Bike EXIF Daily Update

Bimota Tesi 1D

Chris Hunter — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:30:22 +0000

Bimota is a wild card in the motorcycling world. Since 1973, the Rimini-based company has been delivering the weirdest and wildest machines, wilfully taking the path less travelled. Not surprisingly, it’s never been the most financially stable of manufacturers, and hit the rocks in 2000. But it was resurrected in 2003 and is still going—and for that, we should be grateful. One of our favorite Bimotas is the Tesi 1D, which appeared in 1991 and attracted attention for its hub-steering system. The ‘D’ signifies Ducati: power came from the engine designed for the Ducati 851, a 93 hp fuel-injected desmodromic L-twin. Only 127 Tesi 1Ds were made, and they are now collectors’ items. The hub-steering lineage continues in the Tranformer-like Tesi 3D that you can buy today, but to our eyes, the chunky early 90s styling of the 1D still reigns supreme. [Thanks to Ivar Kvadsheim of MC24.]

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Yamaha XT600Z Ténéré

Chris Hunter — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 18:30:20 +0000

In the late 70s, ‘dual sport’ or ‘enduro’ style bikes with long-range fuel tanks were starting to attract attention in Europe. In Japan, Yamaha took notice. In 1981, they started work on a production version of the motorcycles racing in events such as the Paris Dakar. The first Yamaha Ténéré appeared for the 1983 model year, and was promoted as a new kind of all-round touring motorcycle—a machine that was able to tackle any terrain, was simple to maintain, and was sold at an affordable price. Within ten years, 61,000 Ténérés had been sold in Europe, including over 20,000 in France. Yamaha’s excellent Design Café website has the full history of this iconic machine, along with some terrific period photography. The Ténéré shown above is the first model, which retains a certain gawky charm even today, a quarter of a century later. The front disc brake was an innovation for time, along with the long-travel rear swingarm, and the top speed was 160 kph—not bad for a 595 cc bike with only 43 bhp and 30 liters of fuel to lug around. Those yellow fork gaiters still look funky, don’t you think?

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Yamaha XT600Z Ténéré is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. No unauthorized copying allowed.

Triumph Bonneville Heuer

Chris Hunter — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:30:37 +0000

You’re looking at a British bike painted in the colors of an American oil company, designed to promote a Swiss watch made famous by a French motor race. Yes, it’s a stretch. Triumph has always paid a lot of attention to marketing, and especially to what you might call ‘brand association’. It probably started back in 2005, when we had limited edition Bonnevilles customized by the English designer Paul Smith. Today, we have the Triumph Bonneville Heuer, which was unveiled in Paris by the English F1 driver Lewis Hamilton. The motorcycle is a one-off to mark the 40th anniversary of the Heuer Monaco watch and the 50th anniversary of the Bonneville itself. And of course, Steve McQueen makes the obligatory appearance too: he wore a Heuer Monaco in 1971’s Le Mans. Triumph’s Head of Brand Communications calls it “a very natural collaboration“. What do you think? [Thanks to Alfredo Chies.]

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Mavizen TTX02

Chris Hunter — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:30:31 +0000

Take a KTM RC8 superbike. Whip out the powertrain and replace it with a battery pack and web-connected electronics. What have you got? The Mavizen TTX02 racer. This English-built motorcycle can be configured like a PC, with hot-swappable battery packs—plus a system bus that allows owners to change settings via a USB port in the ‘fuel tank’. (Predictably, it’s been described as a ‘130 mph laptop on wheels’.) It sounds like a sensible approach to us: after all, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. And the RC8 definitely ain’t broke. If you have the $40,000 or so required to purchase a TTX02, you can choose from three power packs: an 11 kilowatt-hour unit designed for the full Isle of Man electric TTXGP course, a 6 kilowatt-hour ‘Circuit’ pack or a smaller ‘Sprint’ pack for short races. Let’s just hope the operating system isn’t Windows Vista. [Photo: MCN. Thanks to Chuck Squatriglia of Wired Autopia.]

Update: Next year, Infineon Raceway will host America’s first zero-emissions motorcycle race—on May 14 to 16, during the AMA Motorcycle Sonoma Showdown weekend.

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Mavizen TTX02 is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. No unauthorized copying allowed.

BSA B40 Tracker

Chris Hunter — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 18:30:13 +0000

The Danish artist Cay Brøndum is also known for painting custom motorcycles produced by the Wrenchmonkees. But when it comes to his own bikes, Cay wields the spanner as well as the spray gun. And this neat 1969 ex-Danish military BSA was the first bike he completely restored himself. “With this project, I chose to go all the way,” says Cay. “I overcame the fear of tearing a working engine and gearbox apart.” The B40 was powered by a 343 cc single and found favour with armies for its simplicity: it was easy to ride, and easy to maintain. Cay’s B40, however, looks a little sharper than most: it’s inspired by the more glamorous B44 (Victor) Grand Prix scrambler. “Of course the paint and styling is important, but when you ride your bike on a sunny day, and you restored everything yourself, you almost feel every gear wheel spinning,” he says. “That’s a great feeling, highly recommended.” The BSA is now gone, replaced by a 1949 Harley bobber, but there are more pictures on Cay’s blog. [Image by Kristian Holm.]

BSA B40 Tracker is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. No unauthorized copying allowed.

CR&S Duu

Chris Hunter — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:30:24 +0000

The anticipation is building for next week’s EICMA motorcycle show. But Milan-based boutique manufacturer CR&S has jumped the gun. It’s released images of its new Duu superbike prototype, powered by the familiar S&S ‘X-Wedge’ V-twin motor. The 2-litre engine of the Duu (a play on ‘due’, Italian for ‘two’) might be familiar, but it’s wrapped in futuristic styling that takes several cues from the Confederate rulebook. It looks like CR&S will be offering single- and double-seat configurations, and a wide range of options for customers to tailor the Duu to their personal tastes. Given that the personalized approach has worked wonders for Harley-Davidson and Triumph, the prospects for the Duu could be bright. The only question mark will be the price: €20,000 is the equivalent of US$29,500, meaning that the Duu is even more expensive than motorcycles such as the MV Agusta F4 RR 312 1078. Still, the Duu is a striking-looking machine that will also be extremely rare. It’s due for launch in 2011, but you can see a full selection of press pictures on Rocket Garage right now.

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CR&S Duu is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. No unauthorized copying allowed.

Cole Foster Moon Rocket

Chris Hunter — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 18:30:10 +0000

Even before he turned his hand to motorcycles, Cole Foster was a big name on the custom scene. His hot rods had the cleanest, simplest styling—and impeccable detailing that few others could match. Then, fortunately for us, Cole and his Salinas Boys company turned their hands to custom motorcycles. Moon Rocket burst onto the custom scene in 2007, and was inspired by the bikes of drag racers such as Leo Payne and Boris Murray. The platform for Moon Rocket was a bobber test ‘roller’ that Cole built for Custom Chrome in 2001, a project that was left to gather dust at the back of a warehouse. Cole got that bobber back and spent three months on the new build. Despite the short timeframe, most parts are custom-made—from the frame to the controls to that raw aluminium fairing, reminiscent of vintage Honda racers. The engine is a 100ci RevTech Evo and the wheels and rear brake are Custom Chrome, with Brembo callipers. Moon Rocket cemented Cole’s reputation as one of the USA’s most talented automotive artists; Hot Bike has a great feature-length article telling the story. [Thanks to Adam Zerbib.]

PS: If you enjoy Bike EXIF, I’d be really grateful if you took a moment to vote for us in the 2009 Open Web Awards ‘Best Online Magazine’ category. Thanks!

Cole Foster Moon Rocket is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. No unauthorized copying allowed.

Norton Wasp

Chris Hunter — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:30:07 +0000

I love this Norton because it has an understated, almost monochromatic beauty. It belongs to a member of the Coyote Racing Team in France, who built it four years ago to run in classic race events. It’s a very classy ‘bitsa’, marrying Norton parts with Italian and Japanese components. The owner wishes to remain anonymous, but he’s happy to run us through the spec-sheet: “The engine comes from a 1972 Norton Commando 750. Mark II Amal carbs are fitted, with high-level pipes from a Commando S.” Norton Wasps are most closely associated with mid-70s sidecar motocross racing—there’s a niche for you—but this frame is custom-made, using powdercoated Reynolds 531 tubing. Topping it off are a fiberglass Rickman tank, and a production racer seat. Italy supplies the Marzocchi front forks and the lovely 18-inch Borrani wheels. From Japan comes the front hub—via a Yamaha TZ350—and the Brembo front brake, stolen from a Suzuki RG500. The rear hub is a genuine Grimeca item: it’s from a Benelli Tornado 650S, a bike we don’t hear much about these days. Elsewhere, hand-made alloy parts abound, and the renowned Toulouse-based builder Daniel Delfour helped set the bike up. The build took a whole year, but it was obviously worth it—and not just from an aesthetic point of view. “It’s always a pleasure to ride a different chassis with a Commando engine and good Italian parts,” says the owner. [Image by and thanks to Vincent Prat.]

Canon EOS 40D | 1/1600s | f/3.5 | ISO 400 | Focal length 175mm | 70-200 f/2.8 L USM lens

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Norton Wasp is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. No unauthorized copying allowed.

1971 Moto Guzzi Ambassador

Chris Hunter — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 18:30:26 +0000

I can never get enough of the Moto Guzzi V7 Ambassador. Low, wide and impeccably styled, it was launched at the end of the 60s and aimed at the US market, as an alternative to home-grown V-twins. According to owner John Kane, this particular machine “was imported with a bunch of New Haven police bikes in 1971. It was the personal bike of the importer, and I was told his brother ordered one as well.” Kane is a serious bike nut: at one time, his stable included two Norton Commandos, a red Moto Guzzi V50 III and a white Le Mans III. He bought the 750 cc Ambassador over 22 years ago on the cheap, and cleaned it up a bit. But he’s never had the heads off or needed to do much to it. “It’s up to about 35,000 miles and during decent weather is a very handy daily driver,” says Kane. “After many great motorcycles in my collection over the years, this is the one I married.”

1971 Moto Guzzi Ambassador is a post from Bike EXIF - Classic motorcycles, custom motorcycles and cafe racers. No unauthorized copying allowed.

Compass Expeditions

Chris Hunter — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:18:31 +0000

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to ride through Patagonia, the experience can best be described as an adventure of a lifetime. Here’s an article about the experience provided by Bike EXIF sponsor Compass Expeditions, the specialist motorcycle tours company.

Patagonia is one of the world’s must-see destinations, known for its breathtaking scenery and unique ecosystem. And the best way to see it is from the saddle of a motorbike. Always ready for an adventure, I joined the knowledgeable and friendly team who run Compass Expeditions for a 17-day ride through Chile and Argentina. They call it the Patagonian Explorer tour for good reason: much of the countryside we rode through is untamed. It makes you really feel like you’re blazing uncharted territory aboard your supplied BMW F650 GS.

Our group gathered in Santiago, Chile to get acquainted. The ride started in Pucón, about 450 miles south of the capital city. It ended 2,100 miles later in legendary Ushuaia, recognized as the southernmost city in the world. Patagonia is a region that covers roughly 260,000 square miles—it extends from the southern part of Buenos Aires Province to the tip of Tierra del Fuego, and as we discovered, it’s a land of desolate beauty and very sparse population. To the west are the Cordillera de los Andes and vast expanse of the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. East of the cordillera is semi-arid plateau that’s dominated by a low scrub called jarilla.

Patagonia’s climate is very changeable. But fortune smiled on us, as we experienced near-perfect spring weather throughout our travels (the South American spring is September to November). On average, temperatures ranged from mid-70s F in the north to low 50s in the south (although it did get cooler, at times dipping down to 40 degrees.) Wind is also a fact of life in Patagonia. It was an almost constant companion as we rode across the steppe. We saw many signs along the road showing a tree bending in a strong breeze.

A large part of our ride was along Argentina’s famous Ruta Nacional 40. This is the route that Che Guevara took in 1952 on his Norton 500, documenting the trip in his book The Motorcycle Diaries. Ruta 40 runs more than 3,000 miles, roughly paralleling the eastern spine of the Andes. A good portion of the road surface is gravel, ideal for dirt biking. Long straight stretches carve through sweeping vistas of stark post-glacial landscape. Once we crossed the Strait of Megellan from Chile into Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, we followed Ruta Nacional 3. Part of the Pan-American Highway, this well-paved road cuts through mountain passes and spectacular scenery for the last 60 miles into Ushuaia.

Along the route we were treated to a variety of specially hand-picked accommodations that added to the enjoyment of the whole experience. We bedded down in boutique hotels and unique hostels and spent a couple of nights in a classic estancia (ranch). Of course, we all consumed a hearty share of South American food and drink. Asado or traditional BBQ is common fare and South American wines, especially, are among the best in the world.

Highlights are too many to mention, but two in particular stand out. Parque Nacional los Glacieras is located in Argentina’s Santa Cruz Province and Perito Moreno Glacier is one of its star attractions. That’s no mean feat since there are 47 glaciers in the park. I wasn’t quite prepared for the blueness of Moreno’s ice or its sheer size (3 miles wide and 20 miles long). For a change of pace, we camped in geodesic dome tents at Torres del Paine National Park. UNESCO declared it a World Biosphere Reserve in 1978.

Arriving at the park, we were greeted by throngs of grazing guanacos. These relatives of the camel are on the protected species list and roam freely. Only two of us embarked on an 8-hour roundtrip climb to see the Paine massif up close. The long trek was well worth the impressive view of the famed Los Cuernos and the emerald lake beneath them.

For me, riding through the wildness of Patagonia was mesmerizing. I left knowing that I’d go back in an instant.—Adrian Blake

For more details about motorcycle tours in South American, contact Compass Expeditions.

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