There’s something for everyone this week. We started with a preset Triumph bobber, then included two classic Kawasaki Zeds and a new Norton bobber. Accomplish everything: a Panhead helicopter from Born Free’s first invited woman.
Triumph TR5 Trophy by Black Cycles and PopBang Classics We’re big fans of Classic Victory — especially when they’re as well executed as this stunning example. It comes from Black Cycles in Brisbane, Australia, who were given a 70% complete Triumph TR5 Trophy 1950 and tasked with making it leaner. bobber.
The shop owner, Noel Muller, is all too excited to be obligated, but admits he has no interest in this particular era of Triumph motorcycles. So he went to see Justin at PopBang Classics on Australia’s Gold Coast to take on half the project. All the crafting and customization is Noel’s job, with Justin handling the engine and transmission work.
The mods include changes to the frame, peanut crate, and single leaf seat with a Union Jack pattern stitched into it. The cockpit features custom-built one-piece bars, with knurled grips, integrated switches and internal throttle. The accelerator wheel is fitted into a special pocket in the front of the tank.
The car also features Kellermann combined turn signals and taillights, Bates-style headlights, custom fenders and a host of smaller workpieces.
Justin not only rebuilt the engine and front transmission, but also rewound the car, fitted a set of alloy rims with stainless steel spokes, and supplied a wide range of parts. Finally, he also decorated some gold leaf stripes to complement the one-off green paint job.
There’s very little to explain about this handsome pre-booked Triumph. If you ask us, Noel and Justin should get together more often. [More]
Kawasaki Z1000 by Jerem Motorcycles Fans of classic Kawasaki Zeds will probably object to the idea of turning one Kawasaki Z1000 into one cafe racer. But Frenchman Jérémie Duchampt has done classic four-cylinder monster justice here, with a spec sheet that might even make purists blush.
This 1981 Z1000J gets a fork from a BMW R1200R, along with a 17-inch BMW front wheel and Brembo M40 brake calipers. Behind is a Kawasaki ZRX1100 swingarm, connected to a pair of refurbished Öhlins forks. The 17” rear wheel is also new; it wears a 180-wide tire, with an offset front sprocket to keep the chain in alignment.
Jérémie rebuilt the engine, then removed the carbs and processed them with ultrasound. He also removed the airbox and built a custom four-in-one intake to connect an oversized filter. A modified set of four-in-one exhaust tips runs into the Delkevic silencer.
On a higher level, Jérémie built a new subframe, then covered it with a custom fiberglass tail section, with vintage-style tail lights protruding out the rear. Right in front of it is the fuel tank of the Kawasaki Z650 – a sleeker alternative to the OEM Z1000 unit.
The electricity has been reworked around a Motogadget the control unit, with keyless ignition and speed, also comes from the German power company. Full LED lighting, with turn signals mounted to custom CNC machined bodywork.
Jérémie processed the paint and upholstery, choosing a classic (and tastefully done) Martini white, with additional stitching on the seats.
The chassis is painted gloss black, with parts such as the engine and swingarm finished in satin black. The matching Martini logo on the helmet adds a finishing touch. [Jerem Motorcycles | Images by Jonathan Silène]
Nitron and Bull Dock’s Kawasaki Z1-R Our young friend Geoff Baldwin at Return of the Café Racers recently delved into the iconic Kawasaki Z1-CHEAP. Digging through the internet, he found this: an incredible Resto mod from a few years ago, built by Japan’s Bull Dock for UK suspension company Nitron.
This bike was built to showcase Nitron products, so giving it a performance edge is unquestionable. Bull Dock started by stripping their 1978 sponsor model, then dismantling and reinforcing the frame. They also reworked the subframe and swapped out the swingarm for a longer aluminum version.
Nitron has provided a 43mm black chrome fork on the right with custom interior, along with a pair of NTR R3 forks at the rear. They are attached to adjustable brackets, so that the shape can be tweaked for different situations. Lavorante carbon fiber 17-inch racing wheels and Brembos brakes.
The Z-1R’s engine has also been upgraded, with everything from new heads and valves, to new pistons and drilled cylinders, bringing displacement to 1,203 cc. There’s also a set of Mikuni carbs with a velocity stack and a new engine management system. From the six-speed gearbox and quickshifter, to the large oil cooler and the Win McCoy titanium exhaust, there’s a lot to crave here.
As for the classic Kawasaki bodywork, it’s really all custom. The fuel tank is shaped from aluminum, while the tail section and side caps are made from fiberglass-reinforced plastic. As for the crankcase and fenders, they are all carbon fiber parts.
Behind the crank you’ll find a neat carbon backplate with a Stack tacho, fuel gauge, an array of LED warning lights and clip-ons fitted with state-of-the-art Kawasaki switches. The upper pin is a one-time piece, and is linked to the steering damper.
General results? A superbike weighs 190 kg, makes 150 hp and looks absolutely amazing. [More]
Norton Commando by Howard Askey Howard Askey, from New Zealand, has all the skills needed to build a custom motorcycle. He has spent time in the warehouse since he was a child and is currently designing maintenance tools for the aviation industry. Additionally, he has 14 years of experience in the UK automotive and racing industry.
Notably, this 1972 Norton Commando Combat was his first build — and it was a debut. The project started 5 years ago, with a year dedicated to CAD sketches and models. From there, Howard built jigs and began building Norton’s new frame.
The frame is fabricated from chromoly tubes, with the help of Autobend Ltd. in Christchurch. It follows a beautiful ‘softail’ line, with a pair of inline Hagon shocks mounted under the saddle. The front is a Ducati M900 Monster fork.
The fenders are made from Western Australian Vintage Steel, while the headlights are a vintage Lucas part found at an exchange and upgraded with modern internals. Revival Cycles offered the classic reverse levers, but Howard produced the internal twist throttle himself. The custom fuel tank was also hand-made by him.
The 1972 Commando Combat 750 cc engine received several internal upgrades, starting with Howard’s own billet 270-degree crankshaft. Howard did the roughing himself, but outsourced the finishing work and other tasks like balancing. Just about everything inside the engine is new and upgraded; On the outside you’ll find a Norvil belt drive and main.
Howard had a long list of parts that he still had to build before reviewing the finished bike, but it was tipped off at bike shows in New Zealand. More importantly, it satisfied his desire to express himself through custom motorcycle art. [Info supplied by Uli Cloesen | Images by Melanie Smyth]
1948 Harley-Davidson Panhead by Becky Goebel Becky ‘Axel’ Goebel doesn’t consider herself an in-demand builder, but we think she’s unnecessarily modest. After all, she is responsible for this spicy dish Pan head chopper — and she has the distinction of being the first female builder invited to the prestigious Born Free program.
Axel started everything with nothing but the “guts” of the bike, as she puts it. She managed to source the 1948 Panhead engine, the 1947 transmission, and the 1954 frame. Working at Hawg Supply in Los Angeles, with help from friends and the internet, she stripped everything and built the car. this helicopter from scratch.
Cody Kemmet at Hawg helped rebuild the engine, but Axel did just as much. “I can get my hands on every part of it,” she said. “So for me, it’s a very special engine.”
After the engine was rebuilt, the old pistons were melted down to make a few custom parts. Using a 3D-printed mold, Axel molded the ‘bird wing deflector’ of the intake manifold and accelerator pedal. She also tweaked a set of pins and foot controls, and braked a custom oiler set.
Parts like the front wheel and gas cap (and sump) came from her friends at Pangea Speed. The car has spring fork and front fork, with Dunlop tires.
Alex outsourced painting the tank and upholstery, but realized that repainting the frame would take less effort than shipping it somewhere. Two weeks later, she finally stripped, repaired, cleaned, primed and painted it.
The bike was completed and running in time for Born Free — and it also won the ‘Excellence Award’. And to those who say she shouldn’t have been invited in the first place, Axel simply said, “thanks for the fire under my ass, haters.” [More]
