Cafe Racer Season 3 DVD Now Available

Via Dime City Cycles

I enjoy this show a lot. I prefer the vintage builds and everyday man interviews with mechanics rather than the super-slick new designs, but I think there's a lot for cafe-style motorcycle fans. Season three is now available on DVD at Dime City Cycles.

Classic Living Room Designed by Timothy Oulton

I went to work this morning and when I got back, my wife had rearranged the furniture... I like it. 

designed by Timothy Oulton

Lower the Boom! Bring Back the Enfield Model G

Reading David Blasco's excellent Royal Enfield blog about the new Hitchcock's rigid Royal Enfield frame got me thinking. Something is missing from this modification. The bike looks exactly like a standard Bullet, only now it's removed all the comfort of a swingarm rear end.

I always preferred the lower, longer, sleeker stance of the 1940s generation of motorcycles. I guess that's why I'm drawn to bobbers.  The 1955-present Enfield has a funky frame that is supported in part by the engine itself which can make it trickier to add a standard hardtail frame mod like those made for Triumphs and Yamaha XS650s at suppliers like Lowbrow Customs. Hitchcock's realized this and spent a lot of time creating a high-quality rigid rear end... which doesn't seem to change the look of the bike at all.

I decided to look at Enfields, old vs new. You may know that the Royal Enfield Bullet was a design almost completely unchanged from 1955-2008 when the company finally redesigned the engine. Below you'll see a comparison between the 1940s and the 1950s (modern) eras of Enfield motorcycles. The 40s was a little longer and much lower. The 50s were more compact and a lot higher in the center.

Old Empire Motorcycles comes closer to a lower bobber look. Check out their custom Enfields.

I love my Enfield. If I were going to drop some cash on a proper hardtail frame mod, which I would in a second, I would want it to have about a 3-4 inch drop, bringing the center of the bike, the gas tank, engine, and seat lower, closer to the feel of say a 1940 Enfield Model G. You would, of course also need to shorten and possibly rake the forks a bit as well. Or replace the entire front end with a girder fork.

Or Royal Enfield could just reproduce the entire Model G frame!

I'll keep dreaming.

1940 Royal Enfield Model G

1955-2008 Royal Enfield Bullet (My own)

A comparison of the last two generations of Royal Enfields

Some really great, desktop-worthy, color photos from Germany, circa 1953. Several more at The Velobanjogent.

via Velobanjogent

The Dead Shall Ride Again

Happy Halloween.

Ride Safe

Gearhead-Racing Photos

Lots of good stuff at the galleries of Gearhead-Racing! Here are some British highlights.

Machine Video Feature

'Machine' is a portrait of a man and his machines. A quick glance into a lifestyle, free of excess, and how that ethos influences a motorcycle build. It demonstrates the pursuit of knowledge to make things by hand and with tools and machines.

via: Reelhouse

Federico Fellini: Roma Motorcycle Scene

1972's The Thing With Two Heads

"They transplanted a WHITE BIGOT’S HEAD onto a SOUL BROTHER’S BODY!

The doctor blew it – the most fantastic medical experiment of the age. And now, with the fights, the Fuzz, the chicks and the choppers…Man, they’re really in deeeeep trouble!" 

Yep. I'd guess they are. 

aaa

Thunder City Rockers Shirts are here

New design inspired by British excellence! Thunder City Rockers t-shirts are available now at www.HerMajestysThunder.com

2012 Distinguished Gentleman's Ride

It was a beautiful day for riding in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA where distinguished gentlemen (and lady) thundered through downtown and across the countryside. The newly distinguished gentleman Adam Hawks did a great job organizing the event even if he did "look like he was going to church in Atlanta" as one rider put it. I thought his suit was... mesmerizing (see below).

There were too many distinguished characters to choose from, but two came out on top. Scott - the hideous girl in the kilt, and Mac. He had a pipe and a flower.

Adam Hawks

A well-done Lucozade drink advert from 1998 depicts a group of mods gathering on the morning of May 18, 1964 heading to Brighton for a get together. The story foreshadows that some rockers had the same idea, as they pass the mods going the same direction.

The rockers have barely a full second of air time, but I think it makes them cooler that way.

New Blitz Motorcycles Film

Just yesterday I was thinking, "I wonder when those Blitz guys are going to do another film." No lie.

And here it is...

https://vimeo.com/49445992#

Great photos at the production blog too.

$10 Clearance Sale

Check out HMT's clearance sale. Some shirts only 10 bucks.

Rockerman #34

via OleHarland

Goodbye Helmet

The other day I was riding along and suddenly I have no shifter. I pulled over, walked for a couple miles to see where it fell off - couldn't find it anywhere. I walk my bike over to the grocery parking lot and call the tow truck. We load up the bike, have some interesting conversation, drive off. I'm a dummy. I left my helmet in the lot right in a corner where I'd gently set it down. Once I realized I didn't have it with me, I shot back over and it was gone. Vintage helmet, great condition, with the most perfect fit and exquisite cue-ball ivory color that I'd searched for for months. My Halcyon goggles were not cheap either. Thanks jerkface.

Bring the Thunder

 Dan "Porkchop" Raleigh is serving overseas, representing HMT with our patches. We are honored and appreciate your service, Dan. Stay safe, brother.

"Chris, I took some photos with the patches on my uniform (not sure if the Army would accept sponsorship or not, but I think the look could catch on!) - I think the patch with the 'Airborne' tab works well. Perhaps the HMT Airborne Battalion... I'll see if I can recruit some mates. Couple more bike pics for you from the past couple weeks. Found an abandoned bike outside an Afghan base and gave it a bit of attention....got it up and running! Score a victory for the US. I gave it over to the Afghan army when I was done and I think they thought I was a wizard of some sort.
Cheerio and all the best
- Chop"