Pace Learn, February 26, 2023

Deus ex Machina returns to their roots with a no-nonsense Kawasaki W650. We additionally profile a Honda CB550 café racer, a Kawasaki KZ400 restomod and RGNT’s all-electric ice land pace record-breaker.

Kawasaki W650 by Deus ex Machina It looks like we don’t see that many Kawasaki W650 customs round as we used to, and extra’s the pity. The plucky little twin is a pleasure to experience; simple going with one of many best-looking engines round. And it’s enjoyable to customise, too.

Deus Ex Machina has been constructing {custom} W650s for the reason that Australian store’s early days. So it’s refreshing to see head wrench Jeremy Tagand return to the platform, with a tidy {custom} W650 nicknamed ‘Goldy.’

Should you’ve been following Deus’ work for some time, you’ll acknowledge a few of Jeremy’s signature W650 mods. The banana seat is a well-liked aftermarket half, whereas the handmade aspect covers recall Deus’ early W650 builds. An aluminum TT-style gasoline tank sits up high, with a cutout that traces a line excessive of the engine.

The inventory 19F/18R wheels are wrapped in dual-sport rubber from Pirelli, with chrome steel fenders floating above them. Jeremy’s seen to the W650’s greatest weak spot—its rear shocks—with a pair of custom-built Icon items.

Different upgrades embody a pair of DNA pod filters, and a two-into-one exhaust from SC Mission in Italy. The LED headlight is a Highsider half, the flip indicators and rear three-in-one LEDs are from Goal Constructed Moto, and the speedo’s Daytona merchandise. New handlebars put on Vans grips and Rizoma bar-end mirrors.

Compact and minimal, Goldy is the proper blueprint for anybody that desires to mod their W650, with out shedding an iota of its approachable nature. Extra of those please, Jeremy. [Deus ex Machina]

Honda CB550 by Skog Bikes It’s arduous to think about a greater donor for an archetypal café racer than a Honda CB. You possibly can argue that the brand new wave café racer scene was constructed on Honda CB750s, CB550s and CB450s.

This tidy Honda CB550 comes from Dave Skogerson in Seattle, Washington. It’s quintessential café fare; stripped to the naked necessities and “constructed to experience,” as he places it.

Sensibly, Dave kicked the challenge off with an engine rebuild. The heads have been ported and polished, the clutch was rebuilt with a Barnett package, and something past its sell-by date was changed. Dave ditched the airbox for a row of velocity stacks and fitted four-into-one headers from MotoGP Werks, then tuned the fueling to squeeze the utmost efficiency from the inline 4.

The Honda additionally had its wiring redone, and upgraded with a Motogadget controller, a contemporary ignition and a tiny Lithium-ion battery. The suspension was overhauled, with Hagon springs contained in the OEM forks and new Hagon shocks out again, and the wheels have been rebuilt. They put on trendy Continental ContiGo! treads, whereas plenty of tweaks to the brakes assist to sluggish them down.

Shedding weight was excessive on Dave’s agenda too, so he de-tabbed the body and put in light-weight aluminum yokes up entrance. The CB550 tank is the one piece of inventory bodywork remaining. The tail part is an aluminum unit from Bedlam Werks, and the aspect covers and fenders at the moment are within the bin.

The complete bike is delightfully minimalistic, sporting solely what it wants and nothing extra. Woodcraft clip-ons, a pair of aftermarket gauges and a traditional 5 3/4” headlight adorn the entrance, with tiny Motogadget flip indicators fitted at each ends. Tarozzi rear-sets spherical out the package.

The paint job is equally restrained. The CB is usually black, with a success of brown on the seat and tasteful Honda ‘wing’ logos on the tank. [Via]

Kawasaki KZ400 by Andy Greaser This 1978 Kawasaki KZ400 restomod belongs to longtime RevZilla Frequent Tread author, Andy Greaser. Andy’s identify has appeared in Frequent Tread bylines for about six years now, however he’s not too long ago left the crew to pursue new alternatives. And he’s going out with a bang—by utilizing his final article to function his very personal bike.

To be honest, Andy’s article isn’t actually about his bike. It’s about one thing else that we’re very obsessed with; images. Working with RevZilla employees photographer, Luke Darigan, Andy unpacks what it takes to fee a professional photographer to {photograph} your bike, with the categorical objective of getting it featured on web sites like Bike EXIF.

Utilizing Andy’s KZ400 as a mannequin, Luke delivers a set of textbook glamor pictures worthy of any web site or journal. Based mostly off that course of, Andy delivers sage recommendation to anybody that loves constructing {custom} bikes—however isn’t fairly positive current their work to a wider viewers. Whether or not you’re a builder or a photographer, it’s a must-read.

As for the bike itself—it’s as unassuming as it’s charming. It wears the gasoline tank from an older KZ400, with its pure patina left intact, with a ‘bread loaf’ seat that makes use of recycled materials from an outdated sizzling rod’s mushy high. The fiberglass fenders are Triumph components, and the rear shocks are aftermarket objects, scalped from a Sportster.

The engine was handled to a top-end rebuild, with a brand new clutch and a row of Mikuni VM carbs, tuned for midrange energy. Different adjustments embody new wiring, Renthal bars, a classic oil temp gauge, outsized exhaust flanges, and the Peterson Air Drive Base (now House Drive Base) parking sticker from the bike’s previous life.

It’s not a wild {custom} by any means—however Andy is aware of that. “I’d say this KZ400 is an ideal instance of a {custom} anybody may construct at residence with a MIG welder, some fundamental instruments, and a little bit know-how,” he says. “I took my time and tried all types of concepts earlier than discovering options I favored.”

“You may keep away from numerous frustration by being sincere about your motorbike. Don’t waste time, don’t waste cash, and don’t waste potential.” [Andy Greaser | Images by Luke Darigan]

RGNT units new electrical land pace file The Swedish electrical motorbike firm RGNT has simply set the brand new land pace file for an electrical motorbike on ice. And so they did it with a motorbike styled like a traditional café racer, no much less.

RGNT kicked off the ‘Aurora’ challenge with their very own RGNT No. 1 Basic SE mannequin. It’s successfully an electrical retro normal, with slick styling that wouldn’t look misplaced in a Triumph or Royal Enfield showroom. Working after hours and on weekends, they rebuilt it right into a café racer that’s extra racer than café.

The No. 1 Basic SE shed its unique seat and fenders, however stored its ‘gasoline tank.’ RGNT’s in-house crew fabricated a light-weight fairing to chop by the air, equipping it with an HMI race display screen. With studded tires, clip-ons to tuck the rider in tight, and a software program hack to unlock one other 9 kW from the motor, the crew was able to race.

RGNT headed to the Svenska Motorsport Alliansen-sanctioned and -licensed Pace Weekend in Årsunda, Sweden this weekend to take Aurora to the ice. With RGNT engineer Timmy Eriksson behind the bars, RGNT set three new information with this bike, and a bone inventory RGNT No. 1 Scrambler SE.

These information are the quickest electrical motorbike on ice (155.14 km/h), the quickest electrical A1 motorbike (135.03 km/h) and the quickest electrical motorbike manufacturing mannequin (114.3 km/h).

RGNT didn’t must make their bike look this gorgeous to set these information, however they did it anyway, as a result of aesthetics are baked into the corporate’s DNA. As their firm motto reads; “Journey clear. Journey in model. 100% electrical.” [RGNT Motorcycles]