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Shoei Hornet X2 Review

Complete redesign of the Dual Sport helmet concept is the best one yet in every way.

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chris to trailer bike ride

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Length: 194.55km / 121.59mi

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AMA Flat Track Springfield Mile 1 Results 2015

There was some spirited racing at the front of the pack during the Springfield Mile but in the end one bike’s horsepower and a veteran’s deft drafting led a familiar face to victory.

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BikeExif Custom Motorcycles Other Motorcycle Blogs Suzuki Katana Suzuki motorcycles

Iron Fist: Macco Motors’ brutal Suzuki Katana

Iron Fist: A brutal Suzuki Katana custom motorcycle from Macco Motors.
The Suzuki Katana is a bit of an oddball by today’s design standards. But it was hot property in its heyday—and those who love it never seem to shake the attraction.

Take Peter, the owner of this particular Katana. An Englishman living in Spain, he spent his youth thrashing his 1984 GSX1100 in both countries.

When it was time to upgrade to something fresher, he couldn’t bring himself to sell it. So he parked it in the shed, with the intention of reviving it later. After eight years, he finally dragged the Katana out and handed it over to Jose and Tito at Macco Motors.

Iron Fist: A brutal Suzuki Katana custom motorcycle from Macco Motors.
“It was dirty and rusty; a real mess”, says the Spanish duo. Their mandate was to give the bike both new life and a new look—and improve performance along the way.

“We realized that this was going to be our biggest challenge at Macco Motors, not only for the design but for the reconstruction of the engine and the whole bike. And, looking at all these problems, we said: ‘Yes! Of course!’”

Iron Fist: A brutal Suzuki Katana custom motorcycle from Macco Motors.
The ‘Zook was promptly wheeled into the Macco workshop, and the guys starting bouncing concepts around. “Our first thought was: ‘Wow, a Suzuki Katana! This is perfect for a café racer.’” Their ideas included clip-ons, a solo seat and a fuel tank swap to accentuate the bike’s straight lines and brawny-looking engine.

But when they presented their ideas to the client, he threw a massive spanner in the works. He wanted handlebars with some rise for comfort, a pillion seat for riding with his girl and—most importantly—he wanted to retain the Katana’s instantly recognizable tank.

Iron Fist: A brutal Suzuki Katana custom motorcycle from Macco Motors.
“Peter has both arms fully tattooed, and we noticed that one of the tattoos was of the Suzuki Katana logo. So we decided not argue about the tank or anything else, and got stuck into the new design.”

Tito and Jose dove right into Photoshop to rethink the bike’s overall look—starting with two sets of side panels that would tie in with the tank. The seat needed the most work though. Bouncing between on-screen mockups and a scale model, the guys eventually pitched a bum-box style tail that could still accommodate a pillion.

Iron Fist: A brutal Suzuki Katana custom motorcycle from Macco Motors.
Peter was into it, and fabrication could begin. Macco chopped the subframe and welded on a new, shorter one. Then friend and collaborator, Manolo Gallo, hand-hammered the steel side panels and the seat, ensuring it was tough enough to support the extra weight of a passenger.

But that was child’s play compared to the engine work that awaited the team.

Iron Fist: A brutal Suzuki Katana custom motorcycle from Macco Motors.
“When we collected the bike, it didn’t have an air box on, and there was a dead little gecko inside one of the air intakes. It was incredible that, after just connecting some cables and putting in some oil and fuel, the engine ran. But when we opened it we found it absolutely full of mud.”

The engine now looks factory fresh, thanks to a full overhaul inside and out. A set of K&N filters and a Vance & Hines exhaust (with no dB killer) help it breathe better.

Iron Fist: A brutal Suzuki Katana custom motorcycle from Macco Motors.
To improve the suspension, a full Suzuki GSX-R750 front end was grafted on, via a new set of triple trees with an AMB top yoke. The new setup includes the GSX-R’s USD forks, Nissin 4-pot calipers and 17-inch front wheel.

To match that out back, Macco installed the brakes and 3-spoke alloy rim from a 96-spec Suzuki GSF600 Bandit, bumping the rear tire width up to 150. Rear suspension duties are down to a pair of Öhlins shocks.

Iron Fist: A brutal Suzuki Katana custom motorcycle from Macco Motors.
The cockpit’s kitted with Renthal Low bars, a simple analog speedo and a pair of Avon grips. There’s also a Bates-style headlight, a smaller tail light and turn signals, and alloy foot pegs. The front mudguard’s another GSX-R part, trimmed to fit.

The Katana’s final finish is predominantly back. And, to be honest, we can’t think of a better color scheme to accentuate its brutal lines.

macco-motors-suzuki-katana-8
“When we finished the bike, and after we’d tested it, we took it to its proud owner. He calls it a ‘retro fighter,’ but we call it ‘Iron Fist’.”

“We told him not to feed it after midnight, just in case.”

Macco Motors | Facebook | Instagram | Photos by Sergio Ibarra from Semimate.

Iron Fist: A brutal Suzuki Katana custom motorcycle from Macco Motors.

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Drumheler Tour

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Tagged with: On Road, Scenic

Length: 954.34km / 596.46mi

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Cold Lake

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Moose Hills Road Loop

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Tagged with: On Road, Scenic

Length: 102.96km / 64.35mi

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Custom Motorcycles Customs Editorial Other Motorcycle Blogs Wheels

Ride Wright Spoke Wheels For Indian Motorcycle Chief Models

Ride Wright Twista (shown), Diamond and Jewel spoke wheels are now available for the Indian Chief models -Classic, Vintage, Chieftain® and Dark Horse – The wheels offered by Ride Wright Wheels use a 3-piece Modular Billet Hub system letting the company adapt its…

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Hollister Rally July 3-5, 2015. Special “Biker Bob” Memorial Ride-In Bike Show.

Among many other activities during the Hollister Rally, “The Birthplace Of The American Biker”, a Ride-In-Bike Showily be dedicated to recently departed friend, radio personality Biker Bob Warford. “Bob started this bike show for us years ago and has been running it…

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Jay Leno’s 1925 Brough Superior SS100

Only 69 were produced. T-E. Lawrence owned 7 of them. Jay Leno presents and rides his. A little bit of history to enrich your motorcycle culture.

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Custom-built Faster and Faster Motorcycle News News Specials Yamaha

it roCks!bikes Yard Built CS-06 Dissident pays tribute to 20 years of the Yamaha XJR1300



Badass name, cool paintjob, one-piece monocoque fuel tank and seat unit and bunch of handbuilt parts – yes, we like the CS-06 Dissident. It really does rock! 😉

Yamaha’s XJR 20th Anniversary party continues with the Portuguese custom builders’ it roCks!bikes Yard Built CS-06 Dissident café racer. “it roCkS!bikes were high on the list of builders we wanted to work with to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the XJR. Their unique signature style one-piece monocoque is super clean and they have shown they can build stunning custom machines without losing the heart of the original, keeping the essence of the great chassis and raw engine power. With the CS-06 Dissident, it roCkS!bikes have again built a beautiful bike,” says Shun Miyazawa, Product Manager – Yamaha Motor Europe.

Working in a small workshop just outside Porto, in Portugal, Osvaldo Coutinho and Alexandre Santos are civil engineers by day and it roCkS!bikes craftsmen by night. Their engineering skills are plain to see in the bikes they build, and in their signature monocoque one-piece fuel tank, seat and tail units that they use for all their bikes. The XJR 1300 CS-06 Dissident is no exception, with a single handcrafted metal unit stretching from just behind the triple clamps all the way back to the end of the tail – clean, simple, elegant.

Apart from the bodywork, custom bits on the Dissident include a complete ISR braking system (including master cylinders for front brake and clutch, 6-piston calipers at the front, twin 340mm front discs and 267mm rear disc), USD forks taken from a Yamaha YZF-R1, Motoscope pro digital dashboard, and LSL clip-on café racer bars. The stock engine covers on both sides of the block have been replaced with lighter aluminium pieces with glass windows, revealing the heart of the beast. A small, high-performance oil cooler keeps a check on the heat and the bike’s handmade 4-2 stainless steel exhaust screams dramatically as the revs rise.
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