Dime City Cycles Clean Cut CB1100F Resto-Mod

I keep hearing that the "80's are in" and this sleek 1983 CB1100F muscle bike resto-mod from Dime City Cycles just might make believers out of us. The motorcycle was built for the "Race to Rebuild" motorcycle giveaway sponsored by Dairyland Cycle & Motorcycle Classics. It was built in a few months time but as with most things it came together nearing the finish line as the date to pick the winner drew near. This was in no small part due to Herm & Jason's hustle efforts and prowess. 

The great thing about this build is how well it maintains its factory look and integrity. No small task considering what went into building this bike. At twenty feet away the bike looks the part of a mostly stock 1983 CB1100F but take a few steps closer & the differences start jump out at you.

The first thing that might pop out at you is the just left of center profile created by the FXCR replica fairing by Airtech, the custom tail, and the paint scheme (Kevin Bates) that echoes the factory. With a few key tweaks they subtly yet profoundly altered the lines of the bike. The next difference you might notice is the GSXR USD swap. While this has been hot idea for builders to retro-fit modern suspension to vintage bikes it seems to flow with this bikes lines and intention seamlessly. If Honda had that technology in 1983, no doubt it would have been on that bike rolling off the line. The next item might be the exhaust or maybe the Gazi performance suspension fitted to the rear, or possibly the Keihin 31mm CR Roundslide carbs. Every step closer reveals some new twist or detail. 

Congratulations to Joe Adkins, the winner of this beautiful machine! We're sure everyone involved in this build is going to have a tough time giving it the send off. 

However, don't despair just because you didn't win. You're in luck because this bike is making the cross country trek to The One Motorcycle Show in Portland, OR from Feb. 7-9th. It's only a week away so make sure come out and give this and all the other bikes the fine tooth comb!  

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Yamaha TW200: World's Awesomest Motorcycle?

DE BOLEX #2 CB750

Calum is our kind of builder. Young, passionate, self-taught, and making a name for himself by producing competent, quality, desireable – and affordable – customs bikes, out of his own place, and now with his own custom motorcycle brand. Inspired by a popular British compliment, we are proud to present – de Bolex. And this is one of the first bikes to carry Calum’s cheeky brand name on the tank; Sammy’s CB750. …He clearly has balls.

The concept simple; to transform a 1981 Honda Cb750 into a fun, usable, brat-style motorcycle with a finish that would get better with age. Nothing too pretty, the wearing of leather and the rust through the lacquer on the bare metal tank are what this bike is all about.

Sammy, the new owner, is a professional photographer living in London, preferring the freedom of a bike to the hustle of the underground. He wanted something with character that could worm through traffic and that doesn’t need a weekend spent polishing. Although if he’s like most of us, he’ll polish it anyway.

The bike is the MKII, the usual brat style seat but with a slight kick at the back. “Although not an extreme custom, still rocking the original suspension and wheels, we gave extra attention where we could. For example, the rear light recessed into the tube like its always been there, custom brackets hook up the 7” headlight and the ignition barrel relocated under the tank.”

“Up the front we’ve given some Renthal ultra low bars, leather-wrapped grips and we turned-up some neat bar ends. Digital Speedos supplied us with the perfect speedo, small, satin black, and didn’t break the bank. The top end of the engine received an overhaul, replacing timing chains, re shimming the head and while the barrels and head were off they went through a cleaning treatment which brings the aluminium back like new.”

“A clothing company, whose leather is usually used for making shoes, supplied the leather for the seat; this gave the bike that rustic feel we were after. A custom exhaust system wrapped in titanium wrap provides the crack of the Honda 4, All this with a pair of Dunlop duel terrain rubber boots…”

We’re really keen to support new, young, up-and-coming British builders, so while Calum ticks all the boxes, the box we care about most is that he’s built a really cool custom motorcycle that any of us would be proud to ride, and we assume the client, Sammy, is chuffed to bits. Does the bike deserve to wear a tank badge that proclaims it to be The Bollocks? Of course it does. … Great work Calum. Show us what you build next, and we’ll share it with everyone on The Bike Shed.

See more of De Bolex on their posh new Website.

OUTSIDERS MC CB500F

Outsiders Motorcycles are a small operation comprising Bert and his girlfriend Jene, based in Zwolle (for now) in the Netherlands, and together they are slowly building a business with their own brand of custom bikes. “About a year ago, our good friend Linda came to us with a wish. That wish was to have her own motorcycle, built how she wanted it. She did not even have a drivers license at the time so the race was on between getting her license and getting her bike done. At that time, we had just finished two bikes: our own. And at that time, those weren’t even pretty at all. ;)”

They started the search for a donor and soon stumbled on an advert for a CB500 in boxes, which actually turned out to be two CB500s plus a 750 sohc engine, five pairs of wheels, and various other bits spread across 15 boxes. Quite a haul. The two 500cc engines were torn apart and combined to create one decent working unit.

“After sorting all the crap we started to work on the frame. We sold a lot of the parts to make funds for the build. Linda wanted a nice clean classic bike. Not too much bells and whistles. So that was the plan we kept in mind building it. She added her own flavor to it by buying parts herself which we made to fit the whole picture.”

The frame was de-lugged, looped and various parts were powder coated, but then the build stalled while they moved shop six times, extending the build period to a whole year… Luckily Linda was patient, and we presume she was yet to pass her test? From Bert & Jene’s point of view, this was the build that defined the period of them becoming “a proper workshop”, from a small space with a few spanners to the proper setup they have now. “Linda’s build helped us to get where we are right now.”

“Back to the bike: Small bits were done during that year. Wheels were laced, forks rebuilt, bearings and bushings replaced, parts were ordered. Everything was checked and replaced where needed.  The whole sha-bang. We also put in a 650 camshaft for extra ponies and put it back together with stainless allen bolts. The engine was then put back into the frame and then it went fast. Tank was repainted in-house, seat done by our local upholstery-shop. Wiring was a real challenge because Linda bought some CBR600 handlebar-switches, wich ofcourse did not match the original loom, which then had to be totally rebuilt with a combo R/R and Motobatt battery.”

The tank is metallic charcoal metal with 2k clearcoat, and has a new petcock. The seat has been diamond stitched in very dark grey rather than the usual black. As Linda is quite small they also did a hydraulic clutch conversion to give her some extra muscle for the new EBC reinforced clutch springs. “The clutch conversion and braided hoses were a gift because Linda helped us out along the way.”

“When we started this build, Outsiders Motorcycles wasn’t even born yet. There was no website, no pics, no nothing and despite all that, Linda chose to go with it. So a BIG thank you Lin for your support!

See more from Outsiders Motorcycles on The Bike Shed and on their Facebook pages. Thanks to Bert, Jene and Linda for sharing this with us at The Bike Shed.

Citroën SM Cabriolet: The most beautiful Maserati ever?

When Citroën acquired a 60 per cent share of Maserati in 1967, it couldn’t have come at a better time for the French company. And who better to entrust with powering its new sports car than the folks over at the Trident marque?

Citroën’s innovative DS, with its hydropneumatic suspension, was revered worldwide but the media had one major criticism: it needed more power. As a custom-designed, technologically advanced 2.7-litre Maserati V6 was fitted into a new quirky saloon body, so the SM was born – finally with the oomph and versatility deserved by a true luxury car. 

Kum ba ya...

Among the coachbuilders who favoured the high-end SM was Henri Chapron, the chap responsible for the elusive Mylord cabriolet, of which it is believed only six were built. The drop-top SM was elegantly styled and luxuriously equipped – the body was strengthened, a boot was added and a hood was created to cover the four-seated interior.

Its price wasn’t so attractive, though. At 130,000 Francs (in 1971!), it was double the price of the standard SM and dangerously close to that of the Ferrari Daytona. Perhaps inevitably, Citroën didn’t take up the project and experts believe that only six were produced, one of which was later destroyed in a fire. As a result, genuine Mylord cabriolets are, according to Artcurial, ‘impossible’ to find. 

The last great French luxury automobile

This stunning one-owner example – arguably the very best of them all – presents an exceptional opportunity to own what is held to be the last great, French, luxury automobile. Purchased at the 1975 Paris Motor Show by a Citroën dealer in Colmar, it has remained in the same family ever since. In its day, the ‘Byzantine Gold’ convertible was used to transport the family to its holiday home on the Côte d’Azur. It has been professionally maintained and is offered with extensive documentation, including manuals, technical drawings, registration papers and correspondence between Chapron and the owner.

It will go under the gavel at Artcurial’s Rétromobile sale in Paris, on February 7. As the auction house rather nicely puts it: "We’re offering a wonderful story – it’s up to you to continue the plot." Remember one thing, though: underneath that unique French exterior beats an unmistakeably Italian heart.

Photos: Artcurial

Les 50 ans de La Remise

Quatre-vingt convives étaient réunis dans une fraternelle amitié à La Remise (Antraigues), veille du passage du Rallye Monte-Carlo Historique 2014 remporté par José Lareppe sur une Opel Kadett GT/E. Une soirée qui restera dans les mémoires…

Le défi avait été lancé et le pacte scellé lors du Monte-Carlo précédent, dans l'optimisme créatif d'une fin de repas : si Yves Jouanny, patron du célèbre restaurant, fêtait le 50^e anniversaire de La Remise au volant, ses amis journalistes s'engageaient à le suppléer aux fourneaux. Le menu, avec de vrais morceaux de cèpes et de morilles dedans, fut même arrêté sur le champ.

Ainsi, tandis qu’Yves et son fils Eric prenaient le départ de Monaco, numéro 50 sur les portes de la Lancia Fulvia HF 1600 prêtée par « Tchine », les maîtres queux amateurs investissaient sa cuisine. Et les amis de tous horizons, engagés de cette « spéciale » convergeaient vers La Remise.

Au fil des arrivées, on recensa au sein de la joyeuse troupe un pilote de GP, Patrick Tambay, et pas moins de six vainqueurs du Rallye Monte-Carlo, pilotes et coéquipiers. Soit, par ordre d'apparition au palmarès : « Biche », Jean-Pierre Nicolas, Alain Mahé, Ari Vatanen, Bruno Saby et, voici vingt ans tout juste, François Delecour.

Jean-Luc Thérier, présent lui aussi, en aurait assurément fait partie, sans la neige jetée par les spectateurs devant les roues de sa 911... Première anecdote, bien sûr suivie de dizaines d'autres, entre le « J'ai pas tapé ! »de François Delecour et les huit minutes de pénalité lestant Ari Vatanen à Gap.

Cinquante ans de petites histoires du grand « Monte » ont ainsi défilé entre la terrine façon « Nice-Matin », le risotto aux cèpes « Radio Monte-Carlo » et la fricassée de volailles aux morilles, le tout noblement arrosé d'un « Domaine Garance » de Jean-Louis Trintignant, autre habitué des lieux, malheureusement retenu par un voyage à l'étranger.

Qui dit Rallye Monte-Carlo dit forcément coups de théâtre. L'arrivée, non prévue, d'Yves Jouanny, contraint à l'abandon par le moteur de la Lancia du côté d'Entrevaux, déclencha une longue et chaleureuse ovation, qui laissa l'Ardéchois au bord des larmes.

Le concours de la Tartelette d'Or termina la soirée. Et les tartelettes, emblèmes de la maison, réapparurent après une courte nuit, pour être proposées à tous les concurrents du rallye historique, aux premiers rangs desquels Fred Gallagher et Jean Ragnotti à bord de deux autres cinquantenaires : la Mini et la R8 Gordini...

Déjà vainqueur en 2010 et 2012, le Belge José Lareppe a imposé pour la 3^e fois en Principauté sa fidèle Opel Kadett GT/E. Il est accompagné sur le podium par le Norvégien Petter Granerud et le Français Jean-Michel Coll, tous deux sur Porsche. A la 4^e place finale pointe une autre Kadett GT/E, celle de Raymond Durand. Cinquième place et superbe perf' de la minuscule Autobianchi A112 Abarth de Morgan Aimé, tout frais titulaire du permis de conduire et de son père Pascal, déjà sur le podium en 2007. L’A112 Abarth de Daniel Elena a connu un problème d’alternateur dans Burzet.

BMW

moto !

To the Clouds

 martin and Christian are STILL out in South America riding around having an adventure on their 690 KTM’s! From Martin: “ Lazy days at the beach lately, so had a bit of time to cut a new movie together!”

Quang Nguyen's Tracker

from Đà Nẵng, Việtnam

ERC : a chilly trip to Latvia / Escapade hivernale en Lettonie

There are plenty of stars entered for Round 2 of the FIA European Rally Championship (ERC), Rally Liepaja. Craig Breen (Peugeot 207 S2000), Bryan Bouffier (Citroën DS3 RRC), Esapekka Lappi (Skoda Fabia S2000), Kajetan Kajetanowicz (Ford Fiesta R5) figure among the entry list’s top names.

Craig Breen (Peugeot 207 S2000), Bryan Bouffier (Citroën DS3 RRC), Esapekka Lappi (Skoda Fabia S2000), Kajetan Kajetanowicz (Ford Fiesta R5)… Le Rally Liepaja, deuxième manche du Championnat d’Europe des Rallyes FIA, ne manque pas de favoris…

After Robert Kubica’s last-gasp victory on Austria’s Jännerrallye, another close fight is expected this weekend in Latvia.

Last year’s Rally Liepaja took place on dirt tracks that were barely frozen, but the thermometer in the country has dipped to as low as minus 20°C in recent days and pristine conditions are expected for this weekend’s competition. Michelin’s front-running partners will run on X-Ice North tyres (15/65x15) equipped with 384 studs that protrude either 6.5mm or 7mm from the tread.

Ahead of the new Peugeot 208 R5’s debut in a few weeks’ time, Craig Breen will kick off his 2014 ERC campaign in a Peugeot 207 S2000/Michelin tended by SaintéLoc Racing. Along with his new co-driver Scott Martin, he will attempt to go one spot better than the second place he scored in Latvia last year before crossing the Baltic for the following week’s Rally Sweden.

Bryan Bouffier, who came second on the recent Rallye Monte-Carlo, will contest the event for the first time in what is also a new car for him, namely a Citroën DS3 RRC/Michelin run by PH’Sport. Meanwhile, the Polish champion Kajetan Kajetanowicz (Ford Fiesta R5) will be hoping to make up for his ‘off’ while leading the Jännerrallye.

Marco Tempestini and Estonia’s Raul Jeets (8^th in 2013) and Timmu Korge will also be competing in Fiesta R5s. Russian youngster Vasily Gryazin, who has a Latvian licence, will have a Ford Fiesta S2000.

Skoda Motorsport skipped this round in 2013 but will attend this season with a factory Fabia S2000/Michelin for Finn Esapekka Lappi. The make will also be represented by Germany’s Sepp Wiegand and Czechs Tarabus and Orsak.

The various Mitsubishi Lancer and Subaru Impreza R4 runners will be hoping to shine on the rally’s fast stages. Their numbers include Latvian driver Vytautas Svedas (6^th in 2013) and Austria’s Hermann Neubauer (10^th on the Jännerrallye).

The Rally Liepaja will also count towards the 2014 Junior championship for which 15 drivers have registered in R2 cars equipped with Michelin tyres (10/65x15). The menu features 12 stages (totalling 240.56km), only one of which is identical to 2013! The longest (32.03km) will run after nightfall on Saturday, February 1, while the Qualifying Stage is scheduled for Friday afternoon.

Après un Jännerrallye remporté dans la toute dernière spéciale par Robert Kubica, on s’attend également à une bagarre très serrée au Rally Liepaja (Lettonie). L’an passé, l’épreuve s’était déroulée sur des pistes en terre à peine gelées. Ces derniers jours, il a fait entre -20°C et -10°C en Lettonie et le rallye devrait se dérouler dans des conditions idéales. Michelin fournira à ses principaux partenaires des pneus X-Ice North en 15/65x15 dotés de 384 clous de 6,5 mm ou 7 mm de saillie.

Avant de faire débuter la Peugeot 208 R5 dans quelques semaines, l’Irlandais Craig Breen démarre sa saison européenne 2014 au volant de la Peugeot 207 S2000/Michelin préparée par SaintéLoc Racing. Avec son nouveau copilote Scott Martin, il tentera de faire mieux que la 2^eplace décrochée ici-même l’an passé, avant de traverser la Mer Baltique pour disputer le Rallye de Suède la semaine suivante.

Bryan Bouffier, 2^e du dernier Rallye Monte-Carlo, va découvrir cette épreuve au volant d’une voiture qu’il va également découvrir en course, une Citroën DS3 RRC/Michelin, suivie par PH’Sport. Leader du Jännerrallye avant une sortie de route, le champion polonais Kajetan Kajetanowicz va vouloir prendre sa revanche sur sa Ford Fiesta R5. Les Estoniens Raul Jeets (8^een 2013) et Timmu Korge, ainsi que Marco Tempestini, disposent eux-aussi de Fiesta R5. Le jeune Russe Vasily Gryazin, engagé sous licence lettone, aligne quant à lui sa Ford Fiesta S2000.

Skoda Motorsport avait fait l’impasse sur ce rallye l’an passé. Cette année, la marque tchèque engage une Fabia S2000/Michelin officielle pour le Finlandais Esapekka Lappi. Skoda sera également représenté par l’Allemand Sepp Wiegand et les Tchèques Tarabus et Orsak. Sur ces pistes au profil très rapide, les Mitsubishi Lancer et Subaru Impreza R4 vont certainement profiter de leur vitesse de pointe. Le Lituanien Vytautas Svedas (6^e en 2013) et l’Autrichien Hermann Neubauer (10^e au Jännerrallye) sont à surveiller. Le Rally Liepaja ouvre également le championnat Junior 2014 avec 15 pilotes engagés au volant de voitures R2 chaussées de pneus Michelin en 10/65x15.

Le Rally Liepaja compte 12 épreuves spéciales et 240,56 km chronométrés. Parmi elles, une seule est identique à l’édition 2013 ! La plus longue spéciale (32,03 km) se disputera en nocturne samedi 1^er février. La Qualifying Stage est programmée vendredi après-midi.

TOP 5 YAMAHA SR500S

By Wesley Reyneke | Rather Be Riding

Everyone loves a thumper—and few thumpers are as loved as Yamaha’s popular SR500. Manufactured for just over 20 years, from 1978 to 1999, it shared the same single-cylinder, air-cooled 499cc engine as the XT500 and TT500.

Looks-wise it was styled to resemble its big brother, the XS650. While the popularity of some motorcycles has risen and fallen, the SR has remained a regular favorite within the new-wave custom scene, thanks to its easy-going nature.

It sounds clichéd to say that it was tough to pick out just five SRs for our list, but it’s true. Just this week two more great examples landed in our inbox, both of which could easily have been included. Instead, we’ve decided to give each on its own feature, so look out for those in the next week or so.

In the meantime, take a look at our top five below—and let us know in the comments what your own favorite SR500 customs are.

Deus Ex Machina ‘Oddjob’ There are a few Deus-built SR500s that could have made this list, but this one has a certain charm that’s hard to ignore. Appropriately nicknamed ‘Oddjob,’ Deus’ creative director Carby Tuckwell describes it best as “a little café hoon sled.” Visually it’s a hodgepodge of styles—something between a street tracker and a café racer, with tasteful details like the red highlights and vintage-style Yamaha racing blocks on the tank. The motor’s been punched out to 542cc and blueprinted by Carl Batey of Cafe Racer, with a Keihin FCR39 carb handling fuelling. It looks (and sounds) like it’d be an absolute blast to ride. If you agree, you could always commission your own ‘Oddjob’—according to Deus’ website, it’s available as a custom order from their Sydney and Milan locations. [More about this bike | Deus Customs]

Lucky Cat Garage ‘Single Daily Café’ According to the Lucky Cat Garage website, ‘Sonic Séb’ built this ’90s model SR roughly ten years ago ‘to commute through the Paris traffic jams.’ Looking at it, it’s hard to believe that it’s ‘mostly made of bolt on stuff’ with ‘not that much time spent in the workshop.’ Up front are clip-ons, a billet upper triple clamp and smaller dials. Go-fast upgrades include a 540cc kit from Wiseco, a Mikuni TM36 flatslide carb, a K&N filter and a Supertrapp muffler. The seat is a VD Classic unit, with custom upholstery, and the rear-sets are one-offs. Tucked away under the Lucas-style headlight is a BMW R1200C grill covering the horn, with a dice adorning the fuel tap. The tank’s been painted in a luscious black and copper scallop scheme—a classic design that’ll never date. [More about this bike]

Photo by Thomas Caplain.

Lossa Engineering ‘Solus’ Elegant and clean, ‘Solus’ is a testament to builder Jay LaRossa’s philosophy of building bikes that are stripped down and fast. With a wide range of skills under his belt, LaRossa saw to it that this SR500 received equal doses of cosmetic and performance upgrades. The motor’s been bored out and fitted with a White Brothers oversize piston, plus a few other tasty bits. Handling is taken care of by a GSX-R front end and Works shocks, while stopping is left up to Brembo brakes at both ends. The exhaust muffler is a Lossa part that can be bought from their site. The traditional café ‘bum box’ is the perfect match for the Benelli tank, creating classic lines that are complemented by a tasteful paint scheme—white, with just a dash of red. [More about this bike | Lossa Engineering]

Chappell Customs I’m convinced that the words ‘half measures’ don’t feature in Chris Chappell’s vocabulary. He pulled out all the stops to turn this ex-AHMRA racer into his client’s dream bike—including hand-hammering knee indents into the SR’s stock tank. When he couldn’t find a seat pan that suited the bike, he built a vacuum forming machine to create his own. The machine is now used to produce a whole line of seats for Chappell Customs’ online store, Tuffside. Chappell also fitted XS650 forks and Works Performance shocks to the SR500, while the engine sports a host of race ready modifications, including a 540cc piston kit. The frame’s been cleaned up, and the bike’s been finished off in generous helpings of gunmetal and black. [More about this bike | Chappell Customs]

Wrenchmonkees ‘Monkee #10′ This might not be the Wrenchmonkees’ most well-known build, but it’s certainly a fine example of their characteristic style. The donor bike is a ’78 SR500, and it was ‘Monkee’fied’ back in 2009. The engine was rebuilt, with power boosted by a Mikuni flatslide carb and K&N filter. A Brembo disc and caliper were fitted to the front for extra stopping power, along with a braided steel brake hose. All unnecessary bodywork has been removed, and a custom rear loop and seat added. Colors are understated, as per the norm for the Wrenchmonkees—a muted green tank, and matte black fenders with a subtle pinstripe. [More about this bike]

Last week’s Top 5 covered the BMW R-Series.

Via BIKEEXIF

Advantage: A sting in the tale

Who says American cars don’t like corners? As this beautifully shot film shows, the classic Sixties Corvette Stingray is right at home on the twisty Swiss mountain roads…

It’s very James Bond, this film – picturesque scenery, a gorgeous car, a tension-building score and, of course, a pistol-wielding, sharp-suited chap looking rather pleased with himself. And we would be, too, jostling a Corvette Stingray up arguably one of the most beautiful roads in the world (the old Gotthard Pass, in case you were wondering), safely ahead of a rather suspect looking convoy. If Martin and Sandro Baebler’s ‘Advantage’ doesn’t leave you itching for more, we’re not sure what will.

Video: Advantage from bsv-production GmbH on Vimeo

Chevrolet Corvettes of all eras can be found for sale in the Classic Driver Market.

1924 BENTLEY 3/8 LITRE “HAWKEYE SPECIAL”

This is one of those magnificent cars that pops up at auction every now and then that causes a sudden spike in blood pressure that leaves me needing a lie down on the couch.

What you’re looking at is a pre-war 1924 Bentley 3/8 Litre dubbed the “Hawkeye Special”, the “3/8″ number configuration can be a little confusing however all it means is that this is a 3 litre chassis fitted with an 8 litre engine. Because why not.

Although information about this specific car is a little hard to come by we’ve ascertained that this is an original 1924 chassis with race-spec, alloy coachwork done in the early 70′s by John Guppy and Hawkeye “the Flying Swede” Wijkander. The car stands today in immaculate condition throughout, she’s street legal and fully prepared for bugs-in-your-teeth vintage racing.

The 6-pipes exiting the bonnet and running down the left side of the coachwork are marvellously Spitefire-esque and that British racing green is an almost compulsory colour choice for a car of this breeding.

The good news is that she’s heading to auction at the Monterey RM Auction on the 17th & 18th of August, if you’d like to visit the official listing, click here.

Photo Credits: Pawel Litwinski ©2012 Courtesy of RM Auctions

via SILODROME