EXESOR MACHINE

Having just enjoyed a completely splendid day riding the London DGR with some of the finest classic motorcycles from many decades ago, I was reminded what exactly it is about the machines themselves that sets my pulse racing. It’s the engineering. I want to see how my steed is propelled forward, and to what lengths the machinist or designer went to in order to ensure lightness and performance remained of paramount importance. Christian Schwarzenlander of ExesoR Motorcycles shares my enthusiasm, as demonstrated with his previous build we featured, the Café Racer.

Starting out with a bag’o’nails is Christian’s favoured foundation, knowing that he will be remaking virtually everything anyway. The ExesoR Machine was no exception, €200 was exchanged with a mate for a Yamaha SR500 rolling chassis and an engine in a box. 12 months and a dollop of “Dieselpunk” later, here you have the latest creation.

The exquisite hand-formed aluminium bodywork and fuel tank was produced by Omega racing, before being handed over to Bernhard Naumann, AKA  Blechmann, the world renowned and award winning craftsman and bike builder, for modification. Christian machined the fuel filler cap. Whilst at it, Blechmann made a seat unit, again from aluminium which Christian had upholstered in aged cow hide.

The SR500 frame has had the unnecessary fixings and tabs removed, and the subframe shortened; with LED indicators grafted into the frame rail ends. Machined from billet aluminium side panels cover a small portion of the rear triangle and avoids that gaping look. Porsche Seal Grey coats the frame and extended swingarm. The battery, relays and unsightly wiring are hidden from view under the seat. Only when wiring is of aesthetic interest should it remain on show. Case in point is the naked ignition coil with its custom made copper windings laid bare.

The wiring loom is all new and custom made, retaining just the basics and disposing of unwanted heft and complication. As is the norm now, low-load LEDs light the way ahead and warn those behind. The speedo is by Daytona, mounted in custom bracketry, with turned brass warning lights, again with tiny LEDs inset. The clipons are by Fehling with in-house CNC machined brake fluid reservoir cap and aluminium grips, finished in brown leather.

The engine was 90% complete when Christian got his hands on it, so a complete overhaul seemed the right thing to do. Whilst the head was off, speed holes were machined into the cooling fins. Nothing says vintage racer quite like speed holes. Velocity stacks feed air in and stainless steel drag pipes by Two Hands Motorcycles blurt it back out.

Forks feature upgraded Wirth springs and the stanchions have been shortened 50mm, further speed holes attached to the legs add to the top speed potential. At the rear bespoke Hagon shocks with reduced travel were fitted, to compensate for the longer swingarm.

Christian must have stocked up on cutting tips and worked his lathe hard as there are custom brass fastenings from nose to tail. Rearsets are a bit of a pain to manufacture, especially when companies like LSL produce such fine components; so a pair of these were fitted.

About the only thing standard on this bike are the wheels, painted in antique copper. Avon tyres maintain a period look and avoid any visual clashes with the rest of the bike.

David Matl managed to commandeer a steam train museum for the shoot, nice touch. See more of David’s work on his Facebook page.

Christian is hunting now for another budget donor on which a new project will be based, to see his previous work and to keep on eye on the next build head to his website.

via The Bike Shed

1952 B.S.A. A10 Golden Flash

Story by Greg Williams; Photos by Amee Reehal

 Resurrecting Rust

It’s easy to see where some motorcycles get their name.

Take, for instance, the B.S.A. A10 Golden Flash. Introduced late in 1949 as a 1950 model, B.S.A.’s Golden Flash was the first 650cc parallel twin in the company’s range. And, it was finished in a sandy beige – almost gold – colour. This was at a time when most other British motorcycles came in dour black on black.

The A10 was a logical progression from the B.S.A. A7, a post-war 500cc parallel twin motorcycle that was designed by Val Page and Herbert Perkins. Launched in 1946, the A7 was by all accounts a solid and staid mount, but was saddled with lacklustre performance.

When news broke in 1949 that B.S.A.’s competition, Triumph, was developing a 650cc twin the Birmingham Small Arms company had to respond. B.S.A. designer Bert Hopwood was given the task. He engineered the 646cc A10 powerplant with overhead valves and single camshaft – this placed behind the cylinders. The A10 had to be ready in a few short months, and to shave development time the 35 horsepower 646cc engine simply bolted straight into the A7 chassis. The frame, fork and wheels of the 500cc machine were more than strong enough to handle the extra power output of the new and larger 650cc engine.

By 1950 both the A7 and A10 featured plunger rear suspension. Prior to plunger suspension, the B.S.A.’s had a rigid rear frame. Simply stated, plunger suspension sees the axle of the rear wheel mounted between an upper and lower spring in a pair of towers either side of the rear frame, thus effecting a form of suspension. However, plunger-style rear suspension did not last long. In 1954 a more modern full swingarm setup with dual shocks was introduced to both the A7 and A10 range. The A10 carried on with the Golden Flash, and other variants such as the Super Flash, until 1963.

When it comes to finding and restoring a motorcycle there are easy ways and hard ways. The easy way is to restore a complete machine. The harder way is to take on a basket case project, one where the previous owner has dismantled the bike. And one of the hardest ways is to pick up bits and pieces, eventually building a complete motorcycle from parts.

And that’s how in 2003 B.S.A. fan Grant Sauerberg of Calgary acquired this project. He rescued a derelict and slowly rusting B.S.A. A7 chassis – exactly the same as an A10 frame — from under the back porch of a house. Lacking an axle the front wheel was loosely held in the forks with an oversized Philips screwdriver shaft. In the garage of the same house were several pieces of A7 and A10 motorcycles, but the only semi-complete engine was a 1952 model year 650cc A10 powerplant. Included in the package was one brand new B.S.A. Golden Flash gas tank that had never seen the light of day and a new old stock dual saddle.

While those brand new pieces made the package rather attractive, Sauerberg still had his work cut out for him. Several key parts were missing including the correct front fender, oil tank, headlight and instruments, controls, chainguard and air box. The engine was minus the cylinder head, carburetor, clutch and primary covers.

But for Sauerberg, it is the hunt for elusive and critical components that he enjoys. “I’d rather build a bike up from parts than do a complete motorcycle – there’s a lot more pride when you’re all done. I enjoy starting with the worst, and making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear; I do like the serious challenge.”

With his B.S.A. project home in his garage Sauerberg got to work stripping the sub-assemblies down and taking stock of the parts he did have. A list of missing pieces was drawn up, and Sauerberg contacted many of the British parts suppliers in Canada, including British Cycle Supply, Motoparts, Moto Montreal and Walridge. He found some used parts such as the correct front fender locally, and a fellow B.S.A. enthusiast in Crowsnest Pass supplied the correct headlight, engine pushrods and springs for the rear plungers. What he could not find, he made, and that included the air filter/battery box.

What was left of the engine came apart, and the cases were cleaned up with soda blasting – a less aggressive form of grit than glass or sand. The engine was rebuilt with all new bearings, and the crank was turned and fitted with undersized shells. The cylinders were bored and new pistons and rings fitted, and the head – which he located at a Red Deer swap meet – was treated to new guides and valves. Ignition is by Lucas K2F magneto, and he took what he had on hand apart and installed new bearings and spark shields. When he was done, the mag threw a good, strong spark.

“I wasn’t building a race engine, but I wanted a good, sound motor,” Sauerberg says of the rebuild. The gearbox was opened up, but was found to be in decent nick, so was not completely disassembled.

Sauerberg ordered new rims and spokes for the wheels. The rim centres were painted gold to match the colour of the bike, and the hubs cleaned, painted, and fitted with new bearings. He laced and trued up the wheels, and had the rims hand striped in red paint to separate the gold centre from the chrome rim. As luck would have it, Sauerberg had a complete set of front forks that he had rebuilt for another project, but he had gone in a different direction with that particular B.S.A. So, the hydraulic forks were surplus to requirements, and they were put into service in the Golden Flash.

The frame required little attention save for some work to the springs in the rear plungers. Paint was computer matched to the colour of the new old stock gas tank, and Sauerberg painted most of the machine himself. He did, however, have the front and rear fenders and the toolbox professionally sprayed. Assembly of the B.S.A. was smooth and straightforward, and the project was topped off with a brand new AMAL pre-Monobloc carburetor. According to Sauerberg, this instrument was the single most expensive component he bought for the motorcycle.

“This was a very lovely bike to work on,” Sauerberg says of the Golden Flash. “It didn’t seem to fight me as much as other projects I’ve done.” And, hot or cold, the B.S.A. is a one-kick starter. When he had only 35 miles on the clock Sauerberg took the machine on a 450 mile Geezers on Wheezers tour in northern Alberta. Nothing broke, and the machine required very little fettling. Now, the B.S.A. has logged some 2,200 essentially trouble-free miles.

 via http://www.tractionlife.com/

Distinguished Gentleman's Ride London

A video by Dominic Hinde, shot at The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride, London.

Feel free to leave feedback and share this video around Facebook etc.

Distinguished Gentleman's Ride London from Dominic Hinde on Vimeo.

See my photographs from the DGR here : behance.net/gallery/20131709/Distinguished-Gentlemans-Ride-London

See more of my work at : dominichinde.com

Get in touch : domh@sky.com

All footage © Dominic Hinde

carbus

WRC, France : Au zénith de la saison / the season’s zenith?

Le Zénith de Strasbourg accueille une nouvelle fois le Rallye de France-Alsace qui pourrait être le zénith de la saison mondiale avec le couronnement des champions du monde des Rallyes Pilotes et Copilotes 2014.

Si Sébastien Ogier et Julien Ingrassia repartent de Strasbourg dimanche après-midi avec 56 points d’avance sur Jari-Matti Latvala et Miikka Anttila, ils seront assurés des titres mondiaux 2014. Sébastien Ogier rejoindrait ainsi les doubles champions du monde Walter Rohrl, Miki Biasion, Carlos Sainz et Marcus Grönholm au palmarès du WRC.

Même si la météo s’annonce plutôt clémente ce week-end en Alsace, le parcours ne manque pas de difficultés. Ce matin, quand nous avons reconnu les ES de la 2^e étape, les sous-bois étaient encore bien humides, notamment dans la descente rapide deSoultzeren-Le Grand Hohnack (ES9/12). Renouvelé à près de 50% par rapport à 2013, le parcours offre un profil varié avec des portions larges et techniques (ES1/4), d’autres très étroites en forêts (ES10/13).

Enfin d’après-midi, les équipages en avaient terminé avec les recos et vaquaient à leurs occupations en attendant les différents points-presse prévus ce soir au parc d’assistance. Après l’intermède australien, les teams ont retrouvé leurs structures géantes (Volkswagen, Ford, Hyundai, Citroën) dressées dans les allées principales du parc. VW a récupéré le motor-home Red Bull.

Les médias sont tout d’abord attendus chez M-Sport pour un « happy half hour » à partir de 18h00 en présence de Mikko Hirvonen, Elfyn Evans et Robert Kubica. L’équipe de Malcolm Wilson a récemment obtenu plusieurs succès internationaux (Blancpain Series, RedBull Global Rallycross avec Ken Block, ou encore le titre national norvégien en rallye avec Tore Larsen).

Puis ils se rendront juste derrière, chez Hyundai Motorsport, à 18h30, où l’équipe a prévu de fêter l’anniversaire de Marc Marti (copilote de Dani Sordo), 48 ans aujourd’hui, qui célèbre aussi son 150^e rallye WRC. On causera sans doute des deux derniers rallyes gagnés par Thierry Neuville, le Rallye Deutschland et l’East Belgian Rally.

Pour info, ce Rallye de France-Alsace est aussi le 100^e rallye WRC de Martin Prokop (Ford/Michelin) et le 50^e d’Andreas Mikkelsen (VW/Michelin).

Enfin, tout ce petit monde se retrouvera chez Citroën Racing vers 19h00, pour le traditionnel cocktail de la marque pré-Rallye de France. On se souvient que l’an passé, c’était un peu la bousculade avec le dernier rallye WRC de Sébastien Loeb. Un an déjà…

Once again, the Rallye de France-Alsace has taken up residence in and around Strasbourg’s Zénith entertainment complex. The event could also prove to be the season’s zenith for Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia if they manage to wrap up the 2014 Drivers’ and Co-drivers’ crowns on Sunday.

To make sure of these two titles, all (!) Ogier and Ingrassia have to do is complete their home WRC round with a lead of at least 56 points over Jari-Matti Latvala and Miikka Anttila. Should they succeed, the Frenchman will join Walter Röhrl, Miki Biasion, Carlos Sainz and Marcus Grönholm as a two-time world champion.

The weather is expected to stay mild this week in Alsace, but the stages promise to be as challenging as ever. This morning, we did a recce of Saturday’s tests and there are still damp portions underneath the tree cover, especially down the fast downhill portion of ‘Soultzeren-Le Grand Hohnack’ (SS9/12). The route is 50 percent different to 2013 and features an interesting variety of profiles, ranging from the wide, technical sections of SS1/4 to much narrower forest roads (SS10/13).

The crews finished their own recce this afternoon (Wednesday) ahead of a busy schedule of press and PR events in the service park this evening.

After working out of temporary facilities in Australia, Volkswagen, Ford, Hyundai and Citroën have all recovered their usual giant hospitality units, and VW has brought the Red Bull motorhome.

First on the media diary is Ford’s ‘happy half-hour’ attended by Mikko Hirvonen, Elfyn Evans and Robert Kubica. Malcolm Wilson’s team has recently had several successes in other championships to celebrate, namely the Blancpain Series (GT racing), RedBull Global Rallycross (with Ken Block) and the Norwegian rally title (Tore Larsen).

After that, the ‘motor noters’ will move next door to Hyundai Motorsport to celebrate the 48^thbirthday of Dani Sordo’s co-driver Marc Marti. This is also the Spaniard’s 150^th WRC start. Conversation might also turn to Thierry Neuville’s recent victories on the Rallye Deutschland and East Belgian Rally…

Finally, the same crowd will convene at Citroën Racing for the team’s traditional pre-Rallye de France cocktail. Last year, there was a strong attendance to mark Sébastien Loeb’s final world class appearance, a whole year ago already!

For information the Rallye de France-Alsace is the 100th world class event for Martin Prokop (Ford/Michelin) and the 50th for Andreas Mikkelsen (VW/Michelin).

1925 STANLEY STEAMER

The Stanley Steamer is the colloquial name given to the steam powered automobiles produced by Stanley Motor Carriage Company between 1902 and 1924, the Steamers eventually lost out to gasoline powered cars due to the ease of use afforded by an internal combustion engine with an electric starter motor – but for a while there the steam powered cars were a popular alternative.

The 1925 Stanley Model SV 252A Touring Car shown here is thought to be the last surviving unrestored Stanley Steamer that still runs – an incredible feat of endurance considering its 89 year lifespan. Minor mechanical modifications have been made over the years, but the core structure of the car and its drivetrain remain the same as they were when they left the factory in Watertown, Massachusetts in 1925.

The design of the drivetrain was surpassingly simple and exceedingly safe – in fact no Stanley Steamer has ever suffered a boiler explosion, largely due to the use of safety valves and joints designed to rupture in the event of excessive pressure. In 1906 a car built by Stanley set the world record for the fastest mile ever recorded (at 28.2 seconds) – a record that stood for 5 years before being broken by a gasoline powered rival. Interestingly, the record still stood as the fastest time for a steam powered car until 2009 – 103 years later.

The Model SV 252A Touring Car was powered by a 2-cylinder, 20hp steam engine and rode on 4-wheel semi-elliptical leaf springs, they were fitted with Bosch snubbers on the front axle and 4-wheel Lockheed hydraulic external contracting brakes. Most Steamers used either gasoline or kerosine as a fuel source although there are innumerable stories of owners experimenting with other fuels – like alcohol, ethanol or moonshine.

If you’d like to add a Steamer to your collection you may very well be in luck, the car you see here is due to be auctioned by Bonhams on the 6th of October 2014 at the Simeone Automotive Museum. The estimated hammer price on it is between $70,000 and $90,000 USD – making it a bargain for a car of this rarity.

via SILODROME

The Land of Joy :

The new Ducati Scrambler is here! Discover the Land of Joy!

Ducati Scrambler is here!

The Icon, '62 Yellow

The Icon, Ducati Red

The Classic, Orange Sunshine

The Full Throttle, Deep Black

The Urban Enduro, Wild Green

Suzuki revient en MotoGP™ l’an prochain avec Aleix Espargaró et Maverick Viñales / Suzuki return to MotoGP™ with Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales in 2015

Suzuki Motor Corporation a officiellement annoncé son retour en MotoGP™ pour 2015 avec les pilotes espagnols Aleix Espargaró et Maverick Viñales.

Suzuki a décidé de faire son retour dans le Championnat du Monde MotoGP™ en 2015 avec un nouveau prototype baptisé GSX-RR et un team qui sera dirigé par Davide Brivio et qui aura Aleix Espargaró et Maverick Viñales pour pilotes.

Suzuki fera aussi une apparition lors de la dernière manche de la saison 2014 avec une wildcard pour le Grand Prix Generali de Valence.

Suzuki avait mis fin à son engagement en MotoGP™ en 2012 mais a poursuivi son travail de développement ces trois dernières années afin de préparer son retour.

Le développement de la GSX-RR avait commencé en 2012 avec l’objectif d’atteindre le plus haut niveau de performance en MotoGP mais aussi de développer des technologies transférables à la gamme de modèles de série GSX-R. 

La GSX-RR utilise un moteur de 4 cylindres en ligne dont le développement avait mis la priorité sur le caractère, l’efficacité énergétique et la fiabilité. Le châssis est quant à lui caractérisé par une largeur contenue afin d’optimiser manoeuvrabilité et performances aérodynamiques et a été conçu pour proposer une rigidité et une repartition du poids optimales.

L’objectif était de développer un prototype MotoGP hautement compétitif qui reprenne l’excellente manoeuvrabilité développé au fil des ans sur la GSX-R.

Suzuki Motor Corporation has announced that it will participate in MotoGP™ from 2015, with Aleix Espargaro and Maverick Viñales as their two riders.

With the development of the MotoGP machine and team structure prepared, Suzuki has decided to participate in MotoGP from 2015, and announced its newly-developed MotoGP machine, the GSX-RR, team riders, and team structure.

The team will be led by current test team manager Davide Brivio with Spanish riders Espargaro and Viñales recruited to spearhead Suzuki’s efforts on track.

Also, prior to its participation, Suzuki will make a wildcard appearance at this season’s final race, the Gran Premio Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana.

Suzuki had temporarily suspended its participation in MotoGP from 2012, but has been continuing with the machine development toward its return.

Through MotoGP racing, Suzuki will develop more attractive products by giving technical feedback to the products, as well as improve the brand image.

The development of the GSX-RR was started in 2012 with the aim to achieve high performance in the MotoGP class, as well as to give technology feedback to production models such as the GSX-R range.

It equips a newly developed in-line four-cylinder engine that realizes a strong, flexible engine character, fuel efficiency, and durability at a high level. The frame has a layout that keeps its width slim for both maneuverability and aerodynamic performances, and optimizes body strength and weight balance.

The aim was to develop a highly competitive MotoGP machine that can bring out the straightforward maneuverability developed over the years with the GSX-R.

Dakar 2015 : Honda présente ses pilotes en Espagne

Dans le cadre du Moto GP d’Aragon, Honda HRC a présenté sa nouvelle équipe qui participera au Rallye Dakar 2015 du 4 au 17 janvier.

Joan Barreda, Paulo Goncalves, Helder Rodrigues, Jeremias Israel et Laia Sanz seront les cinq pilotes officiels Honda-Michelin au départ de l’édition 2015 du plus difficile et exigeant Rally-raid du monde, le Dakar.

Afin de préparer ce grand rendez-vous, les pilotes Honda s’aligneront dès le 3 octobre au Rallye OiLibya du Maroc.

Joan Barreda, Paulo Goncalves, champion du monde des Rallyes Raid, et Helder Rodrigues ont déjà participé cette année à plusieurs épreuves du championnat du monde. Paulo Goncalves, actuellement deuxième du classement général, a remporté la première manche de la saison, Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge et visera un second sacre au Maroc. Joan Barreda s’est imposé au Sealine Qatar Rally.

L’objectif du constructeur japonais est de renouer avec la victoire sur le plus prestigieux et intraitable rallye du monde. Le départ de l’édition 2015 sera donné le 4 janvier à Buenos Aires en Argentine pour une arrivée jugée le 17 janvier également dans la capitale argentine après avoir parcouru plus de 9 000 km à travers l’Argentine, la Bolivie et le Chili.

BMW K-Series ‘Bell Kaff’

Written by Ian Lee.

There are few people amongst us who haven’t looked at the European bikes of 60s & 70s and thought: “those guys really knew how to build bikes”. Italian, German or English, the motorcycles of that age have inspired many a modern day builder to create something beautiful. The bike featured here today has been influenced by all three of the above bike building greats, the Beemer created using K-series mechanicals coupled with old school aesthetics. Built by Larry Romestant of Romestant Engineering and Design, we would like to introduce you to the ‘Bell Kaff’.

Starting by stripping back the frame, Larry fitted special bracing in order to accommodate for the fact that the engine and transmission wouldn’t form a stressed part of the frame. The use of a K1200S transmission, the fitment of twin shocks on the swing arm, and the engine being bolted to the frame required the change in frame design. Lateral arms are mounted using spherical rod bearings, in order to strengthen the frame’s backbone. According to the builder: “The Kaff is very stable, and handles well, the chassis is plenty stiff, and produces a very smooth ride.”

Italian inspiration has inspired much of the look of the bike. While the bike was stripped down, the opportunity was taken to paint the frame in Imola Green. This is the same colour used on the 1974 Ducati Supersport, the famous ‘Green Frame’ model. The fuel tank is inspired by the 74 MV Agusta America, albeit with a less square profile. Following the lines of the tank, the 750 SuperSport inspired seat is finished off with an OEM 900SS tail light.

The suspension system in the machine is a work of art. The adjustable preload shock mounts are Velocette, setting the rebound rate of the late 70s BMW swingarm and differential. The rear hub is something you won’t buy off the shelf, it’s a one-off unit turned from solid 7075 billet aluminum. At the front end sits a K75S suspension setup, sporting a Tarozzi period aluminum fork brace.

Though the brakes are both drums in keeping with the period theme, the front Suzuki GT750 4LS assembly is assisted hydraulically, with the a Patent-Pending under-tank brake mech, that converts cable energy to hydraulic and back to cable. The brake lever mechanical effort is greatly reduced, allowing single-finger lever pulls. The brake itself is modified, with competition level linings, increased cooling and beefed up link arm assemblies for reduced flex and significantly better stopping power than what was available back in the day. The bike weighs in at 529lbs dry, nearly 100lbs heavier than the bike the drum was designed for, so the brake is less than ideal, though manageable and is augmented with judicial use of engine braking, which fortunately, is massive. Future builds will sport 250 and 300mm 4LS drums of my own design, as well as Grimeca and Fontana replica 4LS units, and of course single and dual disc brakes as required.

Performance has been upgraded on the build as well, to give the angular powerplant a little more poke. The motor breathes in through K1200 FI throttle bodies, onto oversized intake runners packing 230cc injectors. Fuel management is Bosch 2.2 Motronic controlled and the exhaust system is handmade using Magni styling for inspiration.

To give the bike the look of 70s period styling, both front and rear brakes are drum units. The front end is a Suzuki GT750 four leading shoe setup, assisted through a system which converts cable energy to hydraulic then back to hydraulic, which according to the builder allows for “single-finger lever pulls”. The front brake unit itself has been upgraded using competition grade linings, ‘beefed up’ link arms assemblies, and higher cooling ability.

By raiding the BMW parts bin and putting his own touches on the build, Larry Romestant has produced a mucho modified motorcycle which is a fitting tribute to a golden age of motorcycling. As Larry puts it: “My goal was to build a bike with all the elements without looking cobbled together, rather appearing as a bike that could have been produced by BMW and would have been found on the dealer’s showroom floor, even with the 1200cc Flying Brick motor that would not be available for another decade.” We think he has certainly achieved his goal.

If you want see and hear this beautiful ‘flying brick’ cafe racer in action, hit this link.

[Hat tip to BMW Cafe Racers ]

via PIPEBURN

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