Velocity Learn, January 29, 2023

This weekend’s version of Velocity Learn begins off with 4 of our favourite phrases—“Suzuki Katana” and “AC Sanctuary.” We additionally profile a classic Triumph Tiger, a uncommon BMW R68 ISDT Particular, and a tastefully modded Triumph Avenue Twin from Deus.

Suzuki Katana by AC Sanctuary What occurs when a legendary Japanese workshop customizes an iconic bike? Magic, that’s what. Pure retro magic.

The fee for this specific Suzuki Katana challenge got here from a supply near AC Sanctuary. The bike belongs to Mr Wang—who not solely runs a massively profitable bike dealership in Taiwan, however can be the nation’s solely licensed AC Sanctuary seller. Given their tight relationship, he was pleased to present AC Sanctuary’s Hiroyuki Nakamura free rein on the challenge.

True to type, Nakamura-san didn’t disappoint. The 1st step was to tear the bike down, and set its body right into a jig to verify all the pieces was straight. AC Sanctuary additionally bolstered the body in all the correct locations, then added a stunning alloy swingarm.

The Katana now rolls on OZ Racing wheels, with Öhlins suspension at each ends. The rear wheel is wider than inventory, so AC Sanctuary modified the engine mounts to be sure that the rear sprocket nonetheless traces up completely. The brakes are a mixture of AC Sanctuary’s personal ‘RCM’ components and high-end Brembo stuff, and the tires are Pirelli Diablo Rossos.

The Katana’s bodywork appears to be like stock-ish, however it’s really all-new. AC Sanctuary constructed most of it from scratch, shopping for in solely the smoked display screen, headlight and entrance fender. YF Design laid down the graphics; an intoxicating livery with a Suzuki manufacturing facility racing really feel to it.

AC Sanctuary put appreciable effort into upgrading the engine too. It’s gone by way of a full rebuild, full with bored and honed cylinders, skimmed heads, modified valve seats, a balanced crank and cast Wossner pistons. Now sitting at 1,135 cc, energy supply is optimized through a programmable ignition, an array of Mikuni Yoshimura carbs and a full titanium exhaust system.

A sprinkling of tasty bolt-ons and refined mods drive the purpose dwelling. The dashboard is especially neat, full with a carbon fiber backplate and a Stack tacho. When you’re questioning what motorcycling perfection appears to be like like, that is it. [Via]

Serge’s 1973 Triumph Tiger 750 It’s uncommon that we function a customized bike with out understanding the historical past of how and why it was personalized. However the story of this fetching Triumph Tiger 750 is much less about its mods, and extra about its proprietor. It belongs to a Frenchman by the title of Serge Reveneau, and it symbolizes his return to 2 wheels.

Serge has been a fixture on the native moto scene for fairly someday, and has constructed a few fascinating bikes already. However issues took a nasty flip when, one fateful day, he took one in all his bikes out to shortly examine some carb changes. An SUV made an unlawful U-turn in entrance of him, and Serge had nowhere to go.

Serendipitously, the automobile behind him was an ambulance—however his street to restoration was robust. He was in surgical procedure for 10 hours, in a coma for 19 days, and in intensive physiotherapy for the longest time (with a couple of comply with up surgical procedures thrown in for good measure). All of the whereas, Serge battled with the form of bodily and emotional ache that normally accompany this form of traumatic occasion.

Fortunately Serge counts famend bike photographer, Kati Dalek, and her boyfriend, Basti, amongst his mates. The 2 visited him relentlessly throughout his restoration, began a social media marketing campaign to rally help for him, and reminded him of how a lot enjoyable bikes may be, by means of pictures that she’d taken of him pinning it on the seaside on the in style Wheels and Waves pageant.

Greater than two years after his accident, Serge received again on the horse with this 1973 Triumph TR7RV Tiger. It was initially owned by a girl who had by no means owned a automobile, then a second proprietor who rebuilt it as a scrambler—however didn’t trip it a lot.

Serge is the third proprietor, and plans to maintain it going as a road authorized desert sled.

To have a good time Serge’s comeback, he, Kati and Basti took his Tiger right down to the seaside, to chop free and shoot these pictures. Welcome again, Serge. [Via]

Bought: BMW R68 ISDT Particular The BMW R80G/S is likely to be the primary correct dual-sport bike that the German marque ever constructed—however it wasn’t the primary time they’d competed in off-road racing. Again in 1952, BMW fielded three R68 boxers within the Worldwide Six Days Trial in Austria.

Rider Hans Roth got here near profitable the occasion with an ideal rating card. However a mechanical failure in the course of the pace trials, the place he reached 104 mph, knocked him out of the occasion.

The BMW R68 was a follow-up to the sooner 594 cc BMW R67. With enhancements to the engine and brakes, and bigger carbs, it was billed as “The 100 mph Motorbike” by BMW. It made 35 hp at 7,000 rpm—up from the R67’s 26 hp.

BMW provided the R68 in a ‘normal’ street mannequin, and the ‘Gelandesporte’ model—recognizable by its high-mounted exhaust system. The rarer of the 2 fashions, it was this model that BMW ran within the ISDT.

The R68 you’re taking a look at right here is about as clear as these uncommon machines come. It’s been restored to concours requirements by a BMW skilled, with matching numbers and the producer’s authentic ID plate nonetheless on the body and engine.

When you’d prefer to park it in your storage, we’ve got unhealthy information: it went on sale at Mecum’s Las Vegas public sale this weekend, and was offered. We shudder to suppose for the way a lot. [Via]

Triumph Avenue Twin by Deus ex Machina It’s robust to beat a Triumph fashionable basic as the place to begin for a customized construct. They appear actually good out the field—which suggests you’ll be able to change as little, or as a lot, as you need to, and nonetheless find yourself with a good-looking bike.

This Avenue Twin comes from the workshop of Jeremy Tagand, at Deus ex Machina in Australia. And it whereas it hasn’t strayed too removed from the basic Triumph Bonneville formulation, it’s really sporting loads of intelligent mods. Park it subsequent to a inventory Avenue Twin, and it received’t take lengthy to identify the variations.

For starters, it’s rolling on a lot fatter rubber. Jeremy put in wider yokes from Down and Out Bikes, together with a set of beefy Canyon Bikes wheels. Measuring 150 huge within the entrance and 180 within the rear, they’re wrapped in Pirelli dual-sport rubber.

The forks have been upgraded with new internals, and the rear sits on longer shocks; all courtesy of YSS. Beringer braking elements add further stopping energy.

Jeremy additionally put in alloy fenders at each ends, and a customized seat. Numerous work went into the cockpit, which now wears huge 1” bars, Kustom Tech levers, Goal Constructed Moto mirrors and Motone switches. BAAK Motocyclettes in France despatched over leather-based fork gators, leather-based ‘cable ties,’ a skid plate, entrance flip sign mounts, an ignition relocation bracket and a headlight package with an built-in Motogadget speedo. Kellermann LEDs handle flip sign and taillight duties.

The engine now breathes in by way of a Okay&N filter, and out through a pair of HiTech Mufflers headers with SC Venture mufflers. It’s been tuned too, courtesy of RB Racing and a Dynojet chip.

Wrapped in a luscious blue paint job (by Jud’s Kustom Paint), with a success of leather-based on the seat (by Badarsetrimco.), this Triumph ought to look proper at dwelling on New Zealand’s North Island, which is the place it’s headed. [More]