You've heard of the Baja 1000, but there's an even crazier race called the Mexico 1000 that's as much a giant part as it is a race. Lifted trucks, buggies, and old American muscle cars race down the peninsula.
mercredi 7 octobre 2015
Expedition Overland: Expedition Gear Setup.
CUSTOM BIKES OF THE WEEK
A CB750 plastered with gas station signs, a Yamaha RD350 turned into an oddball dual-sport weapon, and a show-winning Norton Atlas bobber. Matt Neundorf presents the most interesting customs breaking cover over the past week.
Honda CB750 Cafe by Vibrazioni Art Design The Daft Punk-esque duo from Vibrazioni Art Design have a penchant for welder’s masks—and turning nostalgic gas station paraphernalia into rolling works of art. Pennzoil takes center stage on this industrial CB750 build, which is devoid of anything befitting a garage queen.
Ducati W101 Café Racer by Affetto Ducati The 750 Sport was an accessible introduction to the world of Ducati performance. This café racer version from the Netherlands Ducati specialist serves as a glorious reminder of the visceral reaction that simplicity can elicit.
Honda CB750 Cafe by Vibrazioni Art Design The Daft Punk-esque duo from Vibrazioni Art Design have a penchant for welder’s masks—and turning nostalgic gas station paraphernalia into rolling works of art. Pennzoil takes center stage on this industrial CB750 build, which is devoid of anything befitting a garage queen.
It’s dirty, it’s raw, and it’s finished with a heavy dose of patina. This OG superbike looks like it could teach a new CBR a thing or two around the bends at San Marino. [More]
Ducati W101 Café Racer by Affetto Ducati The 750 Sport was an accessible introduction to the world of Ducati performance. This café racer version from the Netherlands Ducati specialist serves as a glorious reminder of the visceral reaction that simplicity can elicit.
The wheels were swapped from 16- to 17-inch units to improve handling and looks. The brakes were upgraded to 996 spec, and from there—in true café tradition—everything unnecessary was eliminated. There are lots of handmade touches that set this bike apart, but the cheeky exhaust is what holds my gaze every time I see it. Bellissima! [More]
#88 Dual Racer Yamaha XV by Magnum Opus The original intent behind the cafe racer movement was to add speed by shedding weight. When the build team at Magnum Opus completed their surgery on this Virago, some fifty to sixty pounds of OEM excess had been lopped off.
The Villain by Drifter Bikes A popular move for many builders is to cut the rear frame to shed weight, clean up the lines and facilitate an overall aesthetic. But on this 1973 Bonneville, dubbed The Villain, Paul from the Australian builder Drifter Bikes decided to go the opposite way—leaving the rear frame intact and customizing everything else to fit.
Yamaha RD350 by Threepence Moto This oddball Yamaha RD350 was crafted by Colorado-based Wesley Case to survive a run on the Trans-America Trail. The long-travel suspension is a must for tackling the gravel roads from Tennessee to Oregon, and a custom three-chamber gas tank keeps the two-stroke chugging during long days.
Norton Atlas by Matt Machine If you were lucky enough to attend this year’s Born Free show, this custom Norton Atlas may look a touch familiar: it took home the trophy for Best British Build at the show.
Hand built parts like the rear subframe, the new headlight and those exquisite down-shooting pipes help with the lightness as well as the looks. Other subtle touches involved swapping the tank for a CB750 unit, and fitting a tucked-and-rolled Motolanna seat to the modified frame—creating a stance and aesthetic that can’t be ignored. The dual sport rubber is a nice touch, too. [More]
The Villain by Drifter Bikes A popular move for many builders is to cut the rear frame to shed weight, clean up the lines and facilitate an overall aesthetic. But on this 1973 Bonneville, dubbed The Villain, Paul from the Australian builder Drifter Bikes decided to go the opposite way—leaving the rear frame intact and customizing everything else to fit.
He’s repositioned the tank to create balance, and fabricated a custom, minimalist seat to fit the stock frame. But what sets this package off completely are those upswept flowing pipes that match the lines of the subframe support perfectly. [More]
Yamaha RD350 by Threepence Moto This oddball Yamaha RD350 was crafted by Colorado-based Wesley Case to survive a run on the Trans-America Trail. The long-travel suspension is a must for tackling the gravel roads from Tennessee to Oregon, and a custom three-chamber gas tank keeps the two-stroke chugging during long days.
After the completion of the planned journey next year, Wes will be raffling off this mechanized jackrabbit: all proceeds will go to the Childhood Leukemia Foundation, in honor of a friend lost to the disease. [More]
Norton Atlas by Matt Machine If you were lucky enough to attend this year’s Born Free show, this custom Norton Atlas may look a touch familiar: it took home the trophy for Best British Build at the show.
It’s easy to see why. The crisp and clean lines of Matt Darwon’s Norton are nothing short of captivating. Combining elements from the bobber and flat-track styles, this heavily modified predecessor to the Commando looks like an absolute riot to ride. From the springer front end to the rigid rear set-up, it’s the absence of excess—the purposeful voids—that truly set this build off. [More]
via BIKEexif
One Man’s Alpine Awakening
What would it take for you to follow a dream?
Impossibly small, light, fast, and loud, Alpine sports cars have excelled at just about every form of motorsport they were entered in, but especially rally, and hillclimb competition. The cars are unlike anything else—and are just the thing to inspire a man to restore them…many of them.
“Sometimes, when stepping into my garage, and looking at my cars, I am surprised that it is already 30 years and the Alpine hasn’t worn out yet,” says Jürgen Clauss, founder of alpineLAB, a German shop that specializes in these small French sports cars.
“I still like to look, drive, and work on these cars every day,” he says, “To me, it was always unique, always something special; you even had to have certain ergonomic prerequisites to drive an Alpine.”
Dedicated to getting the details right during preservation and restoration, Clauss says that he sees something special in each component of classic cars, but especially an Alpine. “To me, each and every part is a sculpture on its own,” he says. “You just have to open your eyes and see the beauty of those parts (and) to be passionate about this hobby, even without a finished car.”
What started as a hobby and collection based around street versions of the Renault-powered Alpine A110, Clauss now focuses on the race cars. It’s been a long, 3-year relationship with the marque, which invariably led to him being somewhat poetic when explaining his passion.
“Owning an Alpine is quite like a relationship with a beautiful woman: Somedays, it’s exhausting, but in the end, it’s all about maintaining the passion, highlighting her beauty, and loving her.”
We couldn’t agree more. You can visit Jürgen’s website at alpinelab.de (http://www.alpinelab.de)
Drive Tastefully®
Impossibly small, light, fast, and loud, Alpine sports cars have excelled at just about every form of motorsport they were entered in, but especially rally, and hillclimb competition. The cars are unlike anything else—and are just the thing to inspire a man to restore them…many of them.
“Sometimes, when stepping into my garage, and looking at my cars, I am surprised that it is already 30 years and the Alpine hasn’t worn out yet,” says Jürgen Clauss, founder of alpineLAB, a German shop that specializes in these small French sports cars.
“I still like to look, drive, and work on these cars every day,” he says, “To me, it was always unique, always something special; you even had to have certain ergonomic prerequisites to drive an Alpine.”
Dedicated to getting the details right during preservation and restoration, Clauss says that he sees something special in each component of classic cars, but especially an Alpine. “To me, each and every part is a sculpture on its own,” he says. “You just have to open your eyes and see the beauty of those parts (and) to be passionate about this hobby, even without a finished car.”
What started as a hobby and collection based around street versions of the Renault-powered Alpine A110, Clauss now focuses on the race cars. It’s been a long, 3-year relationship with the marque, which invariably led to him being somewhat poetic when explaining his passion.
“Owning an Alpine is quite like a relationship with a beautiful woman: Somedays, it’s exhausting, but in the end, it’s all about maintaining the passion, highlighting her beauty, and loving her.”
We couldn’t agree more. You can visit Jürgen’s website at alpinelab.de (http://www.alpinelab.de)
Drive Tastefully®
Lorenzo à la poursuite de Rossi au Motegi / Lorenzo looking to hunt down Rossi at Motegi
Jorge Lorenzo arrive au Grand Prix Motul du Japon avec seulement 14 points de moins que son coéquipier Valentino Rossi.
En s’imposant au GP d’Aragón à la fin du mois de septembre, Jorge Lorenzo (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP) a réussi à reprendre neuf points à son coéquipier Valentino Rossi et retrouvait la plus haute marche du podium pour la première fois depuis Brno, avec une sixième victoire cette saison. Dani Pedrosa (Repsol Honda) avait joué en sa faveur en remportant son duel avec Rossi pour la seconde place tandis que Marc Márquez (Repsol Honda) était tombé dès le deuxième tour.
Le Championnat du Monde MotoGP™ 2015 se rend maintenant au Twin Ring Motegi pour la quinzième de ses dix-huit manches, le Grand Prix Motul du Japon, qui sera immédiatement suivi des épreuves australienne et malaisienne. Introduit au calendrier des Grands Prix en 1999, le Motegi accueille le Championnat du Monde pour la 17e saison consécutive et avait l’an dernier accueilli le sacre de Márquez, qui avait pris la seconde place en course pour décrocher son deuxième titre MotoGP™.
Après avoir fini troisième en Aragón, où il a été nettement moins performant que son rival, Rossi sait qu’il devra rebondir ce week-end au Japon. L’Italien a obtenu un total de dix podiums au Motegi et deux victoires en catégorie reine, dont la dernière en 2008. L’an dernier, l’Italien avait pris la troisième place.
Dominateur au MotorLand, Lorenzo sera l’homme à battre au Japon, où il s’est imposé ces deux dernières années. L’Espagnol est monté sur le podium du Motegi cinq fois en MotoGP™, avec une autre victoire en 2009, et semble capable de rattraper Rossi mais devra évaluer sa condition physique lors des premiers essais libres après s’être fait une entorse de l’épaule gauche le week-end dernier, lors d’un entraînement à moto.
Cinquième du classement général avec 79 points de retard sur Rossi, Márquez s’est un peu plus gravement blessé puisque le Champion en titre s’est cassé un os de la main gauche en chutant en VTT la semaine dernière. Quel que soit l’état de sa main, Márquez sera doublement motivé ce week-end puisqu’il voudra se racheter après être tombé en commettant une erreur au MotorLand Aragón puis parce que le Twin Ring Motegi est, avec Phillip Island, l’un des deux seuls circuits du calendrier où il ne se soit pas encore imposé en MotoGP™.
Pedrosa a pour sa part déjà gagné deux fois au Motegi en MotoGP™ et s’y était aussi imposé en 250cc et en 125cc. En pleine forme au MotorLand, où il a réussi à vaincre Rossi pour prendre la seconde place, le pilote du team Repsol Honda voudra confirmer ce week-end au Japon et se battre pour un nouveau podium voire la victoire, sur un circuit où il avait été quatrième l’an dernier.
Ducati a pour sa part déjà gagné quatre fois en MotoGP™ au Motegi, la dernière fois avec Casey Stoner, en 2010. L’an dernier, Andrea Dovizioso avait décroché la pole position et avait terminé cinquième de la course, le meilleur résultat du team officiel de la marque depuis la victoire de Stoner. Son coéquipier Andrea Iannone avait terminé septième l’an dernier avec Pramac Racing mais s’y était imposé en 125cc en 2009 puis en Moto2™ en 2011.
Suzuki a aussi gagné au Motegi, en 1999 et en 2000, mais n’a pas fait mieux que la cinquième place de John Hopkin depuis 2002, un résultat qui pourra donc servir d’objectif à Aleix Espargaró et Maverick Viñales.
Cinquième du classement général avec 29 points de retard sur Iannone, Bradley Smith (Monster Yamaha Tech3) demeure le pilote satellite le mieux classé et dispose de 40 points d’avance sur Danilo Petrucci (Octo Pramac Racing), qui devance de cinq points Cal Crutchlow (LCR Honda) et Pol Espargaró (Monster Yamaha Tech3).
Du côté de la catégorie Open, Loris Baz (Forward Racing) conserve la première position avec un total de 28 points, contre 23 pour Héctor Barberá (Avintia Racing) et 16 pour Jack Miller (LCR Honda). Karel Abraham (AB Motoracing) sera absent en raison d’un orteil blessé qui l’avait déjà empêché de disputer l’épreuve d’Aragón et sera remplacé par Kousuke Akiyoshi. Le pilote d’essais du HRC ne sera que l’un des trois Japonais inscrits exceptionnellement pour ce Grand Prix puisque Takumi Takahashi et Katsuyuki Nakasuga disposeront de wildcards pour défendre les couleurs du Team HRC et du Yamalube Racing Team Yamaha, respectivement.
Rendez-vous jeudi à 17h, heure locale, pour la traditionnelle conférence de presse précédant l’ouverture du Grand Prix.
Jorge Lorenzo heads to the Motul Grand Prix of Japan trailing Valentino Rossi by just 14 points in the 2015 MotoGP™ World Championship.
The Aragon GP saw Jorge Lorenzo make it six wins for the season and reduce Rossi’s lead by nine points as he returned to the top step of the podium for the first time since Brno. Dani Pedrosa won an excellent battle with Valentino Rossi for the final two spots on the podium, while Marc Marquez dramatically crashed out on just the second lap.
The 2015 MotoGP World Championship now moves onto round 15, the Motul Grand Prix of Japan at the Twin Ring Motegi. Motegi was introduced onto the World Championship calendar in 1999 and this will be the 17th year in a row it has hosted a GP event. In the past it has played host to many a title deciding battle - including seeing Marc Marquez lift the title last year after finishing in second - but few as dramatic as the 2015 MotoGP™ World Championship.
Movistar Yamaha’s Rossi, having seen his lead in the standings cut to just 14 points after his third place at Aragon, knows he needs to bounce back at Motegi. The Italian has stood on the podium ten times in total at the circuit and has two premier class victories to his name but the last came back in 2008. Last year the ‘Doctor’ crossed the line in third.
Lorenzo is riding the crest of a wave after his dominant performance at Aragon and will be the man to beat having won back-to-back races at Motegi over the last two seasons. The Spaniard has been on the podium five times in the MotoGP™ class at the circuit including winning the MotoGP™ race in 2009 and will be looking to reduce the gap to Rossi even more. Lorenzo's preparations for the Japanese GP were disrupted as he sprained his shoulder in a mini bike crash the weekend before, but should be fit to race.
Repsol Honda’s Marquez trails Rossi by 79 points after his fifth DNF of the season at Aragon but comes into the Japanese GP having broken his left hand in a cycling accident. Marquez immediately underwent surgery and his fitness will be assessed over the course of the weekend. The Spaniard lifted the MotoGP™ title at Motegi last year after crossing the line in second, repeating his race result from his rookie season. The reigning MotoGP™ World Champion has finished in either first or second at Motegi over the last five years across all classes, but has never won a MotoGP™ race at the circuit.
Marquez’s teammate Dani Pedrosa has recorded four victories across all classes at Motegi, making him the most successful rider in terms of wins in the track’s history (2x MotoGP™, 1x250cc, 1x125cc). Pedrosa’s two MotoGP™ wins came in successive years in 2011 & 2012. In last year’s race the Spaniard crossed the line in 4th.
Ducati have won four MotoGP™ races at Motegi, the last of which came with Casey Stoner in 2010. Last year Ducati Team’s Andrea Dovizioso qualified on pole and crossed the line in fifth to record the team’s best finish at the track since Stoner’s victory. His teammate Andrea Iannone finished last year’s race in sixth on the Pramac Ducati, but has won twice at the circuit before in the smaller classes (125cc – 2009, Moto2™ - 2011).
Suzuki won the first two GP’s at Motegi in 1999 and 2000, but since the inception of the MotoGP™ era their best result was John Hopkins’ fifth place in 2002. Team Suzuki Ecstar’s Aleix Espargaro's best result at the track is a seventh in the 2008 250cc race. Last year he crossed the line in 11th as the leading Open class rider on the Forward Racing Yamaha.
Bradley Smith (143pts) currently occupies fifth in the MotoGP™ World Championship and leads the Satellite battle by 40 points from Octo Pramac Racing’s Danilo Petrucci, with LCR Honda’s Cal Crutchlow and Smith’s teammate Pol Espargaro level on 88 points. Last year Espargaro finished in 8th ahead of Smith in 9th, while Petrucci and Crutchlow crashed out.
In the Open standings it is Forward Racing’s Loris Baz who leads the way with 28 points ahead of Hector Barbera (23pts) on the Avintia Racing Ducati and LCR Honda’s Jack Miller in third (16pts).
AB Motoracing’s Karel Abraham will miss the Japanese GP due to the injured toe that forced him to withdraw from the race in Aragon and he will be replaced by Kousuke Akiyoshi. There are two japanese wildcards for this round, Team HRC's Takumi Takahashi and Katsuyuki Nakasuga on the Yamalube Racing Team Yamaha.
The Motul Grand Prix of Japan officially kicks off on Thursday at 17:00 local time with the Press Conference. The on-track action starts on Friday at 9am local time with Free Practice for all three classes. Check out the full schedule and the MotoGP™ World Championship standings.
YAMAHA 3-CYLINDER YXZ1000R SIDE-BY-SIDE ANNOUNCED
by Corey SimoneThe popular side-by-side market is getting a new player, the Yamaha YXZ1000R. The latest offering from Yamaha will feature the world’s first 3-cylinder, 12-valve DOHC, liquid cooled 998cc engine. Backing this monster engine is a sequential 5-speed manual transmission that should be a welcome change to a CVT.
This triple cylinder side-by-side looks like it’s going to be a blast, we can’t wait to get behind the wheel and see how it soaks up the whoops! You can watch the unveiling at yamahamotorsports.com.We’ll keep you updated on more specs as they are released and how it does on its initial test run.
From: http://www.fourwheeler.com
REVERB MOTORCYCLES THE TIDDLER
Small is currently very big. This was no more apparent than during Sunday’s wildly successful Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride as seen all around the world (and to which you can still donate!). Particularly at the city rides. It was clear that many folk had chosen to forgo the big-bore arms race, to take up a more Lilliputian lifestyle choice.
Be it due to regulation or just a change of scenery, small capacity singles and twins can be all you need in the city when the grind sets in. Threading something closer to 100kg than 200kg through the traffic is a revelation. Plus, they’re just so darn cute. Of course as a first stepping stone into the two-wheeled world, there’s no reason you shouldn’t go all out and make your bike your own.
As it was when a customer got in touch with Sussex based Reverb Motorcycles. With the client adamant he had no intention of taking his bike test it was the perfect project to pimp-out a learner-legal ride. The brief was delightfully open. Apart from the colour scheme which had to match his crash helmet, the client gave Reverb free rein to make ‘the sweetest little café racer out there’.
Finding a non-knackered donor for the right price was a little tricker however. Despite the prevalence of sub-125 machines, most have led a tired life. After looking at several ‘lemons’, a sweet little CG125 was found. However after stripping it down back at the workshop, reality presented itself and the frame ‘resembled a Black & Decker Workmate‘. The search continued.
Finally a sound, honest Honda CB125S1 from the mid 70’s was sourced. Chosen for it’s super-reliable and unstressed 122cc OHC single cylinder engine, the 9000rpm redline producing around 12bhp would give a bitesize cafe-racer experience to the new rider. Despite the low power, it only weighs 114kg as standard and by the time unnecessary weight was shed a light, nimble-handling machine with sprightly performance was left.
Of course, with the long, touchy-feely arm of the law looking of their shoulder, Reverb couldn’t breath on the motor. ‘L’ Plate rules are rules, after all. But with it’s diminutive dimensions, the name was easy: ‘The Tiddler’ was born.
Great care was taken in stripping, cleaning, refurbishing and saving any parts re-usable for the build. Mark at Reverb’s philosophy is simple. “It’s all too easy to loose the soul of a bike simply by bolting on random new parts . If something is fit for purpose or can be modified then we’d prefer to re-use everything possible.”
With the bare frame stripped, it was de-tabbed and additional tubing was added to the mid-triangle for strength. Out back the subframe was hooped and new rear set mounting lugs and indicator points were fabricated. Completely Tig welded and hand linished, the finished frame was sent off for blasting a some satin black powder coat.
The wheels received similar treatment. Happy with the original rim sizes but not the condition, only the hubs were retained. The refinished items were treated to new bearings and seals before being built up on chunky aluminium rims with stainless spokes.
To achieve that classic head-down, arse-up Café Racer riding position, the original bars and pegs were replaced with some more build-appropriate items. A set of Tomaselli Ace bars were adorned with a matching quick-action throttle and the original, refurbished switchgear. The riders feet now rest on custom rear sets. Hangers made from 15mm 631 steel support pressed steel cranks, Tarozzi control rods and one-off rear brake controls. It’s all ceramic coated in satin black for durability.
Of course, for the archetypal Café Racer look, it’s hard to beat the style of a defined bone line and solo seat hump. Thus the CB tank was given a new filler neck, TIG welded to accept a classic aluminium Monza filler cap. The seat was built up from a buck in 6mm fibreglass under which the new battery and wiring could be housed. A sliver of fluted, brown leather will let the rider know when it’s time to stop.
Special thanks need to go to the guys at Davida, who happily gave Reverb the paint codes to match their beautiful Ninety-2 ‘Two Tone Deluxe’ helmet. The simply luscious paint, comprised of too many coats to mention was finished with period Honda logo airbrushed detail.
Along with the new handmade loom, complete with electronic ignition, the engine was freshened to ensure all 12bhp were available upon request. A top-end rebuild and full service, built back upon crankcases which were stripped, blasted and painted gives the engine new life. Combined with a full carb rebuild and re-jet, the little OHC engine can once again hit the high notes.
With pitted chrome and rusted external springs, it was clear the front forks would require attention. Many, many hours spent searching the web and a few late nights chatting with some American contacts bore results. New OEM seals, external springs, caps, and gaiters were fitted to the rebuilt units. Combined with new Hagon shocks and some retro rubber ‘The Tiddler’ was ready hitch up it’s skirt and hit the town.
Of course this story has an inevitable ending. The customer loved the bike so much he couldn’t resist ordering another bigger, faster, louder bike so he promptly took his test, and passed. While this is great news for Reverb who are busy planning his next build, it also means The Tiddler is up for sale. So if you’re around 5’8” or under, not too bothered about brutish looks and horsepower, this might just be the bike for you.
As Mark says, “The end result shows that you don’t need a large motorcycle to join the Cafe Racer culture – even learners can enjoy it”.
via The Bike Shed
RESTERAMPE: HERMANN KÖPF’S DUCATI PANTAH 500
Hang out at a few European motorcycle events, and you’re bound to run into Hermann Köpf. The shaggy-haired Munich-based photographer is the editor-in-chief of the exquisite magazine Craftrad—and a total petrolhead.
Hermann actually started building the Pantah long before Glemseck (“to have a cheap and trashy vehicle that can also be used for flat tracking or similar nonsense,” he states). But between work and family life, it took him over a year to complete.
With a garage full of carbureted Ducatis (like this 860 GTS), the Pantah was a logical choice. Hermann found a frame on eBay and an engine in the local classifieds, and got cracking on his resterampe* race bike.
“The bike is completely built with spare parts I had lying around the garage, eBay shops and swap meet finds,” he says. “Using an original or complete bike to be stripped would have been stupid—even though the Pantah was never really a pretty bike.”
When an informal Germany v France rivalry was set up at this year’s Glemseck 101 festival, Herr Köpf couldn’t help but put his name down. His steed: this pick-n-mix Ducati Pantah 500.
Hermann actually started building the Pantah long before Glemseck (“to have a cheap and trashy vehicle that can also be used for flat tracking or similar nonsense,” he states). But between work and family life, it took him over a year to complete.
With a garage full of carbureted Ducatis (like this 860 GTS), the Pantah was a logical choice. Hermann found a frame on eBay and an engine in the local classifieds, and got cracking on his resterampe* race bike.
“The bike is completely built with spare parts I had lying around the garage, eBay shops and swap meet finds,” he says. “Using an original or complete bike to be stripped would have been stupid—even though the Pantah was never really a pretty bike.”
Up front, Hermann added the Showa upside-down forks, 17-inch wheel and Brembo brake setup from a Ducati Monster. The rear wheel’s an 18-inch unit from a Pantah SL. For maximum grip on everything from dirt tracks to drag strips, Pirelli’s dual-sport MT60 (front) and MT90 (rear) tires were chosen.
The fuel tank’s a Mike Hailwood replica that had to be chopped and welded in places to make it fit the Pantah’s frame. The seat is literally an upholstered plank—it’s been made using a “top-notch” skateboard deck. Hermann looped the rear of the frame to match the curve of the kick tail.
Hiding under the tank is a compact Lithium-ion battery. All the wiring’s been redone, and now runs inside the frame. The exhaust is a two-into-one Conti Sport system, and the airbox has made way for foam air filters.
Believe it or not, the Pantah’s plated—thanks to barely-legal lights and tiny turn signals at both ends. There’s also a front fender, and an inner fender under the seat to keep muck from the back wheel out of the filters.
Hermann only managed to squeeze in 30km on Rudi die resterampe before racing it at Glemseck—just enough for a quick carb tune. Still, he pitted it against Southsiders front man Vincent Pratt’s T120 Triton, and won…convincingly.
The fuel tank’s a Mike Hailwood replica that had to be chopped and welded in places to make it fit the Pantah’s frame. The seat is literally an upholstered plank—it’s been made using a “top-notch” skateboard deck. Hermann looped the rear of the frame to match the curve of the kick tail.
Hiding under the tank is a compact Lithium-ion battery. All the wiring’s been redone, and now runs inside the frame. The exhaust is a two-into-one Conti Sport system, and the airbox has made way for foam air filters.
Believe it or not, the Pantah’s plated—thanks to barely-legal lights and tiny turn signals at both ends. There’s also a front fender, and an inner fender under the seat to keep muck from the back wheel out of the filters.
Rearsets and Tommaselli MX handlebars were installed to give the Ducati a fairly neutral riding position. And the final livery is a basically a bunch of stickers slapped onto the busted-up blue tank—a perfect fit for the bike’s built-to-thrash vibe.
Hermann only managed to squeeze in 30km on Rudi die resterampe before racing it at Glemseck—just enough for a quick carb tune. Still, he pitted it against Southsiders front man Vincent Pratt’s T120 Triton, and won…convincingly.
“It is quite fast for a 500cc, and light,” he says. “The Triton had no chance.”
*Resterampe refers to a well-known German store called Rudis Reste Rampe. ‘Reste’ means leftovers or discounted items, and ‘rampe’ is a ramp or chute.
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