Another custom RD400 by Gary McGoron and Chuck Eggleston

I’m not exactly sure about the history of this bike or the builders. The e-mail didn’t have any build info attached but it definately worth a look.


Motorcyclist Retro!!

Mitch Boehm has a shoutout to anyone and everyone to help support this fine magazine in it’s incubator stage. I’ve usually got a dozen or so copies in my local outlet so if anyone can’t get one let me know son and I’ll se what I can do. Cost and shipping. Yes I’ll ship internationally if you want one. Paypal only please.


Cover shot of the soon to appear third issue!!

More Sam simons Projects…

Here’s something to give you an idea of the kind of attention to detail he has. Fantastic work!

From his recent E-mail:

I’ve done some ‘different’ projects since the RD-K500,only one of them being as ‘intense’ and as involved as the RD-K. That would be the little Gilera 124 army dispatch bike.

You may get a kick out of this bike….
I was wanting to do something military for a change,and a chum/collector had to Gileras to offer.
Both were 1967 /_*SEARS*_/ 124’s(Gilera),and one had only 38 miles use!(with traditional rust and faded color).
To make a long story(and project) short,Steve,it was a more challenging task than I expected;trying to come away with a finished product that was convincingly real/original. I think that I did that,but it was very similar to the RD-K in time spent……really. Literally,any pieces/features not found on the stock SEARS 124 that are present on the ‘Gilera 124 Militare’ were either new fabrication(i.e,seat, rack,air cleaner) or heavily ‘massaged’ oem parts(i.e,forks,shock location,both fenders).The handlebars began life as RZ350 units.
It does fool the ‘experts’. Another chum took the silver 124,and did a beautiful little vintage Italian ISDT machine.

I done a couple of other ‘odd’ vehicles too,but I’ll save that for another email to you…..






The Sam Simons posts.

One of my favorite bike builders of the last decade or so is a gentlemen by the name of Sam Simons. It’s not surprising really since Sam is such a big 2 stroke fan and has built many a wicked special. We’ve never met in person but we’ve exchanged the odd e-mail from time to time and lately he’s been a busy builder indeed. He’s sent me a lot of interesting stuff over the last week or so and gave me his blessing to post it here. So for the next few posts or so and whnever the occasion arises I’m going to pass on some of his creations here. I hope you enjoy it.

I’ll start it out with the creation that first caught my eye. It’s a Kawasaki H1 powered RD400. The RD-K. The best of RD handling and Kawasaki triple power seamlessly grafted together.

LOTS more to follow.

2 wheel drive ROKON!

Stupid me. I didn’t realize that these guys are still in busineess. COOL! If you feel the need for a REAL go anywhere motorcycle, check them out here!

Cafe Racers… I love this shot.

Great group shot. I found this at the Cafe Racer Society blog. Hasn’t had a post in a while but it’s got some GREAT archives and pictures.

15,000 posts and counting!!

Again… I’m still amazed that my little hobby has generated this many views. Thanks everyone for checking in and please keep those Reader Rides coming in!!

Sweet Old School Reader Ride! KZ750 Cafe!

Before

After…
(mostly) 1980 Kawasaki KZ750-H1 “LTD”.

Long story short, I traded a $50 Peavey guitar amplifier for this bike, then had to dig the bike out of a sand dune in a junk yard in Amarillo, TX. I moved it around with me for a few years while I was in music school before I had the time to get into it. I replaced bearings and rebuilt brakes and carbs, found a seat for it and bought some tires, got it on the road and went around for several years like that, and didn’t even have to get into the engine!

Fast forward to April 2008. I decided to freshen up the top end, replace some leaky gaskets and such. I found that the forward cam chain guide was broken in two, and apparently had been for some time. The engine never complained!

One thing led to another and I ended up taking it down to the frame and redoing a whole lot of stuff. Now the only things original are the wheels, frame, and the top end of the engine! The bottom end is from a 1982 LTD750, tank and fork is from ’82 GPz750s, the seat is an Airtech Streamlining fiberglass piece for a Yamaha TZ250-U.