MOTOHANGAR YAMAHA SR500

Every now and then, a bike comes along that captures the state of the neo-custom scene right at this moment in time. This is one of those bikes, from the Virginia-based workshop Motohangar. It’s not a big-budget build and it’s not a fire-breathing monster, but it’s exactly the kind of bike that is attracting legions of younger riders back into the motorcycling scene.

The starting point was a 1979 Yamaha SR500, a long-time staple of the Japanese custom scene. Old SRs are increasingly popular in the US, and good examples are affordable. (Yamaha has noticed this, apparently, and may export the latest SR400 to the States.)

“This wasn’t a commissioned build,” says Motohangar’s Pat Jones. “The bike’s more for our own personal use, and to showcase our design aesthetic.” It’s an attractive aesthetic: bare metal bodywork, a hand-made leather seat and a low-profile tail unit.

The SR400 has been thoroughly overhauled throughout. It’s sitting a little lower than stock at the front, and Motohangar have fitted new rear shocks to tighten up the handling.

Other upgrades include stainless steel braided brake lines and a vintage headlight and taillight, both modified to accept modern bulbs. The wiring has been stripped to the bare minimum, and the original wheels have been refurbished and powdercoated.

The driving force behind this build was Motohangar’s latest cohort, Johnny Brindley. (Hence the ‘B’ in the hand-painted ‘MH500B’ nomenclature on the tank.) “He’s a good friend who was looking to learn about bikes and needed a place to work on them,” says Pat. “He’s since become a part of Motohangar, and adds to a lot of our design ideas.”

To clean up the front end, the bar-mounted electric controls—including the key switch—have been relocated to under the seat. The engine has been treated to K&N filtration and a custom header hooked up to a period Yoshimura silencer. (“They’re from an 80s sport system,” says Pat. “This one is more commonly found on the DOHC Honda 750s and other similar bikes from that era.”)

It’s a great showcase for Motohangar’s work—a rideable and reliable custom that also looks like a million dollars. Check out our coverage of previous Motohangar bikes, and follow the company’s news via their Facebook page.

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Taiwan custom

Wang YaoChih's utterly cool custom Sym90.. by Shin Metalworks from Taipei, Taiwan..

Before, without the two-tone paintjob.. Note, no stretch in framepipe!

Pictures courtesy of Mr. Wang YaoChih.

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Chalopy

2012 Triumph Bonneville by Vintage Racer

By guest writer Ian Lee.
Ah the sights of Paris. Le Eiffel tower. Le Arc De Triomphe. Le modified Triumph Bonneville. The last of these is a recent addition to the visual splendour of Paris, and we have Vintage Racer Motorcycles to thank for the pleasure. This Bonnie was created for a customer who turned out to be a prince from Qatar, or an 'emir' in french – so they named the bike 'Bobbemir'. It has been built with all the hallmarks of Vintage Racer’s belief that their bikes should be ridden not hidden. Whether as an every day rider or something to take for a burn on a Sunday afternoon, their bikes are for blowing out cobwebs, not collecting them. This bike is as much a monument to French engineering as the Eiffel tower, but le tower Eiffel never had a chance to sport pipewrap. 

Starting with a standard 2012 Triumph Bonneville, the Vintage Racer crew hooked in to the build. Ditching the factory seat, a vintage camel leather bound cushion takes it’s place. Under the custom seat sits the reshaped rear guards, sporting a Daytona tail light in place of the factory one. The footrests are LSL supplied, with custom mounts to suit this Gallic work of art. 

The most notable part of the bike has to be the wheels though. This has been an awesome addition to the build, with Vintage Racers looking to Harley Davidson styled rims for inspiration. 17 inch Kineo rims, front and rear, mounted on Alpina hubs. The front end is wrapped in Michelin T63 120 profile rubber, while the rear is a Metzeler 160 profile tire. 

Part of the build brief was that the bike was to be able to support a more ample rider, so Ohlins suspension suited to the task has been fitted. On top of this the seat cushion foam is of hardier material than would normally be required. The front end has been touched up as well, with Triumph Thruxton triple clamps replacing the Bonneville factory setup. LSL handlebars enveloped in brown balloon grips, sit above OEM Triumph fork gaiters. 

The exhaust is something different, a set of silencers usually found on a Honda Dax have been treated to black ceramic and exhaust wrap treatment. Finishing almost level with the swingarm pivot point it leaves the custom drivetrain open for inspection, complete with perforated chainguard and 45 sprocket drive setup. 

Specialised custom touches such as the camel hide seat, and Kineo wheels, give this bike the chance to stand out amongst the sea of custom bikes that are out there. It’s the small things that add up, to give this bike the aesthetic quality Vintage were looking for. Nothing drastic has been done to this bike. It’s just what has been done has been well thought out, and more importantly, well carried out. Vintage Racers have outdone themselves on this build, a quick look at their website will show that their bikes keep getting better and better. And with bikes like this roaming the streets of Paris, it’s all the more reason to visit Paris, to see the beautiful sights on offer.
Viva la France! 
 
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M&W Gives You Wings

The Mercedes W198 series is their speciality: Miguel Morais and Mathieu Woehrle are the men to speak to about the 300 SL Gullwing and the legendary 300 SL Roadster. Classic Driver talks to the Sport Light experts. 

The headquarters of M&W Classic, the restoration operation run by Woehrle and Morais, lies hidden in a side street of the German town of Markgröningen. Yet there is more here than initially meets the eye, as the two classic Mercedes professionals have something very special to show visitors, with sports car icons and legends of the Stuttgart brand concealed in their workshops.
Here, old stars are brought back into the limelight, with a clear focus on the coveted W198 series. “The 300 SL Gullwing and Roadster are our speciality,” says Woehrle, and both men know these cars – with all their idiosyncrasies – inside out. They restore these inimitable vehicles, as well as sourcing interesting specimens worldwide. “We work within a great network that we have built up over ten years,” he adds, which also ensures a good supply of original spare parts.


Because of this extensive network cultivated by Morais and Woehrle, they discover SLs in Monaco, Greece, and Switzerland, as well as Belgium, Holland, France, Portugal, and sometimes from much further afield. Around 30 vehicles have already been delivered to customers and, when you consider that these precious items now cost up to a million euros, it’s clear that the business has established an enviable reputation among discerning collectors.


When working on the vehicles we put great emphasis on originality,” says Woehrle. Originality is irreplaceable, he tells us, and recognising this fact has become especially important in recent years. Old parts are not simply sent to the scrap heap: they are carefully cleaned, inspected and, whenever possible, recycled and refitted.


You will not only find 300 SLs for sale at M&W Classic, however. Also available are 190 SL Roadsters and the ever-popular Mercedes-Benz Pagodas, which the company has in stock. The real connoisseurs are the people who know exactly what they want and – according to M&W – these connoisseurs will feel right at home browsing the Classic Driver Marketplace, as well as in their Markgröningen premises.

Related Links You can view M&W Classic's full inventory in the Classic Driver Marketplace.

Text: Mathias Paulokat(ClassicDriver)
Photos: M&W Classic