Video: the race of Rally Sweden

Yamaha AREAGE #3

A flat line from front to back, a cradle frame and an air cooled engine – the essential ingredients for a cafe racer. But no supposed recipe book was going to stop Roy Holtman from Apeldoorn in The Netherlands from building the bike he wanted to build, and he is none too fussed what moniker you may choose to attach to it either, for him the title #3 will do – AREAGE #3.

AREAGE is not a poor anagram of garage but the initials of Roy’s name as pronounced in his native tongue, R – H. Day to day Roy can be found working in a music venue for a steady enough salary, but if at times it doesn’t quite cover his material desires, it matters little to him. Inspired by his father’s pragmatism and practical skills RH has always been in the habit of making for himself what he could not afford, from toys to skateboards and eventually motorcycles.

Now he builds bikes out of passion and the desire to resurrect machines that nobody else cares about. This machine started out as a 93′ Yamaha YZF 750.
“It was a bike that I had standing around under a big pile of dust. Bought as a donor bike years ago, but back then it was only used for fairing parts.”

“I’m more into the older bikes, from the 70’s and 80’s. I had some parts lying around the workshop and after dry fitting a caferacer seat the concept was born! I just loved how the seat worked with the frame, gastank and rear wheel setup. It just went from there.”

After that dry fit up tinkering began in earnest, the seat needed to be widened and the subframe shaved to make it fit. Roy didn’t want to change too much about the wheel base and chassis as he enjoyed riding the YZF as the factory intended, he did contemplate stretching the rear swingarm for aesthetic reasons but eventually opted against it for dynamic ones.

Roy finished up the build with parts he and friends had lying around in their respective dens, not knowing or caring from what machine each piece originally came, just as long as it looked right. The front fender for example is honed from a scrappy piece from an aluminium off-road guard, the mounts are modified bicycle parts. Roy encouraged mates to hang out in his garage throughout the process, sharing ideas, drinking and working on their own bikes as he worked on his.

Black on black was always the scheme of choice, the chestnut brown seat is matched with the grips and fork coating for a cohesive design. The tinted headlight tips it’s head to the more vintage machines that part served as inspiration for the build.

“I’m happy how it turned out! Still get a smile on my face as I walk into the workshop and see her standing there. No customer yet, but the bike is up for sale…”

Roy is rightly pleased with his efforts and is now turning his attentions to a Suzuki Dr500 tracker which he intends to build up with the same lack of regard for perceived conventions. Good luck to you sir.

via the bike shed

INGLORIOUS MC THE CALI

As someone once said, nostalgia ain’t what it used to be. Sometimes those rose tinted spectacles can play tricks on us, deleting the bad, embellishing the good, even transposing events or people that weren’t actually there. But right time, right place is a phrase that can confidently be applied to an era so indelibly inked into our grey matter, do we even question its accuracy any more? An inspirational era, providing an unmistakable aesthetic and dreams of a lifestyle that seems impossible to many of us.

The Californian Hot-Rod scene of the 50’s, its influence so far-reaching nowadays that new generations may not be aware of the origins but know that it just looks right. Who even cares that some considered Hot-Rod a derogatory term back in the day anyway…?

But this isn’t California, this is Essex in the UK. So while the orange-skinned people with blinding white smiles may momentarily fool you, it’s fair to say that’s where the similarities end. But for Sam Evans of Inglorious Motorcycles, the influential Cali-culture spurred him on to capture a little of that sun-kissed scenery into his CB400 build.

“This was the first bike that I built after starting Inglorious motorcycles in the early part of 2014. I first got into bikes and bike building like many others probably, after seeing the Californian based builder Kott motorcycles video on Vimeo: Cafe Cowboy“

Working at a vintage race and rally car garage, Sam was kept busy enviably building and restoring mid-80’s turbo era F1 and Group B rally cars. But near the start of 2013 the company no longer needed his help and, left jobless for some months, change was needed. It was his Dad who asked the pertinent question, “What do you really want to do in life?”.

To which the answer came easily: “Build custom motorcycles”

Not having a whole lot of experience with bikes at the time, Sam knuckled down and spent 7 months at a local custom motorcycle shop, learning a lot about fabrication and frame building. With confidence and knowledge swelling, it was time to go it alone.

We’ve actually featured Inglorious Motorcycles second build back in August of last year, a peppy little Gn250 Scrambler. But going back to where it all began, an Ebay sourced 1978 CB400 is the base upon which “The Cali” was built. Found literally just down the road from Sam’s house, the signs were good. Owned by an old guy who had fell out of love after it had developed an electrical fault, there was just enough wrong to get it for the right price.

However, once home and disrobed of all the retro plastic, Sam found that typically ugly period Honda frame. A plan was needed and despite not knowing quite what he had got himself into, he knew it had to stand out from the other cafe racers around.

With that Hot-Rod aesthetic at the forefront of his mind the plan was to make the CB look like it had been pulled out of a barn in California and dusted down. Keeping the main subframe structure, the extraneous rear spars were chopped and looped, over which Sam fabricated a sleek cowling.  A barely-there LED brake/tail light was notched into this, a million miles from the original chrome and plastic affair.

The front forks were lowered 3 inches, giving a far more aggressive stance to the bike and combined with a set of divisive Firestone Champion Deluxe rubber, the squat, over-tyred looks trade off the Hot-Rod inspiration well. So while Mr Marquez may want to tweak the geometry and tyres for a hot lap of Mugello, it’ll be just fine and dandy for a blat up the Pacific Coast Highway.

A set of fabricated clip-ons are finished with some perforated leather grips, matching that deep, fluted seat. The seat base itself was made with enough room underneath for all the electrics, while an aluminium aviation style box carries the battery in style.

Having replaced the standard tank with a wider version from a CB750 the paint work would have plenty of space to play. It was taken care of by Greg at Black Shuck Kustom. After meeting at a local bike meet and seeing Greg’s work, Sam knew he was the guy for the job, and it sure stands up to inspection.

Having explained the look and feel behind the bike, they decided to go with an old Volkswagen Dove Blue, commonly found on a California camper of old. Greg then sanded and air brushed the faux patina onto the tank, hand painting the Inglorious logo on top and finishing the job with a satin clear coat.

With the holy trinity of paint, polish and powder applied, the bike was once again assembled, bu this time with numerous leather and brass details throughout. The willing 395cc twin retained the original carbs, so to deal with the dreaded running problem that plagues airbox removal, Sam fashioned up some custom length velocity stacks. 2 inch stainless mid pipes with a small baffle in the end, provide the two-pot soundtrack.

Finished with titanium laced heat wrap, there is still something undeniably period about the Firestone/heat wrap combination. Add in the patination and the bike could very well have been whipped out from under a dust sheet in some long forgotten barn.

Without even a test ride it was time for its maiden voyage to TheBikeShed 3 event at Tobacco Dock; and she didn’t miss a beat. Happily, ‘The Cali’ found its soul-mate and now resides with a new owner, but fire a mail over to Sam at info@ingloriousmotorcycles.com if you’re interested in a commission or visit the splendiferous IMC website.

Of course up to date progress on the latest projects can be found on IMC Facebook and @ingloriousmotorcycles Instagram accounts.

via TheBike Shed

WRC, Suède : Seconde victoire d’Ogier en Suède / Ogier claims second Swedish victory

Sébastien Ogier (VW/Michelin) a remporté sa deuxième victoire au Rallye de Suède à l’issue d’une dernière spéciale mémorable au départ de laquelle trois pilotes se tenaient en moins de cinq secondes. Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) et Andreas Mikkelsen (VW) complètent le podium.

La bataille finale a donc commencé à 12h35, quand la Hyundai i20 WRC de Thierry Neuville s’est élancée dans la Power Stage (15,87 km). Le Belge était alors 3^e à 4s6 du leader, Andreas Mikkelsen, et à 1s6 de Sébastien Ogier. Quelques minutes plus tôt, au parc d’assistance, ces trois-là affichaient une confiance en eux totale…

A l’arrivée de Varmullsasen, l’ambiance était incroyable. Des milliers de fans s’étaient réunis le long des pistes de ski d’Hagfors et devant les écrans géants pour voir les WRC dévaler la pente dans les derniers mètres de course.

Thierry Neuville a coupé la ligne en 8min10s4, effaçant Mads Ostberg de la première place provisoire. « J’ai fait mon maximum, tout s’est bien passé, je ne pouvais pas faire mieux », a déclaré le Belge.

Pendant ce temps, Sébastien Ogier et Andreas Mikkelsen étaient ex-aequo au premier split. Sébastien Ogier en a terminé en 8min05s6, visiblement exténué. Le Français avait tout donné. Il était en train d’ôter son casque quand, sur les écrans géants, nous avons vu les spectateurs pousser la Polo R WRC d’Andreas Mikkelsen partie en tête-à-queue !

« Cette victoire me fait penser à celle du Rallye de Jordanie en 2011, il fallait absolument tout donner dans la dernière ES pour espérer s’imposer », commentait Seb Ogier. « On a touché ce mur de neige, et voilà. On a essayé », a lâché, très déçu, Andreas Mikkelsen, finalement 3^e de ce rallye derrière Ogier et Neuville.

Le top-5 est complété par l’Estonien Ott Tanak (Ford) et le Néo-Zélandais Hayden Paddon (Hyundai), alors que le Gallois Elfyn Evans (6^e, Ford) est sorti vainqueur du duel britannique avec Meeke (7^e, Citroën) après une petite erreur de ce dernier dans la dernière spéciale.

Martin Prokop (8^e, Ford), Yurii Protsavov (9^e, Ford) et Mads Ostberg (10^e, Citroën) complètent le top-10 d’un rallye passionnante qui a vu quatre leaders différents se relayer en tête et pilotes différents remporter au moins une spéciale. Yurii Protasov et Pontus Tidemand ont d’ailleurs gagné chacun leur première spéciale en WRC.

En WRC-2, le Finlandais Jari Ketomaa (Ford Fiesta R5) s’est imposé devant Eyvin Brynildsen (+32s6) et Valeriy Gorban (Mini).

Sébastien Ogier (VW/Michelin) clinched his second Rally Sweden win on the 2015 event’s exciting last stage today. The Frenchman was joined on the podium in Karlstad by Thierry Neuville (Hyundai) and Andreas Mikkelsen (VW).

With Mikkelsen, Ogier and Neuville covered by less than five seconds ahead of Rally Sweden’s Power Stage (15.87km), the decisive battle began at 12:35 when the Belgian’s Hyundai i20 WRC started the final test. At that moment, he was third, 4.6s behind Mikkelsen and 1.6s off Ogier. At the preceding Regroup, all three had done their best to come across completely confident in their chances

At the end of the test, the atmosphere was incredible, with thousands of spectators lining the Hagfors ski centre’s downhill course to watch the WRC stars wrap up the event.

Neuville’s time of 8m10.4s relegated Mads Ostberg (Citroën) from the top of the stage classification: “I did my very best. Everything went well. I couldn’t have done better,” reported the Belgian driver.

Meanwhile, Ogier and Mikkelsen were exactly level at the first split and Ogier eventually recorded a time of 8m5.6, visibly drained. He, too, had given it everything he had and was in the process of removing his helmet when we saw images on the giant screen of spectators pushing Mikkelsen’s Polo R WRC free of snow after a spin!

“This victory reminds me of Jordan in 2011 when I had to go as fast as possible on the final stage if I wanted to have a chance of winning,” recalled the world champion.

“We hit a snow wall… At least we tried,” lamented the understandably disappointed Norwegian who finally came third behind Ogier and Neuville.

The top five was rounded off by Estonian Ott Tanak (Ford) and New Zealander Hayden Paddon (Hyundai), while Welshman Elfyn Evans (6^th, Ford) won his all-British duel with Northern Irishman Kris Meeke (7^th, Citroën) after the latter made a small error on the Power Stage.

Martin Prokop (8^th, Ford), Yurii Protasov (9^th, Ford) and Mads Ostberg (10^th, Citroën) were the week’s other top 10 finishers after a thrilling event that saw four different drivers take the lead at some time.

Protasov and WRC2 competitor Pontus Tidemand (Ford) harvested the first WRC stage victories of their careers.

In WRC2, Finland’s Jari Ketomaa (Ford Fiesta R5) took a dominant win ahead of Eyvin Brynildsen (Ford, +32.6s) and Valeriy Gorban (Mini).