Custom Motorcycle Builds

[DaveM]

Trick: A BMX-style SYM from Hide Work Custom

Growing up, I had a special bond with my BMX. It was my ticket to autonomy, freedom, and independence, and my 20-inch represented a distilled version of everything I later came to love about motorbikes as an ‘adult.’

But no matter how old I get or what I have in my garage, there’s a part of me that always harkens back to that desire for bar-spins and bunny-hops. And apparently I’m not alone in this. This new build from Hide Work Custom of Taiwan is a BMX-inspired custom, and aims to recapture the pedal-powered magic from a client’s childhood.

HWC was founded in 2016 by Huang Wen Chi, better known simply by ‘Achi.’ After a 15-year career as a lathe and mill operator and a lifelong idée fixe for two-wheelers, Achi set up shop in Taoyuan City in Northwestern Taiwan, and started constructing one-off bikes.

“This project was commissioned by a client that’s a street wear and skateboarding enthusiast who had an idea for a BMX-themed build that was as stripped down and simple as possible,” we’re told.

With a limited budget, HWC wanted to find an inexpensive donor with cheap and readily available parts, so they opted for a used Chin Wang 100; a popular 100cc moped made by local manufacturer Sanyang Motor Co. Ltd, better known simply by ‘SYM.’

The Chin Wang’s lineage can be traced back to Honda’s legendary Super Cub. In 1962 Sanyang entered into a partnership with Honda to assemble the Japanese marque’s two-wheelers at SYM’s plant in Taiwan. After Honda terminated the long-standing deal in 2002, SYM went on producing models using Honda’s basic blueprints.

To bring out the quadrilateral shape of a traditional 20-inch BMX frame, HWC sourced a second Chin Wang chassis from the 90cc variant.

A thin steel tube was grafted into place, now serving as the bicycle-style frame’s top-tube. The CW90’s neck and part of its downtube were also fused onto the primary donor in order to accommodate a modified telescopic front-end off of a Kymco KTR 150.

The moped’s stock swing-arm has been replaced with a longer, modified 380mm tubular unit also plucked from a KTR 150, and paired with a set of aftermarket shocks.

The SYM’s 17-inch wheels and front disc brake came from the Kymco as well. The knobby tires are more MX than BMX, but the look corresponds well with the rest of the bicycle-flavored build. A 30oz Yazawa reserve fuel bottle also hangs from the frame’s new top tube.

The main pressed-steel portion of the frame was stripped, detabbed, and then given new horizontal ribs for a little extra style. Fixed to the top of the reworked frame is a one-off flat seat-pan capped off with a custom saddle with a white diamond stitch pattern. The majority of the steel frame’s integrated rear fender was also lopped off, giving it a more modern aesthetic.

“It’s much longer and higher than original Chin Wang 100,” Achi says of the custom.

With the handlebars playing such a crucial role in capturing the overall appearance of a BMX, HWC perused a host of off-the-shelf options before eventually deciding the best choice was to fabricate their own.

The one-off SYM now features a classic two-piece BMX handlebar, sporting a single lever on the righthand side and no instrumentation of any kind. Controls on the custom bars are discreet, limited to the bare road-going essentials (turn signals, horn) with just two micro-switchgear buttons on the left side.

Beneath the seat is a set of custom aluminum side panels, with the left-side cover now housing the bike’s high/low-beam switch and starter button. On the opposite side of the build, a beautiful custom steel single-pipe exhaust winds its way over the engine before running horizontally towards the tail.

A variety of finishing touches further solidifies the BMX vibe. The handlebars are wrapped in ODI grips featuring Vans’ famous waffle sole tread pattern, the kickstarter lever now fittingly sports a bicycle-style pedal, and the original rubber foot-pegs have been swapped out for MX pegs.

For the non-BMX elements such as the lighting, Achi tried to be as subtle as possible. For the headlight, the shop went with a 4.5” round unit from Bates, which also supplied the offset mini taillight.

The indicators are even more low-key: Motogadget Pins, some of the smallest and brightest signals on the market. The bulk of the build’s wiring has been hidden away in the side panels, while the battery is squeezed in under the saddle.

After seeing the Supreme Edition Coleman mini bike, the customer knew they wanted a clean paint scheme comprised of two contrasting colors. So the chassis was coated in a mustard yellow, while the swing-arm, shocks, triple tree, handlebars, risers, pedals, lever, and rims were painted a gloss black.

Rather than modifying the engine for improved performance, HWC instead focused on trimming the fat. In total, Achi and the gang were able to knock more than 11 lbs (5 kg) off of the stock donor’s weight.

With its two-piece bars and diamond frame, HWC’s latest two-wheeler just screams ‘BMX.’ And despite the Frankenbike-nature of the project, it possesses a remarkably clean and finished overall appearance. With builds like this, it’s no wonder that South East Asia is quickly becoming a global hot spot in today’s custom scene.

Hide Work Custom | Facebook

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[DaveM]

Shine On: The AMD-Winning custom Harley Softail Deuce

What does it take to rack up two wins and four podiums, in the Modified Harley-Davidson class at the AMD World Championships? Whatever it is, the German builder Julian von Oheimb has got it in spades.

Julian operates as One Way Machine out of his workshop in Staufenberg, north of Frankfurt. And this is the machine that bagged him his second gold. Called ‘Silver Storm,’ it’s a custom Softail Deuce built with the sole purpose of competing at AMD.

The search for an AMD win started with a search for a suitable donor. Julian managed to find an extremely clean 2001 Softail Deuce FXSTD in a backyard garage, with roughly 2,000 miles on the clock. Bingo.

The Softail went onto the One Way Machine bench, and was promptly stripped down to its bare bones. Julian worked his way through the frame and swing arm—cleaning them up and shaving off any tabs, struts and mounts that didn’t need to be there any more.

To massage the Softail’s stance, Julian installed an Arlen Ness lowering kit at the rear. He kept the OEM front forks, but swapped the yokes for a set of Harley Sportster Forty-Eight units.

A new 21F/18R wheel set was laced up using H-D hubs, W&W rims and TTS spokes, with a vintage Firestone tire up front, and a new Shinko out back. Other tweaks include a full Beringer brake set, and a One Way Machine chain drive conversion.

Moving to the 1450cc Twin Cam motor, Julian treated the primary cover to an extremely cool cutaway mod. Then he added a set of RSD covers, complete with windows that show off all the working bits.

A new Paugho air cleaner went on too, with a custom ignition coil cover adorning the opposite side of the engine. The two-into-one stainless steel exhaust system is a one-off, and terminates in a sportbike muffler that Julian sourced specifically for the project.

The bodywork’s a mixed bag of new and old. While rummaging through his storage, Julian found a 1950s Hercules fuel tank that suited the concept he had in his head perfectly. So he cleaned it up, and modified it to fit the bike by hand-shaping a new tunnel and fabricating new tank mounts.

He added a new filler mouth too, finishing it off with a hood ornament-style cap that he procured from a Polish metal sculptor. And he fitted custom-made ‘OWM’ badges to the sides.

Spirit Leather supplied the seat, custom made to Julian’s design. It features subtle blue contrast stitching, and an ‘OWM’ logo under the back section. It’s also lined with a set of holes—a design that Julian’s echoed on other pieces, like the custom made battery cover and modified oil tank.

The rear fender’s an edited aftermarket unit. It’s held up by an elaborate, yet elegant, single-sided bracket system that’s been built from scratch.

The Softail Deuce now wears a set of LSL handlebars, with grips and foot pegs from Rough Crafts and controls from Beringer. There’s also a small, vintage-style headlight up front, and a neat analog speedo from Motogadget nestled where the stock top bar riser has been cut away.

There are a whole lot of smaller hand-made parts too, but they’re hard to spot. Take a closer look at the side stand, the fuel tap and those little wheel axle finishing bits. Flawless, all of them.

But where Silver Storm really shines, is in her finishes. The bodywork hasn’t been polished, but rather painted in a special mirror chrome paint. There’s grey paint on the frame, and a mix of matte and polished bits throughout the build. Add it all up, and you end with a monochromatic vision that your eyes can get lost in.

It’s clear that Julian pulled no punches here, going all-in to deliver a stunning contender. He’s told us as much, confessing that he’s probably poured more time and money into this custom Softail than any of his older builds.

It’s little wonder that he took home the crown again.

One Way Machine | Facebook | Images by Clave Rodriguez

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[DaveM]

A 21st century update for the classic BMW R90/6

Custom motorcycles are often criticized for putting aesthetics over functionality. But performance is still at the top of the list for builders like Analog Motorcycles, who have just completed this ride-focused BMW R90/6.

The Chicago-based shop excels at making bikes look good and equipping them with all the right upgrades. So when their friends over at Motoworks Chicago had a client looking for a custom boxer, Analog got the call.

“Colin, the client, is a BMW fan,” says Analog’s Tony Prust. “He owns about five airheads, and Motoworks does a lot of his servicing. Colin mentioned that he wanted a heavily modified custom, so Motoworks said, ‘You should call Tony at Analog Motorcycles.’”

Analog have their own distinct style, and Tony’s pretty adamant about retaining most of the creative control on their builds. But Colin came into the project with a set idea of what he wanted, and was only prepared to give Analog carte blanche up to a point…

“So we dug further into what he was after,” says Tony, “and I have to say, I didn’t need to alter any of Colin’s ideas. He wanted a fast, heavily customized BMW that to most people would not look that custom—but to a BMW enthusiast, would check all the ‘I want to do that to my bike’ boxes.”

Analog started with a very clean 1976 BMW R90/6. (So clean, in fact, that they took off all the bodywork and stored it away, just in case they ever needed to restore another BMW.) With the bike stripped, the motor went off to Motoworks for a refresh.

No expense was spared. The R90 engine was treated to a 1,000 cc Siebenrock kit, a lightened flywheel, a Boyer Bransden electronic ignition and a deeper oil pan. The carbs were swapped for Mikuni units, and the air box was drilled and kitted with a K&N filter.

The motor was painstakingly restored on the outside too, and now wears black split valve covers. Analog also fitted a pair of their own catalog mufflers, produced by Cone Engineering.

Analog have a proprietary subframe that they manufacture in-house for all of their vintage boxer builds, so naturally they bolted one of those up. Colin had also purchased Öhlins rear shocks, so those went on too.

The front end was upgraded with a pair of BMW /7-model forks, so that the bike could run twin front disc brakes.

A set of Race Tech Gold Valve emulators went into the forks too, and the brakes were upgraded with EBC rotors. Analog also added an aftermarket fork brace, trimmed the front fender, and braced the swing arm.

The wheels were rebuilt with new spokes from Buchanan’s, and the rims and hubs powder coated black. While the guys were at it, they also added some machined detailing to the rear hub, based off a reference that Colin sent.

With the chassis and stance sorted, Analog turned their attention to the bodywork. An original /6 tank was matched up to a plush and roomy seat upholstered by Dane Utech. A new battery box and rear fender were fabricated, along with a pair of headlight ears that mimic the OEM units, but with a sleeker effect.

The whole bike was rewired around a Motogadget m.unit control box, with an EarthX lithium battery. Other ‘Motogadgetry’ includes the switches, bar-end turn signals and mirrors—all parts that Analog use frequently, and sell in their online store.

Tony tapped into his own Analog Motor Goods catalog for most of the finishing kit. That includes new rider and passenger foot pegs and mounts, the top triple clamp, bar risers, tank badges and rear lighting kit. His crew also installed Renthal bars, Magura controls, and a Daytona speedo that’s been sunk into the headlight bucket.

Artistimo handled the classic piano black paint job, but the detailing on this airhead goes beyond just the iconic pin stripes. Tony figured that the detail applied to the rear hub should carry throughout the build—so bits like the fins on the valve and sump covers were machined back.

“It was a very challenging detail to do right,” Tony reveals. “All the parts are cast, and getting the details to look uniform took an insane amount of hard work. The end result is pretty great—we were going to go with a classic white pin stripe on black, but decided to change to a very subtle silver to help tie it all together.”

We especially love the sneaky touches hidden all over—like the custom machined Analog logo that covers the old choke lever mount.

“The majority of those ideas were things we had done in the past, or Colin wanted on the BMW,” says Tony. “Put all of them together and the result is a quick, very classic, very custom and very modern version of an R90/6.”

Colin is reportedly over the moon with his new Beemer, and let Tony borrow it for a 780-mile tour run by Cycle World magazine.

Three other builders were invited to submit bikes, and there was a People’s Choice award at each stopover—with an overall winner picked at the end.

Analog’s BMW took top honors. Why are we not surprised?

Analog Motorcycles | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Grant Schwingle

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[CarlS]

Nice looking BMW!

 

[DaveM]

Road Tested: the Icon 1000 Nightbreed collection

Portland-based Icon Motorsports traditionally makes in-your-face riding gear with a strong street hooligan vibe. But their Icon 1000 label walks a slightly different path. That apparel is much stealthier, riding the line between casual and aggressive—but always functional.

For this review, I’ve put some miles into Icon 1000’s big value Nightbreed range: a jacket, pants and gloves.

Icon 1000 Nightbreed jacket ($215) Styled very much like a technical softshell jacket, the Nightbreed is the stealthiest moto jacket in my closet. But it doesn’t just look casual—it feels casual too. Icon have used a stretch nylon for the chassis, which not only makes the Nightbreed really comfy to wear, but also makes it extremely flexible when you’re on the bike.

Even though it’s a light fabric, Icon claim that the stretch nylon is abrasion resistant—but they’ve also used a tougher, non-stretch nylon in key impact areas. Plus there’s removable D30 armor at the shoulders, elbows and back too.

Despite the added protection, the overall aesthetic is minimalistic and muted. Icon 1000’s branding is barely noticeable, and the only visible zips are the main closure, two hand warmer pockets and two zips on the chest. Those chest zips are actually vents, and there are sneaky two-way zippers at the ends of the sleeves that add extra adjustable ventilation. They work fairly well on hotter days—but a simple vent across the back would be a nice addition.

All the zips are tough YKK items, and most of them have spring-loaded pull tabs that snap back into place when you’re done using them. The chest zips even have little rubber pockets to tuck into, and they’re reflective (as is the Icon 1000 logo on the back). And there’s a handy little Napoleon pocket inside, complete with something Icon add to all their jackets: a small St Christopher medallion.

Icon were clearly out to make the most lightweight riding jacket they could. Other than a simple mesh liner, there are no extra liners inside, so it’s best suited to spring and summer riding. You could always layer up though, which is a cinch thanks to to the Nightbreed’s roomy fit.

I spent some time at Icon HQ recently, and their product development team told me they’d spent a considerable amount of time improving the fit of their entire range of apparel. And it shows on the Nightbreed jacket. The cut is relaxed without being overly baggy, with pre-curved sleeves and a drop tail design at the back to protect your modesty (and the eyes of the riders behind you).

I went according to Icon’s size chart and picked an XXL (which is what I wear in most tops), and it fit great right out the box. The sleeves feel long off the bike, but once you’re in riding position and they pull back slightly, they’re dead on with zero gap between cuff and glove. I have one gripe: the elbow armor sits a bit low rather than being dead center on my elbows.

The Nightbreed’s triple threat of comfort, style and protection has made it one of my favorite pieces of gear. And the fact that I can get off the bike and not look like a squid, is a bonus too. [More]

Icon 1000 Nightbreed pant ($185) Just like its upper body counterpart, the Icon 1000 Nightbreed pant hits the sweet spot for comfort and protection, all in a very understated package. It uses the same stretch nylon material throughout—but without the additional, tougher sections that the jacket has (a feature I would have liked).

I ordered the same pant size I would for a pair of Levis, and the fit was once again perfect right away. The pant fastens up with a traditional button and zippered fly, but there are no belt loops. Instead, Icon have designed a pair of waist adjusters that each use an elastic, metal hook and small fabric loops to fine tune fit. It’s a clever system that works really well.

There’s removable D30 armor at the hips and knees, with the knee slots accessible via external zippers (so you can ditch the pads without stripping down, if the situation calls for it). Just like the jacket’s elbow armor, the pant’s knee armor sits a bit low on my legs—but this might not be the case for all riders and sizes.

A few thoughtful touches round out the Nightbreed pant. The pockets are zippered, which is great for keeping your stuff secure, and the actual zipper sides are reflective. Lower down, Icon have added fairly sizable heat shield panels to the insides of the legs. (I ran those right up against the a high-mounted scrambler exhaust, and they work well.)

The Nightbreed pant’s fit is relaxed with a straight leg cut, but it doesn’t feel oversized or baggy. Zippers at the leg bottoms help get them over a range of boot shapes and sizes—even my bulky old adventure boots—but the fabric’s lightweight enough that you can tuck them in too, if that’s your thing.

My personal taste leans towards pants with tapered legs, so I would have liked a small press stud or strap to cinch the bottoms down. But that’s just me, and I can’t say that these flap around or get in the way at all.

Riding pants that are bulky and restrict movement are a deal breaker for me. But the Nightbreed’s stretch chassis, slightly raised back section and overall fit make it exceptionally flexible and accommodating. It might not be as casual as a pair of jeans off the bike, but it feels awesome on it. [More]

Icon 1000 Nightbreed glove ($45) The Nightbreed glove sticks to the same covert styling as the rest of the set, with an extra hit of tan on the palm.

It’s made from a synthetic fabric called AX Suede that feels supple and worn-in right away. It’s a thin fabric that initially had me worried about durability, but has held up okay so far—and the company that makes it claims a high level of abrasion resistance.

The Nightbreed’s a short cuff design, with a hook and loop tab to cinch it down. (It’s also lightweight enough to classify this squarely as a warm weather glove.) Neoprene panels on the back and fingers add extra mobility, and embossed logos keep things subtle.

There’s some extra material on the palm too, but it’s light enough not to get bunched up on the bars. The thumb and forefinger tips are touchscreen compatible; I’ve tested them, and they’re really effective.

D30 pads on the knuckles add a measure of impact protection. D30’s malleability makes it a neat way to add protection without bulk, but I would have preferred it if the pads were a little bigger. Right now they sit a little forward on my knuckles when my fist is clenched; more surface area would equal more coverage.

As with the rest of the Nightbreed collection, light weight, comfort and style top the list. And at $45, impossible not to recommend. [More]

Images by Devin Paisley

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[DaveM]

Volte Face: Walt Siegl goes electric

Walt Siegl builds dream machines. They’re analog fantasies on two wheels: limited edition European thoroughbreds packed with unobtanium components and clothed with impossibly beautiful bodywork. Bucket list material for the discerning petrolhead.

But Walt has just done a 180-degree spin, and turned his attention away from the bellowing Italian twins and triples that have made him famous. He’s formed a partnership with industrial designer Mike Mayberry to explore the potential of electric motorcycles.

Walt believes that electric bikes are the gateway drug to get younger folks onto two wheels. “I think that electric bikes have a strong future,” he says. “Young people embrace the romance and fun of traveling on two wheels. Newcomers don’t have the reference to combustion engines, so they won’t miss them.”

And for Walt, electric power distills the riding experience. “There is no sound other than the wind. It’s the next best thing to flying. I feel like I enjoy riding even more, because it happens in silence.”

Mike Mayberry is another fan of magnetic fields and electric currents. If his name sounds familiar, it’s probably because he’s the co-founder of Ronin Motorworks—and the man behind the striking Ronin 47 bikes.

All 47 of those Buell 1125-based machines have now been built, and the workshop and design studio have closed. So the time was right for Mike to hook up with Walt and explore new avenues in motorcycling.

“We have similar philosophies on what makes design approachable and appealing,” says Mike. “Design is not a styling exercise: it’s a journey in problem solving.”

He’s a man of eclectic tastes and few preconceptions. Like this writer, he has a Husqvarna Vitpilen in his garage—alongside a BMW R 1200 GS, a Cake KALK electric moto, and his most cherished possession of all, a Walt Siegl Leggero.

In total, Mike has four electric motorcycles that he rides regularly, “and maybe another eight or ten electric bicycles. They’re all different, and all a blast in their own way.”

Mike’s enthusiasm for electric power has rubbed off on Walt. And they share a design philosophy too. “Really good design is just as fresh and relevant 50 years after its creation as it was on day one,” says Mike. “Walt and I both feel strongly about this, and that’s a big part of why we are working together.”

It’s an exciting prospect, and to be honest, probably the kind of kickstart the electric motorcycle industry needs. Zero is the highest-profile manufacturer in the USA, but even so, its annual sales are a drop in the proverbial ocean. Harley probably sells more Street Glides alone in one month.

Why is this? Especially when electric car sales are going through the roof around the world? We’re betting it’s because most cars are utility purchases—a means to get from A to B. Whereas motorcycles are ‘enthusiast’ purchases, and most riders place more value on the traditional, visceral pleasures of speed and noise.

“I think all of us dyed-in-the-wool motorcycle riders should at least try an electric bike, to form an opinion,” says Walt. “I’m fully aware that electric-powered technology is not the final answer to our planet’s pollution problems, but I see it at least as a step in the right direction.”

Walt and Mike decided to amp up the sex appeal of electric power, and to our eyes, they’ve succeeded. ‘PACT’ is edgy—in all senses of the word—and doesn’t attempt to smother its drivetrain with trad ICE bike styling cues.

“Without disparaging other brands, I’ll just say there aren’t currently any bikes that speak to us, or make us want to own them,” says Mike. “This is a big deal to us…Walt and I both wanted that ‘connection’ with an electric motorcycle.”

We wondered if PACT was an acronym, but it’s not. It’s a little deeper than that. “It stands for friendship, agreement with all elements of the project, and a commitment to new, green technology,” says Walt. The bike shown here is the first production build; the prototype is in the Petersen Automotive Museum in LA.

The core of the bike is the Alta Redshift drivetrain, which delivers a near-instant 50 horsepower. The liquid-cooled motor spins to 14,000 rpm, weighs a mere 15 pounds, and sucks juice from a 5.8 kWh li-ion battery that can recharge in three hours from a standard 120v socket.

“I cannot say enough good things about the Redshift components,” Walt enthuses. “The guys at Alta didn’t cut any corners anywhere, and attention to detail is apparent everywhere. That was the reason we picked the Redshift as the donor bike.”

Walt and Mike have designed a new frame to cradle this motor, using street bike geometries. (Walt’s righthand man, Aran Johnson, is an expert flat track racer and his help was invaluable here.) They built a jig before constructing the frame, and used 00.65 wall chromoly tubing. It’s a traditional approach, but the critical brackets use cutting edge techniques: they were first 3D printed, put in place to ensure correct alignment, and then CNC’d in steel.

When it came to the bodywork, Walt reached into his store of paper and cardboard, to understand dimensions and size better. “Dimensions in computer modeling can be misleading,” he notes.

The prototype bike was built with woven carbon fiber sheets, but Walt and Mike have used ‘forged’ carbon fiber for this machine. “I used this process few years back on the David Yurman MV,” Walt explains.

“The parts are made using compression molds, so tooling costs are significantly higher—but the result is even stronger than woven carbon fiber, and looks killer. As far as I know, WSM is the only motorcycle company that uses forged carbon on semi-production level.”

The subframe is also carbon fiber, and includes a storage compartment for things like the charger cable. “The weight of the subframe is three pounds,” Walt reveals. “The bodywork weighs five pounds. The whole machine comes in at 251 pounds [114 kg].”

That’s Honda CRF450R territory, and pretty impressive for a machine with a battery pack.

Mike designed a new swingarm that’s shorter than the Alta unit, and to accommodate the Alta’s weight reduction, Walt has fitted new springs in the forks. He’s also lowered and re-shimmed the rear shock, and machined up a new aluminum linkage. The triple trees are new, too.

Firestones simply wouldn’t cut it on PACT. “We wanted to run high performance tires and light wheels, so we developed our own rims,” says Walt. (As if it was as simple as welding up a battery box.) The new rims were modeled in 3D and then CNC machined.

Despite the multiple angles on this machine, it hangs together incredibly well. You just know that Walt and Mike sweated every millimeter of the build, and there’s no hint of committee decision-making compromise.

“There can be synergy if the combination is right,” says Mike. “We lucked out, I suppose. We happen to complement and challenge each other.”

Walt describes PACT as a ‘very personal’ project, geared towards his and Mike’s tastes. But the plan is now to build six more machines, available to order through WSM.

If that’s sparked your interest, drop Walt a line.

Walt Siegl | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Gregory George Moore

Adapted from an article written by Chris Hunter for Iron & Air issue #36.

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[CarlS]

An electric bike just does not spark my interest.

 

[DaveM]

Birthday bobber: A Kawasaki W650 from 2LOUD Custom

What does the guy that has everything buy himself for his birthday? For one enthusiast, the answer is something he’s wanted since his youth; a really cool motorcycle. And Taiwanese shop 2LOUD Custom has delivered just that, in the form of this bobber-style Kawasaki W650.

“It’s an interesting story,” says shop owner Ma ‘Max’ Yicheng. “The owner devoted most of his time to his career—then thought maybe it’s time to fulfill the dream he had when he was young. Even though he’s owned supercars, he still wants to feel the freedom and passion of two wheels.”

For Max and his partner, Lu Yongyu, this type of project is what custom bike building is all about. “2LOUD is a shop that’s happy to realize dreams,” Max explains. “That’s why we founded the shop.”

Their client had no pre-conceived style in mind for the build. His only requirements were to make it “cool enough,” and have it done in time for his birthday. So Max and Lu were free to get loose.

“Every time we created and completed a new part, the owner would come to take a look with excitement,” says Max. “This would encourage us to create more unique parts for him.”

2LOUD started with a 2006 W650, then proceeded to change almost everything. Not even the motor is stock any more—there’s an 803 cc kit from POSH Japan inside, and it’s been polished on the outside. The guys also added a pair of Keihin FCR37 carbs with K&N filters.

The chassis has been overhauled too. 2LOUD have de-tabbed it in some places and completely reworked it in others, adding neat details everywhere and finishing it off in high temperature metallic paint.

Then they fabricated a new stainless steel swing arm, along with a set of custom struts for the rear drum brake.

The front forks were restored, shortened and polished, and the rear shocks swapped for a pair of Öhlins. The Kawasaki still rolls on 19F/18R wheels, but they’ve been re-laced with stainless spokes and shod with Shinko rubber.

Gone is the Kawasaki’s front disc brake, though. 2LOUD laced the front wheel to a Yamaha SR400 drum brake hub, using the stock caliper mounts to anchor it. They’ve also machining holes into it, to show the inner workings.

Up top there’s a full set of bobber bodywork—from the peanut tank, right through to the leather seat and stubby rear fender. The tank’s interrupted center rib is a sweet touch, as is the integrated Motogadget speedo.

It’s finished off in an equally stunning livery. 2LOUD opted for a two-tone silver and blue design, separated by a flowing gold foil stripe, masterfully executed by Line & Circle.

Up front, Max and Lu treated the cockpit to a supreme cleanup. The triple clamp is a one-off CNC-machined item, and the handlebars are custom, fabricated from stainless steel. All the controls have been stripped back to basics with just a basic switch box, and all the wires now run inside the bars.

2LOUD then rewired the entire bike around a Motogadget m.unit, leaving very little cabling in sight. Even the battery is stealth; it’s a Shorai Lithium-ion unit, and it’s hiding in a hand-made box near the swing arm pivot.

Max wasn’t kidding when he said they just kept adding custom details to this W. Check out the front fork brace, or the stainless steel chain guard. Even the foot pegs are custom—and they house a pair of LED turn signals too.

And then there’s that custom exhaust system, with twin headers that snake through the frame, and kick out either side of the rear wheel with a pair of cone mufflers.

As if that wasn’t enough, 2LOUD capped the Kawasaki off with one final personal touch. They gave the key to metal sculptors Metalize Productions, who made a silver and brass cap in the shape of the original ‘W’ tank badges. (The ‘3’ relates to the owner’s nickname).

It’s a stunning bobber in the typical Asian style that took countless hours to finesse. And after seeing 2LOUD’s recent Honda CB1100 and now this, we reckon Max and Lu are on a clear winning streak. We’ll put our envy aside, and wish the Kawasaki’s new owner a very happy birthday!

2LOUD Facebook | Instagram | Images by Double Photography

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[DaveM]

Impetus: A Moto Guzzi Griso from Officine Rossopuro

Moto Guzzi have produced some truly iconic motorcycles over the years, but they’ve also made some serious design missteps. We reckon the Griso lurks somewhere in the middle.

It’s by no means ugly: in fact, it’s borderline elegant. And with 108 hp and 108 Nm from its 1,151 cc motor, it packs a wallop too. But take a step back, and it looks a little too lumpy to get the same attention as stable mates like the Le Mans or V7.

Still, those that own them clearly love them. Because when the long-time owner of this particular 2009-model Griso started thinking it was time to move on, he talked himself out of it, and brought the bike to Officine Rossopuro for a makeover instead.

Smart move. Officine Rossopuro frontman Filippo Barbacane has customized all sorts of Moto Guzzis in all sorts of styles. In other words, he’s the guy to go to in Italy.

Filippo can really go to town on a build—but here, he was reined in by a budget, and a mandate to keep the bones of the bike stock.

“The challenge was to create a bike that is very different from the Griso, but without making irreversible or radical changes to the frame,” he tells us. “So the major study was to make a bodywork more streamlined, simple and close to the frame.”

That’s not to say it was a quick and easy job. Most of Filippo’s mods were around the Griso’s bodywork—but the more he changed, the more electrical components he exposed. So in the end, a lot of bits had to be relocated, and a lot of wiring redone.

For the actual redesign, Filippo started with the Griso’s chunky tail section. “Despite the Griso having a very nice body, I wanted to make it look a lot more minimalist,” he explains. “Especially the saddle—which has always seemed too big for a bike that is, after all, sporty and naked.”

So Filippo shaped up a new seat that’s shorter, slimmer and sleeker than the OEM unit. He took care to integrate it with the fuel tank panel up front, and even set it up to work with the original key-operated release.

“I always try to keep the use of the bike practical,” he tells us, “as my customers use their bikes. They are not just ornaments to be observed.”

Without being able to cut the subframe, Filippo decided to show it off instead. So he hand-shaped several aluminum panels to sit between the frame tubes, rather than cover them. “I think this is a beautiful component of this bike,” he says, “that has been undervalued by covering it completely.”

There’s an LED taillight embedded in the back panel, and a pair of skinny LED turn signals flanking it. Filippo moved the license plate to a new bracket lower down, mounted off the Griso’s single sided swing arm. He tells us the reasoning was twofold: keep the tail section clean, and show off more of that 180-section rear tire.

Next, Filippo ditched the Griso’s chunky side panels—the ones that sit just below the tank. In their place, he shaped up a set of aluminum panels, complete with mesh-lined vents to direct air to the area under the tank (which is where the alternator and coils live). A pair of triangular side panels below the seat rounds out the bodywork.

The rest of the project was a series of subtle tweaks—many of them as much to do with practicality as aesthetics. Filippo installed LSL handlebars, held in place by a set of custom risers. Further down, he installed a set of sleek heel guards from his own Officine Rossopuro catalog of Moto Guzzi parts.

The headlight was switched out for an oval unit that sits tighter to the forks, and then the stock clocks were relocated to complement it. Rounding out the parts list are a lightweight titanium silencer from Quot-D, and a set of grippy Metzeler Roadtec tires.
”Now the bike is driving very well,” Filippo tells us. ‘The riding position is more forward, the weight is reduced, and the narrower saddle allows for faster movements and makes you more embedded in the bike.”

Nicknamed ‘Impetus,’ this Griso sure isn’t as extremely modified as some of Filippo’s previous builds. But it is a slick take on the chunky sports naked, complete with a deep red and silver paint job that looks factory perfect.

We’re predicting a good many years before its owner considers selling it again…if ever.

Officine Rossopuro | Facebook | Instagram

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[CarlS]

Good looking Guzzi.

 

[DaveM]

White Hot: Upcycle hot rods the Yamaha XS1100

We don’t see many Yamaha XS1100s around these days, which is a shame—it was an absolute beast of a machine. It was often called the ‘XS 11,’ because it could run the quarter-mile in under 12 seconds, but its extended wheelbase made it more of a tourer than a sportbike.

The unusually long air-cooled engine pumped out 95 hp, and although the handling was widely regarded as terrible, the XS1100 still made it into Cycle World magazine’s Ten Best Bikes of 1978 list.

Johnny Nguyen of Upcycle has a soft spot for the XS1100, and he’s made this 1980-spec Craigslist find the basis for his newest build. “I chose it because my first bike was a Yamaha,” he tells us. “And I like the idea of a classic liter bike.”

Unlike most builders, Johnny builds bikes to suit his own taste, and then sells them. “None of my projects are client-based,” he reveals. “I just build what my heart wants—I like the freedom!”

Despite being almost 40 years old, the XS1100 was in pretty decent shape when Johnny started. “The engine ran very well before take down,” he recalls. “So I just inspected the valves and did a full gasket change while I was in there.”

The entire engine was then chemical washed and soda blasted, and Johnny replaced the rear cases with a tight mesh.

The four Mikuni carburetors were completely stripped too, dunked in chemical wash and re-jetted, synced and tuned to match the new red velocity stacks and the 4-into-1 chrome megaphone exhaust system from Mac.

This machine is likely to have no problem matching the 136 mph (218 kph) top speed of the original factory bikes.

Now it was time to add a hot rod-meets-boulevard cruiser vibe. New Progressive Suspension shocks lower the stance at the back and the forks are chopped, with modified internals to drop the Yamaha just over three inches.

Clip-on bars are matched to Biltwell grips and CNC’d aluminum push button switches. Forward lighting comes from a 6500K LED ‘HaloMaker’ headlight, from HogWorkz, more commonly fitted to Harleys and Indians and installed here minus the bucket.

Everything’s hooked up to a new wiring loom from Revival Cycles and controlled by a Motogadget m.unit blue box. “That unit drives the entire bike,” says Johnny. “It has tons of configurable functions, including an alarm, keyless ignition and so on.”

“The electronics are now all crammed under the tank, and the battery is an eight-cell Antigravity lithium battery in a custom-made box.”

The original square speedo has been swapped out for a simple circular gauge, now mounted to the left of the tank to keep the bar area clean.

Although this XS1100 looks like a heavily chopped bike, there’s actually very little grinder work. “The subframe was left alone,” says Johnny. “I just chopped the rear end off—and did weld on some risers for the seat.”

He’s color-matched the tank to the powder-coated frame, and handled the paint himself. “The pinstripe work wasn’t planned. I just went with the flow till I found a pattern that worked for me.”

The seat was outsourced, though: upholstered in a gray suede with white stitching and piping, it’s the work of Costura Seats, a neighbor of Johnny’s in Orange County, CA.

And those white wheels ..? “They’re the original wheels, powder coated white,” says Johnny. “It’s the hot rod look. I just really like white wheels!”

Normally we’d beg to differ, but in this case, they suit the build perfectly. It’s a curious mix of the weird and the conventional, but Johnny has managed to pull it off. We’re betting it won’t be long before this Yammie finds an appreciative new owner.

Facebook | Instagram | Images by Ryan D. Cheng

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[ChrisAnglophile]

White Hot: Upcycle hot rods the Yamaha XS1100

We don’t see many Yamaha XS1100s around these days, which is a shame—it was an absolute beast of a machine. It was often called the ‘XS 11,’ because it could run the quarter-mile in under 12 seconds, but its extended wheelbase made it more of a tourer than a sportbike.

The unusually long air-cooled engine pumped out 95 hp, and although the handling was widely regarded as terrible, the XS1100 still made it into Cycle World magazine’s Ten Best Bikes of 1978 list.

Johnny Nguyen of Upcycle has a soft spot for the XS1100, and he’s made this 1980-spec Craigslist find the basis for his newest build. “I chose it because my first bike was a Yamaha,” he tells us. “And I like the idea of a classic liter bike.”

Unlike most builders, Johnny builds bikes to suit his own taste, and then sells them. “None of my projects are client-based,” he reveals. “I just build what my heart wants—I like the freedom!”

Despite being almost 40 years old, the XS1100 was in pretty decent shape when Johnny started. “The engine ran very well before take down,” he recalls. “So I just inspected the valves and did a full gasket change while I was in there.”

The entire engine was then chemical washed and soda blasted, and Johnny replaced the rear cases with a tight mesh.

The four Mikuni carburetors were completely stripped too, dunked in chemical wash and re-jetted, synced and tuned to match the new red velocity stacks and the 4-into-1 chrome megaphone exhaust system from Mac.

This machine is likely to have no problem matching the 136 mph (218 kph) top speed of the original factory bikes.

Now it was time to add a hot rod-meets-boulevard cruiser vibe. New Progressive Suspension shocks lower the stance at the back and the forks are chopped, with modified internals to drop the Yamaha just over three inches.

Clip-on bars are matched to Biltwell grips and CNC’d aluminum push button switches. Forward lighting comes from a 6500K LED ‘HaloMaker’ headlight, from HogWorkz, more commonly fitted to Harleys and Indians and installed here minus the bucket.

Everything’s hooked up to a new wiring loom from Revival Cycles and controlled by a Motogadget m.unit blue box. “That unit drives the entire bike,” says Johnny. “It has tons of configurable functions, including an alarm, keyless ignition and so on.”

“The electronics are now all crammed under the tank, and the battery is an eight-cell Antigravity lithium battery in a custom-made box.”

The original square speedo has been swapped out for a simple circular gauge, now mounted to the left of the tank to keep the bar area clean.

Although this XS1100 looks like a heavily chopped bike, there’s actually very little grinder work. “The subframe was left alone,” says Johnny. “I just chopped the rear end off—and did weld on some risers for the seat.”

He’s color-matched the tank to the powder-coated frame, and handled the paint himself. “The pinstripe work wasn’t planned. I just went with the flow till I found a pattern that worked for me.”

The seat was outsourced, though: upholstered in a gray suede with white stitching and piping, it’s the work of Costura Seats, a neighbor of Johnny’s in Orange County, CA.

And those white wheels ..? “They’re the original wheels, powder coated white,” says Johnny. “It’s the hot rod look. I just really like white wheels!”

Normally we’d beg to differ, but in this case, they suit the build perfectly. It’s a curious mix of the weird and the conventional, but Johnny has managed to pull it off. We’re betting it won’t be long before this Yammie finds an appreciative new owner.

Facebook | Instagram | Images by Ryan D. Cheng

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Got one in not much there condition.
There are some good ones still around, but rare.
Pitman's , Yamaha Importer , modified one to Chain Drive and Blew away the Opposition in Australian Superbike Championship, due to 300 mm Front Discs.
The attached photo is the Pitman Yamaha XS1100 at the Castrol 6 hour production race, which it I think it also Won !
Again due to Big Discs.
Being Production it is the absolute original production.

I also note: that the custom builder has Suzuki GS750/1000 front 280 mm Discs and a Square Tyre, good luck with that!!! .F

ront Discs and some brave riding.

 

[DaveM]

Custom Bikes Of The Week: 29 September, 2019

A Ducati Panigale 899 with a 1950s sci-fi vibe, a super-stylish Honda CB900 Bol D’Or from Australia, a look at the new Bullit Hero 50 scrambler, and a Tote Gote for sale. Which one would you put in your garage?

Honda CB900 Bol D’Or by Rogue Are we seeing a 1980s revival on the custom scene? There seems to be a discernable trend towards white wheels, white pipewrap and whitewall tires. But if it looks as good as this CB900 from Rogue Motorcycles, we’re all for it.

Rogue are based in Perth, Australia, but the shop is run by Dutch-born Marjin ‘Billy’ Kuijken and his partner Silvie. Over the past five years they’ve developed a great reputation for custom builds, and this Honda has passed through the shop not once, but twice.

Rogue originally built it as a café racer for a local client, but the donor bike was very tired and required more work than the client was prepared to tolerate. So he sold it back to Rogue, who have now fixed all the shortcomings at their own expense and use it as a shop bike.

The CB900 now has forks (and three-spoke wheels) from a 2010 Yamaha XJR1300. There’s a new wiring loom, new LED lighting all round, a modern ‘halo’-type headlight, and DNA intake filters. Biltwell supplied the grips and throttle assembly for the tracker-style bars, and the fresh coat of black paint looks ace against the Shinko whitewall tires. [More]

Ducati Panigale by Ranger Korat One of the most bizarre creations we’ve seen lately is this Panigale 899 from Thailand’s Ranger Korat. The stock fairing has been swapped out for bodywork that looks more like a post-War fighter jet than a 21st century superbike.

There are grilles and intakes galore, and a pale yellow Perspex screen to accentuate the illusion. Ranger has kept the stock tank, but fashioned a waspish new seat and tail unit and removed the fenders.

There’s a Termignoni exhaust system, and the rear wheel is sporting black disc covers to hide the modern-looking spokes.

Information about this bike is scant, but the quality of the metalwork and concept execution is first-rate: it’s straight out of a 1950s science fiction annual. Imagine seeing this machine approaching fast in your rear view mirrors … [Via]

Bullit Hero 50 The British marque Bullit is fast making a name for itself in the UK and Europe for stylish, big-value small capacity motos. They’ve just teased what could be their best model yet—a compact retro scrambler called the Hero 50 that will retail for a mere £2,200 [US$2,700].

Despite the keen price, the Hero 50 has a twin cam engine, upside down forks, monoshock rear suspension and an aluminium frame. And it looks really sharp.

Bullit bikes are designed in Belgium and built in China, but this is no mail order operation. There’s a reasonably big dealer network, and Chinese motorcycle build quality is improving all the time. (Maybe not to iPhone levels, but certainly better than it was a few years ago.)

In the UK the initial pitch for the Hero 50 is towards teenage riders who have just got their licence, but we reckon it’ll also gain fans amongst the older crowd who need a short-distance commuter bike. And the cost of admission is only a little more than a yearly Travelcard ticket on the wider London public transport network. Go figure … [Bullit Motorcycles]

Honda TMX 150 tracker by Revolt Cycles The Philippines is a huge market for motorcycles, and it’s full of bikes we never see in the west. In the 1970s, Honda launched a range called the TMX (for ‘Tricycle Model Xtreme’), a series of air-cooled singles that persisted until five years ago.

The bikes are cheap and reliable, and therefore easy fodder for local custom builders. This tracker-style 150 is one of the best we’ve seen, and comes from Revolt Cycles of Cebu.

Revolt’s client was Australian, and arranged for a brand new TMX 150 to be sent to Revolt from the local Honda dealership. After briefly toying with the idea of a café racer conversion, it was decided that a street tracker was a much better option.

Revolt painted the wheels black, installed Shinko 705 dual sport rubber, and stripped off all the plastic apart from the tank. The custom seat covers a discreet battery box, the electrics are now hooked up to an analog speedo and a compact headlight, and the engine breathes through pod filters and a custom stainless exhaust. Simple, and tight. [More]

A Tote Gote for sale We’ve got a thing for minibikes and Silodrome have a knack for ferreting out obscure examples of the type. This latest oddity is the ‘Tote Gote’ from the mid 1950s, the brainchild of an enthusiastic hunter called Ralph Bonham who wanted a go-anywhere machine to reduce the effort involved in hunting around the Utah mountains.

He came up with a simple steel frame, used tough Briggs & Stratton engines, and even developed a trailer that farmers could use to haul heavier loads.

The Tote Gote never broke any speed records, but it won a small and enthusiastic fan club—and remained in production until the 1970s.

This example has a 5¾ hp engine, is in pretty good nick, and is up for auction at Mecum with no reserve. If you’ve got a bit of land, and want something a little simpler than a Rokon Trail-Breaker, get your bid in now. [Via]

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[CarlS]

That Ducati is horrible!

 

[DaveM]

The $929 moped that won a global custom build off

Long before ‘bike build off’ competitions became popular with manufacturers, Deus held one every year—in the car park next to their original store in Sydney, Australia.

The Deus contest is now a global event, and attracts a weird and wonderful selection of amateur builds. This year’s overall winner was a humble Honda S90 converted to electric power. It beat out over 200 other entries and was built for the princely sum of just $929.

The man behind the moped is Aaron Laniosz, a designer who moved to California after finishing a Master of Architecture degree in Illinois.

“I’m still passionate about architecture,” he tells us, “but I’ve expanded into the realms of furniture design, products, robotics … and now motorcycles.”

The little Honda is Aaron’s first build, but he’s loved motorcycle design and culture since an early age. And when he arrived in California, he wanted two things: his first surfboard and his first motorcycle.

“I picked up both on Craigslist. I paid $40 for each. The surfboard was riddled with holes, and the motorcycle was rusted and seized.” The seller had used the S90 as a parts bike—there was only a slim chance it would ever run again.

The first difficulty was squeezing the moped into the back of Aaron’s car. The seller promptly grabbed a wrench, removed the front wheel and together they wedged it in.

Back in his apartment, Aaron began meticulously dismantling, removing the rust piece by piece until he had a naked frame. “I sprayed everything with two cans of satin black spray paint. Then I began to reassemble.”

This was no ordinary refresh-and-replace job though: Aaron has converted the S90 into an EV, and possibly scored a world first in doing so. (Enterprising builders have converted the loosely-related Cub to electric power in the past, but we’ve never heard of an S90 getting the shock treatment.)

Aaron bought an electric mountain bike battery rated at 48V and 17Ah. “This isn’t hugely powerful or high capacity,” he explains, “but I calculated that it could carry me to and from work and the gym on a single charge.”

The battery came with a charger that plugs directly into the wall. “My electricity usage is included in my rent, so the running cost of the motorcycle has been completely free since I finished the build!”

The biggest challenge was shop space, rather than the bike itself. “I built the Honda in my studio apartment, and a handheld Dremel was the only real power tool I had access too,” says Aaron. That ruled out the metalwork often seen on a custom build: no welding, no cutting, and no grinding.

“The bike and all of its pieces sat on the floor between my bed and my kitchenette. I stepped over it each day getting out of the shower.” It proved to be both a blessing and a curse. It forced Aaron to focus on building a functioning motorcycle as quickly and as simply as possibly.

“My secret weapon in this task was access to a 3D printer and my CAD modeling skills,” he says. “I fabricated ten critical parts out of 3D printed NylonX Carbon Fiber Filament, which now hold the bike together—mounting the motor, battery, seat, and headlight.”

The whole build was a learning experience with endless Google and YouTube searching. “The moment I mounted the new tires and got it rolling, I was so stoked!”

“I stopped building and rode the bike for over a month without proper brakes. Now I ride the bike to the gym and back every single day. It has its quirks, but nothing beats rolling around on something you built with your own hands.”

The legality of this sort of build, transplating tech from one era to another, is still a slightly grey area. “I have a pretty convincing argument for the bike being classified as a Type II e-bike,” says Aaron.

“California has published a very clear set of categories for electric powered vehicles. My build is in the category of Type II, which its legal on public roads without license or registration. This seems to be the classification many e-bike and electric moped start-up companies are working in. The one contingency is that I limit my speed to 20mph…any faster could get me in trouble.”

For us, the best part of the story is that it’s a home build in the truest sense, and cost less than a grand for a functioning electric moped. (“It cost $929.97. I kept a detailed spreadsheet.”)

Aaron is now inspired to continue his adventures in motorcycle building. “I just picked up a 1974 Kawasaki G3, in a comparable state of disrepair to my first Craigslist purchase!”

“I doubt a conventional build will garner as much attention, but I would really love to have a stinky, noisy machine after all of this work with batteries and wires. I’m trying to orient my career trajectory toward working with my hands and creating beautiful, functional projects—in whatever form they may take.”

Kudos to that—and we’ll be keeping an eye on your progress, Aaron.

Aaron Laniosz Instagram | Images by Monti Smith

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[DaveM]

How to turn a Husqvarna FE 501 into a rally motorcycle

This website is fueled by our fascination with beautifully crafted motorcycles, and the world around them. That usually keeps our focus on the new wave custom space, but it doesn’t mean we’re oblivious to the motorcycle industry at large.

So when an EXIF-featured builder decided to build something we’ve never shown before—a race-ready rally machine—we were extremely curious. After all, rally bikes are technically custom dirt bikes that require a high level of skill to construct. (And they look really cool too.)

This purpose-built Husqvarna FE 501 rally racer belongs to Mark Johnston of Johnston Moto. He works out of a home workshop in Cape Town, South Africa, where he built his BMW R100RT cafe racer and R80G/S Paris Dakar restomod.

I know Mark personally, and can attest to two things: his workshop is obsessively well organized, and he does nothing in half measures. So when he decided to go rally racing, he also decided to do it properly.

“Most of it is driven by requirements,” he says. “For example, you have to have navigation, and be able to ride a certain distance.”

“I chose the 501 because I like the Husqvarna brand, and the motor characteristics suit me better than the 450. The 501 has more low down grunt and doesn’t need to be revved as hard.”

“I picked up a secondhand 2017 FE 501 with 40 hours on the clock. I also bought another 501, purely to take with me for spares. It makes it easier than having to buy individual spares, and at least this way I have spares of everything.”

Even though the FE 501 is a great performer out the box, suspension upgrades were high on Mark’s list. So he installed a popular WP Suspension combo: Cone Valve forks, with a Trax rear shock. “In my opinion, suspension is one of the first things you should upgrade on your bike,” he says.

The Husqvarna’s OEM wheels now run Michelin Desert Race tires, with Michelin BIB mousses (a firm favorite among Dakar racers). Sprocket ratios vary; 14/50 for tighter courses, or 14/48 for wide-open tracks.

For fuel, Mark installed a 15-liter Acerbis tank up front, and a 5-liter Rebel X tank at the back. The rear tank plumbs into the main tank via quick-release fuel connectors, making it easier to strip the bike down. There’s also a switch that controls which tank drains first.

Next, it was time to build up another rally essential: the navigation tower. Mark started out with a Highway Dirt Bikes Rallye Lite tower—a direct bolt-on for the 501. “It’s much cheaper than your carbon fiber alternatives,” he says, “and is super well made.”

He then proceeded to mod a whole lot of things to get the configuration just right. The tower’s top mounting plate attaches below the handlebar risers, but ended up raising the bars too much. So Mark machined it down, then machined an additional support to compensate for the material he removed.

Poking out the front are a pair of ultra-bright Baja Designs LED headlights, and behind the fairing, you’ll find a smorgasbord of gadgetry and custom wiring.

Mark designed and built his own roadbook mount, so that he could accommodate the 501’s stock clocks and indicator lights. It also included a spot to attach his Garmin Etrex GPS to. The actual roadbook unit is from Migtec, and the trip meter and cap unit are from RNS.

“The unit on the left gives me my trip distance and cap (compass) heading,” he explains. “The unit on the right, my speed. Then I have my 501 original clock as backup speed and trip meters.”

Everything’s controlled from a switch cluster on the left side of the bars. The system called for an extra pickup on the front wheel too, so there’s a custom bracket for that, designed to shield it from renegade stones.

A ton of effort went into the nav equipment’s custom loom. Everything runs off a relay, so the bike’s main switch turns the nav kit on and off too. Mark went as far as to set up a custom fuse arrangement with a waterproof fuse box, and to double insulate all the wiring.

He even set up home-made spacers made from cable ties and tubing, to keep wires from rubbing against each other.

Another key piece is the modified Enduro Engineering bash plate. Not content with the original part, Mark reshaped it on the left so that he could swap oil filters without having to remove it. And he fabricated a tool box that attaches to the front of it, allowing him to carry some essential tools while keeping the weight low.

A few tried and true off-the-shelf parts round out the build, like Cycra hand guards, a Carbonteck exhaust header guard, and IMS foot pegs. Mark also reshaped the seat with extra foam, making it wider at the back, and had it recovered in a special gripper fabric.

Mark’s FE 501 sure looks race ready, but is it? Yes indeed—Mark’s already shaken it down at the local Tankwa Rally, where he placed fourth in his class. (There were 15 competitors in his class, eight of whom didn’t finish.)

That was Mark’s first ever rally race. And the first time he’s raced a motorcycle in any discipline. He’s now in the thick of wrapping up an extensive service before his next outing: the 3,600 kilometer Kalahari Rally, which kicks off in a few days.

As for his aspirations beyond that, he’s taking it one event at a time; “I want to see how this goes. Although I was swearing away in my helmet during the Tankwa, I quite enjoyed it.”

“If it’s the same for Kalahari, which is much longer, then I’ll look to do an international event, hopefully.”

Johnston Moto’s 501 Rally might not be a typical custom…but it sure is interesting, and damn nice to look at. Who else feels an urge to go racing?

Johnston Moto Facebook | Instagram | Images by Wes Reyneke

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[DaveM]

Reviving an icon: A 1951 BMW R51 restomod from Thrive

The post-War R51/3 is one of the all-time classic motorcycles, and instantly recognizable as a BMW—complete with early boxer engine and ‘plunger’ rear suspension. But despite their venerable age, R51s can still be picked up at auction for less than US$20,000.

Over 18,000 R51/3s were built, and a fair few of those are slowly decaying away in sheds and garages around the world. Even in places you wouldn’t expect to find one, such as Jakarta, Indonesia.

That’s the hometown of Thrive, undisputedly one of the world’s top custom shops and the team behind this very elegant build called ‘T-051.’

The client behind this commission has been a BMW aficionado since childhood. After meeting the Thrive guys and reminiscing over airheads from his past, he returned to the workshop with the engine and frame of a 1951 R51/3.

Too many parts were missing for the R51 to be returned to its original showroom state. So the owner simply said, “I bet you guys know where to start. Make a great story for me to remember.”

Thrive’s media relations guy Putra Agung was surprised. “That’s not what we expected, but we took up the sentimental challenge. We came up with a restomod approach, updating some parts while maintaining the overall classic look.”

‘T-051’ was born, and proves that Thrive are at the top of the premier league. They don’t follow trends or take shortcuts: each new build has an original vision behind it, matched to exquisite detail work.

The R51’s frame, which can trace its lineage back to 1935, was an “interesting concept to tweak,” says Putra. Thrive began to play around with visual illusions, looking for ways to add a twist.

Then fabricators Indra Pratama and Barata Dwiputra made subtle frame mods and began crafting slim new bodywork out of aluminum sheet. The squared-off tank cover echoes the shape of the engine, but clever paint on top of the brushed metal draws the eye towards the iconic plunger shocks.

Hand-beaten aluminum was also used for the rear frame cover, the housing for the Daymaker Projector LED headlamp, and a custom battery box.

Thrive have also machined smooth new covers for the front suspension, and redesigned smaller parts like the license plate bracket, kickstand and rear hub cover. The front drum brake has been swapped out for a vintage Honda item, which looks a little more balanced on this build.

The single-cam motor also received its fair share of attention. After a total rebuild to counter its 68 years of age, Thrive added extra details on the valve and engine covers—accentuating the smooth surfaces of BMW’s Design-Meisterwerk.

The exhaust headers are stock, but the sleek megaphone mufflers are from Thrive’s own ‘T/H/R/V’ parts catalog. That range has also supplied the new handlebars, the bar-end turn signals, switchgear, foot pegs, and air filter cover.

The new bars are home to a vintage dual-pull throttle assembly from Tommaselli, fresh grips, and a very discreet Motogadget Motoscope Mini speedo set into the headlight bucket.

There’s a new seat unit, but it’s not a million miles away from the original ‘tractor’ style BMW seat. It’s the same style, but brought into the 21st century with a sleek aluminum base that also houses the LED brake light.

The rear wheel has gone down a size to 18 inches, but the front remains at 19—to give a slightly more modern vibe. The sawtooth-tread rubber suits the vintage ethos though, with an Allstate tire leading the way and the ubiquitous Firestone Deluxe Champion at the drive end.

There’s raw metal everywhere, and it suits ‘T-051’ just fine. Shiny stainless steel is juxtaposed with matt brushed aluminum and the odd touch of chrome. And the black paint—effectively large stripes with classic pinstriping—makes it hard to tell where the frame stops and the bodywork starts.

According to Thrive, the goal was to blend classic BMW DNA with “a piece of imagination from the near future.” And they’ve succeeded.

This R51/3 is not only a beautiful illusion, but also a masterful display of craftsmanship.

Thrive Motorcycle | Facebook | Instagram

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[DaveM]

Quiet Riot: A Zero FX flat tracker built by a clay sculptor

Truly great motorcycle design requires a human touch. That’s why, in a world of digital design and 3D rendering, traditional crafts are still very relevant. Especially the art of clay modeling—which is what Nick Graveley does.

The Munich-based Brit has spent the last 16 years offering his craft to major car and motorcycle OEMs, and the last seven of those have been bike work only.

One of his clients is the electric motorcycle powerhouse Zero Motorcycles. Two years ago, Nick (who works as ‘ClayMoto’) was working with them on their latest SR/F model, when the idea for this project was conceived.

“At the time, the flat tracker movement was just gaining traction,” he tells us, “and the Zero FX seemed like an ideal base on which to build one. It’s a relatively lightweight bike in Zero’s all-electric range that was crying out for a new style.”

“It also has boatloads of torque, and the prospect of tuning the ‘engine braking’ by means of altering the level of regenerative braking through the motor seemed like nice features for a flat tracker.”

Nothing really happened with the idea, until Nick found himself back at Zero’s Californian HQ a year later for another project. They green lit Nick’s concept, and handed him a 2017 Zero FX with a 6.5 kWh battery pack to build it on.

For those that love numbers, the FX makes 46 hp and 106 Nm, and has a range of between 60 km and 130 km, depending on how hard you thrash it. Perfect numbers for Nick’s ‘Quiet Riot’ project.

Despite the fact that Zero undoubtedly has every angle of the FX rendered digitally already, Nick headed straight for his usual process: sketches, followed by full-scale clay modeling.

“The best motorcycle designs are a blend of emotion and engineering,” he explains, “and whilst CAD is a wonderful platform for developing engineering, the interface is not there yet to allow for great sculpted design surfaces—the kind which are crafted by a skilled human hand.”

“I’m excited to see where the prospect of modeling in a VR environment might lead us, but as it stands the best, state-of-the-art technology for design surface development is clay.”

The actual clay model took Nick 80 hours to complete—even though he technically only modeled half of the bike. “I typically use a mirror on the centerline to save me having to model both sides,” he says. “It’s much faster, and allows me to see immediately how the clay looks in symmetry, so I can develop the form accordingly.”

Once the model was finished it was scanned, and rebuilt digitally in Alias AutoStudio—the industry standard for 3D modeling. Nick used Alias to remove any imperfections from the surfaces, and then used the renders to create a full size ABS plastic prototype to test fitment. With everything golden, he gave the go ahead for molds to be made, to produce the final kit in carbon fiber.

Nick couldn’t afford to have the molds and carbon fiber forms made in Europe, so he farmed them out to a firm in China.

“When I excitedly received the parts four months later my heart sank,” he says. “Although the carbon work was actually pretty nice, my finely tuned surfaces were all over the place with bumps and dents. Clearly corners had been cut in making the main body piece mold.”

Nick ultimately had to make a jig to straighten out the part and resurface it by hand, before sending it back to China for a new mold to be made. All told, it took 10 months before he got the final parts back. “It was so worth it and the final parts are really good now,” he tells us, “weighing in at just 2.4 kg (5.3 lbs) for the complete set.”

The FX needed more than just new bodywork to turn it into a pukka flat tracker though. So Nick shortened the suspension at both ends, then added a pair of 19” Sun rims with Shinko flat track tires.

The OEM belt drive was swapped for a chain and sprocket kit. And since there’s no clutch, Nick ditched the foot brake in favor of a handlebar-mounted lever, “for better rear brake modulation while riding on circuit.”

Up front, he set up a custom number board with LED projectors, relocated the speedo to keep the look sano, and added flat track bars and grips from Renthal. There’s an aluminum bash plate lower down, along with a pair of protective side panels.

The license plate bracket mounted off the swing arm is a practical addition. It holds the plate and all the rear lights to keep the bike street legal, but it can be removed in minutes when it’s time to take to the track.

Nick had some help along the way, with Zero staffers Jamie, Eddie and Josh all pitching in. Jamie laced the wheels, Eddie drew up the CAD drawings for the aluminum bits, and Josh fabricated that rear hangar. Chris Adam laid down the sporty livery, leaving enough carbon fiber in view to get the message across.

‘Quiet Riot’ is a great reminder of the importance of traditional craft, even when designing forward thinking machinery. And it’s a hella sharp looking flat tracker, too.

ClayMoto | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Andrei Matyukhin

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[DaveM]

Show Report: Pure&Crafted, Amsterdam

There’s a mystical connection between music and motorcycles that isn’t explored nearly enough. BMW Motorrad recognizes that—and hosts the Pure&Crafted festival each year to celebrate it.

Pure&Crafted is basically a mash-up of music and motorcycles, with a heavy emphasis on ‘new heritage’ lifestyle. So instead of getting pop rock and sport bikes, you get indie and alternative tunes, custom motorcycles, and handcrafted goods, food and drink.

The first three editions of this music-and-moto shindig happened in Berlin. Then BMW experimented with a touring format. But this year, the festivities shifted to the land of canals, bicycles and stroopwafels: Amsterdam.

I’ve traveled through Amsterdam a-plenty, but most of the time it’s no more than a sprint through Schiphol airport to catch another plane. But this year I had a ticket in my pocket from BMW, giving me a chance to really sink my teeth into the Dutch capital for a change.

With nary a hill in sight and a pretty crazy city center, Amsterdam isn’t exactly a motorcycle mecca…but there is a scene. And even though it’s small, it’s hallmarked by passion and dedication.

Rusty Gold Motorshop is a mandatory stop; a bike apparel store in the Overtoom area with a skate shop vibe, a secret basement workshop, and excellent coffee. And Deus Ex Machina has just opened an outpost across town too.

This year’s Pure&Crafted venue was the historic Taets Art and Event Park—a collection of buildings about 15 minutes drive from Amsterdam Centraal. It’s a stunning location; a former munitions plant set on a heritage site alongside the Amsterdam North Sea Canal.

The vibe is industrial, with loads of raw metal and brick that shows years of wear.

The event flowed seamlessly from one building to the next throughout the compound. One building hosted the main stage, with a large hall across from it containing the main ‘Wheels’ area. An alley of food trucks and bars led to a second building, which contained a second stage and bustling indoor markets.

As title sponsors, BMW had set up a lounge with Custom Works Zon’s groundbreaking R18-based custom, and Unique Custom Cycles’ R5 ‘Hommage‘ concept, acting as decor.

They also used that space to showcase their upcoming line of heritage riding gear and apparel. It’s a good-looking range, with a focus on classic designs, minimal branding and robust materials.

But aside from that, and the overwhelming amount of mildly customized R nineTs, Pure&Crafted had its own flavor. And that flavor was very much alternative.

The ‘Wheels’ area acted as the main custom showcase, with EXIF alumni Ironwood, Rough Crafts, Pancake Customs, Motoism and Krautmotors all represented. I also caught bikes from Amsterdam’s own Cool Kid Customs, and Belgian outfit ROOK.

A small foyer acted as a dedicated space for some of the best BMW-based customs we’ve seen. I had a chance to get up close and personal with VTR Customs’ Spitfire, Auto Fabrica’s Type 18, Krautmotors’ bananas C Evolution scooter, and the Achilles sprint bike by Kraftstoffschmiede and Man and the Machines.

And I do mean up close. Spitfire pilot Amelie ‘Amy’ Mooseder (below) and Krautmotors’ Rolf Reick hauled their machines into the open for a flame and burnout showdown.

With the Sultans of Sprint season behind her (including racing head to head with legend Randy Mamola), Amy had no reason to preserve the Spitfire’s motor. The crowd got a kick out of it, and I got a head to toe rubber shower thanks to my proximity to Rolf’s rear wheel.

There was much else to see too. The indoor markets were stacked with everything from barbers giving hot towel shaves, to vendors selling all manner of motorcycle gear. I ran into Silver Machine too—a leather craftsman who has upholstered seats on several bikes featured on EXIF.

Pure&Crafted also gave me the opportunity to watch something I’d narrowly missed twice before in my life: the Ken Fox Troupe and the Wall of Death.

There’s no way to adequately describe the sight, sound and smell of three daredevils riding vintage bikes (and even a go kart) inside a giant wooden cylinder.

In between, an eclectic blend of food and drink kept me fueled. Highlights included Mexican pulled beef burgers, freshly made pizza, fries (for real, Dutch fries are heel lekker) and bourbon poured by a Dutch bartender with a heavy hand.

All of this was set to a soundtrack of local and international indie and alternative rock acts. We caught English punk rockers Bad Nerves early in the day, and closed the evening off with London-based psych-rock powerhouse Swedish Death Candy (below), Amsterdam’s own Indian Askin, and Dutch performer Blaudzun.

That combination of good music, good motorcycles, good sustenance and good libation is tough to top. Oh, and good people too—Pure&Crafted draws a specific type of crowd, and it’s the kind you’ll want to kick back with all night. (And yes, even our friends from Bavaria know how to cut loose.)

The show circuit is saturated these days, but Pure&Crafted has carved out its own niche—because it’s just as much a music festival as a bike show. All it needs now is an even bigger cross-section of custom builders, and it’ll be unstoppable.

Pure&Crafted | Facebook | Instagram | Header image Jörg Künstle / BMW Motorrad, all others Wes Reyneke

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[DaveM]

Fat Tracker: Down & Out’s motorized BMX

Getting into motorcycles is usually a progression: if you loved riding pushbikes as a kid, you probably wanted a motorcycle as a teenager. But we don’t often see that progression going into reverse.

This petrol-powered BMX motorized bicycle is an intriguing example of a reverse, and it comes from English builder Shaun Walker of Down & Out. We had the pleasure of meeting him a few years ago: he’s a bluff, straight-talking northerner who, as they say, “knows his onions.”

Shaun’s been immersed in the custom scene for almost 20 years, building a solid business as trends and fashions come and go. As well as being a skilled builder, he’s not afraid to try new things. And sticking a small engine into a BMX frame is his latest experiment.

“As a boy, the BMX craze started and I wanted one bad,” says Shaun. “But coming from a working class background, in a family of eight, and with my dad working in the mining industry, money was just about non-existent.”

“So I never got to have one for myself. But I always had a liking for BMX bikes. Then, around two years ago, I was looking online and one came up with a Honda Cub engine.”

Shaun noticed that most of the bikes of this ilk had Cub frames modified to ape the BMX style. So he decided to make his own version, but a little differently. It was a sideline project, and as so often happens when someone is running a company, the project literally sat on the sidelines—for a couple of years.

“Our business building custom Triumphs was very busy,” says Shaun. “But I finally got it finished, and put up a photo up online. It went through the roof, so I set up a new Instagram page. And after around three months, it’s grown to over 23,000 followers!”

With all that interest came requests for bike builds and kits. And Shaun has delivered, with a new website and ordering system due to launch in a month or so.

This prototype uses a Honda clone engine—a Chinese-made YX, which is a popular and reliable choice for builders of pit bikes, Dax and Monkeys. It comes in 125 and 140cc sizes, is kickstart, has a CRF-based bottom end and can be found for less than US$300.

For a little more visual pop, the engine has been fitted with a Hustle magnesium ignition cover—in bright red, and with a ‘Fully Blown’ logotype. The exhaust system is custom, and fashioned from stainless steel.

The engine with its even cheaper gearbox is wrapped around a beefy custom tube frame with a solid hit of BMX DNA. The finish is raw steel, with clear coat applied by Pro Kustom, and the frame is effectively a hardtail at both ends: you’ll be standing on the pegs on the rough stuff.

Shaun reckons the bike will get up to 60 mph (100 kph), so those with knee replacements need not apply.

There’s a bit of cushioning from the wheels though. If you’ve followed Down & Out over the years, you’ll know that Shaun likes big wheels, and he’s whipped up a set of 17 x 5 rims for this machine, fitted using custom hub spacers. Yes, that’s five inches wide … the rubber is Pirelli’s MT60, in 180/55×17 size.

There are matching Honda Cub drum brakes front and rear, and the wheels are laced to modified Cub hubs.

Fuel is stored in the frame, and the capacity is around two liters (half a gallon). So it’s no long distance machine, but it’ll get you to the local skate park and back.

The bars are from Renthal, and the saddle is from the English leather specialist Brooks, est. 1866.

“We are going to be offering frame-and-wheel kits as well as full builds,” says Shaun. “In the future there will be an electric version too. And we’ll also offer kits with electric start, and full working lights.”

Intrigued? Down & Out BMX is launching soon, with full builds available from around £2,800 ($3,450). Maybe it’s time to dig out that old Poorboy t-shirt, and slip on the Etnies again …

Down & Out BMX | Instagram | Images by Simon Krajnyak

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