Custom Motorcycle Builds

[DaveM]

Covert operative: Droog Moto’s custom Volcon Brat e-bike

My gateway into motorcycling was a 50 cc moped that could barely manage 25 mph. But for the next generation, it’s more likely to be small electric bikes that blur the lines between bicycles and motorcycles. E-bikes like the Volcon Brat.

The Volcon Brat is a compact e-bike sporting a 750 W pedal-assist hub motor, 20” wheels, and full suspension. With four different rider modes, it’s capable of a top speed of 28 mph, with a range of up to 70 miles (if you take it easy). And with both pedals and a throttle, it’s hugely accessible—even to unlicensed riders.

The Brat is cute enough in stock form, but the US-based custom bike company, Droog Moto, has taken it in a different direction. Working in collaboration with Volcon, the husband and wife team of Max and Erica Droog has produced a kit to crank up the Brat’s looks and performance.

Droog usually customizes full-size motorcycles, but the opportunity to try something fresh was too good to pass up. “We didn’t go into this project with the intent of this replacing or competing against motorcycles,” says Max. “They are two totally separate things—but this is a fun and easy-to-ride form of transportation that gives you the look and feel of a motorcycle.”

“You don’t need a license, registration, or insurance to ride it. For us, this is a totally new experience and a way to enjoy being on two wheels without the need for all the extra stuff. This is the perfect bike for commuting or to just have some fun on—we’ve been commuting to our shop daily on it!”

Droog’s signature style is brutal and blacked-out; a bit more post-apocalyptic than the look of the stock Brat. So Max and Erica spent some time riding it, then brainstormed how to turn it into a plucky e-bike that wouldn’t look out of place in their existing portfolio. But before they focused on the bike’s cosmetics, they had some chassis upgrades in mind.

The Brat is designed as a dual-sport e-bike, but Droog wanted to ensure it’d be proper fun on any surface. They kept the OEM wheels but swapped the rubber out for an extra grippy set of Allscape tires from Happy Ebikes. Measuring 20×4”, they’re a dead ringer for the ultra-popular Pirelli and Heidenau tires that often adorn bike dual-sport bikes—and their thicker sidewalls make them less prone to punctures.

Magura supplied a new set of MT7E disc brakes, which include a built-in switch to activate the taillight and kill the motor under braking. “The braking power now is instant and the lever feel is top-notch,” says Max.

DNM Suspension came to the party with a bespoke set of forks, designed to accommodate the stock wheel and the new Magura caliper. The rear shock came from DNM too; the bike now has more suspension travel, and a full range of adjustability, at both ends.

Given the relatively simple layout and minimal styling of the Brat, Droog had a lot of room to move when it came to the bodywork. Blocky flat track-style headlight nacelles are a hallmark of their bikes, so they figured the Brat needed one too. This one’s been 3D-printed out of a carbon fiber nylon material, and features a pair of LED strips that include a dynamic startup ‘animation.’

Those two LEDs act purely as daytime running lights though. A tiny, but punchy, LED from Diode Dynamics sits just behind the front forks for extra lighting in poor conditions. It’s activated by a new thumb switch on the bars.

The Brat’s new faux fuel tank was built using a combination of hand-shaped aluminum and 3D-printed parts. Further back, Droog trimmed the end of the subframe and replaced it with another 3D-printed part. An LED light is embedded in the back, with a wider-than-stock suede seat mounted up top.

Keeping with the muscular feel of their bikes, Droog also added a set of lightweight 3D-printed wheel inserts. (They’re easy to remove too, if spokes are more your thing.) New tapered handlebars do duty up top, while a CNC-cut aluminum ‘molle’ plate under the seat offers a mounting point for accessories and luggage.

Droog is offering the custom Volcon Brat as a made-to-order custom, but they also plan to fabricate a kit for existing Brat owners. I can already see my kids terrorizing the suburbs on this.

Droog Moto | Facebook | Instagram

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[solomon]

I can already see my kids terrorizing the suburbs on this

Exactly. In the UK this, as it continues to power over 15.5mph, and powers without peddling, does indeed require a licence and insurance. Which is right. Any 'victims' get insurance payouts.

Nice bike though.

 

[DaveM]

The BMW Motorrad ‘Storied’ Series: Matias Corea of Myth Motor

Every one of Matias Corea’s endeavors bears the same hallmark. When it comes to brands, physical spaces, or the motorcycles that he builds as Myth Motor, he knows when something isn’t designed as well as it should be. And he has the know-how and zeal to make it better.

“Design is at the core of who I am, and how I look at life,” Corea states. “I’m a designer 24 hours a day. For me, it’s impossible to stop. So, when I have to make anything, it has to come from a lens of design, aesthetics, communication, and storytelling.”

In 2005, after moving from Barcelona to New York, Corea co-founded the prolific art and design portfolio website Behance. Behance was acquired by Adobe in 2012, and Corea spent three more years working for the company before deciding to move on. But his next challenge would turn out to be a deeply personal one.

Six months after leaving Behance, his sister passed away unexpectedly, sending him into a continual loop of grief and introspection. At the time, Corea had hit pause on his plans to ride with his friend, Joel, from Brooklyn to Ushuaia, Argentina. But as it turned out, that adventure was exactly what he needed to kick-start his next chapter.

“I thought, ‘What would I do if I had very little time left?’ And I rekindled the idea of the trip. It was clear; it was just like thunder. It mixed adventure, it mixed leaving this reality or this specific context. It meant reuniting with my friend, it meant photography, it meant motorcycles, of course, and it meant travel.”

Corea has been riding motorcycles since he was a teenager, but his love affair with classic BMW boxers came sometime later. Joel’s father had owned a 1976-model R 60/6 that had eventually been passed on to Joel’s cousin—and it was time for Joel to get it back.

“It was like a movie,” says Corea. “We went to a little street in Gracia, in a very small neighborhood in Barcelona. We got into one of those alleyways that don’t exist anymore, inside a building where there were little studios, and one of them was an old wood shop full of wood. It was 5 p.m., so the light was coming through and there was dust in the air.”

“The bike was there, under a tarp. My balls just dropped to the ground. It was the most beautiful motorcycle I’d ever seen.”

“We took a trip, very much a Motorcycle Diaries trip; a few months later after that, where we went down south. That kick-started our 20-year story arc of Two Wheels South. There’s a beautiful Polaroid of us coming back from that trip, with no gear whatsoever. The rings were gone, it was smoking everywhere. That bike could’ve killed us. But that started it all.”

After owning a few vintage boxers of his own, Corea made another friend that would impact his life significantly; Peter Boggia, owner of the specialist vintage European motorcycle workshop, Moto Borgotaro. Corea was impressed not only by Boggia’s knowledge, but also his willingness to share that knowledge.

The two never discussed the cost of the work though, and when Corea went to pick his bike up, the bill was a lot higher than he expected. While he begrudgingly cut Boggia a check, he found himself taking note of the logo on the invoice—and the rest of Moto Borgataro’s corporate identity. “I just went and gave him an unrequested design review of his brand,” he quips.

It was an awkward moment for Corea and Boggia, but it had an impact. The next day, Boggia called Corea and offered a trade exchange: motorcycle services for design. Corea mulled it over and then reacted with a counteroffer: design for instruction on how to repair his bike himself.

That connection sent Corea on the path to servicing his own motorcycle, then restoring an old BMW boxer, and eventually prepping his own BMW R 80 G/S Paris-Dakar for his north-to-south trip. Before long, Myth Motor was born—a New York-based custom motorcycle workshop, specializing in adventure-born BMW boxers.

There’s a sense of excitement in the Myth Motor workshop. Corea is diligently preparing two BMW airhead motorcycles, on which he and Joel will soon traverse from Barcelona, Spain, to Cape Town, South Africa.

Corea leverages his experience to refine, improve, and perfect his idea of the perfect overland motorcycle. And that counts for everything, right down to choosing steel over aluminum for certain parts, because steel welders are easier to find in remote places. The fact that Corea’s custom motorcycles are visually stunning is hardly happenstance.

“Because what is motorcycle design?” he asks. “It’s performance, ergonomics, convenience, and style. It’s the process of thinking through everything. The bikes look like crap until a month before I’m about to get it done. I don’t think about the paint job, because that’s not my problem. If it’s good or bad, the paint job could be flowers … I still need to take this bike to Africa.”

So, what awaits Corea once he’s completed his next big adventure? He’s not entirely sure, but he’s keen on figuring it out.

“I am a very one-step-at-a-time kind of guy. I think about the very end, but then when I’m in it, when people ask, ‘How did you go from here to Patagonia?’ One mile at a time. That’s all you need to think about.”

Storied: 100 Years of BMW Motorcycling is a three-part video series and limited edition print piece by The Simple Machine, created with support from BMW Motorrad | Additional images by Matias Corea and Ryan Handt

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[DaveM]

Not like the others: Limey Bikes’ Honda CB750 flat tracker

By Chris Kelland’s admission, he and his partner Elijah Reese will “build bikes for anyone that wants to throw bundles of cash at us.” But that doesn’t mean they’re not at least a little discerning. When a client asked them to turn their father’s 1974 Honda CB750 into a café racer, they said “no.”

“Cafés are uncomfortable and annoying, and everyone and his cat does that,” says Chris. “I thought, ‘Let’s build something more fun and unique.’ After all, who builds flat track CB750s? No one… that’s who.”

Chris, a British ex-pat, and Elijah, a Texas native, run Limey Bikes in Austin. They specialize in the maintenance, restoration, and customization of older Japanese and British bikes—and yes, they occasionally build café racers, too.

“CB750s were never really used for café racers, as they were too heavy and slow compared to the two-stroke screamers of the day,” explains Chris. “So we thought this was a better option. A Honda CB750 flat tracker—but light and not slow.”

The CB750 had been in the client’s family since new, but it was showing its age—so a full tear down and rebuild was on the cards. Chris and Elijah brought the motor back to life with an 836 cc big bore kit, a “new-ish” crank, and a milled head. They also cleaned up the intake and exhausts, and upgraded the valves with Kibblewhite parts and CNC-cut seats.

Limey Bikes then rebuilt the clutch with an EBC kit, and fitted a row of Keihin CR29 carbs with K&N filters. The sleek four-into-one stainless steel exhaust system comes from Delkevic in the UK. The wiring harness was greatly simplified, and the bike now sports a Dyna ignition and a Shorai Lithium battery.

Moving to the chassis, Chris and Elijah swapped the swingarm out for one from Carpy’s Café Racers (ironically), fitted with bronze bushings. A fresh set of piggyback shocks prop up the rear. The CB750 rolls on 19” Sun rims, laced with stainless steel spokes from Buchanans, and wrapped in Shinko flat track tires.

The steering stem was refreshed with tapered roller bearings, and the top triple clamp was swapped for a new CNC-machined item, devoid of any speedo or ignition brackets. Oversized bar risers grip ProTaper handlebars, fitted with Renthal grips, a reproduction Yamaha brake master cylinder attached to a stainless steel hose, and pared-down switchgear. The ignition now sits on the left side of the bike.

For the bodywork, Limey Bikes ordered a full set of fiberglass parts from Airtech Streamlining’s extensive catalog. The kit included a fuel tank, tail unit, and an oil tank with an integrated inner rear fender. (Airtech modeled the kit after the legendary Honda RS750 flat track racer.)

The duo trimmed the Honda’s subframe to accommodate the new rear section, then modified the oil tank and fender to get it sitting perfectly. “It does not fit,” adds Chris, “despite their fervent assertion that they’ve made the same kit for several decades.” A handmade seat and stainless steel oil lines complete the setup.

This Honda CB750 flat tracker wears minimal accoutrements. A small headlight is embedded in an enduro-style number board, with a taillight and license plate bracket tucked under the tail. Flat track-style fork protectors do duty up front too.

Then there’s the livery—an inspired cocktail of blue, black, white, and gold, with OEM-style Honda branding. Most of the hard parts have been redone in black, while the engine wears contrasting raw and black finishes.

Are Chris and Elijah glad that they managed to change their client’s mind? Heck yes.

“This is hands-down the lightest, best-balanced CB750 I’ve ever thrown a leg over,” says Elijah. “With approximately double the original power-to-weight ratio, it’s a blast. I weigh over 300 lbs, and it still feels like it wants to float the front wheel with me on it.”

“This has to be our favorite CB build ever,” Chris adds. “It’s everything you could want from a street bike that also happens to be 50 years old. Honestly—if we could have kept it, we would have!”

Limey Bikes | Images by Dalton Campbell

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[brooke]

Gotta love that one

 

[DaveM]

DARK DYNA: Harley-Davidson from PopBang Classics.

It’s not easy being a one-man band, all the pressure falls on your shoulders and the success of your projects is down to your talents alone. Elvis was as big a star as there has ever been, but he dropped a valve at just 42, and you can’t get a new heart on an extended warranty plan. Thankfully Justin Holmes of Queensland’s PopBang Classics is a little more like Johnny Cash, with all the skills to...

Source

 

[solomon]

DARK DYNA: Harley-Davidson from PopBang Classics.

It’s not easy being a one-man band, all the pressure falls on your shoulders and the success of your projects is down to your talents alone. Elvis was as big a star as there has ever been, but he dropped a valve at just 42, and you can’t get a new heart on an extended warranty plan. Thankfully Justin Holmes of Queensland’s PopBang Classics is a little more like Johnny Cash, with all the skills to...

Source

Oh, no! Another black motorcycle. Must be a lot of Goths-on-wheels about.

Quick, here's an antidote before depression sinks in, of a well-known Brit artist-biker.


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Fgch65fMzVY

 

[Vector]

Hideous

 

[solomon]

Looks even better with the right leathers.

That's on his Big American Road Trip.

 

[Vector]

BARF

 

[DaveM]

Ocean Breeze: A custom Triumph Bonneville T100 by Heiwa MC

You don’t collect trophies from the illustrious Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show without being a master of your craft. But the full extent of Kengo Kimura’s talent goes far beyond just his skill with metal. The man behind Heiwa MC has a sharp eye and excellent taste—he builds elegant machines that defy convention without screaming for attention.

Kimura-san has wowed us in the past with his frame-up vintage Triumph customs, but his latest project is a touch more restrained—and more modern. It’s based on a 2003-model Triumph Bonneville T100, and it was built for a client that had two very specific requests. He wanted the bike to have a tail cowl in Heiwa’s signature style, and he wanted high-mounted exhausts.

In response, the Japanese customizer turned out a tidy bobber that only gets better the closer you examine it. And since high performance wasn’t on the agenda, he put most of his focus into getting the bike’s stance and silhouette right. As a result, much of the Bonneville T100’s running gear has been left alone—and the changes that Kengo has made are super subtle.

The front forks sit lower than before, but they’ve been shortened internally rather than just dropped through the yokes, while aftermarket shocks lower the rear. Kengo also kept the Bonneville’s OEM brakes and its 19” front wheel but re-laced the rear wheel with a 16” rim. Practicalistas will balk at the vintage-style Duro sawtooth tires, but they suit this Triumph perfectly.

Next, Kengo turned his hand to fabricating the Bonneville’s new bodywork. A handmade steel fuel tank sits up top, shaped in Heiwa’s hallmark style. As per the client’s request, an aluminum tail cowl does duty out back.

Not only do the two parts complement each other beautifully, but they’re loaded with thoughtful details that you’ll likely miss the first time around. Note how the front curve of the tank echoes the Triumph’s steering neck gusset, or the way the tail cowl ends in the subtlest of ducktails.

Even Kengo’s subframe mods are impossibly tidy. Instead of the usual cut-‘n’-shut job, he’s trimmed the rear frame rails right down—then welded on bungs to bolt the rear cowl too. A handsome leather saddle sits up top, with a pair of tiny LED turn signals flanking the tail.

There’s more of Kengo’s handiwork under the seat, where a handmade box houses the battery and electronics. It sits where the airbox normally would, so the Bonneville now breathes through a pair of pod filters.

The Triumph’s cockpit wears a mix of OEM and custom parts. It helps that the T100 comes with a handful of stylish bits from the factory—like the one-piece ‘dog bone’ handlebar clamp, which now grips a set of 1” Heiwa drag bars. Also in play are a set of chopper-style grips, a new throttle, vintage switches, and a single mirror.

The original clocks are gone, replaced by a single aftermarket speedo. Kengo also relocated the light switch and starter button to the left of the battery box, and the ignition to the right of the bike, just under the fuel tank.

A Bates-style headlight sits up front, mounted on a handmade bracket. And if you’re wondering where the front turn signals are, just look closer; they’re mounted just off the bike’s frame down tubes. Heiwa’s signature taillight design sits at the opposite end, attached to a license plate mount that sits on a pair of elegant struts.

Heiwa’s Bonneville T100 wears a livery worthy of its tasteful mods. Executed by N2AUTO, it features a candy icy blue coat, with extremely well-judged silver pin-striping. The rest of the bike’s parts bounce between black and chromed finishes.

And then there’s the cherry on the cake—the twin shotgun exhausts. Equipped with generous heat shields and removable baffles, they run as close to the bike as they can, flaring out once they’ve passed the rider’s legs.

Compact and clean, there’s no doubt that this custom Triumph Bonneville T100 is a Heiwa creation. Kengo may have built it for a client rather than a show, but that doesn’t make it any less desirable.

Heiwa MC | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Kazuo Matsumoto

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[solomon]

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=h8aS51M4l4M

 

[solomon]

Oh, no. They want to make the spokes black. Time to restrict black paint sales.


View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ndLPJPqjp-E

 

[DaveM]

Speed Read: An Africa Twin-inspired custom Honda Cub and more

There’s something for everyone in this week’s edition of Speed Read. We’ve got a Yamaha Banshee-powered street tracker from the UK, an ISDT-inspired BMW R100GS from Italy, and an alluring 1950s Triumph Thunderbird chopper from the USA. But first, a wonderful redemption story of a stolen, recovered, and transformed Honda Cub.

Nasir Morni’s Honda ‘Africa Cub’ Based in Borneo, Malaysia, Nasir Morni knows how to make the best out of a bad situation. The custom Honda Cub you see here originally belonged to his father, who bought it way back in 1984 and commuted on it every day—until it was stolen in 2005.

As the years passed, Nasir thought they had seen the last of his dad’s Honda, until they received a call from the local police in 2020. The good news was that the bike had been recovered—the bad news was that it was recovered back in 2005 already, and had been wasting away in the police impound yard for the last 15 years. Regardless, Nasir couldn’t wait to get his hands on the Cub again.

Skip forward to 2023, and Nasir decided that the Cub needed some much-needed love and attention. And by that, we mean that he tore the bike down and threw out everything except the frame.

Heavily inspired by the Honda Africa Twin, Nasir decided to build an ‘Africa Cub.’ After the frame was disassembled, blasted, and painted, a new set of forks was bolted on, along with adjustable rear suspension. Brembo brakes were modified to fit, along with a slick rotor guard, gold wheels, and a set of chunky tires.

New ProTaper bars were fitted, with new grips and a set of off-road hand guards. The headlight is protected by some chunky bars and a mesh grille, with a small windscreen taking some of the wind load off the rider.

Custom steel frame rails were fabricated and bolted on in front of the engine (a feature that modern Super Cubs have from the factory), with a skid plate mounted underneath. The engine looks brand new, and so does the custom exhaust system and swingarm.

To finish it off, Nasir painted the bike in classic HRC red, white, and blue. Set against the gold wheels, blue vinyl seat, and custom ‘Africa Cub’ graphics, you’d think this was a Honda original. We love a good rags-to-riches tale, and we’re sure Nasir will enjoy this bike just as much as his father did. [Nasir Morni Instagram]

For sale: Yamaha Banshee-powered street tracker by Joe Banks Ah, the humble Yamaha Banshee. Or rather, the absolutely bonkers, fire-breathing, 347 cc two-stroke quad bike that is the Yamaha Banshee. Known chiefly for its Yamaha RD350-based engine, the Banshee has gone on to donate said engine to many a custom project. This lightweight street tracker is one such project.

It’s the work of Joe Banks in the UK, who built it as a Kenny Roberts tribute. And even though it wears a license plate, it’s no ordinary street bike.

Perusing the extensive build thread on ADVrider.com, It looks like this crime against modesty was heavily premeditated. The Banshee wasn’t sold in the UK, so Joe started with a box full of two-stroke goodies, courtesy of a few contacts in California. Those boxes not only contained a complete Banshee engine, but a spare RZ350 engine too.

Once he was done putting it all together, Joe had a monster 421 cc two-stroke motor in his hands. With the addition of 35 mm Keihin carbs and a custom stainless steel exhaust, he was off to a good start.

With a goal of 80 hp and 265 lbs, Joe needed a frame as radical as the powerplant he’d just built. So he took a trip to Co-Built Fabrication just outside of Oxford, UK, and found what he was looking for—a handmade, chromoly steel frame and a nickel-plated swingarm. Yamaha R6 forks, Maxton rear shocks, and a set of lightweight Marvic magnesium wheels were bolted on to make it a roller.

The new, and very yellow, bodywork came from Redmax Speed Shop. And since this is a Kenny Roberts tribute build, there are speed blocks aplenty. Final touches include a Scitsu tacho, a pair of LED projector lights, and an ISR and Beringer brake setup.

After the bike was finished it was shipped across the pond to its new home in the USA, where the current owner has enjoyed it for the last few years. If you can see yourself blasting into the sunset on this thing, we have some good news—it’s currently being auctioned off through Iconic Motorbikes.

The auction ends in two days, so you’ll have to be quick with the bids… and you’ll need to line up behind us.

BMW R100GS by SantaFox Garage Known as the “Olympics of Motorcycling”, the International Six Days Trial (ISDT) started in 1913 and is still run to this day. Now called the International Six Days Enduro (ISDE), the competition has come a long way, featuring thoroughly modern and technologically advanced machinery.

Back in 1978, most competitors were running lightweight, single-cylinder bikes—but the BMW works team showed up with air-cooled BMW boxers. With the help of engineer Laszlo Peres, a BMW 247-series airhead was modified for the competition. Not only did it weigh in at under 300 lbs, but it also went on to serve as the base for the legendary BMW R80G/S.

Carlo Santamaria of SantaFox Garage in Savona, Italy, recently came across some old photos of the ISDT BMW and was inspired enough to create his own. Starting with a 1992 BMW R100GS, Carlos first painted the frame blue to match the original bike. The front suspension was swapped out for a set of WP Suspension forks and a dirt-friendly 21” front wheel.

The factory fuel tank was replaced with something with a slimmer profile. The new tank was then modified with a cut-out for the battery, which is stored inside a leather bag—just like the original ISDT competitor. A striking German flag graphic was added to the tank, and a generous leather seat was fitted.

The fenders and headlight nacelle came from Acerbis, but Carlos had to modify the rear fender to fit the R100GS frame. The engine was mostly left stock, with the electrical bits hidden under the seat and in the ‘tank bag.’ No big dirt bike is complete without a thumping soundtrack, so an Akrapovič muffler was modified to fit.

We’re not sure we’d attempt the ISDE aboard a vintage boxer—but Carlos’ BMW sure looks the part. And in the right hands, it could probably take anything thrown its way. [Via]

Triumph 6T Thunderbird by Red Clouds Collective Triumph has used the Thunderbird name a few times over the decades, but the best Thunderbird was the original. Originally released in 1949, the Triumph 6T Thunderbird had a rigid frame, sprung seat, and a parallel twin engine. Americans wanted more power, so the Brits bored out the engine from 500 cc to 650 cc, slapped it in the frame, and sent it Stateside.

This quintessential vintage Triumph made its way into the hands of the Neefus brothers at Red Clouds Collective in Portland, Oregon. When the 1951-model 6T ‘Bird arrived, they knew they were onto a good thing. After all, it was the bike that Marlon Brando rode in The Wild One.

“The old chrome frame has a look and feel you can’t fake, so we wanted to leave that alone and keep that theme throughout the build by using period-correct parts with their natural wear,” explains Seth Neefus. “Everything is mechanically restored, from the fork seals to the engine and gearbox.”

Searching high and low through swap meets and friends’ collections for the right parts, the brothers eventually had everything they needed. A set of MCM fork shrouds and a 1930s Packard headlight were fitted, displaying just the right amount of patina. The chrome-plated Triumph frame was left how they found it, but the team added some taller bars and vintage-style tires.

No 50s-style chopper is complete without some finned Webco parts, so Red Clouds added finned exhaust clamps, rocker inspection caps, and a finned oil feed to complete the look. A Joe Hunt magneto was sourced, restored, and fitted for a robust and reliable spark.

Finally, the peanut tank and ribbed rear fender were given to Nathan Sykes to lay down an artfully distressed paint job. Adorned with prerequisite flames and pinstripes, it looks like this bike has been ridden hard for decades—which is exactly the vibe that the guys were going for. A distressed solo seat and passenger pad, courtesy of River Seat Company, finish things off in style.

Sure, Red Clouds could have turned the vintage Thunderbird into a modern, polished custom. But the shop’s primary business is making hard-wearing apparel and leather goods—the type of stuff that looks better the more you abuse it. And nothing screams hard-wearing like a period-correct 1950s Triumph chopper. [Red Clouds Collective]

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[DaveM]

AERODINAMICA: Limited Moto Guzzi Series from Kaffeemaschine.

In recent years we’ve seen a huge upswing in motorcycle manufacturers offering up ‘limited edition’ bikes with truly astronomical price tags. There is no doubt many of them look cool, but the reality is they are a money-making exercise that simply sees a base model get a host of overpriced bolt-ons. But there is clearly a market, they sell them like hotcakes, and so to offer the motorcycle purist...

Source

 

[solomon]

AERODINAMICA: Limited Moto Guzzi Series from Kaffeemaschine.

In recent years we’ve seen a huge upswing in motorcycle manufacturers offering up ‘limited edition’ bikes with truly astronomical price tags. There is no doubt many of them look cool, but the reality is they are a money-making exercise that simply sees a base model get a host of overpriced bolt-ons. But there is clearly a market, they sell them like hotcakes, and so to offer the motorcycle purist...

Source

There you have it. Two very similar builds. One is an elegant and lovely blue and silver. The other I can't see the engine, the black paint smothers any profiles, shadows, details, it's just a dark mass.

 

[DaveM]

Meteor: A 1946 Harley-Davidson WL flat tracker from Japan

Toshiyuki ‘Cheetah’ Osawa has had a busy year. Hot on the heels of a collaboration with Indian Motorcycle and Sideburn Magazine that debuted at the Bike Shed Show, he already had another deadline looming; Born Free 14. Osawa-san was on the prestigious invited builders list for the fourth time, and wanted to bring a bike worthy of the accolade.

Even though he’s a regular on the show circuit, Cheetah’s bikes aren’t trailer queens. With a background in flat track racing, he builds custom motorcycles that are fun to ride and look good beaten up. For Born Free 14, he delivered a vintage Harley-Davidson WL flat tracker with a handmade chassis and a plethora of tasty details, dubbed ‘Meteor.’

Cheetah started with a 1946 Harley-Davidson WL engine, then went to town modifying it. The stock 740 cc displacement hasn’t changed, but the rear cylinder’s been flipped around as a nod to the iconic Harley XR750 flat tracker. There’s a H-D KR750 cam inside too, with a pair of Lectron carbs sucking air through K&N filters.

Other additions include a Norton Commando transmission and a delightfully dangerous-looking open primary. Needless to say, none of these mods were straightforward.

The chromoly frame is entirely Cheetah’s handiwork—right down to the jaw-dropping bronze-brazed joints. “This traditional British technique is not widely known in Japan,” he tells us, “so I researched, learned, and gathered all the materials and equipment I needed from England. It took me almost five years to become proficient at it.”

Cheetah built the custom girder front end using the same techniques. And since he wasn’t about to hide all that skill away under powder-coating, the frame and forks simply wear a clear coat to protect them.

Since Cheetah legitimately plans to race the vintage Harley WL, he baked some adjustability into the bike’s architecture. The bottom of the girder fork sports an eccentric wheel axle mount, offering a range of quick height and trail adjustments. Out back, a set of custom mounting plates offers six different height adjustments for the rear wheel.

As per flat track norms, the WL rolls on 19” laced wheels wrapped in Hoosier dirt track rubber. There’s just one brake; a vintage Gerling unit at the back.

Perched on top of this magnificent machine is a monocoque body, hand-shaped out of aluminum. Cheetah tasked S-Paint Works and Tomomi Shimizu at Shake Signs with the paint and pin-striping work, respectively. But the geometric patterns that have been turned into the metal are all Cheetah’s work.

The bodywork hides separate custom-made fuel and oil tanks. A pair of struts at the back serves to support the oil tank and seat arrangement, and the fuel filler cap is tucked away just behind the frame’s steering neck. A generous leather seat runs along the top of everything, designed to offer the rider oodles of maneuverability.

Cheetah’s Meteor is stacked with radical details. The sculpted handlebar risers and headlight ‘hood,’ and the engraved rear wheel mounting plates, are pure mechanical art. A dash of white on the handlebars offers some contrast, while classic Bates foot peg rubbers recall the past.

Granted, some of those details are hard to spot when the bike’s covered in dust—but Cheetah prefers it that way. “The concept of Meteor is that it’s a custom bike, but it’s also a real racing machine with a vintage motor that’s ready to race,” he says.

Rushing towards the Born Free deadline at breakneck speed, Cheetah buttoned the bike up just in time to ship it from Tokyo to California. But one thing he didn’t get around to, was a proper shakedown. “I flew over to California just three days before the show, picked up the bike, sneaked into Shinya Kimura’s workshop, and somehow was able to start the engine,” he says.

“I genuinely appreciate Shinya for letting me use his shop on such short notice, as usual. The day after the Born Free show, I took the bike to El Mirage and rode it for the first time. The tuning wasn’t perfect yet—but riding the bike that I built from scratch was very special, and nothing could replace that happiness.”

“This bike is coming back to Japan soon, so I will tune it by riding it on my local oval track to make it go faster. When it gets many scratches and chips on the bodywork from my knees and flying pebbles, and worn-out tires (but only on the left side), my Meteor will finally be complete!”

Toshiyuki ‘Cheetah’ Osawa Instagram | Images by, and with sincere thanks to, Kazuo Matsumoto

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[DaveM]

MONTEREY CLASS: Norton Commando from Jets Forever.

For generations, if it had an engine and wheels, then people would come up with a way to not only race that vehicle but do everything they can to make it faster. And from the traditional forms of motorsport like drag and circuit racing to the wacky worlds of tractor pulling and ice speedway, the type of competition is only limited by your imagination. But there will always be people who want to go...

Source

 

[solomon]

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqAwt60cOSs


Lovely build. Unfortunately, as often seen on custom bikes posted here, it's flawed in concept.

Very open carbs, not even a grill.

Carbs directly in line with unguarded back wheel. Won't just get dust in engine, eventually going to get a stone in the compression chamber. Wipeout.

A flawed design is a bad design, 100s, maybe 1000s, of building hours, not enough just sitting and just thinking hours.

 

[DaveM]

Home Run: A beastly Buell hardtail from a first-time builder

The brutal minimalism of land-speed bikes is downright magnetic. So it doesn’t surprise us that that’s where Corban Gallagher found inspiration for his latest custom build. Correction: his first custom build.

It’s true—while Corban has dabbled with modifying motorcycles and cars in the past, this is the first time he’s pieced together a whole custom motorcycle. And what a debut effort it is. Powered by an S1 White Lightning engine, this low and lean Buell hardtail dragster is pixel-perfect.

“I’m a nuclear chemist,” Corban explains, “and spend about 70 to 80 hours a week in my shop, building nuclear devices for everything from oil and space exploration to military and various research uses. I have a lot of downtime in between certain lab processes, so I take on different things to keep me busy during that time—like learning guitar or building air cannons.”

“A friend of mine turned me on to the Handbuilt Show, and I made it my goal to build a bike in nine months for this year’s event. So I bought a bike lift and parked next to my desk, and would work on it any free moment I had.”

The donor bike for Corban’s ambitious project was a 1998 Buell S1 White Lightning—but all that remains of the classic Buell are its front forks and Sportster-derived engine. Corban scrapped the rest, then went on the hunt for a fabricator that could produce a rigid frame in the style he was after.

“I’ve always been fascinated by the photo of Rollie Free setting the land speed record on his Vincent,” says Corban. “I wanted to create a low, long bike that mimicked the lines of those old salt flat racers. Big Al at Bitter End Choppers really came through with the perfect frame for the line I was looking for.”

The Buell S1 White Lightning was originally a hopped-up version of the S1 Lightning. Corban managed to get his hands on one with Buell’s ‘Thunderstorm’ spec; an engine package with upgraded heads, a better cam, a lighter flywheel, and higher compression pistons. Advertised numbers back in 1998 were 101 hp and 129 Nm of torque.

The engine was a decent runner, despite looking “like it just got dragged out of a swamp.” Corban rebuilt the heads, replaced the worn-out clutch, and installed a DynaTek 2000i programmable ignition. Other upgrades include a fresh CV40 carb, a TC Bros air cleaner, and a two-into-one stainless steel exhaust system from Cone Engineering.

Corban repainted the motor too, then dressed it with finned covers from EMD in France. The finned theme continues further back, where a matching oil tank from Lowbrow Customs is tucked neatly into the frame’s rear triangle. Perched just above it is a stylish leather seat from Alex Leathercraft in Germany.

It’s a tidy setup, but there’s a lot going on. The seat sits on a small shock, which attaches to a bracket that Corban designed to interface perfectly with the oil tank. The seat’s upper bracket is his handiwork too, and features an integrated mount for the bike’s discreet LED taillight.

Getting the bodywork right proved to be a tedious process. Corban started by ordering a custom-made aluminum fairing from Omega Racer in Thailand. But by the time it had arrived, he’d changed his mind about the direction he wanted to take the design in.

“I impulse buy vintage and new gas tanks,” he explains, “so I tried out maybe 10 different tanks to get the line I wanted. Ultimately, I landed on a 1.6-gallon gas tank from Lowbrow Customs. But once I decided on the fuel tank, the Omega Racer fairing didn’t flow correctly.”

In the end, Corban ended up shelving the Omega part and ordering a cheap plastic nose fairing off eBay. Corban trimmed it down until it looked right, then retrofitted the headlight that had come with the Omega fairing. Everything’s bolted to custom-made brackets, with the primary fairing stay’s attachment point doubling up as a mounting point for the new speedo bracket.

Tucked behind the fairing are clip-ons that Corban built by turning down some round aluminum stock and matching it to generic aftermarket clamps. The vintage-style controls are Moto Iron parts, and the grips come from Biltwell Inc. Take a closer look at the foot controls, and you’ll spot some Sato Racing components too.

At the opposite end of Corban’s Buell hardtail sits a repurposed Honda Shadow fender, mounted on handmade struts with invisible fasteners. The Buell forks and brakes made the cut, albeit with custom rotors and pads. The wheels are brand spanking new.

“I did splurge for a set of Dymag MotoGP wheels,” Corban admits. “Whatever else I needed, I would fabricate myself. I try my best to repurpose as much as I can—for example, I found that many of the capsules I normally use to encapsulate radioactive material make for great spacers and various brackets, which saved me a lot of added machining.”

“This was also my first time painting a bike and I had to do it in an active machine shop, so it was challenging to keep the paint free of airborne debris. I was shooting for the ‘AMF Harley years’ look, with a bit of old school Montreal Expos thrown in.”

The bad news is that Corban doesn’t know quite how fast his Buell hardtail is. Since he finished it just in time for the show and didn’t want to risk damaging it, the initial shakedown was gentle. But the good news is that now that Corban has popped his custom bike build cherry, he’s already busy with the next project.

“I was so stoked from this, that I started a new build for next year’s Handbuilt Show the minute I got home. The show is held in Austin at the same time the MotoGP is being run at the Circuit of the Americas, so I want to build something that was in the spirit of both events. It’s a poor man’s GP bike, with a 1997 Sportster frame, a 1996 motor that I’ve rebuilt with tons of mods, a custom mono-shock swingarm with hacked-up suspension parts from a Ducati SS, Buell XB wheels and forks, a 1950s style Norton Manx tank, and full race fairings from a 1970s Triumph Trident.”

Yes, we’ve seen a teaser. And yes, it’s as wild as it sounds.

Corban Gallagher Instagram | Images by, and with special thanks to, Myke Toman

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