Custom Motorcycle Builds

[DaveM]

Red Hot Debut: Honda CBF600 by Custommade C.A.

It’s always a pleasure to stumble across a new custom workshop, especially when their work is top-notch. And if the donor bike is a little out of the ordinary, that’s extra marks all round.

This eye-catching CBF600 comes from an outfit called Custommade C.A. They’re based in Athens—the one in Greece, not Georgia—and this Honda is the latest in a steady stream of sleek, well-finished customs.

“We build motorcycles in a small garage,” says founder Chris Foskas. “We’re three guys, and we all have regular jobs. Fast and beautiful motorcycles are our passion, so we turned it into our hobby.”

We don’t see many customs based on the CBF600, which is surprising. It’s a well-made but slightly dull machine—like many middleweight Honda commuter bikes of the past few years. The engine is a detuned version of the inline four used in the 599/CB600F Hornet, so it’s a known quantity.

Foskas and his colleagues picked a 2004 model for this build: “It’s a reliable motorcycle that would also be a challenge,” he explains. “We wanted to transform it from a boring touring bike into something unique.”

The commission came from a friend—a photographer called Vasilis. “He decided to get his license and build the motorcycle of his dreams. We all agreed on the model, and started searching for a donor. We found one in bad condition, though the engine was running like a charm.”

The finished build is immaculate, with a few tweaks to the usual formula. “We aimed for a cafe racer-style bike with clip-ons, clean looks, and upgrades to the suspension and brakes,” says Chris.

The twist is in the bodywork, notably the fuel tank. “We found it on eBay in the UK,” Chris reveals. “It’s a ‘universal’ Triumph-style tank with a fuel level sensor.” To get it to fit, Custommade had to modify the tunnel inside the tank, to create enough clearance for the frame.

The seat is designed to carry a passenger, while keeping the look of a traditional cafe racer with a humped silhouette. It’s probably quite plush and comfortable, although you’d want to hold on tight to the rider.

The frame from the tank backwards is all new, and the crew cleverly designed it to mirror the curvature of the back wheel. Tucked in between the tubes is a fully adjustable Hyperpro shock, and there’s an LED taillight flushed into the rear frame loop. Clear epoxy resin inside a 3D printed ABS plastic housing holds the LED strip. “Then we sanded it until it matched the curvature of the subrame tube,” says Chris. “It’s almost invisible when it is turned off.”

The biggest mods are at the other end of the bike, though—with a complete front-end transplant from a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R literbike. That includes the radial calipers, the master cylinder, and the triple trees.

The trees have been sanded down for a smooth finish, and after a fresh coat of powder, the ZX-10R clip-ons went back in and a modern LED headlight was positioned in front of the stanchions.

The switchgear is Honda but the grips are from the Italian Barracuda brand and the mirrors are from a Hong Kong brand called KemiMoto. “I found them on eBay and we liked the style of them,” says Chris. “They are nicely made from aluminum.”

The instrument panel has been swapped out for a single round Acewell speedo. (“It includes everything we need, from RPMs to water temperature and a fuel level indicator.”)

The wheels are stock Honda items though: “We chose the CBF600 instead of the CB600F/Hornet due to the wheels and the rear brake—there are no modifications there,” Chris reveals.

The swingarm is modified, however, with bracing to increase stiffness and add extra visual pop. And there’s a small but useful fender on custom brackets over the front slick.

The water-cooled CBF600 engine is a smooth rather than high-revving unit, easily identifiable by the hose on the right-hand side. The power band is broad, with ample torque and around 77 hp; on this bike, it gets a little help from pod filters on the carbs, and a reverse cone muffler.

“We completely restored the carbs and re-jetted them too, in order to work well with the new exhaust,” says Chris.

To avoid surprises down the track, the CBF has been completely rewired with a new loom. There’s a compact lithium battery under the seat, and the ignition is operated via remote control—so there is no key needed.

“The final step was the paint,” says Chris. “Almost everything was either powder coated or anodized, but the fuel tank, fender and headlight housing were custom finished using a ‘foggy’ red paint.” It’s an unusual effect that bucks the modern trend for pared-back, flat finishes.

When we first saw this CB, we assumed it was a pro build: it’s got the quality finish, the stance and the right parts. For three guys working after hours, it’s a terrific achievement. Maybe it’s time to quit the day jobs?

Custommade C.A. | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Vasilis

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[DaveM]

CUT & POLISH: BMW R100S by Borsukiewicz Motorsport.

Over 12 years ago, a Sydneysider bitten by the bike bug set up a little blog that has grown into the Pipeburn website you see before you. At the same time, on the complete opposite side of the globe in a small town in Poland, two brothers with the same love of two-wheels set up their own small operation. Finally, over a decade later, thanks to the power of the internet and a shared addiction to...

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[DaveM]

Tardigrade: A custom-built moon rover from Hookie Co.

Ever wondered what it would be like to ride a motorcycle on the moon? Meet the Tardigrade—a conceptual electric lunar vehicle, named after the microscopic creatures that can survive in the vacuum of space. Brought to life by Hookie Co. around a Cake drivetrain, it was conceived in Moscow, built in Dresden, and will soon be on display at the Petersen Museum in Los Angeles.

How did the stars align for this otherworldly project to begin?

On November 1, 2020, Russian designer Andrew Fabishevskiy published renderings of his NASA lunar motorcycle on behance.net. A social media firestorm ensued, catching the attention of Hookie Co. founder, Nico Müller.

“I saw Andrew’s concept sketch and was hooked immediately,” Müller says. “After some calls we got his approval to build this amazing machine. Andrew’s renderings weren’t detailed and true to scale, so the design process began using Autodesk Fusion 360, and we engineered the whole Tardigrade from scratch.”

The digital engineering alone took almost six months; Hookie reworked, rethought, and developed every part on the bike from the ground up. It was the German company’s first project where they designed everything in-house. Overall, it took Hookie nine months from a sketch to the finished bike, underwritten with financial support from Puraglobe Syntainics.

Müller and his team partnered with the Swedish electric brand CAKE on a previous project based on the Ösa+ and Ösa Lite, called the Hookie ANT. They decided to keep the partnership flowing by incorporating CAKE’s drivetrain, wiring loop, battery, and two hubs for the Tardigrade’s wheels.

“The main frame, swingarm and fork are made out of 10-millimeter laser-cut aluminum, which we produced near our workshop,” Müller explains. “I fabricated the exoskeleton, axles and sprockets myself. Sometimes I got help from a good friend who runs a custom shop near Munich. We used only aluminum and stainless steel.”

The CAKE hubs are CNC machined from 7075 aircraft aluminum for 32 straight-pull spokes, and stainless steel SKF cartridge bearings.

All body parts, like the handlebar mounting unit and the wheel caps, were 3D printed. Hookie chose a light, strong, and flexible plastic, which allowed them to print really big parts. Smaller parts were fabricated with laser sintering, using white nylon plastic.

For the wheels, Hookie first determined the Tardigrade’s size, then modified the wheel design to get a balanced look. They couldn’t find any existing wheels in the size or weight they envisioned, so after some consulting with his industrial designer, Müller decided to fabricate 3D wheels from scratch.

“Every wheel was made out of aluminum and tacked in a custom-wheel-build jig,” he explains.

“The two CAKE hub flanges are five millimeters thick, the wheel bed is two millimeters thick and strong, with five-millimeter-thick spokes welded to a five-millimeter-thick plate. We did some digital material tests and it worked well; the finished product is unique, but the wheels are strong enough to support the 140-kilogram Tardigrade. The wheels are one of my favorite parts on this bike.”

The tires were another challenge altogether: “We spoke with two companies about creating big thermoplastic polyurethane prints,” Müller says. “Everyone liked the idea but nobody wanted to produce it for us.”

After a few conversations with Dr. Yves Bader, DuPont’s Development Manager for Mechanical Protection and Consumer Apparel in Meyrin, Switzerland, Müller decided to produce tire elements on his 3D printer using Kevlar. Twelve parts were needed for one wheel; they tested different thicknesses, patterns, and shapes.

Bader was connected to Hookie by Iron & Air’s editor-in-chief Adam Fitzgerald, who knew the DuPont veteran of 21 years wouldn’t pass up an opportunity and challenge like the Tardigrade. Bader was well-suited to assist with the challenge of creating a protective engine cover for the Tardigrade, opting for a special Kevlar fishbone aluminized fabric.

“The engine needed to be protected, and the solution was a Kevlar fabric which is inherently heat- and flame-resistant, and shields the engine from debris or other mechanical damage,” Bader says. “In order to stick with the original design and also to protect from UV radiation, we decided to use an aluminum coating on top of the Kevlar fabric.”

Bader was also involved in developing the tires, and came up with the idea to create a 3D-printed design with parts fixed from the rim side. They connected the properties of an airless tire with the functionality of a caterpillar tread that can be slipped on and off. Unfortunately, time ran out to develop a Kevlar-loaded elastomer for an application on this project.

With Bader’s experience in consumer apparel, including protective motorcycle gear, he also assisted in creating wearables fit for the lunar surface.

With the wheels and tires produced, Hookie shifted focus to its original radial damper concept, which also didn’t see the light of day.

“It took us too much time to find the right carbon material with the perfect flex to get the damper effect we were seeking,” Müller says. “We tested almost 10 different carbon fibers; we tested rubber and it worked well, but the bike was too heavy for either. We’ll rethink this suspension concept for possible future space projects.”

The Tardigrade’s steering is fully electronic and based on a potentiometer at the handlebar. The potentiometer works together with a programmable Arduino computer, running a steering app that Hookie programmed themselves. The Arduino talks to a big servo mounted to the fork upper, with a belt that steers the bottom part of the front suspension setup.

Hookie ran several tests until they landed on a functional solution, but intend to dedicate more time toward fine-tuning the setup for optimal lunar travel conditions.

Despite the fully functional setup, Hookie has yet to put the Tardigrade through rigorous human testing yet. “We tested it on the ground without a person on it before shipping it to the Petersen Museum, but the risk was greater than the reward,” Müller says. “The first real test drive will happen when the bike returns to Germany.”

As a parting question, I asked Müller if NASA would ever conceivably organize flat track racing on the moon.

“The idea to ride a motorcycle in outer space isn’t new!” he laughs. “I think there’s a big potential to get two-wheeled vehicles on the moon or Mars. Motorcycles don’t need a lot of space for transport and they can be disassembled quickly. We can disassemble the whole front end of the Tardigrade in two minutes with only four screws.”

“Regarding flat track racing on the moon, I would prefer some big gaps and jumps more than turning left around an oval. With almost one-sixth of Earth’s gravity, I’d need only a small bump to jump 10 meters—that would be fun! Maybe the Tardigrade inspires space-addicted people and engineers for upcoming lunar missions, and I would be more than happy to be a tiny part of that.”

Hookie Co. | Facebook | Instagram | Tardigrade will soon be on display as part of the ADV:Overland exhibit, curated by Paul d’Orléans, at the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles, CA.

Article adapted from issue 45 of Iron & Air magazine. Titled ‘The Bike EXIF Issue,’ this special edition celebrates the past nearly-15 years of Bike EXIF’s existence, featuring highlights like Tardigrade, deBolex Engineering’s dB25 series, our favorite custom bikes of all time, Bike EXIF’s origin story and more. Subscribe now.

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[DaveM]

On Sale Now: The 2022 Bike EXIF Motorcycle Calendar

The world’s most prestigious motorcycle calendar is back. The 2022 edition of the famous Bike EXIF wall calendar showcases 13 incredible new customs from builders such as Max Hazan, Vagabund Moto, K-Speed, Renard Speedshop, and Bottpower.

For the second year in a row, we’re producing it with the help of Iron & Air magazine. The cover star is provided by Tamarit Motorcycles: A sleek Thruxton café racer called “Gullwing X”, it’s one of the most popular motorcycles recently featured on Bike EXIF. We’ve also got the Zero SR/S by Woolie’s Workshop, a gorgeous Triumph Daytona 500 restomod by Retrograde Mechanica, and Thrive’s wild two-stroke Kawasaki dragster.

Adding a touch of classic style are Kingston Custom’s “Spirit Of Passion” and Max Hazan’s extraordinary twin-engined Velocette (below).

You can never have too much of a good thing, so this 13-month motorcycle calendar is sized at a mighty 17 x 12 inches. It’s printed on 128 gsm art paper with a 260 gsm laminated art card cover, discreetly hole-punched. And there’s a little space for writing notes between the dates.

Each calendar is delivered shrinkwrapped with a board stiffener for protection, and is excellent value at just $17.99/£16.99/CA$24.99.

Treat yourself now—or do a friend a favor. Order your calendar direct from the publisher Octane Press.

UK readers can get local delivery from Amazon. In Australia and New Zealand, use Booktopia, or Calendar Club—which has both online sales and pop-up stores.

Trade enquiries Call Octane Press at 512.761.4555 or email [email protected] for details.

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[DaveM]

Speed Read, October 10, 2021

It’s a singles party this week: we’ve got a spunky Honda XL350R scrambler, a Kawasaki AR80 cafe racer, a Kawasaki KX100 land speed racer, and an intriguing single-cylinder Buell project. Plus Beachman releases a new e-bike.

Honda XL350R by Bueno Co. Based in Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA, Nick Ghobashi is a freelance photographer who has turned his hand to custom bikes. And judging by this plucky 1984 Honda XL350R scrambler, he’s having a ton of fun.

The bike needed a proper once over before Nick could start changing things—so it got a full tune up, right down to new steering and wheel bearings. “I had to make a new retainer ring for the rear wheel bearing,” says Nick, “as they are non-existent for this year of Honda XL models.”

The frame was de-tabbed, the rear end was cut-and-looped, and subframe supports were welded in, before everything was powder coated in satin black. The engine was repainted too, and all the fasteners replaced with stainless steel items. Nick overhauled the suspension too, stiffening it up at both ends.

The bodywork’s a mixed bag. Nick sourced an aftermarket fuel tank and modified it to fit, then formed a fiberglass seat pan, which was then padded and upholstered in chevron-style pleating. “It was made in a classic ‘cobra’ shape, inspired by old choppers and bobbers I grew up around,” he tells us.

To build the new side covers, Nick cut up the originals, grafted on some fiberglass, and added stainless steel mesh. A pair of bobbed aluminum fenders finish things off, with the front headlight and fender sharing a custom mount. LED lighting at both ends keeps things street legal.

Other changes include modified exhaust headers with an off-the-shelf muffler, modified wiring, and new handlebars, grips and foot pegs. Nick fabricated a host of smaller brackets for the cockpit too—like a new speedo mount, and a tiny control panel to hold custom switches.

The Honda’s finished off in a metallic satin British racing green paint job, with the lettering on the tires inspired by motor racing. This little thumper is pared-down, full of attitude, and looks ready to rip. [Bueno Co.]

Kawasaki AR80 by Omega Racer The Bangkok-based parts shop and custom house Omega Racer celebrates its 10th birthday today. So founder Markus Pintzinger decided to celebrate with a special build: a pint-sized 1982 Kawasaki AR80 cafe racer, with a donor that cost just $100.

Omega Racer specializes in custom parts for bikes like the Kawasaki W650 and W800, Yamaha SR400, classic R-series BMWs and Sportsters. “Our workshop doesn’t usually make parts for the AR80—the market is tiny and the owners will hardly spend hundreds of dollars on custom aluminum parts. So, from a business perspective, choosing this bike was probably not the most logical or rational decision.”

“In a way, this bike represents ‘heart over function’ for me. It’s not just a bike to promote my business and showcase the amazing fabrication skills of our team, but for me it’s also a great joy to express my creativity and a personal satisfaction to bring a heap of rusty metal back to life.”

The Kawasaki was in pretty rough shape, so Omega Racer rebuilt the motor, soda blasted the engine and frame, and then sent everything to Cog’n’Roll in Bangkok for powder coating. Markus opted for a tropical green hue on the frame; “very fitting for Thailand and Kawasakis.”

The donor bike came with non-OEM spoked wheels, but the originals are rare and expensive—so the crew sourced a pair of replicas. Thanks to the new wheels, a disc upgrade could be done too, even if the AR80 isn’t quite fast enough to need it. The rear shock was beyond repair, so Markus swapped it for a new one from NOS.

Omega Racer took inspiration from the 50 cc Italian race and street bikes of the late 60s and 70s for the bodywork. “We just love these bikes, sporting super long and narrow tanks, tiny seats and huge attitudes,” explains Markus.

Each part was sculpted with foam, then taken to the shop’s go-to fabricator, Korn, to form out of aluminum. Keen eyes will spot two caps on the tank—that’s because it has fuel and oil reservoirs inside. The upkick on the ducktail at the back is a neat touch too, and a slotted design motif is echoed on parts like the swingarm braces, steering neck and front fairing.

There’s an extra detail on top of the tank: a tribute to a friend of the shop’s, Angelo, who sadly passed away earlier this year.

This mini-cafe has now gone down in weight from 80 kilos to around 48, so it’s been dubbed Cavalleggero, which is Italian for ‘light cavalry.’ “It seemed like an apt name for such a lightweight, but slightly horsepower-deficient, bike,” quips Markus.

That’s quite the tenth birthday present. Happy birthday, Omega Racer! [Omega Racer | Images by Thanuthong Jariyatham]

Kawasaki KX100 land speed racer by Mikey Hanrahan 24-year-old Mikey has spent the last five years on what he calls his science experiment’—building and fine tuning this low-slung Kawasaki KX100 to compete at the Bonneville Salt Flats and El Mirage. And it’s exactly the sort of project we can get behind.

Starting with a 1998 KX100, Mikey did all the work himself, in his home garage. It started out as a lowered and stretched dirt bike, but then he decided to go all in and fabricate a purpose-built hardtail rear triangle for it. It now sits 14” lower, and has been stretched by two feet.

Up front are a set of Yamaha PW50 forks, running with custom springs and held by custom yokes. Up top is the bare minimum of hand-shaped aluminum bodywork. The riding position is dedicated, with impossibly low clip-ons and rear sets hung off the rear frame gusset.

Mikey built the engine with the KX bottom end, and a 2014 KX top end with bigger ports, an air-shift kit, a 32 mm Mikuni flatslide carb, and a hand-made exhaust system. He also “removed all the parasitic parts of the motor,” so there’s a total loss electronic system, an electric water pump, and no more kick start assembly.

Mikey’s science experiment worked. His Kawasaki now holds records in the ‘special construction non-streamlined on gas’ class at El Mirage (112.5 mph) and Bonneville (103.1 mph). [Mikey Hanrahan]

NCCR’s Buell Super Single project NCCR SportTwins is a Swedish racing and engineering company with a long history of building, tuning and developing Buell-based race bikes. Now they’re working on something truly interesting: a Buell ‘super single’ motor.

NCCR took inspiration from Ducati’s legendary Supermono, where the rear cylinder was removed, and a pivoting lever and connecting rod installed in its place as part of a counter balance system. But NCCR’s single doesn’t use a Ducati 888 motor. Instead, they’ve based their super single on the Rotax Helicon 1125 and EBR 1190 motors.

They’ve removed the front instead of the rear cylinder, for a plethora of reasons. NCCR say it improves ground clearance, narrows the bike’s silhouette and optimizes the airbox positioning, among other things.

The new motor has a capacity of either 562 or 595 cc, with big bore options from 660 to 700 cc. It’s being designed to work with a fuel injection system, but plans are to offer a carb’ed version too.

NCCR think the motor would be ideal for an enduro bike, so that’s what they’re currently working on. The prototype’s goal weight is 160 kilos [353 lbs], with a power output of 70 hp. It’ll be built for distance, with a rally-style fairing and mounting points for luggage.

And if that doesn’t tickle your fancy, NCCR reckon the motor will be perfect for a track racer too. [NCCR | Via]

Beachman ’64 electric bike Beachman is a Canadian startup founded by Ben Taylor and Steve Payne, and they’re all about classic-looking electric bikes. You’re looking at the ’64: a new model from Beachman that’s just about to wrap up a round of crowdfunding, but has already exceeded its goal.

“With an eye on the past, we are working to combine the rugged and stripped-down styling of 60s cafe racers, with the lighthearted fun and carefree convenience of a 70s Honda Cub,” says Ben.

The ’64 uses a frame design that’s based on the Honda CB125, although this prototype was built with a similar Kawasaki KZ200 frame. It has off-the-shelf forks and shocks, along with 18” wheels with disc brakes. There’s a faux classic Yamaha-style fuel tank up top to cover the electronics, and a swappable bench seat out back.

It’s powered by a 72v brushless hub motor, with a removable 40Ah battery that can charge to 80% in three hours. It weighs 220 lbs and is capable of 60 km/h, but can be specced as an ‘e-bike’ too, with pedals and a limiter to keep it under 32 km/h. The range is quoted as 90 km on a full charge.

“We could make faster bikes,” says Ben, “but with the current state of electric bike technology, you have to choose two benefits from speed, range, and affordability. So we chose range and affordability, in order to make it a fun everyday bike for new and old riders alike.”

A ’64 will set you back $4,200 in Canadian dollars, and is only available in Canada for the time being, with plans to expand to the US in 2023. Would you be tempted? [Beachman]

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[DaveM]

HOME GROWN: Royal Enfield Continental GT 650.

There are few places in the world like Pune, India, a city with an incredible mix of ancient structures like the cave temples that date back to the 8th century, all the way through to some of the most advanced IT businesses on the planet. Amongst the old and the new, it has also emerged as the country’s ‘Motor City, with a massive presence of automotive manufacturers both local and foreign.

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[DaveM]

[Mostly] Vintage Twin: Paul Hartman’s Harley flat tracker

If pushed to pick a golden age for flat track, most folks would suggest the late 60s to the early 70s. It was a time when Harley was facing a tough challenge from Triumph, and the Japanese manufacturers were on the rise too.

The racing was fierce and the bikes were good looking. This (almost) period-correct Harley is a nod to those glory days, and still looks breathtaking half a century later.

It comes from Paul Hartman, who lives in San Diego County and tickled our fancy a couple of months ago with a lovely Triumph TR6 desert sled.

“I built this Harley for vintage flat track racing,” says Paul. “In the 50s and 60s, Harley’s race bike was the KR model, and in 1970 it became the XR. This bike is basically a transition between the two.”

The frame is an early K model with a hardtail rear end, but the engine is a 1965 ironhead Sportster XLCH unit—“with hot cams and a few tricks similar to the later XR bikes,” Paul reveals.

Most flat track race series nowadays have a ‘Vintage Twins’ class, and that’s what Paul built this bike for. “I tried to keep it fairly true to a period-correct appearance. It’s brakeless, so it’s just how they ran them back in the day.”

Paul got the engine from “an old racer in Idaho. He’d built it for racing and did all the hop-up work.” A stock XLCH motor from this era puts out around 60 hp, and testers managed to get the factory bike up to 116 mph.

It was claimed to be the fastest production motorcycle of its time, so Paul’s machine will be undoubtedly spritely.

“The cams have a higher lift and longer duration than standard,” he says. “There are also heavy duty valve springs, and some port/flow work was done. I bought the engine this way, so I can’t confirm all work done—but it really seems to boogie!”

Fueling comes from a Mikuni VM38 round slide carburetor, matched to a K&N air filter. (“It’s as narrow as I could find. Air filters on these always stick out too far.”)

The exhaust system is closer in style to the frame than the engine though, being a custom-built replica of the original KR racing pipes. “They have a really nice look and flow.”

The frame came from a guy in Florida. “I found it online,” says Paul. “It’s an early K model frame, with a custom racing hardtail section.” Luckily, XLCH engines have the same bottom end as K models, so Paul was able to slot the motor and four-speed ‘box into the frame without having to get out the grinder or welder.

A low-profile Trackmaster fiberglass tank tops off the frame, and Paul applied the paint himself. “I wanted it to look vintage,” he says. “The logo is the same as they put on the old KR bikes, but I didn’t want it to look like a factory race bike. So I went all privateer and used a pale golden yellow color.”

The seat and matching pad look vintage, but they’re actually brand new. They’re beautifully crafted replicas made by Adam Mingee of the River Seat Company in Norfolk, Virginia.

The most modern components on this bike are the Yamaha YZF-R6 forks, a perennial favorite of racers. “These are the go-to for most flat track builds,” says Paul. “They are way too modern for this bike but they work really well.”

The wheels are custom built jobs from AA Racing, which Paul lifted from one of his previous flat track bikes. He uses quick-change sprockets, but since this is a bona fide race bike, there are no brakes. “Strangest thing ever! But period correct.”

Aside from the lack of brakes, everything else is present and correct. The bars are an old Flanders set, from the company that has been bending tube for well over half a century. “The controls are also old stuff,” says Paul. “I found them at a swap meet, and I’m not sure what they are from—but I made them work.”

If you’re within spitting distance of San Bernardino, CA, keep an eye out for the next Hell On Wheels event at the Glen Helen Raceway. Paul will likely be there, and if you spot his Harley in the pits, do yourself a favor and take a closer look.

Paul Hartman Instagram | Images by Zachbox (above) and Robbie Masterson (below).

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[DaveM]

LIL’ MONSTER: Honda CB300F by BKing Kustom Garage.

Last year, I was lucky enough to judge the Colombian-based Custom Built Show, which features the best custom bikes from all around South America. I was blown away by how many creative projects were being built out of motorcycles that even the most experienced builders wouldn’t dare touch. With thousands of cheap, small-displacement commuter bikes available in Brazil, sometimes it just makes sense...

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[triumph david]

All of these are nice!

 

[DaveM]

BALI BOBBER: Royal Enfield Classic 500 by Smoked Garage.

A custom bobber is simply one of the coolest things you can ride on the street, but given they are usually just for bar hopping or heading to your local cafe, the prices can be crazy. Start with a Harley-Davidson as the basis and the price can triple, and suddenly there just isn’t that much money left over for a beer or an espresso – and where’s the fun in that. So it comes as no surprise that...

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[DaveM]

Against all odds: A Suzuki DR-Z400SM by oneYedeer

Building a custom bike is usually a succession of challenges. And sometimes, the bike itself isn’t the biggest challenge: it’s the builder’s skills or circumstances, or curveballs thrown by life.

The story of this Suzuki is packed with curveballs. It was built by Argentine-born Sebastian ‘Seba’ Achaval, who likens it to a country song—because its greatness comes from ‘leaving tragedy behind.’ Hence its name ‘Cash,’ after The Man In Black

The story starts with the owner, a man of admirable patience called Jorge. He bought this 2018 Suzuki DR-Z400SM to get a fun and reliable bike with good performance. But he also found the aesthetics unexciting, so he budgeted for custom work.

A DR-Z on display at the New York shop Jane Motorcycles caught Jorge’s eye. It’d been built by Mark from Brooklyn Moto, and before long, Mark started working on Jorge’s bike.

A few weeks into the project, Mark had to step aside to focus on an urgent personal matter. He put Jorge in touch with Seba, who has been building bikes since he was 15, and wrenches in the same Brooklyn space under the moniker ‘oneYedeer.’

“In the shop I work alone,” Seba tells us. “I pretty much do everything, with some limitations around tools and space. I send my paint jobs to the one and only Robbie Nigl, and my powder coating is done by Eazy Powder Coating…but the rest is just me.”

Seba delivered a new vision for the DR-Z400, which Jorge liked, even though it meant a complete overhaul. The mods completely change the vibe of the bike: the enormous rear overhang of the stock supermoto is gone, along with the motocross-style seat and swathe of plastic above the engine.

The high-riding stance is now accentuated with a Yamaha SR500 tank, a neatly finished new subframe, and a simple but sufficient seat pad. The seat is actually long enough to accommodate a passenger on short trips, so the passenger footpegs remain.

The twin-tube subframe design is a slick piece of moto architecture, and works beautifully. It should also reduce the wet weight even further from the impressive 322 pounds (146 kg) of the stock bike. At the back is a pair of flushed-in LED strips to handle lighting duties.

After fitting the tank, Seba hammered in the front a little to increase steering lock, and replaced the filler assembly with a Triumph Thruxton unit. To match the tank era, Seba also installed a Honda ST70 Dax minibike front fender—with adjustable height and angle brackets, so the fender can be set in different positions.

The DR-Z400 runs with two small radiators rather than one big unit, and these clashed with the simple, clean design that Seba had in mind. After a long search, he selected a single CBR500 single radiator to cool off the DRZ in hot New York City summers. To run the same fan and sensors, Seba used custom-made sensor sockets and brackets.

An even bigger challenge was setting up a custom wiring loom, and designing a tray underneath the tank to hold a Motogadget m.unit, the CDI box, an Antigravity battery, and most of the electronic components. “There is not much room, so every inch was used neatly,” says Seba.

At the moment all the parts were taken off, to send to powder-coating and paint, Seba had to rush to a hospital emergency room—where a tumor was discovered. “It was scary, but I’m a very lucky man and I’m clean now,” says Seba, who had an operation to get it removed. “But because of that, the bike was in pieces for four months.”

While Seba was recovering, he and his family had to move out of their apartment at short notice. They stayed with friends, and eventually decided to escape the harsh NYC winter and recover in Chile for a month.

When Seba returned from Chile, he did so alone. Over the next few weeks, he continued fabricating smaller parts and started to reassemble the Suzuki. At Jorge’s suggestion, he fitted a Scrambler Ducati headlight, and started sourcing a speedo and switchgear.

The cockpit now features Rizoma bars and clamps. Motogadget supplied the Mini speedo, m.switches, bar end blinkers and grips—all wired internally. Seba even re-routed the front brake line for a cleaner look.

To give the liquid-cooled four stoke motor a fillip, Seba has fitted custom-made headers and a Supertrapp muffler. He’s also rejetted the Mikuni carburetor to make the most of the easier breathing.

Details are all-important on a build like this, and Seba has drilled down to the smallest elements. Like the seat upholstery: it’s a combination of solid and perforated black Alcantara, with ochre thread for the stitching—including a ‘400’ motif.

The calipers, triple trees, swing arm, brake levers and other smaller pieces were sent to be powder-coated or anodized in black. The tank, fender and headlight cover went to master painter Robbie Nigl at Peach Pit Painting, for a similarly dark finish.

The Man In Black would approve, we think.

Sebastian Achaval | oneYedeer | Images by iason sarris

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[DaveM]

Ukrainian Muscle: A supercharged Harley V-Rod from Kyiv

Few Harley-Davidson models can boast the same cult following as the V-Rod. With a Porsche-designed motor and muscle bike styling, it was a bold move from the Motor Co. that paid off—mostly because it was unlike any other Harley. And it’s been missed by many ever since it was axed.

Most custom V-Rod customs are low-slung ‘bad boy’ clichés with fat rear tires. But this bug-eyed alien from Custom Culture in Kyiv, Ukraine uses a far more interesting recipe. Wrapped in aluminum bodywork and hopped up with a supercharger, it looks totally bonkers.

Custom Culture is a motorcycle, parts and apparel shop with a big love for American V-twins. They have a custom workshop too, helmed by Taras Sabibin, and they built this V-Rod for one of their clients.

Don’t let its otherworldly exterior fool you though—this Harley-Davidson is way more than just a styling exercise. Lurking under the hood is a 1,318 cc engine upgrade, complete with reinforced connection rods, forged pistons and honed cylinders.

Those pulleys you see on the right side of the motor are part of a custom belt-driven supercharger system. This encroaches on the space where the stock water pump usually lives, so Custom Culture installed a new electronic water pump behind the radiator.

The crew also redesigned the intake, added a chain conversion, and installed a Thunder Max ECU to tune the bike. They haven’t quoted any output figures yet, but considering the V-Rod’s Revolution motor makes 115 hp in stock form, it’s probably a healthy number.

Custom Culture upgraded the V-Rod’s running gear too. Up front are the upside-down Marzocchi forks, and twin Brembo brakes, from an MV Agusta F4. The brakes have been blacked-out and kitted with Arlen Ness discs. Out back is a new CNC-machined swingarm, hooked up to an Öhlins shock.

The solid wheels are from Rick’s Wheels in the US, but they’ve been modified to fit this particular build, with custom hubs, axles and spacers. They’re wrapped in Metzeler ME 880 Marathon tires, measuring 130×18 up front, and a whopping 300×18 at the rear.

All of the V-Rod’s bodywork’s has made way for a full complement of hand-formed aluminum parts.

The set includes a new headlight nacelle that wraps around two projectors out front, and houses a Koso speedo up top. The cockpit also includes raised clip-ons, minimal switchgear, and Rizoma mirrors, reservoirs, grips and bar-end turn signals.

The ‘tank’ is just a shell that covers the V-Rod’s working bits. Fuel’s held out back, in a one-piece tail and seat unit that doubles as a reservoir. A pair of custom-made taillights are tucked into its rear contours, with a layer of ostrich leather on the seat offering some contrast.

Other bits include a custom fender and radiator guard, an ignition panel on the left of the motor, and new foot controls. There’s also a stealthy box exhaust lurking underneath the bike.

When you consider that a stock V-Rod has plenty of power out the crate, an overbore and a supercharger sound like total overkill. But Custom Culture’s mix of peculiar styling and outrageous engineering is right on the money.

This one’s sure to bend necks—and stretch arms.

Custom Culture | Facebook | Instagram

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[DaveM]

CLEAN SLATE: BMW R80RT by Analog Motorcycles.

When you’re a builder as talented and as experienced as Tony Prust, then even major events like a global pandemic or an interstate relocation aren’t going to get in the way of doing what you do best. But, that is until Murphy’s law kicks in, and already facing gigantic hurdles, the little things start to go wrong too. Never defeated, the founder of the incredibly successful Analog Motorcycles...

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[DaveM]

Sekepal Aspal: Top customs from the big Indonesian show

A pause on motorcycle shows has been one of the many disappointments of the COVID-19 pandemic. But rather than sulk, the organizers of Indonesia’s Sekepal Aspal custom show took the event online for the second time in a row this year.

Officially titled the Sekepal Aspal Indonesia Motoart Exhibition (or SAIME), the nine-year-old show is one of the biggest fixtures on the Indonesian custom scene. This year, SAIME offered up the goods via a specially-designed website that included hand-picked custom motorcycles, art, and live-streamed music acts. We’re big fans of the Indonesian scene’s creativity and ingenuity—so we took a peak inside, and rounded up our favorites.

Yamaha XS650 by Flying Piston Garage This gleaming Yamaha XS650 is a friendly reminder that the Indonesian scene can build choppers with the best of them. It’s the work of Flying Piston Garage in Bandung, and it’s loaded with handcrafted parts.

The build’s powered by a freshened up 1979 XS650 motor, complete with custom velocity stacks and straight-through pipes.

The motor’s wedged into a handmade hardtail frame, with a springer front end handling suspension duties. There’s no brake on the 21” front wheel, but the 18” rear uses the stock XS650 drum brake.

The XS650’s bodywork has been scalped from all over. The fuel tank’s off an old German-made moped, while the rear fender’s old British stock. Flying Piston also made the foot controls, and the integrated risers and ‘Z’ bars. The hand controls are imported parts from Japan, and the head- and taillights are “old stuff.”

Lokal Hiro handled the turquoise flame job, which is complemented by a custom white seat and pad.

There’s a ton of detailing to take in—like the intricate fuel plumbing. Compact and full of attitude, Flying Piston’s chopper certainly does the venerable Yamaha XS650 motor justice. [Flying Piston Garage]

Kawasaki-Meguro K-series by The’rez Custom Garage Ever heard of Meguro Manufacturing Co? They were a Japanese motorcycle manufacturer that was bought by, and later absorbed into, Kawasaki in the 1960s. This 1964 500 cc ‘K-series’ was one of the last models made before the Meguro name fully disappeared; an unusual donor, for sure.

This one comes from The’rez Custom Garage, based in Indonesia’s West Java region, about an hour’s drive from Jakarta. Redesigned as a cheeky scrambler, it still uses its original frame, motor and transmission—but it’s also borrowed some parts from newer bikes.

You’ll find the forks and handlebar risers from a Yamaha SX225 up front, along with the brake from a Suzuki TS125. The wheels have been swapped for 21F/18R hoops, wrapped in off-road rubber. Sitting above them are generous vintage trials-style fenders.

The fuel tank’s custom too, complete with a red candy flame paint job by Zandria Arriela. There’s fresh upholstery on the seat, new side covers lower down, and a pair of hand-made exhausts that are sure to wake the neighbors.

The’rez swapped out the handlebars, grips and foot controls as well, and installed a new headlight from TT&CO. in Japan. It’s the perfect vintage whip for social distancing on secret forest trails. [The’rez Custom Garage]

Harley-Davidson Sportster XLB by Hiro Motorcycles Small Japanese bikes rule the roost in the Indonesian custom scene, but you’ll find some cracking American machines too. This 1962 Harley-Davidson Sportster XLB from Jakarta’s Hiro Motorcycles flies the flag high.

Hiro started by wedging the XLB engine into a hand-made rigid frame, and grafting back on the Harley’s original front suspension. The original transmission’s still in play, but the carb is an S&S Cycle E-series part, and there’s a Joe Hunt magneto in the mix too.

The wheels are 1970s Kimtab snowflakes, measuring 19” up front and 18” out back. They’re wrapped in Allstate Dirtman tires. An Edart brake is attached to the rear wheel, but the front is brakeless.

The peanut tank and rear fenders are handmade parts, with subtle aged graphics done by Salim Airbrush. Hiro also added a set of low-rise buckhorn bars, mounted on custom risers, and Beck hand controls.

There’s a generic aftermarket headlight out front, and a BratStyle taillight attached to a side-mounted license plate bracket.

We love the subtle details too—like the spare spark plug holder on the rear end of the frame, with the owner’s company name etched into it. And the sticker on the oil tank that reads “Run by faith, doubt nothing.” [Hiro Motorcycles]

‘Boltie’ by Backyard Customs Inspired by BMX culture and the rise in interest in electric motorcycles, Backyard Customs in Bali decided to create their own battery-powered whip—from scratch. Collaborating with a couple of skilled partners, and employing tech like 3D printing, they produced this adorable beach cruiser.

Boltie uses a 3000W motor packaged into an entirely custom-made frame. The front suspension comes from a small-capacity Honda, but there’s no traditional rear suspension. Instead, the seat’s mounted on a pivot system that uses a pair of small mountain bike shocks to smooth out bumps.

The wheels measure 17” at both ends, and use disc brakes with Nissin calipers. Backyard built the tiniest of fenders too, and kitted the bike with wide BMX-style handlebars. The lighting is LED all-round.

Boltie’s ‘bodywork’ is really clever: with no fuel tank to worry about, the layout includes a generous seat, and an excess of luggage rack space. Peak down between the grid just in front of the seat, and you’ll spot a USB charge port and a battery level indicator.

It’s that blend of funkiness and practicality that makes this design so appealing. And there’s even a detachable surfboard rack, too. Who else wishes this would make it into production? [Backyard Customs]

Honda GL200 by Very David We had to do a double take to realize that this slick chopper is actually based on the modest 2006 Honda GL200 Tiger Revo commuter. And it’s as sharp and appealing as bikes more than twice its size.

The Honda’s single-cylinder motor’s sitting inside a custom hardtail frame, braced by custom mounting plates. It breathes in via a velocity stack now, and out via a stunning exhaust that uses an upside-down fishtail design of sorts.

Very David modified the Honda’s forks to suit the front end, then laced up new wheels with a 21” Excel rim up front, and an 18” DID rim at the back. The tires are a Swallow Sprinter (front), and a sawtooth Fuckstone (back). There’s only one brake on this one too: a Kawasaki KLX150 system at the rear.

It’s the extremely tight proportions that seal the deal here. Very David fabricated the bars, risers, foot controls, peanut tank, rear fender and sissy bar—and they all work in perfect harmony.

A sharp flame job on the tank by Agung Castavo finishes things off nicely, adding a sassy hint of chopper styling. [Very David]

SAIME | With thanks to Putra Agung at Thrive Motorcycle

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[DaveM]

Speed Read, October 17, 2021

We’re pushing the extremes this week: a BMW R18 with air suspension, a land speed project powered by a radial engine, and news of Kawasaki’s all-in move to electric. But if that fare is a little too rich for you, we’ve also got a beautifully understated custom Fazer 600.

Zillers BMW R18 kit If this wild machine looks slightly familiar to you, well spotted. It’s related to the slammed R nineT that’s on the cover of the 2021 Bike EXIF calendar, and was built by the same Russian workshop. That bike obviously got the attention of BMW, because it commissioned Zillers Garage to create a similar machine as part of its global R18 customization program.

Shop boss Dmitry Golubchikov is an AMD Championship winner, and given the level of skill involved here, that’s not surprising. The bike is distributed via NMoto, limited to 13 units worldwide; two have already been built for customers, and another six have been ordered.

“The bike is available both as a complete turnkey or as a kit,” says Nmoto’s Vlad Klepach. “The client can just take their R18 and the kit to a local workshop, and they’ll take care of it. We provide assistance if needed, but there’s no rocket science here—the assembly is not too difficult.”

A certain degree of mechanical ability is undoubtedly required though, because this R18 includes Zillers’ signature air suspension setup. Once that’s out of the way, you’ll need to fit a full complement of carbon fiber bodywork, a new seat, CNC-machined engine covers and forged wheels, a titanium exhaust system, and a custom LED headlight and tail light.

New bars and clamps keep the front end clean, with a speedometer now embedded in the cap of the custom gas tank. You’ll also need to install new brake rotors and lines, and obviously get everything painted or refinished.

It’s a ton of work but the effect is amazing—there is literally nothing else out there like this. If you’re tempted, the time needed for production is around four months and the price for the kit is $44,900. Yes, that’s a lot of money, but it’s also about the same cost as a new Harley-Davidson CVO Limited. [Nmoto]

Kawasaki goes electric The writing has been on the proverbial wall for a long time, but we finally have a major OEM admitting it. Kawasaki has revealed that its entire motorcycle range will be electric or hybrid by 2035, which is only 14 years away.

Nearly all car makers are a long way down this path, and resigned to the imminent demise of petrol and diesel engines. But despite tightening emissions standards applying equally to motorcycles, most two-wheeled brands have been curiously quiet on the matter.

Harley has the LiveWire and BMW has made a big play of electric power lately, but neither have yet committed to converting their mainstream bikes. (Which is probably not surprising, since the enormous V-twins and GS models will not respond well to shock treatment.)

According to a report on the Japanese website Autoby, picked up by Visordown, Kawasaki will have at least ten EV bikes on sale by 2025 and also revealed the work in progress shown here: a hybrid prototype that appears to have a battery system alongside a Ninja-derived 250cc DOHC twin.

Kawasaki is not putting all its eggs into the electric basket though, telling local journalists that it’s also investigating hydrogen power. It has already developed a prototype engine using a high-pressure direct injection system that could later be converted from petrol to hydrogen. Interesting times, indeed. [Autoby]

Yamaha Fazer 600 by Blackout Custom Design Nostalgia is a powerful emotion. And sometimes it’s more than just a yearning for a ‘modern classic’ bike, or a taste for pipewrap and Firestones.

Marcel Galuszka of Blackout Custom Design in the Czech Republic built this Yamaha for a friend, who owned a Fazer 600 about 20 years ago. “Within a few days we found, bought and delivered a 2000 Yamaha Fazer to the workshop,” he says.

After fixing up two decades of wear and tear—and neglect—Marcel transformed the Fazer into a clean, stripped-back roadster.

The original fairing is gone, and wide tracker-style bars provide a comfortable riding position. The appearance is easier on the eye too, with a slimline rear end and seat unit, and a simple frame loop with built-in LED lighting.

The engine was refreshed, the brake system was overhauled and fitted with new discs, and the cooling system was rebuilt too. Anything that was worn or cracked was replaced or carefully repaired.

After stripping down and rebuilding the forks, Marcel relocated the ignition system, installed an Acewell tacho, and replaced the tired exhaust muffler. The paint is now a pearlescent white, providing a stark contrast to the black refinishing elsewhere.

The original Fazer wasn’t a bad looking bike, especially for its time, but this one now has the looks to match its abilities. With a bulletproof engine and just under 100 hp on tap, the Yamaha has always been one of those ‘well sorted’ machines that owners love to hang onto—and we suspect this one will be plying the mountain roads of Moravia for a long time to come. [Via | Blackout Custom Design]

Low Flying Object: Radial Motion’s land speed bike Next March, a small group of enthusiasts will attempt to set a new land speed record on Lake Gairdner in South Australia, using the world’s fastest radial-engined motorcycle. It’s a collaboration between three companies from down under: the workshops Sheppard Motorcycles and Kennedy Motorcycles, and engine developer Radial Motion. The plan is to exceed 200mph (320kmh) on the dry lakebed.

Radial Motion has been developing a compact engine for aviation use over the past three years. It’s inspired by the aircraft engines of the 1930s, with a 120° three-cylinder layout. The engine used for this project will have a capacity of 2100cc, and has already been used in an Outlaw Porsche 356, a VW Beetle and a VW van.

We don’t normally feature unfinished projects, but this one is too good to ignore. The motorcycle will be a full custom build with a bespoke twin spar chromoly tube frame, and an aluminum single-sided swingarm.

Other confirmed parts on the spec sheet include Marzocchi USD forks, race-spec brakes from Brembo, and a close-ratio 6-speed transmission like that of a road race bike.

Monocoque bodywork will allow quick and easy access to all electrical and mechanical components, and create as little turbulence as possible. A streamlined fairing will cover the front and part of the side of the bike for maximum aerodynamic efficiency.

“I wanted to do something more interesting than the standard ‘service and repair’ work that’s the bread and butter of most bike shops,” says Matt Sheppard. “I share a workshop with Kennedy Motorcycles; their director Mat learnt his trade as a fitter machinist while serving in the Australian defence force. We both build custom motorcycles, predominantly road-going specials based on American, European and Japanese machinery.”

With an engine capacity of 2100cc, the land speed bike will fit into engine class 3000, which allows for engines up to three liters. The designation will be ‘3000 APS G,’ with the G denoting that the team uses gasoline or standard pump fuel, as opposed to an alcohol-based fuel.

The current class record for Australia is 132.37 mph and the current world record is 208 mph. Both are within reach, we are told, and even better, a road-legal version of the motorcycle is also being planned…

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[DaveM]

WERKHORSE: BMW R18 by Sapka.

For the past 100 years, BMW has been building motorcycles, and from the very beginning, they’ve been doing it their own unique way. But for all that time, it’s hard to think of a single model from the Bavarian factory that has ever been truly terrible. Bland and a little boring sometimes, yes, but bad, no! The same can’t be said for most other major manufacturers and it’s sadly true that it can...

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[DaveM]

PUNCHING ABOVE ITS WEIGHT: 1007cc Norton Commando.

Norton have recently announced it will be manufacturing bikes again. They’ve had a bumpy ride over the last few years, declaring bankruptcy and then being acquired by the giant Indian bike maker TVS. They now have a new multi-million dollar factory in Solihull, UK, and have hired a team of talented designers in the hope of reviving this legendary marque. Back in their heyday...

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[DaveM]

Daily dose: A Honda Twister street tracker with HRC vibes

If you’re looking for an easygoing and dependable commuter, the Honda CBX250 Twister is a solid option. Known as the CBF250 in Europe, you might think it’s an odd choice for a street tracker wrapped in HRC colors. But not according to Juan Taurel at Low Budget Customs.

The shop with the most approachable name in the biz is based in Palermo, a suburb of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It’s mostly a solo gig, but Juan often pulls in an extra pair of hands for a few days at a time.

Low Budget Customs has dabbled in bigger bikes, but the smaller machines are Juan’s forte. This 2013-model Twister was built for a client with an LBC creation already in his garage; he wanted another, and requested a simple street tracker design. But then Juan suggested injecting some HRC dirt racing style.

“The bike was built for daily use on the streets, with a race bike look,” he explains.

It takes a hefty dose of imagination to see the lines of a street tracker under the CBX250’s skin. To get there, Juan had to massage the Honda’s rolling chassis—radically tweaking its stance in the process.

He lowered the front forks a touch, then fabricated a new anchor point for the rear shock, to adjust its angle. The rear of the frame was lopped off, and a new, shorter subframe built in its place. Since the bike’s destined for street use, Juan kept the stock 17” wheels, and wrapped them in dual-purpose tires from Rinaldi.

Sitting up top is a fiberglass flat track tail unit—designed and manufactured in-house, and finished off with a special MX-style gripper fabric on the seat. The arrangement’s flanked by a pair of hand-made aluminum number boards that hide a custom electronics tray.

Further forward is the fuel tank from a 1980s 125 cc Honda, modified to fit the CBX frame. The tank and seat combo match up perfectly, and go a long way to making the Twister almost unrecognizable.

Juan swapped out all the lighting too, ticking all the boxes to keep the bike street legal. There’s a new LED headlight up front, a slim LED taillight tucked under the tail section, and tiny LED turn signals. (There’s a removable license plate bracket, too.)

The cockpit’s been treated to a new set of anodized handlebars, fresh grips, and a simple analog speedo. The aluminum foot controls are custom items.

LBC didn’t mess with the motor, but they did install a pod filter, and a new stainless steel Powercore 4 exhaust system from Pro Tork. It wasn’t just fit-and-forget though—the carb was tuned to optimize the output of the 250 single.

No points for guessing what the reference for the Twister’s new livery was. It proudly wears a vintage red and blue HRC scheme, trading white for silver. Alejandro Minissale shot the paint job, while Rodrigo Banchero helped elsewhere on the project.

LBC also cleaned up and repainted the motor, finished the frame in red, and added an extra hit of gold by way of a new DID chain.

Cheeky, charming, and reportedly now 22 kilos [about 49 lbs] lighter than before, LBC’s Twister is a master class in single-cylinder street trackers. And it has us asking the perennial question: shouldn’t Honda be making something like this?

Low Budget Motorcycles

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[DaveM]

WELL-BRED SLED: Kawasaki W650 by DDM.

Take yourself back to the 1960s, the TV is tuned in to the BBC, Murray Walker is in the commentary box hyped up and ready to go, and the engines rev on the start line. No, they’re not about to start the F1 at Silverstone, this was how Scrambles racing was broadcast to the world. It’s almost impossible to imagine such coverage these days, but all has certainly not been lost as the inspiration of...

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[DaveM]

The right kind of hybrid: A genre-bending Triumph Bobber

There’s an increasing trend of genre-hopping happening in the custom scene at the moment. Ten years ago, you’d occasionally see Sportsters turned into dirt bikes, or roadsters into scramblers. Nowadays, anything is fair game—like this Triumph Bobber with a strong café racer flavor.

It comes from Grzegorz Korczak of Poland, who has a reputation for unusual builds: in recent months, his Wroclaw-based workshop Unikat Motorworks has revealed a radical Yamaha TMAX scooter and a ten-speed Honda CB900C.

“When Triumph launched the Bobber in 2016, I immediately printed out a side view,” says Grzegorz, “and sketched out a floating/hanging cafe seat and long exhaust pipes.”

“It was a ‘love at first sight’ situation. And ever since, I’ve waited for a client to order such a project, but nobody was able to imagine it. So I asked Triumph Poland for a deal on a Bobber. Our job is to build our clients’ dreams, but we’ve got to build our own as well, from time to time.”

When the Triumph Bobber arrived in his workshop, Grzegorz anticpated an “easy and fast build.” But that soon proved to be a tad optimistic, especially since he wasn’t prepared to compromise his vision or choose half-assed solutions.

Even something as simple as changing the wheel sizes caused problems: “It’s not that easy with modern bikes, as every model has changes in the hub designs, number of spokes, offsets and more. Finally, some friends in Italy made the wheels for us—with 18-inch rims, as retro cafe racers should have.”

The rims are Excel Takasago aluminum alloy items, fitted with a BARTubless system—a polymer rubber band that seals the rim to make it airtight. The tires are Pirelli Angel GT, a high performance sport touring compound.

To get even more of a café vibe, Grzegorz has replaced the usual tractor-style bobber seat with a ‘floating’ humped seat unit. There’s a custom hidden subframe underneath, and the upholstery is classic black leather with red stitching.

It’s an extremely minimalist effect that would be ruined by large lights, so Grzegorz has fitted EU approved Highsider 3-in-1 LEDs, which have both stoplight and blinker functions. (Off to the side, lower down, is an equally discreet license plate holder with a mini LED light.)

“I wanted this bike be to be clean as possible, so took a lot of time to mount the lights in a smart place,” says Grzegorz. “It’s hard to combine design and function and make it road legal.”

The engine in the Bobber is a pearler in stock form: an 8-valve, SOHC parallel twin with a hefty 78 lb-ft of torque, and a pleasing rumble thanks to the 270° crank angle.

Unfortunately the factory exhaust system is pretty hefty too, with a long and fat muffler running from the primary cover to almost the rear axle. So Grzegorz has cut off the muffler, and extended the header pipes in a straight line, right back to the rearmost edge of the tire. Yes, it’ll be loud—but hopefully not MotoGP loud.

On the intake side, the airbox is now gone and replaced by K&N filters for a classic look.

The standard Bobber foot controls are much further forward than any other Bonneville variant. So Unikat have fabricated custom rearsets bolted onto the frame under the seat, rather than under the tank, to avoid trips to the chiropractor.

At the other end of the rider triangle are custom-made clip-ons with Motogadget bar-end blinkers and custom-stitched leather grips. Under those grips are compact mirrors mounted on custom struts; the brake and clutch levers are from the Polish company Womet-Tech.

The speedo and headlight have been lowered to give the front end a tighter look, with extra cleanliness coming from a cable tidy-up. In-house fabrication includes fork covers, alongside a neat front fender to match the curvature of the new wheel.

There are too many other smaller details to mention here, but the 130 man-hours of labor also encompassed blacking out some of the shinier components on the stock bike, CNC-milling and anodizing a custom gas cap, and installing a blacked-out drive chain. This is one of those bikes that will bear close inspection.

It’s also one of only two bikes that Unikat will build this year that are not client commissions, and Grzegorz is justifiably proud of it. “It’s the purest modern cafe racer we have built,” he says. If you share his enthusiasm, hit him up and you might just be able to put it in your own garage.

Unikat Motorworks | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Grzegorz Korczak

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