ACE CAFE RADIO

    jeudi 27 mars 2014

    CHRISTIAN’S R80RT


    Christians R80RT 1
    The legendary BMW boxer engine, rugged dirt tyres, high wide bars and a roll full of tools, just in case. Everything you could need to fulfil a compulsive wanderlust. Hit the road and let the ride unwind an adventure.
    This BMW R80 RT was built in its Bavarian homeland by hobby mechanic Christian, it requited a long standing dream of his to craft this very machine. It was his first build, and the finished article is just reward for his long lonely winter spent working in the basement of his home.
    Christians R80RT 2
    Christian found the donor bike via an internet classified ad, after parting with a reasonable 1700 Euros he set to work transferring his ideas onto the metal. The bike he had purchased was a 1987 model, (type 247 for you boxer geeks) that delivers 50 bhp from its 785 cc capacity.
    Christians R80RT 3
    The mill was given a thorough overhaul by Fa. Langwieder in Neukirchen to ensure Christians graft would grace a thoroughly solid machine and that the intriguingly mounted tool roll would be more for its visual impact than its contents. The engine was then glass beed blasted to an as new finish, the rocker covers and front engine section powder coated in gloss black for contrast.
    Christians R80RT 4
    The colour scheme barely garnered a second thought from Christian, “Matte black and brown leather was the only choice for this bike. it should be angry.” Angry yes, yet undeniably classy. That giant blackboard of a tank eagerly awaits some temporary chalk scrawled directions to dictate the course of a ride.
    Christians R80RT 5
    High bars with topple unfriendly bar end indicators and reassuring mirrors are kept clean and simple with the Motogadget speedometer classically mounted in the headlight binnacle. The un-fussy matte black powder coating extends to all of the running gear including the perpetually lovely snowflake wheels. A new stainless steel exhaust system was fitted, with chrome silencers completing the colour and texture palette.
    Christians R80RT 6
    So far so Scrambler, but the seat and tail section diversify the look, seemingly more destined for a cafe style build. But the unit works elegantly with the unobtrusive rear frame which was reduced to the bare minimum required for structural rigidity. The brown leather upholstery adds a drawing room plushness to the build and compliments the aforementioned tool storage.
    Christians R80RT 7
    If you must, you could tag it as a Scramble Cafe, or if like us categorising and pigeon holes bore you, you could simply declare it for what it is; A great looking motorcycle.
    Great work Christian. Enjoy the ride. For more details check out Christians page

    Malaysian Cub Prix - Tourist Trophy


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    LIFE

    El-Solitario-Petardo-18
     
     
    The objective of this film is to illustrate the atmosphere & conditions surrounding El Solitario's creative ground, our inspirational provenance. Like our native Galicia, what we forge in our workshop is wild, rugged, thrilling, often beautiful, some times creepy... but always uncompromising. El Solitario, started life in 2010 and is very much a reverberation of its founders, friends, lifestyles and influences. This is exactly what we have tried to reveal in this picture by capturing on film, a day in the life of El Solitario; the workshop; the nature & paths around it; our technique, the permeating rain; and the deep understanding and application of the laws of causality and sustainability.
    El Solitario motorcycles are not intended to seek for beauty, content or practicality, as these are attributes that dominate today's spectrum and therefore do not interest us. Our machines are mere autobiographical exercises that depict an instant capture of the vital journey in which we are immersed in, as we strive to reveal the essence of the motorized two wheeled artifact. We seek for those attributes that make a bike stand out in contemporary society's imaginary & not on the open roads. Those qualities, in the old days, easily identifiable in every motorcycle, have today been lost and it is for their recovery & exaltation that we work for. But what are we talking about here? Simple: The traits of speed, traction, power, character, personality, respect, fear, danger… Embracing these attributes, we quest to create an impact on the observer and this does not necessary mean to please their eyes with easy indulgent proposals.
    We know a lot more now than when we started this long journey and our motorcycles are getting closer to our ideal. At first we followed the rules as we didn't know better, but slowly these wild side became present and more & more dominant in our agenda, only limited by the necessity of our art to be rideable, and rideable hard. We do not produce show bikes as we despise that genre, understanding that it is a shame to spend countless hours constructing, a supposedly liberating instrument like a motorcycle is, for the sole purpose of looking at it.
    Enjoy the conception of Impostor and beware of your dreams as they might become true!@#
    El Solitario would like to special thank:
    BMW Motorrad for their bravery & support providing us with the freedom to express ourselves around their fabulous BMW R9T
    Pepe Caruso for the amazing art on Impostor's tank and the titles on this film (facebook.com/TraineeHandmade)
    Apenino (Marco Maril) for the great original soundtrack and sound map of our workshop
    (apenino.net)
    Our beautiful animals that protect us & in some cases give their lives to create more life
    Those journalists and narrow minds that thought we had sold our souls when we joined forces with BMW

    HCV’S OLD SCHOOL BOBBER


    Old school bobber
    For a workshop you’ve probably never heard of, Halls Custom Vintage is pretty famous. Jake and Rob Hall are the go-to guys for British bike enthusiasts in the States, and they usually have five machines up on their lifts at any one time.
    Most of these bikes will be restoration jobs, or build-ups for vintage motorsport. But the Halls also build the occasional custom in their North Carolina shop, like this immaculate old school bobber. It’s a 1970 Triumph TR6 assembled using parts mostly from the 1960s and 70s, with only the electrics giving the game away.
    Old school bobber
    Jake could completely rebuild a British motorcycle while still in 9th grade, and the build sheet is instant proof that the Halls know their stuff. The 650cc motor has been blueprinted for high performance and reliability, with new .040 pistons, bearings, a resurfaced cylinder head and a three-angle valve grind job. The carb is an Amal 932 currently jetted for an altitude of 2,200 feet. The exhaust system comes from another company renowned for its skill and craftsmanship, Factory Metal Works, and was nickel-plated locally.
    Old school bobber
    After blasting the front loop of the frame and mating it to a bolt-on hardtail, the whole shebang was powder coated and fitted with a genuine Wassell tank, painted by Glenn Mann in the style of a 1950s T100 flat tracker. Up ahead are solid 7/8 bars hooked up to a TR6c upper triple clamp, with tapered bearings keeping the steering smooth.
    Old school bobber
    The stock 19” front wheel is fitted with Dunlop K70 rubber, and out back is a 16” shod with a vintage Carlisle tire. There’s no battery, thanks to a Boyer Power Box and a Pazon ignition system, but the bike starts first kick when warm. And who wouldn’t want to fire this old school bobber up on a sunny Saturday morning?
    For more about Jake and Rob Hall, check out this fascinating profile in Capital at Playmagazine.
    Images © Frank Bott. Check out his website and Facebook page for more fine motorcycle photography. To contact HCV, send an email via their own website.
    Old school bobber

    The Ride of Her Life Official Trailer


    The all-new 2015 Subaru WRX STI is “Uncovered. Unleashed. Unleaded.” in its starring role in ‘The Ride of Her Life’.
    Subaru WRX STI 1
    DoubleURXXX Productions Presents The Ride of Her Life Official Trailer (2014) starring Bucky Lasek, Michael Wiles, Kayslee Collins, Jenette Goldstein, Eddie Rice, Jr. and a Subaru WRX STI.
    The following preview has been approved for all audiences by crankandpiston.com
    For more information visit www.therideofherlife.com


    1953 Triumph 500 by Berham Customs


    berham_triumph1
    When you’ve been building custom Vespa’s for most of your life and you decide you want to build something with a bit more power, then a 1953 Triumph 500 hardtail is a pretty good place to start. Built by Marcus Offergeld and Martien Delfgaauw of the relatively new Berham Customs based in Berlin and Hamburg. “I’ve always ridden, raced, tuned and customized Vespa’s” says Martien.  “It’s not what you work on, but rather how. Because for a great result you need to be driven by the joy of doing, rather than wishing to finish.”
    After happening upon an “ugly looking and pretty run down” 80s chopper with raked front forks, the boys from Berham could see potential not in the bike itself, but certain aspects of it. Most importantly, the Triumph 500cc pre-unit powerplant had the 1957 Triumph race kit with the splayed port aluminium cylinder head kit. A good base for a build, the bike was given the Berham treatment.
    berham_triumph2
    The bike was parked up in the workshop and the garish 80s custom job undone. The forks, wheels, tank and seat were removed and put to the side. To replace the long rake front fork setup, a set of Vincent style girder forks were fitted to the front end, and the front drum cover given the Swiss cheese treatment.
    berham_triumph3
    To keep with the low flowing lines of the bike in it’s new guise, a frame hugging exhaust system was manufactured and a seat built in house by Berham to keep the riding position low. An American Bonneville tank has been used – the US spec tank being narrower than the Euro spec for the same model. The rare primary cover for the motor didn’t escape customisation either, as the Berham crew “aren’t that much into keeping things in original condition.”
    Js2Kn0FZROa8OUcNdR1ke68kWDYeMcah62LwztkEilA
    From an overdone custom chopper to a tasteful bobber, Berham Customs were able to see past the garish mods and see the potential underneath. With only a few motorcycle builds under their belt, this small German workshop have created one clean and understated hardtail Triumph. Since finishing this project Martien has already received many requests from potential customers who want him to build them a bike – which is always a good sign.
    Photography by Matthias Dahl
    via PIPEBURN

    Journey of a lifetime: Classic Cars Challenge China 2014


    Warning: reading this article could seriously disrupt your plans for 2014; because we challenge anyone to learn about the Classic Cars Challenge China (or ‘4C’) and not want, desperately, to take part...
    Why? Why does this classic rally tour stand out among the many that take place every year across the globe? In a word: China. Home to a quarter of the world’s population and with a history stretching back an incredible 5,000 years, it’s a land of stunning landscapes and fascinating culture. One of those ‘must see before I die’ places. And what better way to see it than on a challenging (but fun) rally tour from Beijing to Shanghai.

    Six days and 1,800km

    Over the last few decades, China has astonished the world with its incredible economic growth – a growth that most Westerners only became fully aware of at the time of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Three years later, in 2011, with the approval of the Federation Internationale des Vehicules Anciens (FIVA), Classic Vehicle Union of China (CVUC) launched the first, annual ‘4C’, to which international enthusiasts brought their classics and drove from Beijing to Shanghai in 6 days... covering 1,600km. The route has since been altered slightly, and now stretches 1,800km.
    And you can imagine why they were so keen: just picture driving through the ancient Chinese capital, the heart of thousands of years of Eastern culture, seeing for yourself the spectacular Bird’s Nest and Water Cube, the Great Wall, the streaming waters of the Yangtze River. When not behind the wheel, the participants could indulge in the finest Chinese delicacies and fragrant wine, all against the backdrop of some of the most startling natural scenery on the planet.

    Two million spectators

    Never fear, the 2011 event wasn’t a once-only event, as it ran again in 2012 and 2013 - last year welcoming 51 vehicles, along with 186 Chinese and foreign participants from 22 different countries. Even more remarkably, the organisers estimate that on its journey from Beijing through Tianjin, Qingdao, Lianyungang, Nanjing and Hangzhou to arrive in Shanghai, the spectacular motorcade was admired by more than 2,000,000 people. Two million!
    And… the bit you were waiting for. From 9-21 October 2014, 4C again opens its doors and invites friends from all over the world to enjoy this extraordinary ‘China Festival’. This year, some 80 classic vehicles (eligible years are from 1920 to 1984) will make the journey of a lifetime, through some of China’s most visually arresting scenery. They will once again enjoy the route Beijing – Tianjin – Qingdao –Huai’an – Nanjing – Hangzhou – Shanghai. For those who are lucky enough to take part, it looks set to be the experience of a lifetime. Start clearing your diaries...
    The application deadline is 30 June, and you can find out all the details at http://www.classiccarchina.org/4c/.

    HOLOGRAPHIC HAMMER THE TZAR


    Tzar PB3
    Holographic Hammer is no stranger to the custom scene, being the render-master behind many well-known custom builds. In fact, few people realise that the man behind the Hammer works as a designer from BMW Motorrad and was the designer of the infamous and very beautiful Concept Ninety that Roland Sands went on to build for BMW. Anyway, he’s been teasing us with gorgeous bike designs for a long time now, so we were very keen to see what an influential taste-maker would do with his own personal ride, the Suzuki Tzar… And, we wanted to hear about it in his own words…
    Being a motorcycle freak, what could be any better than building your own custom bike ? But before getting my hands dirty, I had to figure out what I exactly wanted: – A good steel frame for the stiffness, but it also had to run under the tank and not be perimetric to get a more classic look. – An oil-cooled engine because it is simple and reliable. – A big bore inline 4 cylinders to get decent torque and power. – Twin shocks for its beauty. – and all of it in a “modern” base to be ridden everyday.
    Tzar PB1 A
    After some quick research, only two bikes fit the bill, The Kawasaki ZRX 1200 and the Suzuki 1200 Inazuma. I went for the Suzuki simply because the tank looked better to me. I bought the donor a few weeks later and started to tear it apart. At that point I was very skeptical, the stock bike was miles away from what I had in mind… This bike is a light custom, the goal was to get the maximal impact with a tight budget so it was all about updating the chassis in some areas and reworking the all tail to get a proper cafe-racer fly line.
    Tzar PB2
    I have been maintaining and working on all my own bikes  for years, but I didn’t have the skills to do this, but luckily my best friend (Hugo Lambert) is a race mechanic and took care of the proper custom elements. We started to swap the front end for a 2006 GSXR 1000 fork and brakes, combined with LSL clip-ons, an Acewell speedo and a pair Braking PR19 master cylinders. The subframe has been shorten by 30 cms and totally reworked to place the battery and the CPU under the seat. The engine was fitted with K&N filters, bigger exhaust pipes with a ZARD silencer, a modified ignition finger and a pair of Yoshimura camshafts that brought the torque up to 13.5 Mkg and the power to 160 Hp. The major components were powder coated black, and we finished the bodywork with a Barry Sheene’s 1975 RG500 replica paint job.
    Tzar PB4
    If you still have no idea who Holographic Hammer is check him out on Facebook, but here’s a little more info from the horses mouth: Building a custom bike takes a lot of time and money, as a designer I realised that the first idea is rarely the best, perfection comes with exploring different options and trying unusual things. All my friends ride or work in the custom motorcycle business and I was always around them to quickly photoshop their garage builds, and make them so logos. That is the all meaning of Holographic Hammer, a digital tool helping and simplifying the manual labour.
    Tzar PB9
    I am convinced that doing a sketch before building helps to get the global proportion right and stay on track while doing it, because you can easily get lost redoing the same part again and again until it works. It doesn’t matter if the bike is gonna be built or if it’s just about making a cool picture, I am always having fun drawing custom bikes for friends, and that is how I ended up sketching for El Solitario MC, Untitled Motorcycles, Fuel Bespoke, Icon 1000, The Lucky Cat garage and Derestricted. If you would like to visualize your dream custom bike or simply see some cool shit? Make sure you check Holographic Hammer on Facebook and I will be very happy to to sketch it up for you!
    As some engineers say; “Measure twice. Cut once.” We’d take it one step further when it comes to building a custom bike… Plan your build with some sketches, even on the back of a napkin, and you are less likely to end up with some weird Frankenstein’s Monster build… See more from Holographic Hammer Here.

    MACGYVER TOOL KIT

    MacGyver Tool Kit


    Most tool kits include things like screwdrivers, knives, sockets, wrenches, and other things to help you put stuff together and/or tear it apart. The MacGyver Tool Kit is different. Like its name suggests, it's filled with common items that can be used to fix a wide range of problems, from stopping a leak to building a homemade rocket. Okay, so we're not so sure about that one, but we are sure you can find something to do with the bobby pin, match, rubber band, bubble gum, birthday candle, paper clip, and other "tools" you'll inside.

    The Lion is ready to roar again... Peugeot returns to Dakar!

    dakar-rally-peugeot-return-02

    dakar-rally-peugeot-return-04

    Once you’ve conquered the mountain with a nine-time World Rally Champion, your next step is to conquer the desert. That is what Peugeot will be looking to do when it returns to the infamous Dakar Rally in 2015.
    Before you begin clambering for information, so far all driver line-ups, vehicle specs and support crew information have been contracted into the below sub-minute teaser clip. So that is to say, ‘naff all’ *. Speculation has already mounted though that the 208 – a T16 variant of which (well, not the road car obviously) took Sébastien Loeb to the top of Pikes Peak – may be ready to make a comeback with some massively modified suspension.
    dakar-rally-peugeot-return-03MINIToyota and Hummer may want to start quaking in their tyre covers. The last time Peugeot hit the Dakar, it brought them four-straight victories from 1987 to 1990, the most famous of which – Ari Vatanen’s successful climb in 1987 aboard the Peugeot 205 T16 – was the inspiration behind ‘Climb Dance’. Aside from two back-to-back victories for the Mitsubishi Pajero in 91-92, Peugeot and sister company Citroen took every overall Dakar win from 1987 to 1996.



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