Bob Ranew's CB750C Redeemed

Bob Ranew cane to our attention last year when he built a rather lovely Kz650, so we were really happy to hear from him again and to get the chance to share his latest shed build, this 1980 Honda CB750C – which Bob calls the “ugly stepsister” of the more popular F model. And he’s right, the donor is no beauty queen. For those of a more nervous disposition, shield your eyes now.!This is only Bob’s second built, put together with limited tools, limited cash and limited skill, but it’s just as well done as his previous bike and more than worthy of a place on The Bike Shed, and when you look again at the donor the kudos from doing it all himself goes up another notch.
Bob’s day job is as an art director at an advertising agency in Raleigh NC, which, as all the media-hacks out there will know, takes up a lot of time. But like many desk-bound creatives he needed an outlet that was more hands-on, emotive and visceral, so having enjoyed his first build Bob decided it was time to do another.Like any agency guy, the first thing Bob did was to sit  down to mock up a design, and then quickly move on to thinking-up a brand name under which he could label the build, and he settled on the name Redeemed Cycles.…Nice
With Bob not being a mechanic the donor had to be a runner, but finding a 750C at a reasonable price wasn’t too hard. He started by stripping the tank back to the bare metal but he wanted to add a touch of colour, and he wanted to try to do his own powdercoating. After trying to get a nice clean candy red & clear detail finish using a kitchen oven he admitted defeat and painted the tank with a black inset panel instead. Still looks good though, Bob.After modifying the rear end of the bike and making a seat Bob decided he wanted to try and get the Honda vacuum carbs to work with pod filters, but again this proved too much to ask, so he ditched the OEM units and replaced them with CR carbs, which turned out to be a great decision in all respects.Instead of getting into the hassle of relocating everything electrical in the subframe area, Bob took a leaf from the book of his good friend John Ryland at Classified Moto and covered the gap in the frame triangles with mesh.He also swapped out the rear wheel for a larger one, used a longer shock and lowered the front to give a more aggressive stance and improved turn-in. The engine was repainted engine in satin black and Bob reused the headers that came on the donor bike, adding a new muffler....https://www.facebook.com/pages/Karachimotoindex

Boneshaker Choppers' The Mutt

Benny from Boneshaker Choppers in the Midlands is a bit of a legend on the UK custom scene, and has been building bikes of all kinds for a while, but Boneshaker are mostly known for their choppers, so we were happily surprised when Benny sent us this scrambler/brat style 125, which looks like a mini Triumph Bonneville. We’re always going on about the fact that the scene needs more small capacity cool rides, and this bike fits the bill perfectly, so we asked Benny for the full lowdown on how it came about.I’ve never professed to be a bike builder,I never really wanted to be one either. I just couldn’t ever find bikes that I wanted to buy and the only way I could get the bike I wanted was to put it together myself, those initial thoughts were some 22 years ago and from that stemmed a business that has been my life for the past 15 years, a business that caters for people who want a motorcycle they can’t buy anywhere else, from café racers, to period choppers and traditional bobbers.”“The Mutt came about for exactly these reasons, my love is old Harley choppers but I love motorcycles of all kinds; that is ‘motorcycles’ of all kinds, not two wheeled vehicles.. I hate modern scooters with a passion, I hate the way they sound and I hate the way they look which got me thinking why doesn’t anyone make a cool small cc bike? So I got to work.“I wanted to offer a bike that was still somewhat of a ‘custom’ but I also wanted it to be accessible, I’m used to building bikes that command high price tags mainly because of the parts but of course also due to the amount of hours they take to build, the Mutt had to be cheap, fun and kinda groovy.“I’d read some great reviews on the HMC Classic 125 which is a cool little bike loosely based on triumph styling, after checking them out in person (60mph flat on the tank) I decided these were the way to go, these bikes are very well designed and built bikes in the first place, all I needed to do was give them a bit more style and clean a few loose ends up.”
“Briefly the changes we make comprise of the rear wheel being relaced to an 18”, Dunlop 4.00 x18 tyres front and back, U.S style triumph bars, Beston grips, new paint, alloy mudguards, a flexi rear light and a new exhaust system with Burgess style silencer. You think 125’s sound like a fart in a tin can? Not this puppy, it’s got a nice thump to it and the bike is physically bigger than the average 125.“The Mutt isn’t necessarily a bike aimed at learners and 17 year olds, it is designed to be a cool small cc bike, easy to handle, maintenance free and accessible, a cool commuter and not too serious but hopefully with a bit more style than the majority of 125’s on the market.“I’m sure people will have to have their comments on this machine and compare it to this and that but the ethos of this bike is that it isn’t pretending to be anything it’s not ( aside from the obvious Triumph influences of course…) it’s not pretending to be cutting edge design and fabrication, it’s not trying to compete with hand built specials, it’s cheap, it’s fun so love it or hate it for what it is…”
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RBC #1 Honda CB250

Over the last few weeks we’ve been sending Bike T shirts all over the world – South Africa, Australia, Germany, even India. It’s a good feeling to know how global this ‘scene’ has become.So when this cute CB250 build turned up from Croatia, we just had to feature it.Zeljko started RBC (Retro Bikes Croatia) for the same reason most of us would start a bike building business.He got bored of working in an office making lots of money for other people, and decided to try and make some for himself, doing something he loved. He describes himself as having a ‘connection’ with older bikes, and set up RBC with the aim of producing quality, affordable bikes in a classic or Cafe racer style.Nothing coming off the workbench will ever be too ‘extreme’ as he always wants to make sure the bikes are everyday usable.The CB250 was chosen because it’s relatively rare in Croatia (unlike here in the UK where couriers still thrash around on them in their dozens) and its satisfyingly beefy enough even though it’s only a 250.The other big attraction is the ease of maintenance (hence their popularity with the aforementioned couriers) which is very important for the young riders Zeljko is aiming at.They want style, but they have to watch the pennies too.The engine has remained completely standard, all it needed was a good clean up, some new sparks and an oil and filter change.  The Keihins were cleaned and inspected, re-jetted, synchronised, and equipped with open filters. The airbox, side panels, clocks, bars, rear fender, stop light, indicators, mirrors and countless other nameless parts were  removed to get ‘the look’ he was after.The frame, forks, swing arm and wheels were powdercoated and the tank painted. A modern front brake master cylinder was fitted (no one likes early 80′s disc brakes) along with steelbraided hoses, fork gaiters, clip ons and Beston grips.The seat and battery box were hand made and the frame was modified so they would fit neatly. The electrics were renewed and moved partially under the seat, and the rear chrome fender was modified to fit.  In fact, lots of parts were made specifically for this bike during the build simply because Honda could no longer supply them.Zeljko stresses that he’s not a pro builder and had no previous experience doing anything like this, but he does say he has a strong determination, and that, combined with the help of family and friends enabled him to finish his first project.Now he is focussing that determination on making RBC a serious player in the bike building world, and wants to be recognized as the first of its kind in Croatia.Facebook page:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Karachimotoindex 

Herencia Custom Garage CX500 Nirvana

Yes, it’s yet another really nice looking CX500, but this one looks a little more different than all the other ‘different’ looking Honda transverse twin workhorses – and it’s mostly down to the tank. Perhaps Federico and the guys at Herencia Custom Garage in Argentina have taken a leaf out of Blitz’s book, where they very successfully re-drew the lines of the BMW R-Series custom by sticking an XT500 tank on one.
It’s a brilliant transformation, taking the bike’s overall bulk down a notch and allowing the engine to really stand out and dominate. The black swoosh painted into the base of the tank enhances the look even further. Take away the big battery and fit a Bates-style headlamp, shrunk back between the upper forks, and suddenly the Honda is all ‘powerplant & wheels’, with minimal provision for sitting and steering. “So much less, is even more”The donor is a 1980 Honda CX500 which came with a sound engine, needing no more than “a little work on the carbs” to get her running properly. No surprise as these bikes appear to be indestructible. The triple clamps, front suspension and brake caliper come from a 2010 Triumph Bonneville T100 and the rear suspension runs progressive springs.
The black-wrapped exhaust was built by HGC and ends in a megaphone silencer, while footpages are adapted motocross items. Rear lamp matches the Bates up front in LED. You’ll all now be familiar with the standard CX500 Comstar wheels, which are loved and loathed in equal measure, but we think they really work on this build. They’ve been painted black and are wearing Coker tyres.The rear subframe was completely rebuilt to accommodate the kicked-up bench seat, and the tank comes from a Honda XL. The replacement radiator comes from a KTM 690 and is joined by another very modern component; a small, light weight Lithium battery, which is hidden down by the gear box.Federico tells us that she is lovely to ride, and to be honest it almost doesn’t matter, she just looks right. Possibly the best CX500 we’ve ever seen, which is saying something considering how many nice ones seem to be cropping up these days.on their website or Facebook pages.
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Honda SL90 - Speed

Looking back, I was pretty lucky I reckon. I got to grow up around vintage motocross bikes, learning to ride on 70s era Yamaha bikes. Although only smaller capacity bikes, I loved the feeling of riding something that had been ridden offroad for over 20 years, and could still go hard. I didn't think there was any way you could improve on that. Until I layed my eyes on Speedtractor's SL90. Or should that be SL600? A big bore late model engine matched with 70s styling, it's very much the ideal mix in relation to the power to styling ratio. And it's oh so pretty..
Starting off with an idea put forward by a customer, to relive his childhood by having an SL90 to cruise around on, the crew at bike builders were interested. However, due to the customer having grown some since his childhood, a bigger power plant might be in order. In the words of Matt from Speedtractor: "We worked up a few concepts based around larger capacity 250’s and 400’s infused with the old SL’s easy going style and the client really got into our idea for a sort of gargantuan fun bike. Now with each party egging each other on, we decided to take it to the next level, knowing of an ex-enduro racer parting with his XR600". And so it all started coming together..
Speedtractor is a fan of factory feel parts, but with their own special flavour. Using a mix of NOS and vintage parts, the amount of thought put into the componentry of the build shows in the finished product. The tank used in the build took some time to locate, but it was worth it so "the proportions and the radii matched the very geometric casting of the XR's lump, plus the fact it was centre seamed and came from a Honda was icing on the cake".

To keep with the SL styling, the frame was coated in silver urethane, then looped to suit the seat profile. Integrated into the seat are the rear indicators, the vibrations have a tendency to crack indicator mounts on the guards. Tire size at the front was dropped to 18 inch, to match the rear, trials tires continue the homage to the owner's childhood SL90.

To ensure of power to match it's aesthetics, the intake & exhaust system has been given a touchup. The factory air box was kept because it "comes in handy in sandy & muddy conditions" but fitted up with a free flowing air filter. This all helps the FCR carb to breathe, giving the bike 'an insatiable appetite for rear tires".

When purchased, the XR had a decent race pipe setup, but "the routing and position were way too perfect and space efficient' for the required look. A set of new headers were fashioned up, ensuring no power was lost, rounding out in a slimline megaphone, with an adjustable baffle system. According to Speedtractor this makes for a "compact sexy version of a Supertrapp, with a delightfully gravelly snarl to it"

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Pip's Honda CJ423

Pip Davidson is 42, and from Thatcham in Berkshire where he works as a Landscape Gardner, but we’re here to celebrate his skills as a shed-builder, having got his first bike project off the ground, and it looks spot-on. What we also love is that the running total on the bike and build so far is just £1,923. (…which is almost exactly US $3,000..

“It all started in the middle of September when a 1978 Honda CJ250T was on auction on Ebay. No one ever wants this model as they all want the CB. It had been stood for 10 years and was a non starter, no MOT or Tax, and old log book and I won it for £311. She was totally standard 8k miles with a rear rack ! This was the start of my No Smoking bike.”…So, we can thank Pip’s plans to give up smoking for the bike, as he needed a serious distraction and the bike project was perfect, taking up six weeks worth of evenings and weekends, shopping on Ebay and building.“I got some help from Allen Millyard with welding the brackets on to accommodate a set of slabside GSXR rear sets that I got for £34 on Ebay (I have one of his custom Kawasaki KH 5 cylinder bikes). On picking up the bike I fecking dropped her off the van and snapped the near side rear set, and guess what, the 1987 GSXR rear-sets are a bit rare to find, and made of magnesium, so no chance of welding ! But manage to source another one from the US.Pip did have to buy a few new parts, though, including a set of new rear shocks from Hagon, and a pair of RamAir filters which he fitted to a pair of Mikuni VM30 carbs. Some parts were Chinese cheapies, including the rear LED light, the levers and switches, and the 3D decals came from Thailand for a tenner. Pip tried a set of clip-ons but preferred normal bars, turning the bike from the traditional cafe stance he had started with into more of a modern-retro hybrid, added to further by fitting a set of chunky Avon Distanzia tyres.”

Pip’s smartest move was to upgrade the engine from a 250cc bore to 423cc using VFR pistons in a bored-out a set of CB360 cylinders – with more help from Allen. As we all know, there is no substitute for cubes..

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Michael's SR500 "Lambada"

Michael Eichler grew up skating, snowboarding and camping in the mountains and hills of south-west Germany, and at the age of 15 he was introduced to the world of two wheels on his first bike, a Hercules Prima 5 with 25cc and a full 25kmh top speed. It was great fun at the time…
“A lot has changed since then. Now I’m 30, live in Kentish Town, married to the most wonderful girl, and hardly get a chance to camp or Snowboard. But my passion for two wheels didn’t fade away since I was 15. Quite the opposite in fact. Last year we had enough and decided to hit the roads of Edgware to get a couple of full licenses (turned out the lady loves the bikes too, fantastic!) We just wanted to be able to ride if we felt like it.
“Fully Qualified, we were all over the moon but something was missing… We didn’t quite see the appeal of riding a bike in town. And there were still those beautiful hills and their twisty roads back home. And as we keep going back to hang out with friends and family it kinda made sense to get a couple of old bikes to ride around on for when we are there.
“Most modern bikes don’t appeal to me. And spanking a lot of cash on a bike which I’d only ride a few weeks a year seemed wrong. I was after something fun, light-hearted, agile to throw around town, a bit rough to be able to go and play in the dirt, go camping with or just to go and pick up some good ol’ German Rye for breakfast. It had to be all German Bauhaus “Form follows function” and all that.”
“Having said that form and style were still massively important to me. I believe it’s much more that a “cool look” I believe a certain style of bike gives you a certain feeling when riding it too. I used to work as a Graphic Designer and am now an Art Director which I think had a huge influence. Not in quality (I’ve never designed or touched a bolt on a bike before, so it ain’t no technically sophisticated machine… my German engineer cousins would probably be ashamed). But I think it influenced the approach. Building something with a clear idea behind it… a purpose. And trying to reflect my own style so I’d feel at home riding it.
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LAMBADA SR500

Read the full story on KMI
model - YAMAHA SR 500 [48T]
year - 1989
design + built - MICHAEL EICHLER
build time - 3 WEEKS

engine - 500cc SINGLE CYLINDER
chassis - YAMAHA
handlebar - MOTACC 1 SUPERBIKE
grips - ARIETE
lights + indicators - CRD
fenders - CUSTOM

BMW R75/7 By Clutch Custom

Building a custom motorcycle is about judgment: knowing what to change, what to leave alone, and when to stop. It’s about proportions, lines and shapes. The balance between color and leather, paint and metal, gloss and matte.

It’s a fiendishly difficult mix to get right, and requires a keen eye as well as advanced mechanical skills. But Willie Knoll of Paris-based Clutch Custom Motorcycles has got that eye, and he’s used it to great effect on this BMW R75/7.

Nico from the French site 4h10.com has seen the bike in the metal, and reports: “The idea was to build something low-key, with the beauty being in the details. Almost everything has been reworked, turned, milled or welded—but nothing draws attention to itself.”

The somewhat stately looks of the original R75/7 have gone, replaced by a sportier, less cluttered appearance. The bike has been lowered—four centimeters at the back and eight at the front—with the help of modified forks and more steeply raked shocks. (The mounts have been moved forward on the new rear frame loop.) The swingarm mounts are also new, along with the simple but effective fenders and the classy brown leather seat.

f you’re lucky enough to be in Paris right now, you can see the BMW in the metal when it’s unveiled today at the 4h10 Soirée #4 at Le Bellerive. Otherwise, head over to Clutch Custom’s stylish website or Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Karachimotoindex

Pacific MC Co's Red Rocker

                                      

Kiwi builders, Pacific Motorcycles, debut the cafe custom scene with this stand
out CB350, inspired by the 1950's Corvette, creating a steam punk pastiche of
a retro-bike that never was.We think it Rocks.The last time we heard from Alan,
he was a humble shed-builder who had put together
a really nice looking Suzuki GS550, AKA Stray Dog, which impressed us a lot and was a
very popular bike and now he’s back as part of New Zealand workshop The Pacific
Motorcycle Co with this stand-out build the Red Rocker.

The Pacific Motorcycle Co was set up out of an existing motorcycle dealership in Nelson on

the South Island (or the mainland, as locals call it),which moved into restoring British Classics

but this is their first proper custom build,and it’s a pretty big statement.

As the CB350 has been done to death Ron wanted to do something really different,and you won’t be

surprised to hear that the main design inspiration for the bike was the 1950s Corvette,with it’s distinctive

scallops in the wings and doors.After a very rough render in Photoshop the work started.

First up the bike completely dismantled and any unnecessary parts discarded.The standard CB frame is a

bit ugly to say the least with its pressed steel and spot welded gussets, so that was tidied up, including a

rolled trim around the inside of the frame, a rear loop with fillets to keep clean lines on the back of the

frame to accommodate the seat unit and any unused tabs were ground off.
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