My Alloy Bike JUST featured in great hard back book !

 

I was s stoked today when this book came thudding onto the hardwood floor in our will call area.

I now sell these from my parts page $50.00 ready to go and the BEST hardback book out there, makes a awesome Gift!!!

 

 

Flipping through this huge packed book and plenty of high quality photos to please everyone.

There she is, these were taken at the Sturgis show last year ad so stoked to be a part of this culture.

 

Michael lichter is a superb Photographer and journalist, as well as a motorcycle rider too.

 

 

A Nice write up and brilliant photos taken of every bike there at the show.

 

I will be grinning for a number of days now i have this in my collection.

A fun time in my life, I love what I do and always cool to hear from like minded people.

This is a way of life for me too.

 

If you get a chance, grab a copy as it is packed with brilliant photos of top builders from all over the country.

 

 

 

 

Available from me right now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’m in an Italian magazine this month.

 

Always great to be in any media to be honest- but was stoked to be in Riders magazine in Italy, as they are sure passionate about their Motorcycles and industry.

So to have an article about me in that that rag is so cool, this is a top quality magazine and many people have been featured like Rossi, Roberts and so many of my icons, so to see this really made my day and cannot thank them enough for coming to see me.

We get media from all over the globe visit us and have photo shoots with people from Helmet companies to high Fashion magazines, so we must be doing something right?

 

 

I remember them flying out to see me and they had an interpreter and we had a fun day chatting and taking photographs.

THE REVOLVER, A Golden Cafe Racer now in Australia.

The REVOLVER : This old 1976 Honda is gonna get a make over.

 

Here are the good photos, then below the ones I took with my phone to show you the build up and what I had to start with.

I put so much work into this machine and it really did turn out to be a Jewel, just like the Gauge faces I designed.

 

The Gold flake I bought and had to spend about 2 weeks getting the frame shaved and smoothed before even applying the base coat.

 

This bike was built and shipped to the other side of the world to Australia where it now resides.

 

I am sure you wont even notice half the detail I have put into this machine but I really wanted to keep this bike once I had finished it.

This really was a fun creation and it certainly drew a crowd where ever it went, the gold flake really did its job well and stunned man people looking at it.

I wouldn’t mind building another in this guise as it just is a cool piece of art as well a great riding stance. the Motor was built to a tasty 836 and ported, then the bike got tons of cool Original parts like the 70’s velocity stacks etc.

I should of taken more photos of this bike as I get many emails asking about it and what I did to it.

 

I know- I know, you cannot stop looking at it, its a rich Aztec Gold flake with tons of clear coat on that puppy.

Yes, Gold bolts and gold Shocks etc as I wanted this bike to have some sort of flow to it and I believe I did create that look, the Gold Chain is a $230 DID and boy does it hold together well.

Yes, one of our swing arms that we Chromed, came out pretty cool and I am glad i went that route as it all ties in with the name revolver as they are like Bullet holes.

I machined the forks and magnafluxed them, then polished a rebuilt, as well as polished the front caliper and drilled the brake rotor.

 

The bike took on its very own unique look and I loves the aggressive stance to the bike.

 

 

 

I fitted one of our Yoshimura style 4 into 1 exhaust systems to this bike and it sounded like a scowled Cat!

The front end of the revolver did look quite menacing and we actually lowered the front of this motorcycle 2 inches.

Just look at all the detail, I added Braided Throttle cables, Tach and speedometer cable, as well as the Clutch cable too.

I like to use the good old Bridgestone tires and have used them for decades.

So many cool parts that we sell on this bike, the rear sets, the engine mounts, exhaust, oil breather, battery, leads, velocity stacks, pretty much all you see here you can get from us.

Just a well rounded Custom Built machine and the Customer got all they asked for and much much more and now it is on the other side of the globe.

 

Polished hubs that are all rebuilt and then Painted rims with stainless spokes is a great contrast to the bike and am glad I chose to go this route on the build.

A Classic stance of a Classic Cafe Racer, this is something that I loved to build and could use all my creativity and the customer was over the moon with it.

I hope that you enjoyed the photo’s of this machine? the build is below but thought you would want to see the cool photos first.

So, here is the build up of the bike known as The Revolver!

Just some little video I did the other day.

Here we go with a super cool ride that I have been commisioned to create for a Rocking, Bopping Girl that loves bikes and Muscle cars.

This thing is gonna really turn some heads when I am finished and once completed, will be shipped to the otherside of the globe.

So, I chose an old snotter that I had in my back yard, it has sat for over 20 years and about 5 years in my garden, so there is all sorts of crap all over it and more spiders than an Aracnaphobia movie.

So, once I busted a nut pulling the Monster from the back yard, I had to lift it in the back of my Silverado and get it to my shop.

Hoping that the wind from driving along the freeway may blow some of the cobwebs and snot off, as it sure is gonna be some task to sort this thing out.

But I have done this many times and I am sure that this will be a great looking ride and she will have miles of smiles for sure.

This bike was an old Drag racing machine that was riden to the track and raced all night and then ridden home.

But that was well over 20 years or so ago and this bike really is in need of a total restoration, and I will pull the bike completly apart, take the motor out and get the frame all cleaned up.

There is rust on the frame too and I can see there was quite a bit of Bondo work put on to cover the factory welds, but, they have all got contaminated with weather and I am going to not only strip the paint, but will have to dip the whole frame in a Costic Soda tank to remove everything thats on there, so I can begin with a fresh clean frame.

The gas tank is totally goosed but I shall be using a 750F gas tank on this build, as this is what the customer wanted and it will really make the bike flow, I shall also be ditching the seat from here and using one of my Clubman seats, as thats a great set up and brings you a little lower to the floor.

This frame needs some additional work as I will be stretching the rear of this chassis, to accomodate the seat section.

The front fender is too rusted to save and will probably fit one of my Shortened Race fenders to it, as well as making the front forks look more appealing.

I think the rims will be replaces and I am going to use steel rims, but paint them Black and make this a stealthy set of rollers to offset the frame, as the frame is gonna be a killer full metalflake Gold.

Totally cool set up and this will have some real neat touches to it.

The Motor has sat for years and is seized up soild, so- A total strip and replacement of parts if going to be needed, and I think this will be banged out to 836cc using a Wisco set up that i am now a Dealer for.

But I have to get all the crap off the motor before I even attempt to pull it out of the frame.

As I said, this is a challenge- but once completed, you will never know to look at it- that it was the same bike.

I took this apart at the shop and boy did it take some time to remove parts, as many bolts were either seized, or the heads were rounded off etc, plenty of swearing and banging , late into the night was heard from my shop.

But I got it done and the frame is now on its own, I have stuck the seat base on to see how much I want to change the frame itself.

And I am sure this is going to work out pretty good in the end, and am eager to start the process now and mold this thing into something really cool.

I cut the old brackets off and any tabs, as well as the old exhaust triangle bracket and shortened it, so that the rear set will fit snug.

Now the frame needs some work and a new back bone made and tig welded to the rear.

This will give it more length and strangth and the seat can bolt up alot easier from within the frame.

This will really help with the clubman seat and boy will it strengthen everything, I am happy with the outcome of this set up amd may offer some kits to do your own like this.

Now that all the parts are grounded off, this will be ready to get dipped and then blasted to make sure everything is cleaner the my cats sausage.

Well, the frame came out really clean and I am stoked that this has no bad faults with it and will make the painting process a lot easier to be honest.

Now here we are with all the GOLD flake on the chassis, this was cleared over 3 times as well, just to add to the dazzle.

You should be able to see this from the Monn.

Now the rebuild continues and this will really be something else once altogether.

Right, first off I have to build the front end. So I have taken the stock triple tree and Chromed the lower section, and polished the top to a chrome finish.

This looks really classic now and offsets the sparkle of the frame.

I fit new bearings too and new hardware to make this as smooth as silk to turn.

This time I went ahead and powder coated the Clubman bars a gloss black, as this will offset it all and match the tires and the Motor, so everything kinda flows.

This is a fun build for sure. And will continue to be as I go along.

OK, the forks were in need of dire repair and wanted to strip all the crap off them.

I then machined the forks with my signature styling and rebuilt the internals and NOS fork cap.

Front end is taking shape and everything seems to be flowing nicely, I love this machine already.

The front wheel is now all rebuilt, it has Powder coated rim, with polished stainless steel spokes, the hub is polished but- the centers painted a gloss Black, this really looks the ticket now.

Also new tire and tube fitted and I hand drilled the front rotor to finish the front end off.

Even the speedodrive unit got polished to hell.

The frame and the Chrome and Black is a really good combination.

Ok I am gonna really push the boat on this and next is a cool rear swing arm that is my design.

Not only is it a boxed dresda style swingarm, it is detailed and chromed, I love this set up and am sure you will too.

This will definatly turn heads and it really is a cool piece that will make the rest of the bike flow.

I have also fitted a cool set of shocks to this with new bushings etc.

I cut the frame at the lower end to allow for rear sets too, this will be so much fun to ride.

I like the swing arm set up and am pleased how easy it fitted into the frame.

OK, now time for the rear wheel set up and the brake system.

This will be as detailed as the rest of the bike and want this to stand out as well.

I used a new rim this times as the old one was shot to bits, so took the chrome off the new rim and powder coated it Gloss black.

Then the hub was all polished and sprayed the center black.

I then had stainless spokes thrown in for a great looking set up that will last a long time.

I turned my attention to the rear brake hub, this time it needed a lot of cleaning and I did all that by hand, then it was time for me to start frilling my signature styling in this hub.

I never have a pattern, i just go with the flow and what ever turns out is what it will be.

I really enjoy this parts for some reason and take a long long time to get it how I want and my arms are killing me as I drill this by hand.

After I have the effect I am happy with, I clean it all again and then buff the balls out of it, until it looks like a milky chrome finish.

Now, this looks really cool, so I then rebuild all the brakes using new parts, new shoes, new springs and even new cam.

Once this is all together, I fit a new brake arm, but this one I drilled and powder coated Black to give the offset and boy does it work well.

The wheel of course gets a new rear tire that is nice and fat and should sit well in that Chrome swing arm.

I am stoked the way the swing arm looks, and fitting the 16 inch rear wheel inside that void, will definatly make this rear end look tougher than old bacon.

I also used one of my New axles and of course my Finned rear wheel spacer, just to add to the detail.

I shall be running a $250 X- ring chain to make sure this thing gets down the road with no issues.

I Could not use the original brake rod, as it was a rusty as some of the old Gas tanks I have had in my yard.

But, I now have New brake rods available and use them on all my creations now, stops the headache of trying to bend the rods back into shape.

I cleaned the brake arm up and fitted to the frame, making sure to add a dab of grease inside the frame, so she moves smoothly.

Then I fitted the brake rod and used New Honda brake hardware, so everything is clean and looks great.

Be like a Brand new machine when all is said and done and many miles of smiles are gonna be had, that’s for certain.

Right, next up, I wanted to spend some time working on the old Gauges, as they had seen better days, with 30 odd years of sun, rain, wind and crap etc, these took a real battering.

These were in need of some ressarecting and I thought that I could strip all these and make some cool custom Gauges that would set the front of the bike off really well.

Now I am stoked how this came out.

I used Gold Flake this time.

You will notice that I have put Bollocks at the end of the speedometer reading, a great expression for OMG.

The faces of these set the frame off too and all hopefully flows in the design I have come up with.

I am sure these will get many comments where ever they see this machine in Australia.

And I am having fun with this build, this is gonna be a real kick arse bike for sure.

Right, The wheel is all laced and with Polished Stainless spokes, new tube and a big fat Bridgestone tire, this will fill the Custom chrome rear swing arm out nicely.

See how cool it looks? I love this set up and am sure Jess will too?

New Brake rod and all the internals are new as I am a distributer for EBC brakes now so good stopping power.

The flake frame is awesome and now the task of putting her all back together.

So this time I am putting the Motor in, it is now an 836cc and will have fully rebuilt carbs too.

The Engine will be a mix of High temp wrinkle Black ( Kinda Hot Roddy) and some cool hand polished aluminum.

The motor is in and now needs to be detailed out.

I still have to polish paint and fit the finned parts of which I am going to re-cast again.

This is gonna look tasty for sure.

A long way to go as yet, I have ordered a New wire harness from Japan, I also have ordered New switches, i had one of them turn up from Tokyo yesterday and will be fitting that to the handlebar tomorrow.

The switches are going to be New old stock too.

But all taking shape nicely.

I am making the steel Gas tank and also engine mounts with a few cool details thrown in for good measure, its fun but long days at the shop but I am glad I do this and have been for 10 years in the states now.

Oil pressure gauge will be fitted, just drill and tap the oil Galley plug, fit my elbow and your choice of gauge, this time I wanted to Hot Rod it a bit so chose to fit a MOON gauge.

The Bike is taking great shape, the carbs are now ready to get fitted, as they are all rebult inside, the carbs will be sincronized once the Motor is running.

But this has the tops of the carbs and the bottom bowls polished, to make this stand out.

I also located a Original set of Aluminum velocity stacks for this ride.

These really well set off this machine.

Look how cool these are on the Carbs now.

I dig the whole set up now.

Alright, I have now started to get more stuff done and have been burning the candle at both ends recently.

Next up for me was to cut and fit a X-Ring Chain, I use these all the time on my machines, they are Bloody expensive but-worth every penny,.

So, I put the chain on the bike, taking all that crap paste all over it so i can handle the damn thing, measure where I want to shorten the chain and then I mark the chain with a Black Sharpie.

I then grind the head of the rivets off, as that saves my chain breaker from bending the pin, and then use the Chain breaker to take the chain apart.

I simply fit the chain and adjust the wheel adjusters for the correct slack that is required for this ride.

The Chain looks great with gold and black and is a super strong set up I always use these chains.

Now I need to get the old front sprocket cover and clean all the oil, grime and snot from it, so it is clean enough for me to handle.

Then I drill the thing to a pattern I like and see where it takes me.

Now thats all polished up, she is ready to fit over the New chain and sprockets and add New stainless Allen bolts too.

This now looks way better don’t you think??

I have now sorted that out and now on to other things on this ride, this time I have bought New levers for the clutch and the front brake.

Now to fit to the NEW left hand side handlebar switch. Notice New adjuster too.

I will make some braided hoses up for the front brake set up and this will be a nice looking front end.

I like the way this is coming along now, not too much more Mechanical to do, then its body work and thats gonna be a Royal pain in the Arse.

OK, next is to get some braided lines for the throttles, Now, I cannot make these, simply because I do not have the tooling for it, but- a local company to me can make them for me.

The throttle cables, the clutch cable, the speedometer cable and the tach cable will all have the silver braided hose effect, this is cool and adds to the bike.

But beware, this is not a cheap option.

Your looking at over $500 for this set up, so you may want to just go with the stock black cables right now.

These really are cool pieces and am glad I went this route on the bike.

I have also added braided hose to the front brake caliper and up to the master cylinder.

Next up is electrical and of course Coils etc.

I have purchased Brand New Genuine HONDA coils and plug caps, as this is such a nice ride, I cannot go any other way to be honest.

So I am now fitting these to the frame, I usually run the throttle cables under the coil body and run the harness along side the frame rail.

Next up is to now work inside the headlight, as when you fit Clubman handle bars, and you have the stock switches, well, the wiring is way too long to use, else you will some how have to bunch all that excess up and see if it will fit inside the 7″ headlight bucket, and most of the time it will not and probably will pul some of the connectors from out of their holders if you try that route.

So what I do is simply shorten the wiring for the switches by about 10-12 inches, I snip them off with wire cutters and then I cut back the outer sleeve, and expose the colored wires.

From then, I simply strip the wires back and then fit the Honda Rubber sleeve and then I use the Honda male or female connector and crimp them in place, exactly the same as Honda used to do back in the day.

The wires are still the same color sequences and simply connect all them back together again.

Then the headlight will fit in the bucket with no issues.

I also then fitted a Brand New non- maintenance Battery, and a new Positive terminal strap that I purchased from japan, once that was completed, I fitted a rubber battery strap across the thing to make sure all is safe and secure.

I always use a battery tender of some sort on all the bikes I create, its always good to have a strong battery if you are going to use the starter motor and this set up will always give you a strong a responsive battery.

I also wire a temporary rear tail light and turn signals, and also made a new front headlight socket, of which I shall offer for sale soon on the parts page.

I hooked the headlight up and tested it with the NEW ignition switch I purchased, and all works well, I am a happy guy now thats out of the way.

I did the same with the rear tail light and that works fine, I also checked the Horn, and the starter button and as expected, all worked as it should do with no issues at all.

Brand new igniton switch thats a genuine Honda part from japan, as this is a must for me, .

The bike is coming together neicly now.

Try and treat your self to a battery tender, as once it is plugged in, it will only use maybe a penny a day, as it only charges when the battery needs topping up with power.

I use this strap on all the bikes these days.

The Gas tank is looking cool now.

The bike sits well and I  am happy with the end result.

The paint work really is a nice touch and in the sun it will really gleam on it and show the metalflake to its sharpest quality.

This is just a cool ride, what ever way you look at it.

This has turned out to be a really cool build and was fun to be a  part of.

it is now on its way to Australia where the New owner will have a Blast with the Revolver.

I notice many others into it and using my designs and techniques, but- they will be onto other things later and I will always build bikes and Hot Rods, its MY way of life, not just a job.

I have always dug older stuff, especially 50’s style Hot rods.

I made the cover of Lightning Magazine in Japan!

Well, I am pleased to announce that I just made the Cover of Lightning Magazine, Japans leading Lifestyle and collectors edition.

To be able to make it into a Japanese magazine s something, I managed to get 10 pages in Lightning back in about 2006 and now, here I am on the Cover, I feel proud but very honored to be able to be the person they want on their cover.

 

The Editor was great fun and we had a good day when they came to visit me at my shop in Anaheim Californioa last week.

It was so cool to see my Alloy Cafe Racer featured on the cover, as well as it is sporting one of our newest exhausts systems on it, the good old Dunstall style 4 into 2, with megaphones.

I spent many hours trying to configure this machine, this has so much work you may never even notice, but I really like all the lines of my Alloy Tarmac eater.

The Velocity stacks are each made on a lathe, no mill, just a lathe and boy are they sick, and have stainless steel removable mesh filters too.

 

 

My Cafe has a very rare ARCES Italian front end that I took off a Formula race bike of the 1970s, and has a set of Marzocchi clip ons to match the era.

 

I have follwed this magazine for many years and am so suprised at how many collectable people there are in the land of the rising sun and they sure do enjoy what they have.

We spent a few hours conversing on what turns my dial and why I am into Motorcycles etc, I grew up owning and working on Japanese motorcycles and thats how I used the name “Rice Boiler ” On my latest machine thats just finished.

Motorcycles have alwasy been part of my life, I love many styles but am a wee bit of a traditionalist when it comes to the 70’s motorbikes that I grew up with.

 

I used all sorts of cool tricks on the Rice Boiler and one thing i wanted to be a forst to do, was to use CB750 Connecting Rods as Mirrors.

The same about the exhaust hanger, we made the exhaust out of Stainless steel and then used a big Block Ford Con Rod for the hanger.

As you can see, I even have a Z900 right now, as I shall be making exhausts for the Z900, the Z1000 and also I shall be making exhausts for the KZ series Kawasakis and also I have some to build for clients that have GS750E and Gs1000 Suzuki’s, so keep checking back on the website, as we shall also be making swing arms again and a few more cool parts.

 

 

 

 

 

The Alloy Machine gets a lot of attention and is a super machine, I will let it go but not for peanuts this time as this is a rather unique build with very rare race parts on it and one off items.

The 4 into 2 exhausts keep selling out and I am glad I created this style as it give the bikes some classic curves.

 

 

 

 

 

I also enjoy painting and designing Tee Shirts and a good release from a stressful day at the workshop.

Thats an Original RR250 flat top 2 stroke Harley and has Never ever been fired up, its a sweer ride but tiny in comparisson tothe 750 Honda.

 

 

The 4 into 1 system of ours is a great seller and we are making them for 350 and up now, with more style and more models coming out soon.

 

 

Thats Old Jack- My security gueard in all his Original Rocker Gear!

 

 

 

Our Mechanical Lamps are a hit, all hand made from recycled parts here at our shop, very cool gifts for people.

 

The Rice boiler- My latest ride.

I still cannot believe that I made this magazine- I am so stoked.

 

 

You can tell I was in a great mood that day.

 

 

 

 

So- thank you my friends across the water, I hope to be in your country next year and attend some of them shows.

 

 

 

Have fun with your machines.

 

Some cool video of chain on Drag bike and other cool vidz.

Well today I thought I would show you a cool video I saw on you tube- don’t ya just love that site?

This shows a great low view of the chain and how it moved and reacts on a Drag bike, thought that I would share it with you today.

Also a few of these videos of the drags, of course there is always something cool about a screaming 2 stroke motor.
NHDRO 2: Super Eliminator class 2-stroke motorcycle drag racing Indy

I would love this double engined H2, the guy is hard to hear but I wanted to see and hear that machine, love it!!!

Yes, back home this fella used a bunch of KH250 triples for a 48 cylinder world record, although it weighs a Ton!

Then there are the nutters in Germany that built the Chainsaw bike.

Now here is something you look at and say “WHY?”

Now this is right up my street, a V12 Lincoln Flathead Motor Jammed in this machine.

An old KZ1300 that was brutal in its day now has a Viper V8 wedged in its place.

BIKES ARE COOL !

Bikes are cool

By  on 23 January 2014 in Style

Bikes are cool

Tim Rogers, of Spirit of the Seventies, shaking down a bike. Photo: Grant Robinson

In literature, film, popular culture and in the consciousness of Joe Average in his red brick semi with 2.3 kids and 0.7 Golden Retrievers (or whatever the figures from the Office of National Statistics now say we all have) bikes have been a totem for rebellion.

Steve McQueen, James Dean, Marlon Brando and a strange obsession with back-patch bike gangs – bikes spoke to everyday folk of escape from the humdrum, of a refusal to compromise, of a determination to find one’s own path. Risk in return for kicks – the opposite of most people’s lives.

But of course they were also scary, dangerous, cold and wet, so Joe Average rarely bought one. In essence it worked like this: the average British man did not want his daughter to marry a biker, but he secretly wanted to be one every time he saw a bike.

But something’s changed. Bikes are suddenly extraordinarily cool…and that cool is driving a huge, new fashion and style revolution which you can see everywhere.

Today you can’t move for Hollywood leading men (and the odd leading lady) being ‘papped’ riding customs through Beverly Hills; and the “biker look” – more 1960s Steve McQueen than 2004 Valentino Rossi of course – is now crushingly fashionable.

Old British brands which once made bike kit have suddenly remembered this fact and are marketing themselves on that front mercilessly – see Barbour’s new flagship “motorcycle” store on London’s ultra expensive Piccadilly for example (not one member of staff rides – that’s not what the place is for, despite a scattering of off-road tires and goggles being included by the interior designer).

That bargain Belstaff jacket full of holes these days will be £400

Near where I used to live in south London there’s an old, weather-worn shop of little note from the outside. Inside, though, it has been, for two decades, a haven for motorcyclists. Ancient leathers and wax jackets from Lewis and Belstaff and other great names of the past; Bell open-face helmets, old doe-skin gloves. None of it cutting edge in terms of warmth or protection but all possessed of a certain style which, if you rode certain kinds of bikes, fitted nicely. On a good day you could part with £70 and be in the pub on the corner by lunchtime in possession of a lovely 80s Barbour bike jacket which, with some TLC, would be great for your summer commute on the machine you ran.

The shop’s still there, but now there’s an organic coffee bar in the back, complete with old motorcycle race posters and kit for the customers to lounge around amidst, looking hip, and that bargain Belstaff jacket full of holes these days will be £400.

What’s going on? Where has this come from?

It's not illegal officer, Valentino Rossi says they're more grippy. The Bike Shed Event II. Photo: Gunner Broucke

It’s not illegal officer, Valentino Rossi says they’re more grippy. The Bike Shed Event II. Photo: Gunner Broucke

Whilst it’s tempting to dismiss a lot of this as fashionista nonsense and presume that in six months they’ll be dressed as farmers or circus acts instead, there’s actually something fundamental behind it.

The biking scene – that’s the real one where people ride bikes, not the dressing up one – is changing, and it’s driving this look you see all around you now in so many other areas of style.

A new custom scene has grown up in sheds and under old railway arches across England, giving new life to humdrum old machines of the 1970s and 1980s.

Cafe racers, street trackers and brat bikes are the name of the game in this world and looking good is not a by-product of riding the machines, it’s an essential component.

This scene is not about badass outlaw bikers

This scene is not about badass outlaw bikers, but has been driven instead by those coming mainly from the creative industries; photographers, copywriters, brand managers and designers. They have found a shared love of combining their long-held passion for riding with the artistry of creating individual, unique and very cool machines. The aesthetics matter as much as the machinery.

Old skool “one per center” back-patch gangs dismiss them as rich kids playing at biking, but very few are that and most have taken huge financial risks to become builders. A lot simply won’t survive, but some will and the scene is now on the brink of breaking through to the mainstream as never before.

Spirit of the Seventies (here I declare an interest because they built one of my bikes), Untitled Motorcycles, Kevil’s Speed Shop, and East London Chop Shop are amongst the better known of the builders who are a little older and have started businesses after walking away from other careers, but already there is another culture within the scene – groups like Kingdom of Kicks and Black Skulls, made up of younger riders for whom the scene is less a business than a pure lifestyle.

Soho hairdressers Billy&Bo do their thing at a BSMC Event

Soho hairdressers Billy&Bo do their thing at a BSMC Event

This swirling, complex collective comes together under the banner of the Bike Shed Motorcycle Club, or BSMC, founded by Anthony “Dutch” van Someren (who was pictured beside David Beckham – the new face of Barbour – at his unveiling by the brand last year, so crucial is “authenticity” in milking the marketing miles out of the scene for big brands).

Last year BSMC held two shows, both in fashionable back-street art galleries in east London. They were tentatively testing the water. It was very warm – the response, both in terms of footfall and media coverage (including acres of print in mainstream, non-biking media), was staggering. Thousands came.

“Everyone in the scene wants to say it’s about the bikes not the style, but I think the reality is it has to be about both,” says Dutch, a brand director whose background is in television and publishing. “The scene keeps evolving. It was all about Japanese brat style bikes, which was picked-up and turned into the Australian beach biker/surfer scene, then café racers made a return. The start of last year saw an uprising in BMW boxer twins of all descriptions, and after the summer we saw bikes like the Honda CX500 and GT550 becoming head-turners, and now we’re seeing late 80s Honda Dominators and other big singles being turned into 70s style street trackers, which is where I think it’s going to go this year.

The scene will survive as long as we don’t codify it

“The scene will survive as long as we don’t codify it. Punk got codified. It was all about fucking things up and suddenly fucking things up became the rules. If we don’t let that happen it’ll still be here, in whatever form, in years to come.”

The runaway success of the two BSMC events last year, and the way the new skool custom scene has accidentally sparked a change in the world of fashion, has led to the group deciding to open a permanent venue in London – a mix between a gallery of cool bikes, a drop-in centre for the scene and those curious about it, a clothing and accessories store, a shop window for builders and a coffee shop/café. Investors, who’ve taken a look at Barbour/Belstaff’s desperation to cash in on the scene, are already coming aboard. “What’s crucial for us is that it’s not just about money,” says Dutch. “This has to be about working with people who want to be a part of this thing because they love it too.”

It’s also true that in 2013, the wider biking world, for so long obsessed by either bullet-nosed 1000cc sports machines or faux pan-African ‘adventure’ bikes suddenly woke up to this fact. Manufacturers, magazines and websites suddenly realised they’d missed a major trend.

Superbike Magazine's John Hogan. Photo: Phil Steinhardt

Superbike Magazine’s John Hogan. Photo: Phil Steinhardt

John Hogan, editor of Superbike Magazine, and one of the few to see and predict what was coming, explains: “I think what makes these bikes cool, and the reason the mainstream biking public has missed them up until now, is that they’re not for the mainstream biking public. They are for the people who make them and who have, as a result, developed the whole scene. Often these people come from a different background to most bikers – they’re people who were in to their BMXing and skateboarding, outgrew those and were looking for something else which set them apart.

“What that’s bred is a whole new way of accessing biking. The customers for these machines are attracted as much by the style and the scene as they are by the concept of biking. That can only be a good thing.”

It’s the bikes, the builders and the sub-culture which have driven the mainstream

Hogan, too, thinks the scene is here to stay. “Part of what I think will make this scene stick is the fashion element – there is a ‘look’ which goes with it, an extension of people’s fashion taste and their character. The danger, of course, is like all sub-cultures it eventually becomes so mainstream that the people who created it start looking for something else to set themselves apart. It’s absolutely true though that it is the bikes, the builders and the sub-culture which have driven the mainstream – the clothing makers, the bike manufacturers and so on.”

Biking is not only cool again, it’s pretty much cooler than anything else. Across town you’ll see chiseled young things decked out in retro-tastic wax-cotton bike jackets, or battered leather ones, and everywhere you look bikes are being used to advertise something (except for bikes, of course).

Belstaff’s shop in Chelsea sells replicas of its (excellent) bike jackets. Why replicas? Well the real thing is heavy, full of armour and triple stitched…so ideal for riding a motorbike but less use for lounging about pretending to ride a motorbike. Actually, the replicas often cost more than the real thing. Belstaff knows both its markets.

And this reveals something more. The look people want is not ‘biker’ but ‘authentic biker’, which is why Barbour will (and I’m not making this up) sell you a £500 wax cotton bike jacket with fake plastic mud splatters on to match those on the 1960s version worn in pictures by Steve McQueen. The ‘authentic’ biker look without all the trouble of being an actual…er…biker.

More girl pulling power than a 911. Photo: Dave at Oily Rag

More girl pulling power than a 911. Photo: Dave at Oily Rag

John Hogan refuses to be chippy about it though: “The fashion thing, the fact that a fair number of people wearing the kit don’t ride the bikes, is fine. The more the merrier in my view. Look, I’ve got very little interest in standing around with a cup of coffee looking at other people’s bikes, I’d rather be riding. Riding’s a very private thing. If this whole fashion scene which has grown up gets 500 people on to bikes this year that’s fantastic. They’ll soon learn what it’s all about.

“Biking’s not and never has been one big brotherhood, so I’ve no time for the idea that people attracted to the scene though fashion are somehow less entitled to be here.”

Dutch agrees. “That was part of what BSMC was all about, not allowing things to become siloed. We’re all into bikes, and we’re all aesthetically-driven; these create a unifying theme. What I love is it’s back to analogue. There’s no health and safety, no digital. On an old bike you have to work the choke on a cold morning to get it started, and when you get to work your feet probably smell of petrol. You can look at it and think ‘I can fix that myself’.”

Deux ex Machina now sell bikes costing tens of thousands of pounds to the likes of Orlando Bloom

“I don’t think people mind [the way the scene’s become ‘cool’ in the mainstream for advertisers and manufacturers]. Lots of guys are in their mid-40s and come from creative industries. They understand branding and marketing and see it as a good thing. Of course some of the younger guys probably look at it and think it’s a load of crap and wish it would go away, but that’s as it should be.”

Yet some of the new skool brands already seem to have grown beyond the scene. Deux ex Machina now sell bikes costing tens of thousands of pounds to the likes of Orlando Bloom, have shops on three continents and enjoy a global online market in hugely expensive clothing. As a business, an undoubted success, but the gap between Deux and the scene it helped spawn is yawning to the point where the company may eventually suffer from becoming too big, too fast. Without authenticity, all is lost.

The thing which matters most in this scene though is all are welcome. Nobody has much time for turning people away.

Dutch again: “One of the guys who helps with the Bike Shed has become a good friend. The other day his wife said to me: ‘I’ve haven’t seen him so happy and content in years. He’s out there building things. He’s a nicer person to be around, I find him more attractive than before’. It’s like therapy.”

And so it is friends, so it is.

Guide readers are, by definition, style conscious. By all means buy your Redwing boots, your Dickies checked shirts and your Barbour bike jackets – enjoy them. But what I hope this article does, other than drawing back the curtain on the scene those clothes come from and showing you the people who made it, is also encourage you to think about spending £500 on an old Honda and finding your socket set. Trust me, the clothes feel better after a ride…

STAINLESS STEEL 4 into 1 EXHAUSTS FOR CB500 CB550 NOW AVAILABLE $399 ONLY

CB500/550 STAINLESS STEEL 4 Into 1′s Now Available $399

 

 

 

Well, here we are, a cool set of stainless steel 4 into 1 exhausts for the good old CB500 and cb550 Four HONDA.

 

These are NOW available and ready to fit to your inline four machine, and boy do these look tasty!

 

Not only do they look great, these will outlast the raw steel versions by a long shot.

 

A great item to add to your wish list now that the Christmas countdown has already begun.

 

I have made a small run of these as they are not cheap to make but boy do they look great and as you know, these look very similar to the Original Yoshimura’s did back in the 1970′s when these were all the rage.

 

If you want a cool set of these, then I will have these up on the website for you to simply click and purchase and then I shall whisk them off to you.

 

These come with a removable baffle too, so you really are all set on this exhaust system and you will be pleased with these.

 

Take a look and you make your mind up as i sell many exhaust now and also am selling the cb350 versions too as well as Gs1000 and KZ1000 too.

 

Here are some pics to have a look at and get to see if you prefer the stainless steel or you could buy the cheaper version we make in raw steel on our website.

 

A great price and -Made in America too.

These come in a 36X16X16 box and we ship FED EX inside the lower 48 and the rest of the globe it goes USPS.

 

We also now make these with a cool Baffle that is Nickel Plated and comes with a real Ton Up Performance badge that you can Rivet to the exhaust if you so wish.
I am sure you will like the quality and the whole look for the price, as we try to be as fair as we can on these systems.
A very cool set up and we have just redesigned this and spent a month testing, to make sure that these do not foul the fender under braking and clears the frame etc.
Thanks for looking, I know you will dig them.

 

– See more at: http://www.carpyscaferacers.com/blog/cb500550-stainless-steel-4-into-1s-now-available-499/#sthash.LOsN2IML.dpuf

Gas tank, seat base and headlight ready for fitting.

 

 

 

Here we are on a Throw Back Thursday, I have been busy today, not had time for a blog, but thought I would put a little something on the bike I am creating that I will put up for sale soon.

 

This is a unique Cafe and I am sure that you will like the end result, and so far it looks great.

The Gas tank has had my good old treatment of banging the crap out of it with a hammer and cutting the top and smoothing everything.

Right now she has really started to take shape and wanted to share it with you lot on here and see what you think?

 

Looking cool eh?

 

I aptly named the bike ” Rice Boiler ” as my old man always called my Jap bikes that.

ELECTRICAL PLIERS FOR B1 TERMINALS WORKS ON ALL HONDA

 

 

I have heard from a few of you saying that they are having a hard time getting the electrical pliers they require to fit the terminals on their wires etc.

 

 

So now I have sourced mine from Japan and can now offer these to you, now they are not cheap and the are way different from your run of the mill strippers, as stock pliers will not be able to crimp the male and female B1 terminals we use.

I have used these for over 13 years and they work every time, this is a great tool and not only does it crimp, it cuts and strips as well.

 

 

Not much more to tell as this does what it is supposed to, and I must of wired Hundreds of motorcycle with this tool over the years and now available to you on my website.

 

 

I also sell the terminal kit on here and will also be selling the terminals separate over the next few days, so stay tuned on the part page for some great deals.

If your harness is as torn up as an old mattress, then grab a set of these and clean the ends up, like me, I have to shorten the electrical as i run Clubman bars and do not want a mass of spaghetti all jammed inside the headlight bucket, as that will cause all sorts of issues too and wires will pop loose.

This is a good solid item that will serve you well as it serves me every day, I always use these crimpers and you will be so glad you have these rather than struggle with stock ones that do not have the C-Cup recess to allow the correct crimp on your wire.

 

MOONEYES CHRISTMAS SHOW THIS SATURDAY DEC 7th

Well, it is that time of year again and the MOON-EYES Christmas party is all set for this coming Saturday at the Irwindale Drag strip, I shall be going with Dakota and maybe if I can get Jennifer my girlfriend to come along, that would make such a great Saturday for me.

The Mooneyes show is a big event and one you really should try and get too, admittedly parking can be a royal pain in the arse, as there is only really one road in and be prepared to be sat in a traffic jam for a while, as I have done every time, but once in, you can chill and just walk around the show, see the Hot Rods, Custom Cars, Custom trucks, Low Riders and Custom Cycles that are in the show area, the parking lot will have many cool rides too, so always some great eye candy to be had by all.

http://bangshift.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Mooneyes-2013-Xmas-Party-Schedule.jpg

 

 

 

Then there are the Drags that will be running all day, if you want to see and hear Classic iron racing each other over the 8th mile, then this is the place to be for you.

There will also be cool sounds coming from the bands that will be banging out their tunes and much to see, as there will be many Vendors to show you what they have and offer.

Good food, good sounds and the amazing sounds of the drags makes this a MUST see event of the year.

People attend this show from not just California, they get people from all over the globe and I have not been dissapointed yet, I hope to see some of you out there and just relax, and make sure that you take your camera, as there will be a huge bunch of amazing rides there and plenty to show your family and friends back home once you are done.

Check all the vendors out as this is the best place to find all your low brow and custom stuff, great for Christmas gift buying and of course, supporting these local vendors helps them too.

Everything from Tee shirts, Hot Rod parts, Custom artwork, pinstriping, and the girls can find all their clothing, bags and make up, so it covers everyone, mum,dad, kids an all.

 

Now- the Gates open at 6am but I will be up there probably about 10am and I really hope I get to see some of you out there, it’s an awesome social event that needs to be publicized as much as possible and this is the best show at this time of year.

Hundreds of entrants guarantees that there really is something for everyone at this event.

See you there!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

MOONEYES annual Show &amp Drag at Irwindale Speedway in Irwindale, CA
Cars, bikes, vendor booths, live music, pinup contest, art auction and more.
General Show & Drag event information:
MOONEYES XMAS PARTY Show & Drag 2013
IRWINDALE SPEEDWAY – 500 SPEEDWAY DR, IRWINDALE, CA 91706
SHOWTIME: DEC. 7, 2013, GATE OPENS at 6:00AM
GENERAL ADMISSION: $5.00 per person over 12 years old.
Pin-up Contest is handled by Mitzi & Co. There is a deadline and space is limited. Please contact them for details.
Homepage: http://www.mitziandco.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mitziandcophotography

Vendor Booth space is very limited.
—————-
PLEASE COME EARLY TO GUARANTEE A PARKING SPACE
Preregistration does not guarantee a parking space. Although we do have reserved sections for the car show entries, all parking is based on a first come, first served basis. Please arrive early to secure a parking space.
Gate opens by 6AM.

Parking is managed by Irwindale Speedway. Once the parking lot is declared full, the gate will be closed and no vehicles will be permitted into the parking area until an official confirms an open space. MOONEYES does not have any control over the parking situation. We apologize for the trouble and any inconvenience this may cause.

Please Note:
THE PARKING LOT WAS OVER CAPACITY LAST YEAR BY 7:30AM.
Please do not setup tents in open spaces or block empty spaces.
Please cooperate with the parking lot attendants at all times. After all, they are just doing their job.

Come early, park early, take it easy and enjoy a fine day at the show!
Thank you very much. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation regarding the parking situation.
—————-
We ♥ VANS! We’ll have special section for Vans again this year at the XMAS Party Show & Drag 2013.

Vans must use the form and preregistered. No Vans will be permitted without credentials. No registration for vans on Saturday at the gate.

Space will be allocated based on the number of vans preregistered.

—————–
SHOW CAR Registration:
All show cars are limited to pre 1965 model years.
PREREGISTRATION ENTRY FEE: $20.00 includes 1 car and 2 persons.
Registration Entry Fee at the gate (at show) is $40.00 (1 car & 2 persons)
Motorcycles are $15.00 Preregistration or at the gate.

DRAG RACE Registration:
RUN WHATCHA BRUNG! Test your car & your skills!
Drag cars are limited to pre 1969 model years.
NHRA SAFETY RULES APPLY. CARS MUST PASS ON-SITE INSPECTION PRIOR TO RACING.
VENDOR BOOTH APPLICATIONS & SHOW REGISTRATIONS:
ALL Show & Drag Registration forms, plus the Vendor Booth Application, are now available for download below. PDF reader is required to view the documents.

Please print the document, fill out the form completely and send it in. Our address and related information are on the form. For any specific questions, please contact us at sales@mooneyes.com or by calling (562) 944-6311.

Registration period:
START: SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 1, 2013
DEADLINE: SATURDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2013
*Registrations may end early without any notice, depending on space available.

Entry forms:
– Vendor Booth Application
<CLOSED> Sorry, vendor space is full.

– SHOW CAR Entry Form
<CLOSED> Show Car preregistration is closed. However, you can still register your car at the gate on the day of the show for $40.00.

– DRAG RACE Registration
<CLOSED> Sorry, DRAG RACE space is full.

LIVE BANDS:
Gambler’s Mark
Dead Beat Daddy
Hot Rod Trio
Dynotones

Also Bang shift will be having Live streaming, for those who cannot make it,this is what they said.

 

That’s right folks, BangShift.com is going to bring some So Cal weather your way with FREE Live Streaming Video from the 2013 Mooneyes X-Mas Party and Drags at Irwindale this Saturday! While a ton of you will be looking outside at cold weather, we’re still getting our hot rod on here in Southern California, and the 2013 Mooneyes X-Mas Party and Drags is THE place to be this weekend. Last year the entire show area was full by 7:30 am! We want to thank Chico and the gang at Mooneyes for having us, and look forward to all the international audience that will be watching as well. A full schedule is below, but remember it’s this Saturday LIVE from Irwindale so get your beverages and snacks ready and come hang out with us here at BangShift.com starting at 9am Pacific. That’s 11 Central and 12 Eastern for you time challenged folks.

Drag Racing starts at 9am, with a Cacklefest at 11:30am, and then more drag racing into the afternoon. We’ll have interviews with the greats, on track action, cars, bikes, and more. And as always it’s FREE FREE FREE here at BangShift.com. We will have pit reports and interviews going on with Darr Hawthorne and Donnie Couch along with some very special guests.