This weekend’s version of Velocity Learn begins off with 4 of our favourite phrases—“Suzuki Katana” and “AC Sanctuary.” We additionally profile a classic Triumph Tiger, a uncommon BMW R68 ISDT Particular, and a tastefully modded Triumph Avenue Twin from Deus.
Suzuki Katana by AC Sanctuary What occurs when a legendary Japanese workshop customizes an iconic motorbike? Magic, that’s what. Pure retro magic.
The fee for this explicit Suzuki Katana challenge got here from a supply near AC Sanctuary. The bike belongs to Mr Wang—who not solely runs a vastly profitable motorbike dealership in Taiwan, however can be the nation’s solely licensed AC Sanctuary supplier. Given their tight relationship, he was joyful to offer AC Sanctuary’s Hiroyuki Nakamura free rein on the challenge.
True to type, Nakamura-san didn’t disappoint. The first step was to tear the bike down, and set its body right into a jig to ensure every part was straight. AC Sanctuary additionally bolstered the body in all the appropriate locations, then added a stunning alloy swingarm.
The Katana now rolls on OZ Racing wheels, with Öhlins suspension at each ends. The rear wheel is wider than inventory, so AC Sanctuary modified the engine mounts to be sure that the rear sprocket nonetheless strains up completely. The brakes are a mixture of AC Sanctuary’s personal ‘RCM’ components and high-end Brembo stuff, and the tires are Pirelli Diablo Rossos.
The Katana’s bodywork seems to be stock-ish, nevertheless it’s really all-new. AC Sanctuary constructed most of it from scratch, shopping for in solely the smoked display, headlight and entrance fender. YF Design laid down the graphics; an intoxicating livery with a Suzuki manufacturing unit racing really feel to it.
AC Sanctuary put appreciable effort into upgrading the engine too. It’s gone via a full rebuild, full with bored and honed cylinders, skimmed heads, modified valve seats, a balanced crank and solid Wossner pistons. Now sitting at 1,135 cc, energy supply is optimized through a programmable ignition, an array of Mikuni Yoshimura carbs and a full titanium exhaust system.
A sprinkling of tasty bolt-ons and refined mods drive the purpose house. The dashboard is especially neat, full with a carbon fiber backplate and a Stack tacho. When you’re questioning what motorcycling perfection seems to be like, that is it. [Via]
Serge’s 1973 Triumph Tiger 750 It’s uncommon that we characteristic a customized motorbike with out understanding the historical past of how and why it was custom-made. However the story of this fetching Triumph Tiger 750 is much less about its mods, and extra about its proprietor. It belongs to a Frenchman by the title of Serge Reveneau, and it symbolizes his return to 2 wheels.
Serge has been a fixture on the native moto scene for fairly someday, and has constructed a few fascinating bikes already. However issues took a nasty flip when, one fateful day, he took one among his bikes out to rapidly test some carb changes. An SUV made an unlawful U-turn in entrance of him, and Serge had nowhere to go.
Serendipitously, the automobile behind him was an ambulance—however his street to restoration was powerful. He was in surgical procedure for 10 hours, in a coma for 19 days, and in intensive physiotherapy for the longest time (with a number of observe up surgical procedures thrown in for good measure). All of the whereas, Serge battled with the kind of bodily and emotional ache that normally accompany this kind of traumatic occasion.
Fortunately Serge counts famend motorbike photographer, Kati Dalek, and her boyfriend, Basti, amongst his associates. The 2 visited him relentlessly throughout his restoration, began a social media marketing campaign to rally assist for him, and reminded him of how a lot enjoyable bikes will be, by the use of images that she’d taken of him pinning it on the seaside on the standard Wheels and Waves pageant.
Greater than two years after his accident, Serge received again on the horse with this 1973 Triumph TR7RV Tiger. It was initially owned by a girl who had by no means owned a automobile, then a second proprietor who rebuilt it as a scrambler—however didn’t journey it a lot.
Serge is the third proprietor, and plans to maintain it going as a road authorized desert sled.
To rejoice Serge’s comeback, he, Kati and Basti took his Tiger right down to the seaside, to chop free and shoot these images. Welcome again, Serge. [Via]
Bought: BMW R68 ISDT Particular The BMW R80G/S may be the primary correct dual-sport motorbike that the German marque ever constructed—nevertheless it wasn’t the primary time they’d competed in off-road racing. Again in 1952, BMW fielded three R68 boxers within the Worldwide Six Days Trial in Austria.
Rider Hans Roth got here near successful the occasion with an ideal rating card. However a mechanical failure through the velocity trials, the place he reached 104 mph, knocked him out of the occasion.
The BMW R68 was a follow-up to the sooner 594 cc BMW R67. With enhancements to the engine and brakes, and bigger carbs, it was billed as “The 100 mph Bike” by BMW. It made 35 hp at 7,000 rpm—up from the R67’s 26 hp.
BMW provided the R68 in a ‘commonplace’ street mannequin, and the ‘Gelandesporte’ model—recognizable by its high-mounted exhaust system. The rarer of the 2 fashions, it was this model that BMW ran within the ISDT.
The R68 you’re right here is about as clear as these uncommon machines come. It’s been restored to concours requirements by a BMW knowledgeable, with matching numbers and the producer’s unique ID plate nonetheless on the body and engine.
When you’d prefer to park it in your storage, we have now dangerous information: it went on sale at Mecum’s Las Vegas public sale this weekend, and was offered. We shudder to assume for a way a lot. [Via]
Triumph Avenue Twin by Deus ex Machina It’s powerful to beat a Triumph fashionable traditional as the place to begin for a customized construct. They give the impression of being actually good out the field—which implies you possibly can change as little, or as a lot, as you need to, and nonetheless find yourself with a good-looking motorbike.
This Avenue Twin comes from the workshop of Jeremy Tagand, at Deus ex Machina in Australia. And it whereas it hasn’t strayed too removed from the traditional Triumph Bonneville system, it’s really sporting a number of intelligent mods. Park it subsequent to a inventory Avenue Twin, and it received’t take lengthy to identify the variations.
For starters, it’s rolling on a lot fatter rubber. Jeremy put in wider yokes from Down and Out Bikes, together with a set of beefy Canyon Bikes wheels. Measuring 150 large within the entrance and 180 within the rear, they’re wrapped in Pirelli dual-sport rubber.
The forks have been upgraded with new internals, and the rear sits on longer shocks; all courtesy of YSS. Beringer braking elements add additional stopping energy.
Jeremy additionally put in alloy fenders at each ends, and a customized seat. Quite a lot of work went into the cockpit, which now wears large 1” bars, Kustom Tech levers, Function Constructed Moto mirrors and Motone switches. BAAK Motocyclettes in France despatched over leather-based fork gators, leather-based ‘cable ties,’ a skid plate, entrance flip sign mounts, an ignition relocation bracket and a headlight package with an built-in Motogadget speedo. Kellermann LEDs maintain flip sign and taillight duties.
The engine now breathes in via a Ok&N filter, and out through a pair of HiTech Mufflers headers with SC Undertaking mufflers. It’s been tuned too, courtesy of RB Racing and a Dynojet chip.
Wrapped in a luscious blue paint job (by Jud’s Kustom Paint), with a success of leather-based on the seat (by Badarsetrimco.), this Triumph ought to look proper at house on New Zealand’s North Island, which is the place it’s headed. [More]
