HCV’S OLD SCHOOL BOBBER

For a workshop you’ve probably never heard of, Halls Custom Vintage is pretty famous. Jake and Rob Hall are the go-to guys for British bike enthusiasts in the States, and they usually have five machines up on their lifts at any one time.

Most of these bikes will be restoration jobs, or build-ups for vintage motorsport. But the Halls also build the occasional custom in their North Carolina shop, like this immaculate old school bobber. It’s a 1970 Triumph TR6 assembled using parts mostly from the 1960s and 70s, with only the electrics giving the game away.

Jake could completely rebuild a British motorcycle while still in 9th grade, and the build sheet is instant proof that the Halls know their stuff. The 650cc motor has been blueprinted for high performance and reliability, with new .040 pistons, bearings, a resurfaced cylinder head and a three-angle valve grind job. The carb is an Amal 932 currently jetted for an altitude of 2,200 feet. The exhaust system comes from another company renowned for its skill and craftsmanship, Factory Metal Works, and was nickel-plated locally.

After blasting the front loop of the frame and mating it to a bolt-on hardtail, the whole shebang was powder coated and fitted with a genuine Wassell tank, painted by Glenn Mann in the style of a 1950s T100 flat tracker. Up ahead are solid 7/8 bars hooked up to a TR6c upper triple clamp, with tapered bearings keeping the steering smooth.

The stock 19” front wheel is fitted with Dunlop K70 rubber, and out back is a 16” shod with a vintage Carlisle tire. There’s no battery, thanks to a Boyer Power Box and a Pazon ignition system, but the bike starts first kick when warm. And who wouldn’t want to fire this old school bobber up on a sunny Saturday morning?

For more about Jake and Rob Hall, check out this fascinating profile in Capital at Playmagazine.

Images © Frank Bott. Check out his website and Facebook page for more fine motorcycle photography. To contact HCV, send an email via their own website.

The Ride of Her Life Official Trailer

The all-new 2015 Subaru WRX STI is “Uncovered. Unleashed. Unleaded.” in its starring role in ‘The Ride of Her Life’.

DoubleURXXX Productions Presents The Ride of Her Life Official Trailer (2014) starring Bucky Lasek, Michael Wiles, Kayslee Collins, Jenette Goldstein, Eddie Rice, Jr. and a Subaru WRX STI.

The following preview has been approved for all audiences by crankandpiston.com

For more information visit www.therideofherlife.com

1953 Triumph 500 by Berham Customs

When you’ve been building custom Vespa’s for most of your life and you decide you want to build something with a bit more power, then a 1953 Triumph 500 hardtail is a pretty good place to start. Built by Marcus Offergeld and Martien Delfgaauw of the relatively new Berham Customs based in Berlin and Hamburg. “I’ve always ridden, raced, tuned and customized Vespa’s” says Martien.  “It’s not what you work on, but rather how. Because for a great result you need to be driven by the joy of doing, rather than wishing to finish.”

After happening upon an “ugly looking and pretty run down” 80s chopper with raked front forks, the boys from Berham could see potential not in the bike itself, but certain aspects of it. Most importantly, the Triumph 500cc pre-unit powerplant had the 1957 Triumph race kit with the splayed port aluminium cylinder head kit. A good base for a build, the bike was given the Berham treatment.

The bike was parked up in the workshop and the garish 80s custom job undone. The forks, wheels, tank and seat were removed and put to the side. To replace the long rake front fork setup, a set of Vincent style girder forks were fitted to the front end, and the front drum cover given the Swiss cheese treatment.

To keep with the low flowing lines of the bike in it’s new guise, a frame hugging exhaust system was manufactured and a seat built in house by Berham to keep the riding position low. An American Bonneville tank has been used – the US spec tank being narrower than the Euro spec for the same model. The rare primary cover for the motor didn’t escape customisation either, as the Berham crew “aren’t that much into keeping things in original condition.”

From an overdone custom chopper to a tasteful bobber, Berham Customs were able to see past the garish mods and see the potential underneath. With only a few motorcycle builds under their belt, this small German workshop have created one clean and understated hardtail Triumph. Since finishing this project Martien has already received many requests from potential customers who want him to build them a bike – which is always a good sign.

Photography by Matthias Dahl

via PIPEBURN

Journey of a lifetime: Classic Cars Challenge China 2014

Warning: reading this article could seriously disrupt your plans for 2014; because we challenge anyone to learn about the Classic Cars Challenge China (or ‘4C’) and not want, desperately, to take part...

Why? Why does this classic rally tour stand out among the many that take place every year across the globe? In a word: China. Home to a quarter of the world’s population and with a history stretching back an incredible 5,000 years, it’s a land of stunning landscapes and fascinating culture. One of those ‘must see before I die’ places. And what better way to see it than on a challenging (but fun) rally tour from Beijing to Shanghai.

Six days and 1,800km

Over the last few decades, China has astonished the world with its incredible economic growth – a growth that most Westerners only became fully aware of at the time of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Three years later, in 2011, with the approval of the Federation Internationale des Vehicules Anciens (FIVA), Classic Vehicle Union of China (CVUC) launched the first, annual ‘4C’, to which international enthusiasts brought their classics and drove from Beijing to Shanghai in 6 days... covering 1,600km. The route has since been altered slightly, and now stretches 1,800km.

And you can imagine why they were so keen: just picture driving through the ancient Chinese capital, the heart of thousands of years of Eastern culture, seeing for yourself the spectacular Bird’s Nest and Water Cube, the Great Wall, the streaming waters of the Yangtze River. When not behind the wheel, the participants could indulge in the finest Chinese delicacies and fragrant wine, all against the backdrop of some of the most startling natural scenery on the planet.

Two million spectators

Never fear, the 2011 event wasn’t a once-only event, as it ran again in 2012 and 2013 - last year welcoming 51 vehicles, along with 186 Chinese and foreign participants from 22 different countries. Even more remarkably, the organisers estimate that on its journey from Beijing through Tianjin, Qingdao, Lianyungang, Nanjing and Hangzhou to arrive in Shanghai, the spectacular motorcade was admired by more than 2,000,000 people. Two million!

And… the bit you were waiting for. From 9-21 October 2014, 4C again opens its doors and invites friends from all over the world to enjoy this extraordinary ‘China Festival’. This year, some 80 classic vehicles (eligible years are from 1920 to 1984) will make the journey of a lifetime, through some of China’s most visually arresting scenery. They will once again enjoy the route Beijing – Tianjin – Qingdao –Huai’an – Nanjing – Hangzhou – Shanghai. For those who are lucky enough to take part, it looks set to be the experience of a lifetime. Start clearing your diaries...

The application deadline is 30 June, and you can find out all the details at http://www.classiccarchina.org/4c/.