No one does that raw, retro racer look as well as Radical Ducati. The Madrid workshop channels a very appealing vintage aesthetic—and then backs it up with serious performance upgrades.
Pepo Rosell and Reyes Ramon build Ducatis that go as fast as they look. This is their latest, nicknamed ‘Endurance 2013’ and based on a 1997 Ducati Monster M900. It’s dripping with upgrades, starting with a blueprinted engine fitted with ported heads and hooked up to a lightweight flywheel for extra snap.
Breathing is via dual Keihin FCR-41 carburetors; an EVR slipper clutch and ExtremeTech shock keep the Ducati 999 rear wheel planted. The front rim is from a high-spec Monster S4RS, hooked up to 749S forks. The brake system comes from Discacciati—a Lombardy-based specialist making inroads into the custom and racing scene.
The gorgeous bodywork is Radical Ducati’s own design, from the fiberglass seat unit to the carbon fiber front fender. A pair of endurance-style high/low beam headlights lead the way, mounted onto simple drilled brackets.
It’s stylish, beautifully finished and exceptionally rápido. What more could you want?
Images by Del Perro. Check our Archives for extensive coverage of previous Radical Ducati builds.
Knuckle Dragger is a project of Canadian experts “Azzkikr Custom Cycles”, which managed to create a truly unusual tourer. They paid particular attention to the small details, but do not forget about the overall concept of the motorcycle: painting, layout, leather items, etc.
Features:
30-inch wheels Mad Wheels: Vintage white border, old school hubs, spokes Engine S & S Cycle Knucklehead 93 Transmission Kick starter, electric starter Calipers Custom tech Super Freni Headlight 1924 Cadillac Rear lamp Buick Homemade items Azzkikr: frame, springer, controls, exhaust, steering wheel, fuel tank, oil tank, air filter, engine mounting, painting Saddle, footrests, luggage carriers – Rafino Custom Seats Bronze and nickel plated
Suzuki has delighted fans (and likely frightened rivals) by announcing that it will return to MotoGP in 2015. The Japanese company withdrew from the sport in 2011, citing the onset of the global financial crisis for its decision to stop racing. With six championships under its belt, Suzuki has long been a formidable force in MotoGP. Onlookers will be watching closely to see whether they can repeat their previous success in 2015.
For now, let’s take a look back at those championships and the drivers who won them.
1976: Barry Sheene
1976 was a good year for Suzuki. Not only did they win the championship with British rider Barry Sheene, they took out 11 of the top 12 final positions. Riding Suzuki’s RG500, the then 26-year-old rider recovered from a disastrous collarbone injury the previous year to win 11 GPs. 1976 also marked the year MotoGP agreed to take the Isle of Man off the calendar after years of protest from riders such as Giacomo Agostini, who had long held the opinion that the track was too dangerous.
1977: Barry Sheene
And then he did it again – only faster. The British rider hit average speeds of 213.37 km/h to win the Belgian GP at Spa-Francorchamps. To put that in perspective, an average speed for a MotoGP event at the time would have been around 175km/h. 1977 saw Yamaha bikes begin to filter though the winners circle, however the year remained an overall success for Suzuki.
1981: Marco Lucchinelli
1981 was a 1-2 year for Suzuki, with Italian rider Marco Lucchinelli going head to head with Randy Mamola for the length of the season, pushing through to the final round where he managed to snatch victory, and claim the overall points championship. Known by his nickname ‘Crazy Horse’ as a result of his wild approach to racing, Lucchinelli rode the new RG500 to a full five victories on behalf of the Roberto Gallina backed team in 1981, including the prestigious San Marino Gran Prix.
1982: Franco Uncini
At the conclusion of the 1981 season Lucchinelli decide that he’d end his time with Suzuki on a high and move to Honda, this opened a spot at the Roberto Gallina team which was ultimately offered to Franco Uncini. After a number of slow years, Uncini welcomes the opportunity to ride a highly competitive, factory backed bike and went on to take out five GP wins in 1982, as well as the championship. Uncini’s victory was the last Italian riders would see for almost two decades.
1993: Kevin Schwantz
1993 saw Texan Kevin Schwantz win 4 races, claim three runner-up slots and take home the championship aboard Suzuki’s RGV500 in the year would mark the end of American dominance in the MotoGP. Many will remember Schwantz’s 1993 MotoGP victory as having been marred by the tragic accident of rival American rider Waine Rainey, who was paralysed after falling whilst in the lead at the Italian Grand Prix.
2000: Kenny Roberts Jr.
When Kenny Roberts Jr. won Suzuki’s most recent MotoGP title in 2000, he became the younger half of the only father and son duo to have ever won a 500cc World Championship each. Roberts took four race wins and 9 podiums in 2000, blitzing his closest challenger (a young Valentino Rossi) by nearly 50 points. The following season saw the two-stroke, 500cc machines bow out of contention and into the history books, along with Suzuki’s final MotoGP Championship victory.
For 2015 the history book has been re-opened and the pen has been inked – Suzuki is back.
The world-famous English model’s greatest attribute is her versatility, helping her to inspire fashion photographers and artists as an icon of the nineties. Now, those who desire their own picture of the great Kate will soon be able to bid for one in London.
How fitting that Kate Moss was recently celebrated at a Tokyo exhibition alongside Catherine Deneuve as a timeless muse. From the moment she embarked on a life of catwalks and photographic studios at the age of 14, Moss was considered an exciting new face of her generation. With her cool, challenging looks and wide-spaced eyes, she wasn’t an obvious, classical beauty – but her individuality (as well as the many stories of scandal in the media) assured her lasting fame. The Christie's auction in London on 25 September will offer some of her best pictures, from such star photographers as Irving Penn and Herb Ritts – to name but two.
An overview of all lots in the Kate Moss auction can be found at www.chrisities.com.
There’s a Moto Guzzi V7 Classic in my garage right now, so when I heard that Cafe Racer Dreams were starting work on a new V7 Stone, my ears pricked up. There’s no shortage of Triumph Bonneville customs, but despite the sales success of Mandello Del Lario’s small block V-twin, it hasn’t yet filtered through to the leading builders.
Pedro García and Efraon Triana have given the normally svelte-looking V7 a shot of scrambler attitude, with fenders reminiscent of vintage enduro machines and chunky Continental Twinduro TKC80 rubber—a rare knobbly tire that doesn’t embarrass itself on pavement. The wheels have been sandblasted and refinished with a matte varnish.
The overall look is classic Café Racer Dreams, and it suits the Guzzi remarkably well. The side panels are gone, revealing a K&N pod intake, and the battery has been relocated to the swingarm.
The standard V7 exhaust sounds good, but I know from experience that the engine responds well to free-breathing pipework. Here, it’s a reverse cone system made to CRD’s specification by local specialist GR.
The rear frame rails have been reworked to take a flatter seat than the substantial stock item—still practical, but with more of a classic feel. The black Renthal Ultra Low bars are sporting enduro-style switchgear, with simplified electrics to match. And the bulky standard instrumentation has been ditched in favor of a single compact speedo. The headlight is CRD’s proprietary design—protected by a micromesh grille—along with the blinkers and taillight.
It’s a relatively simple build, but takes the V7 into a different and rather intriguing realm.
If Triumph has its Scrambler, isn’t it time Moto Guzzi created a version of the V7 to match?
