Kommunal Kustom Build

Wise Words & Simple Truths…

This week’s Kommunal Kustom Build proved beyond doubt just how knowledgeable our workshop community is, how generous our members are with their DIY knowledge and how keenly it’s absorbed by eager ears. This blog post is dedicated to the living legends at Kommune who take the time to support, inform and inspire the crew around them. Special thanks this week to Kyle, Hamish, Matt and Jimmy for their passionate dedication to demystifying the machine. Equally big shout out to the crew who roll up week in week out whatever the weather to push the bikes forward and bring the Kommune Members Fleet to life- we dig your dedication!

Open Heart Surgery

As mentioned in previous tales from the Kommune workbench, the Adv Scrambler team have embarked on a top end rebuild, or should we say an unexpected education in top end rebuilding. Sure, there’s a video tutorial or forum for every conceivable nut and bolt in moto history but Thursday night proved that nothing beats being side by side with a mate as they share priceless knowledge, answer questions on the spot and shine a light on what does what.

It was one ah-ha! moment after another as Kyle mentored Steph, Tony and Rick through valve reassembly, the many and varied configurations of camshafts and the finer principles of cylinder honing to tell the story of what actually happens inside a healthy engine when it’s fired up and all those parts are working in harmony, while you sit back and enjoy the ride. Across the bench, masked up with unwavering focus Amelia continued Dremmel’ing every nook and cranny of the engines exterior like a dystopian dentist servicing a neglected cyborg! Meanwhile, Lee got down and dirty pulling apart rusty brake callipers and Lenny settled into a session with the rattle cans.

It’s hungry work all this polishing and welding and engineering, which is why a communal build night ain’t a communal build night without a BBQ. When the unmistakable aroma of our weekly sausage sizzle reaches the back of the workshop we know dinner’s ready and it’s tools down for a cold beer and hot snag. Props to chef Ross who upped the ante this week with the bold move of a salad leaf garnish and apologies to Tony for taking so long to deliver a decent beet burger!

Flat Tracker: Doin’ It Right

A few important features that make a Flat Tracker a Flat Tracker are the line and design of its tank and seat combo along with a headlight and side panels displaying race numbers. Staying true to these details and honouring an icon of moto racing, Hamish has been diligently hand crafting a seat, Matt designed and plasma cut some custom number plates and Leah’s been fabricating pipes that’ll give the bike the kind bark it needs to avoid the disastrous fate of going unnoticed!

The Kommunal Kustom Build is part of our Kommune Konnections program funded by the DGR and Movember. If you’re keen to learn more, check this page and if you’re keen to get greasy, join us on a Thursday night from 6pm. Thanks to Nina as well for capturing our handsome crew!

Written by Tom Ansell