‘80 Yamaha XT500 – Hgarage

You’d think that throwing in your job would be the pinnacle of fear for anyone making the leap and starting up their own shop. But when you think about it, that’s the easy part. It’s the bit where you have to put your spanners where your mouth is and actually make your first bike that will do your head in. So imagine the surprise and delight of a newly minted shop owner who not only manages to make a bike like this on his first attempt, but who then goes on to take Best in Show at the bike’s maiden outing. That owner is the very surprised and delighted Scott Halbleib – Pipeburn regular and creator of this killer XT500.

What makes Scott’s story all the more amazing is that with a virgin shop on his hands, he then threw himself headfirst into organising the Kentucky Kick Down, a regional and much praised bike show in his home town of Louisville. He readily admits that he bit off way more than he could chew, which probably accounts for fact that he’s been off the grid for the past two years. But it hardly seems to matters when you appear out of the darkness with something like this to show for it.

“When building, I focus on two primary goals,’ says Scott. “I always try to start with something different and I try and do something that I have not seen before, which is getting much more difficult. My last builds included the big Brick, the CB450 which was a little underwhelming on power and the XS that seemed unnecessarily heavy. So I wanted to create something very different. Modern Metals let me ride the Yamaha XT500 he had just finished which really set my course… a thumper was definitely the way to go.”

Scott found this bike on the Internet and decided to take a road trip. The previous owner had turned it into a dirt tracker and other than some questionable paint work and stick-on pinstriping, it was a pretty nice. Then like clockwork, some of the Louisville Vintage Motorworks fellas started giving Scott grief about tearing apartanother sweet bike… but after a couple of rides to the local bike night, it was placed on the lift and the tear-down began.

“I was not exactly sure what to do with the bike but I knew I wanted to make it look older, taking some cues from Honda Elsinores, vintage Huskys and Greeves bikes, which I dig. Immediately, the plastic got tossed along with the tank. I also switched the 18/19 dirt track set-up back to 18/21. Then I started sketching, carving foam, bending cardboard and mocking up ideas. The first concept had been a stylized version of an old dirt bike, but it just would not work the way I envisioned. I just wasn’t prepared to sacrifice that much height and suspension travel for the design.”

After a couple of months of late nights staring at the bike, sketching ideas, and weighing up his options, Scott finally decided on a Yamaha CT175 gas tank. Over this, a 3/8” rod, or  ‘backbone,’ runs from the front to the back of the bike. The tank had to be cut out to fit the frame correctly and also notched to wrap around the oil filler cap. After deciding to do a double hoop on the frame to create the backend rise of the seat and to hold the rear ring for the tail light, Scott’s friend and local blacksmith Lewis Meyer at Falls City Ironworks helped him get the hoops shaped. Then he trimmed, sleeved and welded them into place. Next came the rear fender, which he found lying around the shop that he was able to trim to fit.

“The seat needed to have the backbone run through it, which meant it needed to be tall enough to keep the rider from having a steel rod up their ass but not too tall aesthetically. Using high density race foam for its rigidity and untold hours on sorting out all the seat unique trimming requirements, the construction was sent out for upholstery. I decided to use the Super Trapp exhaust and then fabbed up new header pipes. I also wanted to create a universal mounting system; the bike has a 38mm Mikuni and I thought a little extra juice would come in handy, so I mounted a one gallon Rotopax tank which I had seen on one of the Icon bike builds. I also made a second mount, which carries a waterproof Kriega pack bag. I had already installed a bash guard but felt like it needed a little more armor to really get the look I was going after. I had and ATV crash bar but I needed to reduce the width so I cut and welded it, then built a mount to weld to the frame.”

The paint was decided early on; graphite would cover the wheels and the motor, while a semi-gloss black frame, dark silver tins and black seat would finish things off. The exhaust wrap came and it had a bronze tint to it, which Scott liked enough to start him rethinking his color options, eventually settling on the one you see here. The last touches included having emblems and vinyl templates cut and the whole thing painted. He also added hand guards, some larger and more aggressive pegs, longer progressive rear shocks, lengthened kickstand, shaved steering lock for proper headlight depth, tapered bearings and all finally all the original bolts were replaced with their stainless steel allen bolt equivalent.

“It’s been a while since I had something to send out, but I wanted to make sure I was content with the end result, and I am. I’m never a 100% satisfied, but I’m close. Thanks to Modern Metals, I was able to finish it in time to make it to the Rockerbox Motofest in Wisconsin where it won Best in Show. It’s not necessary to win an award, but it sure is nice to know that what you are doing is also striking a chord with others. I will keep doing it as long as I can fund it. There are plenty of bad days, but a few good days can make it all worth it.”

[Photos by Nicholas Karem]

via PIPEBURN

1973 HONDA CB350 CAFE RACER

The Honda CB350 is one of the most important motorcycles that Honda ever made, everyone knows about the importance of the Honda CB750 but during the same era, slightly under the radar, the CB350 became the best selling motorcycle in the world – shifting over a 250,000 units during its 5 year production.

These high production numbers coupled with the CB350′s low-weight, bullet-proof reliability and ease of modification have led to it becoming one of the cornerstones of the modern cafe racer revival. We’ve seen a huge number of them over the past 5 years and my own love for lighter, smaller-engined motorcycles has led to me nearly punching the Buy It Now button on more than a few eBay auctions.

The well-appointed 1973 Honda CB350 cafe racer you see here was built by hand in Missouri by an award-winning experimental aircraft builder, I find this reassuring as he’s clearly used to building things that kill you if you don’t build them properly. The fact he’s still alive would tend to indicate that he knows what he’s doing.

The list of modifications is expansive and the bidding has only just started, if you’d like to read the description or place a bid you can click here.

via SILODROME

Battles between legends at the Le Mans Classic 2014

Even a downpour couldn’t temper the heat of battle. At the Le Mans Classic 2014, the greatest racing cars of the 20th Century went wheel-to-wheel and Classic Driver was there to witness the action…

When you’re overtaken on the public road by a formation of thunderous Ford GT40s – followed closely by a Lamborghini Countach and a Ferrari 512BB – you’re either hallucinating from motorway monotony, or on the way to Le Mans. Every other year, the European historic racing scene congregates in northwest France for its own version of the legendary 24-hour race. But the circus doesn’t only take place on the 8.5 mile-long circuit: more than 100,000 speed pilgrims from all points of the compass bring their faithful steeds, including Lotuses, TVRs, De Tomasos, Alpines and countless others – many of which barely make the journey. Even on the campsites, where many choose to immerse themselves fully in the unrivalled atmosphere, you’ll not only find VW Type 2 camper vans in their droves, but also the likes of a Rolls-Royce Phantom (yes, really), a thoroughly convincing Aston Martin DBR1 recreation, and just about every flavour of Porsche 911 ever made.

The magical home of racing

Le Mans is the spiritual racing home of many, including the Bentley Boys, Carroll Shelby, Jacky Ickx and Derek Bell, and of course Steve McQueen; each has written history at this semi-road circuit. Countless drivers have been immortalised here, through triumph or tragedy, and now they are back – whether in spirit or in racing overalls. Completing the spectacle this year are some 450 machines, spanning 1923 to 1979 and split into six grids. Anyone doubting the racing commitment of the drivers should spend time at a rain-misted Arnage corner at 1am, as the thunderous machines are driven at outrageous speeds and angles, with most making it through to the Porsche Curves.

Clash of the Titans

The selected racing plateaux were fantastic matchings of machines. Blower Bentleys faced Bugattis and Talbot-Lagos in the pre-War grid (each grid races three times during the 24 hours); the early Ferraris, Lotuses and Jaguars provided a stunning sequel in the one of the post-War plateaux. Thereafter, the various Ford GT40s fought to prove their might against the Cobras and the Ferrari 250 LM. Then came the unforgettable prototype era, which saw the likes of Ferrari 312 Ps, Chevron B16s, Matra MS 660s, Alpine A 220s and Lola T70s. But, for many, the highlight was seeing a Porsche 917 back at Le Mans. In the paddock, with the engine cowl removed and all 12 cylinders exposed, it was a sight to behold. Watching a 917 scream down the Mulsanne Straight at ridiculous-miles-per-hour must have seen the bucket lists of thousands become one item shorter.

Flaming blips and glowing discs

The weekend’s events will surely haunt the dreams of drivers and spectators for months to come. Whether it’s the frantic driver changes, the continuous symphony emanating from the paddocks, or the mixed scent of petrol, oil and brake pads – this is why people travel thousands of miles to Le Mans every two years. Yes, the rain might have travelled too, but for true enthusiasts this only added an exciting extra ingredient. As darkness falls, an apex-clipping line becomes a chuck-and-hope slide; priceless machines pirouette into the gravel and graze the Armco. Downchanges throw flames, brake discs glow, and the silence otherwise present in the early hours is chased away by the collective war cries of Porsche 935s, Ferrari 512BB LMs and BMW M1s. Later, a greasy corner sees an Aston Martin DB4 GT spin as it nibbles the heels of a little Lotus on the final straight, leaving a finned D-type to wiggle through in its place.

Spirit levels on the Dunlop arch

Ultimately, it’s not so much the winning that matters, but the spirit that this competition engenders; the spirit that puts the Le Mans Classic firmly at the forefront of the historic racing calendar. It’s palpably shown by the sporting approach of the drivers, the stresses placed on man and machine, and the typical French staging. The latter sees rosé bottles everywhere, streams of steak-frites making their way to tables, and racing cars being escorted back to their respective bases at alarming speed by whistle-blowing gendarmes in period clothing, with BMW motorbikes to match. It’s over all too soon. But as the sun sets behind the Dunlop arch and the circus disappears for another two years, you close your eyes in order to seal in the weekend’s sights. Until the next meeting in 2016, it will be these memories that occupy the vacant moments.

Text: Jan Baedeker, Joe Breeze & Alex Easthope

Photos: Rémi Dargegen for Classic Driver

Wingate Paine makes our hearts beat faster

Wingate Paine surprised the 1960s art world with his sizzling nudes, creating memorable images that symbolised the sexual revolution. Now, 200 vintage prints from the photographer’s archives are being offered at auction…

The biography of Wingate Paine reads like the script of a Hollywood film

The biography of Wingate Paine reads like the script of a Hollywood film: born in 1915 to a Mayflower family of New England, he left the world of lawyers, bankers and ministers behind him to become a Marine captain, a connoisseur of French wines, an ardent supporter of Hatha yoga – and eventually one of the hottest photographers of 1960s New York. He earned staggering sums of money working for the real-life ‘Mad Men’ advertising scene in Manhattan, with a portfolio that included the legendary VW Beetle adverts.

Mirror of Venus

But in the mid-1960s, he turned away from commercial photography and focused instead on his great work, the photographic book titled ‘Mirror of Venus’. Seen today, the erotic images appear fairly innocuous, but many in America viewed the 1960s freedom movement as a scandal. The models were hired by Paine’s wife Natalie, who headed up one of the leading model agencies, and they were – despite their nakedness – neither chaste nor submissive, but playful, modern and strong. The book was printed in several languages ​​and celebrated as an icon of the sexual revolution.

On 15 July 2014, the auction house Wright is offering almost 200 framed vintage prints from the archive of the late photographer (he died in 1987). Estimates range from 1,000 to 3,000 U.S. dollars.

For more information about the Wright auction, ‘The Photographic Archive of Wingate Paine’, see wright20.com.