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Custom Motorcycle Builds
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BRITISH RACING BEEMER: BMW R100RS #134 by CRD.
From the earliest days of their existence, Spain’s Cafe Racer Dreams, have maintained a strong internet and social media presence that has allowed everyone from their most hardened fans to the average follower a chance to watch each and every bike they build take shape. This extra effort has not only meant they’ve gone from strength to strength, but established a loyal customer base around the...
Source
From the earliest days of their existence, Spain’s Cafe Racer Dreams, have maintained a strong internet and social media presence that has allowed everyone from their most hardened fans to the average follower a chance to watch each and every bike they build take shape. This extra effort has not only meant they’ve gone from strength to strength, but established a loyal customer base around the...
Source
Perilous Endeavor: A BMW R69 with half a car engine
Old BMW airheads have always been easy targets for customization. The motors are simple and easy to work on, the bodywork is modular, and there’s a solid two-decade production run of interchangeable parts to pull from. One might even say they’re the easiest bikes to build—though we’d dare anyone to call this custom BMW R69 from Möbius Garage easy.
According to builder Sébastien Beaupère, this project has been in the works for over a decade. Design started back in 2012, and the bike has slowly been taking shape ever since, in his garage in the south of France. Ten years may sound like a long time for a single project, but once you get into the details, there’s no question about where the time went.
Dubbed ‘Izarra 700,’ this BMW is a testament to what’s on offer along the road less traveled. Its recent first place win at this year’s Wheels and Waves festival in Biarritz was just as hard-earned as it was well-deserved, and the work that went into each exacting detail begs for a closer look.
Take Izarra’s engine, for example. You’d be forgiven for thinking this was just another early-model boxer motor that’s been polished up for display—but what you’re actually seeing here is a bonafide singularity.
The block should be familiar to BMW connoisseurs of a certain distinction, as Sébastien sourced it from a 1955 R69. The rest of the motor, however, isn’t from a motorcycle at all—it’s from a 1964 BMW 700 automobile, which Sébastien painstakingly grafted into place against all odds.
“I realized that the stroke of the connecting rods of the car engine and the motorcycle were identical,” explains Sébastien. “Only the bore is bigger on the car, which makes for a hyper square engine. On paper everything looked simple…”
In practice, however, Sébastien quickly found that there was nothing simple about the undertaking. The first hurdle was that the car cylinders didn’t quite match up with the R69 crankcase. He could have stopped there, but instead chose to refill the case openings with aluminum, and then re-machine them to accommodate the 700’s cylinders.
After that, things only got harder.
Tubes and rocker arms had to be fabricated to the appropriate length. The car’s central intake layout was completely reworked to accommodate dual horizontal Dell’Orto carburetors. And custom exhaust outlets were machined from stainless steel.
Sébastien even chose to keep the car’s original four-speed gearbox, which meant that engine mounts had to be modified to keep the drivetrain properly aligned.
Once the powertrain was finally finished, Sébastien applied the same uncompromising ethos to the chassis. He wanted to maintain something of a vintage BMW Rennsport aesthetic, so an Earles fork was the only serious choice for a front end.
A vintage unit was sourced, then modified to be shorter and wider in the name of performance. The front shock absorbers were upgraded to dual Öhlins units for increased compliance and adjustability, and an 18” spoked wheel was fitted to the front, wrapped in 140-wide Michelin flat track rubber.
Izarra got the same performance treatment at the rear. By modifying a BMW /6 swingarm, Sébastien was able to stuff a 160-wide tire in there. It’s suspended from a custom-fabricated subframe with a second pair of Öhlins shocks.
The result is a stout performer with handling to match. Between the engine’s high-compression pistons, enlarged valves, tuned intake and exhaust ports and upgraded carbs, it now makes a healthy 65 horses at 7,500 rpm. But as sweet as this motor is, performance is only half the story; this bike is pure visual pornography too.
Sébastien took his time with every single detail—like the fuel tank. He could have gone the easy route and maintained the classic BMW dark paint and ivory pin-striping that adorns the front and rear fairings. But instead, he covered the bulky Rennsport-style aluminum fuel cell with a radiant brass coating.
This theme continues through the rest of the R69’s details, from the engine’s brass rocker arms and freeze plugs, to the spacers at the shocks, and all the way up to the striking mesh windshield that sits atop the custom-made front fairing.
Izarra’s tail cowl borrows its shape from the Ducati racers of the late 70s—like Mike Hailwood’s infamous TT-winning 900NCR. The split upholstery that sits on top was taken from an old Cessna airplane interior, making for yet another truly unique detail.
Everywhere else you’ll find clean lines and pure minimalism at its finest. Sébastien wanted to keep exposed cables and wiring to a bare minimum, which led him to ditch the battery entirely and rely instead on either a kick starter or a paddock starter—like a proper race bike. He even went so far as to route the hydraulic brake lines through the fork itself.
Clearly, Izarra was no easy build. Ten years is a long time, but for Sébastien, it was time well spent.
Sure, you could argue that da Vinci only took three years on the Mona Lisa, or point out that the Statue of Liberty was completed in less than a decade. But neither of those can get your blood pumping like this two-wheeled fire factory—and for that, we say chapeau!
Möbius Garage Instagram | Images by Damien Lorrai
Continue reading...
Old BMW airheads have always been easy targets for customization. The motors are simple and easy to work on, the bodywork is modular, and there’s a solid two-decade production run of interchangeable parts to pull from. One might even say they’re the easiest bikes to build—though we’d dare anyone to call this custom BMW R69 from Möbius Garage easy.
According to builder Sébastien Beaupère, this project has been in the works for over a decade. Design started back in 2012, and the bike has slowly been taking shape ever since, in his garage in the south of France. Ten years may sound like a long time for a single project, but once you get into the details, there’s no question about where the time went.
Dubbed ‘Izarra 700,’ this BMW is a testament to what’s on offer along the road less traveled. Its recent first place win at this year’s Wheels and Waves festival in Biarritz was just as hard-earned as it was well-deserved, and the work that went into each exacting detail begs for a closer look.
Take Izarra’s engine, for example. You’d be forgiven for thinking this was just another early-model boxer motor that’s been polished up for display—but what you’re actually seeing here is a bonafide singularity.
The block should be familiar to BMW connoisseurs of a certain distinction, as Sébastien sourced it from a 1955 R69. The rest of the motor, however, isn’t from a motorcycle at all—it’s from a 1964 BMW 700 automobile, which Sébastien painstakingly grafted into place against all odds.
“I realized that the stroke of the connecting rods of the car engine and the motorcycle were identical,” explains Sébastien. “Only the bore is bigger on the car, which makes for a hyper square engine. On paper everything looked simple…”
In practice, however, Sébastien quickly found that there was nothing simple about the undertaking. The first hurdle was that the car cylinders didn’t quite match up with the R69 crankcase. He could have stopped there, but instead chose to refill the case openings with aluminum, and then re-machine them to accommodate the 700’s cylinders.
After that, things only got harder.
Tubes and rocker arms had to be fabricated to the appropriate length. The car’s central intake layout was completely reworked to accommodate dual horizontal Dell’Orto carburetors. And custom exhaust outlets were machined from stainless steel.
Sébastien even chose to keep the car’s original four-speed gearbox, which meant that engine mounts had to be modified to keep the drivetrain properly aligned.
Once the powertrain was finally finished, Sébastien applied the same uncompromising ethos to the chassis. He wanted to maintain something of a vintage BMW Rennsport aesthetic, so an Earles fork was the only serious choice for a front end.
A vintage unit was sourced, then modified to be shorter and wider in the name of performance. The front shock absorbers were upgraded to dual Öhlins units for increased compliance and adjustability, and an 18” spoked wheel was fitted to the front, wrapped in 140-wide Michelin flat track rubber.
Izarra got the same performance treatment at the rear. By modifying a BMW /6 swingarm, Sébastien was able to stuff a 160-wide tire in there. It’s suspended from a custom-fabricated subframe with a second pair of Öhlins shocks.
The result is a stout performer with handling to match. Between the engine’s high-compression pistons, enlarged valves, tuned intake and exhaust ports and upgraded carbs, it now makes a healthy 65 horses at 7,500 rpm. But as sweet as this motor is, performance is only half the story; this bike is pure visual pornography too.
Sébastien took his time with every single detail—like the fuel tank. He could have gone the easy route and maintained the classic BMW dark paint and ivory pin-striping that adorns the front and rear fairings. But instead, he covered the bulky Rennsport-style aluminum fuel cell with a radiant brass coating.
This theme continues through the rest of the R69’s details, from the engine’s brass rocker arms and freeze plugs, to the spacers at the shocks, and all the way up to the striking mesh windshield that sits atop the custom-made front fairing.
Izarra’s tail cowl borrows its shape from the Ducati racers of the late 70s—like Mike Hailwood’s infamous TT-winning 900NCR. The split upholstery that sits on top was taken from an old Cessna airplane interior, making for yet another truly unique detail.
Everywhere else you’ll find clean lines and pure minimalism at its finest. Sébastien wanted to keep exposed cables and wiring to a bare minimum, which led him to ditch the battery entirely and rely instead on either a kick starter or a paddock starter—like a proper race bike. He even went so far as to route the hydraulic brake lines through the fork itself.
Clearly, Izarra was no easy build. Ten years is a long time, but for Sébastien, it was time well spent.
Sure, you could argue that da Vinci only took three years on the Mona Lisa, or point out that the Statue of Liberty was completed in less than a decade. But neither of those can get your blood pumping like this two-wheeled fire factory—and for that, we say chapeau!
Möbius Garage Instagram | Images by Damien Lorrai
Continue reading...
Speed Read, October 23, 2022
From a Cyberpunk-inspired Honda scooter, to a mind boggling Yamaha R1 café racer, we’ve got a little something for everyone this week. In other news: a Yamaha RZ350 goes on auction, a documentary about the late Jessi Combs launches, and a couple of bike nerds unbox a 40-year-old Yamaha for the first time.
Honda Spacy 110 by Rainbow Moto Builder It’s no secret that we have a soft spot for custom scooters—which is why you’ll see them on these pages regularly. But even though we like to cast our net wide, we’ve never seen anything quite like this.
That’s right: lurking beneath the bodywork of this sci-fi-inspired machine, is a scooter. Specifically, an unassuming 2012-model Honda Spacy 110.
In stock form, it’s just another commuter scooter with generic looks, designed for doing little more than getting from A to B. But Indonesia’s Rainbow Moto Builder saw potential for more.
Taking inspiration from the Cyberpunk video game series, the crew wrapped the Spacy in a full complement of hand-shaped sheet metal body panels. It’s covered from head to toe with neat little touches, including a plethora of vents and an array of fasteners that, from a distance, mimic the rivets on aircraft bodies.
Poking out the front are two super-bright LED headlights, inspired by the titular character from the animated film, WALL-E. Just behind those, cutouts make way for a set of clip-ons, fitted with goodies from RCB and Rizoma. The ignition sits on the left said of the main fairing, with an upgraded speedo embedded on top of the tank cover.
There’s a surprising amount of detail for such a humble donor bike. The tail section features an integrated LED taillight, plus a cowl that can be removed to accommodate a passenger. Further down are rear sets and upgraded passenger pegs.
Rainbow Moto Builder also bumped the engine capacity up to 135 cc, and installed an aftermarket exhaust. The Spacy rolls on new wheels too—but they’re wider than stock, so the team had to work their magic on the forks and swingarm.
It’s a wild take on a scooter, but we’re all for it. And it’s not the first time Rainbow Moto Builder has done something this over the top—scroll through their Instagram feed, and you’ll spot a few more bikes that look like they rolled out of an animated sci-fi movie. [Rainbow Moto Builder Instagram]
Yamaha R1 by Robert Catanese and FrameCrafters Some guys are happy to slap a tail bump and clip-ons onto an old Honda CB and call it a café racer. But not Robert Catanese. His idea of a café racer is something that blends modern performance with vintage panache—like a Yamaha R1 repacked into a completely bespoke chassis.
Based in Chicago, Rob is a big fan of both motorcycle racing and custom motorcycle culture. He also has some pretty wicked contacts—like the father and son team over at FrameCrafters in Union, Illinois. So this project was never going to anything other than extreme.
Rob’s project started out completely analog; a sketch on a napkin done over beers with a friend. Armed with that sketch, and a near perfect 2012 Yamaha R1 donor, Rob headed over to FrameCrafters to spec out the rest of the build. In the end, the R1’s motor, ECU and a few key “geometry points” were all that remained.
The 182 hp four-cylinder engine now sits (as a stressed member) in a custom-made chromoly frame. It’s not just gorgeous either—Rob has an aggressive riding style, so the chassis was built to cope with that. The swingarm is a hand-made chromoly unit too, and everything’s been nickel-plated as a nod to old Rickman frames.
FrameCrafters then adapted a Ducati 750SS replica fairing and tail unit to fit the bike, matched to a hand-made aluminum fuel tank. An alloy air intake hides underneath it.
Continuing the performance theme, Rob threw a laundry list of exotic parts at the build. It rolls on carbon fiber wheels from BST, and stops courtesy of Beringer brake calipers and Brake Tech rotors. Other upgrades include Attack Performance yokes, an Öhlins rear shock, GP-style foot controls from Vortex, and a bunch of Lightech and Motogadget bits.
Rob also fitted a custom titanium exhaust, and had the bike chipped and tuned. It now weighs 50 lbs less than a stock R1, and makes around 200 hp.
Best of all, it gets ridden all the time. [Source]
For sale: 1985 Yamaha RZ350 If you prefer classic performance bikes over café racers, the folks over at Iconic Motorbike Auctions have a treat for you. They’re currently auctioning off a 1985 Yamaha RZ350.
Sure, the RZ350 is the most iconic two-stroke that Yamaha ever made, but it’s still special in its own right. For starters, it was one of the last two-strokes that Yamaha built, before tightening emissions requirements started choking the market. The RZ350 made it by the skin of its teeth, partly thanks to the fact that it featured one of the industry’s earliest catalytic converter-equipped exhaust systems.
It was a goer too, according to Cycle World, who put it on their cover in July 1984 and rated it a “perfect 10 on the fun scale.”
Yamaha marketed the bike in the USA by hinging off the reliable ‘win on Sunday, sell on Monday’ sales model. So the US-market RZ350 wore a yellow ‘speedblock’ livery, with Kenny Roberts’ signature on the fairing.
The example for sale here has 7,859 miles on the clock, and is mostly stock. The only obvious changes are an Allspeed exhaust, braided hoses and new grips.
The crew at Iconic have given the bike a good once over, and note that while the tires are good, the fluids are fresh and the electrics all work, there is a carb leak that’ll need sorting. The bike ships with a handful of spares too, and a new battery’s been installed.
Judging by the close-up photos on their listing, the Yamaha could do with a solid cosmetic clean-up too. But if you’ve got a little money to spend, and can jump on it before the auction ends in three days, this might just be the perfect little winter project. [More]
The Fastest Woman on Earth Known as “the fastest woman on four wheels,” Jessi Combs died tragically in 2019 while attempting to set the women’s land speed record in a jet-powered car. Before the fatal crash, she recorded a speed of 522.783 mph [841.338 km/h]—breaking a record that had stood since 1976.
Streaming now on HBO Max, ‘The Fastest Woman on Earth’ is a documentary that chronicles Jessi’s seven-year quest to break that record, and reflects on her extraordinary life. And her life sure was extraordinary.
Born in South Dakota, and obsessed with speed from a young age, there’s almost nothing that Jessi didn’t do during her time here. She was an accomplished racer, fabricator, artist, photographer and TV personality. And although most of her achievements happened on four wheels, she was deeply embedded—and extremely loved—in the motorcycle scene.
She lived her life at full speed and, even now, still inspires others to do the same. [Image source: The Jessi Combs Foundation]
Uncrating a new 40-year-old Yamaha SR500 Not too long ago, our friends at Silodrome reported on a brand new, crated Yamaha SR500 that was going up for sale. That bike was actually one of two, originally bought by a gentleman back in the days when a manufacturer would still let you assemble your own bike. His intention was for him and his son to take up motorcycling together on matching bikes—but they never did, and the bikes stood.
One of them was recently bought by the guys behind the YouTube channel, Beards and Bikes. Once they had it in hand, they did what many of us would secretly love to do, but might not be brave enough to: they uncrated, assembled and started it. In the process, they had to contend with everything from mouse excrement to a missing set of keys.
Pour yourself a beverage, kick back and indulge in the fun below.
Continue reading...
From a Cyberpunk-inspired Honda scooter, to a mind boggling Yamaha R1 café racer, we’ve got a little something for everyone this week. In other news: a Yamaha RZ350 goes on auction, a documentary about the late Jessi Combs launches, and a couple of bike nerds unbox a 40-year-old Yamaha for the first time.
Honda Spacy 110 by Rainbow Moto Builder It’s no secret that we have a soft spot for custom scooters—which is why you’ll see them on these pages regularly. But even though we like to cast our net wide, we’ve never seen anything quite like this.
That’s right: lurking beneath the bodywork of this sci-fi-inspired machine, is a scooter. Specifically, an unassuming 2012-model Honda Spacy 110.
In stock form, it’s just another commuter scooter with generic looks, designed for doing little more than getting from A to B. But Indonesia’s Rainbow Moto Builder saw potential for more.
Taking inspiration from the Cyberpunk video game series, the crew wrapped the Spacy in a full complement of hand-shaped sheet metal body panels. It’s covered from head to toe with neat little touches, including a plethora of vents and an array of fasteners that, from a distance, mimic the rivets on aircraft bodies.
Poking out the front are two super-bright LED headlights, inspired by the titular character from the animated film, WALL-E. Just behind those, cutouts make way for a set of clip-ons, fitted with goodies from RCB and Rizoma. The ignition sits on the left said of the main fairing, with an upgraded speedo embedded on top of the tank cover.
There’s a surprising amount of detail for such a humble donor bike. The tail section features an integrated LED taillight, plus a cowl that can be removed to accommodate a passenger. Further down are rear sets and upgraded passenger pegs.
Rainbow Moto Builder also bumped the engine capacity up to 135 cc, and installed an aftermarket exhaust. The Spacy rolls on new wheels too—but they’re wider than stock, so the team had to work their magic on the forks and swingarm.
It’s a wild take on a scooter, but we’re all for it. And it’s not the first time Rainbow Moto Builder has done something this over the top—scroll through their Instagram feed, and you’ll spot a few more bikes that look like they rolled out of an animated sci-fi movie. [Rainbow Moto Builder Instagram]
Yamaha R1 by Robert Catanese and FrameCrafters Some guys are happy to slap a tail bump and clip-ons onto an old Honda CB and call it a café racer. But not Robert Catanese. His idea of a café racer is something that blends modern performance with vintage panache—like a Yamaha R1 repacked into a completely bespoke chassis.
Based in Chicago, Rob is a big fan of both motorcycle racing and custom motorcycle culture. He also has some pretty wicked contacts—like the father and son team over at FrameCrafters in Union, Illinois. So this project was never going to anything other than extreme.
Rob’s project started out completely analog; a sketch on a napkin done over beers with a friend. Armed with that sketch, and a near perfect 2012 Yamaha R1 donor, Rob headed over to FrameCrafters to spec out the rest of the build. In the end, the R1’s motor, ECU and a few key “geometry points” were all that remained.
The 182 hp four-cylinder engine now sits (as a stressed member) in a custom-made chromoly frame. It’s not just gorgeous either—Rob has an aggressive riding style, so the chassis was built to cope with that. The swingarm is a hand-made chromoly unit too, and everything’s been nickel-plated as a nod to old Rickman frames.
FrameCrafters then adapted a Ducati 750SS replica fairing and tail unit to fit the bike, matched to a hand-made aluminum fuel tank. An alloy air intake hides underneath it.
Continuing the performance theme, Rob threw a laundry list of exotic parts at the build. It rolls on carbon fiber wheels from BST, and stops courtesy of Beringer brake calipers and Brake Tech rotors. Other upgrades include Attack Performance yokes, an Öhlins rear shock, GP-style foot controls from Vortex, and a bunch of Lightech and Motogadget bits.
Rob also fitted a custom titanium exhaust, and had the bike chipped and tuned. It now weighs 50 lbs less than a stock R1, and makes around 200 hp.
Best of all, it gets ridden all the time. [Source]
For sale: 1985 Yamaha RZ350 If you prefer classic performance bikes over café racers, the folks over at Iconic Motorbike Auctions have a treat for you. They’re currently auctioning off a 1985 Yamaha RZ350.
Sure, the RZ350 is the most iconic two-stroke that Yamaha ever made, but it’s still special in its own right. For starters, it was one of the last two-strokes that Yamaha built, before tightening emissions requirements started choking the market. The RZ350 made it by the skin of its teeth, partly thanks to the fact that it featured one of the industry’s earliest catalytic converter-equipped exhaust systems.
It was a goer too, according to Cycle World, who put it on their cover in July 1984 and rated it a “perfect 10 on the fun scale.”
Yamaha marketed the bike in the USA by hinging off the reliable ‘win on Sunday, sell on Monday’ sales model. So the US-market RZ350 wore a yellow ‘speedblock’ livery, with Kenny Roberts’ signature on the fairing.
The example for sale here has 7,859 miles on the clock, and is mostly stock. The only obvious changes are an Allspeed exhaust, braided hoses and new grips.
The crew at Iconic have given the bike a good once over, and note that while the tires are good, the fluids are fresh and the electrics all work, there is a carb leak that’ll need sorting. The bike ships with a handful of spares too, and a new battery’s been installed.
Judging by the close-up photos on their listing, the Yamaha could do with a solid cosmetic clean-up too. But if you’ve got a little money to spend, and can jump on it before the auction ends in three days, this might just be the perfect little winter project. [More]
The Fastest Woman on Earth Known as “the fastest woman on four wheels,” Jessi Combs died tragically in 2019 while attempting to set the women’s land speed record in a jet-powered car. Before the fatal crash, she recorded a speed of 522.783 mph [841.338 km/h]—breaking a record that had stood since 1976.
Streaming now on HBO Max, ‘The Fastest Woman on Earth’ is a documentary that chronicles Jessi’s seven-year quest to break that record, and reflects on her extraordinary life. And her life sure was extraordinary.
Born in South Dakota, and obsessed with speed from a young age, there’s almost nothing that Jessi didn’t do during her time here. She was an accomplished racer, fabricator, artist, photographer and TV personality. And although most of her achievements happened on four wheels, she was deeply embedded—and extremely loved—in the motorcycle scene.
She lived her life at full speed and, even now, still inspires others to do the same. [Image source: The Jessi Combs Foundation]
Uncrating a new 40-year-old Yamaha SR500 Not too long ago, our friends at Silodrome reported on a brand new, crated Yamaha SR500 that was going up for sale. That bike was actually one of two, originally bought by a gentleman back in the days when a manufacturer would still let you assemble your own bike. His intention was for him and his son to take up motorcycling together on matching bikes—but they never did, and the bikes stood.
One of them was recently bought by the guys behind the YouTube channel, Beards and Bikes. Once they had it in hand, they did what many of us would secretly love to do, but might not be brave enough to: they uncrated, assembled and started it. In the process, they had to contend with everything from mouse excrement to a missing set of keys.
Pour yourself a beverage, kick back and indulge in the fun below.
Continue reading...
STACEY’S SPECIAL: Yamaha XS650 by Rodsmith Motorcycles.
Many decades ago a bloke named Craig Rodsmith and I were both born in the same hospital and not long after they blew it up and tore it down; yep they broke the mould! It might have been called the Royal Women’s, but there is nothing regal about who we are, a boy from the burbs and the other from the bush who just love bikes. Rodsmith of course is the master craftsman who embraces the stripped-back...
Source
Many decades ago a bloke named Craig Rodsmith and I were both born in the same hospital and not long after they blew it up and tore it down; yep they broke the mould! It might have been called the Royal Women’s, but there is nothing regal about who we are, a boy from the burbs and the other from the bush who just love bikes. Rodsmith of course is the master craftsman who embraces the stripped-back...
Source
Three in one: A BMW R100R bobber with an adaptable tail
A design can be elevated by taking elements away rather than adding them. Sometimes it’s about what’s there, and sometimes it’s about what’s not. This custom 1993 BMW R100R falls into the second category—built by Niks Motorcycles in Barcelona, Spain, it’s an essay on minimalism.
If you’re not familiar, the R100R was technically BMW’s first go at building a ‘modern classic.’ It was essentially the road-going equivalent of the R100GS, with an air- and oil-cooled 980 cc boxer twin pushing 60 hp to the back wheel via BMW’s modern (at the time) Paralever shaft drive. The R100R also traded its stablemate’s adventure bike trim for smaller wheels and a smattering of chrome.
The Niks Motorcycles R100R is a considerable departure from the original. But it’s not just a looker—it also hides a neat party trick. As per the client’s brief, this boxer can go from bobber to passenger-friendly at the drop of a hat.
But before Niks got to that, they rebuilt the engine with a 1,000 cc Siebenrock high-compression piston kit. The upper engine cover was replaced with a slimmer unit, with the battery now housed under the swingarm. The exhaust was made by the Niks team and is appropriately short, matching the lines of the frame and exposing the beautiful BMW single-sided swingarm.
The front end is stock, but since the client called for a long and low design it was lowered internally by about five inches. With the reduced travel, the front springs were wisely swapped out for progressive items, along with preload adjusters. The fork lowers were smoothed out for a more classic look.
The Paralever rear end and mono-shock were carried over from the factory bike, but with improved performance courtesy of a Wilbers item. The rear end was also modified slightly to allow a 5” wide tire to fit.
The factory cross-spoked wheels were disassembled, painted black and reassembled with stainless steel spokes and Firestone Deluxe tires. The Brembo front brakes were torn down and rebuilt too, with fresh brake lines and a Beringer master cylinder. Naturally, the calipers got a fresh coat of black paint to match the wheels.
The real magic is happening in the middle section of the bike. Niks built a custom tank that’s less than half the size of the original, and looks totally fantastic. Between the skinny silhouette, the Monza fuel cap and the custom fuel gauge on the left side, it’s a true work of art.
Onto the BMW’s party trick: its tailor-made three-in-one tail setup. Niks’ client liked the idea of a solo seat, but also enjoys riding with his partner. To cover all bases, the team came up with a removable subframe and passenger seat.
It can be configured as a solo seat, a solo seat with a luggage rack, or a full two-up setup. It bolts on in minutes, and opens up a world of convenience. Ingenious stuff.
The front and rear fenders were made in-house too. The rear unit, and a custom-made license plate bracket, attach to the swingarm on the right side only. Again, the bike’s design is elevated by both what is there, and what is not.
A single round headlight sits up front, with a Motogadget tiny speedometer embedded into the top. A set of relaxed, beach cruiser-style handlebars are adorned with Motone push button switches and Beringer levers. The bars are capped with glassless mirrors and LED turn signals, both from Motogadget.
The seat, grips and foot pegs are all covered in the same Italian leather—though the pegs feature stainless steel fasteners for extra grip.
Examine each element of the bike by itself, and you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s nothing special. Combine these elements though, and they come together to create something unique.
Finished in stunning blue paint, the frame, swingarm and tank blend together beautifully. We love how the tank’s so skinny, it almost feels like part of the chassis. It must be wild to look down and see those big boxer pistons sticking out each side.
Niks Motorcycles have taken a different approach with their R100R and it’s paid off in spades. We bet the new owner is happy—because we can’t think of a better way to see the sights of Barcelona.
Niks Motorcycles | Facebook | Instagram
Continue reading...
A design can be elevated by taking elements away rather than adding them. Sometimes it’s about what’s there, and sometimes it’s about what’s not. This custom 1993 BMW R100R falls into the second category—built by Niks Motorcycles in Barcelona, Spain, it’s an essay on minimalism.
If you’re not familiar, the R100R was technically BMW’s first go at building a ‘modern classic.’ It was essentially the road-going equivalent of the R100GS, with an air- and oil-cooled 980 cc boxer twin pushing 60 hp to the back wheel via BMW’s modern (at the time) Paralever shaft drive. The R100R also traded its stablemate’s adventure bike trim for smaller wheels and a smattering of chrome.
The Niks Motorcycles R100R is a considerable departure from the original. But it’s not just a looker—it also hides a neat party trick. As per the client’s brief, this boxer can go from bobber to passenger-friendly at the drop of a hat.
But before Niks got to that, they rebuilt the engine with a 1,000 cc Siebenrock high-compression piston kit. The upper engine cover was replaced with a slimmer unit, with the battery now housed under the swingarm. The exhaust was made by the Niks team and is appropriately short, matching the lines of the frame and exposing the beautiful BMW single-sided swingarm.
The front end is stock, but since the client called for a long and low design it was lowered internally by about five inches. With the reduced travel, the front springs were wisely swapped out for progressive items, along with preload adjusters. The fork lowers were smoothed out for a more classic look.
The Paralever rear end and mono-shock were carried over from the factory bike, but with improved performance courtesy of a Wilbers item. The rear end was also modified slightly to allow a 5” wide tire to fit.
The factory cross-spoked wheels were disassembled, painted black and reassembled with stainless steel spokes and Firestone Deluxe tires. The Brembo front brakes were torn down and rebuilt too, with fresh brake lines and a Beringer master cylinder. Naturally, the calipers got a fresh coat of black paint to match the wheels.
The real magic is happening in the middle section of the bike. Niks built a custom tank that’s less than half the size of the original, and looks totally fantastic. Between the skinny silhouette, the Monza fuel cap and the custom fuel gauge on the left side, it’s a true work of art.
Onto the BMW’s party trick: its tailor-made three-in-one tail setup. Niks’ client liked the idea of a solo seat, but also enjoys riding with his partner. To cover all bases, the team came up with a removable subframe and passenger seat.
It can be configured as a solo seat, a solo seat with a luggage rack, or a full two-up setup. It bolts on in minutes, and opens up a world of convenience. Ingenious stuff.
The front and rear fenders were made in-house too. The rear unit, and a custom-made license plate bracket, attach to the swingarm on the right side only. Again, the bike’s design is elevated by both what is there, and what is not.
A single round headlight sits up front, with a Motogadget tiny speedometer embedded into the top. A set of relaxed, beach cruiser-style handlebars are adorned with Motone push button switches and Beringer levers. The bars are capped with glassless mirrors and LED turn signals, both from Motogadget.
The seat, grips and foot pegs are all covered in the same Italian leather—though the pegs feature stainless steel fasteners for extra grip.
Examine each element of the bike by itself, and you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s nothing special. Combine these elements though, and they come together to create something unique.
Finished in stunning blue paint, the frame, swingarm and tank blend together beautifully. We love how the tank’s so skinny, it almost feels like part of the chassis. It must be wild to look down and see those big boxer pistons sticking out each side.
Niks Motorcycles have taken a different approach with their R100R and it’s paid off in spades. We bet the new owner is happy—because we can’t think of a better way to see the sights of Barcelona.
Niks Motorcycles | Facebook | Instagram
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Winning Recipe: A Honda CBX 1000 café racer from France
A year after he turned his custom motorcycle building hobby into a business, Dimitri at Lys Motorcycles figured it was time to level up his portfolio. So he set time aside to build a show bike—a rolling portfolio piece that he could take to events. Going for max. impact, he took a 1982 Honda CBX 1000 and cranked it up to eleven.
It was a hit, and Dimitri was soon fielding the sort of requests that custom builders usually have mixed feelings about; “Make me something just like it, except for…” That’s the price you pay for cracking the formula.
This particular CBX 1000 is now the third one Dimitri’s built, and came with similar instructions. “The customer asked for something similar to my first CBX,” says Dimitri, “but with handlebars instead of clip-ons, and a two-up seat with a cowl. I think that was a deal with his wife.”
To kick things off, Dimitri sourced another 1982-model donor—the sport-touring version of the CBX that featured Honda’s ‘modern’ Pro-Link mono-shock system. From his workshop in the northern French region of Hauts-de-France, he applied the same philosophy to this CBX as he did the last one.
The goal was to create an aggressive café racer, with upgraded running gear and an emphasis on the Honda’s mighty six-cylinder motor. Dimitri knocked it out the park; this one’s a total ripper.
For starters, he overhauled the engine with new sundries, then painted the outside with a mix of gloss and wrinkle black finishes. The carbs are original, but they’ve been improved with a Dynojet kit. They inhale through six billet air intakes, covered with gold mesh screens.
Lower down is a burly six-into-one exhaust system that could rival Medusa on a good hair day. The headers were fabricated by frequent Lys Motorcycles collaborator, Irnox, while the muffler comes from Spark.
Under the hood is a fresh wiring harness, built around a Motogadget control box and a Lithium-ion battery. Both are stashed away in a custom-made box underneath the seat.
Anyone with even a cursory knowledge of older Hondas will immediately notice that this CBX has shed its original composite wheels. It now rolls on 17” alloy hoops—and although they damn near look like a matching set, they come from two different sources.
The front wheel’s from a Triumph Speed Triple R, which also donated its upside-down forks and twin Brembo brakes. But the back wheel, single-sided swingarm and rear shock were all scalped from a Ducati 848.
As you’d imagine, the process wasn’t exactly plug-and-play. The CBX now sports a completely new subframe, with extra effort going into perfecting the custom shock mounts.
Sitting on top is a custom two-up seat, upholstered in a perforated vinyl with contrasting stitching. A removable cowl covers the passenger seat, adding a hint of café racer style. The bike features removable passenger pegs too.
The stock tank sits up front—but despite its inherent heft, it blends well with Dimitri’s changes. Just in front of it are upright bars from TRW, fitted with Motone switches, and Motogadget grips, bar-end mirrors and turn signals. The speedo and LED headlight are both Koso parts.
Out back is an adjustable license plate bracket, which also hosts a pair of three-in-one LED taillights. A set of repurposed Honda CBR rear-sets round out the list.
The CBX’s new livery is as striking as its stance. The bodywork’s covered in gloss black, punctuated by hand-painted gold scallops and red pin-striping.
Dimitri’s ticked every box—this CBX looks sharp, is well-equipped and probably sounds bananas. If he keeps this up, his order books are going to burst.
Lys Motorcycles | Facebook | Instagram
Continue reading...
A year after he turned his custom motorcycle building hobby into a business, Dimitri at Lys Motorcycles figured it was time to level up his portfolio. So he set time aside to build a show bike—a rolling portfolio piece that he could take to events. Going for max. impact, he took a 1982 Honda CBX 1000 and cranked it up to eleven.
It was a hit, and Dimitri was soon fielding the sort of requests that custom builders usually have mixed feelings about; “Make me something just like it, except for…” That’s the price you pay for cracking the formula.
This particular CBX 1000 is now the third one Dimitri’s built, and came with similar instructions. “The customer asked for something similar to my first CBX,” says Dimitri, “but with handlebars instead of clip-ons, and a two-up seat with a cowl. I think that was a deal with his wife.”
To kick things off, Dimitri sourced another 1982-model donor—the sport-touring version of the CBX that featured Honda’s ‘modern’ Pro-Link mono-shock system. From his workshop in the northern French region of Hauts-de-France, he applied the same philosophy to this CBX as he did the last one.
The goal was to create an aggressive café racer, with upgraded running gear and an emphasis on the Honda’s mighty six-cylinder motor. Dimitri knocked it out the park; this one’s a total ripper.
For starters, he overhauled the engine with new sundries, then painted the outside with a mix of gloss and wrinkle black finishes. The carbs are original, but they’ve been improved with a Dynojet kit. They inhale through six billet air intakes, covered with gold mesh screens.
Lower down is a burly six-into-one exhaust system that could rival Medusa on a good hair day. The headers were fabricated by frequent Lys Motorcycles collaborator, Irnox, while the muffler comes from Spark.
Under the hood is a fresh wiring harness, built around a Motogadget control box and a Lithium-ion battery. Both are stashed away in a custom-made box underneath the seat.
Anyone with even a cursory knowledge of older Hondas will immediately notice that this CBX has shed its original composite wheels. It now rolls on 17” alloy hoops—and although they damn near look like a matching set, they come from two different sources.
The front wheel’s from a Triumph Speed Triple R, which also donated its upside-down forks and twin Brembo brakes. But the back wheel, single-sided swingarm and rear shock were all scalped from a Ducati 848.
As you’d imagine, the process wasn’t exactly plug-and-play. The CBX now sports a completely new subframe, with extra effort going into perfecting the custom shock mounts.
Sitting on top is a custom two-up seat, upholstered in a perforated vinyl with contrasting stitching. A removable cowl covers the passenger seat, adding a hint of café racer style. The bike features removable passenger pegs too.
The stock tank sits up front—but despite its inherent heft, it blends well with Dimitri’s changes. Just in front of it are upright bars from TRW, fitted with Motone switches, and Motogadget grips, bar-end mirrors and turn signals. The speedo and LED headlight are both Koso parts.
Out back is an adjustable license plate bracket, which also hosts a pair of three-in-one LED taillights. A set of repurposed Honda CBR rear-sets round out the list.
The CBX’s new livery is as striking as its stance. The bodywork’s covered in gloss black, punctuated by hand-painted gold scallops and red pin-striping.
Dimitri’s ticked every box—this CBX looks sharp, is well-equipped and probably sounds bananas. If he keeps this up, his order books are going to burst.
Lys Motorcycles | Facebook | Instagram
Continue reading...
BLACK ARTS: Husqvarna FE501 by Rough Crafts.
When you talk about a builder who has taken home major trophies at Mooneyes, the Custombike show in Germany and the AMD World Championship of Bike Building, you’re talking about one of the most elite players in the game. Winston Yeh has taken his distinctive style of tough lines and a sinister hue and built a global empire with his Rough Crafts brand; transforming just about any kind of two...
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When you talk about a builder who has taken home major trophies at Mooneyes, the Custombike show in Germany and the AMD World Championship of Bike Building, you’re talking about one of the most elite players in the game. Winston Yeh has taken his distinctive style of tough lines and a sinister hue and built a global empire with his Rough Crafts brand; transforming just about any kind of two...
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Adventure Time: BAAK elevates the Triumph Scrambler 1200
Triumph makes some of the best adventure bikes out there—including one machine that, on the surface, seems like an unlikely candidate. The Triumph Scrambler 1200 is technically classified as a modern classic, but it’s actually a bonafide off-road ripper.
By combining vintage looks with great ergonomics, a big front wheel and long, cushy suspension, the British marque has built a motorcycle that goes even better than it looks. And that’s not a secondhand opinion either; we’ve ridden the Scrambler 1200 enough to know what it’s capable of. What we’re not so sure about, is what we’d change if we had to customize it.
BAAK Motocyclettes has an answer. They’ve taken a stock Triumph Scrambler 1200, and doused it in rally-style aluminum bodywork to make it even more adventure-ready.
Originally opened a decade ago in France, BAAK has now grown to a 25-strong team, with headquarters in Lyon and Los Angeles. Their goal on this project was improve the Scrambler’s long range adventure touring chops. It’s a delightfully minimalistic bike in stock form—but BAAK felt it lacked the fuel capacity, wind protection and luggage carrying ability of its more focussed stablemates.
Working from their workshop in Lyon, they spent 18 months turning the Scrambler into the machine you see here. And while it sure looks cool, function trumped form at every turn.
“A BAAK bike is not meant to stay in an office or a living room,” says company founder, Rémi Reguin. “We design each bike like an extension of its owner. Every bike coming out of our shops in Lyon and Los Angeles is unique, exclusive, sometime polarizing, but never without thinking about its functionality.”
Starting at the front, BAAK fabricated an aluminum fairing that wraps around the stock dashboard, and extends low enough to deflect air from the rider’s leg. Lighting the way are two high-end LED lights, with a polycarbonate windscreen mounted higher up. The whole setup gives off a strong vintage Cagiva Elefant vibe.
The whole arrangement is attached to a bespoke stainless steel mounting system. And the fairing brackets attach to existing mounting points on the frame—so everything can be bolted on without any cutting or welding.
The rest of the front-end is mostly OEM stuff, because most of the Scrambler’s stock bits work really well. The oversized bars, digital clocks, burly hand guards and 47 mm Showa forks are all standard issue, and the high-mounted fender comes from Triumph’s own aftermarket catalog.
BAAK also left the Scrambler’s 21F/17R tubeless wheels alone, along with its Brembo brakes and fully-adjustable Öhlins rear shocks. Even though the bike’s original fuel tank is a looker, its 4.2 gallon capacity wasn’t going to cut it, so it was binned.
Working with aluminum again, BAAK hammered out a new reservoir to take its place. Unashamedly bulbous, it’s all business, carrying 6.6 gallons of petrol for a total range of 180 miles. Like the fairing, it’s been designed to bolt straight onto the Scrambler.
One weak point on the Scrambler is its questionably thin seat. BAAK have swapped it for a generously-padded replacement, covered in a luxe suede. It’s flanked by a pair of handmade aluminum side covers.
Out back, the Scrambler carries a pair of custom-made aluminum panniers. Each one is good for 18 liters of storage, and trimmed with suede handles and straps.
To mount them, BAAK used a set of SW Motech pannier brackets specifically designed for the Triumph, then modified the exhaust side’s bracket. That’s because the Scrambler’s stock exhaust runs high, necessitating the use of a slimmer pannier on the right hand side to make room. Changing that configuration meant that the team could maximize the bike’s carrying capacity.
Replacing the OEM exhaust system is a pair of custom-built headers, running low and exiting in stubby mufflers. The rear’s finished off with a couple of tasteful tweaks—specifically a BAAK license plate bracket, and a slimmer LED taillight.
Something you won’t find on this upgraded Scrambler, is paint. Opting to show off their handiwork and emphasize the geometric nature of the build, BAAK simply clear-coated the aluminum parts. Decorative bits are limited to a pair of badges attached to the fairing.
Since this system is modular and doesn’t need any major fettling to fit, BAAK are planning to offer it as a kit—and to take orders for full builds. If you’ve got a long ride planned, it’s an intriguing alternative to the swarms of lookalike plastic adventure bikes out there.
BAAK Motocyclettes | Facebook | Instagram
Continue reading...
Triumph makes some of the best adventure bikes out there—including one machine that, on the surface, seems like an unlikely candidate. The Triumph Scrambler 1200 is technically classified as a modern classic, but it’s actually a bonafide off-road ripper.
By combining vintage looks with great ergonomics, a big front wheel and long, cushy suspension, the British marque has built a motorcycle that goes even better than it looks. And that’s not a secondhand opinion either; we’ve ridden the Scrambler 1200 enough to know what it’s capable of. What we’re not so sure about, is what we’d change if we had to customize it.
BAAK Motocyclettes has an answer. They’ve taken a stock Triumph Scrambler 1200, and doused it in rally-style aluminum bodywork to make it even more adventure-ready.
Originally opened a decade ago in France, BAAK has now grown to a 25-strong team, with headquarters in Lyon and Los Angeles. Their goal on this project was improve the Scrambler’s long range adventure touring chops. It’s a delightfully minimalistic bike in stock form—but BAAK felt it lacked the fuel capacity, wind protection and luggage carrying ability of its more focussed stablemates.
Working from their workshop in Lyon, they spent 18 months turning the Scrambler into the machine you see here. And while it sure looks cool, function trumped form at every turn.
“A BAAK bike is not meant to stay in an office or a living room,” says company founder, Rémi Reguin. “We design each bike like an extension of its owner. Every bike coming out of our shops in Lyon and Los Angeles is unique, exclusive, sometime polarizing, but never without thinking about its functionality.”
Starting at the front, BAAK fabricated an aluminum fairing that wraps around the stock dashboard, and extends low enough to deflect air from the rider’s leg. Lighting the way are two high-end LED lights, with a polycarbonate windscreen mounted higher up. The whole setup gives off a strong vintage Cagiva Elefant vibe.
The whole arrangement is attached to a bespoke stainless steel mounting system. And the fairing brackets attach to existing mounting points on the frame—so everything can be bolted on without any cutting or welding.
The rest of the front-end is mostly OEM stuff, because most of the Scrambler’s stock bits work really well. The oversized bars, digital clocks, burly hand guards and 47 mm Showa forks are all standard issue, and the high-mounted fender comes from Triumph’s own aftermarket catalog.
BAAK also left the Scrambler’s 21F/17R tubeless wheels alone, along with its Brembo brakes and fully-adjustable Öhlins rear shocks. Even though the bike’s original fuel tank is a looker, its 4.2 gallon capacity wasn’t going to cut it, so it was binned.
Working with aluminum again, BAAK hammered out a new reservoir to take its place. Unashamedly bulbous, it’s all business, carrying 6.6 gallons of petrol for a total range of 180 miles. Like the fairing, it’s been designed to bolt straight onto the Scrambler.
One weak point on the Scrambler is its questionably thin seat. BAAK have swapped it for a generously-padded replacement, covered in a luxe suede. It’s flanked by a pair of handmade aluminum side covers.
Out back, the Scrambler carries a pair of custom-made aluminum panniers. Each one is good for 18 liters of storage, and trimmed with suede handles and straps.
To mount them, BAAK used a set of SW Motech pannier brackets specifically designed for the Triumph, then modified the exhaust side’s bracket. That’s because the Scrambler’s stock exhaust runs high, necessitating the use of a slimmer pannier on the right hand side to make room. Changing that configuration meant that the team could maximize the bike’s carrying capacity.
Replacing the OEM exhaust system is a pair of custom-built headers, running low and exiting in stubby mufflers. The rear’s finished off with a couple of tasteful tweaks—specifically a BAAK license plate bracket, and a slimmer LED taillight.
Something you won’t find on this upgraded Scrambler, is paint. Opting to show off their handiwork and emphasize the geometric nature of the build, BAAK simply clear-coated the aluminum parts. Decorative bits are limited to a pair of badges attached to the fairing.
Since this system is modular and doesn’t need any major fettling to fit, BAAK are planning to offer it as a kit—and to take orders for full builds. If you’ve got a long ride planned, it’s an intriguing alternative to the swarms of lookalike plastic adventure bikes out there.
BAAK Motocyclettes | Facebook | Instagram
Continue reading...
They made a good looking bike UGLY.
A CLOCKWORK ORANGE: Ducati SportClassic by Mr Martini.
It’s been said a million times, the custom motorcycle scene was forged by those who refused to play by the rules. But it seems everyone is a rebel until it comes time for rebellion, and then convention starts to sneak in as many backpedal into the safe arms of the status quo. Not Italian Nicola Martini, he’s been building custom bikes for three decades and he’s never been too concerned about...
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It’s been said a million times, the custom motorcycle scene was forged by those who refused to play by the rules. But it seems everyone is a rebel until it comes time for rebellion, and then convention starts to sneak in as many backpedal into the safe arms of the status quo. Not Italian Nicola Martini, he’s been building custom bikes for three decades and he’s never been too concerned about...
Source
Four digit score: This BMW is WalzWerk’s 1,000th custom
Turning motorcycle customization into a sustainable business is hard enough, but Marcus Walz has taken it to another level. His company, WalzWerk, has been in business for 32 years—and in that time, they’ve built no less than 1,000 custom motorcycles. You read right: one thousand.
Marcus is sure of that number, because WalzWerk is registered as a motorcycle manufacturer in Germany—and that means they have to record every single bike they build. “We knew exactly when we would build our 1,000th bike,” Marcus tells us. “And we’re talking about fully, built-from-the-ground-up bikes—not just slightly modified or customized bikes.”
WalzWerk’s first twenty years was mostly spent building a handful of custom Harleys a year. But they gained traction fast when they started customizing old BMW boxers. Right now they average around 100 builds a year—and 80 of those are airheads.
Most orders are for WalzWerk’s signature ‘Schizzo’ BMW café racer builds, so Marcus picked that as the inspiration for the shop’s 1,000th project. His starting point was a 1990-model BMW R100RS, which he discovered was manufactured within a month of when WalzWerk was established.
The project kicked off with a full tear down of the donor bike. The frame was sand-blasted before the WalzWerk team de-tabbed it, and re-welded all the key structural welds to make it stiffer and stronger.
Next, they tore into the motor and transmission with a full rebuild of both. The kept the engine capacity at 1,000 cc, but modified the crank, heads, ports and valves extensively. Along with a racing cam, adjustable electronic ignition and a pair of Dell’Orto carbs, the engine now kicks out around 85 hp.
The outside of the motor looks exquisite. WalzWerk bead-blasted and clear-coated it, then finished the valve covers in black with contrasting stripes. Most of the wiring now sits inside a neat cover, sitting where the airbox usually would.
You’ll find the battery lower down, tucked in a small box underneath the transmission. A custom two-into-one stainless steel exhaust system flanks it.
Moving to the suspension, WalzWerk kept the BMW’s conventional front forks—but threw in a few neat upgrades. They lowered them by about 5”, and boosted them with new internals and progressive springs. The lower legs were shaved down and powder coated black, with a set of custom tubes added up top for a burlier look.
It’s a much different story out back though. The rear suspension’s been swapped out for a ‘Sidewinder’ kit—a special BMW R-series-specific setup, developed by the Dutch distributor of YSS Suspension, Suspension Store. If it looks familiar, it’s because it’s similar to the kits that often show up on BMW K-series builds.
All the parts on it are CNC-machined from high grade aluminum, and assembled around a custom-built YSS shock. “I got the very first kit for this special bike,” says Marcus. “Up to today, this is still the first and only bike worldwide with this kit installed.”
The bike rolls on WalzWerk’s proprietary 18” tubeless spoked wheels, built with black hubs, brushed rims and stainless steel spokes. The Firestone tires were an aesthetic choice, but don’t fret—there’s a spare set of wheels fitted with Continental RoadAttack rubber. So if you plan to carve canyons with this BMW, you’re all set.
The twin front brake calipers and discs are also from WalzWerk’s stock, and are hooked up to Wunderkind brake lines. The rear wheel still uses a drum brake, but the crew drilled out the hub’s outer rim to aid in cooling. A set of WalzWerk’s own rear-set foot controls are in play too.
Up front are new CNC-machined yokes, engraved with the same words that Marcus has tattooed on his fingers: “SELF MADE.” The cockpit also features clip-ons, KustomTech levers, integrated push buttons and Daytona grips. A Motogadget speedo is tucked in behind a modified Harley-Davidson fairing, which houses an LED headlight and a pair of tiny turn signals.
A heavily massaged 1970s Honda CB fuel tank takes center stage. WalzWerk shortened it, welded in a new tunnel and lowered its profile slightly.
It’s finished in a stunning Porsche color from the 60s that matches one of WalzWerk’s own custom Porsches. (Yes, they build custom Porsches too.) CNC-machined tank badges adorn the sides, with a special commemorative motif on top.
Finishing things off are a bolt-on WalzWerk subframe and one of their signature ‘GT’ seats; a design that’s inspired by old Ford GT40 race seats. The rear of the frame features embedded LED taillights that double up as turn signals. Blink, and you’ll miss ’em.
From its stance to its tasteful finishes, WalzWerk #1000 is flawless, and a testament to the shop’s pedigree. It’s svelte too, with a 168 kilo [370 lbs] curb weight.
If you’d like your own piece of custom motorcycling history, Marcus and his team plan to build a limited run of 32 of these. Interested parties, please form an orderly queue.
WalzWerk Motorcycles | Facebook | Instagram
Continue reading...
Turning motorcycle customization into a sustainable business is hard enough, but Marcus Walz has taken it to another level. His company, WalzWerk, has been in business for 32 years—and in that time, they’ve built no less than 1,000 custom motorcycles. You read right: one thousand.
Marcus is sure of that number, because WalzWerk is registered as a motorcycle manufacturer in Germany—and that means they have to record every single bike they build. “We knew exactly when we would build our 1,000th bike,” Marcus tells us. “And we’re talking about fully, built-from-the-ground-up bikes—not just slightly modified or customized bikes.”
WalzWerk’s first twenty years was mostly spent building a handful of custom Harleys a year. But they gained traction fast when they started customizing old BMW boxers. Right now they average around 100 builds a year—and 80 of those are airheads.
Most orders are for WalzWerk’s signature ‘Schizzo’ BMW café racer builds, so Marcus picked that as the inspiration for the shop’s 1,000th project. His starting point was a 1990-model BMW R100RS, which he discovered was manufactured within a month of when WalzWerk was established.
The project kicked off with a full tear down of the donor bike. The frame was sand-blasted before the WalzWerk team de-tabbed it, and re-welded all the key structural welds to make it stiffer and stronger.
Next, they tore into the motor and transmission with a full rebuild of both. The kept the engine capacity at 1,000 cc, but modified the crank, heads, ports and valves extensively. Along with a racing cam, adjustable electronic ignition and a pair of Dell’Orto carbs, the engine now kicks out around 85 hp.
The outside of the motor looks exquisite. WalzWerk bead-blasted and clear-coated it, then finished the valve covers in black with contrasting stripes. Most of the wiring now sits inside a neat cover, sitting where the airbox usually would.
You’ll find the battery lower down, tucked in a small box underneath the transmission. A custom two-into-one stainless steel exhaust system flanks it.
Moving to the suspension, WalzWerk kept the BMW’s conventional front forks—but threw in a few neat upgrades. They lowered them by about 5”, and boosted them with new internals and progressive springs. The lower legs were shaved down and powder coated black, with a set of custom tubes added up top for a burlier look.
It’s a much different story out back though. The rear suspension’s been swapped out for a ‘Sidewinder’ kit—a special BMW R-series-specific setup, developed by the Dutch distributor of YSS Suspension, Suspension Store. If it looks familiar, it’s because it’s similar to the kits that often show up on BMW K-series builds.
All the parts on it are CNC-machined from high grade aluminum, and assembled around a custom-built YSS shock. “I got the very first kit for this special bike,” says Marcus. “Up to today, this is still the first and only bike worldwide with this kit installed.”
The bike rolls on WalzWerk’s proprietary 18” tubeless spoked wheels, built with black hubs, brushed rims and stainless steel spokes. The Firestone tires were an aesthetic choice, but don’t fret—there’s a spare set of wheels fitted with Continental RoadAttack rubber. So if you plan to carve canyons with this BMW, you’re all set.
The twin front brake calipers and discs are also from WalzWerk’s stock, and are hooked up to Wunderkind brake lines. The rear wheel still uses a drum brake, but the crew drilled out the hub’s outer rim to aid in cooling. A set of WalzWerk’s own rear-set foot controls are in play too.
Up front are new CNC-machined yokes, engraved with the same words that Marcus has tattooed on his fingers: “SELF MADE.” The cockpit also features clip-ons, KustomTech levers, integrated push buttons and Daytona grips. A Motogadget speedo is tucked in behind a modified Harley-Davidson fairing, which houses an LED headlight and a pair of tiny turn signals.
A heavily massaged 1970s Honda CB fuel tank takes center stage. WalzWerk shortened it, welded in a new tunnel and lowered its profile slightly.
It’s finished in a stunning Porsche color from the 60s that matches one of WalzWerk’s own custom Porsches. (Yes, they build custom Porsches too.) CNC-machined tank badges adorn the sides, with a special commemorative motif on top.
Finishing things off are a bolt-on WalzWerk subframe and one of their signature ‘GT’ seats; a design that’s inspired by old Ford GT40 race seats. The rear of the frame features embedded LED taillights that double up as turn signals. Blink, and you’ll miss ’em.
From its stance to its tasteful finishes, WalzWerk #1000 is flawless, and a testament to the shop’s pedigree. It’s svelte too, with a 168 kilo [370 lbs] curb weight.
If you’d like your own piece of custom motorcycling history, Marcus and his team plan to build a limited run of 32 of these. Interested parties, please form an orderly queue.
WalzWerk Motorcycles | Facebook | Instagram
Continue reading...
Speed Read, October 30, 2022
Winston Yeh of Rough Crafts takes a quick break from building menacing Harleys to design a wild Husqvarna supermoto. We also look at KTM’s bonkers new RC 8C superbike, a Harley Sportster with vintage flat track style, a Moto Guzzi V65 wrapped in aluminum, and a custom Volcon Grunt electric bike.
Husqvarna FE501 by Rough Crafts Scrolling through Instagram, our thumbs froze as we came across a lean, lithe and murdered-out Husqvarna supermoto. Standing in front of it was none other than Winston Yeh of Rough Crafts in Taiwan.
We’ve ridden the FE501’s KTM counterpart (most Huskies are just rebadged KTMs), and it’s an impressive machine out the box. It’s basically a 500 cc motocross bike with lights and a license plate—and if we had one in the garage, we probably wouldn’t do much to it.
That’s the direction Winston’s taken. He’s kept the mods minimal and tasteful, adding a hefty dose of Rough Crafts style while injecting some road manners.
Up front, the factory WP Suspension forks have been replaced with Öhlins RFX48S units and STM Supermoto fork legs. In place of the 21F/18R wheels are a pair of 17” Marchesini M10RR Kompe Motard wheels, fitted with Pirelli Rosso Corsa II tires. Braking forces are supplied by Beringer, with a four-piston caliper and 310 mm disc up front, and a two-piston caliper squeezing a 230 mm disc in the rear.
Rough Crafts installed a carbon fuel tank and frame guards from CMT, and had the frame powder-coated black. The headlight is from Koso, housed inside a custom front numberplate. And the front fender is the factory unit, albeit slightly shortened.
The engine’s stock, but the exhaust’s been upgraded; a titanium Akrapovič header is mated to an SC-Project muffler. The seat is custom, and the rear shock is an Öhlins TTX Flow item.
Driving the point home is a stunning custom graphics kit. The factory Husqvarna bodywork has never looked so good, wearing a custom vinyl wrap from MTR Custom Wrapping. The black and gold livery matches the wheels and Öhlins suspension perfectly.
It’s narrow, light, powerful and it looks damn good. Should Rough Crafts do a series of these? Most definitely. [Rough Crafts | Images by Kin Lin]
2023 KTM RC 8C What’s black, orange and sold every 0.79 seconds? If you guessed the 2023 KTM RC 8C, then you are correct.
If you don’t know the RC 8C, it’s a track-only superbike that borrows tech from KTM’s RC16 MotoGP race bike. Needless to say, it’s sold in extremely limited numbers.
Building on the success of the previous model, the 2023 KTM RC 8C has been tweaked to deliver an “even sharper Ready to Race” experience. The LC8c parallel twin engine has been upgraded with various titanium parts, with the power boosted to 135 hp at 11,000 rpm. A new Akrapovič titanium exhaust system helps keep the dry weight down at 142 kilos [313 lbs].
The electronics suite also has a few upgrades. The throttle response and engine braking are adjustable, and to help you put the power down, there are traction, launch and anti-wheelie control options.
The suspension is from WP’s Pro Components range and the braking comes from Brembo. The transmission features a reversed shifting pattern, just like a MotoGP bike, while the wheels are wrapped in super sticky Pirelli Diablo racing tires.
The rims, chain, CNC fork clamps, handlebar switches and dashboard are all new. The carbon front fender and huge front fairing wings look like they’ve come straight off the RC16 MotoGP. Further cementing the RC 8C’s track-only vibe are the crash-damage-prone parts that can be easily swapped out in the pits.
If all this sounds right up your alley, I have some bad news. All 200 2023 RC 8Cs sold out in a mind-blowing two minutes and 38 seconds. If you’d like to join the waiting list and try your luck, contact your nearest KTM dealer. [KTM RC 8C]
Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 by Duecilindri Upon hearing a name like Duecilindri, you’d be forgiven for thinking about Italian twin-cylinder bikes. However, Paolo Ghiringhelli of the Italian Duecilindri blog and YouTube channel is actually more interested in American twins—namely Harley-Davidson Sportsters.
This is Paolo’s personal bike, based on a 2007 Sportster 883—and as you can see, he’s made some changes. “The bike is deliberately simple,” says Paolo. “I don’t like excess, and I wanted it to always recall the original model.”
Paolo has styled his Sportster like a road-going homage to Harley’s iconic XR750 flat tracker, and it sure looks the business. The Sportster 883’s stock peanut tank sits in front of a custom-made tail unit and seat. It’s a simple change, but it’s undeniably effective.
Up front are a pair of Brembo brakes, squeezing Discacciati discs through Goodridge braided brake lines. The suspension has been reworked, with Öhlins rear shocks and a kit from Misano in the front forks, complete with preload adjusters.
There’s a smattering of carbon fiber parts on the bike too, such as the headlight cover, side covers, air filter cover and chain guard. The engine has been bumped up to 1200 cc, courtesy of a Screaming Eagle kit. A stainless steel flat track exhaust was also fitted, terminating in a pair of Supertrapp mufflers.
Wearing Pirelli MT60 tyres and that gorgeous orange paint, this Sportster looks like a blast to ride. We’ll ask it again: why didn’t Harley release this as a factory Sportster back in the day? [Duecilindri]
Moto Guzzi V65 by 7089 Garage Antonio from 7089 Garage has an affinity for raw metal. Heavily influenced by Japanese bike builders like Shinya Kimura, Antonio has always admired their mastery of metal shaping.
Approached by a customer who wanted a “rideable show bike,” Antonio chose a 1981 Moto Guzzi V65 as the base. The V65 is basically a smaller version of the venerable Moto Guzzi Le Mans. These small block Moto Guzzis are plentiful, make a great noise and handle like a dream.
This also makes them perfect for custom builds. To make his Guzzi stand out, Antonio crafted all the bodywork by hand from aluminum. Using traditional metal shaping tools, he created the front fender, fairing, tank, tail and side covers. He also made the alternator cover, and added brass highlights to the foot pegs and rear shock bolts.
The V65 front end is spindly, to put it mildly, so Antonio swapped it out for a set of modern upside-down forks. While the forks make for a smoother ride, a twin disc front end provides a massive boost in braking power.
Covering most of the bike, the flowing bodywork has an almost organic form to it. Which is exactly why Antonio opted not to paint any of it. We’re sure the new owner would be just as happy looking at it as they would riding it. [Via]
Volcon Grunt by Revival Cycles When the Austin-based EV manufacturer, Volcon, was looking for a shop to collaborate on a custom build, they looked in their own backyard. After a brief trip to the other side of town, they delivered a Volcon Grunt to the crew at Revival Cycles with a relatively simple brief.
Volcon requested that the big tires and most of the frame stay intact, but the rest was up to Revival—as long as they built something completely unique. Fortunately for Volcon, unique is something that Revival does very well.
Leaving the chunky tires where they were, the bike was stripped down to get a good idea of what the Revival crew had to work with. They then teamed up with designer Ed Boyd to create a number of 3D models in CAD. After choosing a direction, it was all systems go.
They settled on a design that combines sleek monocoque-style bodywork with a cantilevered tail section. The bodywork is all fiberglass, built in collaboration with Calton Cases. Calton is traditionally known for their custom guitar cases, but they had all the right tools to help Revival knock out the Grunt’s new bodywork.
With that sorted, the Revival team chopped off the Volcon subframe and welded their own in place. Narrower and stronger, it supports the custom seat and tail with ease. The swingarm was inverted, with the ride smoothed out by an Öhlins TTX36 shock absorber mounted on custom brackets.
Other changes include custom stainless steel foot pegs mounted on CNC-machined brackets, and twin LED headlights. Painted in bright, flashy colors, the bike looks exceptionally fun to look at and ride. If this is what the future of electric motorcycles looks like, sign us up. [More]
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Winston Yeh of Rough Crafts takes a quick break from building menacing Harleys to design a wild Husqvarna supermoto. We also look at KTM’s bonkers new RC 8C superbike, a Harley Sportster with vintage flat track style, a Moto Guzzi V65 wrapped in aluminum, and a custom Volcon Grunt electric bike.
Husqvarna FE501 by Rough Crafts Scrolling through Instagram, our thumbs froze as we came across a lean, lithe and murdered-out Husqvarna supermoto. Standing in front of it was none other than Winston Yeh of Rough Crafts in Taiwan.
We’ve ridden the FE501’s KTM counterpart (most Huskies are just rebadged KTMs), and it’s an impressive machine out the box. It’s basically a 500 cc motocross bike with lights and a license plate—and if we had one in the garage, we probably wouldn’t do much to it.
That’s the direction Winston’s taken. He’s kept the mods minimal and tasteful, adding a hefty dose of Rough Crafts style while injecting some road manners.
Up front, the factory WP Suspension forks have been replaced with Öhlins RFX48S units and STM Supermoto fork legs. In place of the 21F/18R wheels are a pair of 17” Marchesini M10RR Kompe Motard wheels, fitted with Pirelli Rosso Corsa II tires. Braking forces are supplied by Beringer, with a four-piston caliper and 310 mm disc up front, and a two-piston caliper squeezing a 230 mm disc in the rear.
Rough Crafts installed a carbon fuel tank and frame guards from CMT, and had the frame powder-coated black. The headlight is from Koso, housed inside a custom front numberplate. And the front fender is the factory unit, albeit slightly shortened.
The engine’s stock, but the exhaust’s been upgraded; a titanium Akrapovič header is mated to an SC-Project muffler. The seat is custom, and the rear shock is an Öhlins TTX Flow item.
Driving the point home is a stunning custom graphics kit. The factory Husqvarna bodywork has never looked so good, wearing a custom vinyl wrap from MTR Custom Wrapping. The black and gold livery matches the wheels and Öhlins suspension perfectly.
It’s narrow, light, powerful and it looks damn good. Should Rough Crafts do a series of these? Most definitely. [Rough Crafts | Images by Kin Lin]
2023 KTM RC 8C What’s black, orange and sold every 0.79 seconds? If you guessed the 2023 KTM RC 8C, then you are correct.
If you don’t know the RC 8C, it’s a track-only superbike that borrows tech from KTM’s RC16 MotoGP race bike. Needless to say, it’s sold in extremely limited numbers.
Building on the success of the previous model, the 2023 KTM RC 8C has been tweaked to deliver an “even sharper Ready to Race” experience. The LC8c parallel twin engine has been upgraded with various titanium parts, with the power boosted to 135 hp at 11,000 rpm. A new Akrapovič titanium exhaust system helps keep the dry weight down at 142 kilos [313 lbs].
The electronics suite also has a few upgrades. The throttle response and engine braking are adjustable, and to help you put the power down, there are traction, launch and anti-wheelie control options.
The suspension is from WP’s Pro Components range and the braking comes from Brembo. The transmission features a reversed shifting pattern, just like a MotoGP bike, while the wheels are wrapped in super sticky Pirelli Diablo racing tires.
The rims, chain, CNC fork clamps, handlebar switches and dashboard are all new. The carbon front fender and huge front fairing wings look like they’ve come straight off the RC16 MotoGP. Further cementing the RC 8C’s track-only vibe are the crash-damage-prone parts that can be easily swapped out in the pits.
If all this sounds right up your alley, I have some bad news. All 200 2023 RC 8Cs sold out in a mind-blowing two minutes and 38 seconds. If you’d like to join the waiting list and try your luck, contact your nearest KTM dealer. [KTM RC 8C]
Harley-Davidson Sportster 883 by Duecilindri Upon hearing a name like Duecilindri, you’d be forgiven for thinking about Italian twin-cylinder bikes. However, Paolo Ghiringhelli of the Italian Duecilindri blog and YouTube channel is actually more interested in American twins—namely Harley-Davidson Sportsters.
This is Paolo’s personal bike, based on a 2007 Sportster 883—and as you can see, he’s made some changes. “The bike is deliberately simple,” says Paolo. “I don’t like excess, and I wanted it to always recall the original model.”
Paolo has styled his Sportster like a road-going homage to Harley’s iconic XR750 flat tracker, and it sure looks the business. The Sportster 883’s stock peanut tank sits in front of a custom-made tail unit and seat. It’s a simple change, but it’s undeniably effective.
Up front are a pair of Brembo brakes, squeezing Discacciati discs through Goodridge braided brake lines. The suspension has been reworked, with Öhlins rear shocks and a kit from Misano in the front forks, complete with preload adjusters.
There’s a smattering of carbon fiber parts on the bike too, such as the headlight cover, side covers, air filter cover and chain guard. The engine has been bumped up to 1200 cc, courtesy of a Screaming Eagle kit. A stainless steel flat track exhaust was also fitted, terminating in a pair of Supertrapp mufflers.
Wearing Pirelli MT60 tyres and that gorgeous orange paint, this Sportster looks like a blast to ride. We’ll ask it again: why didn’t Harley release this as a factory Sportster back in the day? [Duecilindri]
Moto Guzzi V65 by 7089 Garage Antonio from 7089 Garage has an affinity for raw metal. Heavily influenced by Japanese bike builders like Shinya Kimura, Antonio has always admired their mastery of metal shaping.
Approached by a customer who wanted a “rideable show bike,” Antonio chose a 1981 Moto Guzzi V65 as the base. The V65 is basically a smaller version of the venerable Moto Guzzi Le Mans. These small block Moto Guzzis are plentiful, make a great noise and handle like a dream.
This also makes them perfect for custom builds. To make his Guzzi stand out, Antonio crafted all the bodywork by hand from aluminum. Using traditional metal shaping tools, he created the front fender, fairing, tank, tail and side covers. He also made the alternator cover, and added brass highlights to the foot pegs and rear shock bolts.
The V65 front end is spindly, to put it mildly, so Antonio swapped it out for a set of modern upside-down forks. While the forks make for a smoother ride, a twin disc front end provides a massive boost in braking power.
Covering most of the bike, the flowing bodywork has an almost organic form to it. Which is exactly why Antonio opted not to paint any of it. We’re sure the new owner would be just as happy looking at it as they would riding it. [Via]
Volcon Grunt by Revival Cycles When the Austin-based EV manufacturer, Volcon, was looking for a shop to collaborate on a custom build, they looked in their own backyard. After a brief trip to the other side of town, they delivered a Volcon Grunt to the crew at Revival Cycles with a relatively simple brief.
Volcon requested that the big tires and most of the frame stay intact, but the rest was up to Revival—as long as they built something completely unique. Fortunately for Volcon, unique is something that Revival does very well.
Leaving the chunky tires where they were, the bike was stripped down to get a good idea of what the Revival crew had to work with. They then teamed up with designer Ed Boyd to create a number of 3D models in CAD. After choosing a direction, it was all systems go.
They settled on a design that combines sleek monocoque-style bodywork with a cantilevered tail section. The bodywork is all fiberglass, built in collaboration with Calton Cases. Calton is traditionally known for their custom guitar cases, but they had all the right tools to help Revival knock out the Grunt’s new bodywork.
With that sorted, the Revival team chopped off the Volcon subframe and welded their own in place. Narrower and stronger, it supports the custom seat and tail with ease. The swingarm was inverted, with the ride smoothed out by an Öhlins TTX36 shock absorber mounted on custom brackets.
Other changes include custom stainless steel foot pegs mounted on CNC-machined brackets, and twin LED headlights. Painted in bright, flashy colors, the bike looks exceptionally fun to look at and ride. If this is what the future of electric motorcycles looks like, sign us up. [More]
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CENTENNIAL CHIEF: 1925 Indian ‘Ransom’ by LC Fabrications.
Anyone who has owned a full-on custom bike will tell you that it’s probably spent more of its life parked up, being worked on or new changes being made than it has spent out on the roads being ridden. It’s the nature of the beast and gathered around these pieces of machinery, amazing friendships are formed as the static two-wheeler acts like a campfire over which we can bond. There are of course...
Source
Anyone who has owned a full-on custom bike will tell you that it’s probably spent more of its life parked up, being worked on or new changes being made than it has spent out on the roads being ridden. It’s the nature of the beast and gathered around these pieces of machinery, amazing friendships are formed as the static two-wheeler acts like a campfire over which we can bond. There are of course...
Source
Self-Made: Peter Rowland’s Honda CB450 street tracker
Most people stare at their phones when they’re bored—or turn on the TV and stare at their phones while their favorite show plays in the background. Lucky for us, Peter Rowland takes a different approach to killing time. Whenever he gets bored, he just goes out to his shed and fires up the lathe.
In fact, judging by this 1971 Honda CB450 turned street tracker, fabrication is more than just a rainy day pastime of Peter’s. We’re convinced it’s the only thing he does when he isn’t eating or sleeping, because we’ve lost track of the sheer number of parts he made from scratch for this build.
If you’re familiar with Peter’s previous work (like this Yamaha RD350 dirt tracker), you’ll know that the man loves a challenge. His projects often start with donor bikes in the roughest states of neglect. Believe it or not, the shiny red Honda you see here started out as a pair of crusty junkyard specials; one that was donated for free, and one that cost just $210.
The assignment was simple. Peter’s brother, John (an ex-dirt tracker), asked him for a classic flat tracker that he could take on the street. His ideal build only had two requirements: passenger pegs, and a seat long enough to take his girlfriend out on rides.
Between his two donor CB450s, Rowland had a salvageable motor and a solid frame, but not much else worth saving. Where most builders would see a lost cause, Rowland saw a prime opportunity to kill time in the garage.
You’ll find a few of the usual scratch-built suspects on this sweet little street tracker. The entire exhaust system is handmade, as is the battery box and the mounts for the headlight and speedometer. But some of the things Rowland chose to build from scratch are wholly unexpected.
A good example would be the CB450’s hand controls. The matching clutch and brake levers that Peter machined are a nice touch, but he didn’t just make the levers. He also made the adjustment hardware from scratch, right down to the knurling on the barrel adjusters.
How about the CB’s new swingarm? Because Peter sharpened up the frame’s steering head to a tidy 25 degrees, he had to fabricate a longer swingarm to stretch out the bike’s wheelbase. Building a square-section swingarm from scratch is no mean feat, but Peter also fabricated all his own hardware for the rear wheel adjusters, and the rear axle.
We’d also be remiss if we didn’t highlight our personal favorite handmade part from the build—the CB450’s points cover. By copying the OEM cover’s dimensions into an AutoCAD system, Peter was able to drum up a fresh reproduction, with a twist. The outer cover on his version’s been replaced by a clear Perspex disk—so you can watch the ignition do its “arcin’ and sparkin’,” as Peter would say.
Everywhere you look, from the aluminum triple trees to the foot controls, you’ll find a custom-made part. So the more obvious question is whether there’s anything Peter didn’t build himself. There is—but nothing’s been fitted without at least some fettling.
Take the front forks, which came from a first-gen Yamaha R6 donor. Peter realized that they’d been bent in a previous life, so he machined himself a custom jig to straighten them out by hand.
Peter laced the 19” wheels up himself, using Excel-made Yamaha YZ250 hubs, and Sun rims and stainless steel spokes from Buchanan’s. The front brake caliper and master cylinder are from a Yamaha WR250, but Peter had to machine a bracket to make them work with the R6 rotor, which in turn needed to be adapted to match the YZ hub. The Hel Performance brake lines are off-the-shelf, at least.
The tank was a donor as well (it came from the original junk yard CB), but it was as rough as the rest of the bike. Peter ultimately ended up cutting it into four pieces, chopping about 40 mm out of the middle for a slimmer profile, and hammering out all the dents himself. He also fabricated a new tunnel, a threaded tank bung and his own gas cap.
The only major part that didn’t come out of Peter’s workshop was the flat track racing-style seat. But the Honda’s frame was modified to accommodate it (and de-tabbed elsewhere). Miscellaneous bolt-ons include new Ikon shocks, the handlebars and grips, and an Acewell speedo.
Naturally, Peter rebuilt the engine too. It now runs with oversized high-compression pistons, and upgraded Mikuni carbs attached to custom-made intake manifolds. All the paintwork, from the tank and tail right down to the blacked-out exhaust, was done in-house too.
There’s no denying that Peter’s CB450 is a masterclass in self-sufficient custom motorcycle building. Anyone willing to make their own nuts from scratch deserves our utmost respect—especially when they’re this impressive.
Images by Andy Baker
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Most people stare at their phones when they’re bored—or turn on the TV and stare at their phones while their favorite show plays in the background. Lucky for us, Peter Rowland takes a different approach to killing time. Whenever he gets bored, he just goes out to his shed and fires up the lathe.
In fact, judging by this 1971 Honda CB450 turned street tracker, fabrication is more than just a rainy day pastime of Peter’s. We’re convinced it’s the only thing he does when he isn’t eating or sleeping, because we’ve lost track of the sheer number of parts he made from scratch for this build.
If you’re familiar with Peter’s previous work (like this Yamaha RD350 dirt tracker), you’ll know that the man loves a challenge. His projects often start with donor bikes in the roughest states of neglect. Believe it or not, the shiny red Honda you see here started out as a pair of crusty junkyard specials; one that was donated for free, and one that cost just $210.
The assignment was simple. Peter’s brother, John (an ex-dirt tracker), asked him for a classic flat tracker that he could take on the street. His ideal build only had two requirements: passenger pegs, and a seat long enough to take his girlfriend out on rides.
Between his two donor CB450s, Rowland had a salvageable motor and a solid frame, but not much else worth saving. Where most builders would see a lost cause, Rowland saw a prime opportunity to kill time in the garage.
You’ll find a few of the usual scratch-built suspects on this sweet little street tracker. The entire exhaust system is handmade, as is the battery box and the mounts for the headlight and speedometer. But some of the things Rowland chose to build from scratch are wholly unexpected.
A good example would be the CB450’s hand controls. The matching clutch and brake levers that Peter machined are a nice touch, but he didn’t just make the levers. He also made the adjustment hardware from scratch, right down to the knurling on the barrel adjusters.
How about the CB’s new swingarm? Because Peter sharpened up the frame’s steering head to a tidy 25 degrees, he had to fabricate a longer swingarm to stretch out the bike’s wheelbase. Building a square-section swingarm from scratch is no mean feat, but Peter also fabricated all his own hardware for the rear wheel adjusters, and the rear axle.
We’d also be remiss if we didn’t highlight our personal favorite handmade part from the build—the CB450’s points cover. By copying the OEM cover’s dimensions into an AutoCAD system, Peter was able to drum up a fresh reproduction, with a twist. The outer cover on his version’s been replaced by a clear Perspex disk—so you can watch the ignition do its “arcin’ and sparkin’,” as Peter would say.
Everywhere you look, from the aluminum triple trees to the foot controls, you’ll find a custom-made part. So the more obvious question is whether there’s anything Peter didn’t build himself. There is—but nothing’s been fitted without at least some fettling.
Take the front forks, which came from a first-gen Yamaha R6 donor. Peter realized that they’d been bent in a previous life, so he machined himself a custom jig to straighten them out by hand.
Peter laced the 19” wheels up himself, using Excel-made Yamaha YZ250 hubs, and Sun rims and stainless steel spokes from Buchanan’s. The front brake caliper and master cylinder are from a Yamaha WR250, but Peter had to machine a bracket to make them work with the R6 rotor, which in turn needed to be adapted to match the YZ hub. The Hel Performance brake lines are off-the-shelf, at least.
The tank was a donor as well (it came from the original junk yard CB), but it was as rough as the rest of the bike. Peter ultimately ended up cutting it into four pieces, chopping about 40 mm out of the middle for a slimmer profile, and hammering out all the dents himself. He also fabricated a new tunnel, a threaded tank bung and his own gas cap.
The only major part that didn’t come out of Peter’s workshop was the flat track racing-style seat. But the Honda’s frame was modified to accommodate it (and de-tabbed elsewhere). Miscellaneous bolt-ons include new Ikon shocks, the handlebars and grips, and an Acewell speedo.
Naturally, Peter rebuilt the engine too. It now runs with oversized high-compression pistons, and upgraded Mikuni carbs attached to custom-made intake manifolds. All the paintwork, from the tank and tail right down to the blacked-out exhaust, was done in-house too.
There’s no denying that Peter’s CB450 is a masterclass in self-sufficient custom motorcycle building. Anyone willing to make their own nuts from scratch deserves our utmost respect—especially when they’re this impressive.
Images by Andy Baker
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Nicely done Honda.
Bobbed beyond belief: K-Speed’s Royal Enfield 650
Does the custom motorcycle workshop team at K-Speed ever sleep? Judging by the rate at which fresh and tasty customs roll off their floor, we’re guessing not.
The Thai powerhouse’s custom shop runs alongside their humming parts manufacturing business, so the two often bleed into each other. Sometimes they use their custom builds to develop new parts, and sometimes they use those parts to reproduce their most popular custom builds. But somehow they still manage to find time to build one-off specials, like this bonkers Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 bobber.
The Interceptor 650 (known as the INT650 in the States) is oft praised for its versatility as a platform for customization. But we’ve never seen someone hit it this far into the left field. There’s no pretending that this style is even remotely practical—but it is deeply intriguing, and sure to pull a crowd at your local café.
In stock form, the Interceptor is already a fairly compact bike. But K-Speed has trimmed it down drastically—to the point that its reasonably-sized parallel twin mill now looks cartoonishly big.
To get there, K-Speed not only binned the Royal Enfield’s bodywork, but its suspension and wheels too. Then they tore into the frame, going above and beyond the usual cut-and-shut work. The entire top section was scrapped and rebuilt, starting at the steering neck and ending in a neat set of custom-made rear struts.
The chassis looks like a rigid setup from afar, but it’s actually propped up on a set of fully-enclosed aftermarket shocks. But the real genius here, is how K-Speed have made the Enfield look dense and squat at the back, but lithe and stretched at the front.
That’s partially down to how the reworked frame has created space above the motor. But it’s also a result of the raked-out springer fork, which K-Speed pieced together from parts they had lying around the workshop.
The Enfield’s new wheel set is incredibly well-judged too. There’s a brakeless 21” wheel up front, with a 16” unit doing duty out back, stopped via a Brembo disc brake setup. And even if you hate vintage sawtooth tires, you can’t deny that they’re perfectly suited to this build.
Perched up top is a tiny, handmade peanut-style fuel tank. Since it doesn’t carry much petrol, K-Speed have plumbed it into a second reservoir that’s hidden under the seat. The bike’s OEM fuel pump lives there now too, with everything hidden behind a pair of custom side covers.
The main tank is wrapped in chrome, and adorned with a ‘Diablo’ logo (Diablo is K-Speed’s in-house brand of bolt-on parts). Just behind it is a tidy solo saddle that mixes traditional striped and diamond stitching patterns. The rear end’s finished off with a stubby ribbed fender, done in black.
But it’s the Interceptor’s new cockpit that really warrants closer inspection. It’s built around a set of bespoke chopper-inspired bars, designed to run high and narrow. They’re fitted with a set of aftermarket grips and an internal throttle—but that’s it.
Since the Enfield’s lighting consists of nothing more than a small spotlight at the front, and a swingarm-mounted taillight, there’s no need for turn signal switches and the like. There’s also no front brake lever and no speedo, and the ignition and kill switch have been relocated.
If you’re looking for the clutch, you’ll find it on the left side of the bike, attached to a custom-built hand-operated gear shifter. The setup consists of a shifter shaft fitted with a regular handlebar grip, and a vintage-style reverse lever. All you have to do is reach down behind your foot, squeeze the lever and shift.
The foot controls have been upgraded too, and are now mounted on custom relocation brackets. They now sit a little further forward than before, to make the bobbed Enfield’s rider triangle marginally more comfortable.
The rest of the build is a collection of tasteful finishing parts. Ribbed covers add an extra visual hit to the Interceptor’s already attractive engine, while a pair of custom headers loop around it. They’re finished off with end caps from K-Speed’s Diablo collection.
Sure, this bobber doesn’t have a front brake, a way to change gears that isn’t sketchy, or any ground clearance to speak of. But what it does have is style; bucketloads of it.
It doesn’t sound like K-Speed plans to reproduce any of the parts they’ve made for this build—nor have they confirmed if they’ll build more Enfields just like it. But we’re secretly hoping they do. Because, despite its idiosyncrasies, we’d love to park one of these in our garage.
Wouldn’t you?
K-Speed | Instagram | Images by Hipmotography
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Does the custom motorcycle workshop team at K-Speed ever sleep? Judging by the rate at which fresh and tasty customs roll off their floor, we’re guessing not.
The Thai powerhouse’s custom shop runs alongside their humming parts manufacturing business, so the two often bleed into each other. Sometimes they use their custom builds to develop new parts, and sometimes they use those parts to reproduce their most popular custom builds. But somehow they still manage to find time to build one-off specials, like this bonkers Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 bobber.
The Interceptor 650 (known as the INT650 in the States) is oft praised for its versatility as a platform for customization. But we’ve never seen someone hit it this far into the left field. There’s no pretending that this style is even remotely practical—but it is deeply intriguing, and sure to pull a crowd at your local café.
In stock form, the Interceptor is already a fairly compact bike. But K-Speed has trimmed it down drastically—to the point that its reasonably-sized parallel twin mill now looks cartoonishly big.
To get there, K-Speed not only binned the Royal Enfield’s bodywork, but its suspension and wheels too. Then they tore into the frame, going above and beyond the usual cut-and-shut work. The entire top section was scrapped and rebuilt, starting at the steering neck and ending in a neat set of custom-made rear struts.
The chassis looks like a rigid setup from afar, but it’s actually propped up on a set of fully-enclosed aftermarket shocks. But the real genius here, is how K-Speed have made the Enfield look dense and squat at the back, but lithe and stretched at the front.
That’s partially down to how the reworked frame has created space above the motor. But it’s also a result of the raked-out springer fork, which K-Speed pieced together from parts they had lying around the workshop.
The Enfield’s new wheel set is incredibly well-judged too. There’s a brakeless 21” wheel up front, with a 16” unit doing duty out back, stopped via a Brembo disc brake setup. And even if you hate vintage sawtooth tires, you can’t deny that they’re perfectly suited to this build.
Perched up top is a tiny, handmade peanut-style fuel tank. Since it doesn’t carry much petrol, K-Speed have plumbed it into a second reservoir that’s hidden under the seat. The bike’s OEM fuel pump lives there now too, with everything hidden behind a pair of custom side covers.
The main tank is wrapped in chrome, and adorned with a ‘Diablo’ logo (Diablo is K-Speed’s in-house brand of bolt-on parts). Just behind it is a tidy solo saddle that mixes traditional striped and diamond stitching patterns. The rear end’s finished off with a stubby ribbed fender, done in black.
But it’s the Interceptor’s new cockpit that really warrants closer inspection. It’s built around a set of bespoke chopper-inspired bars, designed to run high and narrow. They’re fitted with a set of aftermarket grips and an internal throttle—but that’s it.
Since the Enfield’s lighting consists of nothing more than a small spotlight at the front, and a swingarm-mounted taillight, there’s no need for turn signal switches and the like. There’s also no front brake lever and no speedo, and the ignition and kill switch have been relocated.
If you’re looking for the clutch, you’ll find it on the left side of the bike, attached to a custom-built hand-operated gear shifter. The setup consists of a shifter shaft fitted with a regular handlebar grip, and a vintage-style reverse lever. All you have to do is reach down behind your foot, squeeze the lever and shift.
The foot controls have been upgraded too, and are now mounted on custom relocation brackets. They now sit a little further forward than before, to make the bobbed Enfield’s rider triangle marginally more comfortable.
The rest of the build is a collection of tasteful finishing parts. Ribbed covers add an extra visual hit to the Interceptor’s already attractive engine, while a pair of custom headers loop around it. They’re finished off with end caps from K-Speed’s Diablo collection.
Sure, this bobber doesn’t have a front brake, a way to change gears that isn’t sketchy, or any ground clearance to speak of. But what it does have is style; bucketloads of it.
It doesn’t sound like K-Speed plans to reproduce any of the parts they’ve made for this build—nor have they confirmed if they’ll build more Enfields just like it. But we’re secretly hoping they do. Because, despite its idiosyncrasies, we’d love to park one of these in our garage.
Wouldn’t you?
K-Speed | Instagram | Images by Hipmotography
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TT1 TRIBUTE: Ducati 900SS by CodexMoto.
Through turmoil and at one point endless ownership changes, Ducati has always known how to ensure there is a bike in their lineup that’s just right for every Ducatisti. With the launch of the liquid-cooled and complex 851 superbikes, the Bologna factory needed a sports bike that was cheaper to maintain and more orientated towards road riding rather than racing. Enter the 900SS, and offered in both...
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Through turmoil and at one point endless ownership changes, Ducati has always known how to ensure there is a bike in their lineup that’s just right for every Ducatisti. With the launch of the liquid-cooled and complex 851 superbikes, the Bologna factory needed a sports bike that was cheaper to maintain and more orientated towards road riding rather than racing. Enter the 900SS, and offered in both...
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Flying low: An electric café racer from British Columbia
In an era where everyone seems to be chasing their own tiny slice of internet fame, it’s refreshing to find someone that actively pursues anonymity. Allow us to introduce Sally (not his real name). His web presence is little more than scant website and an Instagram account with a handful of posts—but his work speaks volumes.
This svelte café racer is the latest machine to roll out of Sally’s workshop in British Columbia, Canada, called simply Sally’s Speed-Shop. And if you can’t quite place the donor bike, it’s because there isn’t just one. Break it down, and you’ll find an electric motor, homemade batteries, composite bodywork, and a handful of scalped Honda and Suzuki parts.
Sally’s Speed-Shop isn’t just a motorcycle workshop. Sally also creates art, furniture and surfboards, so his skillset is broad and his tastes are eclectic. This project started out like most do—with a basic concept that sounded cool, but needed to be fleshed out.
“The idea was simply to make a vintage-inspired electric race bike,” Sally explains. “It started with a full size drawing on the wall, then I made molds for the bodywork. I basically built it from the outside in.”
Inspiration for this electric café racer’s design came from all over. Sally references everything from the iconic Honda CB200, to 60s era fighter jets; it’s a mash-up that sounds like it shouldn’t work, but it does.
Working from the molds he’d built, Sally shaped each part using a mix of carbon and glass fibers with epoxy. The bike wears a full-sized fairing with generous air intakes, a monocoque-style ‘tank’ and tail unit, and side covers that hide the bike’s inner workings. The only visible bit of metal is the custom-made ring that holds the headlight in place.
The aero influence is clear in the way the fairing tapers towards front, while a vintage Honda vibe comes through in the upholstery. The leatherwork was handled deftly by Randi Obenauer.
But the real genius here, is how misleading the design is—blink, and you’ll mistake it for a petrol-powered bike. There’s even a little bulge on the right side of the fairing, that looks like it was put there to make room for a ‘regular’ engine.
There are a couple of Suzuki logos to throw you off the scent too, but they do have some meaning. Sally used the pressed steel frame and swingarm from a 1968 Suzuki B100 as the basis for his creation’s rolling chassis. The front forks are from a vintage Honda Cub, but they’ve been shortened.
A set of adjustable nitrogen-filled billet aluminum shocks prop up the rear. The wheels are custom-built units, featuring Honda CD125 hubs, 18” rims and twisted spokes. Sally added the CD125’s brakes too, but upgraded them with carbon-kevlar shoes.
As for propulsion, that’s courtesy of an 18,000 W air-cooled electric motor, operated via a Bluetooth controller and hooked up to a traditional chain drive. Sally sourced the motor and controller separately, then built his own Lithium-ion battery packs. Everything’s hidden inside the body, with not a single wire to give this café racer’s secret away.
Even the controls maintain the illusion of a petrol-powered bike. The back brake’s operated via foot lever, as per the norm, but the front brake lever sits on the left side of the handlebars. So it simply gives the impression that this bike has a clutch (but no front brake).
Sally’s electric café racer is not only visually cunning, but remarkably well-proportioned too. Finished in a tasteful monochrome livery with minimal graphics, it cuts a perfect vintage figure.
Sally has benchmarked its performance too, and it’s shockingly quick for a bike with skinny tires and drum brakes. “The motor ended up having 200 Nm peak torque,” he tells us, “and it has reached 110 mph in testing. Range wouldn’t be much, as it’s made for speed, not range.”
The best part? No-one will hear you coming.
Sally’s Speed Shop | Instagram | Images by Fraser Evans
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In an era where everyone seems to be chasing their own tiny slice of internet fame, it’s refreshing to find someone that actively pursues anonymity. Allow us to introduce Sally (not his real name). His web presence is little more than scant website and an Instagram account with a handful of posts—but his work speaks volumes.
This svelte café racer is the latest machine to roll out of Sally’s workshop in British Columbia, Canada, called simply Sally’s Speed-Shop. And if you can’t quite place the donor bike, it’s because there isn’t just one. Break it down, and you’ll find an electric motor, homemade batteries, composite bodywork, and a handful of scalped Honda and Suzuki parts.
Sally’s Speed-Shop isn’t just a motorcycle workshop. Sally also creates art, furniture and surfboards, so his skillset is broad and his tastes are eclectic. This project started out like most do—with a basic concept that sounded cool, but needed to be fleshed out.
“The idea was simply to make a vintage-inspired electric race bike,” Sally explains. “It started with a full size drawing on the wall, then I made molds for the bodywork. I basically built it from the outside in.”
Inspiration for this electric café racer’s design came from all over. Sally references everything from the iconic Honda CB200, to 60s era fighter jets; it’s a mash-up that sounds like it shouldn’t work, but it does.
Working from the molds he’d built, Sally shaped each part using a mix of carbon and glass fibers with epoxy. The bike wears a full-sized fairing with generous air intakes, a monocoque-style ‘tank’ and tail unit, and side covers that hide the bike’s inner workings. The only visible bit of metal is the custom-made ring that holds the headlight in place.
The aero influence is clear in the way the fairing tapers towards front, while a vintage Honda vibe comes through in the upholstery. The leatherwork was handled deftly by Randi Obenauer.
But the real genius here, is how misleading the design is—blink, and you’ll mistake it for a petrol-powered bike. There’s even a little bulge on the right side of the fairing, that looks like it was put there to make room for a ‘regular’ engine.
There are a couple of Suzuki logos to throw you off the scent too, but they do have some meaning. Sally used the pressed steel frame and swingarm from a 1968 Suzuki B100 as the basis for his creation’s rolling chassis. The front forks are from a vintage Honda Cub, but they’ve been shortened.
A set of adjustable nitrogen-filled billet aluminum shocks prop up the rear. The wheels are custom-built units, featuring Honda CD125 hubs, 18” rims and twisted spokes. Sally added the CD125’s brakes too, but upgraded them with carbon-kevlar shoes.
As for propulsion, that’s courtesy of an 18,000 W air-cooled electric motor, operated via a Bluetooth controller and hooked up to a traditional chain drive. Sally sourced the motor and controller separately, then built his own Lithium-ion battery packs. Everything’s hidden inside the body, with not a single wire to give this café racer’s secret away.
Even the controls maintain the illusion of a petrol-powered bike. The back brake’s operated via foot lever, as per the norm, but the front brake lever sits on the left side of the handlebars. So it simply gives the impression that this bike has a clutch (but no front brake).
Sally’s electric café racer is not only visually cunning, but remarkably well-proportioned too. Finished in a tasteful monochrome livery with minimal graphics, it cuts a perfect vintage figure.
Sally has benchmarked its performance too, and it’s shockingly quick for a bike with skinny tires and drum brakes. “The motor ended up having 200 Nm peak torque,” he tells us, “and it has reached 110 mph in testing. Range wouldn’t be much, as it’s made for speed, not range.”
The best part? No-one will hear you coming.
Sally’s Speed Shop | Instagram | Images by Fraser Evans
Continue reading...
TAILOR-MADE TRACKER: Honda CBR250RR by Batakastem Workshop.
Those outside of Australia may not realise the close connection between the country and Indonesia as more than just near neighbours. The lyrics from an old song tell a small part of the tourist tale, “Got myself a Honda, had to get away, no brakes, bald tyres, five thousand rupes a day, I’ve been to Bali too.” Yes, going to a bike shop in Indonesia once meant being a tourist looking to hire a...
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Those outside of Australia may not realise the close connection between the country and Indonesia as more than just near neighbours. The lyrics from an old song tell a small part of the tourist tale, “Got myself a Honda, had to get away, no brakes, bald tyres, five thousand rupes a day, I’ve been to Bali too.” Yes, going to a bike shop in Indonesia once meant being a tourist looking to hire a...
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