Ride Apart have made an entertaining video reviewing bikes for city riding. Featured is the Cleveland 250cc caferacer, Honda CBR 250 and the Suzuki DRZ 400. Whichever bike is your favourite would depend on your riding style and taste but the guys in the video do make them look like a lot of fun.
A great gathering was organised last Sunday to bring together custom bikes and scooters in a massive ride ending up at Kustom Lane Gallery in Hawthorn. A few of the bikes there were featured in the Oil Stained Brain exhibition from the previous week but there were also plenty of other gorgeous two wheeled machines to enjoy. The people there were generally very inviting and willing to chat about their customised rides while others enjoyed the entertainment and sunshine.
I decided to edit these photos in black and white as it was like stepping into a different time in history as you entered the closed off lane; literally full of classic Nortons, Ducatis, BSAs and much much more. Check out the images below.
I had the pleasure of attending a Melbourne custom bike show organised by a group called “Oil Stained Brain” at the 1000 Pound Bend Gallery. The organisers are Jimmy Goode who runs Kustom Deluxe and Geoff Baldwin, of Return of the Café Racers. Both guys are deeply passionate about the custom bike industry and feature a wide range of interesting work by independent builders.
The show was a well populated by black leather clad bikers, rockers and guys with very neat hair. It was the first of hopefully many shows featuring builds from local and interstate bike builders. It also features films and artworks on bike culture as well. Some highlights include a very steampunk styled 1974 Shovel head with a pneumatic front suspension and a glass bottle fuel gauge, a beautifully restored BMW R1000RS with just the right amount of modern bits, and an iron clad 2008 KTM 250 EXC-F. It was an impressive exhibition considering the small but strong subculture of custom motorcycle riders in Australia. To be honest, some of the patrons rode up on some pretty sweet machines as well. It was a proud day to be a motorcyclist and I hope to see many more events put on by the passionate folks of Oil Stained Brain.
Nothing to see here, just go about your business. Nothing except a nimble and sleek looking 1975 Honda CB200T crafted by Florida bike builders Bare Bones Rides (Jim and Joseph Lang), who have embraced the cafe racer ethos and stripped this bike back and rebuilt it with nothing but what makes this bike essentially cool.
Via Silodrome
It’s not fast but it is beautiful. At around 6hp the Honda S90 has been a reliable staple for many in countries like Bali and Vietnam over the last few decades. ACE Cafe from the UK have lovingly restored one of these bikes, polishing all the bits, respraying that pressed aluminium frame and flipping the handlebars. ACE can proudly display their logo on this stunning cafe racer that would make a fantastic city commuter that is a step above your everyday moped or scooter.
Here is a gorgeous little video featuring designer Derek Despain taking you through the build details of this custom Honda CB750 – a real visual treat.
DPAIN | THE UNUSUAL SUSPECT from CHAPTER on Vimeo.
I understand why some people are against chopping up a classic bike but when it is done as beautifully as this, I can’t see the problem. Honda CBs are fantastic bikes to cafe up and MotoHangar have respectfully customised this 1978 CB550 into a sleek and stunning vehicle. The yellow headlight adds a nice vintage touch. More information on the bike at this link.
Via Motorivista
So I just got around to watching Girl with the Dragan Tattoo (U.S. version) and it featured a cafe’d, scrambler styled Honda CL 350 ridden by the character Mara. For a small bike, it had a lot of presence, prowling through the icy Scandinavian landscape; with it’s rough and minimalistic styling. The bike was built by GLORY Motor Work and they actually built 3 identical models for the movie. I’m not going to go on too much about this as there are plenty of articles regarding the movie and the bike. I scanned around the internet to see what other variations of these bikes are out there. To save you the trouble, here are a few fine specimens… after the best known one of course.
I often find that many custom bikes have that Frankenstein feel as it cannibalises parts of other bikes. However, this 1981 Honda CX500 built by Gary based in Decorah, Iowa, lovingly combines parts from many sources including a Hyosung and a Yamaha R1 to create a truly unique ride. You can work out which bits are from where or follow this link to find out. I’m not normally a fan of Xenon lights as it has that tacky home-made, street-fighter look but Gary has found a way to balance out the futuristic front with some classic lines, sensibly held together by the black and gold paintwork. The kinked seat and tail has got to be my favorite part though, with the rear cowl brilliantly concealing the battery. This bike went on sale on ebay to fund future a future project. Looking forward to more creations from Gary!
Via Silodrome
