Modern Kawasaki The Z900RS gets the AC Sanctuary treatment this week, followed by a wild Yamaha RD400 street tracker. In the second half of our review; a Triumph Street Twin prepared for a flat track and a twin-turbo BMW R100 for a museum.
Kawasaki Z900RS by AC Sanctuary A few years back, the Kawasaki Z900RS is a modern classic that evokes nostalgia for Kawasaki’s ’70s era — specifically the iconic Z1. It’s a solid effort by Big Green, but like many modern motorcycles, there isn’t much room for customization. Unless you are AC SanctuaryOf course.
Powerhouse Japan never fails to impress with their classic big Kawasaki recover. They built almost 600 bikes as part of the ‘RCM’ (‘Radical Construction Manufacturing’) series. But this is the first time they applied the RCM philosophy to KAWASAKI Z900RS.
From a distance, the RCM-534 doesn’t look too different from the original Z900RS, despite the extremely premium paint job. But the genius of AC Sanctuary becomes even more apparent the closer you get.
For starters, Kawasaki’s steel trellis frame has added something it didn’t before—lower frame rails, added to improve chassis rigidity. There is also reinforcement in the swingarm shaft and an extended aluminum swingarm. And the good news for customizers is that these specific mods will be made available in kit form.
The Z900RS also has Öhlins suspension at both ends, gorgeous OZ Racing wheels, Brembo brake calipers and Sunstar discs.
The engine remains the same inside (nothing less than that), but it’s been treated with a high-performance aluminum radiator and a titanium four-in-one exhaust from Nitro. And if you’re ordering your own Z900RS-based RCM, the AC Sanctuary can also equip it with a row of Mikuni carburetors, if you so desire.
Smaller revisions include a custom rear brake caliper holder, upgrade rods, rods and levers, CNC machined headlight ears, and fender removal kits. As for the aforementioned paint job, it’s a subtle trick over the old Z1. [Via]
Gaston Motorcycle Werks’ Yamaha RD400 Sifting through boxes at a real estate sale a while ago, the team at Gaston Motorcycle Werks paid a heavy price. The saleswoman had just lost her husband, and among the crates were the crumbs of a YAMAHA RD400. More specifically, a coveted 1979 Yamaha RD400F Daytona.
The team intended to restore it to its former glory, but failed to do so. Then the perfect client for it showed up—and what started out as a neat change became a full-blown custom. street tracking.
There’s a lot to include here. One of the big ideas was to get rid of the RD400’s classic twin-shock rear suspension. So GMW adapted the 1980s Yamaha RD250LC rear swingarm for the bike, then built a new subframe and upper suspension mount.
The front fork is a copy of the Ceriani GP, held in place by custom forks and supported by a steering damper. Wheels with Borrani rims and drum brake hubs; Robinson’s four-shoe set of top four-shoe brakes at the front are particularly coveted.
The engine has been treated by HVC Cycles to rebuild the crankshaft, new Wiseco pistons, Lectron carburetors and more. Then there’s the Jim Lomas exhaust system in stainless steel, ending with twin carbon fiber mufflers. (Seriously, pause for a moment to absorb.)
Dressed in a flat line, with wide slats to match, the RD400 is finished in a simple gray and blue color scheme. With lights and a cleverly integrated Motogadget tachometer, this exciting two-stroke bike is probably not for the track. And that’s perfectly fine with us; we couldn’t think of a better whip to jump from one cafe to another. [Via]
British Customs’ Triumph Street Twin I just placed a pre-owned account winning car in my garage—so, naturally, I scoured the internet for parts. And no British twin expedition would be complete without a visit to the UK Customs online store.
Searching their archives, I came across this Triumph Street Twin. Built a few years ago, it belongs to 2000 AMA Pro flat line champion Joe Kopp, who modified it to run in the American Super Hooligan flat-track series.
The twin-cylinder modern classic features a British Customs bolt-on ‘Slammer’ saddle, with a modified set of high-mounted twin exhausts to run on the right. It rolls on 19-inch wheels, with a set of Fox shock absorbers at the rear. The original fuel tank, but the headlights have been removed and replaced with a number plate.
Up in the cockpit, Joe fitted a set of British Customs ‘Tracker’ handlebars, complete with lift bars with four latches on each side. He also modified the controls, but had to leave the speedometer connected, or the bike wouldn’t run. Several smaller add-ons complete the build, such as Bates-style latches, bore chain guards, and finned clutch badges.
When Triumph’s flat trackers came out, we felt wilder. But what makes this build so captivating is its basic vibe. By taking an original Street Twin and throwing a bunch of race-specific mods, prioritizing functionality into it, Joe and British Customs encapsulated the ‘run-it-yourself’ nature of racing sugar by hooligan.
But is it competitive? Definitely. From what we can dig, Joe almost won the championship the year he used the Street Twin. [More]
Sold: BMW R100 Twin Turbo by Boxer Metal Longtime fans of custom bikes should recognize this yellow boxer. Built by Boxer Metal in California, it exploded onto the internet when it first appeared 7 years ago. And it’s only sold on Bring an introfor a tidy sum of $23,500.
Run by the husband and wife team of Chris and Rebecca Canterbury, Boxer Metal originally built Bmw R100 to put it on the One Show in Portland. It’s a knockout build—the highlight is definitely two turbo charger boxer engine packing.
The mods are endless. There are countless parts that make up the turbocharger working, plus the stiffened tail frame is stretched and pounded. It rolls on a 21-inch spoked front wheel and a modified 18-inch Lester alloy rear wheel, with a smooth M&H Racemaster drag system on duty at the rear.
The Dnieper fuel tank sits above, finished with an unforgettable golden metallic paint. Custom leather seats rest on the one-piece saddle and rear fender. The potentiometer is embedded in the back of the fuel tank, just in front of the rider’s groin. It’s a gorgeous machine, no doubt about it.
But the most notable detail, is the direction of the bike. After a week of bidding, BAT . users Serious vintage collector appear at the top of the page. A quick glance at his profile reveals that he recently purchased a 1959 BMW R26, a 1962 BMW R27, a 1964 BMW R69S, two 1967 BMW R60/2s, one number of BMW R series of the 1970s, etc.
Highlights from his current collection include a 1936 NSU 601 with a Royal Seitenwagen sidecar and a 1957 BMW Isetta 300 priced at $50,000. However, he’s more than just a passionate collector — once he’s accumulated enough cars, he plans to open a museum, either in Georgia or South Miami.
On the surface, he had a rough start. [Boxer Metal]
