As my ever continuing quest for Two Wheeled Nirvana continues, I decided to take on the task of rebuilding a classic street bike into a one off custom cafe. Ambitious, I know be it that Sven has very little mechanical know how aside from regularly scheduled maintenance. I have undergone this project to test myself not only in my technical prowess but to truly see how much I enjoy the motorcycle. Nothing can be more of a test of commitment than to see the guts of a motorcycle strewn about a garage floor.

So lets get down to the nitty gritty. I purchased myself a 1976 Honda CB550 engine and frame. At one point in its life the two items were one and probably had a long enjoyable life before being sanctioned to the pick-a-part world of eBay. At first glance, the engine obviously had seen much better days and rightfully so. The engine was in a dire need of a bath. I found twigs, weeds, caked dirt, and spider nests throughout the crevices of the poor old engine. I wasn’t too worried though, it was planned that the engine would undergo a complete tear down and rebuild to restore it to 100% working condition.

No mechanical endeavor is without its hiccups and roadblocks, and as of today I have had a few. The availability of specialized tools is the predominant issue that comes up. Plenty of tools are available for automotive projects, but few of those specialty items are capable of working on an engine 1/3 the size of a car engine. Ingenuity has to step in to alleviate the issue, and make do of what is at my disposal.

After two solid days of wrenching and cursing, the heart of the beast is splayed across my garage and inventoried. There are a few things left to remove from other parts before I can say it is completely stripped down and ready for scrubbing and repainting. For the most part things have gone smoothly and pleasantly.

There is something about seeing the internals of an engine. To see the intricacies of a series of nuts and bolts and metal components pieced together to create something that serves as one part of the internal combustion process. Then to tie that in with another system and another and another, all to complete something that is an ‘engine’ and will ultimately propel me to un-human speeds. To think that I will soon be putting the 4 cylinder back together bit by bit, piece by piece, that I will be breathing life into the heart of this old beast with my bare hands leaves me in wonder and amazement. I can tell this is going to be a very rewarding venture.

Keep the paint up and the rubber down. Ride safe. – Sven

( Photos coming soon )

And its name was Daytona 675. As the Summer reached its peak, I thought to myself, “Hey wouldn’t it be great to get out on the bike?” Of course it would Sven, it has been too long since your last little motorcycle getaway.

It just so happened to be that I had a scheduled vacation to Las Vegas in the dead of August, and the wild itch to saddle up on the motorcycle for a long trip. Why not ride out to Las Vegas? With a fully loaded Triumph, I set off for Sin City amid Friday evening traffic up America’s most deadly stretch of highway (statistically).

So the idea of taking the motorcycle out to Las Vegas was godsend and a damnation. Traffic was no match for me as I could just snake my way through the parking lot that was the I-15 North. But holy @#%$ it was hot, triple digit hot. That’s what you get for wanting to ride through the desert in the peak of summer. Even at highway speed, it felt like riding in a furnace.

I soon realized that I was participating in my own mock up of an Iron Butt challenge. I eventually came up with the Steel Hide Rally Special 2011: Satan’s Armpit. It was oh so HOT and overtly muggy, the best kind of heat (please note sarcasm).

So with a new found determination, I cranked the bike up to a less than legal speed and screamed towards the glimmering city in the middle of nowhere. 3.5 hours, 220 miles, and no speeding tickets later I arrived on The Strip. And maneuvering that stretch of roadway is Hell in itself.

All that was left to do…

Party- Vegas style

Keep the pain up and the rubber down. Ride Safe. -Sven

Beer Beer everywhere but not a drop to drink,

It’s yellow, mild, and like a skunk it does stink.

Budweiser, Miller, Coors

American Belgian Industrial mights for sure

But I am truly sorry, a beer with the selling point “Light”

does give my taste buds a nasty fright!

With our new bladder filtering process; Good rich beer goes in and light tastless yellow beer comes out.

Now I have had beers from far a near,

some bring memories of home, others of a new frontier,

Some sling your spirits high , while others remind you of friends long gone by,

But these depleted beers harken neither laughs nor tears.

This may be sad, but let there be no crying

a new dawn of American beers is proving quite surprising.

A beer revolution lead by a micro-evolution

has brought this country back from the brink of bland,

and though economic fright and political plight

has wreaked havoc across this land

This beer smells like change. Deceitful, unwanted change.

Our micro-brewers will help us discover

why at Plymouth Rock we decided to lay anchor,

Because we had to fill up our sad and empty tanker.

Sad Empty Tankard= Sad Empty Man

Found this lil gem of Moto-craziness thanks to a Bren and Sven fan. Looks like Chuckwalla Valley Raceway has real gutsy riders. Lets see the legendary Valentino Rossi give this a try.

Biker Touches Head On Asphalt During Turn – Watch more Funny Videos

Thanks Martin.

Keep the paint up and the rubber down. Ride Safe. -Sven

As the Bren and Sven team moves to a more Beer focused way of life, I, Sven, am still madly in love with all things on two wheels. It has been strange to think back at to how my life was prior to leaving that Triumph dealership on my brand new Daytona 675. 9000 motorcycling miles and a year later, I am still, if not more fascinated by this addiction. I have been so entranced by this lifestyle…. not just a rocker, racer, or cruiser, but a true biker.

So as a real biker, I’m taking a never ending journey to find 2 wheeled nirvana. What does that entail? Not sure. Maybe it’s to own an Italian Superbike like the MV Agusta F4 or its lil sister the F3 (wipe away the drool from Sven’s mouth), maybe it is to spend a week or so tackling the infamous Laguna Seca raceway, or to experience Daytona Bike week or Sturgis on an All-American Harley Davidson V-Twin, or to tackle the worlds most grueling environments on a tricked out enduro bike. It may very well be all those things and more.

I’ve decided that as my next venture in the quest for 2 wheeled nirvana, I am going to make my very own motorcycle, a restored and custom motorcycle from scratch. An arduous venture indeed. My goal: to create a one-off 1974 Honda CB550 Cafe Racer. Be sure to stick around for updates.

Sven's new muse

Keep the paint up and the rubber down. Ride safe. -Sven