What are carburetors and how do they work? The carburetor is the device that delivers fuel to your engine for combustion.By design it turns the fuel into an atomize cloud, and mixes it with incoming air that is being drawn into your engine via engine vacuum. Carburetors are engineered for the size of engine they are attached to, with consideration for the amount of fuel that will be required across the entire rpm range of the engine.
When it comes to moto-centric art, there are a few names that come to mind from the chopper magazines pages of yesteryear, but the artists of today who are carrying on that tradition with a blending of mediums and style are what will keep the movement fresh for years to come. One such artist out of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is Darren McKeag of "McKeag Art". McKeag blends his love for motorcycles, tattooing, and all the fast paced fun of everything in between. He mixes that style to become an extremely well rounded artist that tackles everything from tank and helmet art, pinstriping, illustration, large scale paper and canvas painting, drawing, and of course, art of the skin. We met with Darren to discuss some of the pieces he was proudly displaying at this years Indian Larry Block Party in Brooklyn, New York. We were able to get a sense for his incredible way of life and what keeps him inspired to create in the now well-defined "McKeag Art" style that has made its way all over the country in many different mediums.
The Suzuki GT750 is one of the most beloved Japanese bikes of all time. Released in the early 1970s during the formative age of the superbike, the GT750 was designed primarily as a sports tourer. Its smooth acceleration and comfortable ride made it a more refined alternative to the Kawasaki Z1 or Honda CB750.
But what really earned the Suzuki GT750 a prominent place in motorcycle history was its innovative engine. The GT750 was the first Japanese motorbike to employ a liquid cooling system for the engine rather than the traditional air-cooled setup.
This summer we took a trip to Michigan to participate in the Zylstra choppers Apocalypse Run up to the upper peninsula, (a feature we will be running next month) and we had the chance to connect with some really inspiring and interesting builders along the way who also made the trek for the run on their custom bikes. One stand out bike that refused to go unnoticed at every stop was this 1973 XS650 built by Nick Moyer of Chicago. With every single element of this bike custom made and fabricated from other found parts this bike was unlike any XS650 we had ever seen. Not to mention it's hard not to love a chrome frame and nods to builders like Indian Larry with his wild twisted downtubes. Basically every chance that Nick had to change up an element of the bike to make it completely innovative and original to him he went with it. Repurposing old hot rod car parts and custom fabricating other parts the bike really stands out on it's own. We waited for the dreaded upper peninsula Michigan rains to subside on day 2 of the run and sat down with Nick to discuss some of our favorite parts of the build.
So, what do vintage Japanese motorcycles, the flat-out speed of the Bonneville Salt Flats, and punk rock, f*** it all attitude have in common? Hot Carl Racing, that’s what.
There are some people that you know have one hell of a story, and the combo of Dan Osborne and Mike Dillard of Hot Carl Racing are just the type of enthusiasts that we love at Old Bike Barn. Recently, while Bear was shooting for yet another speed record at the legendary Bonneville Salt Flats, he came across a couple of dudes with a set of outrageously fabricated Yamaha XS650’s that he had never met before. Turns out, these guys not only ran one hell of a bike but had an incredibly interesting story to tell.
