Robin from Amsterdam, the Netherlands offers two classic Japanese bikes for sale here!

Robin describes the bikes: "The Yamaha TD1C that I offer was one of the first race bikes in the Netherlands. The motorcycle that I am offering is the one in the attached article- http://www.classicyams.com/race-bikes/productionracers/yamaha-td1c-production-racer.html. (Check this article out for more info on the TD1C.)
My uncle (Ack Bant) was the owner of this company and now I am selling this bike for him. Unfortunately the motorbike was stored in a garage where the air conditions where bad, so the chrome and paint is in a bad condition. The Yamaha TD1C was used for racing and my uncle thought that Cees van Dongen was the rider.
The TD1C is almost complete. The only thing that is missing is the fairing and windscreen. There are some reserve parts included, several clutch parts and the original race carburetors with their suspensions. The fuel tank is original aluminum, sometimes there were TD1C’s with a fiberglass tank (imitation/later model). Because the td1c is a rare factory racer I would like to say to those who are interested, please make a offer above €3500-."

"The Yamaha YDS3. This bike is also in poor condition. It needs to be re-chromed/painted. The YDS is complete but as you can see in the pictures in a bad condition. Price of this bike is €1000-,
I also have:2x 125cc Garelli first type race cylinders (needs to be re-chromed)1x 50 cc Garelli first type race cylinders (needs to be re-chromed)"
You can contact Robin at rabes@xs4all.nl.

Roland Sands Designs video

Roland Sands has his fingers in many motorcycle pies. Here's a video showing Sands and a mate and a rather attractive lady. The blokes are having a ball on two Honda CR500 cafe racers created by Sands. He's done many videos but I like this one as it's short and sweet and the music isn't too obnoxious. I wonder why so many videographers insist on wrecking their cool videos with over-loud and bad music. Amazingly, so many motorcycle vids suffer this fate. We would rather hear the bikes!
Anyway, it looks like a helluva lot of fun!

Ugliest Japanese bikes of all time

One mans trash is another mans treasure! What's your trash? I've heard it that the Suzuki RE5 is just about as wrong as it can be. The styling is strange and funky to say the least! Personally I find it charming in its way.

There's lots to laugh at here. Firstly, there's the tubular motiff. It starts at the rediculous aluminim tube stuck to the headlight. It houses the instruments and reminds me of the speedo tube on the Oldsmobile Toronado. Now that's one ugly car!There's another odd tube halfway back that houses the air-cleaner etc. Sorry, ugly plastic half-assed afterthought.
Then, because ugly things must come in threes, the tail-light is another tubular abomination. It's like the designers resigned themselves to their fate and said "what the hell..."
But wait, there's more! Wankel engines might be a technical wonder but they have no place on a bike. And fronting them with a tarted up Chevy V8 radiator makes this poor bike an excersize in ugliness, period.
The photo is so well taken I almost was fooled into thinking this thing has design merits but no, it don't. It's ugly.

Then there is this Yamaha Vision. A vision of ugliness. Frankly I can only see two outstandingly horrible things about this bike. Obviously, the first thing that offends is the tank. Or the seat! Maybe it's the tank/seat in combo.The wheels? Not good at all. And I've always hated square headlights.
Okay, maybe the rest of that bike is passable but the overall effect is that you want to look away in embarassment for the rider of that piece of shit. And if you ride one, don't take your helmet off after dismounting until you're in the Wal-Mart and out of sight. Yech!

Karnage kustomz motorcycles...

...has come up with this great way of improving the look of Yamaha cast-spoke wheels that were used on the XS series bikes as well as other models and brands. Let's face it. The stock wheels are ugly, heavy and don't do a cafe-racer any justice.
Ok, I'll stop here because I could go on and on. But you feel free to trash me for my picks or chime in with some primo ugly choices of your own. The more the merrier!Anybody just love the Fazer? How about the Kettle, Katana, KZ1300, Hondamatic? Nothing is as supremely ugly as the Moto Guzzi California but hey this is not the place for that!

The idea is cunning in it's simplicity and elegant in execution. Let me see if I can get this right.Take the wheels off the bike. Take the tire off the wheel. Drill the spokes in even patterns and paint the wheel (powder coat preferably)a bright happy colour. Reinstall.

Brilliant! Lots of us have classic Japanese bikes with these wheel types. Instead of swapping them out for spoke rim alloy units and going through the lacing and fitting hassles, this is a great alternative. Plus you can get creative with the drilling and wheel colour. And best of all, it's cheap!