#virginia moto classic

[ijustwant2ride]

Best of 2023: Motorcycle Posters

Every year I collect those motorcycle event posters, drawing and printed art that catch my eye or tickle my fancy (and no, I don't know what part of my body contains the fancy 😊). This year I started with 14 but it was not hard to narrow it down to the 9

[laresearchette]

Thursday, November 14, 2024 Canadian TV Listings (Times Eastern)

WHERE CAN I FIND THOSE PREMIERES?: SHERWOOD (BritBox) SAY NOTHING (Disney + Star) A REASON FOR THE SEASON (W Network) 8:00pm THE DAY OF THE JACKAL (Showcase) 9:00pm HARRY POTTER: WIZARDS OF BAKING (Crave) 9:00pm

WHAT IS NOT PREMIERING IN CANADA TONIGHT?: HOLIDAZED (Premiering on November 19 on W Network at 8:00pm)

NEW TO AMAZON PRIME CANADA/CBC GEM/CRAVE TV/DISNEY + STAR/NETFLIX CANADA:

AMAZON PRIME CANADA CROSS NHL COAST TO COAST (Live Event) YUDRA

CRAVE TV HARRY POTTER: WIZARDS OF BAKING (series premiere at 5pm PT/8pm ET) THE KING OF COMEDY L.A. CONFIDENTIAL PATRIOTS DAY

DISNEY + STAR FX’S SAY NOTHING (all episodes)

NETFLIX CANADA BEYOND GOODBYE (JP) THE LOST CHILDREN (CO)

KARENA AND KASEY'S FOREIGN FLAVOURS (CBC) 5:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): Kasey and Karena face one of their toughest challenges ever when they cook for a lineup of some of Peru's top chefs in one of Lima's best restaurants.

NHL HOCKEY (SN/SN1) 7:00pm: Devils vs. Panthers (TSN3) 7:00pm: Jets vs. Lightning (TSN5) 7:00pm: Flyers vs. Sens (TSN2) 8:00pm: Habs vs. Wild (SNWest) 9:00pm: Predators vs. Oilers (SNPacific) 10:00pm: Islanders vs. Canucks (SN1/SNEast/SNOntario) 10:00pm: Chicago vs. Kraken

CLASSIC RESTOS (REV TV Canada) 7:30pm (SERIES PREMIERE): See old classic cars be restored to top of the line condition and talking to the owners.

DRAGONS' DEN (CBC) 8:00pm

STEAL YOUR HEART (Super Channel Heart & Home) 8:00pm: A mix up over a purchase leaves amateur jeweler Melissa being enlisted by the CEO of the biggest jewelry company in Miami to help create a bridal line with the CEO's too-serious son, Jake.

MOTO GP HIGHLIGHTS (REV TV Canada) 8:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): Malaysian Grand Prix 2024 Highlights: featuring Moto3, Moto2, and MotoGP.

NFL FOOTBALL (TSN/TSN4) 8:15pm: Commanders vs. Eagles

CHILDREN RUIN EVERYTHING (CTV) 8:30pm: When James finds an old game console, he and Astrid attempt to find free time to play; but a bedtime routine threatens to eat up all the time between when the kids are supposed to be in bed and when Astrid and James have to go to bed themselves.

MY MUM, YOUR DAD (CBC) 9:00pm: Davina tasks the grown-up kids with helping their parents during a workshop; With emotions at an all-time high in the retreat, the parents open up on their journeys so far; difficult conversations are had.

MOUNTAIN MEN (History Channel Canada) 9:00pm (SEASON PREMIERE): Marty installs floats on his bush plane and flies to a remote lake to hunt moose; Lauro and Neil harvest driftwood and build a log river raft from scratch; Mike traverses hostile terrain on Afognak Island to take down a bull elk.

FEUDS TURNED FATAL (Investigation Discovery) 10:00pm (SERIES PREMIERE): In 2021, in Newport News, Virginia, postal workers Jacquie Shabazz and Tashara Jackson fall out over an alleged affair, and a simmering feud explodes.

CANADIAN REFLECTIONS (CBC) 11:30pm: Blood of Ghent; La Grogne

[mixcartus]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Coach Womens Virginia Genuine Leather Black Mid Calf Pull On Boots Size 8.

[rpmtrish]

Inaugural Mopar Event Excites from Start to Finish

With ambition and anticipation, Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk, Ohio staged its Inaugural Ken Ganley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram World of Mopar presented by Arrington Performance, Sept. 22-24, 2023 and by all accounts, it was an extraordinary event. Produced and presented by Summit Motorsports Park with Mopar enthusiasts in mind, it featured three days of racing, a Fun Field Car Show, swap meet, car corral, manufacturers’ midway, concert by Trainwreck Country Band and fireworks. “We couldn’t be happier with our Inaugural Ken Ganley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram World of Mopar presented by Arrington Performance,” said Bill Bader Jr., president of Summit Motorsports Park. “Our team spent several months organizing this event, and we all wanted it to be successful, and we are all very grateful that it was. We had a tremendous turnout, and we look forward to an even bigger event next year. The planning starts now.” On Friday, Sept. 22, 2023, the final round of eliminations in Indy Cylinder Head No Box saw Ron Hicks of Leo, Indiana, rip off a .001 reaction time and race to a 12.45 to defeat Cory Blackford of Toledo, Ohio, who stopped the clocks at 9.89. In Box, Randy Chestnut recorded a .007 on the tree and took the win with a 6.13 over Keith Meador, who went through the traps at 6.16. On Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, the final round of eliminations in Koffel’s Place Super Pro put the spotlight on Gene Nagy of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Cliff Motes of Logan, West Virginia. They inched into the beams before blasting off, and Nagy came out on top with a 4.70 to Motes’ 6.59. In CRT Transmissions Pro, Marcus King of Republic, Ohio and Mike Walwood of Parma, Ohio motored up to the starting line, and King secured the win with a 9.60 elapsed time to Walwood’s 9.85. AA Transmission Hemi Super Stock saw Bob Marshall of Columbus, Ohio and Ron Gallagher of Whitby, Ontario, turn on their red lights, and Marshall won as his light was a bit less red than Gallagher’s. In Mancini Racing Nostalgia Super Stock, Doug Wright of Waterford, Michigan and Mike DeChicco of Ostrander, Ohio put dial-ins on their classic cars before Wright wrapped up the win with a 9.43 to DeChicco’s 11.46. Dan Trainer of Orient, Ohio and Dan Brewer of West Milton, Ohio took the stage for the TTI Exhaust Sportsman final round of eliminations, and Trainer wrapped up the win when Brewer illuminated the red light, with a mere -.005, at the hit. On Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, the final round of eliminations in FireCore 50 Top Gun Full-Bodied saw Jeff Goebel of Stratford, Ontario, flat-foot the pedal on his Duster to a 4.39 for the win over Chris Wheatcraft of Jamestown, Ohio, who clocked a 4.84 in his Demon. In FireCore 50 Top Gun Open-Bodied, Bryan Keller cruised to a 3.70 to earn his trip to the Summit Motorsports Park Winner’s Circle over Keith McLennan, who was .004 at the hit but had to get out of the throttle. Unfortunately, a continuous mist on Sunday evening caused the remaining rounds for other categories to be cancelled.  As an added element to the event, Manufacturers’ Choice Car Show Awards were given during a ceremony on the starting line. The winners were Jerry Imhoff’s 1970 Duster (chosen by Arrington Performance); Rick and Nicole Janosik’s 1973 Challenger (chosen by Ken Ganley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram); Mark Charlton’s 1963 Plymouth Wagon Max Wedge (chosen by Mancini Racing); Pam and Phil Helms’ 1972 Roadrunner Satellite (chosen by Koffel’s Place); Dave Taylor’s 1962 Fury (chosen by CRT Transmissions); Bill Watkins’ 1969 Barracuda (chosen by Moto Lenz Photos); Joe and Pam Mazzola’s 1970 Barracuda (chosen by Indy Cylinder Heads); Paul and Rose Prescott’s 1969 Charger Daytona (chosen by Harland Sharp); Francis McManamon’s 1966 Belvedere II Wagon (chose by FireCore 50) and Randy Slovikosky’s 1978 Trail Duster (chosen by Dornan’s Sales & Service)  As racers and race fans who were at the event over the weekend heard, Bader Jr. has happily announced that the 2nd Annual Ken Ganley Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram World of Mopar presented by Arrington Performance will be Sept. 19-22, 2024, and as a new addition, a Gen III Hemi category will be part of the lineup.  “This event has the ingredients to be enormous, and we are eager to see where we can go from here,” said Bader Jr.  Summit Motorsports Park is at 1300 State Route 18, Norwalk, Ohio. For more information, visit summitmotorsportspark.com or call 419-668-5555. #summitmotorsportspark #arringtonperformance #KenGanleyChrysler #rpmmag #rpmmagazine Read the full article

[wp-yahoo-style-1042-yahoopa-blog]

A history of tennis fashion and skirts: Why are they still such a must?

Serena Williams competing at the U.S Open 2018. (Photo: TPN/Getty Images)

On the first night of the U.S. Open, Serena Williams took the high road and responded to her catsuit ban by wearing a fabulous black tutu.

The French Tennis Federation president, Bernard Giudicelli, recently said Williams’s Wakanda-inspired catsuit (her words) “will no longer be accepted,” during an interview with Tennis magazine. “One must respect the game and the place.”

Discussion soon erupted on what type of tennis attire is considered appropriate or not. Tennis legend Billie Jean King chimed in on the conversation, slamming French Open officials for the ban. “The policing of women’s bodies must end,” she wrote in a Twitter post. “The ‘respect’ that’s needed is for the exceptional talent ⁦@serenawilliams⁩ brings to the game. Criticizing what she wears to work is where the true disrespect lies.” 

Williams didn’t let the controversy deter her from winning her first U.S. Open match against Magda Linette on Monday. For the occasion, she paired her black tutu with an edgy leather moto jacket, asymmetrical leotard, and white sneakers. The look is part of the new “Queen” collection inspired by the tennis star and made in a collaboration between Virgil Abloh, the acclaimed Off-White designer, and Nike.

With this look, the 23-time Grand Slam winner continues her stride as a statement-making fashion star on the tennis court, and, as history shows — she’s not alone. Anne White was the first player to wear a catsuit on the court, which caused quite a stir at Wimbledon in 1985. Unconventional tennis fashions have been worn by male players too. A notable example is Andre Agassi, who wore denim shorts to the U.S. Open in 1988. Serena Williams longtime rival, Maria Sharapova, explored creative fashion as well, wearing a tuxedo-style blouse at Wimbledon in 2008.

Despite these fashion-making moments, the iconic tennis skirt continues to be the key sartorial piece in the game. Above, a look at how tennis fashion has changed over the years and why the skirt endures.

Players in the Pavilion in University Park, Oxford, circa 1900. (Photo: Past Pix/SSPL/Getty Images)

During the 1900s, long-sleeved blouses and long maxi skirts were the style of choice for tennis players. “Tennis started out in the Victorian era in England as a lawn sport for the aristocracy,” said Ben Rothenberg, author of The Stylish Life: Tennis, on CNN.

Modest tennis fashion dominated the era, as seen below on a tennis player who wears a pussy-bow blouse with ballooned sleeves, long white skirt, and white sneakers, all covering up nearly every inch of skin.

Female tennis player circa 1900. (Photo: Getty Images)

The 1920s saw a loosening of dress codes with the introduction of sleeveless blouses and higher hemlines. Pleats also became a popular stylistic choice.

Here, Olympic and Wimbledon champion Suzanne Lenglen wears a knee-length pleated skirt. She accessorizes the look with a soft head wrap.

Suzanne Lenglen (Photo: Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis via Getty Images)

In the 1930s, skirts and hemlines continued to hit the knee, but pantyhose was no longer required in the dress code. Women began to wear polo shorts or another alternative: drop waist dresses or those cinched at the waist.

Cilly Aussem, left, after defeating Hilde Krahwinkel for the women’s singles title at Wimbledon in 1931. (Photo: S.R. Gaiger/Topical Press Agency/Getty)

By the 1940s, women embraced shorts for greater mobility on the court, but they still kept them classy (of course). Here, American tennis player Pauline Betz wears a short-sleeve blouse tucked into her high-waisted, soft pleated shorts and a belt to tie it all together.

Pauline Betz of the United States at Wimbledon in 1946. (Photo: Central Press/Getty Images)

In the 1950s, when Marilyn Monroe’s famous windy skirt photograph became an iconic moment in film history, tennis players like Lea Percioli bent the rules of traditional tennis fashion.

Her style on the court was often featured in the press, where Percioli embraced short skirts and dresses, even if that meant showing more than she planned on.

Glamorous Italian tennis star Lea Percioli in 1955. (Photo: Getty Images)

By the 1960s, mod fashion was front and center. Women took a more playful approach, embracing sleeveless tops and shirts with stripes, gingham, and other graphic prints like those seen here on  Virginia Wade and Lorna Greveille-Collins of England and Marlys Burel of France.

From left, Virginia Wade, Lorna Greville-Collins, and Marlys Burel. (Photo: George Freston/Fox Photos/Getty Images)

The 1970s was all about psychedelia. Colorful prints and patterns dominated the fashion scene, and this influenced tennis fashions, too, as exhibited here in a look worn by Martina Navratilova.

Martina Navratilova at Wimbledon in 1977. (Photo: Tony Duffy/Allsport)

The 1980s witnessed a controversial look by American player Anne White, who wore a white spandex catsuit by designer Ted Tinling during her first match at Wimbledon. Little did she know that Serena Williams would sport a similar catsuit at the French Open more than 30 years later.

Anne White in her revolutionary one-piece. (Photo: Getty Images)

The 1990s were all about bright colors, loud prints, and plenty of scrunchies on the tennis court. German champ Steffi Graf wears a colorful floral skirt with a matching polo shirt and white scrunchie in her hair at the French Open in 1995.

Steffi Graf (Photo: Clive Brunskill/AllSport)

By the 2000s, brands like Adidas and Nike were emblazoned on tennis outfits of the top athletes. Here, Russian player Anna Kournikova wears head-to-toe Adidas.

Anna Kournikova (Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images)

In 2008, tennis champions Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova pushed the envelope of traditional tennis attire at Wimbledon, a bastion of traditionalism. Williams opted for a white trench coat, while Sharapova wore a tuxedo-style pleated blouse tucked into white shorts — and both looks were designed by Nike.

Unfortunately, Sharapova wasn’t able to wear her new look for too long, as she was eliminated in the second round. Her winning opponent, Alla Kudryavtseva, had this to say of Sharapova’s look, “I was pleased to beat her: I didn’t like her outfit.”

Serena Williams (Photo: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Maria Sharapova (Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

In 2010, tennis fashion took a more scandalous approach when Venus Williams wore a lingerie-like, sheer black-lace dress with red piping, designed by Williams for her fashion label, EleVen.

Venus Williams (Photo: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

In 2011, Venus Williams continued her fashion stride, sporting atypical tennis attire.

At the Australian Open, Williams sported a yellow woven, cut-out tank with a splash of color.

Venus Williams (Photo: Julian Finney/Getty Images)

In 2015, Maria Sharapova traded in her 2008 tuxedo shirt for a classic stripe shirt over what would become known as the “Nike Maria Paris dress,” an adjoining white racerback tank top connected to a pleated navy mini.

Maria Sharapova (Photo: Clive Mason/Getty Images)

In 2016, Serena Williams sported a classic all-white look in deference to Wimbledon’s all-white policy.

Serena Williams (Photo: Lindsey Parnaby/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)

In 2017, 24-year-old Sloane Stephens won the U.S. Open women’s singles competition wearing a sherbet-orange tank dress and matching visor and shoes by Under Armour.

Sloane Stephens (Photo: Al Bello/Getty Images)

In 2018, Serena Williams debuts her Wakanda-inspired black catsuit at the French Open, which was designed to help prevent blood clots, a health issue she has been prone to.

The catsuit came under scrutiny by French Tennis Federation president Bernard Giudicelli, who recently said the style would “no longer be accepted.”

Serena Williams at the 2018 French Open. (Photo: Xin Li/Getty Images)

In the wake of this controversy, Williams debuted a brand-new look for the U.S. Open on August 27: a black tutu skirt, made by Off-White and Nike.

Serena Williams (Photo: TPN/Getty Images)

Read More from Yahoo Lifestyle:

• Did Meghan Markle inspire pal Serena Williams’s $90 ‘Royal Duchess’ hoodie?  • Serena Williams inspires mothers to share their parenting stories ahead of the U.S. Open  • Venus Williams expands fashion label into plus-size: ‘Representation matters’

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day. 

[whiiskeys]

— STATISTICS

“APPROACH THAT ONE AT YOUR OWN RISK. SHE SHOULD COME WITH A CAUTION SIGN.”                                       — A WISE BASTARD WHO LEARNED THE HARD WAY 

BASIC INFORMATION.

FULL NAME: Virginia May Crowder — nicknamed NIA since childhood.

NICKNAME(S): To those who are familiar to her, RYE is her chosen name. Otherwise, she’s strictly WHISKEY or MS. WHISKEY (depending on how formal the situation is). To a lucky (very) few, she’s Nia. If she allows you to call her by her given name, you’re in.

AGE: Thirty-eight.

D.O.B.: March 7th, 1980.  

HOMETOWN: Dertosa, California.

CURRENT LOCATION: Detrosa, California.

ETHNICITY: White (primarily Irish) on her father’s side. Black on her mother’s (Ethiopian).

NATIONALITY: American.

GENDER: Cisgender female.

PRONOUNS: She/her.

ORIENTATION: Bi(romantic/sexual).

RELIGION: None. There was no mention of God in her household, and she sees no reason in crawling to him on her knees now.

POLITICAL AFFILIATION: Independent, though she seldom participates in politics.

OCCUPATION: Co-owners of Vices (and, by extension, Forbidden Vices).

LIVING ARRANGEMENTS: Lives in a comfortable loft in the city. She likes the bustle, the energy, the noise, and would be hard pressed to give that up in favor of the seclusion of the suburbs. She grew up in a house with quite a bit of property, and she now associates the quiet with unnerving memories — namely, the one that got her father taken away from good.

LANGUAGE(S) SPOKEN: English, a small amount of Spanish.

ACCENT: The slightest hint of a Georgia twang, picked up because she mimicked her father when she was younger. Because she lived a relatively sheltered life, only exposed to California kids during school hours, she learned to speak like her Southern parents.

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE.

FACE CLAIM: Ruth Negga.

HAIR COLOUR: A deep, near-black brown.

EYE COLOUR: Chocolate brown.

HEIGHT: A misleading 5′2 (her presence makes her appear much larger).

WEIGHT: A sinewy, muscled 120 lbs.

BUILD: Strong and sturdy, like a gymnast. Her muscles are short-twitch, compact, made for sprinting. She can pack one hell of a punch, and her kicks could definitely knock a jaw off its hinges. There’s nothing diminutive about her.

TATTOOS: None.

PIERCINGS: One in each ear.

CLOTHING STYLE: If she’s trying to project an air of professionalism, she’ll go for something simple but with a bit of flair — like a dark suit with a bold shirt underneath, or a classic suit in a vibrant color (since she doesn't mind some attention). Otherwise, girl vacillates between dresses and beanies, between jeans and a fringed motorcycle jacket and something a little more girly. Her Doc Martens and moto jacket are definitely her prized possessions, however.

USUAL EXPRESSION: Relatively neutral. She’s not an asshole right off the bat; more than anything, she’s efficient. She’s not going to waste time on small talk, and you better not waste hers.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS: The beauty marks that spot her face, like a smattering of stars. The free way she walks, hips swinging. Her voice, which is loud and commanding without any effort. Her stare, which can morph from warm to ice-cold within seconds (a trick she inherited from her father).

HEALTH.

PHYSICAL AILMENTS: Only the occasional splits in her knuckles or pulled muscle from running or boxing (her two chosen exercises in order to remain strong enough to defend herself).

NEUROLOGICAL CONDITIONS: None.

ALLERGIES: Cats. Get those fuckers away from her.

SLEEPING HABITS: Consistently sleeps about five hours a night. There’s simply too much to be done, too many dreams that need capturing, too many ideas that need to be implemented. She can’t afford to waste nighttime hours — the day is short enough as it is.

EATING HABITS: Much more irregular. Often she foregoes meals in favor of something on-the-go, or something in liquid form (i.e: her favorite dark beer, or even a cabernet if she’s feeling fancy). However, she is partial to a good mac and cheese — her mother’s was her absolute favorite as a child.

EXERCISE HABITS: Runs six miles each morning, every day, without fail. Similarly, she tries to get a couple matches at the boxing gym, or at least knock a few out on a bag. She has a lot of frenetic energy, and a lot of aggression that she tries to keep at bay, so the physical activities are necessary parts of her day.

EMOTIONAL STABILITY: Rye probably ranks a 10/10 on emotional stability, whereas Nia herself is somewhere around an 8. She has her moments, but she generally manages to keep herself neutral, mild, and unaffected. In truth, she’s father sensitive about certain things, and she’s definitely got a soft interior when it comes to her fellow Drinks. She is joyful when around them, and loves to witness their happiness. Anything happens to them, and she’ll go into efficient Amy-Dunne-frame-a-motherfucker-for-my-murder mode. She’s capable of it, too.

SOCIABILITY: Rye is truthfully a social being, though that doesn’t necessarily extend to everyone. Again, it’s her fellow Drinks that she most prefers (and a select few in particular). Though she doesn’t necessarily tell them, she certainly demonstrates her love for them. She’s a total mama bear.

BODY TEMPERATURE: Despite all her energy, she’s usually cold. It’s like her body knew she would constantly be running around, covering this problem or that, and so gifted her with superhumanly cool blood in order to keep her from sweating profusely. When she’s stationary, her body goes into shock — it demands a blanket, heat, something. She likes to curl up around a fire.

ADDICTIONS: Does moving count? She can’t stop and sit still. Other than that, nothing. She doesn’t allow herself to get too addicted to anything — everything is okay in moderation.

DRUG USE: None, besides the occasional melatonin when her mind simply won’t cease buzzing.

ALCOHOL USE: Regular, but nothing excessive. Definitely not beyond the one-drink-a-night on average, despite her work.

PERSONALITY.

LABEL: The Ambitious, The Mafia Princess, The Pariah, The Loyalist.

POSITIVE TRAITS: adaptive, creative, committed, efficient, determined, flexible, honest.

NEGATIVE TRAITS: aloof, bull-headed, blunt, obsessive, rude, disinterested, distant.

GOALS/DESIRES: To continue to run Vices efficiently, providing a good working environment for her employees (and a positive experience for her customers). Additionally, she wants to expand business, make it even more of a spectacular — she has a few ideas about some underground operations, but she’s keeping that hush hush so far (until she can sway Moonshine over to her side — quite a feat)

FEARS: Failure.

HOBBIES: What are hobbies? Girl is always working.

HABITS: Picking at her cuticles. Absently gnawing on her lip. Leaning her head against her hand; cocking it sideways. Going glassy-eyed when someone bores her (she can’t help it!) Stopping people when she feels they’re wasting her time. Speaking bluntly, which can often come across as rude. Cutting to the chase. Smacking people who are close to her on the shoulder, or otherwise getting physical with them. Laughing too loud.

FAVOURITES.

WEATHER: A warm seventy-five degrees. Alternately, nighttime and storming. She loves a moody sky, smeared with dark blues and grays.

COLOUR: She doesn’t really have a favorite, but blue’s a good one. Purple, too.

MUSIC: Classic rock. Give her some Nirvana and she’s good to go.

MOVIES: The movies from her childhood. Other than that, she doesn’t really watch TV.

SPORT: Give her MMA and she’ll go hog-wild. She’s also partial to Basketball (go Golden State).

BEVERAGE: Despite her name, she rarely enjoys a whiskey. Instead, she’ll opt for a simple Belgian beer or a Cabernet.

FOOD: Mac and cheese. That is all.

ANIMAL: Dogs. She wants one of those fucking Labradoodle things in spite of herself.

FAMILY.

FATHER: Virgil Joe Crowder / Seventy-eight / Infamous Dertosa crime lord (currently imprisoned with over a dozen life sentences).

MOTHER: Aisha Dawit / Sixty / Housewife.  

SIBLING(S): Julius Beau Crowder / Forty-three / who the hell knows? Not Nia.

CHLDREN: N/A.

PET(S): N/A.

FAMILY’S FINANCIAL STATUS: Wealthy and then, just as swiftly, impoverished.

EXTRA.

ZODIAC SIGN: Pisces.

MBTI: ESTP.

ENNEAGRAM: The Achiever.

TEMPERAMENT: Sanguine.

MORAL ALIGNMENT: True neutral.

PRIMARY VICE: Greed.

PRIMARY VIRTUE: Diligence.

ELEMENT: Fire.

[maiji]

Thoughts on Grasses of Remembrance (The Tale of Genji through its poetry)

Finally had some time this weekend to sit down with A Waka Anthology, Volume 2: Grasses of Remembrance Part B by Edwin A. Cranston. This book is the last in an impressive and intimidating collection translating a number of major classical poetry anthologies. It’s basically a speedrun through Tale of Genji (if such a thing were possible) filtered through all 795 waka poems written or uttered by the characters over the course of the novel.

Poetry was a Really Big Deal during the Heian era. If you were an aristocrat, not only were you expected to compose decent poetry, you had to be able to do it off-the-cuff appropriate to the occasion. AND to do this properly, you were expected to be able to recognize and respond cleverly to references to a ton of other existing classic poems from memory that people would just mention casually in conversation or writing (kinda like how people quote the Simpsons today lol). This was a prime marker of how intelligent/competent and - no joke - how sexy you were. So not surprisingly, these poems are extremely important to the development of character interactions and themes in the Tale of Genji which has a lot of romance and relationship plotlines. 

However. Translating Heian era Japanese into modern Japanese is already challenging. Rendering Heian era Japanese waka poetry into modern English is, as you might imagine, harder for a bunch of reasons. Considering how dense the actual novel already is, it’s super easy to gloss over the poetry, and some modern translations simply integrate the basic intent of the poems right into the main text/dialogue.

I was really interested in finding something specifically focusing on and analyzing the poetry, and this book appeared to fit the bill.

Short review: IT TOTALLY DOES. If you’re into Tale of Genji, Heian era, classical Japanese history, classical Japanese literature, Japanese poetry, or just love reading translators articulating eloquently while sassing characters or flailing through linguistic complexities, I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK

Long review: blah blah blah thoughts follows, including some quotes/poem for reference.

The book starts with a quick 2 page intro setting the context of the Tale of Genji, then goes straight into the poems. TBH I personally found it more flowery and redundant than necessary (it repeats a few poems that are then explained later). But it’s only 2 pages, we’ll live.

Then, the poems. For every poem (or poems, in the case of an exchange - sometimes a flurry of them with multiple characters speaking or dashing letters off to each other) there’s an intro and summary of context followed by an analysis, including notes on meaning, narrator and character intent, structure, symbols and wordplay. The original Japanese is included in romaji alongside the English translation. The commentary also flags known references to other classic poems (WITH those poems in-line! This is awesome because I don’t have the rest of these books!), and even mentions poem and folk song quotations from the rest of the novel where the characters have not composed new poetry, but are reciting other existing known pieces.

Overall, I have only three real “warnings” about Grasses of Remembrance Vol 2b:

1) It’s very academic and flowery in tone. If you’re not used to it, it can be hard to read. But then again, if you’re not willing to get past that, how are you reading Tale of Genji? lol. In any case, I personally thought the commentary was a lot of fun. Cranston definitely has opinions and can get pretty sarcastic in places, which I found hilarious. Here are a few sample quotes:

“Tamakazura has remarked to herself how superior the Emperor [Reizei] was in looks to all the courtiers in his train (It is a principle with this author that superior people be dashingly handsome or ravishingly beautiful).” 

“The ruefully witty poems exchanged between Yugiri and To no Naishi [Koremitsu’s daughter, the Gosechi Dancer] are rather more to my taste than the soggy ones Yugiri and Kumoi no Kari exchanged on their wedding night. Might it be the case that a totally sanctioned relationship is literarily uninspiring?”

“The old lady reaches for the melodramatic ultimate and dies just as Yugiri’s letter arrives.”

The overall effect is like an exceedingly well-educated, gossipy and sassy ride through the entire novel hahaha. 

2) Minor typos. I noticed some speckled throughout the text every so often (e.g., Tamakazura being rendered Takakazura, Akashi as Asashi, instances of accidental extra letters, etc.). It was pretty clear what the correct spelling was supposed to be, and TBH considering this is the last of a huge-ass series of over 1300 pages I think it’s forgiveable. Maybe a few that spell-check should have caught, but oh well.

3) This book is NOT CHEAP. As I mentioned in a previous post, not only did I not buy the entire collection, I didn’t even buy a complete Volume 2 - I only bought the last half of the second volume lmao. And the Tale of Genji translations are only HALF of this half of a book. The rest is actually the footnotes, appendices, notes to poems, glossary, bibliography and indices (including indices for every poem by author and by first line) for this beast of a translation/compilation project. This includes a lot of additional commentary and other poems and makes for pretty interesting reading itself, even without the rest of the volumes/parts. The price can definitely be scary and an issue for a lot of people, so if you’re interested in it, I suggest try checking it out at your library or on Google Books first. (In fact, Google Books is how I learned of this book in the first place.)

For me, the depth of insight for the poems was fantastic. It gave me a lot more appreciation for the scenes, including the mental state of the characters, plus a million more symbols, metaphors and ideas for my own creative works like the Genjimonogatari illustration series, North Bound and other original stuff. 

It also clarified several fuzzy translation questions I had that relied on specific knowledge of Heian culture and history/evolution of the use of the language and wasn’t easily found in Google searches or online language resources. And even if you’re already familiar with common allusions, metaphors and puns/homophones in Japanese poetry, it’s still helpful to see them all summarized. And sometimes lamented by the book’s author too. SO MANY PONIES EATING GRASS. SO MANY PINES. Especially the pines. (It IS an amazing pun though, especially because it works in both English and Japanese. Pine [tree] -> to pine, matsu/pine tree -> matsu/to wait)

In term of the actual translations themselves, you may still find them coming off a bit roundabout in some cases when comparing to the original Japanese. But overall I find Cranston’s translations more direct/flavourful than how they were rendered in the Tyler translation, partly because of how Tyler chose to juggle his set of translator’s challenges for rendering not only meaning but also more technical aspects of the poetic form. So the imagery ends up being, to me, a lot more vivid. The overall effect usually ends up more colourful, more emotional, more erotic, more cutting, more entertaining, and whatnot. 

For example, Kashiwagi’s suitor’s poem in the Kocho/Butterflies chapter. When reading the novel, I was like, uh-huh, yah, OK. When I read it here, I was like whoa, dude, that’s a little intense lol. Cranston’s translation amps up the connotation of the heat of the water based on the rest of the line. For comparison:

(The original non-romaji Japanese in the samples following are thanks to the Japanese Text Initiative from the University of Virginia Library Etext Centre and the University of Pittsburgh East Asian Library. Their Tale of Genji page has a FREAKING AMAZING side-by-side comparison of the novel in original Japanese, modern Japanese and romaji. Bless them and the people who had to organize and wrangle that text together.)

Original Japanese: 思ふとも君は知らじなわきかへり 岩漏る水に色し見えねば Omou to mo / Kimi wa shiraji na / Wakikaeri Iwa moru misu ni / Iro shi mieneba

Tyler version: You can hardly know that my thoughts are all of you, for the stealthy spring welling from the rocks leaves no colour to be seen.

Cranston version: Hardly can you know / Of the longing that I feel, / For the boiling wave / Is merely colorless water / As it drains away from the rock.

Here’s another example. Oigimi (Agemaki in the book, as Cranston used Wayley’s names for the sisters) telling Kaoru that he’s the only one who’s been actually visiting them and Kaoru is like all riiiight :Db! From Shii ga Moto / Beneath the Oak chapter:

Oigimi’s poem 雪深き山のかけはし君ならで またふみかよふ跡を見ぬかな Yuki fukaki / Yama no kakehashi / Kimi narade Mata fumikayou / Ato o minu kana

Tyler: No brush but your own has marked the steep mountain trails buried deep in snow / with footprints, while back and forth letters go across the hills.

Cranston: Over the bridges / Clinging to the cliffs along / Our deep-snow mountains / No letter-bearer leaves his trace: / Those footprints are yours alone.

Kaoru’s reply つららとぢ駒ふみしだく山川を しるべしがてらまづや渡らむ Tsurara toji / Koma fumishidaku / Yamakawa o Shirube shigatera / Mazu ya wataramu

Tyler: Then let it be I who firsts ride across these hills, though on his mission, / where ice under my horse’s hooves crackles along frozen streams.

Cranston: In the sheets of ice / Covering the mountain streams / My steed crushes / Such letters as form my reason, / My first, to cross as a guide.

In other examples, Genji’s “*throws hands in the air* I give up” poetic reply to Suetsumuhana about how she keeps using Robes of Cathay/Chinese cloak imagery in her poems in the original Japanese alongside the translation cracked me up even more. And one of my favourites is a pair of poems between the future Akashi Empress (as a child) and her birth-mother the Akashi lady. It’s really sad, sweet and cute all at the same time and completely flew under my radar when I read the novel originally.

The poetry analysis for the Uji chapters is especially intriguing. The plot pointedly pits Niou against Kaoru as opposing personalities with particular similarities and contrasts that drive their relationship with each other and with the woman they’re competing for. Especially in the latter half of the story, a lot of their poems, even ones written independently (i.e., to Ukifune), are specifically composed to highlight those attributes and play off of each other.

Finally, it’s also super interesting to see my experience with the narrative changes through the lens of the poems. Obviously, as I mentioned, some things I easily missed without paying as much attention to the poems in between the rest of the story. But also, some prominent characters have very few poems, so the narrative shifts away from them. Meanwhile, a number of otherwise very minor or usually overlooked characters stand out even more, thanks to the fineness, loveliness, resonance, and sometimes just sheer consistent presence of their poetry. This book definitely gave me a lot of additional perspective on the Tale of Genji, and enhanced my appreciation of the novel and the skill behind its crafting!

[olivereliott]

Custom Bikes Of The Week: 7 June, 2020

A crisp Honda V30 Magna tracker, a swooping Norton/Vincent hybrid, a Ducati Hailwood replica up for auction, and a very sharp Ducati ST4S cafe racer. We’d happily put any of these into our garage.

Norvin by Stile Italiano We’ve all seen plenty of lust-worthy Tritons; Triumph motors stuffed into Norton frames. The crew at Stile Italiano has built six, plus four ‘Hartons.’ But now they’ve really gone overboard, with this stunning Norvin.

You’re looking at a Norton featherbed frame, equipped with one of the most desirable engines ever made—a Vincent.

The crew started by sourcing an original ‘wideline’ featherbed frame. They obviously had to mod it to hold the Vincent motor, but they also cut out the bottom and rebuilt it, so that the motor (and center of gravity) would sit lower. The engine itself is the 998 cc mill from the Vincent Rapide, but it’s been bored out to 1,140 cc, and upgraded with forged pistons and a twin spark conversion.

The bodywork is all hand-formed, as are the snaking exhaust headers, which terminate in a pair of Virex mufflers. Modern touches like Öhlins forks are offset against retro parts like the exquisite drum brakes. With a classy black paint job and gold highlights, it’s nothing short of exquisite. [More]

Honda V30 Magna by MotoRelic Ever heard of the V30 Magna? It was a 498 cc V-four cruiser that Honda released in the 80s, with ‘custom’ styling typical of the era. Not surprisingly, you don’t see many custom examples—so when Sean Skinner at MotoRelic in Virginia got his hands on one, he had nothing to reference for inspiration.

That didn’t stop him from building a sharp street tracker that’s miles ahead of the source material. Sean’s V30 is also something of a parts bin special, with an Interceptor swing arm, CBR600F2 forks and wheels, and a Suzuki T500 fuel tank.

Swapping out the tank was no walk in the park: the Magna has two fuel tanks, with a massive air box in between them. So Sean had to rip everything out and fabricate a new custom air box to house a K&N filter. Getting the wheels and swing arm to fit required a fair amount of machine work, and the forks are attached via the triples from a Nighthawk.

The bike also features a custom subframe and tailpiece, complete with tracker-style number boards. Counterbalance Cycles handled the upholstery, while Knights Kustoms did the paint, pulling inspiration from classic Honda color schemes. Other upgrades include LED lighting, a custom headlight nacelle and fender, and twin two-into-one exhaust systems built with parts from Cone Engineering.

The parts list is exhaustive, the custom work even more so, and the stance and livery are flawless. Sean wonders if the V30 Magna could be the new CX500, and he might just be onto something. [More]

Ducati Mike Hailwood Replica Mike Hailwood is undeniably a legend of the sport, but one of his most remarkable victories came 11 years after he first retired. In 1978 he went back to work, and won the Isle of Man TT at the age of 38.

‘Mike the Bike’ entered the race as a privateer, piloting a Ducati 900 SuperSport. A year later, Ducati cashed in on the fame, and released the limited edition Ducati 900 MHR (Mike Hailwood replica), producing just 7,000 examples.

The MHR was closer to a stock 900SS than the highly custom version Hailwood raced, but its bodywork and livery did a good job of mimicking the style. It also featured a few upgrades: Dell’Orto carbs with velocity stacks, and better performing Conti mufflers. Later models featured an electric start and hydraulic clutch, and eventually a more reliable 973 cc motor.

This 1985 MHR’s just popped up on the auction website Mecum. With only 11,713 miles on the meter it appears to be in tip-top shape, and was bought by its current owner from a Ducati dealer. It’s a stunning slice of history, and, as we’ve said before, one of few bikes we wouldn’t dare customize.

It’s going on the block in mid July, with no current estimate … so start saving. [Via]

Ducati ST4S by Moto Motivo Johann Keyser is a South African living in the US and he’s turned his custom motorcycle hobby into a career, under the banner of Moto Motivo. Some time ago, he built a Ducati ST2 for a client; the owner of this 2005 ST4S spotted that build, and asked Johann to build something similar.

To turn the sports tourer into a cafe racer, Johann started by ditching all of its bodywork. In its place he fitted a Ducati 999 tank, followed by a custom tailpiece that integrates neatly with the rear edge of the tank. The subframe was shortened and narrowed to match.

The ST4S also wears Monster gauges, clip-ons, an aftermarket Harley V-Rod headlight, and a saddle and rear-sets from Japan. The bike came with Öhlins suspension, so Johann turned his attention elsewhere. He installed a set of Monster S4RS wheels with Continental Road Attack 2 tires, wedging the single-sided S4RS swing arm into the frame at the same time.

On the performance side, this ST4S benefits from a set of K&N filters, and a custom-built ceramic coated exhaust system, capped with a yellow carbon fiber Akrapovič can. Johann remapped the ECU too. As for the bright yellow design—that’s a hat tip to the first cafe racer he built as a teenager, and the Alfa Romeos he used to race. [More]

[recentanimenews]

Bookshelf Briefs 10/18/19

Bakemonogatari, Vol. 1 | By NISIOISIN and Oh!great | Vertical Comics – For years there wasn’t a Bakemonogatari manga. It’s not clear why; perhaps Nisioisin didn’t like the format, perhaps the iconic SHAFT anime made it a hard act to follow. In any case, getting Oh!great to draw the story was an inspired choice—the ridiculous over-the-topness that grew tiresome in Air Gear and Tenjho Tenge fits in perfectly with Araragi’s fevered fantasies and Senjogahara’s verbal lacerations. This first volume takes us almost to the end of Hitagi Crab—indeed, it cuts off right near the end, awkwardly so. Still, for anyone who gets overwhelmed by the novel’s verbiage, this is a great purchase. There’s even a bit of added content, though only a bit. – Sean Gaffney

If I Could Reach You, Vol. 1 | By tMnR | Kodansha Comics – Teenage love can be dumb, but not always. Sometimes people are well aware that the feelings they have are never going to be requited, but that does not actually stop the feelings from being there anyway. It’s especially troubling for Uta, the girl that she’s fallen for and her childhood friend. Unfortunately, her brother was also Kaoru’s childhood friend, and they’re now married. Uta is living there due to circumstances, and must continue going to school and living her life while falling deeper and deeper into her passions. I must admit I found her school life a bit more interesting than the home life. Still, this manages to be a potboiler but not in a Citrus way, which is good. – Sean Gaffney

Komi Can’t Communicate, Vol. 3 | By Tomohito Oda | VIZ Media – After a second volume where I had to make it a full review so I could rant, this one settles down quite a bit. Yamai is still around but far less, and the emphasis is firmly on Komi trying to make progress. She does—in fact, her goal of “100 friends” is up to eleven by the end. We also get a better idea of her home life, and it turns out that both Komi and her brother take after their father, while the mother is a total chatterbox. As with the first two books, the best moments in the volume are more heartwarming than funny. Komi at the pool, where her accidental trip and fall means she has to sit by the side, leading to her castigating herself till Tadano steps in. There’s also a lovely festival at the end. Cute as heck. – Sean Gaffney

Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles, Vol. 1 | By Naru Narumi | Dark Horse – The back cover promises “a fun food manga that will show you around the authentic ramen culture of everyday Japan,” and on that, Ms. Koizumi Loves Ramen Noodles delivers. I doubt I’ll be able to retain any of the information imparted, but it was interesting, all the same. Ramen-obsessed Koizumi is fine, but I’m less fond of Yu Osawa, the girl who’s desperate to become friends with Koizumi. Watching her friends become friendly with Koizumi—by demonstrating an affinity for ramen rather than interest in her—eventually drives Yu to the point of flailing on the ground and crying, “Why won’t you be friendly with meeeee?” It’s very unappealing. She does start to win Koizumi over by the end of the volume, though, which I guess is good for her. I’m not sure I’ll be back for volume two. Maybe. – Michelle Smith

My Hero Academia: School Briefs, Vol. 3 | By Kohei Horikoshi and Anri Yoshi | VIZ Media – Set just before and after the U.A. students have moved into the dorms, the third volume of My Hero Academia: School Briefs has a recurring motif wherein Hatsume Mei’s inventions cause trouble, including a fun chapter where the kids, on edge from telling ghost stories in Tokoyami’s room, hear a strange buzzing sound that Aizawa begrudgingly comes to investigate. My favorite stories, though, are the a-day-in-the-life entries told from the points of view of Ida (who worries he has ostracized his classmates by being too strict) and Kuwai (Koji’s pet bunny, whose inner narrative turns out to be surprisingly and delightfully erudite). I especially liked that both stories showed Bakugo in a good light, including a moment in Ida’s story where Bakugo prevents a surprise from being spoiled and one in Kuwai’s where he checks on the bunny to make sure it’s okay after it briefly escaped Koji’s room. I’m really glad we’re getting these stories! – Michelle Smith

My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, Vol. 6 | By Hideyuki Furuhashi and Betten Court | VIZ Media – This takes place a number of yeas before the main series, so we can’t really get cameos from 1-A. But we can see the teachers, some of whom aren’t teaching yet. This volume gives us a lot of Eraser, who ends up dealing with Koichi against his better judgment. Meanwhile, Koichi is doing the sort of quirk experimentation that 1-A requires in its students, and finds new uses for his quirk. This really does have in its background plot the idea that someone who fails (or in this case misses) an exam is not a terrible person, but society may treat them that way. And, yes, there’s still quirk drugs going around, this time lading to infiltrating a mixer, with the help of Midnight. Good times. – Sean Gaffney

Natsume’s Book of Friends, Vol. 23 | By Yuki Midorikawa | VIZ Media – It looks as if this is now a yearly series, but that makes each new volume a rewarding experience. This one has two main storylines. In the first, the boys of Natsume’s class get involved in a school’s urban legend about a painting, which may or nay not be supernatural in origin. Then, Natsume and Natori end up visiting a seemingly abandoned house that in reality is being maintained by Matoba and his people, and requires a certain ritual to go well. That said, nothing goes perfectly with Natsume around. Again, the big reason to read this is the natural empathy Natsume has to nearly everyone around him. He is absolutely a good boy—a cinnamon roll, in fact. – Sean Gaffney

Otherworldly Izakaya Nobu, Vol. 4 | By Natsuya Semikawa and Virginia Nitouhei | Udon Entertainment – I like the way that the semi-regular cast show up over and over, sometimes because they’re plot-relevant, and sometimes just to eat more of their favorite food. One of our lothario knights ends up having a food discussion with a woman who is clearly a noble, only he doesn’t really get this. A lady knight shows up looking for the enemy that she fell in love with years ago… only to find the waitress of the izakaya (the blonde, not Shinobu or the little girl) is his wife. Meanwhile, Nobuyuki may be getting closer to Shinobu, but it’s pretty clear food is more important to both of them. Still makes me hungry, but good stuff. – Sean Gaffney

The Poe Clan, Vol. 1 | By Moto Hagio | Fantagraphics – It’s always cause for celebration when more of Hagio’s work is released in translation, doubly so when that work is the highly influential shoujo classic The Poe Clan. Originally published in the 1970s, the series’ focus is on a family of vampirnellas and their interactions with humans, particularly how they prey upon them to sustain their own lives or to initiate them as members into their immortal clan. The first English-language volume from Fantagraphics, released as a beautiful hardcover omnibus, collects six chapters of Hagio’s epic. Though the chapters are all related to one another, the story isn’t presented chronologically and instead shifts between time periods as well as characters. But tying everything together is the presence and spectre of Edgar—a young man whose mortal and immortal life are both tragic. Delectably dark and dramatic, I’m looking forward to the final volume of The Poe Clan a great deal. – Ash Brown

Sacrifical Princess and the King of Beasts, Vol. 7 | By Yu Tomofuji | Yen Press – Sariphi is making friends and influencing people, but her royal fiancé is never far away. She needs to show that she can handle things on her own, so is sent to a nation to essentially bring greetings from the King. Things get complicated, though, because her bodyguard accompanying her is a hyena, and they’re treated as untrustworthy and evil. It doesn’t help that, in order to make himself look good, he deliberately puts her in danger so that he can save the day. But of course Sariphi can see the good within him. She may need to double down on that, though, as the cliffhanger implies he’s about to be framed. An underrated shoujo series. – Sean Gaffney

By: Ash Brown

[mixcartus]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Coach Womens Virginia Genuine Leather Black Mid Calf Pull On Boots Size 8.

[olivereliott]

Custom Bikes Of The Week: 8 September, 2019

Quality over quantity this week, with four rather than five new builds: two Beemers, and two Triumphs. All are surprisingly practical, finely finished, and eminently rideable—and we’d happily put any one in the EXIF garage.

A Triumph Bobber with Speed Twin style The concept of the manufacturer-sponsored dealer ‘build off’ is well established these days, and this year, Triumph is running a ‘Bobber Build Off’ in its home country. Three finalists have just been announced, out of 13 entries, and our favorite is this very classy homage to the original Speed Twin.

It comes from Triumph’s Wellingborough showroom. According to the Northamptonshire dealer, inspiration struck when they saw an enamel sign advertising the original 1938 5T Speed Twin. “The team noticed the similarities in the lines of the original Speed Twin and the current Bobber, and decided to recreate its key features, bringing it up to date in a modern guise.”

Up front, technicians Martin Hale and Jamie Williams have grafted on a custom-made set of girder forks. They’ve also extended the fenders to ape the vintage style, added a pivot and springs to make the seat resemble an authentic Speed Twin seat, and repainted the bike in a typical Speed Twin style—but using Triumph’s modern Lava Red instead of the traditional Amaranth Red.

The winner of the Bobber Build Off will be revealed at the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride in London on 29th September—and we reckon this one is the front-runner.

BMW R75/5 by Cognito Moto You may know Cognito Moto as one of the biggest and best suppliers of café racer parts and kits in the US. But the Richmond, Virginia outfit also builds the occasional custom bike, with the same attention to detail and style as their accessories.

Three years ago, company founders Devin and Nicholas Henriques wowed us with a sublime Yamaha XS650, and they’re now back with a superb airhead BMW. It’s a 1971 R75/5 model treated to a smattering of Cognito’s own custom parts, including a conversion kit for R nineT forks.

The overhauled engine has been bored out with a Siebenrock 1000cc kit, and treated to hi-comp pistons and new Nicasil linings. Juice comes via 38mm Dell’Orto carbs, and a set of Cognito’s own spoked wheels (and Brembo brakes) help keep the show on the road.

The slim custom subframe is neatly done, and fitted with an even neater seat from New Church Moto. At the business end of the BMW, the headlight is now LED, and set ahead of black Renthal Fatbars. The cockpit accoutrements are top-shelf, with Motogadget supplying a Chronoclassic speedo, push button switches and discreet m.blaze indicators.

Pure class from front to back. [More]

A stuntman’s 2015 Triumph Scrambler Interesting bikes often have an interesting story behind them, and this is a case in point. It’s owned by an expat Englishman who lives in southern California and earns his living as a stuntman in Hollywood blockbusters and Bond movies.

Despite being a rider for years, ‘Diz’ had never owned a street bike or had a license in his wallet. But after borrowing a friend’s Triumph Scrambler for several hundred miles, Diz decided to get his act together and put a bike in his garage.

Roland Sands Design took a 2015 Triumph Scrambler, stripped it to the essentials, and installed ProTaper bars, ASV levers, Galfer brake discs and uprated shocks from Progressive.

There’s a RSD ‘Enzo’ 2-up seat, a bunch of dress-up and electric parts from Joker Machine, and a high fender kit from British Customs that looks the part next to chunky TKC80 rubber. K&N filters and an RSD 2-into-1 slip on muffler keep the motor breathing freely, and Jay LaRossa from Lossa Engineering supplied the stunning, SoCal inspired paint. We’re sold. [More]

BMW K100 café racer by RW Motorcycles It’s getting harder and harder to find a solid classic BMW R series for a good price, even in Europe. So customizers are turning more towards the later K series, and the ‘flying brick’ builds seem to be getting better and better as the months go by.

This one comes from Rusty Wrench Motorcycles of Portugal. And as someone who generally recoils at most K-series customs, I have to admit they’ve done a superb job. The donor bike was a 1986 BMW K100 RT and head wrench Francisco has wisely stuck to tried-and-true café-style mods, making them work in the context of the blocky motor.

That means modern forks, new shocks, a new subframe and seat unit, new lighting, and minor bodywork fabrication—notably the tail unit and front fender. He’s chosen to amplify the angular nature of the stock bike, and he’s succeeded. The new exhaust system is discreet, the black-and-blue paint is finely judged, and even the stock wheels look great, with spokes powdercoated black, and shod with Metzeler rubber. Belíssimo! [More]

[olivereliott]

Custom Bikes Of The Week: 21 April, 2019

An incredible Norton sidecar racer from Australia, a tribute to NCR co-founder Rino Caracchi from Italy, and a chunky go-anywhere BMW R100GS from the States. Plus news of a land speed record attempt featuring Max Biaggi … on an electric bike.

Ducati MHR 1000 Rino Caracchi tribute The NCR name is forever entwined with the racing fortunes of Ducati—most notably when Mike Hailwood used an NCR-built 900 to win the 1978 World Championship at the Isle of Man.

NCR co-founder Rino Caracchi passed away recently, and Stile Italiano have paid tribute to his legacy with this sleek custom based on a 1984 MHR 900. And there are performance upgrades aplenty, as befits NCR’s ethos.

These include Dell’Orto PHM 40 carbs with velocity stacks, a custom exhaust system built by Virex, Öhlins FG950 forks, Ducati 888 alloy triples, and an Öhlins monoshock.

The wheels are TT2 replicas from Marvic shod with Michelin slicks, and there’s a high-end Brembo braking system with new discs, billet callipers and master cylinders.

Stile Italiano are best known for their monocoque custom bodywork, and they’ve applied the trick to the MHR without losing the classic vibe. The hand-formed aluminum is almost impossibly smooth, and finished in a red, silver and gold livery to reflect Ducati’s historic racing colors. [More]

1962 Norton Atlas racing sidecar This hand-built Norton has been captured by the Australian photographer Alex Jovanovic, and belongs to hydroblasting specialist Tim Loone. Despite the incredible looks, the Norton is not a trailer queen: after building the 750cc rig himself, Tim has been racing it in the local Historic Road Race Championships.

“Tim is an amazing craftsman, and his workshop is full of customers’ sidecar and race bike projects,” says Alex. “There’s no doubt this bike is the best looking in the field.”

Since the Second World War, Nortons have had a low-key but steady presence in the world of sidecar racing, but few have looked as slick as this streamlined racer.

The 1962 build date makes this 750cc Atlas one of the first to roll off the production line. It has a ‘featherbed’ chassis, a four-speed ‘box and quite a few parts also used on the Dominator twins.

If you’re in the Lucky country, you can see the Norton in the metal at the Six One show in Williamstown, Victoria next weekend, a new event created by Fuel Tank magazine and the Return of the Cafe Racers website. [Six One]

BMW R100GS custom by Wheelborne Matt Hawthorne runs Wheelborne, a waxed canvas luggage specialist based in Richmond, Virginia. And although he doesn’t regard himself as a bike builder, his modified 1992 R100GS has piqued our interest big time.

Matt’s R100 is inspired by the tough, Dakar ready builds from HPN, and he chose the big Beemer because he wanted to “crush some fire roads and have a bike that can do absolutely everything with little compromise.”

He’s given his big trailie a custom windshield with wraparound crash bars, a tweaked R80ST subframe with a G/S rack, and appealingly dusty paintwork. We’re digging the dual headlight kit and the knee pads from Wunderlich, and there are other neat little details sprinkled throughout like CRF150 footpegs.

Matt applied the paint himself in his tiny workshop, which is more of a shed. “Kind of a big shed, but definitely not a garage,” he says. “It’s enough space for me to work and I do at least have power out there, but hey, you can do a lot in an uninsulated 12’ x 24’ space that leaks every time it rains.” [More]

Custom Yamaha SR500 by Rebels Alliance A couple of years ago, I was in London for an interview with the producers of the custom moto documentary Oil In The Blood. As I left, planning a leisurely stroll back to my hotel, the director suggested I take a small detour to check out Rebels Alliance.

It’s a compact shop in the East End crammed with cool alt-moto gear and memorabilia, all selected with impeccable taste. But the RA crew also builds the occasional quirky custom, and this angular SR500 is the latest.

Aptly called ‘Rough Diamond,’ the centerpiece is a multi-faceted fuel tank crafted from mild steel that took weeks to complete. It’s formed from TIG-brazed panels to create a vessel of near-perfect symmetry, with a few weld lines left to reveal its hand built nature.

The other big change is a switch to Suzuki GSX-R750 forks, which are more than a match for the hot-rodded motor. That’s been bored out to 605cc, and hides Carillo 11.5:1 pistons and a balanced crank. “When we say this thing really goes, we mean it,” say the lads. We believe them. [More]

The Voxman Wattman resurfaces Five years ago, the boutique French maker Voxan announced the Wattman electric motorcycle, with a 150kW (200hp) electric motor. There’s no word on whether any Wattmans have actually been produced, but we now know that there’s at least one in existence.

The electric scene is riddled with vaporware and broken dreams, but Voxan has taken the brave step of aiming for a land speed record. And the pilot will be none other than the famously irascible racer, Max Biaggi.

According to Motorsport.com, “Biaggi will attempt to break the 330km/h barrier on a Voxan Wattman bike on the Uyuni salt flat in Bolivia … The record Biaggi will be aiming to beat is the 327.608 km/h achieved by Jim Hoogerhyde riding a Lightning SB220 in 2013.”

We’re not quite sure what is more surprising: the fact that the Wattman is still a viable proposition, or Biaggi is heading to an obscure South American salt flat, or that the electric record has been unbeaten for six years.

However, Voxan’s parent company Venturi does have form in this scene: it currently holds the outright electric car land speed record, with its ‘Buckeye Bullet.’ So maybe Biaggi will succeed—and that’s got to be good news for the profile of electric two-wheelers. [More]

[olivereliott]

Custom Bikes of the Week: 14 April, 2019

We’ve lined them up from biggest to smallest this week—starting with a slick Triumph Bonneville kit, and finishing off with the cutest electric cafe racer. With a Yamaha dirt bike, a Grom and a Suzuki SV 90 wedged in between, it’s a weird week for sure.

Triumph Bonneville Kit by Unikat If the impeccable fit and finish of Triumph’s Factory Customs raised your brows—but the prices slammed them back into an expression of disgust—we may have a solution. Wrocław, Poland based Unikat Motorworks have developed a bolt-on cafe racer kit for both the T100 and T120 Bonnies. And it’s damn sweet.

Working closely with Triumph Poland, Grzegorz Korczak and his crew wanted to develop a limited run kit (only 11 will be built), that would create a classic cafe racer with modern performance and reliability. And that would maintain that all-important Hinckley warranty.

The most radical portion of the changes were made to the rear subframe, where a new loop was grafted in, complete with integrated LEDs. A custom front fender hugs the new Takasago Excel rim up front, and the bars have been swapped out for a set of Unikat clip-ons. The gauges have been lowered too, and the triple clamp has been polished to mimic the one adorning the Thruxton R.

To make sure that each bike differs from the next, customers will have options, including the livery, color and type of leather on the seat, and grips. If the liquid-cooled 900-powered T100 is your cuppa for a base build, it will set you back around $ 16,000 including the bike itself. [More]

Yamaha YZ125 by Max Miille Hillsboro, Oregon, sits just over 30 miles outside of Tillamook State Forest, which is home to some of the PNW’s most incredible dual and single track off-road trails. So it’s not surprising that Max Miille has a bit of a thing for dirt bikes—as is evident by this YZ125.

Working from a $ 500 donor he liberated from a friend, Max decided early on that his ‘Blue Duck’ would put his fabrication skills to the test. The idea was to build a full-blown custom that could handle all of the abuse he wanted to throw at it. Max’s dad lent a hand on fabricating new wheel spacers, and New Church Moto stitched up that seat—but outside of that, Max handled the bulk of the work.

The stock subframe was chopped and a sleek new tail was welded up. From there Max turned his attention to aluminum shaping—bending and welding up the Yammi’s new tank, side covers and number plate. That custom pipe was Max’s work too, and the anodized finish fits perfectly with the traditional color scheme.

My favorite bit is the work Max did on the Blue Duck’s intake. Considering he’s only 26 and this is only his second build, I expect things will only get better as time marches on. [More]

Project GUS Grom by Industrial Moto Few things in this world go together as naturally as a smiling face and a Honda Grom. You could have just been fired and figured out the Easter Bunny is bunk—but lay eyes on one of Honda’s diminutive fun machines, and I’d bet your lips would curl. And if you spotted this one, even the Cheshire Cat would be jealous of your grin.

Project GUS (‘Grom Utility Sidecar’) is the genius work of Tyler Haynes, from Virginia’s Industrial Moto. Sold as a kit, the GUS features a removable side-hack that runs on its own matching wheel, mounted to independent suspension that can be adjusted for toe-in/out.

Fitting it means losing the passenger pegs, and the version here also has modded plastics, bar-end LED signals and a custom exhaust. Depending on what or who you’d like to parade around town (or the pits), your GUS can be setup with a seat and grab-bar, LED lights, a rear cargo rack, or any combination of the above.

We wouldn’t want to take it anywhere where speed is essential, but I can’t help but feel that GUS is one of those things everyone just needs. Best of all, the unit retails for a scant $ 1,600 to $ 1,920. Which, if you’ve priced a Ural lately, is downright reasonable. [More]

The Goof Bike If a three-wheeled Grom doesn’t tickle your fancy, maybe this beach bound Suzuki RV 90 will do the trick? It’s the result of a collaboration between Aussie alternative artist Paul McNeil, and House of Deus denizen, Jeremy Tagand.

Since its fat tires are destined for sussing out the choicest of breaks from the confines of the sand, the RV’s signals and mirrors were binned. Then a canopy-style surf rack was fitted, mounted up off its tail.

Little was changed on the mechanical side of things, save for the new straight-pipe exhaust—fitted to scare off any kooks, no doubt. And since it’s a monkey bike, ape hangers and a chunky seat were a must, for both comfort and style.

Speaking of style, that speckled red, white and blue paint—which is signature McNeil—fits the Goof Bike perfectly. And it only strengthens our faith in the recent rise of small bikes. [More]

Super73 Racer by Roland Sands Paul D’Orleans recently presented his curation of battery powered pro-builds at the Petersen Automotive Museum, and the sheer caliber of bikes was mesmerizing. There’s little doubt in our minds that a two-wheeled Electric Revolution is in the works. And that could very well be a good thing—especially if it gets more riders on bikes.

Looking to help that cause is Roland Sands and his SoCal-based RSD team. Working with Super73—a pedal-assist e-bike maker—they built a stylish, all electric cafe that any one of us at BE HQ would welcome into our fold.

Using their Pikes Peak project as inspiration (yes, really), the Super73 Racer has a monocoque design for the tank and tail. The pedals were ditched in favour of rear-sets (the Super73 can run with a throttle), the rigid forks were swapped for actual suspension, and the high bars were replaced by low slung clip-ons.

With no license required, the Super73 Racer is best described as low risk and high fun. The 1,000 watt rear hub motor packs more than enough oomph for the sub-seventy pound racer, with a range of 35 to 40 miles. With racier looks and slick-shod hoops, it sure would be a blast to lean over on a short and quiet canyon run. [More]