‘79 Honda CX500 – Kingston Customs

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Another month and another killer creation from Gelsenkirchen’s Dirk OehlerKing and his merry band of men atKingston Customs. As before, they’ve turned their nimble fingers to a Honda CX500 but this time they’ve taken it in a decidedly different direction. And that direction is mostly a hard left off the bitumen, onto the soft grass and up the nearest embankment. Introducing Kingston’s latest build – an amazing hybrid motorcycle they are calling the CXL500.

Dirk filled us in thusly. “One day a friend came to the garage and brought a ’79 Honda CX500 with him. He asked me to see what I’d do with it. He didn’t want a Café Racer; he wanted a bike suitable for everyday life that he could also ride off-road. He wanted, he said, to ride it to the horse stable every day. Which gave me an idea…”

“So I had the idea to build a mix between a street and an off-road bike. As Honda had built a CX500 and an XL500, it was obvious to us to build a Kingston Honda CXL500 Scrambler.”

“The bike was stripped completely, the frame was glass bead blasted and modified, then painted. The engine was treated with a thermo-sensitive coating. It has an output of around 50 hp.”

“We’re responsible for the bench seat, the battery box, the Aluminium fenders, the 2-into-1 exhaust manifold and the radiator grille & spoiler.”

“We also added an exhaust pipe from Speed Products, footrests from a Yamaha XT600, a mini Cat’s Eye tail light, a K&N air filter, Lucas Stahlflex brake lines, a Shinyo front light and Heidenau K60 rubber (100/90-19 and 120/90-18). The ‘bars and the tank are standard pieces.

Overall, the style and paintwork was intended to remind you of the old Honda Enduros from the seventies.”

[Photos by Dennis Zetlitz]

Studio date with the new McLaren 650S in London

At the Geneva Motor Show 2014, McLaren will be filling the gap between 12C and P1 with a new model. Last week we had the opportunity to inspect the McLaren 650S at a photocall in London before its official premiere.

A backyard in West London. Dented vans parked in the rain, planes from Heathrow roaring over the rooftops and the distant hum of traffic on the highway. Nothing here to indicate that in the inconspicuous two-storey office building, the new secret weapon of the British Empire is waiting to be unleashed. In 2009, sports car manufacturer McLaren promised to unveil a new model every year and the British firm has so far stuck to its promise: the beginning of March will see a new sports car unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. This is not the much-discussed R8/911-hunter that goes by the name of P13 – that £120,000 entry-level model won’t be seen till 2015. First, McLaren has something to fill the gap between the 12C and the million-dollar hypercar P1.

A step closer to the P1 hypercar

Even at first glance, it’s clear that the McLaren 650S is not a completely new car, but more of a development of the eight-cylinder 12C. Visually, the LED headlights move it closer to the P1 and hence it addresses the comments of critics who complained of the 12C's too-sober design. In addition, it has a revised rear diffuser, new wheels, carbonfibre elements and numerous other extras to differentiate its appearance while, in the cabin, you can strap yourself into new and (quite literally) breathtaking, close-fitting sports seats. Then there are the four new colours and plenty of Alcantara options to choose from. More relevant than the redesign, however, is the technical performance – and, more particularly, its enhancement over the 12C. The engine now develops 650HP at 7,250rpm and maximum torque of 678Nm, meaning the sprint from 0 to 62mph can be dispatched in just three seconds. 

No rival for Ferrari 458 Speciale and Porsche 911 GT3 

The McLaren 650S engineers are making big claims for their new car – from its crisp throttle response and streamlined chassis, through to countless other details such as the revised ESP settings and new Pirelli P Zero tyres. The brakes and ABS, too, have been upgraded and are now more powerful. Yet, despite the performance, the 650S is by no means a hardcore racer for the road: this is not a car aiming to outdo the 911 GT3 or Ferrari 458 Speciale. Rather, the McLaren 650S is there to provide the customer with the ultimate combination of driving engagement and genuine useability. The 650S will be available as either a fixed-head coupé or a Spider with a retractable hard-top, and it’s thought that prices will start at around 225,000 euros for the coupé and 255,000 for the Spider. 

Photos: Jan Baedeker

Team USA cause shockwaves at Speedway World Cup

It just wasn't meant to happen. The USA weren't meant to do it. But they did - and this is the story of how. See how the American team upset the biggest nations in speedway at the Monster Energy Speedway World Cup to claim 5th place and take another huge step on the ladder to success...

Smoke on the Water: Cigarette Racing 50’ Vision GT Concept premieres in Miami

For the fourth consecutive year, Mercedes-Benz’s AMG division has collaborated with Cigarette Racing to create a performance boat – this time inspired by the Vision Gran Turismo Concept car…

Named ‘Cigarette Racing 50’ Vision GT Concept’, the new boat is currently being shown to visitors at the Miami Boat Show, where it lines up alongside its four-wheeled inspiration.

It’s powered by twin 1650HP Mercury Racing engines, tuned to a higher state than their application in the 50’ Cigarette Marauder. Also weighing approximately 450kg less, thanks to the use of lightweight materials, the Vision GT boat has a theoretical top speed of around 140mph.

This unique concept racing boat has been valued at $1.5 million by its creators, although it’s not clear whether it’s available for sale.

Photos: Cigarette Racing / Mercedes-Benz

Exclusive boats can be found for sale in the Classic Driver Market.