It was customized by David Bingham, one of the top Ducati specialists on the west coast of the USA. According to David, “It came in looking like it’d had a few well-intentioned bolt-ons installed. But all from different sources, and with anodizing that was in various shades and states of fade. Most of what I did was cosmetic since it’s a daily driver—and the Hypermotard 1100 has enough power for that use as is.” With 90hp propelling only 177kg (390 lbs), Jonesy’s Hypermotard has enough power to terrorize the LA canyons, but now looks like Something Else.

Bingham cut the sub-frame apart and shortened it, and cleaned up any visible brackets. “I welded a mount on the rear to hold a 1098 tail light—with integrated turn signals—and to mount the license plate. The front signals are based on Ducati Performance units from a M1100 that came broken in the package. I used epoxy to glue them into the little air vents: they’re very visible when on, and invisible when off.”

The seat is a hand made one-off by design house Chrome Hearts. The exhaust was created from thin-walled stainless tube, with a low-mounted 2-into-1. “Steve’s vision was a very short exhaust can. I found one through Two Brothers and made up a second mid-pipe to install it. He also has a Leo Vince in his garage and can switch to that in a few minutes.”

Bingham stripped down the forks and individually coated them with an industrial ceramic coating developed for military firearms. “The color I choose was ‘Sniper Grey’ to contrast the other black parts. Other parts done in Cermacoat were the inside covers of the Speedy Moto belt covers, the clutch pressure plate, and clutch cover.” Bingham also powdercoated the engine side covers in low gloss black, then ripped the Öhlins shock apart: he powdercoated the body in low gloss black, and the spring in gloss black. Even the wheels are powdercoated (to eliminate the red stripe), but the body panels are painted conventionally.

“There were a few other small bits that had to be made, like the dash mount and some micro relay blocks to run the signals. And the head light: it’s a Baja Designs 8” Soltek race light. These only come with one-beam type bulbs, and an offroad-only beam pattern. So I found a different 8” lens through PIAA that was for a rally light that uses an H4 bulb.“

Jones’ Ducati is now a dark and edgy custom, with usable performance and literally zero bling. The stock Hypermotard doesn’t quite do it for me, but this version certainly does.

Good to see this rocker hasn’t faded away.

[Many thanks to LA photographer Scott Nathan for the images and the tip. See more of Scott's photography on his Facebook page—after you've joined ours, of course.]

Canon EOS 5D | 1/100 sec | f/3 | ISO 100 | Focal length 70mm

Steve Jones’ Ducati is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. Brought to you by Vitesse Moto.

See also:

1. Ducati flat track racer
2. Ducati 900 GTS cafe racer

Canon EOS 5D | 1/500 sec | f/11 | ISO 400 | Focal length 70mm

A PS for our Australian readers: Fancy your hand at building a custom? Then the Deus Boundless Enthusiasm Bike Build-Off is for you: the only criterion is to make the most with the least. And you could win big prizes from Snap-On, Deus themselves and très cool French boot maker Vitesse Moto.
 Showday is November 27th in Sydney and I’ll be helping to judge—so there’s a chance your custom will be featured on Bike EXIF too. Grab your entry form PDF here.

Officine RossoPuro Idro is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. Brought to you by Vitesse Moto.

See also:

1. Moto Guzzi cafe racer
2. XS650 Eight Ball Boy

AFT Customs Kemosabe is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. Brought to you by Vitesse Moto.

See also:

1. AFT Customs Er Hed
2. Garage Company Customs CB750

Where’s the damn clutch lever?’ I’ve heard that from a few riders, not far into their first ride of a Husky Auto, even though they knew there wasn’t one on the bars before they took off. It’s just a given, that perched there on the left hand side of the handlebars is a clutch lever, and it’s something you use all the time!

Automatics have a strong following in the four-wheeled offroad world, so it’s not surprising that they’ve been tried in dirtbikes. And Husqvarna got it mostly right from the start: according to VMX’s writer Rob Shoemark, “The first commercial release of the Automatic was in 1976 and the last was 1988. Throughout that whole time the transmission was basically the same with only minor design enhancements.”

Since 1980, Husqvarna has been supplying the Swedish Army with auto all-terrain bikes that can be ridden proficiently by new recruits after just one week of training. And how does it work? “It is mechanically simple,” VMX reports. “Based around a centrifugal clutch, drive is firstly taken up by that clutch, then a series of a dog clutches engaged sequentially, locating higher gears. It was not only simple but very effective and reliable. What about changing back down? Once the throttle is closed, the engine goes into free-wheel mode. Once you apply the throttle again the gearbox was ‘told’ what gear it should be in by the speed of the back wheel.”

Initial reports from the motorcycle media varied. But the good outweighed the bad, and sales were strong enough to merit twelve years of non-military production. “The 1988 430 water-cooled automatic was the last automatic model released,” says Shoemark, “and it was the automatic at its best. Finally without any doubt, and with proper maintenance, the Automatic was a truly great competitor in any enduro field—and was campaigned accordingly by the factory. It was a gem. Interestingly, that last model was also a three-speeder—all the auto versions up to that point, from 1976 onward, had utilized four speed gearboxes.”

For the full story on these very unusual bikes, get yourself a copy of the very excellent VMX #42 here. [Thanks to Ken Smith. Photos by Bill Forsyth.]

PS: A sudden illness in the family means I’ve had to head to the UK at short notice, so posts on Bike EXIF over the next few weeks may be erratic. To make sure you don’t miss any new articles, sign up for the free email or subscribe to the RSS feed. There’s also a steady stream of motorcycle goodness on our Facebook page.—Chris.

Husqvarna automatics is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. Brought to you by Vitesse Moto.

See also:

1. 1935 Husqvarna racer
2. 1922 Megola Sport

Jean-David replaced the wheels, tank, turn signals, valve covers and handlebars with parts from older BMW models. The seat is a modified police seat from a R90/6. The objective was to have a later-model 1000 cc airhead that “looks old, but still fresh.” The ‘Sienna Ivory’ color comes from a modern Vespa GTV250 and none of the metal parts were polished (to retain the patina) but some were bead-blasted. The engine was overhauled and kept stock—except for fitting dual plugs, electronic ignition and a deeper oil pan—so as not to compromise reliability. The result is understated and low-key, but to my eyes, creamily delicious. See the full restoration, beautifully photographed, on Jean-David’s Airhead Reborn blog.

Nikon D300 | 1/2000s | f/2.8 | ISO 320 | Focal length 120mm

BMW R100T custom is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. Brought to you by Vitesse Moto.

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1. Custom Harley Night Train
2. Yamaha RD350 custom

“In 2000, my dad, Big Sid, was recovering from a heart attack and bypass surgery. One evening during a hospital visit, I brought him his mail and we found ourselves poring over shots taken during that year’s Isle of Man races. One shot caught my eye: it was of a Vincati, something I had never seen before. I was immediately smitten and right then and there challenged Sid: I vowed that if he found the will to recover we would build one together, come hell or high water.

“What you are looking at is the result of five years of hard labor. To our knowledge, ours is the seventh in the world and first example built outside of Australia. I have been riding it regularly for the last five years and enjoy it immensely. The motor began life in pedestrian Rapide tune but was built up to Black Lightning specs, with 10:1 compression, 32mm ported heads (mated to Amal MK1s), Lightning cams, and many other tricks. A key reason for its smoothness is that the flywheels have been scalloped, with a pound and a quarter of steel removed. The power is transferred effectively through a modern multi-plate clutch made by Aussie Neil Videan. The results make for a bike that is very easy to start, with far less vibration than one typically finds in a hopped-up Vincent.

“The chassis is a modified 1973 Ducati GT. The work done to enable the mating of the Vincent power unit to the Italian frame is really manageable, consisting largely of adding plates in the rear to accept the Vincent crankcases and the addition of a pair of cross tubes above to duplicate the Vincent head mounting system. A Norton Commando oil tank has been fitted under the left side cover. Amazingly, the Ducati motor is only ten pounds heavier than the British V-twin, another reason while the hybrid is such a pleasing machine.

“My dad has worked on Vincents for over 60 years now and he is very happy with this effort. The Vincati is beautiful, yes, but more than that, it is well sorted-out and a joy to ride at any speed (with it topping out at around 140 mph). Indeed, like a top athlete, the Vincati seems to rise to the occasion when the game is on the line. During its most public outings, I have watched the bike vanish from view with nary a tool packed under its seat.

“Though I am not reckless about doling out rides, I am proud to say that several friends have sampled its thrill, including moto-journalists Peter Egan and Aaron Frank, entertainer Jay Leno and most recently Mike Seate—who rode it on camera for a forthcoming episode of his Discovery Channel show Club Café Racer. The Vincati also won Best Modern Café Racer at the AMA’s Annual Vintage Days meet in 2009, and was featured at the Barber’s Fall Classic. It was a real thrill to start it for George Barber in his museum.

“It is rare to do good work late in life but both Sid and I now have enough distance from this build to be able to appreciate how truly fortunate we were to have made this machine. The Vincati is a tough act to top, though that doesn’t mean we haven’t tried! But that’s a story (or two) for another day!”

NB: Matthew Biberman’s book Big Sid’s Vincati has received rave reviews. It’s currently on offer at Amazon at 60% off—meaning you can get a hardcover copy for just US$10.22 right now.

[Images by Bob Hower/Quadrant Photography. That's Matthew Biberman below.]

Big Sid’s Vincati is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. Brought to you by Vitesse Moto.

See also:

1. Vincent Black Shadow
2. ThunderDuc 2.0

Our site sponsor is the premium motorcycle boot maker Vitesse Moto. Their super-stylish boots are engineered for performance, but comfortable enough to be worn every day. There’s no compromise on safety levels, though: Vitesse has created ‘V-Cockpit’ technology, a patented ankle management device that gives you the best possible protection-to-comfort ratio.

Self Edge is a store for those who have a passion for denim as well as motorcycles. They stock the world’s best brands, including Iron Heart—perfect for riders who want a heavier weight of denim. You’ll find Self Edge in San Francisco and New York, and worldwide via their online store.

Falcon Motorcycles has backed us from the beginning. They specialize in building one of a kind, post-war British motorcycles. That means custom vintage bikes, rebuilt entirely from the ground up—with nearly every part, every portion of the frame and engine remade, refurbished, customized and/or altered to create a wholly new motorcycle. Find out more on the Falcon Motorcycles blog, and check their Facebook page too.

Baxter of California is another company that cottoned onto Bike EXIF very quickly. They create cutting-edge men’s skincare products. Baxter’s CEO, Jean-Pierre Mastey, has been a supporter of Bike EXIF from the start—and in his other role as an LA tastemaker, runs an eclectic and entertaining blog called Baxter Finley.

Zero Engineering are the founders of the Samurai chopper scene, and one of the few chopper builders that we respect. They created a style of their own, and have a huge following in the USA as well as Japan. (No less than three Zero bikes are featured in the movie Iron Man 2.) Check Zero Engineering out on Facebook.

Compass Expeditions is the world leader in motorcycle tours of South America, Australia and Russia. They use carefully-selected ride leaders and support vehicle drivers, and have a real passion for both motorbikes and travel. Check out their website for tour details.

Glory Sales and Service was founded in 1999 by Justin Kell. On any given day you can buy a 1960s Triumph flat track racer, a set of 1930s salt and pepper shakers, and maybe even a stuffed boar’s head—along with more conventional items from the likes of Davida, Lewis Leathers and Barbour clothing. Follow their blog and become a fan on their Facebook page.

Deus Ex Machina needs no introduction for most custom motorcycle enthusiasts. And now there’s The Big Book of Deus: 300 pages of hardbacked, laminated, dust jacketed, internally combusted, gravity fed, hand crafted, word smithed goodness ready to jet into your sweaty mits. A visual history of the first five years of Deus Ex Machina and the bikes, boards, beats, broads and beefhearts that have passed their way. Become a fan on their Facebook page too here.

Ural has been making motorcycles with sidecars in Irbit, Russia since 1941. These machines are simple and versatile, with classic styling and an inherent toughness completely absent from most modern motorcycles. Check out their new Solo sT—a bike without sidecar that’s as much at home in the rough as on the road—and become a friend of Ural on their Facebook page.

Urban Rider is the premiere London stockist for Belstaff, Tucano Urbano and Givi. They ship worldwide and the store is on the iconic New Kings Road in Fulham, with two floors of the latest in stylish clothing, helmets and accessories for street bike and scooter riders.

US-based mota-lab imports and distributes some of the most desirable Italian sportbike parts, including EVR Special Parts, MWR air filters and ZARD exhausts—standard fitment on the insane Vyrus 987 C3 4V.

And finally, we’re glad to have Pro Italia join us too. These guys don’t just supply the most mouthwatering selection of Ducati performance parts, they also sell Aprilia, Ducati, Moto Guzzi and MV Agusta motorcycles—and sponsor the famous Cafe Desmo event. Welcome on board!

The Bike EXIF support team is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. Brought to you by Vitesse Moto.

See also:

1. The Bike EXIF Top 10
2. The Dumb Way Round

Mecatwin Bonneville TX-A1 is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. Brought to you by Vitesse Moto.

See also:

1. Triumph Thunderbird custom
2. Underground Bobbers ’72′

1941 Harley Knucklehead is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. Brought to you by Vitesse Moto.

See also:

1. Harley WLC custom
2. James Dean Triumph