Category Archives: Powersports

New Models Added – May 16, 2013

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- Motorcycle / Scooter

- 2013 Aprilia Dorsoduro 750 ABS

- 2013 Aprilia Mana 850 GT ABS

- 2013 Aprilia Shiver 750

- 2013 Aprilia SR 50 Motard

- 2013 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Custom

- 2013 Moto Guzzi California 1400 Touring

- 2013 MV Agusta Brutale 1090

- 2013 MV Agusta Brutale 1090 RR

- 2013 MV Agusta Brutale 675

- 2013 MV Agusta Brutale 800

- 2013 MV Agusta Brutale 800 Italia

- 2013 MV Agusta Brutale 800 with EAS

- 2013 MV Agusta F4 Base

- 2013 MV Agusta F4 RR

- Snowmobile

- 2014 Yamaha FX Nytro Base

- 2014 Yamaha FX Nytro MTX 153

- 2014 Yamaha FX Nytro MTX 162

- 2014 Yamaha FX Nytro XTX 1.75

- 2014 Yamaha Phazer MTX

- 2014 Yamaha Phazer RTX

- 2014 Yamaha RS Vector

- 2014 Yamaha RS Vector LTX

- 2014 Yamaha RS Venture

- 2014 Yamaha RS Venture GT

- 2014 Yamaha RS Venture TF

New Models Added – April 18, 2013

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- Motorcycle / Scooter

- 2014 Yamaha Bolt Base

- 2014 Yamaha Bolt R-Spec

- Snowmobile

- 2014 Arctic Cat M 8000 153

- 2014 Arctic Cat M 8000 HCR 153

- 2014 Arctic Cat M 8000 Limited 153

- 2014 Arctic Cat M 8000 Limited 162

- 2014 Arctic Cat M 8000 Limited ES 153

- 2014 Arctic Cat M 8000 Limited ES 162

- 2014 Arctic Cat M 8000 Sno Pro® 153

- 2014 Arctic Cat M 8000 Sno Pro® 162

- 2014 Arctic Cat XF 7000 Cross Country Sno Pro®

- 2014 Arctic Cat XF 7000 CrossTour

- 2014 Arctic Cat XF 7000 Limited

- 2014 Arctic Cat XF 7000 LXR

- 2014 Arctic Cat XF 7000 Sno Pro®

- 2014 Arctic Cat XF 8000 Cross Country Sno Pro®

- 2014 Arctic Cat XF 8000 CrossTour

- 2014 Arctic Cat XF 8000 High Country Limited

- 2014 Arctic Cat XF 8000 High Country Sno Pro®

- 2014 Arctic Cat XF 8000 Limited

- 2014 Arctic Cat XF 8000 LXR

- 2014 Arctic Cat XF 8000 Sno Pro®

- 2014 Arctic Cat XF 9000 Cross Country Sno Pro®

- 2014 Arctic Cat XF 9000 CrossTour

- 2014 Arctic Cat XF 9000 High Country Limited

- 2014 Arctic Cat XF 9000 High Country Sno Pro®

- 2014 Arctic Cat XF 9000 Limited

- 2014 Arctic Cat XF 9000 LXR

- 2014 Arctic Cat XF 9000 Sno Pro®

- 2014 Arctic Cat ZR 5000 LXR

- 2014 Arctic Cat ZR 6000 El Tigre

- 2014 Arctic Cat ZR 6000 El Tigre ES

- 2014 Arctic Cat ZR 7000 Limited

- 2014 Arctic Cat ZR 7000 LXR

- 2014 Arctic Cat ZR 7000 Sno Pro®

- 2014 Arctic Cat ZR 8000 Limited

- 2014 Arctic Cat ZR 8000 LXR

- 2014 Arctic Cat ZR 8000 RR

- 2014 Arctic Cat ZR 8000 Sno Pro®

- 2014 Arctic Cat ZR 9000 Limited

- 2014 Arctic Cat ZR 9000 LXR

- 2014 Arctic Cat ZR 9000 RR

- 2014 Arctic Cat ZR 9000 Sno Pro®

- 2014 Yamaha RS Viking Professional

- 2014 Yamaha Venture MP

New Models Added – April 2, 2013

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- Motorcycle / Scooter

- 2013 Harley-Davidson Softail® Breakout®

- 2013 Indian Chief Vintage FE

- Snowmobile

- 2014 Arctic Cat Bearcat® 570

- 2014 Arctic Cat Bearcat® 570 XT

- 2014 Arctic Cat Bearcat® Z1 XT

- 2014 Arctic Cat Bearcat® Z1 XT GS

- 2014 Arctic Cat Bearcat® Z1 XT Limited

- 2014 Arctic Cat M 9000 153

- 2014 Arctic Cat M 9000 HCR 162

- 2014 Arctic Cat M 9000 Limited 162

- 2014 Arctic Cat M 9000 Sno Pro® 162

- 2014 Arctic Cat T 570

- 2014 Arctic Cat T Z1

- 2014 Arctic Cat T Z1 LXR

- 2014 Arctic Cat T Z1 Turbo LXR

- 2014 Polaris 120 Indy

- 2014 Polaris Indy® 550

- 2014 Polaris Indy® 550 144

- 2014 Polaris Indy® 550 Adventure

- 2014 Polaris Indy® 550 LXT Sunset Red

- 2014 Polaris Indy® 550 LXT White

- 2014 Polaris Indy® 550 Voyager

- 2014 Polaris Indy® 600

- 2014 Polaris Indy® 600 SP

- 2014 Polaris Indy® 600 SP LE

- 2014 Polaris Indy® 600 Voyager

- 2014 Polaris Indy® 800 SP

- 2014 Polaris Indy® 800 SP LE

- 2014 Polaris IQ® LXT 600

- 2014 Polaris IQ® LXT Turbo

- 2014 Polaris PRO-RMK® 600 155

- 2014 Polaris PRO-RMK® 800 155

- 2014 Polaris PRO-RMK® 800 163

- 2014 Polaris PRO-RMK® 800 163 LE

- 2014 Polaris RMK® 600 144

- 2014 Polaris RMK® 600 155

- 2014 Polaris RMK® 800 155

- 2014 Polaris RMK® 800 Assault® 155

- 2014 Polaris RMK® 800 Assault® 155 LE

- 2014 Polaris Rush® 600 PRO-R

- 2014 Polaris Rush® 800 PRO-R

- 2014 Polaris Rush® 800 PRO-R LE

- 2014 Polaris Switchback® 600

- 2014 Polaris Switchback® 600 Adventure

- 2014 Polaris Switchback® 600 Assault® 144

- 2014 Polaris Switchback® 600 PRO-R

- 2014 Polaris Switchback® 800

- 2014 Polaris Switchback® 800 Adventure

- 2014 Polaris Switchback® 800 Assault® 144

- 2014 Polaris Switchback® 800 Assault® 144 LE

- 2014 Polaris Switchback® 800 PRO-R

- 2014 Polaris Switchback® 800 PRO-R LE

- 2014 Polaris WideTrak™ 600 IQ

- 2014 Ski-Doo Expedition LE 4-TEC 1200

- 2014 Ski-Doo Expedition LE E-TEC 600 H.O.

- 2014 Ski-Doo Expedition SE 4-TEC 1200

- 2014 Ski-Doo Expedition SE E-TEC 600 H.O.

- 2014 Ski-Doo Expedition Sport 550F

- 2014 Ski-Doo Expedition Sport ACE 600

- 2014 Ski-Doo Expedition Sport ACE 900

- 2014 Ski-Doo Grand Touring LE 4-TEC 1200

- 2014 Ski-Doo Grand Touring LE ACE 900

- 2014 Ski-Doo Grand Touring LE E-TEC 600 H.O.

- 2014 Ski-Doo Grand Touring SE 4-TEC 1200

- 2014 Ski-Doo Grand Touring Sport 550F

- 2014 Ski-Doo Grand Touring Sport 600 Carb

- 2014 Ski-Doo Grand Touring Sport ACE 600

- 2014 Ski-Doo Renegade Adrenaline 4-TEC 1200

- 2014 Ski-Doo Renegade Adrenaline ACE 900

- 2014 Ski-Doo Renegade Adrenaline E-TEC 600 H.0.

- 2014 Ski-Doo Renegade Adrenaline E-TEC 800R

- 2014 Ski-Doo Renegade Backcountry E-TEC 600 H.O.

- 2014 Ski-Doo Renegade Backcountry E-TEC 800R

- 2014 Ski-Doo Renegade Backcountry X E-TEC 600 H.O.

- 2014 Ski-Doo Renegade Backcountry X E-TEC 800R

- 2014 Ski-Doo Renegade Sport 550F

- 2014 Ski-Doo Renegade Sport ACE 600

- 2014 Ski-Doo Renegade X 4-TEC 1200

- 2014 Ski-Doo Renegade X E-TEC 600 H.O.

- 2014 Ski-Doo Renegade X E-TEC 800R

- 2014 Ski-Doo Skandic® SWT ACE 600

- 2014 Ski-Doo Skandic® SWT E-TEC 600 H.O.

- 2014 Ski-Doo Skandic® WT 550F

- 2014 Ski-Doo Skandic® WT ACE 600

- 2014 Ski-Doo Skandic® WT E-TEC 600 H.O.

- 2014 Ski-Doo Summit SP E-TEC 600 H.O.

- 2014 Ski-Doo Summit SP E-TEC 800R

- 2014 Ski-Doo Summit Sport 600 Carb

- 2014 Ski-Doo Summit Sport Power T.E.K. 800R

- 2014 Ski-Doo Summit X 146 E-TEC 800R

- 2014 Ski-Doo Summit X 154 E-TEC 800R

- 2014 Ski-Doo Summit X 163 E-TEC 800R

- 2014 Ski-Doo Tundra LT 550F

- 2014 Ski-Doo Tundra LT ACE 600

- 2014 Ski-Doo Tundra Sport 550F

- 2014 Ski-Doo Tundra Sport ACE 600

- 2014 Ski-Doo Tundra Xtreme E-TEC 600 H.O.

- 2014 Yamaha Apex  XTX

- 2014 Yamaha Apex Base

- 2014 Yamaha Apex SE

- 2014 Yamaha Phazer XTX

- 2014 Yamaha SRX 120

U.S. motorcycle sales increased 6.7% over the first quarter of 2012.

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The Motorcycle Industry Council reports U.S. motorcycle sales increased 6.7% over the first quarter of 2012.

According to the MIC’s latest quarterly report, American consumers purchased 109,425 motorcycles in the three months ending March 31, 2012, compared to 102,547 units the year before.

The MIC also reports ATV sales have increased for the first time in years, increasing 5.0% to 50,107 units. ATV sales have been fading as consumers looked to side-by-side instead. The MIC does not report side-by-side sales however.

Off-road motorcycle sales continue to decline, with dealers selling 6,697 units over the quarter. Dual-sports, street bikes and scooter sales however continue to rise, though the industry still has a ways to go to reach the levels seen before the economic downturn.

2012 Q1 Figures from the Motorcycle Industry Council
Type 2011 Q1 2012 Q1 Change % Change
ATV 47,702 50,107 +2,405 +5.0%
Dual Sport 6,697 7,549 +852 +12.7%
Off-Hwy 18,725 17,473 -1,252 -6.7%
On-Hwy 70,879 77,103 +6,224 +8.8%
Scooter 6,246 7,300 +1,054 +16.9%
Motorcycle
Sub-Total		 102,547 109,425 +6,878 +6.7%
Grand
Total		 150,249 159,532 +9,283 +6.2%

[Source: MIC]

http://www.mic.org/members/membership/2012-MIC-Member-Directory.pdf

 

New Models Added – March 20, 2013

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- Motorcycle / Scooter

- 2013 BMW R 1200 GS

- 2013 BMW R 1200 GS Adventure 90 Years

- 2013 BMW R 1200 R 90 Years

- 2013 BMW R 1200 RT 90 Years

- 2014 Honda CTX 700

- 2014 Honda CTX 700 DCT ABS

- 2014 Honda CTX 700N

- 2014 Honda CTX 700N DCT ABS

- Snowmobile

- 2014 Arctic Cat F5 Base

- 2014 Arctic Cat F570 Base

- 2014 Arctic Cat Sno Pro® 500

- 2014 Arctic Cat ZR 120

- 2014 Ski-Doo Freeride 137 800R E-TEC

- 2014 Ski-Doo Freeride 146 800R E-TEC

- 2014 Ski-Doo Freeride 154 800R E-TEC

- 2014 Ski-Doo GSX LE 1200 4-TEC

- 2014 Ski-Doo GSX LE 600 H.O. E-TEC

- 2014 Ski-Doo GSX LE 900 ACE

- 2014 Ski-Doo GSX SE 1200 4-TEC

- 2014 Ski-Doo GSX SE 600 H.O. E-TEC

- 2014 Ski-Doo GSX SE 800R E-TEC

- 2014 Ski-Doo MX Z Sport 550F

- 2014 Ski-Doo MX Z Sport 600

- 2014 Ski-Doo MX Z Sport 600 ACE

- 2014 Ski-Doo MX Z TNT 1200 4-TEC

- 2014 Ski-Doo MX Z TNT 600 H.O. E-TEC

- 2014 Ski-Doo MX Z TNT 800R E-TEC

- 2014 Ski-Doo MX Z TNT 900 ACE

- 2014 Ski-Doo MX Z X 1200 4-TEC

- 2014 Ski-Doo MX Z X 600 H.O. E-TEC

- 2014 Ski-Doo MX Z X 800R E-TEC

- 2014 Ski-Doo MX Z X-RS 600 H.O. E-TEC

- 2014 Ski-Doo MX Z X-RS 800R E-TEC

- 2014 Yamaha SR Viper Base

- 2014 Yamaha SR Viper LTX

- 2014 Yamaha SR Viper LTX SE

- 2014 Yamaha SR Viper RTX SE

- 2014 Yamaha SR Viper XTX SE

- Utility Vehicle

- 2013 John Deere Gator™ Traditional TH 6×4

- 2013 John Deere Gator™ Traditional TH 6×4 Diesel

- 2013 John Deere Gator™ Traditional TS 4×2

- 2013 John Deere Gator™ Traditional TX 4×2

- 2013 John Deere Gator™ XUV 4×4 625i

- 2013 John Deere Gator™ XUV 4×4 825i

- 2013 John Deere Gator™ XUV 4×4 825i Power Steering

- 2013 John Deere Gator™ XUV 4×4 825i S4

- 2013 John Deere Gator™ XUV 4×4 855D

- 2013 John Deere Gator™ XUV 4×4 855D Power Steering

- 2013 John Deere Gator™ XUV 4×4 855D S4

- 2013 John Deere High Performance HPX 4×4

- 2013 John Deere High Performance HPX Diesel 4×4

New Models Added – March 18, 2013

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- Motorcycle / Scooter

- 2013 Honda CRF® 50F

- 2013 Honda NC700X Base

- 2013 Honda NC700X DCT ABS

- 2013 Honda Ruckus Base

- 2013 Honda Silver Wing® ABS

- ATV

- 2013 Bennche Gray Wolf 500

- 2013 Bennche Gray Wolf 700

- Utility Vehicle

- 2013 Bennche Bighorn 400

- 2013 Bennche Bighorn 500

- 2013 Bennche Bighorn 500 HD

- 2013 Bennche Bighorn 700

- 2013 Bennche Bighorn 700 HD

- 2013 Bennche Bighorn 700X Crew

- 2013 Bennche Bighorn 700X Crew HD

- 2013 Bennche Spire 800

- 2013 John Deere Gator™ Compact CX

Cool Helmets

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Motorcycle helmets
The third in our Silodrome Selection series, a weekly round-up curated by Silodrome editor James McBride. Above: The Bullitt Helmet Concept by Chad Hodge, University of Cincinnati industrial design graduate.

If you ride a motorcycle, you’ll know there’s discord between full-face and open-face advocates. Proponents of full-face lids disavow anything that doesn’t provide complete protection, and often quote studies like the 1981 Hurt Report—which suggested that 34% of motorcycle accidents involve an impact in the chin, mouth or nose area.

The open-facers fire back with gusto. Motorcycle riding is dangerous and, to a degree, that risk needs to be accepted by the rider. Who should be free to wear whatever gear he or she wants, as long as they understand the potential for injury.

I fall somewhere in the middle. I have both full and 3/4 helmets, and I’m tolerant of people’s safety choices. (Except for cowboys who wear bandanas whilst hammering down the highway at 80mph: Those people are halfwits.)

This selection of eight full-face helmets represents the collection I’d like if I had the necessary space. Not to mention the ability to convince the Mrs that helmets make far better living room decorations than a three-years-old’s finger paintings. Or those crystal Swarovski animals with the creepy little eyeballs.

Tachibana motorcycle helmet
Tachibana GT-750 Grand Prix A design instantly reminiscent of the classic Bell Star II. For those who want a properly retro full-face helmet to match their bike, the Japanese Tachibana is probably the best choice. The only problem is the difficulty you might encounter when trying to buy one: There aren’t many international suppliers, so you may have to order directly from Japan. Which means it’s very important to get your sizing information correct. And in case you’re wondering if it’s a ‘novelty’ helmet, the ¥30,000 ($320) GT-750 has been certified with the Japanese SG safety rating, which is similar to both the ECE and the DOT ratings. [Buy]

Shoei Neotec motorcycle helmet
Shoei Neotec Like Arai, Shoei owners are passionate advocates of the brand. The quality of Shoei’s lids is widely respected, but it’s a surprisingly small company—with just over 500 employees. This is the $750 Neotec modularhelmet, designed for long tours. It has ample venting, a built-in sunvisor and an impressive noise-reduction system. [Buy]

Icon 1000 motorcycle helmet
Icon 1000 Variant Battlescar The Variant series has become hugely popular since its release last year. The helmets are an interesting hybrid of motocross and street design, with a little Halo Master Chief influence thrown in for good measure. As with Icon’s other helmets, this one scores heavily on safety. It’s ECE, DOT, SG and SAI certified, making it a good choice for the safety-conscious. The $400 Variant also boasts a ‘Hydradry’ wicking liner and a very wide yet distortion-free shield, complete with an anti-fog coating. Making it perfect for heavy traffic, inclement weather, and off-road riding. [Buy]

Schuberth S2 motorcycle helmet
Schuberth S2 This German company is best-known for making the helmets worn by F1 drivers Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso. And Schuberth has worked closely with Schumacher to create helmets for his automotive andmotorcycle racing activities. From a technological perspective Schuberth is ahead of the game: the $750 S2 was developed in a wind tunnel, and is fitted with two antennas and optional communications equipment. Handy if you need to make calls on the go. [Buy]

Roof motorcycle helmet
Roof RO21 Panther The French company produces slightly unusual-looking helmets with a strong following in western Europe—although they’re not so well-known in the US. The curvaceous Roof Panther was designed with a ventilation-first approach, making it ideal for warmer climates. Costing £249, it’s available in seven sizes and four colors—with add-on visors available for customization. [Buy]

Bell Revolver EVO motorcycle helmet
Bell Revolver Evo As far as DOT-certified modular helmets go, the $200 Revolver Evo by Bell is one of the best examples I’ve come across. You can ride with the front up or down, making it a convertible of sorts. And it comes with an internal flip-down sunvisor for those occasions when you ride over the brow of a hill and cop a face-full of direct sun. [Buy]

Arai Corsair motorcycle helmet
Arai Corsair-V Arai helmets seem to have an almost pathological following. They’re worn by MotoGP racers and Formula 1 drivers, and the company has come out on top in all thirteen J.D. Power motorcycle helmet ‘Satisfaction Studies.’ The Corsair-V (‘Mamola-3′ model shown above) is built to the Snell M2010 safety certification which, depending on who you talk to, is either far better or nowhere near as good as DOT/ECE. [Buy]

Ruby motorcycle helmet
Les Ateliers Ruby Castel The €930 Castel is the French company’s first foray into the world of full-face protection. The design seems to split opinion, with a minority hating it and most people wanting to sell an organ to buy one. Each Castel has a carbon fibre shell, a Nappa lamb leather interior and front mounted vents—and can also be customized with a series of OEM visors. You can choose between yellow, black, grey and white—though there isn’t yet a fire-engine red option. Which I really think Ruby should add. [Buy]

New Models Added – February 22, 2013

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- Motorcycle / Scooter

- 2013 Aprilia RSV4 FACTORY APRC ABS

- 2013 Aprilia RSV4 R APRC ABS

- 2013 Aprilia SR 50 R Replica SBK

- 2013 Aprilia Tuono V4 R APRC

- 2013 Ducati Hypermotard 821

- 2013 Ducati Hypermotard SP

- 2013 Ducati Hyperstrada 821

- 2013 Suzuki Boulevard C50 Special Edition

- 2013 Suzuki Boulevard C90T

- 2013 Suzuki Boulevard C90T B.O.S.S.

- 2013 Suzuki Boulevard M109R

- 2013 Suzuki Boulevard M109R Limited Edition

- 2013 Suzuki Boulevard M50

- 2013 Suzuki Burgman 650 ABS

- 2013 Suzuki GSX-R 1000

- 2013 Suzuki GSX-R 1000 1 Million Commemorative Edition

- 2013 Suzuki GSX-R 600

- 2013 Suzuki GSX-R 750

- 2013 Suzuki GW 250

- 2013 Suzuki Hayabusa™ 1340

- 2013 Suzuki Hayabusa™ 1340 Limited

- 2013 Suzuki V-Strom 650 ABS

- 2013 Suzuki V-Strom 650 ABS Adventure

- 2013 SYM RV 200 EVO

- 2013 Ural Gear-Up 750

- 2013 Ural M70 Retro 750

- 2013 Ural Patrol 750

- 2013 Ural Patrol-T 750

- 2013 Ural Retro 750

- 2013 Ural Solo sT 750

- 2013 Ural T 750

- 2013 Ural Tourist 750

- 2012 Ural Yamal LE 750

- 2013 Vectrix VX -1 Li

- 2013 Vectrix VX -1 Li+

- 2013 Vectrix VX -2

- 2013 Vectrix VX -3 Li+

- 2013 Yamaha Super Ténéré Base

- 2013 Yamaha WR 450F

- 2013 Zero DS™ ZF11.5

- 2013 Zero DS™ ZF8.5

- 2013 Zero FX™ ZF2.8

- 2013 Zero FX™ ZF5.7

- 2013 Zero MX™ ZF2.8

- 2013 Zero MX™ ZF5.7

- 2013 Zero S™ ZF11.5

- 2013 Zero S™ ZF8.5

- 2013 Zero XU™ ZF2.8

- 2013 Zero XU™ ZF5.7

- ATV

- 2013 Can-Am™ Outlander™ 650 X mr

- Utility Vehicle

- 2013 Arctic Cat Wildcat 1000

- 2013 Arctic Cat Wildcat 1000 Limited

- 2013 Arctic Cat Wildcat 4 1000

- 2013 Arctic Cat Wildcat X

- 2013 Polaris RZR® XP 900 EPS White Lightning / Evasive Green LE

- 2013 Polaris RZR® XP 900 EPS White Lightning / Orange Madness and Blue LE

Gilera Milano Taranto

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Gilera Milano Taranto

Posted: 02 Feb 2013 09:30 AM PST

Gilera motorcycle
Before and after WWII, Italy was a haven for street racing. One of those races was the Milano Taranto, reportedly the longest of all the street races and with the added danger of nighttime running. The only entry requirement was a driver’s license and a motorcycle ready to race: a far cry from today’s heavily regulated competitions.

Gilera motorcycle
Gilera motorcycles were favored by many riders in those days, and in 1956 the final Milano Taranto was won by Pietro Carissoni in a Gilera 500 Saturno. The beautiful machine we’re looking at here is a smaller racer from the same year, a ‘Milano Taranto’ spec version of the Gilera 175.

Gilera motorcycle
It was restored by Hugo Gallina of Vintage Italian Restoration: “Back in 1958, my father owned a 175 Super Sport,” says Hugo. “The same basic motorcycle, but a street version. It was the first bike I sat on as a young kid—my father lifted me from the floor and sat me on top of the tank, and I remember burning my right foot with the exhaust header!”

Gilera motorcycle
Hugo never forgot that bike, and now, more than 50 years later, he has his own Gilera 175. It took a few years to restore it, but as these images show, it was worth the effort.

The perfect vintage steed for a leisurely weekend ride in the country, don’t you think?

Images courtesy of Jose Gallina.

Gilera motorcycle

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Motohangar Yamaha SR500

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Motohangar Yamaha SR500

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 09:30 AM PST

Motohanger SR500
Every now and then, a bike comes along that captures the state of the neo-custom scene right at this moment in time. This is one of those bikes, from the Virginia-based workshop Motohangar. It’s not a big-budget build and it’s not a fire-breathing monster, but it’s exactly the kind of bike that is attracting legions of younger riders back into the motorcycling scene.

The starting point was a 1979 Yamaha SR500, a long-time staple of the Japanese custom scene. Old SRs are increasingly popular in the US, and good examples are affordable. (Yamaha has noticed this, apparently, and may export the latest SR400 to the States.)

Motohanger SR500
“This wasn’t a commissioned build,” says Motohangar’s Pat Jones. “The bike’s more for our own personal use, and to showcase our design aesthetic.” It’s an attractive aesthetic: bare metal bodywork, a hand-made leather seat and a low-profile tail unit.

Motohanger SR500
The SR400 has been thoroughly overhauled throughout. It’s sitting a little lower than stock at the front, and Motohangar have fitted new rear shocks to tighten up the handling.

Other upgrades include stainless steel braided brake lines and a vintage headlight and taillight, both modified to accept modern bulbs. The wiring has been stripped to the bare minimum, and the original wheels have been refurbished and powdercoated.

The driving force behind this build was Motohangar’s latest cohort, Johnny Brindley. (Hence the ‘B’ in the hand-painted ‘MH500B’ nomenclature on the tank.) “He’s a good friend who was looking to learn about bikes and needed a place to work on them,” says Pat. “He’s since become a part of Motohangar, and adds to a lot of our design ideas.”

Motohanger SR500
To clean up the front end, the bar-mounted electric controls—including the key switch—have been relocated to under the seat. The engine has been treated to K&N filtration and a custom header hooked up to a period Yoshimura silencer. (“They’re from an 80s sport system,” says Pat. “This one is more commonly found on the DOHC Honda 750s and other similar bikes from that era.”)

Motohanger SR500
It’s a great showcase for Motohangar’s work—a rideable and reliable custom that also looks like a million dollars. Check out our coverage of previousMotohangar bikes, and follow the company’s news via their Facebook page.

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