TW, comes from the abbreviation of ‘Trail Way’, Yamaha’s motorbike they dubbed the “Adventure Machine”, a bike built to blazing across the uncharted roads. The TW became infamous in its associated with the great motorcycle adventurer, Shinji Kazama who rode a TW200 to the North pole in 87’. Another wonderful Trivial Pursuit moment is that Kazama is one of only a few to ride a motorbike to both poles.
In Japan, the TW is more synonymous with the early 90’s “Suka-Tune” era of custom bikes. The style of stripping off the fairings and covers of a bike to expose everything underneath, making them appear as it were. ‘Sukeru’ is Japanese for transparent or see-through. At that time the youth of Japan scrambled to tweak and present their best rendition of the new style.
Despite Japan falling into its historic recession after the burst of the Economic Bubble in the early 90’s, Yamaha saw motorcycle dealers nationwide experiencing months long waiting lists for the fat-tire Adventure Machines. It was the popular and affordable choice at the time and “TW’ers” (custom TW’s or riders of..) were spotted all over the streets of Japan. The Suka-Tune, therefore, became strongly associated with the TW and you could see young riders tearing through town on these bikes, glancing sideways at adults wandering confused amidst the “uncharted roads” of economic stagnation.
It was around this time, Deus founders Dare Jennings and Carby Tuckwell came to Japan for a visit and experienced ‘Ura-Hara’ (the back streets of Harajuku) The area was humming with hordes of motorcycles and their subcultural fashion. What they saw, this cultural buzz, was definitely something that became part of the ideas and inspiration that eventually gave life to what we today know as Deus Ex Machina. Apparently, TWs were ubiquitous during their visit. Which isn’t surprising as these motorcycles definitely represented that era.
According to Deus Japan Bike Builder, Tomoyuki Soeda, whose ridden more than his fair share of bikes over the years, there is no other motorcycle out there as functional or perfectly sized than the TW. And if he were to go out today to buy a functional bike for quick rides around town, he’d definitely be choosing one of these. Of all the Yamaha greats, Soeda reckons this bike is the best of the best and that fact weighed heavily on his decision to re-create a little of this subculture classic in our DIRT DAUBER.
In the midst of the global pandemic, citizens are reconsidering their methods of commute. Many are enrolling in driving schools to get their motorcycle licenses. Maxi scooters and other convenient two-wheeled rides are great too, but in the spirit of the great motorcycle adventurer, Shinji Kazama… how about getting out and about on our customized TW “adventure machine”
During his recent Southeast Asian Porsche odyssey, Curves Magazine’s Stefan Bogner discovered driving nirvana in northern Thailand…
A look at the popularity of Das Treffen in Thailand will quickly dispel the myth that America and Europe are spearheading the burgeoning global obsession with Porsche. The young Bangkok Porsche meetup is the brainchild of Sihabutr Xoomsai, the Executive Editor of GT Porsche Thailand known to his friends simply as Tenn.
Following the third and most successful Das Treffen yet late last year, Tenn invited Stefan Bogner – the Munich-based photographer and founder of Curves – to join him on a road trip in northern Thailand with a group of like-minded enthusiasts, in a bid to discover some of the world’s best driving roads and further understand the subtle nuances of Southeast Asia’s vibrant Porsche community. Porsche is a brand best enjoyed shared, after all – something Tenn has known ever since he was thrown the keys to a 964 as an impressionable child.
Naturally, Bogner didn’t need asking twice and promptly headed to the start point in Nan. The two-day, circa-400km journey across northern Thailand’s mountainous hinterland would take him and the group westward towards Pong, Phaya, and finally Chiang Mai, the former legs encompassing both the Nanthaburi and Doi Phu Ka national parks.
“I knew Thailand had good roads, but I couldn’t have imagined it would make for such a great road-trip destination,” says Bogner, who commandeered a Cayenne for the journey. “Sure, a Cayenne would be most suitable for traversing such a mountainous region, but that’s not to say the guys in the 911s were not having a blast!”
It’s telling that Bogner, a man who’s driven dream roads right across the world, was so taken with the curves of Thailand. He even likens the north of Thailand to Tuscany in Italy. “Bangkok is a mega city that’s so noisy and chaotic and to escape to such an oasis was a welcome surprise,” he recalls. “I would call the area east of Chiang Mai the Tuscany of Thailand because there are rolling hills, the roads are flawlessly surfaced and largely deserted, the weather is perfect, and the food is awesome.” He’ll certainly never forget being warmly welcomed into remote ramshackle bamboo cafés and trying the most authentic and delicious Thai curry he’s ever likely to eat.
With regards to the roads themselves and their surrounding environment, Bogner notes the positive camber and overwhelming greenness as unique. “The roads are like a never-ending series of Nürburgring carousels flanked by steep walls of green. Coupled with the thick and tall forest canopy that renders it impossible to view the entire landscape from any one spot, it feels like you’re driving through a giant tunnel.”
Given the almost insufferable level of humidity, even the older Porsches in the group were equipped with air-conditioning for the sake of their owners. While the new 911 Carrera T, 964 RS, and Carrera 3.0 RSR replica were all fabulous, no car charmed Bogner more than Tenn’s sensational 911 SWB from the 1960s. “That is such a special car because of its rarity,” Bogner continues, “and to see one here in Thailand is so surprising, especially given the ultra-high tax rate on classic and luxury cars.”
It just goes to show the devotion shown by the Thai enthusiasts for Porsche as a brand. As Bogner states, the passion for Porsche in Southeast Asia is ‘deep and in no way superficial’. Among both the group on the road trip and the hundreds of owners at Das Treffen back in Bangkok, this much was plain to see. “Unlike events such as Luftgekühlt in California, where the vibe is relaxed albeit a little commercial and in-your-face, everything is more restrained in Thailand,” he comments. “The people are friendly and down to earth and couldn’t have been more welcoming.” The remarks only serve to reinforce Porsche’s place as a wholly inclusive brand. Simply put, that’s ‘simply Porsche’.
In letting their cars do the talking, Bogner suggests Thai owners take greater pride in the finer details that distinguish both them and their Porsches. “There in unrelenting passion and deep knowledge among the Thai Porsche community and if you look closely, you’ll find some exceptional details, from vintage watches to the materials used in their cars. There was one guy at Das Treffen whose 911 interior was trimmed with a stunning Italian leather I’d certainly never seen before!”
If there was a sense of community at Das Treffen, then Bogner felt more like part of a family on the road trip with Tenn and his friends. “The entire journey was simply a thoroughly pleasurable experience,” he says. “The people welcomed us so warmly, the vistas were spectacular, the roads were great to drive, and the cars behaved impeccably. A good time was had by all.”
But above the dawning that Thailand should be a road-trip destination on everyone’s radar was the fact that this very point appears to be lost on the Thai people themselves. In fact, Bogner suggests the actual concept of a road trip – of getting out with your friends and driving to exciting places, eating well, and generally kicking back and taking it easy – is not yet commonplace in Thailand as it is in Europe or America. “We always imagine Thailand as a beach vacation country rather than a driving country, but the idea of a road trip is largely a new one to the Thai car community,” he remarks. “One of the guys on our trip described it perfectly as ‘me time’, which I thought was spot on.”
So, there you go – the secret’s out. Thailand is so much more than idyllic beaches and Bangkok’s hidden shopping delights. It boasts a Porsche community as vibrant as the greens of the rainforest, and in the north especially, you’ll find soulful driving nirvana far quicker than you’d imagine. And you needn’t be driving a rugged Cayenne.
“I’d like to say a special thank you to Tenn, Porsche, and everyone involved with the trip. From the first second after touching down in Bangkok to the time we arrived in Chiang Mai after an unforgettable few days, there wasn’t a dull moment.” If you’re thinking of heading to Southeast Asia and Thailand in particular in 2019, remember: pack your driving shoes in addition to your beach towel!
YOU’VE PROBABLY HEARDthe word ‘bitsa’ thrown around these parts if you’re a regular here. For the uninitiated, it’s a motorcycle that has ‘bits of everything.’ Bitsas are the mongrel dogs of the custom motorcycle world… and just like mongrels, some of them are hard to look at.
But others are cross-bred in just the right way. This Moto Guzzi 850 T3 has Triumph, Norton, BSA and Dresda Triton bits on it, and it’s a total knockout—thanks to French builder Jeremy Tagand, who spins spanners at Deus ex Machina’s Australian headquarters.
Deus’ client for this bike is a chap called Roger, who already has an enviable collection of customs from the Sydney shop. And then he called them up for another one: he’d picked up a tired 1975 850 T3 from a local Guzzi guru, John at Motociclo.
After ironing out the finer details of direction with Roger, Jeremy tore into the bike and Roger started scouring the web for the parts they needed.
With the Guzzi stripped down to just the frame and motor, the first step was to perfect its stance.
The 18” wheels went off to Ash’s Spoked wheels for refurbishing, with the rear upgraded to a wider unit to accommodate a fatter tire. The hubs and rims were powder-coated black, then laced with new stainless steel spokes, and finally wrapped in classic Metzeler Lasertec tires.
Next, the forks were spruced up with new internals, and their outer tubes shaved down. Jeremy added a Tarozzi fork brace, and polished the hell out of the triples. A set of Matris shocks does duty at the rear, supplied by Terry at Shock Treatment.
With the Guzzi now sitting right, the next task was sorting out its bodywork. A stock 850 T3 is by no means ugly, but neither Roger nor Jeremy were happy to leave it stock. So on went an alloy tank from Stein-Dinse in Germany, complete with polished sections.
The seat is a Dresda Triton unit, which Roger had been storing for the last 30 years. Jeremy modded it to fit the Guzzi’s frame, then altered a pair of aftermarket side covers for the Triumph Thruxton to match the build. (That last part reportedly took some doing.)
If that front nacelle looks familiar, it’s because it’s a period correct Manx Norton part. Once Jeremy had that sitting pretty, he finished off the bodywork with a short front fender, and a polished alternator cover.
This Moto Guzzi isn’t just a show pony though—Jeremy had a good look at the mechanicals too. The motor underwent a full service, the clutch was replaced, and the ignition was upgraded to a contemporary electronic ignition system. Then the carbs were swapped out with 30 mm Dell’Orto units with velocity stacks.
Roger then dropped off another pair of pick-n-mix parts: the mufflers off a BSA Rocket Goldstar. Hi-Tec Mufflers built a two-into-two stainless steel header system to accommodate them.
The T3 was also treated to Tarozzi rear-sets and a set of Ace bars to nail that classic cafe racer riding position. Other bits include an Acewell speedo, Kellermann bar-end turn signals and Atto DF indicators at the back.
With everything in its right place, the bike was stripped one last time, and all the brackets and minor bits sent to PCS for powder coating. The motor and body work went to Dutchy’s Motorcycle Spray Painting—a frequent Deus collaborator who has decided to hang up his spray gun and focus his attention elsewhere, making this his last job for the shop.
Roger wanted a simple, yet sophisticated color for the Guzzi. So he picked ‘Miami Blue’ from the new Porsche 911 catalog, and Dutchy rounded it off with ‘WTS’ emblems in the style of the classic AJS logo. (‘WTS’ stands for Westlake Tagand Special).
The motor was blacked out, with the fins and valve covers polished to a mirror finish for contrast. And as a final touch, the seat was covered in croc leather, by Dave at Badarse Trim Co. Yes, croc.
Despite Japan falling into its historic recession after the burst of the Economic Bubble in the early 90’s, Yamaha saw motorcycle dealers nationwide experiencing months long waiting lists for the fat-tire Adventure Machines. It was the popular and affordable choice at the time and “TW’ers” (custom TW’s or riders of..) were spotted all over the streets of Japan. The Suka-Tune, therefore, became strongly associated with the TW and you could see young riders tearing through town on these bikes, glancing sideways at adults wandering confused amidst the “uncharted roads” of economic stagnation.
