Happy New Year!

And in case I missed anyone..

Afrikaans - Gelukkige nuwe jaar
Arabic - Antum salimoun

Bengali - Shuvo Nabo Barsho

Chinese - Chu Shen Tan
Czechoslovakia - Scastny Novy Rok

Dutch - Gelukkig Nieuwjaar

English - Happy New Year!
Eskimo - Kiortame pivdluaritlo

Finnish - Onnellista Uutta Vuotta
French - Bonne Annee

Gaelic - Bliadhna mhath ur

German - Prosit Neujahr
Greek - Kenourios Chronos

Hawaiian - Hauoli Makahiki Hou
Hebrew - L'Shannah Tovah
Hindi - Subh Nab Bars
Hungarian - Boldog Uj Evet Kivanok

Iraqi - Sanah Jadidah
Irish - Bliain nua fe mhaise dhuit
Italian - Buon Capodanno

Kisii - Somwaka omoyia owuya
Khmer - Sua Sdei Chnam Thmei

Laotian - Sabai dee pee mai

Norwegian - Godt Nyttar

Papua New Guinea - Nupela yia i go long y
Philippines - Manigong Bagong Taon
Polish - Szczesliwego Nowego Roku
Portuguese - Feliz Ano Novo
Punjabi - Nave sal di mubarak

Russian - S Novim Godom

Serbo-Croatian - Scecna nova godina
Singhalese - Subha Aluth Awrudhak Vewa
Slovak - A stastlivy Novy Rok
Spanish - Feliz Ano Nuevo
Swahili - Heri Za Mwaka Mpya
Sundanese - Sugeng Warsa Enggal

Telegu - Noothana samvatsara shubhakankshalu

Thai - Sawadee Pee Mai
Turkish - Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun

Ukrainian - Shchastlyvoho Novoho Roku

Vietnamese - Chuc Mung Tan Nien

New for 2009 honda CBR 125R

These bikes are just crying out for an entry level racing class in AHRMA or WERA. what a blast that could be.

2009 Ducati Monster 1100

Now with easy to change oil filter!

25,000 hits and climbing!!

Wow! Never thought my little hobby would ever get this far. Thanks very much to everyone for stopping by! I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed posting!

2009 KTM RC8.

Back to 09 upcoming "bikes I like"! ZX6R

All it needs is a GP style exhaust and fender eliminator.

FYI Motorcyclist Retro Magazine!

A letter from Mitch Bohem that was posted on the Kawasaki Triples board. He's the editor of the recently discontinued Motorcyclist Retro. He writes:

Guys and gals

Thanks so much for the kind words. Yeah, I was bummed when they put it on ice. It was doing really well. Sold nearly 25K right out of the gate (issue one). We're waiting for issue 2 #s, but they're gonna be as good or better.

But now I have an opportunity to do the same concept myself, privately, and I'm going to do it. My plan is to sell single copies and subs directly to readers via my website (info coming soon), and also through selected bike shops around the country. Try looking at The Surfers Journal, the mag and the website. That's their biz model, and it works great.

So what I need is for this entire board to not only send me their email addresses (mcretro@cox.net) so I can tell you when issue one will be available, but to talk up the magazine here and tell folks to subscribe when the time comes - this coming spring. That sort of promo will be the difference between make or break.

Anyway, hope all of you had a great Christmas, and that you're either riding or wrenching on them smokin' triples.

Best regards,

Mitch
Motorcycle Retro
www.motorcycleretro.com
mcretro@cox.net

We interrupt our regularly scheduled blogging!

I know I was going to go modern for a while but I just received this outstanding reader ride from Ted Guthrie. A beautifully restored Penton 125 Six-Day. While I've never considered myself a true "restorer" of motorcycles (I prefer the term resto-mod) I have struggled with enough old bikes to really appreciate the level of effort that goes into a bike like this. The really great part is that it's really done out of love of the bikes. You'd be hard pressed to ever make a good living (much less become wealthy) doing this kind of work. But I'm constantly amazed at the work that I see out there and that people send me. Keep sending them in. It's MUCH appreciated!

Ted Writes:

Hey, great site you've got. Some of the best pics, of terrific variety of bikes, I've ever seen. Attached are some photos of my recently completed 1973 Penton 125 Six-Day. Bike started out as a total junker, which had sat outside for years. It now starts first-kick, and runs perfectly. Incidently, the Steel Tanker you have the pic of, which was taken at the AMA museum, belongs to the original owner - Al Born - and the bike is serial # 003. Yep, it is the third Penton ever built. Al is among the original group of riders, who were hand-picked by John Penton to receive (and race and win and promote) the first ten Penton motorcycles produced.

Ted Guthrie

Historian

Penton Owners Group

2009 bikes that I like!

I'm going to stick to modern 2009 release bikes that catch my eye for the next week or so. First up (and a candidate for my garage) is the Kawasaki ER-6N. The naked version of the "Bike of the Year", the Versys. I'd love to run Deals Gap on this beauty.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND ALL THAT JAZZ!

Posting will be light for the next few days as I'll be doing the Christmas with the family thing! Wherever you are I hope you're having a truly grand time! See you in a few days!

50cc Kreidler

This bike is tiny but engineered like a swiss watch. It's a tue 50cc racebile with an amazing top speed of 128 mph. WOW!

BSA Rocket Three

It's nice to see these (or any classic really) still being ridden regularly.

Another fine Sam Simons Reader Ride!

Sam Writes:

Hi Steve,
This is the 1975 E-start Commando I owned a few years back. It was quite a looker and performer;absolutely stock,and originally purchased new by a airline pilot in Ohio. I didn't suffer any electricalprobs as others did. I preferred the 1975 model for the shift location, and that black/gold/alloy visual combination was stunning......

It Sure is! thanks again Sam!

Nice Pair of Honda Cafe Racers.

I was looking through some old Daytona pictures and when I saw this one I realized that I'd seen them before (or later on actually) at the Riding into History show. I think I've posted them here individually already Link. Here they are together.

Publish Post

Rickman framed XS650 dirt bike.

A Yamaha powered Metisse. Man I'd love to have something like this.

Alloy Tank Guzzi on a camping trip.

When men were men. 1915 Indian transcontinental riders.

More info via shorpy.com

1915. "Baker and O'Brien, transcontinental motorcyclists, back of White House." Bud Baker and Dick O'Brien, whom we first met here. In May 1915 they embarked on a five-month, 10,000-mile overland jaunt to the West Coast via Indian motorcycle to see the California expositions. Harris & Ewing.

Brilliant Concept bike!

OBIBOI sends in the following conceptual design. I think it fantastic and I'd love to own one. He's a very talented designer. Check out his homepage at http://motosketches.blogspot.com/

"Hi
SUPERDUCKZ

I send to you this render of my personal idea of "CONTAMINATION BIKE"
Based on HUSQVARNA engine It's a SUPERMOTARDFLATRACKSCRAMBLERCAFE'RACER!
What do you think? "

BRILLIANT!!

"Industrial" looking chopper.

I like the "Steampunk" quality of this build. Not usually my kind of ride but I like this one... so sue me :)

Very Unique Indian

An "Arizona Ranger". Beautiful old Indian patrol bike.

Custom Triumph Bonneville Flattracker from Mule Motorcycles.

This is a fairly well known bike but still a beauty. Lots more HERE.

Fantastic XS650 based Roadracer.

There's a lot of smart fabrication in this bike and it makes for a beautiful overall package . Those rearsets are brilliant not to mention the Jemco exhaust. Really nice ride.

Stunning Modern Triumph Bonneville Custom Flattracker

There's a lot of love in this beauty...

Harley Davidson Racing XR1200! Holy $#!t...

For LOTS more check out the link to (what looks to be) this racing series. I don't speak the language but it looks like these guys are having a ball!! Link to more.

OK.. here's a couple more..

Ferrari / MV augusta Motorcycle.

Not a bad execution really. For the full story click Here!

Modern Vincent.

Posting will be light this weekend as I will be visiting family. Here's a real beauty to hold you over. If you're in the mood for a "modern Vincent, there's lots more Here

Why some bikers give all of us a bad name..

Ducati 750 Super Sport.

Reader Ride! A Fantastic CB450 Cafe Build!

Herm Narciso sends in the beautiful Cafe Racer. He writes:

Hey Steve, just got done building out this café. I brought it home in crates as a rusted old stock ’72 cb450 with a seized motor and after 8 long months of tinkering this what she turned out to be. Hope you like.

Great Job Herm!! What a nicely balanced bike. That Tank and Seat Combo is georgous!

A pair of nice Honda Cafe's

Pretty little Indian Racebikes all in a row..

The "New" and "Updated" Royal Endield...

Now with Fuel injection and Unit Construction. Lots more info Here



OK just one more... I reeeeely like this take on the scrambler..

Lee Sutton's Vintage Motocross slideshow.

Simply awesome vintage pics from "back in the day"... Enjoy!!

Thanksgiving Day in America!

It's Thanksgiving Day here in the USA! I hope you are having a bountiful day wherever you are in the world!

Peace!!

Yamaha DT200R

What a beautiful restoration...

20,000 page views and counting!! I'm really blown away! I hope everyone is enjoying this as much as I enjoy doing it. Like I said, I thought this was just going to be a hobby between me and a few friends. What a surprise this has been! Keep those reader rides coming!! I've REALLY enjoyed the imagination and creativity of those bike most of all. Thanks to everyone for visiting!!

Manx Norton

Kawasaki GPZ 750

New Reader Rides!

Reader Lawrence Austria has submitted a 3 for 1. Some beautiful Cafe Rides and a really tasty scooter. Thank You for sharing such excellent work! You have a great eye for motorcycles!

He Writes:

Hi!I saw your site while browsing the net and I just want to share my resto project. Above are the pics of my bikes, first is my 1966 Ducati M160 Special racer then my 1964 CB77R Racer and lastly my play bike the 1958 NSU Prima lll K Limited Edition. Hope you like it.

Lawrence Austria

Philippines