Bike,Bikes,Bikes

I am sure, like me, many of you have had a fascination of the two wheeled variety for many moons?  And today I thought I would just spend half an hour cruising around the net just to show some of the cool stuff that I dig and other people build.

I have always dug motorcycles for as long as I can remember, me and my brother loved them and still do, I just think that it is something that’s in your blood and no real honest explanation or theory can truly explain why things like this make us tick.

I wanted to see if you like what I like and throw some up on the Blog today and see if I get positive feedback, and I am sure I will.

Some will be modern, some will not, but some will be old with modern parts, I dig it all.

 

These are all very cool and of course, unique and has someones own styling to their machine.

Everyday I have something to do with motorcycles, whether it is designing a new part, polishing an old one, answering the phone to a customer that is stuck on their project, or simply me playing with my own machine in the shop.

There are so many people out there creating their own cool rides, and i love seeing it all, in any guise or form of repair.

Obviously, if you are looking at this page right now, then you are into it and into it deeply and I thank you lot for being as crazy as I am in the Motorcycle fraternity.

I am stunned by the cool styling of what people accomplish and love to share my interest with others as I believe we are part of a global family.

It is so nice to see many motorcycles being built from old to new, this keeps the passion for these 2 wheeled beasts on the road and of course, in the public eye.

So, whilst I am here having a cuppa, I am adding photos for you lot to have a beek at and see if anything turns your crank.

 

Every day I see a motorcycle round where I am and can see they have modified it from stock, that’s so awesome to see.

I will always be into these machines, too long in the tooth not to , and I sure hope it is the same for the many of you who are reading this right now?

 

many people would bag you for not having a Brit bike maybe 10 years ago, but things and views are changing as I spoke to an original 59 club member back at the Ace last year, Mark Wilsmore told him I built cafe Racers, he was all smiles, but then Mark said mine are predominantly Honda Fours.

His smiled went away and almost scowled me as he said they will never look like a Cafe racer motorcycle, so I showed him a magazine and on the front was a Cafe Racer that I built and I was riding it, he said. ” Now that’s a Cafe Racer” looking at me with defiance.

 

Well sir, I said, that’s me and that’s My CB750 Honda, he almost spat his tea out and now has a different view of the rice boilers.

So I am glad that many people look at the other brands of motorcycle that have been turned into a cafe Racer and look at it as if it were from back home in Great Britain.

I hope to finish one of my own and start to get out of the shop a bit more as i need to stretch my legs and get to meet a few more people etc. there are so many cool builders out there and love what they do.

I always stop and look at anything that has just come out of the mold or someones garage as I know how long, hard and frustrating it can be to create your own motorcycle.

Just enjoy Motorcycles and the lifestyle, you will be amazed how friendly people are.

For me, its the designing and also, getting something that has been sat many years and is a rusty and corroded mess, then transforming it into a head turning piece of art, It is a great feeling.

I enjoy watching all the tv shows and right now I am watching the T.T. as that just blows me away the amount of speed they carry in the bends and on the straight away, so all motorcycles I like but the cafe style is what floats my boat.

There will always be Motorcycles in my life and am sure it will be the same for you?

 

So enjoy these photos and keep doing what you lot do.

I am going to get back in the shop as I have to fit a Gas cap and lock on a Bike I am building and sending to Korea of all places.

I never know where a customer is going to call from, and I hope it continues, its hard work running a shop and you never really understand it, until you end up owning one.

Enjoy these photo graphs and I shall try and do another blog later in the week.

HOT ROD MAGAZINES 65th ANNIVERSARY HOME COMING CAR SHOW

Well,

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Sunday Morning, Dakota, Jennifer and I jumped in the car and headed to Pomona, for the 65 Anniversary  Hot Rod homecoming that was organized by HOT ROD magazine and boy what a great show this was too.

Weather was perfect and as we got there by 10am, we got parking easy and off we went to check out all the sights and sounds.

So I thought I would make a blog and share some of the event with you and I really did like this event.

 

 

We could not of asked for a better day, the Sun was out and the temperature was in the high 70’s all day long.

 

 

 

These Original Cover cars just blew me away- so much History and still around and alive, it was such a great deal to me to see these Iconic Hot Rod and Customs.

I could have the spent the weekend end just drooling over all this Autorama.

How about a Gennie 32 Deuce that’s unchopped and never been changed since the 1950’s???  Original Oregon Hot Rod.

 

 

Yes, lovely looking at SIX carbs opening their mouths like baby chicks.

How I remember this cover car with the Clear hood and the Ford DOHC mill wedged inside.

 

 

Re-vamped Vic Edelbrocks Roadster was just so cool to see.

I love all the Gassers that were there and I am sure you will dig some of these famous vehicles as much as me?

I remember getting a Copy of this Issue and was stoked to see the actual car here inside the building, just remarkable to me.

You just never knew what you would find next, more and more people were coming in and I knew this show would be a hit for young and old alike.

Wicked Roadster from Portland and still around today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Roadster is so Money- I would not change a thing, I would love to own this Roadster.

One of the most famous Coupes in the world and boy is it tasty in the flesh!!!!

 

 

 

Yes, its ARDUN powered, OMG !!!!

 

 

This car was something I always wanted to see, as it took me many years to find that magazine before the internet of course, but I went to all swap meets trying to get a copy of this Cover car back from May 1952, and to see it made my day.

 

Just really stoked to be able to go right up to this machine and check it out after all these years.

Another cool Roadster in a similar guise was also here, this just got better and better for me.

An Ardun was the trick conversion to have, i believe even the aftermarket set up would cost you $14K just for the heads!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Tough crown Vicky Gasser is always great to see any sort of Gasser that’s 50’s based and this was a tough looking ride for sure.

The traditional Black and flames is a cool trip back in time, and here, this 33 Willy’s is just bad ass!!!

I always have had a passion for Tri -Chevys, I even had a 55 Gasser back in the UK in 1996, so loved all these rides.

It’s younger brother sits here by Building 4, cool looking 56 Bow tie.

Tough, Tough, Tough is all you can say about this 1/4 miler.

 

I see he has a Wally trophy, all chained down.

Above is Tom Leonardo’s lovely deuce and what a cool Paint job on this 5 window.

 

I love this Roadster, every thing s clean and neat.

Yes please, I would love to be able to drive off in this ride.

Early plate, Pontiac Tail Lights and a really clean and tightly fitted rear Nerf bar style Bumper makes this roadster stand out.

 

 

 

After we had a look around for a few hours, we wanted to watch the pin Up competition and it was fun to watch, even though the Sun was cooking my noggin, we stayed to watch everyone and it drew quite a crowd as you would expect, a really good show at Pomona and glad that we attended.

 

 

 

 

Every girl got to strut their stuff and say a few words to the crowd and to the judges.

A good turn out and a fun time was had by all.

Lucky for some of them, they had a parasol, as the sun was out and started to cook the tarmac.

A winner was found and crowned.  I am sure if there is a show next year, this will get bigger and bigger?

 

 

                                                            HOT ROD TRIO

Friends of mine for 13 years now and was great to see them at the show, banging out the Classics that I have been into for more years than I care to count, always entertaining.

 

  Suzy Q on the upright bass, she can slap this harder than an unpaid hooker.

 

 

  Buddy Dughi and his G brand guitar always picks faster than a fruit gatherer.

                                     Pete Bonny is literally, a stand up kinda guy and was whacking them skins like no tomorrow.

 

          A great show and Sunday gave us awesome weather, sure hope that HOT ROD organizes another show as we really enjoyed ourselves.

 

                                                                                                                  Here a few more shots for you to enjoy.

HOT ROD Homecoming Overview  2013

 

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Quick Tour of where the Cafe Racers are Created.


This is just a quick tour of the back of the shop and where the Cafe Racers are created, I thought we would use the little camera and try the video mode, and it came out quite well really.
So, turn the volume up and have a look at a little bit of my world and hope you like it?

 

 

We have abut an 8000 foot shop and the back is about 5000 of that where we have parts/inventory as well as a few bike lifts, work benches and shelving and that’s where some of the magic is done and many of you don’t see that, a little later on I shall be making more videos to share with you on this website, so stay tuned to that.

 

I wanted to just walk around the rear of the workshop for 5 minutes or so on a Sunday, so we can show you a little more of the Cafe Racer side this time, as we get many emails asking us about a quick tour of the shop, and this is a good opportunity to share a little bit of the Speed Shop with you all.

 

 

WILWOOD BRAKE KIT FOR CB750

 

As you know, I have been building Cafe Racers since the late 1970’s and the good old CB750 has been a great platform as an affordable classic that can be turned into a snarling , Tarmac eating Cafe Racer machine.

 

But, even though the bike does have a disc brake set up, it leaves a little to be desired when you grab a handful to stop rather quickly and fades like a water color painting in the desert sun.

So, over the last few months, we have been working on different caliper set ups, and have now made a rally cool front brake assembly that has a Wilwood  4 pot brake caliper that will stop you faster than a red light outside a police station.

This is a great set up and am almost there, we used a 1974 CB750 K model as the main model and fork set ups are for the 73-76K series and this is a complete kit to bolt to your forks.

The set up here is on an old rusty bike and we haven’t really polished this caliper yet as this is all in the set up stage, but will be available in the next couple of weeks and will be polished or chromed, the bracket will be fully polished as that’s aluminum too.

This will be a direct bolt-on replacement for your CB750 HONDA S.O.H.C. K model.

Now, I have tried this set up and bloody hell, it stops so fast, compared to the original brake caliper, Wilwood makes great brakes and this 4 pot will stop on a Dime, so be careful!!!!

Price?  Well, right now I am trying to cost this all out, as I shall be using braided hose brake lines and all the hardware in stainless steel too, but I will use this set up for sure.

 

Keep checking back as I am going to try this set up on a machine I am building for a customer in Korea and this will be a great set up for that Cafe Racer Honda.

I will be adding more photo’s, so you can see this and maybe later on a video, so you can see how to fit this great New brake set up for your ride.

Stay tuned…………………………

Some of my Cafe Racers over the Years.

 

 

 

 

This was The SS 750 I created quite a few moons ago now and just remembered I had some photo’s of this machine and thought I would put some pics of bikes I created.

 

And next up is another Cafe I built called the Yellow Peril and is still racing around California.

A fun bike to build and ran real hard, the exhaust is one of my Systems.