ACE CAFE RADIO

    dimanche 8 mars 2015

    Vintage Motorcycle Racing Australia. The Spirit of Speed.

    Introduced by former 500cc World Champion Wayne Gardner, riding his prized 1925 Australian made Waratah, ‘Spirit of Speed’ chronicles Australian motorcycle racing's classic era, from the beginning of the 20th century to the start of the modern racing era in the mid to late sixties. Each chapter of this exciting story, told through rare film footage and photographs (much of which has been sourced from private collections), is enriched by insightful commentary from acknowledged motorcycle racing historians, Jim Scaysbrook and Rob Saward, and a host of motorcycle racing greats, including Australian champions Maurie Quincey, Bert Flood, Max 'Atom' Rathbone, Linsay Urquart, Ray Owen and international speedway star, Neil Street.

    Spirit of Speed’ examines various aspects of the evolution of the motorcycle and the inevitable pitting of these machines against each other in races. The film features the first velodromes and speed trials of pre World War 1, reliability trials, grass track, aerodrome meetings, speedway and scramble; and introduces the road and track meetings, which preceded the high-tech forms of racing we enjoy today. The efforts of Australians at the Isle of Mann are also covered.

    A main feature of the film is the quality and quantity of stunning archival film footage, which includes Ballarat Park (1946), Fisherman's Bend (1947), Phillip Island (1937), the Reliability Trial of 1936, Jack Booth's speed trials of 1920, and Sydney Speedway just to name a few.

    Jim Scaysbrook
    Author and pre-eminent Australian motorcycle racing historian. (Old Bike Magazine)
    “As someone who is constantly immersed in Australian motorcycling history, I was delighted to hear that Darren Jones was committed to producing a DVD on the subject. There have been quite a few books written on the subject, but very little in the way of moving pictures. I think the result is excellent and is a very valuable contribution to the preservation of our heritage, and I am sure that without Darren’s intervention, much of the early footage in ‘Spirit of Speed’ would have remained locked away forever. Now of course, Darren will have to complete the story by producing Part Two!”

    Wayne Gardner
    Former 500cc World Motorcycle Champion
    "When I was racing professionally, I guess my focus was on the next race. But since then I’ve come to appreciate the history, and I am really pleased to help out with the production of ‘Spirit of Speed’. It’s a terrific record of where the sport came from, and it gave me the perfect excuse to drag out my old (Australian made) Waratah – hasn’t been run for 15 years!" Take a good look at the footage?



    Rally Mexico (WRC): Hat-trick d’Ogier au Mexique / Ogier’s Mexican hat trick


    Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia et Volkswagen/Michelin ont remporté leur troisième Rallye du Mexique consécutif avec, pour la troisième fois, une avance de plus d’une minute. Les Norvégiens Mads Ostberg (Citroën, +1min18s8) et Andreas Mikkelsen (VW, +1min25s1) complètent le podium. En WRC-2, c’est aussi le champion en titre, Nasser Al-Attiyah, qui s’est imposé sur sa Ford Fiesta RRC/Michelin.
    A la lecture du nouveau règlement sportif WRC 2015 imposant au leader du championnat d’ouvrir la route jusqu’au dimanche matin, Sébastien Ogier ne se donnait aucune chance de victoire au Mexique, premier rallye terre de la saison, où le phénomène de balayage est particulièrement important et pénalisant.
    Pourtant, les deux premiers pilotes en piste, Sébastien Ogier et Thierry Neuville, ont terminé la première boucle de spéciales en tête ! Les deux leaders du championnat avaient profité de températures très fraîches vendredi matin pour panacher leurs montes de pneumatiques Michelin LTX Force H4 (hard) et S4 (soft) et bénéficier d’un excellent grip sur des pistes recouvertes de gravette.
    En tête de l’épreuve, Sébastien Ogier a ensuite bénéficié des sorties de route de ses deux challengers les plus menaçants, Thierry Neuville (ES8) et Jari-Matti Latvala (ES12), pour prendre une avance très confortable à mi-parcours. Le Français a ensuite « déroulé » pour décrocher sa 3e victoire à Leon, son 3e succès consécutif cette saison, et avec le bonus maxi de 3 points en prime…
    Comme chaque année, le Rallye du Mexique est particulièrement piégeux. En 2014, 10 pilotes avaient eu recours au Rally2 pour être classés. Cette année, 12 voitures ont abandonné sur l’une des trois étapes, dont 5 World Rally Cars sur sortie de route le premier jour. L’accident le plus spectaculaire fut évidemment celui d’Ott Tanak dont la Ford Fiesta RS WRC a plongé dans un lac. La vidéo a fait le tour du monde (6,2 millions de vue sur les réseaux sociaux du WRC). L’équipe M-Sport a réussi l’exploit de faire repartir la Fiesta n°6 en course dimanche matin.
    L’étape dominicale fut marquée par un duel de Norvégiens pour la 2e place dont Mads Ostberg (Citroën) est sorti vainqueur face à Andreas Mikkelsen (VW) grâce à un meilleur temps dans la plus longue spéciale du rallye (55,82 km). Comme en 2014, le Gallois Elfyn Evans (Ford) termine au pied du podium après une course régulière. L’Espagnol Dani Sordo, de retour à la compétition après avoir manqué le Rallye de Suède, complète le top-5 et sauve l’honneur de l’équipe Hyundai Motorsport.
    En WRC-2, l’équipage vainqueur du dernier Rallye Dakar, Nasser Al-Attiyah/Matthieu Baumel, s’est imposé au volant d’une Ford Fiesta RRC/Michelin après la sortie de route de l’Ukrainien Yurii Protasov (Ford) qui était leader avec une trentaine de secondes d’avance. Nicolas Fuchs (Ford) et Jari Ketomaa (Ford) montent sur le podium final.
    Sébastien Ogier, Julien Ingrassia and Volkswagen/Michelin triumphed in Mexico for the third time running by more than a minute today. They were joined on the podium by Norwegians Mads Ostberg (Citroën, +1m18.8s) and Andreas Mikkelsen (VW, +1m25.1s). WRC2 honours went to the class’s defending champion Nasser Al-Attiyah (Ford Fiesta RRC/Michelin).
    Given the new WRC rule which stipulates that the championship leader must run first on the road until the end of the second leg, Ogier believed he had little chance of winning Rally Mexico, the first dirt event of the season and one where the phenomenon of road sweeping tends to be a particularly big handicap.
    But that didn’t prevent the Frenchman and Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville (who were first and second in the championship after Sweden) from completing the first competitive loop in front. They took advantage of Friday morning’s cool temperatures to fit a combination of hard- and soft-compound Michelin LTX Force tyres which provided them with outstanding grip on the gravel-coated stages.
    Ogier then benefited from the accidents of his two biggest threats Neuville (on SS8) and team-mate Jari-Matti Latvala (SS12) to emerge comfortably in front at the halfway point. From that point on, the Frenchman was able to cruise home to his third Rally Mexico success and his third win of 2015. He also pocketed the three Power Stage bonus points.
    This year’s Rally Mexico proved as tough as ever. In 2014, 10 drivers had to thank the Rally2 ruling for reaching the finish, while this year’s event saw 12 cars ‘retire’ over the weekend, including five World Rally Cars which crashed on Leg 1.
    The most spectacular accident was that of Ott Tanak who crashed his Ford Fiesta RS WRC into a lake. The video of the incident has been watched 6.2 million times on the WRC’s social media. M-Sport managed to get the car back on the road for Sunday’s action.
    The last day was marked by a duel for second place between Ostberg (Citroën) and Mikkelsen (VW). The silver medal ended up in the former’s hands, helped by a fastest time on the rally’s longest stage (55.82km).
    As in 2014, the consistency of Welshman Elfyn Evans (Ford) was rewarded with fourth place, while Spaniard Dani Sordo - who missed Sweden - rounded off the top five to save Hyundai Motorsport’s honour.
    Teaser Image
    The 2015 Dakar winners Nasser Al-Attiyah/Matthieu Baumel (Ford Fiesta RRC/Michelin) came first in WRC2 after early pace-setter Yurii Protasov went off in his Ford. Nicolas Fuchs (Ford) and Jari Ketomaa (Ford) joined the Qatari on the podium.

    The most surprising cars of the Geneva Motor Show 2015


    What’s left to say about a motor show when the majority of the debuts were leaked in the press weeks in advance? Well, our man on the ground Jan Baedeker deliberately ignores the crowd-drawing premieres, and instead focuses on the special, unexpected stories…
    Let’s skip what you already know: Ferrari is using Geneva to bury its long-held tradition of naturally aspirated V8 sports cars, Porsche is unleashing several ultra-focused road cars, and Mercedes just made limousines cool again. But following the crowd has never been the Classic Driver way. So, rather than a comprehensive list of the new metal on display, we bring you the ‘Best in Show’ guided by our personal highlights.

    Carrozzeria Touring

    The fact that Carrozzeria Touring is in Geneva among the industry giants is a minor miracle in itself. As was the case in its post-War heyday, the Milanese design emporium continues to focus on craftsmanship – forging expertly detailed bodies from aluminium to dress some of the most advanced chassis of the time. For the Berlinetta Lusso, the basis is a Ferrari F12berlinetta, the inspiration is a 166 MM, and the result is simply stunning. Only five will be built, each taking 5,000 man-hours to produce. Svelte details such as the razor-sharp shoulder line that ‘disappears’ mid-arch – the type usually seen only on Villa d’Este’s finest – would be almost impossible to achieve using ordinary production methods. The obvious passion of brand chief Piero Mancardi, designer Louis de Fabribeckers, and the rest of the tight-knit team shines brighter than the glitz of all other manufacturers put together.

    Rolls-Royce Phantom Serenity

    With Rolls-Royce’s latest show-car, the (significant) value is not in the badge prestige, but rather the sheer volume of skilled work that has gone into it. Commissioned by an Asian royal, the Phantom Serenity was customised by the in-house Bespoke department to a level not seen since the Maharajas. Taking inspiration from Japanese gardens and Far Eastern tailoring, Giles Taylor’s design team created a silk headliner, hand-painted and embroidered with cherry blossoms. Furthermore, the seats are covered with imperial-quality silk cloth from China, while the Hanami motif is reflected in mother of pearl, inlaid into the cherry wood of the doors. The Bespoke team worked day and night for almost a year to complete the car – and must have relished the opportunity to demonstrate their creative thinking.

    Aston Martin DBX and Vulcan

    In comparison to previous years, conceptual design studies are sparse at this year’s show – and few would have expected it to be Aston Martin that brought two stylistic surprises, considering the stagnation of creative spirit in the last decade. But it seems the British manufacturer is back on track – literally – by introducing not only an ultra-limited circuit car for the gentleman racer elite, but also an all-electric crossover it bills as the ‘future of luxury grand touring’. The Vulcan is dramatic enough to have come from the Sant'Agata stable, and its rear light ‘sticks’ remind us of the Bertone Pandion that made its debut here five years ago. Meanwhile, the DBX is a surprisingly successful attempt at finding the proportional balance often missing from SUVs, and its jacked-up coupé appearance is somewhat reminiscent of a DB2. Inside, the minimalist leather interior has the feel of steampunk meets Star Wars. Perhaps not one for the purists, but it’s refreshing to see Gaydon’s creative waters running freely.

    Ruf CTC

    Who said motor shows should be restricted to modern cars? Porsche ‘artist’ Alois Ruf dares to follow Singer and co. for its latest project, albeit with a different focus: the firm’s engineers have turned their hands to a 964 Turbo, bestowing it with 425HP and a variety of subtle visual modifications. Wearing ‘Fashion Grey’ with a contrasting Sherwood Green plaid interior, the RUF 964 Turbo is undoubtedly one of the most successful ‘rebirths’ of the show.

    Ford GT

    As ‘Classic Drivers’, we naturally gravitate towards the original rather the re-interpreted, so it was the stunning GT40 that first caught our instinctive eye. However, it must be said that the 60-year-old’s grandson exudes a similar level of charisma on its European debut. While a hybridised V6supplants a multi-cylinder monster of a motor, the ‘blue wonder’ has all the visual drama of its hypercar rivals, with a dash of humour, too: a billboard at the show’s entrance entices visitors to inspect ‘LaFord’ once inside. Now, we simply await a Le Mans-ready racing version.

    McLaren F1 Longtail

    Forget the ‘La Finale’ Bugatti Veyron or the Mercedes-Maybach Pullman – the most valuable car of the show is likely to be the longtailed McLaren F1 GT that flanks its pseudo-successor, the 675LT. The dark green, road-ready ‘Big Mac’ is one of only three GTs made to homologate the legendary GTRs that won the GT1 category at Le Mans in 1997. With standard road cars supposedly commanding eight-figure-euro sums today, the mind boggles at what this GT would be worth should its owner – which happens to be the McLaren factory – ever decide to sell it.

    Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6

    A nimble, two-seater Bentley would be a reason to rejoice, particularly if it ends up looking as good as the experimental Speed 6 concept. But after absorbing the pretty shape in its entirety, you might begin to notice some familiarities. The stillborn Hunaudières supercar concept from the 1999 Geneva show has clearly provided some influence, but not quite as understandable are the side window graphics and rear lights that must be giving Jaguar and Aston Martin’s patent lawyers some food for thought, at the very least. Should these issues be remedied on its (inevitable) path to production, Bentley would have a sure-fire hit on its hands.

    Land Rover Defender Heritage

    When you’ve had your fill of premieres and supposed world-firsts, it’s a relief to be able to turn to a faithful old friend in the form of a Land Rover Defender. With the primitive legend finally being retired from service this year, that won’t be an option for much longer – but the wonderfully nostalgic Heritage Editions represent a silver lining if ever there was one. Even the old-style badges are enough to warm the collective heart, before a little piece of it is taken away forever when the dependable dinosaur is rendered extinct.
    Photos: Jan Baedeker
    You can find all the most important news from Geneva 2015 in our overview.

    CUSTOMIZING A CLASSIC: CRD’S BMW R80ST


    Cafe Racer Dreams delivers a masterclass in customizing a BMW classic motorcycle.
    Café Racer Dreams don’t exclusively build BMWs, but you could call them specialists. With several elegant examples under their belts—including these two stunning R100s—they’ve learnt a thing or two about turning wrenches on Bavaria’s finest.
    Most of CRD’s classic BMWs share similar technical upgrades and under-the-hood mods. Yet each new ‘airhead’ that rolls out of the Madrid-based workshop is unique—and still manages to capture our attention.
    Cafe Racer Dreams delivers a masterclass in customizing a BMW classic motorcycle.
    That’s because proprietors Pedro García and Efraon Triana have something that can’t be taught: impeccable taste, with an eye for lines, proportions and details.
    CRD #59—a 1983 R80ST—is one such bike. It’s the first time that CRD have given a BMW a more traditional café treatment, and they’ve done a stellar job.
    Cafe Racer Dreams delivers a masterclass in customizing a BMW classic motorcycle.
    Pedro explains that “classic” and “very low” were keywords when #59 was conceived. Essentially a road-going R80G/S, the stock R80ST benefits from a classy single-sided swingarm and monoshock setup—but it’s anything but low. CRD sorted out the stance by slamming the forks and kicking up the rear with a longer shock. The front brake was upgraded with a Galfer disc and a braided hose.
    As with all of their BMWs, CRD un-bolted the stock subframe, removed its mounting tabs and welded on a shorter and slimmer unit. In the process they removed the unsightly “ears” that usually hold the muffler and passenger pegs. New passenger peg supports were added, and equipped with a set of Tarozzi pegs.
    Cafe Racer Dreams delivers a masterclass in customizing a BMW classic motorcycle.
    A R75/5 ‘toaster’ tank was sourced and fitted. Out of love for the original toaster design, CRD opted not to repaint it—installing it with a little patina intact. They then created a café-style seat to complete the lines. The bike’s finished off at either end with custom steel fenders. They’ve been polished to match the tank’s side panels.
    And yes, those tires are Firestone Deluxe Champions. Pedro explains the choice: “This is a bike for enjoying, not for racing—and the Firestones look better than anything else.”
    Cafe Racer Dreams delivers a masterclass in customizing a BMW classic motorcycle.
    The R80 engine was still mechanically sound, so CRD merely swapped its covers out for more vintage looking ‘peanut’ items. The airbox was removed, and the battery relocated to its space—housed in a hand-made leather box.
    CRD built the R80’s peculiar exhaust in-house. It’s designed to leave the left side of the bike clear, to help show off the bike’s single-sided swingarm. We dig it, and would love to hear it.
    Cafe Racer Dreams delivers a masterclass in customizing a BMW classic motorcycle.
    Another habit that CRD have formed is rewiring each of their BMWs with a full complement of Motogadget bits. At the heart of the new electrical system is the Motogadget m-Unit: a pricey yet effective digital control unit.
    Other bits include m-Switches at the handlebars (with the wires running inside the bars), and a Motoscope Tiny speedo mounted in the headlight.
    Cafe Racer Dreams delivers a masterclass in customizing a BMW classic motorcycle.
    For an ultra-low front end, CRD inverted a set of Renthal bars. The grips are from Biltwell Inc., and the headlight, taillight and turn signals are all available from CRD’s own online store.
    CRD #59’s finishes are delightfully subtle: everything’s either been powder coated black, cleaned up and left raw, or polished.
    Cafe Racer Dreams delivers a masterclass in customizing a BMW classic motorcycle.
    We’ll chalk it up as another win for Café Racer Dreams—and another classic BMW that we want for ourselves.
    See also: Top Five BMW R-Series Customs Part One | Part Two
    Cafe Racer Dreams delivers a masterclass in customizing a BMW classic motorcycle.
    via BIKEexif

    WRC, Mexique : Où sont les femmes ? / the ladies honoured


    Ce dimanche 8 mars 2015 est l’occasion de célébrer la Journée Internationale de la Femme au Rallye du Mexique. Hélas, aucune femme n’est engagée sur cette épreuve. Les sports mécaniques, la voile et l’équitation sont pourtant les trois seules disciplines sportives mixtes où femmes et hommes peuvent concourir dans la même compétition.
    Les origines de la Journée Internationale de la Femme remontent au Women’s Day organisé en 1909 aux USA. Deux ans plus tard, plusieurs pays européens ont suivi le mouvement, mais ce n’est qu’en 1977 que les Nations Unies ont fixé cette journée au 8 mars et l’ont officiellement baptisée « UN Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace. »
    Sur les 30 équipages admis au départ du Rallye du Mexique, on ne comptait hélas aucune femme, après le forfait d’Henning Solberg et de sa copilote Ilka Minor. Les femmes sont devenues rares en WRC. Cette année, la Française Charlotte Dalmasso est la seule représentante féminine inscrite dans un championnat de rallye mondial (WRC-3). Depuis 1973, 20 femmes seulement ont pris le volant sur au moins une des 534 manches du Championnat du monde des Rallyes FIA disputées !
    Pat Moss-Carlsson et Serena Pittoni furent les pionnières. Michèle Mouton (52 départs, 4 victoires et un titre de vice-champion) est évidemment la plus connue. La Britannique Natalie Barratt a disputé 44 rallyes WRC entre 1998 et 2006 et sa compatriote Louise Atken-Walker 22 entre 1979 et 1991.
    Il faut dire que depuis 20 ans exactement, le WRC ne récompense plus ses représentantes féminines. La Coupe FIA des Dames s’est déroulée de 1990 à 1995. Louise Atken-Walker, les Finlandaises Minna Silankorva et Eija Jurvanen, la Française Christine Driano et l’Allemande Isolde Holderied (double championne 1994-95) se sont succédé au palmarès.
    Fin 2009, une des premières mesures prises par le nouveau président de la FIA Jean Todt fut de créer une commission dédiée aux femmes en sport automobile. L’ancienne vice-championne du monde des Rallyes Michèle Mouton – qui avait d’ailleurs remporté sa seconde victoire WRC au Portugal le 8 mars 1982 – en fut nommée présidente. Elle l’est toujours…
    « Cette commission est toujours très active », nous a confirmé Michèle. « Nous avons d’ailleurs eu notre dernière réunion il y a quelques jours. Pendant trois ans, nous avons travaillé sur des projets en compétition. Aujourd’hui, on souhaite aussi s’orienter sur la promotion des femmes dans les métiers du sport automobile, ingénieurs, commissaires… »
    « Leena Gade (ingénieur Audi en WEC) et Delphine Biscaye (ingénieur chez Venturi) sont chargées de ce projet et travaillent déjà avec plusieurs universités. L’Espagnole Silvia Bellote est commissaire et a pour rôle de promouvoir la place des femmes dans ce domaine. Nous avons un projet d’envergure pour 2016/2017. »
    Sunday, March 8, is International Women’s Day. Although there are no ladies contesting Rally Mexico, motorsport is one of only three sports – along with sailing and horse riding – where men and women get to compete directly against each other.

    The origin of International Women’s Day dates back to 1909 in the USA. Two years later, several European nations joined the movement, but it was only in 1977 that the United Nations set aside March 8 as “UN Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace”.
    Of the 30 entries for this year’s Rally Mexico, there are sadly no women following the withdrawal of Henning Solberg and his lady co-driver Ilka Minor. Indeed, lady competitors have become quite rare in rallying’s premier series recently. France's Charlotte Dalmasso is the sex’s only representative this year (WRC3).
    Since 1973, 20 ladies have started a WRC round. The pioneers were Pat Moss-Carlsson and Serena Pittoni, but Michèle Mouton (52 starts, four wins and a runner-up title) is undoubtedly the most famous of them all. Natalie Barratt started 44 WRC events between 1998 and 2006, while fellow Briton Louise Atken-Walker appeared 22 times between 1979 and 1991.
    It should be said that it’s been exactly 20 years since the FIA last awarded a Ladies Cup at the end of the year. In the six years this WRC trophy was up for grabs, it was won by Atken-Walker, Finns Minna Silankorva and Eija Jurvanen, France’s Christine Driano and Germany’s Isolde Holderied (1994 and 1995).
    At the end of 2009, one of the first measures introduced by freshly-elected FIA president Jean Todt was to create a commission devoted to women in motorsport. The former WRC vice champion Michèle Mouton has been in charge of it since the beginning.
    “The commission is very active,” she told us. “Our most recent meeting was just a few days ago. For the past three years, we have been working on competing-related projects. Today, we are turning our intention to careers and other roles in motorsport, such as engineers, marshals, etc.
    “Leena Gade (Audi WEC engineer) and Delphine Biscaye (Venturi engineer) are in charge of this project and are liaising with a number of universities. To promote lady marshals, we have Spain’s Silvia Bellote who is a marshal herself. We are working on an ambitious programme for 2016/2017.”

    BSMC GEAR GUIDE #49


    BSMC Gear Guide #49
    This week’s Guide brings us lovely skinny jeans for lady bikers, a selvedge denim helmet bag from Dawson Denim, a badass jacket from Icon, some slick leather gloves from Helstons, and a stunning art book on Wheels & Waves.
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    PRODUCT REVIEW DAWSON DENIM HELMET BAG
    “Dawson is our family name. We simply aim to produce the best Workwear we can using our 15 years working with denim.”  Dawson Denim is Kelly Dawson and her partner in both senses of the word, Scott Ogden.
    All of Dawson’s  products are made in their own specialist workshop in Brighton, East Sussex, in small limited run batches.  They cut all their own patterns by hand the old fashioned way and all the fabrics are hand cut. The sewing machines they use are mostly 50’s denim specific that they have personally restored to full working order. The fabric used is woven on old 1920’s looms, and the fabric is 13oz Japanese selvedge.
    DAWSON-DENIM-HELMET-BAG-3
    Kelly and Scott hand produce a stunning helmet bag. Apart from motorcycles, two of my favourite obsessions are denim and helmets. So what could be more satisfying than a denim holdall for any one of my every increasing array of lids?
    The bag is constructed from 13oz selvedge denim from Okayama, Japan, features a 1928 spec Riri zip, lined with french ticking stripe, an 8oz leather base and heavy leather straps. It has a internal leather pocket.
    DAWSON-DENIM-HELMET-BAG-5
    This is a stunning bag. Some would say over-engineered, but in the custom bike world that’s a compliment of the highest degree. It looks terrific and fits any open face lid securely. It’s tough, light, and looks the business. It’s comfortable to carry and will protect your brain-wear from scrapes and scratches. It’s a welcome relief from the horrible leatherette or nylon offerings from the mainstream manufactures.
    Dawson Denim is steeped in motorcycle heritage. Kelly rides a rigid framed 1954 D1 BSA Bantam, a Vespa VBA, and Scott rides Lambretta LI150, all fine machines in my book! The come from a rich biking lineage, Kelly’s Dad an original North London ton-up boy, and her brother a junior scrambling champ in the 1070s.
    DAWSON-DENIM-HELMET-BAG-4
    The Dawson branding/logo was inspired by the 1911 Bat motorcycle. It’s the cheesehead screw that holds the levers.
    What’s terrific is each piece Dawson produce comes with a “log book” inspired by the same document from the golden age of motoring. “The ideal of being built to last has long been forgotten but we are proud to be able to offer a durability guarantee with each of our products.” The log book entitles the owner to a service in the first six months when any wear and tear created in this time will be repaired by hand in their workshop.
    Love it.
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    PRODUCT REVIEW – UGLY BROS WOMEN’S TWIGGY JEANS
    It’s rare to find good looking protective clothing, and even rarer to find bike wear for women that’s protective AND fashionable. It’s almost non existent.
    This is where Ugly Bros have pulled off a coup with the Twiggy jean.  Made from 12oz stretch denim with elastic shirring knee and lower waist back panels, they come with removable Powertector knee and hip protectors. They are fastened with a tough YKK zipper in a skinny true to size fit. They come in black and an indigo fade.
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    Tested by friend of The Bike Shed, Sabrina Nova, she enthused  “The wash on the blue Twiggy’s is beautiful. They have a comfortable high waist, have a good degree of stretch that allow me to move around the bike. The armour is instantly removable and the jeans look great with and without it.”  Living and riding in Florida,  where you can literally roast yourself riding in leathers,  these serve Sabrina as a practical and reasonably well ventilated alternative to hide, whether cruising on her Harley or tearing it up on her wicked CB cafe racer. Here in the UK these are suitable a spring/summer wear.
    UGLY-BROS-WOMENS-TWIGGY-JEANS-2
    Born almost a decade ago, Ugly Bros came to life from a desire to fuse protective motorcycle gear with high-style fashion garments. “Anyone who rides a motorcycle will know wearing your moto gear all day is impractical.”
    Vince, the founder of Ugly Bros, has developed a range that takes a very different approach to bike wear.
    “We felt it was time for a new range of garments. Designed to satisfy the needs of both Riders and ‘Biker Style’ fashionistas, equally protective, as they were fashionable, that looked as great in the office or around town, as they did on the bike.”
    UGLY-BROS-WOMENS-TWIGGY-JEANS-1
    The result is high-style fashion fused with function and safety technology, and in Twiggy a great looking jean than women can feel confident in both on and off the bike.
    Images courtesy of J Gavin Jordan, and a big thanks to Sabrina.
    icon-1
    PRODUCT REVIEW BY THE BSMC’S VERY OWN IAN HEARTFIELD – ICON BASEHAWK JACKET
    I’m a big fan of windproof clothing. Using my windproof North Face as a mid-layer has helped me soldier on with my Roland Sands Tracker jacket right through this particularly brass monkeys winter. But now I’m the proud owner of a windproof designed to be worn as a jacket in its own right, albeit in spring/summer only.
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    The Basehawk walks the line between dedicated motorcycling attire and clobber that you’d quite happily wear down the pub. It’s fully loaded with armour in the elbows, shoulders and back, but slip these out (something that is refreshingly easy to do) and it’s supremely comfortable for daily use. The hood is something likely to divide opinion. Personally I love it. I often ride with the hood of my hoodie flapping away out of the top of my jacket as I think it looks kinda bad-ass.
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    As with all the Icon gear we’ve come across here in the Shed, the Basehawk is extremely well put together, and looks like it will last forever. Plus the attention to detail like hidden pockets and thick elastic to hook your thumbs through as you pull it on, prove this is a brand that cares about how the new owner will feel. This is the kind of brand behaviour that floats our boats.
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    I can’t wait for this sodding winter to loosen it’s grip and let spring take over so I can wear this jacket properly. In the meantime it’s doing a mighty fine job at keeping me warm on the walk to the pub, and helping me look bad-ass standing at the bar. Well, as bad-ass as a 42 year old, 11 stone, middle class white man can look.
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    PRODUCT REVIEW BY THE BSMC’S VERY OWN STEVE SIMMONDS – HELSTON BOSTON GLOVES
    After spending most of the winter riding in a pair of flimsy ‘handy-man’ gloves that one of the team bought back from the States for me (thanks Timm!) with the addition of a pair of £1 cotton Primarni innards I was very glad to get my mitts on, or rather in this pair of Helstons.
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    So what can I say about these gloves. Firstly, they are super cosy, but more importantly – they’re not in any way restrictive. There’s nothing worse than having warm hands but little feeling over your controls. With these gloves my hands and finger tips were perfectly warm and I still felt I had full dexterity over the throttle. Always important as you’re trying to slice thru the morning jam to work.
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    They’ve also held up well to the rain we’ve been having recently, although luckily enough I’ve missed the worst of it so I’ve yet to test them in torrential conditions, however I’m sure that won’t be long until I do and am pretty confident they won’t let me down.
    The design is simple and in-offensive and subsequently fit’s with all my other gear. I personally don’t like long gloves that come half way down your forearm so I found these suited me well coming up just enough to marry with my jacket.
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    The blurb states they are re-enforced with Kevlar, luckily I’ve not been forced to test this, but you certainly can’t feel any stiffness the leather is super supple. All in all this is one set of very cosy, soft stylish gloves.
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     JO FISCHER – WHEELS AND WAVES PHOTO BOOK
    The last two summers, armed with a Leica, Jo travelled with some of his buddies to the now legendary French vintage and custom bike Festival ‘Wheels & Waves” in Biarritz.
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    The few long hot days in the Basque country every year have achieved mythical status. Stunning rides through mountain passes, winding coastal roads, and crowded narrow resort back streets speak directly to the romance of what we do. Halcyon days that make the empty wallets, the hours in the rain by the side of the road, the bitter early mornings when the bastard won’t start, all worth it.
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    Great food, good friends and strangers, beards and tattoos abound, some of the loveliest lady bikers on the planet, make for an abundance of knowing smiles and childish grins. The perfect long weekend.
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    Jo’s testimony is incredibly personal, told through soul bearing portraits and fast shutter reportage, this is W&W seen through an analogue eye, featuring the whole beautiful ugly spectacle in all it’s grubby glory.
    Bring on June.