up with a Shelby-white racing stripe. While the fuel tank was an as- seat. Suspension was lowered slightly and fitted with stiffer springs front and
sided building in New River, Arizona. tound piece originally fitted to a 1968s Sears Mojave, the seat cowl was made rear. The Sporty retains its 16-inch rear wheel, which isn't strictly cafe correct,
.Justin's interest in redoing Harley-Davidson lronhead Sportsters gave the in-house, crafted from steel to echo the shape of the tank. Quilted upholstery but adds a certain burliness the Del Prados like. Can't blame 'em. (DEt
Bike Name: Grabber Blue Cafe Year of Build: l9B5 Bodywork: Rear cowl/seatpan: DP Cus- Harley-Davidson Paint/Powder: Paint by DP Customs
Make: DP Customs toms; gas tank: Benelli Mojave Tires/Wheels: Front: l9"x11B mm; rear: Parts: Biltlvell lr-rc.
Creator: lustin and Jarrori DeI Prado tIl Rebuild Motor: Stock 1000 cc "16"
x 'l3O mm Approximate Work Hours: Too many
Bike Category/Gene: Cafe racer Exhaust: DP Customs Crossover Brakes: Stock to count!
IT.l Donor Year of Rebuild: 2011 Front Suspension/Fork: Lowered and Hand Controls/Handlebars: DP Cus- Edition: Unique
Manufacturer: H a rJey-Davidson Frame Modifications: Chopped frame stiffened toms clip-ons
Model: lronhead Sportster after the rear shock mounts Rear Suspension/Shocks: Stock Foot Controls: Chai nsikle rear-sets
148
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Untitled Motorcycles this fortified 1979 BMW RBO, all of which look like they were made to be ham-
mered all day long.
Recycling the Beemer began with a full engine overhaul. While that was be-
UM-Z Scrambler ing attended to, the frame was stripped, all unneeded brackets and tabs were
ground off, the rear subframe was bobbed, and the battery tray was moved to
Self-described as "two guys and a girl making custom motorcycles out of a an under-gearbox location, freeing up space in the middle of the bike.
workshop in Camden, London," Untitled Motorcycles is a nondenominational Keeping it stylishly gritty, the gas tank and headlight bucket were left in bare
shop that builds bikes for everyday use, as opposed to focusing on pure speed metal, just clearcoated to ward off rust, Urban coolness achieved, the bike was
or achieving an over-hip Iook. A scan through the company catalog shows a recently featured in a photo shoot with Noomi Rapace of Ihe Girl With The
Honda C8350, a Kawasaki Z-1, even a modern Kawasaki-based bobber, plus Dragon Tattoo fame. (DE)
Bike Name: UM-2 Scrambler iIl Rebuild tank cable-operated reservoir tank, headlight clear powder-coated
Make: U ntitled Motorcycles Bike Category/Gene: Scram bler Front Suspension/Fork: Stock Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom bar Approximate Work Hours: 3 months
Creator: Adam Kay and Rex Martin Year of Rebuild:.2O11 Rear Suspension/Shocks: Rear sus- using classic British controls Edition: Unique
Frame Modifications: Subframe short- pension modified Electrics/lnstruments: New wiring loom
titl Donor ened; all brackets removed Tires/Wheels:18" rim with hubs made to allow for new headlight shell to
Manufacturer: BMW Motor: Engine overhauled powder coated satin black; heavy-duty fit speedo and oil and neutral lights
Model: RBO/7 Exhaust: New handmade header pipes sta in less-steel spokes Paint/Powder: Frame, wheels, hubs,
Year of Build:1979 with custom exhaust and end pipe Brakes: BMW stock brakes with under- subframe powder-coated satin black;
149
top. Flatheads make an ideal centerpiece for long, low customs, especially of chopped-down speedster handlebars, l9-inch aluminum rims, and a Empi
lamesville the type popularized by ZerolShinya Kimura in lapan. To create that stretched
out, insect-like aesthetic with a taller HD motor typically requires a "gooseneck"
stinger exhaust for old time's sake." This mild customizing, plus the addition of
a springer fork from a military WL Harley-Davidson, gives the machine a pur-
12OO U Flathead frame extension to lengthen the wheelbase, but a Model U Flathead is such a poseful, sporting look. To keep the vibe of what James describes as a "working
short engine, a fairly stock f rame gives almost the same effect. machine", the gas tank was coated with gun bluing, while the rest was painted
Harley-Davidson Flatheads are typically eclipsed by their flashier siblings, the James Roper-Caldbeck operates his Jamesville shop in Denmark. He is an black. The finished machine ended up looking just like a road-going 1940s flat-
Knuckleheads, Panheads, and Shovelheads, but they've always been ame- Englishman with a penchant for old Harleys. When he purchased a modestly track WR Harley-Davidson racer. lt's so old school it could just be old, but its raw
nable to customizing, as until recently they were much cheaper to buy! They customizedl94T Model U, it had already passed through many changes of mo* metal muscularity and super-low lines mark it as something contemporary, and
don't have the tire-spinning grunt of the overhead-valve HDs, but they do to-fashion, although remarkably, the frame, motor, gearbox, and oil tank were very appealing indeed. (PdOl
have a compelling look, and a very low profile without all that valve gear up original to the bike. "lt camewith the SU carb, then I added the Morris Magneto,
Bike Name: 12OO U Flathead ITI Rebuild custom EMPI Stinger muffler Foot Controls: Stock
Make: Jamesville Bike Category/Gene: Bobber Front Suspension/Fork: Stock Electrics/lnstruments: Custom speedo;
Creator: James Roper-Caldbeck Year of Rebu il d: 2OOB/ 2AOg Rear Suspension/Shocks: None vintage cloth wiring; Morris Magneto
Bodywork: Custom Sco moped; British Tires/Wheels: 1 9" aluminum Akront; Paint/Powder: Tank is treated with "Gun
tIl Donor rear fender ti res: Vintage Diamond-Tread Blue," which originally is for shotguns
Manufacturer: H a rley-Davidson Motor: 74 U; belt drive; SU carburetors; Brakes: Stock Parts: W&W J.W. Boon
Model: 74 U Morris Magneto Hand Controls/Handlebars: Jamesville Approximate Work Hours:160 hours
Year of Build:1947 Exhaust: Original exhaust; Jamesville custom springer bars Retail price: $19,OOO
150
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El Solitario and other components in a Custom motorcycle. ln fact, we now believe that
hiding all the neccessary equipment that makes a motorcycle fast is a coward-
metal, and the Petardo is his "state of the Custom" message: "We were so tired
of the never-ending flock of internet customs with the same ironing-board-like
ish, hideous, pointless job. All 'organs' like switches, pumps, coils, regulatol
Ducati Petardo cables, hoses are on the outside and linked in Dadaist un-harmony. We wanted
seat, fake bates headlight and wi-fi electrics ... uff. We just needed to do the
contrary and make fun of it. Petardo is wild, overpowered, over informed, over
to embracelempower the veins and arteries that move the body! Same with the blacked, oversized. ln sum, it is EXCESSIVE with capital letters. This bike has
The Petardo is El Solitario's'l0th build, radically different than even their pre- instrumentation and lighting equipment: we have Lambda sensors that calcu- constituted a milestone for us and we will never go back to what we did before-
vious, controversial machines, which David Borras describes as "a metisse late the airltuel ratio on each cylinder, plus gauges for fuel pressure/oil pres- for good!" (PdO)
(cross-breed), as it started as a 1993 Ducati 6OOss but was soon juiced up with sure/temperature/voltmeter/exhaust gas temperature ... obviously these are all
a 9OOS big valve moton The rest is just our madness, which reflects our'an- things a well-informed man (or an intrepid woman) should never leave his ga-
ime'at this stage; fed up with the current minimalist approach to electronics rage without!" Borras has never shied from expressing an opinion, in words or
Bike Name: Ducati Petardo tTI Rebuild Front Suspension/Fork: Onl ins rear-sets back in a 1O-liter jerrycan, and is pro-
Make: El Solitario Bike Category/Gene: Dadaist Rear Suspension/Shocks: Penske Electrics/lnstruments: Custom display pelled to the carburetors by an external
Year of Rebuild:2O13 Tires/Wheels: 17" wire rims with Heide- with two Lambda gauges; exhaust gas fuel pump through dry-break lines
Frame Modifications: Shortened and nau Super Rain tires temperature; oil pressure and oil tem- Approximate Work Hours:700 hours
fTl Donor narrowed at the back Brakes: Stock perature; voltmeter; tach and speedo Edition: Unique
Manufacturer: Ducati Bodywork: Custom, all in alloy Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom Paint/Powder: Black chromed body on
Model: 9OOss Motor: Blueprinted stainless handlebar powder-coated frame
Year of Build:1993 Exhaust: Custom stainless unit Foot Controls: Custom aluminum Other Modifications: Fuel sits at the
154
155
Cole Foster:
Cole Foster is one of those guys who can do no wrong. He's f6ted in the
car world, and he's pretty good at building motorcycles too.
156
Fole Foster is one of the best car builders in the United
IlrStates: he's got a place in the National Hot Rod Hall
of Fame to prove it. But he's equally at home building bikes.
ln his garage you'll find two Harley Panheads, a Harley Evo
custom, and a 197O Triumph.
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drawn, and ltry not to go pasf
them. lwon't make a 1949
Panhead look like a'cafe' bike."
Cole Foster
Blue Max Racing in Texas. lfollowed him there, working on
the funny car team, but a Iot had changed in racing. Corpo-
rate sponsors, orders not to talk to guys on other teams ...
I soon knew it wasn't for me."
Cole went back to California and started building for
himself. The hobby shop gradually turned into a full-time
job: "lt was a slow transition. Cars in the day, waiting tables iron with history: outlaws, Evel Knievel, Ricky Graham flat-
at night," he remembers. tracking the mile."
He started to focus more on bikes, partly because they He has a very clear vision of what a bike should be, and
don't take so long to build. And given Cole's famed attention sticks to it. "l believe that there are lines drawn, and I try
to detail, time is a big factor. His style could be described not to go past them. I won't make a 1949 Panhead look like
as "minimalist bobbe[" with a light and clean aesthetic. a'cafe'bike. Itryto stickto an era, and l'm careful not to go
ln 2OO1, he built the Blue Bike, a stripped-down, perfectly too hi-tech. I try to keep my builds from stepping over my
proportioned hardtail with a RevTech Evo motor. The motor- lines and the rules that I set."
cycle world sat up and took notice. There's no shortage of buyers who share Cole's single-
Since then, Cole has worked mostly on two-wheeled cus- minded vision, and he takes pains to keep that vision pure.
toms. "We mostly build V-twins. They're really the dinosaurs "lf l'm building for a custome[ I take in what they have in
of the bike world, air-cooled carbureted throwbacks. But mind, and iust think on it for a bit. I try to get a good plan and
they're fun, f-yeah, and have the cool factor. American pig stick to it. A lot of times, customers will start changing their
157
Moon Rocket
lnspired by the bikes of drag racers such as Leo Payne and Boris Murray, Cole frame, most parts are custom-made-from the f rame to the controls to that raw
Foster's Moon Rocket burst onto the custom scene in 2?O7.lts foundation is a aluminum fairing, reminiscent of vintage Honda racers. The engine is a 100 ci
bobber test "roller" that Cole built for Custom Chrome in 2001. The project had RevTech Evo and the wheels and rear brake are Custom Chrome, with Brembo
been left to gather dust at the back of a warehouse, but Cole decided to get the calipers.
bobber back and spent three months on the new build. Despite the short time
Bike Name: Moon Rocket III Rebuild RevTech; heads: RevTech; rocker boxes: spnnger Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom Other Modifications: Gas tank; cap:
Make: Salinas Boys Customs Bike Category/Gene: Hot rod RevTech; carburetor: RevTech; air filter: Rear Suspension/Shocks: None Foot Controls: Custom Cole Foster; oil tank: Cole Foster; seat:
Creator: Cole Foster Frame Modifications: Cole Foster, rake Cole Foster; transmission: S-speed/ Front Wheel: Custom ChromelSpoke; Footpegs: Custom Chrome Backdrop
3O degrees RevTech; case: RevTech; clutch: BDL; 21"; tire: Avon Speedmaster; caliper: Electrics/lnstruments: Headlight: Little; Approximate Work Hours:3 months'
t$l Donor Bodywork: Rear fender: Cole Foster; primary drive: BDL Brembo; rotor: Custom Chrome taillight: Cole Foster build time
Year of Build: 2AA7 fender struts: Cole Foster Exhaust: Custom Rear Wheel: Custom Chrome/Spoke, Paint/Powder: Colort raw; painter: Mike
Motor: Engine manufacturer: RevTech Front Suspension/Fork: Parks custom 18"; tire: Avon '130 x18 Hubbs; graphics: Chaparral Signs; plat-
Evo/1OO ci; cases: RevTech; cylinders: springer; triple trees: Parks custom Brakes: Brembo ing; polishing: Jordan Skow
158
159 Cole Foster
Not surprisingly, an apprenticeship at Salinas Boys is in
demand. "l've had many young guys come and work and
become very skilled, and they're on their own now. I used to
get upset when they left the nest, but l've come to know it's
a natural thing. Now I just wish them well, and am a proud
papa."
Cole has one of the sharpest eyes in the business. As a
kid he loved drawing and design, and wanted to be a fine
artist. So he's all too aware of the potential pitfalls when
building a bike: there are many great stylists, and many
skilled craftsmen, but few people who have both skills in
equal measure.
"lt's hard because great craftsmen sometimes make re-
ally ugly bikes. Or get 9O percent of it right, and then blow it
on one thing. Most of it is taste, and that's subjective."
For Cole, God is often in the detail. "l enjoy making the
little jewelry the most, like a hand control from scratch, and
metal shaping the tanks." His least favorite part is the wir-
ing, with brake lines a close second.
A lot of his inspiration comes from outside the custom
scene. "l get inspired daily from the world around me. I
expose myself to many things outside motorcycles. lf you're
too close to your subject matte6 you're not seeing enough.
There are many beautiful things out there, natural and man-
made, so I keep my eyes open."
He admires the work of Roland Sands and Shinya Kimura,
and younger guys like Yaniv Evan of Powerplant Choppers.
His eye is also drawn to lapan: "lt has too many great build-
I
ln part, he puts his business success down to being able I
160
ers to name. That scene changes pretty fast; last year it was
making fairly stock old Harleys look like barn finds, with rare
aftermarket 194Os parts on them."
He notices that builders in the United States seem to
be getting younger. "For some it's a fashion statement, but
I'm sure half of them will stick with it. Some customs seem
to be kinda retro, so era-correct, it gets boring.Afew years
ago, a lot of it was about early 196Os bike movies. That's
now been done to death, so they are doing more interesting
takes" A lot of fairings, more bodywork, it's neat stuff. lt's
maybe not so great for the parts manufacturers," he notes,
"because builders are now making a lot themselves and us-
ing a lot of parts from eBay and swap meets, especially for
Shovelheads and earlier."
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Snowracer:
Slant
Artlst
Dashing through a winter
wonderland on Ehinger Kraftrad's
nostalg ic hi I lcli mber.
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adheres to the bike's old/new script, consisting of a tradi- the build became known as the Snowrace[ a name that
tional leather-covered tractor-style saddle but sprung with stuck and that also inspired the refrigerator-white paint
levers and a modern bicycle shock. scheme. Whether snow or steeply-angled dirt, traction is
Styling is strictly hillclimber, but not the European form assured with a chunky Continental TKC 8O knobby criss-
of the sport where cars and motorcycles are timed as they crossed with lengths of nasty-looking chain.
negotiate a twisty ribbon of road that winds its way up a hill. Asked to put his shop's build philosophy into words,
This is the simpler type of competition from 193Os America Ehinger replies, "Precision, high-quality, and minimalist
when "slant artists" found the steepest, tallest dirt hill in design." That description certainly applies here. The front
their area-the closer to a cliff the better-then lined up at end, for instance, starts with the old VHs springer fork, then
the base and with virtually no run up, gUnned themselves adds that BMX shock working though alloy rockers made
and their machines toward the clouds. Powe6 traction, and in-house. The shop also created the triple-tree that holds
the ability to keep the wildly rewing bike from flipping over the springer and the gullwing handlebars that bolt to it. That
backwards were what counted, and whoever made it far- kind of dedication and attention to detail was rewarded with
thest up the incline won the day. a fine second place in the 2O'12 AMD World Championships
Madly dashing up the picturesque hillsides of northern of Custom Bike Building. lt's clear, though, that with this
Germany is frowned upon these days, but there is a lot of bike Ehinger is concerned less about trophies and more
somewhat sheepishly notes, the setup "serves more as a frozen precipitation during wintertime, so almost as a joke with the first big snowfall of winter. (DE)
directional guide for exhaust fumes than a means for reduc-
ing noise." lt helps to be on good terms with the neighbors
and avoid early morning start-ups.
Situated iust aft of the engine is the American aftermar-
ket industry's contribution to the project, a Baker "6-lnto-
4" gearbox and kickstart mechanism, so-named because
Bert Baker somehow has managed to persuade a six-speed
gearset into traditional four-speed cases, resulting in a true
overdrive transmission-not that Snowracer will be doing
any extended highway touring!
Ehinger worked with German specialists NHPower to
mate an open primary belt and clutch to the Baker trans-
mission. The clutch's star-shaped alloy pressure plate was
red-anodized, just about the only thing on the bike that isn't
painted white, plated or left in the bare metal.
Continuing Ehinger's "United Nations" approach to bike-
building, France's Beringer Brakes was brought in to supply
Snowracer's stoppers. Contrary to what a quick glance
reveals, these are actually hydraulic discs. Popular with
custom builders, Beringer's lBS, or lnboard Brake System, a
concept borrowed from the aviation industry hides down-
sized rotors within the wheel hubs. Originally developed for
supermotard racers to minimize brake damage in a crash,
the result is modern stopping power with a clean, classic
look. You have to look really closely to discover the calipers
and tiny hydraulic reservoirs. Beringer makes a twin-disc IBS
front brake but Snowracer gets by with just one rotor as the
bike isn't really intended for hot laps on a roadrace course.
Bodywork was sourced in a variety of ways. The rear
fender started life as the valanced front fender on some old d
Harley-Davidson, but as racers and bob-jobbers have done
for the better part of a century now, this was trimmed and
moved to the back end, where its kicked-up lip adds just
Snowracer
the right amount of jauntiness. Short, drilled struts give it
support. The fuel tank is a more recent artifact, taken from Bike Name: Snowracer tIl Rebuild Rear Suspension/Shocks: None RAL 9OO2
Make: Ehinger Krattrad Bike Category/Gene: Hillclimber Tires/Wheels: Contlnental, Morad Parts: Magura, Dell'Orto, Baker, Beh-
a197@s Yamaha TY8O, the kid-sized observed trials bike, its Year of Rebuildl. 2411/2012 Brakes: Behringer lnboard ringer
aluminum treated to some minor reshaping by Ehingen The tIl Donor Frame Modifications: None Hand Controls/Handlebars: Behringer Approximate Work Hours: 33O hours
Manufacturer: Harley-Davidson Bodywork: Ehinger Kraftrad Foot Controls:Tarozzi Edition of: Unique
oil tank is all-neq its upper and lower halves whittled from
Model: Flathead U/VLH Motor: Ehinger Kraftrad, NH Power Electrics/lnstrumentations: Ehinger Retail Price: Price on demand
big blocks of aluminum then welded together before being Year of Production: 1936/1946 Exhaust: Ehinger Kraftrad, Edelstahl Kraftrad
plumbed with brass fittings and copper oil lines. The seat Front Suspension / Fork: VL Springer Flaint/Powder: Ehi nger Kraft rad,
HardNine Choppers admits the result seems to provoke a love or hate reaction, and he's happy with
those extreme reactions.
he could wheelie the ancient, three-speed 75O. He needs to ride with one foot
back and the other forward to pop the foot clutch. Check the bars, there is no
HardNine mated the 1942 Harley-Davldson chassis, engine, and transmis- clutch or brake lever. (Gl)
D'MX sion with actual BMX handlebars, bar clamp, and footpegs. The wheels are from
a 1989 Harley and the rear is mated to the original 1942 drum brake. The cast
Danny Schneider fell in love with BMX at the age of six and still rides 20-inch- wheels were chosen, and coated white, to look like the groundbreaking Skyway
ers now. He combined his obsession with custom motorcycles and that first wheels of BMX's golden era.
love of old-school BMX in the build of this Harley-Davidson. Danny spent two months making the gas and oil tanks, then machined the
As the boss of Swiss custom-bike builders, HardNine Choppers, Danny used heads to give the engine more of a Flathead look. He is a former professional
this project to prove to the world he wasn't happy following existing trends. He freestyle motocross rider and positioned the stunt pegs near the rear axle so
168
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169
Deus Ex Machina Of course, the guys at Deus Ex Machina had something to do with the trans-
formation too. ln fact, when they got through with the Yamaha, not much of the
original equipment was left. All of the bodywork, for instance, hit the road, re-
The Flug placed a custom alloy gas tank... and nothing else-no fenders, no sidepanels,
nothing, just frame rails. Not much of a seat, either; with enough air beneath the
Steve McQueen inspires a Yamaha225 to greatness. rear portion to pass your hand clear through to the other side.
Here's proof that the patron saint of coolness, St. Steve of McQueen, is still What remained was painted in the orange/blue Gulf Oil livery made famous
alive, never mind that the movie star took his last breath in 1980. Who else could by the fearsome Porsche 917 sports car McQueen drove in his 1971 movie Le
make a pedestrian little runabout !ike Yamaha's Scorpio 225 ullra-desirable just Mans. Simple, clean, and cool. What's not to like? (DE)
by the simple application of a paint scheme once worn by one of his race cars?
Bike Name: The Flug f.Dl Rebuild Motor: Standard airbox eliminator; bat- Tires/Wheels: Standard hubs laced with der coat throughout
Make: Deus Ex Machina Bike Category/Gene: Mini tracker tery relocation stainless spokes; painted rims and hubs Approximate Work Hours:1-2 months
Year of Rebuild:2@1O Exhaust Custom header into Danmoto Brakes: Braided line Edition: Unique
tTl Donor Frame Modifications: Complete strip of muffler Hand Gontrols/Handlebars: Custom
Manufacturer: Yamaha the chassis;fabrication for seat, tank, Front Suspension/Fork: Prog ressive bars
Model: Scorpio 225 exhaust, and battery box springs Foot Controls: Standard
Year of Build: 2OO7 Bodywork Custom alloy tank; seat unit; Rear Suspension/Shocks: Revised rear Electrics/lnstruments: Custom clock
custom fenders spring rate Faint/Powder: Custom paint and pow-
170
tuating its overhead camshaft, all very ltalianesque. lt's a good-looking engine
Deus Ex Machina that works well in a variety of custom applications, from bobber to caf6 racer.
Elegant Mongrel, built by ace spanner man Michael Woolaway in the Venice
The Elegant Mongrel Beach shop, is a little of both, with a touch of BSA Hornet thrown in for good
measure. lf it looks more compact than other W65O customs, that's by design,
Nobody is doing more these days with Kawasaki's W650 than Deus Ex Machi- as Woolaway retrofitted the shorter swingarm from a Yamaha SR400.
na, the bike shop/surf store/coffee bar/T-shift sellers that has franchises in The bike's tiny gas tank and seat cowl were both done in alloy, with a slab of
Australia, lndonesia, Venice Beach, California, and now Milan, ltaly. tuck-n-roll leather in between, while the twin mid-level exhausts were ceramic-
!ntroduced in 1999, Kawi's air-cooled 675 cc parallel-twin has distinctly classic coated black. lf the effect is of a 196Os AMA dirt-tracker being wheeled to the
British architecture but with the added visual oomph of a bevel-drive tower ac- startline at the Peoria TT, then Woolaway has done his job well. (DEI
Bike Name: The Elegant Mongrel tSl Rebuild Motor: Standard airbox eliminator; bat- units Electrics/lnstruments: Custom elec-
Make: Deus Ex Machina Bike Gategory/Gene: Caf6 tracker tery relocation Tires/Wheels: Standard hubs laced with tronic speedo
Year of Rebuild: 2O13 Exhaust Sublime fabrication custom brass-plated spokes; powder-coated Palnt/Powder: Custom paint and pow-
IUI Donor Frame Modifications: Subframe modifi- 2-2 exhaust system in black der coat throughout
Manufacturer: Kawasaki cation; swing arm conversion with a unit Front Suspension/Fork Lowered with Brakes: Braided line Approximate Work Hours: 2-3 months
Model: W650 from a Yamaha SR40O progressive springs;fork leg swap to Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom Edition: Unique
Year of Build: 2OOo Bodywork Custom alloy tank; alloy seat give a 197O's feel bars
unit; custom fenders Rear Suspension/Shocks: lkon custom Foot Controls: Standard
171
PainTTless: a true old-school racef so much like the early pioneers that
if we needed a part we didn't go to a shelf or a catalog, wG
Shlne Onrcu
made it or found it," Bergerforth explains. Luckily, Thunder-
bike is staffed by skilled craftsmen and talented machinists
who know how their way around a CNC program.
The heart of the bike is a 1984 Harley-Davidson lronhead
Sportster engine from late in the powerplant's 2B-year
Craz Diamond
production run. But you are forgiven if its appearance fooled
you into thinking it was much olde4 maybe something
taken from a 193os Brough Superior. Thunderbike began
the transformation by sawing off the rear portion of unitized
engine's cases where the transmission is normally housed,
Mechanical excellence and its pristine steam-punk Iook won a radical step. Bergerforth had a plan, though. He wanted
the retro look of a separate engine and gearbox package. So
Thunderbike's PainTTless the world title. a1942 Harley-Davidson WLA tranny was hooked up to the
shortened 1OOO cc V-twin via an exposed duplex primary
chain whirring away on the left side.
Because he wanted to run old-style twin Amal Monob-
loc carburetors, Bergerforth fitted a second rear cylinder
up front, rotated 18O degrees so there was room for a carb
on each side of the motor-plus the arrangement means
that there's now an exhaust header on the right and left.
This cylinder transplant involved more machining for new
oil passageways, and while they were at it, the team split
and reshaped the rocker boxes, an old chopper-builder's
trick from the 197Os. Factor in milled engine covers, one-off
pushrod tubes, and a host of copper- and nickel-plated
f s a franchised Harley-Davidson dealer in Hammin- more difficult, there would be almost no paint to hide any
Ax.ln, Germany, Andreas Bergefforth's business is metalworking flaws. Every last stroke of handwork by the
selling new motorcycles, but his passion is building outra- Thunderbike crew would be on display in bare metal under
geous customs, which he does through his Thunderbike the harsh spotlight.
shop attached to the dealership. "When we decided to build a bike for AMD, it was clear
He's pretty good at it, too. To date, some 160 customized that it had to be the best we had ever built," Bergerforth
motorcycles have rolled out of the busy shop, but none were says of PainTTIess, the odd spelling indicating not only the
more involved than "PainTTless," which he and his team paucity of paint but also his fascination with the famous lsle
designed and created from scratch. lt was iudged Best of Man TT races. "The name says it all-no colori no paint,
Freestyle Machine at the prestigious AMD World Champi- no powdercoat, no filler-the preliminary work had to be
onships of Custom Bike Building, held at the Sturgis Rally perfect!"
in South Dakota in 20'12. From the beginning that was the Nor would there be a lot of ready-made components
lofty goal for the build, and just to make things that much purchased from outside sources. "We wanted it to look like
172
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hardware, and it's easy to see how the engine's true age
would be hard for even an expert Harley watcher to deci-
pher. An eBay-procured 1928 Bosch magneto mounted in a
horseshoe-shaped housing up front helps with the ruse, as
does the Thunderbike-built hand-shifter setup.
'At this point, everything Iooked all right, we were well
on schedule," remembers Bergerforth. "That was before I
made a list of all the things not yet done!"
The chassis needed to mount the yesteryear-looking
engine/transmission, which would eat up the remainder of
the bike's all-consuming eight-month build time. For ease
of modification, the first mockup was genned up in plywood
and cardboard. Transferred to metal, the final assembly is a
complex combination of round tubing, flat plates, l-beams,
and alloy parts, all either plated or polished, with any welds
first ground to seamless invisibility. The signature piece is
the beautiful finned-aluminum oil tank that pulls double
duty, also serving as the seat's subframe. Rear suspension
is via a system of levers and a pair of horizontally mounted
shocks, while up front there's a unique Thunderbike-engi-
neered fork assembly that mixes springer and telescopic
technology. lt may look old-timey, but this bike wouldn't be
possible without lots of hidden high-tech.
174
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Avon ribbed front, and Heidenau block-tread rear complete culves involved." Same goes for the curvaceous quarter- and touches of brass and copper, The warmth of the latter
the vintage illusion. faring, it shape seemingly dictated more by the rushing keeps things from being boringly monotone, as well as ef-
The aluminum fuel tank and jaunty little seat cowl were wind than the hand of man. lt is topped by a small piece fectively imparting the desired 1930s feel.
hand-formed on wooden bucks and had to be metal-fin- of plexiglass, its yellow tint playing off the tan perforated After PainTTless won big in Sturgis, impressing judges,
ished to near-perfection if they were truly going to remain leather of the seat and handgrips. show-goers, magazine editors, and rival builders alike,
paintless as Bergerforth intended. "This was especially There actually is a small amount of paint on the bike, like Bergerfofth decided to take some time off from the com-
difficult. Every surface had to be completely smooth without the graphics, applied by Ingo Kruse, and the faux cast-metal petitive show circuit. No doubt he'll be back soon, the only
even the slightest dent or wrinkle," he says. "lt's a milli- finish applied to the wheels. But everywhere else you look question being, how can he possibly top this? No doubt it
meter by millimeter process, particularly with the extreme the eye is rewarded with polished alloy, chrome, nickel plate, will be fun to see. (DEt
PainTTless
Bike Name: PainTTless tIt Rebuild master K-Tech fldchentechnik; BEWICO Oberfldchen-
Make: Thunderbike Bike Category/Gene: Drag Racer Hand Controls/Handlebars: Th u nder- veredelung
Year of Rebuild:2O12 bike Approximate Work Hours: B months
tiE Donor Exhaust: Thunderbike Foot Controls: Thunderbike Retail price: €150,000
Manufacturer: Harley Tires/Wheels: Front: Thu nderbi ke Paint/Powder: A. Kruse Metall-
Model: Sportster lron Head 3.50 x'19" Avon Roadrunner; rear: veredelungen
Year of Build:1984 4.OO xl9" Heidenau Other Modifications: A. Kruse
Brakes: Thunderbike, Honda, brake Metallveredelungen; Fischer Ober-
176
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Thunderbike
Raven Motocycles .lapan. "l started with a blank piece of paper and a head full of classic bikes,"
he says of the genesis for his retro Raven special, which he hopes to take into
A custom f rame was needed to house the newly assembled power package.
From experience Gundlach wanted a S8-inch wheelbase and a Z5-degree
small-scale production. "l wanted to build something unique, powerful, Iight, steering-head angle. Working with the headstock, forks, swingarm, wheels,
Raven f unctional." and brakes from a readily available late-196Os Honda C8350, he created a
For powe6 the Raven uses a motor very familiar to Gundlach, a longtime Moto mockup frame entirely in wood. Satisfied with the result, he transferred the
One of the most appealing things about the new interest in custom motorcycles Guzzi rider. lt's the 75O cc V-twin from a1972 Ambassador model, but here he design to steel.
is the human scale of it all. These are very personal, approachable motorcycles. has turned it 9A degrees so the cylinders run north*south instead of sticking So far, two years and some 1,500 hours' worth of his hard work has resulted
Unlike the glitzy big-bucks neo-choppers of the recent past, today's custom out sideways as Guzzi intended. This configuration required a separate gear- in the one Raven prototype, which Gundlach has track-tested and taken to sev-
builders don't need huge shops, a Hollywood wife, or a hit cable-television se- box so Gundlach engineered fitment of the four-speed transmission, clutch, eral motorcycle events. He hopes to sell up to five replicas a year for $25,000
ries. A few old parts and the desire to build something different will do just fine. and primary drive from a 1968 Norton Commando. Starting is via leg power a copy, and is already at work on a companion single-cylinder model. (DEl
Enter North Carolinian Jeff Gundlach, who thinks the world is ready for a only, which he admits requires "a mighty whack." The next Raven will have its
mash-up motorcycle constructed of components from ltaly, England, and compression ratio lowered a full point to make kickstarting easier.
Bike Name: Raven Norton Commando, 1968 Honda 35O Bodywork: Customized new design Tires/Wheels: Honda 35O Parts: Strick's Cycle shop, Asheville,
Make: Raven MotoCycles Year of Bulld: 1968-1971 parts Motor: Moto Guzzi 75O twin; Norton Brakes: Honda 35O North Carolina & Eish Ent. Ohio
Creator: Jeff Gundlach transmission, clutch, and primary Hand Controls/Handlebars: Moto Guzzi Other Modifications: Just about every-
tTl Rebuild Exhaust: Custom clutch thing has been modified
tTl Donor Bike Category/Gene: Roadster Front Suspension/Fork: Honda 350 Foot Controls: Custom Approximate Work Hours: 1,500 hours
Manufacturer: Moto Guzzi, Norton, Year of Rebuild: 2O'11 Rear Suspension/Shocks: Honda 350 Electrics/l nstruments: Custom over 2 years
Honda Frame Modifications: Completely new swingarm, with shock mount modifica- Paint/Powder: Spray cans, some Edition: Unique
Model:'1971 Moto Guzzi Ambo 754, 1968 frame design tions powder Retail price: $25,eOO
178
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Bike Name: BSA A7 Plate Armor ITI Rebuild Exhaust: Handmade Paint/Powder: Painted by Kamikaze
Make: Cyclops Motorcycle Bike CategorylGene: Hot rod Front Suspension/Fork: Handmade paint and Sonny Boy Paint
Creator: Takash i lshigaki Year of Rebuild: 20gg Rear Suspension/Shocks: Stock Approximate Work Hours: 6 months
Frame Modifications: Neck and rear Tires/Wheels: Front: 21"; rear: 19"
lIl Donor plurrger Brakes: Stock
Manufacturer: BSA Bodywork: Gas tank; rear fender; seat; Hand Controls/Handlebars: Handmade
Model: AZ etc. Foot Controls: Handmade
Year of Build: 1953 Motor: Open primary Electrics/lnstru ments: Stock
180
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Cyclops Motocycle Takashi lshigaki at Cyclops Motorcycle went tlre bobber route with his Shoot-
ing Star SR. As the engine needed a rebuild anyway. he dropped in the crank-
shaft assembly from an SR5OO, identical save for its longer stroke. Struts re
Yamaha SR4OO Shooting Star place shocks, a quick, inexpensive way to achieve a lowdown hardtail rear end.
To match, the front forks' travel was shortened by several inches.
lf ever there were a blank canvas for Japanese custom-bike builders, the Ya- lshigaki wanted an ultra-narrow look, hence the 21-inch front wheel, rectangu-
maha SR4OB is it. Produced largely unchanged for the home market frorn 1978 lar headlight, downsized gas tank, small solo seat and bobbed, tire-hugging rear
to 2008, the single-cylinder roadster is plentiful and cheap on the used-mo- fender. Cut-down drag bars on short risers stay on theme, topped with a genuine
torcycle market. They respond well to being bobbed or chopped, or to being Smiths speedometer for a Iittle English ambiance. A classic, star*shaped paint
turned into cafe racers and street trackers. scheme capped the two-month build and gave the bike its nickname. (DEl
Bike Name: Yamaha SR"4gA Shooting tIl Donor Frame Modifications: Lowered seat rail Tires/Wheels: Front: 21", rear: 18"
Star Manufacturer: Yamaha Bodywork; Gas tank; rear fender; seat; Brakes: Stock
Make: Cyclops Motorcycle Model: SR40O etc. Hand Controls/Handlebars: Hand made
Creator: Takashi lshigaki Year of Build: l9B3 Motor: SRSOB Crank Shaft Foot Controls: Handmade
Exhaust; Handmade Paint/Powder: Painted by Kamikaze
t+l Rebuild Front SuspensionlFork: Lowe red Paint
Bike Category/Gene: Bobber suspension Approximate Work Hours: 2 months
Year of Rebuild:2A11 Rear Suspension/Shocks: Rigid f rame
181
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Classified Moto:
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Rg lln the Uncooltt
while inventing a new style of high-performance customs.
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Flassified Moto has built a solid-gold reputation in the
VCustom bike world by seeking out forgotten or iust
plain uncool bikes from the 1980s, and somehow discover-
ing the "cool within." From their workshop in Richmond,
Virginia, owner John Ryland is the ultimate makeover artist,
able to twist our heads 18O degrees on bikes we would have
snickered at iust a few years ago: Yamaha Viragos, Honda
Twinstars, obsolete Honda enduros. They've established
a pattern: take an ugly mid-1980s/early 199Os machine
nobody else would think of customizing, strip it completely,
and apply what has become the "Classified formula" to cre-
ate a Cinderella bike everyone clamors for.
The application of their magic wand includes, typically,
the addition of top-shelf sportbike forks (often anodized
gold), a beety swingarm out back, occasionally single-
sided, to accept a much wider rear tire, and a stubby muffler
of questionable legality, then ditching both fenders, and
topping off the suddenly aggressive-looking bike with a
slimmer, smaller fuel tank from an obsolete Benelli single or
vintage Yamaha enduro. While this "formula" varies, follow- I
185
everything that was good and bad about the 197Os chopper
scene and the "Easy Rider" era, thoroughly boiled-down to
remove every ounce of rebellion that once existed within
extended forks, pullback'bars, and a laid-back riding
position. The little TWinstar carried all those style cues in
cartoon form, free of genitalia and teeth, a smiley-face "you
meet the nicest people on a chopper" stake in the heart
of sideburn-7os cool. The Honda cM185 was the uncool-
est motorcycle possible because it aped what was hot
many years before, like your comb-over high school History
teacher with sideburns and flared polyester pants; once
you saw him, you knew that style was over. Back in 1978,
the Honda Twinstar drove a stake in the heart of Custom
motorcycles.
XS65O-Yamazuki
Built for the photographer Adam Ewing, a friend of Classified Moto's found- 1982 XS65O Heritage Special, modified its subframe, relocated components, The gauge casts a glow from behind the screen at night, reminiscent of an old
er John Ryland, this Yamaha XS65O custom is one of the workshop's first and added steel mesh side panels as well as a shorty rear fender. The motor is tube guitar amp.Adjustable woodcraft clip-ons adorn the bars. Stripping the
creations that set the tone for Classified Moto as a brand. Known to skillfully rebuilt with carbs jetted for open exhaust and pods. A custom battery tray with old paint off the tank, Ryland left a stripe of the former non-stock red. Cracked
merge modern sportbike or dirtbike front ends on older bikes, Ryland took a Autometer voltmeter mounted behind custom perforated metal sidecovers. and weathered, it gives a hint of the bike's past life.
Bike Name: XS650-Ya mazu ki Year of Build:1982 shorty rear fender spokes Paint/Powder: Tank stripped except for
Make: Classified Moto Motor: Rebuilt motor with carbs jetted Brakes: Front: Suzuki RMZ25O with stripe of old paint, then clear-coated
Creator: John Ryland tll Rebuild for open exhaust and pods Warp 9 rotor
Support: Greg Ownby (Mechanic) Bike Category/Gene: Alt. custom Exhaust: Modified stock Hand Controls/Handlebars: Woodcraft
Year of Rebuild: 2O1O Front Suspension/Fork Modified clip-on bars
tTI Donor Frame Modifications: Modified sub- Suzuki RMZ25O Electrics/lnstruments: Simplified wiring
Manufacturer: Yamaha frame; relocated components Tires/Wheels: Front: Warp 9 supermoto harness; relocated battery; vintage
Model: XS650 Heritage Special Bodywork: Steel mesh side panels; 17"; rear'. stock replaced with stainless voltmeter mounted under the seat
186
While the Tiny retains the basic frame and engine of the side panels keep necessary covers lighter, to the eye and ers. By some circularity of karma and desire, Classified has
original Twinstaf everything else about the machine was the scales. The complete look of the Tiny Moto is mostly en- taken that design brief and blown the 197Os polyester out of
reconsidered. The wheel hubs were laced onto l8-inch rims, duro, until the quick-detach parcel basket (with its vintage it, so that it does exactly what it was designed for, 35 years
and the front forks dropped in their triple clamps to level waterski bottom) is bolted on behind the seat, then Tiny later. Strangely, early 197Os enduros also fit this bill, which is
the stance. The tank was sourced from a Suzuki TS125T trail becomes a city machine, and it all makes sense. probably why the Tiny ends up visually in that camp.
bike, a tiny Bates headlamp nestles between the fork tubes, lronically, the TWinstar was designed to be an un-intimi- The Tiny was commissioned by ad agency gal Christina
and Classified's signature perforated-metal seat cowl and dating urban runaround, with a target market of women rid- Gairon who had never ridden a motorcycle, but was a fan of
Bike Name: XV92O-Orig inal tIl Donar Frame Modifications: Custom sub- shock harness; relocated battery; Acewell
Make: Classified Moto Manufacturer: Yamaha frame, modified swingarm mount Tires/Wheels: Front: Metzeler 130/BO- digital gauge
Creator: John Ryland Model: XV920R Motor: 920 cc V-twin 17"; rear: Yamaha YZF R-6 wheels, Paint/Powder: Frame powder-coated in
Support: Greg Ownby (Mechanic), Bob Year of Build: 1982 Exhaust: Custom 2-l Dunlop D616180/55-17" textured black
Kitson, Mike Benini (Fabricators) Front Suspension/Fork: Ya ma ha Brakes: Yamaha YZF R-6 Parts: Galfer Brake Lines
tTl Rebuild YZF-R6R Foot Controls: Custom, nickel-plated Other Modifications: Benelli Mojave
Bike Category/Gene: AIt. custom Rear Suspension/Shocks: Highly modi- steel fuel tank, nickel-plated
Year of Rebuild:2O1O fied Yamaha YZF-R6S; Triumph Daytona Electrics/lnstruments: Si m pl if ied wi ring
188
Classified from their internet notoriety. "We wanted the bike
to be completely un-intimidating for a new rider. We knew
Christina would appreciate a more vintage aesthetic, but we
also wanted it to be 'Classified' even though it wasn't'mean'
I
looking. We didn't model it after any particular style, we iust
/
stripped it down to the bare essentials and gave it a nice
level stance with I8-inch wheels front and rear (powder-
coated antique white)."
More typical of Classified's builds is the )(V92OR6-R,
based on a 1982 Yamaha Virago, which was so successfully
realized, their estimation in the Custom world was instantly
elevated to the top of the tree. This machine solidified the
Classified "formula," with bare-knuckle mechanicals, maior
suspension and brake upgrades, a bigger rear tire, and a
distinctive yet minimal paint iob. "We think we've found a
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Bike Name: CMlBs-Tiny Moto Year of Build:1978 cowl and side cover; Suzuki TS125 tank, Rear Suspension/Shocks: Hodaka Roy Baird of Richmond, Virginia, United
Make: Classified Moto nickel-plated with copper top stripe vintage States
Creator: lohn Ryland t$I Rebuild Motor: Carb tuned for modified exhaust Tires/Wheels:18" wheels front and rear, Other Modifications: Custom remov-
Support: Greg Ownby (Mechanic) Bike Category/Gene: Alt. custom and intake powder-coated white with stainless able parcel basket made from nickel-
Year of Rebuild:2O1O Exhaust: Modified stock with steel- spokes; Duro vintage-style tires plated steel and a repurposed water ski;
t$l Donor Frame Modifications: Shortened sub- mesh caps to match bodywork Hand Controls/Handlebars: Mod if ied taillight made from a fishing-rod holder
Manufacturer: Honda frame, integrated battery box Front Suspension/Fork: Stock, lowered superbike bars with Posh grips from John's old boat
Mode!: CMlB5T Bodywork Steel mesh nickel-plated for level stance Parts: Custom saddle upholstery by
190
JonFh\
Christian Klein by Klein in his small German workshop. There's good reason the bike is tat-
tooed with "Ch. Klein" inscriptions in various locations. His work on the bike
mufflers into that space. He then bent exhaust tubing that takes a g0-degree
turn upward, curls its way around the rear shock, finally shooting to the rear
occupied several years, no doubt much of his free time, and everywhere you underneath the abbreviated solo seat.
Ducati look you see immaculate attention to detail in chamfered edges, drilled holes, Speaking of which, there's likely more suffering involved here. Seating ac-
eccentric bushings, polished alloy, even handmade screws and nuts-it's like a commodations consist of a Spartan aluminum pan, its only concession to com-
lf, indeed, poets and painters suffer for their art, then so too can engineers and master class in machining. fort consisting of two thin strips of foam rubber. One doesn't even like to con-
lathe operators. lt just so happens that Christian Klein is both the latter; and the Embracing the classic Ducati single is a steel frame of Klein's design and template the effects of heat transfer from the muffler passing just below. Hey,
man's suffering has resulted in this sparsely beautiful Ducati 35O cafe racer, fabrication, using a repurposed Honda 6B0 monoshock and Yamaha RD fork nobody ever said art was easy! (DE)
industrial art on wheels. tubes for suspension. The frame itself is of "stressed member" construction,
Actually, calling it a Ducati is a misnomer, as only the engine castings origi- doing away with the lower cradles and using the engine as an integral part of
nally hail from the factory in Bologna. Almost everything else was handcrafted the structure. The lack of under-engine tubing allowed Klein to snuggle a pair of
Bike Name: Ducati IIl Rebuild Front Suspension/Fork: Yamaha RD, pension struts; rear suspension spring;
Make: Christian Klein Bike Category/Gene: Cafe racer 35 mm brake pump; gas tank were purchased
Year of Rebuild:2O1O Tires/Wheels: Mod if ied but heavily modified; all else is custom-
Frame Modifications: Custom Brakes: Modified made for this motorcycle by Christian
t$l Donor Bodywork: Tank modified by Christian Hand Controls/Handlebars: Christian Klein
Manufacturer: Motor Ducati Klein Klein Approximate Work Hours: 3OO hours
Model:350 Scrambler Motor: Ducati 350 Scrambler Foot Controls: Custom Edition: Unique
Year of Build: 197O Exhaust: Christian Klein Other Modifications: Rims; f ront sus- Retail price: €10,000
192
193
Rodney Aguiar The builder's name might be unfamiliar, hrut it's likely yolr've admired Rod-
ney's handii,vork" Aguiar is one of tl're in-hor-rse fabricators at Roland Sands
built a rnotorcycle around a carengine. Unlike EJ, AEuiar hasn't used Arnerican
rnuscle, instead choosing a Mazda 138 Wankel rotary, from a crashed Ii,4azda
Designs, v'rhere he helps create custom trikes for high-profile customers and RX-7 sportscar. lt's an engine that, in stock form, delivers 2A0bhp and drinks
Revelation clients, plus project bikes to showcase new RSD bolt-on parts" fuel like a jumbo jet. It's snrooth and cornpact (for a car nrotcr. Look at Revela-
The f ruits of his day job labor delights everyone f rom, at one end of the scale, tion's wheelbase for a very clear illr-rstration of 1:st holv incredible high perfor-
Rodney Aguiar does not want to fit in. Rodney Agular does not lvant to be in custom-bike website Iurkers who've never llandled anything more polverful mance motorcycle engine-packaging is).
your gang. Rodney Aguiar doesn't want to be your f riend. Jr:st looking at Revela- than an iPad, to, at the other extreme, the head of design at BMIW Motorrad. Revelation is fitted with double-throated Weber carb and custonr pipes to
tiott, a bike with a Biblical name and apocalyptic intentions, it's clear Rodney Revelation, however, is a throwbackto a lrygone era of crackpot experirren- produce even more power and soundtrack that could lvake the dead. Radia-
Aguiar does not think like the rest of us. tation bythe likes of EJ Potter-The Michigan Madrnan. Lrke Potter, Aguial. has tors and fans to keep the potentially fragile rotary rnotor happy are slung in the
bellypan posttion. It transfers the power through a BMW RIlBOGS transmission
and shaft drive, while the front end-forks, triple clarlps, lvheel, arrd brrakes-is
Bike Name: Revelation t$l Rebui/d Lab Foot Controls: Custom rearsets by from a late-model Suzuki GSX-R758.
Make: Propulsion tab Bike Category/Gene: Drag racer, pclver Front Suspension/Fork: 2AA4 Suzukl Propu lsion Lab A fire-and-brimstone quote f rom the book of Ezekiel is painted on the cus-
Creator: Rocl ney Ag ular cru iser GSX-R]8BB Electrics/lnstruments: None, j ust use tom, appropriately-shaped coffin tank. [t r,varns: "llviil execute great vengeance
Year of Rebuild: 2OBB Rear Suspension/Shocks: 1 995 B [I \t/ your best lLrdgrrent on thern wlth wrathfLtl rebukes; and they shatl know that I am Yahweh, when I
l[] Donor Frame Modifications: Custom GS ll88 Paint/Powder: Pl-opu lsion [-aht shall lay my vengeance on them."
Manufacturen BMW Bodywork: All aluminurn faLtricated lry Tires/Wheels: 2BB5 Suzuki GSX-R758 Other Modifications: The whole damn And while Agr:iar might not actually lay dor,vn any great vengeance on a day-
Model: GSI18ts PropLr!sion Lab Brakes: 2685 Suzuki GSX-R759 thing is custom to-day basis, lget a feeling, just tooking at Revelation propped on its sidestar-rd.
Year of Build: lgg5 Motor: Mazda l3B Hand Controls/Handlebars: 2085 Approximate Work Hours: 458 hours that with his rnotorcycle's help, he could. (GlI
Exhaust: Box of exhaust by Propulsion Suzuki GSX R756 Edition: t-Jnique
194
195
Kurt Walter, ICON:
Serial Offender
Gear manufacturer ICON is responsible for some of the United States's most extreme
customs. But design director Kurt Walter says there's method in the madness.
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is not your standard motorcycle apparel company.
ICON
I The brand is edgy and in-your-face, with high-octane
graphics and a serious dose of attitude. But behind the
front, there's a serious message: the gear works, and it
saves lives.
The man driving the direction of this unorthodox compa-
ny is Kurt Walte6 ICON's design director. He's also a prolific
motorcycle builder with a passion for retro sportbikes.
Ninjas, lnterceptors, Hurricanes, Gixxers-Kurt loves them
all. "Plastic-shrouded freedom, oozing with cool," he says.
"The sportbikes of 1984 through 1993 were the objects of
my greatest desire-and they still are today."
Kurt's vision is clear and forceful, as you might expect
from someone who spent five years in the US Navy. He
started developing the ICON concept while working at the
motocross apparel company Thor-a brand owned by Parts
Unlimited, the huge distributor of aftermarket accessories.
ICON was spun off into a separate entity in20O2, and Kurt
"Every build te,f/s the sfory of its workshops. "ICON builds are bombastic, aggressive, and
visually compelling. They're created to take huge dares and
went on a mission: to put protective gear on the most at-risk creation-the good, the bad, and juvenile risks. They speak in the dialect of teenage boys,
group of motorcyclists, younger "street-oriented" riders.
The type who also like high-performance sportbikes, but
the ugly. lwant people to want to suggesting that imagination and rebellion and internal com-
bustion are all very worthy pursuits."
skimp on the gear. read thaf story and nod their head The bikes are not "pretty" but they have an arresting
Kurt has made ICON's concept bikes inseparable from quality. And some people, inevitably, find that hard to take.
the product design process. "l build them to provide inspira-
in agreement, laugh at the irony, or "Every build tells the story of its creation-the good, the
tion for the gear. ln turn, the gear stafts to influence the next become enraged at the audacity." bad, and the ugly. I want people to want to read that story
bike build. It's an odd work methodology, but it works for me." and nod their head in agreement, Iaugh at the irony, or be-
ICON's headquarters is a little unusual, too. Half of the
Kurt Walter come enraged at the audacity." Much like the ICON brand
building in Portland, Oregon, is dedicated to product design itself, the bikes elicit a love or hate reaction. And Kurt's iust
and development, and the other half is a workshop. ldeas fine with that.
and themes bounce around easily. He's a big-picture person, rather than a micro-manager.
Like Deus Ex Machina, ICON understands the impor- "l'm all about the conceptual phase of the build. Our vision
tance of culture, and how headline-grabbing bikes can help doesn't allow for a singular 'ultimate' custom, We spend
to shift stock. "Finding a way to pay for your builds is the hours discussing ideas and directions, debating the pros
toughest challenge in the building process. The financial and cons of components and genres and fabrication tech-
cost can be a great struggle unless you're hiding a large niques." He loves researching parts and scouring the web
trust fund. Most builds are money-losing endeavors." for unique components.
fl'here's a more personal cost too: "The incredible amount When it's time to turn Kurt's ideas into reality, builders
of time spent on builds can exact a painful cost on relation- are selected for very particular skills-whether it's electri-
ships with the wife and kids," Kurt notes in an aside.) cal, mechanical, fabrication, or paint. "We also have video
Deus and ICON may share a similar approach to busi- and photo and marketing guys that get involved at various
ness and branding, but the bikes from Portland are worlds points, helping to bring everything togethen lt's an incredibly
apart from the showroom-style machines created in Deus's creative team working toward a singular goal," says Kurt.
197
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Dromedarii
One does not simply ride into Mordor. Or its equivalent. Such journeys require they had also taken a heavy toll on the infrastructure. Both from the armament plates to protect vulnerable engine components. A bespoke oversized fuel
planning, conditioning, and the mental ability to forsake everything to achieve expended during the conflict and from the following lack of maintenance, the tank, along with auxillary Rotopax fuel cells, provided increased range of op-
a singular goal. Such journeys also require the correct hardware and a worthy roads, bridges, and byways had been left in a state of advanced decay. The erations. PIAA HID lighting combined with a Ballistic lithium battery increased
steed. The Dromedarii is ICON iOOO's answer to such a mount" Sired from the Dromedarii, based on the stout bones of a Tiger BOOXC, had been modified overall lowlight visibility while reducing weight. Finally, f ront and rear load-bear-
bloodlines of uncompromised stock, she is the result of a Triumph x ICON col- to meet the needs of the rcAA outriders. Onlins-stiffened suspension, Conti ing racks were added for carrying requisite supplies and munitions.
laboration, with a singular mission of brrnging humanity back to wastelands" TKCBO rubber, and raised subframe increased her offroad capabilities. All the
The Containment Conflicts had not only decimated the human population, but Tiger's original plastics had been removed and replaced with steel cages and
200
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Bike Name: Low Down & Shifty tTl Rebuild Front Suspension/Fork: ZX1O
Make: ICON Motosports Bike Category/Gene: Chopper Rear Suspension/Shocks: Ohlins
Creator: Kurt Walter, ICON Design Year of Rebuild:2O12 Tires/Wheels: G a leSpeed
Director Frame Modifications: Complete custom Paint/Powder: Ta nner Goldbeck
Bodywork: Hand-formed aluminum gas Parts: Parts Unlimited
tll Donor tank/seat Approximate Work Hours: Years
Manufacturer: Yamaha Exhaust: Salvaged pipes from the Retail price: Too much
Model: XS650 MotoCzysz Cl MotoGP Prototype
Bike Name: QuarterMaster Year of Build: 2AP Bodywork Suzuki Katana gas tank
Make: ICON Motosports Exhaust: SuperTrapp
Creator: Kurt Walter, ICON Design III Rebuild Rear Suspension/Shocks: Progressive
Director Bike Category/Gene: Scrambler Tires/Wheels: Conti nenta I
Year of Rebuild:2@12 Foot Controls: Burly Brand
tol Donor Frame Modifications: New backbone; Electrics/! nstru ments: PIAA-LE D
Manufacturer: Ural seat height raised 3";shock relocation; lighting
Model: Solo ST etc.
202
"l've never understood people who iust churn out the same
build after build. I guess it defines their'look,' but it seems
incredibly boring and predictable."
"The custom scene is choking to death on caf6s. Hope-
fully enough Honda CBs have been sacrificed by now. l'm
Fuel Bespoke Motorcycles While there is little about this.l9B1 R10O that hasn't been seen before, it's
popular and reasonably affordable package that's been well-executed. lnspired
a from Southern Spain to Northern Africa and then onwards to adventures deep
into the Saharan wilderness. Vives has a name for these excursions, Scram
by flat track bikes, the RlOO Tracker has the wide handlebars, upswept megas, Africa, and Fuel has made a sideline business from taking like-minded classic
Fuel Rl OO Tracker truncated seat with minimal padding and long K&N filters of the pure race bikes bike owners, from all over the world, with them on subsequent Scrams.
that battle for supremacy on Springfield and lndianapolis Miles. That only the For those wondering about the final piece of the Fuel business plan jigsaw,
Launched in an era that sawthe Spanish economy in an unprecedented melt- criminally insane would seriously think about flat track racing a big boxer twin it's apparel, shirts and sweatshirts, often modeled by dusty riders on custom
down, Fuel Motorcycles of Barcelona, are determined to survive. To help es- is irrelevant, there is no mistaking this big Beemer's character and intentions. BMWs battling a Moroccan dune. (Gl)
tablish themselves Fuel have three major strings to their bow, all of which are The real clincher that raises Fuel's BMW specials above many of the other
linked. The most relevant to this book is their production of custom BMWs, like air-cooled flat twins being built around the world is the willingness of Fuel Mo-
the RiOO Tracker. torcycles boss, Karles Vives, to take his bikes over on the short ferry crossing
Bike Name: Fuel RlOO Tracker ITI Rebuild Electrics/lnstruments: Electric parts
Make: Fuel Bespoke Motorcycles Bike Category/Gene: Dirt tracker replaced in a box inside the battery box
Creator: Karles Vives Year of Rebuild:2O12
Frame Modifications: Shorter subframe
t$l Donor Exhaust: Handcraft exhaust
Manufacturer: BMW Rear Suspension/Shocks: New rear
Model: R]OA RT suspension
Year of Build: 1982 Tires/Wheels: Dunlop K70 Vintage
204
Sportsman Flyer:
ATrl Back ln Tlme
Engineer Pat Dolan has captured the magic of motorcycling's early days with his
board-track-inspired machines-and has even built a Iand-speed record holder.
t.
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206
"lf you have never been to
Bonneville, you need to go.
lf you can somehouuset a
record, then do it!"
Patrick Dolan
!f6t Dolan grew up in California, and his childhood took
?;familiar West Coast traiectory: skateboards, BMX
bikes, and motocross. But then he got sidetracked: he spent
years restoring vintage cars and paid little attention to
motorcycles.
Fbt still had a few vintage bicycles in the garage, though,
and that's where the story of Sportsman Flyer begins. "lU
been looking around for a vintage Whizze\ a motorized
bicycle," h€ explains. "But in the end, I took my old Schwinn
Panther-a cruiser-style bicycle-and mounted an engine
and drive system to it."
The frame of the Schwinn Panther was similar to early mo-
torcycles, which often had gas tanks slotted between the top
and middle tubes. So Pat used his fabrication and CAD skills
to design and build a gas tank to match. "Soon I had people
asking if I could build more of these tanks," h€ says. "But
most of the vintage-style parts I needed weren't available."
Pat started a development progroffi, creating the compo-
nents he couldn't buy-and then packaging them into cus-
tom frame and tank kits. He also designed seats, handle-
bars, and wheels, and mounts for more powerful engines.
The Sportsman Flyer Company was born.
Sportsman Flyers follow the style of the early twentieth
century from around 1910 to 192O. And like many of those
bikes, the Flyer also has pedals and a crank for human-
powered progress. "My inspiration comes from guys Iong
since gone," Pat SayS. "GuyS who lived a hundred years ?9o,
and stuffed huge engines into frames that looked like they
F-
wouldn't hold together. And then they rode those machines
on wooden tracks at lOO mph,"
The design process stafts with a rough drawing, and then
Pat moves on to proper engineering drawings, fine tuning as
the designs progress. lt's second nature to him now, helped
I by a background (and day job) in engineering. "My five
brothers are all engineers, so there's always an educated
opinion available. I've picked up a lot of practical knowledge
from my dad and brothers."
Before Pat ever cuts steel, he has the complete machine
designed down to the last millimeter. But he admits that
no drawing is ever perfect, "l find that you can't really get a
feel for your creation until you can stand back and look at
it, then take it out and ride it hard. lf it looks beautiful but
doesn't function properly, then what good is it?"
During the development stage, Pat runs the more com-
3. rt *"r rFt'# "
207
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Bonneville FIyer #1
This board tracker started it all for Sportsman Flyer. From the in-f rame tank to time at all. The frame is a Bonnevllle Flyer Chassis (standard-length loop-style
the oil tank tool box, the bike truly captures the vintage look and feel of turn-of- frame, Iug-style brazed-frame construction). The bike comes in BTR or Cruiser
the-century motorcycles. The China kit two-stroke engine is simple and thrifty. style and with a certificate of authenticity, serial number, and a record of the
Originally built to run at the Bonneville Salt Flats, a Sportsman sprocket adapter original owner's name and build date.
completes the drivetrain and makes the Bonnevllle Flyer fit for the road in no
208
pushed me to rely more on others. Early on I felt I needed The next step for l*rt is an even more powerful Flye6 the
to make every single brazed ioint and weld. Now I have a ultimate incarnation. "That bike's still running around in my
coupte of guys working with me who are amazing crafts- head. lt's not even at the initial design stage, yet. But it'll be
men." Jlat's wife Becky runs the parts side of the business, a step up from my current builds-largeri more powedul, and
and also test-rides every machine before it goes to the of course faster."
customer. Designing and building bikes from scratch is not an easy
These days, Pat runs two separate workshops. "One task. 'Anyone building a machine from a pile of parts has my
is very neat and orderly. lt's where we build the standard respect. lf they take that machine and ride it hard and often,
components, like frames and tanks." The other workshop, at letting it develop a fine patina and not worrying about every
Pat's home in Gilroy, California, is much smaller and rather little scratch or speck of dirt, well, they have my greatest
cluttered. "That's where I spend my time alone, hammering admiration."
out all the small details to get the look and feel I want in my He'S also optimistic about the future of custom motor-
machines." cycle building. "With modern manufacturing techniques'
Pat usually fabricates his bikes alone. ln his search for
*My inspiration comes from guys
authenticity, he follows the manufacturing techniques of a
previous era, brazing together lugged frame sections and
long srnce gone. Guyswho lived
heavy-walled tubing. Engines are started with a swift tug on
a rope. The tires are one of the few concessions to moder- a hundred years dgo, and stuffed
the quality of finished machines iust gets better and betten
nity: Pat's preferred fitment is now 21-inch speed-rated
motorcycle rubben
huge engines rnto frames that It benefits everybody involved with motorcycles. I think we'll
lronically, the gas tanks that set Pat on the path to looked like they wouldn't hold see even more builders and better quality customs in the
future."
custom building are the items that give him the most grief together. And then they rode fhose With a full-time iob and a thriving business, does I%t ever
today. "Grinding gas tanks takes a huge amount of hard
labor. What I enjoy most is the final assembly, and riding a machines on wooden tracks at get a break? lt turns out that he does. ln his spare time, he
takes to the skies as an accomplished glider pilot' with a
bike for the first time."
Despite the antique appearance, there's plenty of adren-
IOO mph." Commercial-level FAA license.
alin to be had from those rides. The low weight means a Patrick Dolan Looks like flying is in his blood. (GHt
useful turn of speed, especially on the Sportsman 2OO. This
model uses a clone of Honda's GX?OO engine, upgraded
with a22 mm Mikuni carb and the same performance parts
used by go-kart racers. Power output is usually between 15
and 2@ hp, and weight is a mere 1O8 lbs-giving a power-
to-weight ratio better than that of a modern-day Triumph
Bonneville.
One of Pat's most memorable adventures was at the
legendary Bonneville Salt Flats. "l built five bikes to run on
the Flats," he says. "They're called Bonneville Flyers, and
l've kept bike #5 for myself."
Bonneville Flyer #1 has already set a land-speed record.
On August 15,2O12, with owner Gunther Maier on board,
it topped the 17icclA-PF class at 73.526 mph-almost 12O
kph. Gunther got a trophy and a certificate, and Flat took
home what he calls "a Iifetime of memories. lf you have
never been to Bonneville, You need to go. lf you can Some-
how set a record, then do it!"
Having one of those elusive certificates from the South-
ern California Timing Association doesn't hurt sales, of
course. But Pat is also skilled at figuring out where his mar-
ket is, knowing how to reach those individuals, and using
the internet to his advantage.
Most sales are in California, where Flyers under 15O cc
can be registered as mopeds or motorized bicycles-al-
though many owners ride them without registration, and
without any hassle. Pat sells the machines as kits: he pro-
vides all the parts except the engine, which can be bought
from a recommended supplier. The complete bike can be
assembled in iust a few hours.
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Flying Hermans its front wheel pushed in, its f rame buckied"
Andy just couldn't bear to banish the remains to some cold and lonely junk-
there, Andy did rnore Ducati parts bin engineering, adopting the cast Marche*
sini wheels from a ggg, the f ront brakes from a 998 and the carbon-fiber front
yard, though, so he purchased the wreck from his insurance company, hauled
Hermanus Volante it back to his shed and set about rebuilding the Duc better than ever. lt was
fender f rom a Monster S4R. A zoomy Zard fulltitanium exhaust system capped
off the spectacular rebuild. (DEt
no easy task: "Fives months, every day, every free hour," he says of the work
The Belgian cafe-racing club may be called the "Flying Hermans," but in July of involved.
ZAP one of its members was a,'Crashing Andy," writing off his beloved Ducati The frame and gas tank from a timited-edition 2006 Paul Smart replica,
Sport 1000 in spectacular fashion. Andy was okay but the poor bike was totaled, repainted in the shed, went a long way to making the bike whole again. From
Bike Name: Hermanus Volante tIl Rebuild the shed; modified carbon monster S4r monoshock Sport 1800 plrmp Parts: Red Fox Grinta, Motowheels.
Make: Andy Bike Category/Gene: Cafe racer f ront fender Tires/Wheels: Black 999 Marchesinis, Foot Controls: Standard Sport 18Og Speedymoto, Fentks Ternat, Motok*
Support: Bart aka "de iangen" Year of Rebuild;2O12 Motor: 1O0A DS engine; Rizoma clutch modified axles to fit the sport swingarm Electrics/lnstruments: Lowered gaug- outure
Frame Modifications: Paul Smart LE plate; DPM clutch cover; Rizoma bett and front fork; Dunlop GP racer tires es; modified and loltiered Motowheels Other Modifications: All lvork rvas done
ttl Donor f rame covers; MWR air f ilter Brakes: Front brakes f rom 998; modi- headlight kit; LED rear light; custom- at home
Manufacturer: Ducati Bodywork: Modified Paul Smart LE Exhaust: Zard full titanium line f ied; braking r,vave discs; rear brake f rom made bracket Approximate Work Hours: 5 months, on
Model: Sport lOBB fuel tank urith f unctioning f uel rvindol'r; Front Suspension/Fork: Standard Sport 9gg Paint/Powder: Black-painted Pau I Smart daily basis, every f ree hour, 30 hours to
Year of Build: 2886 homemade seat r,,rith real leather uphol- OAA Hand Controls/Handlebars: Speedy-
I LE frame, tank, and seat, all painted in make the seat
stery f rom Motokouture; ail painted in Rear Suspension/Shocks: Sta nd a rd moto black clip-ons; PT radial brake the shed Retail price: Near e15,O0A
210
and decidedly unsporty crashbars. Not exactly custom-bike material-except of its 17-inch tangentially spoked alloy rims. A 45 mm Marzocchi fork wearing
Officine RossoPuro the largely unloved model can now be purchased on the cheap and cannibal-
ized without guilt.
32O mm rotors and dual Brembo Gold brake calipers leads the way, while the
back end is fortified with a pair of AsaTek shocks'
TTre Which is exactly what Filippo Barbacane does on a stunningly regular basis
via his Officine RossoPuro shop in Pescara, ltaly. This brown beauty is called
Asked which pieces of the angular, minimalistic bodywork he crafted, Barba-
cane replies succinctly, 'All of it." (DE)
Being totally honest, the 1979 T3 was not Moto Guzzi's finest moment. The "TTre," playing off its mundane T3 beginnings with perhaps an additional nod
classic, charismatic sideways 850 cc V-twin was present and accounted for, to the lsle of Man TT. Some 4OO hours of work was required to arrive at this
but so was a big bench seat, a dubious-looking gas tank, horrible sidecovers, purposef ul-looking muscle bike, which rides on modern tubeless tires courtesy
Bike Name: TTre tUl Rebuild Tires/Wheels: Spoked wheel, tu beless Paint/Powder: Custom
Make: Officine RossoPuro Bike Category/Gene: Cafe racer aluminum; 4"5 x17" and 3.5 x17" Parts: Custom
Creator: Filippo Barbacane Year of Rebuild:2O11 Brakes: Brembo Gold 320 mm Approximate Work Hours: 4OO hours
Bodywork: Custom Hand Controls/Handlebars: Modified Edition: Unique
tUl Donor Motor: 850 cc and simplified
Manufacturer: Moto Guzzi Exhaust: Filippo Barbacane Foot Controls: Custom
Model: B5A T3 Front Suspension/Fork: Marzocchi Electrics/lnstruments: Simplif ied with
Year of Build:1979 45 mm new instruments
Rear Suspension/Shocks: AsaTek
211
Natural
Habltats
Photographer sam christmas's Natural Habitats series
portrays the united Kingdom's prospering custom motorcycle
scene and its protagonists. The works show the local scene,s
most influential individuals, as well as their workshops and
unique motorcycles.
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Express Post: only ever complete one lap of the block. Provided it didn't
catastrophically fail, any additional rides would be a bonus,
Being my first-ever bike everything was completely new
to me. I had only ridden just enough days to pass my test
and get my license. ln terms of the actual build, I didn't have
any preconceived perceptions as to seating position or
steering geometry, so I was lucky to have very few design
constraints to work around. Drawing on my architectural
Andy Copeland's rebuild of an Australian postie is way too beautiful background, I sketched and sketched, attempting to high-
for iust one tour around the block. light and resolve as many issues as lcould priorto starting
the build.
Using my drawings as a reference, the bike was initially
mocked up with the frame template being cut out of cereal
boxes, and a spider web of ropes strategically hanging the
cut up CT11O parts from the garage roof in their correct
positions and angles.
Countless cereal boxes lateri the rake, swingarm, and
engine position were decided and the cardboard frame
templates were ready to cut out of wood. With the bike
Ioosely clamped together, it was at this stage I was seriously
questioning my dreamt-up engineering capabilities, as the
bike creaked and wobbled when I wheeled it around (l was
not game enough to even sit on it).
220
hardware store Bunnings, searching for ideas for a tank. As nicely into a straight line and is an eye-opening ride to
the intention was to only make it around the block (roughly say the least-chin on the front wheel and your bum inches
two km), large-diameter copper tubes from the plumbing away from being sucked into the back tire, it's enough to get
section would have to do to feed the deliberately long fuel your heart pumping! Against all oddsn with the'tank'taking
lines. The backup plan was to carry a syringe full of fuel just 15e mls of fuel, I managed to get a full two laps of the
to pump into the lines when the engine started coughing. course-with just enough left over for a celebratory burnout.
Yes I did receive strange looks when asking for the biggest The Rusty Kustoms guys put on yet another great event,
syringes they had at the pharmacy. complete with a detailed course, with a proper finish line
After another sleepless night spent in the garage, the and entertainment. The event was a huge success and I
bike fired up just an hour before the big reveal. A quick, would encourage anyone to have a go at the next one.
wobbly test ride a few meters out of the garage and into the The build process took around four weeks. Since the
back of the ute was all I got before the RusS Kustoms race build-off I have polished and painted a few things and rid-
was underway. den the bike at a few events. The bike will never be fin-
Names were drawn out of a hat and it came up to my turn ished-l could sink countless hours into improving various
for a nervous run of the course. There was a steep learning aspects of the bike-but it's time to hang it in the rafters and
curve to riding the bike. At slow speeds, legs dragged along move onto new projects." [xI
like training wheels as the bike flopped around due to the
un-functional rake, but with a full twist of throttle, it tucked
Bike Name: Express Post tU Rebultd Motor: Stock engine; carburetor over- TiresAltlheels: Stock Australian Post- base; Jocky shift gear lever prox.'lOO hours
Make: Home-built Bike Category/Gene: U nclassif ia ble haul with POD filter issued tires Electrics/lnstruments: Modified wiring Edition: Unique
Creator: Andy Copeland Year of Rebuildz 2O12 Exhaust: Original slash-cut exhaust Brakes: Stock (rear bake function harness with all lights and speedo
Support Paul Copeland (father) Frame Modifications: The original frame exits below engine case; all baffles deleted) eliminated
has been removed completely and the removed Hand Controls/Handlebars: Stock PainUPowder: Paint removed and
f{l Donor headstock retained Front Suspension/Fork Stock-modified flipped upside down and ends short- finished with clear
Manufacturer: Honda Bodywork: Lightweight 12 mm alumi- rake ened Parts: No original parts retained
Model: CT1lO num frame plate cut and drilled by hand Rea rSuspension/Shocks: Stock- Foot Controls: Turned footpegs Approximate Work Hours:7 pm-1 am
Year of Build: 2OOs with round aluminum spacers modified mounted to swingarm at suspension most nights after work tor 4 weeks; ap-
221
Kaffeemaschine:
222
ave modern mass-production motorcycles lost their I know that was the right decision. But my parents said I CB75O. He was close to buying a BMW R75/5 when, by ac-
wafr ln the relentless quest to be faster, safer, and would have to move out of their house if I bought a Triumph, cident, hB happened across a Moto Guzzi Le Mans.
more economical, some people think the vital connection despite it being my own money! So I got a BMW R45, a ratio- "l'll never forget that first ride on a Guzzir" he says. "The
between rider and machine has been forgotten. nal German choice." bike was long, low, and loud. A big engine in a tight ltalian
Axel Budde is one of those people, and he's made it his After two years, Axe! was ready for a bigger bike. He test- dress is a very special combination, which still amazes me
business to restore the connection. He's now one of the rode most of the "classics"-more Bonnevilles, and a Honda after all these years."
world's leading Moto Guzzi specialists, crafting elegant
machines with raw, unmodulated powen
"l like to build 'elementary' machines," he says, "Bikes
that a rider can control, but only just. Machines that still
have the capacity to surprise with their acceleration and
noise. A Kaffeemaschine Moto Guzzi is a counterpoint to
the cold and electronic nature of many bikes today."
Most riders, unless they have a contract with a MotoGP
team, can pilot a well-sorted 9O bhp motorcycle quicker
along an Alpine switchback than a 18O bhp superbike.
"That's because you can dominate the machine and ride it
223
Since that ride, Axel has never had eyes for any other
marque. And the scale of a Le Mans suits him. "lt's not a
classic beauty, unlike the English bikes I used to fancy. But
it's the right size for me. lnm 1.88 m tall, and feel a Iittle lost
on some machines."
A Kaffeemaschine motorcycle throws the focus onto the
Tonti frame that cradles the distinctive V-twin. The lines
are clean, the engineering is discreet, and the balance is
impeccable. And it's always a single-seater. "You have to
hold on to the rocket. lt's my little asylum, which I don't want
to shater" says Axel.
r') -ta His bikes are designed to be ridden hard on entertain-
.'5'i
NI ing roads. "They're not really ideal for long-distance travel,
or race-tracks. Or even for cruising to caf6s. But they can
handle that stuff just fine."
When a commission comes in, Axe! locates a donor
bike-usually a Le Mans or California. Then he takes it apaft,
right down to the last nut and bolt. He checks and rebuilds
the engine and transmission, tuning the engine according
to the client's needs. "l like to leave decisions on bodywork
224
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Maschine I
Commissioned by Guillaume Bureau from Swltzerland, Kaffeemaschine's the Moto Guzzi's f rame shape, added extra seat brackets and modif ied the rear.
Maschine B was conceived as a reduced cafe racer with an aluminum tank, The bike's tank and fenders are of brushed aluminum. To add a little roughness
polished spoke wheels, and a stainless sport exhaust that would still be able to to the overall neat design, Budde chose black structure paint for the frame,
carry a pillion. The double seat Axel Budde built for it resembles a single cafe lights and stripe, wrinkle paint for the valve/generator covers, and brown leather
racer hump. A slightly shorter tank gives a little extra space. Budde cleaned up for the handmade seat.
Bike Name: Maschine B tTl Rebuild balanced crank assembly; IOOO ccm Rea r Suspension/Shocks: kon I H and Controls/Hand lebars: Brembo, Parts: Kaffeemaschine, Stein-Dinse,
Make: Kaffeemaschine Bike Category/Gene: Cafe racer cylinders; electronic ignition; revised Tires/Wheels: Morad aluminum rims Dom ino HTM oto
Creator: Axel Budde Year of Rebuild:2O13 transmission and bevel drive with (215" f ront, 2.5" rear), stainless-steel Foot Controls: Handmade, Ml levers Other Modifications: All aluminum parts
Frame Modifications: Cleaned; shorter ratio, B0 hp spokes, Bridgestone BT45 tires (100 Electrics/lnstruments: Cu stom wi re handcrafted, 183 kg weight
ITI Donor reduced; extra seat brackets; and modi- Exhaust: Handmade, polished stainless f ront, 128 rear) loom; Motogadget instrument Approximate Work Hours: Over 300
Manufacturer: Moto Guzzi fied rear steel Brakes: Modern brake cylinders front Paint/Powder: Black structure paint on hou rs
Model: Le Mans 2 Bodywork: Handmade tank and seat Front Suspension/Fork: FAC dampers; and rear; stainless lines; brake torque frame, lights, stripe; wrinkle paint on Edition: Unique
Year of Build: 1988 Motor: Total revision; dynamically new fork tubes; progressive springs support rear; V65 caliper rear va Ive/generator covers
225 Kaffeemaschine
"l'll never forgef that first ride on
a Guzzi. The bike was long, low,
and loud. A big engine in a tight
Italian dress rs a very special
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226
227 Kaffeemaschine
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Motor Rock:
230
are generic Yamaha SR customs, quite literally
Th"re
I thousands of them, and then there's this gobsmacking
one-of-a-kind creation, Clock Work, a whimsical flight-of-
fancy that iust happens to use Yamaha's venerable four-
stroke single as a powerplant.
It was built by Motor Rock, the Nagoya shop founded in
2OO4 by Keita Kobayashi and Takanori Katagiri, which has
grown to become one of lapan's most prolific bike builders.
Spectacular customs ranging from old Triumphs to Harley-
Davidsons to Kawasakis regularly roll out of the shop, but
the Yamaha SR4OO is Motor Rock's bike of choice. They
have turned them into caf6 racers, trackers, bobbers, and
brat bikes, the abbreviated semi-chopper style popular in
Japan. lf you're building your own custom, Motor Rock (www.
motorrock.net) will be happy to sell you something cool
from its growing catalog of aftermarket parts.
A classic in its own right, the Yamaha SR was nostalgic
even when introduced in 1978. ln an era when technology
and complexity were both on the increase, the stone-simple
SR had just one cylinder, which was air-cooled and had to
be kickstarted to life. As either a 4O@ or 5OO, it remained
essentially unchanged until production came to halt in
2OO9, but the Japanese just wouldn't hear of extinction
for one of their favorite rides. ln response, the next year
Yamaha fitted fuel injection and brought the SR4OO back to
the home market. ln 2013 a special 35th Anniversary model
was produced, highlighting the fact that the SR is one of the
longest-running, best-loved models from any motorcycle
company.
It's fair to say, though, that few SR4OOs are as far out
as Clock Work, if any. Notes Japanese moto-journalist Rei
Fukuchi, "Basically, Motor Rock has built a full-on concept
bike here, a clear and strong vision that's as much dream as
motorcycle. ln fact, at first glance you hardly notice that it's
based on an SR40O."
Nor is it technically a 4@@. Because so many SRs have
been raced over the years, there's a huge knowledge base
and parts availability on tap to significantly increase the 399
cc Thumper's performance envelope. The crew at Motor
Rock took advantage of this and added a 92 mm stroker
crank and an 89 mm-bore piston to bump displacement all
the way up to 57O cc. No reports on how much more difficult
that makes the kickstafting drill!
Once lit, the pumped-up engine inhales deeply through
a Keihin CR carburetor and K&N air filter. A low-restriction
mid-level exhaust makes a tight turn coming out of the
cylinder head, dips around the kickstart lever, then shoots
straight back past the rear wheel. A ridged heat guard gives
at least some protection to tender inner right thighs.
Holding the hard-working motor in place is a steel-tube
frame that may have started out stock in 1981 but now
shows some major reconstructive surgery. Most obvious is
the extended, goosenecked headstock, mounting point for
the shortened, kicked-out Harley-Davidson springer-style
fork. Yes, that is an SR drum front brake held between the
springer's chrome-plated arms, but the balloon-like 16-inch
Coker Firestone-replica tire is nothing Yamaha's 197Os
231
engineers ever envisioned seeing on their sporting 4OO
roadsten Good thing they're all retired by now. Moving to the
rear we have another meaty zigzag-pattern 16-inch Coker, a
Yamaha XS65O drum, and a heavily braced swingarm run-
ning twin aluminum-bodied shocks from lapanese suspen-
sion house Easyriders.
There's probably not quite enough brass and copper
to qualify for true Steampunk status, but that's clearly the
styling influence here. lf Jules Verne penned a two-wheele[
it might look like this. The eye can't help but to be drawn to
the vertically stacked oil tank mounted way out front in the
cooling breeze. Nickel-plated and with a series of raised
ringlets, it looks like something uncovered in Ye Olde Victo-
232
nickel-plated headlight secured by iust one bracket on the there is, a dark green, was applied to the frame, highlighted
right side. The tiny vintage taillight, also in nickel, mounts with delicate lime-green pinstripes and curious opales-
off the left side iust below the seaVfuel tank. Let the eye cent accent panels-same treatment given to the angular,
wander about and you notice that somebody at Motor Rock midships-mounted electrical box.
likes Swiss cheese, os there are lightening holes drilled in All in all, a very special Yamaha, unlike any other and
every Spare surface, an old racer's trick. What little paint definitely destined for the SR4OO Hall of Fame. (DE)
Bike Name: Yamaha SR4OO Custom t$l Rebuild shaft; and 89 mm piston tone; rear: 16", Coker Firestone tom 69decomp; carburetor: Keihin CR; winker, battery case
Make: Motor Rock Bike Category/Gene: Digger Exhaust: Custom; custom muffler; tork/ Hand ControlslHandlebars: Custom custom air cleaner: Motor Rock old-type
Creator: Takanori Katag iri Year of Rebuild:2O12 heat guard for 45 mm pipes; Tri-line Foot Controls: Custom air cleaner; breather filter: custom billet
Frame Modifications: Main tube and short Electrics/l nstruments: Speedometer: breather filter
t$l Donor seat-rai I modif ications Front Suspension/Fork 74 springer Dakota Digital Other Modifications: Custom clutch
Manufacturer: Yamaha Bodywork Custom aluminum f uel tank; Rear Suspension/Shocks: Easyriders Paint/Powder: Ton-Up Paint Works lever, mirror, fuel tank, rear fender,
Model: SR400 tailcowl etc. billet suspension Parts: Throttle holder: Posh internal frame, sheet, license holder, foot peg,
Year of Build:1981 Motor: 57O cc;92 mm stroke crank Tires/Wheels: Front: 16", Coker Fires- throttle kit; decompression lever: cus- headlight, headlight holder, taillight,
234
235 Motor Rock
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Bike Name: Kawasaki ZTSOLTD Custom III Rebuild Rear Suspension/Shocks: Mono-shock Parts: Carburetor: Kei hin/CR
Make: Motor Rock Bike Category/Gene: Cafe racer modification Other Modifications: Custom fuel tank,
Creator: Takanori Katagiri Year of Rebuild: 2005 Tires/Wheels: Front: 19", Coker Fires- rear fender, battery case, air cleaner, li-
Fra me Modifications: Custom tone; rear: '16", Coker Firestone cense holder, head- and taillight, clutch,
ITI Donor Bodywork: Custom fuel tank, tailcowl, Brakes: Master cylinder: Grimeca mas- and brake lever
Manufacturer: Kawasa ki etc. ter cylinder kit
Model: ZTSOLTD Exhaust: Custom 69 Megaphone and Hand Controls/Handlebars: Motor Rock
Year of Build:1981 exhaust pipe 69switch type'I, aluminum-polish
236
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Herzbube Motorcycles the raw material for his certification Masterunrork, an old bike he could someday
take to Bonneville for a rnagic 2OO kph record run. Ttre gods of Harley-Davidson
thunder heard his plea, and in the surnmer of 2011 he was led to a "barR find"
with most other parts. A few stock Harley-Davidson bits were added, like the
front forks, brakes, and headlamp cowl, although the taillight is a prewar Bose h
item, and the oil tank is a 1970s aftermarket "hexagonal" design.
Bonneville Racer H-D FXS Superglide Shovelhead. The Bonneville Racer was completed as Elflein finished his mechanic's
ln'*a foreign city with no friencis and few distractions," Bernhard spent late course, and he triumphantly rode it home to Berlin. With tts big, skinny liheels,
"Oldtimers and Speed." For some, the lure of Bonneville is bigger than ttre wide nights researching hoi,'r to turn his "discarded, original condition FXS into an stretcl'red-out stance. and aura of raw nnetal power, the machine iooks every
expanse of salt in Utah, it's a blinding l^'ihite beacon of drear-ns. Bernhard Elflein old fashioned racer." The seven months of his certification course were spent inch the biack-and-white Salt FIat hero, and has garnered plenty of attention
was haunted by old black and white images of heroic riders risklng their lives on building his ,'Bonneville dream," working nlghts and weekends with increasing for the new Herzbube h4otorcycles" Perhaps too rnuch attention, as the bike
the altar of Speed. While in his 3Bs and readyfor a career change, lris arnbition intenslty as the end of his Frankfurt stay grew nearer. The frame was length- has yet to test rts mettle on the demanding dry lakes of Utah while Elfleir-r at-
to open a custom nrotorcycle shop in his native Berlin prompted an uproot for ened, a fuel tankfrorn a preli/ar NSU 501 lvas split into "panniers" and fittothe tends to a thriving nelv busrness" That dream is still alive, and someday, he'll
a seven-month Master lV{echanic course in Frankfurt" Before he left, he wanted frame, and a protective cage around the duplex prirnary chain fabricated, along get there. (PdOI
Bike Name: Bonneville Raeer Model: FXS 88 Bodywork: 1969 XLH headlamp hons- Rear Suspension/Shocks; None Electrics/lnstruments: Self-made e ec pre \,'iar gas tank; split self made oil
Make: Herzbube Motorcycles Year of Build: 1979 ing; modif iecl pre*war German tank and Tires/Wheels: 3 x 21" Avon Speednraster trics, rnechanicaI speedometer tank moLrnts; prinrary chain cover, tiny
Creator: Bel.nirarri Elf lein Brrtlsh fenders on 2l" OEM rlms and hubs Paint/Powder: None seat and brackets; pre-war Ger,man
Support: A lot of mania and Chrlstian tUl Rebuild Motor: Original Harley Dar,,dson except Brakes: OEM disc brakes Parts: Friends, f lee-markets, shop f inds ta i llig ht
', Blatty" Blatterspiel Bike Category/Gene: V ntage rECer S&S carburetor, air horn, and cover; Hand Controls/Handlebars: Adl Lrsta ble Other Modifications: Tailllqht: pre-r^rar Approximate Work Hours: Sel er-r
Year of Rebuild: 28l ll2Bl2 Slfton camshaft self-rnade bars l,+ith OEM contl.ols Gerrnan; head ight: OEM Harley-David- months
tUl Donor Frame Modifications: Hardtailecl origi- Exhaust: Self-macle 2-Z crosso\/er p pes Foot Controls: Backwards controls, son; seat: handnrade Seat; indiliiduaN Edition: Unique
M a n ufacturer: Ha rley-Davi d so n nal Harley-Davidson sl,ringarm f rame Front Suspension/Fork: OEM shortenecl self-rnade itern gas tank: lreavily modified German
240
241
The Bobber: Flo yourself a favor and don't get the Danes started
Y about four-cylinder motorcycles, and especially do
not make the mistake of saying 1969's Honda CBTEO was
Danish Bobber the world's first inline-foun For the record, the engine type
was not invented in Denmark-that honor goes to Belgium's
FN in 1905-but the Danes weren't far behind with their 1918
Nimbus.
Parent company Fisker & Nielsen A/S made electric vac-
Kim scholer's elegant Nimbus four-cylinder is like no other. uum cleaners, of all thitrgs, before adding motorcycles to
the product mix. Produced off and on until 1959, the Nimbus
was never known for speed, but its steadfast, reliable nature
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242
found favor with Denmark's army police, and post office-in was designed with function more than aesthetics in mind,'
fact, the last Nimbus to deliver mail wasn't retired until 1972! he says. "Very few special tools are required for all but corn-
Of the 12,AAg or so Nimbuses made, some B,BOO still exist, pletely dismantling a Nimbus. A screwdriver and four sizes
with over half that number registered and running within the of wrenches are all an owner needs in the tool kit. But then,
borders of Denmark. it was designed by and for motorcycle riders, nather than by
None, though, are as cool as Kim Scholer's 1952 Model C. non-riding engineers or a design staff."
Scholer is a bit of a Nimbus nutter. He's owned them Curiously, he claims the Nimbus is not the most popular
for decades, is active in the owners'club, and has toured two-wheeled classic in its own home country. "The rest
America, .lapah, End most of Europe on various examples. of the Danish vintage/antique motorcycling community
As you might guess, he cites reliability and ease of mainte- doesn't regard the Model C as a'real'vintage bike, fls
nance as two of the brand's strong points. "lt's a bike that ownership of one seems to lack the crucial element of
masochism so dear to many old-bike enthusiasts," Scholer
theorizes.
It's an interesting machine, powered by a 75O cc four
-r: situated north-south in the frame, looking very much like a
small car motor with an integral crankcase/cylinder block
in cast iron and a deep, finned alloy oil sump. The cast-
iron cylinder head is topped by an alloy housing for the
243
#
The Bobber
Bike Name: The Bobber Model: Nimbus Type C pressed steel handlebar turned into top Rear SuspensionlShocks: None Electrics/lnstruments: Stock 6 volt; Suzuki kickstand
Make: The Oil Cave Year of Build:1952 fork brace Tires/Wheels: 1 B" Ha rley-Davidson rims; 70 W generator; halogen f ront light; rep- Approximate Work Hours: Lost count
Creator: Kim Scholer Motor: Stock engine; custom gearbox 1B x 4" Avon sidecar tires lica lndian headlamp; "Peace Tail Light"; Edition: Unique
Support: Friends at The Oil Cave tUl Rebuild with 4-speed constant-mesh transmis- Brakes: Stock Sm iths chronometric speedometer
Bike Category/Gene: Bobber sion gearbox Hand Controls/Handlebars: MZ front Paint/Powder: Two com ponent laq uer;
tT'l Donor Year of Rebuild : 2OO3-2QOG Exhaust: 4-1 stainless-steel brake lever; motocross handlebars; zombie painter
Manufacturer: Nimbus, made by Fisker Frame Modifications: None Front Suspension/Fork: Stock front fork hand-gear change Other Modifications: Ha rley-Davidson
& Nielsen A/S Bodywork: Shortened stock rear fender; shortened by B cm Foot Controls: Suicide clutch solo saddle hinged by Saab door handle;
244
the bike rolling, he fitted braced motocross handlebars, but
ended up Iiking them so much they stayed. Switchgear and
handgrips are from an East German MZ, while the sidestand
is Suzuki.
Outside assistance was called in for the exhaust system,
a masterpiece in stainless steel meant to mimic the pipes
on 1939s lndian four-cylinders. The welder did a wonderful
iob, even if his progress was measured in years not months.
The bike's extended build time was not helped, Scholer
jokesn by "the owner's laziness and distaste of wrenching."
A more modern four-speed gearbox took the place of the
original three-speed iob, adding to the bike's rideability.
Crowning touch was a new-in-the-box 1979s two-finger
peace sign taillight scored by an American friend on eBay
247
-
1974 DucatiTSOGT
A safe bet on any list of Perfect Motorcycles would be a Ducati "round-case" ously asymmetric fairing, which emphasizes the left/ride side differences of aways, matching those on the high and slim tail unit. Yet the delicacy of all that
750 cc Sport, so why on earth would anyone make a custom bike from one? the primary case and bevel drives. While beautiful, the Ducati is not in fact the tapered bodywork is offset by the massive drum brakes f rom aTZYamaha held
Shinya Kimura, in his "coach-building" mode, has seen something different same on every side, and has curious organic shapes formed into its crank- in place by Ceriani Road Race forks. The Flash combines the muscular require-
about the graceful and beautifully balanced lines of that engine and frame, cases. Somehow, Shinya has drawn out both the shapeliness of the engine, ments of a fast motorcycle with bodywork that might have been carved by the
some new expression of Taglioni's legendary powerplant. The Flash contrasts its lovely bumps and curves, and the implication of "speed while standing still" wind. (PdOl
the 90-degree V-twin's perfect primary balance and smoothness with a curi- in its profile. The velocity-squeezed fuel tank has speed scallops for knee cut-
248
ffi'
going to make. Every time l'm surprised ..." His work is ac-
cretive and completely manual; Shinya makes no drawings,
no preliminary or inspirational sketches; he prefers to "ask
the motorcycle" itself, in the way Rodin sought to discover
the sculpture within a block of marble. Of course, the con-
versation between an artist and his raw material is actually a
gaze in the mirror; what the artist discovers is not the sculp-
ture within the stone, but the sculpture within the artist,
suggested by the material at hand. Kimura approaches this
"raw material"-the motorcycles under his hammer-with
a peculiarly Japanese respect, honoring the time, skill, and
talent required to build the original machines, onto which he
applies his aesthetic interpretations.
250
251 Shinya Kimura
Fireball
Harley only tried once to build a cat6 racer-the disastrous XLCR model-but and rear-sets, and that shapely bump-stop saddle, make this one of the most
their engines are strong, and their later chassis is perfectly up to the task of compelling late-model Sportsters even Shinya opted for a very clean aesthetic,
hot street riding. When Shinya was commissioned to "re-body" a last-year rig- with symmetrical lines and deeply carved curves on the tank sides, which show
id-mounted 12OO cc Sportster (20O3), he was already familiar with the power off the Harley-Davidson badges to excellent effect. This is probably the clos-
available from the surprisingly smooth engine. Only a little tuning was required est a Chabott bike comes to looking "factory" and with its terrific performance
(bigger carb, hotter cam) to free up extra horses, to complement the stunning and amazing bodywork, one wonders why Milwaukee isn't calling a little shop in
sculpted bodywork that graces the Fireball. With Ceriani Road Race forks and a Azusa, CA, for some styling tips? (PdOf
massive Yamaha 4 leading shoe racing brake up front, the low fairing, clip-ons,
252
["
@
254
Rolls Royce, making an already fine automobile iust that bit
more special. The resultant vehicle was never known simply
as a nnSaoutchik" or "Ghia" or "Fleetwood," it was always
a Delahaye with Saoutchik body, or an Alfa Romeo Ghia,
or a Cadillac Fleetwood. The coachbuilder seemed to find
another possibility for a respected design, perhaps one too
flamboyant for general consumption, or simply too expen-
sive for all but a very special customer.
Before addressing a motorcycle to be customized, Shinya
interviews customers about their taste in music, alt, cloth-
ing, etc., but takes no input on design, preferring his metal
shapes to grow organically for each machine. "The client
is very important to me. I can't make bikes without them,"
He then sets about with sheet aluminum and a hamme[
forming metal by hand into the shapes suggested by the
motorcycle, and his inclination. The resulting forms might
resemble a retro science-fiction fantasy, or give hints to his
study of entomology at university, or resemble nothing at all,
only themselves. His hammer-marks, along with wrinkles,
pores, and wavy folds of beaten alloy, are Shinya's poetW, ?
song in metal, the visible memory of a man bent in labof ca-
ressing an unfriendly material into organic and mechanical
shapes; inexplicably natural, classically wabi-sabi (perfectly
impedect), and luminous with his sheer talent. "Every time
l'm surprised." No motorcycle manufacturer has ever made
a bike as delicious as a Chabott, but they ought to.
Shinya Kimura is perhaps the only motorcycle custom-
izer working today for whom there is universal respect and
admiration for the man and his work. His humility is legend-
dty, while his client list paradoxically consists of both the
rich and famous, and those who have saved their pennies or
sold other machines to commission a bike.
fl
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5
the name, Maria Riding Company, tells a story, as the shop makes both bikes the sportbike version of Ducati's air-cooled V-twin. Maria's goal was to knock
Maria Riding Company and surfboards, one for riding roads, the other for riding waves. "Extraordinary
rides for unconventional people," is their mission statement. 'A brand inspired
some of the modern off the bike, to capture more of a raw 197Os vibe. 'A clas-
sic street racer," is how designer Luis Correia describes the desired look. "ln
Italian Sniper by the real emotions of the past, perfectly crafted into special rides for the last the beginning this project was a challenge because we don't usually deal with
true essence seekers." modern-looking bikes."
This new era of custom motorcycles is as much about the experience of riding Maria's first motorcycle, a crusty Yamaha XS650, was transformed into a First order of business, then, was to get rid of the SS's swoopy plastic fairing
as it ls concerned with the simple nuts and bolts of a build-maybe even more clean, bobber-style ride that brought the shop lots of exposure. This Ducati fol- and tailsection. Next, the stock fuel tank was cut down and reworked to better
so. That's certainly the case with this Portuguese shop run by four friends. Even lowed a different customization path. lt was a newer machine, a 1999 75OSS, match the Ducati's trellis-style fame. The frame's rear subframe was bobbed
in preparation for a rounded fiberglass seat cowl. lt is removable to reveal a
full-length seat, should two-up duty be called for. Chunky Avon dual-sport tires
Bike Name: ltalian Sniper tTl Rebutld Front Suspension/Fork: Original f ront Foot Controls: Polished original foot impart an aggressive look.
Make: Maria Motorcycles and Maria Bike Category/Gene: Caf6 racer suspension painted black pegs Because more horsepower never goes out of style, a 9OOSS engine was
Riding Company Year of Rebuild: 2O12 Rear Suspension/Shocks: Origina I Electrics/lnstruments: Electrics totally sourced, dimensionally identical to the 75O but with usefully more output. To
Creator: Luis Correia Frame Modifications: New rear end, suspension painted yellow rebuilt and simplified play up the engine's mechanical nature, the cam-belt covers were removed,
and overall simplification Tires/Utlheels: Powder-coated wheels PainVPowder: All items of the motor- half the dry clutch cover was cut away and the side covers were polished.
tTI Donor Bodywork Tank was shortened; new with Avon Distanzia tires cycle were painted new The engine inhales through a pair of K&N air filters, while spent gases get the
Manufacturer: Ducati seat; new rear fiberglass section Brakes: Original Parts: LSL, Avon, SuperTrapp, Brembo, heave-ho via a set of SuperTrapp mufflers.
Model: SS75O Motor: Ducati SS9OO engine with KN air Hand Controls/Handlebars: Original Brooks, KN filters The guys at Maria callthis bike the "ltalian Sniper," no doubt because it's right
Year of Build: 1999 filters and tuned carburetors controls with LSL clip-ons; Brooks Approximate Work Hours: 4 months on target. (DE)
Exhaust SuperTrapp leather tape on grips Edition: #5
258
Stellan Egeland:
Brave
New Beemers
Stellan Egeland builds BMWs from outer space-or was it Sweden?
260
Egeland's problem is the Iong Swedish winters. either. ln20,@9 he built Harrier, also hub-center steered and
Gt"llangive
SThey time to think. How else to
him too much BMw-based, which finished second in the AMD European
explain his Slugger and Harrier BMWs, two crazy mixed-up Championships. That bike now resides in sunny southern
motorcycles if ever there were. California as the new owner made Egeland an offer he sim-
Actually, Egeland burst onto the builder scene with a ply could not turn down.
much more traditional machine. His 'nHulster 8 Valve," pow- Harrier might have been iust another gussied-up
ered by a Harley-Davidson Shovelhead V-twin and looking RlzOOS, but a designer friend had sketched a hub-center
Iike the world's meanest, nastiest speedway bike, took top study that Egeland could not get out of his mind. He had
honors at the 2OO7 AMD World Championships of Custom already made the decision to use brakes from Swedish spe-
Bike Building, o surprise win in a competition that had previ- cialists ISR, so asked if they could help with the design and
ously favored chopper-style customs. machining of a steering hub.
For an encore, though, Egeland wanted to go more mod- "lSR's Acke Rising has been involved in racing all his
ern. 'nl've always been a fan of old bikes but I thought I had Iife and he told me that he was a big fan of hub-center
gone as far as I wanted with that style for a whilen" he says. steerihg," Egeland says. "He made two designs and I got
"l also wanted to build a bike that I could ride really hard to choose the one I liked the most. They started to work
and fast." on the hub in October and I started building the bike in
ln case you're still scratching your head, Slugger September."
started out as a crash-damag ed 2@O9 BMW HPz Sport. Egeland kept the wheels, swingarm, and motor from the
Egeland hauled the dinged carcass back to his SE Service R12OOS, surrounding the latter with an erector set of steel
shop near Stockholm, and five cold months of long nights tubing-lower rear subframe to locate the swingarm pivot
later, out came an amazing machine. There are good and shock mount , front subframe to hold the steering head
engineering reasons for doing away with conventional and handlebars. Next came the front swingarffi, like the rear
telescopic forks and employing a hub-center front end- its actions controlled by the products of suspension expeft
namely, the effects of wheel travel, braking, and steering Ohlins, another fine Swedish company. Egeland downplays
can all be isolated from one another-but you get the idea the amount of work he put into the chassis. "The only thing
that for Egeland it's all about the fabrication challenge, and on the bike where I was 'thinking design' was the fuel tank,"
the shock factor when done. he says. "The rest of the bike was built for function, and that
Slugger was not his first try at alternate front suspension, kind of gave me the design for free."
261
The Slugger
Bike Name: The Slugger Year of Build: 2AOg Swecomposite steering by ISR; Ohlins coilover Electrics/lnstruments: Link G4 ECU; Retail price: C65,OO0
Make: SE Service Motor: Motor, drivetrain by Stellan Ege- Rear Suspension/Shocks: Swingarm Motogadget instrumentation
Creator: Stellan Egeland tT,l Rebuild land 2O2 hp at 7,O5O rpm on rear wheel 2391steel by Stellan Egeland; Ohlins Paint/Powder: Paint? We don't need no
Support ISR (center hub steering, Bike Category/Gene: Roadster and 212 nm at rear wheel at 5B5O rpm TTX coilover stinking paint!
brakes and machi nework) Year of Rebuild: 2@1@ Exhaust: All new; stainless steel before Tires/Wheels: Stock BMW R12OOS Other Mod ifications: ntercooler
I
Frame Modifications: All new, 2391 turbo; titanium after turbo by Stellan Brakes: ISR located under the scoop in front of the
tTl Donor steel by Stellan Egeland Egeland Hand Controls/Handlebars: Tita n iu m seat; fuel tank in seat and cuts
Manufacturer: BMW Bodywork: All new; aluminum and Front Suspension/Fork Swingarm 2391 bars; ISR handcontrols Approximate Work Hours: 854 hours
Model: HP2 Sport carbon fiber by Stellan Egeland and steel by Stellan Egeland; center hub Foot Controls: BMW HP2 Sport Edition: Unique
262
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*
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Harrier
Bike Name: Harrier tTl Rebuild under the fuel tank 6-piston calipers 320 mm, ISR discs;
Make: SE Service Bike Category/Gene: Outer limits Front Swi ngarm:' Custom rear: ISR 4-piston caliper, ISR disc
Creator: Stellan Egeland Year of Rebuild:2OO9 Front Hub: ISR Rake adjustable Paint/Powder: Painter: Totte Landberg;
Frame Modifications: Custom Rear Suspension/Shocks: BMW chroming and plating: Excellent
tTI Donor Bodywork: Custom swingarm Other Modifications: Hubsteering by
Manufacturer: BMW Motor: BMW 12OO cc; drivetrain BMW Tires/Wheels: Wheels front: BMW/ SE Service
Model: HP2 Exhaust: Primary tubes of the exhaust ISR; f ront tires: 24/60/17"; wheels rear:
system are step headers made of BMW; rear tires : 19O/35/17"
stainless-steel that go into a collector Brakes: Front: ISR radial monoblock
264
Hardly, but the work did get more involved after the 1
fr
"Paint?
We don't need no stinkin' paint!"
Stellan Egeland
The only problem? Unlike Harier, now there was no
real estate in front of the rider to hold Slugger's gasoline.
"My first idea was to mount a belly tank under the engine,"
Egeland says, "But Ohlins' best test rider is a champion-
ship roadracer, and he told me that a belly tank would put
the center of gravity too low, that the bike woutd be slow
through side-to-side transitions, like in chicanes."
so Egeland used his, er... brain and decided to sit on the
fuel! He was crafting a tailsection out of aluminum anyway;
it wasn't much more work to seal off the interior and add
fittings for fuel lines on one side, a sight gauge on the other,
266
The nicely angular result was left in the bare metal, or as right into the titanium exhaust!" This was in late summer, consumer show circuit as part of the BMW display booth,
Egeland jokes, "Paint? We don't need no stinkin' paint!" just weeks before Slugger was scheduled to be shipped where it wowed show-goers and garnered lots of coverage
After some tuning the turbo-fortified BMW engine to South Dakota for its U.S. debut at the big Sturgis Rally. in print and on websites.
cranked out an impressive 2O2 horsepower to the rear A crestfallen Egeland seriously considered cancelling the As nice as the accolades are, for Egeland the best news
wheel, with a stonking 153 foot-pounds of torque. 'Accel- expensive trip and rolling the bike to the back of his shop to about Slugger that it is back in Sweden and his name re-
eration is impressive," reports Egeland. "lt pulls extremely be covered with a tarp until he could get around to repairs mains on the registration papers. "lt was built to be my daily
hard, no matter what speed you are running. I don't know the next winten rider," he says, "and it still is." (DE)
what the top speed is, but it wouldn't take too long before Happily, his friends at the factory in Germany stepped
you hit the rev-limiter-or be blown off the back of the bike!" in to make a difference. A fellow Scandinavian working as
Unfortunately all that power didn't help one bit when a a designer at BMW Motorrad had heard of Egeland's plight
car backed into the bike at a stoplight while Egeland was and convinced his fellow workers to help finance the trip.
out on a test ride. His labor-intensive turbo tubing took That injection of appreciation and enthusiasm was all it took
the brunt of the impact. "lt broke the front fender and the to get Stellan back behind his welding mask. A repaired
turbo exhaust pipe," Egeland recounts. "HiS trailer ball went Slugger made it to Sturgis and then went on to tour the U.S.
ffi rO
) 4
Bike Name: TOO3 Kaku tUl Rebuild and anti-heat protector Foot Controls: Foot controls hand- Approximate Work Hours: 3 months
Make: Thrive Motorcycle Bike Category/Gene: Cafe racer Front Suspension/Fork: Original crafted by Thrive Motorcycle Edition: Number 003
Creator: lndra Pratama Year of Rebuild:2012 Rear Suspension/Shocks: Original Electrics/lnstruments: New cables and Retail price: Price around $3,50O
Frame Modifications: Custom-made Tires/Wheels: Swallow 212 tires on 'lB x electricity system
tTl Donor swingarm and rear frame chopped 3.50" wheels Paint/Powder: Flat warm gray, flat black,
Manufacturer: Yamaha Bodywork: Full bodywork Brakes: Rear disc brake from Suzuki flat red
Model: SR225 Motor: Original FU 150 Other Modifications: Custom-made
Year of Build: 2AOo Exhaust: Custom-made exhaust pipe Hand Controls/Handlebars: Original front fog lamp and taillight
268
269
Roland Sands:
Llvln Llfe ln
the Fast Lane
Roland Sands was iust five years old when his parents, Perry and Nancy,
founders of Performance Machine, introduced him to two wheels and a throttle.
r G
270
111 iust kinda got born into it, I guess," Roland says.
I "Motorcycles have been in my life since I can
rememben When I was little, I customized everything that I
271
After racking u p 32 broken bones, Roland traded in his rather than the monstrosities popularized by reality televi:
racing leathers for good. He switched to pencils and paper sion shows. "To ffi€, a true chopper is something that's been
and a computer, doing a stint at Pedormance tvlachine as stripped, made lightweight and built up by your own haRds,,'
vP of Research & Design. And then he set up his own shop. he's been quoted as saying.'*lt's not a bike you bought out
Today, the company that bears his name is undisputedly of a catalog, nor is it something with a Iong frontforkand a
one of the top custom workshops in the United States. lt,s 3BB rear tire that's covered with as rrlany skulls and spider
been a meteoric rise to faffiE, and a fewfeathers haue been webs as you can throw at it."
ruffled along the way. Many of Roland's bullds are based His approach emphasizes perforunance and lightness.
around Harley-Davidson motors, but you won't find sissy *'l enjoy
combining styles and ideas that normally wouldn't
bars or iron crosses on these bikes. The emphasis is on the mix, and making them work. At the same time I like to
n'go" as much
as the show, and most RSD bikes are rnore at simplity and lighten things up-strip off unnecessary items,
home carving canyons than cruising boulevards. do a llttle cleaning and then add the right detailsto make it
Roland feels that he's building the choppers of today, special. Creating something timeless is atways my goal."
272
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Technics Sportster
Theme bikes have a bad reputation for being little more than a mash of dis- his starting point, a bike from Harley-Davidson's Dark Custom range and one effect. The brake calipers are from Performance Machine, hooked up to RSD
parate elements mixed together by marketing departments. This Sportster, a that evokes the dirt tracks and drag strips of the 1950s. Sands, however; has 11.5-inch discs, and much of the cabling is from the Barnett Stealth Series. The
collaboration between Roland Sands, Panasonic, and the DJ and audio technol- pushed the XLBB3N in an entirely new direction. The tank has been heavily mix of silver and black paint with satin and gloss finishes is clearly inspired by
ogy brand Technics, is a rare example that works with well-integrated design modified and is matched to a completely new seat and tail unit: 39 mm clip-on Technics's products. The most obvious link between the bike and turntables,
elements. The brief was to take up the style of Technics's popular SL-1200MK2 bars accentuate the bike's low and sleek new look. RSD parts like the inlet and however, lies in the design of the custom fabricated wheels with dots shifting
professional turntables. Sands chose a 2@10-model XLB83 lron Sportster as exhaust, the ignition and rockerbox covers, and the rear-sets are used to great direction as they spin,
Bike Name: Technics Sportster tTl Rebuild Motor: Harley-Davidson, stock BB3 cc Turntable 19 x 215", Boss 11.5" (Black Ops Master Cap RSD Tracker tag bracket; spark plug
Make: RSD Bike Category/Gene: Sportster 20rc finish); rear: custom Technics Turntable Hand Controls/Handlebars: Stock wires: Daytona Twin Tec
'l'1.5"; Approximate Work Hours: 2 months
Year of Rebuild 2012 Exhaust: Custom slant carbon 19 x 2.15" RSD, Boss tires f ront: Harley-Davidson
tUl Donor Frame Modifications: Harley-Davidson Front Suspension/Fork: Stock 2AAB Firestone Deluxe Champion 4OO x19", Foot Controls: Custom prototype Edition: Unique
Manufacturer: H arley-Davidson - Stock 2OAB progressive heavy-duty spring kit; tires rear: Firestone Deluxe Champion rear-sets
Model: XLBB3N lron Bodywork: Fabrication RSD gas tank; custom fork preload adjusters 4OO x 19" Paint/Powder: Airtrix, Chris Wood: black
Year of Build: 2O1O custom modified and skirted gas cap; Rear Suspension/Shocks: Progressive Brakes: Front caliper(s) PM 4-piston with white and silver striping
RSD Caf6 seat; custom aluminum tail Suspension 11" 944 series shocks 11.5; rear caliper PM 4-piston 11.5; Brake Other Modifications: Mounts: RSD
section; fork brace narrowglide Tires/Wheels: Front: Custom Technics Lines Spiegler USA; misc: RSD Rear Nostalgia ignition/coil relocator; taillight:
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BMW Concept Ninety
The BMW Concept Ninety presents itself as a sporty boxer with a battery of eas of the front fairing and tank, as well as at the tail. The rich orange shade a slight wedge shape, lending the BMW Concept Ninety an almost ready-to-
sophisticated custom details by Roland Sands. The bike's basic proportions is also a nod to the legendary Daytona Orange paintwork of the BMW R 9B S. attack stance when viewed from the side-like a sprinter about to explode into
clearly take their cue from the forebearer that inspired its concept: the fairing, Matching the sporty, cutting-edge interpretation of the front fairing, the BMW R action. Below the bodywork sits the air-cooled flat-twin boxer engine. Entirely
tank, seat, and tail instantly signal its family bond with the BMW R 90 S. The 90 S's halogen lights have been replaced by contemporary LED elements hon- in black with contrast cut details, this section of the bike symbolizes concerted
BMW Concept Ninety also picks up on the demarcation of the bike's propor- oring the bike's ancestor with a round headlamp design. Seamlessly mounted power, precision and performance. The mechanics and technology as a whole
tions that was a hallmark of the time. The upper ergonomic and aerodynamic behind it, the dynamically shaped tank ensures an optimal connection between are purposely rendered visible and reflect a keen attention to detail.
bodywork is visually separated from the black engine and chassis. The body- rider and machine. Further along, the tank and seat melt harmoniously into
work is handcrafted from aluminum, with brushed areas seen in the tinted ar- each other. A steadily ascending line from the handlebars to the tail creates
Bike Name: BMW Concept Ninety tion; gas tank: aluminum; seat: leather K&N filter; valve covers custom billet; Finish); tires front: Dunlop Slick-KR44B, radial master cylinders custom billet; tag bracket: custom;
Make: BMW Motorrad by Bitchin Seat Co. (design by RSD); breast-plate: custom billet 125/8O-17; rear wheel: Custom Morris Foot Controls: Gilles Tooling custom hardware: Diamond Engineering custom
Creator: Roland Sands, BMW Motorrad front fender: polymer; tail section/ Exhaust: Custom stainless 2-1-2 "Slant" (Contrast Cut Finish) 17x 6.25"; rear disc: billet with carbon heel guards; footpegs: stainless bolts (design by RSD); reaction
Design fender: aluminum hand-fabricated; gas Front Suspension/Fork: Suspension: BMW; rear tires: Dunlop Slick-KR449, Gilles Tooling bar: custom billet; taillight: Eddie Trotta
cap: custom billet; fairing: aluminum Ohlins Superbike FGR; steering damper: 200/55-17 Electrics/lnstruments: Cables: BMW LED; front end: custom billet top triple;
t$l Rebuild hand-fabricated; windscreen: Lexan Ohlins Brakes: Front caliper: Brembo GP4-RR- Paint/Powder: Painter: Airtrix, Chris clip-ons: Gilles Tooling custom billet;
Bi ke Category/Gene: Sportster with custom billet mounts; trim: custom Rear Suspension/Shocks: Ohlins Shock monoblock (nickel)-dual; front master Wood: color: burnt orange flake over gauges: BMW with custom billet hous-
Year of Rebuild:2O13 carbon fiber side panels; logos: custom T39 for BMW; custom billet axle plugs cylinder: RSD Prototype-Radial; rear brushed aluminum; pattern: orange fade ing; headlight BMW LED
Frame Modifications: 21rc BMW proto- billet Tires/Wheels: Front wheel: Custom caliper: Brembo HP; master cylinder with red pinstriping; powder coating: Approximate Work Hours: 2 months
type-steel Motor: 2O13 BMW boxer, airloil cooled, Morris (Contrast Cut finish), 'l7x 3.5", rear: BMW; brake lines: Spiegler USA Olympic Powdercoating
Bodywork: Custom bodywork fabrica- 9OO cc; intake custom billet airbox with front disc: Custom Morris (Contrast Cut Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom Other Modifications: Frame plugs:
276
His workshop is in Los Alamitos, a small city in Orange
County, California. lnside, it's more akin to a race team
workshop than a traditional custom motorcycle shop:
it's clean and well equipped, with the air of a laboratory.
Upstairs is the office, design studio, and video produc-
tion area, a large open-plan space where Roland and his
team conceive and design accessories, apparel, and bikes.
Roland's sister, Summer Sands Hoover, handles the day-to-
day running of the company. The workshop floor is managed
by Rodney Aguiar, himself a bike builder of repute. *lt gets
hectic," Roland admits, "and mellows out when l'm gone! I
think that's how my guys would describe it."
There are 12 people working full-time at RSD, and their
roles are broad. Some focus on apparel development and
sales, while others design parts for the RSD catalog. Other
Roland Sands
He knows that being able to build a bike is only part of
the story: building a business is an entirely different matter.
"You need to be resourceful. There will always be things
you are not good at. Knowing how to get them done is very
important. You also need to be adaptable, so you can flow
with trends while staying true to your roots. Then you need
a good eye for balance and negative space, so you can get
the stance of your bikes right." And then there's resilience
to pain. "You need the ability to stay up until Sam when
you're bleeding and hungry!" lt's important to have an
escape route too, and Roland's is surfing: "Jumping in the
ocean is a complete reset button."
278
Renard Motorcycles built motorcycle are soon rolling down an assembly line-not that it will be easy
getting to that point.
from which the engine and all major components are hung. Of those items, the
girder fork and wheels are made from carbon fiber.
First off, the Renard Renus prototype was built in Estonia, the former Soviet
Renard Ferus republic on the Baltic Sea, hardly a hotbed of motorcycle production. But, in
While the motor isn't nearly so high-tech, the air-cooled Quattrovalvole V-
twin from Moto Guzzi is full of character and packs a useful123 horsepower
fact, prior to the war there were Renard two-wheelers being produced in Es- from its'1326 cc.
The Iogical extension of any popular custom-bike style is that it makes it to tonia, 98 cc mopeds. Allied bombs destroyed the factory in .1944, putting an Styling is an enticing mix of old and new, with an overall shape that reminds
production. Today's sportbikes can trace roots back to the late '19SOs when end to the Renard name until 2O0B when a group of entrepreneurs decided to of the art deco BMWs of the 1930s, while at the same time looking like it could
England's rockers first gunned their race-replicas from one cafe to the next. resurrect the company. have been time-warped to us from 50 years in the future.
Likewise, current V-twin cruisers are direct descendants of the lndian and Har- They weren't interested in tiny runabouts. Their Renus power-cruiser is in Unfortunately, allthis avant-garde design and use of composite materials has
ley-Davidson bob-jobs that returning American servicemen used to blow off many ways as technically advanced a motorcycle as there is in the world to- driven the projected price of production bikes to $60,OOA per copy, and in the
steam after the Second World War. day. Of particular note in the carbon/kevlar monocoque main frame, a hollow current economy that means the Renard may remain a very interesting one-off.
The backers of Renard Motorcycles are also hoping copies of their specially load-bearing unibody that contains the airbox and rubberized fuel cell, and That would be a shame. (DE)
Bike Name: Renard Ferus Frame Modifications: CarLron fiber Rear Suspension/Shocks: 3-way ad- brakes: full ISR system, single semi- Paint/Powder: Metallic paint (black)
Make: Renard Motorcycles OU monocoque justable Ohtins TTX 36 floating disc @ 22A mm (8.7") 4-piston Parts: Tallinn University of Technology,
Creator: Andres Uibomae, Ando Bodywork: Carbon fiber Tires/Wheels: Front wheel: carbon fiber monoblock caliper Estonian Aviation Academy, CSI Com-
Paapstel Motor: Moto Guzzi V2 90" 1326 cc 3.5Ox17"; tire: 12O/7Ax17"', rear wheel: Hand Controls/Handlebars: Full ISR posites Finland
Exhaust: Renard metamaterlal-based carbon f iber 5.54 x 17"; tire: 190/55 x 12" system; master cylinders with integral Edition: Unique
t$l Rebuild silencer Brakes: Front brakes: full ISR system, reservoirs Retail price: €49,AAA
Bike Category/Gene: Roadster Front Suspension/Fork: Gi rder with twln semifloating discs @ 32O mm Foot Controls: Renard Design
Year of Rebuild:2O12 adjustabte Ontins 536DRtL shock (.12.6") 6-piston monoblock calipers; rear Electrics/lnstruments: M otogad get
280
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281
Custom-Wolf:
Just fantasize about the most exciting ingredients for a caf6 racer build-
you won't be far from Custom-Wolf 's Laverau
a custom motorcycle is a lot
1f, t its base level, building wrapped with tight, minimalistic bodywork; others with Har-
Alife baking a cake. You have a recipe, you round up ley-Davidson V-twins for power in pro Street-type frames.
the ingredients, you bring them together, fire up the oven, Their most recent dish, though, is something different, a
and some time later, you pull out a (hopefully) delicious fin- little spicier. "This is a classic bike with a lot of modern at-
28.2
"ltalian, 2OOG or later." Borrowed from a Benelli TNT 1130
is the steel, multi-tube swingarm with its trademark ec-
centric axle adjusters. Custom-Wolf mated the arm to the
rear of the Rau frame with a Ducati monoshock, kicking
the back end up in the air to give the whole bike an aggres-
sive, nose-down, sniffing-the-ground stance. Wheelbase
is a rangy 59.5 inches. The same naked Benelli gave up its
triple-clamps, modified to fit the frame's headstock. Into
these went the beefy gold-anodized inverted fork tubes
from an MV Agusta F4 sportbike, already equipped with
very effective four-piston brake calipers. Suspension and
stopping, then, well taken care of, no worries. A proper caf6
racer should have spoked wheels, but Custom-Wolf wanted
suitably wide, sticky rubber for Laverau, so puny, retro-sized
rims were out. Luckily, Ducati was of the same mind about
wheel size in ZOOG when it came out with the Sport Classic
series, fitted with 36-spoke Excel 17-inch alloys, 3.5 inches
wide at the front, 5.5 at the back. These are now readily
available on eBay-a specials builder's best friend-from
owners changing over to cast wheels,
Laverdas always sound great with classic Lafranconi 3-1
collector exhausts, so Custom-Wolf sourced one for this
project, though it was to be heavily reworked to fit. After-
market catalogs were consulted only a few times for new
items on the bike. What looks like a vintage tachometer
snuggling behind the orange plexi windscreen is actually a
thoroughly modern electronic Motogadget item with analog
rpm face but a discreet digital readout for mph, oil pressure,
voltage, tiffiB, and air temperature. Over Rennsport provided
the black-anodized rear-set footpegs and heel guards.
A large portion of the 600-plus shop hours it took to cre-
ate Laverau was devoted to the bodywork. Huge blocks of
foam were attached to the chassis mockup, then the Wolf
crew got out their shaping tools and proceeded to make
noise and a lot of white dust. Happy with the final forms
for the front fendeq mini-fairing, fuel tank, and seat cowl,
out came sheets of aluminum, body hammers, and dollies,
and the pounding and hand-forming began.A nice touch is
the tank's lengthwise center indentation, Fut there to ac-
commodate a turnbuckled mount strap covered in orange
leather as an homage to Moto Laverda's racing colors. The
tailsection is similarly adorned, plus it has an integral tail-
light and turn signals. AII together the end result, with the
bare aluminum left unpolished for a nice soft satin effect,
manages to Iook classic and modern at the same time-hey,
just as Baetz promisedl
"To customize means to shape something individually,"
he expounds. "lt is our goal to give a motorcycle an inde-
Laverau pendent design, not to follow any trends, but to find our
own, timeless lines."
Bike Name: Laverau t$l Rebuild Front Suspension/Fork: MV Agusta Foot Controls: Over Rennsport Seems to be working, as the Laverda took Best Caf6
Make: Custom-Wolf Bike Category/Gene: Caf6 racer Rear Suspension/Shocks: Rau Electrics/l nstruments: M otog ad get
Tires/Wheels: Ducati's Paul Smart classic
Racer honors at the big Custombike Show in Mannheim first
Year of Rebu il d: 2O12
Frame Modifications: Front and rear 3.5 x 17" 12O/7O/17 and 5.5 x
.I7"
with Paint/Powder: The f rame is powder- time out. Oh, in case you're wondering, no, Laverau is not for
tul Donor Bodywork: Aluminium sheet metal fia/55/17 coated sale, sorry. Chefs Baetz and Martl have the recipe commit-
Manufacturer: RAU frame without varnish Brakes: Ducati/MV Agusta front; Benelli Approximate Work Hours: 6O8 hours
Motor: Laverda1172 TNT rear Edition: Unique
ted to memory howeveq and will be happy to whip you up
Model: Laverda
Year of Build: 1979 Exhaust: Custom Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom Retail price: Not for sale something just as tasty. (DEt
283
Southsiders MG:
du Style
Led by the effortlessly stylish Vincent Prat, this group of friends in the
southwest of France has had a huge impact on the European scene.
284
I t is hard to overestimate the influence of Vincent Prat
I o,, the custom motorcycle scene in western Europe. The
founder of the Southsiders MC is an accomplished bike
builder; and also the lead organizer of the annual Wheels &
Waves show in Biarritz-the most glamorous destination for
builders and moto fans on the continent.
Vincent is a gentleman of the old school, quiet-spoken,
and with manners as immaculate as his wardrobe. (And
like any true romantic, he still has the first leather iacket
he bought, when he was 17.) His playground is the Basque
country home to some of the continent's finest riding roads.
To explore those roads he keeps three motorcycles in his
Toulouse garage: a Norton Commando for sporting rides, a
Moto Guzzi Eldorado for cruising, and a Ducati scrambler for
off-road. lt's a selection that covers all bases, and each bike
is a classic in its own right.
Vincent's love affair with motorcycles started in 1974. He
was l?years old and hitched a ride on the back of a BMW
R9O/6 owned by a family friend. "My life changed that day,"
he recalls. His parents, howeve[ were dead set against their
son joining the hordes of teenage moped riders in France.
But eventually Vincent persuaded them otherwise, and he
was allowed to get a tiny V6loSoleX.
When he was 15, he graduated to off-road adventures
with friends on trials bikes. And then came his first ride on a
Norton Commando, when he was 18. After that, there WaS no
looking back.
Weekends were invariably spent in the garage, fet-
tling and restoring motorcycles with a close-knit group
of friends. Years later they started calling themselves the
Southsiders MC, and when the internet became ubiquitous,
began to document their experiences and passions online.
The website quickly attracted international attention.
It's an expertty curated collection of pieces on custom and
classic bikes, mixed with evocative photography, hom-
ages to design icons, and surfing stories. (When not riding,
Vincent heads to the beach in his 1962 Ford Falcon wagon,
sudboards in the back.)
At the Same time, the Southsiders started to "grow UP," The CP Project
as Vincent puts it. Along with the three other core mem- Southsiders, he carved multi-part moulds for the bodywork in plywood, balanc-
After Daniel Delfour's Norton Ala'verda had caused a real stir at the 20OB Leg-
bers-Thierry de Miras, Benoit Guerry and l6rome All6-Vin- end of the Motorcycle event in California, the French master builder got togeth- ing the volumes and shapes of the tank and seat until the styling came together
cent started to build bikes in earnest. "l'd Spent many hours er with his friends from Southsiders to hatch plans for a sequel that would soon as a whole. Delfour decided to do away with front brakes, flat-track style. The
take shape as the CP Project. As English motorcycle fans, they chose a Norton front forks are Yamaha items, connected to Moto Guzzi triple trees modified to
fixing up my own bikes," he SayS, "so it was a natural choice featherbed frame and a Triumph 750 Bonneville engine. But as they didn't want match the original Norton geometry. Many parts are handmade, including the
to start building." lnspiration comes from history-from to just make the thousandth cafe racer or Triton, they decided to follow their oil tank, rear-sets, levers, and pedals; the speedometer and billet alloy gas tank
cap were designed by Prat, taking cues f rom a classic French chronometer. The
examining technical and aesthetic solutions that were used own road. Apparently, that headed toward Gotham City, passing through Juras-
sic Park, eventually to a bike that combines a Batpod with a T,Rex fastback and engine was rebuilt to original specifications, but using a TR7 single-carburetor
decades ago. Then the process starts, with drawings and a Cat Woman's curves. As Vincent Prat of Southsiders notes, inspiration came head rather than the fussier stock twin-carb item. The visual f inishing touches
search for the right parts. directly from the culture of comics. The design brief for Delfour was to create a came from French builder Momo, who not only painted the frame in gloss black
very slim and low-slung motorcycle, all in black. Tightly imposed specifications and the bodywork in a black flake, but also created the exhaust system and
proved a challenge, but Delfour, who is also a violinmaker, mastered it by help heat guards.
"l work on bilres for my own of his 3O years of experience in that field. Working from sketches provided by
pleasure, with no other goal than ITI Rebuild Front Suspension/Fork: Guzzi Paint/Powder: MBS
Bike Name: The CP Project
to finish the proiecf I have in mind. Make: Southsiders MC
Creator: CP Project, bike elaborated
Bike Category/Gene: Cafe racer
Year of Rebuild:2OO9
Rear Suspension/Shocks: Hagon
Tires/Wheels; Firestone Blackwal I
Other Modifications: Bodywork: Vintage
Motorbikes
Which sometimes takes several between Frank Charriaut, Daniel Delfour, Frame Modifications: MBS Norton
Wideline
Deluxe
Brakes: G ri meca-Brembo
Approximate Work Hours:
Edition: Unique
1,OAO hours
285
"Why the length of the fork tubes?
Why a front wheel without brakes?
... St'mply because we wanted to."
Vi ncent Prat
286
"Creativity is the most important thing. I love it when the motorcycles. On pape6 it's a classic Triton, with a Nofton we wanted to," Vincent shrugs.
shape of the bike suddenly appears in front of you. lt's not featherbed frame and a Triumph 75O Bonneville engine. But His partners in this project were the designer Frank
my job, though," he hastens to add. "lt's a pastime. I work on in the metal, it is anything but ordinary. Charriaut (the "Ctt in "CP"), and the motorcycle builder
bikes for my own pleasure, with no other goal than to finish "We didn't want to make the thousandth caf6 racer or Daniel Delfour. Delfour, who has a second string to his bow
the project I have in mind. Which sometimes takes several Triton," says Vincent. "We decided to follow our own road. as a violinmake4 transformed Vincent and Frank's ideas into
years!" The design is a mix-it's Batman'S motorcycle with a T. Rex metal. Then the enigmatic Momo, another frequent collabo-
It's a typically self-effacing statement, but Vincent has fastback and Catwoman'S curves. Our inspiration came rato6 applied the exquisite black paint.
had remarkable success at his "pastime." The motorcycle from the culture of comics." lt's not an entirely practical When a Southsiders bike is finished, master photogra-
that catapulted him to attention, the CP Project One, is bike, and nor is it intended to be. "Why the length of the fork pher Benoit Guerry shoots them in his studio on medium
regarded as one of the world's most beautiful custom tubes? Why a front wheel without brakes? Simply because format. The resulting images spread quickly around the
287 Southsiders MC
"Do Featherbed, Batman, and
tyra nnosaurus rex have sor?? ething
in common ?"
Vincent Prat
internet and the reputation of this strange collective of mo-
torcyclists from the sud-ouest grows still furthen
The digital world is ephemeral in nature though, so the
four friends decided to create something more concrete.
They launched their first show in June2O@9, an informal af-
fair centered on just ten motorcycles. Since then, the event
has snowballed; in 2@11the concept was christened Wheels
& Waves.
The 2912 show was especially significant for Vincent: it
was where he revealed his own favorite build, the lmpossi-
ble Project. lt's another Triton, albeit much more functional
than the CP Project One. Vincent has owned this machine
for many years, and it's seen many different incarnations.
Now configured for the Bonneville salt flats, it has a dustbin
fairing and bodywork by Momo, and an engine fettled by lo-
The lmpossible Proiect cal guru Henri Lao Maftinez.
The circuitous story behind The lmpossible Project begins back in 19BZ with years before losing interest again and storing the bike in his garage. But today,
Vincent Prat's keen urge to build a Norton Rickman Racer to use on the road. motorcycle collectors are less dogmatic; they're less fixated on pedigrees, and
Collecting suitable parts to complement the Rickman frame that he had bought whether or not a true Triton should have a pre-unit motor. When Prat stood on
proved a slow and frustrating mission, back in the pre-internet era. After three the hot salt at a Bonneville Speedweek some time ago, he decided to create a
years, he still lacked an engine and gearbox, and worse, the papers required new version of the Triton-and would name it The lmpossible Project. He credits
for authenticity. The project became cumbersome in both Prat's head and his his friend Momo, "the Wizard," for helping him build the chassis. The engine
garage, and the more he read about the Rickman frame's lack of steering preci- preparation was handled by Henri Lao Martinez (HLM). After his years of ex-
sion, the less he was motivated to finish the bike-and decided to sell it. Based pertise working on Triumph engines, the formula for perfection was simple to
on his ad, someone offered him an exchange: his box of parts for an unfin- find. With the Triton complete, Prat was ready to ride on the salt as part of "The
ished Triton, including a Wideline frame, a Unit f12O engine, Roadholder forks, lmpossible Team": JR Ortega and his BMW, and El Solitario with their Triumph
and those vital papers. He accepted the offer right away and constructed the T12A. Right now, the bike is in a crate and ready to fly away to the United States.
Triton, with parts found through the traditional motorcycle networks of those He will see it again on the other side.
days. He rode and enjoyed this first incarnation, despite its faults, for several
Bike Name: The lmpossible project tTI Rebuild Front Suspension/Fork: Norton Road- Paint/Powder: MBS
Make: Southsiders MC Bike Category/Gene: Drag race[ holder Parts: Seat: Claude Carridre
Creator: The lmpossible Triton - lakester Rear Suspension/Shocks: H agon Approximate Work Hours: BBO hours
Vincent Prat Year of Rebuild:.2012 Tires/Wheels: Dunlop KB'1-18" Edition: Unique
Support: Momo, Henri Lao Martinez Frame Modifications: M BS Brakes: Grimeca-TLS
(H LM) Bodywork: MBS Hand Controls/Handlebars: John Tickle
Motor: T 12?-Henri Lao Martinez Foot Controls: Tom masel i
I
289 Southsiders MC
By 2O13, over 3OO motorcycles were mustered for a ride
up into the forenees, across the border, and into Spain.
Hundreds more bikes gathered in the parking lot of the
iconic Biarritz Lighthouse. The local aidield was comman-
deered for informal drag races, and BMW Motorrad shipped
290
Chicara Nagata:
The Crossover Artist
The first motorcycle customizer to show exclusivery IN art galleries.
/l fter emerging on the global custom stage in a blind- of his near-death via Art, following the pronouncement of began customizing Harleys, having always loved vintage
Fling chromium flash in2o@G by winning the AMD the Greek god Apollo; "The wounder shall heal" ... in other American motorcycles, and first participated in a Custom
World Cup "Freestyle" category chicara Nagata remains an words, use the same poison/disease to cure a great illness show in Japan in 1998. ln29,o4, after three years of work,
enigma to much of the motorcycling world. Nagata clearly (the basis of vaccination, and homeopathy). Thus, while he completed chicara Art one, and began a new series of
builds custom two-wheelers of tremendous finesse and an pursuing a path of graphic design as his primary business, unique "art motorcycles": he has now completed 13 Cus-
unbelievably clean finish, yet he calls himself an artist first, Nagata eventually began customizing motorcycles to repay toms, with 5 as examples of mechanical "sculptures," each
whose medium "happens to be motorcycles.,' his debt of gratitude to those who gave blood and worked unique, based on vintage motorcycle engines as diverse as a
He often repeats the tale of his motivation behind cus- for his revival. "That got me thinking about how I could show 5O cc Honda, soe cc Meguro, and 12oO cc Harley-Davidson.
tomizing bikes, an impulse rooted in trauma and redemp- the world that I was alive and well. I realized that making ln 2@@5, he entered his bikes in Harley-Davidson cus-
tion: after a terrible motorcycle accident at the age of 16, he things I was good at-building a motorcycle that means so tom shows in Belgium, Germany, and France, and won six
spent eight months in the hospital, receiving many blood much to me-was the way I could do so.,n awards. Global recognition followed in 2oofl,when he took
transfusions and much attention from medical speciat- chicara Nagata was born in 1962 in Saga prefecture, on top marks in the "Freestyle" category of the AMD world
ists. while recovering, he felt an obligation to repay the Kyushu lsland in the south of lapan (where he lives today), championships; he also participated in the AMD Asian
many people who ushered him from the land of Death to his and has been a graphic artist since 1982. He founded his Ghampionship held in Malaysia in 2@OZ, and won the event.
"second life." Nagata chose to transform the instrument graphic design firm cHlcARA in 1992, and the following year His initial working process is completely in 2D,where
he employs his graphic design skills, visible in the highly
appealing "build posters" he creates for each of his Art mo-
torcycles. "Basically every design, structure, and style are in
my head and I create the images again and again. So I sel-
dom draw the design on the PC. I am an analog type. I create
the image first and produce. Basically I work on one tbikel
at a time, but in my mind I create some images at the same
time. The graphic designs are basically two dimensions.
When I make the motorcycles, I go back and forth between
2Ds and 3Ds. ! think it is important to comptete 2D designs
perfectly first even when making 3D motorcycles. ! spend
more time before I start to make motorcycles. That means
! need more time to fix my style and design. I don't spend
much time for thinking about metalworking or welding."
His new generation of pure r'art" machines, the chicara
Art series, emerged in 20o6 with the chicara Art l, which
took three years and 7,5OO hours of hand-building, welding,
fabrication, and assembly to complete. "Every progress, I
encounter many many problems. I can't count how many
times I give up to make motorcycle. But I noticed that ,lf
we don't give up, we can make it.' In another word, we can
make the impossible possible. This is what ! learn from
making motorcycles, but still on the way." The steel, alumi-
num, brass, copper, and chromium machine is built around
a1937 Harley-Davidson Model U, o 12gO cc sidevalve V-twin,
the venerable mainstay of American motorcycling in the
early 193os. "when I see a certain vintage model engine,
I fee! like creating. This is what I like to work with. Most of
the time I choose the engine from its beauty, not onty from
its function. I would like to give the stylish detail for well-
balanced engine. That's why I pick up the engine first.,'
292
When completed, the Chicara Art I was a breathtakingly
original approach to Custom motorcycling, with few "tradi-
tional" cues to Nagata'S aesthetic decision process. With
an exceptionally pure standard of finish, the Art I is a radical
expression of the "Japanese" school of loq gooseneck-
framed framed Harley-Davidson Customs, with enough
unique touches-the handmade forks, the arrangement of
the gearbox and clutch, the detailed finish-to emphasize
its special qualities. Most surprising about the chassis is a
construction detail often missed by viewers familiar with the
"gooseneck" school .... the Nagata bike isn't one at all.
What appears to be a stretched frame is simply Nagata's
unique design of front forks, in with the entire steering
head assembly and forklegs pivot via links connected to
the main frame. Like all Nagata's 'Art" bikes, the machine
positively gleams, and took the AMD World Championship
in2806 by an overwhelming 239 points over its closest
competiton The machines first appeared in the United
States at the lppodo Gallery in New York City in November
2Oo8; the exhibit was called Chicara Liquid Chrome, an
apt description for these ultra-glossy, flowing machines.
lmages of the "Chicara Art" motorcycles flooded the global
web press in 2@O9, as lppodo took a bold, albeit typical "art
world" financial strategy, listing each machine for sale at a
cool $t million. Stories of the "Million Dollar Motorcycles"
circulated widely, with much controversy in the motorcycle
press, as proponents of other Custom builders vied for
"Whose is worth more," and other motorcyclists debated
the merits of un-rideable machines, and the role of Art in
the world of Motorcycles.
Motorcycles have long held and uneasy relationship
with the fine art establishment, and while many artists have
been enthusiastic motorcyclists, and even included bikes
as their subject matte[ no motoartist has broken an invis-
ible barrier between the worlds of Design, Fine Art, and Folk
Art. The overlap of these categories has long been clear to
art-minded bikers, and it was the fundamental reasoning
behind the Art of the Motorcycle exhibit at the Guggenheim
Museum in 1998, which was, and remains, fiercely contro-
versial among the defenders of the fine arts, who would
prefer to keep examples of the applied arts (i.e., anything
aesthetic and functional) out of their museums!
Historian and art critic Robert Hughes, writing in Time
magazine (August 18, 1998) in defense of the Art of the Mo-
torcycle exhibit, only lamented that the Guggenheim show
did not include more cuStom motorcycles: 'n...everything in
[the show] is stock, so that it ignores the creative ingenu-
ity that has gone into making the custom bike one of the
Chicara Art lV distinctive forms of American folk art."
Two decades later, ambitious customizers like Chicara
Bike Name: Chicara Art 4 tTI Rebuild fork Foot Controls: Custom Nagata and lan Barry are pushing beyond the confines
Make: Chicara Motorcycles Bike Category/Gene: Vintage racer Rear Suspension/Shocks: Custom Electrics./lnstruments: Honda Moped of even Hughes' allowance of folk otr, and demand to be
Creator: Chicara Nagata Year of Rebuild:2O@8 rame Stock
recognized aS "artists, whose medium happens to be mo-
f
Frame Modifications: Custom 4 unit Tires/Wheels: Front wheel: rim: kint/Powder: Chromium plating
tTl Donor frame 2.OOx17", tire: Michelin 2.OO x17"; rear Other Modifications: Al I torcycles." Nagata's ultimate statement could certainly be
Manufacturer: Honda Bodywork: Custom wheel: rim: 2.25x17", tire: Michelin Approximate Work Hours: 3,5OO hours repeated by every artist since anonymous painters deco-
Model: Moped Motor: Honda Moped Motor 1966 Stock 2.25 x17" Edition: Unique
Brakes: Honda Moped Stock
rated the caves of Lascaux. "l would Iike to show my identity
Year of Build:1966 Exhaust: Custom
Front Suspension/Fork Custom rigid Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom and my existence to all the people through my art."
293
Chicara Art ll: The Art ll is the machine with which Na-
gata really hit his stride, a radical divergence from his first
machine, and perhaps every other motorcycle. With a1942
Harley-Davidson WLA 75O cc v-twin motor suspended in a
minimal, bicycle-like frame, the overall effect is like a chro-
mium gazelle pregnant with a bear cub. This machine, more
innovative than his Art I in so many ways, came second at
the AMD World Championship in 28@7. All references to the
lapanese school are absent, and Nagata stepped onto terra
incognita, rethinking the total structure of his artmachine:
the front suspension system is the same as the Art l, where
the front forks and the steering head together are attached
to the frame by pivoting links, with movement damped by a
small hydraulic shock absorber placed where the steering
head is typically found. Thus, the handlebars and controls
move up and down with the front wheel, while the rider's
body is cushioned by the shocks. Unusual, to say the least,
but visually stunning. The frame is the simplest of loops,
hugging the underside of the WLA motor and curuing to
raise and support the Triumph four-speed gearbox, where
a very simple and narrow-angle triangulated rear subframe
holds a pair of small "footboards," which pivot on one end
so one presses the "paddle" to shift gears. With the foot
controls nearly at the rear axle, and a pair of flat handlebars
a bounce with the front wheel, the riding position is "stylized
drag bike," while the rider sits atop a small leather bicycle
saddle, and kept from sliding into the rear wheel by an ex-
ceptionally minimal "rear fender."
while the Art ll is clearly a functional motorcycle, it is
equally clearly not designed with a rider's comfort or ex-
tended functionality in mind. The overal! aethetic effect is
entirely the point, and one Nagata makes with a vengeance.
Nagara is working with the 'idea of a motorcycle, reassem-
bling and resizing the essential ingredients, which add up
to a motorcycle to suit his vision. Perhaps more than any
other of his Art machines, the Art ll shows his dependence
on many hundreds of hours of 2D design work, finalizing a
perfected design before laying a finger on metal. 'Almost all
process-design, metal working, leather craft for the seat
etc.-l do all by myself. I do not have an expensive high-level
machine. I do shave, sheet metal, welding, and metalwork-
ing using a hand tool.'n
Chicara Art lll: The Art III of 209,8 is a natural follow-up
in his previous machine, similiar in structure-a clean loop
frame with Nagata's own conception of a front fork system-
to the Art ll, but incorporating a lapanse engine from 1gSO.
The Meguro 496 cc single-cylinder oHV engine is from one
of dozens of lapanese motorcycle factories that sprung up
ChicaraArt II
like mushrooms immediately after the Second World War;
Bike Name: Chicara Arl2 Year of Rebuild: 2@O7 Rear Suspension/Shocks: Customized; Paint/Powder: Chrom u m plati ng
Meguro was a successful and respected player in the Japa- Make: Chicara Motorcycles
i
Frame Modifications: Custom B unit original frame: Onlins Other Modifications: All
nese market, building large-capacity machines, and win- Creator: Chicara Nagata frame Tires/Wheels: Front wheel: rim MTR- Approximate Work Hours: 7,OAO hours
ning races frequently; it was absorbed by Kawasaki in 1963. Bodywork: Custom Cyle clincher 28 x 3", tire: Firestone Non- Edition: Unique
tIl Donor Motor: WLA mated to 1960 Triumph Skid All Black / 28x3"; rear wheel: rim
The engine is clearly inspired by the Ariel Red Hunter, Manufacturer: Ha rley-Davidson 4-speed; engine sprocket: Bob Newby MTR-Cyle clincher 28 x 3", tire: Firestone
although as with most Japanese machines of the 195Os it is Model: WLA Racing; trans sprocket: 1950 Triumph; NonSkid All Black / 28x3"
not a strict copy and incorporates many refinements over Year of Build: 1942 rear sprocket: Sportster Brakes: Harley-Davidson 1939 Stock
Exhaust: Custom Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom
the original. Nagata built the entire chassis, forks, tanks, tTI Rebuild Front Suspension/Fork: Custom ized ; Foot Controls: Custom
and controls himself; overall more than 5OO individual parts, Bike Category/Gene: Vintage racer rigid fork: Ohlins Electrics/lnstruments: Morris Mag neto
294
crafted by hand by a single man, in a 6,OOO-hour process.
The Art lll looks more conventiona! overall than the Art ll,
having a less radical arrangement of its elements, probably
dictated by its rather tall single-cylinder engine, although
the hand and foot controls are in typical positions, and the
machine looks completely rideable. The essential fuel and
oil tanks are strategically tucked into the frame in positions
that dictate atypical shapes for what are traditionally essen-
tial styling cues for a motorcycle's visual identity-for what
is, for example, a Triumph Bonneville without its shapely
fuel and oil tanks? Nagata constrains these elements to
interlocking metal packages, with raised surface details
that create a mysterious sort of branding, as if the Art lll was
not built by a motorcycle factory at all, but is intended for
an entirely different purpose, such as a low-orbit satellite.
We are given clues but no explanation of Nagatans visual
language, and are left to work out for ourselves the meaning
and intention of the machine before us.
The Chicara Art lV: Perhaps the most radical Ghicara
Art motorcycle yet, the Art lv-Moped Racer-KF Special is
indeed a moped, albeit one conceived in an entirely novel
mannen Using a 1966 Honda 5O cc rear-wheel attachment,
this machine definitely represents the most lavish expendi-
ture of design energy and fabrication time to a nominally 1.5
hp motorcycle. Built in2OO&, the 78 kg machine took 3,50e
hours to build, and Nagata has imagined the chassis as a
fascinatingly futuristic and novel bicycle, with full suspen-
sion front and back, using levers and cantilevers from front
and rear forks to an opposing pair of hydraulic shocks. A
complicated system, but the effect is strikingly futuristic,
almost alien-the stacked sets of springs looking much like
ribs on the body of a stretched-out chrome creature.
The Art lV is perhaps the most elaborate moped on the
planet, the bicycle chassis unlike any other, with leading link
forks and a complete pivoting rear subframe, that houses
the engine-in-a wheel, plus the fuel cell and battery for the
coil ignition, in a complete and compact unit. One expects,
with a large open carb and curvaceous exhaust ending in
an organic megaphone, the little 5O cc engine produces
significanlty more than the 1.5 hp of its original rating. While
the mechanical solutions fascinate the ByG, it is the riding
position that tells the real story; with a high saddle emulat-
ing the raised rump of an animal with its head down, ready
to run or pounce, anyone attempting to ride such a beast
would find it definitely undomesticated, and certainly not
subservient to a human. This is a machine that exists for
itself alone, an independent being. With the Art lV Chicara
Chicara Art lll Nagata's imagination was freed from the normal design
constraints of engine/prim ary case/gearbox, which form a
Bike Name: Chicara Art 3 Year of Rebuild:2O@8 frame Other Modifications: All
Tires/Wheels: Front wheel: rim: MTR- Approximate Work Hours: 6,040 hours
recognizable belly to any motorcycle built after 1901, when
Make: Chicara Motorcycle Frame Modifications: Custom 4 unit
Creator: Chicara Nagata frame Cycle clincher 28x3", tire: Coker Classic Edition: Unique Werner patented the right position of these elements. With
Bodywork: Custom All Black Rib/28 x3"; rear wheel: rim: an engine in the rear wheel, Nagata was free to answer the
fDl Donor Motor: Meguro Racing with BSA/JP MTR-cycle clincher 28x3", tire: Coker
pistons; Honda oil pump;'1950 Triumph Classic All Black Rib/28 x 3"
fundamental questions of a bicycle: How to connect front
Manulacturer: Meguro
Model: Racing Motor gearbox Brakes: Kawasaki and rear wheels? How to provide suspension to a rider?
Year of Build: 1950 Exhaust: Custom Hand Gontrols/Handlebars: Custom Where will the rider sit? His answers to these questions
Front Suspension/Fork Custom ized ; Foot Controls: Custom
Electrics/lnstruments: Morris Magneto
accumulate to one of the most radical, uncompromising
tTt Rebuild rigid fork: Ohlins
Bike Category/Gene: Vintage racer Rear Suspension/Shocks: Custom rigid PainVPowder: Chromium plating motorcycles ever built. (PdO)
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298
M ff : :J; :T :: Ii-"Jil: H T:}'I;J'.: : ffi 1"3,,
variations on a theme-with a signature style recognizable "
by those in the know.
David Borras, howevef takes precisely the opposite
approach. He's the driving force behind EI Solitario, one of
Europe's most controversial workshops. And if you can cor-
rectly identify one of his bikes, it'll be because you've never
seen anything like it before.
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299
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Baula
Baula is the Spanish name for a leatherback turtle, the huge prehistoric sea ally better on land than in water though. Baula started life as a 1969 R75/5, and curved race seat, deeply skirted front fende[ and tinted windscreen. The engine
creature that inspired the build. The bike of this name was commissioned by one its final form was inspired by the 1939 TT-winning BMW Rennsport and the art was rebuilt, in standard trim, and fitted with Velocette Thruxton fishtail pipes.
of David El Solitario's friends, with whom he tells to have hidden, drunk, in the deco Henderson scooter. The metalwork is entirely new and hand-made. The The electrics are all new, with a Silent Hektik coil and an electronic ignition sys-
grass of a Costa Rican beach as leatherbacks dragged their bulk up the sandy fairing, molded around twin Bates headlights, sports a pair of brown Lexan poly- tem at the heart of it. A featherweight AntiGravity lithium battery provides juice,
to lay eggs in former years. Squint and you can see the resemblance: the stuck- carbonate resin windows. At the back, custom-made racks house vintage Buco and the instruments are from Motogadget. Handmade bars are finished with
out-in-the-breeze cylinder heads are Baula's flippers. This behemoth is margin- panniers. El Solitario fitted a huge Hoske touring tank, and made the subframe, leather grips and Royal Enfield bar-end levers finish Baula's look.
Bike Name: Baula tUl Rebuild custom leather single seat with license Rear Suspension/Shocks: Rear shocks levers; leather grips; custom steering tank and panniers painted
Make: El Solitario Bike Category/Gene: Sports Tourer plate holder; custom pannier racks 28O mm damper Other Modifications: Vintage Buco
Year of Rebuild:2012 Motor: Ground up motor rebuild and Tires/Wheels: Excel Takasago identical Foot Controls: Custom rear-sets Panniers
Frame Modifications: Custom sub- Bing carburetors; electronic ignition; 'lB" black rims with stainless spokes with Electrics/lnstru ments: Al I el ectrics Approximate Work Hours: 5OO hours
tT,I Donor frame, nickel-plated Silent Hektik coil and regulator 4.5O Firestone rubber reworked; AntiGravity lithium battery; Edition: Unique
Manufacturer: BMW Bodywork: Custom alloy front fender; Exhaust: Velocette Thruxton pipes Brakes: Stock Motogadget speedo and custom
Model: R75/5 custom alloy fairing with brown Lexan Front Suspension/Fork: Front forks Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom switches; Twin Bates headlights
Year of Build:1969 windows; Hoske vintage gas tank; shortened and lowered handlebars; Royal Enfield inverted brake Paint/Powder: Motor powder-coated;
300
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.tl
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/r'
R75/5 that looks like a refugee from the set of a Fritz l-ang
movie. Trimotoro, David's personal favorite, is a remarkably
sculptural Moto Guzzt V65. And then there's Gonzo-a statu-
esque BMW R45 ridden by David's equally statuesque wife
and business partner, the fashion designer Valeria Libano.
David and Valeria both come from families that have a
long and deep love for good machinery. But back in the day,
it was high-end cars that rocked David's world-not motor-
cycles. "When I made my own money, I had the opportunity
to try many of my dream cars," says David. "Then I realized
you need an insane amount of cash to take full advantage of
them." So David switched to bikes, and the love affair started.
Freedom is a big part of that love. "Motorcycles are one
302
decided to quit the city and their high-flying jobs. "l believe
that a man's life is his work," says David, "and it was time
we started something that we were 1Og percent passionate
about. And that's what we have pursued ever since." They
sold all the unnecessary luxuries theyU accumulated, got
married, and moved back to Spain to start El Solitario.
Today, David and Valeria live in the Rias Baixas area of
rural Galicia. (All El Solitario motorcycles have a nameplate
with "Rias Baixas" proudly stamped on it.) Their house
is large enough to accommodate an extended family of
friends and conspirators, and a garage full of motorcycles-
including David's personal ride, a 1958 Harley-Davidson Duo
Glide. lt's a far cry from city !ife, and a big financial chatrg€,
too. "Since day one we've known that there's no money in
bikes. But we wanted to leave our mark in this small world,"
says David. "We're reinterpreting and creating the things we
303 El Solitario
'
l*.
1.7
---'
-.1*
The Winning Loser
Small-capacity machines like the Yamaha SR25O are the staple of the slick and his crew worked over 500 hours, initially thinking of the bike as an exercise, and Smiths tachometer are vintage finds, the rear light is from an old Bultaco.
Japanese Brat Style custom scene. Comparatively few workshops in the West a design study, a motorcycle not meant to be ridden. They dropped the front Paint was provided by the Spanish artist Raulowsky and the Londoner Nicolai
rebuild them, and certainly not to the radical extent El Solitario did for their Win- end of the high-riding stock SR25O by 4 inches, lowered the rear end by turn- Sclater, aka Ornamental Conifer. Despite the limited fuel capacity of 3-liters, the
ning Loser. The first motorcycle they built from scratch, it still has pride of place ing metric wrenches into struts, and dressed vintage bicycle handlebars with little Yamaha 250 gets ridden regularly now, and her makers assure us that she
in David Borras' Galician garage. Executed in 2O1A to perform in the f irst edi- Wilson perforated leather grips. Custom fabricated parts include the stainless- performs gloriously.
tion of the Metamorfosis Masiva, a Spanish garage builders' contest, it had to steel fuel tank-fitted with a brass petcock and cap-plus the exhaust system
follow two rules: to transform a Yamaha SR250 and to spend less than € 1,0OO and a S0-tooth rear sprocket. There's no battery, with juice coming from a 68k
in parts. There was no limit on the amount of time to spend fabricating. Borras uF capacitor, and the kickstart is from a '1983 Yamaha XT25O. The headlight
Bike Name: The Winning Loser fUI Rebuild caps Tires/Wheels: 19" Avon Speedmaster and Chopper Dave cast alloy "cheat Approximate Work Hours: 5OO hours
Make: El Solitario Bike Category/Gene: Rat racer Motor: 1983 Yamaha XT25g kickstarter front tire; 16" Firestone Deluxe rear tire death" pegs Edition: Unique
Year of Rebuild:2@1O installed in order to simplify the layout Brakes: Stock Electrics/l nstru ments: S m iths Ta-
Frame Modifications: Frame was short- Exhaust: Custom exhaust pipe Hand Controls/Handlebars: Vintage chometer
tTI Donor ened and shaved Front Suspension/Fork: Front end bicycle handlebars on vintage flanders kint/Powder: Cowl insignias painted by
Manufacturer: Yamaha Bodywork: Custom iron seat; custom lowered by 4" risers are positioned upside down; Amal Raulowsky and Ornamental Conifer
Mode!: SR250 stainless license plate holder; custom Rear Suspension/Shocks: Metric box Throttle; Tommaselli levers Other Modifications: Battery removed;
Year of Build:'1985 2.5 gallon stainless fuel tanks with brass wrenches used as struts to lower rear Foot Controls: Rear-set foot controls 68,0OO microfarads capacitor for sparks
305 El Solitario
Trimotoro
velocity stacks. The exhaust is a modified vintage BMW system, and the elec- from Magura, with the levers and throttle coming from Kustom Tech. Dunlop
This Moto Guzzi V65, nicknamed Trimotoro, is the closest thing El Solitario has
trics were given a solid jolt with an AntiGravity lithium-ion battery, Ducati Corse K81 tires ride on aluminum Akront 3.5xl8-inch rims. According to its makers,
to a "shop bike." lt has been a long time in the making-around BOO hours, the
coils and a Silent Hektik regulator. The V65's forks have been lowered a little the bike started out as their biggest nightmare as they had to rework almost
builders calculate. Although they note that much of that time has involved rid-
(in VSO Monza triples) and Marzocchi shocks are fitted at the back, which also every part more than a couple of times, but turned out to become the house's
ing, fettling, and just plain enjoying the bike, El Solitario gave the Guzzi a com-
sports a Monza swingarm. The Nappa leather seat is strapped on with leather favorite motorcycle.
plete mechanical overhaul and rewire, and blueprinted the 650 cc air-cooled
motor. New Dell'Orto PHBH 30 mm carbs were f itted, and now breathe through belts. The grips are handmade from Shellac, the clip-ons solid aluminum items
t+l Rebuild Motor: Blueprinted Akront alloy rims regulator; AntiGravity lithium battery
Bike Name: Trimotoro
Exhaust: Straight pipes with BMW R50 Brakes: Stock Paint/Powder: Bare metal
Make: EI Solitario Bike Category/Gene: Cafe racer
mufflers Hand Controls/Handlebars: Kustom Other Modifications: Custom NaPPa
Year of Rebuild:2012
Front Suspension/Fork Lowered with Tech levers on Magura solid alloY leather seat tied with vintage leather
tTl Donor Frame Modifications: Frame stretched
new internals clip-ons straps
Manufacturer: Moto Guzzi and shaved; Monza triple trees and
Rear Suspension/Shocks: M arzocchi Foot Controls: Custom Approximate Work Hours: BOO hours
Model: V65 swingarm
Bodywork: Custom alloy fuel tank; seat; gas Electrics/l nstru ments: M otog ad get Edition: Unique
Year of Build: 1985
oil pan; and brackets Tires/Wheels: 2x Dunlop 3.5Ox18" on Chronoclassic; Silent Hektik coils and
307 El Solitario
Chupito
Chupito is based on a 1977 Ducati Road 350, a nimble single marketed un- Borras was briefed to build a small bike for the busy streets of Madrid. The The frame is modified to take the suede solo seat and pillion pad, and the
der the Ducati name but built by the short-lived Spanish company MotoTrans. Ducati was stripped down and extensively powder coated, from the frame to scrambler bars are topped off with lovely retro grips made by Posh of Japan. A
"Chupito was commissioned by one of our best friends," says Borras. "He is the rims. A rewire came next, followed by a new electronic ignition system and modif ied tank and custom f ront fender complete the rook.
a 3D artist and great tequila drinker. Hence the name, which means 'shot' in a new Amal 930 carb. A custom stainless-steel exhaust was built, along with a
Spanish." reinforced clutch to handle the extra power.
Bike Name: Chupito tTl Rebuild Motor: Ground up motor rebuild with Brakes: Rebuilt headlight and vintage Lucas rear light
Make: El Solitario Bike Category/Gene: Street tracker Amal 930 carburetor Hand Controls/Handlebars: Scrambler Paint/Powder: White powder-coated
Year of Rebuild:2012 Exhaust: Custom stai nless handlebar lowered and Virgin rubber frame and stock black paint on tank with
fTl Donor Frame Modifications: Shortened and Front Suspension/Fork: Lowered grips hand lettering by Ornamental Conifer
Manufacturer: Ducati shaved Rear Suspension/Shocks: RedWing Foot Controls:1980s Suzuki RM iron Other Modifications: Custom cowhide
Model: Road 350 Bodywork: Gas tank repositioned; shocks pegs leather seat and pillion pad
Year of Build: 1977 custom brackets and seat pan; Honda Tires/Wheels: Front: Fi restone Electrics/lnstruments: Electron c i Approximate Work Hours: 2OO hours
CB front fender used as rear 3.30 x 18"; rear: Firestone 4.00 x 18" ignition: battery ellminated; front unity Edition: Unique
308
El Solitario bikes are created by a tight-knit team of
three: David, a mechanic, and a master metalworken The
.r- a '*fl I+t
,t"
|L
from nose to tail. lt's also likely to It's a radically original approach to construction, and
news of El Solitario's work has spread far and wide. Origi-
be an unexpected mix of styles nally the darlings of the internet, they've now been covered
and components, with two or in the more conservative motorcycle print media, with
features in Cycle World in the United States and Moto Navi
even three headlights, and hand- in Japan,
lettered graphics from the likes Opinions are inevitably polarized. For every person who
loves the bikes, there is another who is vocal in their dis-
of artists such as Ornamental like. But there's one aspect no one can doubt: David Borras
Conifer or Corpses from Hell. and his crew have made a huge impact in a very short
time, (CH)
You can also expect odd touches such as an outboard
fuel tank where you might expect to find a pannier (Petardo),
or old-school fishtail pipes (Trirnotoro).
a>
l1
309 El Solitario
Ellaspede a combination custom shop, repair facility, accessories outlet, clothing store,
and coffee shop.
Not your usual choice for customization, but Ellaspede was up for the chal-
lenge. First task was to fill in the empty space between the seat and the handle-
Among a growing list of custom builds is this unlikely device, a modif ied 1998 bars with a conventional fuel tank. A bobbed rear fender-actually a continua-
Honda CT11O Postie Honda CT11O, purchased after years of delivering mail for the Australian postal tion of the pressed-steel frame-plus a set of alloy rims, two-tone gray paint,
service, hence its "Postie" nickname. Starting in 1966 with the CT9O and con- and about 1OO hours of labor late[ the Postie was pronounced done. (DEl
It didn't look like much of a business plan when industrial designers Steve tinuing to this day with the 11O, Honda has produced about a zillion of these
Barry and Leo Yip chucked perfectly good jobs to open their own little bike thrifty step-throughs, a favorite of hunters, prospectors, and, of course, rural
shop in Brisbane's West End, Australia. Three years later Ellaspede is thriving, mail carriers.
Bike Name: Honda CTl1A Postie [TJ Rebuild Exhaust: Custom from an XR6OO Hand Controls/Handlebars: The han- Parts: Posh taillight Edition: Unique
Make: Ellaspede Bike Category/Gene: Street special header pipe and a semi-baffled muffler dle-bars are from a girls town bicycle; Other Modifications: A bottom mount Retail price: AU$ZOOO
Year of Rebuild:.2A11 Front Suspension/Fork: Refurbished grips are Posh items Bates-style headlight was mounted to
Frame Modifications: Frame stripped; original Foot Controls: Standard the lower tree and the original speedo
fII Donor the rear guard shortened Rear Suspension/Shocks: Refurbished Electrics/lnstruments: The origi nal was cleaned and mounted lower; Posh
Manufacturer: Honda Bodywork: Frame brace fabricated for original gauge was lowered and switch blocks taillight and (unknown) indicators are
Model: CT1lO the donor fuel tank; relocated ignition Tires/Wheels: Rims are aluminum 1B were refurbished and polished used; toolbox from a C8350 fills the
Year of Build: 1998 key and new seat x 1.6" and 17 x 2J5", re-laced onto the Paint/Powder: Undercoat gray and me- space where the original airbox used
Motor: Motor rebuilt, painted and original drum braked hubs dium gray with a clear overcoat; some to be
pol ished; carbu retor rejetted Brakes: Standard rebuild red hints match the seat piping Approximate Work Hours:-lOO hours
310
A customer brought the rough roller into the shop for a complete makeover. freshening but it already had some tasty components, namely a Routt 758 cc
Atom Bomb Motorcycles "The goal was to create the ultimate Triumph street-tracke[" says company
boss Clay Rathburn. "Every component was hand-built or highly modified to
big-bore kit, Harmon cams, steel H-beam connecting rods, a lightened-and-
balanced crankshaft, and a five-speed conversion.
*lt was a full-tilt race motot,"
Bike Name: Trackmaster tUI Rebuitd from Buell M2 Foot Controls: Custom
Make: Atom Bomb Motorcycles Bike Category/Gene: Street tracker Rear Suspension/Shocks: Custom PainUPowder: Lettering by Sonny Nay-
Greator: Clay Rathburn Year of Rebuild:2812 shocks by Works Performance lor; plating by Hanlon Plating
Frame Modifications: Trackmaster Tires/Wheels: Custom hubs with Excel Approximate Work Hours: 5OO hours
IUI Donor frame is unmodified rims; Goodyea r DT?tires Edition: Unique
Manufacturer: Tri u m ph/Trackmaster Bodywork Custom fabricated aluminum Brakes: Front brake: Ducati, Triumph; Retail price: $2'1,000
Model: Triumph Bonneville 1967 engine Motor: Triumph-Bonneville rear brake: Ducati, Wilwood
Exhaust: Custom fabricated stainless- Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom
steel bars by Atom Bomb, hand controls from
Front Suspension/Fork: Showa fork vintage dirt bike
311
Deus Ex Machina A good example is Le Gicleur Noir; French for The Black Jet, though in this
case the title refers not to aviation but to the all-important nozzle found in
to make it "see-through." This was accomplished by eliminating the stock air-
box and fitting the twin carbs with classic pancake-style air cleaners. Then the
espresso machines-fitting, as Deus shops also have coffee bars on premises. battery was relocated to a position belowthe swingarm pivot and the rest of the
Le Gicleur Noir Foreign nickname aside, it's a 2OAB Kawasaki W650 stripped down to its base electrics were re-routed. The whole bike was lowered with shorter fork springs
components then built back as an all-black bob-job that wouldn't look out of and custom lkon shocks.
When you're one of the leading lights in a f ield, you get to coin your own terminolo- place in 1950s America with Marlon Brando aboard. "Low and with elegant A bobber requires minimalistic bodywork, so up on the shelf went the Ka-
gy. So whenthe prolific bike-builders at Deus Ex Machina started bobbing swing- menace," is how Deus describes the build. wasaki's stock gas tank and fenders. The former was replaced with a smaller
arm-equipped models, it made sense to call the finished products "Swingbobs." A key element of that look was to open up the middle of the frame, in essence Yamaha SR5O0 tank, while the latter got the heave-ho in favor of short, nar-
row steel blades that meet the legal definition of fenders, but only just. When
it came time for paint, like Henry Ford's original Tin Lizzy, any color was on the
Bike Name: Le Gicleur Noir Year of Rebuild:2A12 into a Foran reverse cone muffler; black Hand Controls/Handlebars: Custom table as long as it was black. ln this case, triple black, as Le Gicleur's various
Make: Deus Ex Machina Frame Modifications: Complete strip of ceramic coating clip-on bars components were either painted or powder-coated in gloss, satin, or matte
the chassis.;fabrication for seat, tank, Front Suspension/Fork Lowered with Foot Controls: Standard black. That includes the ceramlc-coated 2-1 exhaust system, more 197Os than
tUI Donor exhaust, and battery box progressive springs Electrics/lnstruments: Custom elec- 195Os, true, but it works here.
Manufacturer: Kawasa ki Bodywork: Custom fit of Yamaha SR4AO Rear Suspension/Shocks: lkon custom tronic speedo Authentic period touches include the Coker diamond tread pattern tires,
Model: W65O tank; custom fenders, mirrors, Nitro- units FainUPowder: Custom paint and powder cloth-covered sparkplug leads and a final bit of "Noirness," the winged-skull
Year of Build: 2OOB Heads seat TiresAftlheels: Standard hubs laced with coat throughout logo painted on the gas tank. (DE)
Motor: Standard airbox eliminator; bat- stainless spokes; powder-coated rims Approximate Work Hours: 2-3 months
tTl Rebuild tery relocation and hubs Edition: Unique
Bike Category/Gene: Swingbob Exhaust Custom 2-'l header leading Brakes: Braided line
312
q
313
lndqof
Bullders,
ompanles,
and
Photographers
316
Champions Moto pp. 158 -159 DP Gustoms
Canada Moon Rocket United States
www.cham oionsmoto.com Photography: Mike Chase, vnnrw.d o cu sto m cyc I es,co m
www. m i kechasephoto.com
p.75 p. 65
Brighton Beach Cruiser
pp.142-145 Cafe Racer Dreams pp. 19O -191 pp. 146 -147
5OO Triumph Spain CMIBS-Tiny Moto Custom-Wolf The Mouse Trap
Photography: Dirk Behlau, www.caf erdcerd rea ms.co m.es Germany
unryw.pixeleye.de pp. 185 - 186 www.custom-wolf.de pp.Z 18-19
pp. 88 - 89 XS65O-Yamazuki Ihe Sacred Cow
CRD #1 Bold'Or pp.282-283
Photography: Kristina Fender, pp. 8, 187-189 Laverau All images: Courtesy of Deus Ex Ehinger Kraftrad
Atom Bomb Motorcycles www. meka n ka6.blogspot.de
i X1/920-Original Photography: Frank Sander, Machina Germany
United States Thundermedia www.eh n gerkraftrad.co m
i
317 A-E
pp. 346 -3O7 ICON Motosports pp. 28,31 Mule Motorcycles
Trimotoro United States La Corona OO3 Canada
www.rideicon.com www. m u lemotorcycles. net
All images: Kristina Fender, All images: Felix Romero
www. meka n i ka6. bl oo spot.de pp. 198 -199 p. 56
Dromedarii Web Surfer Two
Photography: ICON Motosports Photography: David Edwards
Ellaspede p.2@1
Australia Low Down & Shiffi
www.ellaspede.com Photography: Mike Leven
p.319 p.2aA
Honda CnlO Postie Speed Cretin
Photography: Ellaspede Photography: ICON Motosports
318
Skuddesign Urban Motor pp. 138 -13e
Renard Motorcycles
France Germany Club Black #3
Estonia
wrlw.skuddesign.fr www.urban-motor.de Photography: Courtesy of
www. ren a rd motorcyc es.comI
Wrenchmonkees
pp. 289 -281 pp.8, 9,124-127 pp.Z 48-49
W65O Homemade Scra mbler Earl Grey pp. 133 -134
Renard Ferus
Photography: Gdtz G6ppert Photography: Stephan H. Schneider Monkee #11, Gorilla Punch
Photography: .larek JOepera (p. 284)
Photography: Courtesy of
Kalle Veesaar (p. 281)
Wrenchmonkees
m Wrenchmonkees
www. proBu ls ion la b.co
pp. 285 -287
The CP Project pp. 13O,133,136
pp. 8, 194-195
Sam Christmas Photography Photography: Benoit Guerry The Factory MetalWorks Workshop and crew pictures
Revelation
United Kingdom Studio ZE United States Photography: Tuala,
Photography: Cameron Brewer
k wwwl hef acto rym eta lwo rks.co m rnnnrw.tuala.com
www.sa mch ri stmas.co. u
pp.284,288-291
pp. 314- 315 The lmpossib/e Proiect pp. 152 -153
Roland Sands Design Lifestyle series Photography: Benoit Guerry "MQQN" Machine
United States Guerry & Prat lmages Photography: Fran Kuhn
www.rolandsands.com pp.212-2I9
N atu ral H abitats series
pp.276-279 Walt Siegl Motorcycles
BMW Concept Ninety Speed Shop Design Thrive Motorcycle United States
Photography: Courtesy of BMW Christopher Flechtner lndonesia www.waltsiegl.com
SE Service United States www.th rivemotorcycle.com
Stellan Egeland www.speeds opdesi g n. b log spot.de p. 45
pp.27@ -275 h
319 E-W
The Ride
New Custom Motorcycles and Their Builders Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibtiothek.
The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche
Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data are available online at
Edited by Chris Hunter (BikeEXlH and Robert Klanten (Gestalten) http://dnb.d-nb.de.
lntroduction and builder profiles by Chris Hunter (GH), None of the content in this book was published in exchange for payment by
builder and bike profiles and bike glossary by lraul d'Orl6ans (pdO), commercial parties or designers; Gestalten selected all included work based
bike profiles by David Edwards (DEl and Gary lnman (GI) solely on its artistic merit.
This book was conceived, co-edited, and designed by Gestalten in Berlin. This book was printed on paper certified by the FSC@.
il:::-"?ffir-.*ror.mmrch,pri6zhaus.n 6SJit+.=fS
Publbhed by edelten, Bedln 2Sl3
ISBN 9U-3-a9955-491-5 , Spociatrh.nks
@ Dis G$talt.n \rerleg cmbH & Co. KG, B€rlin 2Ol3
All rishts Es.rued.I{o partorlhls publlcation may b. reprcducsd FOf thg bUildefS WhO have lgsulfected
or tranamlttod ln eny torm or !y arry m€enq electronlc oi mochanicat,
incrudrns photocopyor.rrystoras.and r€rrreysrry3tem, wirhout thg soul in thg machine.
p€rml3alon ln fiiting lrom th€ publlshor.
Respect copyrtshts, encourase c|Eafiv,Ad And for Kathyt Alex, Maddy, and Tom.
There'll alwayS be Space On the pillion
mdesar€ry! for you.
For mo|E lnfomatlon, ple53e ylslt www.gestaltanaofir. Chds Hunler
320