10 Best Looking Naked Bikes

Bikes.. the way they are meant to be, the way they were created... NAKED!

Nothing, I mean nothing comes close to matching a sixties bike than the Royal Enfield Classic 500. Someone wrote if you close your eyes and visualize a sixties British bike, this is the thing. All metal, air cooled, big massive single, spoke wheels, single round headlamp with parking lights, a single speedometer , single me-only seat and now the new bike comes with adequate power at 27 bhp to pull you to a top whack of 140 kmph. Thats peanuts by today's standards, but where else would you get the classic thump and mainly the character of that old British bikes more than this beautifully crafted machine? With the right amount of modern amneties, like EFI, gas shock absorbers, this is not as close but, this is THE sixties British bike. So in case if you have always thought how life would have been during the swinging sixties, wind beating you at the chest, care free and all, now you can get some taste of it, thanks to this big single.

Lots of fans would probably kill me for placing the hallowed MV AGUSTA Brutale at #9 position, but the thing is that when we talk about 'Naked' bikes, usually, we think about 'metal' bikes typically reminding bikes of 80s styling. The Brutale is naked, but not actually metal. No doubt, this is one of the finest looking bike for any generation and any category, but sometimes the bike looks too edgy and of course it still looks very very good, just that to repeat myself, it is not all metal. With the finest carbon, aluminum, titanium and other metals used, Tamburini has created a visual delight. Look at any part of it, from the alloy wheels to the beautiful exhaust, every indivisual part is a treat and every part of the bike compliments each other resulting in a product that is so stunning to look at that it can just be used as a piece of decoration for any exhibition. Performance wise, it can stand up to any competition and in total this is purely and completely an Italian motorcycle. Period.

Well, this is the bike that has redefined Harley Davidson’s original bad boy image with uber coolness, a Harley Davidson that is stunning to look at and can perform. Yes, HDs have always looked fantastic; it was the performance that not too many people wanted to talk about. Harley stood more for leisurely biking with a image of a guy whose attitude says that he couldn’t care less what is happening in and around the world. Then came the Harley Davidson V Rod, the kind of bike which seems to be driven by clean shaven trimmed hair and nails senior executives wearing Armanis and commuting by S Class for office in the day time and after office hours slips and dons a leather jacket and whizzes off in his bad ass 2 wheeler. No more chrome slug, no more extra wide handlebars, things you associate with HD and no more sluggish and slow. Its performance can match and better many Japanese power cruisers. But that is not it. Just look at it, what a stunner. And if the V-Rod was not just enough good looking, they had to bring out the VRSC Night Rod Special. If anyone in the world had an excuse for not buying a HD for its performance, s/he has just run out of the last excuse.

Now this is one bloke with oodles of muscles all around, very well built and so proportionately shaped. The one time racing specialists may not be making an impact in the race circuits, but being a true blue Italian, they are still churning out motorcycles which will take your breath away. Each of the present products looks delicious, but the Moto Guzzi Grisvo SE is really a step ahead especially in the stunning green colour of the SE edition. No doubt the V7 looks classy, but in front of the Grisvo, it looks anemic. And comparatively, it is for the Griso has a heart of 1151cc with 110 bhp on tap and with that neat looking fenders, the twin exhausts, the sculpted tank, those naked round headlamp and dials , all mix up to create a truly lust worthy Italian beauty. This street bike is actually an all-rounder in disguise, a street bike with touring capabilities. Surely many fans would not buy the Grisvo for its performance for at that price, you will get many a bikes with better performance, but those who get into the saddle of the Grisvo knows that this is a thorough bred Italian. Look at the finish, look at the seat, the switches and the entire engine seems to be made in unison with absolutely nothing sticking out or out of place. This is the hallmark of Italian companies and the Grisvo is right there taking charge of this brigade.

The Triumph Thruxton is one of those bikes, which really carries forward the 60s into the 21^st century. Very typical Café Racer styling and yes, one of those rare models which you can buy over the counter as a Café Racer with no modifications needed at all. A very basic bike, actually that is what a ‘real’ Café Racer should be, an air cooled twin engine displacing 900cc with a fuel injected engine. Although it has been made into a Café Racer mode, Triumph made it clear that it will stick to the original 60s concept of café racers and although that means many of today’s modern street bikes might beat the Thruxton in terms of performance, the Thruxton can beat all of them with its sheer perfectly proportioned evocative silhouette. It is sizzling hot with the way the dome shaped rear is perfected, the round head lamps and those mirrors dangling by the handles. The bike looks very symmetrical aided by the beautifully slight upswept exhaust, perfectly placed with one on each side. The engine styling, those back shock absorbers, everything is very very ‘60s’. If it comes to showing off in the busy streets of a uptown bazaar, this bike is just perfect.

This is the Ducati GT 1000 from the Sport Classic range. Surprisingly, the model has been closed for the 2012 models. Yes, Ducati is synonymous with elegant styling, unmatched by any brand now or ever and to choose just one model is a crime, but to be fair to motorcycles world over, I had to choose one Ducati and you can very well guess, how hard it can be, especially since the last new model launch of Ducati, the Diavel, has been bestowed with honours after honours for its look itself, let alone performance and to choose. If it is one bike which every motorcycling fan will like to add to his garage, it has to be the GT 1000. After all, it is firstly a Ducati, but the better part is that it is unlike other naked Ducatis, you do see the tubular trellis frame, but like other Ducatis, it doesn’t immediately evoke the ‘Wow! Ducati!’ effect, but rather, a ‘OMG! A DUC from the 70s” and then your heart starts palpating and before you know, you start drooling. The model you see here is the Biposto, that came out during the mid-2000s and there was also a Paul Smart L.E model in 2006. Do not get fooled by its looks thinking it is as a tribute to the 70s with its air cooled engine and all, because although it is a tribute, that is only superficial, beneath those awesome good looks is a fire breathing Marelli electronic fuel injected, 92 bhp producing engine aided by a 6 speed transmission and as you can see Ducati still gave it an air cooled engine keeping the ‘spirits’ of the gone era.

Without any shadow of doubt, the Honda CB1100 is one of the most beautiful bikes that have been launched in recent times. Launched? Well, at least in Japan and although we have been hearing it will be worldwide launch, we are still waiting for its launch anywhere outside Japan. But, nevertheless, this is one piece of machinery that is probably ‘truest’ to its predecessor, the famous lineage of Honda CB series from the 60s to 80s and still continuing in some modified form. There has been sublime changes from the 80s model especially at the belly (side panels) and thereafter, but the engine is just the same… look wise. If you are a sucker for UJMs of the 80s, this bike is Godsend. And to add to it, the CB1000F (there is a CB1000R model with fairings and all) has a variant, a Café racer version, with a bikini fairing and a small rear seat. The bike with the inline 4 air cooled engine and the double cradle frame will definitely remind you of your first or second bike when you were in your teens and the bike you grew up with. The body lines and simple but very definite, the angles are subtle but delicate and all ends up in a very beautifully made very proportionate motorcycle which actually looks better than its predecessor.

If it was not for the fact that this bike would probably never see production stage, I would have gladly put it in the numero uno position. This Vincent Black Shadow contains the most legendary name in the world of motorcycle and although this is not the original product, Bernand Li has made something which cuts across any time period. You can place this bike in any era and this will never look outdated. Although the legendary engine is missing, doing duty here is another legendary motorcycle, the Honda RC51. And maybe we talk about it in a hush manner, but we do need to admit that the Honda RC51 engine is better than the Vincent original. Yes, the originality is not there, but the product outcome is nonetheless a continuation of the original brand. Legendary British brand, revered Japanese engine and what a looker. From the projector headlamps to the tail light, Bernand Li has really recreated magic. But alas, due to numerous patent laws and the untimely death of Mr. Li last year, only time will tell if this bike would ever see production stage. Just imagine, Mr. Li had even priced it as $25,000 onwards, at such a price, getting a factory produced Vincent would have been a dream, unfortunately, a dream is just what remains as of now.

If it was not for the high price tag of $60,000 and limited edition, the Confederate B120 Wraith would have probably made it as the top bike in this list. Like many fans all over the world, this bike for me is an object of desire and a thing I lust for knowing very well that I can never get my hands on this one. Breaking every possible styling rule that exist, breaking every notion that a designer is supposed to follow, Matt Chambers created something that needs to be kept in a pedestal covered with bullet proof glasses and adored for a life time. This futuristic looking bike is completely hand made and just around 100 were made and the bike usually adorns the garage of celebrities and other big wigs which mean it probably spends more time as a showcase item but this bike is all about the show and the go. The bike can stand along the biggest and baddest of them all and can also do circles around many of them, it is that good! But of course, that is not the reason why it is in this list, this visual delight has so much artistic brilliance that everytime you see the bike (or rather its picture) you will find something very interesting. For instance, just note the pedals and you will know what I mean. For a most ‘lusty’ look, just search for Wraith in the blog.

Well, the most gorgeous bike today on planet earth is most definitely the Norton Commando. It is neither Japanese, nor Italian, nor German, it comes from good’ol England, is overpriced, is not the most technology savvy which by the way makes it even more overpriced, and when you look at it in the flesh, every logic just vaporizes, as if it never existed, you get smitten by it just as we as kids got smitten by Brook Shield in the 80s and Gabriela Sabatini in the 90s. When you see it in the pictures, a most definite second look with a willy smile on your face thinking, man, I got to see this bike… and then you look at a video of the bike running and then the sound… and then your evil inner twin rises to tell you that all those savings and bank accounts, it is time to use them, after all what good use is money if it cannot buy you happiness? Then you land up at a showroom and before you come to terms to realize that your savings probably are not enough to buy this machine, your evil twin and even the one dressed in white with a halo over the head will tell you the nearest and most easily accessible (read easy to rob) bank. When the Commando was launched in 1983 with a 750cc air cooled engine, it was ‘the’ bike with an attitude. Not much has changed in the last 2 decades. If you have $21,000, I believe you will somehow fancy this bike to the ultra-modern Ducatis, MVs and Japanese. That is what beauty can do to a human being. Like I said, sometimes there is just no logic.

Drag Racing with Valerie Thompson

Valerie in her V-Rod and Salt Shaker (at the Salts)

You can ignore Valerie Thompson as just another pretty face in pink dresses trying out her hand in motorcycling, just like a lot of people and critics did until she made everyone look back with what she offers on the field. You too need to look at her credentials before assuming the routine path. For starters she is into drag racing. If that has not made you take a second look at the pretty face, you must be lying. Wait a minute, a lady drag racing! That’s right. And she has been doing it since 2005. Well, of course, when she started out, she was given the royal ignore, but for how long can you keep talent like Valerie unnoticed?
Okay, let’s start with her career graph just so that you know whom we are trying to assess here. In 2005, as mentioned, she started to follow her passion and dream. Before that, just guess what she was into. Banking! Can you take that? Well, actually it does make more sense, I mean a pretty face wearing a corporate dress sitting behind the counter is actually what you normally expect and not behind the handle bars of some mammoth gigantic machine getting ready to snap your head at the first twist of the throttle. Yes, she was a banker, but I guess what the banking sector lost was a very good profit for the motorcycling world. Just a year later, in 2006, she rode into Bonneville Salt Flats Land Speed Records. That was followed by a Runner-up position in Western Division - V-Rod Destroyer, a 3rd finish in Harley Drag Racing Association National Championship Series and named “Best Appearing Team 2007”, all in the year 2007. And yes, she was back in the Bonne Salts.

Valerie drag racing on her Buell

So, in 2008, it read “Valerie Thompson - 2-Time Land Speed Record Holder”. Then in 2008, she made her NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle Debut at the prestigious Mac Tools U.S. Nationals. The same year, she had attended Frank Hawley’s NHRA Drag Racing School and earned her Pro Stock Motorcycle license. When you repeatedly she anyone so enthusiastic, it really gets hard to ignore. Valerie actually was always fond of motorcycles, rather speeding motorcycles. She did a lot of street racing down Scottsdale Road, her hometown and then one of her friends advised her to take her passion to the tracks. In two months, she was seen in the tracks in a 2000 Fat Boy and she never looked back since. The Fat Boy was her first drag motorcycle. From 2005 Valerie started competing in the All Harley Drag Racing Association (AHDRA). The Fat Boy later was replaced by a V-Rod when she teamed up with Custom Performance of Phoenix, Arizona. In 2006 she made her debut aboard the Hacienda Harley Davidson-backed V Rod Destroyer and finished a very respectable 6th in the National Super Gas class and in the following year she improved it to 3rd. Her sponsor, Legend Air Ride Suspension and the owner of the firm, Jesse Jurrens wanted her first to try out at Land Speed racing. She tried it out with the V-Rod and went 153.561 mph in Run Watcha Brung at the Bub Speed Trials. Yes, she was impressive but can can she stand up and make her head visible from the lot of riders who clock 150 odd? That was when she met Keith Ball of Bikernet.com. Actually Bikernet happened later, Keith was always a visionary bike builder. So, Keith designed a Panhead motorcycle that would take Valerie from the riders who clock 150 odd to being a world record holder within a season. The panhead is named ‘Assalt Weapon’ and although many Panheads have graced and raced in the Bonne Salts, this was the baddest and meanest and was also more aerodynamic. In 2007, Valerie had the APS-PF-2000 record at 156.717 mph with a top speed of 161.736 atop the Assalt Weapon. Now that was pretty impressive for Valerie and also for the HD Panhead, since if you recall, the Panhead is basically a motorcycle belonging to the 50s that is more than half a century old!

Valerie with the 'Assalt Weapon'

In 2008, she left AHDRA to concentrate in motorcycle drag racing and her goal was set on the top-tier level of competition, which is the NHRA Pro Stock division. The NHRA division is much different than Land Speed racing and here you have a team much like MotoGP. Valerie had her own team, known today as Valerie Thompson Racing LLC which meant she not only needed to concentrate only on racing like most other riders, but she also had to look at the logistics of managing a team. For this one needs money, and after a contract deal didn’t materialize, she put money from her own pocket. She was that desperate to try it out at drag racing. A few suggested that she needed more seat time, but she responded that she has cut short 2 seconds from 9 to 7 within a year and of course she was not going to listen to anybody as she has already made up her mind. So she set her sights on a Buell. And again there was no looking back. At Wisconsin International Raceway, Valerie got her first win. The specifications of the bike is of course something one looks forward to, just so as to know what kind of bikes these guns drive on the quarter mile. Okay, the made up 2008 XB9R Buell racing in the Pro Stock Motorcycle of the NHRA POWERade Drag Racing series covers the quarter mile at 7.05 Seconds @ 187.42 mph that is 300kmph. The body material is carbon fiber and construction is a mixture of chromium and molybdenum. It has a 70” wheelbase and supported by Mickey Thompson tyres both in the front and rear. The overall length of the bike is 12 feet and width is the normal 24”. It has dual disc brakes up front and a single disc at the rear. The engine is sourced from S&S Cycle and it is a 60 degree V-Twin with 160 cubic inches displacement. Power output is over 340 hp @ 8600 rpm. Transmission is also from S7S Cycle and has 6 gears (I wonder how they engage to the top gear in less than 7 seconds!) The bike is fuel injected by Magneti Marelli. The cams, billet aluminum cylinder head, pistons and cases are all from S&S Cycle.

Valerie on the 2000 Fat Boy and 2007 Salts

But at this level, it is difficult to sustain without a proper sponsor and the sponsor also need to have deep pockets. Now without a sponsor, she has been laying idle but she is hoping for a return in 2011. The lady also had to sit out in 2009 due to lack of sponsorship. Nonetheless, you cannot put down so much enthusiasm just due to the lack of a single component. Come to think about it, in 3 years, from 2005 to 2008, Valerie has made a name for herself and with such a big impact. She has earned her way from the All Harley Drag Racing Association series, to becoming a NHRA team owner and licensed competitor in drag racing's most elite class, of the Pro Stock Motorcycle Series. In a field dominated by men, this lady is an inspiration and a superb brand ambassador for motorsports fans world wide. Valerie is looking forward to the 2011 season with a bike that promises to hold true to what Valerie has set out for. And yes, she hopes to join the 200mph club in the next Bonne Salts session. I believe it is more a question of ‘when she wants’ rather then ‘how soon’.Okay, before I forget, let me tell you another thing about her. I am sure you are aware of GoDaddy.com, yes the same commercial made famous by former WWE Diva Candice Michele, Valerie has posed alongside Danica Patrick strutting her stuff on national television during the Super Bowl for a GoDaddy.com commercial as she was racing under the GoDaddy banner in earlier years. Of course, a chick (although I should not be using the word, nonetheless), a talented chick in the world of motorcycling is always going to be a media magnate and Valerie is no different.

She has been featured in various channels and magazines

She has been featured in various events, channels and magazines like POW MIA "Run for The Wall", Discovery Channel, A&E, SPEED, ESPN2, Super Bowl Red Carpet, V-Twin, Hot Bike Bagger, Cycle Source, Scottsdale Health Magazines, etc. But all these fan following and media attention has not really diluted her passion anyway. Now, she is not just a professional drag racer, she is also a team owner which adds so much more responsibility and not to mention, also a world land speed record holder. Before touching 30, she switched the corporate dress and she started wearing the leather pants during the later 30s. There is never a thing called opportunity lost for Valerie, she started out late but look what her passion has given back to her. Name, fame and above all, this lady has a heart, a heart bigger than us for in that heart, she has a special place for kids, especially from Hopekids.org, with whom she has a long association helping out the kids and children for the organization by visiting hospitals and providing them inspiration. She also has her own charity event, Ride Annie Ride, under which she organized fund raising for a cancer stricken 3 year old kid, Jake. She sold off her VTR Racing shirts and other racing stuff to raise money. But that is not just all, she knows she is marketable and she even uses these traits to help the needy. Valerie's team provides a portion of their sponsorship dollars to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund and the Wounded Warrior Project. She is some woman, maybe as Chaka Khan says “I am Every Woman, it’s all in me”
You can join Valerie’s official Fan Club or make a contribution to her racing program by visiting her website at www.valeriethompsonracing.com.

Photos and info source: Valerie Thompson official website and Motorcycle-USA

Cafe Racer series on Discovery HD

The much anticipated Cafe Racer series on Discovery HD Theater is debuting tommorow (Oct' 13). The series would be featuring 13 episodes focussing on the cult of Cafe Racers, the legend behind it, the 60s and 70s in UK highlighting the Ton Up Club and Rockers among others. Just as Choppers had their time a few years back, the 60s and 70s were the Cafe Racer time and just as with other cults, the Cafe Racer also had its share of negative publicity. But then there were far more too many good things about it and no wonder the ult is coming back in a big way, you see almost every major brand is coming out with retro classics, more of in air cooled twin naked motorcycle mould. To live the moments of those time, Discovery HD will be your freind and companion for the next 13 weeks.

For a clipping, see the video which comes courtesy Cafe Racer TV.

Source: Return of Cafe Racers through Pipeburn.

Mai Lin - Looks Stunning... Stunt Riding

Do not let the images fool you. You might be thinking that if you come across this beauty, you will try every trick in your book to serenade her. You better watch out, she just might stun you with her looks and ‘stunt’ circles around you while you are trying to a wheelie. Meet Ms. Mai-Lin Senf, professional motorcycle stunt women. How many times have you heard these four words ‘professional motorcycle stunt woman’ together? Probably never before. Mai Lin Senf is only 24 years and she hails from Hamburg, Germany. She is pretty straight forward when it comes to ‘What a Girl Wants’? She wants to be a stunt rider (which she already is) so that she can become famous (she is getting there) and then she will be travelling across the world (for starters, she is travelling all across Europe with her shows). The girl could have easily passed off as a fitness model and could have had an easier or say, less dangerous life style but the fiery girl (according to her) likes to play with fire. Although she has ventured out what is erstwhile seen as a man’s world, she cannot put down her girlish instincts and so has a fascination for the colour pink and has also made it her trademark colour.

Mai-Lin performs for movies, for the audience and she is quite booked. Her calendar seems to be full with three four shows every month. She will be doing around 30 shows for the calendar year of 2010 majorly in Germany, Holland, Belgium and England. While browsing her website, one gets the feeling that she literally meant what she said about her liking towards fire as you would see lots of pictures when she is stunt riding with either her rear tyre on fire or jumping across huge flames of fire.
This entire stunt riding has given her quite a name in Europe and she also did stunt action for a German movie, "Killing is My Business, Honey" and gets a lot of modeling offers. She has featured in many magazines and covers. But her first love has always been motorcycles and stunt riding. Modeling and other assignments, as she mentions, is for fun. On the stunt riding scenario, she has taken lessons and underwent professional trainings which shows her commitment and seriousness towards her passion. She started converting her passion into her profession at the start of 2007 with intensive trainings with three to four times weekly and today May-Lin is a professionally qualified stunt woman and member of the Double Action Stunt Team from Hamburg which besides performing in motorcycling events also offers TV and Movie stunt men and of course stunt women or rather a woman.

Lucky for her and thanks to Pirelli and Parts Europe, she has constant sponsorers. Her other sponsors include german based companies like Victory Motorcycles, Crash Cage and Point of Sign. At an event at the legendary London ACE Cafe in 2009 (Sep 11th to 13th), she debuted and performed for an hour in between perfomances from Marc 'Sparky' Chennel and Joe Vertical from USA. She drove some 150,000 spectators to frenzy with her stunt tactics and she did all the stunts with a full helmet. Majority didn’t know that there was a beautiful woman beneath the helmet and when Mai-Lin took off her helmet there was a long and big applaud. She has been fortunate enough not to get involved in any serious injuries in a profession where ‘serious injury’ is the middle name. Of course she mentions that for any new trick or stunt, her approach is very cautious and she builds up to the stunts very slowly. She says “It is very important for me to stay healthy". However, stunt riding is dangerous and of course it takes a lot of courage to be successful in this profession."
If you ask her what are her future goals, as I said, she is pretty straight forward, “My goal for the future: I just want to get better, tour around the world performing stunt shows and be famous as a stunt girl."I was not able to find any thing as to what kind of bikes she uses for her stunts as it is not mentioned anywhere and since her pink coloured GSX is kind of camouflaged, it is difficult to say that it actually is a GSX. She does use 2-3 different bikes as seen from the photo section. You can visit her website and make sure you visit all the galleries. There is a section on her videos and I have posted a video down on the post. You can leave your comments on her website by signing her guestbook. I just did. For more picyutes, you can also check her Fotki profile. You can mail her at mai-lin-shi@gmx.de. In plain words, Mai-Lin is awesome. It is very cliché, buy You Go! Girl!

Posts from The Community

You might have noticed that the blog has a navigator item mentioned 'The Community'. Well, actually it is a small group of like minded biker-bloggers and we all got to know each other through our blogs and websites. There are many more such active biker-bloggers and I am trying to get us together so that invariaby when anybody chances upon one blog/ website, s/he could also find a link to similar blogs and websites. below are some posts, mostly recent from our community which you might find pretty interesting.

Scott from Pipeburn has the unusual knack of finding unusually brillaint motorcycles from various sources. From his superb collection of posts, it would be wrong to pinpoint a single post to what I said, but just to give you a glance of what it inside Pipeburn, take a look at the posts.

Honda CT 110 Customs The humble Honda CT110 is one of the most reliable bikes on the planet, which is why Postman use them to deliver the mail down here in Australia. They are affectionately known as 'postie bikes' and have always had a cult following but we haven't seen many customized, until now. A company in Melbourne called Postmodern Motorcycles are turning these air-cooled single cylinders into tasty little customs. The bike above is named 'Junk Mail', because it was built from all the junk parts lying around the garage. Postmodern says "The frame was stretched by 200mm, we added a little peanut tank and chucked on an Indian bike seat. There was 2 rear Avon tyres in stock so we used 'em both, on 2 Pak Blak rims. Finally the whole thing was painted the colour of lead". To see more great CT customs like the Military styled one below, check out the Postmodern gallery. Just like Deus have sparked a new culture of SR400 Café Racers down under, I'm sure we're going to see many more of these custom CT100's. [Found on Chalopy]

I am telling you if you like motorcycles that are unusual and yet brilliant, expect to find them in Pipeburn. Now Mr. Nolan of Vintage Motorcycles Online is a camera addict and an excellent one and that. Besides that, along with John, they have a really nice website on, well, vintage motorcycles, the writing is crisp and with 'age' on their side, they bring loads of experience to the table. These guys cover a lot of events featuring vintage and classic bikes like Bikes on the Bay, something that I never knew of. For their writing style, check out the post, MV Agusta Corona 1000S featuring a review.

As I metioned, these guys are also excellent photographers. So time to time I keep receiving their mails with some awesome stuff. The second photo is what I got on my mail a few days back.

MV Agusta Corona 1000S If there was ever a rolling contradiction, it has to be MV’s line of production fours. Understated and refraining from the bold, they nonetheless come across as aggressive; confident. Promoted (and inscribed) with the promise of championship glory, Count Agusta, the factory’s archetypical kingpin, saw to it that his production wares left the gates detuned and fitted with shaft drive... Through the course of study, we sometime forget that behind every motorcycle are men, and that critical aspect is usually what separates them. And while the current Cagiva-backed range caused some real excitement and novelty in the market, the magic found in the original build eluded them. That can be explained in several dramatic and dynamic ways, the most fundamentally important being the exclusion of the machine’s namesake. This finds no fault with MV modern, for their effort was and is grand in many ways. Even so, greatness cannot turn back the technological tide that has swept in since.

Bikes on the Bay The event was the 4th annual “Bikes-on-the-Bay” vintage motorcycle show. A year ago, I had heard that this event was a “must” for any vintage and retro motorcycle enthusiast. Since I was in town and not traveling on business I decided to fire up my trusty 850 Le Mans-III for a 65 mile jaunt south...

If you like reading, you should most definitely check Vintage Motorcycle Online. And then, of course there is Chris from Bike Exif. I am sure every biker who visits the web knows about this website. Just in case if you are new or haven't visited the website for sometime now, see what you are missing. FYI, Bike Exif usually features custom motorcycles.

Where else on eath would you expect to find Rudge and Henderson custom modified bikes? Of course, Bike Exif!

Rudge Withworth This remarkably elegant vintage motorcycle is actually a bit of a mongrel: it’s a Rudge ‘bitsa’ built by Jean-Claude Barrois, who also restored the Honda CB450 and Terrot racer... Since this photo session two small fenders have been added, and the tires have been changed for modern high-speed Avons. Jean-Claude is now optimizing the ignition system to gain a better spark, and next month the bike will be packed in a container and will fly to Salt Lake City for the Bonneville Speed Week. The photos, if you haven’t already guessed, are from Guerry & Prat—who can always be relied upon to deliver beautiful images of unusual motorcycles.
They’ve just launched an exhibition in association with Nick Clements (of Mensfile fame) in Toulouse, which will definitely be worth a trip if you’re in Europe. [Get more details of the Rudge build from the Southsiders MC website.]
1930 Henderson Custom Every few months, a bike comes along that completely stops me in my tracks. Like this one: an Art Deco-influenced machine that could have
come straight from the pen of Harley Earl. The bike caused a stir last month when it appeared at the Rhinebeck Grand National Meet, a popular motorcycle show held a couple of hours drive north of NYC... until its demise in 1931, the Excelsior Motor Mfg. & Supply Co.—the owner of the Henderson brand—was one of the ‘Big Three’ American motorcycle manufacturers, along with Harley-Davidson and Indian. There must be more remarkable Henderson customs out there—if you know of any, drop us a line.

I am adding a lot more links to the community and in case if you think there are websites, lesser known, but has excellent content, do recommend them. It will be well worth to find more of these crazy people ;-)

Time Out - Interesting Ebay listings

The Ebay is a good 'time-pass' website, just having a look at the motorcycles, some bizarre, a lot of oohs and aahs, some real stunners and many 'Wow!' and still there will be the occasional 'What!'. The US and UK sites usually have the motorcycles with a hefty price tag. There are some other interesting places like Germany and Japan, but usually these two US (and Canada has the same listing) and UK has a lot to offer. Most of the high priced bikes are custom ones, you know the typical customs, long tank, single sided swingarm, elongated handlebars which after some time, all the models look just the same. I have featured here some original bikes and also custom bikes but custom as in the sense of real custom, not those hand painted choppers. Well, happy bidding in case if you are bidding for any of the bikes.

Well, well, well, we all have seen it and been in awe of it. Yes, this is the same Ferrari motorcycle, the one and only, which we probably all would like to own it even if it means killing someone! Since for us normal human beings, it is beyond our reach. Listed at the UK ebay site, there is no bidding period, so you do have the time to still rob some banks and accumulate the asking and final price of £249,991, that is $368,630.
MV Agusta honcho David Kay requested Enjo Ferrari's son, Piero to build a one-off motorcycle under the Ferrari badge. The bike will be built by David Kay in honour of the senior Ferrari and he wanted permission to use the Ferrari badge. Of course he was granted. this was in 1990. The bike was built finaly in 1995. It has a 900cc transverse, double overhead camshaft, four cylinder, eight valve unit with magnesium and alloy casings, driven through a five speed gearbox to a top speed of 265 kmph. I am sure that you have seen it a hundred times but if you still want more information, just google it, willya? Here is the ebay link

Yes, this is 'that' Norton that you have seen on the net quite often, the 850 MK3 Custom, the Norton Ala'Verda. This was built by Frenchman Daniel Delfour. And as the present custodian puts it and he is right 'This is the most photographed & publicized norton ever!'. I myself remember this bike feautured in many motorcycle magazine covers. This beautiful Norton made quite an impression at the 2008 Concours d" Elegance in Half Moon Bay, California. I guess this beauty will make an impression everywhere.
Located at Las Vegas with 100 miles on the run, the bike is for $75,000 "Buy it Now' price. Bidding ends on Jun 19. Here is the link.

A 2010 supercharged ROEHR 1250 for less than 40K USD seems quite reasonable. Of course this is a brand new bike and contrary to belief, that is the actual price of a Roehr. Why I posted it here is because this is a new bike and as such is available for $39,995 USD at the dealers and also at ebay. But this is listed as an introductory price. So...

You can of course check the bike in the original website Roehr Motorcycles. The company is located at Illinois and bidding ends June 22. Here is the link.

Now here is a 1934 BSA JM24 Goldstar. Why my eyes caught it? Because of the astronomical price quoted. This 1934 bike is priced at $290,000 as a 'But it Now' price. The reason behind the steep price as given by the owner is that "It is the first Gold Star engine ever produced in 1938. The bike has never been restored and the engine is still full of Castrol R racing oil from 1956."

Bidding is still June 20 and here is the link. I am of course not even a novice in the feild of auctions, but I think being a BSA Goldstar J series, the price seems steep, will be good to keep the item on watch.

Above is a 1933 Indian Four. Located at Netherlands, the item is eligible for world wide bidders. The 1933 bike has been restored by Ken Young. Actually the bike belongs to MB Motors, a firm in Netherlands which deals in antique Indian bikes especially and new ones too You can check the bike at their website too. Listed at € 42.500 at their website which is equivalent to US $51,391, the 'Buy it Now' price at ebay is $56,000. You can hear it in the You Tube video.
Bidding is up to July 2nd. Here is the link.

This is a 1914 Harley-Davidson 10E V-Twin listed on the US site.This bike is located at New Hampshire and is indeed a rare item. Driven from 1914 to 1922, the owner has posted images of the original owner from 1914. The current owner has the bike since 1996 and the related history is given at the link. This item is for world wide bidders.
Priced at $75,000, bidding ends on June 18. Click on this link.