Stunners at the 2008 AMD

The 2008 AMD World Championship like always threw up quite a number of stunners. Yes, again Roger Goldammer won (he is kind of making it his hobby or habit, whatever you say) and as expected he won with quite a margin. Here are the complete results.

The Cafe Rouge

The competition stretched to 3 and a half day starting from 5th to 8th of August at Sturgis, South Dakota. There were 68 motorcycles from 13 different countries for the finals.
Well, I was looking at one of my favoirate custom builders, Krugger Motorcycles, but unfortunately they didn't make it to the Top 10. They finished 13th.

Half Day

I still wonder why Custom Bikes majorly have to be choppers, I mean that elongated body high handlebars, loads of chrome with a V-Twin engine... Yes, Roger Goldammer is different thats why he is THE Roger Goldammer, but even in this championship, I saw all the designs and 90% of them were ... well Choppers.

Little Miss Dynamite

Not that they dont look good, some designs which stood out among the choppers were Blacktop Choppers' 'Against The Grain', 'Open Mind' from Thunderbike and the 'Nickle Bike' from Cook Customs. Then again, there were some really unusual bikes like the Rat, the Friki, the Buell inspired Krazy Horse and Bull

The Tech Twin American 13c

The real action going on was in the Production Manufacturer Class. Delaware American Motorcycles finished 1st in this category, and Stonebridge Motorcycle Co finished 2nd . And yet another bike I noticed while going through the pictures and reading the text, was one amaging custom bike by Lamb Precision Engineering Limited, the Cafe Rouge. Incidently, they were the only builders who had 2 entries in the Top 30 of Freestyle Class. Their other bike is Lamb Chop 2.

The Cafe Rouge - This stunning piece of machinary is the dream of Larry Houghton propelled by an 1976 Norton 850. One way to describe it is 'unique'. The framework is built by hand and has a Vincent type cantilever shock working the rear swingarm with an upside down Suzuki GSX fork. Both the front rim 21"and the back 23" wear the tires of 130 mm. Yes, it didn't feature on the Top 10, but the bike was built mainly to showcase the radical design than its practicality. The bike took 16 weeks to complete. Everything in the bike is adjustable from the rake which can vary from 25 to 38 degree to the seat height and rear ride height. The engine is tilted 40 degrees delivering power through a 4 speed transmission.

The Half Day - This bike from Krugger Motorcycles of Belgium has used a HD engine, to be more specific, the owner Paul hughes has used a 93 P Series. Well Krugger needs no introduction after the mayhem they produced with the Goodwood. Anyway, the 'Half Day' (dont ask me the logic of that name!) is a softail with a 4 speed Evo transmission. Dont know what took my fancy, but the overall cycle look with the twisted exhausts, classy kick level gelled very well with the engine for that vintage look and style. The dual tone colour on the tank and its overall shape is a delight, dont you think?

Little Miss Dynamite, as she has been named by owner/ builder Nick Gale of Stonebridge Motorcycle Company has also used a Harley engine, the Sportster. The heavily spoked Cafe Racer infuses tradition with modernity very effectively. The single pod with Lucas period headlight and the low bars and the golden front forks gives it a very mean look. Not that it only looks mean, because the exhaust is a MotoGP exhaust with performance valves by NGCC/Urbane, the hydraulic clutch is also by NGCC and the Intek performance valve from British superbike technology which makes the bike run 80% greener than stock on emissions due to the Intek valve. NGCC has also modified the air cleaner S&S stacks and the Evolution Indistries 2" belt drive. It has Harris Perfomance clip ons and ZX10 rear sets. All this performance enhanced steroid bike helps it to a very healthy 138 bhp on the rear wheel with a heap of 110lbs of toeque. It took only 2 months to build this green (not the colour, but the environment friendly) mean racer. This dude is one show off with all the go and more. Did you notice the tank? Its a one-off hand made aluminium Manx tank with a one-off aluminium seat base by NGCC/Tank Shop.

The Tech Twin American 13c is built by the famous Delaware American Motorcycles. Overall the bike looks like a cross over of street bike and cruiser and the overall look is... fantastic! The naked bike is well as you can see very naked with a very minimum clothing, but just the right ammount to increase the drool factor to a near perfect 100%. This will be a very limited production bike with each machine being handmade and includes special features. Dont fret if you cant see the exhaust. even the exhaust is hand made stainless steel featuring an under chassis NASCAR® styled muffler. If you haven't heard about DAM (Delaware American Motorcycle), it aint no shame as this group caters to selective clients only for their is a high-end, high performance motorcycle brand whose foundation is based on innovative design, quality craftsmanship, advanced engineering and custom assembly. Look at some of the features - Oil in frame with over 5-quart capacity, 3-D steering head bracing, Super bike inspired single sided swing arm, Superior Suspension Control arms and triple trees carved from billet aluminum, Front shock developed by Penske Racing, BST Carbon Fiber Rims. etc. This particular machine has a 127 cubic inch engine developing 140 horsepower.

All the bike featured here in this post are courtesy AMD and all the links are provided above. You can also find links to all the custom builders mentioned above.

The Hogbitz HD Cafe Racer

It is indeed rare to see a customized HD Cafe Racer. HD are usually customized to choppers by the professionals and those few Cafe Racers you see are not just... you know Cafe Racers. Maybe its the bone structure (read Frame) or the body expression (read Cruiser styling), some how HDs have not made great customized cafe Racers. But then we haven't really seen enough, have we? Or atleast Brian Udall will make sure we change our views on that. Brian has been riding bikes since he was sixteen and his fetish is HD. He would strip them, make them drag, rebuild them to Cafe Racers and just about anything you can possibly imagine that can be done to a HD and some more probably. The website Hogbitz says he has run an 11.00 second standing quarter mile on his street class Sportster.

One thing about the company that will surprise you is their location. HD... Customs... Hogbitz... all of these gives an impression that they would be somewhere in California or maybe other parts of the U.S or at best in Canada. Surprise! Surprise! They are based in Chigwell Essex, England!

Anyway, Hogbitz faviorate donor bike is the HD Sportster. And why the Sportster? Because Brian wants to make Custom Bikes that wont burn a hole in your pocket, so (of course) beside that the Sportster is a lot cheaper than the more famous HDs and also the size is more upfront for a Cafe Racer mification look. Brian models his customized HDs basically on the lines of Triton.

So what goes essentially behind the modifications? The stock frame and forks are retained, to keep the cost down and so the main changes are done to the bodywork. What initially is noticable starting with the distinctive tank, which is a hand beaten alloy unit you notice the rear fender, which is a typical Cafe Racer fender and of course the single seat. Yes, the clipons, twin pods, these are essential modifications if you want the retro look. The stock front fender is kept but cut down moe from the back side. I wonder if there might be a problem in watery roads with water going to the plugs cause I ride a Cafe Racer and I do face that problem. The standard fork legs and the calipers are also retained. The clip ons and the rearsets are Hogbitz specials. The stock hubs are rebuilt into 18 inch alloy rims for that yesterday look.

As for the engine modifications, they are dependent on the customer requisite, where one can demand that his 883 cc engine be converted to a 1200 cc fitted with ported and polished Buell Lightning heads for that extra peppy performance along with a forced induction air cleaner and desired exhausts.

With a Sporster frame, narrow tank, rearsets and all, the bike puts the rider into a stretched out forward leaning riding position typically Cafe racer styling which will be obviously a little hard on your arm blades and wrists. Usually with the Buell heads, there is enough torque in these motorcycles and will accelerate just as a uell does. and maybe more for the add ons. Brakes, clutches and dampeners are original which means you can expect excellent stopping and will guide you with relative ease over potholes. There is a change in the head angle which will make it more leniant than that expected out of a Cafe Racer and so handling and turning can be expected to be easier.

Okay so what does his company do or can do to your HD? Well, you can start off by Tuning and Servicing at their service department as per your requirements or maybe you just want some Polishing and Painting or maybe you just want to buy a new HD. And yes, they are not just restricted to Hogs, they will do your Buell as well. Well, they specialize in Drag Racing, if thats what you like. You can also gets your parts and accessories online.

The starting price of the Hogbitz Cafe Racer is an affordable £7,500 ($13,800), which means at almost the price of a regualr bike, you get a customized Cafe Racer with the traditional looks and a modern engine.
By the way, Brian Udall is not just a biker. It would be advisable to stay clear of his way as he is a Certified 3rd Dan Instructor of the World Taiji Boxing Association. Brian is also a Life Member of the Hong Kong Martial Arts Association Ltd. I dont know how can a person be so talented in more than one field. If you would like to see his other workd (read Martial Arts profile), visit his website Internal Martial Arts. His Cafe Racer site is Hogbitz.

Corrections on CROCKER Motorcycle ownership info

A promo poster showing the legend resurrecting from the past to the present.

Picture courtesy - Mr. Michael Schacht via email.

I had posted about the legendary CROCKER Motorcycle revival here some time back and then I got a mail from the main man behind the revival, Mr. Michael Schacht. I acklowledged the mail in my blog here and mentioned that Mr. Michael Schacht as a business partner with Mr. Markus Karalash. But there has been a mistake. Mr. Michael had send me another mail clearing the partnership business in the Crocker revival story.

Here is the mail I recieved.
Diesel, I have cut and pasted an article that will give you the correct information in regards to Mark Karalash and myself. Please make sure this info is posted. Thanks.

Markus Karalash and Crocker. Although Mark (his real name) Karalash did contribute to the Crocker project by borrowing the two original Crocker's from collector Harry Buck, he did so by promising Harry a free restoration. That was back in 1997. Harry's bikes have not been restored to date. So goes the rest of the Crocker story in regards to Mark. Mark has taken credit for the work of many people like Ole Kiprianoff and Brian McCabe, the two pattern makers who were responsible for all the Crocker patterns. The "triple tree" improvement Mark Karalash took credit for in the articles was really a request by Michael Schacht to Ole Kiprianoff to create the casting as one piece unlike the original that had the lower boss attached by a sloppy weld. Being the excellent pattern maker Ole is, he did exactly that. Although Ole is now retired after 40 years of pattern making, he would be more then happy to talk about his time with Crocker and back up all these facts. Brian McCabe is still the pattern maker for Crocker. Karalash's "world wide sales" he often spoke about in articles and interviews was in fact 20 unmachined tail light castings sold to a builder in Japan and Schacht was already part of Crocker at that time. It was Michael Schacht who worked with the foundries, pattern makers, engineers, metal spinners, fastener people, ect. All facts can easily be proven. Mark Karalash is in no way an engineer nor does he have engineering skills. All engineering was done by Marko Goffman, the in house engineer at Crocker and Maziro Inc, a prototype engineering company in Toronto, Canada who specializes in automotive. They are the same people who rented Crocker factory space due to Michael's friendship with the president of Maziro, Zenovi Mallots. The Crocker C4 concept like seen in photo's, on the internet and posted on the "Guild" website was designed and fabricated in house by Daryl Tearne, the resident designer at Crocker Motorcycle in Toronto back in 2006 and 2007. Daryl now works as a designer for Erik Buel at BUELL Motorcycle Co. (P.S - I had initially written Eri'c' in place of Eri'k'. I stand corrected - Thaks Mr. Blake) The 2007 Big Tank Crocker prototype seen in photos was assembled at Crocker by Andy Schywiola, Crocker's assembler/fabricator. What Karalash did do mostly in the 3 plus years at the Crocker factory was answer the telephone in hope of intercepting any media that might call. The proof is in the numerous articles describing himself as the creator, builder fabricator, engineer and driving force behind the company, embellishing or even making up stories for print. Karalash has always been one of those people who think that if something gets printed it becomes truth.Mark Karalash is no longer with Crocker Motorcycle. The company was bought out of bankruptcy by Michael Schacht after Crocker became insolvent because Karalash failed to invest his share of money based on his and Schacht's shareholders greement and Schacht would no longer carry Karalash . Karalash did not even how up to bid on the assets of Crocker at the auction. Schacht is now in the process of moving Crocker back to its original city, Los Angeles CA.

--

Michael Schacht
Crocker Motorcycle Company
CA 416.650.0100 US 323.306.0690
http://www.crockermotorcycleco.com/
First of all, I am sorry, Michael as my knowledge is more or less based on books that I have read or the internet. I am sure you will excuse me for that mistake. But secondly and more importantly, all we biker fans can pray and hope that you do not face any more hurdles legally or otherwise in reviving the legend. All our wishes are with you. It is an absolute delight for any fan to see such a beautiful piece of machinary on the go, let alone the tradition, craftsmanship and the legendary status it carries. Out of the great pre 60s brands, I can only remember Norton as a brand which has resurrected. There are no more AJS or BSA, Vincent is still fighting its legal wars. We all bikers really sincerely hope that you succeed in reviving the lost world of CROCKER.

Shiny Happy People...

A 'Shiny' Norton above and a 1931 BMW R2, a previous Stinkwheel Concours winner

Today, it's Sunday. And if you happen to be in U.K, its a great day of course if you are a biker and that you must be if you are reading this blog. If its Summertime, U.K classic bikers get that special smile on them because every summer there are a variety of classic bike shows to show off your priced possession. The Stinkwheel Real Classic Bike Show in its 7th edition is currently undergoing or is just over as it was slated to be held this year on September 21st (Sunday) at Beaumanor Hall, Woodhouse, near Leicester. You can see a sea of beauties from European, Japanese to American, everything from the earliest flat-tankers to the latest versions of modern classics currently in production. There are 18 awards to be won in different types and year classes. The 2 strokers are more than welcome and also scooters, 3 wheeler trikes, sidecars, military bikes, everything. They also like your bike as-it-is, meaning 'originals' to keep the spirit of motorcycling. The judges are always in the look out of these originals, unusual marques and 'original' restored ones. There are also 2 special awards sponsered by Twiggers motorcycles (Moto Guzzi dealers) for Italian bikes categorized as Pre-WW2 and Post-WW2 Italian Classics. 1931 BMW R2, a previous Stinkwheel concours winner
Timimg is 10am to 4pm and admission is £5. You can contact Mr. Mike Powell by email or visit the website Transtar Promotions for more information.

The Banbury Run has entered its 60th edition. With an ever increasing demand, 2008 entries has been upped to 600. The event was organized at Heritage Motor Centre at Gaydon in the month of June.
The Banbury 'Run' started at 10am at the gun of Pat Warren, daughter of Ivor Mutton who created the Banbury Run together with Bette Barber, the current VMCC President. Five bikes started per minute, with the classes (Veteran, Early Vintage and Late Vintage) mixed together.
Lots of fun including lots of breakdown and there was also a terrible wind. Some dropped out even before the start. In all there were 23 'Gold' awards given away. The team prize went to a certain Anglian A-Team which won 2 Golds and a Silver.

Then there was the Royal Enfield Interceptor Rally held at Stoweford near Bradford. But the show is open to all clasic bikes. This year there were 15 Interceptors with 3 Enfield Bullets and there were some other classic bike including a couple of the Japanese bikes. The 'Rally' roughly went for 70 miles to Blagdon Lakes then over the Mendips and Chedder and was hit by a heavy rain enroute. It was a weekend meet and so the next day, the riders went to Bradford on Avon, where the mill was based at which all the twin engines were built. There they rode along one of the old 20-mile test runs used by the factory testers.

A 1948 Douglas T35 & a Ducati 250 Daytona

The Vintage Day and Country Fare is held at Thorpe Latimer, a couple of miles from Lincolnshire. Its in the 13th edition and its not a typical classic bike meet but as it says it's a 'Fare'. So along with the bike parades, you get to see the 'World Egg Throwing Championship', dog agility display, racing terriers, children's game, etc. So you can bring your entire family and have a nice weekend. There was a couple with a recently restored Ducati 250 Daytona (picture above). Then there were some rare bikes like a 2 stroke MZ and a DKR Defiant 200cc scooter.
Jonathan Bourne is the motorcycle section organiser and although he had booked in 70 bikes, there were much more than that in the final show up. Members of the AJS & Matchless Club made a late entry to everyone's delight. Its not only classic bikes, but classic classic cars, lorries, motorcycles, tractors and stationary engines all takes part and you get a free entry if you book your classic vehicle.

The Vintage Motor Cycle Club (VMCC) is another of those classic get togethers on a fine Sunday and it probably attracts the most number of attendents and participants. This year the weekend event was held at Mallory Park.
The VMCC arguably brings out the very best of classics and vintage bikes and this year it featured a very rare 1928 Warren-Villiers with a Villiers 344cc in-line two-stroke twin, an old Terrot Racer (picture above), a one-of-a-kind Triumph Bandit and of course the favoirates, Brough Superiors. The VMCC always has a sidecar parade and this year was no different with a Norton as old as 1938.

If you bring your classic, you will also get the chance to participate to ride your steed with other legends in the track event. There are parade sessions which are grouped into four speed classes - slow, medium, fast and very fast. Also at the same venue, you could find some hot auctions by Bonhams or if lucky enough, can also get some 'For Sale' classics like a 350cc MZ which was on sale.

Recognize the 'father' of the W650? Pictured above is a 1967 / 68 Kawasaki A7 Avenger belonging to Mike England, the original reporter from Real Classic. He was also there in the 2008 VMCC event. Above that you see is a 1972 MZ ES250. Both these machines are very hard to find. And if for nothing, you can just come and watch former racers going at each other with the same passion as they did during the yesteryears. Masters like Giacomo Agostini (of the legendary MV fame), John Cooper (of BSA fame) and even 60s rider Phil Read were present in this year's VMCC meet. And if you feel like thanking someone, thank Titch Allen for being the man who originally formed the Vintage Motor Cycle Club.

Rye Classic Motorcycle Show - There is also the famous Kent Classic meet organized at Hamstreet countryside. The thing here is that more than individual shows, it features a hosts of 'clubs', both local and from outside like the BSA OC and Norton OC of Kent, the Triumph MCC from Medway and the Norman Cycles Club. Also there is a prize - 'Best Club Stand', so all the clubs put their best foot forward, or rather best bikes.
This year's event was organized in July. In September they had another classic meet on the 7th. This year was a bit more special as the Quasar Club annual rally is visiting. Now what on earth is a Quaser? Good question! For an answer, all I can do is direct you to a link on Quasar World.

Results: Rye Classic Motorcycle Show, 20th July 2008. Pictured below is one of the winners, Neil Pattemore with his 1970 Triumph T120 Bonneville which won the 1970 onwards class beating a Laverda Jota. Among other winners was a 1935 Douglas Bantam which won the Best Pre WW II, a Norton Dominator won the 1946 - 1959 class, the 1960 - 1969 class was own by a 1961 Triumph TR6R. A 1961 Greeves Hagon grasstrack beat a 1954 Manx Norton 30M for the Best Competition/ Special award while the Best Club Stand was won by Triumph MCC Medway.

All information, photos, etc. are credited to the original source Real Classic U.K