FTW! Forever Two Wheels by Mortons Media Group Ltd

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loud faﬆ motorcycles FTW! Forever two wheels? For the win? F***…? Heck, what’s in a name? e bottom line is that we wanted to create a magazine celebrating the new wave of custom bikes that are sweeping the world. Because we love the style and the innovation and, most importantly, the fun of these motorcycles – and the scene they are part of. at’s the long and the short of it. e ‘Loud Fast Motorcycles’ strapline is borrowed and bastardised from a long defunct punk magazine Loud Fast Rules. e original punk ethos strikes a chord. Stick two fingers up at the establishment and do your own thing. Bikers have always done that. Motorcycling is an individual thing. A statement of anti-establishmentism. Loud fast definitely rules. Cafe racers. Street trackers. Bobbers. People have been building them for years. But now there’s a twist. e builders are largely a new breed. Younger, vibrant, fashion-conscious and drawing inspiration from BMX, skating and surfing, all with a healthy nod to grungy old nostalgia and taking influences from vintage bikes through speedway and dirt trackers to hi-tech racing projectiles. Like the early 1970s revisited, a time when motorcycles were the coolest thing since throwing peace signs at Hendrix, it’s suddenly hip again to be a biker – but only certain bikes can be hip. And

they’re the kind of bikes in this magazine. A celebration of engineering genius and free thinking. A celebration of do it yourself in a world of disposable trinkets. People want to get involved with their bikes again. ey want to strip them bare. Fettle carbs. Make seats… Plastic covered, computerized bolides are passé. FTW! is about all the bikes that underpin the new movement. A scene inspired by web blogs like e Bike Shed, Bike EXIF, Silodrome. People who love bikes – really love bikes – will know what we mean and embrace what we’re trying to do with FTW! Content like this has always been the preserve of the web blogs and underground biker mags for too long. Well not now. Hope you all love it. We had way too much fun creating it.

Stamford, England, March 2014

loud faﬆ motorcycles RONDINE|MOTO GUZZI

THE RING OF BEARA. AND A PINT OF THE BLACK STUFF TWO IRISH FRIENDS TAKE ON THE BEST CUSTOM BIKE BUILDERS IN THE WORLD AND WIN WITH A CAFE RACER BUILT IN A WORKSHOP AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GARDEN. AND TO PROVE IT ISN’T JUST FOR SHOW THEY CHASE THE HEALY PASS… Words & photos: Phillip Tooth

060 Gladstone bobber For discerning hooligans

068 raCer road

riven by passion and commitment, Russell Brown’s company produces the highest quality of work in design, machining and fabrication. This in return gives the customer a product that’s built, not bought”. Russell’s a self-made man. It says so on the tattoo across his fingers – but since 13 he’s been fabricating and welding and, what the website and tattoo don’t say, is that Russell has used his massive experience to become one of the most innovative and artistic custom bike builders in the UK. Since setting up RB Kustoms, he’s carried out the fabrication work on many of the bikes to come out of Warrs, the official Harley dealership on the Kings Road. But he’s also built bikes for his own customers and is expanding on that side of his business. It’s a journey that’s taken him beyond the biosphere of Harley customs and into the new world of customised classics. Of cafe racers and bobbers – and modified bikes that defy genre. Russell offers his views on business – and this new wave of custom bikes…

The book for race fans

070 husky-styled harley

I got into bikes later than most. I was into cars when I was younger – but I’ve been fabricating and welding since I was 13. It’s the only thing I’m good at. When I was a kid, I followed what Jesse James was doing. I got busier and busier, with people wanting me to do work for them and just over two years ago I set up RB Kustoms. James came to me with his XS650 and we became friends. He was fed up with travelling and working in an office, so we’ve made this work for both of us.

McQueen-inspired desert sled

RBK|CLASSIC CUSTOMS

IN THE COURT OF THE SELF-MADE KUSTOM KING

074 untitled boxer twin

ACCORDING TO HIS RB KUSTOMS WEBSITE, RUSSELL BROWN IS “A FULLY CERTIFIED WELDER AND SHEETMETAL MASTERMIND – AND HE HAD ONE GOAL IN MIND, TO PRODUCE SOME OF THE BEST CUSTOM MOTORCYCLES TO ROLL ON THE ROADS.

Camden does Bavarian trailee forever two wheels

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Photos by Phil Masters

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006 rondine Guzzi

World champion single

Stylish road race rep

098 rb kustoMs

082 the kinG’s sPeed bloCks

104 the first xr

English wheels and artworks

Prototype dirt tracker

A view from The Bike Shed

XS650 tracker done good

084 haMaMatsu hot rod

106 kevil’s bMw

030 CrotCh roCket

088 1917 indian PowerPlus

112 yaMaha bolt

Bell & Ross speedster by SS&C

Boxer twin king

Patina from the battleﬁeld

032 rsd sPortster

Café Americano

040 roland sands Hot rod architect

PACIFIC|HONDA

RED ROCKER WHEN THE PACIFIC MOTORCYCLE CO IN NELSON, NEW ZEALAND, DECIDED TO BUILD ITS FIRST CAFE RACER FROM A CB350 HONDA TWIN IT KNEW IT HAD TO BE A LITTLE DIFFERENT

046 oeM’s MaGiC wand

he Pacific Motorcycle Co is based in the sunny city of Nelson on New Zealand’s beautiful South Island. The company was set up from an existing motorcycle dealership, but seriously changed its direction from ‘...just another motorcycle shop’ to a company specialising in classic restorations and custom builds. After only a few months it has turned out several fully restored British classics and has now completed its first custom build. Alan Pritchard, from Pacific, takes up the story… The Red Rocker was an idea owner/operator Ron Smith had for some time, as an old battered 1974 Honda CB350 twin had been sitting in the shop for a few months after being given it by one of our customers. To cut a long story, customer Ian had broken down on the old black CB about an hour from Nelson, called Ron and said: “I’ve left it there, she’s given up! If you want to collect her, she’s yours!” The world’s seen multiple CB350 cafe racer builds – it’s a very popular choice of donor bike – but Ron didn’t want people sighing at the sight of another one, so this had to be different! It had to be red, so that was to be the main canvas of the project. The other inspiration was the 1950s Corvette with its distinctive scallops in the wings and doors. With a very rough draught via Photoshop, work started. First of all, as in most builds, it was completely dismantled and any unnecessary parts discarded. The standard CB frame is a bit ugly to say the least with its pressed steel and spot welded gussets, so that was tidied up, including a rolled trim around the inside of the frame, a rear loop with fillets to keep clean lines on the back of the frame to accommodate the seat unit, and any

Livery is based on Honda’s Red Rocket motocrossers of the late 1970s, early 80’s

Slots are a feature of the bike, not only on this belly pan but also on the high level exhaust

You want red? How about these red leather grips? To match the bars and lever perches too

Polished carbs and bell-mouths make a welcome contrast to the beautifully painted engine

Monster gone cafe

120 oeM hunter Superdream supercool

Loving the number plate mount. It’s all about turning a boring bracket into an artifact

122 bonneville blaster

Words and photos: Paciﬁc Motorcycle Company

Blown ﬂathead salt bike

048 sCreaMinG stinkwheel

126 steaMPunk ktM

RD400 for the modern world

Kustom krazy sub-kulture

forever two wheels

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054 sPirit of the seventies

090 red roCker

058 evolution of sPeedway

096 MotoGP teCh world

Singles turning full circle

f o r e v e r Editor: Gary Pinchin Publisher: Dan Savage Designer: James Duke Production editor: Tim Hartley Sub editor: Val Dawson

The hipster’s organ donor

114 red Max duCati

unused tabs were ground off. The next thing was the tank, this one was definitely going to be a focal part. As we said earlier the Corvette from the 50s was used as some inspiration. So the tank was cut and extended by six inches, scallops were cut out either side and new rolled steel panels welded in to mimic the car’s style. The original fuel capacity is still as original as the extension part of the tank was reserved to hide the lithium battery. Being a red ‘canvas’ another major component, the engine, would also be a focal point. That had to be red too! In the style of Honda’s famous Red Rocket motocrossers, where the frame and engine was red, hence where the name was derived from, but we christened Red Rocker as an homage to the cafe racer scene. Engine internals have been lightly enhanced with a big bore using CB750 pistons, a ground camshaft and a bit of port polishing. Apart from the baseline of saying ‘she has to be red’, the exhaust system was a major area where we wanted to do something different. The whole exhaust system was fabricated inhouse so that both headers were equal, then came together via a collector/muffler unit under the seat before exiting out the rear of the bike. It was quite a task to get it lined up and fit exactly, but satisfying when it was achieved, finished in red (of course) with a triple coat internal heat proofing and some much needed polished heat shields. Another theme that began to take over were the slots, seen in the heat-shields, front air-scoop (which hides some of the electrics), chainguard and headlight bracket, all manufactured in-house. Going back to the air scoop, we decided to make this originally

Creating Merlin from W650

In search of performance

It’s like the Bike Shed opened up the (custom bike) market. Jamie went to Wheels & Waves (in Biarritz) and said he could count the number of Harleys there on his hand – compared the >>

forever two wheels

076 laMb enGineerinG

KR’s yellow Yamahas

018 insPirinG a Generation

I like to keep busy. I can’t sit and watch TV. I have to be tinkering in the garage. The Bike Shed movement is much bigger than people realize. I was impressed by last year’s Bike Shed Event – but that was just an eye-opener. I definitely think it’s a market to concentrate on. There wasn’t one horrible bike in the show. It was good to prove a point too – that you don’t need to spend a lot of money to get a good bike. We’re back to the Seventies where people are building bikes to a budget.

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The mad fabricators society

016 Paton s1

The business has gone from strength to strength. Warrs approached me to do its fabrication but now we’ve also started to get off-the-street customers. It’s all by word of mouth and we only set up the website a few months ago. The thing is, I like variety. With RB Kustoms, it means I’m not doing all Harleys any more. With Warrs, I could get six months of Sportster and then get a Dyna. Now we’re working on Triumphs, Nortons, Japanese bikes. I like that. We’ve got an old Evo, old-school chop. It’s a high neck, American style bike. Jesse James style with a big back tyre. It’s good to go back to our roots. It keeps us on our toes too. And keeps us fresh.

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130 rsd t-Max

CB350, daring to be diﬀerent

How to sex-up a scoot

Full tilt Desmosedici

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w h e e l s

Contributors Editorial: Alan Cathcart, Anthony ‘Dutch’ Van Someren, Phillip Tooth Photographic: Tim Keeton, Ashley Kent, Phil Masters, Greg Moss, Mykel Nicolaou, Kevin Wing

Special thanks to: Everyone who gave their time so willingly, and with such enthusiasm, to talk bikes and allow us to shoot pictures of their awesome bikes

Advertising key accounts manager: Steff Woodhouse swoodhouse@mortons.co.uk Circulation manager: Steve O’Hara Marketing manager: Charlotte Park Production manager: Craig Lamb Publishing director: Dan Savage Commercial director: Nigel Hole Editorial address: PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ. General queries: 01507 529529 24hr answerphone help@classicmagazines.co.uk www.classicmagazines.co.uk Archive enquiries: Jane Skayman jskayman@mortons.co.uk 01507 529423 Overseas distribution: COMAG, Tel 01895 433600 Printed: William Gibbons & Sons, Wolverhampton. FTW! (ISBN:978-1-909128-47-7) is published by Mortons Media Group Ltd, PO Box 99, Horncastle, Lincolnshire LN9 6LZ UK Copyright Mortons Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage retrieval system without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

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Independent publisher since 1885

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paton|MOTO S1

his Paton Moto S1 race replica is the ﬁrst street legal motorcycle produced by Paton, which has been a constant competitor in road racing since 1958. e S1, says Paton, is a blend of handcraed classic design, with technological sophistication developed from Paton’s racing experience, e hand-welded, tubular-steel frame wraps the engine from above, which is raised and forward rotated in order to improve the bike’s handling. e aluminium swingarm is also designed and made by Paton. Forks are machined from

Words and photos Courtesy of Paton

billet and are 100% adjustable. e motor and some accessories (airbox, radiator, electrical wiring, etc.) however, come from the Kawasaki ER6/N street bike. And the choice of motor was based on the major technical similarities between the Kawasaki model and the motor of the original Paton twin-cylinder 500cc Grand Prix motorcycle, which earned the company a considerable amount of success. Both share the same 180° crank design, which provides the distinct Paton sound, and each motor has four-valve-percylinder and an extractable cassette gearbox – all characteristics of the original

Paton has been active in racing since 1958. This road bike will take the company back to the track - at the TT

Above: Giusepe Pattoni (right) works on one of his twin-cylinder fourstroke GP500s

racing motor designed by Giuseppe Pattoni in 1964. e S1 will be produced in limited numbers and product engineering is in the finishing stages. TÜV approval is expected for the beginning of 2014. Subject to that approval, the bike was due to go into limited production as this magazine went to press, with the first bikes shipping in late spring 2014. e manufacturing plant is structured to support the production of 50-100 Paton S1s per year and three limited editions of the Paton S1 will be offered in addition to the standard one.

The ITalIan company’s 500Gp bIkes ThaT are so compeTITIve In classIc racInG are sTIll produced by The same famIly ThaT buIlT Them back In The era of The conTInenTal cIrcus. buT now They’ve buIlT a sTreeT bIke. and olIe lInsdell Is racInG one aT The TT ThIs year.

Paton build street bike. Go racinG.

Moto s1|CAFE RACER ere will be a collector’s edition of only 25 units, named ‘first factory signature’, distinguished by exclusive finishing and Roberto Pattoni signature. ey are priced at 18,500 euros. A limited edition of only 50 bikes (at 21,000 euros) named ‘Pep Memorial’, celebrate the factory’s founder and will feature a gold painted frame and a matt green bodywork. And finally, a limited edition of 151 units named ‘Classic TT’ (the number is equal to the total classic TT mileage) celebrates the 2003 win at the IoM Classic TT by Olie Linsdell on Paton. ese cost £23,000 and carry a signed certificate. e limited edition bikes come with Öhlins shocks, and Rizoma indicators, brake reservoirs plus a Moto Gadget dash replacing what Paton called ‘standard’ components. All the bikes will feature Termignoni exhaust systems. e estimated price of the standard version is close to 16,000 euros and it’s likely a ‘racing kit’ will be developed, specifically for current owners of a Kawasaki ER6/N for conversion into a Paton race bike. One racing version of the new Paton already allocated will be ridden in the

Lightweight TT by Bedford-based Olie Linsdell. is ambitious challenge has been made possible by a small but determined Italian factory team, and by Steve Linsdell of Flitwick Motorcycles who will prepare the bike. Olie made his Mountain Course debut at the 2007 Manx Grand Prix and his TT Races debut in 2008 and, aer overcoming serious injury following a crash in the 2010 Manx GP Post Classic race, he has bounced back to ﬁtness. e highlight of his career was undoubtedly his race win in last year’s Bennetts 500cc Classic TT when he powered to victory on a Paton BIC 500 BL3 replica. Roberto Pattoni, technical director of Paton, commented: “is is a challenging and thrilling opportunity for us but also for Olie, as a rider and engineer. “Racing has been Paton’s goal since it started in 1958, and with modern classes it means making a street-legal bike, which also carries the added motivation of increasing our small ﬁrm’s technical knowledge by having to solve problems it has never had to face before as well as providing a new challenge. It is a culmination of all our history into one single product.”

the bike shed|VIEW

Why custom motorcycles are inspiring a neW generation For an industry still trying to sell high-powered sportbikes and tall-standing adventure bikes to over 50-somethings, the new wave oF custom culture oFFers a massive injection oF optimism For the Future. dutch explains how the world changed… Words by Anthony ‘Dutch’ van Someren. Photos Courtesy of The Bike Shed

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fover two eels

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the bike shed|VIEW

blog-driven bike scene

o, where did it all start? And which bikes and builders influenced this new generation? If you dig deep enough you’ll be told that it all started in Japan with guys like Go Takamine and his Brat-Style workshop, making littlebrother (Brat) customs out of unwanted old Japanese middleweights, and that this migrated over to Australia via Deus ex Machina and its stylish take on modern donors like the W650 and 800. But for many of us in the UK it really started with the likes of the Wrenchmonkees over in Copenhagen, building the kind of bikes we related to on a more personal level. These were bikes we thought we could ‘probably’ build ourselves if we had the tools/time/space… or talent. Kawasaki Zeds and Honda CBs were all having flat bars or clip-ons fitted, with chopped, flat bench-style seats, the airbox stripped away and replaced with pod filters, rear-set footrests, minimal lighting and instruments, and fat tyres that matched front and rear in chunkiness. It all looked like what we were trying to achieve back in the day, just done better. Much better. Here in the UK a few builders were making original waves. Tim and Kev from Spirit of the Seventies were building stripped-back, late 70s customs into cafe/brat hybrids, but being ex-sportbike riders they liked corners and bikes that handle, so their builds were being treated to upside-down forks and enhanced performance. Tick. The paint jobs were also superb, taking 1970s swooshes and lines, combined with carbon fibre and anodized alloy. Meanwhile in London, Untitled Motorcycles had taken a very boring and agricultural commuter, the R-series Boxer twin, and turned it into some kind of Mad Max, steampunk street-beast, but in a British, refined, almost understated way, using a lot of raw metal and minimal branding. Another tick. The UK scene seemed to have its own take on things. More urban, with more focus on rideability and even modern(ish) performance. Down in Devon, Kevil’s Speed Shop had also decided to crack the BMW Boxer custom, building super-clean bikes with a variety of silhouettes from cafe racers to scramblers and brats. Components were modular, the quality was consistent and they were very good value for money. Kev Hill was making good business with a regular supply of happy, paying customers. These guys were the grown-ups, building bikes to a clear method and style, but while all this was going on the new kids on the block were brewing a plan, and they were soon to make their mark. In Europe the ubercool French and Spanish dudes in skinny jeans with long beards were building painfully cool bikes from 250cc upwards, some of which were more art than machine.

26 |

Blitz Motorcycles, based in Paris, broke the rules, putting a BMX boxer custom into the BMW museum with an XT500 tank on it, complete with Honda paint and logos. David from El Solitario was (and still is) building bikes that would give LA’s Shinya Kimura a run for his money, with fantastical builds that owed as much to their painted slogans and attitude as they did to the hand-beaten metalwork and crazy proportions. Brit artists like Death Spray Customs and Ornamental Conifer provided the graphics to a revolution in custom bike originality, and best of all. They didn’t give a shit what the rest of the world thought. Back in Blighty the new wave of young builders had been keeping their powder dry but just as the Euro scene broke into 2012 and 2013 the likes of Old Empire Motorcycles and Auto Fabrica rocked-up with bikes that were clearly designed before being built, and where the rules were irrelevant. SR125s looked as good as their big brother 500s, and they even made a GT550 look cool. Just like the Europeans, they used parts because they looked good. Drum brakes appeared on bikes that once had discs. Seats, footpegs and bars were all over the place, while the lack of mudguards completely ignored the fact that most of Britain was built on a very rainy day. Some of us were turned off, but surprisingly many more were turned on. Biking was getting creative, but beyond that, it was becoming acceptable to be different and do things your own way. Isn’t that what the punk revolution was all about in the 1970s? Two fingers up to the establishment and the old geezers with all their rules and moaning… and now who are the most vocal critics of drum-braked hybrids with no fenders and weird riding positions… All the old punk rockers; now appropriated into British health and safety automotive culture. “Oi, Bill, look at that kid’s piece of crap.” Sound like your dad? Yes you do. While the scene was exploding a few builders stood out. There was always a danger that the new creative custom culture would become just as rule-laden and codified as a Triton owners meet at the 59 Club, or a Harley custom day at Warrs. But while some builders were building Wrenchmonkee rip-offs (nowt wrong with that, in fact let’s call them ‘homages’) a few were still breaking the rules and pushing the boundaries. A bit like a Spanish Spirit of the 70s, Café Racer Dreams defined its brand with quality design and paint, as well as an impeccable sense of proportion. Whatever it built, you knew it was from Café Racer Dreams even before you saw the CRD logo. >>

fover two eels

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Rsd|SPORTSTER

URBAN WARRIOR ON the MUlhOllANd hIghWAy Roland SandS takeS one cRaShed nightSteR and tuRnS haRley’S lowdown, cuStom-cRuiSeR into one foxy faStback foR the Rock StoRe Words by Alan Cathcart Photos by Kevin Wing

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spiRit|RD4

RD4: spiRit of the age

It mIght have Its roots In 1978 but Its heart Is In the now. spIrIt of the seventIes buIlds the rd400 that Yamaha would – If the Japanese companY was to reIgnIte the screamIng two-stroke

Photos: Tim Keeton

irst glance, the two-stroke Yamaha twin looks like a mildly-modded RD. But get close up and personal and you begin to realise what a massive makeover this 1978-model RD400D has actually had. When Spirit of the Seventies was commissioned for this build, the owner provided what was a basket case of parts. Spirit’s Tim Rogers said: “e guy who owns the bike (Chris Bullick, who runs a biking blog called European Motorcycle Diaries (www.europeanmotorcycle-diaries.com), initially came here to the workshop on a

Panigale Tricoloure. He just came down for a chat, got into what we were doing and remembered the box of bits in the lo! “He’d owned an RD400 from back in the day, then emigrated but kept his house. He le the RD stripped down and boxed up in the lo. What he brought to us was a pile of crud. “e guy wanted us to use the original clocks and cast wheels, but otherwise he was aer something a bit special.” e motor has been rebuilt by Martin Taylor. He’s Spirit’s ‘crew chief ’ with decades of road and race bike experience and is a top grade, twostroke expert.

“e crank had already been rebuilt and had been stored well,” said Martin. “It’s been rebored and we’ve used pattern Japanese pistons. e porting work had already been done but we flowed the reed-block and rubbers to suit.” e motor still runs the Yamaha Autolube system, but the seat design meant Spirit had to hinge it to get access to the oil tank. e RD400D originally came with points ignition but it’s been replaced with now a Neutronics electronic ignition system. Carbs are off a TZR250. Martin said: “ey’re the same size as the original 28mm carbs, but these are flatslides and not only more efficient, they look >>

fover two eels

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Colin Knight’s superbly restored speedway iron is a 1947 long-stroke version of the JAP that ruled the roost until the early Sixties

Five-stud motor has a compression ratio of 13.6:1, runs on methanol and pumps out 47bhp. But there’s with no brakes. Love speedway!

Jap|SHALE SHIFTER

speedway sliders Full gas. Broadside. Keep turning leFt Words by Gary Pinchin Photos by Mykel Nicolaou & Mortons Archive

magine four of these gleaming JAP bikes lined up at the starting gate. Chrome glistening under the floodlights. Their riders, clad in black leather. Race jackets emblazoned with team emblems. The only colour in a monochrome sport. Imagine the bark of four open exhaust pipes. All on full throttle. The smell of Castrol R. The clatter of the tapes flying upwards. The roar as they speed into the corner. Plumes of cinders off skinny rear tyres as these brave gladiators throw their bikes full-thottle sideways into the first corner of the 350 yard oval. For four laps they fight tooth and nail. Some hugging the inside line, others darting out to the fence to make passes. Hold your breath for one minute of ferocious action… Then the packed stadium erupts as their home team scores a one-two. The buzz hasn’t even subsided as the next group of riders line up for another race. Speedway was, and still is, a thrill-a-minute sport. It’s motorcycle racing in its simplest, purest form. That’s why it attracted such a huge following postwar. Noisy and dirty yet exciting, glamorous and, quite often, ferociously brutal. By the Fifties, speedway was second only to football in the rankings of spectator sports. Teams like the Belle Vue Aces and the Wembley Lions, were as revered as Manchester United or Arsenal. Riders like Freddie Williams, Jack Parker, and Split Waterman were genuine household names in the Fifties. The national media produced supplement magazines, one-off brochures. Speedway was huge. It might no longer enjoy the celebrity status it once enjoyed, but speedway still delivers that old thrill-a-minute ethos. The Speedway FIM World Championship, presented by Monster Energy is its jewel. Speedway’s MotoGP. Twelve rounds. Worldwide. The racing is do or die. It gets

great TV. Great crowds. There’s even a British World Champion to celebrate in Tai Woffinden. The tattooed, battle-scarred hero is just 23 years old – the youngest rider to win the world title since the GP series was introduced in 1995. And at home there’s three-tier British league speedway too. There’s a track near you. Try it. The facilities might not be ﬁrst class, but you’ll be rewarded with an evening of sensational racing. Promise. To ﬁnd out where you can see speedway in 2014 go to: www.speedwaygb.co or www.speedwaystar.net

Graceful foot forward styles of legendary 1960s Belle Vue Ace Peter Craven (top left) and 70s Jawamounted Barry Briggs (bottom left) Pics on right highlight the dramatic prewar leg trailing style that graced the cinder-surfaced speedway tracks

Evolution of thE spEEdway bikE The speedway motorcycle. 500cc. Singlecylinder. Methanol fuel. No gears. No brakes. Only turns left, sideways, throttle wide-open. Simple. Eﬀective. The style of machine may have evolved over the years but the culture is unchanged. The JAP, produced by John Alfred Prestwich, with its lanky, elegant cast-iron cylinder and chrome pushrod tubes, cobby valve covers and swoopy bright red emblem against the polished timing cover, deﬁnes speedway. Colin Knight’s superbly restored machine is a typical example of the British marque that dominated the sport for so long. In speedway’s formative years of the roaring 1920s the Douglas twin was the leg-trailing, broadslider’s delight. A road bike, stripped for action. Low-slung and loud. By 1930 the Rudge Whitworth upright single had become the racer’s choice. But come the end of the season, Wal Phillips showed the potential of a new Stanley M

Greening-designed, lightweight JAP when he took his Comerford-Wallis framed machine to the Stamford Bridge Championship, setting a new British and European ﬂying-mile speed record of 47mph in the process. Colin’s JAP is a long-stroke, ﬁve-stud, version of 1947 vintage. He’s not sure of the frame’s history, though experts believe it to be a Rotrax. The engine has a compression ratio of 13.6:1. Horsepower is 47bhp. It has a total loss oil system that uses a quart of Castrol R in one meeting (4-6 races). There’s no suspension, and the fork angle is so ridiculously steep that the bike is unstable in a straight line. But then the front end is simply a rudder because the bike only steers correctly when it’s sideways. Wheels are 23in front and rear. The bike weighs around 200lb. The JAP was the mainstay of world speedway right up to 1961 when the Czechbuilt Eso, nee Jawa, arrived in England, raced by Swedish legend Ove Fundin.

The faster two-valve Jawas began taking control, the Czechs oﬀering complete bikes for sale where JAP sold engines and a small cottage industry provided rolling chassis kits. Against the onslaught, JAP tuners concocted four-valve conversions to stem the Jawa tide – but Jawa went four-valve and another British manufacturer, Weslake came up with an even more competitive four-valver in 1974. Godden followed suit. JAP was done. In 1979 Italian GM, produced by former rider Giuseppe Marzotto, upped the ante and it’s now the dominant modern speedway laydown motor. Welsake is long gone. Jawa is only just clinging on. The bikes get faster and faster but speedway never changes. Still four riders in a race. Still turning left. Still providing one hell of a show. *Want to see a great collection of speedway bikes? Check out: www.national-speedwaymuseum.co.uk

road|RACING

racer road Drama. Delight. Despair. racing on public roaDs generates such increDible emotions. anD to watch people like John mcguinness in action you can unDerstanD why Words and photos by Stephen Davison, Pacemaker Press Intl.

road racers

Road Racers is a seriously great motorcycle book. Not only do the pictures capture the real essence of racing on public roads, Davison’s ability to bring

them alive with his heartfelt captions fuels the emotions of this incredible sport. It’s Davison’s eighth book and is a gem, covering events from

Ireland to the Isle of Man and from the Czech Republic to Spain, captured in beautifully reproduced images alongside his brilliant prose, describing how a

rider battles his fear to succeed in the world’s most dangerous sport. Priced at £17.99, Road Racers is published by The Blackstaﬀe Press and is available on Amazon.

oad racing. Supremely dangerous. Outrageously exciting. And the domain of larger-than-life heroes. You could say it’s the ultimate bike sport – and it’s the subject of a new book by Stephen Davison called simply, ‘Road Racers’. The daddy of all road races is the TT and since racing began on the 37.73 mile Mountain Course in 1911, four years after the advent of TT racing itself, lap speeds have risen relentlessly. Machine and course improvements plus the appearance of especially gifted riders have provided the momentum for continuous improvement. Between 1924 and 1932 Jimmy Simpson was the ﬁrst to break the 60, 70 and 80mph barriers. Harold Daniell, a man whose eyesight was so poor that he was rejected for military service during the

Second World War, set the first sub-25 minute lap at over 91mph in 1938. The landmark 100mph limit was exceeded in 1957 by Bob McIntyre and another five years later Gary Hocking took it to 105. In 1976 John Williams was the first to raise the bar over 110mph and Joey Dunlop was the first to better 115 in 1980. By 1989, Steve Hislop had established the first 120mph lap and the advent of the new Millennium saw David Jefferies exceed 125mph in 2000. John McGuinness (pictured here at Kate’s) became the outright lap holder for the Mountain Course in 2004 and the Morecambe rider has maintained his position as the fastest man on the Mountain since. In 2007, the centenary of TT racing, he set the first 130mph lap and in 2013 he established a new benchmark of 131.671mph. Legend.

KING|KENNY

the KING’s speed blocKs

The yellow and black livery of kenny roberTs’ inspired a generaTion of special builders The world over. Photos Courtesy of Mortons Archive

creaming yellow with slanted black ‘speed blocks’ graphics. Colours made famous by Kenny Roberts on his Yamaha TZ750 road racers – and his brace of dirt trackers. Colours that have inspired specials builders the world over. Yamaha’s racing livery had always been rather staid white, with a contrasting red stripe, but in the early 1970s Yamaha International Corporation – established in 1960 to sell motorcycles in the USA and later to become Yamaha Motor Corporation in 1977 – adopted the striking livery as part of an aggressive marketing campaign to get its bikes noticed in American motorcycle racing.

It helped having people like Kenny Roberts (back-to-back AMA National champion in 1973 and ’74), Pierre Karsmakers (winner of the ﬁrst ever Supercross in 1974) and Motocross champion Bob ‘Hurricane’ Hannah riding for them – that yellow and black that shone like a beacon when they were out front and winning. But it wasn’t until 1974 that Roberts brought the colours to Europe. He’d finished second to Giacomo Agostini’s white and red Yamaha at Daytona in March. In his European debut a month later Ago got the better of him again. But when Kenny came to England for the Anglo American Match Races – he and the

rest of the Americans kicked some butt. Kenny won three of the races, ﬁnished second in three others and outscored even Barry Sheene in the overall rankings. The King had arrived. A year later he was again the man to beat but the world would have to wait until 1978 when Kenny and the yellow and black would race full time in Europe. His rivals rued those days. He won the title, on a Goodyear-shod 500, fettled by former 250 World Champion, Australian Kel Carruthers. And would go on to win it three years in succession. Always on a Yamaha. Always in the yellow and black. The days when speed blocks ruled the world.

PAcIFIc|HONDA

Red RockeR

When the Pacific Motorcycle co in nelson, neW Zealand, decided to build its first cafe racer froM a cb350 honda tWin it kneW it had to be a little different Words and photos: PaciďŹ c Motorcycle Company

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he Pacific Motorcycle Co is based in the sunny city of Nelson on New Zealand’s beautiful South Island. e company was set up from an existing motorcycle dealership, but seriously changed its direction from ‘...just another motorcycle shop’ to a company specialising in classic restorations and custom builds. Aer only a few months it has turned out several fully restored British classics and has now completed its first custom build. Alan Pritchard, from Pacific, takes up the story… e Red Rocker was an idea owner/operator Ron Smith had for some time, as an old battered 1974 Honda CB350 twin had been sitting in the shop for a few months aer being given it by one of our customers. To cut a long story, customer Ian had broken down on the old black CB about an hour from Nelson, called Ron and said: “I’ve le it there, she’s given up! If you want to collect her, she’s yours!” e world’s seen multiple CB350 cafe racer builds – it’s a very popular choice of donor bike – but Ron didn’t want people sighing at the sight of another one, so this had to be different! It had to be red, so that was to be the main canvas of the project. e other inspiration was the 1950s Corvette with its distinctive scallops in the wings and doors. With a very rough draught via Photoshop, work started. First of all, as in most builds, it was completely dismantled and any unnecessary parts discarded. e standard CB frame is a bit ugly to say the least with its pressed steel and spot welded gussets, so that was tidied up, including a rolled trim around the inside of the frame, a rear loop with fillets to keep clean lines on the back of the frame to accommodate the seat unit, and any

Livery is based on Honda’s Red Rocket motocrossers of the late 1970s, early 80’s

Slots are a feature of the bike, not only on this belly pan but also on the high level exhaust

unused tabs were ground off. e next thing was the tank, this one was definitely going to be a focal part. As we said earlier the Corvette from the 50s was used as some inspiration. So the tank was cut and extended by six inches, scallops were cut out either side and new rolled steel panels welded in to mimic the car’s style. e original fuel capacity is still as original as the extension part of the tank was reserved to hide the lithium battery. Being a red ‘canvas’ another major component, the engine, would also be a focal point. at had to be red too! In the style of Honda’s famous Red Rocket motocrossers, where the frame and engine was red, hence where the name was derived from, but we christened Red Rocker as an homage to the cafe racer scene. Engine internals have been lightly enhanced with a big bore using CB750 pistons, a ground camsha and a bit of port polishing. Apart from the baseline of saying ‘she has to be red’, the exhaust system was a major area where we wanted to do something different. e whole exhaust system was fabricated inhouse so that both headers were equal, then came together via a collector/muffler unit under the seat before exiting out the rear of the bike. It was quite a task to get it lined up and fit exactly, but satisfying when it was achieved, finished in red (of course) with a triple coat internal heat proofing and some much needed polished heat shields. Another theme that began to take over were the slots, seen in the heat-shields, front air-scoop (which hides some of the electrics), chainguard and headlight bracket, all manufactured in-house. Going back to the air scoop, we decided to make this originally

You want red? How about these red leather grips? To match the bars and lever perches too

Polished carbs and bell-mouths make a welcome contrast to the beautifully painted engine

Loving the number plate mount. It’s all about turning a boring bracket into an artifact

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yamaha|XV950

bolts out of the blue

When Yamaha handed out neW XV950s to 10 of the top custom builders in the states, inspired artistrY deliVered an incrediblY diVerse range of motorcYcle stYles Tech info and photos Courtesy of Yamaha Motor Europe

here’s no better way to promote your new product as a base model for customization than handing bikes out to 10 top US custom bike builders, and saying: “Show us what you can do with this.” The Yamaha Bolt Custom Build-oﬀ saw Doc’s Chops top of the bill, but the really impressive aspect of the buildoﬀ invitational was that these 10 stunning Bolt-based custom machines exhibited such a diverse range of styles – to show potential customers what might be unleashed from this new V-twin bobber.

m&m Customs

M&M says this dragster-inspired Bolt taps into Yamaha’s racing heritage. It features one-oﬀ fabrication of the tank, fenders, side panels and lowers plus the two-into-one exhaust – all hand-formed from metal by M&M. Clip-ons and LED lighting are from Joker Machine. Brass pegs and inserts, Don Brandon. Leather seat, Deno’s Upholstery in Owensboro, KY came up with the leather seat covering. Tyres are Continental. M&M’s Mike McFadden did the paint using PPG colour mixes.

ChaPPell Customs

Hot rod-styled Bolt from Chappell Customs is a frame-up build, featuring state-of-the-art monoshock rear end with braced swingarm design, six-piston front caliper with EDB disc and pads, custom bodywork, seat, paint, powder coating and more CNC work than you can shake a stick at. Chappell Customs seat pan is upholstered by JP Custom Seats. Metallic red/black livery was sprayed by Chappell Customs with hot rod pinstripes by Bill Marygold.

Yamaha says it designed its new XV950 (or ‘Bolt’ in the American market) to ‘inspire riders to express their creative side by opening the door to a world of customization. By encapsulating the raw spirit of a backstreet creation, with a new neo retro look, the XV950 and XV950R models provide the perfect template from which to build a truly unique machine.’ Phew… The build-oﬀ lived up to that. What’s more, as a custom platform, the XV950 has the potential to oﬀer the biggest bloodied nose that the motor company has ever copped…

loW aND meaN

There was no cutting or welding to create this custom. This Bolt was built using bolt-on products by Low and Mean. Billet girder forks were designed by Glenn Ludlem. Rear suspension consists of platinum dual air ride shocks. Front and rear 16in x 5.5in wheels were cut by Glenn Ludlem and shod with Avon Cobra tyres. Ignition upgrade is by Power Commander. Exhaust has stock headers with LM exhaust wrap kit and megaphone.

sesto Custom CyCles

Tony Sesto’s Bolt is where Dakar meets custom cruiser – thanks to a complete YZ426 ’crosser front end, with the forks re-sprung and re-valved by iShock. Rear end features Works Performance shocks and 18in wheel by Ridewright Wheels. Other mods: Renthal Fatbars, IMS Products pegs, 530 chain conversion, 1971 Yamaha gas cap, stainless steel brake lines. Exhaust includes custom-made headers with Two Brothers carbon can. Old school, yet modern paint is by Sesto’s Mitch Johnson.

DOC’S CHOPS HAGEMAN MOTORCYCLES

BROWARD MOTORSPORTS

Built with the 1960s and 70s in mind, this Bolt achieves old school street scrambler look, with modern ﬂair – without any frame-cutting. It has Works Performance suspension. Ridewright hubs with Sun rims (F: 18 x 2.75, R: 17 x 4.25) shod with Continental Twinduro tyres. The Doc’s Chops subframe has a hand-formed seat pan and upholstery by Lance’s Tops. Exhaust is a Cone Engineering/Norton Commando hybrid. Moe Colors laid up the candy gold and metallic silver using House of Kolor paint.

BMS describes its Lucky 13 Bolt as: “an authentic ol’ school bobber, blending new technology to complement the spirit while taking the bobber to new heights.” BMS fabrication includes: old school springer front end and seat; ridged rear frame; peanut tank with inverted sides and fuel gauge; chain drive with single-sided sprocket, rotor and caliper; 23in front and 18in thick spoke rear wheels with raised white letters and whitewall tyres; custom exhaust system.

BURLY BRAND

JPD CYCLES

ROLAND SANDS DESIGN

ROOKE CUSTOMS

Inspired by brat-style builds in Japan, Burly has balanced vintage and modern cues to create its unique Bolt. Narrowed and high-mounted factory tank and modiﬁed rear fender complete the minimalist bodywork, covered in burnt orange metallic paint. Rear end’s been lowered one inch. Forks have been shaved of fender tabs and lowered 2.5in. Front wheel is 21in by Ridewright with the ribbed Avon tyre. Ridewright also built the 16in rear with an Avon Duro.

RSD Bolt features ﬂat track racing inspired, fabricated side and front number plates, anodized aluminium 19in wheels wrapped with Dunlop tyres, along with RSD Slant carbon exhaust and intake, pegs, grips, risers and handlebars. Sands said: “The Bolt is a bike we were excited to build because it’s an eﬀective, simple layout. It can be said it’s very close to a Sportster in the right ways. Ease of customization being a big plus.”

With 19in wheels, a modified tail, and a two-inch chopped tank, this Bolt pays tribute to Yamaha’s dirt tracker roots. Dirt track fan Jeff Palhegyi says the look was a natural for the Bolt with an R6 front end, 19in Jupiter Racing wheels, Goodyear tyres and Penske shock. The tank’s been cut down two inches, matched to a modified seat and fabbed stainless exhaust. Paint is by Benny Flores. Seat is by Howard McKee Upholstery.

Drawing on its dirt and street racing influences, Rooke Customs developed a custom bolt-on kit to create this street tracker from a stock Bolt. Rooke developed an intake, filter, header pipe, and muffler kit. Ergonomically, MX-style bars, grips, clutch lever, front brake master, throttle housing and cables, risers allow for a clean wiring harness. A relocation bracket shifts the start/stop on/off switch to an accessible location below the fuel tank.

red max|DUCATI

Buck’s ducafe

Just when you think you’ve created the ultimate ducati custom, you get a customer with a list of requirements that pushes you to another level. as red max discovered…

Words by Steve Hillary, Red Max. Photos by Greg Moss

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ktm|RETRO FUTURISTIC

steampunk bobber ktM 520 enduro Motor. ’55 Matchless fraMe. Bed spanners. Machine-gun parts. and Brass. Meet Motorcycling’s post-apocalyptic future Words & photos: Mykel Nicolaou

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‘what the past would look like if the future had happened sooner’

here’s more than a touch of HG Wells and Jules Verne fantasy about Tim Avcott’s KTM. It’s an inspired mix of modernist production methods, Victorianised with a blend of old brass accoutrements, bed spanners and sheer ingenuity and, as Urban Dictionary suggests of the steampunk genre, ‘is what the past would look like if the future had happened sooner.’ It’s as bold as the brass bits and bobs that proliferate the machine. Which is no surprise since Tim is an avid fan of the polished gold alloy. “I’ve always liked steam rallies and love brass. I’ve no idea why – maybe it’s the smell of brasso!” Tim is a carpenter by trade and this, believe it or not, is his ﬁrst motorcycle build, though he’s also in the throes of restoring a Toyota FJ40 land cruiser. “I like the style of 1930s and 40s bikes but could never aﬀord them,” he says. “So I wanted that kind of look in a bike – but with modern brakes…” e motor is a KTM 520EXC – standard, but with the carb re-jetted. It delivers around 60bhp with tree-stump pulling grunt you would expect of a modern four-valve, liquid-cooled single cylinder competition engine, built for enduro racing. >>

Tim’s KTM is about as eclectic as a custom bike gets - but guaranteed it draws one heck of a response every time he parks it up!

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