Two very different 90s Hondas—a CB750 and a Shadow—take the lead in this week’s Speed Reading. Then we changed gears with a rare Australian Magni and a short film chronicling Jared Mees’ campaign for the ninth AFT SuperTwins flat-car title.
Honda CB750 by Bolt Motor Co. Bolt is back in another week’s Speed Read with this; an elegant 1992 revision Honda CB750F2. Built for customers who want a hassle-free everyday vehicle, this CB sheds its ’90s styling—but also packs some sneaky upgrades.
First up was the gorgeous 1970s CB750K2 bodywork. Bolt stitched together the older fuel and oil tanks, tweaking them to fit the later model frame.
For wheels, wider rims are strapped to the factory axles to allow for thick tyres. The front end was reworked, the brakes were swapped out with a mix of Honda and Brembo parts with Goodridge brake lines. The entire electrical system has been replaced to ensure trouble-free engine operation for decades, the lighting is all new LED and the cockpit features a simple Motogadget speedometer.
Bolt also demolished the engine, then cleaned and rebuilt it from scratch. With each nut and bolt replaced, the engine is ready to receive a range of clean Keihin carburetors, complete with custom filters. The exhaust is Supertrapp’s, nice and short, sure to unleash the most almighty power from the massive inline four.
The subframe is chopped, flattened, and looped, then overlaid with brown leather seats by Tapizados Llop, an upholsterer Bolt trusts with a lot of the upholstery work. The classic taillights sit independently behind the subframe, with a custom bracket cantilevered from the license plate and turn signal support arm.
The blue paint job, done by Airbrush Custom, is inspired by the original factory paint color, with a large amount of California style mixed in. It’s another new build from Bolt . Engine Coand we’re excited to see what they come up with next week! [Bolt Motor Co.]
Honda VT600C Shadow by Tumulte With the aggressive front end, low saddle, and cruiser style, the obvious route to take when customizing a Honda VT600C Shadow is to build one. chopper. Well, Tumulte’s former GT track engineer Frédéric Lagarde didn’t go with this trend—and we’re happy for that.
Frédéric was approached by a customer (a factory driver for AMG Mercedes, nothing more) with a 1990 Honda VT600C Shadow cruiser. Why VT600C? Well, the bike was his mom’s birthday present in 1992, so it has a lot of memories attached to it. Instead of exchanging it for another bike, the customer decided he wanted to turn it into something a little more ‘performance-driven’.
To give Shadow a second lease of his life, Frédéric tore it all apart and threw the front end, rear end, wheels, exhaust, and fuel tank in the trunk. Then he got down to business.
The Honda now carries the front end from the KTM 690 Duke, complete with custom twin headlights and a small windshield. There are new bars, handles, mirrors and gearshift levers. The electrical system has been replaced by a Motogadget setup with a small Lithium-ion battery. The lighting system is a combination of parts from Motogadget and Kellermann.
The fuel tank, which is less like a cruiser, was built and reshaped to fit, and the subframe was rebuilt from scratch. The rear apron is handcrafted from fiberglass and houses all the electronics below the hump. Seating is also customizable; Black leather with red stitching to match the new paint color.
The candy red paintwork is taken from an Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, while the speed lines on the fuel tank are inspired by AMG Mercedes GT cars.
The engine has been overhauled and the gear-cut stainless steel exhaust is handcrafted. The swingarm is taken from an early Honda Transalp and the rear wheel is fitted with a disc brake. Shock Factory custom rear shocks complete the package, with 17-inch wheels at both ends.
When all was said and done, Honda debuted as the most customized motorcycle ever to leave the Tumulte workshop. It’s a beautiful build with a great story and we bet its owner is a happy person. [Via]
1994 Magni Australia The story of Magni Australia is one that I have always felt particularly fond of. Not because I have one, but because I live just a few kilometers from where the Magni Australia story begins. That, and I am the owner and fanboy of Moto Guzzi.
In the early 1990s, there was a man who opened a Moto Guzzi dealership in Perth, Western Australia. His name is Ted Stolarski, in addition to selling bicycles, he also has a racing team. It was through this love of racing that Ted got his hands on a pair of new Moto Guzzi 4V-OHC racing engines, straight from the factory in Mandello del Lario. This is testament to the relationships Ted had at the Moto Guzzi factory—even the most famous motorcycle journalists of the day had no idea the factory was thinking of new engines, let alone building them. they.
Ted and his team of mechanics (including Mario Poggioli, Ted’s apprentice who bought the shop when Ted died) built two modern racing machines around these particular engines, in partnership. with the Italian company Magni and fitting top-of-the-line components to each bike. The fact that Ted is the official Australian Magni importer has helped a lot.
If you don’t know the story of Magni, here’s a quick refresher. Arturo Magni ran the very successful MV Agusta racing team from the late 50s until the 70s, most notably winning 17 consecutive 500 cc world championships from 1958 to 1974. When MV Agusta Retired, Arturo started his own career. Private company; Magni.
Arguably, Arturo knows a thing or two about building racing bikes. Magni initially built performance parts for MV Agusta, but will eventually go on to build their own bikes.
Fast forward to the ’90s, and Ted’s Moto Guzzi 4V-OHC bikes, enjoying success on the track, caught the attention of Arturo Magni himself. He was so inspired by Australian-made machines that he decided to create his own version — which he aptly named Magni Australia.
Magni originally produced 75 first-generation bikes, and they were all the slick, sporty ’90s motorcycles they were intended to be. A few years later, a second run of 50 bicycles took place.
This particular Magni Australia is one of those original 75 first generation bikes. The inverted Forcelle Italia suspension, full bodywork and race numbers are something to try. Red paint, large white gauges and Termignoni exhaust complete the look.
The Moto Guzzi 4V-OHC engine, visible only through gaps in the bib, has continued to run in the Moto Guzzi Daytona. But the fact that Ted had them first is a myth, considering how far away Perth is from the rest of the world.
It’s hard to put a price on this kind of legacy, but someone has. This special Magni Australia just sold for $15,250 on Bring a rickshaw. [Via]
Documentary Chasing 9 Jared Mees Although Indian Motorcycle has officially disbanded in the US flat line group, it looks like they still have a few fingers in some pie. Jared Mees is an Indian-supported flat-track runner chasing his ninth title. If Mees achieves his goal, he will equal the record set by nine-time champion Scott Parker in 1998.
As the video alludes to, Mees is a contrasting type. He has a lot of fans, but also many other fans who want to see someone else win. The India-made video shows some of the first races of the season, where Mees missed the podium lead in every race so far.
The AFT SuperTwins flat road race looks brutal, and the video shows just how physically fit the sport is. When you think about it, racers are grappling with a 110-horsepower, twin-cylinder engine, purpose-built lumps of metal around an earthy oval, while rubbing at the same time. literally knees and elbows together. The sport is dangerous and exciting and the riders themselves are extremely brave and skilled.
Closer championship matches will make the race even more exciting and we wish Jared Mees the best of luck on his way to a potential ninth title. [Via]
