This week we’ve got a racy SuperHawk from Australia, a sleek Sportster from Jakarta, news of Go Takamine?s hookup with Indian, and a seriously weird little ATV from Russia…

Honda VTR1000F by Francis Von Tuto Australian-based builder Francis Von Tuto is heading back to his Italian homeland. We loved his CBR600RR a couple of months ago, and he?s now signing off with this VTR1000F Firestorm sportbike?a model better known to riders in the US as the SuperHawk. It?s a 1998 spec bike, which arrived with 90,000 kilometers on the clock, and a few ?issues.?
?They couldn?t work out why it wasn?t running properly,? says Francis. ?While checking the valve clearances, I realized that the timing was absolutely off. The engine was firing at 90 degrees rather than 270!?
Given that the VFR1000F has a bulletproof V-twin pumping out around 100 hp, plus decent wheels and suspension, it?s an excellent donor for a modern, racy custom.
But the prominent side radiators bugged him, so he shaped up foam and fiberglass to create a one-piece solution. Local specialist Paul Borowinski then built a full mold and produced the finished bodywork, with oblong holes near the radiators helping with air extraction.

The dual headlights are attached to an easily removable lightbar unit that also holds tiny indicators. The original instruments bolt onto the mount for the lightbar.
For better lines, Francis has shortened the front fender and installed a custom made seat with comfortable dual ...