Custom Motorcycle Builds

[DaveM]

Fixation: A bicycle-inspired Yamaha XT250 bobber

In the bicycle world, single-speed and ‘fixie’ bikes are enjoying an upsurge in popularity. Like the custom motorcycle scene, it’s an entire subculture—where style and individualization are as important as getting from A to B. But what happens when these two worlds bleed into each other?

Kevin Bergeron has the answer with this unconventional bobber. Built from scratch and powered by an early-80s Yamaha XT250 motor, it draws heavily on bicycle culture, both past and present.

Kevin’s based in Alberta, Canada, where he works as a first responder. He spends his downtime building custom bikes out of a toolbox left to him by his late father. “I began modifying motorcycles as a way to express my artistic abilities,” he says, “but also to grieve, and, to some extent, spend time with my dad through his tools.”

Kevin had the vision for this project brewing in his mind for a while, but was finally spurred to action when Roland Sands Design launched their Dream Build Off contest. Since he was operating on budget he picked an engine he already had (the XT250), and started sketching out ideas on his iPad.

“I never grew up with enough money to own motorcycles,” he tells us, “so bicycles were the next best thing. I’ve always been drawn to their simple aesthetic, and what cleaner look than a ‘fixie.’ So I decided to let that lead the way for the vision of this bike.”

The centerpiece of the build is a tubular steel frame that Kevin bent and welded up himself. Some inspiration came from the GT ‘triple triangle’ bicycle that he grew up on—but there are nods to other bike building techniques too.

“I put my own spin on the frame and created an aero seat tube with a radial recess for the rear wheel,” he explains. “Every tube was TIG-welded, then capped with a brazed silicone bronze—a technique synonymous with older bicycles.”

There are hardly any off-the-shelf parts here. Kevin machined everything in-house on either his lathe or mill—including the rigid front forks, which replicate the single-crown models found on old road bicycles. “I designed them to look lugged—another very common bicycle building technique.”

Next, Kevin turned his attention to the bike’s bespoke wheel set. The front wheel uses a custom-made aluminum hub, radial-laced to a 21” rim that Buchanans in California drilled especially for the project. For the back wheel, Kevin modified the front hub from a Honda dirt bike to accept a sprocket, then laced up another 21” rim.

Aiming for supreme minimalism, Kevin set out to design a near-invisible braking system. He started with the disc and caliper from a go-kart, then attached them to the drive sprocket. Everything’s hidden away behind an ornate cover, hand-formed from aluminum.

The tubing that you see running from the top of the cover hosts the brake line, directing it to the right-side foot lever. The left-side lever actuates the clutch, with a small custom-made hand lever for shifting.

The only other control is the internal throttle—a part that Kevin designed and built himself, by taking cues from older Honda Monkeys. The handlebars are Renthal units that have been polished and fitted with Eclat BMX grips. But the stem that holds them in place is a one-off.

Out front is a ‘flashlight’ that was machined from aluminum, bolted to a hand-made stainless steel luggage rack. Kevin fabricated the split tanks too; one holds fuel, while the other has all the electrics packed into it. Behind them is a slim seat that he admits is neither practical nor comfortable.

As for the engine, that’s mostly stock—though it has been treated to a full top-down rebuild. “It was well used,” we’re told, “so it’s now bored to the maximum allowed tolerance.”

The exhaust is hard to spot at first, but it is there. Kevin built a ‘header’ to direct exhaust gasses into the frame’s down tube, with a boxy vent on the lower right side of the bike for them to exit through.

“The measuring and reinforcing involved to make the frame exhaust come to life proved to be far more difficult than I had anticipated,” he says. “Which, realistically, could be said for every single component of the bike. Through this build I have developed a new appreciation for the Max Hazans of the world, creating something out of nothing.”

Kevin’s bicycle-inspired build took third in its class in the Dream Build Off, and walked away with the Committee’s Choice award at Canada’s annual Kickstart Motorcycle Show. But he’s not resting on his laurels.

“There are a thousand things I would do differently,” he says, “but I am proud of this step in my constant pursuit of producing high quality work. I am very much looking forward to moving onto the next project.”

And in case you’re wondering, Kevin has actually ridden it. “I rode it three or four times and hated every minute of it. It weighs just over 150 lbs, so it’s way to fast to be a rigid.”

Kevin Bergeron Instagram

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[DaveM]

Engineering Porn: Chris Cosentino’s Ducati Hypermono

If you’re a student of Ducati racing history, you’ll know the Supermono—one of the most tingle-inducing singles of all time. In the mid-90s, just 65 of the light and compact racebikes were built, shot through with carbon fiber and draped with elegant bodywork designed by Pierre Terblanche.

We’ve often wondered what a modern-day Supermono would look like, and that question has just been answered by Chris Cosentino of New Jersey. It’s called the Hypermono, and it’s a remarkable feat of engineering.

Not many workshops can list projects for NASA and Victoria’s Secret on their CVs, but Cosentino Engineering is one of them. Chris has been machining, welding, and fabricating stuff for more than three decades, and now leads a team of likeminded souls in a 4,000 square foot facility crammed with both old and new school tech.

The Hypermono is the culmination of 25 years of racetrack R&D, with a goal of creating the lightest and most powerful single-cylinder race bike possible. It’s a virtually ground-up build, with a custom frame, engine and suspension setup—plus 3D printed bodywork.

“A list of mods is answered by ‘nearly everything’,” Chris tells us. “The project started as an exploration of alternate front suspensions—inspired by the Britten, and informed by the writing of Tony Foale.”

Chris has a lot of experience in this field. In the early 2000s he raced a Honda RS125, built a bike with a ‘Funny Front End’ frame, and grafted a Ducati 999R cylinder head onto Rotax crankcases. But the 2008 economic downturn killed the market for expensive custom race bikes and put Cosentino Engineering on life support.

Ten years or so later, after a business recovery and abstinence on the racing front, Chris got the racing itch again. And he noticed that Kramer was selling race singles with some success.

With a little help from renowned petrol head Jamie Waters, Chris kicked off the Hypermono project by designing a new bottom end to fit a Ducati Panigale 1199 cylinder head. Machined out of 4340 alloy billet is a reverse rotation crankshaft and counterbalance shaft, enclosed within billet aluminum crankcases. Capacity is 600 cc and there’s even an electric start.

The side covers and oil sump are sand cast magnesium, and the 62 mm exhaust has been printed using cutting-edge direct metal laser sintering (DMLS) equipment.

The electronics are equally sophisticated, built around a Marelli REX-140 ECU/data logger—the official engine control unit for the Moto2 Championship in the 2019-2021 seasons. There’s also a combined GPS/Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), and Chris describes the setup as “MotoGP level software with rider aids.”

The powerplant is snuck into a frame welded up from 4130 steel tube, with lugs that have been investment cast from 3D printed surrounds.

Tony Foale’s influence is especially obvious in the front end. It’s a linkage suspension with intricately engineered uprights, pivoted supporting arms and a direct-acting custom Öhlins TTX shock. The concept may be somewhat vintage, but the execution is thoroughly modern.

The rear end is dominated by a one-piece magnesium swingarm, sand cast by Yankee Casting. “The mold used for printing was directly 3D printed in sand by Humtown, so no pattern was necessary,” says Chris. Adjustable chain idlers make it possible to dial out on-throttle squat and damping is handled by another custom Öhlins TTX shock.

To keep weight down, the rims are five-spoke carbon fiber units from BST. Braking is handled by Brembo billet calipers with custom Braketech cast iron rotors.

“I’m now nearing completion of this build,” says Chris. “It incorporates everything I’ve learned from racing for the past 25 years into a new, clean, and elegant design. I was lucky enough to have Nick Graveley of ClayMoto offer to design custom bodywork, which looks absolutely awesome.”

Chris is currently 3D printing a test set of that bodywork—on a 3D printer he made himself for this task. And once the shapes are optimized, complete with cooling ducts and aerodynamic wings, he’ll use the printer to create parts that will be used as patterns for carbon fiber layup.

That’s the race side sorted, but there’s another development we’re even more intrigued by: Chris has built a bobber version of this bike too, and is looking at doing a short production run.

“I recently showed the unfinished bike at the One Moto show and it had a great reception in its naked form. That led me to investigate the possibility of offering them for street use, and I am now a registered vehicle manufacturer under Cosentino Motor Company, LLC,” he says.

“So street sales are a real possibility. That would create a nice wave to ride before my next project is finished: a battery electric version of the same rolling chassis, intended for higher volume street sales.”

Given Cosentino’s reputation for top-drawer engineering, that sounds like a very enticing prospect indeed.

Cosentino Engineering | Images by Michael Lichter Photography

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[DaveM]

BIRTHDAY BEEMER: BMW R100 by Incerum Customs.

It comes up all the time amongst bike fanatics, the dream collection of motorcycles you’d instantly acquire if one day you ever hit the lottery jackpot. We’ve all daydreamed and built these fantasy lists where finally money is no obstacle, but for those whose bank accounts are already overflowing, their one concern is simply making it happen. A year ago we featured an absolutely beautiful BMW R100...

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[DaveM]

Speed Read, September 4, 2022

Movie star bikes, limited edition factory specials and fantastic customs—this week’s Speed Read has it all. There’s a Ducati Desmosedici RR from RSD, a Norton Commando, and a chance to own James Bond’s Triumph Scrambler.

But first, we break from our usual programming to show you something we hardly ever feature: a high-spec superbike.

Aprilia RSV4 Xtrenta Aprilia has just pulled the covers off their latest MotoGP-inspired track machine: the RSV4 XTrenta. Built to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Aprilia’s first World Championship title, my first impression of the RSV4 XTrenta was simply a hefty “oof” sound. Even though I just had dinner, all those wings made me hungry.

You’re looking at the first bike outside of MotoGP to ever feature not only front wings, but rear and underbody wings too. The “spoon” hanging from the underside of the swingarm may look familiar to fans of the Aprilia RS-GP MotoGP race bike. Developing 25% more downforce and 4% less drag, not only does it boost performance, but it also looks cool as heck.

As with the factory bike, the RSV4 XTrenta is awash with carbon fiber bodywork. It was made especially for Aprilia by PAN Compositi, following the same manufacturing processes used to make the bodywork for the MotoGP bikes. A very strict diet has cut the weight down to just 166 kg [366 lbs].

Using the engine from the Aprilia RSV4 Factory as a base, Aprilia upped the compression ratio, and added a full titanium and carbon SC-Project exhaust along with a Sprint Racing air filter. All that has the engine pushing out a whopping 230 hp. Together with the low weight and high downforce, describing this as an absolute track weapon would still be an understatement.

Power and weight figures aside, it also looks the business. The purple against the Day-Glo red and silver just screams style and performance. It looks fast sitting still.

Aprilia are offering just 100 units of the RSV4 XTrenta for sale, so if you’d like one, you’d better get in quick. Sure, the €50,000 price tag is high—but I’ll bet none of your mates have this many wings on their bikes. [More]

Ducati Desmosedici RR by Roland Sands Design With only 1,500 produced, the Ducati Desmosedici RR is one of the most collectable models the Bologna firm has ever released. Heavily based on their Desmosedici MotoGP bike of the time, the RR (Racing Replica) produces an eye-popping 200 hp at 13,800 rpm, thanks to the 989cc Desmodromic V4.

Ducati added a V4 to its permanent lineup a few years ago—but back in 2008, it was the only their MotoGP bike that had more than two cylinders.

If you were one of the lucky 1500 owners worldwide, paying in excess of $72,000, you’d feel pretty special. It would be a hard thing to give up, especially if you thought you were getting too old to be hooning on a MotoGP bike. And that’s the backstory to what you see here—a 2008 Desmosedici RR, transformed into a striking street bike with an upright riding position for an older gentleman.

To get here, the Roland Sands Design team tore the bike down and 3D-scanned the fairing-less remains. This allowed them to design the bike in virtual reality—a first for the California workshop. Using the 3D VR approach, they were able to get a perfect fit for the new body parts.

Most interestingly, RSD changed out the rear Marchesini wheel. The factory Desmosedici RR rear wheel is 16.5” in diameter, which must be an enormous pain when you need new tires. Swapping it for a 17” hoop was the obvious choice.

Yes, the owner could have sold his Ducati for a good amount of money, bought a brand new Ducati V4 Streetfighter and be done with it. However, anyone with the inclination and money can do that any day of the week.

This way, the owner remains one of the lucky 1,500 and has a unique custom from RSD. The luckiest of the lucky 1,500, perhaps. [More]

1973 Norton Commando 750 Combat The Norton Commando is one of the world’s most famous English motorcycles. The arrival of the big Japanese inline fours brought on its demise, but it was lauded by owners, journalists and the public alike in its time. It was the first motorcycle I got a ride on as a young kid, so I myself have fond memories of the Commando.

In factory form, they are handsome machines—but some light touches here and there work wonders. An example of those wonders, you can see here. This is a 1973-model Commando, complete with a matching ‘Combat’ engine, built under the ownership of award-winning musician Tim Lopez.

The Norton Combat engine had a rocky start, with owners plagued by constant issues almost as soon as they left the factory floor. However, with proper care and a few choice upgrades, the higher-power engine can be much easier to live with. So the engine was the first thing to get sorted on this project.

Where better to get that work done, than Colorado Norton Works? They fully rebuilt and modified the engine and gearbox, adding a high-level exhaust from Viking. Up front, Suzuki GSX-R forks replaced the factory units, which look quite spindly by today’s standards.

A new set of black wheels were laced (with the front wheel adapted to the forks), and shod with new Avon tires. They look a few sizes wider than a factory Commando, which makes the bike look more aggressive and modern. Custom fenders were fabricated out of brass, tying in nicely with the overall black and gold theme.

The rear subframe was shortened, looped and topped with a custom leather seat. Commando engines are a dry-sump design, so there’s a custom oil tank under the seat. Beneath that is a set of polished rear-set foot pegs, again from Colorado Norton Works.

Just after Tim ticked over the engine’s 1000-mile break-in period, he decided to move it on. Revival Cycles in Austin, Texas handled the sale—and, understandably, it sold almost instantly. [More]

Own a Piece of Bond history With the release of the latest Bond film, No Time to Die, the 007 film franchise teamed up with Triumph Motorcycles for the first time. That it took them so long is a bit Oddjob, since James Bond and Triumph are both as British as the Queen, tea and mushy peas.

The partnership was 59 years in the making, and moviegoers were treated to incredible chase scenes, shot on location in some special spots. The stunt riders expertly piloted Triumph Scrambler 1200s and Tiger 900s through the city streets of Italy and the wilds of Scotland. From all reports, the bikes took everything in their strides, even when riding up stairs and flying through the air (although rumor has it that the biggest jump was actually performed by a KTM dressed as a Triumph, fake rear shocks and all).

If you would like to own a piece of Bond and Triumph history, we have good news. The custom-built Triumph Scrambler 1200 from the flick will be auctioned in September, as part of a charity auction by Christie’s and EON Productions. Triumph did release special ‘007’ editions of the Scrambler 1200 and Tiger 900 some time ago, but, alas, they sold out quickly.

As a long-time Bond fan, I thoroughly enjoyed No Time to Die (and yes, I cried at the end—I’m not a monster). I don’t have deep enough pockets to make a serious bid on the 1200, but I hope some of our readers do take note. If you’re interested, the pre-sale highlights exhibition will be on public view at Christie’s headquarters in London, from the 15th to 28th September. [More]

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[DaveM]

WILD IMAGINATION: Benelli Patagonian by MWM Custom.

If there is a quote that truly sums up what custom motorcycles really are all about, it comes from a little-known biker named Albert Einstein. “Logic will get you from A to B, imagination will take you everywhere.” Ok, so Albert preferred pedal power, but he wasn’t wrong and if anywhere takes basic bikes and lets their imagination run wild, it’s in Indonesia. The nation of 17...

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[DaveM]

Rare Bird: A 1970 Sportster XLH Turned Desert Sled

You’ll find no shortage of custom Harleys on builder Kento Oketani’s home streets of Long Beach. But you won’t find anything quite like his 1970 Harley-Davidson Sportster XLH. You might not know what to make of it at first glance—but once you understand how this desert sled came to be, the pieces start falling into place.

See, Kento took inspiration from an unlikely source: a custom 1956 pre-unit Triumph that his friend imported from the US to Japan, back in the early 2000s. Kento says the bike was a rare find—an authentic custom show build from the early 60s that had survived in incredible condition.

It was the first vintage scrambler he’d ever seen, and it put him on the path to building custom motorcycles himself. A few years after that chance encounter, Kento relocated from his home town of Ishikawa, Japan, to his current place in Long Beach.

It was around that time he started wrenching on bikes—and although vintage Triumphs were a rare sight in Southern California, memories of his friend’s pre-unit were never far from Kento’s mind.

There aren’t many builders who would start a British desert sled project with a 1970 Harley-Davidson, but we’re sure glad someone did. Flipping through pictures of that old Triumph, now yellowed with age, it’s clear that this unlikely mashup of influences shouldn’t work. But there’s no denying that Kento pulled it off with impeccable style.

Up front, the XLH is pure chopper. A set of shaved and chromed 33.4 mm H-D forks hold a brakeless 21” front wheel lower down, with a set of apes mounted higher up. The same goes for the headlight—a vintage Bates piece Kento stumbled upon during the build—as well as the 1980s-era OGK NOS grips.

Then of course there’s the engine, a donor from a 1976 XLH that was picked up as a basket case with no cases, broken gears, and a cracked cam cover. Kento says the motor came with a fair amount of usable parts, having been freshly chromed and vapor blasted all over, but it still needed a lot of work.

The engine was treated to new piston rings and an oil pump rebuild, and the internals were long overdue for a refresh. Kento taught himself the inner workings of the ironhead motor as he made his way through it, and added performance upgrades at every opportunity.

As it sits, the squeaky-clean power plant now sports an S&S Cycle flywheel, carbon fiber push rods, Andrews cams and an Andrews transmission, as well as a Karata belt drive and a Strociek dry clutch setup. Kento finished it off with a fresh Mikuni carburetor, a rare set of Robinson Thunderheads heads, and a pair of matching cam and primary covers that he made from scratch.

From there, Kento’s bike takes a radical departure from the norm, as the British influence gets more pronounced. The custom-made Saddlemen seat looks like it could have been pulled straight from the bike that inspired it, right down to the ribbed stitching detail. The same goes for the Wassell-style rear fender and Lucas tail light, both of which sit on a custom-made subframe.

A Wassell-style peanut tank tops off the frame, while upswept scrambler exhaust pipes and a pair of vintage Betor shocks finish out the rear, all of which are clearly more Bud Ekins than they are Willie G. We can’t say we’re disappointed to see something other than a boat tail back here.

The rest of the build is all about the details. The chrome oil tank that Kento fabricated is nothing out of the ordinary at first glance, but on closer inspection, you’ll notice it harbors a slick set of electronics. Kento stashed a Lithium battery up under the seat, allowing him to tuck the rest of the hardware inside the oil tank.

The three red buttons you see up top are actually the killswitch, starter button, and a button to control the sleek Motogadget speedometer. There’s even a USB port, relays, and breakers hidden in there as well.

Kento’s integration of the tiny LED speedo is particularly impressive, with internal routing that slips down inside the handlebars before dropping out and into the frame.

Kento’s bike is a rare bird indeed, and a fitting tribute to the British twin that inspired it. Pre-unit survivors may be a rare sight in the LBC, but there’s nothing quite as eye catching out there as this unique interpretation of the bike that started it all.

Kento Oketani Instagram | Images by Jose Gallina

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[Vector]

Fun ride!

 

[DaveM]

MISS MONSTER: Ducati M600 by BCD.

If you’ve ever bought a bike or car off the internet, sight unseen, then you know that the saying ‘a picture is worth a thousand words’ is both wrong and often cruel. What the picture often doesn’t show is the poorly covered up crash damage, the milky oil from a blown head gasket or any number of other horrors you may be lumped with. So, when it comes to having a custom motorcycle built for you...

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[DaveM]

Four to the floor: Purpose Built’s custom Suzuki GSX1400

Modern inline-four muscle bikes from Japan appeal to my practical side—they’re big, comfortable, reliable and have gobs of power. My only gripe with would be that they can come across as a bit bland, visually. You can go very far, very fast, but some of them look and sound like big sewing machines.

The owner of this 2008 Suzuki GSX1400, Luke, is no tailor. But he is something of a custom motorcycle aficionado. This is the second bike he’s had built by Tom Gilroy and his team at Purpose Built Moto on Australia’s Gold Coast.

The first was a Honda CBX1000 café racer, and Luke loved it so much that he decided to give it a worthy stablemate. He was primarily using his Suzuki for touring duties, and thought it also deserved the full PBM treatment. So with the CBX to compare to, what did Luke want for his GSX?

“Our first conversation was mostly about aesthetic upgrades, some mild engine performance mods to match, and better handling to boot,” Tom tells us. “It’s hard not to improve a motorcycle when you’re cutting weight off and letting the beast breathe easier. Our plan was this: rebuild the angular subframe to create a shorter, sharper style, and pick up the design from where the CBX1000 left off.”

To kick things off, the bike was torn down. Most of the factory body parts were discarded, with the exception of the fuel tank. It was decided early on that the wheels had to be white—so with the color palette taking form, they were sent off to paint while work began on the subframe.

The back end was cut down, and a generously-padded custom Alcantara seat was ordered from Timeless Auto Trim. Longer YSS shock absorbers were fitted to new shock mounts, raising the rear of the bike and sharpening up the steering angle for a more aggressive turn-in (and look).

The front end is just as wild as the back. The white wheel and lower fork legs are set off nicely against a custom front fender that was put together using one of Purpose Built’s own fender kits.

The headlight panel shrouds a 4.5” PBM LED headlight, which acts as the high beam. The low beam setting is taken care of by a pair of small projector lights mounted to the top of the oil cooler—a nod to the CBX1000 build. The low beams also have their own shrouds, painted to match.

The headlight nacelle, rear cowling and the shrouds that protect the low beams were all hand-beaten out of a sheet of aluminum. This is a skill that Tom and the team have been working on for some time, and it’s great to see them constantly growing and evolving their repertoire.

With the front lighting assembly taking up space the instrument panel’s space, a Daytona gauge was mounted to the bar clamps. The stock bars were swapped out for set of black ProTaper Contour units, adorned ProTaper grips, PBM’s own 3-button switches, and a pair of 3” mirrors. The hydraulic clutch and brake master cylinders were upgraded to Brembo units, for extra feel and stopping power.

You may know that before Tom got into building bikes, he specialized in custom motorcycle electronics. PBM still offers all their own products for sale, and the full suite of goodies was used on this bike. From the switches up front, to the lighting and the Black Box control module under the seat, everything came from the shop’s own stash.

Tom wanted to do something special with the exhaust, so he left the stock headers in place, then fabricated a connector that snakes its way through the subframe. A custom made muffler terminates under the rear cowl, made from 3” perforated tubing with two-stage muffler packing inside. And yes—this thing howls like a banshee.

As far as engine modifications go, there isn’t much to report on. PBM fitted a new set of DNA pod filters, and treated the big Zook to a dyno tune. It now shows 107 hp at the rear wheel, with 130 Nm of torque on tap. Not bad for a touring bike, hey?

“The only thing better than looking at the bike is riding it,” explains a rather proud Tom. “The 1400 four is an absolute beast, and delivers handfuls of torque wherever you are in the rev range.”

That’s not hard to believe. The power of the inline four, together with the huge weight loss and suspension improvements must have Luke grinning from ear to ear every time he rides it. And it’s a looker too, with paint inspired by older Suzuki MotoGP bikes, laid down by Justin at Pop Bang Classics.

“We had another great experience working with Luke, turning out this blistering custom,” beams Tom. “He picked it up from our shop and rode it for seven straight hours, taking the long way home to his place on the New South Wales coast. I couldn’t think of a bloke more deserving of this custom GSX1400.”

We couldn’t have written a better ending than that.

Purpose Built Moto | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Brandan Trudinger

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[DaveM]

Happily ever after: Foundry’s custom Moto Guzzi 750

Anyone with an email address knows that the internet is rife with scammers. It’s easy to get hoodwinked if you’re not vigilant—but luckily this particular story has a happy ending. It starts with a scam, and ends with a stunning Moto Guzzi street tracker from one of the UK’s best custom builders.

Before this Guzzi’s owner commissioned it, he was trawling Ebay for a new whip, and stumbled upon a Moto Guzzi V65 that Tom Simpson at Foundry Motorcycle had built. But something felt off, so he reached out to Tom to verify that the advert was legit. It wasn’t.

The phone call wasn’t a total waste, and the guys ended up connecting. “I let him know that I had a number of the ingredients to make a very similar bike waiting in the donor bike-slash-parts cupboard,” says Tom. “A few calls later and the build was signed off.”

Tom used the older Foundry build from the fraudulent ad as a template, but took this bike in a fresher direction. He used a different donor for starters: a 1994 Moto Guzzi 750 XPA. If you don’t know it, it’s a modified version of Moto Guzzi’s NTX 750 adventure bike, used by the Italian police.

Working from his workshop in West Sussex, Tom tore the bike down to its rolling chassis, and removed “all traces of Italian wiring.” He stripped the wheels down too, then had the hubs painted in Midnight Blue, before sending them off to Wheel in Motion. They came back laced to a pair of 18” Morad rims, and wrapped in dual-sport Heidenau K60 tires.

The frame was de-tabbed before Tom built a set of custom mounts to relocate the bike’s vital electronics to under the tank. Out back, he fabricated a kicked-up subframe, with a Frenched LED taillight and new shock mounts.

Then it was time to dive into the parts bin. “It’s rare that I don’t have a set of Biltwell Inc. Tracker bars on the shelf,” says Tom, “and I’d not long previously bought a Kawasaki KH250 fuel tank for exactly this purpose.”

A new front end was cobbled together from a combination of leftover Guzzi parts. “It allowed me to run a single 320mm Brembo disc and caliper combination, while being a bit shorter than the original Marzocchi setup.” New YSS shocks do duty out back.

Next, Tom built an aluminum electrics box to sit under the custom seat. It houses a Magnetti Marelli Lithium battery, an Electronik Sasche digital ignition module, and a Motogadget mo.unit blue controller and mo.lock keyless ignition. It also doubles up as a support for a two-into-one air intake of his own design.

Up front, the yokes were cleaned up and modded to house a tiny Motogadget speedo. Tom fitted the Biltwell bars with Honda CBR600RR controls, Motone push buttons and Kellerman bar-end turn signals.

A lot of thought went into the exhaust system too. “Even though the pipes I’d made for the previous V65 were a hit, I needed to do something to ensure the bikes remained individual,” he explains. The answer was a stainless steel two-into-one system, with a silencer under the transmission that exits via a slotted aluminum cover.

“I also fitted a lambda boss for more effective tuning. This setup also gives a fantastic sound—rather than a small block Guzzi, the way this sounds you’d expect to see a V8 supercar coming down the road. I pride myself on trying to create exhausts that sound great rather than just being loud.”

Tom’s background is in blacksmithing, so Foundry builds tend to feature at least one sand cast aluminum part. He tried something new this time around though, by using a 3D-printed mold to cast a new front engine cover. It turned out great—so Tom is likely to offer these for sale soon.

The seat was also created using a new technique—Tom used a two-part pourable foam that he says is remarkably comfortable, but also tedious to work with. Trim Deluxe took care of the upholstery.

Tom finished the Guzzi off with adjustable rear-sets and removable pillion pegs, then tore everything down for final prep. The engine, transmission and drive shaft housing were blasted and Cerakote-painted in Burnt Bronze, before Moto Euro helped rebuild them with new sundries.

S Jago Designs handled the Midnight Blue paint, while Tom put some hours into making the aluminum bits shine. “I thought, for therapeutic reasons, I’d do all the polishing myself this time,” he says. “Never again. It may be super satisfying but it’s way too messy for me.”

As usual, Tom’s created something compact and unfussy, while still adding a handful of truly artful touches. And it reportedly rides as good as it looks too.

“The Guzzi is a huge amount of fun to ride,” he confirms. “With its trials-style gearing it’s definitely a bike for the urban environment and windy roads rather than the motorways, but with a well-sorted 750 cc motor and weighing in at only 148 kg [326 lbs] wet, it is very capable of delivering a big smile.”

What could have ended up as a cautionary tale of an empty bank account and an empty garage, turned out as a custom motorcycle fairy tale instead. And if you’d like a slice of that happiness for yourself, there’s good news: Tom is currently collecting small block Guzzis to build a few more customs in this style.

Foundry Motorcycle | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Gary Margerum

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[DaveM]

KING OF SPRINT: BMW R 1250RS ‘Hercules II’ by Kraftstoffschmiede.

The C word, you try and avoid it, but sometimes it has to be said, Covid-19 sure did put a damper on the Europeans Sultans of Sprint events and for a few years, the Glemseck 101 was put on hold. Prior to the pandemic, sprint racing was booming in Europe and no man is more passionate about the sport than proud South German, Philipp Ludwig. The man behind Kraftstoffschmiede and a co-owner of...

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[DaveM]

Hometown Hero: A Yamaha SR150 Scrambler from Taiwan

Yamaha’s beloved SR has come in an array of sizes over the years, all closely resembling each other. Of all of them, the SR150 is an outlier. The now-defunct single was manufactured in Taiwan exclusively for the Taiwanese market, with a few visual differences from its Japanese cousins.

Even though the SR150 didn’t quite have the same timeless vibe as the rest of the range, it still sold like hot cakes. Since it was built locally, it incurred less sales tax—so it was cheap and readily available. Rough Crafts frontman Winston Yeh’s first bike was a second-hand Yamaha SR150, and it cost him just $700.

This custom 1997-model SR150 scrambler is just as cute as any other SR-based custom we’ve seen. It’s the work of Twist.Co—a two-man custom shop based in Taichung City in central Taiwan. They’ve been in business since 2016, and split their time between building custom bikes and making parts.

Twist.Co got the commission for this build from a client, with a mandate to build something “simple and elegant.” With some tasteful tweaks and tidy fabrication, they knocked it out the park.

Step one was to tear the bike down to its frame, and bin the stock bodywork. The duo modified the subframe next, and extended the swingarm to fettle the overall proportions. Sitting atop the new subframe is a svelte three-quarter length seat, wrapped in leather with contrasting stitching.

A new set of shocks was fitted, and the stock drum brake hubs were laced to 19F/18R rims, to help bulk up the petite SR150. They’re shod in Taiwanese-made Duro tires.

Twist.Co wanted to add a unique touch to the bike, so they settled on fabricating their own fuel tank rather than repurposing one from elsewhere. Putting their metal shaping skills to work, they built a teardrop-shaped unit with a polished stainless steel ridge running over the top, and a pop-up filler cap.

The tank wears the only splash of color on the bike. A third party painted it in a stunning blue, white and gold livery, with ‘swooshed’ Yamaha logos that mimic classic Triumph branding.

The aluminum fenders, side covers and front sprocket cover are all Twist.Co’s handiwork too. Those parts were treated to a buffed aluminum finish, adding a raw metal feel to offset the vivid fuel tank paint. The engine was cleaned up too, and now looks factory fresh.

Next, Twist.Co turned to fellow Taiwanese custom shop, 2LOUD, to bend a set of custom handlebars. They wear vintage-style grips, levers and mini-switches. A single mirror is cleverly mounted off the top yoke.

A vintage center-mount headlight sits up front, mounted with a custom-machined spacer to position it. The rest of the lighting, from the bullet turn signals to the generous taillight, looks equally retro, as does the compact analog speedo.

Elsewhere, the guys installed a NIBBI Racing carb; the red knob you see on the side operates the built-in choke. A hand-made stainless steel exhaust system finishes the bike off nicely.

This charming scrambler might be based on a lesser-known variant of the iconic SR, but you wouldn’t say so by looking at it. Thanks to Twist.Co, it’s a worthy inclusion into the annals of Yamaha SR customs.

Twist.Co | Images by Ken

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[DaveM]

Speed Read, September 11, 2022

One of the last bikes Barry Sheene ever raced is about to be auctioned off by Bonhams. Plus a look at one of the stars of the recent Glemseck 101 race fest, a Yamaha SR500 that’s still in the crate, and a Honda VFR inspired by Japanese anime.

Ex-Barry Sheene Manx Norton 500 If you’ve ever wanted to own a piece of motorcycling history, this is your chance. This Manx Norton 500 race bike was built by world-renowned Manx expert Fred Walmsley. If that’s not enough to convince you, it’s the last bike that Barry Sheene piloted to victory in 2002, before his death in 2003.

Sheene was crowned World Champion in 1976 and 1977, before retiring in 1984. The bike crashes he was involved in over the years led to him developing injury-induced arthritis. To help with this, he moved to Queensland, Australia, where the climate was much more conducive to his comfort.

In the late 1990s, Sheene became involved in historic motorcycle racing, which is how he met Fred Walmsley. Barry was riding a non-Walmsley Manx at the Goodwood Revival in 1999 when he had a rather large mechanical failure. Fred was able to fix the bike—and from then on, Sheene would only ride a bike if it was Fred who prepared it for him.

Fred was with his rider John Cronshaw in the Czech Republic in 2002, when he got the call for what would turn out to be Sheene’s last hurrah. Barry had been invited back to Goodwood and needed a bike.

Jumping on a plane that very night, Fred was able to get a Manx prepared just in time for the Goodwood Revival. The FW02 engine had been raced by John Cronshaw only a short time beforehand, so Fred decided to run a different engine for the sake of reliability.

Now reunited with its original engine, the FW02 is being offered for sale after being owned by the same family since 2003. The current price guide is £55,000 to £75,000, so it’s sadly a little out of my price range.

Whether it’s inside or outside your own budget, I recommend you check out the Bonhams listing. Gosh, it’s pretty. [More]

BMW R1250RS by Kraftstoffschmiede Slammed suspension, low clip-on bars and foot pegs way out back, behind the rider. This can only be a Sultans of Sprint race machine.

The European custom motorcycle drag racing series has taken a break over the last few years, but it’s now back in full swing. Philipp Ludwig of Kraftstoffschmiede knows that the Sultans of Sprint eighth-mile drag race is always a highlight. Having won twice before, he was looking for that third trophy—so he teamed up with Kris Szews of Man and the Machines, and BMW themselves, to build this sprint racing bike.

Named ‘Hercules II,’ this BMW R1250RS is an evolution of Kraftstoffschmiede’s previous R1250RS-based race bike, ‘Achilles.’ It features a monocoque body, modeled in 3D and made out of carbon fiber, before being draped artfully over the naked frame. Lightness and power are the names of the game—and on the former, they delivered in spades.

With 136 hp from the factory, the R1250 boxer engine is no slouch. But you have to be a cut above the rest for the Sultans of Spring, so ‘factory’ wasn’t going to cut it. Kraftstoffschmiede bolted on a big ol’ tank of NOS; with the nitrous flow set at 80% and a pair of huge K&N air filters, the 1250 now produces 165 hp and 200 Nm at the back wheel.

Other upgrades include a Hattech exhaust, Wilbers suspension and a carbon fiber nacelle from Rennstall Moto (which Philipp co-owns) to replace the headlight.

For the final sprint in the Rocket Race category at the recent Glemseck 101 event, Philipp was on the grid alongside Stefan from Radical Guzzi. Hercules II was unstoppable, putting Philipp on the top step of the podium once again. [More]

Factory-crated Yamaha SR500 Another week, another decades-old motorcycle still in its factory crate. When will this madness end? Won’t someone think of the children?

Well, this bike was all about one person’s child. Back in 1981, a gentleman in Michigan bought two, brand new Yamaha SR500s—one for himself and the other for his son. The plan was that when the young lad got into motorcycles, they would assemble the bikes together.

The gentleman had them delivered in their crates, and that is where they sat for the next 41 years. Suffice to say, the son’s love for motorcycles never developed. Now the original owner has decided to part with this extremely collectable machine.

Sure, the engine gaskets and seals probably need a refresh, but after the bike is assembled, it will run like a top and have zero on the clock. The Yamaha SR lineup is notoriously hard to kill, being derived from the Paris-Dakar winning XT500 models.

The big single is fantastically simple: an air-cooled 500cc single cylinder, single overhead cam engine, mated to a five-speed transmission. It’s got one inlet valve, one exhaust valve and one carburetor. (I think the only thing it has more than one of, is turn signals.)

If you’re in the market for a brand new motorcycle, but will only settle for one built in the 80s, check out the ad on Bring A Trailer. [More]

Honda VFR800 by Hrbek Design From the smooth, classic lines of a vintage race bike to this—an angular, futuristic Honda VFR800 inspired by the cult classic film, Akira. It was built by a guy named Jan Hrbek, and if you can’t already tell, he’s a 3D graphic designer.

Finding the 782cc Honda V-four to his liking, Jan set about making it a little more distinguishable among the bike night crowd. Working out of his small workshop at home, he did everything (apart from the paint and some minor fabrication) on the bike himself.

As a 3D designer, Jan has a great interest in rapid prototyping and 3D printing in nylon-carbon. These are the methods he used to create what is possibly the best front fairing I’ve ever seen. From the round LED headlight to the winglets and the flying buttresses, it’s so perfect you’d think that Honda themselves made it.

The rear end got the same treatment as the front, with the whole thing being 3D printed before being finished by hand. There is even an LED brake light nestled in there, sitting inside a 3D-printed housing.

Another notable feature is the clear clutch cover on the right side engine case. It was all done by Jan, with a helping hand from a CNC water jet cutter, a lathe and a lot of precision.

To spice up the left side of the bike, a stainless steel radiator overflow tank was made. With the stock fairing removed, the radiators themselves were left uncovered—so Jan painted them black, and fitted a modified set of MT-09 protectors.

Emblazoned with yellow and black anime-inspired details over a Nardo Grey paint, Jan’s VFR will certainly stand out in a crowd. I can’t wait to see what wild creation he comes up with next. [More]

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[DaveM]

ESPARTANA: Triumph Thruxton 1200 R by Tamarit Motorcycles.

We tend to think of custom bike shops as relatively small places in the backstreets of major cities; chaotic, with bikes everywhere and a grease and grit atmosphere. And that is true of plenty, but Spain’s Tamarit Motorcycles have taken the procurement of your next personalised piece of two-wheeled perfection to all new heights. They might be located in regional Spain, a few hours south of...

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[DaveM]

Steel dream: A scratch-built Yamaha SR400 bobber

Today’s custom motorcycle scene is a melting pot of old and new techniques. Traditional handcrafting methods coexist with software-based design and modern additive manufacturing processes. And sometimes—like in the case of this impossibly elegant Yamaha SR400—they collide.

Moscow’s Copper Chopper built this hardtail bobber almost entirely from scratch, using a tube bender, lathe and welding machine. But before builders Alexey and Igor put hand to metal, they designed the frame, and eventually the whole bike, using the 3D design software Fusion 360.

Copper Chopper’s been going for about six years, and originally started as a sideline gig with a mantra of “bought, built, ridden and then sold.” But the guys took the business full time this year, and, as a result, have started taking on commissioned work. This SR400 is their first client build, and it’s one hell of an entry into the world of pro custom work.

You can count the off-the-shelf parts on this Yamaha on one hand. Alexey and Igor started with a stock SR400 donor, a Lowbrow Customs front wheel, a rear sprocket-brake setup and a headlight from FNA Custom Cycle. The rest is their own handiwork.

The SR400’s engine has been transplanted into a rigid stainless steel frame, with a custom girder-like front end. The entire chassis is remarkably slender—which is exactly what the guys were aiming for. “It had to be as slim as possible,” says Alexey, “as slim as Maxwell Hazan’s masterpieces.”

A lack of available parts to execute Alexey’s vision for the forks meant that everything, from the minimalistic yokes and handlebars, to the actual shock, had to be fabricated. “We don’t have a milling machine,” he says, “so we had to invent ways to fix stuff to the lathe and mill it there. That happened throughout the whole project.”

The rear wheel is custom too. Starting with a stainless steel billet, Copper Chopper formed the basis of the hub on the lathe, then welded on a set of laser-cut flanges and refined the part. It was designed to accommodate the sprocket-brake that they had on hand, and add a custom-made chain tensioner.

The Yamaha sits on a custom center stand when parked, and rolls on vintage Avon and Firestone tires, front and rear.

Up top is a tasteful twin tank arrangement—again, fabricated from scratch. The left side holds fuel, while the right side is reserved for electronic components. To keep things super sano, Alexey and Igor routed most of the wires inside the frame itself.

Equal consideration was given to the cockpit, where the duo built an internal throttle and clutch. (Keen eyes will notice that neither of those are currently hooked up—the cables were added after these photos were taken.)

Sitting behind the tank is a skinny chopper-style seat. Copper Chopper shaped the seat pan, and the rear fender, in-house, but had the leatherwork done by a pro.

A handmade stainless steel oil tank is tucked in beneath the seat. With so much polished metal already on the bike, Alexey and Igor didn’t want to resort to rubber for their plumbing. So all of the fuel and oil lines were made by hand too, again using stainless steel.

Wondering where the exhaust, foot controls and every last nut and bolt came from? You guessed it: they were also made from scratch.

It’s rare to find a custom motorcycle that was designed digitally, then executed without a single 3D-printed part… but here we are. If Copper Chopper keep this up, they should have no trouble filling their order book.

Copper Chopper Instagram

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[DaveM]

SILVER SURFER: Yamaha SR400 by Purpose Built Moto.

If you’ve ordered a new car in the last few years then you’re probably aware of global supply chain issues that have been crippling many industries. What was supposed to be a six-week wait for your new wheels has now become 18 months of endless frustration, and this is one case where the salesman can’t be blamed. The flow-on effects have hit just about everyone, and it’s the people at the end of...

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[DaveM]

Custom mad: A Honda SLR 650 street tracker from Spain

Do you remember what first piqued your interest in custom motorcycles? Santi deWolf does; it was a Honda CB café racer, built by Dustin Kott, that he spotted online about seven years ago. And it set him on the path to becoming a part-time custom builder himself.

“I instantly fell in love with the purity and simplicity of the bike,” Santi tells us. “That lead me to find Bike EXIF, and I went through absolutely all your content in a couple of weeks… which is quite an accomplishment. I became obsessed with this movement that I had no idea existed.”

Santi’s a mechanical engineer by trade, and works as a product developer for a major household appliance brand. But ever since he got hooked on the custom scene, he’s spent his spare time working on bikes from his home garage in Zaragoza, Spain, under the banner of deWolf Moto Co. This Honda SLR 650 is his fifth project, and it was built using the most basic of toolsets.

“Everything I know is self-taught, mostly through YouTube tutorials and trial and error,” he says. “My bikes were created with a drill, a grinder, files, and a basic set of wrenches, literally. These past two years I’ve bought and learned how to use a TIG welder, and a large format 3D printer, among other stuff.”

Santi originally got the donor bike, a 1998 Honda SLR 650 (the more street-focused version of the popular Dominator), from his father-in-law, around the same time he discovered the custom scene. “It was in decent condition,” he says, “and it was a great bike to learn on—cheap, reliable, comfortable, nimble and not excessively fast. Just what I needed as a rookie.”

“I rode it for a couple of years, with many trips in between, and really liked how it handled. But as you know the looks are quite awkward, so from the day I bought it I was already thinking about customizing it.”

Since this was a personal project, Santi’s goal was to transform the Honda into a modern street tracker—without breaking the bank. So he did just about everything himself, short of specialized jobs like paint and upholstery.

“I wanted something with a street tracker vibe,” he tells us, “but completely out of the box, with as many handcrafted parts as I could. I started with a Procreate sketch on my iPad, and went from there.”

The biggest visual hit comes from the Honda’s new geometric bodywork. But lurking between the custom-made parts is one salvaged piece: the fuel tank from a 1979 Bultaco Metralla GTS 250. Santi modified the lower section to make it fit the Honda, then re-coated the inside.

The headlight nacelle, side covers, tail hump and fenders (yes, at both ends) were hand-shaped out of fiberglass. Santi formed the parts out of foam blocks first, before laying down the fiberglass.

The subframe was shortened and tweaked, and all the body parts were mounted to hand-made steel brackets. Pedro Vilés upholstered the seat in a waterproof suede-like fabric, and the rear cowl can be swapped for a pillion seat. A set of 3D-printed badges adorn the Bultaco tank.

Hidden behind the side covers is a custom steel battery box. Santi rewired the bike too, and treated it to a thorough service—right down to detailing every last nut and bolt.

Tucked into the front plate is a halogen light liberated from an aftermarket Polisport enduro part. Just behind it is a Koso digital speedo and a set of Renthal bars, fitted with new mirrors and lever guards. A set of Micro Cube LED turn signals are mounted just off the lower yoke.

Out back is a custom license plate bracket, fitted with a pair of multi-purpose Highsider LEDs. Santi wanted to keep the SLR street legal, so there’s an LED license plate light too—but the whole arrangement is easy to remove for off-road shenanigans.

Other upgrades include braided brake hoses from HEL, Mezeler Tourance tires and a DNA high-flow air filter. Santi kept the stock suspension, but rebuilt it at both ends to run stiffer. Finishing things off is a pair of aftermarket carbon mufflers, mounted to custom stainless steel headers.

A warm grey livery accentuates the Honda’s modified lines, laid down by Alberto Malpica. Santi finished the rest of the bike off with a mix of powder-coated and polished parts.

Since Santi only works on his bikes after hours, it took him a full five years to finish the SLR 650. And now that it’s all buttoned up, it’s for sale to fund the next project—proving just how addicted he is to custom motorcycles.

deWolf Moto Co. Instagram | Images by Tirso Bernad

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[DaveM]

Sekhmet: A BMW boxer café racer with an 80s vibe

It’s amazing how versatile the classic BMW boxer is is. Do you want a long, low and mean drag bike? A rough and ready scrambler? A sleek, stylish café racer? An airhead will do all of that, and more.

This 1982 BMW R80 falls firmly into that last category. It was built by 72 HKG Performance—a new collaboration between Antonio (72 Cycles Performance) and Jorge (Hell’s Kitchen Garage), based in Burgos, Spain.

They made it for an Egyptian friend, and named it ‘Sekhmet’ after the powerful mythical goddess. Extensively modified, only the engine, frame and fuel tank remain from the original bike.

“I was looking for a supercar feel, matching high performance to classic luxury,” explains Antonio. “It looks like a classic boxer but it feels brand new. You don’t need keys, everything works with buttons on the handlebars, and most of the electronics are hidden away.”

First up, a set of spoked wheels from a later model BMW R850 were painted black and bolted on. Wanting a bit more from the suspension, a set of Suzuki Hayabusa forks (and their Tokico brakes) were grafted into place in front.

The swingarm is a Frankenstein creation, using parts from a BMW K1100 and the aforementioned R850, with the Öhlins shock from a Ducati 999. It sounds simple on paper, but it was far from it. To fit the modern swingarm, a later-model gearbox had to be swapped out—which is why this 80s airhead now runs a hydraulic clutch.

We’re loving the 80s endurance racing vibe that the BMW’s new bodywork gives off. The exquisite fairing was lifted from an early model Yamaha XJ600, and features twin LED headlights. They remind us of a Jawa—the diminutive, furry humanoids native to the desert world of Tatooine.

The rider cockpit is very straightforward—or at least it appears that way. TRW handlebars are equipped with integrated buttons and Highsider mirrors. A Motogadget Chronoclassic speedometer sits front and center, and the brake and clutch master cylinders have been upgraded too.

The tail section was made by hand out of steel, then ingeniously wrapped in a forged carbon vinyl. The pleats on the spacious leather seat were modeled after a Rolex watch strap.

A smoked plexiglass screen hides the tail light and turn signals; another detail that looks like it was taken straight from an 80s race bike. The whole arrangement is perched atop a new subframe, complete with a redesigned rear shock mount.

Along with the aesthetic upgrades, the engine also received its fair share of attention. Starting with a full teardown, it was reassembled with forged pistons, fresh gaskets and seals, and a new coat of black paint. Upgraded electronics by way of a new CDI, a Motogadget mo.unit and a full rewire will keep this thing ticking over for decades to come.

Fuel is delivered, with gusto, by a pair of 38 mm Mikuni flatslide carbs with pod filters. Hot air exits through a custom stainless steel exhaust, set off perfectly against the dark paint job.

“The bike exceeds 180 km/h with impeccable stability and it has a fully aligned 160 rear tire,” says Antonio. “We spent more than a year with the bike, improving components and looking for a perfect combination of power, stability and shape. I think Sekhmet is a good mix of badass and glamour!”

Antonio is also quick to point out that he and Jorge will only ever build one-of-a-kind bikes, tailored to each customer’s specification. “We never repeat a shape, color or design,” he adds. “Our bikes have to be unique.”

That sounds like both a blessing and a curse, since we’re sure there are a number of people out there who wouldn’t mind this exact bike in their garage. We all know how versatile the airhead platform is, and now we all know how good 72 HKG Performance is at harnessing that versatility.

72 Cycles Performance | Hell’s Kitchen Garage | Images by Eduardo Recuero

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[DaveM]

NITRO-FUELLED: ‘Killa Bee’ by Alp Racing & Design.

To the general masses the salt flats of Bonneville are best known from the Hollywood movie ‘The World’s Fastest Indian’, but for the people who race there, it is simply the Mecca of speed. Sadly the salt is thinning on the famous flats, the length of the track having to be reduced, but still the faithful show up to push man and machine to the absolute limits. One such outfit is Alp Racing & Design...

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[DaveM]

Mean Green Machine: VSB’s Kawasaki KZ1000R S1 replica

Even if you know very little about Kawasaki’s history, you probably know about the KZ1000R Eddie Lawson Replica. Released in 1982, it was a limited edition motorcycle based on the one that Lawson won the championship with. Essentially a production bike with new paint and some upgraded parts, it was special, but not overly so.

If you wanted something truly special (and with a bit more pep), Kawasaki had the KZ1000R S1—an almost exact copy of Lawson’s actual GP bike. They built about 30 S1s, and if you knew the right people, you could buy one for around $11,000. Understandably, they are astonishingly collectable; some have been sold at auction in recent years for ten times that.

It’s easy to see why S1s are so collectable—but not everybody has six figures clogging their bank account. Which is why Tony Bucci at VSB Moto in Canada decided to build this very convincing Kawasaki KZ1000R S1 replica. Vintage superbikes are Tony’s forte, so who better to do this iconic machine justice?

“We really liked Kawasaki’s 82 KZ1000R offering, but we also really liked the original Kawasaki Factory S1 race bike,” Tony tells us. “We basically blended the best of what both bikes had to offer to build our S1 Street Replica.”

VSB Moto started with the KZ’s improved stablemate, the 1982 Kawasaki GPZ1100 B2, as a donor. The frame was in tip top shape and needed nothing more than a fresh coat of powder—but the full bike took almost five years to build. Part of the challenge was finding authentic parts to kit it out with.

“We started collecting parts for the bike years ago and we are just thrilled with some of the pieces we were able to source,” says Tony. “Period correct parts are getting extremely hard to find as this bike is now 40 years old! We were very lucky to find the final components that we needed.”

The parts list is as extensive as it is impressive. Tony bolted on a set of 18” six-spoke aluminum EPM wheels, preferring the look of them over the three-spoke Dymag hoops seen on the S1. A set of reproduction stainless steel brake discs were fitted to the wheels; 330 mm up front and 250 mm at the rear.

The front forks are original KZ1000R units, rebuilt with new tubes and upgraded internals. The swingarm is a genuine Calfab S1 braced unit, complete with eccentric axle adjusters. A cush drive setup and period-correct Works rear shocks were also sourced.

VSB rebuilt the GPZ1100 engine with slotted cam sprockets, degreed cams and back-cut transmission gears. A set of VM33 Mikuni carbs was restored, and fitted with K&N high flow pod filters. A Kerker-style race exhaust with a 50 mm baffle, and an APE manual cam chain tensioner were added to the build sheet.

The billet oil cooler take-off manifold is custom, and feeds oil to an Earles cooler, mounted on custom brackets with braided lines. A Dyna 2000 ignition system and Dyna coils were fitted, receiving power from a new stator and regulator. A slew of billet parts adorns the engine to finish it off.

VSB Moto also treated the Kawasaki to new superbike bars and controls, with a quick-action throttle, Oury grips and KZ1000 clocks. There’s LED lighting all-round too, and a set of S1 replica rear sets.

The attention to detail on this restomod is incredible. VSB Moto even employed an old trick used by AMA Hall of Famer, Rob Muzzy; they raised the rear of the tank by an inch to replicate the correct S1 styling. A period correct fairing, seat, tail and livery drive the point home.

Tony is proud as punch, and rightly so. “It is a dream to ride with the 18” wheels, has very nimble handling, the suspension is firm and progressive, and the seat and controls are comfortable. The engine produces 100 hp at the wheel with 89.5 Nm of torque, and pulls hard to the redline—we’re just blown away by how well it rides.”

And we’re blown away by how good it looks.

VSB Moto | Instagram | Images by Mondo Lulu

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