bikerMetric | custom honda yamaha metric bobbers, choppers, cafe racers

the build: interactive film

2013-05-20T10:14:00.000-05:00

Imagine a website which was made entirely of videos about motorcycle building. I'm not talking a website with lots of videos on it, I mean the site is an actual playing video. It's similar to what you see when you throw a DVD in the player, menus are interactive and link to different video clips, and the whole background is video. I'm not the most current on new interwebs technology, but this is a really cool concept.

Add the fact the video and all of it's "special features" are about motorcycle builders and the culture of motorcycle building over in Portland, Oregon, and you've got a winner. Check out the video, because it's right here in your face, but then do yourself a favor: This isn't a motorcycle video meant to be watched on a blog, it's meant to be watched in full screen on the maker's website, and if you can spare some time, and I know you can, it's Monday, than check it out on thebuildfilm.com

borile b500 cr - the legend

2013-05-14T01:12:00.000-05:00

From the land of beautiful cars and fast women: Borile.it
Written and directed by Happy G.

The last time we heard from resident guest blogger (is that an oxymoron?) Happy G. he was talking about two rare motorcycles made by a small Italian manufacturer created in the 1980s called Borile.

You can read about the Borile B500Ricki and B450 Scrambler or just keep on reading to learn about the Borile B500 CR - or what we call The Legend.

It was first introduced in 1999 and has been the backbone of the brand ever since. The site claims that this model is a symbol for the Borile brand in its exclusivity and unrepeatable style. To be honest this bike baffles me a bit. Initially I thought it was really good looking, and maybe that’s all the manufacture was going for. On closer inspection its exhaust seems to be really heavy and more looks-oriented than performance or functionality. Not to mention that a few different exhaust configurations are displayed among the photos for this model.

Unfortunately no price was available as I was really curious to see how it compared to the other offerings. The B500CR seems to have an easily accessible air box, thick road-use rubber and a small headlight. The single cylinder power plant sucks in air through a carburetor and again has hydraulic disc brakes. The rear signal indicator’s impracticality is made up for by the seats good looks and promise of comfort. The hand controls all seem to be chrome or bare metal, and the bars bend back ever so slightly to place the grips right in the rider’s hands.

You can read about the Borile B500Ricki and B450 Scrambler or leave a comment and let us know what you like best!

best moments from podcasts for auto enthusiasts

2013-05-07T01:41:00.003-05:00

Half the allure of developing a passion can be found in being a part of a community with others that share your passion. One of the ways car lovers interact within this community is through podcasts devoted to car news, advice, and reviews. In this article, we cover some of the most informative moments from the top podcasts in the car lover’s community.
Autoline Daily Episode # 1118 April 23, 2013
Guest host Jim Hall from 2953 Analytics reviews the Dodge Dart and offers incredibly insightful advice on marketing to the small car market. Hall’s analysis gives viewers an inside look at the small market and automakers’ marketing strategies.

Car Tech Podcast March 27, 2013
This podcast is a short collection of car show reviews, auto technology news, and car company analysis. Host Brian Cooley uses the 8-minute episode to review the new 2014 Cadillac CTS at the New York Auto Show.

After describing the Cadillac's new styling features, the host doesn't skip a detail as he compares the weight of the 2014 model versus the 2013 Cadillac. The 2014 Cadillac is 300 pounds less than its previous model.

What makes this review such a great moment for this podcast is the extensive detail in which this new model is described. At one point, the camera even circles to show just the car's engine, detailing every nook and cranny, as the host describes its capabilities.

CarStuff Podcast Tuesday March 19 2013
In this episode on car junkyards, one of the hosts goes on an enthusiastic tangent about a particularly interesting auto junkyard near Atlanta, GA. At about the 29-minute mark, you'll hear the host describe Old Car City USA. It's a 34-acre junkyard with mapped out trails lined with over 4,500 cars from 1972 or earlier.

The owner won't sell parts of these vehicles, but every car on all 34 acres is for sale as a full purchase. Or, you can make a trade. And the trade doesn't have to be another car. One creative buyer picked up a car by trading in an alligator! If you are looking to buy or trade a salvage car from home, you should check out Autobidmaster.

Old Car City USA is right of the Interstate 75, about 60 miles north of Atlanta. The hosts describe obscure facts about the spot, like the fact that it is a popular attraction for vintage car photographers. Classic cars are sprinkled over 34 acres of trails, making for beautiful scenery.

CarStuff Podcast August 9, 2011
This episode zeroes in on 10 ways to save fuel. Their advice in this 30-minute episode also debunks a few commonly suggested fuel saving tips that don’t actually make much of a difference. For example, the hosts bust the popular belief that changing the air filter in a car will help save fuel. This tip may have applied to cars built before the ’80s or ’90s, but it makes little to no difference on newer models.

wheels & waves x loser machine video

2013-04-16T16:51:00.000-05:00

I've translated some of what I found on this video in French, as I found the french to be a little more well written than the English translation. That being said, I'm no expert. So click the pic for a sweet riding video and a little blurb about it:

Winter is long in Europe. It's the time of year when riders stay retreated in their garages. The lucky ones will have some form of heating, but we all know it's never enough. Those neon lights can't replace the missing sunshine either.

Nonetheless a group of friends, Loser Machine and Bixente included, planned a ride through the Basque region to get things going for Wheels & Waves 2013.

A group of 20 or so friends got together. The weather was difficult to guess this time of year and the riders ended up in a little bit of all types of weather.

The June ride being proposed is basically perfect. 240 km of a real mix of nature, mountains, coastal roads, and more. Quote: "Mountains are found in abundance as are the twists on the long empty stretches of road, which are themselves much like racing circuits, in short, a dreamlike wonderland. Anybody who loves bikes will get that longed for Endorphin rush and a heavenly bike connection."

Adrian S.

shinya kimura chabott engineering video

2013-04-09T14:46:00.002-05:00

If you think you've already seen this before, you're probably right. If you think that makes this video worth skipping over, you're absolutely wrong.

Shinya Kimura is one of our favorite custom motorcycle builders. Shinya has spent over 25 years in the motorcycle world. From humble beginnings in Japan to his latest shop, Chabott Engineering in Azusa, California, Shinya goes back to the basics in ZERO Style. He produces some of the most original and unique motorcycles, and we love the guy for it.

Sit back, relax, and watch this video:

Adrian S.

borile b500 ricki and b450 scrambler

2013-03-28T11:45:00.000-05:00

From the land of beautiful cars and fast women: Borile.it
Written and directed by Happy G.

Although I have yet to actually swing a leg over one of these Italian motorcycles (let alone look into the bike's insurance costs), I feel that even just by surfing their site and doing research on the brand I have managed to get one step closer to the Borile experience.

Like all things Italian the brand Borile was forged first by passion, with a dash of emotion and a touch of style for good measure. Founder Umberto Borile created the brand in 1988, and the bikes he created each are testaments to the winding countryside roads in and around the town of Vò Euganeo where the company first settled its roots.

Here is our initial brief take of each model Borile offers.

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The Flagship: B500 Ricki

Through time we have seen how strong emotions and passion can create visions of wonder and beauty. Like the Sistine Chapel painted by Michelangelo, the B500Ricki is an amazing Italian work of craftsmanship and detail. With a very limited world-wide production of only 20 units we are guess that the asking price of €16,516 is reasonable as it will likely hold its value, if not increase in the hands of a good caretaker.

This model has a special place in the heart of the brand’s founder as he commissioned its creation in memory of his son who passed away in 2009 at the young age of 20. Designed and built as a speedway competition motorcycle the B500Ricki breathes fuel through carburetors while the stopping duties are left to front and rear disk brakes. A Norton transmission houses the bike’s 4 gears that are linked to a dry clutch. The frame was built to maximize rigidity and stiffness to handle the brutal beating of speedway racing – while still engineered to be as light as possible.

The good rugged looks of this bike are thanks to the aluminum gas tank and fenders that remain unpainted to show the beauty of the raw metal. What really catches my eye is the retro motocross-style side number plate, meaty tires, thin wheels and beefy front forks protected by rubber dust boots.

The New Kid: B450 Scrambler

Slated for release sometime soon, this minimalist single-cylinder stunner is aimed as an on/off-road bike. Capable of handling any terrain, it will be up to your back to determine when you should seek smoother road surfaces as this scrambler has shorter travel front and rear suspension than you might initial suspect.

Disk brakes front and back again are given the task of bringing you safely to a stop while the easy-reach bars and thick padded seat look like they can get you there in comfort and with minimal fatigue (as long as your back hasn’t called it a day). A big headlight looks like it would be very functional, and tall dorky mirrors look like they would be the first things to go. Bare metal again helps add to the charm of this mount, and wire wheels keep this bike light and nimble. With the MSRP for the B450 Scrambler at €12,342 Triumph’s Scrambler is looking much more affordable, and easier to service too.

Stay tuned for our thoughts on more Borile motorcycles, and while you wait, let us know what you think in the comments section below!

honda cb200 by brodonolo garage

2013-03-01T23:42:00.003-06:00

According the Google Translate when you first click over tothe Brodonolo Garage website, the makers of this ride, the homepage professestheir love is for the "Art of Motorcycle". Regardless of the accuracy for thistranslation it’s clear that these guys have some serious talent. Honda’s littleCB200 isn’t a common starting platform for a custom build, especially here inNorth America. Its tiny 200cc mill powering this bike isn’t going to rip yourarms off as you accelerate through the gears, but this solid light-weight bikeproved to be a good starting point, if in the right hands.

Completed in only a month the initial vision for this build,titled ‘Prengkald-Prengkold’, was to strip the bike down to its essentialswhile maintaining a sporty, classic and elegant look and ride. The originalframe was used with only a few chops and modifications here and there to achievethe intended design.

With the frame complete the fun began. The majority of theengine and wheels were given a liberal dose of black paint, the stock pipeswere ditched for an awesome set of high pipes that were shorter than stock.Although the front fork-boots were retained (along with what looks to be theoriginal rubber from the kick-start lever) almost everything else was modified.Chrome dual rear suspension springs were replaced by aftermarket-looking red coils,while the clunky stock taillight/license plate mounting bracket was binned inexchange for a tidy brake light and small plate holder.

Next the tank, fenders and bodywork were all fabricated outof aluminum. Starting from the front; the front fender was cropped and heavilyengraved while the mounting brackets were modified and repositioned achieving amore symmetrical look. The larger stock headlight was replaced by a shallowerand slightly smaller diameter headlight in keeping with the minimalist theme. Finallywe come to my favorite part – the gas tank. The almost square original tank wasreplaced by a much more curvaceous one which was fitted with a custom gas cap.Beautiful and ornate engravings adorn most of the tank depicting images ofharmony between humans, plants and animals. Both side panels are also aluminumand are also heavily engraved, which was an amazing alternative to an intricatepaint scheme. Finally the rear fender was also cropped and given a healthyhelping of artistic engraving over the most rear portion of its metal surface.

To achieve the comfortable street-tracker-style ridingposition the OEM seat was removed and a slimmer, yet still comfortable looking,aftermarket unit took its place. MX bars replaced the stock one, and barraisers were added for a straight-armed stance. The bike now rides on muchthicker rubber, which we assume would add to its comfort without noticeablysacrificing handling.

With the build nearing completion and things shaping-up wellthe CB was given bits of gold here and there. All over actually. The gas cap,foot pegs, engine bolts and side panels all received the gold treatment.Unfortunately we were never told if the gold bits were real or, if not, whatthe material actual is.

The CB200 was only in production from ’73 to ’76 adding tothe exclusivity of this ride. The CB200A (or ‘K’, depending on which area ofthe world you’re in) was the model name given to the ’73 – ’74 bikes which wasfitted with a drum front and back brake. Then in ’75 and ’76 the bike was thengiven the code CB200B (or T) of which the most noticeable change was that thefront drum brake was replaced by a cable operated disc. What’s interesting isthat this is a 1976 model fitted with a drum brake. After a little internetsurfing we read that the disc’s cable operation was loved by some but hated byjust as many – I guess we now know which side of the argument the good peoplefrom Brodonolo Garage are on.

Opinions aside this bike is a great example of what can bedone with a little time and an artistic eye.

This post presented by, Battery Stuff an online storehouse of just about any replacement motorcycle battery you could need. No matter the ride—Scorpion, BMW, Harley, Honda—we can get you a replacement battery shipped free, shipped fast. Add to that our full range of battery chargers, and you can see why BatteryStuff.com is the web’s one-stop-shop for all your charging and battery needs.

yamaha v-star 650 bobber by tail end customs

2013-02-12T00:29:00.002-06:00

As promised, here is another one of Josh’s builds – Zombie! Now although any newcomers to
bikerMetric might be drooling over this latest build from Tail End Customs, the more regular visitors are
likely to have a double-take.

Oh, and there's even a kick-a** YouTube video too.

read more >>

Yes, this 2005 Yamaha V-Star 650 build has some similarities to the previous 2003 Yamaha V-Star custom featured here. Same builder, same make same model yet completely different styles. Both bobbers ride on
spoke wheels wrapped with old-school rubber, which gives them the perfect amount of simplicity at the
wheels so that that big and bold V-twin can be the center of attention. Another similarity which I dig
is the mix of disc and drum brakes. Both bikes are equipped with a drilled rotor up front, while a drum
brake is given the stopping duties for the rear wheel. Each bike also features a solo seat and a bobber-
style rear fender. Another fine piece of custom metal that both motorcycles share is the speedholed fork
tube covers. The similarities begin to fade there. In Josh’s words:

“This one was a stocker I picked up and wanted to do something a little different than my normal. I
decided on a fat, low, and mean look.”

The mean and low look was achieved by mounting clip-on bars that droop down low, a meaty front tire,
a lower and wider tank and tons of glossy blacked bits. To further emphasize the bikes low profile it was
slammed front and back. The Zombie theme was achieved by adding lime green foot pegs, grips, wheel
trim and even a lime green brake line and headlight lens.

Now for tank I had mentioned earlier Josh ditched the Sportster tank sourced for the previous build and
used a Honda Rebel tank this time around. Adding his personal touch Josh customized it by chopping of
the bottom portion and fabricating his own. Of course Tail End Customs’ own Power Piston tail light was
used as the brake light and license plate holder and was customized with lime green in the piston ring
grooves.

Throaty pipes were custom created for this Yamaha power plant and wrapped with black exhaust
wrap to maintain the sinister appearance. And man does this bike sound mean! In fact, you can hear it
yourself by hearing it run in the video below.

Overall I think Josh accomplished exactly what he had hopped when he built this bike fit for the undead.
Personally my favorite part would have to be the rudimentary gas gauge fabricated by mounting a
section of clear tubing vertically on the tank. Awesome build Josh, we can’t wait to see what rolls out of
your shop next.

yamaha v-star 650 by tail end customs

2013-01-28T01:42:00.001-06:00

Got this one in from Josh at Tail End Customs. Tail End Customs is a custom metric motorbike shop in league city, texas (outside houston) that's been building some wicked honda and yamaha choppers and bobbers for five years. The gang is no strangers to bikerMetric, having been all over the site before, so I was really happy to talk to see this bike (and another one, coming soon), in my inbox.

From Tail End Customs:

Hey Adrian,

Here is a build I did months ago. Sorry I'm not much for stories or the gift of gab. So I'll just stick to what I know:

This is a 2003 Yamaha V Star 650 that I fully customized for a customer out of Kentucky.

First off it came to me in a crate with missing parts and mag wheels and a total turd. It had a cool 9-11 theme paint job though that the painter did a good job on but was kinda weird to have on a japanese bike. But anywho back to the story. So I stripped it down and it was time to make it my own.

I found some spoked wheels and threw a hd 21" on front. Wrapped them with some old school tires. Slammed front and back. Powdercoated the motor covers and painted the motor. Made some struts and bracket for my rear fender. Slapped a solo seat on and relocated all the switches. Added one of our very own Power Piston tail lights.

Mounted a aftermarket headlight along with making some sweet speedholed fork tube covers. I also customized a sportster tank so that I could mount on top the frame. Put some clip on handlebars on and made some bitchin pipes that were loud as shit. I'm sure I'm forgeting a few things but that's pretty much it.

Designed by Tail End Customs.
Painted by Sic713.
Photography by Notstock Photography

Thanks Josh. I'm looking forward to posting your latest build early February. Everyone stay tuned. While you wait, leave a comment, check out Tail End Customs' website, or check out all of the previous sitesover the site about TEC on bikerMetric.

Adrian S.

yamaha sr400 - 35th anniversary edition and history

2013-01-25T01:34:00.001-06:00

Once upon a time in 1978, Yamaha launched a new motorcycle called the SR400. From its very roots this bike was already a throwback to years gone by. In an era where multi-cylinder engines were the new standard, the SR400 was took a step backwards to a kick-start, air-cooled, and single cylinder small displacement motorcycling.

It's been 35 years in the making, but new bikes like Suzuki's TU-250 and the emergence of the universal Japanese motorcycle in both cult and popular motorcycling culture tells us that the SR400 is as appropriate for riders now in 2013 as it was in the 1970s.

This post has shots of the new for 2013 Yamaha SR400 35th Anniversary edition as well as pictures of past custom Yamaha SR400 bobbers and choppers from bikerMetric. I've also included history on the SR400 including significant changes and generations sorted by year.

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The Yamaha SR400 stayed virtually unchanged for much of its life. Here is the Yamaha SR400 model change history:

1978 - First Generation
19" front wheel with disk brake
18" rear wheel with drum brake
VM32 carburetor

1985 - Second generation
18" front and rear wheels
drum brakes front and rear
rearsets revised
gas tank upgraded from 12 litres to 14 litres

1988 - carburettor changed to Vacuum Mikuni BST34/1
cam shaft changes to enhance low and mid range

1993 - AC Magneto redesigned
Battery changed from acid to gel
Revised fuel cap
Side-stand sensor

1996 - rearset reverted to first generation design
revised handlebar design
tank reverted back to 12 original 12 litre capacity

2001 - Third Generation
18" front wheel with disk brake
18" rear wheel with drum brake
Change to BSR33 carburetor
Air-intake system revised
CDI change

2003 - Immobiliser added
Throttle position sensor added

2009 - Production suspended

2010 - Fourth Generation
Fuel injection
02 sensor
Revised fuel tank
Revised fly wheel
Revised seat
Battery moved to under seat
Design changes

All data from: https://sites.google.com/site/yamahasr500sr400/history
Be sure to check that out for more details.

Those pictures on the right are just some of the custom SR400 bobbers and choppers we've had on bikerMetric, you can check them all out here.

Now that brings us to the 2013 Yamaha SR400 35th Anniversary Edition:

For 2013, the Yamaha SR400 keeps fuel-injection, which was added in 2010 to help meet emissions requirements, but it remains a kick-start motorcycle.

The 399cc thumper makes 30 horsepower at 7,500 rpm, and 23 ft.-lb. of torque at 6,200 rpm. Transmission is five speed and the anniversary edition's paint is a green metallic finish. Dry weight is 383 lbs. Fuel mileage is 96.4 mpg. That means you should be able to ride for 288 miles (or 463 kilometers) before running on fumes. Not bad for a 12 litre tank.

I should mention this model is only available in Japan, where it goes for the equivalent of $5,700 for the anniversary edition.

Overall I like it. It's great to see the SR400 carry on. Where will it go next? Would you like to see them for sale in your home country? What would you pay for one? Please leave comments!

Adrian S.

2013 - crazy santa stunts

2013-01-09T10:38:00.000-06:00

I know it's a bit late but here's some crazy sh*t!

custom yamaha sr400 bobber | mark huang | new pics

2012-12-27T11:41:00.000-06:00

Here's an update - new shots of mark huang's custom Yamaha SR400 bobber.

Built by Mark Huang and painted by his friend, Jeffrey Chang out in Taiwan, we still don't know much about this build.

read more >>

Check out the original custom yamaha sr400 bobber | mark huang post.

Adrian S.

what would you rather wednesday winner

2012-12-20T00:47:00.001-06:00

This week saw the first ever WWYRW, or what would you rather wednesday. We looked at a handful of bikes built by the wild he-man woman-haters Busch Brothers. Ok, they aren't actually woman haters, I'm not even sure they're brothers. Call them whatever you want, the fact is the Busch Bros work never sticks to just one style, they switch it up, and their work will have many a fella thinking twice the next time their wife calls out from the shower:
"Honey, Busch or no Busch?"

Oh yeah, I went there. Sorry guys!

So what was voted the least popular motorcycle? This baby right here. Busch Brothers' pair of two-stroke Kawasaki F7s. The duo got a dramatic zero votes, which basically means Busch Bros. should ship it to me so I can destroy it for them. I'll even pay for shipping!

So if this sweet ride, which got 8 Likes on Facebook in a matter of hours, was the least favorite, what did you silly f**** vote for?

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In 3rd place was the Bultaco Matador tracker, which you can't really see in this picture, but I like it all the same because it shows Lance Busch and (presumably) the shop where the magic happens. Check out the decor. This place looks like a small piece of heaven on earth... I'm working on the assumption that all of the babes, the beer fridge, the bacon fryer and the stripper polls are just beyond the frame of this shot, right?

In second, and only nudging ahead of the Bultaco by one vote, was a Kawasaki Vulcan 800 named "Hephaestus", after the God of Fire. Bad ass.

And finally, the winner: a rockin' Yamaha XS 650 chopper. The 1979 XS was first chopped up by the Busch three years ago, Christmas Eve of 2009, because really, what else are you gonna do on Christmas Eve while you wait for the fat guy to bring you a two-four? Yet and still, it was a long time until this build saw the light of day on bikerMetric which leaves me wondering what other hidden gems the Busch Bros. have in their rockin' strip club garage.

Be sure to check out the Busch Brothers blog. Please come out and vote next week when we do another What Would You Rather Wednesday showdown!

what would you rather wednesday: busch brothers showdown

2012-12-12T19:54:00.002-06:00

Introducing the first WWYRW: What Would you rather? Wednesday?! The idea's pretty simple:

We take a look at some fly bikerMetric custom metric bobbers, choppers, cafe racers, or other motorcycle related goodness. I pick a theme, you decide which one reigns supreme. Next week I tally up the votes and we do it all over again.

Take a look at the pic and leave a comment on this page or on Facebook with your favorite.

Get ready, get set, burn rubber!

Theme:
Dany and Lance Busch are two cool brothers who've put together some hot machines. They've been all over bM and need no introduction, but if you're curious, and you should be, you can check out all the Busch Brothers posts, or see the latest the guys are up to at the Busch Brothers blog.

Question:
What would you rather ride?

Options:

Answer the poll on the top right corner of the page and vote for what you'd rather own!

yamaha xs650 chopper | busch & busch

2012-12-04T01:41:00.001-06:00

Trent first wrote about the Busch brothers, Danny and Lance from Busch and Busch, back in September of 2011 when he covered a nice Kawasaki F7-175 street tracker.

He described them as "some wackos from the Nevada Desert."

Sounds about right?!

This time the brothers from the Reno are back at it with this Yamaha XS650 chopper by Busch & Busch.

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Hey Adrian, sorry again this took a while, but here's ya go! It's a '79 XS650, picked it up as a total rustpile up in Washington state. Pretty much a frame, engine and title. Electrics, tins, carbs all missing. Christmas Eve of 2009, we started cutting. Everything except the motor mounts is new steel, bent by us. Lance did all the welding. He also made the tank.

I made the leather seat and grips, and aluminum fender, rebuilt the motor, and did all the machining needed to make everything fit. Also machined the stator cover with our logo. Wheels are Harley with a modified rotor in an SR500 caliper. It's fun as hell and fits me well (being a tall guy, I was worried we had made it too short)!

Thanks to Lance for helping me stay motivated and doing half the work, as well as taking these cool photos. Keep up the great work!

Best,

Danny

Looking for more Busch Bros works? In January we showed off another Kawasaki F7-175 street tracker. The Busch Brothers are selling the set of his and her F7-175s. Price undisclosed but you can find out by going here.

Then there's the alien stripper babes and custom Kawasaki Vulcan.

And finally there was the Busch and Busch Bultaco tracker, my personal favorite, if only because it takes me back to sweet childhood memories.

Adrian S.

r.i.p. evel knievel

2012-11-30T02:24:00.000-06:00

5 years ago... R.I.P. Evel Knievel

We all know Evel and the XR-750 went hand in hand, but he rode plenty of metrics as well.

From Wikipedia:
Knievel briefly used a Honda 350cc motorcycle, using it to jump a crate of rattlesnakes and two mountain lions, which was his first known jump. Knievel then used a Norton Motorcycle Company 750cc. He used the Norton for only one year during 1966. Between 1967 and 1968, Knievel jumped using the Triumph Bonneville T120 (with a 650cc engine). Knievel used the Triumph at the Caesars Palace crash on New Year's Eve 1967. When Knievel returned to jumping after the crash, he used Triumph for the remainder of 1968.
Between December 1969 and April 1970, Knievel used the Laverda American Eagle 750cc motorcycle.

I'm willing to look past a man's mistakes and give a twist of the throttle to salute a fallen rider, an international icon, and for some riders the reason they got into motorcycling.

Adrian S.

triumph bonneville 750t140 | jtbrothers

2012-11-24T06:00:00.000-06:00

bikerMetric's first post about JTbrothers was a sweet Yamaha XS that the two brothers from Belgium put together. The custom motorcycle build was really meant to be a practice build for a Triumph project, and bM thinks it was a success. The brothers called their 1979 Yamaha 650 SE build "The Rising Sun", a nod to the bike's Japanese heritage.

They then got to work on what would simply be called The Ugly Drag Rat Triumph, a Triumph Bonneville 750 T140 from 1977.

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"When we bought the triumph it was an unfinished chopper project with a captain america gas tank. On a British motorcycle. Seriously." JTbrothers explained, making me question everything I previously believed about the good sense of the Belgian folk.

"The engine didn't run so we rebuilt it. We also gave it new electronic parts and wiring."

"We did a quick mock up so we could test ride it and made a drag racer of it, to take part in a 1/8 mile race. The plans to make a chopper of it were already in action and we were actively collecting parts at the time."

As mentioned in the Yamaha XS 650 SE build by JTbrothers, the brothers and photographer Silke Baens chose an abandoned coalmine building for their photoshoot.

These guys don't have their sights set on becoming professionals building bikes for others. They're just two brothers who like to do their own thing and have come up with two great builds.

Nice work, JTbrothers, welcome to the bikerMetric family.

For more info on JTbrothers, check out the Yamaha XS 650 SE build, and see more pictures of their builds and other projects on their blog, at JTbrothers-motorcycles.

Adrian S.

kawasaki kz200 | dariztdesign

2012-11-15T00:00:00.000-06:00

Faiz Darizt is no stranger to bikerMetric. He's as much a fan of bM as I am of his work.

Trent said it best in his last April Fools Day post:

"the brothers at dariztdesign are self-taught and spend countless hours researching and learning about everything related to custom metric motorcycle building, from painting and airbrushing to metal fabricating and frame building. with each build they seek to create something unique."

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On bM, DariztDesign has put on a show of all things small displacement including a Honda GL100, a Honda CB125 bobber, a Kawasaki KZ200 brat bobber and a Kawasaki KZ200 cafe racer. Let's not forget these guys built the runner-up in the 2011 bikerMetric Dead Banker Award for Excellence in Sticking It To The Corporate Man with their orange Honda CB100 bobber.

Now DariztDesign has one more Kawasaki KZ200 up their sleeve, and this one’s just as drool-worthy as the rest of them have been. Ladies and gents, put on your bibs!

So what do we have here?

The engine in the latest DariztDesign build is from a 1981 Kawasaki KZ200 and was bored up to 250cc.

The frame, swing arm and linkage, gas tank, seat, fender, foot and forward controls, handle bar, as well as the exhaust pipe were all made by DariztDesign. Likewise, the paint was done by Darizt as well.

Front and rear tires both 19 x 3.50 mounted on 19 x 1.85 rims. Both hubs were taken from a Kawasaki KLX 150, and both brakes were taken from a Yamaha YZ80.

Unlike previous DariztDesign Kawasaki KZ200 custom builds, this one has no battery. The box is for the CDI and the ignition key. The tail light is from a used spark plug and LED light from a lighter, powered by a small watch battery. Yup! I’m feeling that. Keeping that "less-is-more" simplicity in mind, can you guess where the hand grips are from? Did you say a bicycle? You’re right!

Adrian S.

Be sure to check out more from DariztDesign at their blog.

Again, here are those past Kawasaki KZ200 builds by DariztDesign:

yamaha xs 650se | JTbrothers

2012-11-14T01:01:00.003-06:00

Meet Johan and Joris Theybers from Belgium.

They go by the name JTbrothers.

Joris, the younger brother, was bit by the motorcycle bug on a young age and a lifelong motocross rider. One day, destiny came knocking on Joris’ door in unusual form: he broke his foot and ankle landing a big jump, earning him some plaster and some bolts. A few months with a brace and without walking, and Joris was getting bored. He bought a Suzuki Intruder to chop.

Here’s where brother Johan entered into the picture. Johan has a rockin’ garage with all the tools and materials a man could need. A lathe, welder, molder, etc. Johan likes to build and invent things. The Intruder build was a success and soon they bought another bike. Last year they made an old school Honda CB chopper and a Honda CB café racer. They don't like to walk between the lines and mix different styles in their creations.

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The story of the Yamaha XS begins with the Triumph (more on that later). Joris saw an unfinished project for sale on internet. The owner also had a Yamaha XS for sale. The brothers never intended to use a Yamaha XS as the base for a motorcycle build because of the bike’s immense popularity. The deal was just too good to pass up, and they decided that they could use some practice before building the Triumph. They struck a sweet deal and two ugly bikes ended up in the JTbrothers shop.

For this photo shoot, JTbrothers chose an abandoned coalmine building and brought along photographer Silke Baens.

Joris says: “The first plan was to go for 'brad style.' But you see a lot off bikes in this style so I had another vision in my head.”

Johan fills in: “He came with a colored sketch and said this is how it needs to look, the rest we'll see on the way... We agreed and this time we stuck to the plan.”

JTbrothers made nearly every part you see themselves. What they didn’t make, they adjusted to suit their mood and needs. Their creations and modifications were “the old school way with pretty basic materials in our garage. Low budget is the way we want it.”

These guys are selling themselves short. Yes, they used basic materials. Yes, they kept it low budget. But these two custom builds are in no way cheap. I’m really digging them.

"The list of self-made parts and details is endless. The frame, the front end, the brake and clutch levers, the handlebars are included. The seat is made out of an old bicycle seat. The gas tank is from an old moped with some hidden mounts attached. The brake and shift pedal are really simple and clean like the entire bike. The meat hooks with speed holes and the front end are worth mentioning."

"An old brass candlestick found in the trashcan was recycled and rebuild on the lathe to a tail light. Foot pegs are made out of brass just like the breather valve. The gas cap is made out of steel after Joris found a brass piece on the ground at a flea market. Every part has its story and we can keep going on..."

"The paint job was done by our friend, Olli. It's pretty daring and a combination of metal flake, candy and normal white. The idea for the rising sun on the tank is simple, it's a Japanese engine and so it became the name of the bike."

Stay tuned as I'll be posting the Triumph bobber that shared the spotlight with the Yamaha XS650SE in this photo shoot. For now, what do you think? Not bad for what JTbrothers called one of "two ugly bikes", but then again, some of the best builds always start with ugly, right?

Adrian S.

friday's post of cool stuff #84: a different kind of getting dirty

2012-10-19T00:00:00.000-05:00

In friday's post of cool stuff #49, Trent laid out how he goes about writing these posts: He wakes up, texts his girlfriend to make sure her tits are still symmetrical, putzes around on the internet, drinks, writes, drinks, kills bankers, blah blah blah, loves typewriters, something something, funny photoshop stuff, yata yata yata...

I'm actually not cool, so this is going to be a challenge. Lucky for you I came across a few gems this week that are at least share-worthy.

First off, I'm a big city boy, but my roots are a small town of 500 back in the old country. We can take it to a pretty wild euro-hillbilly timezone, but these Alabama rednecks are on a whole other level. Roll up your sleeves boys and girls, it's time to get dirty.

There's actually a series of these Mud Lovin' Rednecks videos, check them out on YouTube. Lots of other Friday's cool stuff ahead!

read more >>
The destiny every male bikerMetric
reader aspires to fulfill:

For the girls in the bunch, don't worry, this douchebag, your new bikerMetric editor has a message of love:

Ok now for some eyecandy. Check out some of the shots from the motorcycle contortionists photoshoot I did this summer:

Yummy bendy girls... Orange shorts girl is mine. You can have red.

Speaking of little girls, here's a video! It's not what you're thinking though. This is a video made by a 15 year old girl who retells what she's experienced over the past few years. She called it "My story: Struggling, bullying, suicide, self harm" - this isn't just another cry-me-a-river sob story, this little girl had a very serious message she sent out to the world. Please have a look.

Amanda Todd killed herself last Wednesday, over a month after posting the video.

Why bring this up? Well, first off, it made me rethink how I've treated some people, how I've been treated by some people, and it made me reach out to some of the kids in the family. They aren't alone.

Second, there's a new twist to the story: According to the CBC, the hacker group Anonymous said they know who Amanda's primary online tormentor (pronounced creepy stalking pedophile) is. Thank God we have a group of men and women with the skills and devotion to find criminals. Obviously I'm talking about Anonymous, not the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

I saw this sticker on the topcase of a scooter.

Don't forget, there's a $40 gift card for motorcycle gear and accessories from Jafrum up for grabs!

Adrian S.

free $40 gift card for jafrum.com

2012-10-15T11:05:00.000-05:00

In his "this is the end" sayonara post, Trent mentioned that I'm taking over the site and that I like giving free stuff away. He knows his stuff. Consider this my first post a free stuff. Be excited.

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This originally started on my other motorcycle website, YouMotorcycle. the boys at Jafrum wanted me to drive a little traffic their way. They offered up a $40 giftcard and creative license to run wild and free. Fine by me!

My honest two cents on Jafrum: I remember checking them out years ago and being unimpressed with their selection. When they contacted me I took a good look around and Jafrum seems to have really up'd their game. They now carry a great selection of major brands including Alpinestars, Bell, and ICON.

Up for grabs is a $40 gift certificate to give to Jafrum. You can redeem it for motorcycle gear, luggage, accessories, and more.

There are 6 ways to win and they're all pretty easy. If you try to win all 6 ways, and everyone else is a lazy ass, your odds are pretty damn good, aren't they blondie?

How to enter:

Like bikerMetric on Facebook
Like YouMotorcycle on Facebook
Follow bikerMetric on Twitter
Follow YouMotorcycle on Twitter
Tweeting about the contest. Make sure you provide the tweet link, it's tricky, but if you log in to Twitter and click details on your tweet, you'll find it.
Submitting a story to the Your Best Motorcycle Story $100 Giveaway Contest

Be sure to include your account names when prompted so I know who's really entering and who's faking it.

To start you just need to enter your email address, or you can log in with Facebook if you prefer:

Enter to win a $40 Jafrum Giftcard here.

If you need motorcycle helmets, motorcycle jackets, and other motorcycle gear, visit Jafrum.

Remember, advertisers keep websites alive, so be sure to visit our sponsors on the right >>

honda cx400 café/fighter by elias

2012-10-12T00:55:00.000-05:00

I’ve got my foot raised, wrapped in a bag of frozen French fries from the freezer (holy alliteration Batman!) – this is NOT how I wanted to write my first post on bikerMetric.

The Honda CX series has always stood out to me because of the “Flying V-Twin” engine configuration. I think it was one of Honda’s first steps into manufacturing V-Twin engines. The 400cc Honda CX wasn’t available in North America, but the CX400 was available on dealership floors in Japan and in Europe from the 1970s through to the early 1980s.

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Some time ago bikerMetric featured Hugo's leather and copper bmw r51/3 bobber – you know, this incredibly unique bike below. Well, Elias Dairis, from Greece is at it again.

Elias is a young Greek leathersmith who also goes by Luie Leather. Named after the great king (I totally made that up), Luie Leather’s work speaks for itself.

For this build Elias used less leather and more backyard paint job and created a Honda CX 400 with a totally different look.

When he picked up the Honda CX 400 from the year whogivesadamn, it looked like…. well.… shit.

With a little TLC, here’s what he put together:

Elias said:

“I rearranged the meters fabricate the headlight mounts, rear light and front rear flashlight mounts, and of course the seat. John from speedjunkies.gr made the stickers for the tank and side covers.”

If you’re looking for a really awesome seat job or other custom leather work, why not send a message to Elias. Here’s his Facebook, or contact me if you’d like to reach him via email.

Oh, and if you’re wondering why there’s a bag of frozen fries on my foot, tonight I learned that you shouldn't drift your motorcycle in a sandy basement parking lot after drinking a bottle of red... F***!

And now just to pick up where Trent left off… Eat up girls and boys, bikerMetric is ON!

Adrian S.

this is the end

2012-10-03T21:42:00.000-05:00

it is, my friend. first, i sold the site.

let me share a story which has little to do with motorcycles until the end.

on sunday, september 23, our next door neighbor was murdered. two thugs busted down his door, dragged him to the kitchen and shot him once in the head.

we shared a shotgun duplex on the wrong side of the street but the landlady was a sweetheart, her gorgeous daughter lived next door, the condition of our home was as close to immaculate as you can get with central heat and air (a big deal in nola). it was light-filled with stained glass windows in the front, high ceilings and fans, and a wooden floor that dated back to the home's construction 165 years ago (1847), when much of the neighborhood was built from a gift to the city of a man who made a great living and owned the area. there are elements of the construction of the house we lived in that made it rare. we loved it.

but the bullets all over? five days after we moved in someone was killed crossing the path of a heroin dealer on the corner as the hit car drove by.

POP POPPOP POP POPOPOPPOP!

VROOM!

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screams. she was walking with her niece.

the dealer was hit in the hand and a year later is now in federal prison. stupid f***er.

the woman crossing in front of him, 20 feet from our door? dead. i ran to her and saw blood everywhere. i ran back home and called 911. you can search and find the post where i took a photo of the fire department spraying her blood into the gutter from our front door if you are the morbid type.

i spent five months listening from my desk as i peered from my window every day and night. evenings were spent with 12% malt liquor and and a pistol, sitting on what should be a peaceful porch. waiting for something or somebody i could scare the f***ing shit out of.

"hey! get the f*** off my corner! you! i just recorded your license plate. come back again to buy your sh*t from that f***er and you will regret it!"
"did you hear what he just said?" he yells across the street.
"yeah. he don't know what he's talkin' 'bout."

i did. bikerMetric moves and who is dead, who is in prison, and who is writing poetry right f***ing now?

i live here because even though we moved into the wrong 'hood, i love new orleans.

or i might say "f*** it" and move into this killer little rv or f*** the road, f*** my bike, and move into the cozy house boat (below) a little outside of nola. shooting alligators and writing poetry on the porch as the water pretends it does not move? sounds great to me.

and alligators are not heroin dealers. and killing them is not a crime unless i sell them. which i won't. i will carve them out and eat them myself.

sweet.

since our neighbor was killed after the masked killers demanded money, according to our landlady and her daughter who was in the house with her twin girls, we have moved.

the woman who inexplicably loves me and i are still in nola. the place is smaller, and rent is more, but bullets don't fly every few weeks and murder doesn't happen here. with the end of all the turmoil, i am moving on as well. therefore i sold bikerMetric.

i want to write more stories, another novel, and poetry every day. getting "in" with some of the custom metric motorcycle crowd got me where, exactly?

more often than not i was more than disappointed in who i met as the mad editor of this asylum. i've been lied to more times than i care to count. for those who were good, i am blessed to count you as friends. you know who you are. i don't need to name drop or embarrass anybody.

yet...

some of you have done good for bikerMetric and sometimes for me, personally. some, not so much and i fight the urge to curse you. you also know who you are and what you did or did not do. some are more than cool and my blessings pale in comparison to the love you have shared with me. some are pussy-whipped bitches. again, many are liars. i am done with the fake "brotherhood" of bikers. i'll pay money. do your job. the end. don't call me "bro." i don't really like you. your bandanna and hardatil xs doesn't mean you are not an hypocrite.

i will keep the blessed and pray for them like this:

he woke and waited. he waited for something new. not the new argument or new neighbor or new threat according to the tv. something new. something other. something he'd believe. awake and pray for and see come true. sleep dreams of giving more than getting what you can. walking streets of smiles.

the poetry that has appeared here will probably be gone one day. the dead banker blood and revolution rants, the same. if it turns out that is what bikerMetric must be, so be it, i will contribute but not for free and the liars or the weak will only come to see it fail.

bikerMetric will not fail.

this sale was not for a favor, a trade, or a word that could be broken. chances are slim you will see me return. money. that's what i got. up front. and i don't care to return again.

bM is now up to the new guy and with this introduction i introduce to you mister adrian silipo. soon his email will be obvious to you. he has plans for bM. what you want, you should let him know. my email will still be available and i will do my part to see him and my friends succeed.

damn. i dislike writing things like this sober. the new trent. same as the old trent.

"pete townsend! that's your cue!"

f***ing pete. editing a novel or some gay shit i'm sure. i'll have to do this alone....

sigh.

it got to be too much. most readers seem to want the square vanilla stuff and my life is poetry, angry and every once in a while, beautiful but it is lost on most of you. so here is the new deal. adrian likes to give stuff away. if you like free stuff, come back to bM. he has a day gig in the industry and can do this often. adrian would dig if you emailed him as you did to me. email bikes and build stories. if you are more comfortable emailing me, i will make sure your post meets my crazy standards as i send it to him that he might tell the world how you ought to make more money so you can afford better beer.

that we might all drink it together.

adrian gets up in the morning, walks his dog, jumps on his motorbike, goes to work in the motorcycle industry (#007), and goes home to work here on bikerf***ingMetric. i do not think he gets enough BJs, although he swears he gets f***ed daily. twice a day if he's lucky. that is why i sold bikerMetric to him. i will counsel him that every once in a while he does his best with spell check, and lays it out for all of you. he told me he keeps a fridge well stocked with eggs, beer, pepperettes and liqueurs.

la-ti-f***ing-da.

and that oughta do.

and adrian has a ton of info i've neglected posting. coming up are bikes from greece, los angeles and reno. in the meantime, enjoy a babe and a killer triumph chopper.

please, give a warm welcome to adrian silipo. he'll resurrect the facebook page many of you have written to say how you miss it. i will be his main contact to assist in the continual success of bikerMetric.

for those of you who made this journey a great one, let me please bless ryan mcquiston, adat from untitled, dave at el solitario, busch & busch, robbie robinson, tools1, dariztdesign, scott at smith motor, josh at tail end, steffan at zombie, russ bowers, shops and people i have surely forgotten and most especially falcon motorcycles, who have blessed me deeply.

i am thankful for all the knowledge gained, even if it led me to get out of the motorcycle industry forever. great friends were created and the FREEDOM or DEATH MACHINE will be done properly and profiled right here, first. there are builders who who would love to make it right and put their name on it. i have chosen one.

now, where is my fine red wine, french bread and stinky cheese? darn. malt liquor and a frozen burrito again. oh well. it's better than nothing.

i want to say i love you. i want to say f*** you. i want to bless this site as it is three years of an experiment in self-expression. the new owner will not edit what i have left unless i ask him to. treat him well, please. he has great intentions and believes in the bikerMetric brand. as mad as it has been, it will now grow into something else. i did not sell to somebody who would f*** it up. adrian is all right.

more bikes. less mad trent craziness.

god bless you all and thank you for your support. adrian knows the lowdown and will take care of you.

peace out;

T

thoughts on the christian god and christ

2012-09-20T21:16:00.000-05:00

1. is there one god or two?

"the man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. he must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." (genesis 3:22)

"like one of us?"

i ask this because i had a dream and it seemed the only way to understand god was to be paired, be a couple, married, whatever your favorite definition is.

what i witnessed was eternal, but malleable. there is no set fate, only the reactions of our actions. all are tested.

which leads me to this question:

2. why does christ promise eternal life while genesis denies it?

christ was asked, "what good thing must i do to get eternal life?"

yeshua the messiah replied, "if you want to enter life, keep the commandments." jesus then lists six of the ten in matthew 19:18-19.

when the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, "who then can be saved?" (matthew 19:25)

jesus looked at them and said, "with man this is impossible, but with god all things are possible." (matthew 19:26)

really? that's great. where is the tree of life, then? is it really christ and we can now eat of him, as some do metaphorically? hm. no wonder there is all this zombie stuff lately. we eat god in human flesh so why is there a problem with eating each other?

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there is a lot of metaphor and allegory in the bible. is this the same god christ calls "abba," which was aramaic (the language spoken in the region at the time) for more than simply "father," as we've been told. it is a much more intimate word. it's more akin to a young boy calling for his daddy.

in genesis, where he is "lord," he was one so jealous but still the one who sacrificed and suffered to understand why we would not obey thousands of years later, who lived as we did and was tortured and died to discover what free will meant to people. dying in a slow and painful manner, he forgive us only to lay down more rules to make us obey?

i prefer the part where the smarta**ed pharisee who was considered an expert in jewish law asked christ, "which is the greatest commandment in the law?" and jesus answered more simply, "love the lord your god with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. this is the first and greatest commandment, and the second is like it: 'love your neighbor as yourself.'" (matthew 22:37-39)

love god and everybody else. that works. wish i could do that more often and from this moment i will re-double the efforts i started in late june to be that.

surprise!

christ was christ, a greek word for "messiah," and we are not intended to be so good. we are intended to love the one who was and remember his words and deeds as we walk through our own deserts and valleys, tempted and fearless.

start naming your poems!

2012-09-14T23:37:00.004-05:00

what begets vision from dream
what begins the journey
what fails and is judged by one so imperfect he would say yes
i will cast the first stone

while the pain and addiction follow your words
as if they were the thing
the coolest thing
the ghosts you make appear
as if they were you
the apparition of deeds
changing form
as if energy never died
and our ignorance forgave the sun for being vain
seeking the earth to reflect its glory
because you are a mirror of the first recorded god

like we have time to care
as god created the greed and the lies and the vapid contradiction that we will live somewhere when you explode

no
we did that ourselves
and we ought to be looking around for that lesson
as i put my stone down to see who you have been
and what you could be

before written language
when men hunted every day or died
with their family

sometimes asking questions is better than having the answers
sometimes
shutting the f**k up is better than opening another beer
sometimes
finishing what you've got and sleeping is better than writing a poem.