A seriously trick Honda CB550 Four Cafe Racer.

Saw this over on ADV Rider. The owner posted the following description of the build.

My bike started life as a '75 SS, in good condition really.
My bike took about six months to build.
Just finished in June of '09.

Its a concept bike, the CR550 F Factory.
I was going for the factory built race/sport bike that Honda never built.
People have asked what year it is and how many were produced.
Mission accomplished.

Just a few highlights.

Bimota swingarm w/eccentric chain adjusters
18" front wheel
Buchannan wheels (Excell)
Dual disc w/calipers flipped to the rear.
CR 'style' bodywork
Dual petcocks
Swarbrick exhaust! (now ceramic coated)
Oil cooler (Earls)
Tarozzi clip-ons
Rearsets
Steering damper
Modern shocks (YSS), adjustable damping
Fork internals (Race Tech gold valve emulators)
Dyna ignition/coils
400F gauges
Sprocket Specialists +3 rear sprocket with 520 chain
Many bosses/mounts removed and many added
Powdercoating, paint and finishes brought back to better than new in some cases.
Wiring is stock appearing in all areas.
The motor is stock for now.
The airbox is opened up and a Uni filter is used.

Paint is Ferrari red w/gold metalflake stripe (gotta keep it 70's!).

It rides solid, turns in well and feels easy to push in the corners (for an older bike).

The Swarbricks howl! Soul stirring in a garage lol.
Loud at idle, and beautiful racket through the gears.
And now fully jetted, it pulls all gears to redline
(I haven't fully topped out 5th but it was pulling well)
Just wicked exhaust - got that Honda RC sound.

Ducati 900 Supersport Racebike.

I can just imagine the concussions of those exhaust pipes at idle.

Motorcycle Giro... sigh...

Pictures like this make me want to call the travel agent and max out that credit card. If this doesn't get you inspired I can't help you... just kidding... sorta... LOL

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Another unrelated shot of a really unusual and very trick Honda Twin sportbike from an earlier post.

I stumbled across this bike again by accident over on ADV rider. This same bike was the subject of an earlier post HERE! Anyone know anything more about this beauty?

A VERY different CL360 scrambler bobber ... Oh and some Friday Eye Candy!

Honda CL450 Scrambler. Better than new?

Hell of a nice restoration. Cleeeeeean as a whistle!

Moto Guzzi and Aermacci... errr.. Harley Davidson Singles. A nice pair of Italian cousins. Even though one of them took a short vacation in the U.S.

Beautiful Ducati 350 Single Vintage Roadracer.

If I'm not mistaken this looks to be a converted scrambler. Beautiful ride!

I just never get tired of looking at Vincents...

Rolling damm sculpture they are...

In Celebration of 100,000 visits to the Blog!!

What a freaking cool milestone! I've had a blast putting this thing together. It's still just a hobby for me and (despite a few serious offers to sell out) it will remain that way. To be honest, I was just goofing around when I started this thing.

I don't have the old script anymore but my ham-handed first attempt at the layout was terrible and I really didn't know what I was doing exactly. I really didn't think this thing would last a month when I first started but despite a few slow months I've kept at it and enjoyed every minute all while making some great new online friends (you all know who you are).

So, I'd like to give a great big THANK YOU to all the visitors who've stopped by!! I hope you've enjoyed it as much as I have! Anyway I need to commemorate the moment and since I feel like jumping for joy I figured I'd let Mr Evel Knievel do it for me so here you go! Oh and if you're curious THIS was my first post. Not surprising since I'm really a 2-stroke junky at heart.

Congratulations to Rossi, Spies and especially Yamaha!

Ben Spies and Yamaha won the World Superbike Championship this weekend...

...and Valentino Rossi and Yamaha won the Moto GP Championship as well! Very Nice double for Yamaha!

Fantastic reader submittal! An insanely trick Yamaha XV1000 Virago Racebike and a sweet Desmo Ducati!

Reader Travis Lawson with Iron Spade Cycles in Houston TX sends in a pair of great bikes from 1987. A nice Ducati and a truly one of a kind Yamaha Virago! I'll let travis explain these two. He writes:

Hey there Steve, Travis here. I'm a member of the 2 Stroke World forum and I've been following both your 2 Stroke Biker blog and the Picture of the Day blog for quite a while. I've been wanting to do something similar for a long time.

Hey I thought I send you some pictures of a couple of unique cycles. I took these at a CRRC club race at Texas World Speedway in College Station TX back in 1987 and although I really know nothing about the owner I did find the welding shop (K&K Welding Austin TX 512-444-7485) that did the fab work but was unable to contact them. This bike is a complete custom Formula USA/BoTT race bike built around a Yamaha Virago XV1000. Look closely at the carbs, they are billet one-offs! The frame and swingarm was made from .250 thick alloy plate and the rear shock has no linkage back when everything had linkage. Also this bike began life as a shaft drive cruiser. Simply amazing! Super trick! The guy who rode it that day also campaigned another hand built, vintage 80's Rotax 250 in the Formula 2 GP class. I was told they were doing a shakedown run for the Battle of The Twins race at Daytona just a few weeks after I took these pictures.

I'm also including pictures I took that same day of a Ducati Desmo 750 that was built by the now closed House of Wheels Yamaha of Houston. I took these pictures over 20 years ago but every time I see these I just think wow!Feel free to post them on your blog. I'm planning on send you some other pictures of my several RD projects that are slowly coming around. Since I've joined the Street Fighter forum recently I've gotten so many new ideas for two of the three RD's I'm currently building. Until then, have fun with these.

Later Travis

Hey Travis that is freaking awesome. You wouldn't believe how much attention the Cafe Virago posts get on here and I'm sure there'll be a LOT of attention on this one. Thanks much for the pics and keep me posted on that RD build. Now that my KZ is wrapping up I've got to get going on my own LC project! Winter's coming and it's time to get wrenching.

Fantastic MV Augusta 350 Reader Ride!

Reader Greg Rathe sends in some pictures of his gorgeous MV Augusta 350

Greg Writes:
Great website and wanted to share one of my favorite bikes with you and the site.

This is a two cylinder 350cc with twin SS1 Dellortos. The details of the bike are incredibly beautiful and it is in all original condition.

Its a bike I love to ride that is solid, smooth and reliable. Handling is great, turn in's are smooth and even the brakes are not to bad for drums. Cruising the back road twisties are great and I have seen 85mph on the speedo without feeling close to top speed. The wheelbase is short and the tires narrow, if you think a new direction than the bike is headed, most likely the bike will already be going in that direction before you have made the decision.

On top of the gas tank is the original MV Agusta sticker with 34 stars, noting the championships the company had won.

My best,

Greg Rathe
New York, NY USA


Thanks Much Greg for the pics of this great bike! Must be pure joy on those back road rides!

Beautiful laverda 750 SF

I never get tired of looking at these orange beauties!

Really trick parallel twin Honda modern sportbike.. er... something?

Picture was taken by Fabrice in South America. Anyone know what this is exactly? Is this a Honda built bike or a total custom?

1983 Kawasaki ELR 1000R. Nicely "upgraded"..

1983 ELR with Zephyr front fork,ZRX swingarm,shocks and wheels,Kerker race exhaust,34mm Mikuni flatslides,1130ccm

Off to see Mickey Mouse with the family! Have a great weekend!

I've got some really nice auto-posts set up for you while I'm gone! Hope you have a great weekend! Everybody take time and go riding! Winter's coming!

Excellent CB750 Cafe Racer.

Really superior build. I love that shade of blue.

Wicked little Ducati single!

The "Geoff Duke" Royal Enfield Cafe Racer!

Submitted by the indispensable Dave Innola! For more on the very talented racer please see this ENTRY HERE. Great stuff!



Found this great photo of Mr. Duke in action "back in the day" on a Gilera at the Isle of Mann with the following caption:

Douglas, Isle of man: Geoff Duke, riding an Italian Gilera (493) round the bend at Governor's Bridge during the Senior TT. Duke smashed all records to win his third Senior TT in 2-43-49 4/5 at an average speed of 97.93 MPH.
13 June 1955

The amazing 171 mph (in 1955) Moto Guzzi V8 (with video).

Speaks for itself really but if you want to know more check HERE and HERE

The new Peraves MonoTracer. Is it a motorcycle?

The new Peraves MonoTracer . No raingear required and I think it will have a place in our energy efficient future.... but is it a motorcycle or "something else"? Oh and the price according to my e-mail is "price of approx. US$ 80'000.00/Euro 60'000.00". That could be a reeeealy nice sportscar or a pair of very exotic Ducati's.