Custom Motorcycle Builds

[DaveM]

Custom Bikes Of The Week: 14 July, 2019

Ducati and BMW raid their archives to create special editions of their most legendary bikes. Plus a Freddie Spencer tribute Honda, and a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Lego kit (yes, really).

Honda Hornet 600 by Vintage Addiction and Octopus Soul Bikes ‘Fast’ Freddie Spencer is a legend in Honda circles: he gave the Japanese company its first AMA Superbike victory in 1980, and rode his CB750F Super Sport to second place in the Championships the following year.

Two Spanish shops have just joined forces to create a tribute to Mr Spencer, based on the Hornet 600—which, thanks to more modern tech and 97 hp, is actually a faster machine than Freddie’s original CB750F.

To get the right look, a CB750F fuel tank has been grafted onto the frame, along with a matching repro tail unit. There’s also a custom fabricated seat pan, plus new side panels and a belly pan made from aluminium. Custom headers and an 80s-style muffler keep the vibe period-correct.

The stance has been tweaked via suspension mods, and wider bars give the rider more leverage. And after you’ve enjoyed the ride, you can jump off the bike and pore over the classic Honda two-tone blue and silver paint, complete with period decals. Just perfect. [More]

Ducati Panigale V4 25° Anniversario 916 It’s hard to believe the Ducati 916 was launched 25 years ago. It’s probably the most iconic Ducati ever made, and certainly one of the most beautiful. So it’s pleasing to see the Borgo Panigale factory acknowledge its history and release this special edition.

The Panigale V4 Anniversario was revealed at the recent Laguna Seca WorldSBK round with Carl Fogerty in attendence, and just 500 will be made. It’s more than just a paint job too: upgrades over the stock V4 S include an Akrapovič exhaust, the front frame from a Panigale V4 R, Marchesini magnesium wheels, and most interestingly, a dry clutch conversion.

Ducati has also raided its Performance catalog for a smattering of more cosmetic pieces, and the result is truly desirable. To put this exotic Italian in your garage will cost €41,900 if you live in Europe, and $42,500 for USA buyers. Steep, yes—but in a few years, we reckon the 25° Anniversario 916 will be worth even more. [More]

Special Edition: The BMW R nineT /5 BMW has been thumbing through the archives too, and has just released a homage to the slash-5, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. (It’s also the 50th anniversary of production at BMW’s Spandau plant in Berlin.)

The R nineT /5 is a mostly cosmetic job, but none the worse for that. The obvious visual cues are the spoked wheels and the Lupine Blue paint with a smoke effect and pinstriping—but you also get old-school knee pads, and a chrome finish on the mirrors, exhaust manifold and rear silencer.

The seat mimics the style of the original /5 series with cross-embossing on the cover, grab straps, and white piping. There are gaiters on the forks, and the powertrain, fork slider tubes and wheel hubs are coated in classic Aluminium Silver. The frame and the propeller shaft casing are finished in a contrasting black.

If the other R nineT models look a little too contemporary for you, this is the one to get. [More]

Aprilia Tuono V4 1100 by Gwenael Barthélémy Tuono owners may be thin on the ground, but they always seem to love their bikes. And many magazine testers reckon the Aprilia is the best ‘naked’ out there, with blistering performance, superb handling on both road and track, and oodles of Italian character.

Swiss builder Gwenael Barthélémy is a convert, and wanted to turn his V4 1100 Factory bike into the kind of machine you’d see racing up Pikes Peak.

The stock motor already pumps out a hefty 175 hp, and major mods are illegal in Switzerland—so Gwenael has focused his attention on the bodywork, and given it an appealing tracker vibe.

There’s a new aluminum gas tank, based on a Tamburini SBK tank base and with styling reminiscent of Harley sportster flat track tanks. And Gwenael has designed not one but three seat/tail units: one waspish ‘sport’ unit and two flat track setups, including an arrangement with side number plates as a one-piece unit. Very tasty. [More]

Harley-Davidson Fat Boy by Lego We know that Harley-Davidson is trying to appeal to younger riders, but we didn’t see this one coming. Milwaukee has hitched up with Lego to release a kit based on the the Fat Boy, with input from Harley styling boss Brad Richards.

The kit is more suitable for grown-ups than littlies, because it contains over a thousand pieces and will be priced just short of $100 when it goes on sale at the start of August.

The kit is a mix of standard and more complex ‘Technic’ elements, and there’s a 156-page instruction book inside the pack. There are moving pistons inside the Milwaukee-Eight engine, a working chain drive to the back wheel, and a functioning kickstand.

The finished Fat Boy works well as a display piece, being a foot (33 cm) long and around seven inches (20 cm) high. And according to the experts, it’s a great example of a Lego moto kit. Perfect for younger fans of the Bar and Shield—or those who haven’t quite got the cash yet for the full-size model. [More]

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[DaveM]

Review: Harley-Davidson’s electric LiveWire

Right now, it’s hard to judge Harley-Davidson’s tactics without framing them against the stiff challenges the company is facing. If it’s not tariff wars, it’s the reality of an aging demographic. And then there’s same struggle every other manufacturer has in the USA: reaching new riders.

But in the midst of this, the Motor Company has just delivered on one of its biggest and boldest promises: launching an electric motorcycle. And the LiveWire means that Harley-Davidson is the first major OEM to release a battery-powered sports bike.

The LiveWire is unlike anything else on the market. On one hand, it’s an electric vehicle from a company that built its heritage on petrol-powered V-twins. On the other, it’s a focused and fast naked from a company that normally builds cruisers.

It seems like an eccentric move, but it’s calculated. Harley say they want to ‘build riders’ rather than ‘build motorcycles’—and the company execs see electric motorcycles as an avenue to reach new customers. And let’s not forget the rumors of some countries planning to ban petrol-powered vehicles. Any company not looking into electric power is going to be caught napping.

Harley is not betting the whole farm on the LiveWire though. It’s a halo product: the top end of a entire range of electric vehicles to be released over the next few years. (We’ve already caught a glimpse of some of the smaller concepts they’re toying with.)

So is the first Harley-Davidson electric motorcycle a hit or a miss? I traveled to the famously weird city of Portland, Oregon to find out.

Available in orange, yellow or black, the LiveWire is a striking machine in the flesh, and visually unlike anything else from the Bar and Shield. Other than a few subtle hints of the XR750 in the tank and tail lines, there’s really not much in the styling that ties it to the Street Glides that sell by the truckload in Middle America.

From the wraparound aluminum frame, to the mono-shock swing arm and aggressive stance, it’s the sort of sporty standard that many people have been waiting a really long time for Harley-Davidson to build.

Even though there’s no chunky V-twin here, the LiveWire’s designers still wanted to make the motor a focal point of the design. They’ve named it ‘Revolution,’ and finished it in silver to distinguish it from the rest of the components.

It makes 105 horsepower, and 116 Nm of torque, everywhere in the rev range. H-D claims it does the sprint to 60 mph in three seconds, 60-80 mph in 1.9 seconds, and has a top speed of 110 mph. The primary drive uses a spiral bevel gear, with a belt sending power to the back wheel.

Juice comes from a 15.5 kWh Lithium-ion battery with a five year unlimited mileage warranty. Range is quoted at 146 miles (235 km) in the city, or 95 miles (152 km) of combined stop-and-go and highway riding.

Hiding under the LiveWire’s faux gas cap are two charge ports: one for a regular wall charger, and one for DC fast charging. The regular wall charger cable is tucked away under the seat, and gives you a full charge in 12.5 hours, while DC fast charging should have the bike fully charged in an hour (those figures haven’t been verified yet).

This setup carries a hefty weight penalty though. The LiveWire sits at 549 pounds (249 kg), and one of Harley’s engineers told me that roughly seventy percent of that is the battery and motor. For the rest, H-D has used surprisingly light parts—like a modular cast aluminum frame that wraps around the battery, using it as a stressed member.

The frame’s actually constructed of multiple pieces, with a separate steering head, and left and right sections. That modular design is everywhere on the LiveWire; the subframe’s easily removable too, and all the electrical components are very neatly tucked under the ‘tank.’ So customization should be a cinch—as should adapting the LiveWire platform for different applications.

Fit and finish are impressive too. There’s not a single messy weld in sight, or a single part that looks out of place. The bodywork is all plastic, but it doesn’t look or feel dinky. All the lights are LED, and there’s hardly any visible cabling or plumbing.

There are a few bits to nitpick though. While the seat is nicely shaped, the upholstery between the rider and passenger pads (and the grab strap), is misaligned and wobbly. And even though the upholstered section just behind the ‘tank’ serves an ergonomic purpose, it reminds me too much of the leather tank covers you see on cruisers.

Up in the cockpit, all the wiring runs inside the handlebars—so the spindly wires running into the turn signals stick out like sore thumbs. The LiveWire uses the exact same switchgear design as the rest of Harley’s range, which is OK, since it works well and feels solid. But it also uses the same mirrors and grips as every other Harley, including the ubiquitous Sportster—and I’m not sure I’m cool with that.

Minor gripes aside, the LiveWire is an attractive motorcycle, electric or not. And it’s running some serious hardware too. There’s fully adjustable Showa suspension at both ends, and Brembo brakes with twin 300 mm discs up front. The tires are 17” Michelin Scorchers—120 mm wide up front, and 180 mm out back.

H-D has also packed a substantial amount of functionality into the LiveWire’s TFT display. Speed and battery charge take center stage, but ‘widgets’ on either side let you flick through everything from distance and running temperatures, to how much battery power’s being used under acceleration and deceleration.

It’s a touch screen unit, which is useful for diving into the menus and changing settings without having to fiddle with buttons. It’s a small unit though, and even though it’s really clear in varying light conditions, the widget areas feel cramped.

The LiveWire also integrates with your smartphone via a proprietary app. The app gives you the bike’s vitals, shows you where the nearest charging station is, and even sends you a push notification when someone tries to tamper with it. You can also call up navigation via your phone, with turn-by-turn instructions popping up on the display. And you can flick through music, by adding a Bluetooth helmet system into the mix.

Unfortunately the bikes we rode at the launch were pre-production units, which meant a lot of that functionality was missing. (It also meant that I had an occasional gremlin when starting my bike.)

The LiveWire’s start sequence is bizarrely uneventful. You flick the kill switch and make sure the side stand is up, then hold down the start button until a pair of yellow LED strips on either side of the dash turn green. The drive system is now active and ready to go, without as much as a burp.

H-D have built a haptic feedback feature into the motor, which basically just generates a intermittent throb to let you know the bike is ‘on.’ It’s a great idea, but the effect is far too vague, and actually sort of off-putting. With a little refinement, it could actually be a really neat feature, but I just couldn’t gel with it.

Pulling away is pretty trippy too. With no clutch or gears to engage, rolling on the throttle is all it takes to get moving. It took me a little while to acclimatize to the throttle’s pickup, but ultimately it’s a very smooth system, and if you whack it wide open, the surge of power really is quite thrilling.

H-D has clearly spent time getting the LiveWire’s engine mapping right. There’s a regenerative braking system too (which effectively regenerates energy as you close the throttle), and it feels a lot like normal engine braking.

There’s also a full complement of rider aids, including cornering ABS, rear-lift mitigation to keep the rear wheel planted during heavy braking, traction control, and an anti-slip system to prevent rear wheel lock under regenerative braking.

There are seven rider modes on board—four presets, and three that are customizable—and each determines the level available power, plus regenerative braking, throttle response and traction control. And there’s a separate switch to disable traction control altogether.

The preset modes are pretty self-explanatory: Sport, Road, Rain and Range. ‘Road’ mode is probably the best, offering smooth performance for day-to-day riding. ‘Sport’ mode opens the LiveWire up for more enthusiastic riding—but that also means the throttle is a little snatchier, and the ‘engine braking’ a little harder.

Our riding route took us from within Portland’s city limits, into the rolling forest-lined hills of the Pacific Northwest. Harley has pegged the LiveWire as a city bike, but it’s one hella good canyon-carver too.

For starters, the ergonomics are damn near perfect. From the upswept bars, to the rear-set pegs and comfy seat, it’s the setup that bikes like the H-D Street Road and Roadster should have come out with. You’re upright enough for good visibility in the city, tucked enough for quicker rides, and there’s ample leverage to push in and out of corners.

The PNW offered up some sweet corner sequences, and hustling the LiveWire through them was buckets of fun. That’s partly because it handles so well, and because those Showas do a good job of holding a line, while also soaking up unexpectedly bumpy sections of road.

But it’s also because there’s no clutch or transmission to fuss with, and no need to keep it at the right RPM. With excellent modulation from those Brembos, I found myself braking deep into corners, pitching the LiveWire over, and then seamlessly rolling on the throttle to launch it out the other side. Within minutes, utilizing the smooth characteristics of the electric drivetrain had become second nature.

You’re shifting a lot of weight around though, so I’d call the LiveWire surefooted rather than nimble. And with the slightly more aggressive throttle response (and regenerative braking) in Sport mode, pushing it hard did tire me out after a while.

There wasn’t much open road to test any top speed claims, but I did manage a ton at least once (anything north of 100 was a strain). And the eerie whir from the motor while pinning it between forests instantly ticked my Star Wars Land Speeder boxes.

We got stuck in traffic the second we headed back into town, but again, the lack of a clutch or gearbox made crawling from light to light less painful. And unlike the combustion Harleys that were riding with us, there was no niggling heat build up from an exhaust or motor. I did notice the LiveWire’s weight again in really slow maneuvers, but at rolling pace it was less of an issue.

I left South Africa hoping deeply that the LiveWire wouldn’t suck—and it truly exceeded my expectations. It’s not only a solid electric motorcycle, but also a sport naked with whip-cracking acceleration and respectable handling.

The only thing holding the LiveWire back could be its price. At $ 29,799 it’s not cheap, and the Zero SR/F in full spec trim offers more performance and range, for around $9,000 less.

But then again, none of the specialist electric motorcycle brands have the dealer network that Harley-Davidson does. The LiveWire’s set to hit 250 North American and European showrooms in September, each with a DC fast charging station and two years of free charges.

I’m not sure how I feel about the range either, but ultimately my opinion of the price and range matters a lot less than individual use case scenarios. Those numbers may be bitter pills to swallow for some riders, but for others, the chance to own a premium electric motorcycle from a major manufacturer just might outweigh the drawbacks. And whether range and charging are issues or not, depends entirely on your lifestyle.

There’s a perception that LiveWire sales will make or break Harley-Davidson’s future, but I don’t think that’s true at all. Halo products exist to juice up a brand, push their engineering departments to their limits and shatter perceptions.

The LiveWire has done just that, and has me excited for whatever Milwaukee has in the pipeline next.

Harley-Davidson | Facebook | Instagram | Images by H-D and Alessio Barbanti

Wes’ gear
ICON 1000 Airform helmet | ICON 1000 Nightbreed jacket | ICON 1000 Nightbreed gloves | Saint Unbreakable stretch denims | Merlin x Urban Rider Onyx riding trainers

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[DaveM]

Vigilante: A Royal Enfield cafe racer from Jaipur

We’ve been keeping an eye on Rajputana Customs for a while now, and it looks like we’re not the only ones. The Jaipur City shop has a tidy business in private commissions, but Harley-Davidson also tapped them to build the world’s first custom Street 750. And now Royal Enfield has commissioned this very elegant Continental GT 650 café racer.

Rajputana’s bikes are invariably classy, well-balanced and beautifully finished, and they’ve stuck to that script with this GT, nicknamed ‘Vigilante.’

“When Royal Enfield commissioned us, it was a matter of great pride—and a sense of ‘acceptance at last’,” shop boss Vijay Singh tells us.

“This is the first time we’ve had a chance to build for an Indian manufacturer. And we were given the new GT 650, which hadn’t been released to the public at that point.”

“The fact that Royal Enfield had kept the 650 twins a secret for years was unbelievable—then to see and ride them for the first time was an absolute privilege.”

The stock Continental GT isn’t going to tear your arms out of their sockets when you twist the throttle, but it’s a perky, sweet-handling ride—the perfect bike for a clearing your head on a sunny Sunday morning.

With 80% of the maximum torque arriving before 2500 rpm, you don’t have to rev the 650 twin to the heavens to enjoy yourself. The experience is probably close to that enjoyed by British riders back in the 60s while dashing between motorway cafes.

Vijay and his crew decided to amp up the fun factor. “Given the frame and geometry of the stock bike we thought it apt to build a cafe racer. So we rebuilt the rear subframe and added a single-sided trellis swingarm.”

Rajputana have also reduced the trail up front to sharpen the handling a little, and machined the triples to accept Showa forks from a Ducati 848 EVO. “It’s to give the bike an aggressive stance, more agility and better front end feel,” says Vijay.

There’s a suspension upgrade at the back too, with an Öhlins TTX GP rear shock. Other track-friendly mods include 17-inch Marchesini rims and Pirelli Diablo Superbike slicks.

The GT’s standard Bybre brakes are good—and made by a Brembo subsidiary—but Rajputana have switched them out for a full setup from Brembo’s mainstream line, including radial master cylinders.

The internals of the air-cooled engine are standard, but there are now K&N pod filters at the intake end. Plus a custom GP-style exhaust system with brass tips to help the motor breathe a little easier—and sound better.

There’s also a new fairing rolled from mild steel, and unusual asymmetric side panels that partly encase the engine. There’s a pop-up gas cap on the tank, a minimalist leather seat atop the new subframe, new LED lighting, and discreet brass details here and there.

Royal Enfield was happy with the result, and Vijay took the bike to the Buddh International Circuit in Uttar Pradesh—a past venue for the Formula One Indian Grand Prix.

“We were able to put the bike through its paces on a state of the art track,” Vijay says. “The slicks, coupled with a mid-range SBK suspension setup, were unbelievably planted—with tons of grip on offer when on the brakes, entering a corner, or barreling out on the gas.”

“It was insanely good fun. Being a partly ‘aesthetic’ build, it took some getting used to, but we managed to scrape the heat wrap off the exhaust when leaning her into the corners. It would be ridiculously good if we could get 650 owners to a track with decent slicks and let them rip!”

Sounds like this is the kind of custom you can just jump on and ride—which makes it our kinda bike. Simple, light and fun, and probably perfect for zooming around the ‘Pink City’ of India and into the beautiful hills of Rajasthan.

Rajputana Customs | Facebook | Instagram

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[DaveM]

Dirty 30: Bolt Motor Co.’s BMW street scrambler

We’d love to peak behind the curtain at Bolt Motor Co. Shop boss Adrián Campos is also the sporting director for Campos Racing, and Bolt is based out of the race team’s Valencia workshop. So there’s no shortage of engineering prowess or high-end equipment on hand.

Even though Campos Racing works with competitive and modern race machines, Bolt Motor Co.’s deal is older bikes. But each bike that rolls out of their workshop is tastefully executed, well-specced and clean enough to eat your tapas off.

For their 30th build, Bolt have taken a humdrum early 80s BMW R100 RT, and turned it into an edgy street scrambler. It’s a trifecta of sharp lines, perfect stance and tasty upgrades—with a little parts bin digging sprinkled in for good measure.

The goodness starts up front, with the upside down forks and triple trees from an MV Agusta Brutale. Bolt stripped the paint off the fork legs and refinished them in silver, then added a small plate with their logo to the bottom yoke.

But that was a cakewalk compared to the work that went on out back. This classic boxer now sends power to the rear hoop via the more beefy final drive from a newer R1200R.

Matching a newer shaft to an older motor has been done before, but it’s a laborious task that involves clever splicing of components.

As if that wasn’t enough work, the R1200R swing arm is single sided and set up for a mono-shock. So Bolt removed the R100’s entire subframe, then welded on a custom-built unit that included a new shock mount. The actual shock was upgraded with a new unit from Hagon.

The 17″ wheels are from an R1200GS. They normally measure 19” up front, but Bolt re-laced the front hub onto a second 17” GS rear rim, for the sake of symmetry.

They also widened the wheels to 4.5” (front) and 5” (back), and fitted chunky dual sport rubber from Avon. And then installed a full Brembo brake set.

Bolt left the R100 motor stock, but cleaned it up and gave it a fresh coat of paint. The carbs now breathe in via a pair of K&N filters, and the air box has been repurposed as an electronics box, with a Lithium-ion battery inside. Look closely, and you’ll spot some neat details—like the pull-style chokes on the carbs, and the braided fuel lines.

The exhaust setup is pretty neat too. Adrián’s crew bent the headers by hand, rerouting them into the frame and around the rear shock. The only welding happened at the back, where the headers terminate with a titanium muffler from Spark.

As for the bodywork, the only stock piece left is the fuel tank—though it now wears a screw-in gas cap. The seat and front fender are both custom, and even the bezel around the LED headlight is a one-off.

There’s a small LED taillight tucked into the rear frame loop, and a license plate bracket lower down with a pair of Motogadget turn signals.

Up in the cockpit, Bolt added a set of Moose Racing handlebars, along with Motogadget grips and bar-end turn signals. The dash is from Motogadget too, but the push buttons are from Motone.

This airhead’s also got a new throttle, new levers, and CNC machined brake reservoirs. The rear-set foot controls and passenger pegs are all from Tarozzi, and are mounted on custom brackets with the Bolt logo cut out of them. (Heck, even the side stand is custom.)

As we’ve come to expect from Adrián and his team, the livery is striking and aggressive. The predominant finish is gloss black, with a simple white graphic and yellow logos. And to signify their 30th build, the ‘BO’ of the tank motif doubles up as a ’30.’

With the bike buttoned up, Bolt had a special customer request to tend to. They built a custom parking platform for the bike, along with a helmet refinished in a complementary graphic.

We hope Bolt #30 doesn’t spend too much on that stand though. Because to our eyes, this wild boxer deserves to be out on the street at every opportunity.

Bolt Motor Co. | Facebook | Instagram

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[DaveM]

Marc and Christine shoot Japanese custom motorcycles

Japanese custom motorcycle culture can seem like a closed shop to Westerners. Granted, there’s the annual Mooneyes show, and a few builders have cast their nets outside their home country.

But the language barrier is formidable: less than 10% of the Japanese population can speak English, and less than 1 in 500 Americans can speak Japanese.

So we’re always grateful for insights into the custom culture in the East. Frankfurt-based photographers Marc Holstein and Christine Gabler sent in these images from a recent trip to the East.

They’re working on a book about Japanese custom motorcycles and culture, and explored hotspots including Tokyo, Amakusa, Osaka, Kyoto and Nara.

“These builders are very, very dedicated to their craft,” say Marc and Christine. “They’re living their dreams, and are often located in very small spaces—since space is something of a luxury in the big cities.”

“We were treated with kindness and respect, which is something we’ve grown to love about Japan. We also noticed that everybody seems to really specialize in their own single niche, and concentrate on that.”

“The country amazed us daily,” Marc adds. “Train stations are huge, serving a million people a day. We fell in love with it: Japanese people are so polite and helpful, and the ramen and yakitori in Tokyo is like nowhere else in the world!”

The bikes are like nowhere else in the world too. Here are Marc’s highlights, featuring three workshops: Cheetah, CW Zon and Cherry’s Company.

Cheetah and ‘Comet’ “Toshiyuki Osawa’s workshop is at a secret location in Tokyo,” Marc reveals. “He does not usually like having visitors, so we were lucky to be invited.” The workshop is like the proverbial Aladdin’s Cave—compact, but packed to the rafters with moto parts and tools. There’s barely room to swing a feline, let alone build a motorcycles.

While visiting, Marc and Christine took shots of ‘Comet,’ a custom-framed beauty with a Harley WL engine, which Cheetah built for the 2017 Born Free show and still owns.

The springer front fork is Cheetah’s own design and manufacture, and he made both wheel hubs too. He’s also mounted the engine and transmission higher than in the standard WL, for steeper cornering angles and clearance—this bike is no show pony.

“I made it using all the knowledge and technique I have, but aimed for a natural appearance,” Cheetah explains. “Like a production model from Harley-Davidson that might have existed in the past.” [Cheetah Custom Cycles]

CW Zon and ‘Zonnegodin’ CW Zon exists at the extreme end of the Japanese custom spectrum. The shop is run by Yuichi Yoshizawa and Yoshikazu Ueda, and the phrase “low key” is obviously not in their vocabulary.

“CW Zon’s workshop is close to beautiful lake Biwa, near Kyoto in the Shiga Prefecture,” says Marc. BMW have visited in the past, when they commissioned the R18 ‘Departed’ show bike.

But it’s this extreme machine with S&S Knucklehead power that caught Marc and Christine’s eyes this time. The 93 ci motor is hooked up to a Garrett turbo, and there’s a giant Hoosier tire out back to get that power onto the road—with the help of a Rekluse clutch.

‘Zonnegodin’ is obviously inspired by drag racers, with its small front wheel, and we’ve never seen anything else quite like it. Aside from the engine and transmission, virtually everything is custom. The frame is a one-off, and so is the front suspension—which resembles a single-sided swingarm with hub center steering.

This bike was shot at a local temple—with permission—and the photo of the shrine in the water at the end of this article is a few miles down the road at Lake Biwa. [Custom Works Zon]

Cherry’s Company and ‘Lefty Bond’ Cherry’s is also based in Tokyo. For nearly two decades now, founder Kaichiro Kurosu has been specializing in old school Harley customs, and he’s one of the best known Japanese builders in the west.

‘Lefty Bond’ was a customer commission. The idea behind this shovelhead was to create a “road racer that might have been made by a rural garage builder, for grass track races at the weekend.”

Kurosu-san started with a 1967 (generator-style) shovel engine, and fitted an stroker kit, carb and 514-spec cam from S&S. The ‘box is a close-ratio version of the stock Harley transmission, hooked up to a Barnett Scorpion clutch.

The bodywork is entirely custom, and at the front, Wide Glide forks are bolted into custom-made triples. The solid 16” back wheel is from Custom Chrome, and the 21” front is slowed by a modified Triumph TR6 Trophy brake. [Cherry’s Company]

Marc and Christine describe Japan as “a fascinating culture—the old traditions blend perfectly with the crazy side.”

It is indeed an intoxicating mix—and long may that continue. Sayōnara!

Images by, and with thanks to, Marc Holstein and Christine Gabler

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[DaveM]

Macchina Estrema: Simone Conti’s radical Aprilia SXV550

In the custom world, Simone Conti marches to the beat of a different drum. He’s not into retro throwbacks, old school vibes or stealthy upgrades. He builds fast, aggressive-looking machines that look like they’ve just rolled out of a NASA design center.

His new build is based around the motor from an Aprilia SXV550, and that’s a good thing. “It’s a very beautiful and small engine,” Simone tells us.

The bike was created for the first Motorcycle Arts & Designers (MOARD) exhibition, held in Milan’s historic Palazzo del Ghiaccio in May. And despite appearances, it’s not a CAD effort—Simone works on the design of a bike as he builds it.

The SXV550 was a basically a street-legal supermoto racebike, and although its 70 hp V-twin was temperamental, it also provided more thrills than just about anything else on the road.

It’s hard to describe the style of this build, which is unusually low—and short, at just 1400mm (55 inches).

“I originally wanted an ‘Italian chopper,’ says Simone, “but while was building it, I had to change the style.” He’s kept the idea of a rigid back end, though, which helps to keep the weight down to a remarkable 120 kg dry (265 pounds).

In his workshop in the small town of Sassuolo in Modena (yes, Ferrari’s home territory), Simone started the build by removing the SVX550 engine and discarding the rest of the Aprilia.

The engine is now cradled in a custom-made frame similar to Yamaha’s ‘delta box’ design, built from 1.5mm steel. (The tube section at the back is 30mm.)

Simone has crafted the bodywork out of aluminum, and created the double wishbone front end. Also made from 1.5mm steel, it appears to be a Hossack-style arrangement—with damping provided by a high-end MTB shock from RockShox.

The suspension is concealed by shrouds that Simone machined from a solid block of steel, and hooked up to custom-made bars too. They’re home to a Koso digital instrument and Rizoma switchgear and reservoirs, which are plumbed into Brembo brakes.

The front system uses M4 four-piston monobloc radial calipers and a Marchesini forged rim from a Ducati. Simone made the rear wheel himself out of two pieces of aluminum …

The SXV550 engine is a peach, so Simone left the internals alone. He’s created a custom stainless steel exhaust system though, which coils like a snake before exiting high with two carbon mufflers under the seat unit. Every millimeter is hand-made.

The new frame required a new cooling system though, so Simone modified a pair of Ducati Streetfighter radiators, and flushed them into the lower bodywork right behind the front wheel. There’s no danger of the highly tuned Aprilia motor overheating on this particular machine.

The last SCM bike we featured was based on a Ducati SuperSport 1000 DS, and a year later, the visual lineage is clear. The Ducati was a huge hit, but this Aprilia is more compact and more extreme: a distilled version of Simone’s unusual but strangely compelling vision.

It’s the kind of build that makes us feel good about the future of the custom scene—edgy and original, yet full of traditional craftsmanship. Molto buona, Signore Conti!

Simone Conti Motorcycles Facebook | Instagram

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[DaveM]

Beach Bum: A big wheel Yamaha XSR custom from France

Yamaha’s latest push into the European custom scene has yielded some of the best XSR builds yet. The most recent Yard Built initiative involves nine different customizers, each producing bikes with a ‘Back to the Dirt’ theme.

We’ve already seen stellar work from Germany’s Hookie Co., and a Portuguese build from Capelo’s Garage and Elemental Rides that recalls the Yamaha IT enduros of the past.

Now it’s France’s turn to represent, with this fresh take on the XSR700 from Sur Les Chapeaux De Roues.

Like Portugal’s entry, this XSR is a throwback to another Yamaha classic. This time, it’s the lesser known but absolutely adorable BW200.

Produced in the 80s, the BW (‘Big Wheel’) was a fat-tired, easy-to-ride dual sport, making it the perfect beach cruiser. The modern Yamaha XSR is a far more advanced and powerful bike than the little BW—but this custom recaptures the old school charm.

“I think it’s the ‘funnest’ bike I’ve ever built,” says SLCDR’s sole proprietor, Manuel. “It’s light and powerful, but with a fun look—and it’s easy to ride in a lot of conditions. I wanted this bike to be accessible to everyone, so it’s a little bike.”

The XSR isn’t exactly bulky or heavy out of the box, but Manuel has still trimmed it down further. But first, he had to replicate the BW200’s most distinguishing feature: its bubbly wheels.

Using a Honda Transalp hub up front and a Yamaha XT660 hub out back, he laced up a set of appropriately sized rims using stainless spokes. They now measure 2.50×18” (front) and 4.50×14” (rear), and are wrapped in chunky tires from Vee Rubber.

Suspension upgrades are less drastic, but equally good. They include a new shock and new fork internals; both from Öhlins and out of the official Yamaha aftermarket catalog. Manuel also upgraded the rear brake with a Nissin caliper, then removed the second front caliper and shaved the mount off the fork leg.

There’s a full complement of custom-built bodywork up top. The XSR’s OEM fuel cell and covers are gone, replaced by a handmade steel fuel tank with the original fuel pump integrated.

The new tank also houses the XSR’s speedo and a pop-up gas cap, and all the electronic components now live underneath it.

The front end features a custom-made steel headlight nacelle, attached to a pair of one-off fork leg covers.

Manuel also fabricated the seat, a pair of aluminum fenders, and a side cover for the left. As per Yamaha’s Yard Built rules, he didn’t cut or modify the frame at all: everything attaches to existing mounting points.

Capping things off are a rear grab rail that also doubles as an exhaust mount, and a small front luggage rack that you might find on a vintage BW200. “If you want to,” Manuel jokes, “you can put a red wine bottle on it and go the beach!”

The rest of the finishing kit is well considered. The cockpit includes a set of Renthal handlebars, with a Yamaha bar pad, red ODI/Troy Lee Designs grips, and Beringer controls.

The start button sits in the steering head nut, and the turn signal buttons in the Beringer control clamps. It’s all very neat.

Other off-the-shelf goodies include a side stand support and radiator guard from Yamaha (modded with the SLCDR logo), grippy off-road pegs, a Highsider LED taillight, and Motogadget blinkers.

Manuel swapped the air box for a pair of Twin Air foam filters, and fabricated stainless steel exhaust headers that terminate in an Akrapovič muffler.

It wasn’t all plain sailing though. Getting the vibe right was high on the priority list—so he ended up building two gas tanks and two sets of exhaust headers. David Roguet handled the final paint; a nod to the BW’s original white and red combo.

Manuel has simultaneously sorted out the XSR’s fussy aesthetic, slimmed it, and made it a whole lot cuter. Between the vibey motor and easy-going looks, this is one Yamaha we’re itching to take to the beach.

Sur Les Chapeaux De Roues | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Charles Séguy

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[DaveM]

The Revival X Royal Enfield ‘Desert Runner’ Interceptor

It’s never shouted from the rooftops, but custom builders occasionally get pre-production versions of new bikes before they are revealed to the public—or even the mainstream press. Confidentiality agreements are signed, contracts are drawn up, and back rooms are suddenly secured by padlock.

That’s how it all started for ‘Desert Runner,’ this very smart Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 built by Alan Stulberg’s crew at Revival Cycles in Texas.

“In the darkness of night, a big crate was unloaded from a truck,” says Alan. “We were excited to see Royal Enfield’s first breakaway from the ‘tried and true’ single in almost 50 years. And we got a chance to ride the Interceptor 650 months before the motorcycling press. What a treat!”

Revival were immediately struck by the quality of the new twin—a step ahead of anything Royal Enfield had built before. “This was a machine that everyone in the workshop could see putting into daily use,” says Alan. “The other thing worth considering when assessing Royal Enfield is that nobody sells more motorcycles worldwide these days than they do. Nobody.”

After poring over the precious goods in their workshop, Revival decided to turn the Interceptor into a seriously capable offroad machine.

“The goal was to build a machine that harkened back to the days of Steve McQueen, and the ‘hare scrambles’ of California. And the ultimate goal was to enter it in the L.A.-Barstow to Vegas off road race that happens every Thanksgiving.”

Andy, Revival’s longtime metal fabricator, had always wanted to make the trip to Cali to compete in LAB2V—so he got the challenge of leading the build.

The first job was to build up a set of Suzuki DR-Z forks, with upgraded springs, for increased travel and weight savings. (An RE stem has been pressed in with custom-machined adapters.) Revival then laced up shouldered alloy 18 x 3.5” wheels.

The rear hub is stock, but at the front, there’s now a lightweight DR-Z hub and brake setup for extra offroad prowess.

Mounted to the wheels are true off road tires: Michelin AC10s, which make a racket on the highway but dig deep for plenty of traction in the dirt.

Revival also installed a vintage set of solid aluminum flat track handlebars, “to make sure the bars didn’t bend when we inevitably crashed in the dirt trying to make our Steve McQueen dreams come true!” The grips are Amal-style numbers from the Japanese brand Posh.

Custom-built gas shocks and fork springs equalize the front and rear suspension, and can soak up serious abuse. “But with eight inches of travel, we had a definite chain tension issue,” Alan reveals.

“So we designed and machined a chain roller and a spring-loaded arm to keep everything happy.”

The high-riding Interceptor has tons of ground clearance, which allowed Revival to tuck the custom stainless exhaust system under the engine. It’s protected by a hefty, custom-made aluminum skid plate, with modified CRF450 motocross pegs by IMS sitting nearby.

After cutting the rear frame hoop and shortening it, the Revival crew slotted in a custom high-mount alloy fender, with a small vintage-style LED taillight grafted on.

At the front there’s a matching small headlight bracket, a bullet-proof LED headlight, and right above, a compact LED Motoscope Pro gauge from Motogadget.

“We also built a low-mount custom alloy front fender,” says Alan. “But we kept the ability to attach a higher-mount plastic one that we could use in competition.” (The images include both).

The Texas shop now has an in-house, high-end leather facility called Revival Limited. They took a break from producing accessories and crafted a plush seat wrapped in fine leather to keep the rider comfy on the long straights of the LAB2V race.

“We tested and tuned and put the bike through its paces, before loading it up and carrying it out to Los Angeles,” says Alan. Then Andy rode his pride and joy 400 miles over punishing terrain.

It worked so well that, for the first time, Revival intends to offer a limited production run. Clients will be able to choose colors for the paint, leather and accessories, and specify the tires too.

Interested? Drop Revival a line for the skinny. Pricing will be around $25-$30,000—with a brand new Royal Enfield included.

Revival Cycles | Facebook | Instagram | Royal Enfield Interceptor product page

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[DaveM]

Lo-fi Perfection: A Harley 883 Bobber from Canada

Technology moves at a relentless place—and the motorcycle industry can’t escape it. Just the other day I was riding an electric motorcycle with a sophisticated electronics package that even integrates with smartphones.

But future tech isn’t for everyone, and we need the occasional lo-fi hit to keep us grounded. And it doesn’t get much better this tidy Harley-Davidson Sportster bobber, built by Nick Acosta in Ontario, Canada.

You might remember Nick from his first build—an impossibly clean Honda CB750K cafe racer. He’s since taken on more projects under the banner of Augment Collective, slaving away in his home garage after hours and on weekends, and pushing himself harder on every build.

This 1993 XL883 was Nick’s daily runner last year. Then winter hit, and he decided to put it under the knife with help from his friend Victor.

“I wanted to challenge myself and build not another cafe racer, but something completely different,” he tells us.

“I went with a modern/retro styled chopper, using all new tech while making it look similar to classic 60s choppers.” A closer look shows that Nick’s done extensive work to the powertrain, and to ensure that his Harley can handle the aggressive riding that comes with a light and fast setup.

The Sportster is supremely minimal, but it’s also sporting some nicely subtle features. The engine’s been bored out to 1,200 cc, with a Screamin’ Eagle kit that the previous owner had, but never got around to installing. And the rocker box covers have been swapped out for a set of Panhead-looking ones from Led Sled Customs in Ohio.

The motor’s also running Andrews cams, and an Accel Supercoil and ignition module. Nick rebuilt the carb with CV Performance and S&S Cycle parts, then added a custom intake with a velocity stack hiding behind a mesh filter.

You’ll also notice a kickstart lever on the right side of the bike. “The kickstart conversion was a little bit tricky,” says Nick. “I ended up ordering a kit from eBay that was supposed to be an easy installation—but it was probably the hardest part of the build. And of course there were absolutely no instructions with the kit.”

Once Nick had stripped the gearbox, installed the kickstart and rebuilt everything, he took the bike out for a test ride…and blew up his transmission. After scrambling to find a new one, he ended up replacing it with the five-speed tranny from a 1996 Sportster, and installed it along with a Barnett heavy duty clutch.

There’s a belt-to-chain conversion too, and a pair of custom shorty exhausts with billet aluminum tips.

For the frame, Nick and Victor welded on a TC Bros hardtail kit, then had it all powder-coated black with a little microflake. The front forks were upgraded with Progressive Suspension springs and heavier oil, and 3” springs were added under the solo seat.

“It’s a surprisingly comfortable ride…until a pothole comes my way,” Nick jokes. “But I love the feel of riding a hardtail, especially a fast one. Nothing but me, a frame, a big motor, and the road beneath. No bells and whistles at all.”

He opted to keep the OEM wheels, because they suit the bike, and new wheels would have blown the budget. They’ve been powder-coated to match the frame, and now wear Avon AV72 Cobra rubber.

The brakes have been upgraded with stainless lines, sintered pads, a rebuilt rear master cylinder and a new Drag Specialties front master cylinder (and clutch lever).

The handlebars are OEM too (“once again, if it works and is in great shape—just keep it!”), but the risers are from Drag Specialties. There’s an Aris-style headlight up front, and a classic tombstone tail light out back.

The guys also fabricated a new oil tank with a billet aluminum cap, a rear fender and sissy bar, a new side stand and all the accompanying mount tabs. Then they turned out new grips and pegs, and a few necessary spacers, on Nick’s trusty old lathe.

Finishing it off is a Wassel gas tank, expertly painted by Black Widow Custom Paint. It’s the only hit of color on the build, and shows off Nick’s tasteful restraint and sharp eye.

Nick’s dubbed his hardtail ‘The Panster’ (since it has Panhead covers on a Sportster), and it’s still his daily runner.

“Riding the motorcycle now is completely different,” he says, “and a lot more enjoyable. And the whole build process definitely has made me appreciate the workmanship that goes into chopper building.”

Augment Collective | Instagram | Images by Mark Luciani

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[DaveM]

Custom Bikes Of The Week: 28 July, 2019

Let’s all gawp at the latest oddity from Curtiss Motorcycles, and then drool over a fabulous retro kit for the Kawasaki Z900 and a killer Sportster scrambler. We’ve also discovered the obscure Honda QA50 KO Minibike and the Royal Enfield Indian.

Kawasaki ‘ZXR900’ kit by Japan Legends Fans of old school Kawasaki fours rejoiced when the Z900RS hit the scene. But if you’re into a different sort of retro—like late 80s and early 90s superbikes—the Spanish outfit Japan Legends has all the goods.

They make a kit to transform your stock Kawasaki into a modern replica of the undeniably cool 1989 Kawasaki ZXR. And despite some reports we’ve read, it doesn’t use the Z900RS as a base. Instead, all you need is the non-RS Z900, which is effectively a contemporary street fighter.

There’s not much info out there (Japan Legends don’t even seem to have a website), but as far as we can tell, the key pieces include a fairing, tail section and belly pan. The kit costs between £1,600 and £2,250 without shipping, and also includes LED lights, mirrors, new bars and a MRA windshield.

Dubbed the ‘ZXR900,’ the kit was originally only available in green (duh), but Japan Legends have just produced a black, red and silver variant too. Why? So you don’t need to paint your tank to match the kit if you don’t have a green Z900. Both versions look equally rad…but that classic green, white and blue livery is hard to argue with. [Japan Legends Facebook]

Harley-Davidson Sportster by Biltwell Inc. and Rouserworks A couple of years ago, Biltwell Inc. built the ‘Frijole 883‘—a Sportster to compete in the NORRA Mexican 1000. Prepping the bike meant buying a ton of spare parts, including a second Sportster to scalp for a spare motor, just in case something went wrong. The Frijole took on the Mexican 1000 and finished…with way less damage than expected.

So the Biltwell crew and Rob ‘Rouser’ Galan took all their leftover spares from the Frijole 883—and built a second Sportster. And so the ‘Spare Parts Sportster’ was born.

Biltwell and Rouser wanted the new bike to be more powerful, and lighter, than the Frijole 883. According to Biltwell’s blog; “Rob did 99% of the work on this build and I think the only thing I did was weld the pipe, pick a few colors, and help make a few decisions.”

The ‘SPS’ has just about everything you’d want from a desert-racing dual-Sporty. It has an S&S Cycle kit inside, a Rekluse clutch, burly suspension and big wheels—but it also has lights and a plate, making it fully street legal. In fact, it’s currently doing duty as a commuter, while Biltwell and Rouser figure out where to race it. [More]

Royal Enfield Indian by Madhouse Motors J.Shia runs Madhouse Motors in Boston—a shop that specializes in vintage motorcycle maintenance and restoration. But she also tackles the odd custom build, and when she does, things get a little crazy.

This is a pretty rare 1957 Royal Enfield Indian, built to enter into this year’s Handbuilt Show. If you’re wondering what a Royal Enfield Indian is, our friends at Return of the Cafe Racers have a neat history lesson—but in short it’s an Enfield with a Indian badge on it.

This one’s pretty rare beyond just its origins though. J.Shia has her own unique take on customization, and a penchant for trying unconventional things. This motorcycle not only features a hand shifter that runs ‘through’ the fuel tank, but also a foot-operated throttle.

There’s a bunch of smaller details too. The tail light’s made from an egg-slicer, the headlight’s a modified police light, the footrests are old shoe fitting devices, and the hand shifter uses a part from a lathe. I’ve seen this bike in person, and there’s miles of stuff to pore over. [More]

Honda QA50 KO Minibike Everyone knows and loves the classic Honda Monkey—but have you ever heard of the QA50 KO? Neither had we, until we stumbled across this cutie pie on Silodrome.

Honda only produced the QA50 from 1970 until 1972. It’s delightfully basic; a 50 cc, air-cooled motor that makes 1.8 hp, an automatic clutch and a two-speed box. The frame’s made from tubular steel, there’s zero suspension out back, and there’s barely a smidge of travel up front. It also has tiny wheels, drum brakes, and a seat and fenders that are comically fat.

This particular QA50 has a great story too. It was bought in the 1969 for $199, by a youngster that had saved up money cutting lawns. That same guy held onto it his whole life, and is now finally putting it up for sale.

It’s been restored in anticipation of the sale: repainted in its original Gypsy Yellow hue, and fitted with new tires, new upholstery with period correct Honda stencils, and the original manual and spark plug wrench. Who’s tempted? [More]

Curtiss Motorcycles Hades The Hades is the second electric motorcycle concept from Curtiss—the boutique brand formerly known as Confederate. And it’s been designed by none other than J.T. Nesbitt—the former Confederate designer (he designed the Wraith) who’s now come back into the fold.

As you’d expect from Curtiss and Nesbitt, the Hades is way, way out there. All we’ve seen are renders, but Curtiss have released some tech specs. The frame will be “titanium or chromoly,” with a “double-wishbone parallelogram fork.” Components will include Race Tech suspension, BST carbon fiber wheels and Beringer brakes.

It’ll be powered by a proprietary motor, with a claimed output of 214 hp and 147 lbs-ft of torque. That chromed NutriBullet bit is the battery, which is said to have a capacity of 16.8 kWh.

All this will set you back a mere $75,000, and production is slated for 2020. Curtiss are taking pre-orders, while also very openly asking for investors in their business. Here’s hoping they manage to take the Hades from paper to street. [More]

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[CarlS]

Some of thoe are butt ugly! I like the little Honda.

 

[DaveM]

The Misfit: When building a CB750 becomes therapy

Mike LaFountain has been working on vintage motorcycles since he was 17, and he’s a perfectionist. His creations are nut-and-bolt perfect; they attract crowds (and awards) at premier events like The Quail, and sit next to other supermodels at the Haas Moto Museum.

Getting to this level of quality can take quite a toll on a builder though. And so Mike recently decided to cut himself a little slack with this Honda CB750. Not that we can tell …

“A few years back, I built a CB750 for the actor Ryan Reynolds,” Mike explains. “I was under the impression that I’d be building something with the same fit and finish as my previous work: perfectly polished aluminum, high gloss paint from an exotic supercar and pristine leather. But I couldn’t have been more mistaken.”

About a month into that project, the direction changed. “Ryan began texting me photos of random distressed objects—anything that inspired him,” says Mike.

“Old pipes, raw metal, brass, copper … anything with patina. That CB750 ended up being as raw and ‘unrefined’ as possible. And although I absolutely loved the result, I’ve always wondered what that bike would have looked like, had it not gone done the road of Imperfection.”

Cut to a few years later and now we know: ‘The Misfit’ is the CB750 that could have been.

“During the first build there was quite a lot of R&D,” Mike recalls. “Which led to lots of parts that didn’t make the final cut.”

“I ended up making two or three of everything: I made two fairings and oil tanks, and three seats, fender sets, and front ends. I even made two sets of wheels, which are some of the most expensive components in any build. I ended up going with discs on Ryan’s bike, leaving a beautiful Suzuki GT750 drum brake collecting dust.”

There was even more stress involved with Mike’s last major build, a Kawasaki W1R that took seven years to complete. So this CB750 was just the kind of project to ease Mike back into the business.

“I had forgotten why I loved building motorcycles in the first place. I needed to go back to the beginning, when building was just for fun and just for me.”

“As I looked around the shop I began to realize that I had enough for an entire bike. That’s when The Misfit concept hit me. I would go against all my instincts and the obsessive pursuit of perfection, and just build a bike with whatever I had lying around from the Reynolds build.”

Mike had a 1974 CB750 in the shop—a basket case that he’d snapped up on Craigslist years before. He rebuilt the SOHC motor back to factory specs, but upgraded the breathing with a beautiful set of Keihin CR29 roundslide carbs, topped with K&N filters. These are worth a 10% gain on the stock horsepower.

At the exhaust end there’s a simple but effective 4-into-1 custom system, terminated with a single reverse cone muffler.

Mike made only a few design alterations to the original concept, and one was the introduction of a rare ARD magneto. “Although an electronic ignition system would work just as well, the magneto just looked so damn good so I went with it!”

Another change was the instrument panel, because Mike has always loved the look of vintage racecar dashboards “with just about every gauge imaginable thrown in there.”

“I wanted to replicate that look, but it took me about a month—due to the lack of space in the small fairing. I could only squeeze three gauges in, and even three felt like too many. In the end the dash, was the most difficult portion of this relatively painless build.”

The overhauled suspension is now hooked up to a pair of high-shouldered Excel wheels, with custom-built Works shocks of Mike’s own design at the back.

The wheels have been laced up and trued by Buchanan’s Spokes & Rims, and are shod with Avon Roadrunner F2 and R2 historic motorsport tires—molded from a race compound but with a vintage pattern to suit the style of the Honda.

The front drum brake is from a Suzuki, and was professionally relined and arced. “The GT750 four-leading shoe brake in original OEM state is a great brake for a Honda CB350 with a 140lb person on it,” says Mike.

“But if rebuilt properly, it’s light years better than Suzuki ever intended—and completely adequate for a bike of this size. Moral of the story: if you are going to run a drum and you would like to stop, have them professionally rebuilt!”

The tank is from a Suzuki too—a 1984 GS400S—and heavily modified. Mike also built the sleek aluminum fairing, oil tank, tail and seat unit, and the front fender and its stays. He even machined the rearsets too.

Although the CB750 is literally a ‘misfit,’ it’s also one of the most coherent and elegant CBs we’ve seen. And we’ve seen a lot over the years.

“There are a few small angles and lines that I disagree with,” says Mike. “But I can sleep at night.”

“I fulfilled two goals: one was to see what that Ryan’s bike could have looked like, but more importantly, ‘The Misfit’ was a bit of therapy for my OCD. It was an absolute blast to make!”

We bet it’s an absolute blast to ride, too.

Raccia Motorcycles Facebook | Instagram | Images by (and with thanks to) Paulo Rosas of Speed Machines Design. Shot at the ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California

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[CarlS]

That looks really nice.

 

[Rocky]

The Honda looks OK, but it's too much of a race bike to be of any practical use to me.

 

[CarlS]

I don't think it is practical at all.

 

[DaveM]

Rescue Mission: A Penton Mint 400 restomod from Chi-Jers

It’s not often that we cross paths with a Penton, much less one that’s been customized. But when we spotted this terrifically reworked Mint 400 at the Mama Tried show earlier this year, we had to know more. (Especially since it had what looked like John Penton’s signature splashed on the fuel tank.)

It also helped that the Penton’s owner and builder, PJ Grakauskas of Chi-Jers Vintage Bike Works, is one of the friendliest and most forthcoming guys you could ever hope to meet. And as it turns out, his love for these vintage, KTM-made dirt bikes goes way back…

“The Story of John Penton and Penton Motorcycles actually starts in Amherst, OH, the same hometown as me,” PJ tells us. “My pops is a very recognized Penton guru in the States. His rebuilt and modded motors are on some of the quickest Penton machines here.”

“The collection of old Penton parts in the barn is massive. I didn’t have to go far for what I needed.”

PJ picked up the 1974 “½ Penton Mint 400” a few years ago, mainly because it had a title—and his plan was to build a road legal street tracker.

After he finished an Indian Scout Bobber for an Indian-sponsored build-off, he decided it was time to build something for himself. And so the Penton went under the knife—with no expectations and no deadline.

Naturally, PJ’s father was roped into the project too. “Pops handled the fresh motor rebuild, top to bottom, teaching me tricks along the way,” PJ says. “It has been brought back to life with a fresh bore and piston, and the infamous Carl Cranke mods to the cylinder and porting.”

The carb is a vintage Lectron unit, built up from a bag of parts that were rotting away in the workshop. And the stainless steel exhaust is custom—modeled after a smashed-up 70s Penton 400 flat track pipe.

PJ tore into the Penton’s frame, removing as much unneeded 70s hardware as he could. He also modified a 1981 Yamaha YZ250 mono-shock swing arm to fit, hooking it up to the shock from a full size (and similarly-weighted) pit bike.

“It took some math and engineering to make work,” he says, “including grinding down the rear motor cases a bit.”

A set of rebuilt 35 mm Ceriani forks went on up front, polished up by PSP Metal. PJ also added a 19” Yamaha XS650 front wheel, with a Dunlop K180 tire. The rear wheel’s a 19” Excel rim, laced with Buchanan’s spokes and shod with Shinko rubber (and fitted with custom spacers that left PJ traumatized).

There’s only one brake—a Beringer Aerotec setup with a gold finish. It plays nice with the Penton’s stock foot controls, which didn’t get the chop because they’re just too valuable to toss out. The bars are from Biltwell Inc., the throttle and clutch lever are from Joker Machine, and the blue grips are ‘new old stock.’

“Essentially the bike was built piece by piece,” says PJ, “rebuilding old, unused parts and sourcing the NOS ones I needed. The biggest Penton parts supplier is local to us—we have a tab there.”

Even the Penton’s new bodywork is a mash up. The fuel tank’s off a Honda CG125, and the tail section is a flat track unit that PJ had lying around for the right project. Ginger over at New Church Moto handled the upholstery, on a custom built three-piece base.

PJ finished it off with a front number board, and a vintage KTM fender mount holding a handmade aluminum fender from Revive Customs. There’s a spot to mount a headlight on the front fender, and an LED taillight strip out back.

The frame looks nickel plated, but it’s not. Instead, it’s been powder coated in ‘prismatic super chrome,’ by 6th City Cycles in Cleveland. And then there’s that sublimely retro paint scheme.

“The badass paint is by KC Elkins of Krossover Customs in Kentucky,” PJ tells us. “I told him ’70s’ and we agreed on colors inspired by a Hallman Racing jersey. Other than that, I let him come up with it—imagine my surprise when he sent me that!”

Kacey wasn’t too stoked when he later noticed Sharpie scribbles all over his artwork though. “I took it to the Penton Owner’s Group meeting which John Penton himself attends,” PJ explains “so I had to have him autograph the tank.”

“I was completely honored and humbled that he, his sons, and all the members enjoyed the build.” And why wouldn’t they? Some purists might shudder at the thought of modifying a rare classic, but PJ’s knocked this one far enough out the park to silence them.

And considering the amount of work that went into it (his last email said “I’m sure there is I’m forgetting”), the accolades are well deserved.

Chi-Jers Vintage Bike Works Instagram | Images by Mark Adams

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[DaveM]

An old-school Moto Guzzi NTX from Officine Rossopuro

The launch of the V85 TT has boosted interest in dual-sport Moto Guzzis lately. And it’s about time: the competent Stelvio was killed off around three years ago, due to low sales and the cost of meeting Euro 4 emissions.

If the new V85 TT is a little beyond your budget, one option is to find a Tutto Terreno or Nuova Tipo Cross (NTX) from the 80s. And if you’re handy with the spanners, do a little work on it, as Filippo Barbacane of Officine Rossopuro has done here—including a major engine swap.

“It’s been a long time since I made an off-road bike just for myself,” says Filippo. “Finding time for personal projects is very difficult.”


He’s called the Guzzi Levante, which means ‘rising’—as in the sun rising at the start of an exciting day, which perhaps involves a journey …

The story of this bike started many years ago, when Filippo bought an old mid-80s, military-spec NTX 350 that had been supplied to the Italian police. “It had been laid up for a while, but about three years ago I decided to work on it in my spare time,” he says. 


“The base was good, but I wanted a bike with a little more horsepower—and with longer gears.” That’s understandable, because the 350 version of the NTX produced around 35 hp. And although the bike only weighed around 400 pounds wet, it was no ball of fire.

Filippo wanted to be able to use his NTX off-road, but also travel long distances to reach beautiful landscapes. “Often the off-road specials are excellent when doing enduro, but they have poor riding comfort—or engine displacements that are too small.”

Buying a second-hand enduro bike would have been the simplest solution, but Filippo doesn’t like simple things. “And it wouldn’t be a Guzzi, and that’s a big problem for me.
 I love all the bikes in the world, but if when comes to putting my buttocks on one, it must be a Moto Guzzi!”

Filippo wanted a style that was a cross between a 1970s enduro and a regolarità bike, which meant building everything from scratch.
 He’s fitted new, lightweight aluminum bodywork to the NTX, and built two fuel tanks: the one shown in these images, and a bigger one for long journeys. It can be mounted in a few seconds using the leather bands and two quick connections on the petrol taps.

The biggest change is the drivetrain. Although the NTX came with a 650 engine option, Filippo has shoehorned in a 750 small block engine—as used in the current fuel injected Guzzis.

To maximize reliability he’s eliminated all the electronics, and mounted carburetors, a simplified electronic injection system, and other improvements such as an upgraded alternator and a regulator that works well with a lithium battery.

“The gearbox is derived from the 750 too, with longer gears than the 350,” he says.
”I then built exhaust headers designed to sit as close as possible to the engine, passing inside the chassis on the right.”

The material is stainless steel: “Titanium would have weighed less, but welding it in an emergency would have been difficult.” The muffler was custom-made by MASS Moto, and is EU approved. The airbox, the oil vapor recovery tank and many other subtle details have been reproduced in aluminum and improved.

“The engine runs perfectly, with torque coming in very low, and is beautiful for off-road excursions. But it’s also good for long on-road sections of up to 300 km without problems, with very low fuel consumption.”

The chassis of the NTX is sound: it’s basically the same as most small-block Guzzi frames, but set higher for off-road use.
Filippo has reinforced it in some areas and lightened it in others, to allow a weight saving without compromising reliability.

The original forks have been refurbished and upgraded with new cartridges, and adjustable Bitubo shocks installed at the back.
The stock 21” front wheel has been swapped out for a 19” spoked aluminum rim, and Filippo has fitted a new Brembo brake system with a 320 mm Gold Series disc. The tires are Continental TKC80.

The lighting sums up the ethos of this machine: it’s conventional rather than LED. “I didn’t want to use LED lights because, in my opinion, they’re out of place on such an old bike,” he explains. “And they’re not repairable or easily replaceable like a light bulb.” 


The NTX might be no-frills, but it’s comfortable and practical. There’s a plush custom saddle—easily removable to reveal a storage compartment—and tough custom hand guards. And Filippo’s also fitted a Legend bag from SW Motech, “just to be able to take the minimum with me on long and solitary journeys.”

Filippo is very well acquainted with the new V85 TT, and he’s a fan. But he’s using the NTX more than any other bike in his stable right now. “Its versatility is incredible,” he enthuses. “The weight of a motorcycle is becoming the most important thing for me, more than horsepower—which often cannot be exploited on the road.”


The next step is to take the NTX on long distance journeys, and Filippo has Morocco and Iceland in mind.

We have a feeling this is one of those bikes where there’s not a lot to go wrong…but a helluva lot to go right.

Officine Rossopuro | Facebook | Instagram

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[CarlS]

That looks good. I like it.

 

[DaveM]

Neo-Neo Retro: Onehandmade reworks the Ducati MH900e

Pierre Terblanche designed some of Italy’s most unforgettable motorcycles—but none of them left a mark quite like the Ducati MH900e.

Produced for just two years between 2001 and 2002, the MH900e displayed the quirky beauty that Terblanche’s work was known for. It was a homage to Mike Hailwood’s 1978 Isle of Man TT race bike; not a direct replica, but rather an evoluzione.

Most importantly, Ducati only ever made 2,000 of them (1,000 of which sold out in 31 minutes). Finding one is rare—and customizing one is downright risky.

‘Chun’ Hung of Onehandmade is unfazed though. After he failed to dissuade his client (the owner of Taipei ink shop Endless Tattoo) from putting his MH900e under the knife, he simply leant into the project with equal measures of skill and reverence.

“I needed to make sure we did everything right,” the Taiwanese builder tells us. “When I designed the body shape, I wanted anyone—even another MH900e owner—who looked at this bike for the first time to know it’s a MH900e.”

Chun is more than capable of building beautiful motorcycles (his back catalog speaks for itself). But starting with a donor that was already a stunner amplified the challenge. And just to add to the pressure, the Ducati would be his official AMD World Championship entry too.

Chun’s talent lies in metalwork, and he often jumps straight to shaping parts without a final design to work from. Except this time, the stakes were high—so a series of sketches were laid down first.

With the design settled, Chun went all in on the MH900e—ditching all of the stock bodywork in favor of a hand-shaped aluminum fairing, tank, tail section and belly pan. He did a stellar job too, with every part perfectly contoured and seamlessly connected, as if it came from the factory like that.

“I remember when we were at the AMD World Championship,” Chun says, “many people asked if the body is carbon fiber or glass fiber. When my answer was ‘aluminum,’ they didn’t believe me—so I took out my phone to show them photos of the aluminum bodywork. Maybe painting it was not a good idea.”

The Ducati has a much sharper and more aggressive silhouette now, but if you trace its lines, you’ll find echoes of the original design everywhere. So it’s basically a contemporary interpretation of a bike that was originally a homage to a classic. Phew.

Just as much love has gone into the finer details. The headlight sits in a handmade aluminum housing up front, while the taillight consists of LED strips painstakingly tucked into the curves of the tailpiece. Chun also fabricated a full titanium exhaust system that snakes through the frame and belly pan, before exiting in an under-seat muffler.

Kingsman Seat handled the custom-dyed leather upholstery on the perch, while INCROSS Custom Art wrapped the bike in a wine red paint job deep enough to drown in.

Onehandmade’s work goes is beyond just cosmetic tweaks though. There’s a set of Öhlins forks from a Ducati Monster 1100S up front, with an Öhlins shock out back. Chun also installed a steering damper, the Brembo brakes from a 1098, and Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa tires.

Hidden upgrades include a STM clutch and a new battery from RCE. The rearsets are Aella units, the triple clamps and clip-ons are custom, the grips are from Biltwell Inc., and the turn signals and speedo are from Motogadget.

Onehandmade’s Ducati MH900e placed 4th in the Cafe Racer class at AMD, narrowly missing the podium against some seriously stiff competition. Trophy or not, this reworked modern classic is a winner in our book.

Onehandmade Facebook | Instagram | Images by JL Photography

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[CarlS]

Very nice work!