These 2 unique competition Norton machines with history (top model Manx and bottom model Daytona) have been added to Bonhams third annual motorcycle auction at Quail Lodge in Carmel on May 14th, 2011. The 1959 Norton Manx 500 and 1956 Norton Daytona 500 will be in good company as they join a line-up of bikes […]
Archive for the 'Builders' Category
These 2 Rare Norton Racers Added To Bonhams Carmel Auction.
Published by March 26th, 2011 in Builders, Editorial and Events.Fast Motorcycle Industry News
Published by March 26th, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.1- Harley-Davidson Stock Rises Close To Pre-Recession Levels. I don’t make any stock recommendation, but many will be interested to know that Harley stock (HOG) closed yesterday Friday 03/25/2011 at $43.14 per share, its highest level since September 2008, and getting closer to its pre-recession trade price of $48 per share in December 2007. Analysts […]
Motorcycle Early Days Exhibit At Sturgis Motorcycle Museum
Published by March 25th, 2011 in Builders, Editorial and Events.A new exhibit called “The Early Days” focusing on the earliest motorcycles – from what is commonly recognized as the first motorcycle through those machines produced in 1915 -. just opened at the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum. “The Early Days Exhibit is designed to show our visitors what those early machines were like, and to tell […]
Like many I am on Twitter exchanging 140-character limit tweets with many friends and followers belonging or not to the motorcycle industry. Yesterday, Jesses James tweeted this image of the West Coast Choppers sign being removed from the roof of his ex Long Beach shop closed since October 16, 2010. Jesse sent this image with the following […]
Custom Dirt Track Style Harley Sportster
Published by March 24th, 2011 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.Because customizing stock Harley models, instead of building new bikes from the ground up, is big again and because all Sportster models are big sellers, I introduce you to another nice custom project by Steve Willis the man in charge of Speed and Custom, the custom division of Brighton, UK based Shaw Harley-Davidson. The XLST3 […]
Product placement or embedded marketing. A form of “branded entertainment” with the vast majority of that (80%) in commercial TV programming and movies. A strategy for linking a brand to a relevant content to create an emotional connection with a specific target. This police chase scene is in fact a Ducati paid product placement from […]
Celtic Chopper. Everything Is Backward.
Published by March 23rd, 2011 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.If you have been to Ireland, you know that driving and road rules are different from those of the US and of the rest of Europe, e.g. drive on the left and yield to the right on roundabout (similar to rules of the United Kingdom). Well, on his new build, Irish Ger Conlon from C&C […]
You are looking at a Norley 2, a Cafe Racer built from the ground up using a Norton looking frame in which was cradled a Sportster engine and transmission. The frame, swingarm with bearings and spindle plus rear engine mounts is provided by UK manufacturer JW Motorcycles and offered in the US as a kit […]
Long and tough economic times almost always bring a taste for everything retro, a trend that you can perceive in many areas like fashion, architecture and of course the automotive industry. Another example of this trend towards retro designs is this Imperia, a car brand name that’s been dead for over half a century. To the pleasure of […]
The Custom Motorcycle King Of Seattle
Published by March 21st, 2011 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.Seattle gave us music legend Jimi Hendrix, alternative rock “grumge” music style (Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains and Pearl Jam), Starbucks Coffee and now a group of creative local Custom Builders like RedSoul Motorcycles. RedSoul? Curious, I wanted to know the origin of the shop name, and as answer the only thing I could get was […]
Custom Chrome International Bike Show Series. North American Championship. (Part 3)
Published by March 20th, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Today Sunday March 20th, 2011 for the fist time ever, the famous Custom Chrome Dealer Show opened its doors to the public. Not only to visit 75 of the V-Twin industry’s leading manufacturers, but also to admire world class custom bikes from top builders and customizers competing in the Custom Chrome International Bike Show Series, […]
2011 Custom Chrome International Dealer Show (Part 2)
Published by March 20th, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.People at the Custom Chrome Dealer Show. from top to bottom. Kirk taylor (Custom Design Studios) – Cory Ness (Arlen Ness Ent) – Holger Mohr (CCI) with Sukoshi Fahey (Avon Tyres) – Lisa and Bert Baker (Baker Drivetrain) – Rod Woodruff (Buffalo Chip) with Mike Prugh (Prugh Design) – Gerald Rinehart (Rinehart Racing) – Lisa Taylor (Kirk’s wife) – Pascal Richard (Revolution Magazine) […]
1- Zero Motorcycles. To boost its international growth and support the development of its electrical vehicle technology, Zero Motorcycles has secured a $26 million financing deal. The deal with Invus LP, the company’s principal investor group, closed March 3, just days before the company’s co-founder Neal Saiki retired from his daily operations as chief technology […]
2011 Custom Chrome International Dealer Show (Part 1)
Published by March 19th, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.I am in Santa Clara, CA in the Silicon Valley, the leading hub for high-tech innovation and development (Google, Amazon, Apple, eBay, Intuit, Netflix and many others are just around), for the 2011 Custom Chrome Dealer Show. The venue is minutes away from the CCI headquarters at the beautiful Santa Clara Convention Center. Over 75 of the […]
Motorcycle Industry Raises over $11,000 at Daytona Biker Fusion
Published by March 19th, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.As I reported last week, the 4th annual Seminole Hard Rock Roadhouse Biker Fusion event was one of the most attended charity events during this year’s Bike Week with the donations to prove it, The prominent gathering, organized by Carrie Repp of R&R Promotions and Ken Conte of Rise Above Consulting, is known for bringing […]
Mansory Impressive Looking Carbon Fiber Cruiser
Published by March 18th, 2011 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.Since 1989, Kourosh Mansory, the owner and namesake of Mansory in Bavaria Germany is a maestro at fulfilling the custom dreams – engine, body, interior improvements – of his clientele of owners of high end cars like Rolls Royces, Bentleys, Aston Martins, Porsches and Ferraris. He is famous for his tricked out Bugatti Veyrons and […]
Cicero deGuzman of Godspeed 45/06 sent me this video he shot of Tim Vander from the Death Science Blog riding in Brooklyn.his 1949 Panhead in a 1936 frame. Of course in B&W…
From Harley Cross Bones To Ol’ Bone
Published by March 17th, 2011 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.Harley-Davidson, like many competitors, has embraced the look of days long gone promoted by independent custom builders with their one-off machines. The Cross Bones model is a perfect example of a manufacturer trying to recapture the old school look while offering today’s technology and reliability. Put this model in the hands of a reputable custom […]
2011 Annual Donnie Smith Bike Show & Parts Extravaganza
Published by March 17th, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Donnie Smith and American Thunder invite you to join us for the 24th edition of the Donnie Smith Show on Saturday March 26th & Sunday March 27th, 2011 at the prestigious St. Paul RiverCentre. This winter show is the largest custom-bike show in the mid-west. It will draw some of the best custom builders, a […]
With a father, Perry Sands, who was a well respected custom builder in the late 60’s and who later founded Performance Machine to produce high-performance disc brake systems, Roland Sands grew up around choppers of all kinds, drag, flat-track and road racing machines. Deciding at the age of 15 that a Honda CR 125 would be […]
This Weekend. Custom Chrome International Sponsoring Buffalo Chip Challenge At Its Dealer Show.
Published by March 15th, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.During its Dealer Show in Santa Clara this weekend, Custom Chrome International shows its commitment to sustain the industry by promoting the education of its future technicians. CCI joins forces with the Sturgis Buffalo Chip and other leading motorcycle businesses for the 2011 Buffalo Chip Challenge. A partnership between business and education was started by […]
Harley-Davidson CEO Got $6.4 Million Pay Package in 2010.
Published by March 15th, 2011 in Builders and Events.Keith Wandell received compensation valued at $6.4 million in 2010, up 1 percent from 2009, and this for eight months on the job. Breakdown of compensation is: Stocks and options $3.02 million. Performance-based cash bonus $2.3 million. Balance is salary and perks. Harley reported a $146.5 million profit in 2010, compared with a $55.1 million […]
Motus Motorcycles Unveils The MST Series American Tourer Bike
Published by March 15th, 2011 in Builders, Editorial and Events.A new American motorcycle company designing a modern tourer bike is an event worth all your attention. Even more when this company invested 3 years or research and development to equip its model with a brand new engine, the first tgasoline direct injected V4 engine. With its new model in 2 version (MST & Premium […]
Pushing Bagger Customization To The Next Level. Or The Next Two.
Published by March 14th, 2011 in Builders, Customs and Editorial.Appreciation of a full blown customization job is subjective. But I am not afraid to state publicly that “Big Time” is the most “advanced” and best executed Bagger job I have seen during these last 12 months. It comes from a full fabrication shop called CamTech Customs in Summerville SC, with over 15 years of […]
Boldfaced Events Of The 70th Daytona Bike Week
Published by March 13th, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Boomers Versus Generation Y. More than ever, Generation Y, those bikers and builders born in the 1980’s, brings a new face to Daytona Bike Week. Baby-boomers still largely dominate the scene, but Generation Y raw bikes built out of necessity to ride from”recycled parts” are everywhere to be seen, from the Limpnickie Lot to Willie’s […]
2011 Daytona Bike Week Atmosphere (Part 2)
Published by March 12th, 2011 in Builders, Customs, Editorial and Events.Rat’s Hole, Boardwalk, Willie’s, Limpnickie Lot and a few other bike dhows. Crowd of admirers. Loud Music. Not enough or too much light. Shadows of spectators on chrome and paint jobs. People interfering with the camera objective, usually with their feet… Reason why I don’t feature in full all these bikes. Pictures would not give justice to […]
