VOXAN Charade Racing

Top 2 photos courtesy Wikipedia. Rest photos from the beautiful website of FREDOC dedicated to VOXAN. Lots of more photos in the sub category of FREDOC's website can be found here and here.

The VOXAN Charade is based on the existing VOXAN Black Magic. Period. Why? Because all they share is the engine layout and certain components. Beyond that, while the Black Magic is pure style to go with the performance, for the Charade, performance comes first and of course if its France, can good looks stay behind? Launched in 2005 Paris Motor Show, it rides on the same 100 hp 996 cc V-twin engine of the Black Magic.

The honour of designing this beauty goes to Mr. Sacha Lakic. Charade is the name of a prestigious circiut in Puy-de-Dome and as such, the VOXAN Charade Racing has its strips over it.
Mr. Lakic has cleverly changed the bearing, framework and has given a shoe engine to go with the redone front and rear parts of the Black Magic to build a better equiped machine. Well, the Charade comes at a hefty price and that too if you can lay your hands on one. Only 40 such exotics were released in August 2006, they are heavily priced in excess of $20,000.

This is due to the high class components put on the machine. Some of these high class components of the Charade include the Paioli inverted fork which are adjustable, Beringer doing duties on the braking front, exhaust from Remus, Michelin Pilot Power tyres and Marchesini rims of 3.5 and 5.5 by 17 inches. The caliper and the brake lever are red in colour as all the super expensive French brand Beringer items are akways coated. The rear shock displays the world class BOS written over it and VOXAN has there by became the first motorcycle company to use these shocks. These shocks are hydrolic with a room of nitrogen inside which is completely removable and reconditionable. The styling has been subtle, probably so as to not draw all the attention towards the body as beneath the beautiful exterior, lies a very agile & performance oriented machine. Its like a Café Racer with a moto GP heart.

The Black Magic can be seen at many an angle, but there is a half front fairing unlike the naked Black Magic to give the bike an enhanced performance aided by the racing exhausts. The fit and finish of the bike are comparable to the best custom bikes anywhere in the world. I tried searching for the VOXAN official website and although even if it is there, I just couldn't get any info on the bike as the whole site is in French and no English version. Of course, there are plenty of photos on the website.

Specifications-
Engine - V-72 °, 4-stroke liquid-cooled, 4 valves per cylinder 996 cc,
Displacement (bore x stroke) - 98 x 66 mm
Max Power & Torque - 100 bhp@ 8000 rpm & 9.7 kgm @ 6500 rpm
Injection - Electronic
Clutch - Multidisc in oil bath
Gearbox & End Transmission - 6-speed & By Chain
Front & Rear Suspension - Inverted fork 43 mm (120 mm) &Monoamortisseur (120 mm)
Front & Rear Brake - 2 discs, 320 mm, 4-piston calipers & 1 disc, 245 mm, 2-piston
Front & Rear Wheel - 120/70 x 17 & 180/55 x 17
Wheelbase & Seat Height - 1475 mm & 810 mm
Dry Weight - 185 kg

The Cafe Racer from HD - The SUPERMANX

Who's the man here? Mike.... Mike Cook. Well, his project didn't actually projected as it should have, but none the less, his creation finds favour in every cafe racer's fan book. Imagine a Harley, aahhh!!! Imagine a Cafe Racer, aahhh!!! Now imagine the fusion! What! Yes, you read it right! But how? How? Ask Mike Cook.

What you see in this post are the pictures of the $39900 SUPERMANX, a Cafe Racer with a Harley heart.

And what a heart, the Supermanx used the massive 1850cc double camshaft engine hardly able to contain within the chassis designed for a Cafe Racer and if this project would have survived, it would have been America's first Cafe Racer to be 'Made in America'. But again, not by an American. The world is shifting. Nortons and Vincents are now having their production facilities in the U.S, where as the man who gave the Supermanx is actually British. So, the heritage of cafe Racers are very well etched.

American Cafe Racers is the creation of Mike Cook, who CV includes working with the likes of Dan Gurney’s All American Racers, Cosworth Racing in the U.K. and Jesse James’ West Coast Choppers and has been involved in IMSA racing, CART racing and others. He probably got inspired by the Norton Customs of Colorado and started his own Supermanx project and formed American Cafe Racers in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
The Supermanx as the name suggests, is inspired by the old Norton Manx but it was never going to be a easy job to fir the huge 1850cc V-Twin engine in a Manx frame and so the entire suspensionand frame needed reworking.

The price of $39, 000, the non-traditional V-Twin in place of the traditional in-line, the final belt drive in place of the traditional chain drive and the gold colours and not finding favours among the cult cafe racer lovers. But then it does stand for something new and hope it finds its own fan following among the new generation. Such a awesome job and not clicking just doesn't make sense.

Mike Cook, the man..... Source - Cafe Race

Nicknamed 'The Left Coast Limey' because of his British heritage, Mike Cook is busy working his way to the top of the custom motorcycle industry. Like the bike he has created, Mike is a combination Anglo-American. Born in England in 1963 Mike enjoyed an upbringing in a country with a rich history of motorcycling and motorsports. His father constructed his own racing cars and the family spent many weekends on trips to all the race circuits around the country. Mike started building and modifying Karts and Motorcycles at an early age and quickly developed a reputation among his peers as the top “wrench” in the area, even though he wasn't old enough to get his license. By 15 he was the mechanic for the British National Karting Champion. In 1980 the Cooks moved to Kansas City in the United States. Mike adapted to his new life by building the potent Yamaha TZ750 engines for a local racer and continued building and modifying his own bikes. The home garage housed a constantly changing lineup of machines needing his attention but Mike seemed to have a particular interest in the bikes he remembered seeing in England. He continued his work in the local speed shops and honed his skills building engines, welding,designing and making custom parts. He restored several vintage racing cars for area enthusiasts and supported them at race meetings around the country.

To read more, click here

For a Test Ride, read the article in Cafe Racers Return
Original Source - Supermanx at Netart
Detailed Specifications of the Supermanx, source - Biker Net

Frame - Twin duplex cradle, 1.25 d.o.m. steel TIG welded
Front & Rear Suspension - WP inverted fork. Adj. comp/rebound. Polished black anodized finish & Monoshock swingarm, 2.5” tapered roller bearings, chromoly pivot tube.
Front & Rear Wheels - 19 x 3 alloy rim. Stainless spokes. 120/70/ZR19 AVON & 18 x 5.5 alloy rim. Stainless spokes. 200/55/ZR18 AVON
Engine - H-D twin cam 88B series engine used as the base, with vibration reducing counterbalancer.Displacements available up to 124 cu in. Fuel Tank - Hand formed aluminum. Capacity 6.5 gallons

The NORTON COMMANDO - Pure Visual Bliss

The 2007 961 SS Model

NORTON COMMANDO....

Just the name turn heads of bikers all across the world with the mind enquiring 'Where? Where?'. Well, thats the spell of the NORTON COMMANDO that even after so many years, even after the whole world has seen the various incarnations in hundreds of different models and even after Commando lovers rode it for decades, a single Commando in attendance will turns more heads than all the other bikes combined.

A pure british bike company like Triumph, but it was not able to withstand the Japanese attack through the 70s & 80s which made a falling for many European bike companies, the Commando started in production from 1967 although the roots stretch to the mid -40s. By the later 70s, Norton almost stopped production and till 2005, there was no new production bike although some racing bikes were produced sparingly in between like the RC588 in 1989.

The 2005 Prototype model

In a way, the twin cylinder design evolved from the Bert Hoopwood designed Norton Model 7 Twin giving birth later to the 650cc Norton Dominator and 750cc Norton Atlas before being launched as the 750cc Commando in 1967. And again there was Norton Manx and then... there were too many successful bikes from Norton to even start mentioning would be futile as the purpose of this post is to gratify our visual senses by looking at the stunning now and then Commando pictures.

The classic styling of a naked road bike with air cooled in-line twin cylinders has and still is a bencemark for many performance bike sections.

The revival of the Norton motorcycle began with the stunning 2005 model Commando prototype and when Norton announced they are going to launch a new model in 2007, many critics worldwide thought that the 05 prototype model just cant be improvized, out came the Commando 961 SS (Signature Series) in 2007 which left everyone gasping with the sheer brilliance artistry that would put even the Italian designers to shame.

The 961/SS Commando represents a new beginning for Norton Motorcycles. Designed and built from the ground up, this bike continues the Norton legacy of defined style and performance. This modern roadster reflects the soul of the original machine. Classic sculptural forms are combined with raw functionalism, laying beautiful shapes over a structural frame and muscular motor; resulting in a visual language that is both sensual and purposeful. With a very narrow waist and curves in just the right places, the 961/SS is a bike that feels as good as it looks.

Mr. James Landsdowne Norton was the founder of the company and way back in 1904, the first Norton motorcycle was rolled out although it attained its peak of success in the late 60s and 70s with numerous racing titles. Prior to that, Norton manufactured bikes mainly for the British Troops and more so during the 2 World Wars.

The Commando model made its debut in 1967 and by 1977, it made the same fate as other European bike manufacturers, unable to withstand the Japanese invasion. Various revival attempts failed in the intervening years, but now the latest revival, which is American-based seems to have again found its fans in the modern world.

Mr. Kenny Dreer, owner of Vintage Rebuilds was responsible for its revival just as he has started reviving a lot of European bikes since 1995. Based in Portland, Oregon, Mr. Dreer started by restoring the Nortons and later into "remanufacturing". He renamed the company into Norton Motorsports Inc. with a worldwide trademark. The new Commando has three versions: the base Commando 961 ($10,995), the sportier Commando 961S ($13,195), and the deluxe Commando Signature Series dubbed the 961SS ($19,995). "The Norton Commando is such an outstanding motorcycle that it deserves the best technology currently available," says Mr. Dreer. "It's an entirely new bike, but at the same time, it's a classic Norton. That was the approach I took with my restorations and the direction I'll continue to take with each new Norton we make."

It took 2 years from the prototype in 2005 to the production model of 2007. Mr. Dreer gained prominence with the development of the handcrafted Norton Commando VR 880 in the late 1990s. When his hand-built Norton Commando VR880 was featured in Cycle World in 1999, he responded by producing 50 of the updated classics. Then, in 2002, Norton America begins development of the all-new Norton 952 Commando.

To compare it with the older model, the most obvious change is the motor. The crankcase is now horizontally split and the powerplant is now of unit construction compared to the older version which like all British bikes had a separate gearbox. Although the parallel twin remains similar, the internals are all new, viz. crank, cylinder heads, etc. Ofcourse the older Commando was having 836cc displacement compared to 952cc in its present incarnation. Fed by a pair of 39mm Keihin carburetors, this new with 88mm x 79mm of the 961cc engine produces 80 rear-wheel horsepower at 6500 rpm and 65 lb-ft of torque at 5200 rpm. Carrying the traits of the legend are the frame of welded chro-moly steel tubing and an aluminum swingarm. The chassis geometry is also identical, with each bike sporting a 24.5-degree rake, 4.0 inches of trail, and a 56.5-inch wheelbase. The fuel tank is 4.5 gallons and the seat height is at 32 inches. The base model 961 comes equipped with a 43mm non-adjustable fork and preload-adjustable twin rear shocks for suspension while braking duties are carried out up front by twin 320mm rotors with two-piston calipersand in the back by a single 240mm rotor works also with a two-piston caliper. The 17-inch wheels are spoked steel retaining the legend's aura and it adds charecter to the bike's image, with 120/70ZR-17 and 180/55ZR-17 Michelin Pilot Road tires.The sportier 961S features an upgraded suspension and higher performance brakes. Its 43mm fork and rear shocks are three-way adjustable and its brakes are supplied by Brembo. The front have a pair of 320mm rotors gripped with four-piston calipers while the rear brake consists of a 240mm rotor and a twin-piston caliper. Instead of spoked steel wheels, the 961S adopts cast aluminum in the same sizes. Michelin Pilot Powers replace the Michelin Pilot Roads. These upgrades, and the adoption of a solo seat, manage to shave 15 lbs off of the 961's claimed 430-lb dry weight. The Commando Signature Series (961SS) takes the 961S's upgrades one step further. You will have the BST carbon fiber wheels that are as light as they are expensive, so are the fully adjustable Ohlins suspension. Rest of the components are in tune with the Sports series.

For more photos and information, check out the bike at Norton Motorcycles
All photos original source - The NORTON Website

Specifications of the SS model
Engine: 961 cc, air cooled, parallel twin with push-rod valve actuation, dry sump

Valve Actuation: Push rod, hydraulic lifter, two valves per cylinder
Bore x stroke & Compression ratio: 88 mm X 79 mm & 10.1:1
Horsepower & Torque: 80 rear wheel @ 6500RPM & 65 foot pounds @ 5200RPM
Ignition: Crank fired electronic
Carburetors: Twin 39mm Keihin FCR
Gearbox: 5 speed
Final drive: 520 "O" ring chain
Clutch: Cush drive clutch
Primary drive: Direct gear drive
Frame material & Swing arm: 4130 chromoly steel with Formed Aluminum
Wheelbase, Rake & Trail: 56.5", 24.5 degrees & 4 "
Front & Rear Suspension: 43mm Ohlins RSU - Adjustable preload, compression, and rebound damping & Ohlins reservoir-style twin shocks - Adjstable ride height, preload, compression, and rebound damping.
Front & Rear wheel: 3.50 X 17" BST Carbon Fiber & 5.50 X 17" BST Carbon Fiber
Front & Rear tire: 120/70 X 17" Michelin Pilot Power & 180/55 X 17" Michelin Pilot Power
Front & Rear rotors: Brembo 320mm semi-floating hi carbon stainless steel & Brembo 220mm rear rotor
Front & Rear calipers: Brembo 4 piston "Gold Line" & Brembo 2 piston "Gold Line"

Looking For Accessories - Look in DAVIDA

DAVIDA of Liverpool, England hada penache in creating bike accessories like helmets, goggles, jackets, etc in to a visual treat. Its almost like art. Well, they might say, the helmet has always looked 'right', but just take a look at it, its more than right, its just Beautiful.

And all their accessories evokes to the past, a design which they retain in these very safe helmets satisfying the strict standards anywhere. Its just that they are available only in western Europe, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and only Japan and South Africa among Asia and Africa respectively.

They also organize photoevents among their lifesection section. Visit their website to see more of their stunning designs.

New Photos of HONDA CB 1100 from MCN

Source of New Pictures - MCN
For details on the bike, read the original thread - HONDA CB 1100 - Then & Now
The first 3 pics are from the CB 1000F while the latter 4 are from the CB 1100R

Legends - HONDA CB 750

The Orginal Legendary HONDA CB 750 launched in 1969

The CB 750.... well, yes, its a legend, alright.

The bike which started out in 1969 as a standard version has seen (probably) the most number of revisions, it has been cut, modified, chopped, mutilated and what not... bikers are still fascinated by it, restorers are always looking for yet another CB 750, modifiers are always doing their thing to this cherished Honda, reviews and fiels tests are still going on even after the bike has ceased production and now we hear Honda is reviving the CB 750. Not the CB750 L.E or the CB1100 which was posted before in this blog, but the original CB 750! According to MCN, Honda will replicate the original which will be virtually identical to the '69 model.

Launched in 1969 mainly for the US market who prefrred big bore engines, the bike became an instant classic. And why not, after all, first and foremost, it had the Honda badge, which meant reliability, affordability and dependability. Then it had so many 'firsts'. A Disc brake was not heard of in mass production bikes which the CB750 had as a factory fitting and for the first time, there was an In-Line-Four machine which was not custom made.

And not just that, it was not a pseudo bike will all show and no go. It was a pure performance machine with a 192 kmph top speed. Actually it was more than a performance machine, you see it didn't pinch your wallet just to keep that performance, neither did it break your back. The bike was unique because it can be used for city riding, speeding off the highways, cruising and whatever you felt like. Probably the most complete machine of all time, no wonder every magazine mentions it as one of the Top 10 Bikes of all time. It was also in a way, the world took a new look at Honda, not that it was a Japanese company making automobiles, but as a company with innovation and a brain which thought about the needs of the people. Think about it! This was a bike which cost only $1500 (in 1969), which was easy on your pocket when it came to maintenance, gave you the thrills of a performance motorcycle, was very handy for daily commuting, would be a pleasure for long drives... what more can one want out of a bike? Okay, looks to go with it. But, of course it was a stunner to look at.

The 1984 Nighthawk & The 2001 Nighthawk

But wait, thats not all, I meant surely you would have gone for the bike, but what if Honda was to tell you that without additional charges, you would be getting some more 'firsts' as a factory fiting on your CB 750? How about Electric Start? And another switch below the elctric start, which would help you stop the engine without having to wring the key everytime, the Kill Switch. And how would you like indicators, yes Indicators indicating which way you are going to turn? Wont it be nice if you have Rear-view mirrors on both handles which will give you a better estimate as how many jealous bikers are behind you? Yes! all these accessories of the CB750 were 'firsts' in bikes.

The SOHC models came from 1969 to 1978, while the next edition in 1981 till the end of production of the CB750 Nighthawk had DOHC. The 69 model was termed CB750K with each successive year a revised version with added and modified changes were termed as CB 750 K1 for the bike which came out in 1971, K2 for 1972 and so on till 1978 ended with the K8. The DOHC model in 1981 was the CB 750 F which was replaced by the CB 750SC Nighthawk in 82 and later till 2003, it was known only as Nighthawk.

The CB 750 custom Cafe Racers. Pictures from CB 750 Cafe

Bikers were so taken by the CB750 that it became a cult classic as a modified Cafe Racer. There are various active CB Cafe Racers groups which can be widely found in the net. Probably the most well known is the CB 750 Cafe as they are known as. But you will be surprised that many a fanatics have made choppers out of these CB750s. And what a awesome job they have done. Of course, as mentioned before this bike was a very very able cruiser, so why not a chopper, but somehow what no one probably thought, these guys at Honda Choppers went ahead and created some of the most stunning choppers you will see.

The Suede Chop & The Samurai. Pics from Honda Choppers

Visit the original Honda CB 750 site to relieve the glory and how this Bike changed the history of motorcycling to be termed the world's First SUPERBIKE.

Original Specifications from the 1969 CB 750

Engine - 736cc, Air cooled, transverse four cylinder, four stroke, SOHC, 2 valve per cylinder.
Bore x Stroke & Compression Ratio - 61 х 63 mm & 9.0:1
Induction & Ignition / Starting - 4x 28mm Keihin carbs & Electric/ Kick
Max Power - 69 hp @ 8000 rpm
Transmission / Drive - 5 Speed Chain
Frame - Tubular steal duplex cradle
Front & Rear Suspension -Telescopic forks non adjustable & Dual shocks, preload adjustable.
Front & Rear Brakes - Single 290mm disc & 178mm Drum
Front & Rear Tyre - 3.25-19 & 4.00-18
Dry-Weight - 239 kg
Fuel Capacity - 17.1 Litres
Top Speed - 192 kmp/h