CAFÉ RACER 76

Concept SR400 « YARD Built » par Wrenchmonkees

Par Baptiste VALLET (YMF)
Par son design néo-rétro, la SR400 séduit de nombreux pilotes au Japon. Source d’inspiration, ce monocylindre est devenu culte chez les adeptes de la personnalisation. Pour célébrer ses 35 ans, Yamaha prépare avec le préparateur Wrenchmonkees un concept de SR400 « YARD Built » qui sera présenté en novembre lors de l’EICMA à Milan en Italie.

Cette année, la SR400 fête ses 35 ans sur le marché japonais et pour célébrer sa place unique dans l’histoire de la customisation, Yamaha s’est rapproché du designer Danois Wrenchmonkees, pour concevoir un objet exceptionnellement unique.

Dans la mesure où cette collaboration poursuit le concept “YARD Built”, les clients auront la possibilité d’acheter un kit similaire à installer eux-même sur leur moto de série.

Pour ce projet SR400, Wrenchmonkees s’est associé à la société allemande KEDO pour créer le SR special. Implantée à Hambourg, KEDO est une société spécialisée dans la création de pièces et qui alimente de nombreux propriétaires de Yamaha depuis plus de 20 ans.

KEDO va jouer un rôle-clé dans la fabrication de ce kit en fournissant de nombreuses pièces imaginées et dessinées par Wrenchmonkees, l’idée étant que toutes puissent être commandées par tout client.

Après avoir mis la barre très haut l’an dernier avec l’XJR1300 Yard Built, Wrenchmonkees avec l’aide de KEDO repousse encore les frontières de la transformation. Cette SR400 sera dévoilée au salon EICMA, le 5 Novembre 2014.

BMW R100 BY KEVILS SPEED SHOP

One of the most prolific BMW customizers in Europe is Kevin Hill. Based in the picturesque country of Devon, England, he’s been turning out a steady stream of BMW customs for nearly five years now.

The reputation of Kevil’s Speed Shop has spread far and wide, despite a relatively low-key profile and a dearth of decent photography. But Kev’s bikes are well-built and good value—as this 1983 BMW R100 shows—and now that he has a decent website, we’re guessing that business will get even better.

The bike is called ‘Eleven’ and it was commissioned by Luc, a collector from Belgium who has ten motorcycles in his garage already. The biggest change from the stock R100 is a huge weight saving: anything not related to performance has been removed, and the bike reportedly weighs a third less than stock. The engine has been left alone—and with almost 70 hp on tap, there’s plenty of grunt.

Black satin megaphones free up the breathing and a rear disc brake conversion has increased stopping power. Clip-ons and Raask rearsets have created a sportier riding position, and a custom tail section provides the sleek looks to match.

Silver, bronze and cream are not your traditional BMW colors, but they add a touch of old-school luxury to the appearance, neatly set off by the brown-colored grips. It looks good, goes fast and doesn’t break the bank. What more could you want?

With thanks to photographer Andrew Butler.

via BIKEEXIF

A timeless dive: why a vintage Rolex Submariner is the perfect pool watch

It’s true that a Rolex Submariner is designed for the professional diver. A few lengths of the deep end are hardly stretching its famous capabilities. That said, for poolside credibility, a vintage ‘Sub’ is hard to beat.

And, lounging by the side of the hotel pool, it has its practical uses. Other than keeping an eye on the time of the appointment with the tennis coach, or exactly when the happy hour drinks party will kick off, of course. It will survive the inevitable “I’m so hot!” midday plunge with ease.

That has been the case since 1954, when the very first Rolex Submariner – a ‘professional watch’ – was introduced.

A modern-day Submariner, all silky surgical steel and highly luminous dial, is an impressive timepiece. But if you want to truly stand out from the crowd you need a vintage example, one with the famous domed ‘plexi’ glass and a subtly aged dial. From 1959 onwards the company introduced crown guards to the model, in reference 5512 watches. The principle was that the winding crown is protected from impact when deep under the waves. They make for a more balanced look, but the older (‘naked’) models are the ones most sought-after.

Ultimately, it’s your choice. New or old, there’s a Rolex Submariner for everyone.

Photo: Getty Images