Finally setting the record straight for a very cool bobber built by a very cool dude.
As you may or may not know, dWrenched started out as a hobby for me. Posting and writing only about stuff that I like... Choppers, hot rods, (lowbrow) artists; kustom kulture. What started as a sparetime a few minutes wasting minutes hobby turned almost over night is something that got people's attention and made me push myself further and harder for the sake of coolness.
Everytime I open my Bookmarks ( 3-4 times a week at least) I get overwhelmed.. There are so many things there that need my attention, eating my time and so very often my nerves.
From time to time I get a free pass, whenever a cool guy posts a link on my Facebook page or gives me a hint about something I might consider cool and ''dWrenched worthwhile''. From time to time some cool dude that builds stuff even contacts me...
This is the same scenario here. The only thing is that I got contacted ''only'' 12 months ago...
Stuart Cantellow contacted me in January 2013 asking me if I like what he was building at that time with his friend, Paul. I did. But other stories pilled up since then on top of each other plus my ''not so sharp'' memory put Stu's bike somewhere randomly inside that pile of bookmarks.
It took me ONLY 12 months to cover this awesome machine but on the bright side, you can see it now finished. Below you can see the first pics Stu sent me with the bike ''almost-still in progress'' . He finished it recently and this is it's story. I don't post many words, let alone an article on this section (as you already may know) but JUSTICE HAD TO BE DONE.
Here is a little bit about our bikes.
Garage built by myself and a friend, I started restoring Lambretta's 7 years ago. Then I built a chopper Lambretta and the natural progression for me was to build a Royal Enfield. As they are so many of them over here in India.
My next door neighbour, Paul Smith (his bike is the cooper bike above; hoping to post his bike soon... when I mean soon I hope it won't be next year.. :) ) was chopping a building bikes so I though I would give it a go. And we both built two rigid Royal Enfields together and they didn't turn out too bad for the first attempt. There's not many people over here who really understand our stripped down style of bikes but they are slowly coming around. Everyone seems to be stuck in the OCC style and everything has to be big and over the top but lacking real style or soul.
The RE engine is something that hasn't changed for 50 years and as near to classic looking as you can find over here. We've found the best thing we can do with a RE is to take off everything that wasn't needed. Less is more in this case....
Garage built by myself and a friend, I started restoring Lambretta's 7 years ago. Then I built a chopper Lambretta and the natural progression for me was to build a Royal Enfield. As they are so many of them over here in India.
My next door neighbour, Paul Smith (his bike is the cooper bike above; hoping to post his bike soon... when I mean soon I hope it won't be next year.. :) ) was chopping a building bikes so I though I would give it a go. And we both built two rigid Royal Enfields together and they didn't turn out too bad for the first attempt. There's not many people over here who really understand our stripped down style of bikes but they are slowly coming around. Everyone seems to be stuck in the OCC style and everything has to be big and over the top but lacking real style or soul.
The RE engine is something that hasn't changed for 50 years and as near to classic looking as you can find over here. We've found the best thing we can do with a RE is to take off everything that wasn't needed. Less is more in this case....
We're just trying to bring back the style of the old 40's & 50's drag bikes & board trackers and inspire Indian bike builders that they can build bikes that don't have to cost them thousands.
I've stretched my bike by 4 1/2 " and lowered the engine by 2 1/2" giving it a low slung look. We pretty much made the whole frame from the ground up with the help of a good old trusty pipe bender and some spirit levels. I also gave it a little bit more rake by lengthening the down tube. I powder coated it to give it maximum protection from the salt air. 19 x 90 on the front & a 15 x 140 on the rear. The solo seat I made myself and had it covered with a bates replica diamond pattern. The tank is a sporty replica which I made the tunnel lower so it sits higher on the frame. (Stu replaced it in the end) The rear fender is a RE front fender cut in half with approx 1" welded in to make it wider.
I've stretched my bike by 4 1/2 " and lowered the engine by 2 1/2" giving it a low slung look. We pretty much made the whole frame from the ground up with the help of a good old trusty pipe bender and some spirit levels. I also gave it a little bit more rake by lengthening the down tube. I powder coated it to give it maximum protection from the salt air. 19 x 90 on the front & a 15 x 140 on the rear. The solo seat I made myself and had it covered with a bates replica diamond pattern. The tank is a sporty replica which I made the tunnel lower so it sits higher on the frame. (Stu replaced it in the end) The rear fender is a RE front fender cut in half with approx 1" welded in to make it wider.
After a few attempts at different finishes I decided to get the tank and fender copper plated so it can withstand the monsoon weather here in Goa. We live right by the beach and when I say "RUST NEVER SLEEPS" it really doesn't where we live!
We wanted to make some low maintenance bikes that are ridden everyday. I've fitted a larger exhaust and a Amal 28mm Monobloc Carburettor with pancake air filter to give it a more classic look. The handle bars are inverted from a unknown bike as I found them in a scrap yard. The headlight and tail light are after market parts I bought from the UK. That's pretty much it on my ride. -Stuart
Stu and Paul's shop is called Rag Bone Customs , check it out !
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