ACE CAFE RADIO

    mardi 8 octobre 2013

    The BSMC Event II



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    Evolving Styles Slammed Society Japan 2013


    Cars are different things to different people, but one thing that ties us all together is passion. And there was a lot of passion at this year’s Slammed Society Japan gathering in Fuji Speedway, where a love of cars was celebrated with a fusion of styles.
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    Stance is the obvious defining factor that binds all these cars together, but it was extremely interesting to see how things have evolved in the space of 12 months, as people continue to push the boundaries.
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    Unlike fast-paced events, Slammed Society is always a great place to relax. You can really take your time to stroll through the hundreds of cars on display and see the sheer creativity that has gone into making each ride different from the next.
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    It kicked off early on Sunday morning, when a long line of cars began to slowly make its way from Fuji Speedway’s gate all the way to the paddock behind the grandstands…
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    … where they were lined up one by one.
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    Aside from the 350 registered entrants, another 50-odd cars showed up as an extra…
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    … and much-welcomed bonus to the turnout. This being Japan, it’s that little bit extra that really helps take a great event and make it amazing.
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    Yes, it’s really all about standing out, and witnessing different approaches people take to achieve the ‘wow’ factor.
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    It’s also the place where you will find love it or hate it onikyan – that exaggerated negative camber look…
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    … and a uniquely-Japanese facet of the ever-expanding stance movement.
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    One of the most anticipated cars of the second half of 2013 has been Kei Miura’s Rocket Bunny Ver. 2 aero kit for the ZN6/ZC6. After flooding the interwebs with CG images of every possible color variation of the car, it was finally great to see the prototype in person. Built for a TRA Kyoto customer, it’s still sporting a couple of coats of white primer but will be sprayed in metallic green later on this month.
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    If you’re not big on bolt-on flares, then the FR-S that Weld have put together is probably going to impress you. Both front and rear fenders have been widened the old fashioned way: by meticulously welding on and shaping metal to create the new aggressive pumped-up contours. What Weld has planned for the engine is even cooler though – think N/A tuning and velocity stacks and you might get some sort of idea where this project is heading.
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    BNR34 wheels on an E46 M3? Well only Kawasaki-san at Doriten magazine could have come up with a combo like this. We dig it!
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    Struuth maate! A Holden ute in Japan? The guys at l’aunsport – famous for creating WRC-inspired body conversion for Impreza and Evos – have began bringing in these V8-powered trucks from down under. How about that for standing out!
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    During the show we had a special guest show up at the Speedhunters booth. Miura-san was looking for a few stickers to add to his latest project.
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    And speaking of our partners, how could we possibly not mention the car that started off 2013 with a bang – the BenSopra 380SX. The guys at BenSopra have been a little quiet over few months, but that’s because they’ve been working hard on a new project. What could it possibly be?
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    The canopy area of the paddock at Fuji was hiding a select few cars riding on the new AME x Fatlace wheels…
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    … which were making their Japanese debut fitted to a select number of iconic Japanese cars…
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    … as well as a favorite in the stance movement – the Honda Civic.
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    And speaking of Hondas, take a look at this flat pink CR-Z on white BBS rims. This is definitely one hybrid you won’t miss!
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    It may not be what Senna might have done with his own NSX, but when it comes to getting noticed, shocking people is a goal that owners shoot for in this scene.
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    Spray-on rust may have taken over the real thing, as this Toyota bB shows. Call it an evolution…
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    … but as an alternative, the clean look seems to still be very much in vogue.
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    It’s cars like this R32 Skyline that really define Slammed Society Japan for me. A concoction of styles coming together to create a one-off look which embodies everything that this movement represents, while so obviously screaming ‘Japan’. While it may not be something I would ever imagine doing to my own Skyline, it did bring a smile to my face.
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    Admittedly, at the beginning of the year I did question the lack of a rear bumper on the BenSopra 180SX kit, but I’ve come to understand what Miura-san was thinking. As long as the rest of the car has enough ‘in your face’ details like center exit pipes and a wild rear diffuser, it’s a look that can really be pulled off.
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    As you will see from the coverage that I will post up in the next few days…
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    … variety is what really makes this show so special. It may only be in its third year, but Mark at Fatlace has really managed to bring together a great mix of cars…
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    … that collectively represent where Japanese car culture has come from; where it’s at ,and where it’s going…
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    … all spiced up with plenty of entertainment and cool beats pumping throughout the day.
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    I’ll leave it here for now, but make sure you check back to see which cars stood out at this year’s event. Before I do that though, there’s a certain flat-white Toyota 86 we must take a closer look at…


    Tribute to Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena - Citroën WRC 2013


    HARLEY SPORTSTER BY BULL CYCLES


    1995 Harley-Davidson Sportster customized by Bull Cycles
    Regular readers will know that we don’t feature many Harley Sportster customs. It’s not often that one makes me jump out of my seat, but just take a look at this XL1200 from Illinois-based Bull Cycles.
    ‘Zephyr’ is one of the more successful café conversions, succeeding where many fail. The visual mass of the engine is well integrated, and the literal mass of the donor bike has been reduced. Which, in the case of a 1995 Sportster 1200 like this one, means a drop in weight to 470 lb.
    1995 Harley-Davidson Sportster customized by Bull Cycles
    Bull Cycles owner Justin Powers describes Zephyr as ‘beauty and the beast.’ “We wanted art deco styling paired with modern elements,” he reports, “and a beastly, torque-generating power plant!”
    1995 Harley-Davidson Sportster customized by Bull Cycles
    There’s not much left of the donor bike. Only the cases were kept from the original engine, and they’ve been machined to house an S&S Sidewinder big bore stoker kit.
    The engine internals are new and heavily upgraded, from the pistons to the cams to the heads. A new carb and adjustable pushrods help keep the 89 ci (1450cc) sleeper in tune, with gases exiting via a custom-made 2-into-1 stainless megaphone exhaust. “It puts out 101 pounds of torque at 3200 rpm,” says Powers. “It’s a handful.”
    1995 Harley-Davidson Sportster customized by Bull Cycles
    He’s stripped the frame of as much weight as possible and modified it to take the new engine, which is about two inches taller than stock. The beautiful finish comes from sandblasting and then powder coat, using a two-stage satin bronze that shifts color slightly according to the light. The swing arm was stiffened and braced and then powder coated to match.
    A custom battery box houses an ultra-light Antigravity battery. Wheels are 17″ alloys, with a 3-stage powder job. They’re running Avon Venom rubber, which has been dynamically balanced with Dyna beads for a ultra-smooth ride. The forks are customized Wide Glide items.
    1995 Harley-Davidson Sportster customized by Bull Cycles
    The hand controls are from Swedish masters ISR, along with the four-piston calipers acting on Russell vented stainless rotors. The brake and oil lines are stainless, and the ignition system comes from Dyna. Other neat custom touches are the finned air cleaner, points cover, master cylinder cover, headlight and primary case. It all hangs together beautifully.
    1995 Harley-Davidson Sportster customized by Bull Cycles
    “We understand that the Sportster is not a fan favorite when it comes to donors for a café-style project,” says Powers. “But we’re in the Midwest of the USA where the Harley brand was born, and is still deep rooted today. So we don’t lose any sleep over it.”
    I don’t think there’s any need to lose sleep either. Top marks to Bull Cycles for an inspired and finely crafted build.
    Head over to our Google+ page for a full image gallery of this build.
    from BIKEEXIF

    DALE MARTIN CAFE RACER PHOTOGRAPHY – THIS IS HOW IT’S DONE



    This is a fantastic example of Cafe Racer photography by Dale Martin for a feature in Moto Magazine. The custom motorcycle has been built by Sofi Tsingos and is an absolutely stunning looking cafe racer. I Don’t know too much about the build or the bike but I do know that it looks amazing and the bike has been photographed incredibly well by Dale.
    The bright blue jumps out from the photographs and the grungy back drop helps the details and paint on the bike really stand out. Dale has used some really nice burst of light in the images resulting in some really nice subtle backgrounds to complement just how cool a bike this is. I love the bike especially the exhaust system in that cool matt black and the black heat shield tape. The blue on the tank is really nice with an almost electric colour matched by the sweet headlight.
    If anyone knows anything about this cafe racer build please get in touch and I’ll update the post with more info but for now this is all I know.
    Images: Martin Dale
    Dale Martin Cafe Racer Photography - This is how it's done
    Dale Martin Cafe Racer Photography - This is how it's done
    Dale Martin Cafe Racer Photography - This is how it's done
    Dale Martin Cafe Racer Photography - This is how it's done

    Milly’s Maserati: A Ghibli in pantyhose (NSFW)


    Dutch artist Madeleine Berkhemer has a penchant for nylon stockings, so much so that she decided to give a Maserati Ghibli the ‘netted’ treatment. The artwork is captivating and sexy, as is the accompanying, adult performance…
    Art and sexuality should not be separated from one another, according to Madeleine Berkhemer. “Art that has no sexual connotation has no reason to exist,” she reckons. Born in the Netherlands in 1973, Madeleine studied fashion design in Rotterdam. Since then, she has worked successfully at the boundaries of creative tailoring, performance art and sexual iconography. Berkhemer is best known for her abstract installations made from stockings, stretched like spiders' webs over objects and spaces. Cars appear often in her works: take this dramatic Maserati Ghibli, for example, which in 2004 wowed a Parisian gallery audience – more so when the scarcely dressed artist herself adorned the car’s bonnet. Even Giorgetto Giugiaro, the man who designed the Ghibli in the Sixties, has declared his approval and joy at the tribute. And praise doesn’t come much higher than that. 

    Photos: David Mouchard / Video: Bruno Dunckel
    For more information about Madeleine Berkhemer and her work, see madeleineberkhemer.com.

    Loeb et ses records en WRC


    Au lendemain du Rallye de France-Alsace, on a voulu retracer la carrière exceptionnelle de Sébastien Loeb en WRC à travers quelques records qu’il possède en Championnat du monde des Rallyes FIA. Les records sont faits pour être battus, mais certains risquent de tenir longtemps !
    9 titres mondiaux (obtenus consécutivement)
    105 points d’écart entre Loeb et le vice-champion (2010)
    78 victoires (ancien record de 26 battu au Rallye du Japon 2006) - 46,71% de réussite
    11 victoires en une saison (2008) – 73,3 % de réussite cette année-là
    18 victoires consécutives sur asphalte (de 2005 à 2010)
    9 victoires au Rallye d’Allemagne
    23 rallyes différents remportés
    122,89 km/h, la moyenne la plus élevée d’un vainqueur (Loeb, Finlande 2012)
    116 podiums en WRC - 69,46% de chance de finir sur le podium !
    15 podiums d’affilée en 2008/2009
    13 podiums en une saison (2005, 2007, 2008)
    92,31% de podium en 2010
    1619 points marqués et 28 fois dans les points d’affilée (2009-2011)
    900 spéciales remportées
    19 fois leader de bout en bout d’un rallye
    100% des spéciales remportées au Tour de Corse 2005 (+ Shinozuka, Côte d’Ivoire 92)
    43,14% de victoire de spéciales en 2005
     
    Quelques stats avec Michelin…
    4 titres mondiaux (+ 2 avec BFGoodrich) : 2004, 2005, 2011, 2012
    92 rallyes WRC (+ 28 avec BFGoodrich)
    1er : Rally Catalunya 1999 - Dernier : Rallye de France-Alsace 2013
    36 victoires (+ 16 avec BFGoodrich)
    1ère : Rallye Deutschland 2002 – Dernière : Rallye d’Argentine 2013
    57 podiums avec Michelin (+ 25 avec BFGoodrich)
    1er : Rallye Sanremo 2001- Dernier : Rallye d’Argentine 2013
    405 spéciales remportées (+188 avec BFGoodrich)

    Marco’s CX500


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    Yesterday the annual Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride took place internationally. The event originated in Australia and involves dressing up in your smartest, most dapper clothes and joining other equally well dressed motorcyclists in your region for a leisurely ride to support prostate cancer awareness and research. Marnitz, my friend,co-conspirator and photographer for this Retro Write Up blog, organised the first local DGR event in 2012 which only took place in Gauteng, attracting no more than twenty motorcycles, mainly Harleys from Pretoria. In 2013, the DGR was independently organised by the guys in Cape Town and Durban while Marnitz once again handled Gauteng. With better planning and marketing, the Gauteng event grew to an attendance of about 200 motorcycles. Although internationally the DGR is traditionally for cafe racers and classic motorcycles, the parking lot at the meeting venue was filled with cafe racers, classics, scooters, bobbers and cruisers. On an overcast day the Rainbow Nation made a welcome appearance with participants of every colour, creed, age group and sex arriving dressed to impress on a spectrum of different motorcycles. Heaven on Earth.
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    It is phenomenal how the whole cafe racer culture is growing and evolving in South Africa. Certain models, like the Honda CX500 have regained demand after thirty years of obscurity. Marco’s stunning CX500 cafe racer is the fourth CX based cafe racer that we have featured this year and there are more to come; all have unique features and style. We love them. This blog was never supposed to be a Wikipedia specification sheet. The first time we feature a certain motorcycle model, I generally mention relevant specifications for that model. I try to keep the subsequent articles about the same model fresh by introducing other aspects and anecdotes pertaining to the history and culture surrounding that motorcycle or its style. As I was sitting quietly yesterday evening, thinking about the super day I had spent with my son riding my old faithful Ariel, the wonderful people and motorcycles that had joined in the fun and what on earth I was going to write about that would even come close to complementing Marnitz’s showy night photos of Marco’s hot CX500, a worrying thought crept into my mind and it had nothing to do with motorcycles. I thought about Volkswagen Beetle Baja Bugs!
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    When the VW Golf was launched in 1978, the Beetle immediately became unfashionable to drive and their values fell. In the early 1980s the Baja Bug craze hit South Africa. Building a Baja Bug involved buying a cheap Beetle, buying a Baja kit, removing the fenders, front boot lid and modifying the compartment around the engine, installing the fibreglass kit, spraypainting the whole car and installing new wheels and other components depending on the owner’s desires. For a short while decently built Baja Bugs fetched good money, much more than an original condition Beetle. Unfortunately for the owners, the fad passed and standard, original Beetles became the vehicles to own. Bajas became worthless compared to the money spent to build them. They were almost impossible to return to original condition and have almost all disappeared off our roads. Of what relevance is this sad story to the fabulous CX500 cafe racers and all the other 70s and 80s model based cafe racers which we feature? The answer is a simple question. What prevents the current cafe racer building frenzy from being a passing fad?
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    Here is a scenario. A man buys a 1983 model CX500 Honda in what appears to be perfect running order for R10 000. He conservatively spends R15 000 on professionally customising the motorcycle into a one of a kind cafe racer. He enjoys riding the bike and the whole social vibe but circumstances force him to sell the motorcycle. He sells it easily for R35 000 to someone who really wants a cafe racer but who has no technical expertise. The motorcycle develops a mechanical noise in the engine and he returns to the guys who built the bike for the original owner and asks them for help. They politely and honestly say that they are not mechanics and are not able to help him. He now goes to his nearest Honda dealer for assistance. His beautiful, shiny and new cafe racer has now become what it actually is; a thirty year old motorcycle which has run bearings. Honda will try to assist but it is unreasonable to expect any manufacturer to still be keeping spares for a model which is at least thirty years old. If the spares are available the chances are that the mechanic who is trained on all the current models, is younger than the cafe racer. The frustrated owner gives up and sells the motorcycle as a non runner for R10 000 in the Junkmail. If this scenario repeats itself enough times and enough owners are left stranded, cafe racers will become a passing fad. Most of the cafe racers cannot be returned to original condition and if the craze ends the remaining versions will have lost all of their value along with their appeal. They will become as scarce as Baja Bugs.
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    The reason that I have created this horror story is because of my heartfelt concern for the cafe racer movement to prosper and survive. It is wonderfully refreshing to spend time with such a diverse, passionate group of motorcyclists who bring a touch of sophistication but no arrogance to motorcycling. If nurtured, cafe racers and their owners will continue to attract people who possibly never thought of being a motorcyclist. I created this story as a warning as well as a plea to all cafe racer builders, owners and enthusiasts. It takes more than just Marnitz with his CROSA gatherings and an annual DGR to keep the enthusiasm alive. Keep the suggestions and the events flowing. Use the social networks to share information about technical issues and take time to assist those in need of support. Create a data base of alternative suppliers of mechanical parts and skilled technicians who are able to work on the older motorcycles. We will always use our blog to share resources.
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    It is somehow appropriate that Marco’s CX500 cafe racer was the first cafe racer ever built by Tiago from OneOne Customs. Tiago has the ability to customise as well as mechanically overhaul his customer’s motorcycles. Every bumstop seat he makes is hand formed and therefore completely unique. The wrapped exhausts have a wonderfully deep sound thanks to the two modified scooter silencers. The original tank is retained. The short front fender, clubman handlebars and the small gauges complete the look. The number 22 painted on the rear of the bumstop, is the day in December that Marco’s godchild, his brother Alex’s child, was born. We recently featured Alex’s Suzuki GS750G. Marco rode the CX on the DGR and I heard positive comments regarding its looks and colour on several occasions during the day.
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    Both classic and modern cafe racers have character and presence. They never fail to attract attention and provide their owners with an opportunity to ride a practical but individually styled motorcycle. The social aspect is something to be nurtured and protected. Those involved in the movement currently have a responsibility to make the cafe racer ownership sustainable whilst maintaining the current social appeal. We need to see more motorcycles like Marco’s CX500 on our roads.
    from RETRO WRITE UP