samedi 11 janvier 2014
Yamaha SR400 - Gasoline Custom Motorcycles
The most recent of Gasoline's two-wheel custom work, taking the title "Tomahawk", manages to transform one of the world's most popular motorcycles into a custom dream machine worthy of any garage. The Yamaha SR400 has been toyed and tampered many times before. It's an old favorite to work with, being one of Japan's biggest selling motorcycles for over three decades. So you'd think that the platform might just have been exhausted. If so, it looks like no-one has told these Aussies; they have pushed the boundaries to create a classic thumper with a streamlined, modern edge. At first sight the transformation looks deceptively simple, but peer deeper and you can see the beautiful details that has been included by the team in their East Sydney workshop, Gasoline Custom Motorcycles, run by Jason Gasoline.
Starting from the ground up, the wheels are clearly the outstanding feature that sets off the look for this build. Straight off a totaled Yamaha XS650 from a US motorcycle wrecker and based on the old-school red line BMX bicycle, these ‘tuffs’ have been powdercoated in a killer matt finish. They were then hugged with a set of 18" and 19" Shinko Trials tyres, which Jason says were strangely difficult to source in Australia and finished with black coated disc rotors, which resulted in a super tough look.
Taking the on-trend concepts of ‘recycle’ and ‘reuse’, the fabricated metalwork throughout the bike is inventive, stylish and purposeful by contrasting a scuffed, raw finish with a simple chrome headlight and a neat silhouette. The hand-fabricated rear seat base and tail spoiler has been thoughtfully placed to hug a LED shark tail light and accommodate the LED satin black mini-bullet indicators.
The thought behind the brake system was also reusable and rustic. This included sourcing calipers and master cylinders from the U.S. and Australia. What couldn't be sourced was either made with a clever improvisation of parts from Gasoline’s stockroom or cool finds from swap meets. The crew at High Tech Mufflers were instructed to fit a superb hand-crafted exhaust to hug the contour of the motorcycle, delivering a low, deathly rumble on the streets of Sydney.
The freedom of lightness, typically found on classic café racers, was achieved by stripping most of the heavy steel out of the rear-end and eliminating the ugly standard heavy exhaust. This starkness is typical of the very first café racers who realised that making bikes lighter also meant making them faster - something that never goes astray in the world of two-wheel customisation. And top to it off, the side stand gives you that awesome lean-over stance when the motorcycle is parked on the street. In fact, if it was any lower you'd probably have to turn it upside down to drain the sump.
And for those of you in or around Sydney, we'd strongly encourage you to drop by the Gasoline store. Jason's love of all things two wheeled makes for a pretty interesting way to pass the time; whether it be bikes, Vespas, fixies or even risqué 1960s velvet paintings, Jason's your man. Just tell him we sent you.
via PIPEBURN
Land Rover Freelander replacement spied with Range Rover styling cues
Should be significantly larger than its predecessor
The Land Rover Freelander has been around for what seems like an eternity but our spies have managed to snap new photos of its replacement.
Rumored to become part of the Discovery family, the prototype has an evolutionary design that borrows a number of cues from the Evoque and Range Rover Sport. The details are hard to make out but we can see sweptback headlights, an upward sweeping shoulder line and a sloping roofline. The crossover also has a tailgate-mounted spoiler and a dual exhaust system.
Land Rover hasn't said much about the crossover but it is expected to ride on an extended version of the LR-MS platform that underpins the Evoque. Reports have also indicated the model could use aluminum and composite body panels to reduce weight.
Engine options remain unconfirmed but the crossover is slated to use a new range of four-cylinder petrols and diesels that offer improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions.
The Freelander replacement could be introduced sometime later this year, so expect to learn more in the coming months.
1934 SCOTT FLYING SQUIRREL RACING MOTORCYCLE
This Scott Flying Squirrel Racing Motorcycle is a rather unique little beast, it has one of the last long-stroke, fixed cylinder head engines and it has one of the most unusual frame geometries that I’ve ever seen.
The Scott Flying Squirrel is fitted with a 498cc 2-stroke, single-cylinder engine that uses a unique water-cooled circulation method known as the thermosyphon system. It has a 3-speed transmission, a centrally positioned flywheel, twin inboard main bearings and a multi-plate clutch.
Interestingly, in 1929, The Scott Motorcycle Company won the Isle of Man TT with a Flying Squirrel – giving the bikes some serious pre-war street cred.
She’s due to hit the auction block with Bonhams at the Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais Auction in Paris on the 7th of February 2013, the estimated price of the Scott Flying Squirrel is $8,000 – $11,000 USD which puts it firmly into affordable ownership territory.
Images courtesy of Bonhams – 2013
Inscription à :
Articles (Atom)