R nineT squared

Regular readers of Gas Blog may recall an update from early September pertaining to not just one but two R nineT’s that are currently being simultaneously customised here at Gasoline

These two bikes were brought to Gasoline by two very different people and as a result, the direction that each build is destined diverges to say the least. With one owner opting for a vintage cafe racer feel and the other a more contemporary approach with a street roadster inspired build. Despite the different paths each bike is taking - they do share one modification which is an obvious requirement for any R nineT, the forks;

Beyond all logic and reason as to why anyone would want gold anodised forks is without explanation yet alone the fact that someone at BMW thought that it would be a selling feature. Therefor, the logical solution to right the wrongs of BMW’s design team is to remove and paint the factory inverted gold forks to match the colour scheme. 

Be sure to stay tuned to gas blog for further updates on all Gasoline custom creations or if you would care to embark on a similar project with Gasoline, don't hesitate to give our showroom a call on 02 9698 4433 - alternatively email through some details to info@gasoline.com.au and we'll endeavour to get back to you faster than a cheetah on heat.

The Street-500

Released late last year, the Street-500 is Australia’s first learner legal market place contender by Harley-Davidson since the Sprint-350 was in production during the mid seventies. 

This particular example came to Gasoline with some relatively simple requests, to make it stand out and to let it be heard. In an attempt to complete Harley-Davidson’s self described Street-500’ Café Racer aesthetic qualities, some of the largest Firestone Deluxe Champion tires that the Gasoline team had ever handled were procured before coming to the sudden realisation that the new tires in question wouldn’t be a simple swap onto the original rims. After brainstorming a couple of potential solutions to the problem at hand - a decision was made to enlist the help of some friends from across The Pacific in the fabrication, machining, lacing and painting of an entirely custom set of Harley wheels capable of accommodating the Firestone’s girth. Once fitted, some minor detailing to the likes of the battery box was required “another oversight” to help acclimatize the wheel set to its new Australian home.

Following the successful beginnings of this Street-500’s transformation, a one of a kind stainless steel, slash cut, high temperature heat wrapped four inch exhaust was pieced together and further complemented by a Screamin' Eagle air filter, this Harley undoubtedly acquired its signature rumble to which most of its bigger brothers are known. 

Other finishing touches “not however stating that any form of modification is ever complete” include some new handlebars which at seven eighths of an inch come in a little smaller than most other Harley-Davidson dimensional specifics, a rear end tidy up, some new blinkers and an assortment of minor pieces and trim painted black in assimilation to the bikes scheme. The Street-500 is an awesome machine for both learners and the experienced alike, furthermore, we here at Gasoline loved working on this project and hope to see many more Street-500's in the future. If you have any questions or would like to embark on a similar project with Gasoline, don't hesitate to give our showroom a call on 02 9698 4433 or send through some details to info@gasoline.com.au

Falke Custom Braaap Mercury

"Falke" Custom Mercury.

Tank resprayed Gun Metal Grey, Custom upholstered seat, rear end tail tidy including guard removed, bullet indicators, round retro tail light with neat number plate mount. Top triple tree clamps removed then sprayed and handle bars replaced with lower cafe style clip on bars. A smaller blacked out headlight was sourced as well as smokey lens black indicators as well as a small speedo installed and tachometer removed. The Air box has been removed and a fabricated box made to house a smaller battery relocated up under the seat leaving that bare stripped back hole between the engine and the rear tyre. Lastly the header exhaust pipe was wrapped and a new shorty slash cut muffler put on. Come in to Gasoline to chat about what you can do with your new Braaap Mercury.

Heritage Softail Harley cruise

Last night a couple of the guys at Gasoline jumped on the Heritage Softail Harleys for a Night ride to La Perouse then back along the east coast to Bondi for a feed at our favourite burger joint Bondi Tony's. It didn't start to plan with a massive storm sweeping over as we were about to leave. Luckily after the decision to wait 30min the rain cleared and we were ready to ride minus a few riders deterred by the rain. It was relatively smoothed sailing from there, getting a clear run all the way to La Perouse and back to Bondi whilst enjoying a pretty wild display of lightning on the horizon. The wet roads were no match for the oversized Hog's that griped with ease and we arrived at Bondi Tony's with Hungry stomaches and a thirst for a cold beer. The next ride is already in sights leaving from Gasoline. Stay tuned on the Facebook for details. Photos: Nich Zalmpy.

Lucille – Rod’s BMW R80

Looks can be deceiving, and that certainly is the case with this bike. Sure, it looks great from afar, but once you take a closer look and learn a bit about it… you’ll love this bike even more.

Rod got his bike licence the day he was old enough, but an all too familiar tune sang from his mother as she declared a bike was “never allowed under my roof!” so as all good sons would do, he secretly purchased an old 250cc and kept it at a mate’s place.

Inspiration for a bike build can come from any source. Rod’s inspiration for his 1978 BMW R80/7 came after reading his grandfather’s war diary. Flying a Lancaster bomber over Germany during WWII, his grandfather’s aircraft was named ‘Lucille’ and flew 24 missions. “The diary was so graphic as to what these young guys went through, on both sides I’m sure. I wanted it to represent each side of the war; the German BMW with the vintage English styling, just to pay my respects.”

“My grandfather’s war diary was just so overpowering to read, all of what they went through. As soon as I found out his bomber was called ‘Lucille’ I just had to pay tribute, and to think of doing 24 missions and to not be shot down in such horrific enemy fire was a miracle.

The diary even had what looked to be dried bloodstains on a page, which just boggles the mind. My Grandfather was shot through the leg at one point after a round went through the fuselage of the plane when under enemy fire. It was just surreal to read.”

The homages on this bike don’t end at Rod’s grandfather however, as he includes inspiration from the lady in his life to the detailing. “My girlfriend is Japanese and I wanted to include her, so Neo Dutch did the Japanese tattoo artwork on the gas cap, top triple and BMW badges. The brass ring on the tank strap was hand beaten by an old Japanese swordsmith we met on a trip to Japan in old Kyoto. He saw photos of the bike and loved it so much he donated the ring; and he even signed it for me.”

By now you’re getting why the more you look at this bike and learn about the work done to it, the more you’ll love it. The fusion of different styles and inspirations on this bike do not clutter or clash at all, but sit in perfect harmony to create an aesthetically beautiful and unique bike. A young girl named Renee Matthews from Luddenham in Sydney did the seat and leatherwork. Saddlery is a dying art, but Renee carries this tradition on with amazing style and talent. Another key feature of this bike is the unique copper plating which was done by Astor Metal Finishes, and is an immediate talking point about this bike.

The connection to this bike isn’t just emotional and historical; it’s also very physical. “I have always just loved the freedom of two wheels. You feel more connected to the machine you are with; and ‘Lucille’ is definitely not an easy bike to ride. She has personality and you need to get to know her and her quirks. I love that feeling of connection. You just don’t get that with an off the shelf mass-produced clone. Sure, they go faster and brake harder, but there’s no soul to connect with in my book.”

“The trickiest part for me about this bike was definitely shimming the gearbox. I did it myself and had to redo it more times than I care to mention, but we eventually worked out our differences and she ended up co-operating after much discussion!”

The hard work and multitude of people that both contributed in making this bike was it is and inspired it’s nature it something that truly makes it a special build. A special thanks to Jason at Gasoline Motor Co who played a big part in getting this bike running and on the road. “I love just looking at her and seeing all the different aspects of my life come together in such a beautiful single form”

A very special thanks to Matt at The Grifter Brewing Co for letting us use their space, and for making such tasty beer!

The Custom BMW R nine T movement

Gasoline has just taken delivery of two BMW R Nine T's and commissioned to build the next most talked about cafe racers in the Australian Custom bike builders scene.

Gasoline is going to attempt to simultaneously custom build two R nine T BMW motorcycles at the same time for two separate customers from two different worlds.

There has been talk around the workshop that this will be two of their most technology induced custom builds taking BMW road bikes to the next level.

The look and feel for one machine is very much a typical cafe race style with a modern edge, whilst the other inspiration will be incorporating a sleek road racer feel... without giving away too much.

Both of these machine will be naked but wearing Gasoline.

Keep an eye on our Blog for updates and the custom builds page: http://www.gasoline.com.au/custom-build

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MAD MAX FILMING AT GASOLINE

The creators of the New Mad Max game soon to be released on Xbox One spent the day at Gasoline Motor Co to shoot there campaign promo for the game. Two cars were transformed into works of art straight out of a scene in Mad Max. A special fine dust was laid down on to each of the cars using a small dust blower then masterfully painted and drawn on to create the images in the dust. The whole process was filmed and photographed to show the cars go from sparkling clean to dirty works of Mad Max Art. 

LaSombra Yamaha SR400

The once-ubiquitous Yamaha SR400 has become a collector’s item among the café racer set. The simple little single-cylinder motorcycle makes a perfect blank canvas for a cool custom project due to its simple and timeless design.
Jason Gasoline has built a number of SR400 based projects, naming all of them to reflect their personality. Tomahawk I and Tomahawk II are just two of his well-known SR400-based projects, but his latest custom creation has a darker personality.
It’s been christened La Sombra, a Spanish word meaning The Shadow.
Its centrepiece is the shiny black pearl finish on the petrol tank, tail and front guard. “I think every bike needs a character, there’s no point building something unless it has a character, right from the beginning,” Jason says.

“We give each of our custom bikes a name and when we talk about a particular bike we only refer to it by name only.
”Looking over the bike in its newly-finished condition, it’s easy to see Jason is very satisfied with the result he’s achieved.
“We were over the moon with the final result and this bike has turned out even better than we imagined it would,” Jason said. “It has simple lines but it has an effective finish.”
One of the main goals for the La Sombra build was to end up with a motorcycle that looked like a customised classic SR400 café racer, but make it feel like a new bike to ride.

“It really is like riding a brand-new Yamaha SR400,” Jason said. “It’s fitted with a performance engine, so it’s not as sluggish as the older SR400s were. It’s surprisingly comfortable for a custom bike and would easily handle long trips."
The inspiration

The inspiration to build La Sombra came from one of Jason’s customers, Michale Kriesch, who approached him last year to build the dream custom café racer he had always wanted to own. Kriesch had a particular style in mind and worked with Jason to design the dark mirror styling of La Sombra. Jason said he always looks to his customers for inspiration and then they work as a team to guide the build in a direction with which everyone is happy.
What’s it based on

La Sombra is based on a 1986 Yamaha SR400. The little single-cylinder motorcycle has been in constant production in Japan since 1978, barely changing during all that time – it even retains a kickstarter.
Though not officially sold in Australia until 2014, pre-2014 grey imports are in good supply along with the SR500, manufactured between 1978 and 1999, which was sold in Australia. The 1986 SR400 used for Jason’s custom build features drum brakes front and rear.

“Normally we do a disc brake front end conversion when working with an SR400 of this vintage but we wanted to keep this one original,” Jason said. “The SR400 is a great little bike to work from as a base if you want to do a café racer type build. “The café style requires just clip-on handlebars, flat seat and a tail.”
What’s it got

The 399cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder, SOHC, two-valve-per-cylinder engine in La Sombra has been fitted with a 38mm Mikuni carburettor and manifold as well as a new piston to increase compression ratio to 10:1. The cylinder head and cylinder were given a make-over with the valves and valve-seats machined. The engine was also blue-printed.
“There’s no point building something unless it has a character”
The exhaust system may look like just a straight through pipe, but a baffle has been fitted to the system to reduce noise. It still sounds meaty, but loses the headache-inducing bark of a straight-through system.
The frame was taken back to bare metal and powder-coated and the engine was given a full blacked-out treatment. The original tank was retained to keep the standard SR400 look.

The original front fork and both wheels have also been powder coated and the rear shocks have been replaced with Ikons, made in right here in Australia. Another interesting touch are the military style lights and indicator covers.
During war years, motorcycles were fitted with similar covers to minimise any peripheral light which might give the enemy somethig to shoot at.
What was tricky

The build process took three months and the black chrome finish on the petrol tank, tail and front guard was a complicated process. The donor bike was stripped to the bare frame before the build even got underway. “The unique colour is called Black Pearl, it’s applied using a chrome-type sequence which includes dipping,” Jason said.“It’s like a nickel-plate as opposed to a zinc or chrome plating. To get the look resembling a shiny black pearl on all the surfaces was quite difficult.”

What’s it like to ride

La Sombra is the most typical café racer style motorcycle you’re ever likely to ride. “Using the kickstart lever to get it going is all part of the experience,” he said. “It’s got a beautiful sound to it, especially in third and fourth gear and I actually don’t mind riding it without the baffle.”Fitting the high-compression piston and head has given the 399cc engine extra squirt, and Jason reported the drum brakes are more than up to the task of stopping the bike.

Article & Photos by: AMCN Vol 64 No 25

Andre's Triumph Thruxton

Our good mate and Gasoline Motor Co staff member Andre recently had his lover Triumph Thruxton on the Throttle Roll blog. Pete Cagnacci took Andre out for some shots and together they put a killer interview together.

Despite the love for his 1976 Yamaha XS360, Andre was haunted by the need for a new bike; something bigger and more recent. With ideas of Triumph Bonnevilles, Scramblers and Thruxtons battling in his head there would be only one victor.

Freedom, expression and adrenaline are the crux of Andre’s personality. When he’s not riding or working on bikes he’s either on stage or in the studio. “Music is my life. Sex, Drugs and Rock ‘n’ Roll baby, has always been and still is, professionally for 15-20 years. I am 40 and still lovin’ the shit out of it. I’m mainly singing, playing bass, writing and producing. I’ve toured and played with so many amazing artists.”

As well as running LAB 11A recording studio in Marrickville, Andre now has been fortunate enough to moonlight at Gasoline Motor Co. “I’m able to work in both industries that I love, sharing experiences and advice to anyone who will listen to me talk shit, and boy can I talk shit! I’ve worked my ass off and sacrificed so much to live the life I love; I wouldn’t have it any other way. Highly recommend it. Now if I can combine my love of tattoos, Mixed Martial Arts and 4WD driving, I will be complete.

Life’s too short folks, gotta taste it all!”

Andre’s current ride is a 2012 Triumph Thruxton 900. “The bike has no name but has been touched by many and like any good hooker, you can call it whatever you want baby!”

“Two years ago I began the search for a new ride; and by new ride I mean one that didn’t take ten kicks to start. Traffic lights, peak hour, throw in some rain and a bike that won’t start, you all know the story. Don’t get me wrong; I loved my old 1976 Yamaha XS360. She was my introduction to Café Racers, SCR and the beginning of an obsession; however I wanted to jump up in power while still staying Café.

The Triumphs were the only newish retro bikes that appealed to me. I checked out so many brands, but would always come back to the Trumps. Then it was the question of which one? The Thrux, Bonnie or Scram? I decided on the Thruxton as I had more of a build vision for that bike in mind over the other two. It took a while to find the right one, low k’s, mint condition and a good price. Thankfully, much to his regret, I found an SCR member selling his. (Special mention to Jbster, what a legend!)”

At the time of purchasing the Triumph, I had both the Yamaha and the Thruxton in the stable; I loved jumping from one to the other with both bikes being so different from one another, yet each having its own beauty and allure. Ultimately, the Thruxton was so addictive that I found myself touching it inappropriately more often than the Yamaha. So it was time to go, for the Yamaha”

After trawling the deep web, Andre had enough inspiration in his arsenal to get to work on his Magnum Opus. This bike would have its fair share of tributes to older bikes and more retro stylings; but still with many modern features and fresh ideas. Lines that flow, a focus on symmetry and a balanced contrast of old and new. Aggressive where it needs to be, reserved and refined where it wants to be.

“Not long after buying the Thrux, I had more mods added. I went through three different bar configurations before I settled on the Woodcraft clip ons, which provided an impromptu perch for my single mirror location. I wanted something different to bar ends and huge mirrors perched over the controls. The protruding piece of tubing from the clip-ons worked out awesome. Love it, can’t see shit, but love the look. Head turn checking skills – Grand Master.”

“I had the front end cleaned up, that is, had the riser tabs shaved and painted black from the top yoke and a single mount created for the original speedo. It worked out cheaper and easier just to keep the original speedo. I then got rid of the tacho, as I’m more than happy to hear and feel the red line. Also added a smaller 5 3/4inch Bates style headlight. I really wanted a minimal look to the front end. I had the headlight lowered so the bike hunched forward more and followed the lines of the tank for a more aggressive stance. Not a fan of how high the original headlight sits, to each their own I guess. Chopped front fender, Shorty Pazzo levers (my hands are in love) and posh grips to finish it off. Kyle at Renegade Customs did an epic job.”

“I powder coated the engine covers and fuel cap black after a nasty experience with Plasti shit. Love the black with silver bolt surrounds. I had the original seat re-upholstered by Wall and sons in Brookvale. They did incredible work, highly recommended. I had a flat seat custom made by Kyle at Rene9ade, he did a wicked job, but I prefer the original seat as it masks the angular rake of the sub frame from the tank line, which I’m not a fan of. I prefer it all to be straight-ish; unless its chopped and hooped, that’s a possible future mod.

The tyres were next to go; Pirelli Angel GTs were my weapons of choice. After much research and having to deal with an 110/18inch front and 180/17inch rear, the best matched tyres were the Pirellis. Plus I love the evil eyes tread pattern. I would still like a 120/17inch front, but whatever. Three different mufflers have tasted and spat out the love juice of the beast. First were some aftermarket pipes that came with the bike, and then a pair of British Customs long Predators in black were added before finishing up with the British Custom Shorty Predators. I originally wanted them black, but love how the chrome breaks up the black at the rear of the bike. Sounds throaty as fuck. Braaap Braaaaap!”