Enduro : double wins in each class / des doubles succès dans chaque catégorie

All winning both days at the Grand Prix of Portugal, second round of the World Enduro Championship, Christophe Nambotin (KTM, E1), Antoine Meo (KTM, E2), Ivan Cervantes (KTM, E3) and Daniel McCanney (Beta Michelin, Junior) confirmed their leadership in the series, even if Pierre Alexandre Renet (Husqvarna Michelin) finished both days really close from Meo.

After his double Spanish win in the E1 class, a new category for him, Christophe Nambotin confirmed his ambitions by winning both days and beating all his rivals. Winner of most of the stages (seven on Saturday and eight on Sunday) the KTM rider only let a few stages to his rivals and beats twice Eero Remes (TM) by twenty seconds. The Finn is now runner-up in the standings, tight with Cristobal Guerrero third on both days; the Sherco Michelin duo of Antony Boissière and Jeremy Tarroux finished twice fourth and fifth.

Used to dominate his rivals in the past, Antoine Meo (KTM) had once more to give everything to win the E2 class, as Pierre Alexandre Renet (Husqvarna Michelin) never let him go. To beat twice his countryman who was leading both days, Meo finished once more the Enduro on a high rhythm with a couple of wins, beating Renet by only four seconds after twelve stages! The two Frenchman were far ahead of their rivals, beating twice Alex Salvini (Honda) and Johnny Aubert (Beta Michelin) by one minute and twenty seconds.

Still unbeaten in the E3 category, Ivan Cervantes (KTM) had to share the stages wins this weekend with his rivals as Matthew Philips (KTM), Matti Seistola (Sherco Michelin), Luis Correia (Beta Michelin), Antoine Basset (Gas Gas), Mario Roman (Husqvarna Michelin) and Aigar Leok (TM) all won at least one stage. With his great experience the Spaniard finally won both days, beating Philips and Mathias Bellino (Husqvarna Michelin) on Saturday, and Seistola and Philips on Sunday.

One more team Beta Michelin dominates the junior class, with a double win for Daniel McCanney who beats twice Giacomo Redondi by more than twenty seconds. Behind them Loic Larrieu (Husqvarna Michelin) and Jamie McCanney (Husqvarna Michelin) scored both a third and a fourth position, but are already twenty points from the series leader.

En s’imposant chacun lors des deux journées du Grand Prix du Portugal, seconde épreuve du championnat du Monde d’enduro, Christophe Nambotin (KTM, E1), Antoine Meo (KTM, E2), Ivan Cervantes (KTM, E3) et Daniel McCanney (Beta Michelin, Junior) ont confirmé leurs leaderships au championnat, tant bien même Pierre Alexandre Renet (Husqvarna Michelin) s’incline de peu en E2 face à Meo.

Après son double succès en Espagne dans sa nouvelle catégorie E1, Christophe Nambotin a confirmé ses ambitions et s’impose une nouvelle fois face à tous ses rivaux. Vainqueur à chaque fois d’une majorité de spéciales (sept le samedi et huit le dimanche) l’officiel KTM n’a laissé que des miettes à ses rivaux, s’imposant chaque jour avec une grosse vingtaine de secondes d’avance sur Eero Remes(TM) qui subtilise la seconde place du championnat à Cristobal Guerrero (KTM), troisième à deux reprises devant les Sherco Michelin d’Anthony Boissière (Sherco Michelin) et Jeremy Tarroux.

Habitué par le passé à dominer sa catégorie, Antoine Meo (KTM) a une fois de plus dû puiser dans ses ressources pour tenir en échec Pierre Alexandre Renet (Husqvarna Michelin). Un moment en tête de chacune des deux journées, Renet n’a finalement pu résister au rush final de Meo qui ne s’impose qu’avec quatre secondes d’avance chaque jour, au terme des douze spéciales ! Les deux Français ont creusé des écarts très importants sur leurs adversaires, l’emportant à chaque fois avec plus d’une minute vingt d’avance sur Alex Salvini (Honda) et Johnny Aubert (Beta Michelin).

S’il reste invaincu en E3, Ivan Cervantes (KTM) a du partager les succès en spéciales avec ses adversaires, à savoir Matthew Philips (KTM), Matti Seistola (Sherco Michelin), Luis Correia (Beta Michelin), Antoine Basset (Gas Gas), Mario Roman (Husqvarna Michelin) et Aigar Leok (TM). Faisant parler son expérience en fin de journée, l’Espagnol s’impose à Philips et Mathias Bellino (Husqvarna Michelin) samedi, puis devant Seistola et Philips dimanche.

Nouveau doublé des officiels Beta Michelin dans la catégorie juniors, Daniel McCanney s’imposant à deux reprises face à Giacomo Redondi qui concède à chaque fois une vingtaine de secondes. Derrière eux, Loic Larrieu (Husqvarna Michelin) et Jamie McCanney (Husqvarna Michelin) se sont échangés les places d’honneur, se retrouvant déjà distancés au championnat.

Classements provisoires après GP2 :

E1 : 1.Nambotin (FRA, KTM), 80 ; 2.Remes (FIN, TM), 60 ; 3.Guerrero (ESP, KTM), 60 ;  4.Boissière (FRA, Sherco Michelin), 53 ; 5.Tarroux (FRA, Sherco), 48 ; 6.Betriu (ESP, Husqvarna Michelin), 42 ; etc …

E2 : 1. Meo (FRA, KTM), 77 ; 2.Renet (FRA, Husqvarna Michelin), 69 ; 3.Aubert (FRA, Beta Michelin), 58 ; 4.Salvini (ITA, Honda), 51 ; 5.Santolino (ESP, Sherco Michelin), 42 ; 6.Mena (ESP, Beta Michelin), 41 ; etc…

E3 : 1 Cervantes (ESP, KTM), 80 ; 2.Philips (AUS, KTM), 64 ; 3.Seistola (FIN, Sherco Michelin), 57 ; 4.Bellino (FRA, Husqvarna Michelin), 51 ; 5.Correia (POR, Beta Michelin), 46….10.Planet (FRA, Sherco Michelin), 20 ; etc…

Juniors : 1.McCanney Daniel (GBR, Beta Michelin), 80 ; 2.Redondi (ITA, Beta Michelin), 66 ; 3.Larrieu (FRA, Husqvarna Michelin), 60 ; 4.McCanney Jamie (GBR, Husqvarna Michelin), 46 ; 5.Mori (ITA, KTM), 46 ; etc…

2014 Defender Challenge series / round 2

 

• Round two of rally series to take place at Somerset Stages Rally on Saturday 12 April
• Entry confirmed for Land Rover sponsored Race2Recovery – world’s only disabled rally team
• Three new teams and two novice drivers to make this their first ever competitive rally drive

 

Rally2: a popular ruling! / Écarts de conduite

Between them, since the beginning of the season, the WRC’s front-runners have notched up no fewer than 18 ‘offs’ or accidents leading to their ‘retirement’ on the day in question or their elimination from the event itself. So far, eight factory drivers have made use of the Rally2 ruling.

Despite a small mistake on SS8 in Sweden, Sébastien Ogier (VW/Michelin) is the only works driver who has yet to take advantage of the Rally2 ruling in 2014 and who has competed every one of the 75 stages contested this year, winning 39 of them.

In contrast, Robert Kubica has only finished 47 stages. After claiming the season’s first two tests, the Pole crashed out of the Rallye Monte-Carlo on SS9. After that, he went off three times in Sweden, once in Mexico and twice more in Portugal.

Kris Meeke’s season began well, too, with a podium result in Monte Carlo. The Briton was then caught out in Sweden, Mexico (twice) and Portugal. Thanks to the Rally2 facility, however, he has been able to complete 60 stages.

The list continues with two ‘offs’ for Elfyn Evans (Sweden, Portugal), two for Andreas Mikkelsen (both in Mexico), and one each for Neuville (Monte Carlo) and Tanak (Portugal), not to mention excursions leading to other problems for Ostberg (Mexico), Neuville and Hanninen (both Sweden). Only Sordo (Monte-Carlo, Portugal) and Hirvonen (Mexico) can blame mechanical trouble for their eliminations.

So what is behind this phenomenon? Well, a number of drivers are competing in factory or near-factory cars for the first time this year, like Elfyn Evans, Kris Meeke, Robert Kubica and Juho Hanninen. Indeed, the first season can often be difficult at this level owing to a combination of team pressure and lack of stage knowledge. Neuville and Ogier both had troubled maiden seasons with Citroën in 2012 and 2009 respectively, and many will still recall Colin McRae’s debut with Ford WRT in 1999 (nine ‘offs’ in 12 rallies, plus three cars destroyed in testing), not to mention the mistakes made by Marcus Grönholm the same year at Peugeot.

The weather can also take part of the blame, since drivers had to cope with inconsistent grip on Sweden’s fast-melting ice, while Portugal was marked by horrendous conditions. Bizarrely, there were very few ‘offs’ among the front-runners on the traditionally complex Rallye Monte-Carlo, quite possibility due to the fact that ‘safety crews’ were authorised in the French Alps. Even so, the flamboyant drivers seem to be paying the price. Four rounds into the season, 12 crews have win stages, which is more than we have seen over a full campaign these past five years.

THE KEATING WHEEL COMPANY

“The Keating Wheel Company” is a short film by Lucent Productions about the life and times of Brian Keating and his company of the same name. Brian has spent the past 40 years reviving and preserving some of the most iconic vintage motorcycles in the world, many of which he still has parked in his collection.

I like Brain’s philosophy of preserving rather than restoring, there’s something beautiful about the patina that these motorcycles develop over the decades and there’s a lot to be said for Brian’s methodology. If you have a few minutes spare, make sure you hit play and watch this film, it’s just under 10 minutes long and it’s beautifully directed.

cool ..nodus !

THE METAL SCORPION – SUZUKI GSX250 ’01 (#7) by STUDIOMOTOR

• Body Custom by STUDIO MOTOR Custom Werkz
• Engraving Art by Eddy Dharma
• Upside Down Suzuki GSXR-750
• Velg Depan TK Japan 17X3.00 Inch + Shink0 E705 120/90-17
• Velg Belakang TK Japan 17X3.50 Inch + Shinko E705 130/80-17
• Master +Kaliper Tokico
• Disc PSM
• Shock Belakang Ohlins 340 mm
• Filter Udara Koso
• Exhaust Custom by Flash Muffler Custom

7SEVEN MONSTER TRACKER

Ever wondered what Santa Claus gets up to in his spare time? He hoons around Slovenia on outlandish custom motorcycles, that’s what!

Here we have the latest instalment from the talented and crazy guys at 7seven customs. The build was inspired by Kiddo Motors UNO; which was built using the solid Honda Dominator; they decided to have a go with a water cooled Kawasaki KLR650. Not your usual donor bike, but my goodness have they made it work!

Unlike the Dominator; as mentioned the kwaka is water cooled and you can’t miss that radiator, especially with its custom aluminium safety shield and Moto GP titanium water tank… Monster energy of course! The phrase custom is to be echoed with numerous other parts on this build, such as the skid plate, number board, battery box and licence plate.

Another standout feature of this bike (there’s quite a few) is the sheer amount of engine that is wedged into the frame, but maybe it’s exaggerated by the Laverda gas tank; we love the fact that it still wears the Laverda badge… as if the bike wouldn’t confuse people enough!

The wrapped exhaust leads to a custom silencer, I use that term loosely, and we are informed that it is FU… loud; we presume that FU… means ‘fundamentally understated…? The guys live by the mantra ‘loud pipes save lives’

The Monster features a custom rear end and seat, you may have spotted that the subframe kicks up which must double as a grab rail for any pillion brave enough to dare join the pilot… the rear peg lugs are still on the frame, so it wouldn’t take much to add them.

She wears a Metzeler Karoo3 on the 19” front and a Metzeler Enduro3 Sahara on the 17” rear. The custom paint has used just the right amount of Kawasaki green; half the tank, the front wheel, handle bars, subframe and rear spring, it’s a bold colour that their donor didn’t even wear but it works so well with the black and silver.

Up front there’s a little LED fog light, then a Honda headlight flanked by micro indi’s and all crowned with their custom number board, the 877 refers to the donor being an 87 and the being 7seven.

As well as the bike getting new wiring, she also benefits from progressive springs in her freshly rebuilt forks, the rear shock has also been rebuilt, the carburettor has been re-jetted, new pod filter, it’s had a new cam chain tensioner and doohickey (if you’re unsure what that is, type it into Google)

7seven says ‘This is a working bike. Nothing else. Oldschool enduro, not so heavy on the road as on gravel or mud’ and they summarise the ride quite well ‘After the ride, we were smiling all the time. You can’t not. All that backfire from the custom exhaust behind you … I will just say one thing: if you like motorcycles, any kind of motorcycles, after just one ride with Monster tracker, I guarantee you, you would like to have it. Period.’

Thanks for sharing guys, we look forward to the next bonkers (in a good way) build… now, can we have a go?

If you want to see more from 7seven check out their Website, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram

BUYING GUIDE – HONDA CB750

This is the first in a new series written by Silodrome staff that will be appearing on eBay Motors, as official buying guides for eBay users.

INTRODUCTION

The Honda CB750 is quite easily one of the top 10 most important motorcycle models of the 20th century. Now, I know that that’s a hell of a big claim to make, so let me back it up with some history before we continue any further.

HISTORY OF THE HONDA CB750

The CB750 was originally built to fulfill the requests of US and European Honda dealers who saw the potential for a larger capacity motorcycle to take on the likes of Harley-Davidson, Norton and Triumph. Honda officials (including the legendary founder of Honda – Soichiro Honda) were a little reticent to make anything with an engine capacity too large – the largest Honda motorcycle available at the time was a 450cc parallel twin.

Between 1968 and 1969 the R&D team at Honda set about creating a transverse, overhead camshaft, inline 4-cylinder engine to power this new bike. This engine was mated to an all new 5-speed transmission, the engine was fitted with 4 carburettors (one for each cylinder) and was capable of 68hp, 44ft-lbs of torque, a top speed of over 120mph and a 1/4 mile time of 13 seconds.

These specifications were revolutionary. When the bike was first put on sale in 1969 the word “superbike” was coined to describe it, it cost just $1,495 USD (~$9,500 in 2013) which gave it a huge price advantage over its rivals and it came as standard with hydraulic disc brakes, a reliable engine, excellent handling and enough power to beat almost anything on 2 wheels (or 4). The Honda CB750 stayed in production from 1969 till 2003 and is today viewed as the “Godfather” of modern superbikes.

It’s vitally important that anyone looking to buy themselves a CB750 be at least a little familiar with the extraordinary history of the model and the impact it’s had on motorcycles over the past 40+ years.

CHOOSING A MODEL YEAR

The early CB750s are highly desirable with collectors and vintage motorcycle enthusiasts, they had engines that had been made using permanent mold casting (due to Honda’s uncertainly about the orders that the bike would receive), this means that they aren’t always as well-made as the later model years. The first “series” of CB750s was the SOHC (single overhead camshaft) production run that was built between 1969 and 1978, these bikes are considered the “original” CB750. Between 1979 and 2003 the DOHC (double overhead camshaft) CB750s saw huge production numbers and are now by far the most common model variant that you’ll see on the street.

CHOOSING A MODEL DESIGNATION

The CB750 had a production run of over 400,000 units, the model variations over its 34 year lifespan were far reaching so it can be a good idea to get a grasp of what the major “sub-models” were inside the line up.

OUTLINE OF MODEL DESIGNATIONS

Honda SOHC CB750

* 1969 CB750K or CB750K0
* 1971 CB750K1
* 1972 CB750K2
* 1973 CB750K3
* 1974 CB750K4
* 1975 CB750K5 − 1975 CB750F
* 1976 CB750K6 – CB750F1 – CB750A
* 1977 CB750K7 – CB750F2 – CB750A1
* 1978 CB750K8 – CB750F3 – CB750A2

Honda DOHC CB750

* 1979 to 1982 CB750K
* 1979 CB750K
* 1979 to 1982 CB750F
* 1980 to 1982 CB750C ‘Custom’
* 1982 to1983 CB750SC Nighthawk
* 1984 to 1985 CB750SC Nighthawk
* 1984 to 1986 CB750SC Nighthawk
* 1992 to 1997 CB750F2
* 1991 to 2003 CB750 Nighthawk

HONDA CB750 BUYING TIPS

THE TWIN-BIKE APPROACH

If possible, buy two bikes instead of one. Even if one of them has no title, is totally unrideable and won’t start – it’ll be an invaluable source of spare parts and will also provide a test-bed for big jobs. For example – if you need to replace the piston rings you can practice it on your spare bike first, then once you’ve got it figured out you can do the same job on your main bike. This twin-bike approach will also save a lot you money in the long run, a non-titled bike can be bought for the same price as 2 or 3 spare parts.

THE CARBURETTOR CONUNDRUM

Carburettors are famously tricky on the CB750, it’s important to get all four dialled in properly and many will tell you that it’s almost impossible to get them running properly with pods (individual, carburettor mounted air-filters). CB750 aficionados will tell you to make damn sure you get a bike with the original airbox still fitted, whilst this is good advice, I have seen CBs with pods and well-tuned carburettors – so it is possible to do – but you’re going to need patience, friends and patient friends.

DOUBLE OR SINGLE?

DOHC vs SOHC – This is the biggest single decision you’ll make. The pre-78 bikes are all SOHC and they’re exceedingly popular with cafe racer builders, the post-78 bikes are all DOHC and they’re popular due to the fact that they’re a little more reliable and offer slightly better performance.

THE ELECTRICALS

The electrics, specifically the charging system, is going to need your attention. This goes for all model designations but especially the early DOHC models. Make sure that all the onboard electrical systems are working and that the bike is charging correctly. Ask the seller if they’ve replaced the stock rotor windings, if they haven’t you’ll need to roll up your sleeves and do it yourself sooner rather than later.

As with all second-hand motorcycle purchases there are a few basic things you need to take a close look at:

1. Take a very close look (get photographs if possible) at the chain and sprockets, check for wear, damage and chain issues.
2. Ask the seller about the cam chains, are they set right and not too loose?
3. Ask the seller about the front and rear suspension. Does it move up and down evenly without noise? How’s the rebound?
4. Have the seller check and report on ALL the electrical systems. High-beam, low-beam, all four indicators, brake light, horn, charging and starting. If certain electrical elements aren’t working, be very wary. This can be good a sign of a major headache further down the road.
5. Make sure you plan to replace the consumables ASAP after purchasing. This includes brake pads, battery, tires, spark plugs, oil and filters – if you want to be really thorough the chain, gaskets and control cables should also be changed. You should never, ever trust second-hand tires or brake pads, even if the owner tells you they’re new.

CONCLUSION

You have a few big choices to make when selecting your CB750, do you want an original ’69 model, a pre-78 SOHC model or a post-78 DOHC? Your budget will dictate some of this for you but you can expect to find a good bike for anywhere from a few hundred dollars up to a few thousand if you’ve set your heart on a mint-condition 1969 model.

No matter which variation you choose, you’re going to be buying one of the most iconic motorcycles ever made. Obviously, you’ll need to be ready to roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty, but that’s half the reason we all ride motorcycles in the first place.

Do you own a Honda CB750? What advice would you give to someone looking to purchase one? Guides like this are built on the advice, options and experience of people just like you, so if you have some tips or tricks that should be included in this Buyer’s Guide, shoot me an email – editor@silodrome.com – and I’ll update it to include your sage wisdom.

Images courtesy of Dime City Cycles, Deus Ex Machina, Iron & Air, Steel Bent Customs and Honda.

via SILODROME

MOKKA 03 CL250

Back to the Future 3, Beverly Hills Cop 3 and Superman 3, ‘threequels’ that never quite lived up to the first.  Luckily here in The Shed we like to buck such trends and and welcome back Mokka Cyles, last seen here, with proof that the third can be just as good, if not better than the first.

Searching for a donor bike with rarity value is pretty tough these days but Árpád, owner of Mokka Cycles, thinks he’s found it with this CL250.  Honda borrowed the 249cc XL single, added electric start and popped it into the proven CL frame. A nimble city scrambler right off the production line, but blend a host of modern parts, hard graft and natural bike-buildability and what you get is something a bit special.

Due to the scarcity of CL250 tanks, the original remains, with a silver base coat and subtle red and blue chevron stripe, broken up by the smart Mokka logo. Árpád says studied programming at uni, but his keen design eye must have be honed elsewhere. The frame received the industry standard shortening, de-tabbing and rear loop with the aim of giving a base to a Scrambler-Cafe Racer hybrid.

Forks are Kawasaki ZXR, the Öhlins-esque gold contrasting well with the subtlety of the rest of the machine.  The original D.I.D. front rim has been kept but laced to a disc-hub, both black anodised, before adding a GSXR disc. With a front end this stiff and sharp, I hope the ‘endo’ does not carry too much of a penalty with Hungarian coppers.

The engine has received the same level of attention as the aesthetics with a full rebuild and new internals.  Outside the cases, barrel and head have been stripped and painted with all new fasteners.  A Mikuni flat slide carb with a K&N filter and custom exhaust help squeeze a bit more power out of the high (ish) compression single and no doubt make it sound raspy. The headers were bent and mated to an aluminium muffler with machined end cap, all done in-house.

The controls are all by Accossato from Italy, beautifully engineered clutch and brake lever are mounted to matching clip-ons. Nothing garish, just quality and function with a slight hint of decadence.  In between the fat fork legs sits a simple headlight, neither too big nor too small.

The battery box has been replaced with a lighter and smaller unit containing the revamped and simplified wiring loom powered by a tiny Ballistic 4 cell Lithium Ion battery.  Atop that sits the fabricated seat pan and stitched cover which kicks up toward the back, treading a fine line between Street Tacker and Cafe Racer.  The lack of pillion pegs suggests the tucked position for V-Maxing the 250cc motor will utilise the rear angle of the seat, rather than accelerating the acquainting of passengers.

The stance is about right and all the components work cohesively with nothing jumping out. Even the tyre choice looks right, Firestones would have been overkill and knobblies stolen the limelight.

Arpi seems to know his way around a machine shop as many components, bolts, brackets and spacers had to be designed and made in-house.  Combined with a vision for quality and blending old with new, his formula seems to be working. Hopefully build number 4 is in the pipeline and we can gawp at it once finished.

The sheer number of bikes that come through the metaphysical doors of The Shed mean we don’t have time for an imaginary ride on all of them but there is something about this one that I would find a spare hour for. See more fromMokka on the Bike Shed, Facebook and thanks to Peter Mosoni for the photos.

Brad’s Yamaha SR500 Café Racer

My memories of our annual December holiday pilgrimage to Durban include the warm sea, crowded beaches, rickshaws on the Marine Parade, surfers and Yamaha XT500 scramblers. You see, right from the launch of these venerable “thumpers”, Durban has, until today, been the capital city for XT500s in South Africa. I think it was on our December 1976 holiday that my father, with family in tow, crossed paths with the first XT500 he had ever seen. His excitement at seeing a new four stroke single cylinder engine so many years after the British stopped producing this beloved engine type was contagious. We stood baking in the Durban midday heat for what seemed forever in my 14 year old mind, until the owner eventually returned, patiently answered a barrage of my father’s questions and  then rode off. The exhaust note of the standard silencer was a bit of an anticlimax but it still did not dampen my father’s enthusiasm about a proper motorcycle engine once again being available and that this Japanese copy would be an improvement on the British originals. The XT500 soon became a common sight all over South Africa as thousands of them were sold. The SR500 street model was launched in 1978. Unlike the wildly popular XT scrambler version, the SR met with a lukewarm response from the South African public and sold in relatively small volumes. Boy, are we kicking ourselves now!

Yamaha developed the SR500 to meet the demand for an old school 500cc single cylinder powered motorcycle for those riders who preferred their motorcycles to be more simple than the four cylinder motorcycles which had become the popular choice in the 1970s. The 499cc sohc engine was started by means of a well timed kick and the 33hp available would provide a top speed of just over 150km/h. The XT and SR500 models have become legends for their reliability and ease of maintenance. South Africans did not warm to the SR500 back then, but internationally and in Japan they were better understood and are still loved. We stopped importing them in the 1980s but international production only ended in 1999, due to noise and emission laws. The very similar SR400 then continued the legacy in Japan and Europe until 2008.

Our featured 1983 SR500 café racer was built and belongs to Capetonian Brad, who also took these photos of his outstanding motorcycle. He purchased this one owner, low mileage SR500 specifically to build this creation. The motorcycle was stripped right down and then rebuilt by Brad to his design. The engine was opened but found to be as good as new. Looking at this motorcycle from the rear, you may be forgiven for thinking you are looking at a Docs Chops/Hageman Motorcycles Yamaha Virago creation by American maestro Greg Hageman. This is no coincidence, as Brad tried to include elements of his favourite builder’s style, without creating a copy. Hageman’s Virago is a more orange colour in comparison to the Aprilia gold used by Brad and the striping is different. Just about everything else on this motorcycle has been blacked out which contrasts beautifully with the petrrol tank colour. I have a preference for the retention of side covers on café racers, which is what Brad has done in this case.

A really strong feature of this SR is the seat. The seat-pan and bum-stop section is a metal fabrication. After padding the seat and placing a thin layer of foam over the bum-stop, everything was upholstered. The styling and design of this studded seat is epic. Many of these racer and brat seats make the motorcycle look as if the rear mudguard has fallen off or still needs to be installed. This rear end looks balanced and complete.The rear subframe was reshaped to accommodate the new seat-pan. Brad would like to make special mention of Willem who did the sheetmetal fabrication of the seat and the exhaust pipe.

The front fork stanchions have been pushed up through the triple trees to lower the front end and to match the lowered rear end with its short aftermarket shocks. A small headlight and mini gauges lighten the look of the front end. Clip-ons with bar-end mirrors are racy, as is the shortened original front mudguard.

Yamaha are relaunching a fuel injected SR400 internationally and I know that many of us are also expecting it to reach our shores in South Africa. I really hope it does become available here, but with our currency doing a swan dive, or should I say a dive bomb, we may be in for a nasty shock when we hear the price. Brad is currently on honeymoon in Mauritius. May his marriage bring to him as much joy as the sound of a thumper did to my father.

via http://www.retrowriteup.com

MILITARY DUFFLE BAG BY WHIPPING POST

The Military Duffle Bag by Whipping Post was inspired by the original duffle bags used by military personnel in conflicts throughout the 20th century. The bags are able to hold surprising amounts of gear and the shoulder strap makes it easy to carry over long distances.

Grab yours here

via SILODROME

HOT ROD