A&G Cafe Racers “Gert”

Mostly the stories we get in the shed are in depth tales of all the technical work that went into a build, but every now and then its just a darn good yarn about how the bike began its life.  In the case of  A&G Cafe Racer’s “Gert”, it’s definitely the latter.

The starting point for this ‘Muscle bike’ project was a GPz1100.  They found one in Portsmouth on the south coast of  the UK, and on a perfect winter’s day in late Jan the guys set off from Nantwich in Cheshire in a hired transit van.  With ‘Gert’ (named after a Great Aunt Gertrude) safely secured in the back of the van, the clear blue sky became dark and stormy, and within the hour a snow storm was upon them, blizzard conditions, thunder and lightning, zero visibility. The guys soldiered on valiantly into the night, but were eventually defeated by one particularly vicious incline, and they were forced to take refuge in a local pub.  This is when all sympathy is lost as the hand-pulled ales and home cooking appear to have done a fine job of helping the guys get over the effects of the traumatic journey, and also gave them some ‘inspiration’ for the build itself.

Back in the warmth of the workshop in Nantwich, complete with raging hangovers, the work started in earnest.  The bike was stripped back to the bone and the motor was removed.  One look at the top end revealed that this Zwaka had had an easy life up to now.  So the first job was to chop the frame and measure up for the alloy tank and tail. “Mick the Tank” handmade all the stunning alloy on the bike.  The front mudguard would look as much at home in a gallery as it does hugging the front tyre.  Unfortunately the wiring loom wasn’t in quite such a good condition as the engine, so a complete new loom was required which was a major headache for Al (you sure that wasn’t the real ale?) . GPz1100 B1’s are fuel injected, but Gert had a Carb conversion so all the injection wiring had to be removed which was extremely complex. The carburettors were crying out for bell mouths, so George sourced them and machined up some beautiful aluminium adaptors. The Harris Race System needed some attention too, so they had it powder coated black and tracked down a racing baffle.  The result is visual and aural perfection. The rearsets are from a CBR1000 which were modified to suit, along with special adaptor plates.  A&G do all their own powder coating, and from what we can see in the photos, they’re a dab hand at it.

From stormy beginnings to a shiny alloy work of art, Gert’s been on some journey.  The hours that have gone into this build are plain to see, but as is often the case it’s the stories behind these bikes, the things you can’t see that provide the ingredients for what this scene is all about – good old fashioned banter down the pub with like minded mates.  Thanks for the bike guys, and thanks for the story.

via The Bike Shed

BMW M635CSi: Shark in a sharp suit

The BMW M635CSi was as much a symbol of the 1980s as brick-sized cell phones, yet its appeal endures, even now. We spent a few days in an example fastidiously maintained by BMW’s Heritage experts, to find out how it copes in a society matured by more than a quarter-century…

Like the Golf GTI and 930 Turbo, the M635CSi represented the epitome of design and performance in the 1980s. Visually, its shark-nosed bonnet and rubber boot spoiler managed to exert an aggression modern cars would envy; yet it rode on 15-inch alloys and used the revered M badge sparingly both inside and out. It was assertive yet modest, even though it had no reason to be: beneath that never-ending bonnet sat a tweaked version of the M1 supercar’s straight-six – with significantly more power than the M535i which played intermediary.

A spine-chilling howl

Fire up the engine, and you have to admire BMW for remaining loyal to its beloved engine configuration while rivals were using anything up to hefty V12s, as in the Jaguar XJ-S. The 3.5-litre six initially voices itself with a deep-chested burble which rises to a howl once the throttle’s extensive travel is explored – all the while amplified by the curiously off-centre twin tailpipes. The pedals lie in (worryingly) close proximity to each other, yet this makes for a heel-and-toe artist’s dream while scything down through the five-speed gearbox, which is precise but might seem a little long-of-throw by today’s standards. However, modern machines can only dream of achieving the visibility and ride quality afforded by the spindly A-pillars and modest-diameter wheels respectively.

Feeding the fish

The 80s supercoupé is happiest when showing off its composure at speed, the shark’s mouth being fed with multiple miles. It’ll supposedly top out at 158mph if required – another reason to make its electronically governed descendants envious – but of course, real-world traffic means it needs to be just as adept at crawling along in a queue. Even in situations where the vast majority of its 286 horses are merely grazing, the straight-six happily burbles away; the only grumbling on board will be coming from the driver via his left foot, the weighty clutch (common to many cars of that era) taking its toll. Once on the open road with all the horses back at your disposal, that’ll soon be forgotten: with modern tyres, the six is a forgiving beast even in the wet, but remember you’re relying on a good old-fashioned locking differential in place of the successive generation’s traction control systems.

A lust for rust

Of course, there were still some niggles which BMW (and to be fair, most other manufacturers) hadn’t figured out in the mid-80s. Such as how to make the window to a frameless door meet its seal (be prepared for the occasional damp shoulder) or, more worryingly, a way of rustproofing that wasn’t simply ‘not driving it in the wet’. However, find a cared-for example and it’ll bring you the delights of genuine usability in an era-defining package. Just politely decline any offer of a Nokia to go with it.

Photos: Alex Penfold

Plenty of classic BMWs can be found in the Classic Driver Market.

EcoBoost-powered SkyRunner all-terrain flying car revealed

The crossover of the skies?

Flying cars haven't really taken off but SkyRunner is hoping to change that by unveiling their all-terrain "light-sport aircraft" at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show.

Designed to appeal to everyone from recreational enthusiasts to search and rescue teams, the SkyRunner uses reflex paraglide wing technology and can be transitioned from an all-terrain vehicle to an airplane in just three minutes. More importantly, SkyRunner CEO Stewart Hamel says the model won't need an airport as "open fields, grass strips and secluded beaches will be the runways of choice."

Power comes from a Ford-sourced 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder engine that develops 125 HP (92 kW) and 200 Nm (147 lb-ft) of torque. It enables the model to accelerate from 0-60 mph in 4.3 seconds and hit a top speed of 115 mph (185 km/h) on the ground.  In the air, it tops out at 55 mph (88 km/h).

In order to fly the SkyRunner, customers will have to shell out $119,000 (€86,455) and obtain a flying license that requires 12 hours of flight with a Certified Flight Instructor. 

The company is currently accepting pre-orders and hopes to begin deliveries next year.

Source: SkyRunner

via Worldcarfans

dos !