How to remove stripped Bolts from your Motor

Posted on November 20, 2015January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

20 Nov

Well, sometimes, people email me with an array of questions about their machines and the issues that they have encountered as they try in vain, to pull some part of their beloved motorcycle.

I try and help the best way I can, this tip is an easy one but I do get quite a few regular questions as to this issue when people are taking their machines apart to build into a cool ride for the warmer months.

So have a look, I know the majority of you already know this but- I like to help where I can and hopefully, even if I help out Just one person, it was worth me stopping to film this segment for you.

Socal Norton Club‎ 36th Annual Hansen Dam Ride and Show SUNDAY!

Posted on October 29, 2015January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

29 Oct

Ok, this Sunday is coming around super fast and I shall be heading down to Hansen Dam for the Norton Owners Club 36th Meeting that is annually and boy what a treat this is.

Last year was my First attendance at the Hansen Dam ride and boy did I have fun there, a few hundred bikes turned up and the ride through the canyons was brilliant fun, no need to race but you could give it an ear full if you so required, but I sure did have fun on My Thruxton.

I will be going again with my crew from the Orange County 59 Club and take in the atmosphere of this well represented Norton club.

What time:

at 7:00am – 3:00pm

3 days from now · 85°F / 60°F Clear

Where:

Hansen Dam Recreation Park

11770 Foothill Blvd, Sylmar, California 91342

Schedule of events:

8-9:45 Coffee, Donuts and Show Bike Info
9:45 Riders Meeting and Announcements
10:00 Ride leaves via Osbourne/Foothill/Little Tujunga
1:30-2 Return to Dam for ride pins and Best Bikes Show and lunch
2:30-3 Show Bike Awards in six catagories
Catagories are:
Best Norton
Best Triumph
Best BSA
Best British Custom
Best British Other
Best of Show
Bikes in show must participate in ride.
This is the best motorcycle show by a dam site.
Directions: 210 to Osborne St. exit #8 Foothill Blvd. west, left on Osborne St., left on Dronfield Ave., right then left to lower parking lot.

This is a great event and for all classic Motorcycles, if you want a fun day out on your two wheeled machine on Sunday, then this is the place to be at.

You will see a few faces you may know there, I saw Barry Weis there and he is such a fun guy to chat too.

Also you will see Many unique machines from Norton, to Greeves, it will all be there and a great hang out before the ride into the twisties.

If you see us, please come and say hello as this is one of the friendliest meets I have never been too, other than the VJMC as their events are super cool too.

So get ya arse down here if you can as it is a memorable ride and so many cool classic machines to look at.

I hope to see you, give us a wave if you are on the run as this sure is a fun day to ride your motorcycle.

If you would like to ride with us , then get up early as we shall be at Alea’s Cafe on the corner of Miraloma Ave and Miller at 7am remember you have to change your clocks on Sunday morning at 2am.

Alea Cafe

3371 E Miraloma Ave, Anaheim, CA

New Triumph Thruxton Cafe Seat and Cowl assembly

Posted on October 22, 2015January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

22 Oct

Well, I thought it was time I came up with a few more ideas for my Thruxton and this is my latest one, this is a cool seat base and cowl assembly, complete with a snap upholstery that gives you the opportunity of using the cowl as a storage compartment.

I have loved the race snaps for many years and used this style of quite a few of my creations over the years and thought it only fitting that I design and build one for my own motorcycle and of course, offer the same to you.

These are not mass produced as i make these to order and what you get is personal attention with this assembly.

Have a look and see if you like this design, this is a new seat base, New Triumph rubber stops underneath and of course New foam and custom made seat cover with snaps, of which you can ask for different colored stitching too.

If you like the Nostalgic look and of course, you have a Thruxton, what cooler way than to go this route, as this gives you a superb option to get rid of that bulky Plastic stock rear tail light assembly as my Cowl comes complete with a Glass 12 Volt teardrop Light that is stop light and running light.

I took a lot of time in deciding how I was going to go with this and I like the set up, it may not be your cup of tea but for me I can drink that stuff all day and of course I do so.

So if you like this and would like to have one the same but different colored stitching, just email me on carpy@carpyscaferacers.com and I will make it happen as we can do red Stitching, Black, white or Grey, its up to you, you can also choose a different trim-Piping etc.

The choice is all yours, I shall add more photos once I have painted the cowl and fitted it to my Thruxton for you to see and then maybe decide.

But thanks for looking none the less, I really enjoy what I do and am happy when I get customers that come back to purchase more of my parts.

This is a unique look and am happy to say I was the only person to come up with this set up and wanted to get it out there for you to all see.

There is a lot involved to make this happen and that’s why it did take some time for me to get it how I really wanted it.

Thanks again, I always appreciate your input, good or bad as it is what makes me drive harder to get what you want. I have used stainless steel that was laser cut and bent in a Press to get the Hooks just right, I used Triumph Stoppers for the seat to Buffer on, New Foam and a New Fiber glass seat pan and then my new cowl with the recessed tail light. Then the Upholstery hand stitched and then snapped to give the old School look of years gone by.

Lane Splitting in California .

Posted on May 29, 2015January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

Motorcycle lane-splitting — the rush-hour time saver for bikers that enrages many drivers — may be poised for formal legalization.

California would be the first state to sanction the traffic-evading tactic, already widespread on traffic-choked freeways of Los Angeles.

The state Assembly is expected to approve the legislation as soon as Thursday, and supporters believe it will clear the Senate as well.

The measure would allow motorcycles to travel between cars at speeds up to 15 mph faster than the flow of traffic, up to a speed of 50 mph.
Motorcycle sales up, motorcycle fatalities high
Motorcycle sales up, motorcycle fatalities high

The bill’s legislative backers cite studies showing the practice is safer than trapping bikers behind cars, which leaves them vulnerable to more serious rear-end collisions. But their proposal has riled both detractors and supporters.

“Lane-splitting is inherently dangerous,” said Thomas Freeman, a passionate opponent of the practice who said his opposition movement, hosted online at stoplanesplitting.com, has more than 1,000 members.

While some motorcyclists applauded the action, the American Motorcyclist Assn. called for even less restrictive rules.

“We don’t like this bill,” said Nicolas Haris, the association’s western states representative. “It goes a long way in the right direction, but it falls short.”
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8

Lane-splitting — a common practice in European nations — has been a fuzzy topic in California. The state has never expressly forbidden or allowed it.

Technically neither legal nor illegal, the practice has had the tacit approval of the California Highway Patrol and the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Motorcycle industry veteran Bruce Steever — who commutes on the 405 Freeway and invariably lane-splits during rush hour — applauded the proposed legislation, restrictions and all.

“Those numbers make me happy,” he said of the speed limits. “There needs to be a codified law.”
On two wheels, it’s all open road
On two wheels, it’s all open road

The AMA’s Haris, despite his organization’s complaints with the bill’s specific language and speed limits, said he hoped a new California law would inspire legislators in other states to adopt similar laws.

Legislative bodies in Washington, Oregon, Texas, Nevada and Tennessee have already considered, proposed or voted on lane-splitting laws. To date, none of the proposed legislation has passed.

The California bill, which has broad support, is being spearheaded by Assemblyman Bill Quirk (D-Hayward). He coauthored the measure with Tom Lackey (R-Palmdale), a former California Highway Patrol officer, and Kansen Chu (D-San Jose), who became interested in the topic after a staffer’s nephew was killed while lane-splitting at high speed.

The speed limits were determined with the help of the CHP and a safety study by UC Berkeley professor Tom Rice.
cComments

@WhatareyoudoingDave? My fastest speed is 72 mph and I get annoyed by drivers speed to my rear end and flash lights for me to get out of the way. I know this is a tangent but I am interested in drivers thoughts.
MICHAEL REACH
at 10:41 AM May 28, 2015

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That study, scheduled for public release soon, investigated 6,000 California motorcycle accidents — 1,000 of them involving lane-splitting — and concluded that legalizing the practice was safer than outlawing it, Quirk said.

“The study found that lane-splitting was safer, compared to being stopped in the traffic,” Quirk said. “Oftentimes motorcyclists would get rear-ended. Motorists just don’t see them.”

The bill appears to have momentum. It passed the Assembly Transportation Committee with a vote of 13 to 1 and the Assembly Appropriations Committee by 16 to 1. It now faces a vote in the 80-member Assembly.

If it passes there, it would face a similar review and vote in the Senate.

Until recently, both the Highway Patrol and the DMV published guidelines for safe lane-splitting. But they removed the guidelines from their publications last year after opponents complained that the agencies appeared to endorse a practice that critics argued was not legal.

“The ambiguity gave riders the idea that they had a free ticket,” Lackey said. “These parameters will alert all motorists to the safe practice of lane-splitting.”

It has also been a hot-button topic. Motorcyclists view it as a special California legal loophole. But some drivers view it as a dangerous or unfair way to get ahead in traffic.

“Motorcyclists know it’s not safe. They just want to get from point A to point B faster than the cars,” Freeman contended. “We have drivers who are talking on their cellphones, who are texting, who are daydreaming. And this other distraction makes it a virtual circus.”

Former Los Angeles City Council member Dennis Zine had 33 years’ experience in the Los Angeles Police Department, 18 of them as a motorcycle officer. He said he himself splits lanes, at safe speeds, but thinks the principal issue with the proposed new law is ticketing a motorcyclist who is breaking it.

“Unless the pursuing officer is on a motorcycle, the officer in a patrol car cannot possibly apprehend the vehicle that is splitting lanes,” Zine said. “The bottom line is there is no law if there’s no law enforcement.”

Lane Splitting is Legal in California

Lane splitting by motorcycles is not illegal in California when done in a safe and prudent manner.
Motorists should not take it upon themselves to discourage motorcyclists from lane splitting.
Intentionally blocking or impeding a motorcyclist in a way that could cause harm to the rider is illegal (CVC 22400).
Opening a vehicle door to impede a motorcycle is illegal (CVC 22517).
Never drive while distracted.
You can help keep motorcyclists and all road users safe by:
1. Checking mirrors and blind spots, especially before changing lanes or turning
2. Signaling your intentions before changing lanes or merging with traffic.
3. Allowing more following distance, three or four seconds, when behind a motorcycle so the motorcyclist has enough time to maneuver or stop in an emergency.

In simple terms – pay attention while you’re driving, don’t be a jerk and keep an eye out for motorcyclists and other vehicles. Oh, and please stop texting while driving before you kill someone.

Check out our lane splitting resources & links page and the latest lane splitting news.

Want to support our efforts? Buy some ‘Share the Lane’ stickers!

59 Club meet at heroes last night was great

Posted on April 16, 2015January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

16 Apr

Last night was our monthly meet up, this time Jennifer my Girlfriend organized a great eatery and bar called Heroes which is located in Fullerton, just up the road from the shop.

It was a great Turn out and we all enjoyed the great atmosphere, the Beer and the food that they supply at this superb establishment and we were looked after very well indeed.

Above is Cory’s Bonnie that he purchased from Southern California Triumph, I did the seat and rear fender ad its a fun Hot Rod styling.

Above you can see My Thruxton and Mark Bakers Racing green machine as we all park at the same stable.

A warm night and still light too, so next meet will be great as we can start to try other venues and enjoy the So Cal Weather.

A Range of Trumpys and one Duck rest their legs as we rest ours in the Bar.

We really had a great time at Heroes and next meet up probably stay n Fullerton as there are some great eateries here.

Not the best of photos but- my I phone sucks, but it was like Christmas in the place. Every one liked the place.

Thanks to all that attended, loved every minute, looking forward to the next one.

Couple of Vidz today!

Posted on July 16, 2014January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

16 Jul

Next up, some of the good old Carrot crunchers from the County Of Suffolk, and that’s where I learned all about building Motorcycles and now some young guys have done the same thing some 35 years later, so great Video to watch and shows that anything can be done.

The Delivery from Old Empire Motorcycles on Vimeo.

Here is a little Ray-Ban advert but still has a bike in it and a cool Noire styled commercial and well filmed.

MOTORCYCLE from Drea Cooper on Vimeo.

Always good to see little Videos to get you through the day eh?

Saturday, so enjoy the weekend.

Posted on July 12, 2014January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

12 Jul

Saturdays gives me time to contemplate the rest of the week and this morning is no exception, I rode my Triumph into work today, something I love to do, crisp air in the morning, traffic at an all time low, not much glare as the sun is half asleep and the bike responds to the ambient temperature as i wind her open on some of the Roman styled roads here in Southern California.

I am sure Many business men want to do that when I see them in their shirts and ties and are sat stuck in the never ending line of caged Automobiles as I bimble past at a healthy rate and notice as their heads drop down in discontent as I casually make my way to my destination, so when i saw this video, I thought it was very apt and very well done, I loved the whole concept and can really relate to this video and I am sure that many of you will do the same, so sit back, have a cuppa and watch this short Video of 2 mates on their rides.

Be safe and be Aware out there. Have a great weekend.

Ride Dirty – Oil & Blood from Oil and Blood on Vimeo.

DUBBLE TRUBBLE TRIUMPH DRAGSTER | BRITISH HYBRID HELL ON WHEELS

Posted on July 7, 2014January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

07 Jul

There has always been a fascination with double engined motorcycles for me since I was a nipper, as i remember seeing Russ Collins Sorcerer, and thought how cool would that be to ride.

Below is an infamous motorcycle that was simply amazing to see in the 50’s and even today. And getting 142 MPH back then was a feat on its own, so sit back and scroll down and enjoy this unique machine, I sure did.

http://theselvedgeyard.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/1052457798_e1ce63ef3d_b.jpg

The legendary Dubble Trubble Triumph motorcycle

The Dubble Trubble, built in 1953 by legendary racer Bud Hare, was a beastly Triumph twin-engined motorcycle that dominated the drag strips during the 1950s with a top speed of 142.38 mph. The dual 40 cu. in. displacement engines were fed through a Harley-Davidson hand-shift gearbox with foot clutch. Only two gears are used– second and high. Totally sick. Kids– don’t try this at home.

None other than Von Dutch himself painted the lettering on the legendary Triumph’s tank– which explains the 2 dots above the U’s which weren’t asked for. But then again– Von Dutch was known to kind of do his own thing.

The legendary twin-engined Dubble Trubble Triumph motorcycle

Pat Presetti with the twin engine bike “Double Trouble”. The legendary & eccentric pinstriper, Von Dutch, painted the lettering seen here on the tank. This bike turned 140 in the 1/4 mile and 157 mph at Bonneville Salt Flats. *

The legendary twin-engined Dubble Trubble Triumph motorcycle

Bud Hare’s legendary Dubble Trubble Triumph motorcycle

1956 Cycle Magazine article on the Triumph Dubble Trubble motorcycle

Totally gratuitous 1950′s drag strip photos

1950s motorcycle drag racing*

Bloody awesome and dig the pick ups door art, how cool is that?

Here it is, my New Royal Enfield- Finally

Posted on May 22, 2014January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

22 May

I have been waiting since November 2013 for the Royal Enfield’s to come into the country and here it is in may and I find out that Today I shall take charge of my machine.

This little Bike is a quite a bit of an improvement on the earlier models and having a new re-engineered power plant that now produces 535cc, which of course is not going to rip your arms off but, is a better built motor than the ones of past, thus said is a fun ride that when you first kick it in the guts, the motor will jump into life and have that deep long stroking sewing machine sound that I have not heard in many years.

But let me emphasize something right out of the gate on this Blog- although this is a cool Classic cafe racer styled machine, it is not going to be a Ton Up machine in this guise, this is a fantastic town bike and journeys are fin but topping out at the 80mph mark may not be what you are wanting, But- in all that said, this is a superb machine at a really really affordable price, I shall will make sure that once all run in, this machine of mine will hit the TON with a few engine mods, but for value for money this is awesome.
I have a Thruxton if i want to go crazy and get my earole scrapping the tarmac and this is something I really wanted as it has so many classic lines, how can you not love it?

This has so much appeal to the public, Girls will really dig it as it has kick start and electric start and is a light weight machine and a lot lower than even the Thruxton. So take the bike with a pinch of salt and with some Mods, this machine can fly- Remember, this is a New production and I guarantee you will see fast ones on the road later in the year.

Plenty of these have been made but it has taken a long time to get to my shores of Sunny California as the emissions here are tighter than anywhere in the globe.

The bike is a fun machine and no way could I build one as cheap as these are to purchase and this is a fun little Cafe Racer motorcycle that looks like back in the day, of course much improvement on reliability and handling,

What is cool is that the front end has a single disc rotor and has been blessed to adorn a Brembo set up that will make sure that you stop when you really need to.

These have been out back home for almost a year I guess and today I was happy to get the phone call to come and get mine.

These machines shout out at the world that Royal Enfield is back and I for one are grateful that the risk they took was a solid one.

I was so surprised to see that these are even equipped with a set of Paoli Piggy Back shock absorbers, another cool addition to this bike.

This has a kick starter and an electric, so no more embarrassing stalls at the traffic lights.

The bike is a great little design and this has the New Harris Performance Twin Down Tube Cradle frame that was meticulously re-engineered back home in the UK.

The gas tank is 13.5 litres so should do quite well on a road trip and at 365 Kg this is nt a heavy bike at all and that opens to door for many riders, especially those who are shorter and have had problems with other machines.

The exhaust is awful and one of the first things that i am going to change is this and we will be making our own systems, as well as other cool parts to improve some of the looks to change the Modern styling to a little more Cafe look.

These have got to go, the massive European style license plate backing, the hideous turn signals will get more classic styling ones and of course the rear fender will be poo canned and have a short rear end as the bike will look way better like that.

I will also be removing the headlight as it is too bulky and shall fit one of our very own models to give a wee bit more finesse. Also, the front fender needs to be shortened and that’s easy as the mud flap screws off but shall be making new fenders for this as well.

Once the big turn signals are removed and smaller ones fitted, I shall feel better, the UK ones are way better but these ones on here are going this weekend, I actually like the gauges as they remind me of my T100 Triumph Daytona.

I think that I shall bung some pin lines on it too this week to break the Red up a little, and all my machines have pinstripes somewhere on them.

Plenty for me to see and do to personalize my little Red Rocket and be sure to check my blogs on what I do with this bike as I shall be offering the parts that we produce to you lot who have just purchased your Royal Enfield Continental GT.

Royal Enfield A New bike looks Old

Posted on May 19, 2014January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

19 May

Below:

Race ace John Cooper at the Silverstone circuit, commemorating the record smashing lap which happened 50 years ago, on the very same track

Starting out at John O’Groats and passing through the stunning roads of Fort William and Carlisle, the Continental GT’s are about to reach Penkridge.

‘Nutty’ Hazell, Royal Enfield technician starts up one of the Continental GT bikes for the ‘Top to Tip’ 50th anniversary ride, repeating the famous sprint from John O’Groats to Land’s End.

Doug Young dips the back wheel of his Continental GT in the Pentland Firth, imitating original rider Brian Crow from the 1964 BurnUp

Doug Young and Adarsh Saxena get ready to ride, while Royal Enfield Senior Marketing Manager Rajan Pillai makes some last minute checks.

Doug Young, Sachin Chavan, Adarsh Saxena, Colin Johnstone and Philip Hogg commence the Royal Enfield ‘Top to Tip’ 50th anniversary ride.

My mate Sarah Bradley rides the Royal Enfield Continental GT through Penkridge.

The Continental GT’s line up before they take on the Silverstone circuit.

John Cooper rides the Royal Enfield Continental GT on the Silverstone circuit, looking to recreate his record-breaking lap around the track in 1964.

Roger Boss takes the original GT out for a spin on the legendary Silverstone circuit.

Time to shine! The Continental GT is prepared for the final leg of the Top To Tip ride.

Dan Cartwright rides the Continental GT in Land’s End, England.

Covering 952 miles in 20 hours and 47 minutes, this Continental GT, ridden by Tom Bray on the last leg with registration PE14 OUL was the first GT to complete the 2014 Top-To-Tip ride!

Royal Enfield CEO Siddhartha Lal (C) with Royal Enfield riders Tom Bray (L) and Dan Cartwright (R) at the end of the modern Top To Tip ride in Land’s End.

(L-R) Royal Enfield riders Rob Graham, Paul Blezard, Dan Cartwright, Sandy Caulfield, Tom Bray and Sam Manicom in Land’s End.
This group of riders took part in the ‘Top to Tip’ sprint ride to mark the 50th anniversary of the original ride and to celebrate the launch of our first exclusive store launch in the UK.

The GT strikes a pose in Land’s End after completing the ride across UK in less than 21 hours.

Nice Custom touch here, all the way from Uruguay.

In 1964, Roger Boss of Royal Enfield decided to test the speed and reliability of the ’64 Continental GT by getting a group of five riders to ride across the United Kingdom in a day.

The Tour Of Bhutan 2014:

Royal Enfield Cafe Racer by T-Factor Bikes

Hailing from the Kingdom of Belgium is T-Factor Bikes a one-stop motorcycle store offering a variety of services for passionate motorcycle enthusiasts. T-Factor Bikes is Owned and operated by Yves.

Yves, now 39 was bitten by a motorcycle bug when he was teenager. Everything he does has more or less something to do with motorcycles and the culture around them. In 2005 Yves started his own company ‘T-Factor Bikes’ located near Ghent, 30km from Brussels. With humble beginnings the company is now a full professional and all around motorcycle store. Yves is joined by his 2 helping hands Filip, who has 20 years of Honda experience and Mathias, the young blood in the company who has also been bitten by the motorcycle bug.

T-Factor Bikes specializes in Royal Enfield, Norton and Benelli. They sell and maintain bikes but what they are most passionate about is customizing and rebuilding bikes at the demand of their customers. All three contribute to the projects and the end result represents a little piece of each of them. Yves tells us “The love for Royal Enfield started about a year and a half ago. We became interested in the brand, and since the first time we rode one we were sold and completely into Enfield”.

Whilst they were busy on another bike project they came up with the id

Whilst they were busy on another bike project they came up with the idea to build a Royal Enfield Café Racer. They had the idea and they have done it, introducing their Royal Enfield Cafe Racer. Yves runs us through the build process…

“We started with a new Bullet Electra 500EFI, which we demounted and we took the frame as the base of the racer. This is completely cleaned from all its unnecessary parts and painted in red. The wheels, front shocks, custom made exhaust and engine carters were painted in black and the rebuilding of the bike could begin. We CNC and adjusted a Beringer front brake disc and caliper instead of the original Enfield front brake. Together with an iron front brake line and the original brake pump the Enfield would have much more braking power.

We mounted the front fork with a custom made yokes and front fork top bridge. Between these two are the clip-ons and headlight located completely in café racer style. A front mudguard was modified and together with our custom-made speedometer table the front of the bike was complete. As for the fuel tank we picked an alloy type made for Royal Enfield, where we adjusted a seat on. This is modified on the frame and completely custom made, including the cushion. The seat also stores a lightweight battery and the power commander, which gives the bike more power.

At the back are the custom-made rear shocks from Hyperpro. These are exclusive for this bike and completely adjustable.

The heart of the bike, the 500cc engine is on the outside modified with black carters and red painted Royal Enfield logos. At the inside, the engine is changed with a ported head. This is positive for the airflow and together with the commander the bike now has 38Hp on the bench instead of 32Hp before the upgrade. On the injection we mounted a K&N air filter, because of the weight and the old school look.

To complete the look of the bike we mounted the front mudguard and a fuel tank with back-step kit and airbrush the seat. Having the bike finished in the way we wanted makes us very satisfied. The Royal Enfield Cafe Racer was a nice creative project, it’s a fantastic bike to work with and we are looking forward to building our next one!”

Lane Splitting is Legal in California

Royal Enfield Cafe Racer by T-Factor Bikes

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