Tuesday, May 3, 2011

blitzkrieg machines

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After decades in counterculture, Surf & Skate culture are a true industry nowadays.
A few brands got out of this game and settled in undeniable high quality surf regions. As our South West region, where after a start in Biarritz in the late 50's, spots have been continuously discovered all along the coast in the 60's.... as the now famous beach-break in Hossegor or Seignosse in "les Landes".
A very "West Coast" way of life naturely established there as numerous Americans and Australians exiles settled there.



Phil, like many others, came to live here, working for the brand "Element Skateboards".

He is as well a fan of motorbike and a certain custom culture, to the point that he created his own club: "Blitzkrieg machines". His bike comes directly from USA, it's a little TR5 Triumph bobber extremely simple though very well designed.

We have taken a few shots behind the dune of the famous local spot.

Phil is organizing the first meeting of his club next saturday evening at the Cream Café, and a ride earlier in the afternoon

As he warns:
"Just to set the record straight, we are gathering on may 7th in order to meet people who share the same intrest in vintage choppers, cafe racers, rock'n roll, punk rock, garage, 50's and 60's culture, and so on. If you wanna rock up with your brand new bike, expect to win some kinda prize, and don't share the same intrests, you might get bored and consider skipping this one. We just wanna share some drinks with cool people..."

Histoire de clarifier les chose, nous nous rassemblons le 7 mai pour rencontrer des gens qui partagent un même intérêt pour les choppers vintages, café racers, le rock'n roll, punk rock, garage, la culture 50's et 60's entre autres. Si vous vous pointez avec votre bécane neuve et espérez gagner des prix, vous vous trompez d'endroit et pourriez vous enmerder toute l' après midi. On veut juste boire un coup avec des gens cools qui partagent des intérêts communs.









See you on Saturday with your horse!


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Monday, May 2, 2011

2011 Benelli Tre 1130K

2011 Benelli Tre 1130K Review

2011 Benelli Tre 1130K is one motorcycle issued by the manufacturer Benelli with Streetfighterbike edition which supported the body design is comfortable to use. 2011 Benelli Tre 1130K has a engine capacity 1131 cc with Bore x Stroke: 88 x 62 mm and with engine type In line 3 cylinders, 4-stroke, liquid cooled , 4 valves per cylinder double overhead camshaft, with balancer shaft.
2011 Benelli Tre 1130K2011 Benelli Tre 1130K 1

2011 Benelli Tre 1130K2011 Benelli Tre 1130K 2

2011 Benelli Tre 1130K2011 Benelli Tre 1130K 3

2011 Benelli Tre 1130K2011 Benelli Tre 1130K 4

2011 Benelli Tre 1130K2011 Benelli Tre 1130K 5


2011 Benelli Tre 1130K - Specifications
American MSRP: See your local Benelli dealer for pricing
Canadian MSRP: See your local Benelli dealer for pricing

MOTORE / ENGINE

TIPO
3 cilindri in linea, 4 tempi, raffreddamento a liquido , 4 valvole per cilindro doppio asse a cammes in testa, con contralbero di equilibratura
TYPE
In line 3 cylinders, 4-stroke, liquid cooled , 4 valves per cylinder double overhead camshaft, with balancer shaft

CILINDRATA
1131 c.c.
DISPLACEMENT

ALESAGGIO x CORSA
88 x 62 mm
BORE x STROKE

RAPPORTO DI COMPRESSIONE
11,6:1
COMPRESSION RATIO

POTENZA MASSIMA
92 kW (123,4 cv) @ 9000 rpm
RATED OUTPUT

COPPIA MASSIMA
112 Nm (11.4 kgm) @ 5000 rpm
MAX. TORQUE

LUBRIFICAZIONE A carter umido
LUBRICATION Wet sump

CAPACITA’ TOTALE OLIO
4 lt
OIL CAPACITY

ALIMENTAZIONE Iniezione elettronica con tre corpi farfallati ø53 mm
FUEL SUPPLY Electronic injection with three throttle bodies ø53 mm

IMPIANTO DI SCARICO Con catalizzatore e sonda lambda
EXHAUST SYSTEM With catalytic converter and oxigen sensor

OMOLOGAZIONE
CERTIFICATION

FRIZIONE In bagno d’olio
CLUTCH Dry clutch with hydraulic command with slipper device

CAMBIO A 6 rapporti
GEARBOX 6 speeds

RAPPORTO PRIMARIA
44/79
PRIMARY DRIVE

RAPPORTI DEL CAMBIO
1° – 14/39
2° - 18/35
3° - 21/32
4° - 23/30
5° - 24/28
6° - 26/27
GEAR RATIO

TRASMISSIONE FINALE A catena, rapporto 16:34
FINAL DRIVE Chain drive, ratio 16:34

IMPIANTO ELETTRICO / ELECTRIC EQUIPMENT

ACCENSIONE
WALBRO ECUA-1
IGNITION

CANDELA
NGK CR9E
SPARK PLUG

AVVIAMENTO ELETTRICO
STARTING ELECTRIC

CICLISTICA / CHASSIS

TELAIO
Scomponibile, anteriore traliccio in tubi di acciaio, posteriore fusione in alluminio
FRAME Decomposable, front steel trestle, rear alluminium alloy casting

SOSPENSIONE ANTERIORE
Forcella upside-down con steli ø50 mm con regolazione idraulica in estensione, compressione e precarico molla
FRONT SUSPENSION
Ø50 mm upside-down fork, with idraulic extension / compression and spring preload adjustments

ESCURSIONE SOSPENSIONE
ANTERIORE 150 mm
FRONT SUSPENSION STROKE

SOSPENSIONE POSTERIORE
Forcellone oscillante a traliccio di tubi in acciaio, ammortizzatore regolabile nell’idraulica (estensione, compressione alte e basse velocità) e precarico molla, montato su cinematismo progressivo
REAR SUSPENSION
Steel tube trestle swingarm, rear dumper with idraulic adjustment (extension, high and low speed compression) and spring preload assembled with progressive link

ESCURSIONE SOSPENSIONE
POSTERIORE 144 mm
REAR SUSPENSION STROKE

FRENO ANTERIORE Doppio disco flottante ø320 mm con pinze radiali a 4 pistoncini
FRONT BRAKE Twin floating disk ø320 mm with radial 4 piston calipers

FRENO POSTERIORE Disco singolo ø240 mm con pinza a doppio pistoncino
REAR BRAKE Singol disk ø240 mm with double piston caliper

TIPO CERCHIO ANTERIORE In lega di alluminio
FRONT RIM TYPE Alluminium alloy

DIMENSIONI CERCHIO ANTERIORE
17”x3.50” DOT-D
FRONT RIM DIMENSIONS

TIPO CERCHIO POSTERIORE In lega di alluminio
REAR RIM TYPE Alluminium alloy

DIMENSIONI CERCHIO
POSTERIORE 17”x6.00” DOT-D
REAR RIM DIMENSION

PNEUMATICO ANTERIORE
120/70-ZR17
FRONT TYRE

PNEUMATICO POSTERIORE
180/55-ZR17 (190/50-ZR17)
REAR TYRE

DIMENSIONI / DIMENSIONS

LUNGHEZZA
2168 mm
LENGHT

LARGHEZZA SENZA SPECCHI
875 mm
WIDTH EXCLUDING MIRRORS

ALTEZZA SENZA SPECCHI
1255 mm
HEIGHT EXCLUDING MIRRORS

ALTEZZA SELLA
850 mm
SEAT HEIGHT

INTERASSE
1493 mm
WHEELBASE

ALTEZZA DA TERRA**
140 mm
GROUND CLEARANCE**

AVANCORSA
N.D.
TRAIL

INCLINAZIONE CANNOTTO STERZO
N.D.
STEERING PIPE ANGLE

MASSA A SECCO*
215 kg
UNLADEN WEIGHT*

MASSA IN ORDINE DI MARCIA**
240 kg
ROAD READY WEIGHT**

MASSA MASSIMA AMMISSIBILE
440 kg
PERMITTED TOTAL WEIGHT

CAPACITA’ SERBATOIO
22 lt
USABLE TANK VOLUME

RISERVA
4 lt
RESERVE

Why I'm Probably Not Going To Give You A Ride Anytime Soon

I was waiting for a green light when a young woman crossing the street asked me, in a shockingly loud voice, if I'd give her a ride. The response that came to mind was, "No, you look like an aspiring crackhead," but saying that out loud would have been rude.

Instead, I smiled politely and said, "Not today."

Undeterred, she asked, "How about tomorrow?"

Well, she was persistent, I have to give her that. I said, "We'll see," and the light turned green, giving me a perfect excuse to end the conversation.

If I, by some stroke of fate, run into her tomorrow, I'm still not going to give her a ride. I hope that doesn't make me a bad person.

The young woman I encountered today is hardly the first woman I've never met before to ask when I'll give her a ride. It happens frequently. I'm sure most of you have had the same experience: someone in the general areas spots your bike, and asks for a ride.* I always smile and say no.

It's not like I don't want to share the joy of riding with new friends (or old friends, for that matter). Riding is great! Everyone should do it.**

Riding is great, but great passengers are few and far between. I can think of one passenger who hasn't done something to terrify me at speed, and that's because she'd been a passenger with other riders in the past, so she understood the "sit there without flailing around and hang on" principle completely. Other passengers I've had have done things like lean the wrong way in turns after I'd explicitly told them to lean with me.

There's nothing like the taste of adrenaline in your mouth when you think you're going to wad the bike with a passenger on the back. I've learned my lesson. If I don't know that I can trust a passenger to behave, they don't get on.

Another thing is that the Triumph isn't really built for passengers. If you're taller than five and a half feet, we're both going to have a rough time. So unless you're a tiny, tiny person, the rear seat and foot pegs are really just for show. If I had a bigger bike like a Goldwing, one where we'd both have a bit of space, I might feel differently.

But another issue, and it's a big one, I have with giving rides is a little more personal: I don't really like it when people I know well get in my personal bubble. If I don't know you, forget it. Going for a ride with a passenger, on the Speed Four, is like getting a prolonged hug. If I'm not one hundred percent comfortable with a passenger, they aren't getting on. There are very, very few people I don't mind having pressed up against me. If I'm not comfortable with the passenger, I'm going to be distracted, and that's not safe for either of us.

So it's nothing against you, possible crackhead stranger, but I'm probably not going to give you a ride.




*Would you hop on the motorcycle of a total stranger? Seems like volunteering for a really bad experience to me, but then, I'm sort of the cautious type.


**Until it becomes apparent that, maybe, they should not actually ride.

"Revival" By Nick Clements

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If you ask me today: "What do you consider as the supreme luxury?"

I would say quitting the job in the middle of the week, on a wednesday evening, leaving behind me all the everyday problems and being teleported with a few friends in London with the intention to see "Revival", the photo show by Nick Clements.

For this new show, recounting his past long years career of photographic researches eventually ending in a Master Degree at The Royal College of Art, Nick has gathered a selection of what he does the best.

For , beside photography, Nick works on his new denim vintage garments collection which we will be soon honored to distribute.

As usual during that kind of events, we get a full load of new encounters of wonderful people. This is not virtual and time goes by too fast....

At the entrance a few dozens of vintage and custom machines, all true and oily, illustrate very well the kind of evening we are about to live.

Thank you Nick, for this great moment of motorcycle culture.


















Sue & Sean "the Rocketeer"











Phillipson Steven











Nick Clements


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Finally!


I like to keep it just about MotorCycles, but...

Sunday, May 1, 2011

White Bear 120


This really cool photo was among the first batch of shots Joe Hurst sent me. It was taken at Bonneville on the way home from his cross country trip with Dick Allen in 1973, hence all the gear he's packing. Joe says once they were on the salt, they just "got it on". It was taken by Dick's female passenger. Dick had Sportster gauges (speedo and tach), on Loco-Motion and said it was pegged at 120 mph.