Douglas Board Tracker by Sabotage Motorcycles.

I am always impressed by machines that are created down under, I was lucky enough to Live in Victoria and in New South Wales for 4 years and their passion for anything with two or four wheels is breathtaking at times.

Here is a write up pipeburn came up with I wanted top share with you lot.:

Over the years we’ve noticed a common trend here at pipeburn some of the best workshops around the globe, large and small, have their origins in friendships formed over a love of motorcycles. Australia’s Sabotage Motorcycles is one such story, it began in the car park of a hardware store when two men met on their ’70s Honda’s and have gone on to produce some show stopping custom rides. Now they’re back with a truly unique creation, artistically formed by the pairs talented hands and lucid imaginations. It’s a 1926 Douglas EW with power from a little engine by the big H, to deliver one beautiful board tracker.

If you don’t know the Douglas name, don’t worry, they sadly closed their doors more than sixty years ago. But over a 50 year stretch beginning in 1907 the British company was one of the most innovative motorcycle manufacturers of their time. Indian, Harley and others copied their creations to produce their own lightweight machines, Douglas was the first to focus on a low centre of gravity for handling and were running a flat twin in the first decade of the 20th century.
The men behind Sabotage, Andy and Giles, would begin to uncover more of the rich Douglas history during the build, but it all started with a late night eBay parts search. “We stumbled across a guy in Adelaide selling a bare frame of a 1926 Douglas EW350. Just the frame, nothing else. But what we loved about it was the shape. It had the classic ‘in-frame tank’ shape [as opposed to the tank sitting on top of the frame]. The frame resonated well with Giles as Douglas is British, as is he, and also his father’s name is Douglas. It was fate!”
So they had to have it. But they also discovered the seller had another Douglas frame, this one a 1936 with a glorious girder fork and of course they bought that too. Over the next few years they collected a part here and a part there as they built other bikes like they’re incredible Yamaha RD125. That bike competed in the 2018 Machine Show and when organiser Matt put the call out for bikes for the 2019 event, the two Douglas frames drew the boys immediate attention.
If building the RD for the show was a challenge, starting with a bare century old frame was taking stress and hard work to the next level. But that’s when Andy and Giles do their best work and wanting to build a Boardy their other loves proved a vital inspiration. “We’re big fans of vintage Honda’s, so this is perhaps the board track racer that Soichiro might have been racing, if he was around in America in the early 1910s!” With a Douglas engine near impossible to source, a Honda CB125 was purchased complete with spares.
The single hoop CB frame was surprisingly similar to that of the 1926 Douglas, but try as they might there would be no way to fit the engine without cutting the frame. But cleverly they managed to only remove a small section at the bottom and then made new mounting brackets and the motor was securely attached. It might be ‘just’ a Honda single, but hours of elbow grease and clever thinking has it looking a treat. From the snarling low cut pipe, to the bespoke bellmouth and vintage plug lead it now looks like it was always meant to be.
To turn the bike into a roller that gorgeous girder front end was given a full makeover before being bolted up to the frame. A process that required slight adjustment to the steering stem, and fabrication of a new top piece from scratch but that mix of black, chrome and magnificent mechanical moving parts makes it more than worth the time and effort.
The handlebars were collected along the way and then cut and reshaped before receiving their leather wrap grips and machined bar ends. A set of 21in rims had been sourced early and look a treat wrapped in Avon historic rubber, but while the front was an easy fit, the rear posed a challenge!
“A lot of time was spent on the rear wheel. It’s a Honda C90 hub with a CT110 brake plate, but we had to work out all the spacing and get the sprocket lined up. A new brake stay was made, chain tension adjusters, and hub spacers.” To keep things clean the bars were left lever free, with an internal throttle adapted to fit. So controlling gear and brake operation is left largely to the feet, with a twin cable system and a hell of a lot of clever thinking. More machine time and the boys had the suicide shift working perfectly, topped with a VW GTI knob, Giles owned three and Andy’s German!

The bodywork is minimal, but brilliantly built; the tank is a hand-formed, in-frame unit, shaped just like they did a century ago. While the stylish front cowl and old bicycle seat wrapped in Saint denim adds a little glamour to the Brit. In their day Douglas was successful at building TT and Dirt Track winning machines and now Sabotage Motocycles allows us to imagine them on the timber boards. The flake paint is one of the only things not tackled in house, but ensures that the punters will be drawn in to truly admire the incredible detail Andy and Giles have crafted into the entire bike.

What Happens When You Stick A Honda CB350 Four Engine In A Monkey?

I love seeing quirky stuff as by all rights, it should not function, but here ut is none the less, and what a great littlke set up this is, I am certain we shall see many different styles popping up from all over the place but worth a look for today, cheers to Janaki Jitchotvisut for the words below:

Have you ever thought to yourself how cool it would be to stuff a Honda CB350 Four engine inside a 1973 Honda Z50 Mini Trail bike? Even if the answer is “no,” don’t worry—collector, builder, racer, and long-time Honda enthusiast Bob Guynes took it upon himself to craft exactly that combination. At Mecum Las Vegas, 2022, a number of bikes from Guynes’ collection crossed the auction block at no reserve and sold, including this not-so-mini minimoto.

From the factory, the Z50 produced an eye-watering 2.5 horsepower from its tiny little single-cylinder engine. Guynes loved building bikes, and decided that simply wasn’t enough. Could he fit Honda’s tiniest little inline four engine into that frame? Apparently, he made it work—adding additional downtubes, custom motor mounts, and making that engine a stressed member for this heckin chonker of a minibike. We can’t tell you how it rides, but it does at least look pretty fantastic.

It’s also not clear what kind of power this particular custom Z50 makes. A stock CB350F made a claimed 34 horsepower at 10,000 rpm at the rear wheel, but Guynes was well-known for tuning any bikes he got his hands on so the true power is unknown. This bike is listed as having sold at Mecum Las Vegas 2022, so we can hope that perhaps the new owner will dyno it and post those numbers somewhere (or, you know, write to us about it). We can always live in hope, right?

Other customizations include a dual carburetor setup to make things a little simpler, as well as a four-into-two exhaust setup. Stock Z50 elements include that adorable little peanut of a fuel tank, as well as the saddle and wheels. Tommaselli Cross handlebars give the front a more serious look, and there’s an adjustable center stand to make life easier. According to the listing, it “needs sorting,” although it’s not entirely clear exactly what that means. Details suggest that it could be made road-legal with installation of things like turn signals and lights, but it’s unclear if additional work needs to be done just to make this bike ridable in general. Here’s hoping it’s as fun to ride as it is mad to contemplate!

I love the whole concept, here at Carpy’s Garage we hope to make a few Hybrids and showcase them on here but I just love this little terrorizing machine and, if you give this Monkey bike no respect, when you pull that throttle, it can spit you off and then beat the crap out of you for not believing in it.

This little Whiz Bang of a Motorcycle is just pure fun to look at, let alone have a blast down the back roads, scaring all and sundry.

I love the whole concept and its as mad as a box of frogs, thank you for making my day and I am sure many people have little Motors like this sat in there workshop collecting dust?

So have a look what’s in your shed, garage or even storage, you may have some spare time on your hands with this crappy Pandemic, what better way than to cobble something head turning in the free time you have a home?

Happy New Year Everyone

Here we are 2022 at last, man – What a crappy 2020 and glad to see the back of it and start a fresh and hope that we all have some good health and enjoy life as much as we can.

I somehow caught the Flu over Christmas and it Royaly buggered me up, Only about 80% right now but at least I am up on my feet, and I wanted to make sure that I did a bit of work at the house and get a few things ready for when My Barn arrives for assembly on Wednesday.

I have a few Projects I would like to finish this season and I hope my health gets a lot stronger as I took quite a whooping last year with Covid and the Flu, so lets all keep our pinkies crossed that we are all fine and can go and wrench on our machines to our hearts content.

There are many things that I hope to make and offer on my website for all the avid Motorcycle builders out there, I receive so many emails and texts about what you lot are up to, it drives me to help get your machine completed, and sure hope that you can complete yours this year to get on the tarmac for the new season when it eventually arrives where ever you are located.

Just wanted to wish you all a Very Happy New year and thank you for all of your orders, emails, phone calls and texts, I love chatting to you all and look forward to continuing great communication with you in this New year we have all started.

Look Forward to seeing what you are all creating and maybe see you on the road one of these days?

 

Here is something to have a laugh at at days gone by back home 1965.

Another Year awaits, Have Fun Building your Machine

Well, what a bloody tough year we have all had, for me it has been crazy, what with moving to another location as well as catching Covid and then on Christmas day catching an awful cold with the same symptoms of Covid but without the temperatures, its been a long battle throughout.  From having some of my suppliers completely closing down due to the Virus to some retiring early, I have had to come up with some more ideas for parts and apparel to have for the coming year we await.

But, the positive side to this awful dilemma we are all facing right now is, we have some time in our garages. sheds or back yards, to turn a wrench, help a mate or give a whole new project a go and take any frustrations out of what’s going on in the world and turn it into a working machine that is yours and yours alone.

I love making parts or building new rides, its a therapy and an escape from life’s woes to be honest, and also there are many many failure before I find something that fits and works as it should, so for those who are trying it on your own, or building your own machine, Failure is a learning curve, we all do it and not only once. I have almost given up on a particular piece I was trying to make, I left if for a day or two and when I head a fresh brain, it all clicked and worked.

Do not be afraid to fail, I have sat and pondered and even been seen to shout at the parts calling it all sorts of names but in the end we managed to come up with a result that we are happy with, the fun is in the creating at most of course, taking your ride out and stretching its legs for the first time is such a thrill and the Euphoria is un measurable, but what I am trying to say is

Dont Give up”  There are many friends on the internet that can I advise, heck, I even put my phone and text number on my website so people can text me, rather than waiting all weekend for an answer from a company phone, i want to help the best way I can, its not all about sales for me, its Service and the camaraderie of the fellow builder.

I am hoping that this coming 2021, we can all have fun in what we do and maybe even meet at an event or on the tarmac, or at the very least, on the end of the phone of email, there is something self gratifying when you complete something on your own machine and I receive many emails and photos from customers who have really enjoyed creating a unique Motorcycle that they want to personalize for themselves.

Hoping that you can get some time and turn a wrench and have fun with that two wheeled machine of yours and maybe I can help with parts or advice?

Wishing you ALL a very Happy New year that’s almost upon us and thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your orders from around the globe, you all Rock!!!!

 

Here is a little video I saw on you tube of a guy with minimal tools rebuilding his little Honda Cub.

A New Year is almost upon us, what does it bring to the people in the two wheeled world?

Sitting in my office, looking at the fog bank rolling in across the front of the window, reminds me of years gone by when I was back in England, I had an old garage that was built in the 1960’s, the doors were missing and I shared the area with 9 other garages, closed in by a wall and agate, the Fog would roll in just like today and I continued to work on one of my projects, be it a 2 or 4 wheeled model and just shrug the weather off.  Today the Fog is surrounding me but I have been fortunate to have an office now and as I type this, the New Concrete slab that has just been poured for my new workshop, is hardening and hopefully in a months time, the steel Barn can be constructed and give me a new chapter in my life of Building and manufacturing parts for Motorcycles and Hot Rods.

This Covid Virus has really turned the globe on its head and many times I have heard news of friends and family catching this awful strain, I too submitted to it, even with 2 shots, but, the world is now evolving and in a way, getting used to life with a mask and Social distancing.  I mean, Life has to go on, we have to live, survive and of course put bread on the table.

I see a few companies starting back up, albeit on a smaller scale, but we have to carry on and get back on track, and not look back at the sad and painful year or so that has gone by.  I am getting enquiries on commissioned builds but am not ready to commit to contracts on these until I know where I am with my New Workshop etc. and want to take my time to equip the barn with the tools I need to do what I do.

But, 2022 is just around the next apex and I can see it approaching a bit faster now, I see a way better year ahead for all thank god and look forward to attending some shows and exhibitions etc. to show people New parts, builds and also just Human Communication, something I do miss of course, without communication, I have no input into what people like, want or are hoping to see in our two wheeled family and with the new Year offering hope with Vaccinations and the like, I believe that we can slowly get back into gear and enjoy the hobby that we all love.

 

I love all Motorcycles and really enjoy chatting to other builders, some of who simply knock my socks off with their own creations that leave my proverbial jaw continually slammed on the ground in amazement of their skills and creativity.

I think that as a builder and manufacturer, we all feed off input and the importunateness of shows and meetings etc. is Vital in the industry that we are in, and looking forward to attending a few shows next year, even if its just to stretch my creativity legs so to speak.  I really do enjoy talking with Customers about their needs and what makes their crank turn and even though I still receive many phone calls and emails, its always great to see the Client in person.

So, here’s to a way better year and look forward to seeing some of you on the tarmac, always great to hear from you all and get an idea of what you are creating at home.

Time and Tide wait for no Man or Woman

No matter what is going on in the world, one thing remands the same, and that is the ticking Clock, she will always continue to grind away 24-7 and I am vert aware at times of that as deadlines come up real fast when yo are a small business, but, there is nothing better than being your own boss, so that out weighs the stress and difficulties that we all endure at times in the trade that we are in. Time to get on my Bike and start to design some New parts for you all.

Things are changing for me and not long to go until I get my Own Brand New Workshop/Barn, exciting times for sure and look forward to spending some quality time in there and banging away at some projects that I must get completed my self. Sometimes I need to Police my self to get things finished, but a New Workshop is something to keep you Motivated that’s for sure.

I have just made up a bunch of Braided Hose Oil Lines and Braided brake lines, one piece and 2 piece front brake lines to cover any of your builds and continue to make and design more parts for the inline four, as well as other makes too. Have fun on your Machines this weekend everybody.

 

 

 

Building your own machine is a fun past time

Over 21 years I have been here and now I look back and think how far the Motorcycle scene and Community has come along in regards to self builds or designs.

It is so refreshing to see creative minds out there who have thought about creating their own machine from something that probably wasn’t even running a few months back, and now they are tearing down the tarmac with a huge smile on their faces.

I love seeing other people Motorcycles and this is a Big family in the 2 wheeled world and we all have something in common when we see a machine and look closer and what the Motorcycle comprises off to make it such a stand out bike.

Honda GB250cc Cafe Brat by Sabbath Bob Custom

Sometimes, just a little Brat-Cafe style Machine catches your eye, and this little Buzz bomb is an eye catcher for sure, and of course, you do not see too many GB250’s over here, in Europe there were many more available as I should know, when you were 17 years old, you could ride up to a 250cc Motorcycle on a Provisional License. So, many 250 contraptions were made by many big names and its always fun to see old Iron that has been resurrected and now is a fun motorcycle to enjoy on the local tarmac.

 


How much fun is this?  Mostly built by Honda in Japan, Europe did see quite a few of these, but alas I haven’t seen any in the USA, its a shame, as the Platform is ideal for a Brat-Cafe style Custom machine and this particular build was created by  a Nonthaburi (Thailand) based “Sabbath Bob Custom” workshop. Its a head turning little Tarmac eating 250cc bike and I love the styling.

The Knobby Trail tires set this off from the bog standard road bike and by simply dropping the trees down and pulling the upper fork tubes up a few inches, well, it throws that from end down- Giving it a more aggressive stance, also removing the stock gauges leaves the top end uncluttered.  As well as taking off the higher factory handlebars and going for a set of Clip on’s that are fitted below the upper tree, will give you that cool back aching ride that reminisces the days of old school racers.

Using a 4inch headlight with a Foglamp lens, really makes the 250 look like a 400 cc Motorcycle and everything becomes tucked in and tight, which works very well on many machines in this style.

This is a fun bike, not show Quality and what I like about that is they are not bothered where they ride it, on smooth tarmac or in the woods and tire choice is key on any machine, sometimes you have to forgo comfort for styling and this works very well on this GB250 bike and love the choice that the Thailand based company went with.

So with a little amount of money and plenty of ingenuity, you can create something cool out of almost anything, I love this Bar Hopper and wanted to share it with you. There may be something similar in your garage. Just doing them few things, changing out the gas tank from a larger bike, does completely change the look of the bike from its stock guise and with a bigger tank, you can get further too.

Keep your eyes out as I have seen a few 250’s made into cool Custom rides. Enjoy your Weekend everybody and send in any pics of your rides to:  carpy@carpyscaferacers.com

Some Videos for your Sunday enjoyment

Its a Sunday and I have a million things to do this weekend, what with Motorcycles to build, parts to make and orders to pack, its a busy weekend for me and thought that I would add some videos for you to watch of other bike shows and cool things to maybe get some of you to get in your garage and have a go at something.

Little snippets of great stuff to watch whilst you design and start your own projects, its fun to be able to have a go at your own machine and nothing better than when you first fire your ride up and sling your leg over something that you are passionate about.

Ever wanted to go to deals Gap? here you can from the comfort of your seat at home and when you have created your machine, take it here to enjoy the twists and turns of these canyon roads.

And now for a trip overseas and to Portugal for henry Cole and his Motorbike show, enjoy.

New Year, let’s hope this one is a fruitful one

Well, 2020 can go and bugger right off, what a shitty year for everybody around the world, and we still have some ways to go before we can all meet up anywhere, so I tend to think I shall be here at home and will put my time and energy into making New parts available for you lot that are building at home right now.

I am so lucky that I find creating parts very therapeutic for me and will make the most of this lockdown scenario to see what I can accomplish and make available for you all in this 2021 year that we have just started on.

I am looking forward to seeing how your creations are going and hopefully you can send me some quality photos with a full description of what you have done, as many people ask about readers rides, so looking forward to some emails of your projects.

So I am wishing you ALL a very Happy New year and lets get building and see some very cool machines on the Tarmac for the Summer.

 

 

 

Looking forward to a more positive Healthy year

A couple of days left in this terrible Pandemic year, good riddens to it and sure hope that 2021 will be great for us all, of course it will take probably half of that year for all of us to get back on an even keel so to speak, but we shall get there and life will change for the better.  Where we can go out and eat, enjoy meeting folk again, even attend shows and Motorcycle meets etc, life is so short and precious and I think that everybody’s attitude will be a tad different now too.

I love making parts or just building bikes, I am no Pro at this, and didn’t go to school to learn how to either but I grew up with 2 wheeled machines and still to this day do not own a Snap On tool, just the old Sears Craftsmen’s lol. The photo above is me about 20 years ago with my Rocket 4 seat base I created and, still sell today. And Below, was when I helped Dennis Roth create a tribute trike to his dad who passed away Ed Roth, and of course, it had to be CB750 Powered. How much fun did we have with this, hope to find photos of the finished product one day when it was on display at the SEMA show in Las Vegas.