THE WALKING DEAD: THE DARYL DIXON MOTORCYCLE

EXCLUSIVE If you have a television in your house, you probably know AMC’s The Walking Dead. If you’re blessed with a strong constitution, you may even be watching it.

It’s a post-apocalyptic drama series that scores millions of viewers for every episode. And unlike most shows of that ilk, it’s a huge hit with critics too.

The series returned for the second half of its fifth season in February, and with it comes a new addition to the cast: a motorcycle ridden by the character of Daryl Dixon, played by actor Norman Reedus.

If you see elements of the Classified Moto style in this Honda Nighthawk, you’re right. Reedus already has a Classified bike in his garage, and when the producers of The Walking Dead needed a motorcycle, he knew just the man to speak to …

“Norman’s the best,” says Ryland. “Very enthusiastic, straightforward and down to earth—despite millions of fans watching his every move. During one of our conversations, he said he had something in the works that was going to blow my mind. A week later, he introduced me to Scott M. Gimple.”

Gimple is the ‘showrunner’ and an executive producer and writer for The Walking Dead. And he got the show on the road real fast. “Scott liked the Classified Moto style, and wanted us to build a version of what we already do. We didn’t have to get outside our comfort zone—and given the time constraints, that was a good thing.”

“I felt like I was back to my old advertising days when the project got rolling,” says Ryland. “I made some pretty detailed boards to help Scott choose the direction. We had to quickly settle on the platform, the ergonomics and the major design elements.”

To complicate matters, Ryland had to design the bike and then build two identical replicas. He settled on a 1990s CB750 Nighthawk as the platform: “We’ve worked with the Nighthawk a lot lately, and know it really well.”

The most difficult part of the project, however, was not the mechanical side: it was the aging and ‘distressing’ of the bikes. “You might think, ‘Rusty tanks and fenders? Ratty paint? No problem.’ But replicating those irregularities is really hard.”

The motors look like they were cobbled together from several sources—thanks to a paint job by Ryland’s wife Betsy. “She made the engines identical down to the last scratch and smudge, applying layers of different paint colors and then sanding and stripping away those layers.” The effect is subtle and realistic, mimicking wear and tear over many years.

Meanwhile, Ryland was in charge of oxidation and dents. “We didn’t have time to let the parts rust naturally, and even if we did, it’d be impossible to make them look identical. So I made a rust concoction using steel wool, vinegar, peroxide and rust powder.”

Ryland would dab on the rust mixture, drying it with a heat gun between layers. When both sets of parts looked the same, he had them coated in a clear satin powder…after beating the hell out of them with various blunt objects.

Ryland’s chief mechanic Danik handled most of the fabrication—and the electrical and mechanical work, too. There’s even a false kickstarter that moves like a real one, but doesn’t actually start the bike.

Motor builder Jim Carrol did his part in a fraction of the time he usually gets. David Zemla at Progressive Suspension pulled strings to deliver 970-series piggyback shocks at next to no notice, so they could be scuffed up and aged. Dime City Cycles turned on the taps too, delivering a multitude of other small parts faster than a zombie on speed.

Roy Baird upholstered the seats, and then designed a bag that rides under the subframe. “He took a poster board mockup I made and translated it into a fully functional, durable waxed canvas bag. It fits the look of the bike perfectly, and fills some of the empty space under the seat.”

“We got to work a lot with Tom Luse (executive producer) and John Sanders (prop master). It’s cool because we see their names every week in the opening credits—and they really know their stuff.

“Tom kept things moving without any drama—a huge asset on a project like this. John is in charge of every weapon, vehicle, trinket, wine glass or backpack that appears in the show. So he’s a wealth of information about how the props will be used, and what kind of abuse they’ll take.”

Because this is Daryl Dixon’s motorcycle, it needed a crossbow mount. And that’s what the rack above the rear fender is for. It had to look good with or without the crossbow in place, and not interfere with a passenger—potentially one wearing a backpack.

The four padded posts fit into the hollows of the crossbow stock, so Daryl can slam the bow into place and take off in a hurry. It’s a pretty cool setup.

“We’ve done some really out-of-the-ordinary things as Classified Moto, but this project takes the cake,” says Ryland.

“We always love to work with people who appreciate what we bring to the table; getting to do this for one of the most popular shows on TV is really over the top.”

Classified Moto website | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Adam Ewing

DARYL DIXON MOTORCYCLE: BUILD SHEET
Donor: 1992 Honda CB750 Nighthawk
Front end: Yamaha YZF-R6
Front wheel: Yamaha YZF-R6
Front brakes: Yamaha YZF-R6
Rear wheel: Stock Nighthawk
Tires: Kenda Big Block
Shocks: Progressive Suspension 970 piggybacks
Tank: XS650 reproduction
Intake: Twin billet aluminum mesh units CNC milled by Seth Ingham
Exhaust: Modified stock with custom baffles
Seat: Leather, custom upholstered by Roy Baird, Richmond, VA
Battery: Shorai Lithium Ion
Chain: DID X-ring
Rack: Custom crossbow mount

via BIKEexif

Are prices for the air-cooled Porsche 911 Turbo finally shooting up?

Anyone buying a classic Porsche 911 Turbo today will need to take a deep breath before signing the cheque – because they’ve suddenly leapt in price, especially the air-cooled models. We asked the experts to explain the Turbo hype...

The new engine strategy at Porsche has helped to identify the naturally aspirated models as an endangered species – and hence suggests their investment potential. But then again, the death of the classic brand-new Carrera might have no effect on the value of the true, collectors’ models. While enthusiasts might be pretty annoyed that every Porsche 911 is likely, soon, to carry the symbol ‘Turbo’, does this account for the rocketing values of air-cooled specimens of this genus? A look at the catalogues for the upcoming auctions at Amelia Island is enough: a rare Porsche 993 Turbo S (pictured), perhaps the only one in Ocean Jade Metallic, is estimated by Gooding & Co. at 325,000 to 400,000 US dollars. At current exchange rates, that’s 300,000 to 370,000 euros! And one of fewer than 1,500 964 Turbos – the yellow car in the picture – is listed in the catalogue at 300,000 to 350,000 US dollars.

The greatest Turbos of all time

We asked the experts why these air-cooled Turbos are suddenly so expensive, with their rapid increase in value often overtaking the earlier Porsche 930. “The 3.3-litre 911 Turbo with four-speed gearbox remained virtually unchanged from 1978 to 1988, so there are a lot on the market – many of which are now showing signs of corrosion. This is an expensive problem!” warns Josh Sadler of Porsche specialist Autofarm, in Oxfordshire. Philip Raby, of Philip Raby Porsche in Chichester, West Sussex, agrees, adding: “The 964 and 993 Turbos were galvanised and so rust is much less of a problem. Also, the 993 Turbo is a much more useable car with its twin turbochargers, reducing the massive lag that the earlier Turbos suffered from – and its four-wheel drive also makes the power more manageable.” Arguably exempt from these criticisms is the “original Turbo” of the Seventies – the 1974-1977 911 3.0 Turbo is valuable because it is the most original, according to Dino Pannhorst of Pannhorst Classics, who reports that the early Turbos now attract strong prices.

But in general terms, what are the most desirable Turbos of all time? For Dino Pannhorst, it’s the rare Porsche 964 Turbo S and 993 Turbo S. Josh Sadler, however, would prefer a well-ripened 1975 Turbo 3.0. “It was seriously state-of-the-art when it appeared,” he says. Meanwhile Philip Raby stresses that a 911 Turbo was the real poster car among 911s. “That’s also what makes the Turbo – aside from the performance – more desirable for many buyers,” says Raby. 

The next generation

Porsche sold far greater quantities of modern Turbos with water cooling and many collectors currently wonder when and if it will pay to invest in one of the modern generations. Yes, it’s worth it, our respondents agree… but don’t expect major price jumps, at least not for the 997 Turbo. Right now, Raby sees the potential of the 996 Turbo: “People have woken up and realised that the 996 Turbo – at current prices – is a great car. Good, well-maintained examples already generate decent prices because they are becoming increasingly rare.” Dino Pannhorst sees particular potential in the factory-uprated models. Meanwhile, on the question of whether the future of Porsche has an impact on the market for younger generations of the Turbo, Pannhorst responds: “I think the clientele for the original Porsche concept will continue to grow. Many of my customers no longer identify with a modern Porsche.”

Classic Porsche price jump

Since 2014, there has been a positive trend in the market for high-priced collector Porsches worth more than 100,000 euros, according to the analysts of Historic Automobile Group International, also known as HAGI. In 2014, Porsche showed the strongest performance at 32 per cent, with Ferrari at 18 per cent. In 2013, it was a different story: classic Ferraris reached 62 per cent, with the corresponding Porsches off the pace in relative terms, at 24 per cent. As the 2014 figures show, the lower price levels then reached by Porsches is now seen as an advantage. Porsche’s Turbo models benefit from this trend, with HAGI’s price analysis showing that in the last two years, 964 and 993 Turbos have witnessed a real leap in prices. However, it’s well worth remembering that these cars offer not only investment potential, but also a thrilling, involving drive – and it’s for this reason thet they are in such high demand today.

Photos: RM Sotheby's, Bonhams, Gooding & Co.

Porsche 911 Turbos of all model years can be found in the Classic Driver Market.

1982 HONDA CB750K DO THE TON CAFE RACER PROJECT

by Imam Sadikin

Article by: Ezio Covelli – Magnum Opus Custombikes

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Magnum Opus it’s latin for Greatest work, Achievement. Which is what I strive for with each bike I build, my creative process has many influences. I’m italian, born and raised, I lived there for the first 28 years of my life. In Italy the art of restoring is a very common practice.

Your first car or bike could be something that sat in your grandfathers garage for 30 years, and when it was passed down to you, you’d have in your hands a blank blueprint to work with. Italians are keepers of fine things, and we’re proud of the history that comes with our automobiles and motorcycles.

This is definitely where my love for vintage bikes comes from. I moved to NYC in 2010, and became inspired in a different way. Its all about getting around in the city and having a motorcycle in a metropolitan area, it’s not only an escape from the grid lock, but it’s also a huge time saver.

I developed more of a passion for sports bikes and a love for speed. the urban influence of Manhattan and my love of vintage bikes play a huge role in how i design my bikes today. I get my inspiration from everything I see around me and of course on the internet, I love motorcycles and I like to put together ideas and solutions. I see from other builders into my own vision for that bike in particular.

Who else worked with me? I work with a team of professional welders, painters. But it’s only me in the workshop. Where did it come from? Interesting find, or customer bike? This particular bike didn’t look very good when i picked it up.

What was your vision or plan when building this bike? Whenever I go pick up a motorcycle, I literally look at thousands of images a week and i’m constantly studying, drawing and saving images on my laptop for future inspirations for seats, headlight, paint scheme ect. The bike needs to sit in my workshop for 1 or 2 nights. Then something happen, I get inspired. The main inspiration came from Macco Motors, “Spitfire ’09“. So, I start stripping it down to the bone. Next day the building process begins.

What did you do to the bike – just the basics. But tell us all the cool stuff, clever ideas or upgrades? When I got it, only 2 cylinders out of 4 were running, the carbs were a total mess, the previous owner tried to do some work on it, but he clearly didn’t have any clue about bikes.

I had to rebuild the subframe and shock mounts from scratch and even the electric part was in terrible conditions. He tried wiring everything with speakers wire and crimp connectors. Forgetting about grounding the bike properly, I was speechless. Needless to say I ditched everything and started over. At the end, the bike was somewhere 50/60 pound lighter than when I picked it up and the motor, more powerful than ever. The results surprised me when I was testing it. It put a smile on my face, I knew then, it was ready!

If you’ve upgraded parts, what make did you choose and where from? The ignition and carburetors parts are one of the things I’m very proud of. I’ve been doing an extensive number of researches and tests to get the bike running like one of the newer 750s, it pulls strong and smoothly throughout the whole rpm range.

It feels like a 1 liter bike, and considering that’s a 30+ years old I think that itself it’s quite an accomplishment. The old airbox has been replaced with POD filters and we installed honda CBR F2 Ignition coils for a better,stronger spark. Starting from the front, the caliper’s been gone through and rebuilt.

Forks tubes have been painted black to match the color scheme of the bike, the old instruments have been replaced with a minimalistic speedometer attached to the upper triple clamp through a custom made bracket. We installed 7/8 inch. black clubman handlebar with Biltwell Cafè Grips and upgraded the old master cylinder with an Hayabusa Master Cylinder and lever. All the wiring has been done the proper way, soldered and insulated with heat shrink tubing.

The ignition switch’s been relocated on the headlight brackets, almost invisible but yet easy to access to. Other characteristic of the bike: Straight pipes with no baffles, Crank case breathers, Coffee bean cafè racer seat, LED tail lights, Blinkers and stop light, installed under the seat cowl Forks Gaiters Adjustable Racing Shocks on the rear Custom steel hoop welded onto the sub-frame and painted black, The last is Custom made steel side covers.

Tell us about the finish, logos, & design? With the design lines I used, the paint job, stickers and numbers I wanted to make clear that this bike wasn’t going to be an hybrid. some sort of bridge between styles. A powerful motor, short tail section, stretched out riding position and essential instruments suggest only two words to me, CAFE’ RACER.

How does the bike ride? The bike feels very strong and stable. it’s very balanced, even at high speed which was one of my concerns when i started building it. At the end of the story! what will you do next? are there new projects? We’re currently working on a Honda CX Bobber which is 90% completed, and we’re a few days away from starting a couple of new projects with a 1975 CB750K and a Yamaha 750 virago.

If you have any questions about this bike. Please contact Ezio Covelli here.

via http://otomotif.org

MOto GP ;Di Meglio : « Nous sommes dans une bonne dynamique »

Le Français était satisfait de son test malgré une dernière journée gâchée par la pluie.

Les tests de pré-saison MotoGP™ 2015 viennent de se terminer ce soir sous la pluie de Losail pour Mike Di Meglio et l’équipe Avintia Racing. 

Le pilote français est globalement satisfait de ce dernier test. Les objectifs qu’il s’était fixés, à savoir progresser au classement et se rapprocher de son coéquipier Héctor Barberá, ont été atteints. Durant ces deux jours, Mike a continué son apprentissage de l’électronique Open ainsi que du comportement de la Ducati GP14. 

Équipé d’un pneu arrière medium, Mike a réalisé son meilleur temps dimanche en 1’56.259 lors de sa dernière sortie en piste.

Prochaine étape pour le pilote Avintia, le Grand Prix du Qatar dans dix jours. D’ici là, Mike continuera d'analyser les points qu’il reste à améliorer pour arriver fin prêt pour l'épreuve d’ouverture de la saison 2015. 

Mike Di Meglio (18e, 98 tours, 1’56.259) :

« Le test a été raccourci en raison de la pluie aujourd’hui. J’aurais souhaité faire encore mieux, mais j’ai bien réduit l’écart avec mon coéquipier en terminant à deux dixièmes de lui et à 1.3 de Dovizioso. Nous sommes partis de la base trouvée à Sepang, sur laquelle je me sens bien. Nous sommes dans une bonne dynamique et nous allons de l’avant. Il faut continuer à travailler pour réduire l’écart. »

« C’est dommage que nous n’ayons pas pu rouler aujourd’hui, car nous avions des éléments à essayer pour passer sous la barre des 1’56. Nous avons essayé d’apprendre le maximum de choses durant ces tests, notamment sur le pneu dur qui m’offre de bonnes sensations par rapport à la saison passée. Il est évident que nous n’avons jamais assez de temps pour tout faire, mais nous avons un certain bagage technique qui nous permettra de commencer la saison avec assez d’expérience. Avant le Grand Prix, je vais étudier les points sur lesquels je peux encore travailler pour être compétitif dès la première journée du Grand Prix. »