I’m using Thanksgiving break to catch up on some stories that I’ve let slip! Did you see my recap from the Quail? Good – now here’s a picture gallery from this year’s Handbuilt Motorcycle Show.
Photos by yours truly and Nathan May.
The show formally ran from Friday to Sunday, but there was a “Kickstart Party” on Thursday to get people in the mood. While the venue was gorgeous, I didn’t really enjoy it as a bike display. But that was my mistake – the bikes would be on full display at the show starting the next day. I should have just used the Kickstart Party as an opportunity to say hi to friends and meet new people.
Here’s a few of the bikes that were on hand at the Kickstart Party:
“The Killer” by Craig Rodsmith. This picture actually hides the most interesting thing about the bike…we’ll come back to it.
The Six by Revival Cycles.
Also by Revival, the Birdcage – a custom designed to show off the Concept R18 motor that has recently been confirmed for production. In fact, BMW just released the output numbers a day or so ago: 91 horsepower, 116 lb-ft of torque.
Gotta love the guy in the background who’s emulating the riding position!
Guests who took the stairs all the way to the top of the castle were rewarded with a less-crowded bar and a beautiful view of Downtown Austin.
We caught some practice for a Hooligans race…
…as well as someone entertaining the crowd with stunts on his Husqvarna.
Sometimes, the picture doesn’t tell the whole story.
The show is always a treat after a long day at Circuit of the Americas.
For the last couple of years, the Handbuilt Show has happened at the Austin American-Statesman – doesn’t sound like it would work, but it does!
An impressive typo:
One of the best bikes of the show was Gregor Halenda’s BMW R100GS. I may be slightly biased as he found the start to his project here on Bike-urious, but it’s nice to see a custom that looks good and rides well. If I could have left with one bike from the show…
Revival likes to get Makoto Endo to paint a featured bike during the show each year – this year’s subject was the Birdcage.
Another custom based around the R18 engine – the “Departed” from Custom Works Zon in Japan.
A Jacwal Superwedge on a classic Guzzi!
Nathan’s excited about the new FTR – though we still haven’t had a chance to actually try it yet. I’ve ridden one…but it was only on a track.
I’m just as excited about the “Baby Black Bomber”. Built by Chris Tope of Utopeia Moto Company, it’s a Honda Z50 with a 88cc big bore kit, ’64 CZ100 gas tank, 30mm forks, stretched swingarm, and a few other modifications to make it look like a tiny Black Bomber. Check out this shot of the Z50 with a CB450!
Back to Craig Rodsmith’s bike, “The Killer”.
See where the engine is?
There’s shades of the Megola here, but Craig built a motor out of three identical 60 cc two-stroke engines, for which he created a unified crankcase. For more information, check out Craig’s site!
It’s yet another bike that was commissioned by the Haas Moto Museum. Look at the exhaust!
Some of the bikes had a mirror underneath. Here’s the underside of The Killer, a bike that doesn’t need to have any drive to the rear wheel.
The Majestic 2029 from Fuller Moto.
It’s a modern take on the 1929 Majestic. The new bike was commissioned by the Haas Moto Museum.
This 1954 Gilera 150 Sport was built by Pete Chase of Cafe Cycles in Rhode Island. The info card that the builder filled out says this bike is named “Bella Tino” and that “this build was intended to be as simple as the engine it’s built around. It was a 100 hour build that utilized the original engine, hubs, fuel tank, but everything else was handmade or upgraded with slightly more modern Italian parts.”
Good Dog Intermission.
Some details that I liked:
After a long day of shooting at the track and at the show, Nathan got to relax on a couch for a bit in the VIP area and admire the Revival J63.
Alright, it’s time to wrap this up. Conveniently, Makoto’s finished, too!
See you there next year?
