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Type 16: Auto Fabrica goes Commando

Custom 1971 Norton Commando by Auto Fabrica
Some builders pick a formula and repeat it. Others reinvent the wheel every time and stick to one-offs. Auto Fabrica‘s methodology lands somewhere in the middle, and it’s consistently produced spectacular results.

The British shop will typically pick a readily available donor bike, completely transform it, and then produce a few variations on the design, tweaking it as they go. But for their latest project, they’ve chosen a very unusual donor bike—the legendary Norton Commando.

Custom 1971 Norton Commando by Auto Fabrica
Auto Fabrica’s client wanted a ‘Type 6‘—a Yamaha XS650 custom that that first surfaced three years ago. But Bujar, Gazmend and Toby weren’t keen on doing another XS650, so they’ve applied the styling cues of the ‘6’ to a 1971 Norton Commando. And it looks even better.

“We had to rethink our approach,” the boys tell us. “It’s the first British bike we have worked on with an external oil tank. The inherent issue was: ‘Where do we put the oil, and still execute a design which is clean, and retains our Auto Fabrica DNA?’”

Custom 1971 Norton Commando by Auto Fabrica
And so the ‘Type 16’ was birthed. But it certainly wasn’t an easy delivery—the guys had to strip the Norton down to nothing, and carefully plan their strategy. Then it was time to fabricate new aluminum bodywork.

“We reworked a lot of the frame so we could boat-tail the bodywork,” AF explain. “We wanted the boat tail to be exaggerated on this particular bike, even more so than what we’ve done before.”

Custom 1971 Norton Commando by Auto Fabrica
“The design features and lines of the tank meant we had a great blank canvas to work with. We wanted to keep the art deco-esque feel of the hole-in-the-tank feature (from Type 6), but just add a slight twist to it.”

The sculptural bodywork is intriguing, and flows in a quite remarkable way—as we’ve come to expect from AF. But it’s also integral to the Norton’s new oil management system.

Custom 1971 Norton Commando by Auto Fabrica
Initially, the team had planned to split the fuel tank into two (one half for fuel, and the other for oil), but the client wanted to maximise the bike’s fuel capacity. So they had to get creative.

Here’s how they pulled it off: “The frame’s main tube is pretty big so we turned this into an oil tank. But we needed more oil than the frame allowed, so we split this into the seat unit, which now also acts as an extended oil tank.”

Custom 1971 Norton Commando by Auto Fabrica
Since this Commando will spend its time in a hot climate, AF didn’t want the rear oil tank to toast their client’s butt. So they introduced a stealthy oil cooler to help manage the temperature. And they added a 10 mm ‘air gap’ between the metal that the seat pad sits on, and the wall of the actual oil tank.

The metalwork only tells part of the story. The air-cooled parallel twin engine was rebuilt with a high-compression head, and a two-into-one stainless manifold linking to an Amal carb.

Custom 1971 Norton Commando by Auto Fabrica
The carb has a stainless bracket for the choke, and the fuel tank features a cut-out for the cables to run through. The exhaust keeps Auto Fabrica’s signature look: swooping twin stainless steel pipes, equipped with internal baffles.

AF also saw to the wheels, with new 19F/18R Morad shouldered rims and stainless steel spokes. The front’s now laced to a Laverda drum brake hub, and the rear’s hooked up to a custom-made conical hub. (The rear drum brake is a classic race item of unknown origin.)

Custom 1971 Norton Commando by Auto Fabrica
Up front, the guys rebuilt the front forks with uprated internals, and fitted new yokes of their own design. There’s a new set of chromed Hagon shocks doing duty out back.

The cockpit is mostly one-off pieces. That includes the one-piece, wraparound stainless steel handlebars, the switchgear and the grips, with Tarozzi rear sets mounted lower down.

Custom 1971 Norton Commando by Auto Fabrica
AF used an off-the-shelf headlight, but modified its mounting to be able to drop it down lower. The rear light is a pair of LEDs embedded in the frame tubes.

Auto Fabrica’s paint schemes are usually understated, and Type 16 maintains that tradition. It wears a simple coat of silver, with minimal branding. (The AF logo patch on the seat is a nice touch.)

Custom 1971 Norton Commando by Auto Fabrica
We loved the original Type 6 when we first saw it, but the Type 16 Norton ups the ante in a big way.

All that sublime bodywork on an iconic donor: What’s not to love?

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Custom 1971 Norton Commando by Auto Fabrica

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Class Act: A Triton cafe racer by Foundry Motorcycle

Triton cafe racer by Foundry Motorcycles
Few custom motorcycles have the cachet of the legendary Triton. The mash-up of a Norton featherbed frame and Triumph twin motor has become a demigod icon of the café racer movement.

As we all know, back in the 60s the idea was to combine the best chassis with the best motor. But half a century later, you can buy showroom machines that’ll run rings around most Tritons. And for a fraction of what it would cost to build one.

Triton cafe racer by Foundry Motorcycles
So we were surprised to learn that the owner of this beautifully crafted, English-built Triton has a well-stocked garage of modern bikes. It currently houses a Honda RC30 and RC45, a Ducati Panigale R and Desmosedici RR, and a Triumph T120—all of which see regular use.

Even so, he just had to have a Triton. So he reached out to Tom Simpson and Alex Chesson of Foundry Motorcycle, based near the small cathedral city of Chichester, West Sussex.

Triton cafe racer by Foundry Motorcycles
“Our customer David came in brandishing a printout of the Bike EXIF feature on Loaded Gun’s Triton from a few years back,” explains Alex, “which we discussed (favorably) at length.”

“He’d always wanted a Triton, but didn’t really like the ‘traditional’ bikes. So we worked out how to make one that looked a little more modern, whilst retaining the classic essence of the bike. It had to be less ‘cobbled together’ than so many of the traditional machines, and hold its head up in the company of the rest of his collection.”

Sketch: Triton cafe racer by Foundry Motorcycles
“We don’t use Photoshop here—just drawings with pens and paper. After a few different ideas were sketched, we had a starting point, and went in search of the suitable donor machine.

“Triton buying can be somewhat of a minefield, with price and condition varying massively, but eventually a usable bike was found.”

Triton cafe racer by Foundry Motorcycles
The donor they eventually found had a 1963 Triumph T120 Bonneville engine, wedged into a 1961 Norton Dominator Slimline featherbed frame. Tom and Alex’s first job was to finetune the frame—starting with a de-tab.

They wanted sharper lines out of the subframe, so they redesigned it, and added mounts for a new seat unit. They then built new rearset and rear engine mounting plates, so that they could ditch the ugly Converta plates that came with the bike.

Triton cafe racer by Foundry Motorcycles
The swing arm was scalloped to fit a 110 wide rear tire, and a new side stand was built.

The brief called for a disc brake up front, so the guys swapped the Norton forks for a set of Triumph T140 units. That meant fitting new yokes—so they reached out to Danny at Fastec Custom Racing, who whipped up a set to Foundry’s design. The top yoke includes an integrated housing, to hold a Motogadget Chronoclassic tacho.

Triton cafe racer by Foundry Motorcycles
A new front wheel was built around the T140’s hub and brake setup, and a new rear on the stock Norton hub. Both feature Morad alloy rims and Avon Cobra tires, with a 19” up front and an 18” out back. The rear end’s held up by a new set of YSS shocks.

Next up was the aluminum bodywork—with the seat unit being the toughest bit.

Triton cafe racer by Foundry Motorcycles
“We wanted the oil tank to be part of the seat and cowl combination,” says Alex, “to help keep the middle of the bike as clean as possible. We had other ideas there, which didn’t include the original fiberglass oil tank and Tetley tea bag tin battery box.”

The final execution is minimal and elegant. A bolted-in undertray keeps the tail tidy, with a proprietary Foundry LED taillight hiding underneath the rear cowl. Follow the plumbing, and you’ll spot a nifty oil cooler mounted lower down in the frame.

Triton cafe racer by Foundry Motorcycles
“It’s really more about looking good and increasing oil capacity, rather than significantly lowering oil temperature,” says Alex. “And it gave us another opportunity to indulge in one of our favorite processes: sand casting aluminum.”

The cooler was eventually cast using melted down small block Moto Guzzi crankcases. “We’re big Guzzi fans, and the cases were definitely past use.”

Triton cafe racer by Foundry Motorcycles
Hiding underneath the cooler is an electronics tray, and underneath that, the battery. Everything’s been rewired and hooked up to a Motogadget m.unit, complete with a keyless ignition.

Moving to the motor, Tim and Alex stripped it right down, and rebuilt it with new seals and bearings, plus a Routt 750 big bore kit. Even though the guys were happy with the original Amal carbs, they’re big Dell’Orto fans—so they installed a set of Dell’Orto PH36 pumper carbs.

Triton cafe racer by Foundry Motorcycles
The stainless steel exhaust system was fabricated in house, right through to the lightly-baffled mufflers, and custom hangers.

Up front, they’ve fitted a 5¾” Bates-style light and adjustable Tarozzi clip-ons. They’re dressed with mini switches, Biltwell grips, Kellermann bar-end turn signals, and Honda CBR600R levers. The rear-set foot controls are also from Tarozzi, and are hooked up with custom brake and gearshift linkages.

Triton cafe racer by Foundry Motorcycles
The final finishes are as simple as they are delightful. S Jago Design treated the frame to Jaguar Italian Racing Red paint, A M Metal Polishing made the aluminum shine, and Trim Deluxe handled the seat and tank strap.

“We spent countless hours designing and making small (and hidden parts) for this bike,” says Alex. “There are probably large chunks of the build I’ve intentionally erased from memory. But along with our very patient customer, we are very proud of the end result. It rides well, sounds awesome, and looks great—and is incredibly shiny!”

Triton cafe racer by Foundry Motorcycles
This Triton now shares a garage with some seriously impressive machines. But we know exactly which one we’d pick, come Sunday morning.

Foundry Motorcycle | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Gary Margerum

Triton cafe racer by Foundry Motorcycles

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Custom Bikes Of The Week: 5 August, 2018

The best cafe racers, scramblers and bobbers of the week
A delicately massaged Norton Dominator, a Honda CB500 with Panigale suspension, a board track racer over a century old, and a Honda CRF1000 upgraded by the improbably named African Queens.

Honda CB500 Four cafe racer from France
Honda CB500 Four by Lionel Duke Just when we think we’ve seen every possible rendition of a cafe’d Honda CB, something new comes along. This time round, that newness is draped in white and comes courtesy of Lionel Duke of Tourettes-sur-Loup in south-eastern France.

Starting with a 1973 CB500 Four, Lionel wanted to do something that would stand out in a crowd but still be identifiable as a Honda CB. Seven hundred hours later and his dedication and craftsmanship are pretty staggering.

Honda CB500 Four cafe racer from France
Take the exhaust for example. It’s a four-into-four, MotoGP inspired unit that came together via 115 bits of stainless steel. Or maybe the tank has caught your eye. Sure, it looks like a stock cell from Big Red—but it’s actually a handmade aluminum unit with an integrated Motogadget MST Vintage analog speedo that’s been flanked by stainless steel cables that run the length of the bike.

Sitting below the gorgeous, snubbed tail is a single sided swingarm that used to keep a Panigale on the hunt. The frame was modified to help everything mate up and while he was hacking away at the Ducati, Lionel decided the front end would do rightly as well. My favorite touch however, is the mounting of the front fender—which uses more aircraft cabling—and the braided brake line that keeps it hovering over the racing slicks. [More]

Norton Dominator by 72 Motorcycles
Norton Dominator by 72 Motorcycles When we first came across the Brits at 72 Motorcycles, they astonished us with their recrafting of Ron Wood’s Big Tube Tracker. Now Jamie Ireson and his business (and romantic) partner Merry Michau are at it again. They’ve taken a Norton Dominator SS, subtly modified it, and called it the Phantom.

The largest changes to the Norton’s visuals come courtesy of the hand shaped aluminum fairing up front and the equally tasty work in the rear. On a stock Dominator the tail is already a very pretty piece of woven carbon fiber—but we reckon this new aluminum unit lends even more elegance to this cafe racer.

Norton Dominator by 72 Motorcycles
To help clean things up even more over OEM form, Motogadget’s catalog has been raided for bright yet miniscule lighting solutions. And on the topic of illumination, the Phantom has one of those pricey yet purposeful J.W. Speaker headlights that shines LEDs into a corner when you initiate a lean.

The finishing touch is a fresh coat of midnight black, accented with a matte center stripe and tasteful shimmer here and there. This Phantom may give Rolls-Royce a run for the most elegant British ghostie. [More]

Harley-Davidson 11K board track racer
Harley-Davidson 11K board track racer Unless you’ve been living off-grid, still have a rotary dial on your phone, or missed Wes’ excellent interview with Harley’s marketing boss Steve Lambert, you’ll know that the Bar and Shield have some impressive hardware heading our way in the near future. But as with any heritage brand like Harley-Davidson, what lies in the past is sometimes of even greater interest. Like this incredibly rare Harley-Davidson 11K board track racer.

One of only 79 original bikes, this piece of rolling history was found rotting away in an Argentine scrap heap. A blown engine had shelved its racing career, and it was apparently more interesting to watch it rust than fix it. So rust it did, until it received the love and attention it deserved and was painstakingly restored beyond its 1915 greatness.

Harley-Davidson 11K board track racer
The parts of the frame that would not turn to dust at first brush were integrated into a new, millimeter-precise bit of millwork. The forks, along with the unique Andre dampers, are from the original bike—extensively cleaned and reworked to a new-old stock condition.

So much sweat and equity was poured into this restoration, it took home the 2017 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance award for Most Outstanding Machine. And now it’s for sale, hitting the Mecum auction block near the end of this month. In all truth, the Motor Company itself is the only buyer this thing deserves, so hopefully it ponies up. [More]

Triumph Speed Triple by Italian Dream Motorcycle
Triumph Speed Triple by Italian Dream Motorcycle The Speed Triple has never been a slouch in terms of performance. Hinckley’s hooligan machine even had creative styling, what with those bug-eyes and all. But that hasn’t stopped Sergio Giordano, the man behind Italian Dream Motorcycle (IDM), from pushing the envelope with ‘Tripla Competizione.’

Everything on this 2005 Speed Triple build has been honed for optimal track performance and go-fast style. And after seeing how the IDM crew tweaked a Suzuki Bandit, we shouldn’t be surprised. The engine has seen some internal wizardry and now generates 145 hp (up from 130 hp), and those big and beefy Brembos have enough stopping force to dislodge eyeballs at 1.3 g.

Triumph Speed Triple by Italian Dream Motorcycle
Even under full twist or clamp, you can trust that the new Öhlins suspenders will keep things planted and let the Pirellis do their job. They’re mounted on spiffy gold-series hoops from Rays, and look ready to sniff out apexes and devour straights.

For bodywork, Sergio went with hand formed aluminum to boost aerodynamics while maintaining the visuals of the Trumpet’s frame. Up front there are two options for the fairing, the one in the images is aluminum and covers the lights for track use, but a carbon fiber unit will be available (with bug-eyes integrated) for the street. The good news is that IDM will be making five iterations of Tripla Competizione available for public consumption. The bad news is that you’ll need €45,000 (about US$52,000) to add one to the garage. [More]

Honda Africa Twin upgrade by African Queens
Honda Africa Twin by African Queens Honda’s reborn Africa Twin is a superemely accomplished middleweight ADV bike. Whether in standard or Adventure Sports trim, it offers a mix of on- and off-road ability for riders looking to get dirty on their travels.

But what if its focus was honed? What if, instead of a Swiss Army knife, you wanted a machete? Enter African Queens.

Situated between Ingolstadt and Munich, the AQ team has been turning out enduro specials since the mid-nineties. With roots in rally racing and the famed Dakar, the AQ team knows how to prep a rally bike—and this kit takes the Africa Twin from mild to wild.

Honda Africa Twin upgrade by African Queens
Essentially an enlarged version of the CRF450 Rally bike that currently competes in Dakar, this CRF 1000R has had most of its creature comforts binned in favor of all-out performance. Up front the soft suspension of the stock AT has been cured via a set of drop-in cartridges that not only improve damping but also add extra travel.

To match performance levels, at the rear an Öhlins unit takes care of Pro-Link duties. A set of Excel wheels has been fitted and, with the help of a new Termignoni exhaust, helps to shed 11 pounds of heft.

Each portion of the kit can be purchased separately from AQ, so if you only wanted little changes, that can be arranged. The standout addition, in my eyes though, is the set of twin auxiliary tanks—fitting seamlessly into the bodywork and increasing fuel capacity to a staggering 30L (7.9 gallons). [More]

Honda Africa Twin upgrade by African Queens

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Road & Track: A streetable Seeley G50 from NYC Norton

New from NYC Norton: A Seeley Matchless G50 racing motorcycle
I’m sure most folks have a ‘lottery list’ of bikes they’d put in their garage if they won big. And on my own mental list I have a restomod Commando from NYC Norton.

That might have to change though, because this Seeley G50 is even better. Kenny Cummings built it for the Custom Revolution exhibition at LA’s incredible Petersen Museum, and although it’s powered by a short-stroke replica Matchless Grand Prix motor, it’ll be made street-legal when the exhibition has run its course.

New from NYC Norton: A Seeley Matchless G50 racing motorcycle
“With all the publicity around the Petersen show, I really wanted to submit a street bike,” says Kenny. “NYC Norton is well known in racing circles but the race market is relatively tiny.”

The story behind this G50 starts five years ago, when Kenny raced a 500cc Seeley Matchless G50 at Cadwell Park in the UK. He was impressed by the bike, despite being already familiar with the Titchmarsh Seeley MK2 chassis. (Kenny has won four American National 750cc Championships on his own Seeley 750 Commando.)

New from NYC Norton: A Seeley Matchless G50 racing motorcycle
“The G50 was tight and very precise,” Kenny recalls. “But what completely blew me away was how much lighter and more nimble the little 500 was, compared to the 750—particularly in the tight stuff.”

“The torque and power curve was wonderful! It felt like a trout swimming upstream, effortless against the current.”

New from NYC Norton: A Seeley Matchless G50 racing motorcycle
Back in New York City, Kenny [below, left] knew he had to get a G50 to campaign in the USA. And so he did. After a season of racing, folks started taking interest, and NYC Norton has now built a salvo of Seeley G50s for clients in the US and beyond.

“G50s are a still a small corner of NYC Norton, but not insignificant,” he reveals. “Their main appeal is to racers, of course, but we have a road-trim version in the wings.”

New from NYC Norton: A Seeley Matchless G50 racing motorcycle
One of Kenny’s clients, Helmut Niederer, commissioned two Seeley G50s. And he also secured a spare ‘92 bore’ motor from Minnovation Racing, as insurance before a trip to Australia’s Phillip Island track—which is notoriously hard on engines.

“We made it back from Australia with zero technical issues, so the spare motor sat in its crate, untouched,” says Kenny. “We suddenly found ourselves with the world’s most exotic paperweight.”

New from NYC Norton: A Seeley Matchless G50 racing motorcycle
Then Kenny received an email from The Vintagent himself, Paul d’Orléans, asking if he’d be interested in building a bike for the upcoming Custom Revolution show.

A call was put in to Helmut and a plan was hatched. “We’d shoehorn his G50 motor into a Seeley MK2 chassis in racing trim, and convert it into street trim once the show completes its run.”

New from NYC Norton: A Seeley Matchless G50 racing motorcycle
Kenny acquired a frame from Roger Titchmarsh, the only frame builder recognized by Colin Seeley for continued chassis fabrication. Engine plates were made up, a TT Industries 6-speed close ratio gearbox was bolted on to the motor, and replica Ceriani forks were slotted into the triple trees.

“Our Seeley recipe is familiar, but each bike is hand made,” says Kenny. “No two are ever exactly the same. We put extensive time into engine/gearbox alignment, driveline alignment, offsets, fabrication, tuning, and so on.”

New from NYC Norton: A Seeley Matchless G50 racing motorcycle
The Seeley took shape in short order—but the bodywork needed some consideration. “We love our shiny polished alloy tanks and black fiberglass racing livery,” says Kenny, “but this bike needed something more.”

“Helmut was always intrigued by our NYC Norton logo. Why did we choose a decidedly 1980s teal blue, as opposed to a more traditional motif?” says Kenny. “I could never answer this question. So a plan was hatched to color this bike in a pale blue inspired by our logo. ‘Blue Monday’ it became.”

New from NYC Norton: A Seeley Matchless G50 racing motorcycle
Brent Budgor from The Vintage Vendor in Vermont shot the paint. “I have a tendency to micro-manage, but painting is not my skill,” Kenny admits. “I told Brent that time was short, so he dropped what he was doing and made it happen.”

“I never told Paul d’Orléans what color I was doing, though—he wanted pink! When I sent him photos, he was ecstatic.”

New from NYC Norton: A Seeley Matchless G50 racing motorcycle
NYC Norton has always built bikes that prioritize function over form, whether they’re road-going Commandos or highly-specc’d racebikes. But there’s beauty in the details here, from the replica Fontana hubs to the custom-fabricated rear sets, and the high performance shocks built by Cogent Dynamics of North Carolina.

“We spend time to make our builds pretty,” says Kenny, “but they must first handle, then stop, and then go. This G50 is no exception. It’s ready to race, and it’s even safety-wired—just add bean oil and go!” And go it will: dry weight is a mere 245 pounds (112 kilos).

New from NYC Norton: A Seeley Matchless G50 racing motorcycle
Paul d’Orléans knows all too well about customs and their nuanced forms, and this Seeley G50 will dovetail nicely with Alp Sungurtekin’s Triumph land speed racer—and Revival Cycles’ J63 bridging the race-to-street gap.

And when the lights are dimmed on the Petersen exhibition in 2019, the G50 will get a charging system, a headlight, and a brake light. And into the sunset it will go.

New from NYC Norton: A Seeley Matchless G50 racing motorcycle
If your appetite is whetted, drop Kenny a line. After all, there aren’t many customs with a major museum pedigree—let alone ones that will also happily run on the streets.

NYC Norton | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Ryan Handt | Except carburetor image (shot #4) by Imogen Cummings, 10 | Custom Revolution Exhibition, Petersen Automotive Museum, opening Friday, April 13, 2018

New from NYC Norton: A Seeley Matchless G50 racing motorcycle

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Watch It: Norton Dominator Naked by Goblin Works Garage

Norton Dominator Naked by Partridge Design, for Goblin Works Garage
Reality TV shows about custom bike building have a really bad rep. But when we heard that Anthony Partridge would soon be gracing screens, our interest was piqued in a big way.

The ebullient Mr. Partridge knows a thing or two about swinging spanners. He co-founded Matt Black Custom Designs—a Spanish-based custom shop known for producing head turners—and has now branched out on his own, as Partridge Design.

Norton Dominator Naked by Partridge Design, for Goblin Works Garage
He’s also one third of the team at Goblin Works Garage—the titular shop of a new Discovery series airing next month. (It’ll be in the UK at first, then spreading to other countries). His partners are mechanical engineering whizz Jimmy de Ville, and the designer and custom car builder Helen Stanley.

Filming the first season meant building six cars and four bikes in just six months. The trio worked on the cars together, with Anthony handling the bikes solo. This alluring Norton Dominator Naked cafe racer is one of them.

Norton Dominator Naked by Partridge Design, for Goblin Works Garage
The commission for the build couldn’t have come from a higher source. When Anthony popped into Norton’s HQ to pick up a Dominator as his daily rider, CEO Stuart Garner pulled him aside and pitched the idea.

“The build was a café racer concept bike for Stuart and Norton,” Anthony explains. “My task was simple: ‘build me the best Brit cafe, bar none, based on the 2017 Dominator Naked edition platform’.”

Norton Dominator Naked by Partridge Design, for Goblin Works Garage
The Dominator is the sort of bike most people wouldn’t dare touch. It’s gorgeous out the box, loaded with heritage, and kitted with nice bits like carbon fiber trim, Brembo brakes and Öhlins suspenders. The Naked edition’s even sexier, with a raw effect on the frame and matt finishes all over.

What’s more, this is the only custom Dominator Naked on the planet—and the first concept bike commissioned outside of Norton’s own design team. “Not a daunting task whatsoever,” says Anthony. “How does one take, in my opinion, one of the prettiest production bikes ever made, and make it better? Or better yet, not f*** it up?!”

Norton Dominator Naked by Partridge Design, for Goblin Works Garage
The answer is restraint. With a mandate not to cut the frame, so that the bike could serve as inspiration for further development, Anthony decided to nip and tuck rather than start from scratch.

“I just went back to what a cafe racer is,” he explains, “and what they would do back in the days of the ton up lads—strip off as much weight as possible, and throw way anything not needed to ride! The idea was to keep it as simple as possible.”

Norton Dominator Naked by Partridge Design, for Goblin Works Garage
“This was just a styling exercise, so I focused on the aesthetics and lines of the bike. I made some very subtle changes, but at the same time some very dramatic ones too.”

Most of the dramatic changes happened up top—starting with the Norton’s fuel tank. Anthony took the stock tank and chopped the sides and back off. He then welded in hand-shaped panels to accentuate the lines he was going for.

Norton Dominator Naked by Partridge Design, for Goblin Works Garage
He’s ditched the original seat too, replacing it with a generously padded unit tapering off to a neat, hand-shaped tip. The drilled seat supports on either side are the original units, but drastically trimmed down. “Most would not even notice it—until I point it out,” says Anthony.

The filming schedule was tight, so Lauren at Storik Metalcraft was roped in to help out on the aluminum shaping work—including the tailpiece and the new headlight fairing. “I owe that guy a lot,” says Anthony. “He saved my ass!”

Norton Dominator Naked by Partridge Design, for Goblin Works Garage
Every tiny part is beautifully considered, and even borderline artful—like the hand-made brackets that attach the fairing to the triple clamp. Anthony fitted Rizoma turn signals and grips too, but had the grips (and the seat) upholstered by Eastcoast Customs for extra effect.

There’s also a hand-made stainless steel twin exhaust system—complete with internal baffles—routed high up for a radically different silhouette. And if you look closely, you’ll notice that the stock wheels have been ditched for a set of über-desirable carbon numbers from BST.

Norton Dominator Naked by Partridge Design, for Goblin Works Garage
“The padded seat and carbon wheels make the Dominator even more ‘flickable,’ and an ass-friendly ride,” says Anthony. “This Domi is one that you could easily eat miles on!”

Tasteful and well judged, this Norton is a far cry from the themed monstrosities we’ve seen on TV in the past. Put Goblin Works Garage on your watch list.

Partridge DesignFacebookInstagramGoblin Works Garage | Images by Chris Fosin

Norton Dominator Naked by Partridge Design, for Goblin Works Garage

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Anglo-Saxon: A Norton Race Replica from Germany

Reinhard Neumair's Norton Atlas Race Replica
This time last year, I was driving around Munich with BMW Motorrad’s Ola Stenegärd, when he turned to me and said he had a very special visit lined up. Shortly after, we pulled into Reinhard Neumair’s workshop, roughly 30 miles outside of the city…and my mind was blown.

Now approaching sixty, Reinhard is proper old school. He has no Instagram account, Facebook page or website—but what he does have is years of experience on and off the track, immense talent, and a shop full of knee-weakening machines (below).

Reinhard Neumair's workshop
Inside, you’ll find all manner of British iron—from Nortons to BSAs to Triumphs, and Seeleys and AJSs. Reinhard wrenches on them all, along with the occasional Japanese, American or European bike. Come summer, he and wife Gabi load up the van, and head off to classic races all over Europe. Reinhard’s been competing since the early 80s, in events like the Manx GP on the Isle of Man.

He’s both humble and passionate, and any visit will be rewarded with tales of racing, or technical talk about mods that you never knew existed. He’ll tell you that he’s more interested in making something functional than making it pretty. His bikes are made to be raced hard…but they’re oh so pretty anyway.

Reinhard Neumair's Norton Atlas Race Replica
This Norton Atlas has all the goodies you’d normally see on one of Reinhard’s racers, with one notable exception—it meets Germany’s strict TÜV laws. That’s because the owner (a good friend) wanted a race replica that he could also ride on the streets.

The donor was a 745cc Atlas from 1965, but it’s really only the frame and the four-speed ’box that have been left unchanged (if you don’t count a full overhaul of each). The swingarm’s from a Norton Manx, hooked up to a pair of NJB shocks, and the front forks are shortened Cerianis.

Reinhard Neumair's Norton Atlas Race Replica
Reinhard often goes to town on engines, but since this one doesn’t need to race, he’s focused on a full rebuild with a few basic changes. The motor’s now packing a special crankshaft, along with an alloy flywheel, to raise the output to 60hp.

There’s nothing left of the Atlas’ bodywork though. Reinhard’s given it a stunning racing profile, with a hand-made fairing, fuel tank and tail section. As per the brief, the setup includes twin headlights, discreet turn signals at both ends and a neat LED taillight in the back of the tail hump.

Reinhard Neumair's Norton Atlas Race Replica
Cast your eyes further down, and you’ll see more of Reinhard’s handiwork. There’s the perfectly placed oil tank, with its filler cap between the seat and the tank. And then there’s that show-stopping primary belt cover, and pieces like the chain guard and drilled rear hub. The twin exhausts are custom too, along with the neat velocity stacks on the twin Amal carbs.

The cockpit is simple, but loaded with lovely details. There’s an analogue Smiths tacho front and center, with a tiny Motogadget speedo discreetly placed to keep things legal. Clip-ons with Motocicli grips and basic switches round out the package. Eye candy like the slick fairing brace and a nifty rubber tank strap system must make it hard to focus on the road…

Reinhard Neumair's Norton Atlas Race Replica
Final touches include a rear license plate bracket, a new Brembo brake up front, and a set of Dunlop Roadmaster tires. All told, the dry weight is now down to a very respectable 308 pounds (140kg) dry.

Wrapped in a handsome mix of British Racing Green and raw and polished metal, the Norton is imbued with all of Reinhard’s experience—and a race replica we’d love to park in the garage. I think it’s time for another visit.

Thanks to Rodrigo Stix for the images, and for bringing us the story. | Instagram

Reinhard Neumair's Norton Atlas Race Replica

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Iconic: The Ron Wood ‘Lightweight’ Dell’Orto Norton

Iconic: The Ron Wood ‘Lightweight’ Dell’Orto Norton
In the US right now, flat track is smokin’ hot. Indian has joined the fray and is giving Harley-Davidson serious competition. The Super Hooligan series, devised by Roland Sands and open to semi-production bikes, is picking up speed. And custom builders the world over are looking to flat trackers for inspiration.

If you’re one of those builders, you’ll find the biggest dose of inspiration right here. It’s the Ron Wood ‘lightweight’ Norton, owned by Jamie Waters, and the archetype of retro flat track style.

Iconic: The Ron Wood ‘Lightweight’ Dell’Orto Norton
Jamie, 41, has had petrol coursing through his veins since childhood, and moves from rural Georgia to California, and then to New York City, haven’t dampened his enthusiasm. He’s a partner in the USA operation of apparel maker REV’IT!, and his passion for classic bikes includes racing them himself in the AHRMA series. (He’s also raced and demonstrated works racing machinery in the UK and New Zealand.)

But back to the bike, beautifully captured for us by photographer Douglas MacRae. Anyone with a passing interest in flat track history will have heard of the legendary red ‘big tube’ Nortons. Ron Wood built the first one around 1971 or 1972, and the second a few years later.

Iconic: The Ron Wood ‘Lightweight’ Dell’Orto Norton
Around the same time, he constructed the National-winning ‘lightweight’ bike we’re looking at here—which has a single-backbone, dual down tube frame designed to (you guessed it) reduce weight.

Jamie bought the lightweight from Ron directly, after they met at the Legend Of The Motorcycle show nearly ten years ago, where Jamie was showing his unrestored Ron Wood ‘big tube’ Norton.

“I consider the Ron Wood Nortons to be seminal machines from a golden age of American flat track, when a privateer could compete and win on the back of their own ingenuity and determination,” Jamie says. “Ron Wood’s bikes were beautifully turned out then, and remain jaw-droppers today—40 or more years removed from their competitive peak.”

Iconic: The Ron Wood ‘Lightweight’ Dell’Orto Norton
Although the Wood machines were not ‘factory’ bikes, they regularly beat Norton’s official entries, and his 1978 AMA National win was only the second ever by a Norton twin.

“In all likelihood, Ron put more time and money and love into his bikes than the factory team,” says Jamie. “His reputation as a builder also gave him access to top riders like Dave Aldana, Rob Morrison, Alex Jorgensen, and Gary Fisher.”

Iconic: The Ron Wood ‘Lightweight’ Dell’Orto Norton
On the lightweight, Wood stuck with his preferred Ceriani forks-and-clamps setup, as widely used on flat track bikes of the period. The wheels are alloy 19″ Barnes units, and the exhaust system was made up by CR Axtell to complement his cam and cylinder head work.

Although the two ‘big tube’ bikes used gas tanks from the Norton Hi-Rider Commando, the lightweight got its tank from a 1970s Yamaha DT.

Iconic: The Ron Wood ‘Lightweight’ Dell’Orto Norton
Wood’s Nortons were always down a few horsepower compared to the factory Harleys and Yamahas of the day. But he kept them competitive with skillful engineering—including an ability to transmit more of their power to the dirt than many other machines.

By the second half of the 1970s, Wood needed an even lighter machine with a little more power. Enter the ‘lightweight,’ with a sub-270 pound weight—nearly 40 pounds less than Harley XRs of the day.

Iconic: The Ron Wood ‘Lightweight’ Dell’Orto Norton
The carbs are 36mm Dell’Orto pumpers—hence the logo on the tank—and the pistons are Hepolites. In competition, these varied in compression between 9.5 and 10.5:1, with the lower compression being used for the longer mile races. The rods are standard Norton, and the crank is of one-piece construction.

Power was up by six horses over the ‘big tube’ models—with 83 hp at 7,500 rpm at the rear wheel, thanks in part to a slightly shorter stroke in the engine.

Iconic: The Ron Wood ‘Lightweight’ Dell’Orto Norton
The mods worked, and in the hands of future AMA Hall of Famer Alex Jorgenson, the lightweight won the AMA National at Ascot in 1978—making it the last Norton to win an AMA Grand National Flat Track event.

The literal definition of “Looks good, goes fast,” isn’t it?

Jamie Waters | Images by Douglas MacRae | Instagram

Iconic: The Ron Wood ‘Lightweight’ Dell’Orto Norton

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The Yamando: A vintage yamaha racer with a Norton frame

The Yamando: A vintage yamaha race bike with a Norton frame
Brad Monk is a racer. Sure, he has a day job, but come Sunday, he’s a racer—and this is his race bike.

Trying to figure out what it is? We can help: it’s a ‘Yamando’; part Yamaha XS650, part Norton Commando. Or, as Brad puts it, “the best of both worlds.”

The Yamando: A vintage yamaha race bike with a Norton frame
If you’re wondering if the combo is effective, it most certainly is. In Canada’s vintage road racing Heavyweight class, Brad took home the overall title this year. And the Yamando’s had success Stateside too.

The builder—or should we say engineering genius—of this mad machine is retired racer Toivo Madrus. Tovio co-owns the bike with Brad, and has been fine tuning and rebuilding this beast for literally years.

The Yamando: A vintage yamaha race bike with a Norton frame
“The Yamando MK V wasn’t born overnight,” says Brad. “It’s actually the culmination of four previous versions, each one improving on engine angle and position, and engine performance that started at around 65HP, to what is now over 80HP.”

Yamaha and Norton seem an unlikely pairing (we’re more used to seeing vintage Triumphs offer up their engines), but Brad explains the thinking: “For anyone who’s ever ridden an XS, they can tell you about the extraordinary vibration this motor throws at you.”

The Yamando: A vintage yamaha race bike with a Norton frame
“The solid mounted XS race engines create a vibration so extreme, they actually make the bike a challenge to handle, and in the end will rob you of speed through cornering and straight acceleration. And all the while, you’re losing feeling in your hands going down the track.”

“This problem only gets worse when the XS engines are modified to create more horsepower which of course equals more vibrations. So much so, it’s very common for XS engines to literally shake the bike apart, even through your lock wire and gallons of Loctite.”

The Yamando: A vintage yamaha race bike with a Norton frame
Norton’s Commando frame was praised in its day for its light weight and excellent handling. But it’s also known for its isolastic engine mounting system—which uses rubber mounts to effectively ‘float’ the motor inside the chassis, without bolting it directly to the frame.

It’s just the thing to rein in the unruly XS power plant. “Even the exhaust mounts allow the hand made exhaust to slide forward and backward as the revs go up and down,” explains Brad.

The Yamando: A vintage yamaha race bike with a Norton frame
Getting the Yamaha engine to fit was quite a task though. It’s wider than the Norton mill, so it had to be relocated up and to the right, with a new rear mounting subframe, and modded front mounts that still make use of the isolastic system.

“Needless to say, the challenge of getting the engine to sit in the frame exactly right was important,” says Brad, “otherwise the Norton frame would crack with the aggressive nature of the XS engine. It took Toivo many years to find the sweet spot for the two things to get along.” Moving the engine forward helped sharpen up the handling too.

The Yamando: A vintage yamaha race bike with a Norton frame
The chassis was revised further with a chromoly swing arm from CMR in Belleville, Ontario. Toivo installed a set of 38mm Yamaha FZR600 forks with emulators up front, and a pair of Works Performance shocks out back.

The fuel tank is a hand-made aluminum number from CMR, and the tail is a hand-made fiber glass item, based on an original Herb Becker mold. Toivo also added Vortex clip-ons, a Scitsu racing tachometer and custom-made rear sets.

The Yamando: A vintage yamaha race bike with a Norton frame
There’s a dual disc brake setup on the front wheel, and a CanAm drum brake on the rear. The detail goes deep; a custom oil cooler, hand-made cables and one-off sprockets are just the tip of the iceberg.

Oh, and it’s not a ‘650’ any more—Toivo installed a 750cc kit from Mike’s XS a few years ago. In the last twelve months, he’s fettled it further with stainless steel valves, an upgraded cam, a Kibble White spring kit, and 38mm Mikuni carbs.

Nothing’s been left alone. The crank, ignition and billet clutch basket are all new, and the primary gear ratios have been revised too. Porting was handled by Tim Speigleburg.

The Yamando: A vintage yamaha race bike with a Norton frame
“Toivo did ninety percent of the work in house, about 250 hours,” says Brad. “Not counting about 150 hours for each for the four earlier Yamandos that lead to this MK V.”

“Toivo always says, ‘If it was easy… everybody would do it!’”

Color us impressed. And smitten.

Photos by Andrew Wilcox.

The Yamando: A vintage yamaha race bike with a Norton frame

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Custom Bikes Of The Week: 7 August, 2016

The best custom motorcycles and cafe racers of the week
Question: What have a Blue Dolphin, a Pickle Tracker and a Bavarian Knight got in common? Answer: They’re all beautiful customs with truly daft names—but they’ve made it into our latest Bikes Of The Week.

Honda CBX750F by Half Caste Creations
Honda CBX750F by Half Caste Creations Ten years ago, the lads from Bangkok’s Half Caste Creations were asked if they’d part with their first build. Since they were just starting out at the time, they decided to decline the offer—the bike was a showpiece to help grow their name.

They stayed in touch with that would-be buyer though, and have now delivered him a 1984 CBX750F called Blue Dolphin. Inspired by the streamlined hydrodynamics of Flipper, HCC worked diligently in shaping and scalloping the tank, which came from a Honda CB400. The frame was deburred and hooped, before being topped by a slim, tuck-rolled seat. Many of the accessories on Blue Dolphin are HCC originals, including the clip-ons, foot controls, aluminum tank cap and the four-into-one header. [More]

Norton Dominator cafe racer by Elemental Rides
Norton Dominator by Elemental Rides Built as a tribute to the first twin-cylinder Norton Domiracers to run the ton at the Isle of Man TT, this 1961 Dominator 88 comes to us from Ricardo Santos of Elemental Rides in Porto, Portugal. It’s more than a styling exercise though: Ricardo built ‘Baryta’ to be his ultimate street-able Domiracer.

This 155 kg (340 pound) Norton has received numerous upgrades, with a period-correct bent. The vintage featherbed frame has been deburred, and the tank, seat and oil reservoir are a one-piece hand built unit. The raw metal finish on top of the creamy white Reynolds tubing is spot on. The wheels are Borranis, with front drums coming from a modified 9-inch Robinson replica kit and a one-off 8-inch hybrid unit in the rear. The engine has been rebuilt and ported with high-compression pistons squeezed in—but the tuning has been fiddled with, and the bike fires on the first kick.

Considering this is only Ricardo’s second build, we’re gobsmacked by his attention to detail and the balance between modern and classic. [More]

Yamaha Virago 250 bobber by Matt Fuller
Yamaha Virago 250 by Matt Fuller His roots are deeply entrenched in supermoto and flat track racing, so it’s no surprise that ‘light and nimble’ are the key components of a Matt Fuller build. This time out, the Florida native has delivered a stripped-down Yamaha Virago 250 bobber.

Converted to a hardtail design, the Beach Bobber is a lightweight, fender-less sandflea. The fuel cell has been relocated to under the seat, which not only centralizes mass but also emphasizes the raw aesthetic and exposed spine. The tiny 250 twin runs a wide-open custom exhaust that I figure must reverb like crazy on asphalt, thanks to the downshooter exits and the bike’s low stance.

If that isn’t enough to strangle some attention, Matt’s also decided to run with a jockey-shift. He claims the setup is actually intuitive on this bike and that the package is a blast to ride. [More]

Harley-Davidson Sportster tracker by RSD
Harley-Davidson Sportster by RSD It sports a sticker that reads “Keep hipsters off Harleys.” But Roland Sands’ Pickle Tracker ticks all the right boxes for the neck-beard crowd—and many others. Born from the wreckage of multiple Hooligan highsides, the Pickle Tracker was previously RSD’s famous Ameri-Tracker.

After a complete rebuild, this Hooligan Sportster is now a leaner and meaner machine. Upgraded suspension and lightweight Del Mar Wheels keep this Sporty planted and sideways around the dirt oval; an RSD Slant 2-into-1 exhaust system and Carbon Fiber intake help the thunderjugs breathe.

With the continued success of the Hooligan racing series, we can only imagine how many home brews will start creeping out of the woodwork—it’s grassroots racing at its finest and, between this and his Indians, Roland Sands is leading the charge. [More]

BMW R75/5 by Fuller Moto
BMW R75/5 by Fuller Moto If you’ve visited this section of cyberspace before, Bryan Fuller is undoubtedly familiar. He’s been raising our eyebrows with his custom creations for some time now. It’s clear the man has talent.

With his latest build—a BMW R75/5—Fuller focused his attention on subtlety and better-than-factory finishing. The Bavarian Knight is a lighter, tighter interpretation of what a 70s Beemer should be. The slender tail is a work of art, and the polish on that airhead is simply divine. If that’s not enough to drop your jaw, check out the simple yet sublime exhaust hanger brackets keeping those cocktail shakers perfectly positioned.

The fact that it has fenders means that this Beemer is a rider, although the OE drum brakes remain—so you may want to take things easy. [More]

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Mr Purnell’s magical Triton cafe racer

A stunning modern-day Triton cafe racer built by Wheelie Motorcycles of British Columbia.
Most builds we feature start out as a ‘donor bike.’ This Triton cafe racer started out as an idea—turned into reality by a builder with the chops to execute it.

Wheelies Motorcycles is a workshop, restaurant and retail space nestled in an industrial area of Victoria, British Columbia. Joel Harrison is the guy turning wrenches—handling everything from engine rebuilds to fabrication and upholstery with supernatural skill.

A stunning modern-day Triton cafe racer built by Wheelie Motorcycles of British Columbia.
Joel specializes in vintage bikes. So when a customer (Mr Purnell) walked in looking for a Triton, he was in his element.

For the uninitiated: a Triton is typically a Triumph engine wedged into a Norton frame. So there’s no single donor bike. “It took about six months to find all the important parts and rebuild the engine,” says Joel.

A stunning modern-day Triton cafe racer built by Wheelie Motorcycles of British Columbia.
Joel pieced the engine together from parts he sourced locally, and bits he had kicking around his shop. The bottom end is from a 1967 Triumph TR6R, matched up to a 1970 Bonneville head. Extra grunt comes from an Airco 750cc big bore kit and MegaCycle cams.

The top end’s been treated to Kibblewhite valves and guides, and there’s a new magneto from Joe Hunt too.

A stunning modern-day Triton cafe racer built by Wheelie Motorcycles of British Columbia.
The frame’s a 1968 Norton Slimline Featherbed unit. Joel sourced it from a local shop specializing in British bikes, along with a Norton Commando front end. He then set about modifying the frame—re-tabbing it, adding new engine mounts and fitting a center stand.

The forks have been upgraded with progressive springs, and shortened by 1¾ inches. They’re mounted via a custom triple clamp, made “the old-fashioned way—with a grinder and files.” Out back, a set of Hagon shocks keep things in check.

A stunning modern-day Triton cafe racer built by Wheelie Motorcycles of British Columbia.
For the wheels, Joel laced up a new set of 19-inch rims with Dunlop rubber. The front hub is a Commando piece, equipped with a dual leading shoe drum brake, and the rear hub’s from an Atlas.

Legendary Motor Parts in Florida supplied the bodywork: a Lyta-style aluminum fuel tank and oil reservoir, with a matching tail unit. Joel modded the tail section to be shorter and narrower—to better suit the tank—and added a simple, pleated leather pad. The bodywork is mounted on rubber grommets, with quick release pins making maintenance a breeze.

A stunning modern-day Triton cafe racer built by Wheelie Motorcycles of British Columbia.
Turning his attention to the wiring, Joel hid an AntiGravity four-cell battery in the tail unit and set about building a simple, cloth-wrapped harness. Highlights include a Sparx high output regulator and a Wassell alternator.

The headlight’s an original 5¾-inch Triumph item, complemented by a simple tail light and license mount arrangement at the rear. And those gorgeous sweeping exhausts are TT-style Triumph pipes, cut and welded to hug the frame’s lines and capped with simple reverse cone mufflers.

A stunning modern-day Triton cafe racer built by Wheelie Motorcycles of British Columbia.
The foot controls are handmade, fitted with British rubber as an added touch. And the cockpit is super-clean, with clip-ons, minimal switchgear and a single dial sunken into the hand-made triple clamp.

Joel calls the Purnell Triton “a very simple bike.” But it’s also “very fast, and handles like it’s on rails.”

Mr Purnell is already putting his new steed to good use—tearing up the country roads of Dawson Creek, BC. We’re jealous.

Wheelies Motorcycles | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Jason Schultz

A stunning modern-day Triton cafe racer built by Wheelie Motorcycles of British Columbia.