WALT SIEGL DUCATI CAFE RACER

There’s a steady demand for Walt Siegl’s Leggero café racers. And looking at these images of his latest build, it’s not hard to see why: timeless lines, well-chosen components, and immaculate build quality. Siegl is a keen racer too, so these bikes can hold their own on the most demanding of roads.

Siegl offers a range of options for his Leggero model: this machine has the mono shock, and painted rather than exposed carbon bodywork. It also features a more upright riding position than usual, to suit the style of the owner.

“The bike was ordered by a client who already owns three of my machines,” Walt tells us. “The donor bike was a 1995 Monster 900. The owner prefers an upright riding style, so I had the chance to install higher-than-usual clip-ons made by LSL.” As you can see, they suit the profile of the bike just as well as lower bars.

Siegl’s client is a big guy, so this time the suspension is fully adjustable Showa Superbike forks. Siegl also modified the Showa monoshock with a heavier spring.

The engine received a set of rebuilt Ducati 900 SS heads. “The SS heads breathe a bit better then the Monster heads,” says Siegl. “They have larger valves, more aggressive cams, and a bath-tub shaped combustion chamber instead of the hemi-style chamber of the Monster.” There’s a useful rather than dramatic improvement in performance. “Not so dramatic that I would suggest every Monster owner trashes their cylinder heads,” Siegl reports.

As with all other carbureted Legerro models, Siegl built custom manifolds to use with 39mm Keihin FCRs. “I prefer to use the Keihins over other brands for their fantastic throttle response—when set up properly.” A shaved flywheel and a taller-than-stock final drive ratio allow the bike to show just the right amount of hooligan character when called for.

The wheels are stock Brembos, powder coated satin black. “I stick with them because the design works well with the overall look of the Leggero, unless the client opts for something lighter,” says Siegl. The stainless headers are also stock, albeit polished, and are fitted with custom stainless reverse cone mufflers.

The wiring harness is streamlined with the help of a Motogadget m-Unit. “There’s no need for bulky relays any more, and it makes for a cleaner installation.” The tach is also by Motogadget. Siegl is a fan: “Their stuff always works flawlessly.”

Siegl takes every bike for several shakedown rides before delivering it to his client, but that’s hardly a chore. “The Leggeros always make me grin silly when riding them!”

If you want to experience the magic of a true modern café racer for yourself, contact Siegl via his website. But if you can only dream, head over to our Archives for coverage of Siegl’s previous builds.

from BIKEEXIF

Jasin MC’s CB400 Street Tracker

Our inbox pinged, and once again Warsaw came calling with a new CB400 build from Adam & Tom Jasinski, AKA Jasin Motorcycles, but this time their donor of choice is configured as a Street Tracker, and is properly branded.

The Jasin builds are a lesson in simplicity and affordable, achievable, customisation, leaving the original suspension, clocks, wheels, engine and even the battery location in place, while concentrating on the oldest – and best – method of customising a bike; throwing away the excess parts and replacing the essentials with prettier, lighter and better items. Just add some classy paint with a brand logo and the job is well done.

The main mods in this build start at the back, with a chopped rear subframe to support the new black, low profile tracker-style seat, which is tastefully white-stitched in a segmented pattern.

The 80s tank, which has the distinctive drop towards to where it used to meet the absent sidepanels, was remodeled and painted in a silver, black and muted gold – and for the first time it proudly bears the JASIN Motorcycles badge.

Motocross handlebars wear 60 year old white grips, to reference the white stitching on the seat. The rear lamp is of the same vintage, matched to modern mini indicators.

The original exhausts were renovated, while the airbox has been removed and pod-style air filters fitted, providing a much better sound track between 4000 and 9000rpm, and decent acceleration – a formula that Adam & Co have tried before so they know it works.

Matched Pirelli tyre sizes on the OEM wheels give that modern retro brat-style edge to the bike’s look and stance and for extra cred the bike doesn’t wear a front fender (so no puddle-jumping), and the shortie fender at the back is raw metal.

Adam and his brother Tom are extremely happy with how this bike has turned out. They love the aggressive riding position and the way it handles, and we think it looks the part too – and it’s great to see the guys having the confidence to badge their latest build properly. Top work fellas, and we look forward to seeing your next bike.

See more from Adam & Tom at JASIN Motorcycles in their Bike Shed category page.

from the bike shed

SUZUKI T500 TITAN

Michigan-based Shoemaker Vintage creates beautifully finished ‘real world’ road machines—functional as well as good looking, like this 1971 Suzuki T500 Titan.

Proprietor Ralph Spencer has been a gearhead from an early age. He’s spent his life designing and fabricating for the military defense industry, specializing in tracked combat vehicles. And the same attention to detail shines through in his motorcycles.

“I’ve always loved the Suzuki T500 Titan,” says Ralph. “It makes a great looking and riding café racer. Being a two-stroke, you get all the character that a stroker has—the pop-ring of the exhaust, and the aroma of two-stroke oil. The T500 has classic lines, from the shape of the gas tank to the finned front brake drum and the reverse slash exhaust ends.”

What prompted him to do this build? “I got rear-ended sitting at a traffic signal,” he says, “bending my 40-year-old perfect chrome rear fender. So I bobbed the rear fender and ended up creating a café machine.”

There’s a bit more to this build than a new rear fender with an LED taillight, though. There’s now a Suzuki GT750 four-leading shoe brake up front, and Ralph’s given the engine even more punch via a set of Titan Performance polished stainless expansion chambers.

“I left the porting stock, since the T500’s torquey engine lends itself well to street riding,” says Ralph. “ The polished stainless expansion chambers sound great and wake up the engine just enough to keeps things exciting.”

Ralph also fitted his own custom rearsets, a wide seat from Omar’s, and Tommaselli adjustable clubman bars. The rider also gets extra protection from a National Cycle ‘Flyscreen’ shield. The paint—and no prizes for guessing the influence—was applied by Jim Gilbert.

Ralph’s T500 has won several awards, including ‘Best Japanese Machine’ at Mods vs. Rockers 2012.

It’s a winner in our book too. What about you?

Images by Biker Pros. Head over to the Shoemaker Vintage site for more details.

from BIKEEXIF

en route