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 We paid 50 for it but the offer for a second one was withdrawn.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.
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