Super Salt Shaker

From Dimitri Hettinga in Amsterdam, the man behind Goodspeed 500 car park racing, and now distributing the Super step-through in Europe.

Sometimes you start on a bike that along the way gets bigger and bigger ending up as a totally overambitious project. We did start such a project over a year ago, a small capacity racing bike, that we just could not finish due to lack of funds. Carbon fibre this, Chromoly that, 3000 euro here, 2000 euro there, we wanted the lot. Stoner once said to Rossi: “Your ambition outweighs your talent”. In our case the ambition outweighed the wallet.
Back to square one. What to do when you have a Super Cub frame laying around, a tuned and flowed 22 bhp 150cc engine, racing tires, rims and other bits and bobs? Turn it into a ‘non’ run of the mill city sled! The inspiration ranged from pre war JAP speedway bikes to post Nazi NSU’s. Ad a touch of Bonneville salt and a sip of Bergringrennen beer..and there you go…
We started off with chopping up the frame, the fabrication of the ducktail and welding a tube between the headstock and the fuel tank. This tube now functions a 250 ml reserve fuel tank. Most time was spent on the prep of the frame. Three full days of grinding, sanding and priming. The frame was sent off to the painter, and swinging arm and rims to the powder coater.

But still we had lots to do. Brackets, cables, all the little parts that had to be made to measure. Lots of work for things people will really not notice. Next up was a military spec wiring loom. In some lost hours we made a custom seat pan out of glass fibre, got some race foam which we shaped with an angle grinder and with some gaffer tape we made a pattern for the leather upholstery. And then off to my 88 year old grandma to stitch the leather pieces together.
The last and most vital part was still missing. The exhaust. And we definitely wanted a JAP style pipe on it. Shipping Tools in Zaandam, quoted 50 Euros for one and 70 for 2 exhausts. After many hours of fitting, adjusting and tinkering the exhaust was ready. We paid 50 for it but the offer for a second one was withdrawn. Quite understandably so, because the guy did spend some serious hours on it. A second would now cost us 150 euro’s. Which I think is still a bargain for a hand made stainless steel exhaust. I strongly recommend them.
In November the bike will be sent off to Milan and will be shown during the Eicma show at Officina Mermaid, the Italian distributor of our Super 120s.
If you want to see it in the flesh you might bump into us next year at the Bonneville Speedweek. We are planning to do a few runs on the salt flats. We might even challenge the class record. You never know…

Spec: Engine: YX 150cc SOHC Manual 4 speed Head: OO racing Bore & Stroke: 56mm X 60mm Max power: 22 BHP Max torque: 13 Nm Carburettor: Mikuni Round slight 26mm, Uma racing flat slight 28mm Exhaust: Shipping Tools/SMC Frame: Custom SMC Fuel cap: Acqua di Parma Throttle: Domino Headlight: Puch, custom SMC fitting Taillight: Beta, custom SMC fitting Seat: SMC Rims: 17 inch spoked steel, front 1.60, rear 1.85 SMC Tires. Dunlop TT901 front 80/90-17, rear 90/80-17 Rear suspension: Racing boy Front suspension: Stock SMC Rear sets: Racing boy/SMC Dry weight: 64kg
Many thanks goes to Jaap Volkers, the best Honda 4 stroke & derivatives mechanic in The Netherlands and the fabricator/welder of the frame. Without him this bike would not have seen the light of day.

Amsterdam Re-Stocked

The shelves of the American Book Center and Chopperdome are now stocked with SB#5. Not much motorcycle action on the streets, apart from the usual XT500 shitters, and shiny GS1250 BMs with nice farty exhausts ricocheting in the narrow streets.
The beautiful Guggenheim-like building (photo bottom right) is the Europarking on Marnixstraat, which was the original test venue for the Goodspeed 500 race series - as the project was sadly stillborn, their website and the original video no longer exists, but you can still see the test race on You Tube. BP

Goodspeed 500

Taken from http://hellforleathermagazine.com, thanks Wes and Grant.

Remember Goodspeed500? The gentleman’s parking lot–based urban race series announced itself to much enthusiasm last year but hasn’t yet held a race. It appears that raising the necessary capital to build the race bikes (modern street trackers with classic style), to secure appropriate venues and to find ways to promote itself sufficiently is taking longer than its creators, Dimitri Hettinga and Marcus van den Maagdenberg, initially thought. Now it seems they are fundamentally altering their plans in order to make the series come to fruition.
The biggest change is the addition of American races (Dimitri and Marcus are Dutch). Initially excluded in favor of Europe-only venues, Goodspeed now sees the country as crucial to its success. This has come about, in part, because of a partnership with C&J Racing Frames, which will build the bikes. Developer of the Harley-Davidson XR 750 dirt track racer, C&J is uniquely positioned to construct the racers, bringing its expertise to optimizing Goodspeed’s design.

Dave Pearce of Tigcraft remains on board as a consultant. It’s Goodspeed’s intention to sell the road-legal 450cc bikes to the public. The machines will form a crucial part of the series’ business, think of them as the ultimate piece of merchandise, a bona fide race bike for the road. While they will remain flat track inspired, the bikes will be lighter, more road-ready, use 18” wheels, a saddle-style seat and feature numerous other differences to give them a unique appeal and ability.

Should Goodspeed500 come to fruition, and we think it will, it will herald an entirely new era of motorcycle racing, one that appeals to a young, urban, creative demographic alienated by most motorcycle makers and their lame marketing. By locating its races in the centers of key global cities and making them happening-focused, the traditional barriers to acceptance in this market — travel and broad appeal — are removed. Goodspeed isn’t the first company to try and do this, but unlike Red Bull and its imitators, it realizes exclusivity and a focus on participation are the key to an event like this moving from something that’s recognized into something that’s accepted.

Goodspeed is scheduled to hold its first race early next year. We’ll keep you updated as that date draws nearer, more details emerge and our entry into the series is confirmed.

THE GOODSPEED GUYS ARE OLD FRIENDS OF US AT SIDEBURN. BEN TOOK PART IN THE INAUGURAL GOODSPEED 500 ON HIS CCM SUPERMOTO. WE WISH THEM LUCK. CHECK OUT THE GREAT VIDEOS ON YouTube