AD HOC #8 XJ650

So once again Ad Hoc have breathed life back into an 80′s Yamaha XJ; they did it to a 750 last time, which featured on these pages back in February, now its little brother has received a good helping of their unique custom style that we love so much.

Now when you look at the Ad Hoc back catalogue; you’ll see a diverse mix from a Honda CB750 to a Ducati Multistrada, we know they can do anything; but yet there is a unique style that tells us they’re an Ad Hoc build; and I’m not just talking about their infamous logo on the tank!

The donor bike like many was in a lousy state when Cristian bought it, she had been laid up for several years getting rusty and dusty in someones shed; Cristian delivered the sorry little 650 to Ad Hoc after being impressed with the 750 build. Due to the amount of time she was left abandoned, she needed more than just a cosmetic uplift; Ad Hoc proceeded not just to get her running, but to fine tune her carbs and fit power filters.

The idea behind the build was to create a long and low bike, this was achieved cutting down both the front and rear suspension to get the stance just right. She wears a 16″ front and 15″ rear wheel and both are dressed with Metzeler Marathon tyres, the cream rims match the tank and stand out beautifully against the bare brushed fork stations, stainless spokes and black rubber.

Up front she wears a bold square head lamp mounted on bespoke brackets, from the cockpit you get a clear and precise view of your travelling pace thanks to the single large speedometer, the rest of the bars have delicate minimal switchgear with internal wiring and leather wrapped grips. The headlamp bracket is painted in the same stone green as the tank offering more seamless flow for the eye.

As you work down the bike you can’t help notice the drop from tank height to the seat, it makes the tank look slightly bulky; but then you need to think that this bike isn’t a show bike… at least not one that’s parked; it has been built to be used, and once the pilot is located they will become a part of the motorcycles lines. The fuel tank is a Sanglas 400-Y and houses the lightweight lithium battery and wiring within a bottom compartment. Flanking the tanks stunning paint scheme are those oversized Ad Hoc logos which have been laser cut from steel.

The seat is masterfully upholstered in nappa leather and the seams have been stitched to replicate that of a classic Bultaco. The pillion strap has eyelets allowing the riders key chain to tether to the bike from its relocated ignition.

Wrapped headers and a straight through exhaust system ensure she’ll be heard ahead of being seen… photographing, gawping and daydreaming will then follow for the fortunate observers. The stumpy mudguards give a practical usability without restricting the aesthetic beauty and other details like the gas cap, bates style tail light and brushed metal work just compliment the rest of the build really well.

As I said… Ad Hoc really have done it again; they never disappoint and when a new build hits our inbox we’re always impressed. Thanks for sharing David, she is sure to inspire many just as your past builds have.

If you want to see more from Ad Hoc, you can check out their website and of course, their very own page in the Shed.

via The Bike Shed

Caiman Urban n Dirt- RWU’s first sponsor

After being dormant for three months, we are happy to be back with our regular weekly articles about our South African flavoured custom motorcycle creations. Our blog’s resurgence is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Caiman Urban n Dirt. Their assistance also means more frequent CROSA and Retro Write Up events. They kindly sponsored the R1500 Old Skool Trading voucher as a prize for last week’s CROSA event. Welcome aboard  Caiman and thank you for tying your passion in with our passion.

Caiman Urban n Dirt is possibly a new name to many ears, as they are a relative newcomer to the custom motorcycle scene. A Caiman is a South American cousin of the alligator and crocodile. This rugged name gives a fair indication of the type of motorcycle customs we can expect to see emerge from their extensive Randburg workshop facilities. Their urban products are rugged on/offroad motorcycle based urban assault motorcycles as well as a range of café racers. Owner, Walter Stander is very clear in his vision that their café racers will be fast ones that you can race! He believes that if it looks fast it should be able to perform too. Their builds involve a complete mechanical overhaul and attention to suspension and handling aspects. Caiman has a growing stock of donor motorcycles which is already in excess of forty motorcycles. The intention is to do a production run of particular custom models, such as the Honda CB750, of which several specimens are currently on their benches. This would give them brand identity similar to Deus Ex Machina.

When it comes to the dirt, Caiman Urban n Dirt focus on servicing, repairing and race preparing modern offroad motorcycles. They also have the passion and expertise to work on BMWs, especially the GS series. Recently they commissioned renowned BMW Motorad designer Sylvain Berneron, also known as Holographic Hammer, to develop drawings for their GS based custom to be known as the Urban Pony. We are really looking forward to seeing the first Pony on our roads.

We will obviously keep you updated as the Caiman Urban n Dirt custom motorcycles are produced. They are based at 106 Oxford Street Randburg and can be reached on 073 683 1234. If you are itching for a custom motorcycle but working with your hands is limited to scratching the itch, give them a shout.Tell them we sent you.

via http://www.retrowriteup.com

Jaguar XE

Jaguar begins global launch of its XE mid-sized saloon by unveiling the Word Cloud aluminium sculpture

When it comes to teasing an upcoming model, manufacturers across the globe have pretty much nailed the details (figuratively, of course). Images of the respective newboy usually include either a shadowy silhouette or an über close-up shot of a headlight, front splitter and/or emblem. For the teaser video, take the above and add the latest track from Hans Zimmer’s discography and a dash of dry ice.

For the new XE though – Jaguar’s answer to the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4 – the boys and girls in Coventry have taken a different approach, courtesy of the new Word Cloud sculpture that made its debut this weekend in the London Design Museum’s ‘Tank’.

In a nod to its new architecture (demonstrated to such eye-opening fashion by the C-X17 SUV), the sculpture is fashioned completely from aluminium. Take a closer look though and you’ll notice that the word cloud is made up of 95 words using seven languages, including French, German, Spanish, Italian, English, Russian and Mandarin. Bonus points if you can word jumble them all.

No doubt a full list of these words and their respective meanings will be unveiled alongside the new XE on September 8 in London.

Source – Jaguar MENA

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