Check out the article HERE

You can also check out some other past write-ups of Bill’s work on BikExif:
Norton Commando MK III
Aermacchi Sprint

Check out the article and congratulate Bill next time you see him around town.

Bill Beckers newest build is this impressive #yamaha #xs650.

A photo posted by Cast & Salvage (@castandsalvage) on Jul 15, 2015 at 4:07am PDT

All Packed Up

The Scenic Route a.k.a. Driving Directions Avoiding 76

Sitting in Traffic

Small Electrical Problem.

Sorting out the Electrical Problem, Turned out to be a broken connection.

Hip Shot

Bachelor Party: Ryan Scott Punching a Bag (Top Score)

Matt Yetter Punching a Bag, Actually he wiffed. HA!

Post Party Scenery

Hand Painted Thank You Sign

Hand Painted Cocktail Sign

About to leave for home

Pizza World Pit Stop

Pizza World Pit Stop 2

Random Stop

Home

Thanks to Adam for helping make my bike so rad!

Sean’s brother (I feel shitty – totally forgot the dude’s name) had this sweet swingarm shovel that I just fell in love with. So many awesome people – Mike from 47 Industries (cracked his frame and welded it in the diner parking lot! took best roadside repair!), Jd with his longfork shovel that took best of show, Michael of The World is Flat who is taking by far some of the best cycle photos, Chris who rode down from Vancouver only to have his engine blow up as he rolled into Jersey … too many people to mention.

I ended up taking the award for “rolling deathtrap” for having the bike that looks like it should fall apart but does every last mile of the run. I’m honored. GR6 isn’t close enough. Thanks for getting me so stoked on bikes.

all packed.

friday’s camp

73′ swingarm shovel

Norton Commando – won the best British bike award

Saturday’s camp.

Home!

my bike finally went platinum – about time.

Make sure you guys try to do the Brooklyn Invitational this Saturday and support these dudes and see some awesome bikes.

Obviously the welds need to be cleaned up, plus the clamps need some washers. I learned a lot about bending steel and what you can and cant get away with. It’s also not complete – I have a 1918 WWI bolo knife that is going to be mounted in the middle. I am about 90% satisfied with this though, there are a couple things that I wish I could go back and do right. Oh well, I’ll spend a day this summer with 20 dollars of steel and make it all right.

Next up: rear fender bottom mounts, then the focus shifts to the front – lacing an old bmw drum front to a 21″ rim and shortening the forks 3″.

Anyway, I started laying everything out to really get a good look at what I’m going for and started making good lines and what-not, when I decided that as seeing it is New Year’s Eve and I haven’t posted in awhile, I’d bring you guys up to date and reflect on my past year a little. Pardon if I bear my soul a bit.

2010 was definitely a year of establishing roots. I spent the past 5 years bouncing around a lot and not settling down and it wore kind of thin mid 2009. Thanks to a good friend I was able to drop what I was doing, come home immediately and get my head screwed on straight. I owe a lot to him. The end of 2009 would see me moving for the third time in a year into a place that I hope to stay for a bit. Here I could finally dig into my bike the way I wanted to – and I did.

At first I was lost in a sea of information and frustrated about it. I knew I had good method but I had no idea where to begin. So I did the only thing I could do – I started taking things apart and making due with what I had or could get my hands on. I knew it wouldn’t be perfect but that it would buy me enough time to wrap my head around what I needed to know. My tools were scattered and my workspace was tight, dark and cold. At the end of it I came out with a bike that runs and a boosted confidence level.

By chance a friend of mine started renting a 3 car garage close by and was looking for a couple others to throw in on it. I’ll spare you the details of us getting it up and running but by late spring I was ready for project number 2. I decided I needed a highway hog to offset my r5 and came across an xs650 that I absolutely wanted. Bought it as a basket case, spent a month getting it together and a couple more working out all the kinks in motor.

The end half of 2010 has been great for me. Again, I’ll spare the details except that wonderful friends, family and a companion all helped make these past 6 months some of the best yet. I am overwhelming grateful to all of them.

If 2010 was my year of establishing roots, I feel 2011 will be the year I earn my wings. The xs is now completely stripped to the frame, all the extra fat that was welded to the frame cut off, all the excess holes filled. The forks will getting shortened 3″ to bring the wheel closer to the frame. Once I get the new front hub fit, I’ll be breaking down the wheel and lacing it to a 21″ rim so it gives the frame a bit more clearance. I’ll be welding up my own exhaust that will snake up the rear right side with fishtail tips. A new fender that needs to be resized and mounted. Brand new square stock sissy completely from scratch. New tank mounts, new footpegs. New ignition, wiring harness and stator. Dual stack head lights. redoing a solo seat in leather from the pan up. And after all that I’ll be using my HVLP sprayer to lay down a proper auto finish on it. I definitely feel like I have my work cut out for me but I couldn’t be anymore excited to get started.

That said, thank you all for letting me a part of this blog. Seeing the progress every one of you has made this year keeps my ass in the garage wrenching when I’m being lazy. I hope to post more and see more of you guys in the new year.

Happy New Year everyone. Ride safe in 2011, best wishes.