CAFÉ RACER 76

Belstaff Presents: For The Open Road

Belstaff presents For The Open Road featuring David Beckham, a documentation of five British bikers on a journey from the Goodwood estate in West Sussex to New Bond Street in the heart of London. http://www.belstaff.com

For The Open Road captures a thrilling journey through the passionate eyes of Belstaff's Modern Legends: dynamic riders with a daring sense of adventure. They explore the historic Goodwood Estate, ride through the countryside, and join 50 others to blaze down New Bond Street in a motorbike parade.

A nod to Belstaff's roots in motorsport, speed meets style as we explore the spirit of the open road and the camaraderie it forges.

(Produced by HLA for Belstaff)

HONDA CUB: DIRTY DONKEY

The Honda Super Cub is the best-selling two-wheeler on the planet. Since 1958, it’s sold more than 60 million units. So, as you can imagine, there are some pretty cool custom Cubs around — but few are as cool as the machines being turned out by Holland’s Super Motor Company.

This is the latest build from SMC, nicknamed Dirty Donkey. “Yes, it does sound like the title of an obscure 70s porn movie,” admits SMC main man Dimitri Hettinga, “but it‘s nothing to do with that. It’s a bike meant to be happy on the dirt track.”

Dirty Donkey has been built to race, with tongue firmly in cheek, at the Dirt Quake event organized by Sideburn Magazine in the UK. And it incorporates a few lessons learnt from SMC’s Salt Shaker build, one of the biggest hits on Bike EXIF last year.

SMC’s inspiration came from vintage motocross, desert racers and dirt trackers: CZs, Maicos, and the Harley/Aermacchi Sprints used in 60s flat track racing. Salt Shaker was pretty but “a bitch to start and ride,” says Dimitri, so he’s kept the YX 140cc SOHC engine stock this time. It delivers a mighty 15 hp to the back wheel.

As with all SMC builds, the Cub frame has been modified with the help of welding wizard Jaap Volkers. A Honda C50 rear fender has been expertly grafted on, and the tank is a Honda Camino item that’s been cut-and-shut and flipped 180 degrees. The suspension is custom, as are the side covers. The hand controls are vintage Tommaselli.

Dimitri’s grandmother upholstered the seat unit in a silky-smooth ‘desert beige’ suede. “There’s a gap between the seat and tank, but it also gives it a bit of that 60s desert racer feel. Which I like,” says Dimitri.

Hiding the wiring was a challenge, but worthwhile: the front end is especially neat. “It took me over a day to make it work. Now I understand why even the bigger motorcycle brands don’t, because it’s just too labor intensive to justify the cost.” Dimitri had the exhaust fabricated before painting, and after a few issues with the rubber mountings, a synthetic rubber bushing solved the problems and Dirty Donkey was done.

The bike went on show in Milan during the EICMA exhibition, and it’s now for sale, complete with EU registration documents. And with a catch, too: “It must attend Dirt Quake and Wheels & Waves next year,” says Dimitri. “Or we will deliver it to you afterwards!”

Images by David Finato Photography. More details on Super Motor Company’s custom Cubs are on their website.

from BIKEEXIF

Rare spectacle: Alpine A110 1800VA East African Safari in action

Only five examples of the Alpine A110 1800VA were made by the factory motorsport department ‘Service Course’ in 1974 and 1975. One of them is today, after extensive restoration, back in its original condition, as the following video demonstrates...

Only rally drivers of the calibre of Jean Pierre Nicolas and Gérard Larousse were allowed to sit behind the wheel of the A110 1800VA factory cars. However, one of the five Alpines was sold as a ‘Client Competition’ version to Nairobi, Kenya – when Robert ‘Rob’ Glen acquired the specially prepared Berlinette for entry into the East African Safari Rally. “I purchased the Alpine fully equipped from the factory and flew it to Kenya, where I rallied it for two years. As you may imagine, it was a fantastic car,” says Rob, many decades later.

The Alpine experts from alpineLAB found this rare car in Africa and brought it back to Europe in a sorry state. Here, the car was lovingly restored thanks to 3000 man-hours of careful work – and now the results can be seen and heard.

Photos/Video: alpineLAB

CB 450 by TROPHY

This 1972 Honda CL450 has been beautifully restored and turned into a cafe racer by Trophy Motorcycles in San Diego (CA). This bike was the scrambler sister of the CB450, powered by the same 444cc DOHC parallel twin engine. The difference between the two models were indeed mainly cosmetic, and due to its higher pipes and braced handlebars, the CL was slightly more appropriate for the off-road riding. Born in 1967, the CL components were initially available in kit to modify the CB450, while the stock model was officially released in 1968 with a new 5-speed gearbox, which upgraded the older 4-speed. When in 1970 the CB450 was provided with a front disc brake, the CL450 kept the drum brakes. The CL 450 was produced up until the 1974... Forty years later watching this bike is still a pleasure.