Custom Motorcycle Builds

[DaveM]

Young gun, old metal: A BMW K100 LT from a rising star

If there’s anything we like better than discovering a new builder, it’s discovering a young builder with potentially decades of work ahead of them.

The creator of this crisp and very professional custom BMW K100 is Richard Petzold, a 22-year-old who is studying Energy Technologies in Dresden. And he’s already won an award for his work.

“Bike EXIF has been the biggest source of inspiration for me over the past two years, and that basically pushed me to start my own little project,” he tells us. “It started before I even had my motorcycle license, but now the K100 is my ‘daily’.”

There’s a lot of design and fabrication going on here too, with Richard using his parents’ garage as a base and delving into the world of 3D printing. His K100 is also completely street legal in Germany, which is an achievement in itself. “That’s why you won’t see any open air filters or welds on the frame—as sad as that is.”

The base bike is a 1991 K100, making it over 30 years old. It’s the ‘LT’ model, which came with a higher screen than standard and pumped out around 90 hp from the fuel-injected, longitudinal inline-4.

“The engine is rebuilt, but basically stock,” Richard says. “With open air filters, the engine only sucks in the warm air of the radiator. I did try shorter intake tubes, but ended up with lower torque at low rpms.”

“In my opinion, the stock setup is the best for the road if you don’t do open alpha-n programming [airflow optimization], which sadly was not within my budget.” Instead, Richard has optimized the final drive ratio for his riding style, by switching to taller 31/11 gearing.

He’s also fitted a hydraulic clutch conversion, using an R nineT slave cylinder and machining a new pushrod.

A more obvious change is a switch to Moto Guzzi V11 forks, for more refined handling. These are Marzocchi USD units, and are matched to Brembo P34 four-piston brake calipers and 320 mm disks—which Richard has adapted to the original K100 Y-spoke front wheel.

The wheels are wrapped with carbon fiber front and rear fenders, using molds that Richard 3D-printed, and the rear shocks are now Wilbers units.

There are two airbox covers: the upper one is carbon fiber, taken from a mold that Richard first shaped in clay. The lower one is pressed out of aluminum, for an appealing contrast.

Richard 3D printed the aluminum design first, then made two molds from carbon-reinforced resin, and finally pressed the metal into them. He used a similar technique for the carbon fiber alternator cover, and has fabricated a new coolant overflow reservoir from aluminum too.

Other fully custom parts are the buttons, which are 3D printed, laser cut and painted. The cost for them was around $25—“Quite a bit cheaper than most stuff you can buy!”

Richard also made the grips himself, pouring them out of silicone. But he did hit up the catalogs for a few other parts, such as the Truck-Lite LED headlight, the Highsider bar end turn signals and mirrors, and a speedo from MMB. Plus the Magura brake and clutch levers.

The perennial problem with the BMW K100—and all K-series bikes, really—is getting the tank to sit well with other mods. The odd angles make it very hard to get clean lines.

But Richard’s solution is one of the best we’ve seen: the new airboxes draw the eye away, and there’s a new tail unit that stops the bottom of the tank looking too disjointed.

This unit is built from carbon fiber, and we’re detecting hints of Husqvarna ‘Pilen styling. It integrates the rear light, turn signals and an electronics tray. Richard used a mold machined from foam, and the seat itself weighs a mere (12 ounces). The electronics and a Motogadget mo.unit are concealed underneath.

The low-slung exhaust system comes from EXIF regulars Unit Garage, but Richard has modified the muffler and end pipe—by subtly widening the pipe so that the dB killer elements can extend into it.

A CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) analysis ensured that flow is still good, and the noise levels are within legal limits.

After installing new laser cut tank emblems and a carbon fiber license plate holder, the K100 was finished. And we’re not the only ones who think it looks brilliant.

In the first stage of the build process, the bike won the Custom Award at a show hosted by the high profile Berlin community garage Craftwerk.

“I was lucky enough to get to know Nico and Max from Hookie Co., as well as the Craftwerk guys—who told me I should submit my bike to EXIF,” says Richard.

“It’s certainly not the most spectacular looking K, but it’s rideable every day. And most importantly, I learned a lot with this build.”

For a first build, based on such a tricky donor bike, it’s an astounding achievement. Richard Petzold is a name to watch.

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[DaveM]

VINTAGE VIBES: Triumph Bonneville ‘Sixty2’ by Tamarit.

The style of custom bike you’re into is of course a thing of personal taste, but it also has a hell of a lot to do with your age and where you live. High rise living in a vast city centre, where you spend most of your commute in heavy traffic really doesn’t lend itself well to a high-powered machine, nor will a rigid bobber be much fun if you’re on rough roads or highways. Having recently moved to...

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[DaveM]

Pegasus: Bad Winners’ Royal Enfield GT 650 drag bike

There’s hardly a business that hasn’t been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in some way. The Parisian custom shop Bad Winners knows all about it—they’ve had to navigate health regulations, lockdowns and supply chain issues. And they very nearly didn’t get to finish this brutal Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 drag bike.

The build was originally commissioned by Royal Enfield Europe near the end of 2019, and was meant to compete in the popular Sultans of Sprint race series. But when all events were suddenly canceled, Bad Winners founder Walid Ben Lamine got the call to put the project on ice.

Uncertainty loomed for more than a year, until news surfaced of a ‘ghost edition’ of the annual Wheels and Waves festival in Basque Country. With the full event unable to go ahead, a handful of insiders were getting together to keep its spirit alive, and Bad Winners was invited.

Walid welcomed the news, but he was also anxious; Wheels and Waves was just months away, and there was much work to be done. With all hands on deck, the crew finally buttoned the GT 650 up just eight hours before it had to do duty on the infamous Punk’s Peak road, almost 500 miles away.

It’s clear that they didn’t cut any corners though. Dubbed ‘Pegasus l’Étalon Noir,’ which roughly translates to ‘Pegasus the Black Stallion,’ this Continental GT is all business. Low, long and lithe, it’s a beguiling mix of carbon fiber and performance upgrades.

It’s no show pony though. Lurking under the hood is an 865 cc big bore kit from S&S Cycle in the US, complete with an upgraded camshaft, Carillo connecting rods and a reinforced clutch. S&S reworked the cylinder heads too, and supplied Bad Winners with a two-into-one exhaust and a programmable ECU.

Bad Winners swapped the air box for a pair of velocity stacks, and rewired the GT 650 from scratch. And they plumbed in a nitrous system from Nitrous Express too.

Since this bike’s primary objective is going fast in a straight line, Walid and co. decided to extend its wheelbase. They started with the stock swingarm, stretching and bracing it with new chromoly steel sections.

The OEM twin-shock arrangement is gone too, replaced by a single Öhlins unit. Bad Winners fabricated a new upper shock mount and subframe, along with extended foot peg mounts to set them as far back as possible. They’re fitted with custom pegs, controls and linkages.

The wheels are aluminum items from Dymag, and are wrapped in Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SC2 tires. A full Beringer brake set handles stopping duties.

Up top is a full complement of custom carbon fiber body panels. Bad Winners first designed the whole body with CAD software, then 3D-printed prototype parts. Those prototypes were used to make the final carbon fiber parts, which include the front number board, tank cover and tail piece.

Fuel is stored in a custom-made aluminum reservoir mounted under the ‘tank.’ Accessible via a hole in the carbon cover, it holds less than half a gallon—enough for 1/8th mile race runs.

Bad Winners stripped the cockpit down to the bare essentials. Up front is a Koso speedo, flanked by Renthal clip-ons and grips, and Beringer levers. This bike doesn’t need to be street legal, so it’s not kitted with any lights or turn signals.

Like most race bikes, the GT 650 wears its sponsor logos proudly. But unlike most race bikes, it’s not plastered in bright colors—Bad Winners kept things monochrome, wrapping the raw carbon fiber in a high gloss lacquer.

Pegasus l’Étalon Noir lives up to its name; a mythical creature designed to carry thunderbolts for the gods. We’re sure Walid is counting the days until Sultans of Sprint is back on the calendar, and he can start burning through those Pirellis.

In the meantime, if you’d like to see this menacing GT 650 in the flesh, it’s just been unveiled at the Bike Shed Show in London.

Bad Winners | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Pictures and Motion Studio

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[DaveM]

Lil’ Red Sled: A custom Honda Trail Cub from Colorado

The legendary Honda Super Cub is known for being the world’s most produced vehicle, and the poster child for Honda’s most memorable ad campaign. But it was also responsible for spawning multiple trail-focused variants. They’re known the world over; as the Hunter Cub in Japan, the humble postie bike in Australia and the Honda Trail in the USA.

Perry Wilson of Studio 35ive, based out in Fort Collins, Colorado, is one of those ‘nice people you meet on a Honda.’ A photographer by day and a garage builder and general fabricator by night, he’s taken inspiration from the Asian custom scene to build this 1961 Honda C105T Trail 55.

“I wanted a classic look and feel,” says Perry, “with inspiration coming from the scramblers and trials bikes of the era. Every inch of the bike has been customized, and not a single bolt remained untouched.”

Starting with a rusted-out $100 swap meet special, Perry built the whole bike in his garage using both traditional and modern fabrication techniques. By employing the use of CAD programming and 3D printing, he was able to make some very unique parts.

Most will notice that the swooping front guard and fairing have been removed, since Perry stuck to the tried and true method of weight reduction to improve performance. He went even further by trimming the pressed steel frame of countless brackets, and even cutting, welding and smoothing as many stamping seams on the bike as possible.

The rear mudguard is the factory item that Perry modified himself. It now kicks up at the end, keeping in tune with the trials bike vibes.

Replacing the front headlight is a custom rack that Perry designed in CAD and then 3D printed. It matches the rack on the back of the bike, which was made using the same techniques. Perry used a material called PLA+, and reports that in all his time using it, he’s found it to be plenty strong and durable.

Where Perry utilized his CAD and 3D-printing knowledge the most was in the mounting hardware for the new stem and handlebars, which are from a mountain bike. By adapting certain parts, and after a long process of trial and error, he ended up with a setup so slick, you’d be forgiven for not even noticing it. Proof of a job well done by a skilled fabricator.

Dual brake levers, a thumb throttle, and new grips and bar-end mirrors adorn the handlebars. Perry chose to set up the controls this way for ease of use, since the thumb throttle and semi-automatic transmission make it more approachable and fun.

“The idea was that anyone who has ridden a bicycle can ride this bike and be comfortable, with no learning curve” he explains.

The 50-plus-year-old engine was tired, so a brand new Chinese-made 125 cc unit was ordered on Amazon and bolted straight in. Perry reports that while it doesn’t have the highest top speed, it does have double the horsepower of the original! (I’m sure you, dear reader, are also wondering why all motorcycle engine work can’t be this simple.)

The new engine features a semi-automatic four-speed transmission, with three forward gears and one reverse. We can think of many times a reverse gear would have saved us a lot of effort, especially out on the trails.

If you’ve ever had a 60s or 70s Honda, you’ll know that the rear shock absorbers are basically just chromed spring holders. Perry thought the same, so new shocks were bolted on to smooth out the bumps on the trails that he obviously plans to rip down.

The original wheel hubs were able to be saved but the spokes and rims were rusted beyond repair. Shinko SR241 tires are wrapped around the fresh rims.

A red and cream color scheme was chosen to keep in line with the classic theme, and was laid down by Jeff Painter (yes, that is his real name) in Naples, Florida. Bryson Lunger, also of Florida, is the guy behind the hand pin-striping and lettering. The seat was made by Perry himself out of white birch and marine fabric, and is removable to allow access to the fuel tank.

The leather side bag (that matches the seat nicely) was found at a local Target store. Perry simply 3D-printed some brackets to clip it to the frame.

“I wanted this bike to be an example of the idea that you don’t have to be a massive shop or designer to make something unique,” explains Perry. “This was the every-person’s bike. Cheap, fun, reliable… and customized by people just like me.”

Studio 35ive Instagram | Images by Perry Wilson

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[DaveM]

GENTLEMAN’S R: BMW R100 ‘Sipon’ by Gas & Retro.

Over the last eleven years, the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride has done some incredible things, raising $US35million for men’s mental health and prostate cancer research. More than 400,000 riders have gotten involved from nearly 120 countries and now you can add another achievement, a bike style all of its own. When a client approached Žiga Petek of Slovenia’s Gas & Retro, he knew the kind of bike...

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[DaveM]

Speed Read, May 29, 2022

We’re kicking off with a slick Honda CX650 from Bulgaria. Plus a GSX limited edition from Suzuki France, and a stunning Ducati 750 F1 Bol d’Or replica.

Honda CX650 by Tossa R Customs based on the Honda CX500 are two-a-penny, but we don’t see many using its CX650 big brother. That’s a shame, because the 673cc variant is a considerably sportier bike, with 25% more power and a much broader torque curve.

This elegant café racer from the Bulgarian workshop Tossa R amps up that sporting vibe, with upgraded suspension to match.

Shop boss Assen Zahariev deliberately avoided researching previous CX builds, preferring to start with a clean sheet. The major work includes a front end swap using Yamaha R6 forks, plus dual brake discs and floating calipers.

The exhaust system has been terminated just under the V-twin engine, lightening the visuals at the back. An airy subframe reveals the new rear monoshock, which sits just behind a pair of free-flowing air filters.

The new tail unit also introduces a clear line running from the back through the cylinder heads and header pipes, accentuating the hunched-forward stance. And to add visual balance, the rear wheel has been fitted with lightweight moon discs.

It’s a clever trick, and a very modern look for the CX650. If your appetite is whetted, contact Tossa R in Sofia for your own version—they are planning to build a series of these bikes. [Via]

Suzuki GSX-S950 R by AD Koncept The French arm of Suzuki has a track record of producing cool ‘specials.’ A few months ago, they released a kit for the GSX range to celebrate winning the Endurance World Championship. And at the recent French GP, they released a limited edition GSX-950.

We’re not sure what this bike is meant to commemorate, but it’s probably not Suzuki quitting the MotoGP championship at the end of this season.

There will be fifty ‘R’ examples of the GSX-S950 built, and the workshop behind the scheme is AD Koncept of Pons—a well-regarded carrosserier moto. AD Koncept have raided Suzuki’s parts bins and accessory catalogs, and made a few discreet further upgrades.

There’s an Akrapovič muffler, a new seat cowl, a radical headlight cluster, and new carbon fiber composite body panels. The whole shebang is finished off with a new black-and-gold paint job.

The cost for this work is entirely reasonable: a €1,550 ($1,670) premium over the price of the regular GSX-S950. We reckon these will be snapped up, and they’ll probably hold their value well in coming years. [Via]

Ducati 750 F1 Bol d’Or tribute We spotted this incredible endurance racer tribute a few days ago when it first popped up for sale. Not surprisingly, it’s sold already, with the price listed as $18,900.

The bike was built by South African Johann Keyser, who runs the Moto Motivo workshop in Raleigh, North Carolina. It started life as a 1993 Ducati 900 Supersport, which Johann upgraded with the engine and wheels from a 2005-spec 1000SS.

The tank was imported from Japan, and comes from a 1989 750 Sport. The seat unit, however, is an original Ducati 750 F1 seat. The beautifully integrated full fairing is a well-chosen aftermarket item, and the titanium exhaust was made by StradaFab.

Whoever bought this bike has got a great deal. It’s a superbly crafted build, without the lapses of taste you often see with replicas. And it’ll no doubt be enormous fun to ride.

We’re talking Panigale V2 money here, but even so, we’d struggle to choose between a new Ducati and this. [Via]

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[DaveM]

AUCTION BLOCK: Ducati Monster ‘dB25’ by deBolex.

“You’re wasting your cash” they yell, “it’s nothing but a money pit” come the comments, and truth be told, building and owning a custom motorcycle has never been a smart financial investment. But perhaps for some, that is about to change, as the scene has matured to a new place, and the cream of the crop become collectors’ items. And never have we had a chance to find out just how true that might...

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[DaveM]

La Vita in Verde: An Aermacchi 250 restomod from Austria

Italy boasts some of the most storied marques in motorcycling, many of which are still prolific today. But the annals of Italian motorcycle history are also littered with companies that didn’t quite stand the test of time—like Aermacchi.

If you don’t know the story yet, Aermacchi was an aircraft manufacturer that started producing motorcycles after World War II. US readers will know the name, because Harley-Davidson bought half of the company in 1960, and started selling rebadged Aermacchis stateside. You’re looking at a 1961 Aermacchi Harley-Davidson 250 Sprint, masterfully reworked by Christian Schwarzenlander at ExesoR Motorcycles in Austria.

Christian picked the Aermacchi 250 for this restomod project, specifically because he’d been itching to do something with a rare Italian classic. “The style of the 60s single engines and the pure design of this era is unmistakable,” he tells us. “I always played with the thought of one day building an Aermacchi.”

“But it is getting harder and harder to find an affordable Aermacchi nowadays. Some of them have been modified as classic race bikes, and some of them stand fully restored in private collections.”

Christian scoured the internet and stumbled across the 1961 250 Sprint by chance. It was in a terrible state and the price was far too high, but since they’re so hard to track down, he bought it.

Luckily there was a client funding the project; unusual, since Christian usually prefers working on bikes just for himself. It helped that the client was also an old friend—and that he gave Christian the freedom to do whatever he wanted with the Aermacchi 250. And we’re glad he did, because the end result nails that elusive balance between classic restoration and tasteful customization.

The first job was to bring the ratty donor’s engine back to life. That was done within three hours, leaving Christian very optimistic about the rest of the project. But as it turns out, the single cylinder power plant was one of only a few parts on the bike that was in usable condition.

And that’s not saying much either; Christian had to do a full top end rebuild, because “some idiot drilled holes through the exhaust port and replaced the header bolts with wood screws.”

There was more resto work lurking elsewhere. The frame needed a solid amount of grinding and sand blasting before it could be repainted. And the OEM fuel tank, a part that Christian was insistent on retaining, was almost too far gone.

“It was catastrophic,” he says. “After I removed three layers of paint and several millimeters of filler I saw the disaster: big dents on ever side. After welding in a new filler neck for a Monza-style filler cap I took the tank to my friend at I-Flow to prepare the tank and do the paint job.”

There was not much to work with on the original seat either, so Christian repaired the seat pan, shaped new foam and had it covered in suede. It’s attached to the bike via a stunning hand-made stainless steel subframe.

Smaller bodywork items that could be rescued were cleaned up. But other parts were rusted beyond redemption, and had to be reproduced—like the quirky engraved aluminum frame blank-off plates. Christian also commissioned master fabricator, Bernhard ‘Blechmann’ Naumann, to build a new cover for the electrics box on the right side of the bike.

Christian also re-laced the stock hubs to new 18” shouldered aluminum rims, wrapping them in fresh Heidenau rubber. The front forks were stripped and refurbished, while the rear shocks were swapped out for a set of aftermarket units.

Up in the cockpit are a set of clip-ons that came with the bike, along with a new headlight, speedo and grips. Lower down, Christian restored the original exhaust header, and fitted it with an internal dB killer.

Small thoughtful details abound on this charming Aermacchi. There’s a little tool box on the left side of the bike, made with the modified valve cover from an old Dnepr. And the bike is sprinkled with drilled details and subtle custom touches.

“Many parts could not be saved,” says Christian. “In total more than 50 parts were custom made, and more than 20 original parts were modified.”

It took Christian 250 hours, spread out over 13 months, to button this one up. But the hard graft was clearly worth it. Resplendent in a lush green paint job that’s earned it the moniker ‘Verde,’ it’s about as cute as rare Italian classics get.

ExesoR Motorcycles | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Hermann Pillichshammer

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[DaveM]

Heirloom: Doing up a passed-down Sym Wolf 125

Most customs look nothing like a factory bike, with radical styling and, let’s face it, often dubious legality. But occasionally we see a machine that could have rolled straight off a production line.

This custom Sym Wolf looks it could have been a ‘retro’ made by a Japanese factory in the 1980s—with a similar vibe to bikes like the Honda GB500. But it’s the work of student Charlie Huang, who also gives us an interesting insight into Taiwanese custom culture.

Charlie lives in Taichung, but also spends time in California—where attends the renowned ArtCenter College of Design.

His bike is a 1994 Sym Wolf 125, which started life as a somewhat inelegant commuter tool. “It belonged to my uncle, until he passed it down to me in 2020,” Charlie tells us. “It had been my dream bike since I was a child, so I wanted to honor it—by enhancing it and bringing it back to life.” He started with a sketch.

Passing down motorcycles is common in Taiwan: young people often take on the bike used by a grandfather or father, and the Wolf has long been the most popular motorcycle in the country.

Customizing is less common though. “Due to a ban on large motorcycle imports in the late 60s, there was a big gap in our motorcycle culture,” Charlie explains. “This is why our custom bike culture started very late, and small-engine motorcycles are the main theme.”

Charlie’s goal was to not only rebuild the Wolf 125, but also enhance its styling and performance without resorting to the fat-tire, mini-bobber look that afflicts a lot of local customs.

“The biggest modifications here include a full engine and transmission rebuild. I upgraded the original four-speed transmission to a more efficient six-speed, and also increased the engine from 125 to 164 cc.”

To stay on the right side of the law, Charlie had to keep the powertrain cases, along with their stamped numbers. It helped that the Wolf 125 uses a development of the Honda CB/CG series powertrains, and some of the engine internals on this machine are now Honda CB125S parts.

The valves have also been enlarged and polished to accommodate the larger displacement, and a Keihin PE26 carb improves the fuel supply.

The transmission uses Chinese-made internals, and there’s a new high-spec FCC clutch plate too. For the exhaust pipe, Charlie sourced a handmade stainless steel header from a Taiwanese craftsman to create a beautiful curve, and added a SuperTrapp muffler.

Alongside is a modified swingarm that uses Kymco KTR parts, hooked up to a pair of adjustable RPM RR shocks. It’s not stretched: “A longer swingarm with big tires has a huge impact on small displacement motorcycles,” Charlie notes. “It makes the handling worse, and because of the small horsepower, large tires also reduce acceleration.”

The front fork is refurbished and shortened slightly to improve the stance. “Since there is no ideal triple tree on the market, I did 3D modeling and commissioned a CNC manufacturer to make a fully customized triple tree.”

For the tank, Charlie wanted to return the Wolf 125 to its perfect proportions, which came from the Honda CB125S. So he tracked down a CB100 K3 tank in Indonesia—which has the same outer shape as the CB125S—and changed the mounting points so that it would fit on the frame.

The wheels are Shanghai Unison vintage-style aluminum rims, in a F18/R17 set. The tires are Dunlop’s grippy TT900GP compound, in deliberately slim profiles to keep the handling crisp. Charlie’s kept the original rear drum brake, but chose Brembo calipers for the front—painted black to stay in tune with the color scheme.

The cafe racer-style tail was handmade by a Taiwanese sheet metal store, SanHe Garage, and Charlie had the subframe modified to accommodate a new rear fender.

The seat is upholstered with cowhide that Charlie dyed himself. A Taipei specialist helped with the shaping of the foam and the stitching.

Jeffrey Chang handled the sumptuous blue paint. “He’s a master painter in Taiwan, and has worked with many famous custom bike builders,” says Charlie. “The color of this bike was specially commissioned—it’s not an existing color in the market. I wanted a bright color that would contrast against the grey architecture of Taiwan.”

Virtually every smaller part on this Sym Wolf has been replaced or upgraded, right down to the lighting, the grips, and the speedo, which is a replica CB100 unit.

It’s an exercise in improving aesthetics without compromising performance, and it all hangs together beautifully.

Charlie’s goal was to show that smaller bikes don’t need to replicate the style of heavyweight machinery—and also to influence the local custom bike culture along the way. A laudable aim, and we hope he succeeds.

Charlie Huang Design Facebook Group | YouTube channel | Photography by Johnny Ho

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[DaveM]

LEGEND OF Z: Kawasaki ‘Z966’ by Mr Martini.

If you’re a war buff or were paying attention in history class, then you’ll no doubt have a brain full of code names given to the military operations of WW2 like Overlord and Acumen. The element of surprise was everything and keeping your plans under wraps in a world of spies was a deadly game. But those code names also dominated the motorcycle wars and the secret project ‘New York Steak’ would...

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[DaveM]

CELEBRATING CUSTOM CULTURE: Bike Shed Show 2022.

Take one incredible location, mix in nearly 300 of the best custom bikes on the planet and stir in a host of entertainment, and you have yourself the 2022 edition of the Bike Shed Show; Europe’s biggest independent annual motorcycle event. The family friendly atmosphere is a true celebration of the custom motorcycle culture in all its glory and acts as a gathering where everyone from elite...

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[DaveM]

By the Book: A Sportster street tracker from Mule

If we had a stock Harley-Davidson Sportster and a hankering for a top-shelf street tracker, we’d probably call Richard Pollock. Better known as Mule Motorcycles, the man has loads of experience and talent—and a knack for building machines that look like they’ve rolled straight off the dirt oval and onto the street.

You wouldn’t tell by looking at it, but this 2019-model Harley-Davidson Sportster Roadster is actually a modest build by Mule’s standards. There’s nothing over the top here—just perfect proportions, a well-judged parts spec and a host of custom touches done as only he can. The brief came from a friend, with a specific request for a modern Sporty as the donor.

“The goal was to build a trick-looking modified Sportster that already had a 1200 cc, fuel injected, rubber-mount motor,” Richard tells us, “without going crazy on the budget. I really liked the gloss black triple clamps and upside-down forks on the ‘Roadster’ model. Even though they aren’t high-end, they work well and look good.”

Richard also kept the Sportster’s original controls, speedo and classically-styled headlight, along with its air filter cover. “I don’t mind the ‘ham can’ Harley air cleaner covers,” he says, “and it does contain a K&N air filter inside, so there is a small boost in performance.” A set of 1” Mule flat track bars were thrown into the mix.

Even though it stands taller than most factory Sportster models, the Roadster still suffers from a common cruiser issue; it sits low at the back. So ‘fixing’ the bike’s stance was high on the list of priorities.

Richard wanted to retain the original shocks, so he opted to fettle the swingarm instead. The old shock mounts were shaved off, and new ones mounted 6” forward, along with custom gussets for strength. Not only has it lifted the rear end, but it’s also ‘softened’ the stiff OEM shocks.

As is customary for flat trackers, this Sportster street tracker rolls on 19” magnesium wheels, from Sundance in Tokyo. Measuring 2.50×19” up front and 3.50×19” at the back, and wrapped in Goldentyre DT rubber, they use custom carriers to mount the Harley brake discs and rear pulley. The stunning finish on them is a ‘burnt bronze’ color from Cerakote.

A friend of Richard’s, Mel Cary, fabricated a small pair of stainless steel fork guards, then took a torch to them to create a bronze effect that matches the wheels. They mount directly to the original front fender mounts on the fork lowers, negating the need to shave those off.

One detail that most won’t notice at first glance, is this street tracker’s retro-styled foot pegs. “I like to make my own foot peg setups,” says Richard, “and that includes the Bates rubbers which I run on all my flat track and street tracker builds. They feel good under your feet, help with the traditional Harley vibes and are available new.”

Richard fabricated the mounting brackets himself, along with a rear brake fluid reservoir, using a sight glass borrowed from a Yamaha.

The exhaust took some doing to get right too. Richard kept the 3” section of each header pipe that contains its O2 sensor fitting, but fabricated the rest from scratch. The initial idea was to hang an aftermarket muffler intended for an Indian FTR1200 off the end, but that didn’t pan out.

“As the motor is rubber-mounted, the exhaust all the way to its tail end has to move freely with the motor,” explains Richard. “The muffler was a bit heavy to hang in the breeze without substantial mounting, so I reverted to a Cone Engineering megaphone… worlds lighter! The exhaust is short and tucked in super tight, so a small extension was added to direct the heat away from the shock and drive belt.”

Moving to the bodywork, Richard turned to Storz Performance for a classic flat track tank and tail combo. The tank is made from aluminum, and includes provisions for the modern Sportster’s fuel pump.

The fiberglass tail section was shortened by about 3”, then fitted with a seat pad from Saddlemen (“which is as good as you can get,” says Richard). The tail is mounted on a custom subframe, complete with new seat brackets and a tidy rear loop, and weighing far less than the original Harley fender struts.

For the livery, Mule commissioned David Tovar at SBK Paint in San Diego to lay down a Yamaha-inspired combination of blue, white and black. A handful of tasteful graphics add to the race-bred vibe.

Looking factory fresh with not a hair out of place, this Sportster street tracker is proof that you don’t need to go overboard to build a great looking Sportster—provided that, like Richard, you know what you’re doing.

Mule Motorcycles | Instagram | Outdoor images by Olivier de Vaulx

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[DaveM]

Mini Moto Enduro: The Gambler 500 Downsizes

My Coleman CT200 mini-bike sounded like empty soup cans having make-up sex. My bony ass cheeks got more bruised with every lap, and my hands felt arthritic. Every time I went to loosen my white-knuckle grip, the CT200 tried to buck me.

People were being hauled off the six-mile, off-road circuit with concussions and broken collarbones. A beautiful show, where everyone smiled through the pain.

Tate Morgan, founder of the Gambler 500, invited me to the Mini Moto Enduro, a 100-mile endurance mini-bike race somewhere outside of Sunriver, Oregon. He picked me up from Portland airport in a decommissioned ‘short bus’ spray-painted with MUD DAWGS—a little league team he coaches and abandoned for the Mini Moto Enduro—and we started the three-hour drive toward the campground where the race would be held.

The following morning, we understood the madness of what we were about to do, looking at well over 100 mini-bikes in various states of dress and disrepair.

Tate and I unloaded our Coleman CT200s from the back of his bus; he loaned me one he’d been beating on for years. Neither of us hurried during the LeMans-style start, when riders run to their bikes. We waited for the massive dust cloud to settle.

Whoever planned the Gambler 500’s loop wasn’t fucking around—gravel, sand, silt, boulders, whoops, roots, cattle guards, and more goddamn boulders. A couple of sections, like the ‘fork in the road’ and the ‘rock waterfall,’ would’ve been sketchy on full-size dirt bikes, and we were on $500 minis.

I picked my line and stuck to it, even when I didn’t pick right; jumping off rocks, then landing, proved unkind to my genitals.

Breakdowns were common; mini-bikes with flat tires and snapped chains all along the sides of the trail. I had only two issues: the pull-start rope snapped, which took me ten minutes to repair on the trail, and then the throttle return stopped working, which meant I had to keep my right hand on the throttle body and gently “jockey throttle.”

I completed only ten of the 18 laps, but my friend Jessi Combs became the Mini Moto Enduro’s only ironwoman. She and a white-bearded man named “Mr. Miyagi” were the only two to complete the race solo.

Wood pallets were used to build a huge fire, then used to erect a ramp facing said fire. A guy named Casey, dressed as Borat, somehow got his hands on a go-kart and jumped it over the fire, then proceeded to jump it a dozen more times.

Other people jumped mini-bikes, one guy face-planted, and another guy did a mini-bike burnout on the hood of a Crown Victoria. The night ended in a tent on the roof of Tate’s bus, and the next morning we were back on the road for a three-hour drive to Portland airport.

As I write this, after watching dirt pool around my shower drain, I realize I haven’t done anything that childish in a while; “life” gets in the way too often now. It doesn’t get in Tate’s way, and it didn’t get in the way of Tate’s friends, the assistant head coaches of the Mud Dawgs. An assembly of fools, putting themselves in harm’s way in the stupidest way possible, having so much fun.

Inspired people who raise cattle as a hobby, build their own houses and create websites to catfish their best friends. Gamblers are charming folk you want to meet.

Words and images by Chris Nelson for Iron & Air Magazine

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[DaveM]

Speed Read, June 5, 2022

Ever heard of the Fantic Koala? Educate yourself below, then check out an unlikely BMW R1100RS café racer, a rare Bonneville TT Special, a lively Ducati Panigale V4S and a Yamaha XSR900 from Deus.

Fantic Koala by Animal Motor Company I’ll be completely honest, I’d never heard of the Fantic Koala until Wes sent me this set of photos. So, until I’m locked away for this heinous crime, I might as well tell you a bit more about this bike.

This is a 1987 Fantic Koala. It’s an 80 cc two-stroke, and apart from the engine it’s pretty much an Italian Suzuki VanVan or Yamaha TW200. Sadly, Google won’t tell you much much more, but looking at these pictures does make one thing clear: they’re a whole lot of fun.

This particular example was customized by Ruben Cotarelo of Animal Motor Company, and it was pretty much incomplete when it arrived at their workshop. If I can’t even get information on the bike from Google, I’m going to assume that getting original parts is also somewhat difficult. From this, I can see why Ruben chose to customize, rather than restore.

The huge balloon tires are the factory size so there is only one purpose for this bike—off-road adventures. Animal decided to lean into this and build a beach cruiser. The factory motorcycle features dirt bike-style plastics so they were all discarded in place of custom bodywork.

A new tank, flat seat and Renthal handlebars have transformed the diminutive Fantic into a very good looking street tracker. The number plate up front hides the coolant reservoir, and bolted to the left side of the bike is a surfboard/skateboard rack.

There are no lights (or even a license plate) that I can see. However, if all you need is something to run you up and down dirt tracks to hidden surf spots, I can’t think of a better mode of transport. [Animal Motor Company]

BMW R1100RS by Cafemoto I don’t think anybody has ever referred to the BMW R1100RS as svelte. Sure, it’s lighter than a Goldwing, but at 540 lbs wet, it’s not exactly a purebred race bike. Georg Godde and Holger Maninger, the brains behind Cafemoto in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, aimed to change this.

This is ‘Cafemoto 005’ and it’s Georg and Holger’s answer to the BMW R NineT. The elephant in the room is the BMW telelever front suspension, which the guys actually chose to keep. I’ve ridden a few BMW telelever bikes and they are brilliant at soaking up bumps, which is why the suspension was left alone on this build.

In fact, along with the suspension, the engine and most of the frame remain from the original bike. Cafemoto chose to focus on weight reduction, rather than power gains, so the first thing they did was ditch the stock bodywork.

The number plate on the front forks houses a new Motogadget Chronoclassic speedometer, an LED headlight and an oil cooler. Telefix Racer clip-on handlebars were slid into place, while the turn signals are also from Motogadget.

The fuel tank is from a BMW R45 and a lot of time was spent blending it into the bike. To get the fuel pump in, the bottom was cut out and reshaped before being aligned properly with the frame. Continuing through to the tail of the bike, the rear section of the subframe was modified and a new handmade seat was fitted.

After a lick of paint (BMW ‘Avus’ black) with Cafemoto branding, new Bridgestone rubber was wrapped around the wheels. Cafemoto chose a 180-section rear tyre (up from 160) and they swapped the 17” front wheel out for an 18” unit.

The total weight saved at the end of the build? 121 lbs, bringing the weight down to 439 lbs with a full tank of fuel.

With 90 hp on tap from the 1,100 cc twin, regardless of what you think of the looks, you can’t deny this would be a hoot on a bumpy back road. [Cafemoto | Images by Michael Larssen]

1967 Triumph Bonneville TT Special I have quite a few friends who ride British bikes—but I’m more inclined towards Italian machinery. So I tend to spread the snide remarks about English bikes on pretty thick (all in good fun, of course).

That said, it’s astounding what I would give for one of these; a 1967 Triumph Bonneville TT Special. Besides the lack of headlight, you’d be forgiven for assuming this is just an ordinary Bonneville. It’s the parts inside the engine (and the heritage), however, that make this Special special.

First released in 1963, the Bonneville TT Special was offered by two dealers in America and designed to compete in TT steeplechase events. A TT Steeplechase was similar to flat track Racing, but involved at least one right-hand turn and a jump. From that description, you bet these races were popular.

Hiding inside the 650 Bonneville engine cases are 12:1 high compression pistons and a 17-tooth gearbox sprocket. Up front is a single Smiths tachometer, and nothing else; no headlight or speedometer. An ET ignition, larger 1 3/16” Amal carburetors and an open, short exhaust help the engine breathe a whole lot easier.

As was the case with a lot of factory specials in those days, not all bikes were produced to the same spec. Some had 11:1 compression ratios and 19T gearbox sprockets, and I’m sure Triumph-cognoscenti will be able to spot other minor differences.

Because the TT Specials were built to be raced, there aren’t a lot of surviving examples. Only produced for five years, the rarity and race heritage should mean they would do well at auction.

This particular, well kept, matching numbers example just sold at RM Sotheby’s for $7,200—which is lower than the $10-12,000 that it was expected to fetch.

Price aside, the two-tone paint, exhaust and desert sled vibes really do it for me. It’s not quite enough to draw me away from European exotica, but it comes close. [Via]

Ducati Panigale V4S by Dan Yoder Speaking of European exotica, this is a 2019 Ducati Panigale V4S and it was built by Dan Yoder in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin. Recently on display at the One Motorcycle Show in Portland, Oregon, this 211 hp Italian stallion has the show to match the go.

Dan is a sign maker and painter by trade, and yes, he painted the bike himself. What you might not realize is that Dan also built the aluminum tail section and other bodywork for the bike by hand.

Dan’s company, Make Signs Not War, specializes in hand-built signage so he wanted the bike to show off his aluminum fabrication and painting prowess. All the paint was laid down using matte clears and the graphics were all hand-painted by Dan with gloss enamel. The pin striping around the headlights is particularly delicious.

From the factory, the V4S front fairing blends into the fuel tank. Dan wasn’t a big fan of this design so he chose to cut up this expensive Italian motorcycle. In my opinion, he’s pulled it off beautifully and has somehow made a sporty bike even more sporty.

The lower part of the fairing was trimmed back to expose more of the engine, and the exhaust shield had a haircut as well. The ends of the Termingnoni exhaust were extended so Dan could use SC Project slip-on mufflers, and the mirror mounts were blocked off with aluminum plates.

“I didn’t have a certain influence or concept other than giving the refined Italian bike a little more grit,” says Dan. “I always remember Roland Sands saying something along the lines of ‘make it punk rock.’”

This bike ticks all my boxes—it’s Italian, has outlandish graphics, a good back story and, to top it all off, it gets ridden as much as possible. [Via]

Yamaha XSR900 by Deus ex Machina Seven years since its initial worldwide release, the Yamaha XSR900 is a popular choice for custom bike builders. With modern suspension, good brakes and gobs of power from the 847cc inline triple, it’s easy to see why. This particular XSR is the latest creation from Jeremy Tagand of Deus ex Machina Australia.

Built for a friend of Jeremy’s, this XSR900 has styling cues that may look familiar to fans of the 1988 cult classic film, Akira. Set in neo-dystopian Tokyo, Akira follows the story of Shōtarō Kaneda and Tetsuo Shima, best friends and leaders of the vigilante Bōsōzoku motorcycle gang, the Capsules.

Jeremy didn’t set out to replicate Kaneda’s iconic red bike, but rather to carry the film’s neo-Tokyo vibe over to the modern Yamaha. The dark, moody paint job with ghosted graphics by Marc Houssenloge at Sydney Custom Painting, drives that point home.

It’s hard not to notice the custom-built solid wheels that adorn the bike. These were created especially for Jeremy at Deus by Mario at Ricci Engineering and set the aggressive tone of the build perfectly. Adding to the theme is a Yamaha Tracer 900 skid plate from Givi, which was extensively modified to fit over a new SC-Project exhaust.

The front fender, rear-wheel hugger, chain guard and speedometer relocation brackets are all ‘Monkeebeast’ parts from Kedo, designed by The Wrenchmonkees. Lighting duties front to back are shared by S2 Concept, Motogadget and Kellerman parts. Rounding out the more subtle details of the bike are tapered bars from Rizoma, in black, naturally.

I’ve never been overly enamored by the XSR900 in stock form. However, when people like Jeremy and the Deus team get their hands on them, I sit up and take notice. [Deus ex Machina Australia]

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[DaveM]

STREET WARRIOR: Buell XBRR ‘Gladiator’ by Hot Dock Custom Cycles.

It has been a consistent theme over recent years that many of the best American V-Twin muscle bikes have been coming out of Japan. It really shouldn’t come as a surprise, with the first Harleys arriving in Japan 110 years ago, and then being produced under license by Rikuo, who didn’t always pay those fees. For Keiji Kawakita, American machinery has been a lifelong passion that he’s committed...

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[DaveM]

Fraternal Twins: Crooked’s Royal Enfield Interceptor kits

High-end custom motorcycles are nice to look at, but they take substantial talent to build and serious money to buy. That’s why for every top dollar custom out there, there are scores of bikes that have been lightly tweaked, just enough to make them stand out from the crowd. It’s also why some manufacturers are making bikes that are relatively easy to customize—and why more custom builders are producing kits.

These two customs from Germany’s Crooked Motorcycles epitomize that ethos. Both use the refreshingly simple Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 as a base, and both are dressed in plug-and-play parts.

Crooked has called this their ‘RoyalSERIES’, and offers it in ‘Gravel’ [above] and ‘Street’ [below] versions. Builders Jakob Müller and Dominikus Braun were inspired to spin the Interceptor 650 off into these two directions, after owning and riding one for 18 months.

“After this whole difficult pandemic phase, we were motivated to build a series that is built on fun,” says Dominikus. “To leave everyday life behind, grab some friends and just have a good time on bikes!”

“This was also the reason for our decision to design a double series. Whether street or gravel, the bikes have been pure fun during the last few weeks of our test phase. The performance off-road is amazing, because it handles nicely through tight curves, but also has enough pull to make some dust.”

“In the street variant, the focus was on sportiness, both in and outside the city. Sub-50 hp doesn’t sound ‘sporty,’ but it can be! Winding roads, lively handling, a sporty seating position and a raw sound sounds like fun for sure.”

The most obvious change on both bikes are their abbreviated rear sections. In both cases, this was achieved without hacking up the Royal Enfield’s stock subframe. Instead, Crooked fabricated new rear loops that mount to the OEM frame rails.

The scrambler version’s kicked-up loop also includes attachment points for a pair of multi-purpose bags. Dominikus tells us that each bag can hold a 25 oz. water bottle, a Snickers bar and a rain jacket, and they include shoulder straps for carrying around when off the bike.

The scrambler wears a slim bench seat up top, with an integrated LED taillight out back. A pair of Motogadget LED turn signals are mounted to a custom-made license plate holder lower down.

The café racer is finished off with a different frame loop, and wears a sharp rear hump. Crooked 3D printed the rear cowl with a fiber-reinforced plastic, and treated the seat to a classy Alcantara finish. Unlike the scrambler, the café racer’s LED turn signals also act as taillights.

Moving to the opposite end, Crooked fitted the scrambler with an LED Bates-style headlight, and a high-mounted front fender. Everything’s attached to stock mounting points on the yokes, as is the small bracket that holds the new Motogadget speedo. Other add-ons include 3D-printed fork covers with Motoism turn signals, and Renthal handlebars with Biltwell Inc. grips.

Crooked’s work is more than just skin deep though. Modern bikes can be a pain when it comes to electronics, so they developed a special connector to plug the Motogadget speedo straight into the Royal Enfield’s wiring harness. It’s all part of their bid to make these kits truly plug-and-play.

Getting the lines of the café racer perfect was important, so Crooked worked with a different headlight design here. This time, they fitted a Gazzini headlight, surrounded by a handmade aluminum nacelle.

Further back is the same Motogadget speedo conversion as the other bike, along with grips and bar-end turn signals from the German brand. ABM clip-ons round out the cockpit, with plugs to cover the original riser mount holes.

Both versions are propped up on new YSS rear shocks, with a couple inches of extra lift on the scrambler. They also share exhaust systems; a combination of custom headers and Hattech mufflers. Crooked picked Continental TKC80 rubber for the scrambler, and Pirelli Scorpion Trail II tires for the café racer.

Chiko’s Pinstriping handled both liveries, finishing the two builds off with contrasting marbled inserts and hand-painted logos.

Interested parties can order kits or individual pieces from Crooked, or commission them to build a complete bike. A RoyalSERIES Street will set you back €17,500 [about $18,720], while the ‘Gravel’ goes for €16,500 [about $17,650], including a brand new Royal Enfield Interceptor 650.

Alternatively, you can pick your favorite elements from each and build your own Interceptor. Since the donor bikes are identical, there’s infinite room to mix and match.

As for the understated nature of both styles, that’s exactly what Crooked were aiming for. “The focus was on riding pleasure and the simplicity to optimize. We didn’t want to build another crazy custom project which often gets dusty in showrooms.”

“We wanted to get out into nature and have fun, without the fear that something could break.”

Crooked Motorcycles | Facebook | Instagram

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[DaveM]

RUMBLER 1200: Triumph Scrambler by JvB-moto.

Embarking on a sequel to any project is a hazardous business, the movie industry is awash with follow-ups that disgraced their originals. But sometimes things all come together and it would almost be criminal not to reward adoring fans. So, ten years after an epic 1,300km journey across the Pyrenees that resulted in an incredible music video, the team of custom bike builders behind the video’s...

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[DaveM]

Going Pro: A Harley flathead bobber from a shed builder

There’s usually a little trepidation when we hear from a custom builder that we don’t know. Is their work any good, or are they a prime example of the Dunning-Kruger effect? But we weren’t quite prepared for how hard our jaws would hit the floor, when this Harley-Davidson WLC flathead bobber landed in our inbox.

It comes from Slobodan Cirkovic—a Croatian ex-pat living in the UK. And although this is the first time we’re seeing his work, he’s been slogging away in his workshop in Corby, just north-east of Northampton, for a long time already.

The story behind this bobber is a quite a saga, since it was the catalyst that helped Slobodan step up from tinkerer to serious custom builder. It started fourteen years ago, with a 1943 Canadian army-issue Harley WLC engine found on eBay. “I wanted to start working on the bike, but I knew I would need adequate space, good tools and a lot of spare parts,” he tells us.

“I decided to make some changes to my garage and use it as a workshop. That garage is still in use as my main workshop, and it has produced some amazing bikes over the years.”

Slobodan first built a steel table and a jig, then bought a lathe, pipe bender and other essentials. Using a pile of steel tubing, and steel plates salvaged from a scrapyard, he started piecing the bike together.

“I welded everything together, which was more challenging more than I thought it would be,” he says. “It was the first Harley I was working on, so it was a steep learning curve. I won’t lie—lining everything up was a nightmare.”

Then, thanks to a mix of personal circumstances and unavailability of parts, the bobber project stalled. Slobodan didn’t slow down though—he kept building café racers and scramblers, and showed them off at local events like the Bike Shed show in London. All while the Harley sat quietly in the corner of his workshop.

The spark was reignited when the UK’s Kickback custom bike competition rolled around last year. Slobodan rushed the build over the finish line and took it to the show, where it was well received. But he saw room for improvement—so he stripped the bike down, hacked up the frame he’d built and started over.

With a clear vision of how he wanted the project to turn out, Slobodan put all his focus into building the bike you’re looking at now. The first step was to throw away everything but the steering neck and lower engine mount from the original frame. Luckily he had material left over from the first build.

“For the frame,” he explains, “I originally used Range Rover subframe tubes that I got from the company I worked for, after we stopped production of that model. There were many leftover tubes, so I asked my team leader if I could have some. When I decided to get back to the Harley project, I found those tubes in a bag under my workbench—a bit rusty, but still good.”

Slobodan had since sold his pipe bender, so he built the curves of this frame by cutting, welding and smoothing each section. Extra care had to be taken, because the Harley’s oil is stored in the new top tube. A new jig was built too, to make sure that this frame was truer than the last one.

The rear triangle uses slimmer tubing, welded to steel axle plates. The biggest challenge though, was building the various engine mounting plates. There had to be enough clearance for the rear wheel and chain, and Slobodan had to make sure that the various drivetrain components were properly matched up.

This old Harley actually runs with a mixed bag of parts. The 45.12 ci flathead engine sits center stage, fed by a Linkert M88 carb and exhaling through a handmade stainless steel exhaust. But the transmission is a four-speed unit from a shovelhead, with the open belt drive coming from Belt Drives Ltd.

A bunch of other bits are sprinkled in between, from custom brackets and covers to handmade copper oil lines. Slobodan even made his own foot boards, adding wood trim to mimic the look of a yacht’s deck.

Up front is a Harley-Davidson springer front-end, but even that could go onto the bike untouched; it was in such a bad state that it needed serious massaging to install. The bike rolls on 16” laced wheels, wrapped in vintage rubber and kitted with a mixed bag of braking parts.

The front brake uses a Harley disc and a vintage AJP trials bike brake caliper, mounted with a custom bracket and spacers. The rear brake setup is from Exile cycles, and uses a combination rear sprocket and disc. Yes, this vintage Harley bobber has disc brakes.

Up top is a custom-made fuel tank, fabricated to take into consideration the shape of the engine, and with hidden cutouts to house bits like the ignition coils. Slobodan built a custom seat too—but then tossed it, opting for a vintage Brooks bicycle seat mounted on springs instead.

It seems like a lot of effort just to sacrifice comfort, but Slobodan explains that his biggest goal was keeping the overall design as svelte as possible. “I am always the guy who chooses the hard way, never the easy way. For me, it was important to make a smaller, nice looking bike with smooth lines, without using many aftermarket components.”

A set of custom-built handlebars, equipped with brown leather grips, K-Tech controls and only the most essential of switches, kit out the cockpit. Keen eyes will notice a headlight bracket too, although the light itself isn’t fitted here. Slobodan’s not in a rush to make the bike fully road legal, and wants to test ride and tune it a bit more first.

The only thing Slobodan didn’t do all by himself, is the fetching blue paint job. But everything else was his work—right down to all the small brass pieces that came off his lathe.

“People will not believe how challenging this project was,” he adds, “and how quickly it was done on a really small budget.” We believe him. And looking at the finished project, it’s hard to pigeonhole Slobodan as a shed builder.

His friends agree, so they’ve been goading him into turning his hobby into a business. He’s calling himself BobC Custom Motorcycles, and if he keeps this up, it’ll be a name to watch.

BobC Custom Motorcycles Instagram | Images by Del Hickey

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[DaveM]

Ridden not Hidden: A 1970 Triumph Trackmaster race bike

Many vintage motorcycles that get restored often end up as showpieces—ridden seldom, if at all, for fear that something might break. But if you had a bonafide classic Triumph Trackmaster in your garage, could you really leave it parked? Gareth Howes says “no.”

He’s the owner of this 1970 Triumph Trackmaster, and believes bikes should be “ridden, not hidden.” So this fully restored race bike gets regular thrashings from the most stylish man in flat track racing: Dimitri Coste.

Gareth got hooked on flat track racing via the UK’s Dirt Quake events. He’s a sucker for classic race bikes and their history, so he eventually set up a company, Double Six, to source and import rare flat track parts from the USA. Which is how he stumbled across the donor bike for this project.

“I purchased the Triumph from a bike auction in America, while at a race track in England being egged on by my mates,” he tells us. “Once it had arrived, I really fell in love with the bike. After speaking to a few racers from the late 60s and early 70s, I was able to work out that it was made for, and owned by, an ex-Trackmaster employee, Gene Hartline.”

Gene passed away unexpectedly four years ago, but left a legacy behind as a highly successful Hollywood stuntman. With the Triumph’s steering neck still bearing his name, Gareth knew the bike had to be brought back to life—and raced.

So he roped in his good friend and ex-DTRA vintage class champ, Rick Bearcroft, and got to work.

Gareth had figured out that the frame was an early model, built by the original owner of the Trackmaster company, Ray Hensley. The setup included original Ceriani GP forks and Akront rims, making this about as period correct as you can get.

The engine is a 750 Triumph twin, but its exact origin is unknown. “The engine has never been stamped,” says Gareth, “so it means it’s only ever been a race bike. It’s rumored to be one of the Triumph 750s built for homologation, so that Triumph could race in 1970.”

Gareth and Rick went deep on the Triumph mill, re-honing the cylinders and replacing the valves and valve guides. Then they replaced the seals and bearings, rebuilt the twin Mikuni carbs, fitted new filters and restored the ARD magneto. The engine also wears Carl’s Speed Shop covers.

Despite the extensive internal work, the guys didn’t go overboard on the outside. It’s clear that they cleaned the engine up somewhat—but they also left more than enough patina intact, including the dings in the exhausts.

The Ceriani forks look a bit newer, because they had to be fully rebuilt with new stanchions. The Trackmaster still rolls on Akront rims, but the rear’s been re-laced to a quick-change hub. Period correct Dunlop tires keep things retro.

There is one sneaky modern part on the bike: a Brembo rear brake caliper. But otherwise, this Triumph is a true time capsule. “We kept every as original as possible, including the original plating from 1970,” says Gareth.

Keeping within that theme, Gareth sourced an original 1970s Cycle Works fiberglass fuel tank. The paint is new, though—and gorgeous. It was handled by Paint By Matt, who normally specializes in chopper paint jobs.

Just behind the tank is a Bates seat and passenger pad, mounted over a traditional rear fender.

But beyond that, and the vintage flat track handlebars, there’s little else vying for attention. No front fender or brake, no lights and no speedo. “This bike is a keeper that’s not going anywhere but to tracks to race,” confirms Gareth.

That’s exactly why he reached out to accomplished photographer and vintage flat track racer, Dimitri Coste, to pilot the Trackmaster. “If you’ve ever seen Dimitri ride you’ll remember him. He has a great style, with wide and wild being his signature on the track. Even with a slipping clutch on starts and gearing being way out, we bagged a third first time out.”

So what’s next for Double Six? Apparently there’s a 1930-model Harley-Davidson Model V already on the bench. And yes, it will be raced.

Built by Double Six | Raced by Dimitri Coste | Images by Alex Shore

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[DaveM]

TT HOMAGE: Ducati Scrambler by Reier Motors.

In the late ’70s, about the only motorcycles you saw with a full fairing were wearing aftermarket pieces that were both horribly heavy and as ugly as sin. But with the advent of the breakaway TT Formula race series, manufacturers were forced to homologate their machinery to compete, and with the Isle of Man the key race on the calendar, wind protection was now huge factor. Many of the first TT...

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