Author: Chris Hunter

CRD’s XR 1200: the Harley That Should Have Been

Post author By Chris Hunter
Post date February 9, 2015

If the Harley XR 1200 had a weak point, it was the styling. This custom from the Spanish workshop CRD fixes it—and then some.
Back in 2008, the Harley XR 1200 had everything going for it. Launched in Europe but styled with an American flat track vibe, it was a nod to the much-loved XR750.

American magazines went gaga over the XR, citing the 91-horsepower engine and quality suspension. They clamored for the bike to be released in the States, and the following year their wishes were granted.

If the Harley XR 1200 had a weak point, it was the styling. This custom from the Spanish workshop CRD fixes it—and then some.
But sales were mysteriously slow, and the XR 1200 was quietly dropped for the 2013 model year. Why? Probably because the man-in-the-street found the weight too high at 550 pounds—and the looks were more than a little goofy.

Those looks have now been fixed by the master surgeons at Café Racer Dreams. The tank flows into the seat, and the stance is long and low—rather than high-and-mighty. Nearly all the shiny bits are gone, and the XR 1200 looks much the better for it.

If the Harley XR 1200 had a weak point, it was the styling. This custom from the Spanish workshop CRD fixes it—and then some.
The highlight is the broad, impeccably sculptured aluminum tank—a collaboration with Pablo and Carlos Delgado of the Valtorón foundry. The 1970s-style logo is a cool retro touch, reminiscent of the AMF-era tank designs.

The heavyset tail unit of the stock XR 1200 was binned, replaced by a compact subframe and a Manx-style one-piece leather seat.

If the Harley XR 1200 had a weak point, it was the styling. This custom from the Spanish workshop CRD fixes it—and then some.
Suspending the rear end is a pair of Öhlins shocks, which reportedly lift the handling to new heights. The stance is subtly altered too: slightly higher at the rear and slightly lower at the front. The forks conceal revised springs to tighten up the handling.

No one ever complained about the power delivery of the XR 1200 motor, so the engine internals have been left alone. There’s a K&N intake, and the stunning exhaust system is a Remus PowerCone—with a blacked-out muffler to match the heavy patina of the engine paint.

If the Harley XR 1200 had a weak point, it was the styling. This custom from the Spanish workshop CRD fixes it—and then some.
A compact Ducati Monster headlight is set into the forks, maintaining the immaculate lines. A modified fascia houses the original tachometer, which is now centered in front of the rider; the speedo has been relocated to the left-hand fork leg.

If the Harley XR 1200 had a weak point, it was the styling. This custom from the Spanish workshop CRD fixes it—and then some.
We reckon this is the bike the XR 1200 should have been from the start: A long-wheelbase stealth bomber, pitched against the Japanese heavyweights and the likes of Moto Guzzi’s Griso.

But then again, hindsight is always 20/20.

Cafe Racer Dreams website | Facebook | Instagram | Valtorón website

If the Harley XR 1200 had a weak point, it was the styling. This custom from the Spanish workshop CRD fixes it—and then some.

BikeExif Custom Motorcycles Harley-Davidson Other Motorcycle Blogs USA

Go Fast, Turn Left: The RSD Ameri-Tracker

Post author By Chris Hunter
Post date February 5, 2015

Flat track is where it’s at. It’s a shot of adrenaline for both fans and racers, and the ‘go fast, turn left’ bikes look terrific.

It’s also one of the few codes where Harley is still competitive. The XR-750 ruled the roost in the 70s, and today it’s the weapon of choice for stars like Brad ‘The Bullet’ Baker.

The thought of turning an XR-750 flat tracker into a street machine is tempting. And the stripped-down style is becoming real popular with custom builders. But a genuine XR-750 will set you back between $20,000 and $60,000, and in most States you can’t make the bike road-legal. Unless you weld in part of a Sportster frame—the bit with the VIN plate attached.

The solution is to inject a modern Sportster with dash of flat track style. You’ll get a bike that idles properly and doesn’t need a push-start. So Roland Sands has done exactly that with his new Ameri-Tracker build. It’s based on a 2008-spec Nightster—with a 1200cc engine pumping out a useful 80 pound-feet of torque.

“This machine is vintage Flat Track workhorse meets modern race-inspired detailing,” says Roland. “We’re showing how you can create a highly functional, dirty version of the Sportster—to use on both the street and your local hooligan short track event.”

Roland found the donor bike in a junkyard—wrecked but serviceable. He’s boosted power with a Vance & Hines Fuelpak FI Tuner, and freed up the breathing with an RSD Radial Air Cleaner and a Slant 2-into-2 exhaust system.

A heavy duty Barnett clutch gives a little leeway for abuse. Less conventional are the foot controls, a nod to the oval track ethos: rearsets on the left, and mid-controls on the right.

The biggest upgrade is the suspension, with Suzuki GSX-R forks up front and Progressive Suspension 970 Series shocks out back. Custom-built triples have shifted the geometry closer to flat tracker standards for better handling response.

The 19-inch wheels are Sands’ own drop-dead gorgeous Del Mar designs, in ‘Machine Ops’ finish. To boost braking power, the RSD crew have installed Performance Machine calipers and hooked them up to Spiegler lines. The rubber is Dunlop DT3, a classic flat track race compound.

Sands is famed for his design eye, and Ameri-Tracker is beautifully balanced. The tank is a modified version of RSD’s Softail Vintage Tank, but everything else is hand-made—from the side plates to the slimline seat and the kicked-up tail.

It’s putting the ‘Sport’ back into Sportster. And the kind of Harley we’d like to ride.

Roland Sands Design | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Adam Fedderly

BikeExif Custom Motorcycles Harley-Davidson Other Motorcycle Blogs USA

Turning The Harley 883 Into A Scrambler

Post author By Chris Hunter
Post date February 2, 2015

Benjie Flipprboi of BCR has turned the Harley 883 into a super-stylish, high-performance scrambler.
It looks like 2015 is going to be the Year Of The Scrambler. It’s fast becoming the dominant genre on the new wave custom scene, and manufacturers are getting into the act too.

As everyone knows, Ducati has joined Triumph in offering a factory scrambler—and Moto Guzzi has just released a kit that converts the popular V7 into a machine capable of light off-road excursions.

Benjie Flipprboi of BCR has turned the Harley 883 into a super-stylish, high-performance scrambler.
Milwaukee is unlikely to join the party, but that hasn’t stopped inventive custom builders from doing the dirty on Sportsters. The latest is Benjie Flipprboi of BCR, with this heavily modified 1999 Harley 883 called ‘American Scrambler.’

“For years we had an old 883 in the shop,” says Benjie, who works out of Edison, New Jersey. “It was a small, beat-up bike with a chromed-out engine and mismatched wheels. For a long time, we didn’t know what to do with it.”

Benjie Flipprboi of BCR has turned the Harley 883 into a super-stylish, high-performance scrambler.
Benjie considered turning the 883 into a bobber or a cafe racer. “But we build bikes to stand out and be ridden hard. So we decided to turn the old cruiser into a bike that could be ridden everywhere.” And here we have it: the ready-for-adventure ‘American Scrambler.’

The first step was to get rid of the cruiser ergonomics—the high front end and low seat. On went a set of late ‘90s Suzuki GSX1000 forks to lower the front. “We kept the Harley front hub but machined a new front axle and an adapter to accommodate the GSX’s double disc brakes,” says Benjie.

Benjie Flipprboi of BCR has turned the Harley 883 into a super-stylish, high-performance scrambler.
To prop up the rear, Benjie used longer shocks (and raised the mounts by an inch). Then he installed lightweight aluminum Borrani wheels with raised-center ‘dirt catcher’ rims and fitted Shinko 705 Trail Master dual-purpose tires.

Next step was to figure out the tank. Typical scrambler-style tanks wouldn’t fit, due to the shape of the Harley top-end. So Benjie fabricated a tank that follows the curve of the cylinder heads, adding a stainless steel rack and positioning a Monza gas cap off-center. Aside from a black flame graphic, the finish is bare polished aluminum finish.

Benjie Flipprboi of BCR has turned the Harley 883 into a super-stylish, high-performance scrambler.
“That gave us a beautiful curve to play with when building our seat,” says Benjie. “To maintain the natural flow of the lines, we got the front of the seat to follow the tail of the tank, and then curved the seat up at the rear.” To further abandon the bike’s previous life as a cruiser, the cowhide leather seat is as narrow as you can get without exposing the frame rails.

There’s a custom oil tank slotted inside the frame midsection, with a notch to hide a gel-cell battery.

Benjie Flipprboi of BCR has turned the Harley 883 into a super-stylish, high-performance scrambler.
The fenders and number plate are aluminum to match the gas tank, and held in place by stainless steel mounting brackets. The front skid plate is also aluminum, with ventilation slots to help cool the voltage regulator. A small mild-steel dashboard houses the stock tachometer & warning lights.

Chrome engines do not generally look attractive on scramblers—or indeed any motorcycle—so Benjie sandblasted the side covers and the top end to get a pitted matte finish. Then the internals were treated to a 1200cc piston kit and there’s a custom air filter box with stainless wire mesh covering the inlet.

Benjie Flipprboi of BCR has turned the Harley 883 into a super-stylish, high-performance scrambler.
The usual Sportster belt drive was ditched in favor of a chain and Benjie’s cut out the side cover of the engine, exposing the front sprocket and gold chain.

The only thing left to fit was an aftermarket headlight bucket and taillight. But nothing seemed to look right, so BCR built their own.

“We wanted to tuck the headlight bucket between the fork legs, so we designed it to be as narrow as possible. The taillight is bare aluminum and wraps around the frame end loop.”

Benjie Flipprboi of BCR has turned the Harley 883 into a super-stylish, high-performance scrambler.
The defining element of any scrambler is invariably the exhaust system. “We wanted to stay true to the signature scrambler style, but as always, we also wanted to give it our own unique twist. So we fabricated our own 2-into-2 exhaust using stainless steel and mounted the mufflers high, in the vein of old school scramblers.”

Benjie Flipprboi of BCR has turned the Harley 883 into a super-stylish, high-performance scrambler.
With adventure in his veins and his eyes on the horizon, there was one last detail that Benjie needed to add: an all-purpose road kit. So he designed a detachable leather bag that matches the cowhide leather of the seat. There’s even a protective aluminum plate to help keep the bag clean during the scrambler’s (hopefully) muddy future ventures.

BCR’s ‘American Scrambler’ is both functional and fun. Unlike most Harleys, this 883 can handle a stretch of hard-packed dirt as well as ribbons of asphalt.

And damn, doesn’t it look good?

Benjie’s Cafe Racers website | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Ben Chan

Benjie Flipprboi of BCR has turned the Harley 883 into a super-stylish, high-performance scrambler.

BikeExif Cleveland Cyclewerks Custom Motorcycles Indonesia Other Motorcycle Blogs USA

Feelin’ Funny with Cleveland CycleWerks

Post author By Chris Hunter
Post date January 30, 2015

The incredible Cleveland Cyclewerks 'Flying Rooster,' a one-off custom tribute to the Funny Car drag racers of the 1970s.
The 1970s was the golden era of gasoline. And the fumes were strongest on the drag strip, where Funny Cars ruled supreme.

Names like “Jungle Jim” Liberman and Don “The Snake” Prudhomme are the stuff of legend. And word of those legends has travelled to unlikely places—such as the back streets of Yogyakarta, the Indonesian city famous for its temples and Javanese culture. Which is where this remarkable bike was built.

The incredible Cleveland Cyclewerks 'Flying Rooster,' a one-off custom tribute to the Funny Car drag racers of the 1970s.
The story of ‘Flying Rooster’ starts with Scott Colosimo of Cleveland CycleWerks. From his Ohio base, Scott designs and sells low-cost, stylish bikes with a strong custom or retro vibe.

So when it came to launch the CCW brand in Southeast Asia, Scott chose Yogyakarta’s popular Kustomfest show. He gave bikes to ten of Indonesia’s best builders, and flew out Roland Sands to help with the judging.

The incredible Cleveland Cyclewerks 'Flying Rooster,' a one-off custom tribute to the Funny Car drag racers of the 1970s.
Flying Rooster took third place, but for us it’s the standout from the competition entries. It’s a genre-busting, radical effort from local builder Rizqi Pratama of Lemb Inc, based on CCW’s 250cc Heist model.

“The builders were all given the same budget with a tight one-month timeframe,” says Scott. “And every bike had to be ridden to Kustomfest to be eligible for judging.”

The incredible Cleveland Cyclewerks 'Flying Rooster,' a one-off custom tribute to the Funny Car drag racers of the 1970s.
“Rizqi is an artist and craftsman. Out of necessity, he ‘does it all.’ He’s one of those guys that can draw, design, weld, shape foam, lay fiberglass, pull molds, paint, stripe and dry brush.”

For his benchmark, Rizqi chose American drag cars. ‘Flying Rooster’ even has a wacky name to match: the hinged bodywork looks like a rooster in flight, with a long neck and wings folded down behind the engine. When the quick-release fiberglass body is propped up, all the mechanical components are accessible.

The incredible Cleveland Cyclewerks 'Flying Rooster,' a one-off custom tribute to the Funny Car drag racers of the 1970s.
There’s so much custom work on the bike, it’s hard to know where to start.

The entire motor was torn down, repainted, polished and detailed to match the theme of the bike. The secondary air injection is now housed inside a hand-hammered enclosure and the carburetor has been totally reworked, to eke out every bit of performance from the air-cooled single.

The incredible Cleveland Cyclewerks 'Flying Rooster,' a one-off custom tribute to the Funny Car drag racers of the 1970s.
A new rear-wheel-and-drum-brake combo adds to the retro feel, along with the turned and knurled pegs of the custom rearsets. Even the kickstand and gear shift linkages are hand fabricated, and the drive gearing has been changed from stock.

The incredible Cleveland Cyclewerks 'Flying Rooster,' a one-off custom tribute to the Funny Car drag racers of the 1970s.
Rizqi has narrowed the front end, and installed new triple trees. The forks are custom too, and everything from the headlight shroud to the hubs has been chromed.

The angular exhaust system is hand-bent, and the inside has been painted to match the bodywork color.

The incredible Cleveland Cyclewerks 'Flying Rooster,' a one-off custom tribute to the Funny Car drag racers of the 1970s.
The star of the show is the extraordinary glasswork, though. Rizqi added hard foam to the stock Heist and hand-shaped it before laying a fiberglass mold on top. The seat hides a new gas tank, lifted from a scooter.

The entire unit is structural and designed to take the rider’s weight, with aluminum bracing and fire-resistant heat shielding underneath. It’s like a slammed Triumph X75 Hurricane with the volume turned up to 11.

Flying Rooster probably won’t run a quarter mile in five seconds. But in creativity stakes, it’s miles ahead of most customs. We have a funny feeling we’ll be hearing more about Mr Pratama in the months to come.

Cleveland CycleWerks website | Facebook page | Rizqi Pratama on Instagram

The incredible Cleveland Cyclewerks 'Flying Rooster,' a one-off custom tribute to the Funny Car drag racers of the 1970s.

Belgium BikeExif Custom Motorcycles Harley-Davidson Other Motorcycle Blogs USA

This Harley Street 750 is a blast from the past

Post author By Chris Hunter
Post date January 26, 2015

Joeri Van Ouytsel's stunning old school racer, based on a Harley Street 750.
What’s the best-looking Harley-Davidson of all time? We’d put our money on the XRTT road racer from the 1970s: the one with the sleek fiberglass fairing, orange-and-black paint and Ceriani drum brakes.

Many of those original 750s were destroyed in action. Probably less than 25 remain, and to put one in your garage would cost $100,000 or more. But you can get a little of that XRTT style for much less, as this Harley Street 750 shows.

Joeri Van Ouytsel's stunning old school racer, based on a Harley Street 750.
The bike was built by Joeri Van Ouytsel, a Belgian mechanic who owns a garage in the tiny town of Tessenderlo. Only the frame and engine remain from the original Street 750.

The 30-liter tank is from a Laverda—exact model unknown—and immediately gives the Street 750 an old-school racer look. It’s more angular than the XRTT original, and Joeri has grafted on a shorter tail unit to match.

Joeri Van Ouytsel's stunning old school racer, based on a Harley Street 750.
The fairing comes from a Paton, and cost less than $500. It’s been reshaped to fit the Street 750, and hides the bulky frame downtubes and radiator. The stock bars have been replaced with Triumph clip-ons.

Joeri Van Ouytsel's stunning old school racer, based on a Harley Street 750.
The standard 17- and 15-inch cast aluminum wheels are gone, replaced by symmetrical 16-inch rims. They’re classic 40-spoke laced items taken from an older Harley Sportster.

Joeri Van Ouytsel's stunning old school racer, based on a Harley Street 750.
The exhaust headers are old aftermarket items, matched to custom pipes and mufflers. (Joeri’s attention to detail even carries through to the exhaust wrap, which is immaculately layered.)

Joeri Van Ouytsel's stunning old school racer, based on a Harley Street 750.
Joeri has also made the foot controls from scratch, creating a traditional racer-style body position.

At the back you’ll spot piggyback shocks from a Harley XR1200—with springs repainted to match the bodywork. The brake lines are also color-matched, another neat touch.

Joeri Van Ouytsel's stunning old school racer, based on a Harley Street 750.
The factory Street 750 has nimble handling by Harley standards, with relatively light weight and a center of gravity that feels low. So Joeri’s homage to the XRTT is likely to be a fun ride.

It’s probably a little easier to maintain than a classic racer too.

All photos © Mike Van Cleven | BIKE-TECH Motorcycles

Joeri Van Ouytsel's stunning old school racer, based on a Harley Street 750.

BikeExif Custom Motorcycles Ducati Italy Other Motorcycle Blogs USA

Dreamliner: a Ducati-powered custom from Deus

Post author By Chris Hunter
Post date January 22, 2015

This incredible Ducati Monster-powered custom was built by Deus in LA and inspired by the raw, mechanical feel of 1960s Chevys.
Most customs are a compromise between form and function. Michael Woolaway is firmly on the side of function—so we’re guessing this new build from Deus’ LA workshop is a blast to ride.

The vibe is raw and mechanical. “I wanted to recreate the feel of a 1960s Ferrari, or the Chevys that I grew up with,” says Woolie. “When you opened up the hood, all you found was a motor, coils, distributor, and a battery. Just what you need, and no more.”

This incredible Ducati Monster-powered custom was built by Deus in LA and inspired by the raw, mechanical feel of 1960s Chevys.
A quick look at the engine casings of ‘Dreamliner’ will reveal Ducati power. But the rest of the bike is a ground-up build.

“I asked the customer how he wanted to use the bike, and what performance and ergonomics he expected,” says Woolie. “The first brand that came to mind was Ducati.”

The client wasn’t after heaps of horsepower, though. So Woolie went with an older, 750cc two-valve motor for its simplicity.

This incredible Ducati Monster-powered custom was built by Deus in LA and inspired by the raw, mechanical feel of 1960s Chevys.
The air-cooled, 90-degree desmo V-twin has been rebuilt from the ground up. Woolie’s also modified the intake manifolds, so he could replace the usual 38 mm Mikunis with a set of Keihin FCR flatslides.

The exhaust headers are custom, inspired by the 1970s Imola Desmo racebike, and hooked up to a pair of Cone Engineering mufflers.

This incredible Ducati Monster-powered custom was built by Deus in LA and inspired by the raw, mechanical feel of 1960s Chevys.
The frame itself is incredibly light—a one-off chromoly unit—and attached to a set of conventional Öhlins forks. They’ve been re-valved by Ed Sorbo at Lindemann Engineering, and adjusted for the owner’s weight. The rear shock is a custom-built item from former flat track racer Jimmy Wood at Race Tech.

Handling is sporty, as you’d expect from a builder who owns only race bikes, and no road bikes. “The geometry is very similar to the Ducati 916RS,” says Woolie. “It has a 24-degree head angle, a 56-inch wheelbase and fully adjustable swingarm angles.”

This incredible Ducati Monster-powered custom was built by Deus in LA and inspired by the raw, mechanical feel of 1960s Chevys.
For the bodywork, Woolie rolled the tank and seat out of super-strong 1100 aluminum alloy. He’s used Kushitani waterproof leather for the seat pad, and finished it off with double tuck stitching.

Woolie likes to use USA-made parts as much as possible, and to support people he knows. “Just as I was scratching my head about what wheels to use, into the shop walks Sandy Kosman from Kosman Specialties.

This incredible Ducati Monster-powered custom was built by Deus in LA and inspired by the raw, mechanical feel of 1960s Chevys.
“I hadn’t seen him since 1978 ,when he built a wheel for my Norton 850 road racer—and here he was, dropping by for a visit! Sandy ended up building me a set of 17-inch tubeless spoke wheels with full floating rotors.”

The triple clamps are from Richard Pollock of Mule Motorcycles, another old friend from Woolie’s flat track days. Rizoma provided the rear-sets and a mirror, while LSL supplied the clip-ons. The speedo is a digital Acewell item.

This incredible Ducati Monster-powered custom was built by Deus in LA and inspired by the raw, mechanical feel of 1960s Chevys.
When breaking in the bike, Woolie used Michelin Pilot Power One race rubber. He’s now switched to more practical (but still grippy) Pilot Power 3 road tires.

Grip is important, because the Dreamliner is no slowcoach. “She’s small and rides like a 250 GP bike—tight and able to take input well, with 70hp and a bit of an attitude.”

If you’re lucky enough to live within riding distance of LA, clear your diary for Saturday 24 January. The Ducati will be the star of the Randuno Ducati event at the Deus store in Venice Beach.

Deus Ex Machina | Facebook | Instagram | Woolie’s Workshop Instagram

This incredible Ducati Monster-powered custom was built by Deus in LA and inspired by the raw, mechanical feel of 1960s Chevys.

BikeExif Custom Motorcycles England Honda motorcycles Japan Other Motorcycle Blogs

Paint It Black: CB 750 x Corpses from Hell

Post author By Chris Hunter
Post date January 20, 2015

Honda CB 750 custom painted by Maxwell Paternoster, AKA Corpses from Hell.
Done right, hand-drawn illustrations on custom motorcycles can be seriously cool. And Maxwell Paternoster (AKA Corpses from Hell) sure knows how to do it right.

So when we saw a fuel tank adorned with Maxwell’s artwork pop up on his Instagram account, we were immediately curious. And it turns out that the rest of the bike is just as cool.

Honda CB 750 custom painted by Maxwell Paternoster, AKA Corpses from Hell.
It’s based on a 95-model Honda CB 750, and it’s been put together by Robinson’s Speed Shop of Leigh on Sea in England. Proprietor Luke Robinson met Maxwell at The Bike Shed event, and they hit it off.

“I’m a massive fan of his work,” says Luke, “so it was brilliant to meet him in person.” Luke commissioned Maxwell to paint a leather jacket for his wife, and the idea of collaborating on a motorcycle followed soon after. The CB 750 was the perfect candidate.

Honda CB 750 custom painted by Maxwell Paternoster, AKA Corpses from Hell.
Work began with the subframe: Luke fabricated a new one with a tighter angle and made up a new seat unit designed to also accommodate the electronics. The fuel tank’s from a Honda CB500T—it’s had a new tunnel welded in, so it fits on the wide CB 750 backbone.

But as the bike started coming together, it didn’t feel quite right. “The first dry build looked out of proportion, and like a drag bike,” says Luke. “So I ended up shortening the swingarm by 60mm.”

Honda CB 750 custom painted by Maxwell Paternoster, AKA Corpses from Hell.
Luke also dropped the front suspension by 40mm to improve the stance. He’s used a custom-made top yoke, machined to fit a Motogadget Motoscope Mini instrument. (Which unfortunately didn’t arrive in time for the photo shoot.)

“Being a racer myself, I still wanted the bike to be used on track—with another tank though,” says Luke. “Handling is top of the list and still a work-in-progress. It’ll probably result in a front end swap later.”

Honda CB 750 custom painted by Maxwell Paternoster, AKA Corpses from Hell.
Luke rebuilt the CB’s engine with new rings and bearings, and had the heads gas-flowed. The bike’s been thoroughly rewired too, and now runs off a small Lithium-ion battery, hidden under the swingarm.

For the exhaust, Luke’s fitted a Danmoto muffler to headers that he hand-made. They’ve been designed to hug the engine a little more, to cater for the drop in ride height.

Honda CB 750 custom painted by Maxwell Paternoster, AKA Corpses from Hell.
To replace the air box, a set of air filters were made by bonding filter foam to aluminum housings. “I spent a long time getting the correct length on these—the Venturi effect sure helps iron out the flat spots you get from foam or cone filters.”

Danmoto also supplied the rear-set pegs, and Luke’s fitted clip-ons, adjustable levers and Biltwell Kung-Fu grips. The only switches left on the bars are the kill switch and start buttons. Everything else has been relocated to under the seat.

Honda CB 750 custom painted by Maxwell Paternoster, AKA Corpses from Hell.
When all was said and done, the CB was wrapped in black and sent to Maxwell to apply his art—his only brief being to include the shop’s name. “I’m a strong believer that if you’re a fan of someone’s work, then let them do their thing,” says Luke.

Maxwell’s executed his typically kooky artwork beautifully, using a gold leaf technique. And even to our jaded eyes, this CB 750 wears it well.

Robinson’s Speed Shop website | Facebook | Instagram | Maxwell Paternoster Instagram | Photos by Aaron Jones

Honda CB 750 custom painted by Maxwell Paternoster, AKA Corpses from Hell.

BikeExif Custom Motorcycles Japan Kawasaki motorcycles Other Motorcycle Blogs USA

70s Muscle: Santiago’s Kawasaki Z1000 cafe racer

Post author By Chris Hunter
Post date January 19, 2015

Santiago Chopper's stunning Kawasaki Z1000 cafe racer.
If the sixties was the heyday for muscle cars, the seventies was the era of superbikes. Cars that could run the quarter mile in 13 seconds were considered fast, but the Kawasaki H1 and Honda CB750 were equally rapid.

Then the literbike inline fours arrived—like the Kawasaki Z1000. And the Camaros, Corvettes and ‘Cudas were left for dead.

Santiago Chopper's stunning Kawasaki Z1000 cafe racer.
Today, a mid-70s KZ1000 still oozes charisma. You can pick one up for around $3,000, and it’ll draw a bigger crowd in the parking lot than any modern superbike.

What it won’t do, though, is handle like a modern bike. So Alain Bernard of Santiago Chopper has taken a ‘77 Zed and given it a modern café racer treatment. As well as boosting the engine, he’s given it a huge upgrade in the suspension department.

Santiago Chopper's stunning Kawasaki Z1000 cafe racer.
Wisely, he’s started with the frame. It’s braced and strengthened with extra welding to reduce twisting—“just like we did in the 1970s,” says Bernard.

To make the most of the stiffer frame, Bernard has fitted Ducati suspension: a complete Monster front end, and a single-sided Monster 796 swingarm. Rubber is Pirelli Diablo Rosso.

The 1015 cc motor has been punched out to 1135cc with a Wiseco big bore kit, with pistons four millimeters wider than stock. The new pistons also raise the compression ratio from 8.7:1 to 10.25:1, and are matched to Yoshimura high performance cams.

Santiago Chopper's stunning Kawasaki Z1000 cafe racer.
New Mikuni 38mm carbs keep the engine well fed, with sparks controlled by a Dyna electronic ignition system. The exhaust is a mix of custom-fabricated pipes and some Hayabusa parts.

No power figures are quoted, but we’re betting the factory figure of 83hp is now sitting closer to 100. Or even more.

Santiago Chopper's stunning Kawasaki Z1000 cafe racer.
The Z1000 has always been a great-looking bike, so the bodywork is one element that didn’t require a café racer makeover. Still, Bernard has fitted completely new plastic from a Japanese specialist. The Z1000 looks as just fresh as it did nearly forty years ago.

The bike is for sale for $18,000, which is roughly what you’d pay for a new Vulcan 1700 Voyager cruiser. Which would you rather take?

Santiago Chopper | Images courtesy of Erick Runyon | Erick Runyon Facebook page

Santiago Chopper's stunning Kawasaki Z1000 cafe racer.

BikeExif Custom Motorcycles England Norton motorcycles Other Motorcycle Blogs Triumph motorcycles

Original Cafe Racer: Adam Grice’s killer Triton

Post author By Chris Hunter
Post date January 14, 2015

Adam Grice's immaculate Triton cafe racer build.
The term ‘café racer’ has become so abused, it’s lost virtually all meaning. (Okay, we’re occasionally guilty too.) So let’s go back to square one, and check out a bike that fits the description to a T.

This drop-dead gorgeous Triton belongs to Englishman Adam Grice, who saw the light after getting tired of modern Japanese sport bikes. “I was watching Cafe Racer on Discovery Channel, and found myself hooked on the cafe scene,” he tells us. “After months of looking for the right bike, I finally stumbled across Brenda.”

Adam Grice's immaculate Triton cafe racer build.
‘Brenda’ is hardly the most glamorous name. But maybe that’s the English sense of irony at work. Adam’s Triton has the perfect aristocratic pedigree: a 744 cc Triumph T140V engine from the mid Seventies snuggled into a ‘wideline’ Norton featherbed frame.

Straight away, Adam knew that he’d have to get the spanners out. “The bike was all there, but running rough. And it just didn’t look right. It had straight bars, a little fly screen, and fiberglass fuel and oil tanks. Plus a strange battery box sitting halfway along the rear fender.”

Adam Grice's immaculate Triton cafe racer build.
On the up side, the Triton already had the desirable short Norton Roadholder forks with external springs, 18-inch alloy rims, and a few Dresda bits—including the swingarm and engine mounts.

Adam also lucked out with an SRM Classics clutch, a Boyer Brandsen ignition, and a Hayward primary belt drive kit. The oil filter was from a Norton Commando and there’s a Norvil front disc conversion. “Not period, but works a treat,” he notes.

Adam Grice's immaculate Triton cafe racer build.
He’s rebuilt the engine with a multitude of new parts and Amal Mark 1 concentric 930 carbs, complete with bell mouths. “It had high compression pistons, but the previous owner had reduced the height of the ten head bolts. God knows why—it cost me two blown head gaskets. So I replaced the cylinder barrels and head, and reverted back to standard pistons for reliability.”

Adam Grice's immaculate Triton cafe racer build.
With the help of a mate called Shorty, Adam has also installed an alloy five-gallon Manx tank, which conceals the ignition and coils underneath. The oil tank is also in the Manx style, with the front squared-off to increase the space between the tank and carbs.

Adam Grice's immaculate Triton cafe racer build.
Other goodies include a Manx seat, a Norvin top yoke, and stainless mounts to hold the classy Smith instruments. Magnificent English names have provided other parts: John Tickle for the headlight brackets, and Barleycorn Engineering for the rearsets, seat loop and rear fender. The only concession to modernity is the lithium-ion battery hiding under the seat hump.

Much as we love the current trend for scramblers and trackers, a traditional café racer like this exerts an irresistible pull. Maybe it’s time for the loop to go full circle?

Images by Ian Daisley—ProBikeART. For more stunning trad cafe racers, check out our piece on the Top 5 Tritons.

Adam Grice's immaculate Triton cafe racer build.

BikeExif Custom Motorcycles Japan Kawasaki motorcycles Other Motorcycle Blogs USA

Low rider: Classified Moto’s Kawasaki Zephyr

Post author By Chris Hunter
Post date January 12, 2015

Classified Moto's radical Kawasaki custom—complete with Suzuki GSX-R front end.
The Zephyr ZR750 is one of the best secondhand buys around. Twenty years ago, it left road testers lukewarm—but today, owners love them. And you can get an absolutely mint early 90s example for around $2,000.

That’s when the economics of the custom motorcycle business start making sense. And no one knows this better than John Ryland—the man behind Classified Moto, and the builder of this ’92 ZR750 C2.

Classified Moto's radical Kawasaki custom—complete with Suzuki GSX-R front end.
Before Ryland was ejected from his advertising job a few years ago, he worked with a lady called Norma Kwee. So when Norma found herself in LA with a new job but no motorcycle, she called up her old buddy John. And convinced him to build this very smart Kawasaki custom.

“Despite her larger-than-life personality, Norma has a very compact frame,” says John. “So our first job was to make the 450-pound Zephyr as low and light as possible.”

Classified Moto's radical Kawasaki custom—complete with Suzuki GSX-R front end.
The Kawasaki now sports a Suzuki GSX-R front end, relatively low profile tires, and adjustable shocks. There’s a custom seat from Roy Baird, with the bare minimum of foam, so Norma can keep both feet flat on the ground at stop lights.

“The ZR750 is actually a pretty good platform,” says John. “The components feel premium, it’s smooth, and it makes plenty of power. The only thing that really cramped our style was the huge fuel tank.”

After some messing around with Sharpies, John and his head mechanic Danik Herashchanka took the tank to Clay Rathburn of Atom Bomb.

Classified Moto's radical Kawasaki custom—complete with Suzuki GSX-R front end.
“This was the first time Clay and worked on anything together. After a failed attempt at being rivals, we now join forces regularly—and it’s great.” Clay sliced the curves off the sides of the tank and shaped some concave panels to tuck things in nicely, while keeping the look raw.

Other mods are a new subframe designed to fit Norma’s physique, a simplified wiring harness hooked up to a tiny Shorai battery, and a custom intake system. (“It has a single unit for all four carbs, and it’s way easier to tune than separate pod filters.”)

It’s not a megabuck build, but it looks a million dollars. Hats off to Ms Kwee for giving Classified Moto free rein.

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

Classified Moto's radical Kawasaki custom—complete with Suzuki GSX-R front end.