Husqvarna automatics

Husqvarna automatic motorcycles
I used to think that automatic gearboxes in motorcycles were restricted to a few odd Moto Guzzis and Hondas. Until a few days ago, when Ken Smith sent me the latest issue of VMX Magazine—with a Husqvarna automatic on the cover and an article inside:

Where’s the damn clutch lever?’ I’ve heard that from a few riders, not far into their first ride of a Husky Auto, even though they knew there wasn’t one on the bars before they took off. It’s just a given, that perched there on the left hand side of the handlebars is a clutch lever, and it’s something you use all the time!

Automatics have a strong following in the four-wheeled offroad world, so it’s not surprising that they’ve been tried in dirtbikes. And Husqvarna got it mostly right from the start: according to VMX’s writer Rob Shoemark, “The first commercial release of the Automatic was in 1976 and the last was 1988. Throughout that whole time the transmission was basically the same with only minor design enhancements.”

Since 1980, Husqvarna has been supplying the Swedish Army with auto all-terrain bikes that can be ridden proficiently by new recruits after just one week of training. And how does it work? “It is mechanically simple,” VMX reports. “Based around a centrifugal clutch, drive is firstly taken up by that clutch, then a series of a dog clutches engaged sequentially, locating higher gears. It was not only simple but very effective and reliable. What about changing back down? Once the throttle is closed, the engine goes into free-wheel mode. Once you apply the throttle again the gearbox was ‘told’ what gear it should be in by the speed of the back wheel.” Read More »

BMW R100T custom

BMW R100T custom
When I first saw this BMW, I struggled to put a date to it. Was it an older bike freshened up, or a relatively new bike that had taken a trip back in time? It turned out to be an R100T resto-mod, customized to make it look older than its 1979 model year. It’s owned by Oakland-based Jean-David Gerber: “My goal was to have it overhauled in such a way that it would look more like a bike from the 1960s—a ‘naked’ bike, with fork gaiters and spoked wheels and so on. As you know, BMW used to have a very conservative approach to the design of their ‘airheads’: most parts are interchangeable throughout the 25 years of their production, from 1970 to 1995. Greg Hutchinson, one of the airhead experts of the San Francisco Bay Area, kindly agreed to teach me the basics of mechanics.”

Jean-David replaced the wheels, tank, turn signals, valve covers and handlebars with parts from older BMW models. The seat is a modified police seat from a R90/6. The objective was to have a later-model 1000 cc airhead that “looks old, but still fresh.” The ‘Sienna Ivory’ color comes from a modern Vespa GTV250 and none of the metal parts were polished (to retain the patina) but some were bead-blasted. The engine was overhauled and kept stock—except for fitting dual plugs, electronic ignition and a deeper oil pan—so as not to compromise reliability. The result is understated and low-key, but to my eyes, creamily delicious. See the full restoration, beautifully photographed, on Jean-David’s Airhead Reborn blog.

Nikon D300 | 1/2000s | f/2.8 | ISO 320 | Focal length 120mm

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Big Sid’s Vincati

Vincati motorcycle
The Vincati is one of those semi-mythical bikes that you occasionally hear about—and to many classic motorcycle fans, a marriage made in heaven. Quite simply, it’s a Vincent engine in a Ducati frame. “Big Sid’s Vincati” is perhaps the most famous of these hybrids, so I dropped Sidney Biberman’s son Matthew a line to get the full story:

“In 2000, my dad, Big Sid, was recovering from a heart attack and bypass surgery. One evening during a hospital visit, I brought him his mail and we found ourselves poring over shots taken during that year’s Isle of Man races. One shot caught my eye: it was of a Vincati, something I had never seen before. I was immediately smitten and right then and there challenged Sid: I vowed that if he found the will to recover we would build one together, come hell or high water. Read More »

The Bike EXIF support team

Motorcycle website advertising
Our mission at Bike EXIF is to bring you a very selective dose of the best motorcycles, from the past and present. We’re thankful to have the backing of sponsors who support this goal, and it’s time to give them a hat-tip. Please pay them a visit—because they like the same stuff that we do, and their support keeps the wheels turning on Bike EXIF.

Our site sponsor is the premium motorcycle boot maker Vitesse Moto. Their super-stylish boots are engineered for performance, but comfortable enough to be worn every day. There’s no compromise on safety levels, though: Vitesse has created ‘V-Cockpit’ technology, a patented ankle management device that gives you the best possible protection-to-comfort ratio.

Self Edge is a store for those who have a passion for denim as well as motorcycles. They stock the world’s best brands, including Iron Heart—perfect for riders who want a heavier weight of denim. You’ll find Self Edge in San Francisco and New York, and worldwide via their online store.

Falcon Motorcycles has backed us from the beginning. They specialize in building one of a kind, post-war British motorcycles. That means custom vintage bikes, rebuilt entirely from the ground up—with nearly every part, every portion of the frame and engine remade, refurbished, customized and/or altered to create a wholly new motorcycle. Find out more on the Falcon Motorcycles blog, and check their Facebook page too.

Baxter of California is another company that cottoned onto Bike EXIF very quickly. They create cutting-edge men’s skincare products. Baxter’s CEO, Jean-Pierre Mastey, has been a supporter of Bike EXIF from the start—and in his other role as an LA tastemaker, runs an eclectic and entertaining blog called Baxter Finley.

Zero Engineering are the founders of the Samurai chopper scene, and one of the few chopper builders that we respect. They created a style of their own, and have a huge following in the USA as well as Japan. (No less than three Zero bikes are featured in the movie Iron Man 2.) Check Zero Engineering out on Facebook.

Compass Expeditions is the world leader in motorcycle tours of South America, Australia and Russia. They use carefully-selected ride leaders and support vehicle drivers, and have a real passion for both motorbikes and travel. Check out their website for tour details.

Glory Sales and Service was founded in 1999 by Justin Kell. On any given day you can buy a 1960s Triumph flat track racer, a set of 1930s salt and pepper shakers, and maybe even a stuffed boar’s head—along with more conventional items from the likes of Davida, Lewis Leathers and Barbour clothing. Follow their blog and become a fan on their Facebook page.

Deus Ex Machina needs no introduction for most custom motorcycle enthusiasts. And now there’s The Big Book of Deus: 300 pages of hardbacked, laminated, dust jacketed, internally combusted, gravity fed, hand crafted, word smithed goodness ready to jet into your sweaty mits. A visual history of the first five years of Deus Ex Machina and the bikes, boards, beats, broads and beefhearts that have passed their way. Become a fan on their Facebook page too here.

Ural has been making motorcycles with sidecars in Irbit, Russia since 1941. These machines are simple and versatile, with classic styling and an inherent toughness completely absent from most modern motorcycles. Check out their new Solo sT—a bike without sidecar that’s as much at home in the rough as on the road—and become a friend of Ural on their Facebook page.

Urban Rider is the premiere London stockist for Belstaff, Tucano Urbano and Givi. They ship worldwide and the store is on the iconic New Kings Road in Fulham, with two floors of the latest in stylish clothing, helmets and accessories for street bike and scooter riders.

US-based mota-lab imports and distributes some of the most desirable Italian sportbike parts, including EVR Special Parts, MWR air filters and ZARD exhausts—standard fitment on the insane Vyrus 987 C3 4V.

And finally, we’re glad to have Pro Italia join us too. These guys don’t just supply the most mouthwatering selection of Ducati performance parts, they also sell Aprilia, Ducati, Moto Guzzi and MV Agusta motorcycles—and sponsor the famous Cafe Desmo event. Welcome on board!

Mecatwin Bonneville TX-A1

Triumph Bonneville cafe racer by Mecatwin
Mecatwin is a name you don’t often hear outside France, but the company is one of the top European Triumph specialists. Based an hour or so south of Paris in the town of Montargis—sometimes known as the “Venice of the Gâtinais”—Mecatwin turns stock Bonnevilles into mouthwatering eye candy. Most creations are produced in limited runs of 100, and the TX-A1 is one of the latest. Specifications aren’t given, but it looks like this machine has been lowered, fitted with new rear shocks and given a Mecatwin BestPower EFI, a kit that reportedly adds 13hp to the stock motor’s 67hp. There’s also a new brake system, which is probably a wise move. The finish is absolutely gorgeous too—check Mecatwin’s website for more images. Read More »

1941 Harley Knucklehead

Harley-Davidson knucklehead
Jesse James gets a lot of flak these days. It never seems to be about the bikes any more, which is a shame, because the man knows his stuff. His customs aren’t usually to my taste, but he occasionally hits a home run. Like this Knuckle he created for Gilby Clarke (who spent three years as the rhythm guitarist of Guns N’ Roses). Gilby had been looking for a Knuckle for a while, and West Coast Choppers had already built a ’65 Panhead motor for him. A new deal was done, and now Gilby rides this delicious ’41 Harley EL—still vintage in the overall look, but WCC in the finer details. At the front there’s a 21” rim, and at the back a 16”. WCC built the frame and springer fork to original specs, but the engine has been heavily modified: it’s boosted to 71 cubes, hooked up to a WCC exhaust system, and controlled by a custom-made jockey shift. Pretty sweet, don’t you think? Read More »

Moto Guzzi Le Mans

Moto Guzzi racer by Axel Budde
Axel Budde is an interesting guy. He’s a ‘precision driver’ for the film and TV industry: a guy who can take the exact same line in a car or truck, time after time, at high speed, until the cameraman gets The Shot. And when Axel isn’t thrashing performance cars around closed roads, he turns old Moto Guzzis into things of beauty. If you want a Le Mans-based café racer or a vintage racebike, Axel is your man. He’ll take a Le Mans frame, completely refurbish it, and slot in a motor based around Le Mans engine casings. The internals of the motor will be heavily upgraded, whether it’s an early 850 or a later 1000 Mark IV. (Power output in the latter case is apparently 92bhp or more, with 104Nm of torque.) The suspension will be upgraded, but look stock, and an aftermarket tank will be fitted—subtly different from the original, but in perfect keeping with the classic Guzzi lines. Both the race bikes and the road bikes look equally desirable: stripped to the essentials, they’re essays in silver and black. I’d take either—or both—and if you feel the same, Axel will build a bike for you. Contact him here. [Head over to Southsiders MC for more images, including Axel in action on the track.]

Canon PowerShot G9 | 1/500 sec | f/3.5 | ISO 100 | Focal length 9mm

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