Of all the questions I get about the bikes we've built, it's safe to say half of them are about Sunny's XV750. In fact this late bloomer of a Virago was the motivation behind Bob Ranew's XV920 build — one of Classified Moto's current projects. The odd thing is that suddenly in the Richmond area, Viragos have become scarcer than...than...uh...a mouse at a cat convention? Anyway, the drought appears to be over and there are no less than six suitable Viragos ranging from 535cc to 920cc within a 100-mile radius of the state capital. If you've been thinking about pulling the trigger on one of these highly malleable '80s gems, now is the time. Search Craigslist and grab one yourself for a great DIY summer project. Of course we'd rather you let us build you something fun, famous and Classified. If you wanna, email john@classifiedmoto.com and we'll release the hounds.

If MacGuyver were to happen upon the stealthy headquarters of Maxum Machine in Richmond, VA, he would likely crap his pants. There's just too much precision stuff everywhere you look. Between all the contraptions and high-grade materials and the skills of metal ninjas Mike Benini and Bob Kitson, I wonder what machined part could be beyond their capabilities.

I've visited the shop probably 20 times since we started building our quirky fleet of retro-mod mutant machines, but I've never gotten the full tour. So on Tuesday I kidnapped Adam Ewing from his studio and headed across the river to a not-so-scenic stretch of Hull Street for a proper look-see.

Bob had just finished up my custom set of triple trees for Bob Ranew's XV920 build, and agreed to take us back through some of the steps for the benefit of the camera. Mike gave us the rundown on the mind-blowing CNC machine that they evidently purchased from the future. It was all amazing and Adam captured some stunning images behind the curtain. The gallery above doesn't serve as a how-to, but more as magnetic eye-candy. Hope you enjoy.

The Maxum Machine website details the shop's capabilities for small and large runs of parts, but for the purposes of this blog, here's the good stuff: Mike rides a BMW. Bob rides Harleys. They know their stuff AND they're in the family. When I bring them an idea, they listen to what I'm trying to do and figure out the safest, most practical way to do it. And, where another shop might panic at the first mention of "motorcycle", Bob and Mike are levelheaded and objective. If your idea is likely to land you in the infirmary, they'll suggest a better route. But if it's mechanically sound, you're off to the races. For all of us on two wheels, these guys are an amazing find. Check out their site for contact info. (Photos: Adam Ewing)

I hesitate to even put this on my purty l'il blog. But since it hit Pipeburn, BikerMetric and a few other fine sites, I've gotten a lot of comments on Sunny Zhao's XV750 and I thought it was time to remind the motosphere where we started. I do miss the '80s tank art from time to time, but overall, I think we did the world a service with this one. Opinions may vary. I only regret that Adam Ewing couldn't have shot the "before" as well as the "after".

Now that is more like it. I got the crusty old front end off the Virago today and mocked up the 2009 R6R setup. I'm going out on a limb and saying it's an improvement. Enroute from eBay land is a matching R6(S) rear wheel which I'm optimistic about fitting. Monday, I pay a visit to Maxim Machine to do their magic on the triples. Stay tuned, as this project is on a bit of a fast track.

When our garage mate Cindy Hicks decided to throw in the towel on her '76 CB360T, she had a few simple demands for its successor. It had to have a red seat. It had to fit her "not-gonna-cut-it-in-the-NBA" inseam. And it had to match the taillight she bought on a whim while surfing the web late night. After some searching, we found a well-used 1979 XS650 Special 2 hiding in a sleepy town on the Rappahannock River. The seller's name was Christopher Guest. (Long pause...Raised eyebrow...) Anyway, we loaded the '79 and an earlier parts bike on the trailer, grabbed some barbecue and headed back to the capital city. Then it began. The welding. The parts sourcing. The painting — beautifully executed by Damien Williamson of Richmond. The carb stuff. The curing of ills by Dr. Ownby. And finally the mounting of the taillight. That's when we knew we were finished. Since then, Lefty Lucy has given Ms. Hicks many miles of fun and freedom. So we thought she deserved a little time with moto photo genius Adam Ewing. Enjoy.

Dreams Factory's Sunny Zhao and crew pulled out all the stops to capture the "Reciprocity" XV750 Wednesday at Virginia Motorsports Park. Armed with a dangerous-looking Red One Mysterium camera with a bazooka-sized lens, Sunny dreamt up a ton of incredible shots that flattered the bike to no end. Not only did Sunny and his amazing team get the job done, they did it on what seems like the coldest day of the year so far. To see more of Mr. Zhao's handiwork, go to the Dreams Factory site. To see the trailer for his feature that will co-star his evil Yamaha, visit the Reciprocity teaser site. The footage he shot at VMP will make it's way onto that site very soon. Until then, it will remain Classified.

Many thanks to the Dreams Factory team: Sunny Zhao (Director), Tim Dowdle (Producer and Miracle Worker), Josh Mumford (AC), Jon Dodd (PA), Leigh Hagan (2nd Camera Tech) and Rinny Wilson (2nd Camera Tech). And from VMP, Bryan Pierce and Reid Kidwell. Nothing would have happened without everyone's help. Thank you!

And as usual, the core Classified Moto crew — Cindy Hicks and Adam Ewing — were there shooting, riding and wrenching. Mr. Greg Ownby was sorely missed, but in his honor, we wrecked his '82 FT500 streetracker getting the perfect shot. New brake pedal on the way! (Photos: Cindy Hicks)

This is what happens when you get a cool idea and don't really know now to execute it. After cutting my moto teeth on an '81 Kawi KZ550, I moved on to bigger and more neglected things. I bought this one from my mechanic at the time for $400. In hindsight, $250 would have been about right. All I knew was that I wanted to put "those cool gold sportbike forks" on it. Everything else would figure itself out. After some head scratching, a few hours on eBay and a visit to the machine shop, I had all I needed to do the swap — in this case an '05 Yamaha R6-R setup. Some 6K miles later, everything is still in great working order, although I've completely changed my methods for swapping front ends. It should be noted that I built this bike before I learned to weld. Therefore, nary a chop was made. I see some things begging to be lopped off, though. Just you wait. (Photos: Cindy Hicks)

This one was plagued by the most gremlins by far. Worth the trouble, though. Commissioned by advertising art director Adam Stockton in the winter, this antique triple has one of the most devilish exhaust notes ever. Jetted with pods and custom 3-into-1 straight pipe, it's got power for days. Technically a Yamasaki, the front end was snagged from an '05 Kawasaki ZX6R (Ninja 636) which dramatically changes the stance and attitude of the beast. Stockton's bike was the first to incorporate the perforated metal side covers that let you get a hint of what's behind them — in this case, not much. Just a tiny battery in a custom welded mount. Above it, the underseat electronics tray that keeps the unpretty stuff from view. Who says shaft drives can't be cool? (Photos: http://www.adamewing.com )

Meet Lefty Lucy. A compact, scrappy little miscreant — much like her owner, Richmond, VA art producer Cindy Hicks. Lucy rides on a front end modified to use an 18-inch XS400 front wheel. That, along with the lowest of rear shocks is a big help for the sub-five-foot Miss Hicks. It sports custom side panels, seat and paint job that are retro beyond 1979. Powdercoated fork sliders, wheels and mufflers make it very black. Except for the red, I guess. Jetted Mikunis, free-flowing exhaust and pods keep bike and rider happy. Clip ons mounted above the top yoke make for nice lines and a comfortable riding position. Long live Lucy. (Photos: Adam Ewing).

 

I know. Many people think Viragos don't have a lot going for them. But flaws aside, the early ones had a monoshock that makes them pretty versatile when customizing. It can have lines like a hardtail or a sport bike. Or something in between. This one was commissioned by director Sunny Zhao — http://www.dreamsfactory.com — for his current feature project "Reciprocity". A revenge movie set 100 years in the future. http://www.reciprocitymovie.com  He wanted something that looked old and futuristic at the same time — something the antagonist (a hitman with no discernible soft side) could appreciate. This is the result. With our unpatented triple tree mod, we grafted on a 2000 Yamaha YZF R1 front end. We removed several feet from the wiring harness, mounted the battery under the tank and made a remote recharging system so we don't have to remove the tank when the volts are running low. Shifted the controls rearward. Thought about a padded seat for awhile. But that will come after the movie is wrapped when Sunny starts riding it around town. (Photos: http://www.adamewing.com )