The smell of two-stroke oil lingers in the air, courtesy of Roland Sands Design’s razor-sharp custom Yamaha RD400. We also profile a Triumph Bonneville T100 café racer, the new Triumph Rocket 3 Evel Knievel Limited Edition, and a collection of nine Kawasaki Z1R-TC turbos.
Yamaha RD400 by Roland Sands Design Yamaha’s two-stroke RD platform has been the basis of many great custom projects. This absolutely stunning Yamaha RD400 comes from none other than Roland Sands Design and was built for a friend of the shop’s founder and namesake, Roland Sands.
The bike had previously belonged to Roland’s friend’s late brother, so it was decided that the old RD400 should be rebuilt to honor his memory. It arrived in crates at the RSD workshop in Long Beach, California, but it didn’t stay that way for long.
Starting up front, a pair of Yamaha R6 forks were set in place, with the R6’s lower fork clamp and a custom top clamp. An Indian FTR donated its LED headlight and brackets, and the bike now rolls free on lightweight Dymag wheels. The R6 brakes were also carried over with a Brembo master cylinder added for good measure.
The billet swingarm is from Trac Dynamics, as are the alloy axle adjusters. Fully adjustable rear shocks from Gears Racing keep the sticky Dunlop Q5 tires planted firmly on the ground. Rear set footpegs are another custom item, allowing for more control and cornering clearance.
The stock Yamaha RD400 tank was rescued from the scrap heap, and was paired with a TZ750 tail unit and the factory side covers. The custom blue flake paint and iconic Yamaha speedblocks have the RD looking like a tasty snack, and we love the racy lines of the tail and custom black seat.
The engine was sent off to Ed Toomey for a full rebuild, but this is an RSD bike so there was no way the engine was coming back built to factory specs. It got a new crank and top end, which was ported and polished. 28 mm Keihin carburetors and a new reed valve assembly were added, and the heads were lightly worked.
The transmission was refined with back-cut gears and a new clutch. The Erv Kanemoto-inspired expansion chamber exhausts were terminated with ERV mufflers and painted black to match the freshly coated engine.
From a box of bits to one of the best RD customs we’ve seen in a long while, we’re sure Roland’s friend is pleased [Source]
Triumph Bonneville T100 by Marc Benoist Marc Benoist has been wrenching on motorcycles in his spare time for some years, with Harley-Davidsons his usual fare. But when he set out on his newest project, he opted for something a little different—a 2014-model Triumph Bonneville T100 café racer, inspired by classic race bikes from the 60s and 70s.
The star of the show is the reproduction fairing, care of Motoforza in the Czech Republic. It’s mounted to the bike with custom brackets and finished with an LED headlight and Motogadget LED turn signals. Woodcraft clip-on bars are clamped to the forks, with Motogadget glassless mirrors, Biltwell grips, and aftermarket ASV levers.
The fiberglass tail unit is custom, as is the brown leather seat, which was stitched by Larson Custom Upholstery. There are more Motogadget goodies out back, mounted on the factory fender that Marc retained for practicality-sake. Both rider and passenger pegs were upgraded with Puig parts, and the rear shocks are from Öhlins.
To match the rear, the front fork internals were swapped out with Öhlins parts. The engine remains stock, but Marc couldn’t help but upgrade the ECU with a fresh tune to sort out the factory fueling. A fresh set of Excel rims were laced to the stock hubs with black spokes for a touch of modernity.
Marc wanted to stay true to Triumph’s British roots, but to be different he didn’t paint it British Racing Green. Instead, he opted for a custom PPG royal blue with gold detailing, with a black finish on the exhaust… and it looks absolutely stunning. [Source]
For sale: A Kawasaki Z1R-TC collection What makes something with an engine about 635 times more fun? A turbocharger, of course. Thanks to the Porsche 930 Turbo, turbos were all the rage back in 1978—and Kawasaki sat up and took notice.
Whether it was a stroke of genius or madness, the head honchos at Kawasaki thought it would be a good idea to take their already fast (for the time) Z1R and slap a big snail on it. A new exhaust was fitted to accommodate the ATP turbo, and with it went an adjustable wastegate and an open exhaust. A boost gauge was added to the dashboard and very loud TC graphics adorned the bodywork. The standard Z1-R is a fantastic-looking machine, but the turbo and paint scheme turned it up to 11.
Incredibly, new owners were made to sign a liability waiver before purchasing a Z1R-TC—which, in hindsight, just made people want them more. The marketing department probably went on a three-week bender when the Kawasaki accountants allowed this. The turbo boosted the output to 130 hp, which was straight-up madness in 1978.
For all their outlandish power and good looks, people did have a great time blowing them up on the drag strip or crashing them on the road thanks to their underwhelming braking and handling. This makes this collection of nine Z1R-TCs a rare thing. Made up of seven originals, one TC clone, and one supercharged Z1R, they are all being offered for sale by collector Johnny Bohmer on eBay.
The price may be high, but you can bet your bottom dollar that you (and eight friends) will have an absolute blast on these. [Source]
Triumph Rocket 3 Evel Knievel Limited Editions Another month, another limited edition Triumph. This is the Triumph Rocket 3 Evel Knievel Limited Edition, which Triumph describes as ‘bold and unmistakable.’ Forgive us if we seem a little drab—we’re just a bit Triumph limited edition-fatigued.
Inspired by the legendary Evel Knievel—who rode a handful of Triumphs before becoming synonymous with the Harley-Davidson XR750—the Triumph Rocket 3 gets a full chrome tank, an embroidered leather seat, laser-etched rocker cover, and brushed aluminum Triumph badges.
Lucky owners will receive an exclusive hardback book, which will be individually numbered and signed by Triumph CEO, Nick Bloor. There are just 500 examples available, with 250 Rocket 3 R and 250 Rocket 3 GT models both receiving the Evel Knievel treatment.
Being a Triumph, we all know it’s going to be beautifully finished. The stars and stripes livery on the chrome tank is not too over the top, so it’s actually quite nice. The gold Evel Knievel signature on the radiator shroud and seat is another nice touch, but the EK startup sequence on the dashboard is a bit much. Compared to the standard Rocket 3 Storm, which is all black, the EK edition adds a touch more color and style.
To go with that style is the bonkers 2,458 cc inline triple engine that pumps out 180 hp. The torque specs are equally as wild, with the big lump sending 225 Nm to the 240-section rear tire. The suspension is all Showa and the brakes are top-shelf Brembo M4.32 Stylema units, front and rear. Weighing in at around 320 kilos [700 pounds], it’s not likely to be jumping over any buses any time soon.
The Rocket 3 is outrageous enough, even without the custom livery. Is the $1,700 premium over the standard Rocket 3 Storm worth it? You decide. [Triumph]
