Bike EXIF | Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers

Friday 5th March, 2010

Triumph Thunderbird Sport custom

Uli Brée, the organizer of the huge Triumph Tridays event in Austria, dropped us a line with details of his personal bike. As you might expect, it’s impressive. Brée bought the bike in 2005 and then set about turning it into the ultimate custom Thunderbird Sport, which he calls the TBS-Tridays. Here’s how he did it, in his own words:

Uli Brée: All modifications and alterations are made by my friend and wonderful mechanic Julian Schneider. He has a small but very well equipped bike workshop in Mühlbach im Pinzgau, about 10 km north of Neukirchen (better known as “Newchurch”) where, since 2006, I organize the largest gathering of Triumphs in the world: the Tridays. So it is no surprise that this is the name I gave to my bike. Nor is it a surprise that, apart from a KTM, my garage contains nothing but Triumphs.

Julian Schneider and his colleague Valentin Rabanser turn my ideas into reality with great professionalism and a love of detail, and showing great generosity on how they count the hours they work on my projects. If they hadn’t, the Tridays would have been even more costly.

I wanted to create an elegant motorbike, stylish and eye-catching, but at the same time in compliance with the current standards. I like bikes built on traditional lines fitted with modern components. And I like black, red and white, especially when used together.

The result is the TBS-Tridays!

Frame
I changed the front fork and the rear shock absorber. The latter was replaced by a Wilbers shock that was adjusted specifically for me.

Fork
The Triumph office in Germany supplied me with an upside-down fork for a Tiger 1050. Julian Schneider black-anodized the part, like all the other components required (plates, spacers, etc.) and adapted them. He fitted cast-iron disks and related linkage made by the French company Beringer. From a purely aesthetic standpoint these parts match the style of the motorbike perfectly. The mudguard is identical to that of a Speed Triple 1050. I first thought that it didn’t fit in with the bike’s classic style but now I really like it. The semi-handles and front light in transparent plastic are made by LSL (the rear footrests too), and the grips are by Rizoma. The magnificent digital speedo is from Motogadged and can be switched on using the hazard lights switch. All the adapters, etc., have been made by Julian Schneider.

The brake calipers are by Brembo because I had planned to make a reproduction of Triumph’s red Thruxton exhibited at the EICMA in Milan. Brake calipers, PVM rims and Öhlins shocks had already been ordered when I (and my bank account) unexpectedly received a demand for supplementary taxes. For the moment I have frozen the idea and only fitted some of these costly parts on the Tridays. Where were we? Ah yes, the rims …

Wheels
The PVM rims were produced especially for the Triumph Thruxton. It was a real job and took a long time to fit them on the Thunderbird Sport. The aluminum adaptors were milled down—thank you, Bruno Schneider. The brake caliper is original but the rear disk has been replaced. The rear wheel has been fitted with a 180 Bridgestone.

Motor
I know that there are a lot of people who don’t like the red cylinder cover. To me it used to mean that even the heart of the Tridays had been modified and that even the motor is not original. With technical help provided directly from the Triumph offices in Germany, Julian overhauled the motor. The idea was to do everything that was possible! The cylinders were bored out to 955 cc, Speed Triple pistons were fitted, and Speed Triple and Sprint camshafts too. An extra electronic control unit, open air filters, Supertrapp exhaust slip-ons and a Dynojet kit together help give 110 hp. I didn’t want to fit a flat-valve carburetor even if Julian was keen on the idea.

Paintwork
The bike has been mostly painted by Jürgen Buelacher in Tyrol to my design. Small details have been added like the Tridays logo and the bar code with my data. The Mecatwin tank cap has been black-anodized.

Details
Julian has moved the ignition block into the cover on the left side where an ideal space was created by the use of open-air filters. This seemed a great idea. The tail had been modified at an early stage. The incredibly ugly rear mudguard was the first thing to go. Various parts were made black (anodized, chromed or black lined): adaptors, exhaust, tank cap, plates, footrests, etc.

Costs
Over the years I have invested about 20,000 euros (US$27,000) in the Thunderbird Sport—excluding the motorbike, which has remained the most inexpensive item in the whole project. Bear in mind that the number of hours worked was in fact much higher than that calculated, but it has all been worth it. I’d do it again, even if my bank manager doesn’t have the same opinion. But in fact that’s not the truth—he too rides a black Triumph Thunderbird Sport, wonderfully equipped and adapted by … but of course, Julian Schneider.

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Thursday 4th March, 2010

Don Castro Triumph Flat Track

This beauty isn’t a show bike from the 70s: it’s the actual factory ‘Red Line’-framed 750 cc Triumph ridden by AMA Flat Track star Don Castro. The psychedelic streamlined bodywork came from a sponsor called The Fiberglas Works; it was outlawed by the AMA for violating the anti-slipstreaming rules after just one outing, at the 1972 San Jose Half Mile. The Bonneville-engined bike has since been restored by Don Miller of clothing company MetroRacing.com, a long-time supporter of vintage racing. “The whole resto has been off and on for a long time. I started by obtaining that bodywork over 10 years ago, from Don [Castro]. The rest trickled in over the years,” Miller says. “Luckily I grew up when that kind of painting was cool and did a lot of custom van and bike stuff myself. I spent 6-7 days re-creating that beast. That’s with drying times, burying flake under clear, multi-colors and effects, sanding and rubbing to perfection, then hand lettering The Fiberglas Works and Don’s name on the back.” The effort was worth it: Miller now has one of the most beautiful flat track motorcycles of all time in his garage. [Image via Jockey Journal. Head over to Triumph Flat Track for more supercool vintage Triumph action.]

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Wednesday 3rd March, 2010

Heiwa MC

There are literally hundreds of custom motorcycle builders in Japan. They flourish in a climate created by the stringent taxation of new motorcycles, plus the relentless desire of riders for customization and one-upmanship. Over the years, a small handful of shops have risen to the top of the premier league, and one of those outfits is Heiwa. The name means ‘peace’, and the company focuses on ‘old-school’ customs, reenacting the look of a bygone age—whether using vintage British iron as the base, or more modern machines such as the Honda FTR. The Hiroshima-based workshop traditionally pulls out all the stops for its Yokohama show bikes, and this exquisite Triumph-based machine was Heiwa’s entry for the 2009 show held in December. I’m guessing the engine is from a pre-unit 1950s model and fairly stock, but everything ahead of it is heavily modified. Attention to detail is Heiwa’s strong point, and if you look at the Yokohama show bike page on Heiwa’s website, you’ll find close-up images of the intricate metallurgy and leather-work built into this machine. And while you’re there, check out Heiwa’s beautiful custom AJS, BSA and Matchless motorcycles—proof that no-one does the vintage British look as well as the Japanese.

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Tuesday 2nd March, 2010

Cleveland Tornado Four

Last Saturday, Bonhams auctioned off “An Important European Collection of Pioneer, Vintage and Collectors’ Motorcycles” at the RAF Museum just outside London. And one of the stars of the show was this magnificent 1929 Cleveland Tornado Four. It fetched a remarkable £48,800 (US$72,600) inclusive of the Buyer’s Premium, despite having mismatched engine and frame numbers. That’s partly due to the rarity of the Cleveland brand: like some US motorcycle makers of recent years, Cleveland was killed off by economic depression. The auction notes tell the story well: “The Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company, of Cleveland, Ohio was in business from 1915 to 1929, commencing modestly enough with a single-cylinder two-stroke lightweight before progressing to a mighty 61ci four … At the 1929 New York Motor Show, Cleveland unveiled the ‘Tornado’—featuring a new, lower frame and various engine improvements aimed at boosting performance. In its ultimate ‘Century’ incarnation, Cleveland’s biggest four was a genuine 100 mph machine (each one was tested and certified prior to delivery) but its arrival in 1929 just ahead of the Wall Street Crash was unfortunate to say the least. Despite the Century being, arguably, the most advanced four-cylinder motorcycle of its day, Cleveland’s directors decided to cease manufacture later that same year after only a few had been completed. This rare Cleveland Tornado four was purchased for the Collection in 2007 from a jointly owned private collection in Spain.” Check the sale catalog for more mouth-watering vintage motorcycle goodness. [Photo used with permission of Bonhams.]

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Monday 1st March, 2010

Ducati 750 Sport

Every few months, a vintage motorcycle comes along that literally stops me in my tracks—a machine so sculptural and beautiful, it would almost be criminal to subject it to the rigors of the open road. It happened three months ago when pre-release images of the French “CP Project #1″ Triton arrived in my inbox. And now it’s happened again with this 1974 Ducati 750 Sport. As so often happens with the internet, a few images of this bike were floating around, but without any clues to its provenance. I’m no Ducati expert, but the machine is obviously customized—and after a little investigation, it turns out that it’s a rare 1974 Ducati 750 Sport Desmo Special owned by Mike Cecchini of Maryland, USA, a well-known name in Ducati circles. His café racer took out the ‘Wild Card Judges Pick’ at the 2007 Ducati Superbike Concorso held at Laguna Seca, probably because there’s more to this bike than first meets the eye. The original Sport [see contemporary review] was based on the 750 GT, but with larger carburetors and high-compression cylinder heads and pistons. The upgrades reportedly sent an extra 8 hp to the rear wheel, and along with a reduced frontal area, made the Sport good for 200 km/h. Cecchini’s machine, however, is labelled a ‘Desmo Special’—so it looks like the engine is in an even higher state of tune, with a non-standard Desmo valve system for higher revs and even more power. If you know anything more about the history of this bike, please drop us a line in the comments. [Many thanks to Steve Ducharme of MPOTD, and ADVrider member Jehu. First two images © Vicki Smith.]

Update from owner Mike Cecchini: I’m very pleased you like my 1974 Ducati Sport Desmo Special. I think you can tell I’ve put my heart and soul into this motorcycle. Frankly I never thought I would ever own a green motorcycle, but when I saw the paint color at a California car show, I knew it was the one for this bike. The Sport Desmo engine is something of great joy for me as I am a gearhead through and through. Not only is it rather nice to look at (now you can see why they are called “roundcase” motors) but it was also built to run as good as the bike looks, by one of the very best Ducati engine builders in North America, Guy Martin of MBP Ducati.

Pronounced “Gee”—he’s French Canadian—he’s a long-time friend and a well-respected Ducati engine builder in Montreal, Canada. When I approached Guy to work on the Sport Desmo project he was not initially interested in building any more bevel motors, as the numbers of them had dwindled to near nothing and they take an enormous amount of time to set-up properly and assemble compared to the new belt-driven Ducati motors. But after some arm twisting (and a few good dinners and bottles of wine) he agreed and promised to build an engine befitting the project.

To start with, Ducati roundcase GT and Sport motors use valve springs like most engines of the 70s and only the 750SS motors are spring-less, with desmodromics doing all the valve opening and closing work. In those days if one wanted to reach the rpms needed for competitive hp, there was little else that would allow a motor to rev and not have valves floating about. Therefore once Guy got into the project he wanted to pull out all the stops and not only do the 750SS desmo head conversion, but also his “TestaRossa” headwork on the Sport heads to bring them into the 21st century.

Over the winter of 2006 Guy built a very special engine using his 20+ years of experience in the Canadian aircraft industry as an engine and materials quality control inspector, along with his excellent Ducati engine building experience. So not only did the upper part of the engine get the full head flow and Desmo treatment, but the crank, connecting rods and pistons also were upgraded to the point where the engine was now able to go well past its previous 7500 rpm redline, to nearly 12,000 rpm—which Guy told me I had better not exceed. Doh! With this in mind, I set the engine redline at 10,500 and the motor has gone from its original 58 hp to just a tad over 80 rear wheel hp.

In conclusion, and as I read the comments left by some here, rest assured gentlemen that while this motorcycle gets the finest care and lives the good life in my shop, it’s actually being used as designed. #1: make any gearhead stop, pause and enjoy. But more importantly, #2: ride it as often as possible. So far it’s been ridden in anger at V.I.R. with the Mid-Atlantic Ducati Club and on the winding roads and rolling hills of Maryland … right where it belongs.

My best … Mike Cecchini.

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Sunday 28th February, 2010

Nimbus Model C

Nimbus Model C motorcycle
If Harley is a household name in the US, the Scandinavian equivalent is Nimbus. The Danish brand is familiar to people who have never even thrown a leg over a motorcycle; created by vacuum cleaner manufacturer Fisker & Nielsen, it became the chosen transport for the Danish army, postal service and police. The best-known Nimbus variant is the Model C, built between 1934 and 1960—although only a trickle of machines left the Copenhagen factory during the War years. The Nimbus boasted advanced technology for its era, using shaft drive, a 746 cc OHC engine of 22 hp, and a frame fashioned from steel strips riveted together. Half a century later, parts are still readily available for the Humlebien (“Bumblebee’), and the machine has a reputation for being an economical and reliable daily driver. Many restored examples are still on the road—and a couple are even circumnavigating the world in the hands of intrepid explorers. This particular machine is a 1957 model beautifully restored by Søren Grønbech, and it’s got to be one of the finest examples of a Nimbus Model C in creation. Check Søren’s website for detailed photos of the meticulous rebuild.

Olympus C8080WZ | 1/200s | f/4 | ISO 50 | Focal length 14 mm

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Saturday 27th February, 2010

Walz Hardcore Veyron

Walz Hardcore Veyron China 1 chopper
Marcus Walz of German custom builder Hardcore Cycles is not the shy and retiring type, and neither are his customers, it would seem. This latest bike—the Veyron China 1, to give it its full name—was delivered just before Christmas to a Chinese businessman in Hong Kong. According to Hockenheim-based Walz, “18 months ago, the client ordered a new white Bugatti Veyron. At the same time, he contacted us to order a matching bike based on a limited edition ‘Iceman’ chassis.” There’s no word on the exact specification of this machine, but we do know that the original Iceman chassis was created for Kimi Räikkönen, the 2007 Formula 1 world champion. Räikkönen has bought two Hardcore bikes, and Iceman II had a Ferrari theme: the automotive link has obviously impressed the Bugatti owner, who now has a bike as extreme as his 987 bhp car. So: hot or not? [Thanks to Phil Davis.]

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Friday 26th February, 2010

MotoTrans Ducati Vento 350

Ducati MotoTrans Vento 350
We’ve seen some strange alliances between motorcycle manufacturers over the years. And one of the most unusual involves MotoTrans, a little-known Spanish company based in Barcelona. MotoTrans built motorcycles between 1957 and 1983, when it was bought by Yamaha. Many of the bikes were badge-engineered Ducatis, built under licence and with small modifications; others were proprietary designs powered by Ducati engines. The most successful model was probably the Vento 350, the very last motorcycle to use the famous Ducati bevel single motor. Ducati itself stopped producing the bevel singles in 1974, but the engine continued to power the MotoTrans Vento until 1983. (The machine above is an original, unrestored ’82 model produced for the Japanese market, with a left-side gearlever.) The Vento was a popular bike in Spain, and would probably have sold well in Italy too—had Ducati permitted it. The four-stroke 340 cc single breathed through a Dell’Orto PHF 32 AS carburetor, and pumped out 28 bhp—ample for a bike weighing just 134 kg dry, and good for a top speed of around 160 km/h. Unfortunately, the Vento is hard to come by these days, and is surprisingly rare on the classic scene in Europe. The bike you’re looking at was shot by photographer and Ducati expert Phil Aynsley in Melbourne, Australia; for more amazing photos of rare Italian machinery, grab a copy of his new book Ducati: A Photographic Tribute from Amazon.

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III | 1/125s | f/8 | ISO 100 | Focal length 90mm | Lens TS-E90mm f/2.8

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Thursday 25th February, 2010

Triumph Thunderbird custom

Triumph Thunderbird
Triumph has used the Thunderbird moniker for four completely different motorcycles since WWII. The first appeared in 1949—predating Ford’s use of the name—and became famous as the bike Brando rode in The Wild Ones. Then came the short-lived TR65 from the early 80s, a machine that died when the Meridian factory closed. The bike you’re looking at is the third incarnation. It’s one of the earlier Hinckley Triumphs—and therefore over-engineered and overweight, but also under-stressed and reliable. MCN was smitten with the engine in particular: “Wound open, it sounds like a squadron of Lancasters.” This particular Thunderbird is a 1998 model from France, with customized bars, front fender, Akront wheels and a solo seat, and a custom paintjob. It’s also fitted with Rizoma mirrors and an exhaust from the French Triumph custom shop Mecatwin. Small mods, but just enough to strip the bloat from the standard bike and turn it into a beauty. Like it? It’s for sale. [Photo by the Southsiders' Vincent Prat, co-designer of the Chanel motorcycle.]