Motorcycle News - Chopper Rescue: A Honda CB900 revived by Purpose Built
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The PBM portfolio is stacked with cafe racers and scramblers, but that didn’t stop them from tackling a chopper…and knocking it out the park. “The skills are the same,” says Tom, “and I love the style just as much—it’s just a different thought process.”
The shop’s client had bought it wrecked, ten years ago, and decided to have it rebuilt as a chopper. He originally found a builder on the Sunshine Coast—but the work took literally years to complete, and the bike looked horrible and didn’t run right.
PBM decided to build their own take on a Japanese chopper: “Something the owner would be proud to ride and show off to his mates.” So they stripped the bike down, ripped out the dodgy wiring and got cracking.
Since the Honda’s frame had been done well the first time around, Tom focused his energy purely on rebuilding the rear section. “This whole process was foreign to me,” he says. “A new set of geometry dynamics to work with, to achieve a good and solid chopper look.”
Next up, the crew turned their attention to the bodywork. The CB had come with a huge mustang chopper tank—but Tom thankfully swapped it out for a Honda CB750 K2 unit. “It fitted with my ideas for the bike, and it allowed the huge engine to protrude from under the tank,” he explains.
Tom then whipped up a new seat pan and electrics tray, and shaped up the foam. Jamo at Timeless Autotrim kicked out a sublime nubuck leather cover, with pleats that run all the way over the back of the seat.
Purpose Built usually focus on simple and clean results on their cafe racer builds. But for this bike, Tom deliberately wanted to add some flair. “For a chopper, I’m thinking, ‘What is the best looking, and most elaborate way, to get this job done?’”
The detail work on this chop-job could fill volumes. The cockpit features leather wrap grips, modern Purpose Built switches with internal wiring, and reverse levers with a cable operated master brake cylinder hidden under the fuel tank. And there’s a whole bunch of smaller brass parts scattered throughout the bike.
The engine was cleaned up and refinished in black with some mild polishing in places, and treated to a set of Keihin CR carbs with DNA filters. Then the whole setup was run and tuned by the team at Dynomite—so it runs like a dream now.
“Something I hadn’t understood until now was the allure of riding a chopper. I’ve always loved winding roads, fast paced corners and a bike that handles great. But on this bike, it doesn’t matter where you’re riding, it’s about what you’re riding.”
Not surprisingly, Purpose Built’s client is over the moon with his revived chopper. But more than that, Tom is stoked that someone trusted him enough to step outside of his own comfort zone. Purpose Built Moto | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Made Social Motorcycles via Bike EXIF https://ift.tt/2Mf9b0c January 31, 2020 at 11:14AM
MotoGP News - Aprilia will drop MotoGP rider Iannone if he's handed long doping ban
https://ift.tt/38SKNsq Aprilia Racing CEO Massimo Rivola has admitted that a long doping ban for Andrea Iannone would likely spell the end of the manufacturer's relationship with the Italian MotoGP rider. Iannone, 30, was provisionally suspended by motorcycling's governing body the FIM after a urine sample taken during the Malaysian Grand Prix weekend tested positive for an anabolic steroid, putting his place on the 2020 MotoGP grid in serious doubt. The hearing for his appeal is set to take place on February 4, just three days before the start of the first official pre-season test of the 2020 season at Sepang. Rivola admitted that some kind of sanction for Iannone was likely in the circumstances but said the length of any ban would dictate whether his Aprilia contract would remain valid. "I'd be surprised if he wasn't penalised, because I think the Federation [FIM] has to comply with WADA [World Anti-Doping Agency] codes," Rivola told Corriere della Sera. "If he had to be banned for one or two years, it's clear the relationship would end. "But if he were to take a reprimand or three months, it would mean his innocence would have been acknowledged, even if he was sanctioned." However, Rivola added that he believes Iannone is innocent, saying that he had instructed the one-time MotoGP race winner to lose weight at the start of last season. "Aprilia is close to its rider," continued the ex-Ferrari Formula 1 sporting director. "Many times we are told: 'Iannone [testing] positive is normal because he does underwear adverts, he is muscular, and shows himself off topless'. But it is not so. "Last year at the first test I put him on the scales and said, 'That's not it. [Team-mate] Aleix Espargaro weighs 10kg less than you. You need to go on a diet, change your workout'. "By July, he had lost 6.5kg working hard. Why would he take anabolics [intentionally] if he had to lose weight?" Who would replace Iannone in 2020 in the event of a ban remains unclear, although test rider Bradley Smith is set for an expanded role for Sepang testing and ex-World Superbike racer Lorenzo Savadori is also slated to assist the new RS-GP's development in Malaysia. Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei January 31, 2020 at 04:42AM
F1 News - Racing Point to be rebranded as Aston Martin after Stroll rescue deal
https://ift.tt/2RMimH3 ![]() Struggling luxury UK carmaker Aston Martin has announced plans to raise emergency funding worth £500m. A consortium led by billionaire Lawrence Stroll will put in £182m, with the rest coming from issuing fresh shares to existing investors. Mr Stroll partly owns the Racing Point Formula 1 team, which will be branded Aston Martin under the deal. The move comes hours after a board meeting held to discuss how to prop up the ailing firm. Aston Martin said the moves were aimed at strengthening its balance sheet after its "disappointing performance" in 2019. Mr Stroll's consortium will take a 20% stake in the company and he will become its executive chairman. As a result, Penny Hughes will be stepping down as Aston Martin's chairman once the deal is completed. She said: "The difficult trading performance in 2019 resulted in severe pressure on liquidity which has left the company with no alternative but to seek substantial additional equity financing. "Without this, the balance sheet is not robust enough to support the operations of the group. "Notwithstanding recent weak trading, the strength of the Aston Martin brand and our expanding portfolio of cars has allowed us to attract a strong new partner in Mr Stroll to support the turnaround of the business." Earlier this month, the 106-year-old firm issued a profit warning, saying annual earnings were expected to fall by nearly half from a year earlier. It said core retail sales - which covers sales from Aston Martin dealers to consumers - were up 12% from a year earlier. However, wholesale volumes - which covers how many cars the dealers are ordering from Aston Martin itself - were down 7% to 5,809. The company said it was expecting earnings of between £130m and £140m, well below the £247.3m it reported last year. #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 January 31, 2020 at 02:16AM
Motorcycle News - RETRO REMAKE: Ducati 900SS Darmah Replica by Barn Built Bikes
https://ift.tt/2RH6ndv Written by Martin Hodgson You might meet the nicest people on a Honda, but if it’s passion you’re after then look no further than Italian marque Ducati! The Ducatisti take things to a whole new level, even holding an annual World Ducati Week, so if you’re building a custom from a Duc then there is an extra layer of pressure. But Sven and his team at Belgium’s Barn Built Bikes were more than up for the challenge and showing their confidence decided to debut the finished product at the Motor Bike Expo in Verona, Italy. The end result is this stunning mix of old and new, a Ducati 900SS built to be a Darmah replica. “In October 2019, we decided to participate at the motorbike expo 2020 in Verona. We didn’t want to show bikes that we already built for customers. We wanted to show our idea of a custom bike. Italy means Ducati and we still had an SS900ie donor ready in the barn,” Sven explains. But this wasn’t BBB’s first Ducati dance, having already built other SS models into Cafe Racers, one with a gorgeous tricolore paint scheme. Pipeburn editor Scott was on hand at the MBE in Verona and Sven detailed the philosophy behind the bike “because we like to refer to the past in our builds, we decided to make a replica of the 1978 SS900 Darmah. The fairing and seat are still available and we still had one fuel tank in our shop.” But that tank is no ordinary item, made in house it is a lightweight polyvinyl construction, with a see-through strip on both sides to see the fuel level. It also retains the factory fuel pump, recessed filler cap and sits perfectly over the stock airbox. To match, the old school style seat design was the perfect complimenting feature, but anyone who has worked on the modern SS knows that the subframe is not at all conducive to a seat change. So rather than trying to rework it, the BBB crew simply cut it off and built up an all-new tubular rear section from the centre posts back. To match the lines of the tank, raised supports are used under the seat base and then it’s topped with the perfectly trimmed seat. Moving to the front and while the modern SS comes with a front fairing stay, it needed to be totally redesigned and customised so it could support the classic ’70s unit and round headlight to match. Then it was time for paint and the quality is first class, the gorgeous deep gloss black perfectly accentuated by the gold graphics. With the Desmo decal added for good measure and the BBB shop logo on the stock front fender. To get the bike into rolling form Sven went with a shop favourite, a set of spoked Alpina wheels with blacked-out rims, all wrapped up in sticky Pirelli rubber. The swingarm has been rubbed back to show off the raw metal finish, with the same treatment given to the heal guards. The suspension remains as it came from the factory and while not the latest and greatest, the combination of the exceptional frame working with the fully adjustable Showa forks and shock makes for a great ride. The factory braking is just as good and with less weight to stop, the full Brembo package with braided lines has an even easier task. But that didn’t stop Sven from making some upgrades with a set of Magura reservoirs. They form part of the ultra-clean cockpit with a custom dash supporting a centralised Daytona speedo. The clip-ons are then replaced with a pair from TRW, with new grips and refurbished switchblocks. To ensure the 900cc L-Twin could show off its best features a custom dry clutch cover was fitted and the crew pulled a Ducati custom exhaust off the shelf. But the 2-1 system was originally designed for a Monster and needed some fettling to fit. But there were some tense moments at the end, with the wheels only arriving on the Monday and seat and upholstery by Cuirconcept on the Wednesday before the show. Thankfully all was finished in time and the Barn Built Bike was a hit, “In Verona we had really nice comments on the bike. Older bikers said we did a nice Job. Non-Ducatisti thought it was a genuine old one. Even Mr Martini himself came to us to say we made nice bikes,” a smiling Sven and a happy crowd! [ Barn Built Bikes | Instagram ] Motorcycles via Pipeburn.com https://ift.tt/2LY9tnG January 30, 2020 at 10:43PM
Motorcycle News - Yamaha XS650 ‘Techno Tracker’ by Gunn Design
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Operating as Gunn Design, Dan is a gifted freelance designer with good business smarts, too. A few months ago, he contacted Tucker Powersports and suggested a custom bike collaboration—which makes sense, because Tucker distributes custom-oriented brands that regularly appear on these pages, such as Vance & Hines, ProTaper and Renthal.
Now called the ‘Techno Tracker,’ the Yamaha had to be finished in time for the annual Tucker dealer show held every January.
A few key parts are not from the Tucker catalogs, but they’re still mostly bolt-on and affordable. Dan’s used the forks from a YZ250, and has grafted on the front calipers from a bigger YZ450—using them at both ends of the XS650.
The forks have been lowered from the stock YZ height, going down from a lofty 11 inches of travel to a more road-friendly four inches. The brake rotors and lines are from Galfer, and power hits the back wheel via a ProTaper YZ450 sprocket.
The seat pan sits on a revised rear subframe: Dan’s cut off the hoop, and also cut out the bridge between the shock. He’s replaced that with a custom piece that works as both a frame support and seat mounting bracket.
We tried to ID the eye-catching little tank, but failed. Dan tells us it’s from a 1977 Yamaha YZ80 two-stroke, and it’s an inspired choice—especially with a baby version of the famous speed block graphics.
The carbs have been upgraded with a Mikuni VM34 kit, which should boost power and sharpen response nicely.
The bars are ProTaper’s relatively tall and comfortable EVO Adventure Highs, and the same company supplied the levers, grips and pegs. Motone switchgear and CRG Hindsight mirrors complete the cockpit.
It’s a super-slick yet practical build, and a manifestation of Dan’s smart design vision. And also his entrepreneurial ability—an underrated but critical skill for any bike builder with ambition.
The XS650 was the first thing dealers saw when they arrived at the show, and our Tucker contact tells us that it was a big hit—even in that traditionally v-twin-heavy environment.
For Dan, it’s Job Done and a sense of satisfaction. “There’s so much room in the used bike market to buy something and customize it to your liking, without having to fork out boatloads of cash,” he says. “Yes, this was a sponsored build—but it also shows just how cool you can make a bike with a little know-how, visualization, and elbow grease.” Gunn Design | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Brandon LaJoie Motorcycles via Bike EXIF https://ift.tt/2Mf9b0c January 30, 2020 at 11:36AM
MotoGP News - Tank Slappers podcast: Has Yamaha formed a 2021 MotoGP dream team?
https://ift.tt/2U9dvBl ![]() Yamaha has dominated the MotoGP headlines this week, after it announced a new-look team for 2021 and the return of a familiar face as test rider this year. Maverick Vinales was the first major signing of the 'silly season' on Tuesday, as he extended his Yamaha stay by a further two years, while standout 2019 rookie Fabio Quartararo was announced as his team-mate a day later. Notably, this meant there was no room at the factory inn for nine-time world champion Valentino Rossi - though he has been pledged works machinery and support should he choose to continue in 2021. With Quartararo and Vinales easily the two fastest Yamaha representatives in 2019, and two of only a handful of riders capable of running world champion Marc Marquez hard at points last year, has Yamaha formed a 'dream team'? On the latest Tank Slappers podcast, Motorsport.com's Global MotoGP Editor Oriol Puigdemont joins Autosport Motorcycle Racing Correspondent Lewis Duncan to discuss this very idea. They also look at the decision to move Rossi out of the works team and why this had to happen, and also delve into the impact Jorge Lorenzo's return to the Yamaha fold as test rider will have going forward. The Tank Slappers podcast is Autosport and the Motorsport Network's regular podcast for all things two-wheeled, and can be found on Apple Podcasts via iTunes, Google Podcasts and Spotify - simply search for 'Tank Slappers'. Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei January 30, 2020 at 07:22AM
F1 News - Lewis Hamilton yet to begin contract talks
https://ift.tt/2S4TQ2u ![]() Lewis Hamilton says he is yet to start talks with Mercedes over a new contract with the team beyond 2020. The six-time world champion's deal with Mercedes runs out at the end of this season and Ferrari have admitted they have held talks with the Briton. Hamilton said on Instagram that he and Mercedes F1 boss Toto Wolff "have not even spoken about contract yet. Nothing is being negotiated currently." He was responding to reports that negotiations had broken down. Hamilton, referring to a report in Italy that talks had stalled over his demands, added: "Papers making up stories." The 36-year-old is still on his winter break and has been posting videos on his social media in recent days of him training and enjoying time with his father, Anthony, on what looks like a tropical island. Hamilton has previously given equivocal statements about his future, saying at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the end of last season: "I love where I am, so it is definitely not a quick decision to go and do something else. "But it is only smart and wise to sit and think about what I want if it is the last phase of my career. Naturally I want to keep winning, I can't tell you what will happen going forwards." In Abu Dhabi, Wolff put the chances of Hamilton staying at Mercedes at 75%, saying: "From the rational side everything speaks for continuation of the relationship from both sides. But equally there is a 25% chance we are not in control of. So we see how the next months pan out." Negotiations over a new contract have to be done face to face and, in the past, Hamilton has only started talks with Wolff once he returned from his pre-season training regime ahead of winter testing, which starts in Spain on 19 February. The season begins with the Australian Grand Prix on 13-15 March. That is expected to be the case again this year, with the timing for any meetings dependent on their collective responsibility to ensure the team are as well prepared for the new season as possible. Hamilton has the chance to equal Michael Schumacher's all-time record of seven drivers' titles this year. Both are understood to have the intention to continue working together and it should be a question of refining the details of the contract until both are happy. But it is inevitable that the situation will drag on for some months as Hamilton and Wolff navigate the busy schedule of an F1 season and their commitments. If Hamilton had any thoughts of potentially leaving Mercedes, his views may be affected by the decisions by Ferrari and Red Bull to sign Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen on to long-term contracts over the winter. Leclerc is committed to Ferrari until 2024 and Verstappen to Red Bull until 2023, suggesting both teams see the drivers - the two biggest young starts in the sport - as their future. Meanwhile, Ola Kallenius, the chairman of Mercedes' parent company Daimler, has dismissed reports that its board is poised to discuss pulling out of F1. Reuters asked Kallenius at a Germany Auto Industry reception in Berlin on Wednesday if Mercedes were planning to leave F1. He replied: "Not true." The report was by the British car-industry magazine Autocar and the racefans.net website, who said the issue would be discussed at a board meeting which it said would be on 12 March. BBC Sport understands there is no board meeting scheduled for that date. Mercedes, like nearly all F1 teams, has a contract with the sport that lasts only until the end of 2020. The teams and F1 have been in negotiations for more than two years over the future shape of the sport. New technical, sporting and financial regulations for 2021 were finalised last year but the terms of a new revenue distribution and governance system have yet to be agreed. Mercedes have won the last six drivers' and constructors' titles in F1. The car company said this month that its earnings halved in 2019 and that it faced charges of up to €1.5bn (£1.269bn) related to the diesel emissions scandal. The company this year made its official debut in the all-electric Formula E series. However, Kallenius said in an investor call last November that F1 was good value for the brand. "F1 has been an activity in terms of our marketing and branding strategy that has paid off handsomely in the last few years," he said. "You have to look at these investments in a rational way. "We weigh all our marketing and media investment in terms of reach, impact and cost. "If you use the Nielsen method to measure the media value of our F1 activities, they are north of €1bn a year, so an extreme reach and impact from this activity and the costs that we would not like to disclose publicly are surprising low because there is a cost and revenue side in F1. We are committed." #F1 via BBC Sport - Formula 1 https://ift.tt/OHg7x6 January 30, 2020 at 07:04AM
MotoGP News - Marquez rides for first time since surgery ahead of Sepang MotoGP test
https://ift.tt/2S2rG8A ![]() Reigning MotoGP world champion Marc Marquez has ridden a motorcycle for the first time since surgery on a right-shoulder injury to evaluate his fitness ahead of next month's Sepang test. Marquez partially dislocated the shoulder in a heavy crash during qualifying for the Malaysian Grand Prix, before aggravating it further in a tumble during testing at Jerez in November. Marquez underwent surgery shortly after the test, and admitted his recovery has been tougher this time around than a year ago when he underwent a similar operation on a repeating left shoulder dislocation in 2018. With just a week until the first three-day test of the year in Malaysia, Marquez took to a karting circuit in Tarragon, Spain, aboard a Honda NSF 250 Moto3 bike to evaluate his physical condition. In a short statement on Twitter, he admitted his feeling on the bike was "not the best".
"After two months without [riding a] bike, yesterday [Wednesday] I rode again to check my feeling with the right shoulder," the post read. "The feelings were not the best, but I'm very happy because we are doing important steps." At an awards event in Spain last week, Marquez admitted he will be short of full fitness for the Sepang test. "Since December 2 I have been [going through] rehabilitation with the shoulder," he said. "In two weeks we have the first pre-season test - the Sepang test, from February 7 to 9 - which I will reach 60% or 70% physical [fitness for]." Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei January 30, 2020 at 06:07AM
MotoGP News - Retired three-time MotoGP champion Lorenzo gets Yamaha test role
https://ift.tt/2tTDi5Q ![]() Retired three-time MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo will return to Yamaha in 2020 after agreeing a deal to become its official test rider... Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei January 30, 2020 at 03:31AM
MotoGP News - Yamaha's Rossi needs on-track answers for 2021 MotoGP future decision
https://ift.tt/2uMNEnR ![]() Valentino Rossi says his decision not to commit to extending his MotoGP career with Yamaha until later in the season was because he 'needed answers' on his own form... Motogp Motorcycle Racing News via MotoGP news - Autosport https://ift.tt/2uOa9Ei January 29, 2020 at 10:02AM |
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