Archive for ‘cafe racer’

August 26, 2013

The Ace Bar Perch

A good view to have when haring along your favorite curvy lanes ~

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March 24, 2013

In Detail

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From the Triumph website:

Thruxton.    The café racer.    Reinvented.

Thruxton. Named after the race track where Triumph ruled the roost and inspired by the famous “Ton Up Boys” of the 60s. The Thruxton is Triumph’s sportiest classic, an authentic café racer delivering that unique Brit twin riding experience. Low rise bars, sporty riding position, aluminum-rimmed spoked wheels (18” front and 17” rear), megaphone style exhaust and a modern 865cc parallel-twin engine. It stirs the heart for those around at the time and for those who seek the classic sporty retro cool.

ENGINE: FUEL & IGNITION SYSTEM:
• Air-cooled, DOHC, 360º parallel twin
• Twin carburettors
• Capacity 865cc
• TPS and electric heaters
• Compression Ratio 10.2:1
• Ignition Digital – inductive type
• Bore/Stroke 90 x 68mm

TRANSMISSION: PERFORMANCE:
• Primary – Drive Gear
• Maximum Power 70PS (69bhp) at 7,250rpm
• Final Drive – X ring chain
• Maximum Torque 72Nm (53ft.lbf) at 5,750rpm
• Gearbox 5-speed
• measured at crankshaft to DIN 70020
• Clutch – Wet, multi-plate

DIMENSIONS: CYCLE PARTS:
• Length 2212mm (87.1in)
• Swingarm Twin-sided, tubular steel
• Width (Handlebars) 714mm (28.1in)
• Wheels
   – Front, 36-spoke, 18 x 2.5in,
   – Rear, 40-spoke, 17 x 3.5in
• Seat Height 790mm (31.1in)
• Tyres – Front R18 100/90, Rear R17 130/80
• Height 1170mm (46.1in)
• Suspension
   – 41mm forks with adjustable preload,
   – Rear – twin shocks, adjustable pre-load
• Weight (Dry) 205kg (451lb)
• Brakes
   – Front, Single 320mm floating disc, 2 piston caliper, Rake/27º Trail/97mm                
   – Rear,  Single 255mm disc, 2 piston caliper
• Fuel Tank Capacity 16 litres (4.2 gal US)
• Wheelbase 1477mm (58.1in)

March 21, 2013

Get t’kettle on wor kid!

Nowt like a good cuppa when yer get ‘ome from work. Image behind me is a poster picked up at Motoworks last evening; it’s an image of Larry Fletcher’s Triton complete with lovely lass.

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All I need is a chocolate digestive to dunk in then I’m set!

February 18, 2013

Aphrodite’s Ride

A Racer in seafoam…

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A Venus…

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…and another Venus.

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All have perfect form for the beholder.
Aphrodite of Milos (Greek: Ἀφροδίτη τῆς Μήλου, Aphroditē tēs Mēlou), 130 BCE Venus de Milo.
The Birth of Venus (Italian: Nascita di Venere) 1486 Sandro Botticelli.

February 12, 2013

Clip-ons

Just add long and winding road ahead rushing towards you at a rapid pace: this is a sight for sore eyes in the depths of the winter Moto-hibernation. Pair of Smiths clocks with needles ready to spin clockwise; low bars ready to lean into (don’t worry the velocity created wind blast will support you!) and a throttle ready to be wrung-out.
Go on lad give ‘er some wellie!

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January 26, 2013

A Thumper…

Hare’s must rank as one of the wiliest of animals: the ears of a rabbit, whiskers of a cat, pace of a greyhound, attitude of a lion. They gave rise to the Brer Rabbit stories through the ‘Trickster’ tales brought from Africa; the christians took over Pagan symbolism of  the goddess Ēostre who symbolised spring with the hare transformed into the easter bunny as well as the use of eggs then too (the crucifiction has nothing to do with easter, bunnies and eggs). Now where were we? A BSA single rushing along at a good clip with the English hedgerow whistling by at a blur can be seen to be ‘haring’ along: the verbisation of our Lepusian pal. So when I spotted this custom BSA single dressed up in a spare frame akin to our sinewy coursing friend, I knew we had the moto embodiment of our Mad March Haigha.

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Well “Son of a Gun” is that bike. Built by Lamb Engineering under the watchmaker-like eye of Larry Houghton. Based on a half litre lung single it has been fashioned to present a lean line based on speed. Juicy rubber held by an ample front disc with low, low bars for a streamlined stance. The honey-gold colour radiates a warm spring afternoon. I’d love to be hunkered down on this machine, along some arrow-straight roman roads up Northumbria, an Anglo-Saxon history intertwined in the landscape around me. I wish they’d read Beowulf to us at school, not the Testaments…

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 Time for tea? Why it’s always time for tea!

 

December 16, 2012

Howay lads! Let’s gan for a born doon the A68

You’re nicked sonny! We’ve been catching up on some recent Brit-TV of late; one show in particular has been a fun show to watch: George Gently. Based on novels by Alan Hunter and based in Northumberland and Durham it follows the exploits of  London DCI from Scotland Yard relocated up North and dealing with the more backwater crimes of the Geordie vicinity. The first episode had a storyline revolving around a biker gang who tear around the countryside and towns on Triumphs & Beezas. Indeed the ringleader, Ricky, has a beautiful featherbed fram’d, manx-tank’d Norton.

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An interesting note: The actor playing Ricky, Richard Armitage, plays the main dwarf character, Thorin Oakenshield, in the upcoming Hobbit film.

December 1, 2012

The Ton

Hoodie anyone? Expressing the true spirit of the cafe racer: One Hundred Miles per Hour, aka “The Ton”. Some crafty antipodean graphics artist has created one iconic moto-logo with this powerful moto-tenet. Their range of tees include this hooded sweatshirt with a high velocity oomph. 100 mph. The swoosh of the Triumph symbol is a recognizable logo in motorcycle circles; here you can see its swirl like some silk scarf blowing in the wind behind some hare-sped racer….

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The Ton

 

 

November 22, 2012

Rocker Gal

November 19, 2012

Thruxton Gal

November 17, 2012

Cafe Racer Gal

October 28, 2012

Cafe Racer Mag

Picked up the latest copy of the excellent Caff Racer rag. Grand reading with a cup of tea! Cafe scene, road racer builds, local groups, clip-on and rearset suppliers, Triumphs, Nortons and Beezas galore…

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August 31, 2012

Triton

Son of Poseidon, wielder of the trident and Messenger of the Great Sea; Trident is also the perfect marriage of the Norton Featherbed frame and Triumph 650cc Bonneville engine (ideally the pre-unit but a latter year unit will do thankyou very much!).
This ones a corker: big pearly tank, giant bellowing conch horn exhaust and a purpose for speed.

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August 16, 2012

Just For Kicks

July 25, 2012

Quicksilver

Mercury-like globule of a tank moves under the power of a tremendous Norton Commando twin; whose slanted barrels atop that distinctive amoeba shaped timing cover sprint this cafe racer to great speeds. A Slimline frame holds these ponies in check allowing the rider to put them down to pavement in fine style! Alloy rims with modern tyres and newer disc brakes give two-wheeled confidence.

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