vendredi 24 juillet 2015
RUA MACHINES #6
That’s it, I am moving to Portugal. We have for a while now been banging the drum proclaiming the glory of the machines coming out of the Iberian Peninsula and yet there seems to be no let up in the flow of utterly gorgeous motorcycles. This little 1974 Honda CB360 is the latest head turner to reach our digital shores, courtesy of the gentlemen at Rua Machines.
Armando Fontes, Marco Mendes and Victor Rocha founded Rua Machines back in 2011.Many nights spent nostalgically musing over their two wheeled childhood day dreams convinced them that an outlet was required for their pent-up creativity and thus Rua was born. The Bike Shed was founded that very same year but it was not until February this year that our paths crossed. RUA #7, a beautiful Kawasaki Z650, was soon followed up with pictures of Armando’s personal steed, RUA #1, an elegant Suzuki GS450. Now circuitously we find our pages graced by RUA build #6.
The little Honda had been left forgotten in a Garage for 11 years before it found salvation in it’s present owner that cherished it for a further twenty before rolling the now dishevelled machine through the doors at Rua headquarters.
Armando takes up the story.
“When he contacted us to transform the bike, he wanted one like RUA #1. But we were thinking of a different thing, we did not want to undress very much the 360 personality, we did not want to remove the side covers. Our idea was to take advantage of all of her personality and make a scrambler with caffeine and blood of dirt.”
Armando takes up the story.
“When he contacted us to transform the bike, he wanted one like RUA #1. But we were thinking of a different thing, we did not want to undress very much the 360 personality, we did not want to remove the side covers. Our idea was to take advantage of all of her personality and make a scrambler with caffeine and blood of dirt.”
The small Honda twins, be they CB or CJ, 350 or 360, always seem to come out of a customisers hands looking just right. The proportions of the original machine are spot on and the engine is a simple, handsome lump. A little nip and tuck in all the right places produces as pure and simple a motorcycle as you could possibly wish for, Rua’s version offers further proof.
They started by subtly altering the stance by raising the original rear suspension close to 2 cm to give a slight forward slope, the tilt in the tank line lending the CB a more purposeful intent. The engine was thoroughly worked over and received hours of arduous cleaning and a splash of satin black. The electrical system and all running gear also received a thorough refresh. Tyres are matching Heidenau K67 4.00-18s front and rear.
The beautiful tailpiece was crafted in steel, wrapping the taillight like a vintage american car. For the paintwork an understated bronze was chosen with flat black panels, the slice of black through the tail unit elegantly extends the visual lines of the bike whilst giving away Armando’s day job as a fashion designer. A subtle number six in those lovely original side panels designates its place in the Rua bloodline.
The seat is finished in waterproofed Alcantara adding a further texture to the ensemble of matte, shiny, exhaust wrap and rubber. A Motogadget Tiny speedo, Biltwell grips, underslung mirror, a 6′ headlight with custom rim, custom mudguard and bars from a ’72 CB125 complete the details. Rua also changed the starting process so that it starts off the key to keep the bars tidy.
The little Honda was presented at the last Art & Moto event in Lisbon, which judging by what we have seen of the scene in Portugal must have gathered one fine collection of motorcycles. Time to start learning the language I reckon, starting with Rua – Street. This is going to be easy…
via The Bike Shed
Yamaha XSR700 - Born tomorrow
The first production motorcycle defined by Yamaha’s Faster Sons philosophy has arrived. Taking everything cool from Yamaha’s rich heritage of iconic machines, including the legendary XS650, the XSR700 adds cutting edge technology to the mix for an amazing riding experience. If you want the best of both worlds, the XSR700 is here to deliver.
EXTRA LEAN: ROUGH CRAFTS’ HARLEY XR 1200
Our favorite customs usually leave us scratching our heads: do we want to stare at them all day, or ride the pants off them? Winston Yeh has a knack for building such bikes.
The latest offering from the Rough Crafts stable is no different. It’s called ‘Rusty Slider,’ and it’s a decidedly leaner take on the Harley XR 1200.
In theory, the XR 1200 had everything going for it when it launched: notably a punchy motor and flat-track styling. Except it was a bit on the porky side, and the looks didn’t quite hit the mark. But that wasn’t a a problem for Winston, who’s whipped the XR into shape like few can.
Winston’s plan was to take the XR back to its flat-track roots, but with a more street-orientated slant. “The old XR 750 racer is simply one of the coolest bikes ever,” he says, “so the direction was clear: turn a 2010 XR 1200 into an XR 750-style street tracker!”
The wheels are matching 19” x 3.00 Roland Sands Del Mar items, wrapped in Maxxis dirt track rubber. They’ve been upgraded with a custom braking system consisting of Performance Machine calipers and Lyndall Racing composite rotors.
Other Rough Crafts catalog parts include the grooved clutch cover, lighting, handlebars, risers, grips and filler cap. The foot and hand controls are a mix of Roland Sands, Performance Machine and Rough Crafts bits.
The exhaust system’s a one-off, with an interesting history. Winston tells the story: “The Supertrapp two-into-two tracker pipe has always had a place in my heart. So when one of my friends sold his a couple of years ago I couldn’t help myself, and I bought it for no reason and with no idea what to do with it.”
“Now I had the chance, but I couldn’t bring myself to just bolt it on. So I massaged the rear header to turn and join the front header, and made a whole new megaphone and billet end cap.”
The idea started when two of Winston’s friends—the proprietors of Taki Design andProvider Production respectively—teamed up with Dickies on a project. Both guys already owned Rough Crafts bikes—so when the owner of Dickies Taiwan crashed his 2010 XR 1200, it was the ideal opportunity to hook him up too.
Winston’s plan was to take the XR back to its flat-track roots, but with a more street-orientated slant. “The old XR 750 racer is simply one of the coolest bikes ever,” he says, “so the direction was clear: turn a 2010 XR 1200 into an XR 750-style street tracker!”
The project ran parallel with Rough Crafts’ ‘Hooligan Tactics’ Sportster Forty-Eight build, so Winston used the Forty-Eight’s forks and swingarm to give the XR a more vintage feel. The forks have been black titanium coated, and are mounted via custom triple trees. A set of Progressive 970 Series shocks are mounted out back.
The wheels are matching 19” x 3.00 Roland Sands Del Mar items, wrapped in Maxxis dirt track rubber. They’ve been upgraded with a custom braking system consisting of Performance Machine calipers and Lyndall Racing composite rotors.
Winston picked a Sportster tank for the bike; it’s been stretched by almost 2” and narrowed. The tail’s a prototype Rough Crafts part, identical to the one on ‘Hooligan Tactics.’
Other Rough Crafts catalog parts include the grooved clutch cover, lighting, handlebars, risers, grips and filler cap. The foot and hand controls are a mix of Roland Sands, Performance Machine and Rough Crafts bits.
The Harley’s been converted from belt to chain, and it’s no longer fuel injected. “The stock Harley XR 1200 has an EFI system which was a headache for us,” says Winston, “so we changed it to Mikuni HSR42 carbs, running our velocity stacks.”
The exhaust system’s a one-off, with an interesting history. Winston tells the story: “The Supertrapp two-into-two tracker pipe has always had a place in my heart. So when one of my friends sold his a couple of years ago I couldn’t help myself, and I bought it for no reason and with no idea what to do with it.”
“Now I had the chance, but I couldn’t bring myself to just bolt it on. So I massaged the rear header to turn and join the front header, and made a whole new megaphone and billet end cap.”
For paint, Winston wanted to carry across Dickies’ ‘work wear’ ethos, without the XR feeling like a theme bike. So he pulled in regular Rough Crafts collaborater, Air Runner, to execute a slighty ‘rusted’ bare metal effect. CT-Garage handled final assembly.
It’s another outstanding addition to the Rough Crafts portfolio. So, which would you do: ogle it, or ride it?
Rough Crafts website | Facebook | Instagram | Store | Images by JL Photography | Dickies Taiwan
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