Custom Builds From Bikebrewers

[DaveM]

Rothmans inspired Honda CB 750 Café Racer by JeremMotorcycles

When I was 18 years old, many many years ago, I saw a Honda CB350F outside a club in Amsterdam. It looked dirty, had chrome wire spoked wheels, a little café racer seat, clubman style handle bar, no mirrors or indicators, no fenders, and a single gauge which was the tachometer. Oh, and a beautiful 4-1 Marshall exhaust system. I remember the guy who owned it, walking out of the club with his leather jacket. He put the key in the ignition, got on the foot pegs, and with one firm kick he started the little Honda up. Some smoke and noise caused a dramatic effect. When he took off, the Honda sputtered, but as he accelerated, the howl the bike made was magnificent! This was my first encounter that I remember, with a café racer. It is safe to say that for this reason, Honda café racers hold a special place in my heart.

Lately we have been seeing a trend in the café racer scene. More and more builders are starting to look at the venerable Honda CB 750 to use as a base bike. We think that this could be the revival of the Honda café racers and we are digging it! Don’t get me wrong, we love seeing Triumphs, BMW’s and Moto Guzzi’s being chopped and rebuilt into tasty café racers and scramblers. But there is something about the shape and style of a JDM inline-four that catches our interest. After all, they did deliver super-bike performance for moped prices back in the day.

You may remember the name Jeremy Duchampt from some time ago. The Frenchman is responsible for two Ducati’s and a Yamaha TR-1 that we featured here on BikeBrewers not so long ago. When we received a message from the main man behind Jerem Motorcycles that he had built a Honda CB 750 Rothmans café racer, we got warm and fuzzy feelings in our bellies; we knew it had to be good! Oh boy were we in for a treat. This Honda is so elegant, the proportions are so well-balanced, it looks like the CB is doing 100 mph at stand still!

The foundation of this project is a Honda CB 750 F2, as it is officially called. A model which was produced by Honda from 1992 all the way up to 2007(!). Honda’s R&D department must have been very pleased with this, no doubt. On paper, the CB 750 produced around 75 hp and 65 Nm of torque, with a claimed weight of around 210 kg. No mind boggling specs, but there is more to it. The Seven Fifty stands out in it’s a simplicity, reliability, and overall reputation of being bulletproof.

What Jeremy did to this bike is extraordinary. The list of modifications is long, so here’s a brief summary.

• Custom front fender
• Modified subframe
• Custom café racer leather and Alcantara seat with stitching (Irina: Point saddler 34)
• Custom made cowl with integrated LED taillight (FFPro Design)
• LED bar-end indicators
• Bar-end mirrors
• LED vintage-style, round yellow headlight with custom brackets
• Keyless ignition (KAIROS RFID)
• Vintage speedo (FIVEACES)
• Laser-cut top triple clamp yoke (USVracing)
• Clip-ons with brown handlebar grips
• BREMBO brake master cylinder and levers
• Powder coated rims
• Modified rear shock absorber
• Air box removed to with DNA pod filters
• Blacked out engine, frame and swingarm
• Custom 4-in-1 exhaust
• Carb tuning
• Custom painting Rothmans Style (FFPro Design)

The way this café racer turned out is mesmerising. Growing up in the 1980s and 1990s, cigarette companies often sponsored race teams, one of which was Honda. Who remembers the NSR250, NSR500 or RC30? This Rothmans inspired design brings back memories of those days, where small displacement, high revving engines dominated the tracks and the streets. It’s not a secret that we would love to get our hands on this Honda. For now, we have to do with the pictures.

Builder details:
Jerem Motorcycles
Instagram
Facebook

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[DaveM]

Pando Moto – Boss Dyn 01 jeans review

Dressed to stay alive
We all have our preferences when it comes to dressing up for a ride. What you wear depends on a variety of parameters dictating the outcome.
‘Full on’ motorcycle gear will serve the best protection against weather conditions and when gravitational forces cause you to involuntarily part from your bike and you end up kissing the surface. However, when you manage to wheel to your destination in an upright position this gear if far from stylish.

It is designed to fit well on a motorcycle, but walking around in it is often far from pleasant and you will look like your tailor has lost his eyesight overnight.

Fortunately there are a number of brands that have managed to find solutions to produce gear that looks under all circumstances. The origin of denim, a very strong cotton called ‘Serge de Nîmes’, as we know it today dates, back to the late Middle Ages and it was Levi Straus in the late 19th century who came up with the idea of the jeans as we know them today.
However strong the cotton threads may be, they will not protect you a lot when you are sliding across the tarmac.

Testing, testing 1, 2, 3
About two years ago I put the Pando Moto Steel Black 02 to the test and decided to slide on my behind for about 20 meters. I was amazed how little damage was done. Yes my ego was bruised badly after this first fall in over 30 years, but the jeans had nearly no physical damage. No tears, no holes, just a little bit of cloth scraped off the top where my hip contacted the road surface.

It can’t be a surprise I was instantly enthusiastic when the boys and girls from the Lithuanian-based factory sent us another batch of clothing to review. No, I have no intention to opt for another slider, but wearing the jeans to share feedback on design, comfort and durability.

Like a Boss
Opening the box I found a BOSS DYN-01 in my size (32-32). It is a greyish black colour, which is the only colour they come in. To be honest, I am more a fan of the (very) deep black colour of the ‘Steel Black’, but after washing it a couple of times that had faded a bit too.

This is how Pando Moto describe this item on their website: “Extremely durable 12 oz super-stretch CORDURA® denim combined with COOLMAX® technology ensures full comfort and maximal protection to give you total peace of mind on the road. In addition, the protective knit UHMWPE lining provides optimal safety in high-risk impact areas. European style meets precise design in the Boss-Dyn 01; featuring a smooth design with no external stitches on the front, these slim-fit jeans have very discrete embroidery and two-position knee armor pockets. CE officially approved PPE under EN 17092, level AAA (92 meters slide distance) safety means unparalleled protection throughout.”

I read a challenge here, obviously my 20 meters of sliding only qualify as ‘amateur status’.

In real life
Having worn the jeans for two months during the winter period I can only say I am a fan.
On days I was not riding my bikes, I just took out the knee and hip protection (they are fitted out with both) and wore them as regular jeans. There are pockets on the inside of the pants that make it very easy to take the protection out and put them back in again.

The jeans are extremely comfortable to wear all day, not in the least thanks to the elastane which is woven into the cloth and provides stretch.
When you switch back to regular jeans again the difference in thickness of the material is apparent. A clear sign of the protection the Pando Moto jeans offer.

There’s a sewn in mesh front and the full protective layer in the back. Funny fact; when you put the pants on a cold winter morning, you get a ‘steely’ cold sensation on your behind caused by the protective layer. It warms up quickly though but the first thought is that the seat of the pants are wet. Considering the thickness of the material, I am curious how it will hold up on a hot summer day.

Verdict
Motorcycle jeans are coming of age. There are a number of manufacturers that produce the style I like and Pando Moto is top tier as far as my personal taste is concerned. They fit very well, the sizing is excellent for my (slender) type of legs.

With the knee protection in, the space in that area tends to be a bit on the tight side, especially when riding in a sportier position with your knees high up. I am not sure how that would work out with riders who have real muscular legs.
My advice, try them out sitting in the position you will be riding in most and decide if this (slim fit) model is the right one for you.

Manufacturer’s details:

Slim fit. Middle waist.
13 oz single layer super-stretch Armalith® (15 times stronger than steel).
It has high heat conductivity, reflects the heat.
Fully CE approved – performance level AA (70 km/h abrasion resistance) in accordance with FprEN 17092.
SAS-TEC TripleFlex CE (EN1621-1:2012) approved knee armor INCLUDED.
SAS-TEC TripleFlex CE (EN1621-1:2012) approved hip armor – INCLUDED.
Reflective cuffs for safety ride.
Reinforced with chain stitches.
Unique hand-made ageing (washed down).
Embroidery in the front.
Made in Europe.

The post Pando Moto – Boss Dyn 01 jeans review appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.

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[DaveM]

Lost in space – Triumph Rocket 3 R road tested

Superlative
To top off three consecutive weeks of riding big (or should I say GIANT?) bikes I was offered the opportunity to test the 2021 Triumph Rocket 3R for a full seven days.
And what a week it turned out to be!

The prelude to this week was composed by the BMW Motorrad R18 Transcontinental and the Indian Roadmaster Heritage (post to be published). Both machines are fitted out with 1.800cc engines and pack an impressive amount of ‘oomph!’ in the torque department. The horse stable is quite overcrowded too.

I am happy to ride nearly any bike but there are those that give you extra pleasure. The BMW and the Indian are sort of similar bikes in spite of the totally different styles. I try to adopt myself and my riding style as much as I can to fit to the bike I am testing. On most occasions I managed to keep my inner demons and the hooligan safely locked away in the panniers of those bikes, but the Triumph is a naked bike without such storage options.

Do I like it?
When Triumph launched (pun intend) the Rocket back in 2004 the whole world thought the engineers had gone completely bonkers. How much fun these guys must have had when they were designing that machine though.

Truth be told, being a caféracer afficionado, I was never a big fan of the Rocket. I just did not see the point in creating such a monster cruiser with a rear tyre fatter than fitted on most cars and a stonking 2.3-litre engine between your thighs. As said those engineers must have created it to shock and surprise – and they managed to do just that. It was impressive and scary. Still leaving the happy few with a whopping grin as they summoned its ungodly torque.

3 times lucky
With all of the above in mind I was never really tempted to try this bike out. But with the new 2021 ‘3’ design, which is a major improvement in my view, the time was right to swing my leg over the seat and hit the launch button.
It’s an imposing € 30,000+ motorbike that comes in two editions – the R, and the more laid-back, long-distance GT. The latter comes with footpegs mounted forwards , a decent windscreen and a pillion backrest over the back wheel.

Powertrain
Both Rocket 3 ‘R’ and ‘GT’ trims share the same powertrain. Triumph are in a league of their own, fitting the largest production motorcycle engine in any motorcycle: 2500 cc’s over the previous 2300 cc’s.
While increasing the number of cc’s, the madmen at the Hinckley R&D department managed to shave off nearly 17 kg’s compared to the Rocket’s predecessors thanks to all-new aluminium frame. It weighs 291kg without any fluids. It’s still a substantial chunk of metal. The motorcycle now produces class-leading 167 hp at 6,000rpm (redlining at 7.000 rpm) and a mammoth 221Nm of torque at 4,000 rpm.

All this power goes through a six-speed helical gearbox with a ‘Torque Assist’ hydraulic clutch. The bike I rode was fitted with a quick-shifter, which is as an optional accessory. When called upon, the horses in the stable are led to the rear wheel using a longitudinal shaft drive to give the rider all the fun he (or she) is ready to handle.

Styling
Triumph gave the Rocket 3 the limited edition treatment with only 1000 examples of each of the R & GT variants globally. Upping the exclusivity game, each Black edition Triumph will receive a Certificate of Authenticity and a customizable motorcycle VIN for each bike.

Moreover, for an already incredible-looking motorcycle in the flesh, the attention to detail has been taken to the upper echelons, giving it an even more menacing appearance. Common between both variants is carbon fibre front mudguard, completely blacked out exhaust fenders, heat shields, end caps, and an exquisite crinkle back powder coating on the engine’s intake covers. Besides, Triumph further enhanced the bike with the front mudguard holders, headlight bezels, fly-screen, radiator cowl, and so on.

The list doesn’t stop there as Triumph’s designers gave a black anodized finish to the bike’s handlebar clamps, yokes, riders, fork lowers, brake and clutch pedals, rider footrests, heel guards, and the innovative folding pillion footrests

Triumph really attended to even the smallest of details and managed to put the icing on the cake with the black anodized paint job and a magnificent aluminium finish on the bar-end mirrors.
All the similarities aside, the main differences between the R & GT variants include a slightly sportier stance for R with the mid-positioned footpegs, wide handlebars, and a matte black livery with a blacked-out Triumph logos and a glossy white stripe running down the centre of the fuel tank.

For the riders who are more adult than me, the GT variant has more relaxed ergonomics for the rider & pillion with forward-set footpegs, an adjustable windshield, an easy-to-reach handlebar with heated grips. Passengers are cared for by mounting an adjustable backrest.

Furthermore, it gets a triple black paint scheme with ‘50 shades of black’ on the fuel tank to distinguish itself from the sporty sibling.

Ride baby! Ride!
I mentioned before this is an imposing bike. Definitely not fit for novice riders. Still, once you are on the seat, is less scary instantly. The seat is mounted low, and the weight is buried low in the chassis, so although it takes an effort to get it off the side stand, it feels nicely balanced. The engine fires up and wobbles the bike gently to the left-hand side

As I set off on my first flight on the Rocket, it immediately felt like home. It is a gentle giant when you treat it as such. It is an amazingly easy bike to ride. It really handles like a Street Triple. The engineers have done an incredibly good job there as well. Everything about it is impressive as you’d expect with this much torque, pulling away is simply a case of easing the clutch lever out. My brain told me to short-shift up into second gear before giving it the spurs, but my inner demon was hitting the adrenaline pump switch. It was not before long that my hooligan persona was the pillion passenger, whispering sweet nothings in my ear…

Fast, faster fastest
There are more than enough electronics aboard to make you feel confident enough to open the throttle once in second gear. That’s where the band starts playing! Before you realize the front wheel is no longer touching the tarmac and the 24cm-wide rear (240/50 R16!!) tire digs in for traction. As a result you launch yourself forward at warp speed. The fact that the Rocket pulls this mind-bending, vision-distorting trick from just 2,000rpm onwards, makes for an utterly hilarious ride. You just feel like you’re are on a drag strip constantly and you are just in it for the ride, hanging on for dear life.

It is hardly surprising the Rocket 3 has set a Guinness World Record of 2.73 seconds to 0-100 km/h.
Me being me, I got overly self-confident rapidly. While on a slightly wet highway, cruising at around 120/130 km/h, I shifted down and hit the throttle to overtake the car in front of me. Suddenly all warning lights on the dashboard flared up as the rear started twisting just before the minions in the traction control department decided to help me out.

WHOAA! That was an exciting moment. Yes, the torque is truly unbelievable. Never before did I experience such powers on a bike.

Who needs one?
I asked that same question when riding the BMW and the Indian too.
The amount of money you’d spend on bikes like that is extreme. All of them are in the € 30.000+++ segment. The BMW and the Indian go up to € 40.000 easily once you start selecting the available options.

The Indian Roadmaster Heritage and the BMW Transcontinental are ‘luxury liners’. You can have miles for breakfast and be home for dinner still after a full day of riding, still feeling quite relaxed. Answering the ‘why’ question with the Triumph Rocket 3 was much harder. It is not a bike you take out to commute on a daily basis, nor is it a machine built to go on long roadtrips (I’d do it still, just for the fun of it). So who is this meant for?

Even my contacts at Triumph had some trouble coming up with a defining response. However we all seem to agree that is a fun machine for those who are in it ‘for the ride’ as Triumph puts it in their corporate slogan. If you are lucky enough to sit on a lot of ‘disposable income’ and want to stand out from the crowd, this is the definite motorcycle to go for.

If you are such a lucky person, I can only say: ‘go for it! You only live once!’

Looking ahead
This winter we will be following our friend Bas Kentrop at Roké Motors.
He is an amazing mechanic who managed to create a monster supercharged Triumph Thruxton R a few years ago. This bike packs an impressive 175 Nm and 171 Bhp.

We rode that machine back in 2017. We filmed the experience and made it one of our best viewed clips on our YouTube channel. Unfortunately the sound of this beast was so loud, it just killed the microphone, which we only found out in post-production. Our video editor decided to add in a little piano music, much to the dismay of the majority of the viewers (just look at all those comments..). We will re-make this video in 2022 as we have retrieved the current owner. Including the real sound. Promise!

Anyway, Bas will be working on a supercharged version of the Rocket 3. Can it get any wilder than that we ask? Watch this space as we will give regular updates on the progress of this project and I will be road testing it in Spring of next year.

Until then, I will just enjoy the memories of my love affair with this standard Triumph Rocket 3.

 
All in all
The Rocket is a superb machine and more. It handles phenomenally, the power is awesome and you can enjoy the bike in any way you want. You can ride it as a cruiser or race it around. It is really up to you, your experience, your mood and your testosterone levels.
The setup of the fully adjustable Showa suspension is so well done that you’ll just ride the Rocket 3 like a regular street bike. It will tempt you to stick your elbows out and punch it into corners like a Speed Triple on steroids.

The riding position on the R model is relaxed and inviting you to just ride on. The brakes are magnificently strong. Those Brembo Stylemas are of superbike standards. They do their job very efficiently and you need them on a bike like this.

Yep, the rear brake is ripped from the front of a sports bike. And it’s a good thing too – you’ll want to use the back brake to settle it in corners and hammering it really helps bring you to a stop in a straight line, unlike on most bikes.
The Rocket gets the same TFT dashboard as mounted on the Triumph Scrambler 1200, and it has an 18-litre fuel tank which will get you just over 200 km’s. Unless you are like me of course. I needed a pit stop at around 180 km.

Electronics and other fun stuff
Being the top of the line model in Triumph’s line-up, the manufacturer fitted a whole suite of electronics to enhance the riding experience:
•Triumph Shift Assist (up and down quickshifter)
•Heated grips (standard on the Rocket 3 GT)
•Tire Pressure Monitoring system
•Advanced 6-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) measures the roll, pitch, yaw & acceleration rates of the bike in real-time and unlocks features such as Lean sensitive traction control and cornering ABS keeping the rider in safe hands at all times.
•Full-color TFT display instrument cluster.
•Preinstalled with Triumph’s ‘My Triumph’ app with support for smartphone music, calling, & navigation controls.
•Unique to Triumph motorcycles, you also get GoPro controls.
•Both motorcycles get 4 Riding modes: Road, Rain, Sport, and a Rider configurable mode to adjust throttle response and traction control.
•Added are Hill Hold Control, Cruise control, keyless ignition, steering lock, and fuel cap opening
•LED lighting all around with twin LED headlamps with integrated DRLs, LED tail lights, indicators, and a number plate light
•advanced lightweight aluminum frame.
•Suspension – Showa’s monoshock RSU with a piggyback reservoir at the rear and a massive 47mm Showa USD front forks with compression and rebound damping.
•Stopping power comes from Brembo Stylema ® radial monobloc 4 – piston calipers with two 320 mm dual discs and a never-before-seen four 4-piston Brembo caliper with a single 300 mm disc.
•Tires & rims: 150/50 17-inch Avon Cobra Chrome tires with a blacked-out 20-spoke cast alloy wheel at the front and an incredible 240/60 section R16 tire with an intricate cast alloy wheel at the back.
•Track+ and Protect+ tracking and alarm systems

details:
Manufacturer: Triumph Motorcycles
Astronaut: Ron Betist
Photography: Nubbs Sugrue
Helmet: Davida HelmetsJacket & jeans: REV’IT Urban
Boots: Stylmartin

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[DaveM]

Finally! Electric goes Triumph TE-1 prototype

Triumph goes electric in style
Project Triumph TE-1 has just been revealed in completed prototype form.
To get to this stage Triumph Motorcycles set up a collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE), Integral Powertrain Ltd, and WMG at the University of Warwick. The project is funded by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles through Innovate UK. This fund was set up to create ground-breaking developments in specialist electric motorcycle engineering and innovative integrated technology design.
Well, as far as looks go they are on the right track at least.

Next stage
Marking the official end of the collaboration stage of the TE-1 project, the completed demonstrator is now fully ready for the next Triumph-led stage of the project to begin – the live testing programme – integrating for the first time all of the latest and final innovations from the project partner workstreams.

Energy source
The WAE battery pack incorporates dedicated cell packaging for optimum centre of gravity, vehicle control unit, DCDC converter, integrated cooling, charge port, and styled carbon covers. This all-new WAE-developed powertrain will set new standards for electric bike performance, with class-leading power, efficiency, charging time and range.
Wholly responsible for TE-1’s lightweight, ground-breaking battery system, WAE has employed a holistic approach to development which will allow riders to use more electric power for longer, providing access to outstanding performance regardless of battery charge, alongside rapid charging times.

Proper power
The all-new battery has peak power of 170kW and continuous power of 90kW, with a capacity of 15kWh. This enables the motorbike to deliver 130kW of peak power and 80kW of continuous power. Class leading system cooling combined with the optimum balance of power and energy means TE-1 can give the rider more electric power for longer and deliver outstanding performance regardless of battery charge. The 360-volt system also enables a fast-charging time of under 20mins (0-80%), which is combined with a market leading target range.

Weight balance
WAE has optimised the battery module layout to balance mass and positioning within the prototype chassis taking into consideration centre of gravity, space and relationship with the powertrain and charging approach. A new and bespoke vehicle control unit has been integrated into the battery pack to minimise weight and packaging.
Key project achievements during this phase include test results that exceed current benchmarks and targets set by the UK Automotive Council for 2025, providing a platform with great potential for future development in electric motorcycle performance.

The overall objective of the TE-1 project has been focused on developing electric motorcycle capability, in order to provide an input into Triumph’s future electric motorcycle offering, driving innovation, capability, and new intellectual property, and enhancing the credibility and profile of British industry and design.
With the completion of the prototype demonstrator, the full live testing phase of the TE-1 project will now begin. Over the next six months the prototype demonstrator will undertake an extensive live testing programme within Triumph’s state-of-the-art facilities, including rolling road and track testing, designed to provide direction into the final set up and calibration of the prototype demonstrator.

Going live
At the completion of the live testing phase, estimated to be Summer 2022, the prototype demonstrator will be updated with its final body panels in readiness for active track demonstration. At this time, final specifications and testing outcomes will be published, as well as insights and key facts on how the TE-1 delivers on the project targets including final battery and range performance.

If Triumph are looking for volunteers, the BikeBrewers team members are ready to pack their toothbrush in a jiffy.

What the boss says
As we do not take any marketing speak for granted, we gave the Triumph Motorcycles CEO Nick Bloor a call. Here’s what he has to say: “It has been truly exciting to see the progress made during phase 3 of Project Triumph TE 1 with the final prototype motorcycle now going into real life testing. Everyone involved at Triumph is proud to have been part of this innovative British collaboration. Personally, I am thrilled with the results we have already achieved with our partners, and the exciting preview of the potential electric future to come. We look forward to continuing the ambitious and innovative work on the TE-1 demonstrator prototype through the live testing phase and sharing the outcome with Triumph fans across the world.”
The demonstrator bike is now undergoing final battery level validation and calibration to ensure the performance results meet best-in-class power and energy density targets and for the rider, ensuring there is no compromise in performance at low levels of charge.

Our point of view
BikeBrewers are deeply rooted in the custom scene. We are purebred petrolheads by definition.
Still, we do recognize that electric is an important factor in future mobility. We are regularly testing electric bikes and are in general quite enthusiastic about the experiences we have had. There are quite a number of road tests on electric motorcycles scheduled for 2022 and we will continue to report and share our findings.

But truth be told, after each electric adventure our hearts jump with joy each time we get back on our loud, smelly and noisy machines.
That is just us speaking though.

What we REALLY want to know is how YOU feel about all this!
Please share your uncensored comments on this bike and riding electric with us.
We have some nice give-aways in store for the best comments.

More background on WAE can be found here

The post Finally! Electric goes Triumph TE-1 prototype appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.

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[Vector]

 

[DaveM]

Pando Moto – Husky Cor 01 Sherpa Trucker Jacket Review

Underdog
We have had the pleasure to extensively try and test Pando Moto motorcycle gear the past couple of years. It is great to see the Lithuanian based company grow and develop new products along the way. Compared to the bigger, international brands, they are an underdog. However, if there is one thing the automotive industry has taught us, it is to never underestimate the underdog. Just look at how Tesla shook the auto-industry to its core. What sets Pando Moto apart is the quality of their products and the competitive pricing. Don’t believe us? Just head over to their website and have a looks for yourself.

Different sizes
Not so long ago we shared our thoughts about the Boss Dyn 01 jeans that Pando Moto sent us for extensive review. And extensive reviewing we did! Our conclusion then was that if you are in the market for motorcycle jeans that look casual but offer full protection, you MUST consider trying a pair of these jeans. Ron (editor) who wore the Boss Dyn 01 jeans has a slender figure, in other words he is tall and has thin legs. However, I have a slightly different…ahum…shape. Let’s just say that I enjoy eating and I should be working out more often. Truth is, chances are that most bikers out there will most likely have my body shape, and that’s OK! Isn’t that how the world works? Bikers come in different sizes and shapes. So while Ron tested the jeans, I got my hands on Pando Moto’s sherpa trucker motorcycle jacket called the “Husky Cor 01”.

First impression
When I got my hands on the Husky Cor 01 it instantly reminded me of the 1980s. I remember my brother having a similar jacket, albeit in denim colour. No matter how badly I wanted to be able to fit that jacket, it was just too large for me and I hated that! I nearly forgot about that jacket, until I first saw the Husky Cor 01. Don’t you just love it when nostalgia hits you hard? During the course of 3 months I wore the jacket almost on a daily bases. Everybody that sees the jacket, immediately loves it. Even my brother wanted one! I took it with me for a weekend of riding in Barcelona (Spain), and it was just perfect. I’ve listed the specs below, but what the spec sheet won’t tell you, is how this jacket feels. It is truly the most comfortable motorcycle jacket I have ever worn. Period!

Taking a closer look
My jacket came in a size XXL (I warned you) and was a little loose around the shoulders. That may look like an undesirable thing, but in reality it meant that I could wear a warm sweater underneath it, and not feel pinched when reaching for the handlebars. Now if I would wear this jacket purely casual and not on a motorcycle, I would probably have wanted to try a smaller size. The material that is used on these jackets is 12oz comfort-stretch CORDURA® denim. This has two major benefits: 1. given the nature of the stretch material it goes without saying that it increases comfort levels. 2. Cordura is known for its abrasive resistance capabilities. It isn’t waterproof, but it is most certainly water repellent to a certain extent. This isn’t something Pando Moto advertises with, but it did become clear during a moment of light rain whilst I was riding the mountains around Barcelona.

Classic features
“For the most authentic denim look and feel, choose this Iconic Sherpa Trucker jacket, made with 12oz comfort-stretch CORDURA® denim. Real style is all in the details with the HUSKY COR 01 – back waist tabs guarantee an optimal fit, high-quality Sherpa is used for the collar, sleeves inner cuffs, and front of the jacket. The collar has additional strap fastening and the front closure features a metal YKK zipper and high durability rubberized snaps. Abrasion-resistant fabric gives you peace of mind on the road, while quilted padding with MEIDA® thermal insulation/liner makes this jacket perfect for colder rides.” Pando Moto

On a motorcycle
The Husky Cor 01 sherpa jacket comes with a thermal liner, which has been a blessing in these cold months. At the moment of writing the outside temperature is around 4 degrees Celsius. I regularly take my bike out for 30-40 minute rides and still I find the Husky Cor 01 offering enough protection against the cold. It didn’t come with any impact protectors, but I have does laying around at home from other jackets, and they slot in nicely into the protector-pockets in the back, shoulders and elbows. If there is one tiny thing that I would love to see next time it would be tabs or a zipper on the side pockets, and maybe a more heavy duty main zipper.

Verdict
Like most clothes you need to make sure that you get the right size. Pando Moto offers great service and will help you in the case you need to swap the item you bought for one with a different size. I will continue to wear the Husky Cor 01 as my go-to jacket. It looks great, it feels comfortable, and for only €249,- it is probably the best bang for buck you will get anywhere!

Manufacturer details

• Iconic Sherpa Trucker Motorcycle jacket design
• 12oz comfort-stretch CORDURA® denim
• Quilted padding with MEIDA® thermal insulation suited for colder rides
• MEIDA® THERMO INSULATION thinner, lighter and with the higher thermal insulation properties (CLO) which are compared to the efficiency of down or cashmere
• Sherpa material used for collar, sleeves inner cuffs and front facing
• Back waist tabs for an adjustable fit
• Abrasion resistant fabric (performance level A in accordance with EN 17092)
• 16 meters slide distance or 2.5 seconds sliding time
• Collar with additional strap fastening
• Front closure with metal YKK zipper and high durability rubberised snaps
• Chest pockets with high durability snaps closure
• Optional – elbow and shoulder armors EN1621-1:2012 CE approved (not included)
• Optional – back armor EN1621-2 CE approved (not included)

www.pandomoto.com

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[DaveM]

Suzuki Bandit Brat – Blackout Custom Design

From the Czech Republic with love
We told you to remember his name back in November!
At the time we published a post on his BMW K100RT and warned you that Marcel Galuszka would be back with more.
Well, here he is. In just a couple of months he has yet again created a very nice piece of machinery.

Suzuki GSF600 Brat BCD
Marcel gave us a call last week to announce that he would be sending us material on his latest build. He told us: “I named this motorcycle Brat Cafe, but the final form deviated a bit from the original idea and it’s more of a Brat Tracker. But you know what, the boxing is not so important, the final decision of the owner was important here, so in the end the handlebars in the style of cafe racer exchanged for more comfortable heights, which allow for a smoother ride.”

Continuing: “This is a 2002 Suzuki GSF600 Bandit, which the proprietor had left outside for a couple of years, covered up but still left to battle all kinds of weather. It was very clear that the bike had been struggling to survive many seasons of rain, snow and trying not to melt when the sun was burning mercilessly. Your can say it really scarred the Suzuki.”

Worst case scenario
As you might have suspected our courageous Czech was challenged beyond his worst nightmare when he set out to rescue the Suzuki.
The motorcycle had really suffered from the lack of TLC. The tank was perforated on the left side and it was repaired very poorly. The frame was beaten on the same side also, crooked, which resulted in work on the motorcycle lasting way longer than anticipated. Unfortunately for the owner it began to affect the investment that he was ready to make to keep it at a reasonable level without having to face the wrath of his wife.

‘Make me a café please’
When work began Marcel had no idea about the condition of the bike. The owner bought this motorcycle as his first ride with the intent to learn to ride properly.
Once he had the hang of it and he had been riding the bike for years and left it outside as described, he thought it to be a good idea to convert to the Suzuki into a caféracer. When he briefed the builder he actually wanted just minor modifications to do the trick. On his wish list was the overall caféracer look, but still have room for a pillion passenger.

From caféracer to brat
Once the work began and the concept turned into a real bike, thoughts and ideas began to shift. And so from the classic concept of caféracer, concessions gradually emerged to this final form. It had become quite a bit of a struggle for Marcel. Apart from not being very please with the state that this bike was in to begin with, he commented: “It should also be mentioned here that this Bandit is not exactly a great donor for the transformation to a cafe racer! I have grown some extra grey hairs during work on this project hahaha!”

From tank to bottom
The whole tank is completely overhauled and painted with beautifully pearl paint. The frame is completely repaired and entire rear part is redesigned to accommodate two passengers. It is sandblasted and powder-coated to stand the test of time and weather.

LED light in front, miniature Kellerman lights in the rear combining rear light and brake, but it also comes with integrated turn signals.

Nice little touches are:
– Motogadget MO.Blaze Disc turn signals in the handlebars
– Motogadget grips
– Motogadget Tiny speedometer
– Custom seat
– All electricity hidden in the space under the seat.

In short, everything that needed to be mended and taken care of was done and some nice modifications were added.
The result is a city motorcycle, which should be fun to take out on longer rides.
When compared to its original state it looks diametrically different and is very pleasing to the eye.

Says the builder: ‘Most important of all, the owner is satisfied and is riding around town with a big smile on his face. (The opening picture of this post is featuring Marcel Galuszka, not the owner – ed.) What else can I say? I’m very excited about the way the Suzuki turned out and I like it a lot!”

Builder details:
Builder: Blackout Custom Design
email: [email protected]
Website
Instagram
Facebook
Pinterest
YouTube

Above: the Suzuki GSF 600 Bandit before and after

The post Suzuki Bandit Brat – Blackout Custom Design appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.

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[DaveM]

Royal Enfield Classic 350 – first review

Purring around the Provence
Royal Enfield seem to have a great sense of timing.
While Northern European countries were being terrorised by the winter storm ‘Eunice’, a group of motorcycle journalists from the Netherlands, Belgium and France were whisking around in the sun and 20° degrees Celsius. While enjoying this magnificent weather and the all new 2022 Royal Enfield Classic 350, it was hard to imagine the roofs flying off buildings 1000 kilometres away.
I was among the lucky ones who were able to focus on this new bike rather than seeing my bike-shed being tortured by heavy winds (it survived fortunately).

A true classic
The Indian manufacturer has managed to create an astonishing machinem which is far better than any other new € 6.000 motorcycle that’s currently being sold out there. It possesses everything to melt your heart at first glance. It is the exact blend of modest power, high quality and retro styling harking back to the glory days of British motorcycle manufacturing.
As with its predecessor, the Classic 500, the 350 series are magnificent backroad companions that will offer you the exact same ‘Zen’ feeling while chugging away miles of country roads below 100 km/h.

Forget massive torque
The absence of the tremendous power many other motorcycles have on offer, will not take away any pleasure whatsoever from the experience of riding the Classic 350. You only have around 20bhp at our disposal in combination with a five-speed gearbox. This will provide riders with a top speed just slightly over any the national limit. This by itself will give you peace of mind. No real need for apps on your devices that alert you for radar or police operated laser guns.
The relaxing sound of the single 350cc engine will send you back in time and will have lookers on smile at you rather than lifting their middle finger showing their dismay at the noise of your machine. This is 50’s nostalgia in its purest form. The Royal Enfield has all elements on board to enhance that feeling. The sound of the engine is unmistakably Royal Enfield, despite the effective job of the exhaust. Even purists like ourselves love it! Besides the purring engine it comes with a properly styled metal tank, chunky mudguards, spoked wheels, a single clock in the very traditionally styled dashboard. I am pretty sure riders will be answering questions about the age of the bike, any time they park the Classic 350.

Frame, suspension and braking
The Classic 350 is fitted out with non-adjustable 41mm forks and six-stage preload adjustable twin shocks. In combination with the spongey, spring fitted rider’s seat, you will have sufficient damping to take care of most potholes in the road. A few days before the trip to France I strained my back and it really hurt when traveling all the way to Avignon, France. I had my doubts on riding the country roads, but truth be told, I had no problems whatsoever! I think the Royal Enfield technicians deserve a big compliment from me and my aching back!
The Classic 350 is endowed with a brand new, double cradle frame. It was specially designed for this new motorcycle, giving it much needed stiffness. As with the suspension, the R&D department have done an excellent job. It feels incredibly well built. Just have a good look and take in the sight of the glistening tank, polished mudguards, and fancy panels and you’ll find almost no plastic. Instead, it’s a mixture of chrome (except for the ‘blacked-out version’ – which is kind of nice with its red stripes) and gloss, with chunky metal brackets and a solid finish. Observing all little details you will notice the quality. No gaps in between panels, crooked mounted elements or shady welds. The bike even comes with a centre stand for easy maintenance.

All hunky dory
I am a sucker for vintage and retro, so it is easy to charm me with a bike like this. With the price tag being what it is, you get a tremendous amount of value for your money. Is there no room for improvement? Of course there is. But not a lot.
Even though the 350 comes with ABS as a standard, the Bybre brakes are not phenomenal. But they do what they need to do. A little bit of ‘oomph’ might help you feel a bit more confident when you are on the highway. But that’s about it really.
My suggestion, don’t focus on those minor issues, just enjoy the motorcycle in its natural habitat. This might be zooming in an urban environment or chugging on a country road. If you want a mischievous grin and the adrenaline pumping, go for something larger. If you want to smile and have time to take in the beauty of the world around you, this is your ‘go-to’ motorcycle.

Make sure to check out the Royal Enfield website

Technical details
Engine:
350 cc, 4 Stroke, Air-Oil Cooled Engine, Spark Ignition, Single Cylinder (similar to the Meteor 350)
20.21 Bhp @ 6100 rpm
27 Nm @ 4000 rpm
5-speed gearbox

Tank
13l

Fuel consumption:
41.55 kmpl (!)

Chassis:
All new designed steel twin downtube spine frame
Weight
195kg (wet)

Suspension
non-adjustable 41mm forks
six-stage preload adjustable twin shocks

Wheels & Tires:
Spoked rims
Optional: alloy rims
Front : 100/90 – 19,
Rear: 120/80 – 18

Braking
Bybre brakes
Front: a 300mm single disc and two-piston floating caliper
Back: 270mm rotor and one-pot caliper
Twin channel ABS

Top speed:
110-120 depending on conditions
Sweet spot is around 90 where you are treated to the nice purring sound

Colour schemes:
Chrome Red
Chrome Bronze
Dark Stealth Black
Dark Gunmetal Grey
Halcyon Green
Halcyon Grey
Halcyon black

Photo credits:
Florian Meuret
Rodolphe Herpet

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[DaveM]

Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 “Black Fury” by XTR

Royal Enfield
We’ve been reporting a lot on Royal Enfield lately and that’s not a coincidence. The Indian manufacturer has kept the talks around the coffee corner fuelled for quite some time now. After their bombastic new models presentations during EICMA in 2021, we have been very eager to get our hands on a number of models. Just recently our senior editor Ron took a flight to the Provence region in Southern France for the European introduction of the all-new Royal Enfield Classic 350. While the rest of us had to suffer the full force of a winter storm, he was cruising along gently in sunny weather and not a cloud in the sky. Heck, I’ll just go on record and admit my love for the brand, given the fact that I own an Interceptor 650 as well as a big-bored Classic 500 (now 545). I recently took my Interceptor for a dyno run and it showed a very healthy and very real 42hp and 57Nm at the rear wheel. Worth noting that the power curve was quite linear. I’ll do a full long-term review on my own Interceptor in due time, in the meanwhile we have something else to show you, with the heavily modified Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 aptly names “Black Fury” by XTR.

XTR Pepo
Then there is Pepo Rosell. If you don’t know who that is, make sure to check out some of the articles we have written before. The Frenchman who has been living in Spain for a long time now, is known for his radical designs; a craftsman of the first-degree. Pepo maintains an almost scientific approach to building motorcycles. And when we say build, we mean BUILD, as in, from the ground up. Pepo has a passion for racing too, so it comes as no surprise that most of his builds are race inspired, often replicas of real racing machines.

Performance mods – Body
Let’s get down to business. Everything about this Continental GT breathes RACING. To begin with the most rigorous mod that Pepo performed on this build, it has to be the modified frame. Harris Performance did an outstanding job designing the original frame. Pepo must have thought differently and reduced weight and added stiffness to the already pretty-good frame. The rear swing arm is a modified unit from a Ducati Pantah(!). The front and rear wheels come off a Triumph Daytona 675R and is a lot lighter than the original wire-spoke wheels that come stock on the GT 650. The brakes are BREMBO – Kevlar brake lines anyone?
The front and rear suspension are OHLINS fully adjustable units. It goes without saying that all brackets have been custom CNC’d from billet aluminium by Pepo, including the triple clamp. A set of clip-ons and DOMINO controls & grips ensure the right kind of control. There are various carbon fiber bits and pieces used such as the custom fuel tank with endurance style filler cap, carbon fiber front fairing, rear mudguard, and the one-off seat. Carbon fiber is great for weight saving. The FULBAT Lithium battery helps with that too, weighing less than 700 grams it’s literally a lightweight.

Performance mods – Engine
XTR went all out with the engine mods, without sacrificing reliability. The parts that have been used are tried and tested. There are the obligatory DNA pod filters, custom exhaust system curtesy of Wolfman and Spark, and high-performance HT leads. What’s more interesting are the S&S performance cams and the high compression pistons. Combined with a custom fuel map with the help of a Power Commander, we wouldn’t be surprised if this Royal Enfield produced more than 60hp at the rear wheel. Combine that with the ridiculous weight savings on the body and unsprung weight, and sticky Continental SPORT ATTACK rubbers, we are convinced that Pepo turned this easy-going Continental GT into a fire-breathing, hell-raising, racing machine!

Finishing touches
What we love the most about XTR machines is the level of detail each build is delivered with. Whether it’s the machines rear set, double headlight with external brackets, LED indicators, machined levers or unique paint-scheme (by ARTENRUTA Painting), each bike looks like it’s doing a 100 mph at standstill. There is no doubt that Pepo has racing fuel going through his veins and for that we salute him.

PICTURES by SERGIO CARDEÑA

Builder details:
XTR Pepo
Website
Instagram
Facebook

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[DaveM]

UNIKAT”s Moto Guzzi California 1100

Regular guests
It may look as if UNIKAT have a subscription on our platform. Nothing of the sort, but the Polish team just keeps on churning out pure art that we simply cannot ingnore.
This time it is a 2001 Moto Guzzi California 1100, which was transformed from a nice bike to a ‘living room worthy’ object of desire.

Take apart and rebuild
The motorcycle has been completely restored and rebuilt, with nothing more than the wheels, the beautiful engine and part of the frame remaining from the original design. According to our Eastern European friends “such a dramatic rebuild requires a massive amount of time and UNIQUE skills”. We second that motion, after all ‘UNIKAT’ is Polish for unique and you have to live up to that promise.

Director’s chair
The owner, Pawel, was very much involved in the project. It is not very often that BikeBrewers get such elaborate insights from the clients themselves. Here’s what he has to say: “My adventure with motorcycles began when my grandfather gave me a light green mini motorbike. It was a life-turning moment for me and something that made me feel special. Already then, I was very much drawn to personalize this small moped, of course everything was done using whatever materials were available to me, so I applied stickers, wraps, painted lettering on the tires, trimmed the fenders.

In the following years the passion developed with more motorcycles, i.e., Simson, Yamaha and Honda the crowning moment of which being when I finally parked a Harley Davidson in my garage.

For a few years I’ve been watching how motorcycles are customized all over the world, and already then, I knew that I would like to build such a motorcycle, but the possibilities and number of available places in Poland were limited. I could not make up my mind, and I wanted this project to be unique, stunning design-wise but also in terms of technical solutions. I wanted it to be professionally executed by a team of professionals.

I once read that there is a place in Wrocław that is quickly gaining recognition because of the projects it puts out of its garage.
When I arrived at their doorstep, I met the team, Grzegorz, Michał and I knew that this is a place full of passion, professionalism — and this is how we’ll build a brilliant project.”

Teamwork
The modifications were done under the watchful eyes of Tomasz (mechanic) and Grzegorz (designer) with the bike’s charismatic owner Paweł in his Director’s Chair.

Grzegorz: “In order to achieve the perfect look and beautiful lines of the café racer, we completely changed the geometry and design of the original frame. This required us to shorten the front suspension and use new rear shocks from Bitubo, for which we made new mounts. To complete the look, two fairings (front and rear) were made from scratch by our mate Tomasz.”

Continuing: “The use of a new accessory fuel tank was also linked to the modification of the frame by making new mounts. Since this Moto Guzzi model features a fuel injection system, we had to use an external pressure regulator and redo the whole fuel system.”
As the team were using a custom pressure regulator as mentioned above, they were able to modify the intake and exhaust system. The factory air-box was ditched in favor of a pair of K&N performance cone fitters. Out went the original exhaust to make room for minimalist slash cut tail pipes, which combined with the Guzzi V-twin, produce a unique sound!

Café racer in true style
As befits a true flesh-and-blood café racer, clip-on handlebars were mounted. These new handlebars, along with the changed frame geometry forced the Polish outfit to relocate the rider’s footpegs. As the original ones were completely unusable, a decision was made to use a set from a sports bike with a racing pedigree.

All switches on the handlebars were replaced to go for a clean and minimalistic design. Buttons and turn signals in the handlebars are from Motogadget. A new Motoscope Tiny speedometer, a LED headlamp concealed in the fairing, and a full LED rear lamp dictated creating nearly a full new wiring harness, powered by a battery that currently sits under the swingarm in a box which was custom made for this purpose.

The engine, including the transmission, did not require a complete overhaul and tuning. A proper paint job to make it shine was enough.
Wheels are from the legendary Borrani company, completed with thicker stainless-steel spokes. With such magnificent objects you obviously need a new set of tires .

Most of the parts have been polished or mirror-finished, including the wheels, front and rear suspension, valve covers, exhaust system, handlebars, triple clamps and swingarm, as well as a number of other small components. All bolts were re-galvanized or were replaced with new ones.

The bodywork, front and rear fairing were perfectly painted by Marcin, creating a coherent whole with polished and chrome-plated elements.
The entire project was finished off with a warm touch of leather elements, such as the upholstery on the seat, the construction of which was made by us from scratch, and hand-wrapped handles.

The owners perspective
Being heavily involved with the project the BikeBrewers team was interested to hear his reaction to the end result.
Pawel: “We talked a lot about the technical possibilities, aspects of working with older motorcycles, what should be included in such a project and where it needs to be included to make it unique in every way possible.
We agreed that we want to choose a motorcycle that would be an excellent base and the potential to be unique, and here it is — the Moto Guzzi California 1100.

Was it worth it? For all intents and purposes, the design was great, but it was the execution that knocked me off my feet. Perfection and pure design in every element. The motorcycle impresses with its light, simple, yet detailed design, as well as with the technical solutions.

If we can call anyone artists in the custom scene it is undoubtedly the crew of Unikat Motorworks. I am incredibly happy with the end result and the roads in Poland have just gotten a bit more beautiful with this Moto Guzzi gracing them with its presence.”

The post UNIKAT”s Moto Guzzi California 1100 appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.

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[DaveM]

BMW R80 Cafe Racer by Ferry Westerlaken

Humble beginnings
There are BMW boxers, and then there are BMW boxers. The difference? Well, here goes. Ever since BMW introduced their famous boxer twin configuration back in the 1920’s, they kind of had a reputation of being a bit…dull. That was until they started kicking the competition’s butts in the 1981 Paris-Dakar Rally. And just like that, boys and girls, the BMW boxer became a legend. That doesn’t mean that all of their BMW’s motorcycles were “cool”. BMW built their motorcycles really well. They were considered to be the ONLY European motorcycle manufacturer that built genuinely reliable motorcycles in the 20th century. And their bikes handled pretty decently. As a matter of fact, with the exception of the GS models, BMWs were considered to be mostly…ehhh…boring.

High in demand
All of this meant 2 things really: 1. There are a ton of old BMWs still riding around, since they were built to last. 2. Owning a second-hand BMW was something of an acquired taste for most people, well, mostly young people. This lack of desirability made them cheap to buy as a pre-owned vehicle. Enter the mystical realm of cafe racer building. With a doubt, one of the most popular base motorcycles to build a custom machine out of are, hands down, BMW motorcycles. Because of their popularity with builders, the old boxer has become one of the hottest bikes in the scene. Don’t just take our word for it, just make sure to check out all the other BMW bikes we have covered in the past, oh I don’t know, year or so.

The Builder from Dussen
Which brings us to the subject of the matter. The BMW we see in front of us today is the prized possession of Ferry Westerlaken. The 45 year old Dutchman who, until recently, owned Ace-Cafe Racers Parts, and founder/owner of Beemer Boys, which is a private label he created for custom BMW parts, built this BMW from the ground up. Did we forget to mention that he also runs a company that trades classic motorcycles? It’s called Altena Classics, make sure to go check it out. He also has a family with three daughters. We find it incredibly difficult to imagine how and where he finds the time to juggle all of this, truly impressive. It isn’t the first time we covered a bike that was built by Ferry. Who remember this Moto Guzzi?

Barn-find!
It all started with a 1985 BMW R80, which was found in a shed only a couple of hours away from where Ferry lives, covered in a thick layer of dust. It was clear that doing a standard cafe-racer job wouldn’t suffice; Ferry wanted to take things to the next level. Not just because he likes to keep his standards high, but also because the bike needed to showcase all the cool new parts he offers through his private label Beemer Boys. The list of mods is very long, however, the most notable piece of work on this R80 has to be the custom exhaust system. It definitely looks unique, almost menacing.

Where there’s a will…
We asked Ferry what he found most challenging about this build: “There were quite a few challenges. The greatest challenge was finding the time to do things. I have a full time job, two webshops, a motorcycle shop, and a family with 3 awesome daughters. So quite a busy life. In addition, the exhaust system was a thing. I didn’t want something standard, but a system made of segments that would run along the top instead of the bottom. Some of the problems to deal with the exhaust is the heat emission along carburetors, tank, fuel hose from the fuel taps. Oil level checks also had to remain possible, and the exhaust had to follow the lines of the motorcycle. The motorcycle had to be built in a minimalistic way with as little fuss as possible around the clip-ons. The BMW is a widely used motorcycle to build a cafe racer or bobber. Despite the differences, they often look like each other. I like the exhaust the most. The lines are good, the looks of the tubes are great, the segments are mint, and the sound is fantastic. I must admit that it rides better than stock. When the motorcycle was ready, she went on the dyno for optimal tuning. This gave the R80 a little bit more horsepower. The handling has also improved with the right adjustment of the suspension. I wanted something different, and I’m very happy with the result!”

Despite the fact that Ferry is very capable, he couldn’t have done this without the help of Ace13 and Hakky Motorsport.

The mods:

• Complete engine and transmission rebuild
• New wiring
• Tank cleaned and re-sealed
• Frame + subframe powder coated
• Vonzeti Subframe
• Handmade Vonzeti seat
• Vonzeti Monza fuel cap
• Powdercoated wheels
• Tarozzi rear-set
• Kawasaki ZZR front fork
• Aluminium engine cover
• Siebenrock valve covers (limited edition)
• YSS MZ366 TRL 410mm shock absorber full black
• Motogadget M-unit blue with smartphone app
• Motogadget m-Lock RFID ignition lock
• Motogadget motoscope mini odometer and tachometer black
• Motogadget 2 Button M Switch
• Harley Davidson (1967) headlight
• LSL headlight brackets
• Side-mount Curved LED Tail-light
• Beemer Boys battery box stainless steel
• Beemer Boys handmade segment exhaust system
• Akrapovic exhaust muffler
• Tomaselli adjustable clip-ons
• Custom made top yoke
• Brembo brake calipers
• Mikuni carbs

Photo Credits: Willeke van Oudheusden

Builder details:
Ferry Westerlaken
Beemer-Boys
Altena Classics
Instagram

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[DaveM]

‘Monstrous’ Ducati Monster 900 by Moto Adonis

Beautiful Monster
When Ducati first launched the venerable Monster 900 back in 1993, it set the world on fire! I remember seeing it for the first time on a television program, and being blown away by the raw and ‘monstrous’ look the Bologna manufacturer managed to give to one of their own motorcycles. You must remember that even back then, Ducati’s were best known for their sports bike. The Monster looked like a sports bike that went on a diet. It became an instant success! It’s nearly impossible to imagine that right before Ducati launched the Monster, they were financially nearly bankrupt. The Monster helped the brand to maintain solid ground and generated the revenue the company needed to develop and launch other models, such as the quintessential ‘916’.

Monstrous Monster
Taking a Ducati Monster and turning it into something more monstrous is not an easy feat. Yet, the folks from Moto Adonis didn’t shy away from such a challenge. As the Dutch builders have done before, they like to do thing different from other builders. It is clear that they have their own design language, which is great! Their bikes showcase their creativity, originality, and a level of craftsmanship we don’t often get to see. Just look at some their recent build to judge for yourself.

While you are reading through this, have you ever considered having your own custom motorcycle built? Are you worried about how much work it actually is? Well, we have good news for you! Moto Adonis in the Netherlands have increased their capacity and are currently looking for new projects to take on! Make sure you go over to their website Home for more details.

Great start!
Now, it must be noted that there was already some work done on this modified 1995 Ducati Monster 900. When the bike arrived at the Moto Adonis workshop, the engine had already been treated to a big-bore kit, a custom exhaust, and was tuned for performance accordingly. So no additional work was needed to the engine, a great start! There was also some work done on the tail section and fuel tank, however, the customer wasn’t very happy with this. That’s why he visited the folks of Motor Adonis.

Unique design
First step was cutting the tank and tail section apart and modify it to their own design. They also made an aluminium front headlight fairing with a laser cut Ducati logo in the center. After these initial mods, the customer seemed very pleased with the direction the build was going. The next step was to seriously upgrade anything that could improve the handling and the looks (obviously!). An original Ducati S4R single-sided swingarm replaced the original unit. Marchesini magnesium wheels, with upgraded Brembo radial brakes, all original Ducati parts, were also added. To top things off, a set of Öhlins fully adjustable rear shock and front forks were added.

Under the skin
Some modifications were made to the suffrage to accommodate the single seat, curtesy of Miller Kustom Upholstery. The fenders and various brackets were all made in-house by Moto Adonis. To keep a clean look, the wiring needed to be reduced to an absolute minimum. For this reason the battery got relocated and a MotoGadget m.unit system was added to run all electronics. Some of the components that are connected to the m.unit are a Motoscope tiny speedometer, mo.blaze indicators, minimalistic Motone handlebar switches, and the head and tail lights. To accommodate for all of this, a completely new wiring harness was designed and built.

Factory-style
The show ain’t over until the fat lady sings, or in this case, no build is complete without a well-thought of colouring scheme. And the paint job on this Ducati Monster is something of a statement, even if we have to say so ourselves! The combination of black, gold, vintage Porsche orange and gray fits the Monster and the lines of the bodywork really well. It almost looks like a factory option.

Photo credits: Lennart Stolte

Builder details:
Moto Adonis
Website
Instagram
Facebook

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[DaveM]

Yamaha XV750 Café Racer by JeremMotorcycles

Populair request
We have written about the venerable Yamaha XV a number of times in our recent posts and we can’t get enough of them. Not just because of the cool aesthetics the Japanese V-twins have, or the high desirability factor they possess. No ladies and gentlemen, we love the Yamaha XV because it has developed itself into a cult classic, a people’s champion if you will. As far as we are concerned, when talking about café racers, the Yamaha has earned itself a spot in the top 5 base bikes of choice for us. No matter how you look at it, each XV café racer we have seen so far makes us want to own one.

Another XV!
So when our friend Jeremy Duchamp of JeremMotorcycles shared his modified Yamaha XV1000 TR-1 with us last year, we were over the moon! The Frenchman can’t seem to get enough of the Yamaha XV, so he spent over 240 hours in his shed brewing on another Yamaha XV project, this time is a XV750. We have to say that we were blown away by how this café racer turned out!

It goes without saying that the XV didn’t start of its life like this. Jeremie bought the 1983 XV750 about 1 year ago and it was not in a good shape, according to the craftsman. Each and every bolt was removed and replaced where necessary. The subframe and swingarm had sever corrosion and were removed and decluttered, after which they got sandblasted and powder coated in a gloss black finish.

Serious components
The front end of the XV received a serious upgrade. The front fork has been adopted from a Ducati Monster and was mated to a Ducati Diavel front wheel. To make it all work , a custom triple clamp was made by USV Racing. Integrated into the top yoke is a KOSO speedo. The radial brakes are courtesy of Brembo and offer tremendous stopping power. The brake lines are of aviation grade quality too. On the clip-ons we find CNC’ed micro switches. All the switches and electrics have been connected to an M-Unit by MotoGadget. Talking about electrics, the café racer received an LED headlight, mini front indicators, and a tail light that appears to be floating, pretty neat! All of this is powered by a Solise lightweight Lithium battery which has been placed underneath the tank.

Moving towards the back of the Yamaha, we can see some serious eye-candy. The rear wheel is an absolute stunner, with the closed rim giving it an old-school racer look. A custom rear-set ensures the rider maintains full control. The rear shock comes off an MV Agusta 800 and has a custom mounting system. The single seat has been built to spec by “Point Sellier 34”, in a beautiful black leather finish with a colour matching piping.

Engine Refreshment
The engine wasn’t up to snuff to begin with, so Jeremie decided to replace it completely by a unit with a lower mileage. With less than 10.000 km on the clock it definitely was a lot fresher. From there it was simple. Replace the original carburettors with a pair of Dellorto PHF32’s, open air-filters, and get the lot tuned by “Les Belled d’Oc” in Béziers, France. To let all the gases out in an efficient way, a custom exhaust was made in the JeremMotorcycles workshop.

Green by AUDI
To finish this custom project off, the engine received a fresh coat of paint, and the fuel tank got painted in a lush AUDI green paint. The fuel tank also received a protective KEVLAR layer underneath to protect against any unwanted influences. There are little easter eggs hidden all over this build; JM logo’s are engraved or painted in countless places, most notably on those Metzeler tires.

Putting all things together, we can’t imagine how Jeremie completed this build in only 240 hours. It is truly impressive, and we hope that someday we can see and hear this beautiful café racer rip the streets of France, in real-life.

Photo Credits: Jonathan Silene

Builder details:
Jerem Motorcycles
Instagram
Facebook

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[DaveM]

2021 Indian Roadmaster Heritage

True American iron
Over the past few years we have been riding a number of Indians, from the exciting FTR up to the impressive Chief last Summer. With the Autumn in full swing, we thought it would be apt to try out some big bikes in the month of November 2021. We recently kicked off with the BMW R18 and the R18 Transcontinental.

With that heritage in mind the Indian Roadmaster was a logical next step. To stay in tune with the inspiration of the Bavarian bikes dating back to the 1930’s, it was nice to be presented by Indian Motorcycle with their ‘Heritage Edition’.

All inclusive
Everything you can dream about is probably fitted to this machine! Starting with the very impressive ‘Thunderstroke’ heart which is no less than 116 cubic inches (1800 cc), also to be found in the Chief, the Chieftain and in the Springfield, the list of mouth-watering goodies just goes on forever.

According to Indian Motorcycle the Roadmaster was built for the riders looking for the ‘Gold Standard’ in comfort and ride. This Roadmaster is adorned with chrome finishes, Ride Command with Apple CarPlay® integration, rear cylinder deactivation and a variety of ride modes.

Standard amenities include multi-setting heated seats and grips, remote-locking saddlebags and trunk, adjustable passenger floorboards, ABS, cruise control, keyless ignition, automatic tyre pressure monitoring, full LED lighting, and lower fairings with adjustable airflow vents.

“Can we get you anything else sir?”
Well, how about: Metzeler Cruisetec® tyres, and a push-button adjustable windshield? Standard amenities across the entire Roadmaster lineup include remote-locking saddlebags and trunk with over 140 litres of combined storage, adjustable passenger floorboards, ABS, cruise control, keyless ignition, tyre pressure monitoring and full LED lighting.

Furthermore, the power buttons on the Roadmaster, just like on the above mentioned models, have been relocated to the switch cube on the handlebars to accommodate a new 12-volt charge port on the dash. The charge port conveniently provides riders with an opportunity to plug in and connect to a wider range of electronics.

Phew! And I though my Christmas wish list was long.

On the road
After taking this all in it was time to hit the road. Having just given back the BMW R18 Transcontinental it was quite a change to get on the Roadmaster. Whereas it took a full day to get really comfortable with the huge BMW, the Roadmaster, which is equally gigantic, felt easy to handle right from the start.

Of course it is a bulky machine not necessarily built for Dutch country roads. Its natural habitat is more the American highway, but still there was no instant at all that it felt uncomfortable or out of place.

It is also nice to experience the reactions of other road users when they see the impressive front fairing of the Roadmaster appear in their rear-view mirrors. Cars automatically move to the side of the road to make room and you see many heads turned towards the machine to admire the beautiful finishes.

Broad power band
Did I already cite the smooth power delivery and loads of torque available at crazy low revs? Being the hooligan that I am, I could not resist throttling the engine at times, just to experience the full power of its roaring heart.

The Roadmaster comes with a dual-disc front and a single-disc rear brake arrangement (with ABS). There is sufficient stopping power available, although it feels a bit less direct compared to the BMW. With its low and wide handlebars, large seat and spacious floorboards, all Roadmaster models should fit the vast majority of European riders comfortably. And thanks to the adjustable windshield, wind protection is easily customizable. I played around with the electronics to raise and lower the shield while riding. In urban environments I found it better to ride with the shield down as the upper edge was exactly in view when sitting up straight.

Autumn comes with crisp weather and the heated grips and seats (even for passengers) did definitely make the long miles go by far more comfortably as well on shorter and even colder rides.

Coffee and cake the American way
On a chilly Saturday morning I decided to ride to a friend who lives in the south of the country. He is not very well unfortunately and this was a great excuse to cover over 400 kilometres on one day, just for coffee, cake, good old riding memories and a laugh.

What a magnificent experience it was! The Indian challenges the pilot to just keep on riding and riding until there is no horizon in sight anymore. It was a Royal Ride that day and I felt like a King riding this high powered motorcycle all week.

Choices
Life is all about selecting the paths to go on and following your passions to lead the way in life.
Choosing the right bike for the right moment is one of them.

Don’t forget to ‘work less and ride more’. Life is too short not to.

Photo credits: Ron Betist

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[DaveM]

A Neo Café Racer to Die for – Honda CX650 by Tossa R

“You dream it, we build it!” a strong slogan from Assen Zahariev’s garage in Sofia, Bulgaria. However, a bike this stunning out of a stock 80° longitudinal V-Twin we could not have dreamt up ourselves. Assen saw a golden opportunity in this rare motorcycle and let his inspiration flow freely.

We have previously featured many CX500 builds, but this is our first CX650 and we are rather excited to tell you all about it! The Honda CX650 with its 673cc is the big brother of the common CX500 models. Whereas the production numbers of the latter easily exceed 180,000, the CX650 in all its versions was limited to roughly 15,000 in total, worldwide. The CX models were loaded with innovative features. Electric-only starting, low-maintenance shaft drives were found on the occasional BMW motorcycle, as were the constant vacuum carburettors, but the liquid cooling and separated ignition system were rather unique. Even though the CX650 and the CX650E looked rather similar, this one looks nothing like it did when it rolled off the production line.

Specialising in BMW motorcycles, the Honda was a bit of a side step for Tossa R. When starting a new project, especially with a bike that is novel to us, most of us start with browsing the interweb and social media, scrolling through dozens of images of custom interpretations of a particular model for ideas and inspiration. Assen went the complete opposite direction and carefully steered clear of other people’s ideas influencing his build. He turned toward the bike and toward himself, and five months later, the result is an elegant yet sporty, urban cafe racer.

With the exception of the seat by Oldman Leathers and the paint by Picasso Motor, all the work was done in-house. Yamaha R6 triple clamps and forks were swapped in to improve the suspension and handling, as well as the stopping power provided by dual floating discs with radially mounted calipers. Combined with the centrally mounted rear shock with external reservoir the suspension is fully adjustable to the rider’s needs. Above the rear shock, tucked in neatly between the downtubes of the frame, are two high flow air filters, allowing the bike to breathe more freely, and together with the custom stainless steel exhaust they bring at least 65 horses out of the stable.

Shortening the exhaust and running it underneath the engine frees up the rear wheel, but removing the side covers and shortening the tail really shifts the visual weight forwards, giving it its sporty appearance. The moon discs in the rear wheel were added to keep the bike visually grounded and balanced. A newly fabricated bracket supports the seat and the custom tail and ensures a perfect optical line from the tail through the carburetors, cylinder heads, and exhaust headers to end in the front axle, emphasising that this bike is built to ride!

The lines of the bike are further accentuated by small bar-end mirrors, a low-profile gage, and clip-ons, streamlining its profile. Electronically, the bike is decked out with high end gauges and bar-end indicators by MotoGadget, and also the head and taillight have been replaced with LEDs to bring it into the 21st century and ensure visibility. This motorcycle does not need its lights to attract attention, though. We reckon parking it at a cafe in the city centre will draw ample attention from enthusiasts, passersby, and aspiring builders!

If this has tickled your fancy, reach out to Tossa R, these bikes are built to order, and there is room for only 8 more!

Photo Credits: Tossa R

Builder details:
Tossa R
Instagram
Facebook

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[DaveM]

New kid on the Block: Rusty Stitches

Rusty Stitches; the name may sound familiar. Originally from Scotland, Rusty Stitches is now brought to Europe by Jopa Racing Products. The brand, which started with offering a number of affordable leather jackets in the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium, has expanded its range with several new jackets, gloves, accessories and is now offered in 15 different countries in Europe. The company is also making steps towards Asia and the US. Their products are mainly aimed at the urban rider and are slightly different from others, which fits seamlessly with the philosophy of Rusty Stitches as a brand.

About Rusty Stitches
What started as an idea in Joshua Nap’s head has grown into a brand that stands out from the rest and meets the needs of its customers while also remaining interactive and engaged with its end users.

Rusty Stitches is committed to provide motorcyclists with the very best in motorcycle fashion while also keeping it affordable. The inspiration comes from the out-of-the-box thinkers and fashion lovers. The result is unique motorcycle fashion pieces! But this is only the beginning as the range is growing, but the core values always remain the same: cool and affordable motorcycle clothing!

Make sure to head over to the Rusty Stitches website and check out their gear for yourself, because that’s what we did.

As a matter of fact: we will be reviewing a number of Rusty Stitches most popular products in the coming weeks. Wanna know what we think? Make sure to stay tuned here on BikeBrewers.com

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[DaveM]

Winner 2021 Café Racer Fest Bulgaria – Yamaha XV by Borislav Aleksov

Gentlemen, may we have your votes please?
In 2021 the BikeBrewers team got invited by the Café Racer Club Bulgaria to act as judges for the 2nd edition of the Caféracerfest in Kyustendil – Bulgaria. We didn’t know what to expect, since this was the first time we were asked to perform this serious duty, and all we had seen so far were (lovely) pictures of the first edition. Now, we may not know much about the Eurovision Song contest, however, we do know a thing or two about caféracers, so we grabbed our motorcycle gear and headed East.

Throwback 2021
As you may recall, we were blown away by the quality of the event, which we clearly communicated in our September 24th report. A major factor in the success of the first two editions is the undaunted organizer of the event, Ivan Mushev. That name may ring a bell, and it should; we’ve featured some of Ivan’s masterpieces under the name of his outfit Bull Moto custom. But that’s not what we are here for now.

We must have done something right as we have been invited to judge again at the 2022 edition of the Caféracerfest which is coming up on June 11th, and we couldn’t be more excited! Looking back at last year’s event did raise the question if this year’s contenders have any idea of the high level of last year’s participants? If we go by what we saw last year, we have some pretty high expectations.

…and the winner is..!
This story is about Borislav Aleksov and his dream to build the ultimate café racer. Before the Bulgarian builder got his hands on this 1992 Yamaha XV1100, he had already built a Honda CX500 café racer. Borislav was fascinated by the air-cooled Yamaha v-twin, so when one of his friends was selling his, Borislav knew that it was now or never. We’re glad he took that chance.

It’s safe to say that we have yet to see a boring Yamaha XV caféracer here at BikeBrewers. This one seems to be the latest addition to that list, keeping the standard yet again, very high. It’s hard to imagine that Borislav had a budget of a mere 7500 euro; that kind of money you’d expect a shed-built bike to cost, definitely not a show-winning unit like this.

Torches out
Borislav started with chopping the rear sub-frame, and building a new one from scratch. At the front a set of Suzuki GSX-R1000 forks were adopted, held firmly in place by a set of Aprilia RSV4 triple clamps. The forks allow for radial brake callipers to be mounted, which is exactly what the master craftsman did, courtesy of Tokico. At the rear, a Yamaha FZ6 mono-shock keeps the bike on track. The new forks brought a new dilemma; the ground clearance was now compromised. The solution: raising the engine up in the frame. That’s not an easy task, so countless hours were spent trying to get it right.

The engine didn’t go back in the frame before being completely overhauled and got covered with a fresh coat of paint. The carbs were cleaned and rebuild, so that took care of the intake side of things. On the exhaust side, a new custom-made exhaust system was build from the ground up. We really liked the lines and angles of the exhaust system, and it’s one of the key features that attracted us to this bike on the day of the event. When we asked Borislav what his intentions were when he built this bike, he said that, at first he wanted to build a classic looking café racer, but that he changed his mind half-way through the project after being inspired by some builds he saw on Facebook.

Wheels
A friend of Borislav took care of lacing the hubs to a new set of aluminium rims, which were also in black. Yes, black is the theme with this build, and we like it! Do you know what’s also black? The modified Benelli fuel tank, the epitome of café racer fuel tanks. Everything was painted in-house by Borislav himself. A custom leather seat keeps the rider firmly in place, and a Daytona Velona 80 gives all the necessary rider info whilst maintaining a contemporary look.

It is clear to see why this particular café racer took the 1st prize during the 2021 Caferacerfest.
This is what Borislav had to say about his build:
“I like the paint scheme and the general profile of the motorcycle that is the exact opposite of a chopper. The riding experience is unexplainable after 3 years of working on this project to be able to finally ride it is a dream come true. Thanks also for the Felix helmet that I received as a prize. It really enhances the look of the ride” he smiles.

Previous life
Below are some shots of the bike before Borislave opened his toolbox and the build in progress.

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[DaveM]

EMBERWIND A charity project for a children’s hospice – Yamaha SR500 Street Tracker by Nils Homann and Marius Schulz

“Friends of mine have lost their child at a young age to cancer. For their last days they moved into a children’s hospice. Every time I see my own daughter, I realise how incredibly lucky I am. For a while I have been looking for an opportunity to give back to the community. Now is the time!” – Nils Homann

“How?”, you might wonder. Or “what does paediatric oncology have to do with motorcycles?” Allow us to introduce ‘Emberwind’, a Yamaha SR500 based Street Tracker.

What and Why​

The Yamaha SR500 is a perfectly reasonable bike for any (aspiring) builder to be turned into something unique, even with limited skills or a modest budget. It is not too large, not too heavy, and not too complex. Plus, hundreds of examples, parts, and ideas available. Further, a plethora of images, instagram profiles, and blog posts surrounding this particular model are available online. So, why did we pick this particular one? First, it looks fantastic. And second, rather than out of conventional motivations to build a custom bike, Emberwind was built as a charity project. It was built with the sole purpose to be auctioned off at the end of the build. All proceeds will be donated to a children’s hospice in Berlin. Which really should be the primary reason, if we’re honest to ourselves.

Nils Homann, motorcycle fanatic in the truest sense, wrencher, builder, producer, journalist, and YouTuber, put his head, and hands, together with Marius Schulz, from Speed Seeds. With a combined 150 years of experience (give or take) they put together 1390 single parts, 214 new parts, and 83 custom made parts, in just under 240 hours (237 to be precise) of their personal time to ensure this idea would come to fruition. And this might just be a fruit directly from the garden of Eden.

Intimate parts​

The SR 500 Street Tracker now rolls on MITAS H-18 Highway tyres (the road worthy version of their famous H-18 Flat Track tyre). These are wrapped around high shouldered XS Performance 19” rims with stainless steel spokes. The front is suspended with the stock setup, but powder coated sliders and 3D printed covers really improve the look. The rear is suspended by 340mm YSS RE302 shocks that meet the shortened frame just behind the stickered side cover. All electrics are tucked neatly behind the covers and under a handmade leather seat. Following the curvature of the subframe is the custom aluminium fender. This fender hides stainless steel supports for the licence plate, Daytona D-light SOL LED indicators, and the LED tail light in an aluminium housing. In the front a 12cm Bates style headlight provides illumination.

The speedo is a 60mm Daytona Velona without a tachometer that is clearly visible over the stock handlebars and the walnut-blasted stock controls. Yamaha single cylinder specialist MOTORITZ rebuilt the engine, which is now fueled by a Mikuni TMR 36 Flat Slide carburettor. It inhales through an K&N open filter and exhales through a polished stainless steel Mallory Drag Pipe on the other end. Above this powerhouse sits Nils’ favourite part, la pièce de résistance, and a real eye catcher: the hand painted amber coloured tank with black and white striping.

Build process and auction​

With the exception of the powder coating of the frame and the painting of the tank, which was performed by professionals externally (free of charge to support the cause), all of the work was meticulously documented and filmed. From the disassembly of the donor bike to the first ride after rebuilding it, every step can be followed in a series of YouTube tutorials and on their website Motokino. The series was filmed at Craftwerk, a community motorcycle garage, in Berlin. At the end of the series, the auction will happen there and can be followed via Live-Stream.

Besides documenting the process in such a way that anyone could build their own bike in a similar fashion, the budget was also kept in check. Luckily, due to their extensive experience, unexpected costs or surprises did not arise. Kickstarter Shop, Kedo, Supermichi von Nikon, Splett und Kahl, Jürgen, Lennert, Patricia for the photos, Felix, und Faruk provided further support during the process.

Lastly, our final question to these inspiring builders was, unsuprisingly:
“And how does it ride?”
– “Well, like the wind!”

The post EMBERWIND A charity project for a children’s hospice – Yamaha SR500 Street Tracker by Nils Homann and Marius Schulz appeared first on BikeBrewers.com.

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[DaveM]

Pando Moto – Time to accessorise!

Gear Up!
When it comes to motorcycle gear, we have a pretty good idea of what works, and what doesn’t. It really helps that our entire editorial team are petrol-heads of the highest order. This also means that we test out gear to the absolute limit. But sometimes, you want something different. Years ago we came up with the hashtag #AlwaysRideinStyle. But what if you aren’t planning on doing any riding, and you still would like to look the part?

We are selective
Luckily there are companies like Pando Moto who hear our calls. A while ago a set of Pando Moto motorcycle apparel landed on our desk for review purposes, and review we did! Included in the box was a little care-package as an add-on from the Lithuania based company. We were spoiled with a set of t-shirts, sweaters, and trucker caps. Much like earlier gear we got, we have worn and washed the shirts and sweaters at least a dozen times since we got them. Before we give it our seal of approval, we want to be absolutely sure the gear deserves it.

And it does.

T-shirts with a capital ‘T’
First, the t-shirts. Just like all the other Pando Moto gear, the t-shirts are in black with white printing on them. You really can’t go wrong with that combination. The shirts we received were the MIKE MOTO WING 1 – Regular Fit and the MIKE DON’T DIE – Regular Fit. The t-shirts have a perfect fit, and are a bit longer than most t-shirts on the market. This is a great thing, since most bikers like to tuck in their t-shirts into their riding pants for increased comfort. It’s not always easy to do with a regular t-shirt. I wear an XXL, and the shirt size was spot on. Same goes for Ron, who is a ‘Medium’ guy.

The cotton quality is just phenomenal. Nice and thick, not at all the flimsy stuff you all too often encounter when ordering online.
Pando uses the 5.3oz fabric for their T-shirts. for comparison; really heavy weight shirts go up to 7oz, but we think that’s mor like a light sweatshirt.

Pando Moto & Zero Motorcycles
Pando Moto set up a collab with Zero Motorcycles a while ago. In light of that partnership, a series of Pando/Zero hoodies were made, and honestly, they look incredible! . The hoodies are incredibly comfortable and easy to wear. Even after numerous washing cycles, the printing hasn’t faded or come off yet. My wife loves wearing my hoodies too, especially if they’re oversized, and the Pando/Zero hoodie is by far her most favorite one to wear.

As you can see in the unboxing video above, Ron was sent an extra Pando/Zero T-shirt. All we can say; ‘Same quality, different print’. In other word, a must-have if you are into electric motorcycles.

Topping it off
The all-black trucker cap was an instant hit with us. The classic looking cap has been my go-to cap since receiving it. The black color hasn’t faded yet, despite the many hours it was worn in the sun. The mesh ensures enough ventilation to keep your head cool on those hot days. The embroidery is subtle, and the plastic snap adjuster at the back completes the classic look of this cap.

There is much more that Pando Moto has to offer, go check it out for yourself! We expect to hear and see a lot more from this manufacturer.

More reviews:
Boss Dyn 01 jeans
Steel black 9

Unboxing Steel Black 9

Ass tested: Pando Steel black 9

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[DaveM]

Distinguished Gentlemans Ride Amsterdam 2022

Amsterdam, the place to ride
Amsterdam was one of the first cities in the world where motorcyclists picked up on the Gentlemans ride in it very early beginnings.
Back in 2013 the first ride was organized, just one year after its inception in Australia.

Very quickly the ride was embraced by the local motorcycle community and the event rose quickly in the worldwide ranks.

1.000 riders in a narrow city
Pre-COVID the number of participants hit the 1.000 mark in 2019, making it harder each time to smoothly guide the stream of dapper men and ladies on their bikes through the narrow streets of the city.

The constant growth had firmly positioned the Amsterdam event among the top tier in the world, and it was awarded as one of the ‘flagship-rides’ in the world. Our predecessors did an excellent job in creating a beautiful experience, but the success also presented the challenge how to keep the ride moving in the most literal sense of the word and to find a location big enough to support further growth of the event.

New team, new vision
BikeBrewers’ crew members were part of the organizing team in the past, but in 2022 we were asked to be the hosts of the event.
As we are strongly embedded in the Amsterdam Classic Riders community it was a no-brainer to check who of our buddies would be game to join the team to organize the 10th anniversary edition of the DGR Amsterdam.

A core team set out in February to create an event that would do honour to all the rides that were organized in previous years, but lay the foundation for future expansion.

Local partner
We managed to set up a strong partnership with Vanguard clothing, a fashion brand with strong roots in the motorcycle community. They had been involved in various rides throughout the Netherlands in the past, but were immediately game to host the 2022 event on their grounds.
Ideally situated on the outskirts of the city, the DGR was invited to continue the Amsterdam success story on their huge parking lot.

Festive and Stylish
We set our goal at creating the most attractive showcase possible of dapper riders and stunning motorcycles. The result left us speechless.
with more than 400 participants dressed to kill and nearly € 50.000 in donations, DGR Amsterdam claimed the #1 position in the European Community.

With an unbelievable achievement like that you need an aftermovie to match.
The Amsterdam Classic Riders community harbors a plethora of creative and professional talent in many areas. This video pays hommage to the professionalism of its maker and the team of Classic Riders who laid the foundations of even more magnificent years to come.

All (downloadable pictures of the event can be found at the DGR Amsterdam website created by: 2Source4

Special thanks to:
All those Dapper Riders who joined us on that day
The members of the Amsterdam Classic Riders who helped out during the day (You are awesome!)
Our phenomenal partner Vanguard Clothing (@vanguardclothing)
Triumph Motorcycles Benelux (@triumph_nl)
RAI Vereniging

The fantastic team of organizers
Adnane Bensalah (@adnane_bensalah)
Sjoerd Schenk (@moto.nozem)
Arjan Roelofs (@caferacer_tales)
Guido Kerssens (@guidokerssens)
Benjamin Ergül (@benjaminergul)
Menno Ovaa (@menno_ovaa)
Roel Brals (@roelbrals)

Our group of amazing photographers and videographers:
Michele Orlando (aftermovie)
Graham van der Merwe (@greyham_snap)
Ed Post (@edpostphotographer)
Remko van Diggelen (@remko_vd)
Marcia van Oers (@marcia.van.oers)
Mark Meijering (@markmeijering)

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