Mecum Auctions in Las Vegas, the prices were Crazy for Motorcycles this year.
29
Jan
Monthly Archives: January 2023
One of my Old favourite Movies
17
Jan
One of my all time best movies for Motorcycles was of course Mad max but, in the same time and using many of the same bikes this movie came out, I loved it in 1974 and still do today. New Kawasaki’s were a sight to be seen in this movie.
Never as far as I know, has there been a better start to a Motorcycle Movie than Stone, I loved it and was hooked as a teenager as soon as I saw the start, what a superb scene to begin a movie involving Motorcycles.
Stone is a 1974 Australian outlaw biker film written, directed and produced by Sandy Harbutt. It is a low budget film by company Hedon Productions.
Police officer Stone goes undercover with the Gravediggers outlaw motorcycle gang, to find out who is murdering their members, one by one.
The film stars Ken Shorter and features Rebecca Gilling, Bill Hunter and Helen Morse. The film’s soundtrack was composed by Billy Green and featured some members of his group Sanctuary. Motorcycles featured include the legendary Kawasaki Z1(900). Stone initially rides a Norton.
The promotional trailer video features narration by radio and media personality John Laws. The film was featured in the documentary, Not Quite Hollywood, in which Quentin Tarantino enthuses about his admiration for the film.
Australian stuntman Peter Armstrong set a then-world record for riding a motorcycle off an 80-foot cliff to fall headfirst into the sea.
When several members of the GraveDiggers outlaw motorcycle club are murdered, Sydney detective Stone (Ken Shorter) is sent to investigate. Led by the Undertaker (Sandy Harbutt), a Vietnam war veteran, the GraveDiggers allow Stone to pose as a gang member. Leaving behind society girlfriend Amanda (Helen Morse), Stone begins to identify with the Undertaker and his comrades Hooks (Roger Ward), Toad (Hugh Keays-Byrne), Dr Death (Vincent Gil), Captain Midnight (Bindi Williams), Septic (Dewey Hungerford) and Vanessa (Rebecca Gilling), the Undertaker’s girlfriend. Amid violent confrontations with the Black Hawks, a rival gang the GraveDiggers hold responsible, Stone uncovers a political conspiracy behind the killings. When the truth is revealed, Stone must choose between his job and his loyalty to the GraveDiggers.
Sandy Harbutt got the idea in 1970 when he wrote a script for an episode of the TV police series The Long Arm in which he was appearing.[1]
Filmink magazine said “The biker movie was the modern day Western of choice in the 1960s” but argued this was one of the few Australian films to “embrace it as a story option.”[2]
The Australian Film Development Corporation invested $154,000 in the film. The remainder of the budget and most of the technical facilities were provided by Ross Wood Productions in Sydney. The movie was shot in late 1973.[1]
The Hells Angels club (Sydney) provided assistance during production.
Also I lived where they filmed it for a few years and used to ride the highway every day where the Funeral procession was filmed and always used to chuckle when I got to that bit of road, what a sight that must of been, and loved the Coffin on the side car and you can sense Mad Max was in the background too.
Maybe you can take some time to watch it, super bad acting and Music but a real classic none the less.
So, here it is, the Whole Movie.
Exhaust for SOHC Honda’s 1969-1978 The SIDEWINDER
14
Jan
I have been getting a lot of compliments on the 4 into 1 Exhaust I manufacture called The Sidewinder, this really is a great performing system that not only fits well, it sounds crisp and is a true Performance pipe.
These power houses are available in Raw steel, for that Industrial Look, or you can wrap them with Heat wrap for your Custom look, but also I get these Cerakoted in Ceramic and have a Choice of Colors of Black, Silver, Titanium and Burnt Bronze. These are designed to fit the HONDA CB750K CB750F inline Four Models of the SOHC size, that’s from 1969 up to 1978.
Also , the advantage of this system is that you can still run with your center stand attached as these pipes wrap to the right hand side of your engine and clear the oil pain, the second thing is you have a totally clear access area to your Oil filter housing, which makes for easy oil changes and filter swaps etc. A really well made system that is affordable and pretty easy to fit, even on your own. I have done this many times and so glad I went this route, the whole system itself is about 13 pounds so easily lighter than the stock version.
These are all made right here in California and ready to fit to your bike and get you back on the tarmac, these are held into the Cylinder head by floating Flanges, so no more messing around with either half shims or them finned pinch clamps, simply bolt on with 8X35mm Bolts or if your head has studs, then these just slide right on into the ports and simply tighten sequentially. I use a Stainless Bolt to attach the tail pipe to the header, as springs tend to jump off over bumps, mostly made for the track, so a tried and tested method is a high quality stainless bolt that I supply with the system.
Yes these do come with a Baffle and I do not add any packing to it, I like the 95 Decibel output but if you feel it is a tad loud for your area, then any local Motorcycle shop sells the fiberglass packing or use some steel wool and wrap around the baffle and refit until required sound is found. No other sound like this, other than a 30 year old Yoshi.
The Photos I have shown are Raw steel, but Ceramic coating is available but takes 10 from order as I take it out to the company to do their coating but worth the wait, I do not store any in house coated, only because we get the odd Earthquake and don’t want to scratch anything if they moved when we get a shaker here.
I personally Pack these systems and send them out to you, I help Over sea’s Customers on the duty form, so you don’t get any silly fee’s, remember, I have been doing this almost 23 years, so know my way around the shipping forms. I packed these in a 16x16x21 double walled box and make sure that it doesn’t move when in transit.
Let me know if I can help you with one of these systems for your Machine, be it Stock, Custom, Café Racer. Brat. Tracker or a Dailey parts Runner, this exhaust will give you more pep and looks pretty cool too. It breathes so well you will be stoked at the velvet tone that it emits at the rear end. Looks Great and value for money, way better than the Chinese stuff that’s out there.
I am super stoked at these systems and have many repeat Customers from all over the states and the globe, I love to hear from customers that really do enjoy the burble that these 4 into 1 exhausts make and the throttle response is second to none. All would suggest you up jet 2 sizes on the main, but that’s it, these run so good.
If you need any more information, please drop me a line at carpy@carpyscaferacers.com or call or even text me on 714-598-8392, thanks for checking in and hope that you enjoyed this page on the Sidewinder Exhaust.
Raw Steel System : $380
Cerakote Coated : $480
Robbie Knievel Passes Away
13
Jan
Fun times ahead at the workshop.
10
Jan
Well, a New year and New projects, I have a bunch of bikes that need to get running and then decide which way to go in the way of building and creating something cool from the shop but many different platforms are sat in the Barn, just awaiting some wrench time, but I do enjoy creating New rides.
I get many questions on how do I put in the Knee inserts on gas tanks, well, first off, I find a damaged tank, I don’t want to use a good solid undented gas tank, seem a shame to bash the crap out of it to be honest, so I usually have something about the shop or in storage that I can use and love to repurpose something that has been discarded, but I do use ear defenders as I have already got Tinnitus from years of grinding metal, riding motorcycles with No ear plugs and going to many gigs and standing up front by the speakers.
I really enjoy making parts for the machines I build and of course offering it to customers too, its a noisy job but if it was easy, then everyone would do it right?
I have a few ideas for New parts this year, so keep checking back with me, also I hope to offer parts for different models and brands of Motorcycle, so I should be able to help you all, my Customer Service really is hard to beat compared to the many shops that have sprouted up recently, this is my career and my passion not just a business.
If its engine parts you need, drop me a Dime or Text on 714-598-8392 and I am more than happy to help you lot out with your project, this year should be a fun one and maybe I will meet some of you at an event? I have built many Motorcycle over the almost 23 years I have lived here in Southern California and look forward to building many more.
The Hot Rod and Razor exhausts Now in stock, this is how they sounds too.
CB750 Honda Super Sport getting some work done to get her going again
08
Jan
\Here at the shop I always have things to do, but I always help customers out and when he bought the 1976 CB750F here I could see it needed just a little tlc, many people think they will just need a charged battery and some new fuel and away they go? In some cases you do get lucky but this old girl does need a little bit more work before I can get her to run again.
This will be a nice machine as super low miles but as she has sat for a long while, the Carbs really do need some work, so first off they are removed and will get stripped, cleaned, vapor honed, polished and put all back together, after that they will be jetted and synchronized so they run great once more. Not a cheap job but if customer looks after and rides regularly, no reason why these wont last another 40 years.
Intakes were solid as a proverbial rock, I do not want to refit the carbs and find out these have hair line cracks allowing air to leak into the manifolds, so I shall remove these and fit new ones that are nice and pliable and of course I sell on my website.
At least now I have a fighting chance at fitting the carburetors without having to push harder than a steam train to get the things to slide into the manifolds’ etc. Also a good tip on yours is, just add a little axle grease to the inside of the intakes to make the carbs easier to Plop, back into the rubber, makes a world of difference.
Still quite a bit to do as the front brake was binding so hard when we unloaded it from the trailer, this is always due to the steel piston inside the front caliper, as over the years when they sit in all weather and temperatures, the body of the caliper is alloy and the piston steel, aluminum will sweat and leave a rust deposit on the steel piston over time. When they happens, altough only a small mark, the piston will not reseat when you let go of the brake lever as the O ring is catching that rust spot. I always tap the caliper body with a rubber mallet to free the piston and that will stop the binding for a sec.
So, as I now move onto working on the front caliper, I will need a few tools, I will need an 8mm wrench for the brake line and the bleed nipple, as well as a 14mm socket to be able to undo the two steel bolts that hold the caliper to the hanger. Also Dot 3 brake fluid and a bleeder bottle.
I will be fitting a New caliper body, I do not have a New feed line, so will have to be careful undoing the 8mm nut as it looks like its already chewed up from many years of abuse , but I will put a wrench with some tape on it and tap the wrench with a rubber mallet to shock the nut loose and not round the damn thing off.
This is the original caliper and I have no idea where originally this machine had been sitting or what sort of life it has had, even though its low miles, the weather does take its toll on them when sat for years doing nothing.
The Bolts were really tight on this front caliper, so I soaked them with WD40 and then used a socket with extension and go them to undo, but they were really on there tightly.
I replaced the front Caliper completely with the Kit that I sell on here and it worked a treat, really easy to put together and fitted like a glove.
I will advise the customer that on the next service, we should fit new brake lines, but for now we want to make sure that this Super Sport runs well and of course, stops safely.
Fitted the caliper and made sure the bolts were greased so nothing ceazes up like the original bolts and now just need to bleed the brake system to get all the air out.
All the air is bled out, bleeder nipple has the rubber cap placed on top and she is all good on the front end once more and he can rest assured the front brake will work as it should, and now I have to spend a few days stripping the carbs and getting them cleaned like new once more, stay tuned…………….
HONDA 1977 CB550F Super Sport for Sale $5999
04
Jan
Sometimes in your life of buying and selling Motorcycles ,you come across a Diamond in the rough, and here is one that I wasn’t going to purchase at first but something told me to go and see it , as I had no photos of it. I am so glad I did, this was a one owner machine that was purchased in 1977, it did have a Rear Luggage Rack with sissy bar attached and a Chrome front crash bar, but took that off, although the owner bought it new in 1977 and had the dealership fit them to the bike upon purchase.
(I can supply you with them if you require as they are still hung up in my Barn.)
This is a very nice machine and has 11,000 miles on the girl which is super low for a 45 year old Motorcycle, the old fella used it to go to work and that was it, I purchased the bike and have had it in storage for a couple of years, but seems a shame to keep it locked in and thought that it was time to let somebody else have some fun with it.
The bike is all Original other than the battery, even the tires are original, a rare find these days, I did remove the carbs and go through them a couple of years back, but it has been stored in my Barn with my other machines and I have quite a bit of work and thought it was time for the old girl to have some fun with another owner.
Now, this is not a showroom condition bike, its a bike that was used for a few years for local commuting, but its a rare find for sure, I need to give her a clean up as she is dusty from sitting inside, this was never outside.
To be honest, it would not take much to make this machine Mint, and go in shows with some tlc, its a much loved machine and I know that you will love just looking at this unmolested 1977 Machine.
The 1977 CB550 F2 is a fun and nimble machine and will sneak up on many machines, its responsive and great center of Gravity, makes for some really enjoyable riding on this inline four marvel.
A great Machine that reflects that awesome era when I was a teenager, I remember having a sales Brochure on my bedroom wall as a kid, amongst other notable motorcycles of that era and this brings back so many memories just looking at the bike.
I do have the Title for this too and numbers match the title, so you are all good there, its not been on the road since I have owned it as I have kept it in my Barn with the other bikes and I think its time to offer this to the public as I am sure there are many like me that love these 70’s Iconic Machines.
This Four Stroke Transverse Four Cylinder, SOHC Motor with 2 Valves per Cylinder, and a Bore and Stroke of 50.85 x 50.6mm with a 9.0:1 Compression is a little powerhouse to be honest. It has produces 50 HP/36.5kW @8500 RPM, with a Max Toque of 43.1 Nm/31.8 LB-Ft@ 7400RPM.
I did work on the carburetors and fit a New battery but, that’s it, a lovely condition for its age and nothing cut off or broken on this amazing Honda 550F inline four cylinder.
If you want to capture the late 1970’s in mid size Motorcycling, then this really is it, sitting on this reminded me of when I saw one in the dealership when I was 15 years old, after finishing my bag of chips, me and my mate used to just hang out in the shop looking at the new bikes that had come out, dreaming of the day we could own one.
Be a shame in a way to see it go, but as long as someone gets as much enjoyment out of is as I have, that is all I ask, a rare find these days and I am certain it will turn heads and have many questions asked about it where ever you take this Honda.
If you need more photos or information about this 1977 CB750F Honda, you can email me at carpy@carpyscaferacers.com or you can call or Text me on 714-598-8392 and have a chat.
Thank you for looking and hope you like the photos that I have taken of the bike, its a great color too, this weighs about 421 in dry weight and has 18″ wheels, so a nice height for most riders.
