Categories
Austria BikeExif Custom Motorcycles Harley Street Harley-Davidson Other Motorcycle Blogs USA

Harley Street 750: Battle Of The Kings

Custom Harley Street 750 built for the Battle Of The Kings competition.
Harley-Davidson took a punt when it launched its Street models last year—and it’s paid off. The Street 750 and 500 are doing especially well in international markets, where there’s less emphasis on cubic inches.

In Europe, Harley is stoking the fires with its Battle of The Kings competition, pitching dealers against each other in a custom bike build-off. This is one of our favorites—built by Austrians Fabian Weber and Gregor Malleier of H-D Innsbruck.

Custom Harley Street 750 built for the Battle Of The Kings competition.
The Harley Street 750 is what you might call an ‘accessible’ bike—in both financial and riding terms. So the builders have to get maximum bang for the buck, spending no more than €4,000 on parts and keeping the workshop hours down to 50 or less.

Despite those restrictions, Fabian and Gregor have built a very stylish machine indeed. Workshop manager Gregor used to be a racebike mechanic, and can also build his own frames—so he knows how to work quickly.

Custom Harley Street 750 built for the Battle Of The Kings competition.
His protégé Fabian brings enthusiasm as well as automotive skills, and is a convert to the new wave custom scene: “Before we started the project, I was on holiday in Cape Town, South Africa. I came back inspired by the cafe racer scene,” he says. “I was even more pleased when Gregor assigned the main part of the project to me, such as design and selection of parts!”

The modifications are well chosen for maximum impact. Fitting a Free Spirits triple tree up front has increased the visual weight of the forks, which lose the stock rubber gaiters. Fabian has also lowered the forks and fitted a 19-inch Dyna front wheel, two inches larger than stock.

Custom Harley Street 750 built for the Battle Of The Kings competition.
The new triples have also allowed the speedo to be hidden better and the fairing repositioned for better lines. Free Spirits clip-ons increase the café racer vibe.

The rear wheel has gone up two inches in size too: it’s a 17-inch item from the Softail Cross Bones model. After a little drilling and re-arrangement, the Street 750 pulley was able to fit. The rear fender was widened and shortened to match, and a discreet LED strip fitted for lighting.

Custom Harley Street 750 built for the Battle Of The Kings competition.
There’s a custom saddle on top of the standard seat pan, and the ignition lock and horn have been moved to clean up the overall look. The wiring harness, traditionally a bugbear of lower-cost bikes, has been partially hidden. The mid controls have been drilled and powder coated, and drilled H-D ‘Silencer’ footpegs installed.

The exhaust headers are standard, but the look of the system has been transformed by fitting a stubby, screw-mountable muffler—which can be returned easily to stock.

Custom Harley Street 750 built for the Battle Of The Kings competition.
It shows what can be done with a little ingenuity, and not too much cash. And if this is the future of Harley-Davidson customizing, we’re all for it.

You can examine the other Harley Street 750 builds in the Battle Of The Kings competition here—we’ve already covered the XRTT Racer from Belgium. The finale of the competition will be next month at the Wheels & Waves Festival in Biarritz, France, where a panel of judges will pick a winner.

I’m betting this one has a very good chance indeed.

Battle Of The Kings | H-D Benelux Facebook | Harley-Davidson Innsbruck | Images by Christoph Villgrattner

Custom Harley Street 750 built for the Battle Of The Kings competition.

Categories
BikeExif Custom Motorcycles Ducati Italy Other Motorcycle Blogs USA

The motorcycle as art: Hazan Motorworks’ Ducati

The motorcycle as art: Ducati MH900 by Hazan Motorworks.
Max Hazan has a motto tattooed on his hand: “Ever forward in creation.” And he’s a man of his word, building intricate, unusual machines that willfully ignore the fickle winds of fashion.

It’s an intensely individual approach, and one that has positioned LA-based Hazan at the top of the ‘motorcycle as art’ genre. He has entered the rarified atmosphere occupied by top-flight builders like Shinya Kimura, Chicara Nagata and Ian Barry of Falcon Motorcycles.

The motorcycle as art: Ducati MH900 by Hazan Motorworks.
This is the second Ducati M900 that’s been through the Hazan Motorworks weight-loss program. The commission came from an enthusiast in England, and Max was understandably reluctant about building a similar bike. But the appeal of the classic Ducati Monster platform was hard to resist.

“I’ve always gravitated toward carbureted bikes, particularly air-cooled singles and twins,” says Max. “There’s much more creative freedom when you don’t have to factor in the peripheral parts that injected, liquid-cooled four-cylinder engines require. And they also sound the way a motorcycle should.”

The motorcycle as art: Ducati MH900 by Hazan Motorworks.
As always with Hazan Motorworks builds, Max began with a full-scale mockup. “I started with the engine, welded up the frame, glued a huge block of foam to it, and let the lines of the bike dictate what shape to make.”

The foam technique allows Max to work in ‘real’ 3D, so he can analyze the proportions of every part. “I then transfer these parts directly to aluminum,” he says. “I’m often asked if I draw bikes first—and although I do enjoy the idea of drawing bikes and design them ‘in my head,’ it doesn’t translate to the finished product in the way that 3D shaping does.”

The motorcycle as art: Ducati MH900 by Hazan Motorworks.
On this build, Max has kept the MH900 head tube and front engine mount, but remade the rest of the frame. The swingarm is a beefy Ducati 1098 item, which meant removing about an inch of aluminum from the back of the engine case and machining new pivot bushings. “Not an easy bolt-on modification, but it was worth all the work,” he comments. “The swingarm transformed the bike and gives it the stance that it needed.”

The next focus was the sound. The full stainless steel TIG welded system may take you a few minutes to process: It looks like a snake wrapped around a tree branch. And it sounds more like a drag-racer Harley than anything else.

The motorcycle as art: Ducati MH900 by Hazan Motorworks.
Weight is just 360 pounds—around 165 kilos in metric terms—and the rebuilt engine puts out between 90-95 hp. Wheels are Carrozzeria forged items, with the front taken from a Ducati 916 and the rear from a 1098. They’re running 17-inch hand-cut slicks.

The tachometer was based on images from the client showing an antique diver’s watch. So Max commissioned Buz Ras of Seattle Speedometer to machine a custom instrument, which is now recessed cleanly into the top of the tank. The rest of the electronics are hidden in a recess under the fuel tank, keeping the clean look around the engine.

The motorcycle as art: Ducati MH900 by Hazan Motorworks.
So how does it ride? I can say that it was unlike any Ducati Monster I have ridden before. The bike feels unbelievably light, and the front wheel lifts off effortlessly. The ergonomics are great for everyday riding and canyon carving: Not too low or hard on the wrists, but not too high and clumsy either.

It was hard to get off this one.

Hazan Motorworks | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Shaik Ridzwan

The motorcycle as art: Ducati MH900 by Hazan Motorworks.

Categories
BikeExif BMW motorcycles Custom Motorcycles Germany Other Motorcycle Blogs USA

Funktional: Tim Harney’s no-frills BMW R75/6

Tim Harney's custom BMW R75/6 is an essay in simplicity—as befits a former industrial designer.
Many custom motorcycle builders didn’t start out as such. Tim Harney’s one of them: in his past life, he worked as an industrial designer for architecture, furniture and lighting design firms.

Tim’s since focussed his keen sense of aesthetics onto customizing bikes. This 1976 BMW R75/6 is his latest work—and we’re smitten with its functional yet charming vibe.

Tim Harney's custom BMW R75/6 is an essay in simplicity—as befits a former industrial designer.
“The client was really straightforward: ‘I want a bike that I’ll never have to worry about, or do anything to’,” says Tim. “That spells out airhead to me.”

A suitable R75 donor was picked out, and wheeled into Tim’s Brooklyn, New York workshop.

Tim Harney's custom BMW R75/6 is an essay in simplicity—as befits a former industrial designer.
The carbs and airbox were quickly tossed in favor of a set of Mikuni VM32s with cone filters. Tim also fabricated a box to fill the now open space; it houses a new, smaller battery and a custom-wired fuse box.

He also upgraded the electrics with an electronic ignition and an updated diode board. The exhaust is a bespoke, two-into-one affair—made with 304 stainless steel, and terminating in an Arrow muffler.

Tim Harney's custom BMW R75/6 is an essay in simplicity—as befits a former industrial designer.
To improve the BMW’s ride feel, a set of Suzuki DR650 forks were fitted and shortened by five inches. The rear shocks are a pair of re-valved R75/5 items.

The subframe is a custom-made, chromoly unit—shorter and slimmer than stock. It bolts to the main frame via custom mounting tabs that Tim added. On top is a one-off seat, upholstered in cow hide in-house.

Tim Harney's custom BMW R75/6 is an essay in simplicity—as befits a former industrial designer.
When it came to the fuel tank, Tim had his work cut out for him. “Someone was nice enough to take a hammer to the tank prior to me finding it,” he explains. “I guess not everyone likes airheads like I like ’em.” The tank was sectioned, shortened, boxed and trimmed to get it into shape.

At each end, hand-rolled aluminum fenders cap off the bodywork. The rear holds a tiny tail light, while a Harley-Davidson Sportster headlight is been mounted up front—complete with its signature cowl. Just behind it are a set of low-rise bars and Renthal grips.

Tim Harney's custom BMW R75/6 is an essay in simplicity—as befits a former industrial designer.
Other bits and pieces include a quarter-turn Domino throttle, and a Brembo master brake cylinder with a braided hose (the R75’s down to one disc in front now). The tires are dual-purpose numbers from Kenda.

It’s already a great mix of well-considered mods, but it’s the color palette that really drives the point home. The frame and wheels are finished in a pale grey to match the engine, while the new subframe’s been done in black. And that warm grey on the tank is just sublime.

Tim Harney's custom BMW R75/6 is an essay in simplicity—as befits a former industrial designer.
We reckon Tim’s R75/6 hits the spot right between form and funktion. The perfect bike for Brooklyn’s busy streets.

Tim Harney Motorcycles | Instagram | Photography by Adam Lerner

Tim Harney's custom BMW R75/6 is an essay in simplicity—as befits a former industrial designer.

Categories
BikeExif Custom Motorcycles England Other Motorcycle Blogs Triumph motorcycles USA

Teeth Gnasher: Thor Drake’s Scrambler bike

Teeth Gnasher: a race-ready Triumph Scrambler bike.
Thor Drake’s love for motorcycling and his desire to go beyond the ordinary can be seen in his latest project, a race-ready 2010-spec Triumph Scrambler. It’s at home on the track, in the woods and on the road.

Drake, part-owner of Portland-based See See Motor Coffee Co., has an easy smile and boyish exuberance. But it hides a tenacious spirit.

Teeth Gnasher: a race-ready Triumph Scrambler bike.
You need true Norwegian grit to organize the One Moto Show and operate a busy motorcycles-and-coffee shop. But Drake then spends every spare moment racing, planning races or helping others to race.

Why? “Racing makes man better,” he says. “Without racing and without a reason to try harder, why would you ever do anything?”

Teeth Gnasher: a race-ready Triumph Scrambler bike.
That competitive thinking led Drake to begin the scrambler bike project. He wanted an aesthetically pleasing bike: one that could perform well on the track and in the wooded hills around his home, but still feel good on the streets. The Triumph Scrambler emerged as a possible platform.

“Triumph built a bike that wasn’t ‘really good’ at anything, but you can do just about anything on it,” Drake says of the 900cc EFI Scrambler. “It’s not meant for racing, but you can race it.”

Teeth Gnasher: a race-ready Triumph Scrambler bike.
Drake mustered his Viking courage and asked Triumph for a bike to modify—or “destroy,” as he puts it.

He wasn’t holding his breath, but it worked out. “A magical wizard appeared one day and delivered a motorcycle. I was like, ‘Well, that was cool. Guess I’ve gotta follow through on everything I said I could do.’”

Teeth Gnasher: a race-ready Triumph Scrambler bike.
Drake knew the bike needed to be pleasing as well as functional. “All the little details, all the stuff that you touch, has to be metal. So I’ve essentially removed everything that’s plastic. I tried to give it a bit of a throwback to the scramblers you would see back in the day.”

Low-rise Renthal handlebars stay clean with See See’s own mini-switches, giving the Scrambler a quick ‘flat-track’ visual hit—while providing a comfortable riding position on and off the road.

Teeth Gnasher: a race-ready Triumph Scrambler bike.
Fenders from Lowbrow Customs hug gold anodized Sun rims from Buchanan’s, shod with a set of (soon to be replaced) flat track tires. “I need to get some proper tires before I give ‘er hell,” Drake notes.

A modified 2-into-2 high pipe exhaust from British Customs adds to the scrambler look, while providing an aggressive audio experience. (Plus extra horsepower, thanks to a mild remapping of the EFI system.) Speed Merchant engine cases match the polished cylinder fins and give the bike a ‘machined’ appeal.

Teeth Gnasher: a race-ready Triumph Scrambler bike.
On the topside, Drake leveled and ribbed the tank. “It’s something you used to do, because that’s where they welded the tank together. It’s adding more weight to the bike, but I like the way it breaks it up. It makes the tank look a little less massive.”

Cockpit mods include a custom seat pan with a 007-esque compartment for your wallet, phone or other important items. Ginger McCabe at New Church Moto provided the finishing touch—a covering of fine Langlitz leather.

Teeth Gnasher: a race-ready Triumph Scrambler bike.
After some minor work on the frame, Blakely Powdercoating sealed everything in a harmonious gray. “Then Tony’s Customs did the paint, as per my design,” says Drake. “He said, ‘Are you sure this is all you want? You don’t want me to pinstripe it?’ I said ‘No! Get your brush away from here.’ Though there is a time and place for pinstripe.”

With the look finally dialed in, Drake swung into action. “I’ve had it on the flat track, and I did a track day with it. Did a race, too: I think I was last place, but I didn’t expect to win. I was just trying it out. I’ve taken it out on the trails a little bit, and it’s really fun out there. You wick the throttle and it’s a lot of juice, especially for a dirt bike.”

Teeth Gnasher: a race-ready Triumph Scrambler bike.
Drake concedes that ‘Teeth Gnasher’ isn’t a full-blown custom, but it’s what he was hoping for. ” It’s a working man’s custom. Something you’re not afraid is going to get stolen, but something you can be proud of.”

The thought of having Thor Drake destroy your bike doesn’t sound so bad after all, does it?

See See Motor Coffee Co., 1642 NE Sandy Blvd, Portland | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Patrick Farrell

Categories
BikeExif Custom Motorcycles Ducati Italy Other Motorcycle Blogs USA Walt Siegl

Eye Candy: Two New Walt Siegl Leggeros

Ducati Leggero cafe racer by Walt Siegl.
We make no apologies: we’re featuring the latest two customs from Walt Siegl because we can’t tear our eyes away from them. And we’re not alone—a few days ago, Wall Street Journal reporter Jonathan Welsh fell for the charms of these Ducatis too.

We’ve already covered the story behind the Leggero bikes in depth here and here. But Walt’s new builds show how the concept can be stretched without losing its appeal. The commissions came from clients with very different requirements, so we have a ‘naked’ bike with a classic look, and a faired machine with a more modern vibe.

Ducati Leggero cafe racer by Walt Siegl.
“The choice of color and graphics can dramatically change the ‘language’ or feel of the machine,” says Walt. “I know this is largely true for any bike, but I think it’s especially true for the Leggero.”

The faired machine has a more modern exhaust system than usual, and a contemporary aluminum swingarm—55 millimeters longer than most Leggeros.

Ducati Leggero cafe racer by Walt Siegl.
“It puts more weight on the front wheel, and gives more stability coming out of turns on the power,” says Walt. “The rider gets more front-end feel, with the same trail as the shorter chassis. It makes the bike look less compact though—which is not necessarily a bad thing.”

Siegl is happy to adapt his design to client requirements, hitting the sweet spot between (relative) affordability and full customization. He makes small runs of key parts—such as the ultra-light frame—and uses computerized CNC data to turn out smaller components when needed.

Ducati Leggero cafe racer by Walt Siegl.
“I get to know what my clients need, and not just by asking for their height and weight so we can tune suspension and ergonomics. We also talk about their cars, their watch, their riding habits, and the colors they like in the motoring world.

“We talk about the kind of performance they are looking for, where they live, and what they will end up doing with the bike. With these particular builds, it was obvious I was working with two very different men.”

Ducati Leggero cafe racer by Walt Siegl.
The Leggeros, we’re told, are ‘tight and light’—which you can sense just by moving them around. Siegl has worked hard to get the geometries right and reduce weight, by using magnesium wheels, Kevlar bodywork, and cromoly frame tubing.

There is no shortage of power. The 900SS-derived motors are rebuilt and blueprinted by ace technician Bruce Meyers, who adds big bore 944 kits and ported and flowed cylinder heads. “He is simply the best engine builder and Ducati expert in North America,” says Walt. “Truly a legend in the Ducati racing community.”

Ducati Leggero cafe racer by Walt Siegl.
Another legend involved in the Leggero story is painter Robbie Nigl of Peach Pit, who conveniently has a workshop an hour north-east of Siegl’s base in the old New Hampshire mill town of Harrisville.

“I love to work with people at the top of their game, and Robbie Nigl is the best painter I’ve come across,” says Walt. “Over the last twenty years I’ve seen his work on many racebikes, including mine. He puts so much pride into his craft, and won’t let a part leave his shop until he and the customer are both 100% satisfied.”

Ducati Leggero cafe racer by Walt Siegl.
Blistering performance and traffic-stopping looks: it’s an irresistible combination. And the potential to fine-tune the Leggero configuration adds an extra layer of danger.

It’s a good job Walt doesn’t have one of those carmaker-style configurators on his website. We’d lose hours of valuable riding time specc’ing up the ultimate cafe racer.

Walt Siegl | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Anthony Blasko

Ducati Leggero cafe racer by Walt Siegl.

Categories
BikeExif Custom Motorcycles Digital Directiv Ducati Italy Other Motorcycle Blogs USA

Electrifying: Digital Directiv’s custom Ducati

Digital Directiv’s electrifying custom Ducati
If you could buy a brand new Ducati SportClassic today, what would it look like? We reckon it’d be very similar to this—a rapid custom from electrical whizz Joe Tessitore of Digital Directiv.

‘Bella’ is a ground-up restoration of a 2007 Sport 1000s, boosted with seriously upmarket performance kit. It’s inspired by the limited edition Ducati MH900E, the hand-built predecessor to the ill-fated SportClassic line.

Digital Directiv’s electrifying custom Ducati
Joe has re-imagined the SportClassic with high-tech changes, modern improvements, and upgrades that spared no expense. But the effect is low key rather than flashy. “I wanted only the educated eye to be able to appreciate the subtle changes that went into building this machine,” he says.

Almost every part on this bike has been adapted from modern Ducatis or the MH900E itself. “It had to be classy and timeless—so no billet parts or carbon fiber,” says Joe.

Digital Directiv’s electrifying custom Ducati
Everything feels like it belongs on a factory machine—from the Marchesini forged 999R wheels (wrapped in sticky Pirelli rubber) to the Öhlins superbike forks and Brembo brakes.

Joe recruited some of the best in the business to help him build the bike. “Many builders take pride in doing everything themselves, but at the expense of the final product. I’m not one of those guys,” says Joe. “Everything has to be perfect and if someone is an expert at what they do, I’m not afraid to involve them in the project.”

Digital Directiv’s electrifying custom Ducati
Portland-based Masic Industries was enlisted to refinish every single nut and bolt back to factory-new condition. They also refinished the mildly modified frame and wheels, and polished every aluminum part including the engine covers. All seams and casting marks have been removed and many components have been given a brushed finish, a signature feature of the MH.

Jeff Johnson of Illegal Designs hand-formed the one-piece aluminum solo tail section, which mounts using the stock seat latch for easy removal. He also adapted Monster 1100 headers into an amazing underseat exhaust, capped by Cone Engineering cans.

Digital Directiv’s electrifying custom Ducati
Ginger from New Church Moto was the only choice to make the sexy hand-stitched suede seat and matching pad. Tying it all together is deep black and charcoal paint laid down by Tony’s Customs.

Digital Directiv builds are always packed with high-tech wizardry. (After all, Joe has written the definitive starter guide to motorcycle wiring.) And Bella is no different. There’s discreet LED lighting all round, with hidden brake lights, taillights, and turn signals at the back.

Digital Directiv’s electrifying custom Ducati
A key no longer controls ignition: instead, an iPhone-compatible Bluetooth system tells the bike when you’re approaching. You can turn the bike on and off as needed, as long as your phone remains in your pocket.

The electronic coup d’état is even more unusual: Joe has wired a modern Ducati 1098 digital dash unit into the SportClassic electrical system, using a custom harness and new ECU firmware. That may sound simple, but it took over a hundred hours of R&D on both hardware and software.

Digital Directiv’s electrifying custom Ducati
“An aftermarket dash could have been mounted with much less time and effort,” Joe admits. “But it would have taken away from the factory feel that was a requirement of the Bella project.”

It’s a unique and functional work of art, blurring the lines between custom and factory. And unlike most customs built to this level, it’s designed to be ridden.

Tempted? Bella is being offered for sale via the website Touch of Modern.

Digital Directiv | Facebook | Instagram | Photos by Pierre Robichaud, post production by Michael Bonior

Digital Directiv’s electrifying custom Ducati

Categories
BikeExif Custom Motorcycles England Fuller Moto Norton motorcycles Other Motorcycle Blogs USA

Fuller Moto’s Minty Fresh Norton Commando 750

Immaculate Norton Commando 750 resto-mod by Fuller Moto.
The Handbuilt Motorcycle show rocked Austin, Texas earlier this month. As the name implies, the show was filled to the brim with custom motorcycles—including this show-stopping Norton Commando 750 from Fuller Moto.

Fuller Moto is an Atlanta, Georgia-based shop run by Bryan Fuller. When Bryan’s not presenting Velocity’s Naked Speed, he builds one-off hot rods and motorcycles.

Immaculate Norton Commando 750 resto-mod by Fuller Moto.
As builders go, he’s pretty versatile. The last Fuller build we featured was a raw, retro-futuristic Ducati Scrambler—a stark contrast to the clean, immaculately-finished Norton we’re looking at here.

Kyle Frey is the owner of this Norton, nicknamed ‘Misty Green.’ Once a resident of New York and part of the hustle of the Financial District, Kyle decided to leave the city behind—choosing a life in the Texas hill country in the aftermath of 9/11.

Immaculate Norton Commando 750 resto-mod by Fuller Moto.
Bryan picks up the story: “Kyle had seen our café racers and was interested in transforming his Norton Commando. He’d inherited it from his uncle, Fred Heistand.

“Fred had come across this Norton as a matching numbers unit, with a frame and four milk crates full of parts. But it’d been sitting for years. The spokes were junk and the kicker was stripped, so it was unusable.”

Immaculate Norton Commando 750 resto-mod by Fuller Moto.
When the Fuller team began stripping down the bike, they found a solid piece of two-inch round stock holding the frame backbone together. It was no doubt a fix for the famously flexible frame of the 1968 Commando—so Fuller built a brand new cromoly frame from scratch.

The Commando uses an oil-carrying frame, so the process wasn’t without its challenges. The tail section bodywork hides a small reserve tank (as well as the battery and regulator), with lines running from the frame to the oil pump. And there’s an ingenious new crankcase venting system, with a vent tube hidden inside the frame downtube. It exits to a hidden slot in front of the steering neck.

Immaculate Norton Commando 750 resto-mod by Fuller Moto.
One of the goals of the project was weight saving. At 464 pounds or so, the Commando is not too heavy—but it only has 58 hp to push it around in stock form. So Bryan swapped the heavy forks out for a much lighter (and shortened) CB550 setup. NYC Norton supplied new, custom-drilled triple trees to hold the CB forks.

Immaculate Norton Commando 750 resto-mod by Fuller Moto.
A set of dirtbike hubs found at a swap meet went to Buchanan’s, where they were laced to aluminum rims—19” at the front and 18” at the back. The swingarm was lengthened two inches, with a new righthand side designed to accommodate the new rear wheel. The all-new brakes are from Beringer and the shocks are from Fox.

While the suspension was being fettled, the engine was rebuilt by Beno Rodi, an English bike expert. “He’s in his 70s, and still enters a hundred motorcycle races a year,” says Bryan.

Immaculate Norton Commando 750 resto-mod by Fuller Moto.
“He knows these old Nortons inside out, and has a stash of old and new parts to fill the gaps where necessary. The motor wasn’t in too bad a shape, so Beno did a basic ring, hone, valve and port job.”

Beno also gave the transmission a good once over, and installed a new open primary drive kit and clutch. “It works really smooth—light to the touch, and doesn’t slip.”

Bryan Heidt (AKA ‘Super B’) cut the original drive cover to leave the system exposed, while still offering a little protection for the stator (and Kyle’s foot). Most of the fasteners on the bike were replaced with ARP 12-point, stainless steel units.

Immaculate Norton Commando 750 resto-mod by Fuller Moto.
With the chassis and engine sorted, Bryan could move onto his favorite phase of the build: bodywork. “I’ve been wanting to do a fairing forever,” he says, “and this was the right bike for it.”

He started by making a buck, in a shape reminiscent of the old Manx racers, but more streamlined. The bodywork was then beaten, English-wheeled and hammered out of alloy, before the tops and sides were rolled and finished. The windshield is a trimmed reproduction Ducati ‘double bubble’ item.

Immaculate Norton Commando 750 resto-mod by Fuller Moto.
An old English lantern was cut up to make the head and tail lights. “It sounded like a good idea,” says Bryan wryly. “But the vibration from the parallel twin broke both glasses.” They started over, but this time the hot H4 bulb threatened to melt everything. Switching to LEDs ultimately solved the problem.

With the finish line in sight, Wes Hines (Fuller Moto’s ‘mechanical whizz kid’) and Super B assembled all the mechanical components, while Bryan planned the graphics.

Immaculate Norton Commando 750 resto-mod by Fuller Moto.
The rims and Beringer brakes were anodized red out of the box. As beautiful as they looked, they didn’t match Kyle and Bryan’s vision for the Commando. “We just felt like Norton Green was called for.” So the wheels were stripped and re-coated; the rims went green, and the brakes were anodized satin black.

The bodywork was polished before being painted by Atlanta-based Joe Patterson. Chastin Brand then handled pinstriping duties, adding highlights matching the green on the Smiths rev counter. John Whitaker crafted the leather for the seat, tank and tail.

Immaculate Norton Commando 750 resto-mod by Fuller Moto.
All that was left to do was give the Norton a decent shakedown. So Bryan spent a month riding it back and forth to work and around town. “She starts first kick nearly every time and hits with a rumble out of the Cone Engineering stainless steel mufflers. The Beringers stop perfectly, the clutch is smooth, it sounds good, the seat is comfortable… proud papa!”

The whole project took the Fuller crew a couple of years to complete—but the ‘Misty Green’ moniker was only chosen at the very last minute. Bryan picked it when he joined ace photographer Matthew Jones in the misty Georgia countryside early one morning, to shoot the bike before it was shipped off to the show.

A new dawn for an old classic—just the kind of build we like around these parts.

Fuller Moto website | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Matthew JonesInstagram

Immaculate Norton Commando 750 resto-mod by Fuller Moto.

Categories
Austria BikeExif Custom Motorcycles KTM Other Motorcycle Blogs USA

Two-wheel drive beast: The REV’IT! #95

Is it possible to make the KTM 950 SE even more awesome? Yes, by adding a 2-wheel drive system.
I’ve often thought that the true customizers in the motorcycle world are the dirt riders. They’re always tweaking and tuning, bolting on upgrades in search of a performance edge.

Ironically, the biggest improvement you can make to a dirt bike is one you’ll hardly ever see: a 2-wheel drive conversion kit. And that’s the secret of the beast we’re looking at here.

Is it possible to make the KTM 950 SE even more awesome? Yes, by adding a 2-wheel drive system.
The KTM 950 Super Enduro is a hefty machine—at ease on the road and hard-pack, but liable to become a handful on sandy or muddy terrain. The perfect candidate for a 2-wheel drive system.

REV’IT! creative director Gerbrandt Aarts was thinking along the same lines. So he briefed a team to turn the KTM into an ultra-capable custom: engineer Chris Cosentino, racebike builder and salt flat specialist Scott Kolb, and Brooklyn-based photographer and custom bike enthusiast Gregor Halenda.

Is it possible to make the KTM 950 SE even more awesome? Yes, by adding a 2-wheel drive system.
The idea was to create a completely new style of custom—by converting the rugged ADV into a truly go-anywhere machine. It’s called ‘#95’ as a nod to the year that REV’IT! started making motorcycle apparel.

Technically speaking, the KTM is using an all-wheel-drive rather than 2WD system. It comes from Philadelphia-based Christini Technologies, whose bikes send reviewers into raptures and have been pressed into service by the US military.

Is it possible to make the KTM 950 SE even more awesome? Yes, by adding a 2-wheel drive system.
It’s an interesting system. Via gears and shafts, power goes from the countershaft sprocket to the headstock, where it’s converted again via a pair of counter-rotating drive shafts.

The front wheel is driven at 80% of the speed of the rear wheel: this prevents undue torque from affecting the steering. When the rear wheel outpaces the front—via wheelspin in slippery situations—the front starts to dig in, bring the bike back into line. Wasted power becomes extra forward motion.

Is it possible to make the KTM 950 SE even more awesome? Yes, by adding a 2-wheel drive system.
The Christini setup is not the only mod. The frame has been reshaped to accommodate custom aluminum bodywork, including a monstrous 12-gallon fuel tank.

The engine is now fueled by a Keihin 41mm FCR carb kit, sucking in air via Cosentino Engineering billet velocity stacks. On the outlet side we’re looking at a hand-made stainless steel exhaust, with Cone Engineering stainless megaphones. It doesn’t take much imagination to figure out how deep it rumbles.

Is it possible to make the KTM 950 SE even more awesome? Yes, by adding a 2-wheel drive system.
The brakes have been upgraded too, with discs, calipers and a master cylinder from Moto-Master. Power hits the ground via DID x-ring chains and an Ironman rear sprocket; the wheels are Woody’s billet hub rims with Excel hoops and stainless steel spokes. That’s 19 inches at the front, and 17 inches out back.

The tires are Continental’s familiar Twinduro TKC80 dual sports, but the rims were chosen to accommodate more exotic rubber too—like Jeff Fredette’s custom studded ice tires, and Skat-Trak paddle sand tires.

Is it possible to make the KTM 950 SE even more awesome? Yes, by adding a 2-wheel drive system.
More conventional touches include a lightweight Anti-Gravity battery, a seven-inch LED headlight from Kuryakyn, and Chrome Glow LED taillights and turn signals.

It’s a bike that can walk the talk, with capabilities to match its no-nonsense looks.

Any dirt riders out there willing to take it on?

REV’IT! #95 build site | Christini Technologies | Cosentino Engineering | Scott Kolb | Gregor Halenda Photography

Is it possible to make the KTM 950 SE even more awesome? Yes, by adding a 2-wheel drive system.

Categories
BikeExif BMW motorcycles Germany Other Motorcycle Blogs Special Features USA

Bavarian Cafe: For The Love Of BMW Airheads

Bavarian Cafe: Brandon Mungai and his passion for BMW motorcycle restoration.
“Do you prefer the build or the ride?” It was a question for Brandon Mungai that I assumed might come with a shaky answer.

Motorcycles have, in many ways, defined themselves as a quintessential part of the American Dream—alongside classic pickup trucks, Coca-Cola, and denim jeans.

Bavarian Cafe: Brandon Mungai and his passion for BMW motorcycle restoration.
Surrounding the ethos of riding a motorcycle are the ideas of freedom, masculinity, and the nomadic spirit. And to suggest that building a bike isn’t merely a means to an end would, for some, seem sacrilegious. However, that wasn’t the case for Brandon.

Brandon Mungai began BMW motorcycle restoration some years ago, and despite his love for ‘the ride,’ it’s the build that has earned his devotion.

Bavarian Cafe: Brandon Mungai and his passion for BMW motorcycle restoration.
Within the glass walls of his sunroom, Brandon builds BMW café-inspired motorcycles. Just a few feet from the kitchen, an R90S resto-mod sits in partial completion, visible from the dining room table.

Having begun this project in 2013, it’s his longest undertaking to date. But with each of his bikes comes a new standard, pushing previous builds into subservience. Each bike stands to improve the next, and Brandon strives to improve his craft. But if not for the ride, then to what end?

Bavarian Cafe: Brandon Mungai and his passion for BMW motorcycle restoration.
That is, perhaps, an even tougher question to answer. After hours of conversation, it’s clear that Brandon builds bikes for one reason. Whether it’s an expression of thought, a demonstration of artistic language, or simply the methodic process of restoration and reconstruction, Brandon builds bikes for himself.

Bavarian Cafe: Brandon Mungai and his passion for BMW motorcycle restoration.
The R90S marks Brandon’s fourth major restoration. His journey began with a 1973 R75/5 in 2011, after bad luck with other mechanics. With the mindset of “If someone else can do it, I can too,” Brandon undertook the restoration himself, yielding a bike worthy of pride.

Bavarian Cafe: Brandon Mungai and his passion for BMW motorcycle restoration.
Unfortunately, however, Brandon then met the greatest fear of any rider: a crash. He survived, but his R75 was torn and mangled. The decision to leave two wheels behind in favor of four crossed his mind, but only briefly. He knew full well that returning to the craft was paramount.

After the mend, Brandon completed his second build, a 1983 R100 ‘LSB,’ glossed in Laguna Seca Blue and finished with his own signature touches.

Bavarian Cafe: Brandon Mungai and his passion for BMW motorcycle restoration.
Brandon finished up his third restoration just shy of one year ago. It’s a 1972 R75/5 aptly named Frein (“Free Lady” in German, a title of nobility), and clad in red and polished brightwork.

Both bikes have since gone on to new owners, fetching top-tier price tags. His meticulous care for the finish, fit, and final product of his work results in bikes that are above and beyond the quality of even BMW themselves.

While Brandon may exude too much humility to make such a claim, I’ve yet to meet others that aren’t willing to propose that Brandon’s work is indeed “better than new.”

Bavarian Cafe: Brandon Mungai and his passion for BMW motorcycle restoration.
With that, Brandon remains unsure of what’s to come of the R90S nearing completion.

With the amount invested into ensuring accuracy, matching numbers, and the fit and finish he’s established as a staple of his artistry, as well as the design work, custom parts, and personal touches, Brandon knows he won’t be letting go of the bike for cheap.

But refreshingly, he’s not concerned.

Bavarian Cafe: Brandon Mungai and his passion for BMW motorcycle restoration.
Brandon has made it clear that first and foremost, the bike is built for himself. “Honestly, I hate being a mechanic,” he tells me, before relenting that perhaps “hate” is too strong a word. Expressing all but refusal to build bikes to others’ tastes, Brandon is left to build the creations in his own mind.

Perhaps others see his vision, or perhaps they don’t. In either case, it seems an afterthought—a concern left for when the bike itself is complete.

Bavarian Cafe: Brandon Mungai and his passion for BMW motorcycle restoration.
Of course, Brandon is aiming to run a business—Bavarian Cafe—and it’s foolish to assume that a business can succeed without catering to customer desires.

However, perhaps Brandon’s flagrant disregard for a proper business model is part of the magic. Instead, he operates on the faith that his creations will see success on their own merits.

Much of the challenge lies in his established niche. While the ‘cafe racer’ aesthetic has risen tremendously in popularity over the past few years, BMW’s market share is slim in comparison to its Japanese counterparts. Nevertheless, Brandon’s love for the marque and the brand’s style, engineering, and simplicity keep him building for himself.

Bavarian Cafe: Brandon Mungai and his passion for BMW motorcycle restoration.
The R90S restoration is coming to a close, with street duty just over the horizon. Next on his plate is an R100S, and from there, several more.

His garage is overrun with airhead parts, chassis, and bodywork, each waiting for its turn at Brandon’s hands. “I’m done buying bikes,” he says. “I have enough to last me.” With the progress each build has made, there’s no doubt that each bike from here on out will continue to surpass expectations.

The hardest part will be the prolonged and anxious months and years as we wait to see what Brandon Mungai builds next.

Original article reprinted courtesy of StanceWorks | Bavarian Cafe website | Instagram

Bavarian Cafe: Brandon Mungai and his passion for BMW motorcycle restoration.

Categories
BikeExif BMW motorcycles Custom Motorcycles Germany Other Motorcycle Blogs USA

The Therapist: Jeff Veraldi’s BMW K100 Cafe Racer

When Jeff Veraldi broke his back in a racing accident, building this BMW K100 cafe racer became his therapy.
We often joke about motorcycles being a kind of therapy. But when Jeff Veraldi broke his back in a racing accident, it was a motorcycle that kept him sane—his BMW K100 café racer.

“Half way through the bike build, I burst my L1 vertebrae in an off-road truck race and almost paralyzed myself,” says Jeff. “Finishing the BMW became part of my physical, occupational and mental therapy.

When Jeff Veraldi broke his back in a racing accident, building this BMW K100 cafe racer became his therapy.
“I wasn’t sure if I would ever ride again. Now I’m happy to say that I have, and it’s great.”

Jeff’s savior is a 1984 K100RS, built in the same year as he was born. It’s no longer a Flying Brick, but rather a simple and elegant cafe racer—stripped to the basics and fitted with sleek, monochrome bodywork.

“It’s my first motorcycle build, after watching hundreds of bike builds on television,” says Jeff. “I usually build racecars and off-road trucks, so this was a little different for me.”

When Jeff Veraldi broke his back in a racing accident, building this BMW K100 cafe racer became his therapy.
Jeff chose the K100 for its Brembo brakes and master cylinders, Bosch electronics and the fine Fichtel and Sachs forks, held in place by hefty clamps. “But what I like most is the drivetrain: It’s a little car! An inline 4-banger with a car starter and alternator, and a dry clutch.” The shaft drive and a single-sided swingarm appealed too.

Wisely, Jeff has left the bulletproof 998cc engine alone. With only 18,000 miles on the clock, it’s barely broken in. He’s replaced the fuel pump though, and to be on the safe side, has also rebuilt the combined oil and water pump.

When Jeff Veraldi broke his back in a racing accident, building this BMW K100 cafe racer became his therapy.
Look closely and you’ll see a custom stainless steel exhaust, much shorter than stock and routed to the right. (On occasion, it shoots blue flames out of the tailpipe on deceleration, Jeff tells us.) The fuel injectors are now the 4-hole type, for better fuel atomization and smoother throttle response.

The angular RS bodywork has gone, which has usefully reduced the 548-pound weight of the K100. The back of the frame is now a custom bent hoop, and there’s an Odyssey battery hidden in the new rear cowl.

Jeff enlisted a BMW dealership to rebuild the front forks and upgrade them with progressive springs. At the back, suspension duties are handled by a RAM custom rear coil-over from the UK.

When Jeff Veraldi broke his back in a racing accident, building this BMW K100 cafe racer became his therapy.
“I dropped the ride height about 1.5 inches. I didn’t want to go crazy with the suspension, or spend a ton of money swapping front ends. The bike stops well, especially after dropping around 80 pounds—and the relatively cushy ride is exactly what I wanted, since I actually ride the bike.”

Jeff also resisted the temptation to install traditional cafe racer clip-ons: instead, he’s opted for custom bars that bolt to the bottom of the yoke and are rubber isolated. Another plus in the functionality stakes.

When Jeff Veraldi broke his back in a racing accident, building this BMW K100 cafe racer became his therapy.
The rest of the machine shows the attention to detail you’d expect from a man used to building racecars. There are stainless braided brake lines with AN-3 fittings, and custom-made rearsets.

The sole instrument combines a GPS speedo and tach. And Jeff has even swapped the side stand to the right side, to better display the open wheel—and prevent oil from draining into the cylinders when parked.

When Jeff Veraldi broke his back in a racing accident, building this BMW K100 cafe racer became his therapy.
When he broke his back, doctors told Jeff it’d be a year before he could ride again. But after seven months, Jeff felt well enough to wheel the BMW out of his garage and into the light.

“It was a good day when I finally got to throw a leg over it, and give the throttle a twist,” he says.

We bet. And what a fine bike to enjoy that priceless moment on.

When Jeff Veraldi broke his back in a racing accident, building this BMW K100 cafe racer became his therapy.