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CRD# 23 “COYOTE”

Sometimes it’s the unlikeliest motorcycles that become popular with custom builders. The Yamaha Virago is one, and the Honda Dominator another. This is CRD’s take on Honda’s venerable NX650 dual-sport thumper: they’ve stripped off the clunky plastics and added a strong dash of Spanish style.

Built over two months and now sold, the looks of this Dominator have been transformed by the addition of a new tank. Taken from a 1976 Bultaco Mercurio 175 GT, it’s been painted in an elegant blue-and-white two-tone.

CRD swapped out the wheels for classy 18” Excel rims, now shod with Coker Diamond rubber. There’s a custom fabricated seat—with a relocated battery underneath—and new fenders. The suspension also gets a big upgrade, with rebuilt and shortened forks and an Öhlins shock at the back.

The stock 644cc motor has reasonable torque, but the 40mm Keihin carb now breathes through a K&N filter. The high-set exhaust has been replaced by a sinuous, intricately welded custom item from GR. The lights are now CRD’s own designs, and the bars are from the German Triumph specialists LSL.

Looks good, doesn’t it? My bet is that secondhand Dominators will soon be in short supply. Check out previous CRD builds in the Bike EXIF Archives, and keep up with CRD’s news on their Facebook page.

BMW's 2012 Christmas video

BMW Motorrad has decided to forgo the usual Christmas e-cards and for this year’s season greetings has released this video of the newest S1000RR in the HP4 verson and one of their TwinPower Turbo M6 Coupé’s breaking out of two gigantic Christmas gift boxes to race against each other and then perform a series of splendid drifts and burnouts to help you rocket start 2013.

We bet that everyone would like to find one or both of these stunning German beauties under their Christmas tree Tuesday morning.

from TWOWHEELSBLOG

Randy de Puniet bets on Marc Marquez winning season opener

MotoGP rider Randy de Puniet and everyone’s favourite model/brolly girl Lauren Vickerswere married on Sunday in Australia (congratulations the newlyweds!), however during the FIM Gala earlier this month at Monte Carlo the French rider gave a long and very interesting and exclusive audio interview to French website Mototribu.com.

De Puniet touched several bases including what it means riding a CRT machine, the development of his ART, if he is going to be Suzuki’s future test rider and more, but he also gave his personal opinion on new MotoGP rookie and Repsol Honda rider Marc Marquez, who he thinks can win the first race of 2013 season at Losail, Qatar.

“I think he’s going to be fearsome from the Qatar GP and I’ve bet that he’ll win at his MotoGP debut at Losail. It’s possible, Biaggi did it in the 500cc class, but Rossi, Pedrosa and Lorenzo didn’t. I believe he can do it and I think he has this on his mind. He’s tough and a fighter and I think he’ll suprise a lot of people. I believe he’s a combination of all the positive features of Rossi, Stoner, Pedrosa and Lorenzo. His only defect is that he’s impatient which we saw during the season that made him commit errors. For the rest there’s nothing else to say, he knows how to start well, overtake, ride fast and how to manage a race. He’s young and has his feet firmly on the ground and at his age it’s something you rarely see! Everyone wants to beat him. Pedrosa because he is his team mate and also Lorenzo because of their nationality.”

Source | mototribu.com via gp-inside.com