mercredi 27 novembre 2013
Pirelli celebrates the 50th anniversary of "The Cal"™
For 50 years "The Cal"™ has continued to mark the passing of time with images by the most highly acclaimed photographers of the moment - capturing and interpreting contemporary culture and often setting new trends.
The history of the Pirelli Calendar can be divided into three different eras:
- the first decade, from 1964 to '74, which was followed by a break in publication (for
nine years) due to the world recession sparked by the Yom Kippur war and the oil
crisis;
- the second decade, from '84 to '94, which saw the Calendar being relaunched and
becoming progressively more successful;
- from 1994 to the present, spanning the turn of the millennium, during which time "The
Cal"™ has achieved cult status as a trailblazer.
Stories of Bike EP8: Flipside
We all have our alter egos.
During the day we blend into our jobs and daily roles. Often we yearn for an escape, even if it’s temporary.
For Wenley, builder of a beastly custom 2008 Triumph Bonneville in his spare time, . when he rides the MadMax he finds his escape from the everyday and shrugs off his invisibility for the night.
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For more info on this story visit http://www.storiesofbike.com
Best hard enduro moments of 2013
With 2013 season gone, here's the best action of the year, as the riders dragged themselves through the snow, mud, sand and rain. Check out the highlights of six amazing races that happened in 2013.. Who's ready for 2014?!
TRIUMPH BONNEVILLE BY MEANMACHINES
Some motorcycles are just brimming with purpose, like this Triumph Bonneville on steroids. It looks like it’s poised to shred rubber, even when it’s standing still.
It’s the work of MeanMachines, an Australian shop very familiar to local owners of Bonnevilles and Thruxtons. Builder Wenley Ng has been modifying Triumph ‘modern classics’ for many years now, and is the kind of guy who can rewire a bike with his eyes closed.
Wenley has worked on several tracker-style conversions, but this one is way more extreme than the others. “I wanted to create a Monster Truck tracker,” he says, and picked a 2008 Bonneville with 600 km on the clock as his victim.
A big part of this bike’s attitude comes from the tires—a 130 up front, and a 200 out back. “Making that fit was no easy task,” Wenley reports. “We also changed the gear ratio slightly, with custom sprockets both front and back, so the engine can spin the 200 tire.” The swing arm has been extended three inches and widened to accommodate the new rubber, which is now shielded by a custom hugger.
The suspension has been upgraded to match, with a Suzuki GSX-R fork hooked up to a custom-laced rim and hub and held in place by custom triple trees. Renthal FatBars add to the aggressive look, and are fitted with GSX-R switchgear. The compact headlight is a 5½” Bates unit, nestling below a Koso speedo with custom-made idiot lights.
To accentuate the stance of the bike, Wenley raised the stock tank a little at the rear and fabricated a short, purposeful exhaust system—going from 2-into-1 and then back into 2 again, terminated with twin-barrel ‘shotguns.’
Engine mods are minimal: pod filters, a dyno tune and a re-jet. “We wanted something very reliable,” says Wenley. “But while pouring in the new oil, we thought the oil level display was too small—so we CNC-machined a ring with a Lexan window and adapted this to the clutch cover. Now you can see the engine movement and the oil level.”
After de-tabbing the frame for a cleaner-than-stock lock, Wenley decided to run a mono shock. So he beefed up the rear frame to handle the greater forces, describing it as being strong enough to withstand a ‘tank hit.’ “I tried many different shocks, and a Hayabusa shock with a custom spring did the job nicely. No sag, and a smooth ride.”
The new seat matches the shortened frame—around three inches shorter than a factory Bonneville—and is upholstered with perforated leather similar to a type used by Porsche for its car interiors. The finishing touch is candy red paint with white accents, plus a grille slipped over the headlight.
The perfect machine for blasting round the twisty streets of Sydney, don’t you think?
Images by Cam Elkins of Stories of Bike.
Masterpiece in Metal- Galindo Motorsports ID Designs Trophy Truck
Steven Eugenio and father-in-law Fidel Galindo purchased an ID Designs Trophy Truck featuring a Kroyer Racing Engine. The truck weighs 5,560 fully fueled. It features the ID Design custom aluminum dash outfitted with Motec Digital Display, Kenwood Race radio and intercom. Suspension features the ID Designs dual A-arms with 24 inches of travel in the front and the ID Designs four link in the rear with 24 inches of travel. Check out this Masterpiece in Metal for yourself.
LUNACY BY GARAGE PROJECT MOTORCYCLES
Garage Project Motorcycles is a fantastic Perth based custom motorcycle garage run by a chap named Rex, they turn out custom café racers with a healthy dose of approachability and clean, aesthetically pleasing design.
GPM acquired this Yamaha SR250 and set about turning it into a classic café racer with an eye on the 4th Jap Bike Show in Perth. The bike was stripped back to it’s bare elements before Rex set to work, he went for an eye catching fire engine red paint job with a discreet, 70s style graphic on the fuel tank.
Drop mirrors frame the handlebars on both sides with vintage style gators having been added to both front forks. Stopping is done via front and rear drum brakes and the engine breathes through an exceptionally clean carburettor/trumpet set up. Due to the lightweight of the SR250, it handles like a dream and frequently gives much bigger bikes a run for their money.
Check out the Lunacy Café Racer here.
via SILODROME
2014 Nissan Qashqai Premier Limited Edition announced
Features an upgraded interior and a standard four-wheel drive system
Nissan has introduced the new Qashqai Premier Limited Edition.
Based on the range-topping Qashqai Tekna, the Premier Limited Edition comes nicely equipped with Bi-LED headlights, additional chrome trim and 19-inch alloy wheels. It will be available exclusively in Pearl White, Night Shade, Metallic Black and Metallic Red.
Interior changes are limited but the cabin boasts leather / Alcantara seats, an individually-numbered badge and "Premier Limited Edition" sill plates. The model also has a panoramic glass roof and a NissanConnect infotainment system.
Motivation is provided by a 1.6-liter dCi engine that develops 130 HP (96 kW). It can be connected to a manual or continuously variable transmission which is connected to a standard ALL-MODE 4x4-i system.
Production will be limited to 2007 units and the model will be available exclusively to existing Nissan customers until December 31st.
Source: Nissan
Toyota Century: The eternal emperor
For Japanese royalty, politicians and corporate executives, there is only one car that adequately represents conservative success: the hand-built Toyota Century…
Visually, the ‘gentle giant’ remained almost unchanged since production began in 1967 and it wasn’t until 1997 that the whisper-quiet, chrome-festooned Century was replaced by a revised second series. There’s certainly an air of Mercedes 600 about the five-metre-long saloon.
Slow and steady
From 1982, all Centurys were equipped with a larger 165HP eight-cylinder engine but, despite the extra grunt, we’re in no rush with the 1989 model we’re photographing. In fact, there’s more than enough time to sit back, relax in the electrically adjustable seats, and glide nonchalantly around.
Luxury in suede and wood
In any case, to rush would seem totally inappropriate, depriving us of the enjoyment to be had in the ultra-luxurious cabin. Despite its early birth, the Century offers everything your pampered heart desires: everywhere you look are switches and controls operating numerous features (though it helps to have a Japanese dictionary handy) that exist purely for your comfort.
It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the seat controls, multi-zone climate control and complex audio system. So much so, that we’d advise relying on the largely pictorial instruction sheet. Our ride in the Toyota Century certainly left a lasting impression.
Photos: Jan Richter
The 1989 Toyota Century pictured here is for sale in the Classic Driver Market.
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