Raw clips featuring the competition debut of Carl Thmopson's 4-Rotor Nitrous Turbo powered Lexus GS300. Filmed at NAC Drift Nationals, Hampton Downs 2013.
samedi 31 août 2013
le médaillé olympique Renaud Lavillenie : « de bonnes sensations »
This week, Renaud Lavillenie took part in the official two-day test ahead of the 2013 24 Heures Moto with Team AZ Motos. After more than a month-and-a-half away from the race track, he was pleased with his run at Le Mans.
Renaud Lavillenie participait cette semaine aux deux journées d’essais officiels des 24 Heures du Mans Moto avec le Team AZ Motos. Après plus d’un mois et demi sans moto, il tire un bilan plutôt positif.
Since April’s Bol d’Or and the start of his build-up to the World Athletics Championships, where he came second, as well as a number of other meetings, pole-vaulter Renaud Lavillenie has had little time to devote to motorcycling. “I only rode a bike three times between Bol d'Or and this week’s test at Le Mans, and that was basically to keep my eye in. I didn’t try to post any quick times because I didn’t want to take any risks during the athletics season,” said the Olympic champion.
The Frenchman, who is Team AZ Motos’ reserve rider for the 24 Heures Moto, benefited from the advice of David Dumain and Philippe Monneret who will share the N°63 Suzuki-Michelin at Le Mans with Stéphane Mézard. “Their experience was a big help. They watched me on the track and pinpointed some errors which I tried to correct. It was very instructive.”
It was Renaud’s first ever ride at Le Mans-Bugatti. “On-board footage and video games helped to me to memorise the track before I arrived. The turns aren’t all that complex. I found the circuit easier and more fun than Magny-Cours.”
The French athlete’s times were encouraging and one lap would have qualified him for the 24 Heures Moto. “Above all, I wanted to enjoy myself. I wasn’t sure of my level before the test but I posted a lap that would enable me to take part in the race. My aim now is to get beneath the 1m50s mark in qualifying.”
Before returning to Le Mans in the middle of September, Renaud is due to contest the Diamond League final in Brussels, Belgium, on September 6, before taking riding tuition at Le Mans on September 9 with BMC Moto.
Entre sa préparation pour les Championnats du monde d’Athlétisme où il s’est adjugé la deuxième place et les autres meetings, Renaud Lavillenie n’a pas eu beaucoup de temps à consacrer à la moto depuis le Bol d’Or. « J'ai roulé seulement à trois reprises entre le Bol d'Or et les pré-Mans, essentiellement pour garder des sensations. Je ne cherchais pas la performance car j'étais en pleine saison de perche et je ne voulais prendre aucun risque » affirme le champion Olympique.
Pilote remplaçant du Team AZ Motos pour les 24 Heures du Mans Moto, Renaud a pu bénéficier des conseils avisés de David Dumain et Philippe Monneret qui feront équipe avec Stéphane Mézard au guidon de la Suzuki-Michelin n°63. « Leur expérience m’a beaucoup aidé. On a roulé ensemble, ils ont ainsi pu observer mon pilotage, voir mes erreurs et me corriger. C’était très instructif. »
C’était la première fois que Renaud posait « ses roues » sur le circuit Bugatti. « Je n'avais même pas fait un tour à pied auparavant. Mais grâce aux caméras embarquées et aux jeux vidéo, j'ai pu un peu mémoriser le tracé avant de venir. Les virages sont, dans l'ensemble, pas si compliqués, je le trouve plus facile et plus agréable que Magny-Cours. »
Les chronos sont encourageants puisque Renaud a signé un temps qui lui permettrait d’être qualifié pour disputer les 24 heures. « Je veux avant tout de me faire plaisir. Je ne connaissais pas vraiment mon niveau avant ces essais. Je sais d’ores et déjà que j’ai réalisé les minima pour la course. L’objectif est désormais de m’approcher des 1min50 lors des essais qualificatifs. »
Avant de retrouver le circuit du Mans fin septembre, Renaud disputera le 6 septembre la finale de la Diamond League à Bruxelles et participera le 9 septembre à un stage de pilotage au Mans avec BMC Moto.
Tom’s XJ550
Inspired by the likes of the Wrench Monkees and Cafe Racer Dreams (clearly a man of good taste) Tom Nadin decided to take his skills as a Design Engineer and turn this ebay-sourced Yamaha XJ550 into a stripped-down badass little Brat-style custom. He wanted the bike to be clean and simple; not ‘too showy’ and no bling. Good man.
The bike isn’t Tom’s first build, having put together a Ducati Sport 1000 for his dad and Triumph Thruxton for himself, which was recently sold after being featured as MCN’s bike of the day.
The XJ550 was stripped down on the weekend he picked it up and the forks and wheels were painted black. Turning his attention to the tank, Tom decided to fill-in the tank logo to provide a bare canvas for the Ford Polaris Grey paint. The tracker-style number 3 decal celebrates the bike as being his third build, and is lacquered-in.
The satin black painted frame was cut short and a loop welded at the back to accommodate the seat, which was made by a local car trimmer and covered in Jaguar MKII red vinyl. The shed-made aluminum battery box also hides all the electrics.
Finally, to get that brat-style low-profile at the front that runs from the tank across the top of the bars, Tom swapped out the original clocks out for a pair of mini-speedo and rev counters.
It’s a lovely, simple, clean, Japanese brat-style middleweight, and as much a credit to Tom’s good teaste and sense of proportion as it is to his bike building skills. In his own words; “I enjoyed the build immensely and the bike gets looks everywhere it goes, probably due to the amount of noise it makes!” Top work fella, and thanks for sharing with all of us at The Bike Shed.
FROM the bike shed
HONDA 750 SUPER SPORT – THE SAINT AND SINNER BY KOTT MOTORCYCLES
The Saint and Sinner is a beautifully finished Honda 750 Super Sport cafe racer built by Los Angeles based custom motorcycle shop KOTT Motorcycles. It’s moving away from the usual silver or black colours with a gorgeous rich bright gold colour used on the tank and rear of the bike. The bike was nicknamed the Saint and Sinner by the owner when he first saw it after KOTT had finished doing there magic. I love how they have used gold coloured parts throughout, not too many but just enough to keep a consistent theme. KOTT said “With a desperate need for weight reduction, lowered centre of gravity, and machine manageability the motto for a Honda 750 Supersport is “keep it stock or chop hard”.
The bike has had all parts not needed removed with all wire hidden within the frame, a lower stance has brought this bike straight into the cafe racer club and looks stunning for it. The have fitted a modern rear master cylinder as well as a rear set design. It maintains the period-correct aesthetic and at the same time capitalizes on present-day functionality. Finished off with a set of really nice gloss black wheels to make the perfectly clean and slick frame on the build.
Kott Motorcycles is an independently-owned company based in the Los Angeles who specialize in the fabrication and design of vintage motorcycles, mostly from the 1970’s Honda CB series. KOTT says “To continually build functional street machines that have café racer inspiration by redefining all aspects from front to back, bottom to top to create a more ergonomic and elegant machine all the while embracing the original vintage soul of these bikes.”
Images: kottmotorcycles.com
Website: kottmotorcycles.com
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