Tag Archives: vintage bike

How to remove stripped Bolts from your Motor

Posted on by Steve Carpenter
20 Nov

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

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

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

4 into 2 Dunstall style Exhaust for S.O.H.C. Now Available $499

Posted on by Steve Carpenter
03 Jan

What a Great start to the New year and here is our Latest Product from us at the shop.

Here we are with my New 4 into 2 exhaust systems, they are now ready to be Double Nickel plated and then they can be shipped off to anyone that has a 1969-1978 CB750 HONDA.   That’s the S.O.H.C. Machine

 

These are a great exhaust and I shall be adding more photos as I go along, I shall also be fitting a set to my very own Cafe Racer machine so you can see and hear them as i fire it up and ride her around.  We are very excited about our New product as the Mac style are OK but have no thickness and sound too quiet.

 

So many people asked me about this set up and I hope you like what we have done here as it took quite some time, once these are Nickel plated they can be shipped and that will be next week for sure, so place your orders as I only have 12 sets right now.

 

Have a look, you will see that these are all hand bent and welded, these take time to make but thats how they did it back in the day and that is how I want them on my bikes and thought that you lot would also like them.

These will look in the same style as the Paul  Dunstall pipes of the day and am sure that you will like the way these sweep upwards too.

Sturdy and hug the frame well, these also have a Brazed captive nut so if you want to mount your own bracket to where ever you can, it is there for your disposle.

 

Once these are Nickel plated, these will shine and look just like they were originals from back in the day, we looked long and hard at designing these ans fitted this system a dozen times until i liked the bends and the sweep etc and I am now pleased to say that this is how I envisioned these to look like.

Have a look and see what you think, by next week I will have these Nickel plated and they will look great, but wanted to get these on the website for the New year and I have now managed that. I fitted these but painted this Black so you can see how they look a different color but this also is fitted to a 1977 CB750K and it fitted very well.

These are $499 a set and come complete with Nickel coating and the baffles as well, these will really set your machine off and we are proud to have these for sale to you.

Finally these are ready and I am happy to offer them to you, and yes of course we ship all over the globe too as we make all the other exhausts from cb350 up to the dohc 750, so keep checking our product lines as we are going to be making other systems too.

 

These Exhaust systems are ideal for you if you are building that Cafe Racer, Brat or Custom machine, or – just want to take your old rusty stock pipes off and have some exhaust that scream the style of the race track days of the mid 1970’s, and we tried hard to get these to look the part.

Please let us know if you want any more photos etc and we shall do our very best to answer all your questions.  I am sure that you are curious now and as I said we only have 12 sets of these right now, we shall be manufacturing some more but have many other systems we are working on right now, including Royal Enfield too.

So- have a good look and remember, these are raw steel, 049 wall from cold rolled, but we shall be Nickel plating them to give it that Vintage look.  These sit very well and give the Motorcycle a Racing look right out of the box.

We just painted these Black, so you could see them as a different color and they look pretty cool like that as well.

 

Also these are removable baffles too, look how thick the Aluminum end cap is. These are first class and you will see how well the systems are made when you unwrap them.

Shipping is about $45 to NY and FL and a wee bit cheaper the closer you are to us as we ship via FED EX.

 

 

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NOW- OFFICIALLY A “TORC” HELMET DEALER !

Posted on by Steve Carpenter
20 Sep

 

 

 

OK!  here we are, and Now I am super excited to let you know that I am NOW- officially a TORC Helmet Dealer.  So if you have been scraping your head on the race track like the video below, its time for a new skid lid.


 

 

 

These helmets are a great and affordable commodity that I feel needs to be out there with any top helmet company, I have tried their lids and love them, they have style, flare and of course, these affordable.

I am hoping to have my own Series of Signature skid lids and I am sure you will like the designs, as I am so impressed by the quality, the price and the vast range of helmets that are now available through me.

I dig the Route 66 T-50 Series and this Super Gold flake is right up my ally, and available in XS to XXL.

Have a look and see what you think but the best thing I like is the weight and of course, these are all DOT and are ready to wear and ride.

So get your girl on the road and sling a very cool and unique TORC helmet on and show everyone what turns your crank.

 

 

Also, the thing I like about this particular T-50 Series is the cool set ups you can get from me as accessories. Like these have goggles available for that Cafe Racer look, a yesteryear look at an affordable price and available faster than anywhere else.

Also, check out the cool Space bubble visor , these come in different colors and they change the look and personality of your helmet for any occasion.

 

I simply removed the smaller peaked visor and the three snaps just locate the new smoked bubble visor with sturdiness and boy what a change.

 

 

 

Oh! Did I mention that their Flake is brighter than Einstein ?

So, keep watching the website for all of  TORC’S  products as I will be adding more photos as I go along.

 

We also will have BLINC Bluetooth helmets and the BLINC KIE communications module ,so you can listen to music phone or chatting to your buddy as to where you want to stop for some grub.

One of my Old Custom Cafe Racers

Posted on by Steve Carpenter
09 Feb

 

 

 

Sometimes I like to put a few pictures of some bikes I have built and this one I created in 2006 and just used a bunch of old parts that literally were laying around in the corners of the garage, I thought that I could build a little Custom Cafe Racer for fun.

 

So, I had all sorts of years of parts and the first thing I did was powder coat the frame rich Candy Apple Red, this was a 3 stage set up and I thought the color looked deeper than a new watering well.

I drilled the front rotor in my garage , just using my drill press, and then by hand, polished the front forks as well as the brake caliper.

 

So, with a hankering of just going with a look from back in the 1970’s, I thought I would just keep going and see where it took me.

I had an original Tracy body and it was an early model, I actually had Tracy call me from Guatemala, to say he saw the bike in a magazine and that was one of his earliest bodies, so was great to hear that.

 

I did a ton of fun stuff to that bike, the motor was rebuilt and I added all the cool custom stuff that I knew was around back then.

The Diamond quilting was original 1970’s flake that I purchased in an old shop in Santa Ana.

My very good friend Rudy Martinez laid the stitches.

I had some old heavy square tubed Invader rims from a chopper project and new I would make use of these some day and chose to powder coat them a Gold color.

These are all period pieces and I knew if I built a Cafe and a Custom, I could enter them in the Grand National Roadster show.

I hand polished the brake caliper, no easy task I assure you, as well as the control switches too.

So, with just Harbor freight tools and a lot of time,I went ahead and created this Candy Red, California Custom Cafe Racer.

I made the relocation bracket and the gauge faces to clean the top end up a wee bit more.

This was just a fun project and was not quite sure where I was going, but wanted to try and incorporate my Hot Rod interest too, as i love all the creativity with Hot Rods, and of course Custom cars, so this was my little platform where I could at least have a go and see what happens at the end of it.

I really had fun with this bike but wanted to at least push the proverbial envelope on the motor area, so with a pencil and paper I kinda drew out how I wanted the exhaust as I wanted something that looked like Spaghetti, and it had to be unusual, Custom and eventually chromed.

And Yes, it turned out pretty darn crazy, plus once I had it apart and chromed, it took me some time to try and put the dam thing back together again as all the bends looked the same.

The other parts I finished and fitted were the cool Original Finned clutch cover, the points cover and the stator cover, I also used an Early BSA rear tail light to give it some Vintage flavor, as well as some early 1974 Metalflake GT handlebar grips, of which I think worked very well with the style I was seeking.

I loved the Shotgun exhausts and the bike got a  lot of notice at the GNRS, I actually took 2nd place with it, I couldn’t get first as my Black cafe Racer I built at the same time took that trophy, so had a great weekend and the FIRST Cafe Racer ever to be at the Roadster show too.

Tour around the bike side of things.

Posted on by Steve Carpenter
01 Feb

Just a quick tour around the back of the shop before I locked up and went home, this is some of the bikes I must complete and get to the customers, I just have the radio on for some entertainment and thought I would share some of this with you.

There is always something to do here and hopefully that will never change, as I enjoy building bikes, creating parts and of course, meeting up with some of you and sometimes i get to see your machines and what you have done to create your very own Cafe Racer.

I shall be adding more videos as time continues and hopefully show you a few tips as to how I do my stuff, many of you ask me and I thought that it would be a good time soon to try and at least approach this every week, that way, it will give you something to look forward to, in case you get a little stuck or confused on your own machine.

Some times a few of you will tell me stuff that I had no clue was able to do on these 500 pounders and of course will share that too, so stay tuned to the website for all sorts of col tips and of course parts, bikes and apparel that will be shown on my site.

Forgive the shaky videoing, but this was just my little camera and thought it would be worth a shot for you to have a peek at the back to see what we do here.
Enjoy.