The Business of Customizing Old Motorcycles

Untitled builds interesting and usable old school motorcycles in a small workshop under the railway arches in north London. And they’re doing a very good job of it too. So when we read an interview with Untitled’s co-founder Adam Kay in Classic Bike Guide, we jumped on it. It’s a great counterpoint to John Ryland’s piece on building custom motorcycles for a living.

“I do this because I love it,” says Untitled’s Adam Kay. “A few years ago I bought a BMW from Rex Martin, who was running Victory Motorcycles in Kentish Town. I asked him to help me rebuild it into a very basic custom, with a shorter seat and different mudguards.”

“I started a Facebook page to document the build: a simple ‘how to’ blog. Lots of people liked it, and I still get people writing to me about those pages. People started asking if we could build stuff for them.”

Rex became Adam’s business partner, and Untitled Motorcycles was born.

WHAT WAS YOUR BIG BREAK? “A guy who used to hang out at the workshop suggested Rex and I build a couple of bikes to show at the Alexandra Palace Custom Show. I think our BMWs were the only non-Harley bikes there.

“We took the BMW badges off and called them ‘Untitled.’ We put price tags on both bikes, which were way too expensive and took a year to sell. But we got several projects as a result of that show.

“Then we built UMC-002 (below), a BMW scrambler with high-level pipes. It got a huge amount of interest and people started coming to us.”

Since then, Untitled has become a highly respected shop, known for its ‘urban’ and rideable street bikes. They’ve been featured extensively online and in the new wave custom bible The Ride.

HOW DO YOU PAY THE BILLS? “As a business, Untitled has always been healthy: we were profitable after our first year. You can make money building custom bikes—and you don’t need to have money upfront to build the bikes.”

Until now Untitled has focused purely on bike building, but Adam is looking to expand operations and build on the brand.

“We’re about to start selling bolt-on parts developed from our custom builds. We’re doing a plug-and-go BMW subframe, because the way they’re built allows you to customize them relatively easily. Other bikes you have to cut and weld new tube, and not everyone can do that—or has access to a mate with a welder.”

The BMW rear end will be sold in different versions, from bare subframes through to the full package with fender, indicators, stoplight, and shocks. “The electrical components have four-pin connectors that plug straight into the existing loom. The idea is that it’s all bolt-on, ready to go.”

They are also designing merchandise. “We could probably make more money from just selling merchandise. But first and foremost, we build bikes. I’m not against selling clothing or parts that have been developed from our bike-building expertise.”

Adam has been astute enough to tap into the American market, but not in the conventional way. “Hugo Eccles, an industrial designer who co-built the UMC-021 (below) with me, recently moved from London to California. He was planning on establishing a custom bike-building business out there, so we formed a partnership. We now have a workshop in San Francisco and our first US build will be a Moto Guzzi cafe racer.”

SOCIAL MEDIA: DOES IT WORK? “We’ve promoted our business through Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter. You get ‘likes’ but does that translate into business? I think so. People in the USA like our stuff and that’s purely though the internet. Our web stats show that a big percentage of our traffic comes from America.

“Without the internet I don’t think we’d be where we are now—we’re known worldwide. But it means you also have to be on the computer, answering emails and generating new stuff to keep people coming back. I’ve noticed that people flick from bike to bike. Attention spans appear to be very short.”

The internet also carries a lot of negativity, which can divert attention if taken seriously. But that doesn’t worry Adam.

“When we started building bikes I worried about it, but not any more. I don’t care who is building a bike—it takes a lot of hard work and real ingenuity. I love the people in this business and the people it attracts, even the ‘haters.’

“At least they offer an opinion, even if it might not be a view you share. And it’s good to create discussion.

“At the end of the day, whatever people are saying online, it’s another motorcycle back on the road—and surely that’s got to be a good thing?”

There’s no doubt the internet is fueling new interest—but why classic bikes, and what’s the attraction of customizing them? “People want things that are niche and vibrant,” says Adam. “It’s about having something to aspire to, and expressing individuality.”

HOW INVOLVED ARE YOUR CLIENTS? “We’re getting more and more customers coming in to the workshop to help build their own bikes, and we’re teaching them. It’s worked so well, we’re considering setting up a series of bike building courses.

“My dad was an engineer, a hands-on guy building boats and cars, and a part-time rally driver too. He once built a complete MGA from crates of spare parts he’d bought. I’ve been around that stuff all my life, and it’s a similar experience working with Rex. Every day I learn something new.”

And that’s the reason Untitled are willing to help newcomers by encouraging them to participate in their own bikes builds and showing them some of the techniques.

“Customizing a motorcycle is not easy. One of the great things about allowing people access to the workshop is that they suddenly realize it’s not a simple job. And they understand why a custom can cost more than £10,000 to build. Building a bike is a very time-consuming process.”

As a society we stopped doing hands-on years ago. Manufacturers of motorcycles—and cars, electronics and household appliances—use planned obsolescence. Nothing is built-to-last, and it’s no longer built-to-fix either: at least not without a degree in computer science.

Like many people interested in new wave cafe racers and street trackers, Adam is amazed that manufacturers have been slow to sell bikes that are easily customized by new riders. And that’s despite companies dipping their toes into the scene with sponsorship of custom shows like The Bike Shed Event.

“It’s great what BMW is doing with the R NineT but it’s also a twelve grand bike. It’s a great base for customization but what young kid, just into biking, can afford that? It’s the same with the Yamaha Bolt. Why not do that with smaller-capacity bikes that can be easily modified and will inspire kids to get into bikes?

“I think that’s why classic bikes have become popular among younger riders. They want to get into doing things with their hands: it’s an untapped hunter-gatherer instinct or something. It’s sad that schools have closed engineering workshop classes. Who’s going to do that kind of work if you don’t get introduced to the basics at school?

“People want to get their hands dirty and they’re bored with modern bikes they can’t touch. People want to feel stuff and modern bikes are so unemotional. The old stuff, you feel it, you touch it, and it’s visceral. Yes, old bikes need looking after but that, in itself, adds value. It’s more of an experience riding old bikes. You can feel an old bike throbbing away.

“It’s got life: it keeps you alive.”

A version of this article by Gary Pinchin appeared in Classic Bike Guide. Reproduced with thanks. Images by Damian McFadden, except Hugo Eccles portrait by Erik Jutras.

Untitled Motorcycles | Facebook | Instagram | Bike EXIF coverage of Untitled builds

Motorcycle Wiring 101

By Joe Tessitore | Digital Directiv

Joe Tessitore is a strange guy. Most motorcycle builders hate working with motorcycle wiring, but not Joe. It’s his favorite part of the build, and the source of most of his business. So we’ve asked Joe to demystify electrical systems, and provide an easy guide to sparking your bike back into life.

The most overlooked, forgotten, or avoided aspect of building a custom motorcycle has to be the electrical system.

You can spend lots of time and money building a high performance engine or sculpting beautiful lines. But if there’s no spark, you just built a really nice paperweight.

That’s where the electrical system comes in. There are many different ways to wire your bike, but for this tutorial we’re going to assume that your factory harness is like the ones I usually find: cut, spliced, taped, cracked, and abused by countless previous owners.

We’re going to trash that one and start from scratch with a bare-bones basic harness—one that’s just enough to get you on the road, and should work for most vintage bikes.

Let’s start with the must-haves for the installation:

A new modern regulator/rectifier. This takes the AC current produced by the stator and changes it to DC current to charge the battery. It will also keep the voltage from getting too high and frying your system.

Most often you can find it under the seat area or under one of the side covers. It’s a critical part of your charging system—and the easiest part to upgrade. The old ones worked poorly to begin with, and chances are, the stock one is dead or on its way out. Get a quality one from a company like Rick’s Motorsport Electrics.

Replacing points with electronic ignitions. These send the signal to the coils telling them when to fire the spark plugs. While a traditional points ignition works fine when adjusted properly, it does require periodic maintenance and the know-how to get it dialed in just right.

For this reason many riders choose to upgrade to an electronic unit that is mostly maintenance free once installed. The most common of these are the Pamco and Dyna (below) units. They’re relatively affordable and produce great results. They also eliminate the old condensers, which often fail.

For those with larger budgets or dreams of racing there are higher end optical ignitions like Power Arc which give the most precisely timed spark for optimal power.

A brand new battery. Most street bikes won’t run without one and if the charging system was week or the bike sat for a long time, don’t take the chance. Just replace it.

Quality wire and connectors. I recommend at least 16-gauge thin stranded copper primary wire. Never use solid core made for home wiring (I’ve seen it done). Speaking of blank, nothing says “I built my bike at Home Depot and Pep Boys” like those red and blue crimp connectors. They may do the job, but if you want a professional look, go with proper supplies from Vintage Connections (below). They’ll look the part and match up to existing connectors already on your bike.

Optional goodies for the ambitious.

These aren’t completely necessary but any time you can eliminate a possible failure point in your electrical system, you’ll be ahead of the game.

New ignition coils. These produce the power to fire the spark plugs. They’re usually found under the gas tank. Most running motorcycles still have perfectly good coils that will function well with newer electronic ignitions.

However, if your plug wires are damaged or you suspect a failure, it’s always a good idea to replace them with something new. While companies like Dyna make very good coils, I’ve had plenty of success with less expensive options like Emgo. Don’t expect aftermarket coils to match up to you stock mounts. You may have to fabricate a bracket or two but they’ll still work just fine.

Upgraded stator. The stator produces the power to run your electrical system and keep your battery charged. It’s usually under the left side cover of the engine at the end of the crankshaft. Most older machines had weak charging systems to begin with, and time has only made them worse.

If you find that upgrading the regulator/rectifier still hasn’t given you enough power, it may be time to look into this. It may not be available for all bikes but some of the more common ones like CB350s and XS650s can take advantage of offerings from Rick’s or Hugh’s Handbuilt. These units will put out a lot more charging power and in some kickstart only cases, allow you to run without a battery.

Motogadget accessories. Ah, the pièce de résistance or gold standard for motorcycle wiring. When you’ve spared no expense on your build and want a professional looking installation, Motogadget parts are the ones you reach for.

The m-Unit is a self contained, programmable, and well-labeled electrical heart for the wiring system. It uses electronic circuit breakers, making fuses obsolete. Just hook it up to your battery then run wires out to every electrical component on the bike. Headlight, taillight, turn signals, horn, the lot. There’s even an integrated alarm feature.

Definitely plug and play for someone with a little patience and a free weekend. Motogadget also offers options for electronic flashers, digital gauges, and my personal favorite, RFID keyless ignition.

Now that you have the essentials, let’s get down to business.

It’s best to think of motorcycle wiring like a circle: Power leaves the battery from one terminal, passes through whatever will use that power (lights, horn, coil, whatever), and ends up back to the opposite terminal of the battery.

If that circle is ever broken, something won’t work. Here’s the basic step-by-step:

1. Connect the negative (-) terminal of the battery to a clean, bare metal part of the frame. Preferably this would be an engine mounting point. This makes the entire frame a grounding point so every light or accessory can be grounded anywhere on the frame to complete the circle of our electric circuit. On a kickstart only bike, this can be the same size as the other wires (14-16 gauge). If using electric start, it must be much thicker (4-6 gauge).

2. Connect the positive (+) terminal to an inline fuse holder. I prefer the newer blade style over the old glass tubes, and use between 20- to 30-amp fuses.

3. From the fuse holder, we’re running a wire to your ignition switch. It can be a keyed switch or just a toggle if you’re going to hide it somewhere discreet. Either way I recommend something that will handle at least 30 amps as all power to your electrical system is running through it.

4. Now that we have a way turn the power on and off, I like to run one power wire from the front of the bike to back. I call it the backbone. Every powered accessory will tap into this wire. In this case, start with the remaining wire from ignition switch and attach it to the backbone wire.

5. Attach the hot wire from the headlight to the backbone wire and ground the other wire to the frame. Do the same with the taillight.

6. Your front and rear brake light switches each have two wires. Attach one wire to the backbone wire and the other one to the third wire on your taillight (brake light wire).

7. Your coils should have two small input wires (in most cases). Attach one from each (if you have more than one coil) to the backbone wire. The remaining wire connects to your points or chosen electronic ignition. The thick wire with the cap goes to the spark plug—but you already know that, right?

8. If you’re using electric start, connect one of the lugs of your starter solenoid to the positive (+) battery terminal with a 4-6 gauge wire. The other lug connects to the thick wire going to the starter. You also have two small wires or connector tabs on the solenoid. Connect one of these to the backbone wire and the other to your starter switch. Ground the other side of your starter switch to the frame if not already grounded through the handlebars.

9. Now for the charging system. Your new regulator/rectifier should have 3 yellow input wires. Connect these to the wires coming out of the stator (usually from the left side of the engine and the order doesn’t matter). Connect the Red wire from the reg/rec to the positive (+) battery terminal and the green wire to the negative (-) terminal.

Some bikes, like CB750s, will have an additional white field coil wire bundled with the yellow stator wires. On bikes like this, the reg/rec will have additional wires that connect to the field coil wire and powered backbone wire. Be sure to check the instructions that came with your unit.

10. That’s it! Turn the key, hit the starter button, and enjoy the sweet sound of success. You just rewired your bike!

Since this is just a basic system to get the bike running, I’ve left out things like turn signals, horn, and indicator lights. If you’d like to install these as well, just follow the same formula, power from the backbone wire, through your switch, and out to your light or accessory.

Lastly, you can wrap up your wiring masterpiece however you see fit. I like heatshrink tubing, but many people prefer to wrap using electrical tape or plastic wire looms.

Just remember to keep the wires secure and away from any sharp edges or heat sources. Broken or melted wires are the most common source of electrical failure I see.

How to build a Harley cafe racer

By Charlie Trelogan | On Cargo Collective

A few weeks ago our article How To Build a Cafe Racer struck a chord with many readers. The response was overwhelmingly positive and it sounds like many of you are now using the article as a guide when modifying your own bikes.

However, that guide was good as design theory, and it’s now time for a more ‘real-life’ example. Not all bikes are the same, and each has its own DNA that has to be considered before work can begin.

So this time we’re taking a bike popular within the custom scene and breaking down its strengths and weaknesses in relation to café racer design. And we aren’t going to start easy. Oh no: we’re looking at Milwaukee’s finest, the Harley-Davidson Sportster.

The Sportster is true American bobber material. But that hasn’t stopped many builders turning the Harley into a café racer—notably Deus (see top image), Roland Sands and DP Customs. Even Harley themselves made the XLCR 1000 in 1977, which is now a real collector’s item.

There are positives. In 1200 form, the Harley Sportster has muscle: With a big V-twin engine to work with, you can really play to its visual strength and emphasize, through design, that power. This goes hand-in-hand with the Sportster’s low-slung posture between the wheels. They’re relatively uncommon dimensions, and not often found on European or Japanese machines.

Now, however, come the drawbacks—and there are quite a few. The first is the steeply inclined chassis top bar, which makes it hard to achieve the foundation line.

This straight and flat angle, underlining the bottom of the seat and tank, gives direction and speed to a motorcycle. And on a Harley, it’s impossible to develop without cutting and rebuilding the subframe. It’s not the end of the world but it means we have to get crafty with the design—and it means there will always be an element of ‘bobber-ness.’ Other bikes that have this problematic feature include Honda CX500s and (my beloved) Royal Enfield Bullets.

The tank. That tank has got to go! It’s a classic sure, but in café racer terms, it violates practically every design rule in the book. It’s too small, so it doesn’t match the visual weight of the bike. It’s too raked, and therefore eliminates the foundation line. It also peaks towards the front, away from the central axis of the engine. That’s the reason we see many longitudinal V-twin customs—Yamaha Viragos as well as Harleys—sporting a Benelli Mojave tank.

Also, on the Harley Sportster the front wheel is larger than the rear. This adds even more bobber DNA, and detracts from the even base that a café bike should sit on. Most builders make the effort to correct this.

Above are the lines that make up the stock Harley Davidson. As you can see, it doesn’t fit the café profile at all. The foundation line is kinked, and the all-important ‘bone line’ is at a very unsporting angle. On top of this, we can really see how much the tank misses the visual weight parameters.

These are the lines we should be aiming for, taking into consideration the uncut Harley chassis. Straightening the kink would mean a tank coming very low over the engine—or chopping the chassis at the rear and raising the seat up. Illustrated here is the ‘axis’ around which the elements should be based. The vertical line shows the middle of the visual weight and therefore the ideal peak of the tank, and the horizontal foundation line aligns with the ideal base of the tank and seat.

So let’s take a look at three subtly different approaches to café-ing the Harley Sportster.

The Classic Approach This one’s close to the traditional café racer look, using a straightforward café style seat and tank.

The elements now fit the cut-off points and height limit and the tank is fitting better with its peak between the cylinders, the ‘center of the visual weight.’

With overlaid bone and foundation lines, it’s clear how the Sportster’s chassis makes it hard to maintain visual continuity and a ‘fast’ look. The bone line is actually curved. This subtracts from the arrow-like feel of a café racer, but I would also say it adds a ‘hunched back’ that gives the bike a signature look of ‘power.’

The ‘Muscle’ approach It’s harder to manufacture this one, but I tried to make something more chunky in its forms. It’s a bit more American with its square-ish nature and sunken saddle, retaining a touch of bobber style.

The reason this design looks a little more ‘together’ is the reduced kink in the foundation line. It’s a softer dip and therefore less troubling to the eye. I’ve also connected the tank to the seat—Something that is also worth doing for quality’s sake. Another small point is that the dent in the tank originates on the center weight axis, like the tank peak. It’s all deliberate, to make the tank look ‘planned.’

The advanced build A tough one to build, but an example to show just how UNrestrictive this framework of lines really is. I really want to demonstrate how much can be done and to let your personality influence the design to make something unique.

Design wise, what I have done is to try and add a straight foundation line in using trickery. I’ve used the top of the seat, not the base to make the flat foundation line but I have softened the transition between the two with a flowing line, joining them. Makes it look more considered and therefore more ‘premium’. Another small trick is the crease in the seat frame. Having the crease toward the top of the seat frame means the angle is more severe and therefore catches light. This puts the underside in shadow and visually ‘lifts’ the frame up as the shadow blends into the frame. This is something car designers do all the time to disguise weight and bulk.

As always, I hope that this serves as a useful tool to people unsure as to how to approach the looks of their project. Sketch, research and maybe even innovate something to make your pride and joy truly special.

PS: Bike EXIF is on Flipboard. It looks amazing on iPad, iPhone and Android. Check it out here.

How to build motorcycles for a living

By John Ryland | Classified Moto

“Wouldn’t it be great to build motorcycles for a living?” I’m guessing the thought has crossed your mind while working on your own bike.

It’s kind of like saying, “Wouldn’t it be great to climb Mount Everest?” Of course it would, depending on your tolerance for discomfort—and even disaster.

In the few years that Classified Moto has been my livelihood, I’ve experienced highs and lows. I’ve felt pride, joy, fear and camaraderie. Plus the occasional overwhelming urge to punch someone square in the face.

Through it all, I’ve learned without a doubt that I’m an expert on nothing. Ironically this is probably the most valuable knowledge I’ve acquired. More on that later.

But: full disclosure here. Chris asked me to contribute this article, and I wasn’t going to turn him down. Maybe this becomes my first advice: If you get the chance to appear on Bike EXIF, take it.

THE 3 ESSENTIAL TRAITS If you want a shot at building a successful motorcycle business, I believe you need three traits: Creativity, flexibility and enthusiasm. All three. And although we’re talking about bike building, these traits probably apply to any form of self-employment. (And life in general.)

Conventional wisdom says to run a successful custom bike company you need to be an amazing craftsman, a world-class welder, a master mechanic, and so on. I disagree.

SKILLS v MAKING A LIVING Like it or not, the skills you need to build a motorcycle are not the same ones you need to make a living from building motorcycles.

Today, you need a vision—and the social graces to get good people on board, people who can help you execute that vision. I’ve found that clients who are drawn to Classified Moto bikes don’t care whether John Ryland did all the work, or whether he led a talented crew to get the job done.

It should be your goal to spend your time doing what you do best, and delegate the rest to specialists who do it better than you do.

If you are creative, flexible and enthusiastic, chances are you can round up a set of top-notch craftsmen to help get the builds done. And then other talented folks to help you convey what you’re doing to the public—by building your brand.

ARE YOU A POSER? There’s a bit of a notion afoot that building a brand for your business somehow makes you a poser. If you are going to build your own business one day, be careful before you join the bashing. You’ll be forced to eat crow. And you might also have to ask for advice from the successful ‘posers’ you mocked to begin with.

Yes, if you’re going to attempt to make a living at this, you’re going to have to market yourself in some way. And do it as well as (or better than) you can weld, sew, tune carbs or pull wheelies.

LOOK IN THE MIRROR Building a brand might seem easy, but it’s not just a logo design. It requires a lot of knowledge, and an instinctive feel for stuff you might not want anything to do with.

The most interesting thing? It forces you to see your work from the public’s perspective. You know how awesome you are, no doubt. But if you’re having a hard time convincing the masses of that fact—or even a few well-heeled clients—your bottom line will suffer.

WHAT SORT OF BUILDER PERSON ARE YOU? Start by figuring out what you bring to the table. Are you an order taker, a dictator, a trendsetter, a copycat, an asshole, or an unbridled artist?

Are your bikes easily recognizable? Are you filling a unique demand of some sort? People need a reason to get excited about what you’re trying to sell. So: Will they? Find something that you can be excited about as well, and make that the basis of your brand.

GET HELP Once you figure out your style, partner with people who can present you in the best light. Pay them, trade with them, but get them onboard somehow. In my case, I enlisted my good friend Adam Ewing to photograph all my bikes.

I met Adam when he shot some ads for BFGoodrich when I was working at an ad agency. I agreed to build him a bike and help him promote his own business. His images are one of the main reasons Bike EXIF and other big time media took notice of what I was doing.

Having a strong brand is the difference between staying in ‘hobby’ mode and turning what you love into a career. It’s what attracts customers, creates buzz and, yes, sells T-shirts.

A WORD ABOUT ATTITUDE We’ve talked about the three traits you need to build a business: Creativity, flexibility and enthusiasm. It’s stuff you can adapt to. But there’s one thing that’s harder to influence—your attitude.

If attitude is not the single most important factor in your success, it’s pretty damn close. A handful of builders have achieved success despite what I’d consider to be a bad attitude—the nutshell version being, “I’m God’s gift to motorcycling. My skills are unmatched. Respect me, you idiots.” It’s annoying, repelling and clichéd, and more likely to hinder than help.

Claiming to be “the best” will add another layer of difficulty to your dream of owning a successful custom shop. And this business is difficult enough as it is.

I vote that you err on the side of humility. Admit what you know and don’t know. Know what you’re good at, and what you have no business doing. It will increase your chances of success. It will also make it hard for your detractors to claim you’re a fraud. They’ll still do it, but at least you’ve taken the high road.

This approach also makes it infinitely easier to ask questions and get answers. Plus it falls into the category of being a decent human being, which is nice. In summation, if you have a big ego, lose it.

DOLLARS AND SENSE Building a motorcycle for a customer is not the same as building one for yourself. Your personal projects are labors of love or obsession. (If you even keep track of your time invested, that’s weird and I don’t believe you.)

The parts you buy, the parts you break, the things you try that don’t work—on your own build, it’s all part of the hobby. Like you’d buy bait and tackle for your fishing habit. And you gladly accept those expenses as part of the experience.

When I started Classified Moto, it was not a moneymaking endeavor. To be honest, it was really just the name of a blog I started, chronicling the projects I was doing for my friends and myself.

I did the work for free and my friends would buy their own parts. Then I found myself shelling out more and more of my own money to finish the builds, because I didn’t feel like I could charge my friends for it.

I had no idea that would come to make profits so elusive. I soon realized how hard it is to estimate a custom project, and how important it is to keep track of what you’re spending. It’s the only way to know what to charge. And it’s probably the single most nerve-racking aspect of the job.

My advice? Charge what you need to charge to make it worthwhile. Duh, but it’s surprisingly easy to cheat yourself, because you’re afraid to say out loud what you really need to make.

So screen your customers politely. If price is their main concern, it should be noted. If you are in a position to subsidize their build, and deem it appropriate, by all means, go forth.

Otherwise, ignore the rantings of hobby builders and Blue-Book thumpers who think you charge too much. Ultimately, demand will determine what you can charge. If demand is low, rethink your product offering. But don’t price yourself out of a profit. You’ve gotta make a living after all.

STICK TO THE DAY JOB Let’s assume you’re currently employed. That is great news! I believe it makes you much more likely to open your own custom bike shop than if you’re looking for a job.

In fact, if you’re unemployed and have dreams of opening a bike shop, your first step is to get a job. You will need a steady income, even if modest, to make this work.

I was still working 80+ hour weeks in advertising when I became obsessed with cobbling together bikes. I was starting to see my bank account looking healthy for a change, thanks to selling T-shirts and lamps made of old bike parts. It felt like success!

Then the hammer fell and I got laid off. I decided to take my severance and raid my 401K and step into the void of self-employment. It’s something I would never, in good conscience recommend, despite the way it has turned out.

What I will recommend is that you remain employed and enjoy the security it affords, while working every night and weekend to further your two-wheeled dreams.

This is the twenty teens and there’s no reason you can’t build a virtual presence for your brand without taking a dangerous plunge. Feel it out. Try to make some money while you’re still earning a salary. If it works out and things take off, then you can quit your day job. Maybe you can even buy the company one day, and fire your old boss.

FINALLY: GO WITH YOUR GUT Once it can be trusted consistently, go with your gut feeling. Listen to advice from people who know more than you. Be vigilant with matters to do with money. Stick to the rules and goals you make for yourself. But be ready to throw it out the window at a moment’s notice. Flexibility, remember?

There will be times when your gut says Spend! and your brain says save, for example. Both are probably right. But if you make every decision based on conventional wisdom, you probably aren’t going to make anything mind-blowing.

My gut has told me to make a lamp for Jay Leno, to start my blog on a now-defunct software platform, to will an oil pump into working, and to cut a celebrity a deal on a build.

Most recently, it’s told me to take on a business partner, the great Alex Martin. He wanted to buy a bike but decided to invest in the company—not just financially, but in areas where I’m more than a bit deficient (like math and running a business, suckers!)

Despite the odd failure, I’ve learned to trust my inner voice of dissent when I hear it. And I’ve learned that not trusting it and getting burned is the worst. It sucks answering to yourself in those situations.

So. That’s all I’ve got. I hope it helps.

Actually, I could go on and on, but my gut says don’t tell everything you know.

Check out John Ryland’s builds on the Classified Moto website, or in the Bike EXIF Archives.

How To Build A Scrambler

By Matthew Roberts | Speedtractor Industries

You’ve searched the web, watched the moody videos, and discovered that your street tires don’t like wet grass. You’ve decided you need a scrambler—but how do you tweak your bike for good dirty fun, with a bit of extra style?

Here we’ll focus on the best-value mods, balancing cost with performance. Your goal is a scrambler motorcycle that’s robust, easily repaired and built using materials that can proudly wear the scars of your adventures. After all, if you build something too spectacular to get roughed up, you’ll end up missing half the fun.

The Speedtractor T-61 Catalina Special offers all the mods you need to hit the dirt and work up a sweat.

Back in simpler times, scramblers started out as road bikes. Most were reverse-engineered by factories or owners to make them capable of heading off the beaten track—and hopefully back again.

For this discussion, let’s view the scrambler as the result of an approach: A mechanical embodiment of an adventurous spirit. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve got a big Euro twin, a lightweight retro single, or a UJM that’s more of a boat anchor than a fire road blaster. Let’s tap into the ‘spirit of scrambler’ and get it done.

Choosing your bike. In 2011, the Hammarhead Jack Pine made people sit up and realize that a modified road bike can be good in the dirt. It put the Triumph alongside the Kawasaki W650/W800 as a contender in the large capacity scrambler class.

Smaller bikes that make good contenders are the Yamaha SR400 and 500—minus their mysterious pressed-steel rear additions. The 400cc Honda CBs and CLs make for nice starting points, and a few builders have shown that even Suzuki’s big single Savage can be made to work.

Go back a few years and Japan’s parallel twins make for a cheap and cheerful base bike. The BMW airhead boxers, though not cheap, make for a stunning finished product.

At the really lightweight end of the scale, check out Honda’s CB singles and twins in anything from 90cc upwards. (Go for the tube-framed models over the pressed steel.) There’s also the Honda GB250, Suzuki’s Grasstracker/Volty/TU250 and, if you have access to domestic Japanese models, the Kawasaki TR250. The TR250 offers a frame and engine of handsome, period proportions, and a plethora of aftermarket parts.

Generally, the key ingredients of scramblers come from twin shock, air cooled singles or twins. They prioritize torque over top end power, have visual simplicity, and fewer heavy cylinders projecting from the center axis. That said, we ride with a few brave souls who have converted Suzuki GS fours to dirt usage—so don’t let us tell you it can’t be done!

The Starting Line. As Charlie Trelogan mentioned in his guide to building a cafe racer, you need a few visual lines running through the bike, like the one above. Get those lines right and your finished ride will look cohesive and fast. Even when it’s standing still.

To fast-track the scrambler vibe, try switching out the tank for something smaller or more svelte than a humped cafe racer tank. The goal is to shed visual bulk and create purposeful proportions. Remember, there’s a good chance you’ll be up on it from time to time, so no luggage racks on the tank please.

Bring the headlight back closer to the forks with shorter stays. Get mini gauges that can be tucked in tight, and shorten the seat a few inches. Together, these mods start to give the feel of a bike that’s had everything unnecessary stripped off, while still staying legal.

Don’t panic if the swoop of your seat or tank interrupts these sacred lines a little: just get the axis of each component working together. You want to avoid your eyes searching and the machine looking like its back is broken.

Experiment using the exhaust, bars and seat top to imply these desired lines, without having to create them with the tank or frame. Make your suspension mods before settling on these lines. An extra two inches of rear travel can upset even the best-laid plans.

Rims and Rubber. Fitting chunky rubber is going to change your on-road riding experience. There’s no way around it. On the upside, wet grass and loose surfaces are now your friends—and you can enjoy a little roosting too.

The wheels and tires you choose will go a long way to defining your machine’s style, as well as the way it handles. Spokes fit the bill on all but the rarest occasions, and we prefer alloy rims over steel. But beyond that, we’re philistines when it comes to worrying about gyroscopic effect or stiffness, sorry.

An 18-inch front with a higher profile tire will have a rolling diameter close to a 19-inch set up. Either one will help to smooth out the rough stuff, without losing the visual road bike origins of your scrambler. At the rear, 18-inch is our preference but a 17 works okay too.

A word of warning: check that your dream tire and rim combo will clear your forks, rear swing arm, chain and the like. Ignore this step and you would not be the first to learn they don’t spin once bolted up. Rear swing arm widening or extension is not a huge problem, but usually beyond the average garage builder with DIY tools.

A simple square tread pattern adds a retro vibe and off-road prowess. On lighter machines, trial tires make for fat, if fast wearing, fun. While Continental TKC 80s (above) deliver good results for larger beasts. If your heart is set on pair of the latter—and why not, they are damn sexy—then you’ll be looking for a 19-inch front rim and either an 18- or 17-inch rim at the back.

Spend time exploring the handling traits and limits of the new rubber on the road, especially if you’re used to modern road tires. Remember that sometimes you’ll need to use a slightly lower pressure than on road tires. And if you’re using a directional tread rear tire on the front (yes, we’re guilty too), remember to switch the rotation to allow for braking forces.

Engine Performance. Unlike a café racer, you’re not automatically entering a hunt for raw top-end power. Aftermarket carbs can give you extra responsiveness and a useful horsepower improvement, though. Keihin FCRs (above) are our pick, especially on singles, but we suggest staying conservative on the bore size—to keep intake velocity high for better bottom-end responsiveness.

Off road, the air box is your friend. It might not be as good looking as a set of alloy intake funnels or K&Ns hanging out in the breeze, but when you pass a friend desperately scraping mud from the folds of their exposed filter, you’ll thank yourself. You’ll just need to work a little harder on your design to keep the ‘box and still look cool. If you’re really worried, slip in a free-flowing filter element.

High pipes are the hallmark of the true scrambler, though not all had them. They are also a ticket to the Burns Unit for you (or your passenger) if they’re not properly routed and shielded. Position them to complement the tank/seat/frame line for added impact and a factory feel. Terminate them at the rear shocks as straight-throughs for a touch of that desert sled vibe (and hearing loss). Or run them longer with internal baffles or a CL-style muffler for a touch of class.

This Ducati Scrambler has a unified feel even with its swoopy lines, the centre axis of the seat and tank working together and the pipe offering a hint of the hallowed horizontal plane.

The Ups and Downs. We second the benefits of bush, bearing and seal overhauls that Mule covered in his own guide to the performance side of bike building. Full front-end upgrades are also nice, but if you’re raiding the piggy bank to get things rolling, there is still improvement to be had for much less outlay.

Experiment with swapping in aftermarket springs or from other models to obtain the rates you need. Then play with preload to position suspension travel where you can use it. (Simple mods to your spacers in lieu of preload caps work fine.) Adjust the weight of your fork oil and its levels to get a setup that suits your weight and riding style. A personalized setup on even the most basic suspension is massively confidence inspiring.

JvB Moto does an amazing job yet again with the Tridays bike. And for those whose donor bike is worth less than these forks, all is not lost.

Then match your upgrades out back. We tend to go mid-range on the shocks. Something with at least a few steps of damping adjustment and the right spring rates.

Makers such as IKON and Progressive Suspension have a range of spring weights and shock body lengths that you can explore over a phone call. Remember: You’re not setting up a MotoGP bike, you’re just trying to get things into the right ballpark for now.

Many builders will also add rear ride height and wheel travel, fitting 20-30mm longer shocks than stock with an increased stroke. While doing this, watch chain clearance, swing arm angle and brake cable pull. It’ll also change your front-end geometry. A little is usually welcome, but don’t go too far without considering (and testing) the effects.

A quick word on bike weight. Yes, lighter is better and easier to handle, and means you’ll last longer when you’re muscling it around away from the black top.

Fuel does something right up our alley. This BMW is no feather weight for sure, but bound to achieve the its ultimate goal of a dusty, mile wide grin.

The Little Things. Make it look good from more than just side-on. Take it a step further, and resolve the design from as many angles as possible. If there’s one thing we’d recommend paying a professional to do, it’s to create a neatly looped rear sub frame.

That simple 180-degree bend ties the back of the bike together visually as well as structurally. And you can use it to achieve your desired lines, cradle your fender, define the edge of the seat, and mount a rear stop light.

You’ll notice a lot of scramblers, especially older ones, have elements of negative space in their design. Around the cylinders, the tank-to-seat gaps, between the rear wheel and fender, and between the leading edge of the tank and the steering head. The trick? Keep it consistent and intentional. A sudden tank/seat gap on a modern Triumph can look odd because the bike is so visually ‘dense,’ whereas on its grandfather the same gap works beautifully.

If you’re a lover of the thin seat, we urge you to reconsider. Extra foam is your friend, especially when you’re coming down and your machine is going up. Besides, a thicker seat looks the part on a scrambler.

The Skuddesign W650 has the seat, tank, frame loop, motor and tire spacing nicely matched for a neat package—though some suggested approaching the pipes a little differently.

Resist the urge to run fender-less. Yes, it looks cool, but your chunky tread pattern will throw up serious sludge. Raise the front fender slightly off the tire for mud clearance. Alloy is our pick, with the odd rubber mount to avoid cracking. Out back, go beyond Charlie Trelogan’s mention of café racer cut off points and get your fender out past the axle. Cheat if you must: Use a short guard for hero photos, and use the number plate to keep the muck in check.

Finally, if you want that factory look to keep pundits guessing, give thought to the curves and edge radii of your motor, tank, lighting and seat. For example, beautiful rounded cases enjoy a similarly curvaceous tank, but try a more rectilinear form if your motor is of a geometric age.

BMW R series engine castings, shown on this machine from Untitled, demand complementary curves and radii elsewhere for a factory feel.

Hopefully this has left you with a few tricks up your sleeve, so now go build your scrambler. And as a wise man once shouted from atop a Honda CL90, “Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt”!

Title image by Götz Göppert, featured in the book The Ride. To see how Triumph engineers and road testers turned their own Scrambler into a genuine offroad weapon, check out the Triumph Tramontana.