Licks Cycles: Velocity Learn: A Krauser BMW R100 café racer from Poland and extra

The latest motorcycle news, customs and café racers
For those who endure from decrease again issues, look away now, as a result of all of this week’s Velocity Learn selects put on clip-on handlebars. We’ve acquired a Krauser BMW R100 café racer from Poland, a Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 café racer from America, and a Norton Commando drag racer. We conclude with a brand new retro-styled manufacturing facility sportbike that’s emerged from China.

Krauser BMW R100 by Warkot Bikes Real Krauser elements are getting more durable and more durable to seek out today, so Warkot Bikes actually lucked out when a BMW R100 with a putting Krauser four-valve head conversion arrived at their workshop. However that’s not the one factor that’s particular about this machine—though the Polish outfit has been constructing {custom} bikes for years, that is their first café racer.

The venerable and versatile BMW R100 was stripped, and the engine was cleaned and rebuilt, prepared for many years of service. Pod filters had been slipped onto the Bing carbs and twin {custom} exhausts now cling from the cylinder heads.

Up high, a bigger /5-series BMW airhead tank was sourced and put in for a extra classic BMW look. The headlight is authentic, however it’s mounted to the rebuilt forks by the use of {custom} brackets.

The entire body was de-tabbed and given a contemporary coat of black paint, as was the {custom} rear subframe. A brand new seat is perched atop it, trimmed in cognac leather-based. The under-seat space is freed from muddle, due to the simplified electronics, which are actually run by a full suite of Motogadget elements.

Warkot additionally picked Motogadget gadgets for the speedo, bar-end mirrors and switch indicators, and rear ‘three-in-one’ LEDs. Decrease down, the manufacturing facility wheels had been painted black and wrapped in contemporary Firestones. Six-piston Beringer calipers sit on adapter plates up entrance, plumbed in with new HEL braided brake traces, whereas new YSS shocks prop up the rear.

The gasoline tank and custom-made fenders had been all portray in Porsche 356 brown, finishing the classic café racer vibe in type. “The bike sounds superior, accelerates nice, and could be very enjoyable to journey,” the Warkot staff tells us. “Constructing this motorbike was an enormous problem for us, but in addition gave us loads of pleasure and satisfaction.”

And that’s precisely what constructing {custom} bikes is all about. Bravo, Warkot! [Warkot Motorcycles | Images by Rafał Gieleciński]

Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 by Shed Bikes Royal Enfield’s twin-cylinder 650s are arguably a few of the greatest worth retro-styled bikes on the planet. The platform is extremely versatile too, and it doesn’t take a lot to make them look and carry out even higher. Alberto Benito, a Spanish expat dwelling in Windfall, USA, shares that opinion.

“I fell in love with {custom} bike initiatives due to blogs, magazines, and social media,” says Alberto. “I thought of buying a {custom} bike, however then thought, ‘Why don’t I construct one as an alternative?’”

Together with his thoughts made up, Alberto went out and acquired a 2021 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 (often known as the INT650 within the US). Suffice to say, the bike didn’t stay in its authentic situation for lengthy.

Alberto first bought a solo seat from the Enfield accent catalog, within the type of the Interceptor’s stablemate, the Continental GT. He trimmed the subframe for a extra aggressive look, and completed the tip off with a slim LED taillight. A slew of elements from Okay-Velocity in Thailand then arrived—together with new aspect covers, finned engine covers, rear-set foot pegs, and a gasoline tank strap.

The upright handlebar setup of the Interceptor was changed with low-slung CNC clip-ons, and the headlight was transformed to LED with built-in flip indicators. The manufacturing facility gauge cluster was shelved in favor of a Motogadget Motoscope Tiny Speedster speedometer. Rizoma bar-end mirrors and Biltwell Inc. grips preserve the low-profile entrance finish.

Chunky Shinko Superclassic E270 tires had been spooned on, with longer Bitubo shocks and a brand new entrance fender put in to accommodate mentioned chunk. The ultimate piece of the puzzle was a {custom} exhaust, painted in matte black. Not solely is it 60% lighter than the inventory cans, however it additionally unleashes the total audio potential of the 270-degree parallel twin.

Alberto went into this mission with little to no fabrication expertise, a restricted price range, and a small workspace. However he’s confirmed himself sensible and resourceful—and he’s definitely acquired good style. [Shed Motorcycles]

Norton Commando by Jets Without end The Norton Commando is up there with a few of the greatest basic bikes ever made. From the enduring English-made 360-degree parallel twin to the revolutionary isolastic engine mounts and attractiveness, the Commando has all of it. Whereas we choose basic or restomodded Commandos, some builders prefer to push the envelope.

Jeff Duval and his Jets Without end workshop have simply unveiled this—their ‘Monterey Class MkIV Commando.’ Monterey Class is a class of drag racing that matches in about midway between a street racer and a devoted standing quarter-mile drag bike. Jeff has at all times been a fan of the class, so he set about constructing his personal Monterey bike.

As with loads of machines that line up on the drag strip, Jeff and a devoted staff of consultants and fanatics began from scratch with this construct. Jeff’s pal John Parry constructed the body by hand in a {custom} jig utilizing chromoly metal. The 37-degree rake angle is massively totally different from a manufacturing facility Commando, however an enormous rake helps with stability at excessive velocity—which is what this construct is all about.

The entrance part of the body is 5” longer than a traditional Commando. 35mm Ceriani adjustable forks had been slipped into polished fork clamps, with a {custom} tubular swingarm put in out again. Beringer brake calipers had been put in entrance and rear for further stopping energy, gripping ISR discs.

The 21F/18R wheelset is from Apollo Wheels in LA, and is wrapped in Avon rubber. The beautiful tail part, stretched tank, and bikini fairing are all {custom}.

The late-model Commando engine, full with its left aspect shift pedal, was constructed by Pete Lovall. The heads had been gas-flowed, the crank was lightened and a 4S cam was put in. 34mm Smoothbore concentric carbs gasoline the beast, and the new gases exit by means of Commando SS-style headers and aftermarket slash-cut mufflers.

Bikes of this type aren’t everybody’s cup of tea, however we will nonetheless admire the unbelievable quantity of precision and workmanship that went into the construct. Jeff hasn’t mentioned how briskly the outdated Brit is, however we reckon it will wipe the ground with a manufacturing facility Commando. [Source]

Zeths ZFR 525 R Avenger With the café-custom craze hitting a few of the largest motorbike producers on the planet, the types of the 60s and 70s are right here to remain. Royal Enfield, Triumph, and Moto Guzzi all proceed to supply the trendy classics which have buoyed their gross sales lately. Honda, Yamaha, and Husqvarna have additionally dipped their toes within the retro market, however with a decidedly extra neo-classic twist nearer related to the late 70s and 80s.

Extrapolating this trajectory by means of the many years, it should imply that the late 80s and early 90s are subsequent in line, proper? Sure, and we’re right here for it.

Meet the Zeths ZFR 525 R Avenger. We’d by no means heard of Zeths earlier than as we speak, however they’ve been producing bikes for the Chinese language market since 2016. Perusing their web site reveals two svelte bobbers, akin to a small-displacement Zero Engineering chopper, however they’re additionally creating a 1000 cc V-twin engine.

Skipping a couple of many years from their 50s-style bobbers, the Zeths ZFR 525 R is small-displacement retro sportbike with miles of early-90s type. Powered by a 494cc parallel twin (maybe a Honda CB500 clone), Zeths is claiming round 50hp with 50 Nm of torque. The upside-down forks, aluminum body, and single-sided swingarm are all optimistic indicators; the radial-mounted twin entrance brakes and ABS, much more so.

We love the dual spherical headlights and the graceful traces of the fairing. The tank is simply trendy sufficient for our style, as is the sculpted tail part and single reverse cone muffler. No, there aren’t any wings or flying buttresses (we’re taking a look at you, Ducati), however that’s the entire level.