On The Cover: We had our socks (and boots) knocked off by a spin aboard MV Agusta’s sexy, scintillating Dragster America RR. A full test ride of this 160 MPH scorcher is on page 18. It’s all part of a special issue dedicated to Serious Speed and the people who seek it. We also introduce a new columnist, Anthony Conroy. Connie, as he’s known to his friends, is an experienced test rider and long-time fast bike enthusiast with some brilliant insights into the motorbike scene.
Harley Goes Hooligan 44 An Unexpected Racing Success
Fire in the Hole Triumph 52 Bonneville Blow-Up
Speed Tribe 60 Land Speed Record Racer Erin Sills
First Ride 18 MV Agusta Dragster RR SCS America
First Ride 24
BMW’s F900GS
The Paddock 28 News and New Streetbikes
Curbside Customs 34
Readers’ Custom Rides
Top Gear 36 New Parts and Accessories
The Market 40
Vincent Project Bikes
Destinations 76 Summer Getaways
Stylin 77
Biking Humor
Ageless Speed 64 AHRMA’s Winningest Competitor
The Crow Flies 66 South American Street Tracker
Legacy 72 Passing The Torch
CR TECH SECTION
Combination Commando 78 Norton Hybrid
Honda CB450 80 Second Time’s the Charm
Long Term Rides 82 Ducati Scrambler
‘67 Triton 84 Crossroads Conundrum
Blair’s Bonneville 86 Slo Mo British Build
Rob North Special 88 Rectifying a Racer
Workshop Files 90 Tech Questions and Answers
Cafe Racer magazine is published every 60 days from our offices in SW Pennsylvania, and made possible with the dedication and enthusiasm of our contributors who include (but are not limited to) Nick Coumos, Kim Love, Blair Powell, Paul D. Stanstead, Jose Gallina, Jay LaRossa, Matt Wiley, George Krisher, Cindy Segrest, Christy Sparks, Aaron Seate, Gary Hallobeck, Simon Everett, Kevin Wing, Cathy Drexler, Jean Turner, Mike Kinderis, Ann Curtis and likely a person or two who was kind enough to help out with tech, send us images or turn us on to an amazing story. We’re always looking for the skinny on fast, fun, customized cafe bikes, so send everything this side of drag strip timing slips and speeding tickets to us via rockersrule@caferacermag.com. OK, maybe we’ll look at the speeding fines just for laughs and compare them to our own.
Advertising sales: Ann Curtis via adsales@caferacermag.com or call (412)463-5559.
Customer Support, phone orders, changes of address, and subscription issues (pun not intended) yell at George Krisher via support@caferacermag.com or call (412) 627-4104.
Open Mike
Serious Speed Rules
By Editor and Publisher Mike Seate
It’s been a particularly hot summer for folks in our region, making motorcycle riding a very complicated affair. Like friends from the desert Southwest, most of my riding has been conducted in the early mornings, well before rush hour traffic clogs the roads and the blistering heat scorches everything in its path. It had been years since I last rode during the morning’s earliest hours, and the unexpected emptiness of the roads – especially on weekends – has proven well worth the hassles of waking up with the birds, Amazon delivery drivers and trash collectors.
More than once, I’ve been seduced by long, empty stretches of asphalt that, bereft of cars and semi-trailers, seem to bring out the devil-may-care side of things. Not having ridden on a track in a while, there are few opportunities to really stretch out a throttle cable. I always keep alert for the traffic-free mountain pass or canyon where no one but myself is at risk for riding like a relative madman, but even when letting loose with all the performance a motorcycle can muster (or at least a sizable fraction of what’s on hand) I still keep in mind the downside of topping the Ton on public roads.
Even when they appear free of obstacles and risks, public roads can obscure a host of foibles, from deer and other wildlife darting across the blacktop, to road debris and potholes. During our frequent visits to test-ride new bikes in So Cal, I’m always pleasantly surprised to find that we seldom reach triple-digit speeds during hundreds of miles of riding. Exploring a motorcycle’s handling and responsiveness in what are often tight third-gear canyons is thrilling and challenging enough without hitting warp speed.
Yes, riding fast on the street is a genuine gas, an experience that forms the basis of this very publication and the rich, high-octane culture that sustains it. But as the subjects of several of this issue’s feature stories have found, pushing the envelope of two-wheeled velocity is an addiction best served in a controlled environment.
Behind every amateur and professional racer you’ll read about in this issue dedicated to Serious Speed, you’ll find a back story of a talented, thrill-seeking street rider who found themselves risking too much on the road. During interviews with riders who get their thrills by riding on the track, you’ll see a palpable sense of excitement in their eyes when discussing the unparalleled excitement of twisting a throttle in a venue where risks are (relatively) few and the rewards are absolutely massive.
If you’ve never ridden your machine on a racetrack (or dry lake bed)
where the ever-present variables of road poor conditions, cross traffic, absentminded motorists and traffic tickets has been removed, you’re not really experiencing what we like to call Serious Speed in its fullest.
Not that brisk street riding isn’t a major thrill. The spontaneity of grabbing a handful of throttle and tearing off into the great beyond is what’s made cafe racing popular for as long as there have been combustion engines and adrenaline. Ride at the limit long enough and eventually we nearly all learn that the streets present limits of their own.
Non-motorcyclists frequently ask me what’s the fastest top speed I’ve ever recorded on a motorcycle and they’re surprised, sometimes even shocked, to learn that sustained triple-digit speed is generally something I reserve for racetracks or, a few years back, the Isle of Man TT course. It was there that I realized just how fast I was not on a motorcycle after being repeatedly passed at 140 MPH. It was a realization that made me appreciate the skills needed to compete at the top level even more.
Dig in and enjoy the exploration of Serious Speed in all its glory. And if you’re able, schedule a track day or racing school before summer is over. You won’t regret it. CR
Random Ramblings
All Good Things Must Come to an End
By Managing Editor Kim Love
After many years of roaring engines, shiny aluminum and a community that united enthusiasts from across the country, Café Racer Magazine’s team announced the discontinuation of its annual motorcycle show. This event, a mainstay for the past 15 years, has been a vibrant celebration of motorcycle culture, attracting thousands of attendees who reveled in the shared passion for building and riding twowheeled machines.
The decision to end this beloved tradition marks the end of an era, stirring a mix of emotions among the loyal community that has gathered religiously every year. For many, the show was more than just an exhibition; it was a pilgrimage, a reunion, and a chance to witness the evolution of motorcycles firsthand.
The first Café Racer Magazine bike show was staged in 2008 at the AMA’s Vintage Motorcycle Days at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, OH. I think the sum total of our preparation was to throw two folding chairs and a card table into the back of my Mini.
As the show grew, with hundreds of bikes entering, it took considerably more effort. And organizing a large-scale event of this nature requires significant investment. When participating with Vintage Days in Ohio became cost-prohibitive Sewickley’s War Memorial Park presented the perfect venue. A long, narrow park with plenty of shade, it was the perfect location for a family-oriented show, with plenty of space for show bikes plus swing sets and picnic tables and room left over for food trucks.
But over the years, the costs associated with venue rental, security, marketing, and logistics have escalated. While attendance has remained robust, the financial returns have not kept pace with the rising expenses. While many of you have enthusiastically returned year-on-year, it’s surprising how many riders have balked at the $10 entrance fee.
Our small staff spent months in advance of each show soliciting thousands of dollars in prizes for the six classes, and judging by the winners’ reactions, those prizes were much appreciated. But continuing to produce a magazine while spending a quarter of the year on
show prep is a recipe for an overworked staff.
The end of the annual motorcycle show is a significant blow to our fervent readers. For many, it was an annual ritual, an opportunity to showcase custom builds, exchange ideas, and form lifelong friendships. The show wasn’t just about motorcycles; it was about the people who rode them, the stories behind each ride, and the shared camaraderie. Many of you spent the year between shows building your entry for the next year.
While the physical show is coming to an end, the spirit of the event can live on through this magazine. We have featured your bikes in the Curbside Customs feature (pages 34 – 35 in this issue) from the very beginning, celebrating the small custom builders and the backyard mechanics who are the bedrock of the custom café racer community.
As the engines fall silent and the echoes of the last motorcycle show fade, it’s important to recognize the legacy it leaves behind. For 15 years, the Café Racer Magazine annual motorcycle show brought joy, inspiration, and a sense of belonging to countless individuals. It celebrated the artistry and engineering of motorcycles, and more importantly, it celebrated the people who loved them.
I will not miss schlepping heavy tubs of t-shirts and crates of magazines to the park in the August heat. And I most certainly will not miss the rain. Always rain, or the threat of rain, or the cleanup from the rain. Every. Single. Year. What I will miss is seeing all of you and your latest creations.
Most of all I’ll miss the awards presentation. Some of you may not know this, but we’ve had a “Big Baby Award” at the ready for many years. After a very unpleasant experience with a sore loser in 2009, I built the “trophy” out of a thrift store plastic baby doll and a wooden trophy base, and sprayed the whole thing with garish gold paint. I planned on giving it out the next time someone berated us when their pristine concourse-level machine didn’t win Best in Show. But a funny thing happened – we haven’t had a single sore loser since 2009.
Every year, when the awards were presented, I enjoyed watching the shock and surprise on the winners’ faces. On their family’s faces. And I saw joy not just on the winners’ faces, but on the faces of everyone watching the presentation. You were a community who cheered for each other.
So while the show will not go on, the memories and connections forged over the past 15 years will endure, a testament to the power of a shared passion. CR
HIGH REVS
Return of The Biker Flick
By Anthony Conroy
That creaking sound you hear in the distant background is coming from me. Specifically, it’s the sound of my eyes rolling into the back of my skull after hearing that yet another movie celebrating motorcycle “culture” was being released.
We’ve all been lured down this path many times before. The promise of a new and exciting movie centered on something we hold dear. But here’s what we get: Man tries bike. Man likes bike. Man rides bike with other men on bikes. Men start bike gang. Men get drunk on bikes. Men earn respect amongst each other by raising hell on bikes. Men impress women while riding bikes. Men hurt by reckless lifestyle on bikes. Men killed by rivalry with other men on bikes. The end.
Occasionally, when that narrative doesn’t fit, there’s another formula that Hollywood falls back on. That formula calls for on-bike action and stunts (yes, I’m looking at you Tom Cruise) that could only be executed on a storyboard and CGI’d onto a green screen.
Hollywood, it seems, thinks everyone who rides a motorcycle is either a stunting squid or an outlaw one percenter.
Nothing, of course, could be further from the truth. I’ll admit, from a storytelling perspective, there’s definitely an interesting angle to the outlaw biker lifestyle. But for many of us, who are in the sport to ride and have fun (ok, speed) on open, curvy roads and maybe tinker with some mechanical bits and pieces, that storyline just isn’t relevant.
I don’t know a single person in a bike gang. Sure, I’ve ridden with others, some of whom are loosely affiliated with riding clubs, but their clubs are more akin to “Wild Hogs” — the movie starring John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, Tim Allen and William H. Macy — than the Hell’s Angels.
Hilariously, my first real exposure to bike “culture” was watching Hanna-Barbera’s “Wheelie and the Chopper Bunch” while eating Cheerios on Saturday mornings. Each member of the gang was his own stereotype of an outlaw biker. From there, I graduated to
“CHiPs” — imagine my delight when, around this time, my father began working as a motorcycle cop.
In the years since I often sought out movies centered on bikes and bike culture. There was Marlon Brando’s “The Wild One,” which was released more than 70 years ago and still colors the way Americans view motorcyclists the way “Reefer Madness” forever jaded opinions about marijuana usage.
Of course, Hollywood didn’t stop at “The Wild One.” The ante needed upped, and “The Wild Angels” starring Peter Fonda, and “The Glory Stompers” starring Dennis Hopper did just that. Those two movies helped move the needle from the 1950s to the more raucous and violent ‘60s and ‘70s. The counter-culture image of motorcycling may have reached its zenith with the release of the iconic “Easy Rider” in 1969, starring both Fonda and Hopper. Much of the movie’s success, I think, was due to the fact that it focused more on riding, bonding and the challenges of life on the road rather than the brawls and bike jousts that dominated other films.
In this newest release, “The Bikeriders” does indeed resurrect some of the old tropes, but it also provides a somewhat journalistic glimpse into how the fictional Chicago Vandals evolved from motorcycle club to motorcycle gang and how their world would increasingly become perverted by expansion, rivalries and violence.
Personally, I’d love a movie that did justice to motorcycling without all that baggage — a love letter, if you will, to motorcycling on the road the way “On Any Sunday” was for dirt. So far, the closest I’ve seen to a movie or show that captures that feeling of discovery — the excitement we get from cresting a hill and seeing an entire valley of rolling hills below you, or emerging from a coastal bend and being presented with a 180-degree view of the ocean — didn’t come from the silver screen, but the TV screen. “The Long Way Round,” starring Ewan McGregor and friend Charley Boorman, is still tops on my alltime watch list. Sadly, a show I loved watching but appears to be canceled after six seasons, was “Ride” with Norman Reedus. Each episode followed Reedus – who also stars in “The Bikeriders” – and a guest rider in some far-flung location, and the rides included preplanned stops that featured interactions with locals doing local things.
Just as Anthony Bourdain did with “Part Unknown” and “No Reservations,” Reedus unpretentiously and respectfully celebrated the ride with his guests. No violence, no gang-banging. Just life aboard a motorcycle and all that joy that comes with it. CR
fastlane NEWS
Ace Cafe’s 30th Year
A Melding of the New and Old School Ton-Up Riders
Story by Paul D. Stanstead • Photos CRM Archive
Life isn’t short, Who guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend once wryly observed. “Instead, it’s bloody long with plenty of time for your past to catch up with you.” That’s particularly true when it comes to London’s iconic Ace Cafe who are celebrating 30 years of crowded car parks, sleek cafe racers and petrolhead culture the weekend of September 6 to 8. There will be plenty on hand to recall their youthful high-speed indiscretions when the original Ton-Up kids gather for a reunion party with live music on Friday night which marks the annual Continental Run where 59 Club members and solo riders by the hundreds arrive from throughout Europe for a day of jive dancing to 60’s music deejays, custom cafe racer displays and no shortage of exaggerated tales of burn-ups gone by. On Saturday, a group ride-out through the busy streets of London departs at 10:30 am and is open to all motorcycles, classic and modern. Sunday is the weekend’s crowning event with several thousand riders convening on London’s North Circular Road for a massed ride out to the Brighton seafront some 80 miles distant.
The 30th anniversary festivities mark quite the occasion for the Ace which first opened in 1938 as a transport cafe, serving motorists and commuters working nearby. The building was struck by German bombing during WWII, suffering considerable damage, but remaining open for most of the war. The small cafe and coffee shop emerged as the British capitol’s premiere meet-and-greet (and challenge your mates to a race) venue throughout the 1950s and ‘60s with nightly crowds of hundreds of thrill-seeking riders convening from throughout the British isles. After closing its doors in 1969, the building served as a tire depot until organizers, led by ex-Metropolitan police constable Mark Wilsmore and property owner George Tuschkinas, held a reunion in September, 1994.
The throng of riders who turned up to share memories of speeding along the North Circular in the Ace’s heyday proved the motorcycling public’s desire to see the cafe re-open, which it did, complete with a newly remodeled interior, in 2001.
If you’ve yet to visit the Ace during a reunion weekend, it’s a must-do for cafe racer enthusiasts, whether your ride is an original air-cooled British classic, a modern naked performance bike or anything in between. The intoxicating sound of classic rock and roll blends with the pop and roar of open exhausts and the aroma of Brylcreem, fish and chips and warm(ish) pints to create a slice of rocker heaven. Even newcomers can find the conversation flowing like Castrol R as a welcoming, friendly atmosphere pervades the weekend from start to finish.
Though the ride to Brighton can be a somewhat lairy affair with speedy street racers passing each other like Moto GP wannabes, the Brighton seafront is worth visiting as it fills with all manner of custom car and motorcycles, plus vendors hawking decorated leathers, motorcycle accessories and rocker memorabilia. Visit www.london.acecafe.com for more details. Look for us there as Editor Mike Seate will be judging Saturday's Custom Cafe Racer show at 1 p.m.
Celebration
The best-decorated jackets in England will be at the Ace Reunion.
rare cafe racers are your joy, get yourself to the Ace.
“Sweet home, North Circular Road...”
Custom Scene Summer Showtime
Story by Gary Hallobeck • Photos by Various
Acustom motorcycle enthusiast can really rack up the miles this time of year by attending (or trying to attend) all the organized bike shows on the calendar. My spring season started pretty early as I traveled to Austin, Texas for the biggest, baddest show of them all, the Handbuilt Show, sponsored by the crew at Revival Cycles. There may be more and more choppers on display these days, but Texas still brings out radical cafe racers by the score. And I’m not just throwing props to the Handbuilt team for putting together a professional, nononsense event; the ton-up rides they invited to the spacious (and air-conditioned) 150,000 square foot Austin American Statesman Hall were all worthy of a good, long look. One of my personal favorites was Corban Gallagher’s Harley-Davidson Sportster.
The scientist-builder desired an XL that looked like a 1960s Grand Prix racer and he more than succeeded with his Harley Bitsa special. The engine is an XL1200cc model with a big bore kit, Buell Thunderstorm heads with domed pistons, a racing clutch and dual shotgun exhausts. Gallagher designed the custom swingarm to hold a Ducati Supersport 1000 shock and he adapted a Buell inverted fork with perimeter brakes, too. The Airtech gas tank holds both fuel and engine oil while the fairing is a replica Triumph model from the 1960s. All bodywork is fiberglass, by the way. And who can resist the Audi gray paint?
There were 150 invited bikes at Handbuilt this year and I couldn’t tear my eyes away from Dwight Mason’s totally fire Suzuki GSX-R750 cafe retro, either. The early Gixxers are tops on the collector wish lists these days, so seeing one of the Japanese fours chopped and modded was a real boost. The 1990 model runs a half fairing designed on Dwight’s computer using special software and cardboard(!) templates, a custom-made rear subframe (look close and you can still see the weld marks) a cafe seat made from fiberglass and a very loud Cone Engineering four-into-one exhaust.
At Maryland’s yearly Classic Motorcycle Day, we expected to see only antiques on the lawn, but damned if outside-the-box bike visionary Sean Skinner didn’t show up with another one-off creation. Skinner’s multifaceted skills were working overtime on a bizarre build that
I’m heading back out for more shows soon as the season’s show circuit is just now heating up. Look for more next issue. CR
Sean Skinner has turned his considerable skills to converting a Yamaha snowmobile into a mini bike replica.
Dwight Mason went all 1980s endurance racer with his classic Suzuki Gixxer at this year's Handbuilt Show.
Stars & Stripes for a Razor-Sharp Italian
Jose warned Jay and me that the new, 2024 MV Agusta Dragster RR SCS America was an attention-getter. As he wheeled it from the trailer at our test ride gathering spot, his words proved prophetic with passers-by asking, “What kind of bike is THAT?” Others noted its resemblance to something Evel Knievel would have ridden back in the ‘70s, or Captain America’s bike for the next Marvel “Avengers” movie. All of those observations are correct, but none do the 800c triple complete justice. It’s no overstatement to say the MV America is one of the most stunning two-wheeled conveyances ever built – by a mainstream motorcycle manufacturer, that is.
Story By Mike Seate and Jay LaRossa
Photos By Jose Gallina, MV Agusta and Mike Seate
A virtual feast for the eyes, the Dragster America RR is festooned with gorgeous details. Clear clutch cover reveals the counter-rotating crank in motion.
FIRST RIDE MV Agusta Dragster America
“I’ll bet it rips like crazy,” Jay said, swiping the triangular ignition key and pulling on his helmet. Having raced an MV Brutale for several years, Jay LaRossa is something of an expert on these exotic Italian speedsters. The 12-valve water-cooled engine is a raw mechanically noisy beast, ready to let loose with a bum-clenching level of torque at the merest whiff of the lightweight throttle. It’s also capable of hugging lines like Lewis Hamilton’s F1 Mercedes. Jay couldn’t agree more after his first loop through our favorite canyons.
“For some reason it feels together and more controlled than the 1000cc Brutale we tested last year,” he gushed. “I hit the gas pretty hard – enough for the front end to get light and make the bars wobble – and it still dropped into a corner like a bullet train. This thing is awesome.” In retrospect, the 190-horsepower liter-sized Brutale was just a bit too aggressive for the tight, twisty So Cal roads we prefer. However, the 140-horse 800 is blessed with the perfect level of arm-
Bright colors and easy-read tachometer make the Dragster America's dash a plus. Lighted handlebar switches are ace.
The Dragster is a hoot on fast straight roads, but its ideal habitat is corners, which it devours like an F1 racer. Jay is no doubt smiling inside that helmet.
FIRST RIDE MV Agusta Dragster America
urban areas either. It’s light enough (at a claimed 385 pounds sans fuel and oil) to switch directions with bicycle-like ease. The SCS in its name represents the Smart Clutch System, an innovative slice of tech that allows riders to program away the responsibility of engaging the clutch at the handlebar lever. It’s an odd thing, but downshifting into first from a standstill with no clutch starts to grow on you after a bit. Still hatin’ on the clutch lever? Just engage the electronic quickshifter, which allows a full-on romp through all six evenly-spaced gears using just your left foot and the throttle as your guide.
There’s plenty more Buck Rogers tech, which helps justify the Dragster’s stratospheric $28,299 price tag. Wheelie control (trust us, you’ll need it) traction control with eight separate mapping options, a six-axis IMU, ABS and a full-color TFT dash with a very attractive circular tach display that makes flirting with the 13,000 redline a constant temptation are all on offer.
And you’ll be tempted like a medieval saint each time you hear the very mechanical engine clatter to life. Once the raspy threecylinder idle evens out, it’s showtime, with the MV devouring corners hungrily. The seating position places the rider high into the wind, but the wide, flat tallish bars are such a welcome relief from the torturous low clip-ons of MV’s retro cafe Superveloce that the America feels like a sport-tourer by comparison. Like Triumph’s Speed Triple, this machine has several sweet spots where the reverse-direction crank smooths out en-
what’s so special about Italian exotica. “Come on, throw me another fast, uphill sweeper,” your brain murmurs. We can handle it and more.” It’s worth noting that Jay weight a good 80 pounds less than me, but the firm suspension never needed its adjusters tampered with.
And then there’s the America’s looks. There are quite a few very attractive sporty motorcycles crowding showrooms these days, but few could be described as a pure styling exercise. This bike’s lengthy background dates back to the red, white and blue MV Agusta 750 America of 1973 (see sidebar) which, like this motorcycle, wasn’t to everyone’s tastes. However the ‘73 model soon developed a fanatical following and became an instant collector’s item. I suspect this MV, of which only 300 have been imported to these shores, will endure a similar fate. Museum-quality aesthetics abound, including the solid carbon rear wheel cover, the clear Lexan clutch cover that exposes the crank in feverish rotation, the downright sexy bodywork and the finish which is top-shelf all around.
2024 MV Agusta Dragster America RR SCS
MSRP: $28,299
It goes like stink, stops faster than your brain can process and turns like an electric dreidel. It’s also blingier then Flava Flav’s jewelry box, which means the Dragster America RR should easily find its home in the garages of high-earners everywhere.
Would we buy one? Well, for us poor print journos, 28K and change could buy a couple 1990s naked sportsters, a classic Britbike and still leave enough for a vacation to the Classic
Engine: 798cc inline triple with counterrotating crankshaft
Transmission: Six-speed with hydraulic Smart Clutch System automatic shift and two-way quickshifter.
Brakes: Dual semi-floating 320mm rotors with radial Brembo four-piston calipers, front; Two-piston Brembo caliper with 220mm rotor; cornering ABS included.
Wheels and Tires: Six-spoke forged aluminum wheels with 17x200 rear Pirelli Diablo Rosso; 120/70x17 front.
Frame: Tubular steel with 55” wheelbase
Power: 140 horsepower @12,300 RPM; 64 foot-pounds of torque at 10,250 RPM
We Dig: The sheer boldness and flawless museum-quality details and finish. The taillight is a work of art. Bellisimo!
We’d Ditch: The stock exhaust for the MV accessory Akrapovic muffler for eight extra ponies, please.
The bars are wide and comfy and the bar-end mirrors fold in if lane-splitting is legal in your state.
The sculpted taillight is a bright LED unit that will keep owners smiling and drivers aware of the MV’s presence.
MV Agusta’s American Offerings
Back in 1973 stunt rider and orthopedic surgeon’s dream Evel Knievel was at the top of his bus-jumping game, and 27time Grand Prix champion Giacomo Agostini had just recorded a Daytona 200 victory, and MV Agusta, Italy’s smallbatch, high-performance motorcycle maker, was in a celebratory mood. Even though Ago’s Daytona win came aboard a Yamaha, he was closely associated with MV. It seemed the right time to release a version of their competition-proven double-overhead cam 750 in bold (some would say garish) red, white and blue livery. The inline four was definitely speedy for its time, capable of 135 MPH, even in street trim. Drum brakes, Ceriani forks and a then-astonishing $5,000 asking price kept this a rare machine on US roads. The relatively quick-revving engine’s DNA could be traced to the 500cc four designed by former Gilera engineer Piero Remor way back in 1952. The design proved to have some seriously
Project 921
In 2022, photos emerged of a very intriguing take on the original 750 Sport in the form of this captivating retro 921cc MV four. The prototype motorcycle was created by designers Brian Gillen and Stephen Zache and appears to have been engineered from the ground up with a completely new chassis unlike anything currently seen on MV models. The cafe fuel tank is clearly based on the 1973 machine’s bodywork while the engine is a 900cc four based on the Brutale supernaked. The very “Jetsons” pop-up bum-stop atop the tail unit is certainly unique while the heavily braced swingarm and aggressive riding position reveal this machine’s purposeful, highperformance intent. Tuned for road, not race use, there are 115 horses on tap and 80 very accessible foot-pounds of torque. Check out the alloy front brake cover which funnels cooling air to the overheated rotors. No word yet on whether a production model will ever reach showrooms, but it looks damn promising. CR
Dual Purpose Twin
Story by Mike Seate • Photos by Kevin Wing/BMW Motorrad
Iknow what you’re thinking, faithful readers, what’s a bloody adventure bike doing in Cafe Racer Magazine, and in an issue dedicated to Serious Speed, no less. We wondered much the same when invited to sample the new-for-2024 BMW F900GS in the Nevada desert. Aesthetically, the chunky styling and tall suspension evoke chaps in Cordura riding suits with visions of “Long Way Round” inside their Schuberth flip-open helmets. But let loose on the long fast roads and roller coaster mountains of Southern Nevada, the F900’s churning, buttery-smooth parallel twin engine makes for some seriously rapid progress.
With an Edge
Both the yellow and white F900GS are born to climb mountains and ford streams. Or, in our case, zip along backroads like a cafe racer (well, almost).
FIRST RIDE BMW F900 GS
Personally, I’m no fan of riding motorcycles in sand, mud and other surfaces that make cornering hard and rear wheels skid. However, we’ve spent more than a year with Royal Enfield’s Scram 411, a mid-sized dualsport single that’s somehow won over everyone on the CRM team who’s ridden it.
So in the interest of maintaining an open mind towards all things with two wheels and handlebars, we spent a long, hot and very sunny day exploring just what makes motorcycles like the F900GS so popular.
For starters, most of the journey was on smooth, paved roads. This carefully selected mix of highways and twisty mountain passes revealed how poised and quick this 485-pound machine is on its wheels. A good 30 pounds were shaved from the previous model, making this the sweetest-handling ADV bike we’ve yet sampled. But wait, aren’t these knobby tire-wearing, rock-vaulting bikes supposed to be clumsy in corners?
In theory, yes, but BMW’s answer lies in upgraded suspension in the form of a 43mm Showa inverted fork with a whopping 8.5 inches of travel and a matching adjustable shock that bounces a stream-fording 9.1 inches. The chassis is composed of a tubular steel trellis with 28 degrees of rake and a stiff aluminum swingarm. This configuration makes for sure-footed control when the going gets bumpy and plenty of smooth progress on the tarmac.
Such stratospheric suspension travel does, indeed, translate into an equally tall seat height at 34.3 inches, but not to worry. The clever people in white lab coats at BMW have devised a lower accessory seat that drops the distance between bum and pavement to just 32 inches. Likewise, I blanched at the sight of a spindly 21” front wheel, but the skinny rim seemed to have no negative effect on ride quality.
Comedian and CRM road tester Alonzo Bodden has long been an advocate for the new generation of quick, ergonomically friendly adventure bikes and it’s easy to see why. As a second motorcycle in the garage, the F900 is a worthy companion to your cafe racer, and you might find yourself buzzing along backroads with less pain in the knees, lower back, wrists and whatever else Advil was designed for. Still, the F900 may have received a complete technical overhaul, but its looks are nothing you’d lust after. The white, blue and day-glow red graphics are certainly sporty, but the lengthy tail section, duckbill front fairing and general Tonka truck styling leave this rider unimpressed. One wonders if all adventure bikes need be so downright oogly?
But the point of this experience is not to swoon over how cool and sexy a bike like the F900 is. Instead, it’s meant to cover miles without complaint, and that’s where the F900GS really shows its strengths. There are electronic rider aids to spare, with six-axis
IMU, traction control, heated grips, a smartphone connection and a USB charging port. Did I mention both Rain and Road riding modes? BMW also offer plentiful upgrades like a Full Enduro package that makes it easier to climb the sort of obstacles that make goats nervous. My favorite and fully unexpected feature was the motor, a raspy, quick-off-the-throttle beauty that pulls like LeBron James in a club on Ladies Night. Regardless of which of the six gears you’re in, the two cylinders work in unison to create the perfect level of thrust and/or grunt. I’ve long believed 100 or so horsepower to be just about perfect for a street machine as it’s enough to make for exciting acceleration without making control more difficult. The F900 pulses out 105 ponies at 8,500 RPM and 69 foot-pounds of torque at 6,750, both sweet spots for everyday riders and riding.
The extra 50cc over 2023’s model is further buffeted by forged pistons and two counterbalancers to smooth out engine pulses. The odd 270-degree firing order helps create one of the grooviest exhaust notes going, with my ears constantly telling me this powerplant would be perfect in a sportier chassis, wrapped in polished alloy bodywork...but I digress.
If you’ve yet to sample one of these do-it-all motorcycles, it’s worth at least a brief demo ride, as bikes like BMW’s F900GS reveal what the other kids have been raving about all these years. No, I’m not trading in my black leather and low bars for a nylon one-piece and stainless bags anytime soon, but if I ever find myself needing to vault the Matterhorn or make my way along a 100-mile fire road, this would be the go-to machine. CR
Brakes: Twin Brembo two-piston calipers with 305mm rotors and cornering ABS, front: 220 rotor with single-piston Brembo caliper.
Wheels: 21x2.15 spoked front, 4.25x17 rear with alloy rims
Suspension: Fully adjustable Showa 43mm inverted forks with 9.1 inches travel; Showa shock with preload and rebound adjustment 8.5 inches travel.
Power: 105 horsepower at 8,500 RPM; 69 footpounds torque at 6,750 RPM
Fuel Capacity: 3.8 gallons
Fuel Economy: 43 MPG
We Dig: The amazing engine and spot-on cornering
We’d Ditch: The too-tall suspension
The Akrapovic muffler makes sweet music from the 895cc parallel twin engine.
The very definition of all-day riding comfort. We never knew such a concept existed!
The Paddock
Good Year for the Gentleman
The annual Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride was moved from September to May this year, resulting in the best turnout yet for the global charity ride. Triumph Motorcycles is one of the event’s main sponsors in North America and reports record growth in money raised for the Movember Foundation, a leading men’s health initiative. The May 19th event saw 959 separate rides in over 100 locations worldwide, which drew a recordbreaking 113,000 riders who contributed or raised a total of $7.6 million. This will go a long way towards improving both physical and mental health awareness, and dressing up in your best dapper tweed and formal wear is always a blast. Good on ‘ya Gents!'
J Wood Auction Springfield
Few events get our pulses (and pocketbooks) pumping like a classic motorcycle auction, and our friends at J Wood and Co. have scheduled a real barn-burner for September 28th. That’s when they’ll place 128 rare and unusual machines under the auctioneer’s gavel in Springfield, MA. The collection of bikes, accessories and motorcycle ephemera belonged to the late Jack Weaver and the former service center and dealership’s contents are being sold off to the highest bidders. There is even some choice cafe racer content mixed in with dozens of 1960s and ‘70s motocrossers, dual sport bikes and a bit of everything in between. On-line bidding is available via www.jwoodandcompany.com and you can actually consign some of your own bikes or parts by calling (978) 939-2309.
Bikers vs Werewolves Movie
Grom Prix
Across the country, customized small-displacement streetbikes are blowing up huge, and for good reason. They’re cheap to own and run and easy to modify for (sorta) high-speed romps. Those factors prompted the folks at Alabama’s Barber Motorsports Park to sponsor the first-ever Grom Prix, named after Honda’s ubiquitous 125cc thumper. Honda rolled out their latest 2025 Grom for the track event which saw dozens of the tiny-wheeled tiddlers buzzing around the hilly circuit the weekend of June 8 and 9. On hand were highly modified machines reflecting the endless tuning capabilities of these pint-sized nakeds, including bikes outfitted with miniature Ohlins racing suspension, carbon fiber bodywork and big bore engines propelling them to over 90 MPH. Look for a full road test of the latest Grom plus BMW’s CE02 electric-powered mini in an upcoming issue.
In the grand cinematic tradition of overthe-top horror action flicks, including “Cowboys vs Aliens” and “Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters,” comes this gnarly, funlooking thriller. Starring Glenn Plummer and Jake Busey, the tale follows a group of Sturgis-bound outlaw bikers as they stop for the night and end up in a, ahem, hairy fight for their lives. After the unexpected success of “The Bikeriders” earlier this summer, several motorcycle-themed films are reportedly in production. Let’s hope one of them involves riding fast cafe racers instead of the usual guns/gangs and gore nonsense.
Royal Enfield Rentals and Tours
Coming soon, fans and would-be owners of Royal Enfield’s best-selling middleweight machines will have a unique opportunity to rent motorcycles from their expansive line-up in some 25 countries around the world. Yes, the program will provide a chance for us Western riders to log some saddle time aboard an Enfield single or twin in their home turf of India, while 52 additional rental destinations from England to Peru and Namibiaare now on offer. There are guided tours or, for more adventurous types, self-guided rides where you can set your own route. “Royal Enfield has long been associated with epic journeys of exploration, with enthusiasts traversing countries, and continents on our motorcycles for decades,” Royal Enfield CEO, B. Govindarajan said. It’s a great way to see more from behind a set of handlebars than the local backroads, so check out the details at www.royalenfield.com/rentals.
Ace Cafe Florida, Take Two
Bimota Returns To Racing
The Italian small-batch manufacturer hasn’t won a World Superbike race since the late Anthony Gobert took first place aboard one of their Suzuki TL1000-powered beauties 24 years ago. Now owned by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Bimota has announced a return to the fastest production racing class starting next year. The firm has specialized in crafting brilliant chassis draped in high-tech components since the 1970s and currently offers a hub-center steering special, housing one of Team Green’s crazed 220-horsepower supercharged H2 engines. No word just yet on what sort of racebike will emerge from the combined engineering departments based in Japan and Italy, though the firm’s last SBK effort in 2013 revolved around a BMW S1000RR superbike motor in a custom frame. Whatever’s in the works will definitely be wicked-fast and damned good-looking.
MV and KTM – A Marriage of Convenience
Italy’s MV Agusta design, manufacture and race some of the most desirable, high-performance motorcycles on the planet. However, the brand’s showroom presence has always lagged behind that of their competitors. Not anymore, thanks to a merger of sorts pairing MV’s current 2025 lineup with the vast dealer network of KTM. The Austrian firm have not only installed executive Hubert Trunkenpolz as chairman and CEO of MV Agusta, they’ve also partnered to offer their three-cylinder superbikes, retros and naked machines in all 353 of KTM’s North American and Mexican showrooms. This is a smart move considering KTM now own about half of MV. No more trucking your Superveloce or Dragster hundreds of miles to an out-of-state dealer for service and parts, and details on just where your nearest location resides can be found at www.mvagusta.com.
Plans were recently announced to launch a second Ace Cafe in sunny Sanford, Florida, a bold move considering the Ace Cafe in nearby Orlando closed its doors last year. Chief organizer Steve Glum tells CRM the newest US franchise of the legendary London cycle spot and greasy spoon will open its doors in a “prime location in Downtown Sanford, near other entertainment, bars and restaurants, with a lot of visitors and foot-traffic.” Though the previous Ace Florida drew more muscle cars and Harleys than cafe racers, it’s good to see this slice of British biking culture taking a foothold here in the States. Stay tuned for word on a grand opening date. Visit www.acecafesanford.com or follow the progress on social media @AceCafeSanford.
Our Favorite Jokes
A woman approaches a pharmacist and asks for a bottle of arsenic. “Um, what do you need it for?” the startled pharmacist asks. The woman whips out her phone and shows him a video of her husband having sex with another woman. The pharmacist is startled to see the woman in the video is his wife. “I didn’t realize you had a prescription, Ma’am,” he says. “Would you prefer pills or liquid?”
The Paddock
Kawasaki Z650RS
No, the newfangled version of Kawasaki’s mid-sized marvel Z650 may not be a four as its 1970s predecessor was, but the torquey twin has proven popular in its own right. For 2024, the retro-styled parallel twin is available with a stealthy gray-onblack paint scheme while it still handles like a dream due its steel trellis chassis and back-link rear suspension system. New this year is three-stage traction control to augment the slipper-clutch, anti-lock brakes and that inimitable 1970s styling. The watercooled engine is derived from the Ninja 650 twin that spawned its own Isle of Man TT racing class, so you know it’s robust and responds well to tuning. Lighter than the beefy Z900RS four and easier to maneuver, the 650Rs is just $11,399.
Aprilia RSV4 Factory and Tuono Factory
It’s tough to believe that 15 years have passed since Grand Prix champ Max Biaggi took the World Superbike title aboard an Aprilia RSV4 superbike. Tougher still to conceive is the 1,100cc V4 is still in production. The Noale-built missile’s longevity is proof of the design’s superiority, which is being celebrated with two all-new editions of the top-selling Aprilias. Both the shockingly comfortable Tuono V4 Factory and the race-replica RSV4 are dressed to thrill in Max Biaggi livery, celebrating the so-called Roman Emperor’s 2009 title-winning season, which cemented the company as a serious player in the big bore superbike market. Both share 160-plus horsepower, smooth-shifting, watercooled engines, all the latest tech and electronic rider aids and adjustable Ohlins suspension front and rear. The fairingwrapped RSV4 09 runs $26,499 while the Tuono 09 sells for a more modest $19,999.
A World of Unique Wheels
Jim Hodges Triton
One of the UK’s most inventive and resourceful new school cafe racer designers, Jim Hodges’s take on the timeless Triton had to be a winner. The base parts include a 1960 Norton Wideline featherbed frame fitted with Norton’s roadholder forks and a genuine Manx swingarm. A blend of old and new components, the bike is powered by a 1955 Triumph T110 650cc pre-unit Bonneville engine with a 9-stud cylinder head, mated to a belt drive primary from Bob Newby. We dig Jim’s expert machining on the minimalist primary “cover” and extra long intake stacks. That’s a very rare John Tickle twin leading shoe front brake laced to one of two Morad flanged alloy wheels, both finished in subtle black powdercoat. Modern touches like the tinted flyscreen and dual high-rise left-side headers lend the Triton an edgy street racer look.
BSA With A Backstory
We met Bill Burdett at the Mecum Las Vegas Motorcycle Auction attempting to sell his 1956 BSA Gold Star 500 single. The BSA had been purchased new by high school chum Lloyd Edwards who raced the single and then stored it for over 40 years. Two years ago, Bill couldn’t resist buying it for himself. The Goldie may look rough, but Bill tells us it’s all original right down to the six-volt electrics, open scramblers exhaust and factory magneto ignition. The BSA was even offered with a Hap Jones dyno chart, detailing its 37 horsepower output, thanks to racing cams and pistons installed to prepare the bike for scrambles racing. “I put gas and oil in her and kicked it and she started right up after all those years,” Bill said. Before taking ownership, the 1940s film star Betty Hutton used to ride pillion on the DB34, which is still for sale for around $12,000. Interested parties can contact us and we’ll put you onto Bill’s historical hot rod.
Ducktail Ducati
Our ace photographer Simon Everett continues to unearth the most exotic and unusual custom motorcycles in the British Isles, the latest being this Ducati 900SS special spotted at Rayson’s Exhausts in Rochdale. The specialist header and muffler manufacturers are experts at bending one-off pipes to fit custom motorcycles of all stripes and this air-cooled, 1990s Duck certainly fits the, erm, bill. The lightweight fiberglass bodywork is clearly inspired by Buell’s S-1 Lightning models, while the dual exhausts exiting from beneath the stubby tail section are pure Mike Hailwood Replica Ducati. A halffairing and highly-modded rear subframe are part of an extensive reworking of the 900cc roadster that we’ll feature once the paint and detailing are completed later this year.
Fuller Commando
Atlanta’s premiere hot rod impresario Bryan Fuller has long admired classic British bikes, but only recently shifted his focus to building rides like this scintillating Norton Commando. The 750cc twin has been recreated to resemble a sort of art deco take on 1960s cafe racers with hand-pounded alloy bodywork from the humpback seat to the sexy, half-fairing with low-rise windshield. The crazy green powdercoated wheels offset the green and black pinstriping throughout, while the Beringer front disc brake and extended swingarm with Fox Racing shocks prove this glistening special is meant to run in the fast lane. The chromed exhausts that wind their way through the oilcarrying chassis are a typical Fuller invention as is the Brian Heydt primary cover. It’s the kind of craftsmanship that is much fun to gawp at as it would be to ride.
Top Gear
All the Latest Kit for Ride and Rider
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Lewis Leathers T-Shirts
Paper Maps
Their classic riding jackets capture the style and spirit of the original Ton-Up generation and now London’s Lewis Leathers have some amazing, high-quality T-shirts available to complete your look. These designs are culled from a series of popular motorcycle and helmet decals produced by Slikk Designs back in the 1960s and feature wicked-cool skull and tiger logos, a flying eagle and the cover artwork from the original “Leatherboys” novel that inspired the 1963 rocker film. Made from 100% cotton, they’ll last for years and make you look like a genuine leatherboy (or girl). Sized from XS to XL for around $55 each.
Enough with mounting smartphones on your handlebars and following clueless, incomplete GPS programs to find your way to the next destination. Old school paper maps are, believe it or not, still available and unlike software logarithms, they never scroll to update at the worst possible time. They are designed by genuine experts and make travel on two wheels an adventure, not an exercise in following orders. Best of all, they cost only a few bucks from your local AAA outlet or try www.butlermaps.com for a line of durable maps covering all 50 states.
A Guide To Rude Hand Gestures of the World
Planning on some international travel sometime soon? If so, you’ll want the ability to communicate with the locals. Find fascinating, non-verbal ways to tell folks to piss off, screw themselves and other offensive salutations in this handy and very funny illustrated book. We’ve had our copy just a few weeks and already learned that nearly every nation has its own clever sign language for things you’d rather not say in public. It’s also helped s understand what Italian and French Moto GP racers are expressing when they’re passed too closely by Marc Marquez. Amazing and educational for just $29.99 from bookstores everywhere.
Great Composite Jacket With a Silly Name
Portland, Oregon’s Icon is now in their third decade of manufacturing hip, stylish riding gear and their latest summer motorcycle jacket is fast becoming one of our favorites. The Mesh AF (use your imagination) jacket combines leather (shoulders, lower arms) with perforated, free-breathing mesh in the torso and back. The shoulders, elbows and spine are equipped with CE-approved soft armor while the zipper is a sturdy YKK metal piece, guaranteed to last. All for $250 in sizes small through XXXL from www.rideicon.com.
Roadskin Leg Bag
There are times when you don’t (or in the case of an aluminum fuel tank, can’t) be bothered to pack your incidentals into a magnetic or strap-down tank bag. Backpacks are cumbersome and heavy, so what’s the best option? Try one of Roadskin’s leather leg bags. These thigh-mounted satchels are slim enough to be comfortable during your ride while two separate metal zippered pockets mean there’s enough room for important documents, sunglasses, cigars, or whatever else your ride isn’t complete without. Off the bike the leg bag can easily be worn like a crossbody bum bag. Around $63 from www.roadskin.co.uk.
Multicolored Wiring Kit
Heading into a challenging DIY wiring job on your latest project bike? You’ll want to be equipped with one of these all-in-one wiring kits we found on eBay. Six spools of different-colored 18 gauge copper wire wrapped in thick, rubber insulation are provided, along with a handy storage box that features individual holes for deploying each to your desired length. The kit even includes a cutting tool, vinyl connector covers that can be shrink-fit with a heat gun and color-matched zip ties to keep the wiring clean and orderly. Choose from six, 15-foot lengths for $28.99 or 25-foot for $42.99 from eBay.
Hardware Sorter
If you’re like most mechanics, loose nuts and bolts tend to pile up in the workshop at an alarming rate. And if you work on both Japanese and British (or American-made) motorbikes, it can create even more disarray. But dig this – we found a brilliant solution to hardware sorting in a local Do It Best home center for just $34.99. The tough anodized aluminum nut and bolt thread checker is equipped with threaded holes and studs to provide quick categorization of 28 different diameters and thread counts of both metric and standard hardware. Stop, ahem, digging in your nuts and get sorted at your local hardware store or eBay.
The Market Vincent Project Bikes
Story by Paul D. Stanstead
Photos CRM Archive
One of the perks of writing for a motorcycle magazine is getting first dibs on offers that roll in for used motorbikes. Some are an instant hard pass (basket case racebikes or anything sans certificate of title) while others are just tempting enough to get the staff’s tongues wagging for weeks. Such was the case of an email that arrived not long ago touting a “rare, complete Vincent Rapide with full documentation and matching (engine and frame) numbers, $40,000.”
What intrigued me about the offer wasn’t the chance to spend several seasons piecing together a mid-century British classic, a task I’m more than familiar with. The rather steep price at the end of the offer proved most puzzling as prices for the big, black (and occasionally red) V-twins from Stevenage have recently started to decline considerably. A few years in the recent past, a feeding (or collecting) frenzy for all things Vincent caused prices to spike into downright outrageous territory, with rusty, unrestored versions demanding – and often getting – six figure sums at auction.
However, like the market for Ford’s oncehallowed Model T, the number of wellheeled punters willing to fork over new pickup truck money for an antique British motorcycle appears to be diminishing. At last January’s Las Vegas Mecum Motorcycle Auction, Vincent twins could be found for well below six figures while the weakened British Pound has seen restored examples across the pond selling for less than $37,000.
What’s behind this sudden market adjustment?
We asked Ryan Ambrose, classic Britbike technician at Big D Cycle in Texas, as he’s helped rebuild several Vincents over the years. “The varying prices havez a lot to do with whether the bike for sale has matching
This may look like a collection of dusty old motorcycle parts awaiting assembly, but the Vincent label means a $40,000 asking price.
from original factory parts is considered inferior and that can affect how much it’s worth,” he said.
presstime, we found a Black Shadow on offer on eBay for a staggering $130,000, while just days earlier, a restored Rapide – which is
motorcycle and keep an eye on the auctions where prices tend to be more realistic and bikes priced to sell. Follow these steps
Want a restored Shadow? Just fork over $130,000 for this one.
Or pick this Rapide up, which is not terribly different, for $42,000. Prices may vary, indeed!
Harley-Davidson Goes Hooligan
Milwaukee’s Pan America finds racing success in MotoAmerica’s Super Hooligan class.
Story by Anthony Conroy • Photos By Brian J. Nelson
After a year of gaining experience on the track, Harley-Davidson is proving itself to be a force in one of the world’s most diverse roadracing classes, and it’s doing so with, on paper at least, the unlikeliest of motorcycles.
At Daytona International Speedway in March, riders aboard highlymodified Pan America 1250s, bikes built to propel Harley-Davidson’s adventure-touring sales, made a statement, and a not-so-subtle one.
In just its second season in MotoAmerica’s no-holds-barred Super Hooligan class, Pan America riders swept the podium in Race 2, proving to the field — and arch-rival Indian — that the Harley-Davidson is worthy and a serious contender for the class championship. Propelling the Pan Am is Harley’s 60-degree, water-cooled Revolution Max 1250 engine. Introduced for the 2021 model year, the powerplant produces 150 horses and 95 foot pounds of torque in stock form.
Jack Lewis: Saddlemen/Harley-Davidson rider Jake Lewis (#85) took a win, one of four podium finishes for Pan America riders, during the Super Hooligan competition at Ridge Motorsports Park in June.
“The sky’s the limit for the 1250, so I wanted to be a part of making that grow — the Pan America and the Revolution Max platform as a whole in motorsports because the Pan America is a highly capable machine, but the powertrain and the bones of the motorcycle are so versatile,” said Kyle Wyman, who owns KWR, one of the teams running Pan Ams in Super Hooligan. He also rides a factory Road Glide in the King of the Bagger class.
“The Pan America is already so versatile and we have so much opportunity to turn it into what you’re seeing now. Guys are doing almost 170 mph with a stock Pan Am engine and it’s amazing,” he said.
The Super Hooligan class rules state that stock liquid-cooled engines can make no more than 125 horsepower, so the Harleys were initially restricted by using the Sportster S airbox and velocity stacks. MotoAmerica recently gave some power back by allowing the Pan Ams to use the stock velocity stacks, a move that breathed more life into the bikes and into the rivalry between Harley-Davidson and Indian’s FTR 1200.
“The (Super Hooligan) class concept was sort of built around Indian, and you see what Indian has done with their product as a result,” said Wyman. “They came out with an FTR 1200 based on the class, so we’re just a little bit late to the party. The Pan Am didn’t originally fit into the rules package when the class came out, but the idea that it could be a good fit and have parity with the other manufacturers started to take shape.”
Super Hooligan is the brainchild of custom bike builder, designer and ex-250cc racing champ Roland Sands, and began life in 2015 as a flattrack series built around Indian motorcycles. It has since evolved into a roadracing series that now includes 12 manufacturers and 10 races at five venues as a support class in MotoAmerica, the nation’s premier domestic series. “I love naked bikes. I love roadracing, and I’m a hooligan, so it all came together,” said Sands. “I knew I didn’t want to jump back into road racing as I’d done before, so it was important to have a lifestyle attached to what we do.”
Super Hooligan is tapping into an energy created by the marketplace, where ADVs and naked bikes are the fastest-growing segment in the industry. “This is racing at the bold end of the spectrum: inappropriate, unruly and fast,” said Sands. “I think that means eyeballs and interest. Naked bikes with flat number plates carry a nostalgic feel to them and that’s just plain cool.”
H-D GETS ON BOARD
For Harley, the King of the Baggers and Super Hooligan series play right into the corporate strategy: race what you sell. That lesson is one the company learned more than two decades ago when it raced the VR1000, a bike Harley built to homologate for the racetrack and compete in the former AMA Superbike class.
“With King of the Baggers and the Road Glide that Kyle races, we’re literally racing our top-selling motorcycle,” said Paul James, Harley-Davidson’s spokesman. “He’s riding a bike that, yes, it’s a racebike, and they’ve designed it to feel like a racebike, but it’s using a stock frame, it’s using stock cases, and it’s using a lot of other stock components that are on these bikes that we sell so many of. And that’s a huge change from when we raced the VR1000. Yes, there was a production version that was street legal. But it wasn’t based on anything we were really selling. To be able to race bikes that are production machines sold in showrooms today, that means something.”
Unlike Indian, which backs true factory teams in King of the Baggers and Super Hooligan, Harley-Davidson has limited its factory ambitions to just King of the Baggers. James said H-D has no immediate plans to field a factory squad in Super Hooligan. Instead, two main teams — Team Saddlemen and KWR — are developing the race version of the Pan Am with close support from the factory.
After a career racing and winning in 250 Grand Prix, Roland Sands turned his attention to designing and building custom motorcycles. Today, he runs the Super Hooligan racing series.
“We got some more new things on the line,” said Cory West, one of Saddlemen’s three riders who won Race 2 at Daytona and finished third in Race 1. “The Saddlemen guys built a new exhaust for us, and I know we’re working hard with Harley-Davidson to try to get a quickshifter that works on it. And we’re trying to get a better tune on it so the (bike) is a little more rideable right off the bottom in the low RPMs. If we can dial that thing in just the slightest little bit, it’s going to be a real weapon on the racetrack.”
FROM ADVENTURE BIKE TO RACER
First, let’s get past the idea that Harley-Davidson is racing an adventure bike, not a naked bike or streetfighter, such as the BMW R nineT, KTM 890 Duke R, Yamaha MT-09 SP, or Aprilia Tuono, which are some of the other bikes running in Super Hooligan.
“If that’s the only thing we did, was race a Pan Am, then maybe people would think, ‘Oh my, God, what is this?’ ” said James. “But since we’re already racing Road Glides, they’re like, ‘Well, of course they’re going to race that.’ ”
The heart of the Pan Am is the Rev Max 1250 engine, whose characteristics make it one of the most formidable engines the company has ever built. Take for instance the XR1200, which Harley raced in a single-manufacturer class. Its engine was an air-cooled, pushrod, 45-degree V-twin that produced around 80 horsepower. The Rev Max 1250 couldn’t be more opposite in character and performance.
The difference is “Night and day,” said James. “In terms of architecture and the way it builds power.”
Of the Rev Max, Wyman said “It’s not designed for racing, but it’s more appropriate for racing in that it’s a modern-architecture, 60-degree Vtwin, and … it’s a lot more appropriate than the pushrod, 131 Milwaukee-Eight that we use in King of the Baggers. So I think from a base package, it takes a lot less for the Revolution Max engine to be a viable racing platform.”
In Super Hooligan, teams are forbidden from modifying the engine’s bore (105 mm) and stroke (72.3 mm), so converting the big twin for racing means more than just removing the headlight and mirrors. In an effort to shed mass and increase performance, just about everything on the bike has been scrutinized.
At Saddlemen, that’s meant a customized exhaust system, a carbon fiber subframe, and shortened suspension. They are also pursuing
cooled motorcycles “must maintain stock frames with no fabrication allowed.” While Pan Ams have no frame and use the engine as a stressed member, its teams need to be careful with any modifications that link directly to the engine.
Wyman said a big change started with the wheels.
“For one, we went to 17-inch wheels, and that’s a big deal. We run an Ohlins cartridge kit in the front forks and an Ohlins TTX rear shock. From there, it’s just stripping off everything that’s not needed. So you have (to remove) that whole front fairing, and you got the crash bar. We took the whole tail section and customized it to chop it, not only to save weight but to (eliminate) bulkiness.”
Wyman said his bikes rolled across the Daytona scales at 449 pounds. That figure is more than 100 less than the 569 pounds the Pan Am weighs in stock trim but a whopping 72 pounds from the class minimum of 377 pounds for water-cooled bikes. “We could literally try to get 80 pounds off the bike and still be legal, so we’ve got a long way to go to reach the ceiling for this bike,” said Wyman. “The rules package allows you to do a lot of things that we haven’t even scratched the surface on.”
With a few exceptions, pretty much anything goes in Super Hooligan, which Sands says is by design. “That’s what it’s all about,” he said. “Giving people the opportunity to race what they want to race with somewhat loose rules and lots of room to be creative. It’s a builders class through and through.”
James said the secret to the Pan America’s competitiveness began long before any modifications were made.
“Having the bones be as good as they are, then you’re not that far off from Super Hooligan competitiveness,” he said. “Just lower the bike and take that suspension that’s not the long-travel adventure bike
suspension — but still enables that desired lean angle but controls it better because it has shorter travel — and you’re halfway there.”
STEADY IMPROVEMENTS
Building a racebike is a fluid process, and Saddlemen and KWR have both gained experience from last season when Pan Ams finished just twice on the podium. As Wyman’s team continues to develop its bikes, he said managing the electronics has been their biggest stumbling block. After Daytona, the team put each bike on the dyno and found they were making different levels of power.
“We’re still in the early, early stages of fuel mapping,” he said. “We showed up at Daytona and pretty much let the computer tune itself. The electronics is the biggest thing to refine — the mapping and the fueling.”
The complexity of the electronic system led to some inadvertent issues at Daytona, where James said some of the bikes went into “some type of fail-safe mode.” With racing being so different from adventure touring, some of the sensors weren’t coping with the information they were receiving because “that’s not how they were intended for production.”
STACKING UP
Despite the diversity of the Super Hooligan class, the obvious measuring stick for Pan America riders is how well the Harley-Davidson performs head-to-head with Indian. The verdict so far? The Indian FTR 1200 may have a bit more grunt down low and in the slower corners. And with its shorter swingarm, the FTR has an edge in the sharpest turns.
The Pan Am’s strength, in addition to top-end speed, seems to be its overall rideability right out of the box.
“I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to ride at the pace needed to run up front and ended up qualifying on the front row, right next to the factory Indians — and those guys have had years of development,” said Travis Wyman, who races for Saddlemen and is Kyle’s younger brother. Travis added that he never even sat on the bike until the Daytona weekend.
David Echert, the owner of Saddlemen, acknowledged that going from Daytona to a track like The Ridge was a serious challenge for his bikes. “The Ridge is an interesting track,” said Echert. “Indian ate our lunch there last year at The Ridge. They were so fast. They happened to be running a different configuration on their FTRs, so the jury’s out. We’ll see how we do. We’re hoping for a good finish, and I think we have the bike to do it this year.”
So far, West said the two brands match up well. He should know, as he’s now won races aboard a Harley and an Indian, which he rode two years ago. He said the Pan Am may have better overall handling compared to the FTR 1200.
“It’s a more modern setup as far as the suspension goes with the linkage,” he said. “The Indian doesn’t have linkage in the rear for the rear shock, so that thing’s a little more of a handful than the Harley. The Harley’s got some pretty sweet handling. It’s just got a pretty long wheelbase ‘cause it’s built to be an adventure bike. So there’s a sweet spot where the thing works pretty dang good, and I feel like we’re in that sweet spot. But we’re trying to get a little more performance out of the bike. It’s in there, but I just haven’t dug that deep yet.”
Competing — and winning — on a bike built for adventure touring is still a bit surprising to West. “The geometry is crazy, but we’re mak-
ing it work and going fast on the thing,” he said. “What’s cool is the lap time dropped quite a bit at Daytona from last year to what we did this year.”
Sands said the Pan Am has made strides since last season and isn’t surprised that a racebike with adventure-touring roots is performing so well. “At first, it might seem (surprising), but the Pan works really good on a racetrack and is suited to going around corners well,” he said. “It’s fast and doesn’t weigh a lot vs some other ADV bikes, so I think it’s not so surprising. And seeing what the Wymans … and the Saddlemen teams are doing with the bikes, I’d say they’re getting it figured out.”
Just like the old Superbike days when bikes matched up well and electronics and other rider aids were not yet a part of the conversation, Echert said the series will ultimately be decided by who’s riding what. With the 39-year-old West, Echert has “a very calculated rider. We’re very fortunate to have him on our team.”
Along with West and Travis Wyman, Jake Lewis rounds out the Saddlemen trio. KWR’s hopes hinge on riders Hayden Schultz and Cody Wyman — the youngest of the Wyman brothers. All are going up against the factory Indian duo of Tyler O’Hara, the series’ reigning champion, and Troy Herfoss, a three-time Australian Superbike champion who won Race 1 at Daytona in his American debut.
“We raced FTRs a few years ago,” said Echert. “It’s a fast bike. It’s a good bike. I think right now they’re pretty matched up as far as the bikes, so I think it’s all on the rider. And I gotta tell you, Troy (Herfoss) is a fast rider. I’m absolutely floored at how well he’s done at the first couple races for never having raced at these tracks before. So I think it really depends on the rider and where their head is.”
Reaching a top speed of 170 MPH on Dayona’s banking, the Harley-Davidson Pan Americas prove they adapt well to racing.
The long-legged and slightly top-heavy Pan America 1250 adventure bike before getting stripped down and modded for racing duty.
The Pan receives shortened Ohilns forks and a top-level rear shock along with one-off carbon fiber bodywork and lightweight 17” wheels. The results are a racer 120 pounds lighter than stock.
IThe BMW r nineT raced by BMW-backed Nate Kern looks similar to the motorcycle for sale in showrooms. That’s part of the Hooligan racing appeal.
Power in Numbers
In MotoAmerica’s Super Hooligan class, its strength is its diverse lineup of motorcycles and wild racing.
t takes a hooligan to know one, and in creating an ultra-competitive race class built around naked bikes of all shapes and sizes, it took one of the sport’s leading hooligans to get the ball rolling.
Roland Sands, the Long Beach-based designer, bike builder and exracer whose company, Roland Sands Design, and reputation are built around the hooligan bike scene and lifestyle, is seeing one his latest brainchilds — MotoAmerica’s Super Hooligan — take shape and evolve into what has arguably become the most diverse professional racing class on the planet.
“That’s what it’s all about: giving people the opportunity to race what they want to race with somewhat loose rules and lots of room to be creative,” said Sands. “It’s a builders class through and through.”
And the builders responded. There are 12 manufacturers entered to race in Super Hooligan this season and the separate models are: Aprilia Tuono, BMW R nineT, Ducati Hypermotard, Ducati Monster SP, Energica Eva Ribelle (electric-powered), Harley-Davidson Pan America, Indian FTR1200, KTM 890 Duke R, Suzuki SV1000, Triumph Street Triple 765RS, Yamaha MT-09, Buell XB12XT and a Victory Vegas V-twin.
“I love naked bikes, I love road racing and I’m a fucking hooligan so it all came together,” said Sands. “I knew I didn’t want to jump back into road racing as I’d done it before, so it was important to have a lifestyle attached to what we do.”
Among the assortment of manufacturers, one of those bikes stands out as being different from the others. However, in the Super Hooligan spirit of “anything goes,” Energica is right at home, its electric powertrain matched seamlessly on the grid as the others and their internal combustion engines. That means Super Hooligan is the world’s first and only professional motorcycle racing series that has EVs competing with internal combustion-powered bikes. “That’s an extra storyline that’s been incredibly interesting, and getting them on the podium last year (at Circuit of the Americas) was definitely a first for ICE vs. Electric,” said Sands, referring to Stefano Mesa’s second-place finish at Race 1 at COTA aboard the Tylers Cycle Racing Energica.
It’s a long way from Super Hooligan’s roots when it began as a flat track series in 2015. “The project started … with Indian motorcycles and we’ve been whooping it up ever since,” said Sands. In 2022, the series switched to roadracing and now travels part-time with the MotoAmerica circus, with five stops and 10 races. Getting to where it is now, Sands acknowledged the MotoAmerica leadership and their stewardship of Super Hooligan.
“They have a good vision for what’s possible,” he said, “and have invited the right kind of trouble with Baggers and Hooligans.”
Despite the diversity in manufacturers and models, Harley-Davidson spokesman Paul James noted how evenly matched the bikes are, noting that the top six riders in the second race at Daytona were separated by less than two-tenths of a second at the finish line.
“That’s amazing,” he said. “But that’s also Daytona.”
Cory West, who won that race aboard a Team Saddlemen Harley-Davidson Pan America, is still amazed by the finish — the kind that attracts new fans.
“We had six guys covered by a second at the (finish line) at Daytona!” he said. “ We need that close multi-bike battle to make it fun for people to watch.”
So what’s it like to ride a high-performance naked bike going crazy speeds, bar-to-bar in race conditions?
“First thing, you go out and it’s like 166 mph and the wind’s hitting you right in the front of the helmet, right where the logo is on your forehead,” West said. “And then it hits you in the shoulders and it all really tugs on your upper body. I mean, that’s why they end up putting fairings on stuff. I don’t feel vulnerable because you’re more in an attack position … and we run the big handlebars for leverage,” he said. “But with no fairing, there’s nothing to hide behind. It’s pretty fun. Everyone’s riding something kinda wacky… . I’ve always gotten a kick out of getting on a racetrack and riding something that you maybe shouldn’t even be out there on just so you know how fast it can go.”
The diversity in manufacturers, not to mention that naked bikes and adventure-touring bikes are a fast-growing segment in the industry, gives the Super Hooligan class a certain amount of accessibility to the average fan.
“I think you’ll see it’s the most relatable class,” said Travis Wyman, one of West’s teammates at Saddlemen. “People ride their Yamaha FZs and their Pan Americas or (Indian) FTRs to the races, and the bikes aren’t that wildly different from what’s on the showroom floor.”
Setting the pace on pure wattage is Stefano Mesa, campaigning the Energica Eva Ribelle RS.
Story by Anthony Conroy • Photo By Brian J. Nelson
It’s a universally understood command, usually preceded by a countdown from 10 to one, then the phrase yelled loudly, and if all goes well, followed by an ear-piercing bang! “FIRE IN THE HOLE” is not only an important safety warning, it’s, oh heck … it’s just plain fun to say!
Bike builders often vie for attention with details, and this bike has one in particular that’ll grab your eye. This Triumph’s connection to that age-old expression is clearly visible, and at first glance might even give you a chuckle. With all the additional details bestowed upon this Bonneville, you better believe this bike is no dud.
Owner Tom Leslie from Johnstown, Pa., is no stranger to explosive hobbies. He was once an NHRA drag racer and launched his Ford Thunderbird Super Gas racer at plenty of drag strips up and down the East Coast. Now retired from racing, Tom concentrates his efforts on bike building, with a stable of some seven motorcycles. This bike shares space with stablemates that include his farm tractor seat-equipped Bobber and a couple of Harleys. For this build, Tom wanted an attention-grabbing feature, so he sought out this vintage, antique, genuine article Dynamite crate. And I’m not using that term as a 1970s throwback as in that crate is dynamite-looking, man. I mean it really housed high explosives.
This eight-month build started with acqui-
Who says tuck-and-roll upholstery is only for hot rods?
ring a 2005 Triumph Bonneville Black, which originally belonged to a friend of Tom’s who traded it in on a new ride. Then Tom pounced on it. Once the rockabilly/hillbilly theme was decided upon, the search for era-correct accessories began. Tom had a desire to build something completely different. When he told his mates, “Let’s build something incorporating a Dynamite box I found online,” they all gave him a crazy look and said, Uh, what?
The antique dynamite storage crate makes for an interesting choice of bodywork that strays from traditional cafe bump-tail seats. You might think it is nearly impossible to find an intact antique dynamite box, but you can find anything on eBay these days. Tom said, “It was originally manufactured in the 1930s just a few miles away in Latrobe, Pa, then it was shipped to a copper mine near Tonopah, Nev., more than 90 years ago.” The box had not been exposed to sunlight or moisture for decades, which did wonders for preservation, and the crate shows its logo of General Explosives Division of American Cyanamid & Chemical Corp clearly.
Please don’t smoke near this genuine dynamite box, secured from an abandoned copper mine, no less.
Retrieved and returned to Pennsylvania, the interior has been stabilized with poplar wood inserts. Early GM convertible top boot fasteners were used to hold the leather cover in place. And a steel frame was fabricated to mount the box to the bike’s rear frame section. Tom told me, “Just imagine trying to stabilize a 90-year-old 50-pound dynamite box to withstand the vibrations encountered on a modern motorcycle.” Tom even reached out to the pros at Minwax for advice on preserving this wooden jewel. More than decorative, the box serves a purpose: to house all the
bike’s electronics and a Bose Bluetooth speaker. The tail frame was reinforced to support said box and the license plate bracket hangs underneath, yet there’s even a bit of storage space left inside the box.
Speaking of details, another focal point of this bike is the tasteful application of copper plating for a touch of vintage appeal. Copper plating, which is essentially one of the first steps done in chrome plating, was performed at Paul’s Chrome of Evans City, Pa. And there’s plenty of copper too with application to the front fender supports, en-
gine hardware, cam covers, rear shock caps, rear axle adjuster, carb caps and signal lamp housings – which are actually vintage metal Triumph units. (The stock plastics had to go.) Additionally, you’ll find copper on the Triumph tank emblems and gas cap which include an ornamental copper fly mounted on top.
The Bonnie sports a basically stock 800cc mill with 65 horsepower. A bit of better breathing was added with a K&N air filter and mufflers deleted, but baffles were welded internally into the downpipes then the pipes were wrapped.
Matte black paint with timeless red and white pinstriping sets Tom’s Triumph bobber apart. Copper accents are boss.
Ever seen a Keihin carb with an 8-ball choke lever and copper bits? Neither have most judges who heap trophies on Tom’s Bonneville bobber.
Copper accents mean loads of polishing but it sure does look cool.
Old school, two-color pinstriping helps Tom Leslie's Triumph attract trophies everywhere it goes.
The bike’s chassis gets low with the aid of Progressive Suspension and a 2-inch lowering kit. Rear shocks are Yamaha Virago 11.5” units by Progressive. Flanders Flattrack bars are perched up front with red grips. Rider pegs are Norman Hyde rearsets with passenger peg mounts shaved off. Wheels were built by Buchanan’s Spoke and Rim with stainless steel spokes. They’re wrapped in Avon Roadrunner 410-19TT and Gangster AT90-16 whitewall rubber. While Tom was looking for a vintage look, he didn’t want vintage brakes. That’s why modern stoppers were kept in place.
Body mods include a removed rear fender. Hand controls were treated to copper plating, as was the headlight housing with turn signals/warning lights built into the support bracket. The copper-plated headlight visor adds to the Oh, so old look. And the bike’s dash/instrumentation was moved up to the headlight bucket. Out back the Ford Model A combo tail/stop light hangs on a fabricated mount. The seat and backrest were custom-built by Dave Crissey Upholstery of Johnstown, Pa. That’s red metalflake vinyl with white piping. Remember those old diner stools? Dan Piskuric applied the paint, and Sharp’s Body Works of Blairsville, Pa., is responsible for the powder coating. Casey Kennell of “The Paint Chop” fame, in Somerset, Pa., did the pinstriping on the headlight brackets, front fork tubes, front fender and taillight.
Details abound including custom striping on the rear brake bracket, whitewall tires and black powdercoated Buchanan’s spoked wheels.
The weathered vintage Triumph logo on the sidecovers are custom-made decals covered in copious coats of matte clear. And while that’s not a genuine Triumph logo, it has all appearances that it could be from days gone by.
First time out the bike won first place at The Rats Hole Show at Thunder in the Valley bike rally, which Tom is particularly proud of. It took a first place at Mods vs. Rockers in Pittsburgh, Pa., and another
first at the prestigious Cafe Racer Magazine show among others.
“Fire In The Hole” is also commonly used as a catchphrase for heads up/watch out. With a blend of modern, reliable motorcycle and nostalgic details, Tom has certainly tricked the eye with this attention grabber. The doubletake happens when you spy the logo on the box and realize what was once contained within. CR
Who says car parts don't work on motorcycles? This Ford Model A taillight fits perfectly on the Bonneville.
speedtribe
Erin Sills - From the Salt Flats to the Smithsonian
Story By Paul D. Stanstead
Photos By Mike Kinderis, Jean Turner
Unlike many accomplished racers, Erin Sills is a study in calm, modest humility. She’s a professional rider in multiple disciplines, from off-road adventure tour guide to motorcycle test rider to land speed record holder, with one of her racing BMWs now enshrined in the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. But Sills doesn’t broadcast her impressive riding resume or affect a cocky, arrogant demeanor. Instead, she’s friendly, open and fully focused on wringing the maximum velocity from her highly-modified BMW S1000RR superbike at Bonneville’s fabled Salt Flats – and living life on two wheels to its fullest. The co-chair of Women Riders Now, the country’s largest female motorcycling advocacy group, granted CRM an in-depth interview before she and her team embark for the Utah dry lake bed for another stab at making high-speed history.
CRM: When did you start riding motorcycles?
Erin Sills: I spent 30 years in the corporate world in marketing and analytics and retired from the tech industry in 2016. While I worked, motorcycling was always a passion and hobby. Apparently, I’ve failed at retirement, because I now own a race team, coach for an off-road motorcycle tour and training company, and own the largest and longest-standing magazine tailored to women in motorcycling (www.WomenRidersNow.com).
CRM: When did you decide to become a top speed racer and what attracted you to this type of competition?
Erin: I’m not sure I “decided” to become a land speed racer. I was called to it at the intersection of Passion and Opportunity. I’ve always loved speed. My dad used to take my brother and I out for drives in the country. These were basically excuses to drive fast down the wide open country roads of rural Ohio. Andy [her late ex-husband] also had the “speed gene” and when we met and found there was a sport for people who wanted to take bikes to their limit, well, there was the Opportunity.
CRM: What was your first very fast streetbike?
Erin: I bought a used 1998 Honda VFR and quickly put 20,000 miles on it crossing the western half of the U.S.
CRM: Have you been involved in other types of motorcycle racing?
Erin: I can hold my own on a track, but I’m not one to drag a knee deep in a corner. I stick to road riding, adventure riding and land speed racing.
CRM: Tell us about your first visit to Bonneville and what your goals were at the time?
Erin: 2003 was my first year on The Salt, and I was there to support Andy who was riding an older BMW for San Jose BMW Motorcycles. The event had something called Run Whatcha Brung which meant I could take my VFR to its max speed [154 mph].With one or two passes on The Salt I was hooked and knew I wanted to get serious about going fast. Andy and I came home, and I bought a Suzuki GSX-R1000 to race in the Production 1000 class.
CRM: What modifications were necessary to compete on your BMW S1000RR?
Erin: The bike is so highly modified that it’s easier to list the stock things on the bike than all the changes. The frame, wheels and foot pegs are original and pretty much all else is tuned to improve the three things that matter in land-speed racing: power, aerodynamics and traction.
CRM: How many people are involved in your racing effort?
Erin: Land speed racing is definitely a team sport. I was taught in my professional career to know what you’re good at, hire people around you who are good at what you aren’t, then keep them happy and get out of their way. I do my best to apply that in racing. I prefer to have a small team because I’ve seen the confusion that can happen when there are too many cooks in the kitchen. Our core team is me plus three: Shane Kinderis builds and tunes our motors, and as the prior leader of BMW’s Australian Superbike team no one knows the S1000RR motor better. Curtice Thom, retired from
Moto America, is our chassis mechanic who also knows the tuning of our bikes insideout. Gary Orr, a successful AHRMA racer, builds our bodywork and pretty much anything else we dream up. Having worked together for over 10 years, we’re a well-oiled machine who can bicker like siblings and celebrate life’s highs and lows like family. I have a very supporting partner, Laurence Kuykendall, and family who make me want to be smart and safe. And we race always knowing we have my late husband, Andy, watching over us. We have a few sponsors, but the reality is that ours is a grass-roots sport, very true to what was depicted in the movie about Burt Munro, “The World’s Fastest Indian.”
CRM: There’s an inherent danger in riding not only on salt, but at such high speeds. How does this affect your decision to compete?
Erin: I know better than most that motorcycling is an extreme sport. Land speed racing values patience, wisdom, and a measured approach. We prepare for 51 weeks a year to race for one. And in that week, we risk our lives and limbs. That’s not a game that reck-
less swashbuckling people play well. I do my best to prepare physically and mentally, and with every race I make a conscious decision to accept the risks. Someday I will retire. But not yet.
CRM: Are you aware of any other female Bonneville racers?
Erin: Like many motor racing disciplines, men and women are invited to compete equally against one another. There are dozens of other great female land speed racers, many of whom I call friends. They race 50cc/125cc (Kristen Stewart) to 1300cc Hayabusas (Erin Okenek and Kim Krebs) and everything in between. Women are active in all sides of the sport, serving as mechanics, officials, builders, photographers, crew chiefs and in media. My good friend Delvene Manning owns the largest event tailored to land speed motorcycle racing, The Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials.
CRM: What’s the biggest buzz associated with top speed racing?
How many motorcycle racers- let alone women- have their own display at the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum? Only Erin Sills.
speedtribe
Erin: Setting records and watching your friends do the same. As a rider, there is nothing more rewarding than doing my job well enough to reward my team and our racing fans with a record. They’re just as happy as I am when we can bring home a win.
CRM: What’s the most challenging part of the race?
Erin: Wind. Wind is not a land speed racer’s friend. Riding on an unstable and unpredictable surface on a high speed motorcycle with a fairing that acts like a sail is not for the timid. Our race courses are typically at least seven miles long. There can be no wind at the start because at mile three you’re riding at 190 MPH and at mile five you’re at 220 MPH plus. As a rider in those conditions, there’s a lot of talking to yourself to say, “It’s OK, ride it out, trust the bike.” You also need the discipline to not race when it’s dangerous, and be ready to roll the second the conditions are there for you.
Erin Sills, For The Record Books
Among the 45 land speed records Sills has amassed in two decades of competing at the sharp end of motorcycle
In 2018 Erin broke the FIM World Record for the Fastest BMW Motorcycle previously held by her husband Andy by eight miles per hour, reaching 229.266 MPH at the Cook Top of the World Shoot-Out in Uyuni, Bolivia
On August28, 2019, she set a Guinness World Record for reaching 237.234 MPH on a BMW S1000RR at Bonneville
This BMW S1000RR’s radiator and front brake rotors have been removed while the Airtech front fender and fairing are modded for precision aerodynamics. It competes in the naturally-aspirated class for non-turbo and nitrous-injected machines.
The team celebrates a record high-speed run in the blistering heat and relentless Utah desert.
Ageless Speed
Story by Mike Seate
Photos by Cathy Drexler
When Alex McLean first rode a motorcycle in competition, gasoline cost 39 cents per gallon, race tires were exotic kit used by millionaire Europeans like Giacomo Agostini and helmets resembled cork-lined pudding bowls. Somehow, against all probability, McLean is still lining up on grids and not only competing in AHRMA races, he’s still taking checkered flags on a regular basis.
McLean is part of a growing contingent of expert-level roadracers whose stories read like one of those late-night ads for the AARP. Their sheer determination and refusal to let aches, pains and the risk of serious physical injury prevent them from pursuing their passion for speed.
For McLean, lining up in leathers and a hel-
met full of determination is just part of who he is, especially after 52 years in the roadracing game. “I started roadracing in France back in 1972 on a Aermacchi 125 twostroke and then a Yamaha TD2 in the French National Championships and I never finished one race because I had no idea what I was doing,” he laughed. The son of a Texas military family who was stationed in Europe, McLean had been a swift, fearless racer of small-displacement Ducati singles when friends encouraged him to try his hand at organized competition.
Despite his lack of formal training and knowledge of motorcycle dynamics, McLean earned his FIM license and stuck with his newfound calling. In between races he launched a successful career as a photographer and interior designer in New York and Paris. After shooting a feature on Brooklyn’s Team Obsolete for a French motorcycle magazine, the racer in his bones resurfaced, and McLean soon found himself
back on track, entering AHRMA events aboard a 250cc Suzuki X6 Hustler.
“This was in the late 1980s and early 1990s while I was living in France, but sponsors brought me over here three or four times each year to roadrace,” he recalled. “My fellow AHRMA racers would help me with accommodations and I met Bob McKeever who had several old Norton racebikes. We became friends and he asked me to fill in for racers that didn’t show up and the next thing you know I’m racing on these cool old Manx Nortons.”
Over the years, McLean’s storied career has intersected with some of racing’s true legends, including South African tuner Derek “Knobby” Clark, who once chaired Mike Hailwood’s championship efforts during the 1960s. “Knobby ran into travel problems due to apartheid in the ‘80s and eventually came back to US to work for Team Obsolete’s Rob Ianucci,” he remembered.
After a half-century of roadracing, Alex McLean’s 1937 Norton Manx can pass more modern sportbikes at will. Impressive? Hell yes.
“Knobby prepped the bikes and traveled with me to races and it was just great to have him in the paddock. When the Japanese two-strokes took over, people put their Manx Nortons in the barn and forgot about them, but once classic racing really took off, there they were racing and winning again,” he said. “I felt lucky and still do.”
Luck continues to play a major role in McLean’s extended track career, including three Isle of Man TT races, taking second place in the Newcomer’s race in 1998. Over the past four decades, he’s entered hundreds of races in several classes, competing on as many as three different motorcycles per day. That grueling regimen requires a razor-sharp memory of dozens of different racetracks, not to mention the personal discipline to remain fit and healthy at an age when most folks have abandoned motorcycling altogether.
Crashes are still an unfortunate part of racing for McLean, including a wicked highside earlier this year and several broken collarbones. He’s also suffered what he wryly refers to as “helicopter crashes” where emergency airlifts from the track are necessary. Still, he acknowledges that racing is part of the McLean family DNA, a passion he’ll continue to pursue as long as possible. “I still race out of habit and it’s just the fun of travel, going to different places with my wife and seeing familiar faces in the paddock. I have a sponsor so I may not get paid to race, but it doesn’t cost me anything so I’m very lucky,” he said. The fellowship shared inside the close-knit paddock is also an attraction for veteran clas-
and it’s very serious. But before and after a race, we all help each other and if I break my collarbone, they’ll help me push my bike into the trailer,” said the owner of a motorcycle repair shop.
Bob Hall because at 70, I just couldn’t keep up with him That was a reality check, but I still have plenty of good days. I don’t feel 70, but sometimes it’s harder to get up than other days,” he laughed. CR
Resource: www.ahrma.org
The veteran AHRMA competitor’s mounts include this 1960 500cc Manx Norton single (right) and a rigid-frame 1937 model. Both are capable of ton-plus speeds while the 1960 model is renowned for its handling.
The Aermacchi 125cc single has long been a favorite of McLean, who has taken some 45 classic racing championships in recent years.
Some motorcycles make for difficult cafe racer conversions due their technical complexity and overall mechanical design. Modern fuel-injected sportbikes fall into this unenviable category, as do smallbatch machines that never develop the sort of bolt-on parts aftermarket necessary for easy customization. And then there’s Royal Enfield’s air-cooled 650cc twins. The hot-selling, 648cc machines have a devoted global following due their relative simplicity, ease of use and their readiness for tuning.
“ We chose the Royal Enfield Continental GT650 because we wanted to make something that would really stand out. As most of our customizations are trackers, brats and scramblers, we wanted to make something different and chase the best power-toweight ratios we could get with this bike,”
formance-wise on the purposeful, high-barred street trackers ridden in the Pikes Peak Hillclimb in Colorado. Those racers combined seriously tuned high-performance superbike engines in custom-modded chassis with the same sit-up-and-beg ergonomics of motorcycles competing in the Super
legal. “Just with the goal of performance, all aspects of the bike were redeveloped. And not just to look fine, but also to ride the way it should as we had the ultimate goal of putting it on a racetrack. We’re not experienced track riders, but we have fun chasing apexes.”
Chasing apexes being the primary goal of the Crow, the STG team got busy stripping an unbelievable 80 pounds of weight from the 475-pound parallel twin, a task that involved replacing the stock Enfield forks with a set of inverted front dampers from a Yamaha R1 superbike. This conversion included grafting on new custom machined triple clamps and spacing to accommodate the Yamaha’s lightweight forged aluminum wheels and dual six-piston Nissin radial front brakes. Out back, the swingarm and twin shock set-up was tossed aside in favor of a beefy arm adopted from a Yamaha R6 supersport, complete with the fully-adjustable Showa monoshock, 17” x 5” wheel and a two-piston rear disc brake. The swinger is much wider than the stock item, so much spacing and a bit of time on a CNC mill to shorten it a few inches were necessary to keep the wheels precisely where the team wanted them. With new, wider running gear components, the GT could now benefit from rolling on the latest, stickiest
tires: a pair of 17” track-capable Dunlop Sportmax radials now handle road duty.
And in case you’re eyeing the carbon fiber bikini fairing, injector covers and fenders adorning both wheels, they’re speciallymade STG items created specifically for this bike. However, the carbon fabrication arm of STG is regularly churning out parts like these for Royal Enfields, so they could be persuaded to send a set your way if the price is right.
The GT fuel tank, already a beauty with its classic Norton Manx-inspired lines, received a bold graphics treatment along the sides and a custom quick-fill fuel cap that lends the Crow a racetrack refugee look. Finishing off the minimal bodywork is an Alcantara seat with a one-off flattrack cowl made of carbon fiber, naturally.
Monoshock conversion was difficult work, but the improvements to handling are remarkable. Modding a Yamaha sportbike swingarm was all part of the deal.
When the time came to boost the GT’s performance, Obarrio and business partner German Karp had no reservations about the direction they wanted to take: “It was meant
Dig the handmade carbon fiber injector covers and street tracker tail section. The Crow wears several Continental GT parts now available for your own Enfield twin.
to be the fastest hot-rodded Royal Enfield anybody had ever seen,” he said. To that end, the 48-horsepower mill was stripped down to the crank and an S&S big bore kit
was shipped all the way from Wisconsin to Argentina for installation. The high-performance engine kits are popular with professional flattrack racers as they main-
tain the GT’s rock-solid reliability while adding as much as 25% more power and rear wheel torque than stock components. In this case, the team also took the time to have the engine head ported and polished for better combustion chamber flow while an S&S high-lift camshaft also found its place in the mix. The two-into-one exhaust system combines ultralight Inox headers and a muffler originally designed for Indian’s street tracker FTR1200. With the engine now displacing 865cc and revving faster and further into the redline, a Rekluse racing clutch was added along with a Gorilla quickshifter which mounts to the left-side Kraftec rearset. Because the Crow’s primary home is on Buenos Aries’ busy urban streets, a larger custom aluminum oil cooler was built to dissipate the extra engine heat, while braided HEL brake lines now help bring the GT to a rapid halt.
So what are the results of the costly and timeconsuming engine refab? How about 74 horsepower and 55 foot-pounds of tiresmearing torque from a motorcycle weighing just 372 pounds with the tank full? “It’s an absolute blast to ride and the Crow shows what can be done with the Continental GT package,” the builder said. CR
The engine bristles with power thanks to an S&S big bore kit with high-lift camshaft, a Rekluse clutch and ported head. Try 72 horsepower, up from 48 stock ponies.
Upgraded running gear courtesy a Yamaha R1 that supplied the radial six-piston front brakes and 17” wheels wrapped in Dunlop Sportmax radials.
Legacy
Passing the Torch on a Norton Obsession
Story and Photos by Nick Coumos
It was a six year-old Norton Dominator, and I really loved that bike. It was, however, not a dependable ride. Various parts would fall off as I rode, and breakdowns were a common occurrence. Eventually I had no choice but to take it apart and repair all that I could. I had a local motorcycle mechanic who would guide me through various stages in my repair process and he would repair what he felt was beyond my abilities. Eventually, the Norton became a much more dependable ride, and I spent my weekends in the saddle without a worry that it would not get me home again. I became confident in my riding skills and comfortable in my mechanical abilities.
Eventually, the Dominator and I parted ways and life became a bit more hectic. In 1974, I bought a one-year-old Norton Commando with a Combat motor and very few miles. It was fast, but not a dependable motorcycle, so both my riding and repair skills took a massive leap forward. I owned and rode that bike for a few years and my love-hate relationship with the Norton brand became solid.
In 1981 my life changed dramatically. Marriage and children can do that, I’m told,
but fortunately my wife understood my motorcycle addiction and agreed that I could buy a used motorcycle if one within our budget was available. I found an inexpensive 1965 Norton 650 with a “needs work” description so with confidence in my abilities to fix anything that could be broken or worn, I bought it. The bike came with boxes of used parts and after more than a few weekends of work, the Norton 650 roared once more.
Riding a 20-year-old motorcycle came with lots of accolades from other motorcyclists. I would often hear comments like, “That’s a great-looking bike” or “My dad had one of those.” Or the old trope, “They don’t make them like that anymore.” I came to realize that they don’t make them like that, they make them much better, so I eventually owned a series of “push button” modern motorcycles, but always had at least one running kickstart Norton in my stable.
I would purchase almost any Norton that I could find if it were cheap enough. I would answer ads and talk to people at swap meets. I would buy basket cases and parts collections and sell parts that I felt were not going to be useful to me, or if I had too many of a particular part to justify keeping them. In this way, I felt I could fund my addiction without impacting my family budget. I was very successful at selling as many parts or completed motorcycles as necessary to fund my next purchase. I had a hobby that I enjoyed and that actually made money. How clever of me.
But there is a dark side. The Mayo Clinic describes the hoarding disorder as: an ongoing difficulty throwing away or parting with possessions because you believe that you need to save them. You may experience distress at the thought of getting rid of the items. You gradually keep or gather a large number of items, regardless of their actual value. I called it “polynortonitis” but it is, in truth, a Norton-hoarding disorder. My wife Dianna, who has always been the person who kept order in my life, said to me a few years back, “What am I to do if you die before me? No one will be able to sort out all of those parts. I’ll be left with little choice but to hire someone to dig a large hole in our front yard so that I can bury it all.” A friend of mine said that I should take it all to a swap meet, sell as many parts as I can, and anything left unsold I could just leave in the parking lot. Both are good suggestions, but not practical.
I’m rapidly approaching my eighth decade of life and in the past year, I’ve sold my last two complete and running Nortons and my remaining “push button” modern motorcycle.
I’m left with three basket case Nortons that have titles and enough new and used parts to fill a dump truck. I no longer ride very much, so this would be a good time to try something different. I’ve always liked British sportscars, but what to do with the remaining Norton stuff? Swap meets can be an uncomfortable way to spend the weekend, and often unproductive. I also realize that I’m not a very good negotiator, and face-toface sales are not my forte. I once tried to sell a very nice Shoei helmet. It was expired, but I felt someone could make good use of it, so I put it on Craigslist for $50. I got a call almost immediately and the caller said he could get it within the hour. “Sure, come get it,” I said, and the caller asked if I would take $40. Again, I said yes. When he showed up, he looked at the helmet, remarked how nice it looked and asked if I would take $30. “The price is $50,” I said. “But you said you would take $40.” “Yes, I did, but you reopened nego-
tiations when you offered $30.” He got very mad and stormed off. The next day was garbage collection day.
There are the various internet auction sales sites if you can avoid the scammers and are willing to put up with higher and higher commissions. eBay used to be a pretty good deal, but lately, at least for me, it’s been more trouble than it’s worth. A few months ago, I was scammed out of a small amount of money and eBay gave me no help in getting the problem resolved. I couldn’t even give the thief a bad rating. Then there are the new W-2 reporting rules and the massive increase in shipping costs. I’ve decided it just isn’t worth it.
I could put this stuff in my will. Both of my children can and have ridden motorcycles so maybe they could start a business in used Norton parts. In talking with them, however, my daughter said to leave it all to my son
One man’s treasure may soon belong to another. Nick’s stash of Norton spares dates back some 45 years.
which is more than any future Norton owner/rider could ask. He even told me that he bought a second garage. He’s going to need it. All that’s left for me to do is to come up with a price and help him move it all out.
But all is not quite finished: I have one more bike to build. I’ve been collecting parts for some time and plan to use them all in one final effort. I’ve heard it said that the last true Norton was built on a featherbed frame, so this last build will pay homage to that classic design. It’s fitting that my first and last Norton should vibrate a bit, so no squishy, rubber suspension parts will be included. It will include parts by Magura, Ceriani, Dresda, and of course Dunstall. I will be updating our readers on the progress of it all. Watch these pages. CR
After a half century Nick still enjoys his British bikes.
The Coumos family sorting through engine parts during a rebuild.
This 30,000-acre dry lake bed, located in Northern Utah, has been likened to racing motorcycles across the surface of the moon. sure, if the moon’s daily temperature rose to well over 110 degrees, the surface was alternately wet and sticky or bone-dry and reflecting such intense sunlight that racers and their crews are routinely sunburned on their throats from the reflected glare. Despite the harsh, inhospitable climate, hundreds of serious speed junkies gather with some of the planet’s fastest motorcycles each August to push through the ozone in an endless, high-horsepower search for ever-more velocity. With records and racing classes open to everything from specially-built turbocharged streamliners to pokey old pre-WWII classics, Bonneville’s Motorcycle Speed Trials is an unforgettable taste of wide-open, full-throttle excitement.
Must Bring Item: Sunscreen. And white loose-fitting clothes. Plenty of water. Oh yes, and a very, very fast motorbike.
Manx Grand Prix • August 18-26
day’s racing legends while doing laps with motorcycles you’ve only read about in history books. Throughout the sprawling event you’ll find custom and classic motorcycle shows, organized, brand-specific ride-outs, scrummy fresh seafood and plenty of likeminded pals you never knew you had. The smaller crowds mean hotels and rental properties are actually available. It’s far from cheap but worth every Pound.
Carry Along: Rain gear, you might just need it. And a warm sweater if you plan to spectate from Snaefell Mountain.
STYLIN’ Humor of the Two-Wheeled Variety
Should You Buy That Rusty BasketCase Project Bike?
We’ve all been there: you’re attending a motorcycle swap meet and you see your dream machine. You recognize its potential even though it’s been broken down into several oily, grimy cardboard boxes, the long-deceased owner’s family lost the certificate of title years ago and your family has forbidden you from bringing home any more so-called project bikes. Still, such moments are an exercise in self-restraint and fiscal discipline, unless your need for ever more motorcycles takes hold. Before whipping out your wallet, consider these common rationalizations for or against taking the basket case plunge:
Yes, because:
■ I’m a retired professional mechanical engineer with plentiful free time
■ The kids are all grown up and self-sufficient and the money will otherwise be wasted on more streaming services
■ My last four project bikes sold at a hefty profit
■ It’s a great way to bond with my teenage son/daughter
■ I’ve had a tetanus shot this year
■ My antique motorcycle show trophy case is bulging from my previous restorations
■ I want to go vintage racing and knowing the motorcycle inside and out is a great idea for getting on the grid
■ How else can I justify that 300-piece tool kit I got last Christmas
No, Because:
■ I have seven other non-running project bikes and I’m “fixing” one for a buddy
■ I wouldn’t know a box wrench from a box lunch
■ It’s gotta be easier than my day job
■ There’s bound to be free time after working my three gig jobs, college classes and volunteering at the homeless shelter
■ My house has no garage, but the driveway and flowerbed are handy
■ My partner frequently refers to the garage as “that junkyard of old motorcycle crap”
■ I value both my sanity and bank account balance
■ Somebody told me Whitworth was the Queen’s bodyguard on Season 2 of “The Crown” CR
CR Tech Combination Commando
A Monumental Lash-up
Story and Photos by Mike Seate
ICommando on the road before summer’s end and after weeks of late nights, busted knuckles and sweat equity, it appears we just might make that deadline.
Last issue we swapped out the complete fork lowers from our 1967 Triton as we wanted to deploy its sure-stopping Beringer brakes on the new ride, while we attached the valanced fenders and completed the fork rebuild.
Most recently, the Norton’s new replica seat showed up from our friends at British Cycle Supply and it’s one of this Dominator 99 replica’s signature components. The seat was actually designed to fit a wideline version of the featherbed frame, not this later-model slimline. Still, I was determined to make it fit. “Why not just use a different
Still, that left us scratching our heads in unison for a means of doing so.
Lucky for us, vintage Norton frames are festooned with several welded-on tabs and mounting points designed to carry accessories like small hand-pumps for inflating tires (it’s true) and other accessories. Two of these lugs could be used as part of a fabricated seat mount. As an added plus, the rear fender still had its dzus fastener riveted to the underside; this meant purchasing a replacement insert bolt and fabricating a strap to attach the seat to the fender.
I have a habit of keeping piles of old oddshaped metal straps, exhaust hangers and
Result!
From the accompanying images, it’s clear that the (very) long-awaited featherbed special is nearly there. An electric starter kit from Alton of France is on its way, as is a do-it-yourself wiring kit. Nick busied himself attaching clear latex oil lines and routing them just so, leaving us only a few days on the Norton before a shakedown ride. Which we’re determined to have before fall. CR
She’s a thing of beauty. Let’s hope she runs as well as she looks.
Yes, anything can be adapted to custom motorcycles in a pinch. This tripod mount from a camera proves our point.
CR Tech honda cb450 project Second Time’s The Charm
Story by Mike Seate
Photos by Aaron Seate
Afew wiring jobs were all that remained to getting the Honda CB450 project back in action. For new readers, this is the second incarnation of the 1972 vintage Japanese twin, having first graced our pages a few years back as a street tracker custom. We found ourselves in possession of some lovely polished aluminum bodywork from Thailand’s Omega Racer that had been intended for managing editor Kim Love’s Kawasaki W650. She declined, as always, to customize her beloved retro twin, so the decision was made to adorn the Honda with its intended new clothes.
Along the way, we found the twin Mikuni carburetors to have been not only installed incorrectly, their slides were working poorly due to being ass-backwards in the carb’s towers. Also at fault were the throttle cables which were routed in a manner that caused the Honda to rev slowly, if at all. After a couple of visits by ace Honda tech and WERA national championship race team leader Bob Hesch, the twin overhead cam motor was finally purring with purpose.
Fitting the bodywork was a team task with everyone from Nick Coumos to Blair Powell pitching in, resulting in a rebuild that took months instead of years (as did the first go-round). With the Airtech street tracker seat unit now replaced by a sleek alloy cafe unit, complete with a nicely upholstered vinyl saddle, we decided to relocate the taillight and license bracket.
It had been hung from beneath the flattrack seat but with that piece gone to that great parts bin in the sky (or, more realistically, crammed on a shelf for future use) we ordered a nifty sidemount license bracket from eBay, which turned out to be well up to the job. Many such parts arrive too flimsy or poorly made to be of much use, but not this time. The plate bracket was drilled to suit the Speed Moto Co
LED taillight and after extending the wiring about eight inches to reach the newly drilled mounting holes, it bolted on in minutes.
The tiny, lithium-ion Shorai battery was still holding a charge despite being nearly two years old, so a press of the starter button and some fresh ethanol-free gas was all that was needed.
Not only can we not tell the bodywork was designed for another bike, it’s so pretty we don’t care!
New side-mount LED taillight secures to the original exhaust hanger and looks righteous.
Story by Mike Seate • Photos by Nikki Marie Photography
Among the many mysteries surrounding Ducati, Italy’s best-known motorcycle brand, is a reverence for certain models. Collectors have recently ordained the short-lived (and slow-selling) Ducati Sport Classics (2004-2009) as the Bologna bikes to own. Though many languished unsold on showroom floors for
years, Internet hype and scarcity in numbers has some sellers asking downright outrageous prices for the air-cooled, 1000cc retros.
Having owned and ridden more than one Sport Classic, I can attest to their striking mediocrity, especially when compared to Ducati’s more recent factory cafe racer, the Scrambler.
At 415 pounds, Ducati’s Scrambler Full Throttle zips around nicely on 73 brake horsepower. Ten-spoke mag wheels, non-adjustable suspension and ABS are all part of the deal.
First introduced in 2014, the Scrambler was designed with more than a nod to the company’s single-cylinder Scramblers of the 1960s. These lightweight, dune-ready streetbikes lent only a fuel tank shape, name and easy-to-ride, utilitarian brief to their modern namesakes, which are now the top-selling bikes in Ducati’s lineup.
Why do customers dig the 800cc, two-valve per cylinder Desmo twins so? As CRM’s Italian bike expert Jeremy Haynes observed, “Scramblers are the least Ducati-like Ducati you can buy. Their superbikes are angry expert-level racebikes that will make anybody who’s not an expert-level rider feel like they’re riding too much motorcycle. Then here comes the Scrambler. It’s lightweight, not too powerful and fun for people who want a good-handling Ducati without spending $20,000 or wanting 180 horsepower.”
That about sums up the appeal of the Scrambler Full Throttle model that’s become a popular part of the CRM garage fleet. Designed with a steel trellis frame that imbues Ducatis of all stripes with magical handling, it’s every bit as handsome as the revered Sport Classics without the back (and ball) busting riding position. The air-and-oil cooled engine’s power delivery is simultaneously rumbly and smooth and the torque curve is so flat that there’s nary a surprise between zero and the 8,500 RPM rev limiter.
Geared low for everyday traffic or 50-60 MPH backroad jaunts, the Scrambler Full Throttle is light on its 17” wheels and flicks effortlessly from side to side. With 72 horsepower on tap at 8,250 RPM, the Scrambler’s strength is in its meaty midrange. That’s where all 50 foot-pounds of torque hang out, thrumming along to its peak at 5,750 RPM. Yes, there are some obvious built-on-a-budget components here, mainly the single radial-mounted front brake on the non-adjustable 41mm inverted forks. A cheap option for sure, but with ABS as standard, there’s fairly good stopping power on hand, especially when both front and rear brakes are used in unison.
The six-speed gearbox clicks happily without fuss and this is the only Ducati I’ve ridden where the rearsets didn’t kill my knees and neutral can be found at a standstill. Try that on a Sport Classic and you’ll learn the meaning of Frustration with a capital F.
Maintenance on the 803cc desmo-valve engine is relatively simple: change the Kevlar cam belts diligently every four years or 7,500 miles and keep fresh oil circulating through its veins and the Scrambler will reward with miles of smiles. Like the naked Monster before it, the Scramblers have sold in such numbers that there are now more aftermarket bits available than you can shake a Visa card at.
Ours has been fitted with a pair of Woodcraft adjustable clip-on bars that lend the Scrambler a definite cafe racer look and feel. The lower bars do create a smaller, more compact cockpit and lessened sight lines through the rearview mirrors, with the trade-off being more direct steering input and quicker direction changes. The aftermarket Termignoni exhaust already installed has been replaced with a single Lossa Engineering reverse megaphone muffler, which our resident Norton tech, Nick, finds too loud, especially on longer rides. The bike cleaned up well with a few Motocomposites carbon fiber engine and cam belt covers while the mounting of an aluminum Omega racer half-fairing was short-lived as it added too much weight to the front end.
though the scrolling/display change button is difficult to locate, especially on the move. This is a motorcycle that would make a perfect track day choice as its full power can be used without scaring one’s self silly or spending too much time panic-braking after building up too much velocity on straight sections of track, as is frequently the case on the 140-horse Ducati 999 streetfighter.
Yes, it’s a sensible Ducati, something that’s hard to imagine, but the Scrambler is oh so easy to like. CR
Ducati Scrambler Full Throttle
Average Used Price: $5,000-$8,000
Top Speed: 118 MPH
Weight: 415 pounds
Power: 73 horses @ 8,750 RPM
A single Brembo radial front caliper is all that’s needed for sure stopping power.
The classic LCD gauge is compact and offers all you need.
CR Tech 1967 Triton
A Crossroads Conundrum
complex and difficult-to-use system. While removing the large, ungainly air cylinder, Nick noticed that the Triton was in need of some considerable attention, especially in the aesthetics department.
After nearly three decades in use, the bike’s clean, trophywinning appearance had been slowly replaced by a patina that just screams “paint me, please!” Much of the frame’s gloss black finish has rubbed off or corroded away, while several important parts including the rear fender hoop, oil tank mounts and ignition support, are vibrating like the stockroom at a marital aids store. “If you can see parts that need securing and hear things rattling around, the bike isn’t exactly safe to ride,” Nick sagely observed.
Despite the truth in his observation, the prospect of completely rebuilding the Triton (again) was about as appealing as a 500-mile rain ride. In February.
Sure, a rebuild provides the CRM team with the chance to address some long-standing issues, including installing a proven electric starting system from England’s Shropshire Classic Motorcycles. And lucky for us, there’s a freshly powdercoated featherbed frame sitting in a corner of the garage just waiting to be adopted by an engine and running gear.
And as Nick observed, once the Triton’s various mechanical maladies have been addressed, the motorcycle will see more time where it belongs: out on the roads, revving itself silly as intended. Still, the starter unit is far from cheap at $3,200 and the falling prices of vintage British motorcycles makes investing what is basically 50% of its value in new parts a tough sell.
But the Triton certainly can’t be sold for much in its current state, so down she comes. Stay tuned for a detailed autopsy on just what it will take to get this British thoroughbred back where she belongs. CR
Can’t help but smile when riding the first-ever cafe racer you designed and helped build some 30 years ago. Rebuilds are just part of the game.
The first steps to reclaiming what had once been a show-winning ride. A complete tear-down is in the future.
CR Tech
IBonnie and sold it to buy a HarleySportster – and that was a major mistake. I planned to make my next Triumph a classic 1969 650 Bonnie because they’re the best-looking of all the vintage Triumphs and there are so many of them imported into the country, there’s tons of NOS parts and aftermarket stuff I can get for cheap to make it look better and run better than new.
I started this project a long time ago, back in the 2010s when I bought the engine and frame. It had matching numbers and I got both for just $600 if you can believe that. It was a chopper when I got it with a ridiculous 12-over Yamaha front end and a front fender I wish I hadn’t thrown away because it was built from flat steel and was so ugly it looked like somebody’s first shop class project. This is an original ‘69 frame and I had it powdercoated, and the person I bought the
I managed to find a pair of original fenders that are painted, and I found out that no matter how well you tape off the openings in an oil tank, when you sandblast them, sand will get into the tank. Now I have to clean all that out, but it looks good. I’m trying to make the Triumph using as many stock parts as possible without spending too much money. That’s why I found an Indian-made replica tank (last issue-Ed) that was already painted for just $400. I have a complete 1960s Triumph front end also in need of a rebuild, but I haven’t started buying those parts yet.
My basement flooded last year, but lucky for me, all my expensive parts were on higher shelves so I didn’t lose anything. I plan to get a Lucas wiring harness because even though I wired my ‘79 Bonneville myself - and Steve Collins (owner of
50 different colored wires on it that I cut up for my old Triumph and there’s still enough wiring to do another one. And now I just remembered how hard that was.
Like so many old Triumphs mine has a mix of Whitworth and standard hardware on it, so I bought a good set of Whitworth wrenches because you never know what kind of nut or bolt you’re dealing with until you’ve nearly rounded the damn things off.
I’m working on it here and there and it should be on the road sometime in the future. There’s still much to do, but I’m in no hurry. CR
Blair is slowly making progress on his 1969 Triumph Bonneville project...just don’t ask him when he plans to finish.
CR Tech
BUILDER’S SPECIALS
Rob North Triumph Resurrected
Story by Mike Seate
Photos Courtesy Kyle Ede
Californian Kyle Ede has amassed an impressive level of knowledge about classic British motorbikes in his brief 30 years. In the vintage roadracer’s home, Triumph, BSA and Matchless were part of the family thanks to father Malcolm, a British expat born with Castrol R in his veins.
“We’ve always had old British bikes and sometimes, we’d see if we could get them running,” Kyle said. “My Dad did restorations on the side for friends and once I got done racing motocross, I got going on this,” said Kyle, who helps run the family business, Classic British Spares, along with Dad Malcolm and sister Courtney.
When a rare and nearly complete Triumph Trident 750 race replica came up for sale recently on the Iconic Motorbikes auction site, Kyle knew just what he was viewing and didn’t hesitate to bid. The three-cylinder air-
cooled Brit was even wrapped in one of legendary racing engineer Rob North’s lightweight perimeter frames, instantly sealing the deal.
The revolutionary chassis helped propel the British triple – a shared design between rivals BSA and Triumph – to several Daytona 200 wins during its late 1960s, early ‘70s heyday. Most fans remember all three top podium spots at the 1971 Daytona 200 occupied by North-framed triples, only adding to their allure. Kyle says the chassis on his Trident is actually a reproduction of the original Rob North frame, this one manufactured by Long Beach, California’s Wenco during the 1980s.
“In 1972 Triumph and BSA stopped using Ron North frames and Wenco were commissioned to make a version that’s lighter and welded, not brazed together,” Kyle said. The newfangled frames also benefit from box-section swingarms making the bikes more stable during high-speed cornering.
The machine had been built in 2006 as a streetable classic tribute to champion racer Gene Romero and has changed hands no less than six times in recent years.
Like many classic racebikes, the 1971 Triumph was sold without a title, though the missing document was found beneath the fiberglass seat unit once the new owner began disassembling it in his well-appointed workshop. “I purchased it from Al Charles who was AHRMA’s racing director and I’ve contacted a couple of previous owners and a lot of them don’t know the bike’s previous history,” he said.
Going over the machine with a video camera for his regular YouTube broadcasts, Kyle found much to like about the 750 along with a laundry list of necessary changes needed before he hits nearby Willow Springs circuit later this summer. Out back, the rear disc brake set-up has been replaced with a conical Triumph drum hub while Girling rotors and twin Lockheed calipers array the front.
The Trident triple pushes out 58 horsepower which should be good for 130 MPH at the track.
shocks were replaced by Emgo dampers made for a stock Bonneville. Kyle says the Trident can run on the less-stout shocks due to its light weight; the frame weighs 14 pounds less than the Rob North version and a good 12 pounds less than a stock Triumph chassis. Front suspension runs special triple clamps and with the internals rebuilt and the fork tubes powder coated, the handling should prove race-ready when it hits the track.
“It’s really a modern design when you look at the frame,” Kyle said. “The way you can just lift the gas tank and get to the valves for adjusting and to access the carbs, it’s so cool to see the type of engineering that was available then. If they’d have come out with the Triple a few years earlier, it would have been a game-changer.”
original triangular oil tank was sent out for welding to ensure it’s oil tight. “I’m going for a (factory) team look from the early ‘70s so I’m looking for all the fairing parts and I’ve already taken off a bunch of stuff that made it street legal,” he said. A regular presence at classic races aboard his 350cc Triumph twin, Kyle anticipates quite a rush when the Trident’s revs are opened up, despite the engine remaining in stock tune.
“I kept the motor stock because I wanted to do the upgrades myself as far as performance goes,” he said. “My 350 twin is a pretty fast little bike, but I’d expect the Trident is capable of 140 miles per hour. To go from a 500cc Triumph twin like Gary Nixon raced in 1967 that could hit 130 to 160 like the Trident did, that’s a huge difference,” he said. CR
One-off parts are plentiful, including this handsome brace to support the fork gaiters.
The Rob North replica triple when purchased from Iconic Motorbike Auctions. The triangulated chassis was considered revolutionary in 1969 and helped make British bikes champions.
Kyle Ede
WORKSHOP FILES
With Technical Editor MATT Wiley
Hi, Matt,
You published an article in the Feb/Mar 2015 issue of Cafe Racer regarding using tubes inside radial tires on my 1996 Triumph Thunderbird 900. This bike came with radial tires (usually Michelin), inner tubes and rim strips fitted to its wire spoke wheels. Your advice at the time was that it was not generally recommended to use a tube with radial tires, but it is possible if I use a tube that’s one or two sizes smaller than the tire due to the reduced internal volume of low-aspect radials vs bias-ply tires to limit the increased heat buildup caused by the tube.
You advised going with a matched set of belted, bias-ply tires and tubes and noted that the original “radial” tires fitted for model year 1996 were not true radials, but had construction sufficient
Doug-
Yours is an interesting question that persists to this day, one that will likely yield various answers depending upon who is asked. For the sake of liability, I cannot offer any formal or quotable advice beyond those experiences noted from years ago. Over these last ten years I’ve become more niche-oriented working primarily with vintage motorcycles from the 1970s to the 90s and not so much with late models. I’m not as up on current tire technology now as I was then and it has advanced significantly.
As noted back in 2015, there were motorcycles with spoked wheels fitted with tubes from the OEMs and a Triumph I recall
to call them “radials.” I went with your advice and bought Dunlop bias-ply tires twice. Well, since this article appeared, ten years have passed and tire technology has advanced. All my Brit bike pals swear by Avon tires and Avon now specifies their Spirit ST radial for this bike, but the tube or no tube question remains. I contacted Avon and they sent me a catalog, but there’s no info anywhere on this question.
The only tubes I can find anywhere that specify “radial” are from Bridgestone and they’re not made in the sizes needed. I’ve seen posts on the internet that most tubes are now manufactured for radial use - is that true?
Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Doug Kowalske, Dearborn, Michigan
being the first tubed radial tire I had encountered in the late 90s. As retro is very popular today, I would suspect there are a number of models on the market today with similar tube/tire setups. Check around to see if there’s a model available using spoked wheels with tubed radial tires and order the tube through that motorcycle’s brand dealership. Michelin offers tubes in the sizes of radial tires (check their website) as does Bridgestone.
As such, you may wish to contact both of them for tire/tube recommendations for your T-Bird. Your mid ‘90s era bike falls into a gap, so to speak, as tires were changing rapidly so I suggest further contact with tire companies for their band application for your T-Bird.
