Bike EXIF » Custom Motorcycles

Officine RossoPuro Idro

Chris — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 17:30:28 +0000

For me, a new bike from Filippo Barbacane of Officine RossoPuro is An Event. And this latest Moto Guzzi custom doesn’t disappoint. Called ‘Idro’—Hydro, or water in English—it’s based on the V1000 Idroconvert, one of Moto Guzzi’s lesser-known motorcycles. The bike originally got its name from its automatic transmission (with hydraulic torque converter), and was sold in the second half of the 1970s as a tourer and police bike. Filippo’s cafe racer creation has been extensively overhauled, with a rebuilt engine and electrics, plus a custom Officine RossoPuro exhaust system. (So the power is probably better than the 71hp original spec.) The rear suspension is from Asatek, and those exquisite 18” wheels are genuine Borranis. There’s also a complete new Brembo braking system with 300mm discs at the front. The handlebars, instruments and bodywork are all custom Officine RossoPuro items, from the fenders to the tank to the seat unit. I’m sold—I can’t think of a single modern motorcycle I’d rather have than one of Filippo’s delicious old Guzzis.

Canon EOS 5D | 1/500 sec | f/11 | ISO 400 | Focal length 70mm

A PS for our Australian readers: Fancy your hand at building a custom? Then the Deus Boundless Enthusiasm Bike Build-Off is for you: the only criterion is to make the most with the least. And you could win big prizes from Snap-On, Deus themselves and très cool French boot maker Vitesse Moto.  Showday is November 27th in Sydney and I’ll be helping to judge—so there’s a chance your custom will be featured on Bike EXIF too. Grab your entry form PDF here.

Officine RossoPuro Idro is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. Brought to you by Vitesse Moto.

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AFT Customs Kemosabe

Chris — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 17:30:31 +0000

The world of US custom bike building can be pretty strange at times. So I only raised half an eyebrow when I heard that AFT Customs operates as a cross between a modeling agency and a custom bike builder. Not surprisingly, AFT owner Jim Giuffra has a high profile in the ‘metric’ scene, but the really extraordinary thing is that his model-built bikes are show-winners—such as Er Hed, a Yamaha XVS-powered machine that we featured almost a year ago. Giuffra’s latest creation is Kemosabe, the machine you see here. It started life as a 2002 Honda VT750 and Giuffra reports “We almost doubled the horsepower over stock: most all parts are custom made or modified stock parts. Kemosabe means ‘faithful friend’ and AFT is like a family. Keeping the friendship theme, we gave five of our Northern Californian builder friends creative freedom to each make a part for the bike.” (The fairing came from Cole Foster, and the handlebar risers from Kraus Motor Co., to name a couple of those friends.) Honda’s VT750 motor is a V-twin that puts out 45hp in stock form, and with new 11.5:1 high compression JE pistons, a port-and-polish and a custom AFT exhaust, I’m guessing AFT gets around 80hp from this bike. It was ridden at the Bonneville BUB Speed Trials, and Jim has just sent in the shots below to prove it. [Originally spotted on BikeBolt. If you want to see AFT's models at Bonneville, you’ll have to head over to our Facebook page.]

AFT Customs Kemosabe is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. Brought to you by Vitesse Moto.

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BMW R100T custom

Chris — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 17:30:58 +0000

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

BMW R100T custom is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. Brought to you by Vitesse Moto.

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Big Sid’s Vincati

Chris — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 17:30:43 +0000

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.

“What you are looking at is the result of five years of hard labor. To our knowledge, ours is the seventh in the world and first example built outside of Australia. I have been riding it regularly for the last five years and enjoy it immensely. The motor began life in pedestrian Rapide tune but was built up to Black Lightning specs, with 10:1 compression, 32mm ported heads (mated to Amal MK1s), Lightning cams, and many other tricks. A key reason for its smoothness is that the flywheels have been scalloped, with a pound and a quarter of steel removed. The power is transferred effectively through a modern multi-plate clutch made by Aussie Neil Videan. The results make for a bike that is very easy to start, with far less vibration than one typically finds in a hopped-up Vincent.

“The chassis is a modified 1973 Ducati GT. The work done to enable the mating of the Vincent power unit to the Italian frame is really manageable, consisting largely of adding plates in the rear to accept the Vincent crankcases and the addition of a pair of cross tubes above to duplicate the Vincent head mounting system. A Norton Commando oil tank has been fitted under the left side cover. Amazingly, the Ducati motor is only ten pounds heavier than the British V-twin, another reason while the hybrid is such a pleasing machine.

“My dad has worked on Vincents for over 60 years now and he is very happy with this effort. The Vincati is beautiful, yes, but more than that, it is well sorted-out and a joy to ride at any speed (with it topping out at around 140 mph). Indeed, like a top athlete, the Vincati seems to rise to the occasion when the game is on the line. During its most public outings, I have watched the bike vanish from view with nary a tool packed under its seat.

“Though I am not reckless about doling out rides, I am proud to say that several friends have sampled its thrill, including moto-journalists Peter Egan and Aaron Frank, entertainer Jay Leno and most recently Mike Seate—who rode it on camera for a forthcoming episode of his Discovery Channel show Club Café Racer. The Vincati also won Best Modern Café Racer at the AMA’s Annual Vintage Days meet in 2009, and was featured at the Barber’s Fall Classic. It was a real thrill to start it for George Barber in his museum.

“It is rare to do good work late in life but both Sid and I now have enough distance from this build to be able to appreciate how truly fortunate we were to have made this machine. The Vincati is a tough act to top, though that doesn’t mean we haven’t tried! But that’s a story (or two) for another day!”

NB: Matthew Biberman’s book Big Sid’s Vincati has received rave reviews. It’s currently on offer at Amazon at 60% off—meaning you can get a hardcover copy for just US$10.22 right now.

[Images by Bob Hower/Quadrant Photography. That's Matthew Biberman below.]

Big Sid’s Vincati is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. Brought to you by Vitesse Moto.

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Mecatwin Bonneville TX-A1

Chris — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 17:30:08 +0000

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.

Mecatwin Bonneville TX-A1 is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. Brought to you by Vitesse Moto.

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Moto Guzzi Le Mans

Chris — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:30:19 +0000

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

Moto Guzzi Le Mans is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. Brought to you by Vitesse Moto.

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Ducati Sport 1000

Chris — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 17:30:35 +0000

Most of the motorcycles we feature here are beyond the realms of the average rider (self included). So it’s good to occasionally drop a ‘real world’ bike into the mix—a machine that could be bought secondhand for a reasonable price, and remain a daily driver while being progressively customized. This 2006 Ducati Sport 1000 is a good example, and was built by MotoWheels in California. Photographer Matt Walker worked on the bike, and gave us the inside line: “We used the Öhlins front forks from a Monster S4Rs, and also installed an Öhlins rear shock. BST carbon wheels were used to shave a ton of wait from the OEM steel spoke wheels. The brakes were upgraded using BrakeTech Axis rotors, and Brembo radial calipers and MotoGP master cylinders.” To boost performance, a ZARD full titanium exhaust system was fitted and the stock airbox was ditched for a set of velocity stacks with K&N air filters. “This bike is amazing to ride,” reports Matt. “Ducatis always have a unique sound, but this thing is totally different. The lightweight wheels transform this bike and it handles amazingly well.” A little custom paint tops it all off, although I’d be surprised if anyone can tear their eyes away from that beautiful exhaust piping.

Ducati Sport 1000 is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. Brought to you by Vitesse Moto.

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Dark Star Kustoms

Chris — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 17:30:00 +0000

Philip Van Geest runs Dark Star Kustoms in The Hague, Holland, and he’s making a name for himself with his fabricating skill and eye for good proportions. This Harley WL bike is called ‘The Merlin’, and it’s the star of the latest issue of Greasy Kulture magazine. The handlebars are from a Belgian ‘Flandria’ moped, the headlight from a bicycle and the petrol cap from an East German ‘Stimson’ moped. The primary chain cover once did duty as a step on a Russian sidecar, and the rear wheel is from a pre-unit Triumph … you get the idea. The engine is a 1942 Harley-Davidson WL (750cc flathead) which Philip got in exchange for a BMW bike. (The “engine was scrap metal” he says, and it had to be rebuilt). But the rest of the machine is almost all handmade from scratch by Philip: this includes the frame, the neat little tank, and the ribbed mudguard.

According to Greasy Kulture editor Guy Bolton, “Philip appreciates period correctness and has a definite idea about what ‘old school’ choppers should look like, dressing his bikes with pre-1950s accessories. He also mixes and matches parts from different marques to put a twist on the usual Harley custom theme.” Philip’s intention was to create “a really skinny bike suitable for the hectic traffic in The Hague … I couldn’t decide which colour would fit the bike, but it actually looked cool as it was: bare metal, really pure. All I’ve done is spray some lacquer over the metal to keep the rust at bay.” This Harley took just five weeks to build: fast work is a Dark Star trademark, which is amazing when you consider how much this Harley was handmade from scratch. ['The Merlin' is featured in the latest issue of Greasy Kulture: order your copy here. Images by Floris Velthuis.]

Nikon D700 | 1/250s | f/11 | ISO 100 | Focal length 220mm

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Dark Star Kustoms is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. Brought to you by Vitesse Moto.

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Honda CL350

Chris — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 17:30:32 +0000

Back in October 2009 , I was deliberating on whether or not to post an orphaned CL350 café racer: orphaned because it was proving impossible to locate the owner or the history of the bike. In the end I took a punt on it, and it turned out that the owner was a follower of Bike EXIF, so the full story emerged. That owner was graphic designer Jonathan Wood, and he’s just sent in details of his latest bike. “After completing my CL350 cafe racer build I didn’t really think I’d do another 350. But a friend of the family had this little gem of a 1972 CL350 with only 2800 miles on it, and the deal was too good to pass up. So I decided to do this one in a completely different style. I drew my inspiration from vintage dirt-track racers, and also from the Japanese Brat Style of building.”

It’s a testament to the classic lines of the CL that this bike hasn’t been heavily modified. The fork has been lowered 1.5″ by cutting and re-threading the damper rods, cutting the springs, and putting in some thicker oil. Jonathan fitted a modified Jeep rock guard inside the stock headlight ring , plus new handlebars, grips and custom length cables. The stock 19″ front and 18″ rear wheels are now shod with Coker’s Firestone Deluxe tires—the classic Brat Style rubber. New 11″ shorty shocks lower the back-end a couple of inches, the front fender was removed and the rear fender was bobbed. The bike also got new mini billet turn signals at all four corners. The pipes are stock but with 10″ slash-cut tips bolted on instead of the stock ‘suitcase’ muffler. “I then took the whole thing to Downey’s Auto Upholstery here in Wichita, Kansas,” says Jonathan. “I’m convinced that doing a seat using the stock pan is the best route on these vintage bikes, since the frame doesn’t have to be modified in any way.” The unique paintjob was done by Josh Christy of Van Chase Studios. “I told him I wanted a paint scheme that looked as if it had been on a dirt track bike in the 70s, ridden hard, and then pulled off and forgot about … but shiny. I think he nailed the look.” The excellent photography is by Justin Ochs—head over to Jonathan’s Flickr page to see more of Justin’s CL350 shots.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II | 1/250 sec | f/2.8 | Focal length 90mm | EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM

Honda CL350 is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. Brought to you by Vitesse Moto.

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