Pace Learn, April 2, 2023

A contemporary Kawasaki Z900RS will get the AC Sanctuary therapy this week, adopted by a wild Yamaha RD400 avenue tracker. On the again half of our round-up; a Triumph Avenue Twin prepped for flat observe racing, and a twin-turbo BMW R100 destined for a museum.

Kawasaki Z900RS by AC Sanctuary Out for just a few years now, the Kawasaki Z900RS is a contemporary basic that riffs off the nostalgia of Kawasaki’s 70s period—particularly, the long-lasting Z1. It’s a strong effort from Large Inexperienced, however, like many trendy bikes, there isn’t a complete lot of room for personalization. Until you’re AC Sanctuary, in fact.

The Japanese powerhouse by no means fails to impress with their hopped-up basic huge 4 Kawasaki restomods. They’ve constructed virtually 600 bikes as a part of their ‘RCM’ (‘Radical Development Manufacture’) collection already. However that is the primary time they’ve utilized the RCM philosophy to the Kawasaki Z900RS.

From a distance, RCM-534 doesn’t look too dissimilar from a inventory Z900RS, albeit with a particularly high-end paint job. However AC Sanctuary’s genius turns into extra obvious the nearer you get.

For starters, the Kawasaki’s metal trellis body has been augmented with one thing it didn’t have earlier than—decrease body rails, added to enhance the chassis’ rigidity. There’s additionally reinforcement on the swingarm pivot, and a widened aluminum swingarm. And the excellent news for customizers, is that these specific mods can be made accessible in equipment type.

The Z900RS additionally sports activities Öhlins suspension at each ends, attractive OZ Racing wheels, Brembo brake calipers and Sunstar discs.

The engine stays inventory inside (it’s no slouch), but it surely’s been handled to a high-performing aluminum radiator, and a titanium four-into-one exhaust from Nitro. And should you’re ordering your individual Z900RS-based RCM, AC Sanctuary can spec it with a row of Mikuni carbs too, should you’d like.

Smaller mods embody a {custom} rear brake caliper bracket, upgraded risers, bars and levers, CNC-machined headlight ears and a fender delete equipment. As for the aforementioned paint job, it’s a delicate hat-tip to the Z1 of previous. [Via]

Yamaha RD400 by Gaston Motorbike Werks Sifting via the packing containers at an property sale a while in the past, the staff at Gaston Motorbike Werks struck pay dust. The girl holding the sale had simply misplaced her husband, and among the many crates have been the bits and items of a Yamaha RD400. Extra particularly, a coveted 1979 Yamaha RD400F Daytona.

The staff supposed to revive it to its former glory, however didn’t fairly get round to it. Then the right buyer for it got here alongside—and what began out as a tidy restomod grew to become a full-blown {custom} avenue tracker.

There’s quite a bit to absorb right here. One of many huge concepts was to ditch the RD400’s basic twin-shock rear suspension. So GMW tailored a Eighties Yamaha RD250LC swingarm to the bike, then fabricated a brand new subframe and higher shock mount.

The entrance forks are Ceriani GP replicas, held in place by {custom} yokes and aided by a steering damper. The wheels characteristic Borrani rims and drum brake hubs; the 4 leading-shoe Robinson twin brake unit on the entrance is especially drool-worthy.

The engine’s been handled to a crank rebuild by HVC Cycles, new Wiseco pistons, Lectron carbs and extra. Then there’s the chrome steel Jim Lomas exhaust system, terminating in twin carbon fiber mufflers. (Severely, pause for a second to take it in.)

Wearing flat observe garb, with extensive bars to match, the RD400 is completed off with a easy gray and blue palette. With lights and a cleverly-integrated Motogadget speedo, this zesty two-stroke most likely isn’t destined for the observe. And that’s completely fantastic with us; we are able to’t consider a greater whip to hop from café to café on. [Via]

Triumph Avenue Twin by British Customs I’ve simply put a pre-owned Triumph Bonneville in my storage—so, naturally, I’ve been scouring our on-line world for elements. And no British twin elements expedition can be full, and not using a go to to British Customs’ on-line retailer.

Trawling their archives, I got here throughout this Triumph Avenue Twin. Constructed just a few years in the past, it belongs to 2000 AMA Professional Flat Observe champion Joe Kopp, who modified it to run within the American Tremendous Hooligan flat observe race collection.

The dual-cylinder trendy basic wears British Customs’ bolt-on ‘Slammer’ seat, with a set of high-mounted twin exhausts modified to run on the appropriate. It rolls on 19” wheels, with a set of Fox shocks propping up the rear. The gas tank is inventory, however the headlight’s been ditched in favor of a quantity board.

Up within the cockpit, Joe fitted British Customs’ ‘Tracker’ handlebar equipment, full with risers that sport 4 bolts per facet. He modified the controls too, however needed to depart the speedo related, or else the bike wouldn’t run. A handful of smaller add-ons spherical out the construct, like Bates-style pegs, a drilled chain guard and a finned clutch badge.

As Triumph flat trackers go, we’ve seen wilder. However what makes this construct so charming, is its grassroots vibe. By taking a bone inventory Avenue Twin and throwing a bunch of function-first, race-specific mods at it, Joe and British Customs have encapsulated the ‘run what ya’ brung’ nature of hooligan flat observe racing.

However is it aggressive? Positive is. From what we are able to dig up, Joe rattling close to received the championship within the 12 months that he fielded the Avenue Twin. [More]

Bought: twin turbo BMW R100 by Boxer Metallic Very long time {custom} bike followers ought to acknowledge this gold-hued boxer. Constructed by Boxer Metallic in California, it broke the web when it first popped up seven years in the past. And it’s simply offered on Deliver a Trailer, for the tidy sum of $23,500.

Run by the husband and spouse staff of Chris and Rebecca Canterbury, Boxer Metallic initially constructed the BMW R100 to enter it into the One Present in Portland. It’s a knockout construct—the spotlight of which is undoubtedly the 2 turbo chargers that encapsulate the boxer engine.

The mods are infinite. There’s the numerous items that make up the turbo system run, plus the stretched and slammed hardtail body. It rolls on a 21” spoked entrance wheel and a modified 18” Lester alloy rear wheel, with a M&H Racemaster drag slick doing responsibility out again.

A Dnepr gas tanks sits up prime, completed in an unforgettable gold metal-flake paint. The custom-made leather-based seat sits atop a one-piece seat pan and rear fender. Increase gauges are embedded into the again of the gas tank, simply in entrance of the rider’s groin. It’s a surprising machine, little question.

However probably the most notable element, is the place the bike’s headed. After every week of bidding, the BAT person Seriousvintagecollector got here out on prime. A look at his profile reveals that he’s just lately snapped up a 1959 BMW R26, a 1962 BMW R27, a 1964 BMW R69S, two 1967 BMW R60/2s, a handful of Nineteen Seventies R-series BMWs and extra.

Highlights of his present assortment embody a 1936 NSU 601 with a Royal Seitenwagen sidecar, and a 1957 BMW Isetta 300 that price him a cool $50,000. He’s greater than only a passionate collector although—as soon as he’s amassed sufficient automobiles, he’s planning to open a museum, both in Georgia or South Miami.

By the appears of issues, he’s off to a cracking begin. [Boxer Metal]