ACE CAFE RADIO

    jeudi 1 janvier 2015

    THE ONE MOTORCYCLE SHOW IS COMING!

    Sorry folks, We just had to.."Serious" is not really our forte. Building motorcycles is fun for everyone regardless of beard size, so boast those beards, fling on the flannels, braid up them boots and kick em' over 'cause THE ONE SHOW IS GOING TO BE FUN!! We are just excited for everyone to have a good time!

    THE ONE MOTORCYCLE SHOW IS COMING! from See See Motor Coffee Co. on Vimeo.


    FOUNDRY MC IL CASTROLO


    Foundry Ducati Tracker 1 THUMBEnvy is bad. It eats at you, sours you, curdles your soul. I’ve admired every one of The Foundry’s builds, and lusted over one or two of them. But this is something else. ‘Il Castrolo’ is an object of sublime beauty and focused engineering that can be ridden every day, ridden hard and without mercy, and one that will render you wobbly at the knees every time you give it as much as a sideways glance. I am riddled with envy.
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    It turns out that the story of the object of my (and I’m sure many other mortals) envy, is a long one. It predates Foundry and began five years ago in Simon’s design studio in London, when he decided his old ‘99 Ducati 750 monster would be the donor of his first custom project. Off came the seat, with Simon hoping to re-model the back end with a new seat unit and call it a ‘flat tracker’. After a few sketches, some Photoshop sessions and innumerable mock ups he realized it was a bit trickier than he’d assumed. Then there was the fear factor. As a product designer, the concept of chopping up a perfectly good looking well maintained piece of Italian automotion was outright lunacy. The pause button was pressed.

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    Fast forward a year and, having moved from London to Sussex and transported the paused project to a tiny, freezing lock up, the itch needed scratching again. Simon bought a welding set (and could gas weld passably), but to weld, one needs to cut. Not owning a grinder, the trusty hacksaw came into play and the once good Monster was relieved of 12 inches of frame. Simon realised the stock monster has so much character in the tank and frame; it’s hard to give it a new look without getting heavy handed. Any idea of ‘returning to original’ was abandoned and the tank discarded. Getting that sleek horizontal line along the bottom of the tank and seat was going to be a challenge with the sloping frame, but out came the filler and sanding blocks and the new panels took shape. Simon wanted to keep the overall look ‘light and minimal’ to get the balance right and to sit with the general flat track image of a separate tank and seat.

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    Along came Foundry and Simon and Tom decided to pitch in and start building bikes full time. First setting up the workshop and then subsequent influx of commissioned builds pushed the Duke further under the bench. After finishing The Pipeline, their stunning ‘stainless’ Moto Guzzi, they were expecting a couple of big projects that didn’t materialize, so it was Monster time again. They hand cut all the sections of the two-into-one exhaust, Tom stitched it all together and they turned up our own end can. They hand cut the footrest hangers (no CNC this time!) to take Tarrozzi controls in standard Ducati positions. The frame was de-lugged and all the fixings for the seat sub frame welded in place. They added a couple of rows of internal loops for the wiring harness to loose the dozens of zip ties that Ducati adore!
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    The Ducati headlamp and dials were replaced with a 4 inch Simpson Detour light, set into the rolled ally number board and a Koso digital ‘clock’ which has speedo, revs, and all the warning lights in one unit. It was going to be old school analogue, but the Koso is a really tidy unit and gives the bike a modern twist. To give the bike full ‘roadability’, it’s wearing some neat little Daytona D-Light LED indicators. The wider and taller Renthal bars demanded new Hel brake lines in a tasty red.
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    With all the structural work done, the bike was stripped, blasted and powder coated. All the frame bearings have been worked and Tom completely stripped and re-built the top end of the engine. One of the most striking features of the build is the paint. The ‘Iodine’ metallic grey worked so well on the Pipeline, it was the choice for the frame parts and wheels. A chance glimpse of Mike Hailwood’s 1978 TT wining bike inspired the design for the body work, and was expertly implemented by Stuart at Jago Design. It shouts ‘Il Tricolore’ the Italian flag, but was originally cribbed from a Castrol oil can! To give it a ‘bling race bike’ look, The Trimming Centre did a great job on the red, green and cream seat. The engine was stripped externally and painted silver to give an old school ‘all alloy’ look and simplify the shape of the motor.
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    Under the tank, a pair of K&N’s replaced the massive air box, feeding the overhauled carbs. An ally tray now carries all the electrical hardware which has been re-wired into stock hand controls. A lightweight Shorai battery now sits forward of the engine within the frame. Simon and Tom needed to move the oil cooler as it’s so imposing on the 750 Monster with the long braided hoses and ‘carb de-icing’ pipes complicating matters. They blanked off the redundant de-icing gear, built a new oil cooler and slung it low under the engine with the shortest of pipe-work, giving it more of an air cooled look.
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    Tyres were something of a challenge. The ideal Maxis with the classic flat track pattern aren’t available with a 17 inch front and a lot of the other small chunky treads don’t come in a 160 for the rear. Avon Distanzia’s were in the correct sizes but a bit chunky, so the choice became Pirelli Scorpion MT60 Corsas. The slightly taller 70 section front gives a bit more bulk to the front end and sit’s the bike up a little, which helps the stance. It’s a track biased sticky compound with lots of grooves, so gives a pretty grippy ride. The last fabrication was the front mudguard frame, to give a snug fit over the tyre with the shortened fender.
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    Custom Dukes aren’t easy to work with. As Simon states: “They’ve got so much character in the frame, it’s hard to stamp you own look on the bike. And, with everything inside the trellis, it’s a like working with all the parts of the bike in a cage. The exhaust is a real challenge! One of the key ingredients to the look of the bike is the short section of tube at the back of the tank, which is actually part of the seat sub-frame. It makes the new components look like they are all integrated with the frame and in retrospect, we’d have welded this directly to the frame.”
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    ‘Il Castrolo’ is stunning. Simon and Tom have taken Ducati’s work horse and turned it into what the Hypermotard should have been, a streetwise dirt bike with devastating good looks, and where there’s envy there’s temptation…. “We’ve got the moulds for the tank and seat, so we just need your old Monster to crack on with the next one.”
    If you like the sound of that get in touch with Simon & Tom or keep up to date via Facebook.
    via The Bike Shed

    LA - BARSTOW TO VEGAS ENDURO RIDE –


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    Photos by: Brett Beadle (@brettbeadle), Brent Akhurts (@brentakhurst) & Ben Couves (@elliottbenjaman)
    Shop buddy Brett Beadle (out in Vancouver, BC) recently did the LA - Barstow to Vegas Enduro Ride for the first time with a few buddies of his and after some serious FOMO from the instagram shots from his ride/trip, we asked if him and the guys would be down to send us some pics and tell us about it. Here's what Brett had to say:
    My buddies Brent Akhurst, Ben Couves and myself headed down to ride the 30th annual La-Barstow-Vegas enduro ride this year. Steeped in history, this two-day 450 mile off-road organized ride makes it's way through the Mohave from Palmdale, California to Las Vegas, Nevada.
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    Brent, Ben and I trailered our bikes down in two days, with a stop in Boise. (Brent on a WR450, Ben and I on XR650Rs)  I rented a U-haul to take us from Vegas to Palmdale with the bikes so our vehicle would be waiting for us at the finish line. It was amazing seeing 500+ dual sport bikes ready to rip the first morning in Palmdale. The entire town seemed to be filled with the noise of BRAP BRAP BRAP and a lot of very stoked riders.
    The first morning was challenging because visibility was pretty much nil. With so many riders starting out, there was a lot of dust and sand being kicked up by the riders in front of you, which gives you very little room to see whats coming. I would say this is one of the major challenges I found with my first time riding in the desert, getting used to all that SAND and DUST!
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    We made it through both days of riding with only one major breakdown and one major crash, Ben went over the bars after ripping through a rocky single track section and hit a washout in 3rd or 4th gear, which sent him flying. He dusted himself off and finished the day with us, with a few big bruises to show from his spill.
    Sunday morning was another early start. Without having to go through registration like we did on the first day, the Saturday morning was pretty much "get up and go." This meant we were riding directly into the rising sun and also through some of the most treacherous sand we had faced. Although it was challenging riding, with a lot of riders stuck in the sand and at the side of the trail, we made it through and continued on our day.
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    We ripped through miles and miles of deep sand to find our way at the Red Rock Canyon. This was the last stop before Vegas. A technical rocky ride was a lot easier on the smaller bikes but on big 650s it makes it a bit more challenging. We made our way up the canyon with the rest of the pack and snaked our way down into Red Rock Canyon park on the other side, and rode out to Vegas. The night was filled with beers and good times meeting a lot of fellow riders in the afterparty that night at The Orleans hotel.
    After a couple days recouping and relaxing in Vegas, Brent flew home for work and Ben and I made our way to Utah to ride the White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park. It was hands-down one of the most amazing rides of our lives. The scenery in incredible and we had the entire park to ourselves. The 100-mile trail snakes it's way along the canyons and buttes of this magical part of Southern Utah.
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    After that, it was time to make our way home. With a pit stop to rip the Bonneville Salt Flats in Wendover, a beer at Dechutes Brewing in Bend, a good soak in Bagby Hot Springs outside Portland, and a quick Portland visit, we were home washing the heaps of caked desert dust off our bikes and getting the ready for the next adventure.
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    See everyone at LA-Barstow-Vegas 2015!!!!
    - Brett Beadle, Ben Couves & Brent Akhurst
    from http://townmoto.com

    Pipeburn’s 2014 Bike of the Year Award


    Hot damn – where’d that year go? So with New Year’s so close you can almost smell the tequila, it’s time to look back at the past 12 months to see what rides really took our fancy. We’ve been doing a top 10 list for the past five years, and for the past two years we have been giving out the very shiny, very weighty Pipeburn trophy you see above to whoever takes the No.1 spot. In an art form with a distinct lack of real-world recognition, we like to think of it as our way of rewarding all the builder’s blood, sweat and tears. So we’ve gone back over every bike from this year to count your comments, tally Facebook likes and scientifically measure ‘woah’ to come up with our top 10 bikes for 2014. Enjoy.

    10. Harley-Davidson 883 Iron by TJ Moto

    How many builders do you think can claim that their very first bike stirred up enough interest to be counted as a contender for a Bike of the Year? Well, here’s an addition to what must be the world’s smallest list. Their name is TJ Moto and, even more impressively, they are based out of New Delhi, India. Now, can you imagine their next build? More here.

    9. Triumph Scrambler – Dagger Cycles

    There’s no doubt that scramblers are undergoing a renaissance of sorts; Ducati’s recently-announced foray into the segment is proof positive of that. But we can’t help but think that they’ve been out-cooled – and by none other than a bunch of feisty Milanese. What’s more, they’ve done it on a British bike. It’s enough to make Pavarotti turn in his grave; especially if you rode this matte black, punk rock bastardo over it. More here.

    8. ‘79 Honda CBN400 – Ed Turner Motorcycles

    It was built by a French shop with a pun as their name. It’s style is almost impossible to pigeonhole. And it’s a Honda that looks like the result of a one night stand between a café racer and a supermoto in a 1970s amusement park. In our books, all that can only be a good thing. More here.

    7. ‘14 Yamaha Star Bolt – Hageman Motorcycles

    Doc Chops, AKA ‘Greg Hageman’, repeats his 2013 performance with a mid-field placing on this beautiful, very factory-looking Star Bolt. He’s been working with Yamaha in the US; let’s hope that a little bit of the Doc rubs off on the suits who sign the cheques. If we all could buy a bike like this right off of the showroom floor, there’s no doubt the company would be bigger than Steve McQueen. More here.

    6. BMW R100 by Nozem Amsterdam

    Beemers make up 40% of this year’s finalists and they‘ve also managed to group themselves together – presumably in an attempt to storm the top spot in a four-pronged attack. Leading the charge is Amsterdam’s Nozem, with their sweeter-than-sweet R100. The bike has wood. So do we. And just look at that exhaust set-up. Excuse us for a moment, won’t you? More here.

    5. 1979 BMW R 100/7 – Kingston Customs

    Of all the finalists this year, we’re pretty sure that Dirk Oehlerking from Germany’s Kingston Customs will be the calmest of the lot. Why? Because the guy’s already got a bunch of metal on his mantelpiece after taking the German National Enduro Championships as a kinder. But an enduro bike this ain’t. And the coolest-looking old-school café we saw all year, it definitely is. More here.

    4. BMW K75 by Renard Speed Shop

    You gotta love BMW’s flying brick; and love’s exactly what Estonia’s Renard Speed Shop gave this K75. With a seat to die for and one of the coolest rear suspension set-ups we’ve ever seen, surely this has the Bavarian boffins rethinking their shelving of the beloved ‘Ziegel’. Fingers crossed. More here.

    3. ‘83 BMW R80 – The GasBox

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    There are clean builds. Then there’s clean builds. Then there’s the stuff that NASA builds. Then there’s GasBox’s BMW R80. With attention to detail and polish that would leave BMW themselves looking second best, we’re proud to say that Ohio’s Jesse Bassett has built a bike that’s landed him in 3rd place overall. Nice work, Jesse. More here.

    2. Ducati 900SS ‘Typhoon’ – Old Empire Motorcycles

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    Here’s one that split us right down the middle. For all the frowny naysayers, there seemed to be an equal amount of boisterous fans whipping themselves into a lather over this, the latest build from Blighty’s Old Empire Motorcycles. And from our experience, it’s only the very best of bikes that do that. Facebook may spy, but it doesn’t lie; six thousand of you cared enough to give it the thumbs up. And after the dust has settled we’re still left with something that looks like a boardtracker with a Ducati v-twin transplant. What’s not to like about that? More here.

    1. ‘65 Harley Ironhead – Hazan Motorworks

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    What can we say about Maxwell Hazan and his creations that hasn’t already been uttered a million times before? We guess that’s what happens when your name starts to appear in the same sentences as Shinya Kimura’s. That’s right, for the second year running Max has managed to take top honours in our Bike of the Year awards. Surprised? You shouldn’t be – just look at the thing. If there was a God of Metal, this bike would be what he’d ride. Congratulations Max! More here.
    We’d also like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped us make this award and Pipeburn itself happen. Cheers to our writers Tim, Ian, Marlon, and Martin. Massive thanks to Paul McKinnon from Evolution Motorsports in Sydney who makes our trophies, and to Junior Burrell at Retro Moto for letting us use his shop for the trophy photo. We’d also like to express our heartfelt thanks to all the builders and readers who supported us in 2014. If you listen carefully you’ll hear the sound of our greasy, leather-gloved hands clapping for you all. See you in 2015.
    via PIPEBURN

    VW Beetle Custom



















    Beetle in the art deco style. Opened the engine, paired 4-cylinder boxer engine. Frame.
    via Solifague Design