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The Best Vintage Cafe Racers That Ooze Timeless Cool

A staple of classic British motorcycle subculture, the Café Racers were a breed of bikes that put all-out performance over everything else. Hopped up engines and stripped down chassis made them lean and mean, and they were often seen racing from one transport café to the next, trying to outrun the rockabilly song on the jukebox. While a lot of these bikes were custom built, many manufacturers caught on and released their own versions straight from the factory, which frequently became highly successful models. With loud exhaust notes, low sleek lines and heaps of attitude, these bikes were just as cool (or maybe cooler) than their leather jacketed and greased hair counterparts.1976 Moto GuzziBorn right in the middle of the Japanese motorbike invasion, the Moto Guzzi Le Mans set out to beat them at their own game. An 850cc engine producing 71bhp rocketed the Le Mans to something in the realm of 130mph. It did it so effectively that one 1976 journalist simply laughed the speedometer’s claims off, until he later calculated his speed using RPM and gear ratios and realized just how fast he was going. Matte black trim and a simple metal screen in place of a true air filter showed that this bike was all business, and no fluff.1976 Laverda Jota 1000As if litre bikes weren’t powerful enough in standard road going trim, Italian manufacturer Laverda took their already-fast 3C model, and fitted what was basically a fully race-spec engine. Three Del’Orto carburettors fed three cylinders through big valves and a high lift twin-cam head, and out through very open and very loud exhaust pipes. With 90hp being put to the tarmac, the Jota could blast its way to 146mph, making it the world’s fastest production motorcycle in its day. While not as lightweight as some other bikes on this list, it held its weight nicely and was rock solid in the twisties.Vincent Black ShadowImagine a time (let’s call it “1949”) when a fast motorcycle could do 100mph, and when motoring style consisted of bright chrome and rich leather. Enter the Vincent Black Shadow. The frame, the tank, the engine, the fork…all jet black. Surely this bike looked different, but the styling was only half of the story. With 55hp, the Black Shadow – strictly a road bike, mind you – could do 124mph. This is with post-war braking and suspension technology, making that the most harrowing 124mph you’re ever likely to experience. One journalist, who was a fan of the bike, commented “If you rode the Black Shadow at top speed for any length of time, you would almost certainly die.”1954 BMW R68 While not the “First 100mph Motorcyle” that BMW claimed it was at the time, perhaps the R68 was the first to break triple digits with only 594ccs. The 35hp plant took the bike to 105mph, and helped keep the weight down to 190kg. Notable features included a drive shaft design rather than a chain, and an on-board tire pump. An elongated single-seat, designed to allow the rider to slide back into a crouched position for high speed riding, shows what this bike was all about. Its fans claim that while it wasn’t the absolute fastest bike of the era, the way in which it achieved its speed made it a pleasure to ride, and it remains one of the most desirable BMW bikes to date.1976 Ducati 860 GT Ducati’s first big-bore bike, the 860 remains a “like it or hate it” sort of machine – which suits the Café Racer mentality just fine. Based off the widely acclaimed 750 GT, Ducati increased the displacement up to 864cc, and turned to stylist Giorgio Giugiaro of ItalDesign to shape the appearance. Giugiaro, famous for the original VW GTi, BMW M1, Aston Martin DB4 and many other influential designs, introduced to the 860 the highly angular design elements that defined the era of automobiles. Tall and wide handlebars and a large sideplate made this bike unique, and its engine architecture remained a Ducati staple for many years to come.1964 BSA LightningDesigned to make the Café Racer a more useable style of motorbike, the Lightning sacrificed a bit of top speed for midrange torque, an adjustment that made the bike highly popular and widely loved. Don’t be fooled though, this bike is hardly tame. Weighing in at 179kg and with 52hp, it still had a lot of kick and could best 110mph. A pop culture regular, this bike has appeared in film and TV all over the world, most notably in the 1965 Bond film Thunderball, where it is seen being ridden by Italian actress Luciana Paluzzi (but is actually being ridden by British moto-racer Bill Ivy in a wig).1969 Honda CB750Before Honda released this motorcycle, the term “superbike” did not exist. It was not that it was the fastest bike…it wasn’t, at 120mph it was just shy of the Vincent from 1949. What made the CB750 so super was the combination of attributes it offered. The OHV inline 4 cylinder, with gorgeous polished headers wrapping under the frame, a front disk brake, electric starter, and a score of other features made this bike unlike anything on the market. It was a fantastic performer with looks to back it up, and it was even comfortable and reliable to boot. Ease of maintenance and an affordable price tag rounded out this bike, and to many it remains one of the greatest ever built.1973 Norton Commando 750As the classic twin-cylinder motorcycle design grew up over the decades, its flaws became more apparent. Displacement was getting larger and didn’t seem to be stopping, and as a result engine vibrations were becoming more and more of a problem. To solve this, Norton hired Rolls-Royce engineer Dr. Stefan Bauer to design an all-new frame for the Commando. Utilizing rubber bushings and a subframe design, Bauer completely isolated the engine and transmission from the frame, allowing Norton to keep their classic engine design in what would turn out to be a wildly successful bike, winning Motor Cycle News’ “Machine of the Year” 5 times in a row.Triumph BonnevilleThe original Triumph Bonneville was conceived and designed in such a short amount of time that it didn’t even make it into that year’s sales brochure, an ironic start to such a fantastic and popular bike. With a 649cc engine and 46hp, and named after the Utah Bonneville Salt Flats (famous for their land speed record competitions), “Bonnie” was created mostly for the American market, to give consumers the performance they had been asking for. Capable of 115mph straight from the factory, it frequently underwent modifications to be even quicker. The OHV twin engine was highly capable, and it was not uncommon to see it juiced up and swapped into other bike frames.1958 AJS 7RPerhaps less of a Café Racer and more of a track racer, the 7R was designed with competition in mind from day 1. First released in 1948, it immediately secured victories despite being slightly underpowered compared to its competition. By 1958, it had undergone many changes to the engine and a few to the chassis to keep it competitive with its multi-cylinder rivals, and it continued to win World Championships and the Isle of Man TT competition despite its aging design. By the end of its run, it made up to 40bhp and weighed a scant 129kg, no doubt a major key to its success.

The post The Best Vintage Cafe Racers That Ooze Timeless Cool appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The Beginners Guide To Perfume & Cologne Scents

The first step to choosing your signature scent is knowing what the hell is in it in the first place. Men’s cologne falls into a handful of categories that describe the ingredients and the resulting scents they create.

Once you understand the categories, you can figure out if you’d rather smell like a forest, a flower, a citrus fruit, or a worn-in saddle. Be sure to factor your personality and style into the decision (because yes, they matter), as well as the time of year and the occasion.

That might sound like a lot of trouble to go to just to smell nice, but trust us – it’s worth every second of effort. Below is a breakdown of the basic men’s cologne types you need to know and the keynotes that go into each one.

Key Styles Of Men’s Cologne

Aromatic

Strictly speaking, “aromatic” refers to scents that are rich in benzene, a compound found in organic matter. In layman’s terms, aromatic fragrances have a rustic scent with a certain freshness, often coming from herbal notes, and are more commonly designed for men. If you can cook with it, it’s probably an aromatic note. Think rosemary, thyme, mint, tarragon, marjoram, fennel, basil, sage, anise cumin, and other plants with a grassy-spicy scent.

Chypre

The term chypre is French for Cyprus, and goes back to François Coty who created a perfume in 1917 of the same name from materials predominantly found in Mediterranean countries. The basic structure of a chypre fragrance is a harmony between 3 key ingredients: bergamot, oakmoss and labdanum (often with some patchouli mixed in). Together they make for a warm, mossy-woody scent that contrasts with a fresh citrus top and a hint of bitterness.

Citrus

Citrus scents are created from hesperidic fruits, which are named after the Hesperides nymphs from Greek mythology. Verbena, lemongrass, pomelo and yuzu fall into this category, as do all the typical citrus fruits you’re probably thinking of: lemon, orange, grapefruit, mandarin, etc. Bergamot is also common ingredient. Low molecular weight means that citrus oils function remarkably well as top notes, giving lift and sparkle to just about any blend.

Floral

The largest fragrance group is also the most self-explanatory. Floral scents add a romantic touch to a composition, alleviating some of the heaviness of more tenacious ingredients. Many flowers – like rose, jasmine, tuberose, lavender, osmanthus, immortelle, ylang ylang and marigold – are easy to use in their natural state. Others must be reconstructed in a lab, including freesia, peony, lily of the valley, heliotrope, violet, jonquil, narcissus and hyacinth.

Leather

All leather scents, whether floral, tart, velvety, or smoky, fall into this group. Historically, leather is one of the earliest notes used in perfumery. Leather goods were perfumed with oils, musk, ambergris and civet to mask the nauseating odour of the animal skin. Today this strong animalistic note comes from both natural sources (including birch, juniper and cade oil, styrax, cassie, castoreum, myrtle, and cistus labdanum) and the laboratory (quinolines, safraleine, aldehyde, and synthesized suede nuances).

Oriental

Fragrances in the Oriental family are warm and sensual. Amber is a dominant note, as are other intoxicating substances like musk and vanilla, and exotic resins, wood, flowers and spices. Oriental fragrances often have distinctive top notes of orchid, bergamot and mandarin which add a fruity-floral twist to the otherwise spicy and sexy Oriental scents. Foodies will be especially fond of the ‘gourmands’ subcategory, with incorporates hints of caramel, bitter dark chocolate and aromatic coffee.

Woody

Woody fragrances are – no surprise here – dominated by wood scents. From sensual sandalwood to edgy cedar to musky accords, wood notes add depth and staying power to other scents. This varied and versatile category includes oakmoss, amber, rosewood, guiac, oud, vetiver (though it’s technically a grass) and patchouli (though it’s technically a leaf). There are few fragrances that don’t boast at least one wood note in their make-up.

The post The Beginners Guide To Perfume & Cologne Scents appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Nick Jonas Rocks A Very Frustrated Colour With Ease

You may not know it, but there is a whole area of psychology devoted to colour. The colours we surround ourselves with can have hidden meanings, and we can often choose them based on unconscious thoughts. What we may simply think is our favourite colour can have a much deeper meaning.Nick Jonas could have just given away his antics, or rather, lack of antics at home, based on his suit colour of choice at a recent celebrity party. The singer and model attended the Vanity Fair x Amazon Studios party to signify the start of Hollywood Awards season on Saturday 4th of January 2020 wearing a full purple Ermenegildo Zegna suit.But what the newlywed – who recently celebrated his first anniversary – might not know, is that purple can signify frustration, particularly, sexual frustration. Perhaps the honeymoon phase of the relationship is already over.Regardless of his personal life, Jonas wears his purple velour suit with matching turtleneck with panache, no easy task as we’re sure you’ll agree, as it’s one of the hardest colours for the modern gent to pull off. John Legend previously showed us how to rock pastel purple during the summer, and now Jonas shows us how to transition into winter.He teams his suit – which is most likely a custom design, as it’s nowhere to be found on the company’s website – with black Derby shoes and his Richard Mille RM 11-01 ‘Roberto Mancini’ timepiece, that he’s been seen wearing on several previous occasions. The watch, which was designed specifically for the former player turned manager, features Richard Mille’s customary skeletal automatic movement, and an eye-catching neon green crown. It’s not exactly what you could call affordable either, with prices coming in around the US$180,000 mark.https://www.instagram.com/p/B6G6Au6H6XH/He can sing, he’s easy on the eye, has a beautiful wife and has the unique gift of being able to sport the most tricky of sartorial styles. He could well be the perfect man.

The post Nick Jonas Rocks A Very Frustrating Colour With Ease appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The Difference Between Cheap & Expensive Gin, Explained By Gin Experts

Take off your jacket, leave your ego at the door. It’s time to disband those single malt allegiances as you’re no longer in whisky town. Today it’s all about gin, one of the most prolific spirits available on the market today.

Whether it’s a classic Martini, a Gin and Tonic or a Negroni, a ripper cocktail demands a better gin to truly standout on the palate. The problem: how does one pick a good gin?

We’ve hit up two of Australia’s hottest names in the gin industry to find out exactly that. Krystal Hart is the national ambassador for the Diageo World Class Bartending Competition (she ranked top 10 herself in 2012 and 2013) whilst Dave Withers is the Master Distiller of the award-winning gin label, Archie Rose Distillery.

Get your swill on.

What Makes A Good Gin

The most important thing to arm yourself with when exploring the vast world of gins is knowledge. Both Krystal Hart and Dave Withers agree that juniper, the berries used as the primary base of all gins, need to stand on their own for a great gin.

Withers says:

Great gins are all about the juniper up front – they need to reflect the place they’re from
In Australia we try to use unique native ingredients like lemon myrtle to produce a distinctive tasting gin
There’s diversity in gin so explore the range and look for things you enjoy
There’s many flavour profiles out there from the fruity end to the herbal end to the spice driven end

“A good quality gin is one that shows up in the way you drink it. In a Gin & Tonic, it needs to shine in that drink. The way to determine a bad gin is through the cocktail – a bad gin won’t show up in the final serve.”

Hart says:

Picking a good gin from the mundane ones comes down to the final taste profile
If you’re a London dry drinker then Tanqueray and Bombay Sapphire are your go-tos
Don’t be afraid of the new world style gins which can have the appearance and taste of a less refined gin and vice versa

“Generally the decisiveness on what botanicals are being used is often the mark of a great quality gin.”

Does A Complex Blend Equal Better Gin?

Not at all, according to both our experts.

Just as there are award-winning single malt whiskies and award-winning blended whiskies, the same also goes for gins with varying levels of blend complexity.

“The more ingredients you have in a gin the more complex it is to manufacture, but I don’t think that’s a sign of quality,” explains Withers.

Hart provides an even simpler explanation through a nice analogy.

“Gin is like a great perfume at the shops. You walk past a series of perfumes, some are repulsive and some are exactly what you’re looking for.”

“The way gin is made, most distilleries and distillers will approach their process the same way as crafting a perfume. If you were to take a perfume that had everything in there, you’d find that it wouldn’t smell nice.”

Whilst the decisiveness on what botanicals are being used is often the mark of a great quality gin, Hart says that you don’t need to have everything in a gin to make it expensive or carry quality.

“Often it’s an understanding of how to use those botanicals. Part of this is understanding the craft and what gin is.”

As a quick case study, the process for making Archie Rose’s signature gin involves:

14 select botanicals, 100 percent NSW wheat
Standard gin makers offering more affordable options will tend to distill all their ingredients and botanicals at once
Archie Rose distills each botanical individually (14 distillations) before cross blending them back together
This makes it more complicated and time consuming but the goal is quality through respecting native ingredients used
Some of these native ingredients can come from “spectacular provenances” which requires an urban forager to source specific botanicals
This can play into the final product’s flavour and price

“When we manufacture things, we do it for absolute quality,” says Wiithers.

“Not about efficiency but final flavour. There are good gins at lower prices but we’re fortunate enough to be able to put quality first.”

The process for the Scottish-made Tanqueray is also very similar.

For their standard gin offering which retails around the $25 mark, all of the botanicals are macerated in and distilled just once in the production process.

If you take Tanqueray No. 10 which is the brand’s premium offering at the $60 mark, you’ll find:

Full fresh citrus botanicals distilled in separate stills
Tanqueray’s “core DNA” is added and then it’s all back blended

“It’s a more laborious and arduous process that can absolutely mark up price,” explains Hart.

The gin making process can then get even more expensive if distillers are sourcing ingredients from overseas or getting creative with their blends.

“Most Australian manufacturers will purchase their junipers from Macedonia and the difference between that produce and Bulgaria’s can affect the aroma and the taste.”

“If they’re doing things like introducing cucumber, you need to create a really clever production process to extract cucumber.”

Hart says that if you get the creativity part wrong, the blend could turn out smelling rancid and give off qualities that don’t attribute to a quality gin.

The take away message of a quality gin: Blend with balanced ingredients, not en mass.

Rarity & Availability

It’s a fact that gin can be produced a lot faster and cheaper than whisky which has been flooding the market.

That’s not to say that there’s no rarity in gin – it’s just not on the same scale as whisky is.

Quick facts from Withers:

Gin isn’t aged
It is a fresh distillant which requires a small rest period
This resting period lasts a couple of weeks after manufacturing
Some gins do barrel aged versions but it’s essentially a fresh product

Rarity in gin is instead achieved through the difficult-to-source ingredients used which can affect the gin’s final price.

“From my own experience with rare ingredients you’re bound by small seasons. You may only be able to do certain amounts in certain period,” says Withers.

“But if you’re going to go for rare ingredients, the actual flavour has to pay off for the rarity of those ingredients.”

“There’s no point distilling gold leaf just because it’s rare. It won’t taste like anything. It has to stand up to the price point you’re commanding.”

Hart thinks that gin’s availability is quite profound.

“When we talk about quality it’s more the expression driven gins hitting the market.”

These are gins which:

Challenge the alcohol percentage (higher proof gins)
Use rarer botanicals
Showcase great profiles with few ingredients
Target a more discerning palate

Simple Marketing

Finally there’s the aspect of discretionary marketing – or the price at which a gin makers value their product.

The average gin drinker will look for gins that they’ve tried in a bar and those bottles usually sit around the AU$70 to $80 mark.

Hart explains that gins in the AU$30 to $50 range can still be fantastic quality even though they’re cheaper.

“They’ve been producing it for so long that they’re able to do it efficiently and at a lower cost versus more of these new expression-led gins hitting the market.”

And it’s these new wave gins that are using rare botanicals and taking longer to make that allows them to sit at the pricier end.

The post The Difference Between Cheap & Expensive Gin, Explained By Gin Experts appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

This Ultra Rare Ferrari 250 GT Is Available To Buy In Australia Right Now

When it comes to overly cool classic Ferraris, not a lot can compete with the 250 series. It’s the Italian car manufacturer’s most successful early line of vehicles and holds a special place in the hearts of automotive nuts the world over. The 250 series comprised numerous variations, including the 250 GT Pininfarina, and you can own this rare version for an unquestionably large fee.When we say large fee, we mean it. For AU$2,000,000 – yes that is the right amount of 0’s – you can own this 1960 250 GT Pininfarina. It’s the second most expensive car available on Carsales right now, beaten to the top spot by this Ferrari F40, and is in immaculate condition (and rightly so). Only 353 Pininfarina models were made, with the Italian coachworks company replacing the bodywork of the Boano and Ellena variants, and it went on to become Ferrari’s most successful model.It comes in a gorgeous beige finish, with ivory leather interior, and is one of only nine right-hand drive models to roll off the original factory production line. The owner of this particular model says it was one raced by Australian motoring journalist David McKay during the 1960s and has received a complete restoration from Roelofs Engineering in the Netherlands; a classic Ferrari restoration specialist. It also has Ferrari Classiche certification, which ensures you’re buying a genuine example and was delivered to W.H. Lowe in Melbourne in 1960.A Sunday-drive car if ever there was one, the 250 GT has under its hood, Ferrari’s 3.0-litre V12 engine, producing 240hp and a top speed just shy of 150mph. Supercar speeds for its day. Elsewhere for your two million dollars, you get a four-speed manual gearbox, comfortable seating for two (uncomfortable for four) and a full set of tools in the boot.You of course, also get, one of the best looking cars ever to grace the roads. Head to Carsales to enquire about the car, or just ogle at the pictures.

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The Ultimate No Weight, No Worries Home & Hotel Workout

Keeping fit whilst on the move can be a hard task. Yes, the hotel you’re staying in may have a gym, but unless you check ahead, chances are you would have forgotten to pack your gym clothes into your bag. It’s also unlikely you’ll be able to pack any weights either unless of course, you pay for the extra baggage.

And what if you want to workout in the comfort of your own home, or can’t afford a costly gym membership?

Fortunately, your own body can be called upon when wanting to do some exercise, and, even better, you have it on you at all times. It can be especially useful when you find yourself with some time to kill in your hotel room, or even at home, meaning you can carry out a carefully curated routine to keep your fitness at a high level.

We’ve put together one such workout that you can try next time you find yourself on the road, starting with legs.

Front Foot Elevated/Flat Foot Split Squat x Single-Leg Hip Bridge

4 Sets, 12-15 Reps, 30-second Rest Between Sets.
Place one foot on a raised surface – a couple of books, for example – and leave your other foot flat. Complete 12-15 controlled squats, with your knees slightly over your toes.
For the hip bridge, lie on your back with one leg in the air and the other bent. Raise your hips using hamstrings.

Front Foot Elevated/Flat Foot Split Squat x Alternating Forward Lunges

4 Sets, 12-15 Reps, 30-second Rest Between Sets.
Complete the same squats as before, but this time don’t push your knees forward. Keep your hips back.
For the lunges, step forward and push back with maximum effort.

Lying Side Leg Abduction x Lying Side Leg Adduction

4 Sets, 12-15 Reps Abduction, 8-12 Adduction, 30-second Rest Between Sets.
For leg abduction, lift leg in air up to 45-degrees.
For leg adduction, place one leg on a chair, push down into the chair to bring your other leg up.

Body Weight Squats 1 1/4 Reps x Frog Pumps

4 Sets, 12-15 Reps Squats, 30 Reps Pumps.
Complete a quarter pulse at the bottom of each full squat.
For frog pumps, put the bottom of feet together, bring heels close to bum, lift hips into the air.

If it’s the upper body you want to target, follow this routine instead.

Decline Pushups (Wide) x Inverted Row

4 sets, 15-20 reps, 30-second rest between sets.
For pushups, place your feet on an elevated surface.
For the inverted row, lie underneath a chair or table roughly shoulder-width, and pull yourself up.

Pushups (Regular)

4 sets, 12-15 reps, 30-second rest between sets.

Tricep Extension x Bicep Curls

4 sets, 8-12 reps triceps, 12-15 biceps.
Place hands on a table, bring your chest and head towards the table, keep elbows close to your body and push away.
Try and get your hands on one or two chairs that you can use to curl your arms.

Lateral Raise x Bodyweight Bench Dips

4 sets, 6-10 reps lateral raises, 12-15 bench dips, 30-second rest between sets.
For lateral raises, get two evenly weighted items in each hand and lift arms away from your side. Hold for 10-seconds at the top.
For the bench dips, facing away, place your hands on a chair or bench and dip. Make sure you’re not rolling your shoulders inwards.

As with any workout, you’ll want to make sure you warm your body up first. Running on the spot, burpees and star jumps are all good ones to start with.

Sydney

Darlinghurst
Surry Hills
Darlington
Rushcutters Bay
Potts Point
Chippendale
Redfern
Elizabeth Bay
Newtown
Erskineville

Melbourne

Fitzroy
St Kilda
Collingwood
Flemington
Windsor
West Melbourne
Balaclava
North Melbourne
Burnley
South Yarra

Perth

Northbridge
Perth
West Perth
Highgate
Leederville
Mount Lawley
North Perth
Fremantle
South Fremantle
North Fremantle

Brisbane

Fortitude Valley
Petrie Terrace
West End
New Farm
Milton
Highgate Hills
Bowen Hills
Newstead
Teneriffe
Kelvin Grove

The post Australia's Coolest Suburbs Have Been Revealed appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Charlie Hunnam Knows The Secret Colour Every Man Looks Good In

We all have our favourite go-to colours when it comes to clothes. The ones that we feel most confident in and bring out the best in our unique features. You can never really go wrong with black or white, but, as Sons of Anarchy star Charlie Hunnam proves, navy is the always a safe bet.

Spotted taking a stroll around Los Angeles, California on January the 4th 2020 after the W Magazine pre-Golden Globe party, the English actor rocks navy head-to-toe and looks damn good in the process. He teams a navy polo shirt with a minimalistic bomber jacket, along with dark wash jeans. He gives away his English heritage with a navy flat cap.

It’s a look that’s a far cry from his King Arthur or Sons of Anarchy days, but one every man worth his stylish salt should have in their wardrobe, and if not, it’s one that’s incredibly easy to replicate. A bomber jacket, for example, is a menswear must-have.

They’re the perfect accessory when it comes to transitioning from day to night, or the office to the bar. Just make sure you buy one with a slim silhouette to avoid looking like you’re stuck in the 80s. A dark navy polo shirt is another boardroom to bar staple and jeans are possibly the most versatile piece of clothing in any man’s wardrobe.

Charlie Hunnam could well be our new go-to everyday style guru.

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