In just over a week, Bonhams is set to auction a jaw-dropping selection of cars and motorcycles at the Grand Palais in Paris. One of the highlights is this 1968 Egli-Vincent 998cc racing motorcycle, which has an estimate of US$36,000—47,000.

This machine is notable on two counts: the Egli frame is genuine, and the bike is incredibly fast. Shortly after it was built, the English magazine Motor Cycletested the Vincent, which “in less than half a mile was easily exceeding 120mph. This was the first time an un-streamlined model had notched such figures on test.”

The bike was built by sidecar racer Pete Gerrish, who bought the frame from Fritz Egli himself. Gerrish installed an engine from one of his sidecar racers—described as ‘part Lightning, part Shadow’—and the bike promptly won its first race, at the Cheltenham circuit.

Since then, it looks like it’s been modified for road use. (There’s a 5” Smiths speedometer and a matching rev counter.) If your bid is successful, you’ll also get some very desirable spares—including a Vincent cylinder head and primary drive cover, an original Fritz Egli fuel tank and an original, period fairing.

A piece of history, or a fully-loaded Harley CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide? I know what I’d take.

Via Megadeluxe. More about the auction on the Bonhams website.

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One of the fastest-growing custom workshops in Italy is Extemporae, based in the Varese region that’s also home to MV Agusta and Husqvarna. The company’s first two builds, a Yamaha TT600 and a XT550, were published in the influential Italian magazine Riders in 2011—and from that point on, there was no looking back.

This is Extemporae’s latest, a 1994 Suzuki DR650. The DR650 is one of those ‘sleeper’ bikes just begging for customization: Like the Honda Dominator, it’s an unsophisticated but effective all-rounder, and lends itself well to a diet and makeover.

For this machine, Extemporae took inspiration from a car: the lightweight, stripped-down Caterham Seven. Hence the Caterham/Lotus-spec green paint and the emphasis on ‘adding lightness’.

Up front, the chassis has been modified to take a 1970s Yamaha 400 tank, and at the back it’s been slimmed down to give a lower line and accommodate a hand-made seat unit.

The bars are from an anonymous 70s dirt track racer, refinished in black. The front fork has been rebuilt and shortened and custom fenders fitted front and rear. The overhauled engine is now hooked up to a cone-type air filter and Extemporae fabricated not only the exhaust system, but also the oil radiator.

“This bike is simple, light, funny and cool,” say Extemporae’s founders, Alex and Paolo. I’ll second that, and hopefully we’ll see more DR650 customs in the future. Keep an eye on Extemporae’s Facebook page to see what they come up with next.

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Alain Bernard is one of the most unpredictable builders in the US: You can never guess what he’ll come up with next. The bread-and-butter of Santiago Chopper’s business is trike conversions, but Bernard also turns out traffic-stopping customs on a regular basis.

This is his latest, nicknamed ‘Bucati.’ Believe it or not, the bike is based on the 1998 Buell S1 Lightning, an oddball roadster with a wheezy 1203cc v-twin. But on the plus side, the S1 had a top speed of just over 125 mph (200 kph).

Bernard and mechanic Mike Lima have boosted the pushrod lump with 38mm Keihin CR carburetion and a Dyna 2000i ignition. They’ve also modified the frame, grafting a Ducati 1098 subframe and tail unit onto the back. (‘Bucati’…geddit?) The original battery box has been removed, and an oil tank fitted to the left-hand side of the bike.

The stock Buell swing arm has been swapped out for a more curvaceous custom-fabricated item. The hand controls are Beringer, and the rearsets are from Chainsickle. But it’s the paint job that jumps out—a monochrome mix of flat and gloss black that speaks softly but carries a big stick.

The blocky styling of the original Buell—a curious mix of Sportster and Aprilia Moto 6.5—has given way to a lithe and insect-like stance, accentuated by tiny LED lighting front and rear.

It’s an acquired taste, but then again, so was the S1. I’ll take this version.

Images by Erick Runyon of Choppershotz. For commissions, bookings and fine art prints contact Erick here.

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Ehinger Kraftrad is a small German workshop based in Hamburg that builds intriguing vintage Harley-Davidsons. Run by Uwe Ehinger and Katrin Oeding, it’s called
 ‘Kraftrad’ rather than the usual ‘Motorrad’—because Motorrad generally means mass-produced goods. Whereas Ehinger Kraftrad specializes in very limited scale, high quality production.

Uwe Ehinger’s background is in racing, and this classy ‘Snow Racer’ is inspired by 1930s race bikes. The heart of the Snow Racer is a story in itself: it’s a 1946 U model engine fitted with 1936 VLH cylinders, giving a capacity of 80ci. The bottom end has been completely overhauled, with new bearings and refined balancing. The heads are from a 1948 ULH, reworked to improve performance and provide better cooling.

Further mods include tweaked camshafts, a Dell’Orto carburetor, and an unrestricted 30s-style exhaust system. (“It serves more as a directional guide for exhaust fumes than a means for reducing noise,” Ehinger notes wryly.)

A modified Baker 6-speed transmission was placed in the rigid frame. And then Ehinger developed a custom coupling for the primary drive, with a matching clutch basket. The brakes are also custom: the specialist manufacturer Behringer created one-off hubs for the Snow Racer’s 21” and 19” wheels, and inboard brakes were installed. Then Ehinger fitted a Harley VL fork—equipped with a custom triple tree—and in a moment of inspiration, a modified Yamaha TY80 gas tank.

The Snow Racer is a runner, and not a show bike. Ehinger Kraftrad’s other builds are just as unusual, but like this one, they’re eminently rideable too. Head over to the company’s very stylish website to discover more.

With thanks to Brian Awitan of Imogene + Willie.

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James Hammarhead needs no introduction here. One of the USA’s most thoughtful bike builders, he’s the creator of the Jack Pine—one of the most sought-after and usable custom bikes of recent years. This custom Moto Guzzi V7, nicknamed ‘Wayward,’ is Hammarhead’s latest creation: A one-off built with the official sanction of Moto Guzzi USA.

Although this bike is a 2010-model V7 Classic, its genesis can be traced back to the summer of 1975. “Late one evening, a friend of my father’s arrived riding a black Moto Guzzi V7 Sport,” says Hammarhead. “He’d flown in from England, bought the Guzzi in New York City and was headed west. Armed with only a map and a small tank bag, he was beginning a three-month odyssey that became legend in our house.”

As Hammarhead grew up and pursued the road himself, he steadily traded up for bigger and bigger adventure touring bikes. “But with each successively more modern motorcycle, the experience seemed slightly diminished. Then on a trip to Southeast Asia, I rode a beat up Honda XL185 for a few weeks. Traveling light with only a daypack and not much of a plan, I found myself back in the game. I began thinking about a Hammarhead bike that could excel at the urban commute—and also break free for fast and light travel.”

The ‘new’ Moto Guzzi V7 seemed ideal as a donor: A simple air-cooled V-twin, with modern electronic fuel injection and niceties such as an electric start. The challenge was to create a minimal motorcycle that remained at home on the long road. “We began the V7 Wayward project by stripping away layers of the bike to reveal the essential form. The bodywork was simplified, and as a result, the chassis could be freed from excess brackets and mounting tabs.”

Hammarhead replaced the large stock fenders with alloy units and the ancillary components were cleanly repackaged—with a simple black battery mounted low in the frame. The engine has not been internally modified, but performance benefits from high-flow K&N air filters, a free breathing custom exhaust and remapped fuel injection. Performance fork springs and rear shocks were fitted, and the bike rolls on Avon tires.

Up front, the stock headlight and instrument cluster have been swapped out for a classic 7-inch teardrop shell that carries a 48 mm MMB speedometer. The OEM cluster’s circuit board was retained and modified to output a remote low fuel warning light. To achieve a relaxed yet aggressive riding position, CR low bend bars, a Joker Machine bar end mirror and wide foot pegs were fitted. Hammarhead also cut and modified the rear sub-frame to integrate the rear turn signals and support a compact seat.

The tank finish on this prototype is bare steel, sealed with wax but otherwise natural. For real world durability, a small run of production bikes will get tanks with a phosphate wash and shot with PPG Flex N’ Flat clear coat. (Production Versions are likely to use 2013-and-up V7 Stone models as a base, and should be available for $15,500.)

The final element is a pair of waxed cotton panniers. Drawing on the design of the HHI Daypack, they’re made from Martinex Wax Army Duck, with a leather-reinforced bottom. “The shape and scale was inspired by the bags of the 1950s,” says Hammarhead. “An L-shaped internal aluminum frame supports the cargo and is hard mounted to the motorcycle at three points.” With a combined capacity of 16 liters, the bags are small by modern standards—but they’ll swallow a laptop, rain suit and workout gear for the weekday hustle. Or the essentials required for a long weekend of travel.

Or add a small tank bag, and never look back.

Head over to the HHI website for more of Hammarhead’s distinctive motorcycles, and follow his news via the HHI Facebook page.

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This lovely Triton is the latest from Loaded Gun Customs, the Delaware-based shop run by Kevin Dunworth. The story begins with a phone call from Dunworth’s tattoo artist brother, saying that the owner of the Baltimore Tattoo Museum wanted a Triton built. The starting point was to be an engine built by Arno St Denis, a legendary name in vintage Triumph circles.

Dunworth’s ears pricked up: St Denis was a machinist who worked on the engines of racer Hubert “Sonny” Routt. So he headed over to Baltimore to meet museum owner Chris Keaton, and examine the engine. It was pristine—“a true art piece,” says Dunworth. But the other parts for the build were bent, broken or rusty. “My heart sank,” recalls Dunworth. “But hey, at least he had that engine. Then from a box, he pulled the tank! That was all I needed to be re-energized.”

Dunworth chose the best of the bent frames, took it back to his Delaware workship, and put it on the jig. “I mounted it, and got the rear seat-stays heated and back in line. I then dropped the swing arm pivot one inch, and set the head tube at 25 degrees. That seems to be the magic number for vintage-size wheels for all-around performance.” Dunworth did his best to get an 11- to 13-degree swing arm angle as well: “Everything with a vintage bike is a compromise of educated guesses!”

On went a set of Atlas triple trees, and Commando fork legs, with a Commando hub laced to 19” anodized Sun rims by Buchanan’s. A matching 18” on the rear is laced to a Triumph conical hub.

The engine went into the frame using Loaded Gun’s own Triton conversion plates. (“We like to tilt the engine just a bit more than some of the others on the market.” Mikuni carbs and beautifully flowed intake manifolds release the full Arno St Denis magic, which includes a lightened crank and dynamic balancing. The motor is around 830cc, Dunworth estimates, has had a port job, and is running 10:1 pistons and a modified valve train.

“The primary machine work and the belt drive with polished clutch plate reveal that this is something special,” says Dunworth, “as well as a 60s bottom end with the ten-bolt head conversion. I like it because it most people just glance and say ‘cool,’ but the old dudes get down on one knee and start shaking their heads. At the Barber show, one guy said, “Did Arno do this engine? You know, what you got there is a real hot rod.”

The seat pan was hand-made by Dunworth and sent to Florida for finishing. “I wanted to give a nod to the Manx style, but get her tail up in the air bit, Euro style. The cro-mo bars are from Lossa Engineering, and a Buell master cylinder operates on Brembo brakes stolen from a wrecked Ducati 916. Hagon shocks fill out the back, the cloth-wrapped plug wires are from NYC Choppers, and footrests are taken care of with Loaded Gun’s own rearsets. The grips are super-sticky Ariete GPs.

The Triton is now Chris Keaton’s daily rider, used on the streets of Baltimore and the surrounding country roads, so Dunworth left much of the finish ‘raw.’ “The bike looked old and ridden as soon as we finished it.” And all the better for it, we’d say.

Head over to the Loaded Gun website to see more of Kevin Dunworth’s builds, and follow the progress of his builds on the Loaded Gun Facebook page.

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Many of the most successful motorcycle builders—the ones running a solid, profitable business—hit on a formula. It’s usually a combination of looks, components and fabrication that works well, and can be endlessly tweaked.

That’s the approach taken by AC Sanctuary, one of Japan’s most renowned builders. Their bikes are a masterclass in proportion, stance and performance. And although they’re expensive, a lot of people are prepared to pay the price.

The AC Sanctuary ‘Real Complete Machine’ concept strips a 70s muscle bike back to its component parts. It effectively gives you a ‘new’ motorcycle, as highly finished as one you’d ride out of a mainstream dealer showroom. This is the very latest build, RCM-242—a Kawasaki Z1 that would stop the traffic more than any contemporary MV Agusta.

The work is extensive, starting with a heavily modified and reinforced frame with a new chain offset. The steering neck, swingarm and bars are proprietary AC Sanctuary items. Handling is elevated still further by a fork from a ZRX1200, and the lightweight 17” wheels are Marchesini.

The blueprinted motor now breathes through Mikuni TMR 36 carburetion. It’s hooked up to a gorgeous Nitro Racing hand-bent steel megaphone exhaust system. The brakes are distinctly modern, with Brembo calipers, Nissin master cylinders and Sunstar disks.

RCM-242 costs ¥ 3.28m, which is around US$37,000. Will it give a modern superbike a run for its money on the racetrack? No. But 99% of the time, it’ll be more than adequate for a skilled rider.

Given the choice between a resto-mod Z1 and a plastic-clad superbike, I’d take the Sanctuary machine any day. Would you?

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One of the UK’s top custom and vintage motorcycle builders is The Baron’s Speed Shop, based in South London. They’re famous for their meticulous work on old British iron, both unit and pre-unit—plus the occasional custom build for personalities such as Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman.

This 1953 Triumph T100, however, is extra special. “The inspiration came from Bobby Sirkegian’s ‘Pretty Boy’ Triumph,” says Baron’s Dick Smith. “The bike is designed to compete in the Vintage Motorcycle Club’s sprint events held around the country.”

Baron’s started by working on the rigid frame, a factory item but with the lower rails stretched out a couple of inches. The motor has been very heavily reworked, with a lightened and balanced crank, billet conrods and 9:1 pistons. It’s also sporting lightened timing gear and the ubiquitous race-spec Triumph E3134 ‘Q’ cams. The magneto is an authentic Lucas racing component.

Fuel is fed by twin Amal Monobloc carburetors, with rubber-mounted remote float bowls. Spent gases exit via race headers mated to factory 3” megaphones. An uprated clutch handles the extra power, and being a sprint bike, it’s fitted with a close-ratio gearbox. A vintage Smiths chronometric tach monitors revs up to 10,000 rpm.

Rims are valanced Akronts, 21” at the front and 18” at the rear. The hefty Racemaster slick comes from M&H Tires, the company that “Wrote The Book On Traction.” Other neat touches are a modified Wassell aluminum rear fender, a custom fabricated catch tank and braided lines throughout. The peanut tank fromLowbrow Customs is one of the few ‘modern’ pieces, but fits the bill perfectly.

If you’re in the UK, keep an eye out for this machine at upcoming sprint races. The rest of you will have to content yourselves with the other fine builds on The Baron’s Speed Shop website and Facebook page.

With thanks to photographer Gary Margerum.

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Cafe Racer Dreams have made a name for themselves with classy Triumph and Honda customs. They’ve resisted the lure of Milwaukee so far, but as with most builders, there comes a time when you need to look at the Harley-Davidson Sportster.

The Harley brand is strong in Spain, but most customs are of the fringed leather variety. So CRD main man Pedro García decided to try a different approach, and at the same time, get the bike to corner well—by fitting 17” wheels. The result is CRD #21, nicknamed “The Stroke.”

The base bike is a 2008 XL1200, but it’s now running a tank from Storz Performance. The seat is custom-made, and fitted onto a modified rear frame. Storz supplied the pipes too, with breathing enhanced on the inlet side by K&N filters. The suspension has been upgraded with Öhlins components and the controls and brakes are from Performance Machine.

The headlight is now relocated well below the line of the bars, which sport LSL controls, and the foot controls are from Tarozzi. A complete repaint, including hand-lettering, finishes the job.

The XL1200 now looks much more compact and muscular, with a nose-down visual stance and more focus on the engine. Is this the sort of Sportster that Harley themselves should be making, do you think?

Previous CRD builds are in the Bike EXIF Archives. Keep up with CRD news on their Facebook page.

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