My Triumph Scrambler

Posted on December 11, 2018January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

11 Dec

Its always fun using your own machine when you need to pop out for some parts or visit a customer etc and today was a fun one for me, as I thought that I would take the Scrambler out for a little jaunt.

I had to pick a few pieces of hardware up and pop into the Chrome Platers, traffic seemed as busy as ever and it made sense to throw my leg over my 2016 Triumph Scrambler and get around to the places I needed to a whole lot faster than if I took my Van.

I love all motorcycles and today as I have my Scrambler and had recently fitted an Ammo Box to the side of the rig, well I wanted to make use of such an item and it sure got its work cut out today.

These Trumpys are a pretty Tall Motorcycle but, as I am 5″11 I can tippy toe it at a stop light, it is a really well made machine and has tons of what I call linear power and I feel pretty safe on this iron steed, compared to my Thruxton.

I removed the stock seat in favor of a more Custom look shorter version that has a rear luggage rack attached, eventually I hope to find a Vintage Miltary Ammo style box that will secure to it and give me more loading space as thats always a bonus to have, especially on long trips.

She sits high and I like it that way, I now get to see where I am going and can take in some of the Scenery, where as the Thruxton was fun, but all I ever saw was 6000 revs on the Tach , as I was always laying over the tank as I had clip on’s fitted.

I added my Own style Fog light, One- because it gives it a more rigged look, Two- I like the European styling of a Fog light, and three- This will be used on poor visabilty , ie in Fog or at night in the rain etc, be Seen- be Safe is my Philosophy.

I will eventually paint the Ammo Box in the same Matte Blue of the bikes livery and then add Dakota’s unit Id numbers as he is in Assault Craft Unit 4 in the NAVY.

Above, I do not like these stock Plastic turn signals, so I think I shall change the whole headlight assembly eventually, as well as the Black Fork ears and maybe later the gauges too.

Also added an old Vintage Copper and Brass Fire extinguisher, just for those I need some help moments and I dig it to be honest as I have had that extinguisher in my shops for years, it may not be your cup of Tea, but this really is a fun motorcycle for me and will be travelling many many miles to see some of the great areas of the states like the National Parks etc.

I will also be taking off the rear Fender and fit a smaller LED Tail light under the seat, just to tidy things up and of course I shall have a set of reverse Cone megaphones onto the Exhaust at a later date as its way too quiet at present.

I love the look and style of My fog lamp and have sold many of these over the years and now it gets dark early its good to run this when visibility is bad and it gets me noticed for sure.

I shall be removing stock parts and making my own to add to this bike and look forward to taking some cool trips on this and Jennifer on her Bonneville, its going to be a blast.

Right now I have to go to the post office to drop off some Christmas cards, so what better way than to take my own steed and go for a ride?

Spirit Racer – Hedonic Triumph Thruxton R

Posted on December 18, 2017January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

18 Dec

The Custom Motorcycle creations that are turning out today is so far advanced than back in the day as we have so many good machines from Water jet cutters to 10 axis CNC machines that can design , print and shape pretty much anything that you can pull out of your mind and install in Machine coding to its control box.

Still, you of course will still need the skill set to be able to achieve just some of these processes, and when you look at today’s builds, not only is the engineering so smooth, the tolerances for detail are even finer.

So, take for instance, the factory Triumph Thruxton R motorcycle, I mean, it is the quintessential Cafe style motorbike that Triumph them selves have re-invented and added everything you need for modern comfort and of course ride ability. When the Thruxton R first came out here in the states, I was one of the earliest test riders of this model here and I was amazed at the way it handled, looked, felt and of course, reacted when I gave its neck a bit of a squeeze.

The Perfect bike, nothing needed I thought to myself, but when you then give one of these thoroughbred motorcycles to a French Motorcycle company named Hedonic of which means.

Definition of hedonic

1: of, relating to, or characterized by pleasure

2: of, relating to, or characterized by hedonism

The Creator of this head turning machine is French Man Serge Heitz and he has made a number of head turning master pieces over time and this time he wanted to make sure you looked more than once when you see this Triumph Thruxton R heading towards you.

About 90 minutes from Bordeaux , the workshop is equipped with everything you require to fabricate steel to alloy and they sure know how to handle that.

Any Motorcycle created by Hedonic will get so much attention to detail, you will be gobsmacked for at least half an hour when you see a finished product come rolling out of their doors.

The bikes curvy Fairing, swooping lines of the Belly Pan and side covers and also the curvature of the Bobbed front Mudguard, are all hand made from Aluminum, with well over 150 hours of kneeling, banging, smoothing and hand massaging these components to the bike that you would think Rolls Royce engineers were creating this.

The Aluminum parts were all hand rubbed for that brushed look to show the quality of the material and see no cheating had occurred, this is simply a work of art and so pleasing to the eye.

The front end is ample enough for the roads of anywhere to be honest but Serg was not happy keeping it stock and wanted to put a twist to the front end of the bike by fitting a Yamaha YZF R6 front end, no easy task, no plans and some careful measurements and patience paid off.

The Rims were changed in favor of 16 inch items and a set of Firestone square edged champion style tires were fitted, not everybody likes these but I personally do, albeit they handle like crap but look so thick and fill the bike out.

Custom Clip ons were made with some very cool touches such as integrated brake master cylinder and clutch cable and wear inverted levers. To slim down the bike’s proportions the factory indicators have been replaced by tiny LED units mounted to the fairing and rear wheel hugger.

Under that Fairing is a custom triple tree along with some Moto gadget instruments, the whole top end is cleaned up and just shows the quality of the french man and his team can do.

The Engine is just under 100 horses and ample enough for anyone to get into trouble with but a cool set of exhausts were made with Turbine rear caps to finish this Futuristic look off to a tea.

The Brown Leather seat unit is a nice touch and I look forward to seeing a few write ups in magazine on this European Machine as it has so many cool angles that just flow, it would be nice to see more about it.

Just wanted to share this with you today and hope you liked it half as much as I did, what a fun machine, something I would love to take out for a blap.

Need YOUR help get funding for New Movie ” Caffeine and Gasoline”

Posted on July 21, 2016January 30, 2020 by Steve Carpenter

21 Jul

Ok people, when I see something I think is good, I let people know about it- When I see something that I Know is going to be Great- then I jump on my website and try and tell the world about it.

On Thursday I had the opportunity of hosting Steve Maes at my Motorcycle shop for his filming his newest project “Caffeine & Gasoline” Evolution of the American Rocker.

Many of you know the passion I have for my Motherlands birth of the Cafe Racer, and many of you have taken an interest in the History of the Cafe bars of the day in Great Britain back in the Late 1950’s and early 60’s.

Britain’s very own Coffee Cowboy evolved from Transport Cafeterias of the day and now some 55 years later, there is a huge interest in that era in the United States of America and somebody needs to engrain this on the silver screen to let the rest of the world know how a half century old lifestyle has had a massive resurgence and become a huge part of the Motorcycle fraternity.

There has not been a good ,documented film about this “Sub Culture” in the US like this, and now that Steven Maes has taken it upon his self to sit on a saddle, go out to like minded Ton Uppers and record what they have to say about this Lifestyle, well, I just want to help out the best I can.

If ever there has been a time to help out- now is the time.

I give to charities all the time and as the Rocker who runs the 59 Club O.C. section, we are a charity event and like to help where ever we can, I am not saying this is a charity cause but what it is to me and to many others is a personal encyclopedia of informative people over the United States who love the “Cafe Racer” style.

So, I am asking you to spare a little change and help Steve be able to make this project a total reality, and get this funding up and running fast, so that we can see this on the one eyed monster as soon as we can.

If you are reading this, it truly means that you have an interest in the Cafe Racer Lifestyle, and how ever big or small that interest is, it is great people like you that can help to make this film happen.

Lets all try and help, and donate to their cause, no matter how small the contribution, I would love to see the amount grow and this movie come to a full fruition and get to see this played all over the globe.

Personally I think it will be interesting, intriguing, informative and above all, it will show people around the globe “What makes us Tick”.

If you can pass the word I know that Steve will be forever indebted in gratitude to you for this, as it means that you care and would like to see this project completed and ready for everybody to watch and enjoy.

Also,I for one am so glad that someone is taking on the challenge and making this project happen and would be stoked if you could help with this funding.

I never ask for anything but feel this sums all of us up that are into the Nostalgia side of Motorcycles, something with history and of course now making its very own History in The US of A, how cool is that?

Here is the link for the gofundme page and hope you can do your best to pass it around to everyone you know, as YOU are our voice!

Thanks alot and I will be watching with baited breath at the totals to get Steve to achieve his target and complete this great movie that I think will receive awesome reviews.

Without help from the likes of like minded folk – Steve could not achieve the goal in the allotted time, so please help out where you can as I know I know I will.

Here is the link.

https://www.gofundme.com/caffeineandgas

Just a quick run down of Steven Maes below:

SILVER CITY — Silver City native and New Mexico Filmmaker, Steven “Fenix” Maes, known for his iconic design work on cult series Breaking Bad, is hard at work on a passion project about cafe racer motorcycles and rocker culture called Caffeine & Gasoline: Evolution of the American Rocker.

The film looks back at the American-inspired 1960s British greasers and their bikes, immortalized in the classic movie Quadrophenia, and then aims the camera at today’s home-grown rockers in America and beyond.

“From their earliest roots in the East Side of London to the growing vintage motorcycle enthusiasm around the world, rocker culture has made its way across the globe,” says Maes. “Motorcycle culture is always evolving, writing its own mythology and leaving tread marks across America. The rockers with their cafe bikes are a subculture within a subculture. They’re the real rebels in an increasingly conformist pastime.

“I really want to show the spirit and community within the culture, as well as, the design” Maes continues, “there’s such a passion and individuality put in to each bike.”

Caffeine & Gasoline talks and rides with such motorcycling icons as Antoine Predock, Albuquerque’s famed resident architect. The film features New Mexico’s only cafe club, the Duke City Rockers, whose rockabilly-styled members take viewers for a ride on their hand-built motorbikes and explain their attraction to the British iconoclasts.

Maes expects to wrap filming in fall 2016, and to release the film theatrically in 2017.

Good luck Steve and Hope to Ride up to Albuquerque to see you lot on my Triumph Cafe Racer.

Peace and Grease as always

CARPY

Definition of hedonic

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