South African motorcyclists have generally always ridden large capacity, big horsepower motorcycles. Thanks to the resurgence of the scooter and 125cc motorcycle market, South Africans are discovering what the European and Asians have known for decades; small capacity motorcycles are great fun. Many of the older riders on a scooter run own big cruisers and
On Saturday morning at around 5am, Marnitz and I will fire up the Bonneville and the Wide Glide and will be in Durban by midday. As usual, the ride will be an adventure. The Bonnie's clubmans will hammer Marnitz's shoulders and anyone who thinks a Harley is a comfortable cruiser at high speed has never
I am in the planning phase of building a Honda CBX 1000 cafe racer. Nothing too radical; new wheels and a swingarm to accomodate better rubber, a new tail section, a paint job and the loudest six-into-six exhaust system on the planet will just about do it. The internet is obviously the place we
Never doubt the popularity of BMW motorcycles. Whenever we feature a BMW custom on the blog, or even a stock standard BMW model on our Facebook page, the response is excellent. I am sure this 1960 BMW R50 bobber will also attract loads of attention. Motorcycle sales in the 1950s crashed. Many manufacturers which had
"Blood, sweat and gears" is probably a suitable motto for the average non-professional motorcycle customiser. Motorcycle customisation is not easy, even for the professional but working in a home workshop with limited resources, tools and sometimes knowledge is a test of any person's passion and patience. Yet the whole motorcycle customisation movement has its roots
I have been doing some reading into the life of Soichiro Honda, the founder of Honda who passed away in 1991. The man loved racing. In a previous article I voiced my opinion about the Japanese manufacturers' unimaginative attempts at recreating modern versions of their classics. Corporate thinking maximises profits and minimises risk by removing individual
Retro Write Up is all about showcasing South African custom motorcycles of all shapes and sizes, with a particular focus on old school styling. We however also have great love for stock standard, unadulterated motorcycles which have been lovingly preserved or painstakingly restored. To chop and change a pristine original motorcycle is crazy, although certain
Our featured motorcycle is the first "desert sled" styled build to be featured on Retro Write Up. We are sure that many of you have never before heard of this type of motorcycle. We are also sure, now that you have seen this particular bike, that more desert sleds will soon grace our roads. Desert
Our featured cafe racer is so hot off the production line, Marnitz had taken these photos before the owner even had a chance to see the finished motorcycle. When Jaco from V Custom Cycles told us he was finishing a Suzuki Bandit 1200cc cafe racer, my frustrating lack of imagination left me underwhelmed. Even when
