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UPDATE: A Nice SOHC Honda Cafe Rider.

UPDATE: Rustin wrote in with some build info.  That’s an impressive engine!.

1976 Honda cb550k. The cylinders are bored out to fit cb750 pistons. Making the displacement 592. The cam is from a cb650. Dyna s ignition and coils. The exhaust is stainless replica of the yoshi exhaust. Dyno tuned at Twinline motorcycles in Seattle WA.

 

Rustin Olson sends in this nice rider.

I built this myself in my garage. Took sometime but I’m very pleased with the out come of my first build. If so I can send high res pictures.
Thanks

A beautiful Matchless and a farewell postcard from our old friend Murph.

I’ve been a big fan of “WhereTheHellIsMurph”   for years now. He’s just checked in as he’s about to head out on another of his grand adventures! He does live an enviable life!  Do yourselves a favor and check out all his links and bookmark his blog so you can follow along.  You won’t be sorry.

Murph writes in:

Hiya Steve,long time buddy.
So listen,I’m about to leave the US and have already shipped my motorcycle to Holland where I pick it up May 1st and then do a 2 Wheel Drive Sidecar conversion on it before
I spend the next 3 to 4 years doing a Round the World ride on it,so I wanted to drop you a line to say Hi and bye at the same time.
I was also up in my buddy Peg Leg Craig Anderson’s place in Big Bear CA and what a great collection of old racing bikes he has.
I’ve included a few shots of his 1966 500cc Matchless G85 CS Scrambler.
Hope all is well Steve,and next time I send you something,it will be from somewhere far away from here……

Regards,

Murph.

—
WhereTheHellisMurph.com

MY SMUGMUG GALLERY

Jay Leno Interview

MURPH FACEBOOK

The Spectacular Phil Brown Rickman Kawasaki

Phil Brown sent me some pics of his finished project. Wow! We’re having some issues with e-mail at the moment so I hope to bring you a few more of this bike in the next few days providing we can sort it out.

At the Spectacular Moto Guzzi Cafe!

A very nice surprise in my inbox today brought to you from Axel at Kaffeemaschine. Please do pay them a visit and take a look around. You won’t be disappointed!

Axel writes in:

I built the bike for Thomas Gruner, who had bought a ´89 Moto Guzzi Le Mans 4 in pieces a couple of years ago and didn´t really know what he had bought and how to put it back together again.
He asked me to build a custom cafe racer from his bits and pieces.

I was struggeling a lot with the totally crappy inside of his engine and some parts, it was obvious that he bought a disassembled bike which has had an accident incl. an engine damage. He immediately fell in love with the tank lying around in my workshop (though not really ideal for the high neck of the late Le Mans frame), which became his only definite wish for the bike.
Except for the tank, I built all alloy parts on the bike by hand, as usual. The engine and transmission got a total revision and now have brandnew stock Le Mans 1000 specs (950ccm, 81hp).
Even with the original power, the Guzzi is performing great after the 183kg “diet” (the stock LM 1000 is around 240kg…)- only the frame loses 3,5kg of steel.
The modified fork is of a California with special stainless steel discs. Brakes are equipped with modern calipers and a momentum support on the rear. Exhaust is Lafranconi, shocks are Ikon, the rev counter is from MMB. The minimal wiring harness is built by myself.

I think Thomas is not the guy who´d fit a totally classic motorcycle (in his case, that´s meant as a compliment). I chose the seat shape and the type of paint because of the impression I had of him- so I wanted it classic and elegant, but a bit of hot rod, too- away from the iconic Italian racer.

Thanks again Axel.

A seriously nice Street Tracker!

Man that’s a fun looking ride! Thanks to Neal Bunce.

Attached are a couple of photos of my latest build, a 1994 Sportster.

Anothe Nice Small cc Custom

More proof that you don’t need big buck to build cool bikes.  Thanks to Robert Porcaro.

Hi, love your site. wanted to send in some photos of my modded CCW Heist ‘SHA heist’. more at my blog http://sha1412.blogspot.com/ Thanks

More pics HERE

Before and After!! A Stunning 1966 Ducati 160 Monza Jr.

Now THAT”S a save! Hard to believe it’s the same bike. For more shots of the bike in process take a few minutes and check out his gallery pages. There’s a lot of other excellent Ducati shots there as well. Nicely done Craig!

Craig Kenfield writes in:

I saw a link to your site on Ductalk which led to some before and after photos of a Ducati single. Here’s my version of a similar bike… it’s a 1966 Ducati 160 Monza Jr that was restyled using older Ducati bodywork.

After spending too many years working on it on and off I finally got it back on the road just in time for the vintage bike festival at Barber Motorsports last year. With about 15 miles on the bike we threw it on the trailer and drove 13 hours to get there. Took it off the trailer and it ran great all weekend.

Name that motorcycle and model.

Kind of an easy one but what the heck. Yes obviously it’s a Royal Enfield. But what’s unusual about it. For the answer see this thread over on ADV Rider.

Nice follow up video to the One Motorcycle Show- Portland OR post I had earlier.

This was in the comments section of THIS post. Thanks to commenter joelskool!

Secret Norton restoration video. I posted this when it came out but it makes me ponder a grander philosophical question.

This is one of the all time great Christmas motorcycle present video’s ever.   It chronicles how two sons secretly restored an old Norton that (while obviously cherished by their father) was sitting in boxes in his basement.  When they surprise him with it he completely chokes up.  It’s a really great story with a heartwarming ending.

But it makes me wonder, why do we let so many great memories that we cherish so dearly and which bring us such joy waste away in out basements and garages?  nine times out of ten it’s not the money.   Are we lazy?  Do we think we’re immortal?

I don’t know…  Anyway, if you have an old project sitting in a shed or basement or rental unit, go fix the damm thing and enjoy it while you still can.  You really can’t take it with you.