Every couple of months, 68-year-old Ed Zevely rides into the Colorado high country to camp for weeks at a time—and he does it completely alone. Through thunderstorms, open meadows and treacherous passes, he finds his own patch of serenity. Far from the modern world, it’s a place where the only goal is to move and breathe, and where you can truly understand the difference between loneliness and solitude.
Open Door to Solitude from Filson on Vimeo.
mercredi 29 octobre 2014
KEVILS SPUTNIK
Either Kev Hill is ruled by a Thatcher-esque sleeping schedule or the guys in his workshop are still looking for the holiday request forms. It only seems a couple of weeks since we featured the last bike from Kevils Speed Shop and here’s another fine example.
Sputnik was built for customer George who spends time between England and Russia hence the name and satellite theme; using a 1978 BMW R80/7 donor. As with all Kevil’s customs the bikes are stripped completely, painted, powder-coated, serviced; with engines rebuilt if necessary.
The subframe is a break from the norm with the rear loop more rectangular, but streamlined all the same and finished with a sumptuous brown diamond stitched leather seat; designed for two-up comfort. The 12v charging point allows George to keep his iPad full of juice while it’s transported around in the matching brown leather pannier bag. To think that there is considerably more computing power in that pannier than that available to the first NASA mission to the moon is mind boggling, and Sputnik’s launch predated that by over a decade.
The fuel tank looks like a normal R-series monolith but in this case the material is a touch more space age than Bavaria’s original mild steel unit. An aluminium replica was fabricated to the stock dimensions, then brushed and clear coated. Side panels and stainless steel mudguards complete the bare look.
Low and wide bars allow George to wrestle his ’80 around whilst the visual flow of the bike is uninterrupted. The guys at Digital Speedos sent over a new Koso all-in-one unit to try so that takes pride of place and makes up the minimal dash. The headlight grill compliments the luggage and scrambler style, suggesting an off-road excursion is imminent. The much revered Heidenau Scouts are currently one of the best dual-sport tyres available; so Kev fitted a pair. A sturdy fork brace sits between the rebuilt forks in case George decides to put the tyres to the test.
To match the pannier a neat leather tool roll lives under the rear hoop, not only providing obvious back up but dealing with the issue of the mudguard to saddle void. A sleek, in-house fabricated scrambler exhaust with perforated heat shield looks the nuts and will provide a bark, while the Mikuni carbs offer more bite.
Kev would like to point out that the emblem on the fuel tank was requested by the owner and intends no offence, should any be taken.
To turn your ideas into a BMW based reality get in touch with Kev via their website.
via The Bike Shed
RENARD’S RETRO-FUTURISTIC BMW SCRAMBLER
In a sea of identikit BMW customs, we’re always on the hunt for a fresh take on Bavaria’s finest. And this sharply-styled scrambler hits the mark effortlessly.
It’s from Estonia’s Renard Speed Shop, and it’s based on one of the more modern boxers—a 2006-model R1200S.
Renard’s Andres Uibomae had the R1200S in his workshop and was planning to build a café-racer when a new customer came along. “He recently rode around the world with his GS,” says Andres, “but now he wanted something for the ‘Sunday ride.’ A similar bike, but a bit ‘lighter,’ and with the Renard Speed Shop touch.”
Andres decided to build a rideable scrambler that could easily pass for a factory prototype. With 122HP and 112Nm of torque on tap, the R1200S was the perfect candidate.
It was visually off the mark though, so Renard ditched all the bodywork and began redesigning every inch of it. This meant fabricating a new fuel tank, fenders, an enduro-inspired seat and new side panels; all from aluminum. The seat and side panels have both been covered in Alcantara.
The bike’s stance has also been altered slightly, thanks to a new pair of Kineo wheels (19” at the front and 17” at the rear) wrapped in Metzeler Karoo 3s. Kineo’s unique wheels are both spoked and tubeless—making them incredibly practical for off-road applications.
With no real need to boost the power from the boxer engine, Renard focussed on suspension and brake upgrades. Öhlins shocks and Beringer brakes have been installed, along with a Beringer hydraulic clutch.
Mated to the brake and clutch levers are Renard’s signature CNC-milled switches. Finishing off the cockpit are bars from Neken, a Motoscope Pro speedo from Motogadget, and LED bar-end turn signals from Kellermann (used at the rear too). The headlight is a Speaker LED unit, capped off with a hand-made fly screen.
One of the the less obvious changes is the new exhaust system. Akropovic headers flow into a shortened Fresco silencer, mounted vertically on the left of the bike. It’s connected to two stainless steel cones via custom-made branches.
Renard certainly don’t do things in half measures. The R1200S is loaded with tiny, easy-to-miss features—like the beautifully crafted heat-shield ‘wings’ that visually connect the back of the seat to the side panels.
Our favorite detail is the subtle splash of color on the subframe, matching the light blue from the BMW Motorrad racing motif on the tank. It’s tastefully carried out through the entire build—from the shock springs to the switchgear buttons, and even on one of the swingarm linkages.
The result is a trifecta of technical prowess, thoughtful details and a unique aesthetic.
Not to mention a breath of fresh air.
Follow Renard Motorcycles’ work via their website and Facebook page.
via BIKEexif
Toyota V8 45 Series Landcruiser Test
FOUNDRY MC THE PIPELINE
Foundry Motorcyles have delivered yet again. Not just a lovely looking bike with some nice detailed finishing touches but something with a genuine wow factor, a result that is becoming more elusive as the custom scene grows and standards are set stratospherically high. Breaking the mould, experimentation and plain old fashioned balls in a wheelbarrow bike building is what fuels the creative fire, keeping sheds warm across the land.
After a succession of boxer BMW projects and a couple of Harley Sportster’s Tom & Simon of Foundry were looking for a new ‘shop project and a fresh direction. Moto Guzzis have always been appealing with their charismatic ‘aero’ style engine that, like the BMW’s, is a gradual development of a really old school machine.
Not being Guzz-istas, they bought a 1998 Moto Guzzi 1100i Sport from a couple of photos and assumed that under it’s extensive panel work would be some form of lattice frame as on the Le Mans, lending itself to a café racer update. Once in the shop, they realized that it’s a different beast altogether and quite some beast at that!
The guys tell a good story, so here it is, in their words. I’m going to sit back and stare at those exhaust pipes; for a long time.
“Pretty much everything hangs from a single box section with the headstock at one end and the swing arm at the other. The more we removed from the frame, the better it looked. The simplicity of the structure gives a ‘blank canvas’ for new designs, but there lay a problem, after a couple of mock ups, we found ourselves doing styling concepts for what might be a new generation of production Guzzi’s, which wasn’t what we wanted”.
“Grumpy fuel injection and mega wiring looms are not really café racer attributes so the whole lot was pulled off. It just kept getting better and better! A discussion with an old buddy Richard Oakes of Blackjack Cars seeded the idea of a single twin-choke Weber carb, but our 44 IDF is ‘down draught’, straddling the main frame (well it’s got to go somewhere!). Carb balancing was eliminated, but a big hole in the fuel tank was needed. The pipe work for the inlet and the desire to run the exhaust over the ‘heads, started to give the look we were after and The Pipeline’ was christened. There was only one way forward – mega industrial”.
“Bare stainless tank, inlet duct, 2 inch exhaust with heat shields and high level end box and inlet manifolds are all fabricated and finished in house. As you can imagine, our stainless TIG skills have come on leaps and bounds. Stainless is great stuff to weld, but hell does it move about a lot!”
“Right from the outset we wanted to keep the back end of the bike clean looking and the seat to seem like it’s supported by the ‘Pipeline’ exhaust. In there’s actually a narrow monocoque sub-frame buried between the twin pipes, which holds the seat and also carries the power to the hand made tail light”.
“We’ve recently discovered Moto Gadget, the German manufacturer of electrical components for motorcycles. It’s really tasteful stuff and beautifully engineered. After using their bar end indicators on a couple of projects, we decided that The Pipeline deserved ‘the full system’ and so, M-Switches (handle bar switches), M-Unit (main electronic controls/relays etc), M-Blaze (bar end indicators), M-Button (signal transmitter)and M-Lock (it had to have keyless ignition!) are all linked together with Moto Gadgets micro wiring system. Not a task for the ‘chubby fingered’ mechanic”.
“The headlight cowl houses a Silent Hectic ignition, a Ducati SS headlamp, the keyless ignition and a Daytona digital/analogue speedo, which is driven electronically from the gearbox”.
“As usual with our builds, it’s been stripped back to basics, all blasted and powder coated, the engine’s had a top end rebuild and all bearings and bushes replaced.
The process was pretty straight forward. Si did a couple of scribbles on the back of an envelope and sat back, then Tom spent several hundred hours getting very, very hot and swearing a lot, easy eh!
This one’s not for the feint hearted, but the seating position is original and the bar positions are comfortable. It first turned a wheel for the Distinguished Gent’s Ride in London and is great to ride. The throttle’s smooth and responsive with ‘bags’ of grunt. The end cans are decorative, so even though the exhaust’s been ‘choked’ to get the right back-pressure, it barks like a very big dog.
We thought it’d be a Marmite bike, but so far it seems like most people like Marmite”!
Having seen The Pipeline at Goodwood Revival Meeting a few weeks ago I can confirm the extreme, yeasty flavour of this Marmite machine, but my god, put the toaster on and start racking up the sliced white. For me, this is bike building at its finest; rulebook torn up, creativity to the fore, stomping down an untrodden path. If the chaps could take an angle grinder to the decimal point on the price tag I’d be writing a cheque right now, unless they take rubbery ones!
If you’re interesting in owning a truly individual Moto Guzzi and have a grown up cheque book, give Tom & Simon a call on +44 (0) 1243 532 888 or send them an email.
via the bike shed
VENCE PRODIGAL LADY O
Big single dual purpose machines reimagined as retro scramblers and trackers are something of a favourite at the Bikeshed. The Honda Dominator engine, in it’s many different guises, accounts for a large corner of our vast virtual garage. However one of the Honda’s closest rivals, the flatulently monikered Suzuki Freewind, returns zero hits in the search bar. Hidden beneath swathes of plastic the fine ingredients of this underused donor have long cried out for a customisers attention and now Flavio from Brianza in Italy has finally given the Freewind it’s Bikeshed bow.
44 year old Flavio has set up a garage under the name Vence Prodigal Bikes. Vence is a nickname bestowed on him by a long time friend and supporter of this new adventure, the Prodigal part of the name refers to his poetic view of the machines he intends to create,
“Similarly to the “Prodigal Son who arose and came to his father”, these bikes come back to the Garage in order to be reborn and to do all they can for their new owner.”
Flavio specifically targets those misunderstood machines, like the Freewind, that left the factory to little acclaim and minimal commercial success and seeks to turn them into something he defines as “New Vintage”,
“These bikes will involve themselves in daily emotions made of dynamics and simplicity under a careful and timeless style.”
This machine, named Lady O, is Vence Prodigal’s first completed bike.
The Suzuki came to him as a mistreated learner school hack that had been abandoned for two years and was in much need of attention. The engine was completely overhauled along with the front forks which were dropped 15mm in the process. The wheels and swing arm are the original items that Flavio had “pickled” before being brushed and re-anodized. Any other parts that betrayed the bikes former life were replaced or refurbished.
The look Flavio was aiming for was “Scrambler-Flat Vintage” so all of the Freewind’s existing bodywork was junked. The short bulbous tank was a remarkable find at his local corner market, it originally graced a Moto Guzzi Lodola 175 and instantly adds a dollop of the vintage aesthetic Flavio was after. The tank is left bare with some strategic dark blue painted around the edges to enhance its shape.
Flavio was not willing to settle for a single tail option and has instead created two units to cater for differing moods. Both feature a thick seat, clad in a deep navy leather, the scrambler option ends in a blunt square with the tail light mounted low on the rear hugger whilst the cafe option features a sculpted aluminium cowl with a built in light. The exchange of units is achieved simply by removing four screws and a few minor alterations.
Flavio loves working in the “Noble material” of aluminium, amongst the parts he hand fabricated for the project are the side panels, the front light fairing and ignition key cover, the sprocket cover, the fender struts and the license plate holder. The aluminum fenders are aftermarket items.
Flavio is unsure exactly how much weight has been saved in the transformation but approximates a thirty kilo reduction. He reports a remarkable transformation in the engine characteristics, eager to rev with far livelier responses, but this could also be down to the engine work.
“I think overall, some more hp were sprung, but in my opinion, pure numbers don’t matter. I am more interested in the practical yield of every kind of riding (city, mixed fast, tight mixed in the mountains).”
As the build progressed Vence Prodigal have established strong relationships with good local suppliers and expert craftsmen which Flavio will continue to develop in his future projects. A Honda CB500 PC32 and a small Guzzi Florida V35 are next in the workshop, maintaining the unusual donor theme of Prodigal bikes. Find out more at the VenceFacebook page. Now who out there is going to create the second Freewind to grace the Bikeshed?
via The Bike Shed
WRC Rally de Espana 2014 : Hirvonen rejoint KKK : Hirvonen goes level with Kankkunen
Hirvonen (Ford/Michelin) égale ce week-end le nombre de rallyes WRC disputés par le plus actif des « Flying-Finns », Juha Kankkunen, avec 162 départs. Encore sept rallyes et il sera sur le podium du WRC derrière Sainz (196) et Solberg (188)…
Le RallyRACC-Rally de Espana 2014 marque le 162e rallye mondial du pilote M-Sport Mikko Hirvonen qui avait débuté en WRC au Rallye de Finlande 2002. Au prochain Wales Rally GB, il pourrait donc dépasser Juha Kankkunen et devenir, à 34 ans, le Finlandais le plus actif du WRC.
Mikko Hirvonen a remporté 15 victoires et signé 67 podiums mondiaux, dont le 1er en Espagne en 2005. Avec une stat à 41,6%, il est un des pilotes les plus régulièrement présents sur la « boîte » en WRC, même si cette saison, il n’est monté qu’une seule fois sur le podium (Portugal).
Mikko Hirvonen est toujours mathématiquement en course pour une 3e place finale au championnat Pilotes 2014 (à 50 points de Mikkelsen), même s’il devra surtout maintenir sa 4eposition face à Neuville, Meeke et Ostberg.
Comme son compatriote Markku Alén, il n’a jamais remporté de titre mondial. Sa malchance fut sans doute de mener carrière en même temps que Sébastien Loeb… En 2009, Mikko s’est incliné pour un tout petit point face au Français. Certes, contrairement aux Kankkunen, Mäkinen, Grönholm, Mikkola, Vatanen, Salonen, il n’a jamais été couronné.
Malgré tout, Mikko possède l’un des plus beaux palmarès du WRC parmi les « Flying-Finns » avec 4 titres de vice-champion du monde, 10 ans de carrière de pilote officiel et 143 rallyes mondiaux disputés au volant de voitures d’usine, Subaru, Ford, Citroën.
Reconnu pour sa régularité, Mikko a ainsi marqué 1177 points au championnat (3e derrière Loeb et Sainz) et a largement contribué à la série ininterrompue de Ford/M-Sport dans les points depuis le Rallye Monte-Carlo 2002 (182 rallyes). C’est la plus longue série en cours du WRC.
Sa dernière victoire mondiale remonte à tout juste deux ans, au Rallye d’Italie-Sardaigne 2012, avec Citroën. Cette année, hormis au Portugal, il n’a jamais semblé en mesure de se mêler à la lutte pour la victoire. Certains disent que depuis son gros crash au Rallye de Finlande 2010, il n’est plus aussi performant, un peu comme le Tommi Mäkinen d’après Argentine 2003…
Ce week-end, Mikko Hirvonen dispute le RallyRACC-Rally de Espana pour la 12e fois. La moitié du temps, il est monté sur le podium final (6). Pas si mal pour un « Flying Finn » qui n’a jamais gagné sur asphalte…
This weekend will see Mikko Hirvonen (Ford/Michelin) equal the record of fellow Flying Finn Juha Kankkunen who started 162 WRC events. Seven more outings for Mikko would put him on the podium behind Sainz (196 starts) and Solberg (188).
The 2014 RallyRACC-Rally de Espana is the 162nd world class appearance for Mikko Hirvonen (M-Sport) who made his debut in Finland in 2002. Next month’s Wales Rally GB will make the 34-year old his country’s most active driver in WRC history.
To date, he has notched up 15 victories at this level and 67 podium finishes, the first of which was in Spain in 2005. His top-three finishing record is 41.6%, making him one of the WRC’s most consistent drivers ever, although he has only finished in the medals once so far this season (Portugal).
Theoretically, Mikko can still come third in this year’s Drivers’ standings (he is 50 points behind Mikkelsen) but his current fourth place is above all under threat from Neuville, Meeke and Ostberg.
Like compatriot Markku Alén, Mikko has never won the supreme title and that could well be because his career at the top coincided with that of Sébastien Loeb. In 2009, he ended the year on the Frenchman’s tail, a single point short of joining Finland’s six world champions (Kankkunen, Mäkinen, Grönholm, Mikkola, Vatanen and Salonen).
Even so, he has carved out an enviable record of four runner-up titles, a 10-year career as a factory driver and 143 WRC rounds in a factory car (Subaru, Ford, Citroën).
Reputed for his consistency, he has scored 1,177 championship points to date (only Loeb and Sainz have done better) and played a major part in the record-beating uninterrupted sequence of points-finishes that Ford/M-Sport has enjoyed since the 2002 Rallye Monte-Carlo (182 rallies).
His most recent WRC success dates back to Sardinia 2012 with Citroën. This season, with the exception of Portugal, he has rarely been involved in the battle for victory. Some observers believe he has been less competitive since his big crash on the 2010 Rally Finland, much like Tommi Mäkinen after Argentina in 2003…
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