EXTEMPORAE SUZUKI DR650

One of the fastest-growing custom workshops in Italy is Extemporae, based in the Varese region that’s also home to MV Agusta and Husqvarna. The company’s first two builds, a Yamaha TT600 and a XT550, were published in the influential Italian magazine Riders in 2011—and from that point on, there was no looking back.

This is Extemporae’s latest, a 1994 Suzuki DR650. The DR650 is one of those ‘sleeper’ bikes just begging for customization: Like the Honda Dominator, it’s an unsophisticated but effective all-rounder, and lends itself well to a diet and makeover.

For this machine, Extemporae took inspiration from a car: the lightweight, stripped-down Caterham Seven. Hence the Caterham/Lotus-spec green paint and the emphasis on ‘adding lightness’.

Up front, the chassis has been modified to take a 1970s Yamaha 400 tank, and at the back it’s been slimmed down to give a lower line and accommodate a hand-made seat unit.

The bars are from an anonymous 70s dirt track racer, refinished in black. The front fork has been rebuilt and shortened and custom fenders fitted front and rear. The overhauled engine is now hooked up to a cone-type air filter and Extemporae fabricated not only the exhaust system, but also the oil radiator.

“This bike is simple, light, funny and cool,” say Extemporae’s founders, Alex and Paolo. I’ll second that, and hopefully we’ll see more DR650 customs in the future. Keep an eye on Extemporae’s Facebook page to see what they come up with next.

from BIKEEXIF

The Genius of Colin Chapman: "Simplify, then add lightness”

His nickname might have been ‘Chunky’ (only ever behind his back, mind…) but there was nothing overweight about Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman’s Lotus racing cars. 

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The Londoner is probably best known for what many consider to be the world’s first ever stressed monocoque racing car, the Lotus 25. The simplicity of the classic, cigar-shaped racing car is staggering and the principle (now in carbonfibre, rather than aluminium) is still used today.
Chapman’s mid-engined single-seaters (after fellow British garagiste John Cooper had led the way) transformed Grand Prix racing at the turn of the decade from the 50s to the 60s. Teams such as Rob Walker Racing and UDT Laystall could now buy ready-made racing cars and engines ‘off the shelf’.
And these production racing cars were fast enough to win F1 races (of which many were non-Championship, it has to be said). Fast – but fragile. Big accidents suffered by Stirling Moss, Alan Stacey and Mike Taylor showed the other side of Chapman’s ‘as-long-as-it-crosses-the-line’ philosophy.


The immediate predecessors to the Type 25 were tubular framed, with heavily braced joints and separate bodywork attached by Dzus fasteners and pins. Gradually, as aluminium sheet was used more and more to reinforce the chassis, and pinning the bodywork to the chassis was found to enhance its stiffness yet further, Chapman came to the conclusion that an entire chassis/body structure in aluminium sheet would allow the tubular chassis and most of the bodywork to be done away with altogether.
The monocoque was born.
Further innovative designs included the 1967-70 Lotus 49 (Hill winning a World Championship in 1968) with its Cosworth V8 bolted directly to the monocoque, the ‘wedge’ Lotus 72 (Rindt, the first and only posthumous World Champion in 1970), the first mid-engined car to win at Indianapolis (Clark, 1965 in a Type 38), the ground effect Lotus 78 and 79 (another F1 Championship, this time for Mario Andretti in 1978). There were also the 4wd gas turbine Indy cars.



In addition, Chapman introduced big money sponsorship to the sport. Not only did the cars look like ‘cigar tubes’, they were painted like them, too.
He died of a heart attack in December 1982 at the age of 54. The glory years of Team Lotus were over. In any case, the technical rules were now becoming so tight that the age of true innovation was ending.

Lightness, simplicity and radical thinking – these were the bywords of Chapman’s designs - and if they did make it to the finishing line, it was usually to a podium finish, Chapman throwing his hat into the air in celebration, another victory chalked up to innovation.

Related Links Lotuses in the Classic Driver Marketplace Racing cars in the Classic Driver Marketplace

Text: Steve Wakefield(ClassicDriver)
Photos: Schlegelmilch Photography
Video: YouTube

10 Best Freestyle Class Motorcycles at World Championship of Custom Bike Building

There are many viewers, whom interested in custom-built motorcycles. Probably they know about the event by the name of “the World Championship of Custom Bike Building” which is held every year by American Motorcycle Dealer magazine in Sturgis, South Dakota. This championship is divided into three classes: Freestyle, Modified Harley-Davidson, and Production Manufacturer. Here we are sharing with you 10 best 10 best Freestyle Class custom bikes in this year’s championship.

Freestyle Class 1st Place, World Champion, Thunderbike (Germany)

This Thunderbike took place in first position from Germany. This type of class with their custom motorcycle called “PainTTless”. The German builders modified 1000cc Harley Davdison Ironhead sportster engine, and used hand-built custom swingarm frame.

Freestyle 2nd place, LC Fabrications (USA)

Jeremy Cupp of LC Fabrications based in Crawford, Virginia. This “OLD BLACK” bike with a 1976 Harley-Davidson Ironhead Sportster engine and custom-built frame won the second place.

Freestyle 3rd place, Abnormal Cycles (Italy)

Sam Reali and his Abnormal Cycles from Italy won the third category. This wonderful custom motorcycle “Speed-Demon” was made of 74 cubic inch Harley-Davidson JD engine from 1919 and on a 1930 VL frame.

Freestyle 4th place, Kreater Custom Motorcycles (Canada)

Freestyle 5th place, Claes Wärefors (Sweden)

Freestyle 6th place, KW Customs (USA)

Freestyle 7th place, Moore Customs (USA)

Freestyle 8th place, Kreater Custom Motorcycles (Canada)

Freestyle 9th place, RK Concepts (USA)

Freestyle 10th place, Hoosier Daddy Choppers (USA)

from bikeglam

Carlsson SLK 340 race car announced

Carlsson has released the first details about their SLK 340, ahead of its debut at the Geneva Motor Show.

Created for the Meisel Motorsport team, the SLK 340 is a bespoke race car which was specifically designed to compete in international hill climb events. It has an aggressive carbon fiber body with front splitter, a rear wing and a massive diffuser. There's also an adjustable KW competition suspension, high-performance brakes and 18-inch BBS racing wheels with AVON tires.

Interior pictures were not released, but Carlsson says the cabin has Fibreworks racing seats and a roll cage that meets "all relevant international requirements."

Power is provided by a 3.4-liter V8 engine that develops 610 HP (449 kW) and 430 Nm (317 lb-ft) of torque. It is connected to a Hewland transmission which will likely enable the 780 kg (1,719 lbs) racer to be an absolute rocket.

Source: Carlsson