A comment on another post led me to Gravel Crew Custom Service. These bikes are stunning. After looking at some of the new bikes coming out this year and then looking at these, there’s just no comparison. (Like, for instance, the Ducati streetfighter, …) Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, these are absolutely beautiful. Clean, simple, functional, just plain nice. With the cold weather setting in for those of us in the northern climates, these sure could get the creative juices going for the start of some garage projects, don’t you think? Wow!
Link: Gravel Crew via Bubblevisor
todd says
Nice stuff here, though definitely limited to a particular theme.
BTW, these things are fun and rewarding to build, easy enough to do yourself and save $10k
-todd
mark says
Nice looking bikes and I agree it would be fun to build a bike like this rather than buy one built. I would install rear view mirrors so the bikes would be usable on the street rather than just show queens.
sanglant says
I’ve always thought it was pretty foolish compare bikes like these to modern production bikes, like the Ducati Streetfigher. The performance drubbing they would take from the modern bike aside, these customs aren’t going to be legal to ride in most places. They’re also lawsuits waiting to happen (no fenders, chain guards, etc.). I’d be willing to bet they won’t pass emissions tests, either. If an unrestrained customizer can’t do better, especially if performance isn’t important, then they need to give their tools to someone else.
kneeslider says
sanglant – “foolish to compare bikes like these to modern production bikes”
Maybe so, but there are some bikes made today that get a lot closer to the clean and simple lines of these customs, the Moto Guzzi V7 Classic is part way there, and others that don’t spring to mind immediately.
The Ducati Streetfighter is on another performance planet, that’s for sure, but I have to think it could have been a bit less busy looking.
hobomike says
Yeah, maybe it’s a bit of an apples and oranges comparison, that’s why most of us have a few bikes in the garage, right? 🙂
But there’s also a consumerist vs. craftman thing going on. Factory specials are nice but I think the true soul and history of motorcycling has always been about DIY. Geez, you didn’t have a choice but to be involved with your machine until the Japanese bikes of the ’70s. Today, many bikes, like cars, are just appliances. Just add gas and go. Throw away for the new model. My daily commuter is an FZ1 which I bought precisely because it’s a bullet-proof appliance. Weekends though, I’ll take something that I strapped, welded and screwed together and maybe even slighty leaky.
FREEMAN says
@ sanglant – since we were all complaining about how ugly the ducati streetfighter was, the comparison i’m sure was purely of the appearance between these bikes rather than anything else.
Jeff says
Aw heck . Who cares what some people think . These are pretty neat and they stand out from the me too Vee Twin crowd . Dare to be different . 😉
lennyway says
hey thanx for the link dude!
gravel crew kicks ass!
christopher says
gorgeous. get the creative juices flowing? job done. thanks again kneeslider!
Phoebe says
It’s bikes like these that I feel are the “essence” of motorcycling. All of them are beautiful. I would love to see more bikes like these here in the US. Heck, I would like to see *any* bikes like these in the US!
We’re too obsessed with V-twin cruisers and sportsbikes though to notice these =(
Adam says
I am in love with this style of bike. Totally.
Who can help me reverse engineer that second bike with the white tank and the diagonal stitched brown seat? I have a nice running but crummy looking 1972 CB450 in that is going to get that treatment this winter.
I’m guessing, but:
Lowered front and rear suspension…
Old school dunlops… (can I put those on my rims?)
Flat track tank.
Custom seat.
Bobbed fenders.
Let’s hear it…
jhase says
Does anyone know who makes the tires on the first pictured bike? My cb750 needs those. Love em!
hoyt says
saglant: “The performance drubbing they would take from the modern bike aside”…
kneeslider: “The Ducati Streetfighter is on another performance planet, that’s for sure….”
Sanglant, while I agree with you on performance of these bikes would be incomparable to the new Ducati (e.g. one example above has one rear drum brake), I disagree if the “performance” point of reference is further defined. Paul has discussed something like “Accessible Performance” at great length within his site.
Where/how do you measure performance? It can’t be measured solely by limited areas such as track times and stat sheets. You can’t even measure it by adding “streetbike performance” as a 3rd criteria.
What kind of ‘street’ ?
“Performance” should be further measured by the street that provides the most enjoyment for an intended style of riding.
Most readers hear tend to ‘lean’ towards sport riding (no pun intended). So, let’s assume we are riding through the hills or mountains with 50+ miles of 20-30 mph suggested curves ahead of us….
I run a 2002 V11 Sport Guzzi (1064 cc). Albeit, this bike has modern suspension and brakes unlike the bikes above, however, its heavy, air/oil cooled motor breathes via 2-valves per jug, actuated by pushrods with final shaft-drive sapping power to the rear wheel.
“Performance” ?
Yes, it performs comparably where the road matters most, where motorcycling is the most fun going from one corner to the next. (even with fairly equal rider skills on both bikes).
I’ve done it. The Guzzi proved itself in the mountains against an R6, Yamaha 750, and R1 by using great torque, good brakes, and a good gearbox. When I was done, it kept on giving when it was parked because of its clean style.
This topic underscores the need for air-cooled bikes to be further engineered and produced not only for their real world performance but also, as Paul mentions, for the sake of style.
Very nice bikes in this post.
hoyt says
The topic also calls for OEMs to seriously step up their game when it comes to styling a liquid-cooled ‘naked’ sportbike.
Liquid-cooled cruisers aren’t allowed to get away with mess, neither should bikes like the Tuono, Monsters, and now the Streetfighter
todd says
Adam, I think the tank on the second bike is from a ’76-’82 Yamaha RD250.
That’s the great thing about bikes; they all pretty much have the same components in all the same places with minor variations on how they go together. It sure makes it easy to swap around what you want. Having a barn packed full of junked bikes doesn’t hurt either…
-todd
tim says
I love this stuff and would never have found it on my own.
Thanks for ensuring my work day is entirely unproductive! 🙂
kim scholer says
Hmm, have I seen this style somewhere before? Bratstyle in Japan, Deus in Australia, Wrenchmonkees in Denmark etc. etc. Pretty soon there’ll be one in every country, but that’s fine. Nice alternative to expensive H-D choppers, and a good way to recycle old Jap iron.
mjansen says
compare them to what you want, those are just plain cool.
Den says
Great bikes, I do agree that some conveniences like mudguards would not go astray.
Adam,
Firestone make retro tread pattern tires in a variety of sizes and I believe that is what is fitted to these bikes. Whatever you do, DO NOT fit real vintage tyres, the rubber deteriorates and they will KILL YOU.
I am in oz but if you are in the US these guys should help you out:
http://www.universaltire.com/cart.php?target=category&category_id=291
Good luck with your project old Hondas rock!
Motorod says
C’mon folks! You can buy cool bikes that actually run rather cheaply off the craigslist and fix ’em up pretty easily. It’s not like there are shortages of spares, and there are a hundred salvage yards around that specialize in supporting this sort of endeavor. Plus there’s the moto swap meets, garage sales and owners groups to help you get these back and keep them on the road. Think of all the new friends and acquaintances you’ll make for your spouse (or partner) to complain about!
You can upgrade the suspension and braking in order to take advantage of advances in tire technology not available when these bikes were new. You’d never imagine that 40 HP could be so much fun!