Triumph Racer Holographic Hammer Design

Holographic Hammer is the alter ego of BMW Motorrad designer, Sylvain Berneron.  You may have seen his work under his Holographic Hammer name in concepts for Fuel Motorcycles, Untitled Motorcycles and here, when we posted his great image, “Norton: Old vs. New”.  

Working in the motorcycle industry, Berneron has tons of moto-minded friends and has digitally sketched out numerous garage build for his pals.  Being able to “see” the end result prior to actually building it can save a lot of time in the long run. 

OK, this last one isn't a Triumph, but I had to include it anyway.

I’m sure we’re all guilty of convincing ourselves a mod would be perfect on a build only to decide later that it just doesn't look right.  Berneron takes the guess work out of it.  I’d love to get a few mock of the Bullitt OG done myself…

Ural Gaucho Rambler Motorcycle New

“For West is where we all plan to go some day. It is where you go when the land gives out and the old-field pines encroach. It is where you go when you get the letter saying: Flee, all is discovered. It is where you go when you look down at the blade in your hand and the blood on it. It is where you go when you are told that you are a bubble on the tide of empire. It is where you go when you hear that thar’s gold in them-thar hills. It is where you go to grow up with the country. It is where you go to spend your old age. Or it is just where you go.”

—Robert Penn Warren

Motorcycling has always been synonymous with exploration.  Those of us to dare to take to the roads, teeming with distracted and reckless drivers, require nerves of steel.  We're the ones who are unafraid to take the road less traveled, and we do it frequently.  There's nothing quite like exploring somewhere new on a motorcycle.  Being so exposed and out there you get to connect on a different level.  The new smells and the wind/sun/rain in your face allow you to connect on a deeper level.  Ural Motorcycles were initially built to take its riders through Russia where the roads or poor, or more often than not, completely non-existent.  Urals were necessary to navigate and transport gear throughout the rough countryside.

This year’s limited edition Ural is a wistful homage to a past age.  The 2013 American West-inspired limited edition Ural Gaucho Rambler, a motorcycle created in collaboration with Pendleton Woolen Mills.  The color is new, chosen by Pendleton, and is named Pacific Blue. The bike comes with sunburned canvas upholstery and a “Journey West” blanket by Pendleton. The Gaucho Rambler is equipped with Ural’s legendary 2wd capability to overcome adverse terrains. This is a bike ready for the long road and the spiritual journey devoid of stuff. No need to pack, no need to prepare, there’s nothing to do but go.

The Ural site explains the inspiration for the Gaucho Rambler; "With nothing more than their horse, a knife, and a poncho, the cowboys of the Americas, or gauchos as there known elsewhere, rambled through the country, living off the land, taking each day as it came, always on a journey towards the sunset. The rebel spirit of the gaucho is very much in the heart and soul of each Ural. Taking to the road, with no specific goal in mind is something every rider longs for…"

There's no question any of us seeking a motorcycle adventure could go swoop up a brand new adventure bike like the BMW GS, Triumph Tiger or any of the other great modern adventure bikes.  They would do the job just fine, but there's just something about a vintage-inspired bike like the Gaucho Rambler that speaks to the soul.  The Iron and Resin crew mounted surf racks onto their Ural and charged down the Baja Peninsula in search of cold beer, uncrowded waves and good times.  Now that's an adventure, and we want in!   

Porto da Barra, Salvador, Brazil

Porto da Barra Beach is located in the city of Salvador, Brazil. It is located at the entrance of the Baía de Todos os Santos, with a small, white colonial fort at one end and a whitewashed church sitting up on a hill at the other.

As the beach is in a bay, the water is calm (given that it is right in the heart of Brazil's third-largest city). And in a country with over 7,000 km (4,349 mi) of east-facing coastline, the Porto is one of the few facing west, and sunsets can be seen from there. 

Porto da Barra was the site of Bahia's first European settlement, Vila Velha, or the Old Village. During the 1960s it was a hangout for Tropicalistas Caetano Veloso (who sang of the beach in his song "Qual é Baiana?") and Gilberto Gil and their crowd.

Salvador's (& Environs') Beautiful Beaches

Salvador is literally surrounded by beaches. They are where people go to relax, cool off, chill, socialize, eat, drink, dance, exercise, surf, and of course swim. They vary from crowded city beaches great for meeting people to tropical idylls up and down the coast. 

One of the first beaches that most people get to know in Salvador is Porto da Barra. Porto da Barra was, interestingly, the site of Bahia's first European settlement, Vila Velha, or the Old Village. During the 1960's it was a hangout for Tropicalistas Caetano Veloso (who sang of the beach in his song "Qual é Baiana?") and Gilberto Gil and their crowd, and it continues to be very much of a hangout today. 

The beach is set within the bay and the water is much calmer than on the oceanside beaches; it's good for swimming. On weekends, especially Sundays, Porto da Barra can get very crowded, and it's a good idea to keep a good eye on your stuff. Sandals, sunglasses, and like items can disappear in an instant, the magicians usually being innocent-enough looking kids playing around in the sand near you. 

Moving out, the next beach is Farol da Barra. Farol means a beacon; here "lighthouse" (the word "farol" is derived from "Pharos", the name of the small island of the coast of Alexandria, Egypt, where a great lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was built). The end of the beach closest to the lighthouse is rocky, with protected pools making it a good place for kids to safely play in the water. The far end of the beach is usually surfer territory.