Month: November 2010

The Winter Blues…


Living in Florida the last 30 years I sometimes forget that this is what awaits many of you for the next four or five months… my sincere condolences. But chin up! Time flies and spring will be here before you know it! Besides now you have a good block of time for those bike and bike related projects to get done. So have at it… and while we’re on the subject, send me some pictures of whatever projects you’ve got going on. Might make for some interesting posts!

Reader Ride! A Killer Katana From Iceland!


I’m pretty sure this is our first Icelandic Bike! And what a great way to start! A lot of people didn’t/don’t like the styling of these bikes. I don’t know why exactly. Yes it was very different at the time and there hasn’t been much like it since but I personally wish there was more bold design like this from Japan.

Anyway, thank Much Duddi!
Here is my Katana 1982
1428cc Wiseco big bore and more and more…….
Duddi
Sober Riders MC
Iceland

Update: Reader Submittal. Old school Hybrid.


Update:  should have seen this coming…  for those of you e-mailng and commenting for more info…

The bike is for sale on EBAY UK Here: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/YAMAHA-XT500-SUPERMOTO-PHASE-4-MAGAZINE-FEATURE-BIKE-/110613754451?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item19c117f253

What a fantastic bike!  Thanks to Cal from the UK for sending me these.  I’ve seen a few like these over the years and this is the best by far! I love it when an old iconic bike gets modernized without the spirit of the original being overwhelmed by the new components.  It’s a delicate dance and flawlessly executed here.

Reader Ride. Ducati Pantah 500.


Greg Writes in:
Ian Fallon wrote for the Ducati Museum –
Introduced as a 500 in 1979, the Pantah engine was designed and built by engineers Fabio Taglioni and Gian Luigi Mengoli. It formed the basis of the Ducati production/racing program for years to come. So advanced was the design that it was still in production throughout the 1980s … Pantah used a toothed belt camshaft drive instead of the earlier bevel-gears. Other important technical developments were the racing-inspired 60° included valve angle and the forged one-piece crankshaft. These features improved the bike’s reliability and made the design more suitable for competition.

I have owned this bike for three years and love it.  The camshafts on this motor makes it feel like it free revs and it wants to go past its 10,000rpm redline.  The suspension and frame work very well and will keep up with any of my friends larger displacement bikes in the twisties.  It is an easy bike to push  and control and I believe one of the more beautiful.  If you get a chance to ride one you will not be disappointed.  This was the first belt drive Ducati and the basis of every Ducati motor since.
Thanks for a great site.

Greg Rathe