Deus Bike Build-Off

Plenty of fruit and nut bikes were produced for the Deus build-off. Here is 'the peoples choice' top 20.
This (below) is Shannon Snows 8th placed XT200 mongrel.

My bike started life as an early 80's Yamaha mono shock dirt bike frame that I found on Craigslist for free, it also came with an unknown bultaco gas tank. The engine is a 82 Yamaha XT200 for $300. I rode the bike up and down the street twice, then promptly pulled the motor. I had to hack, weld and shoehorn the motor into the 2 stroke frame. I modified the rear swing arm and frame to accept an R6 shock that I paid $20 for. I cut about a foot off the front forks and springs. Not having a lathe to re-thread the tube, I drilled and tapped the caps for pipe plugs and then welded the caps to the fork tubes. I added mountain bike shocks as helper springs to stiffen the front end, which gave my bike it's iconic face. The light is a Piaa fog light . The handle bars are mini apes flipped. The seat foam came from a Kawasaki 440ltd. My mother in law did the appolstry. I made the tail from a stainless steel bowl from Walmart. The ignition module and regulator are housed inside. The paint is spray paint, not quite as nice as I would have liked but just ran out if time! I did it all in my garage for under $600. Hauled it 1000 miles in my 93 ranger and had a blast through the whole process!! Thanks Deus for putting in such a great event!!

But Lincoln Black's - 19th placed Suzuki GS125 (above) is my flavor fave. BP

Boneshaker Mutt 125

Super-cool learner bike from Benny Boneshaker. Go here to buy one...

Boneshaker Mutt 125cc with 30 years experience of building custom motorcycles we thought it was high time someone built a small cc learner legal stylish motorcycle, with a love of vintage Harley Davidsons and Triumphs we decided to create a new motorcycle to be a affordable, maintenance free, user friendly machine with classic styling but above all.. it had to be cool. 

We took a lot of styling cues from 1960's Triumph Desert racers and with that in mind we created the 'Mutt' The Mutt is handbuilt in our workshops in rural England and features a 4 stroke 125 cc engine based on the bullet proof Suzuki GN engine built under licence from Suzuki. The frame is a twin shock all steel construction and uses the engine as a stressed member. 

The tank of the Mutt is painted by our in house custom paint specialist in off white and burnt orange with chrome trim and has classic british style tank rubbers. Wide American spec Triumph handlebars with Gran Turismo grips and a Triumph influenced seat provide great handling and comfort and British look whilst the triple plated chrome downpipe and Burgess silencer let out a healthy rumble that makes you feel you are astride a larger capacity motorcycle. 

The Mutt runs 18" wheels front and rear which are shod with Dunlop deep block pattern dirt tyres for that chunky Steve Mqueen style desert racer look (although we can supply your Mutt with different tyres if you prefer, front mudguards are also available but we prefer the stripped down look). A light weight aluminium rear mudguard and 'flexi' rear light complete the desert racer look. These motorcycles are brand new and will be supplied to you registered on a new plate with a tank of fuel and two years warranty. 

The Mutt is £2900 on the road So if you want a cool 125cc motorcycle with retro styling built by people who love, live and breath motorcycles then get in touch with us on 01562730429 or 07913 325297 or email Benny

Rapido

I wonder if mighty Harley-Davidson could ever bring themselves to produce another badge engineered tiddler like this Aermacchi Rapido in this day and age? BP

More Dirt Quake IRB Heroics

Tony: Hi I don't suppose you'll get anything more inappropriate than a 19 stone 62 year old on a CG125. Any places left? 
Regards Tony
GI: Tony, step right this way! I've attached the form and regs. Any questions, let me know. Good to have you on board.
Tony: Damn; just found the regs you posted on Feb 16th. Thought of claiming I never wear long trousers but that raises so many other issues and I don't want to get into that sort of trouble again. Looks like I'm in then. Cheque and form on the way. At least the bog standard CG chaincase should stop any fingers being lost. Love the mag. Love the craic. Don't suppose you're getting rich but you should be.
GI: Tony You'll be fine. And, as Dave said, it's better to be at the back on the track than at the front of the stands, even if it's just once. Forever more, you'll be able to say you raced a motorcycle.
Tony: OK, I have to admit I did a bit of road racing for a couple of seasons many years ago, proddy RD350 (pre LC) and GS1000. Rubbish at it but there's no feeling in the world like coming back off the track after the most intense experience you'll ever have, flopping into a chair and having every cell in your body relaaaax. See you at Coventry. 
P.S. I think this all started when I went to Belle Vue Speedway as a kid. I always rooted for Peter Craven (and Aubrey Leighton when it was stock cars).
BP: Dear Tony
Please can you send us a self-portrait of you with your CG (one of my all time favorite bikes) in your shorts / leathers / leather shorts whatever. You are a hero and; we would like to put the photo on the Sideblog. We have (amongst more obvious steeds) both a Vespa and a Fireblade, so it's going to be a very interesting race. Sort of Rabbit and the Hare but with more wheel spin.
Tony: Blimey. I've never been a hero before. The only thing I know about it is that you have to wear your underpants outside your trousers. Anyway, pictures enclosed, autographed copies available 50p.