Fast From The Past — Awesome Place!

While perusing the internet the other day for a Paulo Tarozzi fork brace I, quite luckily, happened across this place — Fast From The Past. 

And I found they are an absolute goldmine for old race bikes, cafe racers etc. because they carry those quality parts that are hard to find. Often you find a shop that only carries certain items for a few bikes, and my GSX often comes up lacking.
But here, a fork brace for the GSX750ES is just one of hundreds of different types available, all at realistic prices. And, once ordered, it was delivered to me in Australia in around a week. Nicely done.

How retro is that box? Love it!

Petrol Tanks, Filling Dents, Priming... Meh!

Unskilled.
Not my favourite job if I'm honest. I spent ten months prepping cars for paintwork a long time ago, but I think the very little I actually learnt has slipped away to oblivion. The guys I worked with made it look so easy. 

I'd spend hours applying filler, rubbing it back, going too low and having to start again. They seemed to be able to perfect it in minutes. But, alas, the tank I wanted to keep in bare metal has just too many dents and marks for me to be happy with it. So, I decided to break out the filler. 

First job was to get the bottom ready for primer. Once painted I can refit the fuel gauge sender and tap, and double check for leaks before spending hours on the top.

Flatted with 360 grit paper, it was soon good enough for some filler primer. 

Black Animals Special Bikes

Dirty Bastards? Excuse my Italian.
Just like great bikes, great friendships evolve, sometimes from the last place you'd expect, and the old 'two-wheeled bond' is always good.

So who are the Black Animals?
A drunken coming together, mixed up with incoherent chat about building a bike from scratch - probably. But no matter, it was the start of something good and Dan, Mirco and Giovanni began to tear down some unlikely tourers as they began to knock some cafe racers into shape. 
When I say unlikely, I mean old Gold Wings and GSX750ES's (who in their right mind would try and cafe race one of those?), but that's exactly the spirit we need to see in the custom scene. A love of anything two-wheeled, a not too serious attitude and the ability to sink several beers/wines while doing it. (Actually, that's probably the entire custom scene.)

Dan, drunk, again. Trying to ride a Gold Wing van.

Mirco first got in touch with me because of a common interest, the old GSX750ES, yes we both own one (it's just that mine looks like it's been run over by a cement truck, twice). So, with formalities formalised, I was invited to share in the madness that is the Black Animals on Facebook and now enjoy their antics from Italy everyday. Not just great taste in bikes, but music too! Think I need to visit - more wine vicar?

The projects so far

Mirco's GSX750ES

GSX750ES and a cool looking workshop.

Strewth, even the tank is still in good nick.

Mirco trying the GSX out for size.

GSX750ES tail piece. Very impressive!

Dan's Gold Wing

Heavy Metal!

Wish my forks were as straight as that!

                 

Blasted alloy looks so cool!

Great contrast, love those cases!

Giovanni's GSX750

So, why Black Animals?
I was baffled, but then I don't speak Italian. Dan explained:

"this is a lost in translation, as the "black animal" in italian is like saying "dirty bastard" or something like that"

That, my friend, makes it crystal clear and will do for me. Check out their antics at Facebook today.