Showing posts with label custom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label custom. Show all posts

Friday, September 30, 2016

92′ BMW R100GS Sidecar ‘Avventura’ – OCGarage


Written by Martin Hodgson.
Head south-east out of Italy’s motorcycle capital of Bologna on the E45 towards the Adriatic Sea and eventually you arrive in Ravenna where you are transported back in time and you haven’t even had to reach 88mph. This was the capital of the Western Roman Empire, it’s where Julius Caesar gathered his forces before crossing the Rubicon and you don’t have to look far to see a Basilica decorated with the world’s most incredible mosaics. But Ravenna is also home to a small workshop that takes you back to a time when great craftsman and artists worked from their small studios to create pieces that would remain on the lips of admirers for centuries to come; this is the home of Oscar Tasso’s OCGarage. It is here that he has created his latest masterpiece, from the very best materials in the world, a 1992 BMW R100GS with sidecar, it’s the incredible AVVENTURA!

Even in his teenage years Oscar had one definitive goal, to make his passion his career; he worked on engines and then started with cars but his ultimate aim was to build one off custom motorcycles. With an unrelenting passion and tireless work ethic he progressed further in the motorcycle industry, building race bikes and becoming a deft hand at suspension tuning. Now for the last two decades, all the motorcycles Oscar creates have a name and story to tell. “They are the emotion of a moment in life made tangible, moulded in beauty and filled with essence.” Once each is completed they will never be replicated, what is left over is destroyed and their beating heart comes alive “it is right at this moment that technology stops being cold, carries the soul, changes name and becomes ART.” Every OCGarage motorcycle is special, but it’s hard to imagine anything as good as this chariot fit for a King.

When the 1992 GS came to market it couldn’t have looked more like a Paris-Dakar machine for the road, so it’s fair to say Oscar had his work cut out in crafting one into a suitable steed for the project. Stripped of all its plastics, absolutely every part that was to be reused has been rebuilt, overhauled and brought back to brand new condition. The engine has been treated to a complete rebuild, new seals, bearings and gaskets were thrown at it and with the engines renowned reliability it’s fair to say it won’t need doing again for decades. To give it a more vintage look the valve covers have been replaced with items from an early R series and the entire engine casing refurbished. To extract some more power a pair of modified carbs from an R100rs were fitted and a NOS airbox installed. Then the exhaust manifolds and Y pipe were made out of stainless that run all the way back to a “German origin E2 approved muffler specifically for the R100GS”

But that engine would spend a great deal of time on the bench in a corner of the small workshop while the GS was overhauled to become a three-wheeled machine. The frame was stripped of absolutely everything, ground smooth and given a new subframe to compliment the look Oscar was going for. New mounts were added that swing the custom rear fender that was lovingly sculpted by hand to follow the contours of the rear and provide a more vintage look. Bolted to each side is a motocross number plate that while somewhat hidden in body matching paint is a subtle nod to the bikes racing pedigree. While atop the new fender Oscar fabricated custom baggage wracks as well as a simple numberplate holder and brackets for the lighting assembly. The fuel tank is the standard ’92 unit that has been body worked beyond belief, there is no filler or bondo here and Oscar has replaced the badges with his own company’s logo in timber and a one off fuel cap.
But the timber work really gets serious over on the sidecar, “The surfaces are covered with sheets of precious mahogany” that gives the sides the look of an oversized Stradivarius. The aluminium bodywork that compliments the wood is just as impressive with each sheet arrow straight and forming the most perfect lines; which were not drawn up, simply envisioned and then created. The framing is designed to match that of the BMW’s and sweeps around the side and with an unbroken line comes up past the body that it supports to create a grab handle in front of the passenger. They ride in style being protected from the wind with a small shield that is affixed to the body with marine grade bracketry. The same high end brackets are used throughout, along with fixtures and fittings you would normally find on a yacht valued in the millions. More Mahogany is used to create the rear hatch that provides ample room for a gentleman to store more than enough for a picnic fit for a Queen.
Her Majesty steps into her carriage on a beautiful timber piece that sits in front of the sidecars wheel and waiting to cushion her body is more incredible craftsmanship. The throne, ok I’ll call it a seat, is generously padded before Oscar laid the finest premium grade leather over the top featuring a double stitched diamond pattern in a non-degrading marine material. The sides also feature Mahogany panelling while on the floor and stretching up under the body work is Jaguar X-Type carpet for the most plush of finishes. Should the lady need to write while on the move or use an old map to navigate the door features a tailored leather cover with three pockets for a pen, pencil and sextant. Of course with the GS capable of traversing all sorts of roads a large mudguard was fabricated that provides generous coverage to the sidecars tyre and features a matching leather mudflap. That leather was also used on the beautifully upholstered seat on the bike itself with the same material used to create the small rear luggage and there is a sailing rope thrown in for good measure.
To ensure all this comfort could be enjoyed Oscar spent a huge amount of time getting the suspension just right, but it starts with the wheel and tyre combination. All three wheel hubs are constructed from 6082 aircraft grade aviation alloy that result in hidden spokes and the ability to run modern tubeless rubber, in this case from Dunlop. The bikes rear suspension has been upgraded with a fully adjustable Ohlins mono-shock mounted to a revised position on the swingarm with the adjuster mounted to the side of the bike. The front of course is not at all how the BMW left the factory, now sporting a Ural like leading link combination. Twin coil-over shocks provide the dampening and are also adjustable with a steering dampener affixed to the main chassis also joining the party and proving pretty handy in a cross wind. The front brake is a combination of a single drilled rotor and lever arm supported caliper, while up on the front fender is a yachting cleat and rope for docking.
The buggy itself is also sprung for a plush ride and is attached with rose-mounts that allow for fine tuning of the overall combination. Should a night time ride be required the lighting has been well appointed while remaining unobtrusive to the styling. A classic round headlight sits at the front of the BMW and a second item in the forward step of the side car. There are taillights on both bike and buggy, as well as a full array of indicators all-round, with a bullet shaped item neatly hugging the sidecars fender. The final task before everything was reassembled for the final time was to have all the bodywork sprayed in an aluminium effect paint job that gives an incredibly realistic impression of the alloy without the worry of corrosion or discolouration. Words cannot describe the finished result, simply feast with your own eyes, and for Oscar “It was an intense creative process, where many lives and many passions have crossed. It was a pleasure to design and then build AVVENTURA…. now let’s move on!” Because while his client now has an incredible piece of motorcycle art to call his own, Oscar has more creative passion to unleash!

First published by www.pipeburn.com

Friday, June 10, 2016

Sacrilège: A Kawasaki Z1000ST Of Biblical Proportions


Ed Turner is one of Europe’s most extreme custom workshops. Owner Karl Renoult has a very clear and unapologetic vision: he builds each bike with “the sole purpose of giving it character and attitude.”This is Karl’s most outré creation yet, a Kawasaki Z1000ST heavy on biblical references and christened Ezechiel 21, ‘The Sword.’

The Z1000ST is interesting enough in its own right—35 years ago, it was Kawasaki’s first shaft-drive motorcycle, and pumped out a solid 93 horses. But it was also a little staid. And that’s like a red rag to a bull for Karl.The project was commissioned by Grégoire, a man counting his blessings after surviving the November 2015 attacks in Paris.

“He decided that his dreams had to be achieved in his lifetime,” says Karl. “After two or three phone calls, we had the outline of the project.”Grégoire wanted a machine with a powerful-looking frame, a springer front end, and beautiful finishes. The Z1000ST was chosen, largely for its powerful engine—this allowed Karl to devote most of the budget (“not crazy, but comfortable”) to the design.

The chassis took shape rapidly, with a sleeker profile at the back. But Karl resisted the temptation to mess too much with the stock wheels: “I find them pretty cool when polished and adapted to the CBR forks.”The Honda forks have been ‘emptied and springerized’ using custom dampers built by Shaft Racing. It’s a most unusual setup; the suspension duties have been moved from the fork springs to the shock nestling between the yokes.

“For this step, I admit I used some sketches—and even some math,” says Karl. “Not my habit!”“But as usual, surrounded by my mates Joe, Mikael and Gael, we tinkered with this thing and it works pretty well.”

Other cues come from the American vintage drag scene. Notably the proportions of the tires: an Avon 5.25/5.50 17-inch car tire at the rear, and a 3.25 18-inch Speedmaster Mk II rib tire at the front.Everything else is kept to the minimum—specifically, a tank that does not exceed five liters in capacity, and a microscopic brake light and flashers under the custom saddle, masterfully crafted by Red’s Leather.

“Restricted by the wallet, we were unable to satisfy all our pretensions for the preparation of the engine,” Karl says. “We had to play another card…”It was time for divine intervention, so Karl chose a few lines of Ezekiel 21 from the Old Testament to decorate the tank. “A rather creepy passage which speaks of a sword sharpened and polished—and a God who, for once, seems really pissed off and ready to fight.”

To complete The Sword, Karl called in extra manpower from the Breton artisans at Stick Your Cycles. They helped fabricated the bars and the stainless steel exhaust, and refinished the engine cases in green.After several months of work, the Kawasaki was finally ready to hit the autoroute.

Karl handed it over with a message to his client: “Greg, you run faster than bullets. Now let’s see what you can do behind the handlebars.”Amen to that.
Ed Turner | Facebook | Instagram | Photos by Francois Richer
Enigmatic French builder Ed Turner reworks the Kawasaki Z1000ST, with outrageous results.
Full Size

First read on bikeexif.com/

Sunday, August 23, 2015

Make it pop: GS Mashin’s Harley Fat Boy


Custom Harley Fat Boy built by Tom Mosimann of the Swiss workshop GS Mashin.
A world-famous custom builder recently told us: “I never want my Harleys to look like Harleys.” We wonder if Tom Mosimann had the same thought when he built this outlandish Harley Fat Boy. Based in the Swiss capital of Bern, Tom is a sign painter who started building bikes three years ago under the moniker of GS Mashin. This 2000-model Fat Boy is his first Harley—you can’t miss the muscular V-twin, but it’s now clothed in most unusual swooping bodywork and a retina-searing paint job.

Tom drew inspiration from old salt flat racers and drag bikes. He shaped everything himself out of steel—from the prominent headlight shroud, through to the hard-edged tank and the tail section with its integrated rear light. The seat’s been covered in leather, and Tom’s made a neat little belly ‘spoiler.’ The exhaust system is his handiwork too, as is the angular ‘GS’-adorned air filter.

Accompanying the bespoke metalwork is a bevy of choice parts. Hiding behind the headlight shroud are an Auto Meter speedo, LSL bars, Roland Sands Design grips and Beringer controls. The mid-placed foot controls and primary drive are from Performance Machine.
Tom kept the Harley Fat Boy’s rear wheel and shocks, but lowered the forks and upgraded them with Progressive Suspension springs. The front wheel’s a 21-inch unit from another Harley; both wheels are running Dunlop D402 rubber.
Tom wrapped the project up in nine months, finishing it off with a livery that unashamedly flaunts his skills with a paint gun. The greens used are echoed in places like the wheels, air filter cover and spoiler. It might not be the most practical custom, but we love it. And, despite its outlandish appearance, it’s fully road legal in Switzerland—a country that has some of the most stringent noise regulations in the world.

“GS Mashin only builds roadworthy bikes,” Tom explains. “Because bikes are for riding.” Absolutely.
GS Mashin Facebook | Instagram
Custom Harley Fat Boy built by Tom Mosimann of the Swiss workshop GS Mashin.
First published by bikeexif.com

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Shinya Kimura Yamaha MT07 Faster Son



Wheels & Waves has quickly become one of the best custom motorcycle events happening around the globe and it's captured the attention and imagination of some of the world's top motorcycle manufacturers. Unveilings seem to have become all the rage and this year there was a record number of new commissioned custom builds on display. Ducati had some new custom Scramblers, BMW their latest R Nine T builds and Yamaha were there to introduce their new custom series titled 'Faster Sons'; and what better way to do it than with legendary custom builder, Shinya Kimura.


While Yamaha has previously focused on customising bikes from their Sports Heritage range during the Yardbuilt series, Faster Sons will utilise "modern" motorcycles from their range such as the MT series. The aim of the new series is to take motorcycles that utilise the latest technology and perfectly blend them with a timeless, vintage style that pays tribute to Yamaha's production motorcycles of the past. 




Shinya's MT07 is primarily an aesthetic modification with the 700cc, liquid cooled twin engine, suspension and brakes all remaining stock. “I thought that someone who really loved motorbikes made this engine. Not only do the numbers show its efficiency, but also the feeling of the engine, the way it spins up and the sound it makes appeals to all the biker’s senses."



Shinya's Faster Son is his own recipe of modern-day technology meets retro styling. “To me the XS1 and XS650 are very symbolic, they represent Yamaha’s design philosophy, they are bikes that never look dated, and continue to look beautiful in everyone’s eyes. I was aiming to create a line for this bike that flows. A harmony, just like the XS1."




The Faster Son wears Shinya's signature hand formed alloy bodywork and is held together using pop rivets like those you'd find on vintage fighter planes. Finned ducts feed air into the bikes intake and the half-fairings perspex dome helps minimise drag around the bikes headlight. Under the windscreen you'll find the bikes original digital instrument cluster along with a custom FS key forged from bronze and, as a final nod to those classic Yamaha's he loved so much, the Faster Son wears a green paint scheme reminiscent of Yamaha's XS1.



I've been a big fan of the Yardbuilt series so far and the Faster Sons series is gearing up to be just as impressive. The only problem they'll have to face now is finding a builder who can follow up Shinya's impressive first act.







first published by returnofthecaferacers.com

Friday, October 17, 2014

ER Voltron: A BMW R69S for the future

This is 'Voltron,' a 1964 BMW R69S customized by ER Motorcycles.

It’s not easy to pick out Slovenia on a map. It’s a tiny, picture-postcard country just to the east of Italy, full of mountains and forests and rivers, and home to some of Europe’s best driving roads.
Slovenia is also home to ER Motorcycles, one of the fastest-rising stars on the custom scene. This is the latest build from Blaž Šuštaršič and his crew, and it confirms their place in the premier league.
This is 'Voltron,' a 1964 BMW R69S customized by ER Motorcycles.

The story of Voltron can be traced back to last year’s ‘Mobster,’ a BMW R80-engined custom with a strong vintage vibe. “After the success of the Mobster project we couldn’t resist the chance to do it all again—but this time in a different style,” says Blaž.
Mobster was all about the vintage BMW vibe, but Voltron propels it a few decades into the 21st century: It’s a clever, retro-futuristic mash-up of styles and eras. “We’ve used many of the ideas that were going through our heads when designing Mobster,” says Blaž, “but didn’t suit the vintage style.”
This is 'Voltron,' a 1964 BMW R69S customized by ER Motorcycles.

Voltron is a scrambler-meets-street-tracker hybrid, with an emphasis on clean lines and visual simplicity. It’s a much more ‘technical’ and ambitious build than Mobster, with more of a focus on the rider experience. “We also wanted to improve the maneuverability and the ergonomics, to make the rider feel even better.”
The core of the bike is a modified and cleaned-up 1964 R69S frame, upgraded with a liberal sprinkling of parts from the later R80 RT. That includes the engine, the complete front end, and the 18” wheels.
This is 'Voltron,' a 1964 BMW R69S customized by ER Motorcycles.

The transmission is a rebuilt five-speed BMW R100 unit, and the fuel tank is the famous R60/5 ‘Toaster’ design. A few modern components have been discreetly integrated, such as the Brembo calipers, Renthal bars and a whole raft of top-shelf Motogadget electrics—including the instrument, switchgear and an m-Unit master controller.
The distinctive upright shocks have been rebuilt with Hagon internals and the tires are Heidenau K60 Scouts—classic 50/50 dual sport rubber with an excellent reputation. Ancillaries include Tarozzi pegs and Ariette grips. Everything else is custom-made to an extraordinarily high standard.
This is 'Voltron,' a 1964 BMW R69S customized by ER Motorcycles.

There’s no question about the quality or the design vision here, but what about the name? “We wanted a name that sounds strong and has a futuristic flavor, to emphasize the bike’s modern features,” says Blaž. “Voltron was a giant robot from an old animated TV series, who fought evil forces as the Defender of the universe.
“For us, Voltron represents our most advanced build—fighting its way from past to future!”
If this is the future of custom motorcycle building, we reckon it looks pretty good.
Images by Jernej Konjajev. Follow ER Motorcycles’ news via their Facebook page.
This is 'Voltron,' a 1964 BMW R69S customized by ER Motorcycles.
Build Sheet
Build time: 4 months (April to July 2014)
Engine: BMW R80 RT engine, replaced: main chain, sprockets, tensioners, gaskets, exhaust, intake tubes, diode plate
Carburation: stock, rebuilt
Exhaust system: custom made exhaust pipes, Spark silencer
Air cleaner: K&N air filter
Transmission: BMW R100 / rebuilt, 5 gear
Frame: stock / modified
Subframe: custom made (solo seat)
Forks: BMW R80 RT monolever / modified
Shocks: Hagon cartridge
Upper Triple Tree: BMW R80 RT / modified
Front rim: BMW R80 RT 18 inch
Rear rim size: BMW R80 RT / modified 18 inch
Tires: Haidenau K60 Scout 120/90/18
Front brake: Brembo calipers / modified
Rear brake: stock drum brake / modified
Brake calipers: Brembo calipers
Fuel tank: BMW R60/5 “Toaster” stock
Handlebar: Renthal Ultralow black
Speedo: Motogadget Motoscope pro
Headlight: 165 mm
Taillight: custom housing, LED lights / integrated into subframe
Hand controls: Motogadget M-switch
Handgrips: Ariette grips black
Footpegs: Tarozzi footpegs
Electrics: completely new electrical wiring, Motogadget m-Unit

Fabricated parts designed by ER team
Subframe, seat pan, leather seat, headlight brackets, brake caliper holders, honeycomb mesh side panels, front shield, license plate, custom front and rear fenders, exhaust pipes, battery box.
This is 'Voltron,' a 1964 BMW R69S customized by ER Motorcycles.
The post ER Voltron: A BMW R69S for the future appeared first on Bike EXIF.

Monday, October 6, 2014

Streetracker - Maxwell Paternoster - Zaeta

Raffaele Paolucci shot some very nice pictures of the Ornamental Conifer and Maxwell Paternoster's painted Zaeta's.
Here's the one from Maxwell Paternoster.

Check Raffaele's Streetracker blog for much more









First appeared in http://bubblevisor.blogspot.co.uk

Thursday, September 4, 2014

The Pegasus

Not so many moons past, a good friend of Deus Camperdown came to us with a special request. We had suspected this gentleman harboured a deep and abiding love affair with the internal combustion engine by the frequency with which he produced well thumbed pictures from his wallet of a race prep’d ’69 Camaro and 2 CBR1000 track-only Fireblades, high horse power puppies sporting eye-bleed bright colour schemes.

He’d seen our signature hardtail Kawasaki W650 on the floor and requested just such a steed to park in his own garage, but with a bit of glow-in-the-dark presence.

Jeremy set to work on a late model low mileage puppy stripping the bike into its component parts in a jiffy. The wheel set is now 21 inch front, 17 rear – laced in stainless with rims and hubs powder coated in a hue so intensely bright they can be seen from space.
Bates style head light, custom bars, and custom mirrors live amongst the top triple clamp. A customised Yamaha SR400 fuel tank nestles onto the square section back bone of the W, while a Verona electronic speedo fills the void and is surrounded by LED warning lights.


With the motor out for a splash of black satin, the chassis is placed in a jig to receive the Deus custom hard tail section. A custom battery box and air box eliminator kit allow the W to breath through K&N filters, while gasses exit via stainless 2 into 1 headers flowing into an open tulip style muffler. All of which is ceramic coated in brilliant white.



Fenders are bespoke units massaged into shape by Jeremy here in the House of Simple Pleasures. The steel base, coil sprung seat has hand stitched leather in black.
The colour is a perfect reflection of the owner, not only does the scheme match his pair of racing Fireblades with the fluorescent orange of the wheels, but the striking contrast of the black with white striping can be found on his Camaro. A winged steed to join the stable.

First appeared in http://deuscustoms.com