Mike Soteros Sends these in. Continuing proof that you don’t need big bucks to build cool bikes.
UPDATE: The Latest from Travis at Iron Spade Cycles in TX
A fw folks were asking in the comments about the location of Iron Spade Cycles. I found this on a forum:
Hey guys, my name is Travis and I am the sole owner of Iron Spade Cycles here in Port Lavaca TX. I specialize in building cafe racers, street trackers and drag bikes from vintage British and Japanese makes. I tend to build only the bikes I would ride personally so I feel I’ve done most of my clients justice in building the perfect example of their expectations.
Travis Lawson (who’s bikes have been on these pages before) sends in his latest build! Outstanding!
Steve, here are a few pictures I took this morning about a half hour before my client came to pick up his bike. It’s a 1973 Honda CB350F with 5800 original miles on the clocks. It was in pretty rough shape when I started the project back around Christmas of last year, but the end result was worth the wait. Damn near every part on this bike has been touched in some way to make it better. A laundry list of parts were stripped, powder coated and or painted while others were polished or replaced. Rough estimates of weight saved from parts cut off or omitted is about 55lbs. If it wasn’t absolutely necessary to make the bike run, it was removed to save weight. The engine was left basically stock other than the hand made exhaust canister, the Dyna-S ignition and the pod air cleaners. We did bump up the jetting for the increased airflow but that is about it. I know these little bikes can go 100K miles with regular maintenance but any major mods would only hurt the longevity so we stripped her of excess weight instead. Just this morning I stretched her legs and ran up to 105 MPH before shutting her down to take these pictures. Pretty impressive considering I’m 6’2″ and 260lbs. My client is a bit younger, 75 lbs lighter and in much better shape than I am, he should have a ball riding her around the coastal area where he lives.
Anyway I just thought you’d enjoy these pictures. Now I’m back to focusing on another client’s cafe project, a 1979 Kawasaki KZ650 with a Wiseco 810cc big bore kit. Those pictures will be in a few weeks. Talk soon Travis
What 100,000 angry bikers look like in France!
This is from last June but in light if recent threads on here I thought it’d be a good idea. I am of course waaaay late to this but I just love the video! More on bikers rights shortly but I thought I put this up here now. All the details here!
Vive La France!
Styling video.
Thanks to Todd Johnson who wrote in:
Not sure if it’s your bag or not, but here’s a video of some old bikes not riding like complete d-bags. On the one double yellow pass, the guy flat out pulled over to let us have our fun.
Regardless of whether or not I’d ride with those Greek guys, I did enjoy watching the videos. Probably not so much had someone been hurt. Anyways, your site has kept me going through many mundane work days. Keep up the good work.
Good Stuff Todd. Thanks! And I like the modded sky blue CM400 (?). Very original build!
Wrench. Ride. Repeat. from Indiesol on Vimeo.
Reader ride. An unusual kovrovetc-minsk framed 175cc.
A carry over from the s-stroke blog..
Valentin Voynov sends in this cool custom build. I confess that I don’t know much about the ofiginal bike but I like hat he did with this. More proof that you don’t need a deep pockets to build a cool bike.
A Little Colorado Adventure Wanderlust Action…
Living in Florida isn’t exactly torture but geography that’s as flat as a pancake does get old. I look at photos like this and think that a little snow might not be so bad once in a while. These are courtesy of the incomparable Edward “Geek” Walker from Colorado. AKA MotoGeek! Be sure to check out his site for a LOT more! These are from a little Sunday/Monday ride he took. Damm. Some guys sure do have it rough…
Thanks Ed!
Video. Color me impressed!
RESPECT! I used to be a board draftsmen once upon a time so i have “some” idea of the skill involved. It’s kinda cool to see such excellent old world craftsmanship on an assembly line. I bet he doesn’t drink a lot of caffeine.
If you’re wondering what you’re up against in St Louis (and everywhere really)…
Here’s the Facebook page to the “2011 Ride of the Century”. Please don’t hit the like button. You can comment without it but be prepared to be flamed by some of the most ignorant, idiotic and grammatically challenged people who ever got on 2 wheels.
I hesitate to post this but what the heck. If you’re in St Louis and you’re one of these people then you’re a f##king jackass.
Considering the action we’ve been having around here lately over the Greek hooligans I was a little conflicted about even mentioning this but since it’s now a national (global??) story I thought I’d address it.
Here’s a rub from StLtoday
ST. LOUIS • Drivers have reported huge packs of motorcycles swarming the highways around St. Louis, with the bikers pulling stunts, making hand gestures and forcing cars off the roadway.
There has been no official word yet from the state highway patrol or other public safety officials.
The reports started coming in around 2 p.m. from various spots on I-270 and I-70, most recently in the north St. Louis county area. Some claimed to see as many as 800 to 1,000 motorcycles in a pack.
There has been at least one major accident, which resulted in serious injuries and forced the closure of I-270 near New Halls Ferry Road. The injured were flown to an area hospital, according to the state highway patrol. No further details are known at this time.
Brian Johnson of St. Louis said he was heading on I-170 north to Lambert International Airport with his wife when he saw the pack of motorcycles on the other side of the highway.
“There was a good half mile stretch where it was 20 bikes wide the whole highway,” he said. “It was hundreds after hundreds after hundreds of bikes.”
Johnson said the bikers were not your typical Harley Davidson types; most were wearing racing suits and riding speed bikes like you would see in stunt shows.
He said the first group of bikers were pumping their fists; the second group created a ringlike formation and had bikers riding down the middle doing wheelies.
Johnson said cars were forced over to the shoulder of the road and trying to get off. There were also traffic tie-ups on his side of the highway as drivers slowed to gawk at the spectacle.
“When they were out around the other cars it was dangerous,” he said. “When they took over the entire highway it was like being in a motorcycle show.”
If you participated in this nonsense and you (by some miracle) are reading this I just wanted to let you know that you’re a fucking moron who is probably going to die a fiery and painful death sooner rather than later. I personally will not mourn your passing. Oh and if you pull that crap when I’m driving a vehicle that outweighs you 6 to 1 please know that I am not yielding you and inch. Go ahead take your chances and test Darwin.
From the “things you don’t see every day” department. A stretched and blinged 1969 Honda Trail 90!
David Shupe writes in with this truly unique Honda.
My 1969 Honda Trail 90 custom. stretched 12″, Raked forks, Hand made pegs, center bar (1/2 aluminum plate & 1/4 brass plate) and stainless sissy bar. Custom gray flake powder coat paint. 72 spoke rims and 140cc Pitster pro engine! Feel free to use all photos as you wish, Dave Shupe. Bellingham Wa. USA
If I was (a lot) lighter I’d be all over these small customs. Cool, easy to ride, affordable and unique. I mean who wouldn’t want a trail 90 with a velocity stack!!
Motorcycle Photo Of The Day 