Custom Motorcycle Builds

[DaveM]

MALAGA MONSTER : Ducati S4R by Lord Drake Kustoms.

It was while researching for a recent article that I came across a motoring journalist who had some not-so-kind things to say about cafe racers. It was misplaced negativity no doubt, but it did get me wondering, what might a ton-up boys’ bike look like if one of those young lads from the ’60s was thrown into a time machine and landed in 2022. Well, it was only a few days later that the custom bike...

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[DaveM]

Made in Taiwan: Twentytwo’s Yamaha SR150 café racer

Made in Taiwan and only sold locally, the Yamaha SR150 was a hit among commuters and delivery riders. But it was a bike bought for its affordability and practicality, not its looks. Resembling the legendary SR500 only in name, the stock SR150 looks just like you’d expect a delivery bike to; blocky and bland.

That hasn’t stopped workshops in Taiwan’s blossoming custom scene from tearing into the snack-sized SR to make it easier on the eye. And this stunning SR150 café racer shows just how much potential the donor bike has.

It’s the work of Twentytwo Custom, the custom branch of the Taiwanese motorcycle culture and apparel brand, Persist Motorcycle Company. When Twentytwo first opened shop, they promised themselves that their fifth build would be an internal project. This is that build.

“The owner of this Taiwanese-made Yamaha SR150 is one of our own staff members, Red,” explains Twentytwo founder, Dong Lin. “She has been in charge of the design business at Persist for nearly three years. Most of our visuals come from her designs.”

Given her sharp eye and her role in the company, Red obviously had a lot to contribute to the design. “Twentytwo ’05’ is an attempt to fuse and pay tribute to all her favorite things,” says Lin, “like sci-fi movies, cyberpunk comics and 90s JDM street racing cars.”

“Out of nostalgia, and a passionate love we have for this domestic-made model, finding a way to preserve the soul of its original look was an extra challenge we set for ourselves. We deliberately kept the original fuel tank, and kept the modification of the main frame to a minimum; hoping that through its brand new appearance, the original silhouette of the SR150 could somehow still be seen.”

The project was quickly dubbed ‘Neo Nostalgia,’ and work was underway. Straight out the gate, Twentytwo roped in fellow Taiwanese shop and frequent collaborator, Tough Tracker, to handle all the metalwork on the project. Together, they transformed the SR150 from daily beater to slick café racer.

With the OEM fuel tank in place, the crew set about fabricating a set of body panels to give it a sharper edge. Up front, a set of ‘winglets’ were mounted to the sides of the tank to give it a more modern, sporty vibe. Further back, Tough Tracker made a pair of origami-style side panels out of aluminum.

The tail unit looks basic, but it’s actually made up of multiple pieces that can be disassembled. “For the shape, we pulled references from 90s Japanese sport bikes—then tried to build a single seat piece that goes well with the SR150 tank,” Lin explains. A simple LED taillight is tucked in under the rear hump.

Up front, Twentytwo and Tough Tracker decided to eschew the typical bubble fairing style for something a little more aggressive. A relatively shallow 6” headlight sits inside a hand-made nacelle, designed to fit tightly with the forks and yokes.

A bone stock SR150 is hardly going to set the streets ablaze, but Lin was adamant about injecting at least some performance into the humble single. Starting with the suspension, Twentytwo installed a set of modified SYM Wolf 125 forks up front, with the yokes from a FZ-series Yamaha. The rear shocks are from MJP Factory, while the extended swingarm comes from Mark Motorcycle.

The wheels were swapped out for an 18F/17R set, shod with respectable Dunlop Sportmax rubber. A single Brembo caliper adds an extra hit of braking performance.

Not one to neglect the engine, Lin tasked Performance B in New Taipei City with rebuilding the Yamaha single. It’s been bumped to 230 cc, with a retrofitted Yamaha TW225 cylinder head and an upgraded cam shaft. Performance B also did some porting work, strengthened the crankshaft and installed an upgraded connecting rod.

There’s also a Yoshimura Keihin FCR-MJN28 carb, fitted with a K&N filter, and a reinforced clutch. The stylish exhaust system comes from another local outfit, Banai. Its flowing form was a deliberate choice, to counterbalance the blockiness of the bodywork.

Finishing off the build are a bunch of subtle and tasteful changes. A set of clip-ons and a Daytona speedo do duty in the cockpit, with new foot pegs mounted lower down. Twentytwo also trimmed the subframe, and rewired the bike.

“Imagining that this is a motorcycle that could appear in a sci-fi movie, we used both shiny and matte black, and gray, as the color palette,” Lin tells us. “Then we deliberately blacked-out other parts of the bike, so that the neon yellow Brembo caliper would pop and act as a visual highlight—bringing out the florescent, JDM-ish vibe.”

With a boost in performance, ultra-modern looks and suspension adjusted for her weight and riding style, Red now has a daily runner that we’re more than a little envious of. Who ever thought a delivery bike could look this good?

Persist Motorcycle Company | Twentytwo Custom | Tough Tracker

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[DaveM]

LAMBORGHINI-INSPIRED: BMW R nineT by Duke Motorcycles.

They are the apex predator of the automotive world and few pieces of machinery elicit such unbridled passion, lust and desire as the supercar. If you were a kid in the ’80s with any interest at all in cars or bikes, you had a Countach poster on your bedroom wall. And while very few of us will ever actually own one, their significance is as much about automotive design...

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[DaveM]

El Boxeador: A cheeky BMW R18 chopper from Canada

Despite its initial lukewarm reception, the BMW R18 has become a regular fixture on the custom scene. Numerous workshops have customized the bulked-up Bavarian boxer in myriad ways—but there’s one style we haven’t seen yet. Until now, no one’s tried to turn it into a chopper.

Enter Nick Acosta and his Toronto, Canada-based shop, Augment Motorworks. When tasked with customizing a BMW R18 by BMW Motorrad Canada, Nick drew inspiration from the classic choppers of the 60s and 70s. BMW do call the R18 a ‘cruiser,’ after all.

Augment started by stripping the R18 down to the bare essentials, so that they could figure out what to keep and what to bin. In the end, the OEM fuel tank was the only piece of the bodywork left intact.

A quick visual hit came in the form of a pair of polished alloy wheels from BMW’s own aftermarket catalog. Measuring 21” in the front and 18” in the back, they do a lot to push the R18’s stance further into chopper territory. The tires are Metzeler ME 888 Marathon Ultras, designed for cruisers and touring bikes.

Augment also fitted a new set of aftermarket BMW engine covers, but sandblasted them to create a raw effect. Working with a brand new modern motorcycle meant there was no need to fiddle with the engine, but Nick was keen on exposing the intake and throttle body. So the crew removed the plastic cover that normally rounds off the back end of the engine block, and starting repackaging things.

The R18 is now sporting a custom-built aluminum intake system, with a pair of open stacks. Nick assures us that this is just for show, and that pod filters can be installed in a jiffy if necessary. To clean the space up, Augment tucked all of the wiring that used to live there up underneath the fuel tank.

Further back sits another custom piece; the R18’s chopped saddle. Augment made the seat pan out of sand-cast aluminum, then handed it over to Dave at Raven6 to finish off. He polished the top surface to a near-mirror finish, and left the bottom raw to create some contrast.

The upholstery features an intricate psychedelic pattern up top. And despite how thin it is, it’s actually more comfortable than it looks, thanks to the dense race seat foam that Augment used.

The seat floats above a custom made rear fender, supported by a generous sissy bar. Resplendent in chrome, it also holds a pair of weld-on taillights from Prism Supply Co.

At the opposite end, a pair of LED ‘pancake’ headlights from FNA Custom Cycles light the way. Augment managed to wire them directly into the R18’s stock circuitry—but creating the filigree bracket that holds them took considerably more work. According to Nick, it was hand-carved from a block of aluminum.

A set of ape hangers adds another hit of chopper style; found at a vintage swap meet years ago, they’d been sitting in the workshop, waiting for the right bike. The guys kept the controls stock, but added reservoir caps from BMW’s catalog, and bar-end turn signals from Motogadget. The knurled foot pegs are custom items.

For the exhaust system, Augment kept the stock headers, but fabricated a pair of connector pipes in order to fit classic cocktail shaker mufflers. The new sections were left raw on purpose, so that they could develop their own patina over time and add more character to the build.

Finally, Augment called in Amanda at Black Widow custom, who wrapped the bike in an eye-catching, tattoo flash-inspired paint job. Look closely, and you’ll spot a lot of motorcycle iconography—including a few nods to BMW’s heritage. (Bonus points to anyone who gets the toaster reference.)

It’s an audacious livery, but then again, that was the whole point. “In the end, the philosophy of choppers for me is simple,” says Nick. “Strip everything that isn’t needed, and focus on all the small intricate details that give the bike an overall great, timeless look.”

Nicknamed ‘El Boxeador,’ this chopped BMW R18 is as unapologetic as it is quirky. Even if it’s not your cup of tea, you can’t deny that it has massive amounts of moxie.

Augment Motorworks | Instagram

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[DaveM]

PURSUIT OF PERFECTION: Triumph ‘Seven Star 7’ by Heiwa Motorcycles.

There are a rare few artists throughout history, that so special is their talent, that they not only capture the zeitgeist of their time in a previously unimaginable fashion but go on to break the bounds of their chosen field and become globally synonymous with excellence. Picasso, Shakespeare, Mozart, et al, whose compositions capture the heart of everyone from the humble common man to kings...

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[DaveM]

Evo ain’t dead: A Harley Sportster chopper from China

It’s barely been a month since Harley-Davidson announced they were ending the Evolution-powered Sportster line, but great custom examples continue to roll out of workshops. It’s easy to see why—the versatile Evo Sportster is one of the cheapest bikes in the Harley lineup, and lends itself well to customization. Plus Sporty owners are constantly drowning in the millions of aftermarket parts available to them.

One man who knows both Sportsters and aftermarket parts well is 23-year-old Huang Jiahuan, from Kunming in China’s Yunnan Province. It’s not often we see custom bikes from China, let alone from someone as young as Jiahuan. So it’s great to see the scene alive and well.

Working out of his workshop, Sowing Garage, Jiahuan spends most of his time manufacturing parts, rather than building full-on custom bikes. But the stars aligned recently, and Jiahuan was asked by a customer in Beijing to do a full rework on his 2018-model Harley-Davidson Sportster.

“The majority of Chinese chopper lovers still have a hard time doing it themselves—even if I supply them with the right parts,” says Jiahuan. “I rarely see Chinese mainland custom bikes on Bike EXIF, so I started wondering if I could do it myself.”

The plan was to build a slim chop that could slip through the crowded capital city streets, all while retaining some classic chopper aesthetics. “We wanted Eastern and Western cultures to collide—and it had to be functional. A good-looking vintage bike sitting still on display will never be good enough.”

Jiahuan started up front, with a set of narrow fork yokes from the Sowing Garage catalog. Designed to work with the OEM fork legs and headlight, they’re a good match for the skinny new 21” front wheel. A solid-mounted Neofactory GTS brake disc slows things down.

The 16” rear wheel is positively chunky by comparison, measuring five inches wide. Shinko whitewall tires add an extra hit of vintage style.

A set of risers and bars from Japan’s Fork Co. sit up top, fitted with with new grips. Jiahuan went for a minimalist look for the bars, with a Sowing Garage internal throttle kit, Kustom Tech brake and clutch levers, and classic micro switches. The factory speedo was relocated to the left-hand side of the tank, behind a single mirror from Motor Rock.

The fuel tank itself is a custom piece—as is the Cobra-style seat and sissy bar. The only other bodywork is a stubby custom-made rear fender. Just below it is a pair of rigid rear struts from Sowing Garage’s own stock.

Moving to the Sportster’s Evolution engine, Jiahuan left the internals alone, opting for external upgrades only. On the right sits a set of Sowing Garage high-mounted exhaust headers, with mufflers from Crazy Orange MC in Japan. The ignition system was replaced with a Dynatek unit, and, to keep it old school, the EFI system was replaced with an S&S Cycle carb and intake.

On the left, the coils have been relocated by way of a Sowing Garage bracket. The engine also wears die-cast timing and primary covers from the shop, and rocker covers from EMD in France.

Finishing kit includes a Sowing Garage side stand, and a Motor Rock taillight. The turn signals are barely noticeable—but they are there, mounted low down at both ends.

Then there’s the paint job. Playing on classic Harley-Davidson themes, and executed in-house, it’s a stunning mix of blue, white and gold.

“I started this project alone,” says Jiahuan with a smile. “Friends and partners came and went throughout the build, and it made me realize that I really like this type of work.”

We adore skinny Eastern-style choppers as much as we love classic Western ‘Easy Riders,’ and Jiahuan has mixed those styles together with skill and taste. Harley-Davidson may have given the Evo Sportster the axe, but this build proves that it’s still worth chopping.

Sowing Garage Instagram

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[DaveM]

Work of fiction: A custom-built TriBSA with an origin story

It’s not uncommon for a custom build to have a few stories behind it. Sometimes a donor bike has a unique history, or maybe its parts are pulled from an unlikely source. But it’s not every day we find a builder who fabricates both the machine and the story behind it.

Meet Thorsten Schlesinger, the builder of the British hodgepodge you see here. Nicknamed ‘Ms Rosi Nante,’ it’s a stunning example of a classic TriBSA—a Triumph engine in a BSA frame.

Thorsten got the idea for Ms Rosi when he happened upon the remains of a 1949 BSA A7. He had the frame media blasted, then finished in olive green like the WWII bikes of the era. Looking at the military-inspired frame got Thorsten’s creative juices flowing, and before long he had created an entire universe for his build-to-be.

Think of this TriBSA as WWII fan fiction meets two-wheeled cosplay. The year is 1945, and the Second World War has just ended. A soldier in the US Navy is finally headed home, but he just can’t bring himself to leave his trusty BSA sitting overseas.

He manages to bribe the loadmaster of his aircrew with a few bottles of brandy, and a spot for the battle-worn bike is secured on the next flight home. In typical boomer fashion, he wastes no time getting married (to a woman named Rosi) and starting a family once he gets home.

The years march on, and the BSA sits neglected in the garage behind his Ford Falcon, until the children are grown up and out of the house. Come 1965, our veteran finds himself with an empty nest and nothing but time on his hands. So naturally, he turns his attention back to rebuilding his old war horse, working on it in the evenings with the help of his friends.

In reality, Thorsten’s a product designer—but he’s a sucker for history. “For me, the stories around a bike are a self-imposed rule,” he says. “They make the whole thing more interesting for me.”

With that backstory in mind, Thorsten built Ms Rosi as his take on what a veteran’s hot-rodded BSA build from the mid-60s would look like. Looking over the bike, you’ll realize his imagination and attention to detail have created one of the most authentic time capsules on two wheels you could ask for.

For starters, Thorsten imagined this alter ego would likely take his hopped-up twin out racing on the weekends, be it dirt track or salt flats. So the old 500 cc twin engine was swapped out for a vintage Triumph 650 mill—a popular option for hot-rodders of the era. Thorsten punched it out to 750 cc for good measure.

A larger oil pump was fitted for reliability, and a set of Amal carbs was added to get Ms Rosi breathing properly. Thorsten also fabricated a set of straight pipes from stainless steel, a nod to the rowdy and raucous days before words like ‘EPA’ and ’emissions standards’ were on anyone’s mind. It’s safe to say you’ll hear Rosi coming before you see her.

The front end uses a girder fork from a 1938 Velocette, a clear reference to the BSA M20s that were in service during the Second World War. The girder looked fantastic, but Thorsten says it was far too flimsy to handle the extra power of the big twin engine. To this end, he and a friend replaced all the original tubing with thicker steel and reinforced welds, preserving the original form but making the bike safer and much more ridable.

Matching the light, sporty character of the machine—and its narrative—are a host of other touches. The fuel tank is a US-spec Triumph unit, slimmed down further by Thorsten. Then there’s the Brooks saddle, the Lucas headlight and the hand-wrapped hemp grips.

But it’s the really small details that sell it. Take the decals on the gas tank, for instance—all three are genuine NOS stickers from the 1960s, including the classic Triumph Tiger logos and the authentic Ed Roth/Rat Fink flying skull. Thorsten even went so far as to track down a vintage Shell Oil service sticker from the era, which now sits on the back of the bike’s oil tank.

The time capsule theme continues with the chronometric Smith’s speedometer, which Thorsten painstakingly tracked down with a KPH readout, in service to the bike’s imaginary European origins. The clock sits on a custom-made bracket, painted to match the olive green frame, and looks like it was pulled straight from the cockpit of a WWII fighter plane.

Although Thorsten spent the better part of four years getting Rosi just right, he wasted no time getting it out on the road once it came together. As a celebration of the build’s completion, Thorsten rode it all the way from Bremen, Germany, out to the coast of France—a 1,000-plus mile round trip.

He did it wearing a set of leathers he stitched himself, with an authentic WWII rain suit in his luggage, just in case.

We can’t say we’re surprised, given Thorsten’s uncompromising commitment to character. After all, it’s little details like this that make any work of fiction believable.

Thorsten Schlesinger | Images and build info supplied by Sven Wedemeyer / Wheels of Stil

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[DaveM]

XL RUBBER: Kawasaki Z1000 by RF-Biketech.

It all happened around the same time, and those who were there for it all will look back and remember it with a smile. In both the car and bike scene of the late ’90s and into the next decade, the wheel and tyre packages just got bigger and bigger. Times changed, tastes moved on and yet now we are coming back full circle, as some are using the engineering tricks of those times to incorporate the...

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[DaveM]

Speed Read, December 11, 2022

Two thumpers lead the charge this week; a KTM 640 Duke from Spain and a Suzuki DR650 from Australia. We also take a look at the limited edition MV Agusta Tamburini Corse F43, and Heiwa MC’s latest Triumph.

KTM 640 Duke by Ønix Design In the KTM family, the 640 Duke is a bit of an ugly duckling. The dirt bike styling cues, road-friendly 17” wheels and awkward front-end design just don’t mesh. We’re sure it’s a hoot to ride—but the styling department was asleep on the day they designed the KTM 640 Duke.

Luckily Iñaki Bellver, a 30-year-old engineer from Valencia, Spain, could see the beauty that lay beneath.

For most, making the 640 look good would be a tall order, but not for Iñaki. In his spare time, he runs his own custom garage; Ønix Design. On the lookout for a bike to build a street tracker with, Iñaki spied a 2000-model KTM Duke 640 for sale, and got to work.

The factory cast wheels were tossed in favor of custom 17” spoked hoops, shod with Mitas tires. The dirt bike-style suspension was dialed back, with the front end swapped for USD forks from an Aprilia RS. Stiffer springs and custom fork yokes were also fitted. The flat track front number plate is custom, and was laser cut from aluminum.

The tank was sourced from an old Rieju TT505 and looks incredible, especially with a fresh coat of BMW metallic grey paint. To contrast the gloss tank, the rest of the bike was painted in textured matte black. A single-piece flat track-style seat (with quick release mechanism) was made from forged carbon, and perched on a custom subframe.

The dashboard was shrunk down to just a single Motogadget gauge, with a gear indicator and LED warning lights. Easton handlebars and riser clamps were fitted, along with a scrambler-style mirror, and a new radial IRC master cylinder for the front brakes.

The engine breathes easily through a new DNA filter, a custom stainless steel exhaust, and a titanium muffler from Arrow. Iñaki wanted to keep riding the KTM on the road, so he fitted the most minimal lighting he could, opting for a full LED setup.

“The bike has a great power to weight ratio, with a much lower and aggressive riding position, so it’s super fun to ride,” beams Iñaki. “With the proportions and incredibly loud noise, it turns heads!”

This isn’t the first time Iñaki has graced BikeEXIF’s pages… and we’re sure it won’t be the last. [Ønix Design | Images by Juan Llobell]

Suzuki DR650 by Purpose Built Moto Australia’s Purpose Built Moto is back—this time with an adventure bike-cross-street tracker. The customer (who has commissioned PBM bikes in the past) wanted a stripped-back street tracker that could also tackle long-distance adventures. Tom Gilroy, head honcho at Purpose Built Moto, was keen to take on the challenge.

The base bike? A brand new, last-of-its-kind Suzuki DR650.

“When you buy one tool to do two jobs, you end up with what we call a ‘shammer’,” explains Tom. “You can use the tool as a shovel but you can also use it as a hammer. However, it does both of those jobs pretty poorly.”

Don’t let Tom’s self-deprecating humor fool you though—this DR650 is a genuine Swiss army knife. In just 20 minutes, the bike can be transformed from a minimalist street tracker, to a kitted-out adventure machine.

The svelte rear end is where most of the magic happens. The adventure kit includes a pannier rack, and a rear fender that doubles as a 6 liter [1.6 gallon] auxiliary fuel tank, with a quick-connect fitting. Specced with a RotoPax fuel cell and a Kriega pannier, this bike can go a long way before needing to stop.

The bike also comes with two sets of wheels. The first set is the DR650’s standard 21F/17R pairing, with Pirelli MT21 off-road tires. The second set uses gold Excel-rimmed street wheels, with 17” Pirelli Scorpion Rally STR tires.

The front fender can be adjusted up or down, depending on which wheels are fitted. Sitting above it is a custom headlight setup, courtesy of the PBM workshop.

The tank is from a Honda CB550 that was severely rusted out. The PBM team chose to repair rather than replace it, and while they were at it, they fitted a Motogadget speedo to it. The seat and side covers are also custom.

To give the old DR a bit more pep, a Yoshimura RS-4 was retrofitted, along with a custom bracket and link pipe. The carb received a stage two performance kit, with the fueling kinks worked out after a bit of tuning.

Bulletproof reliability, purposeful good looks and a huge dollop of versatility. We love it. [Purpose Built Moto]

MV Agusta Tamburini Corse F43 Many years ago, at the start of my motorcycling pursuit, I saw a bike that stopped me in my tracks. It was red and silver, with a single-sided swingarm and four mufflers sticking out from under the seat. It was an MV Agusta F4.

Originally designed by Massimo Tamburini, the MV Agusta F4 series was produced from 1999 to 2018. Along with the Ducati 916 and a slew of Bimotas, the inline-four MV Agusta was one of Tamburini’s most famous creations.

To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the F4, MV Agusta is teaming up with Massimo’s son, Andrea Tamburini, to release this: the MV Agusta Corse F43 Tributo. The new F43 looks almost identical to its predecessor, but eagle-eyed F4 fans will note the subtle differences—like the addition of rear wings on the tail. The new design is slightly more angular and aggressive than the original too, but that’s not a bad thing.

There are only going to be 25 bikes produced, with five colors available; Tamburini, Veltro, Serie Oro, Mamba and Viper. If we had our choice, we’d go for the F43 Serie Oro. Hopefully (judging by previous Serie Oro models) it will have the ubiquitous red and silver two-tone paint and gold wheels… delicious.

If you’d like to be one of the 25 lucky few, best get in touch with your MV Agusta dealer, pronto. [Source | Images from Andrea Tamburini on Facebook]

Triumph Thunderbird by Heiwa MC Kengo Kimura, founder of Heiwa Motorcycle, is known the world over. Operating from Hiroshima in Japan, Heiwa bikes are so gloriously fantastic that Kimura-san has become a familiar face at the prestigious Yokohama Hot Rod Custom show.

People wait with bated breath for the next Heiwa bike, and it’s easy to see why. To top it all off, he’s one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet.

This is Heiwa’s latest build, named ‘Seven Star 7.’ It’s a 1954 Triumph 6T Thunderbird, but very little of the original bike remains. The frame is completely custom, as is the gorgeous hand-formed aluminum bodywork. The slim tank and tail are quintessentially ‘Heiwa,’ but also entirely unique.

The seat and side covers are also custom, and if that swingarm looks too long to be factory Triumph, then you have a good eye. It’s another handmade item, suspended by MDI Lowdown shocks that were specifically designed for this bike.

Chunky Continental tires were mounted on fresh 18” rims, with modest-sized brakes fitted to the custom hubs. A vintage set of Paioli forks were adapted to custom fork clamps, to keep the front end as narrow as possible. Kimura-san also made the headlight and front fork brace and fitted a Motogadget speedo to the bars, tucked into a custom-made housing.

The engine, which is a work of art in itself, was torn down and completely rebuilt. Fueling is prepared by way of a new Mikuni VM32 carburetor, sucking in air through a hand-tuned velocity stack. To top it all off, Kimura-san built a new exhaust from scratch, with an unusual, but gorgeous, split-design muffler.

As we’ve come to expect from Kengo, there are so many good details on this machine, that we could spend hours poring over it. The whole thing just screams quality craftsmanship, but in a subtle way (if a scream can be subtle). Finished in mustard-yellow with polished details, this is up there with some of the best Heiwa builds of all time. [Source]

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[DaveM]

DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH: 1981 Yamaha XV1000.

It had never occurred to me until this moment the enormous pressure that a jeweller who designs and crafts custom pieces must be under. But then you remember a core part of their business is engagement and wedding rings that cost a large sum of money, and the potential to have a Bridezilla unleash a wave of abuse and tears on you suddenly becomes extreme. Thankfully Guy Abrahamsson need not have...

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[DaveM]

Dream-E: Converting a 1967 Honda CA160 to electric

What’s the hardest part of converting a classic motorcycle to electric? You might think it’s sourcing an appropriate drivetrain, or wedging it into a chassis designed for an internal combustion engine. Sure, those are all notable challenges—but the real trick, is pulling it off without ruining the bike’s vintage aesthetic.

Amateur bike builder Danny Mantyla has it all figured it out. He’s just treated this 1967 Honda CA160 Dream to an electric motor swap. And he’s done it so well, that it arguably looks even cooler than it used to.

“One night I was showing my wife a picture of a Yamaha XS650 and a red Honda CA160,” Danny tells us, “and I asked her which one she liked best. She said the Honda, but only if it was black. That night I woke up in my sleep and started looking at Craigslist for no particular reason.”

“And then I found it! A black Honda CA160. I bought it the very next day for $500.”

Thanks to a decade spent sitting in a barn, the Dream’s engine was completely seized. A busted engine, and a stamped frame good for hiding wires, are good ingredients for an electric conversion. But Danny had more than one reason for the swap.

“I wanted my wife to be able to ride a motorcycle alongside me, but she doesn’t know how or want to learn how to use a manual transmission,” he explains. “She is also really sensitive to the smell of gasoline and exhaust fumes, and she hates loud motorcycles with a burning passion. So this electric bike is perfect for her.”

Danny pieced together a 72v system, using a 4kW hub motor from QS Motors and a controller from Kelly Controls. For the battery, he built his own pack out of used, up-cycled LG Chem pouch cells. But it’s how he put it all together that’s really impressive.

With the Honda Dream stripped down and on the table, Danny was taken by the swooping silhouette of the sculpted frame, and the curvaceous fenders. So he knew that whatever he added needed to complement that, not fight against it.

“If Honda made an electric motorcycle in the 1960s,” asks Danny, “what would it look like? This was the design goal when building the battery enclosure.”

With that in mind, he fabricated a teardrop-shaped enclosure, using a bead roller to add some character. A testament to Rob’s creativity and metalworking skills, it sits within the Dream’s frame as if it came that way from the factory. And it can be split in half in a jiffy, if you need to access the battery pack.

The controller was mounted directly into the recessed section of the frame where the old lead-acid battery used to live. On the other side of the frame, a discarded chrome clutch cover was repurposed as an access point for the controller’s wiring.

Danny packed a DC-to-DC converter into the old fuel tank, then installed an analog charge meter, power switch and indicator light up top. It’s a traditional EV conversion trick to turn the old filler cap into a charge port—but the Dream’s filler neck was too narrow for this to work. So the charge port hides away against the back of the battery case instead.

The Honda’s OEM headlight bucket and glass were restored, then retrofitted with LED internals. There’s a kill switch on the handlebars too, for good measure, but the rest of the controls look suitably vintage. Danny scored the solo seat from a local swap meat, and he found the luggage rack at an antique store.

As for performance, it’s modest at best—but going quick or far wasn’t the goal here. The top speed is around 55 mph, which is a little shy of the CA160’s original 68 mph top speed. And since the up-cycled batteries only have around 66% of their original capacity, the real world range is about 20 miles.

Still, Danny says it’s a pleasure to ride. “It’s so smooth and silent, it’s honestly like a really heavy bicycle that is magically self-propelled. Riding it just puts a smile on my face, it’s a very pleasant experience.”

“My favorite is when someone sees it—someone who knows nothing about motorcycles—and they just look at it and see a nicely restored, but otherwise normal, classic motorcycle. They don’t even realize that it doesn’t have a gasoline engine.”

Head over to Danny’s website for a full breakdown of his electric Honda Dream build, including costs.

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[DaveM]

Super commuter: A custom Yamaha SR150 from Taiwan

If you live outside of Taiwan, you’re probably not familiar with the Yamaha SR150. It was exclusively made and sold locally, and eventually discontinued. But the flourishing Taiwanese custom scene has given it a second lease on life—and thrust it into the international spotlight.

This is the third custom Yamaha SR150 we’ve featured recently, and each has come from a different workshop. This one’s the work of Huang Wen Chi of Hide Work Custom, based in Taoyuan City.

He goes by ‘Achi,’ and he’s been obsessed with motorcycles since childhood. He apprenticed as a lathe and mill operator after he graduated high school, then turned it into a 15-year career. Then, six years ago, he gave it all up to focus on building custom bikes.

Achi works mostly alone, only outsourcing specialist jobs like paint and upholstery. He also takes on an apprentice from time to time, or has friends help out (like his neighbor, Leon, who translated the details of this build for us).

The brief for this 2000-model Yamaha SR150 was blissfully simple. The client threw out the keywords “Cyberpunk” and “modern,” and left the rest up to Achi. He responded with a sharp street tracker that’s laden with handmade parts.

It’s a trifecta of good decisions. Achi tweaked the SR’s stance to perfection, built a cohesive body kit, and wrapped everything in stunning monochromatic finishes.

Since the stock bike is considered dependable rather than rowdy, most of its running gear is adequate for the average rider. Achi simply installed an extended swingarm from Mark Motorcycles to get it to sit just right, then matched it to a pair of longer-than-stock shocks.

He also re-laced the OEM hubs to 18” rims, and added classic-looking scrambler tires from Duro.

Up front is a custom headlight nacelle, fitted with an LED light lifted from a car. But it’s a cut above the usual number board-style setups you see on street trackers. Here, Achi combined the headlight section, front fender and fork guards into one hand-shaped aluminum piece.

There’s more of his handiwork out back, where he fabricated an aluminum flat track-style tail section. A local upholsterer shaped the foam seat pad and covered it leather, with a stitching pattern that combines traditional vertical seams with a diamond pattern. Out back is a slim LED taillight, neatly integrated into the tail piece.

Flanking the Yamaha are a pair of custom side covers bearing the client’s lucky number. Achi built them by hand, using two layers of aluminum and a steel mesh backing. Another custom part sits lower down; a burly bash plate for when the owner takes his SR off-piste.

Then there’s the fuel tank. An inspired choice, it was lifted from another Taiwanese-made motorcycle—an Aeon MY150. With its tapered profile, it neatly links together the front and back, visually.

Up in the cockpit are new handlebars, grips and switches, and a discreet bolt-on mirror. Everything came from GarageSail—a local custom parts shop and regular HWC supplier. Achi also added a set of grippy off-road foot pegs.

A custom license plate bracket sits out back, mounted to the swingarm on just one side. And if you’re looking for the Yamaha’s turn signals, they are there; Achi built them into the sides of the headlight plate and tail section.

Finer details include a deft reworking of the subframe, some drilled frame gussets and a one-off stainless steel exhaust system. Rover Works laid down the kinetic paint job, which is complemented by a chrome powder coating effect on the frame. Tasty.

HWC’s spin on the Yamaha SR150 is a punchy reminder not to sleep on the Taiwanese custom scene—or this humble donor bike.

Hide Work Custom | Images by GarageSail

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[DaveM]

SMOKIN’ ROTHMANS TRIBUTE: Honda CB750 by 72 HKG Performance.

At just under 13 miles in length, the famed Nürburgring Nordschleife (North Loop) is arguably the most important race track in motoring history. It played host to some of the most memorable races in the early days of F1 and Sports Car racing and is now the ultimate conquest for supercar makers in their quest to lay down a record-breaking time. One particular lap of the circuit has always stayed...

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[DaveM]

Go fast, look fly: Analog’s Ducati 1000 DS race bike

The online classifieds of the world are littered with basket cases that may or may not make good donors for custom motorcycle projects. But how often do you stumble upon a rolling chassis sporting a bespoke titanium frame, a Ducati 1000 DS motor and a smattering of track-spec goodies? And how often is it a bike that was previously featured on Bike EXIF?

The first time we laid eyes on this Ducati, Icon Motosports had turned it into a wild track beater for their design director, Kurt Walters. Now, over a decade since its first rebuild, Tony Prust at Analog Motorcycles has given it a second lease on life.

Rumor has it that the bike spent time on the track, before eventually going under the knife again. That project was abandoned, the bones of it were put on Craigslist, and long time Analog customer, Del Thomas, snapped it up.

“He bought with the intention of doing an Analog Motorcycles custom build at some point,” Tony tells us. “After all, the components alone on it were well worth the price he scooped it up for. Several ideas were thrown around about what to do with it, but we never settled on anything.”

Del is not only Tony’s customer, but his friend and racing teammate too. The two had been piloting Analog’s ‘Hyper8’ Ducati Hypermotard in the AHRMA Battle of the Twins racing series, in the sub-900 cc ‘2’ class. Since this donor bike came with a lot of race-ready components, they decided to turn it into another race bike—but first, they had to figure out what it would look like.

“Earlier in the discussions, I tried talking him into a Mike Hailwood replica with all-aluminum bodywork,” says Tony. “Del has a number of Ducatis and knows the pros and cons of owning and riding them, and knew the lack of comfort of a MH replica would deter him from riding it. So it was decided: make a Hailwood replica race machine, to compete in the bigger Battle of the Twins class.”

Tony started by stripping the Ducati down to its rolling chassis. The titanium frame was originally built by Arc Fabrication, and was matched up to a Ducati Supersport 1000 DS swingarm, Öhlins suspension and adjustable yokes from Attack Performance. Those were all worth keeping—but the Kawasaki wheels that came with the bike had to go.

Analog sourced a set of SuperSport 1000 DS hoops to use as backups and rain wheels, with aftermarket forged aluminum items for the primary setup. The rear was a straight swap, but the front needed a set of custom spacers to fit.

A full Beringer brake setup was part of the deal too, but the rotors didn’t match the new wheels. Beringer sent over a new set of rotors, Free Form Design supplied custom-made spacers, and Analog put it all together with Beringer master cylinders and Spiegler hoses. Up in the cockpit, the Beringer brake and clutch controls were mated to Vortex clip-ons and grips.

Analog also specced a full set of protective bits from R&G Protection, because, as he says, “it’s not if, but when, you crash.” The kit includes crash bobbins, engine covers and lever guards.

This philosophy extended to the bodywork too. If Tony had forged ahead with his idea of hand-formed aluminum parts, a crash would mean hours of repair work. What the guys needed, was a bolt-on solution that could easily be replaced.

“I called up Frank from iOne Moto,” Tony tells us, “and they made up a set of MH replica bodywork in lightweight race trim for us. Now I just needed to make a tank that tightly fit under the cover. That had to be the most difficult tank I have made to date.”

“It needed to fit the bodywork as tight as possible, since you dig your knees into the tank a lot while racing, and don’t want the ‘loose’ feel of bodywork with nothing behind it. The tank itself is a work of art that no-one will ever really see.”

The bodywork attaches to custom-made mounts via a set of quarter-turn fasteners. Tony also fabricated a seat pan and a structure to hold it, the tail section and the batteries. Final touches include a carbon fiber front fender and rear hugger, and swish upholstery by Dane Utech at Plzbeseated in Chicago.

The Ducati’s two-valve 1000 DS engine went off to Moto Corse Performance in Florida for a fresh rebuild and a bump to 1,123 cc. It now runs with a Corse Dynamics intake kit and K&N filters, a Microtec ECU and two H20 Performance oil coolers, plumbed with Wirecare cooler lines. The bike also sports a STM slipper clutch and a quick-shifter.

The exhaust is a custom piece, with a Cone Engineering muffler poking out below the tail. It’s a classy homage to the original Ducati MH900e. The bike was rewired too, with Wirecare sleeves keeping things tidy.

Wrapped in a grey livery by Krossover Customs, with graphics by Enamel Brand, Analog’s ‘Ducati MH11’ looks extraordinarily handsome for a race bike. But does it have the go to match the show?

“We didn’t go crazy on the engine first time around,” says Tony, “since we weren’t sure how well the bike would perform on track, or how comfortable I would feel on it. We can always upgrade the engine down the road. With a mild tune on it, we are at just under 100 hp at the wheel, and weighing in at 340 lbs wet.”

“We’ve taken it to a couple of tracks, and although it is a bit different to the Hyper8, it’s a pretty amazing machine and I’m looking forward to racing it more. And with a successful finish to the 2022 season as the Battle of the Twins 2 National Champion, the future looks bright for Analog Motorcycles racing.”

Analog Motorcycles | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Craig Chawla

Analog Motorcycles would like to thank their sponsors: Del Thomas, Wirecare, Spectro Oils, R&G Protection, K&N Filters, Beringer Brakes, Bell Helmets, Rev’It! and Enamel Brand.

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[DaveM]

Speed Read, December 18, 2022

A couple of fraternal Triumph twins from Istanbul kick off this week’s batch of customs, followed by an e-bike built for the vertical thrills of the Wall of Death. Moto Exotica brings us their maximalist Royal Enfield Himalayan, and our old friend CW Zon is back with his unique take on Triumph’s massive Rocket 3R. And finally, Malle London debuts their latest short film.

Triumph Scrambler 900 twins by Bunker Custom Cycles Motorcycling is a sport we so often enjoy alone, but sharing the experience with a close friend brings it to a new level. Lifelong friends Pekin and Mert had been riding together since they learned how to keep a couple of bikes upright. Now in their 40s, they wanted to a pair of matching custom machines to enjoy together.

Considering the use of these motorcycles—riding around the city, commuting, but also conquering off-road challenges on the weekends—the two quickly decided on Triumph Scrambler 900s as base models for their builds.

The bikes were delivered to Bunker Custom Cycles for their makeovers—and to serve as test mules for a new line of bolt-on parts.

Each bike was built up with custom suspension, featuring upgraded fork internals and new Fox rear shocks. Each got a new handmade exhaust system too, redirecting the headers away from their original high-mounted position for a more comfortable ride. They also now wear Bunker’s signature skid plate and radiator guard.

That’s where the similarities end, since the two owners chose to differentiate the bikes with paint and seating styles.

The two scramblers were named ’78,’ and ’79,’ after the birth years of their owners. 79 was equipped with a slimmed-down but traditional seat, while 78 got a two-piece seat, allowing for the passenger pad to be removed for use of a cargo rack. One is wrapped in a blue livery, while the other uses a black and grey combo.

Parts like the side panels, fenders and license plate mounts were all developed in-house, mostly using 3D design and printing techniques. They’re now available on Bunker Cycles’ website—so if you’d like to pursue a similar look for your Scrambler, it’s only a few clicks away.

[Bunker Custom Cycles | Images by Mustafa Arikan]

Custom Wall of Death Super73 The Wall of Death is a high speed thrill show that’s been around for over 100 years. Riders start on the flat center of a wooden cylinder, gaining speed as they climb onto the vertical walls, using centrifugal force to stay glued to the sides. While gas-powered vehicles have been the long-standing choice of vehicle, the instant torque offered by electric power is an obvious choice… so Super73 got an idea.

Lovingly called Marvelous Marv, Marvin Prinssen is a Dutch Wall of Death rider and a member of the Lucky Daredevils. After seeing Marv and the crew do their thing at Wheels and Waves in Biarritz, the team at Super73 knew this would be a natural partnership.

They started a conversation, and in what seemed like minutes, Marv was up on the wall riding an e-bike. Shortly after, a one-off commission began.

Starting with what looks to be Super73’s S2 chassis, the spokes were reinforced and strengthened, and the front end was equipped with a rigid fork to keep the bike sturdy and reliable with the incredible g-forces at play. An extended seat was upholstered with high-grip material, to help the rider stay on while the vehicle is parallel with the floor. A throttle was added to help Marv get up to speed as quickly as possible, without having to pedal.

The bike’s battery was relocated lower inside the frame, both to help with mass centralization and to protect the power source if things go sideways—or more sideways than intended. Lastly, a bit of copper paint sets off the build and helps further distinguish this one-off custom.

Marv’s Super73 will be touring with the Lucky Daredevils, so look out for them around Europe if you would like to see this unique creation in person. [Super73]

Royal Enfield Himalayan by Moto Exotica Based in Dehradun, India, Moto Exotica is tucked into the beautiful Himalayan countryside. Since 2013, the shop has made a name for itself by building custom scramblers and café racers around vintage Yamaha RDs. But recently, they were presented with a new challenge: to take the already capable Royal Enfield Himalayan, and build it out to the maximum level.

With a brand new Himalayan on hand, the team at Moto Exotica sought to retain Royal Enfield’s design language, keeping the round headlight and general shape of the gas tank. Design sketches and ideation led to over 50 pieces, designed in CAD and then milled. This shop does not outsource any of its work, so the full set of carbon fiber bodywork that you see here was formed in-house.

To get some more punch out of the engine, a custom 500 cc big bore kit was machined, and a high-lift camshaft was installed before the whole system was flashed with a programmable ECU. A more compact and lighter-weight exhaust system was fabricated, with a matching carbon fiber tip and a heat shield on the muffler.

Aiming for a taller, more enduro-like stance, the Himalayan was fitted with long-travel WP Suspension forks, and an all-new custom swingarm featuring a fully adjustable direct-mount shock. An 18” rear wheel and 21” front wheel were wrapped with dual-sport tires, and set with upgraded floating brake rotors and a 4-pot caliper up front.

As an homage to Moto Exotica’s location, the colors used on the build were all inspired by hues found naturally in the rocky Himalayan countryside. The new carbon gas tank was painted with the contours of Mount Everest.

It seems no stone was left unturned, as this may indeed be the ultimate Himalayan for conquering the landscapes that this machine was named after. [Moto Exotica]

Triumph Rocket 3 R by Custom Works Zon Yuichi Yoshizawa of CW Zon is not a builder that follows trends or plays by any kind of rulebook. His builds are unique and immediately identifiable, even if the general style of each build varies greatly.

The latest wonder to roll out of the Japanese builder’s workshop is this Triumph Rocket 3 R roadster. It’s loaded with hand-formed bodywork that completely changes the look and feel of the bike, without altering the frame in any way.

Triumph’s Rocket 3 R is an absolute beast. The 2,458 cc three-cylinder engine puts out a claimed 165 horsepower and 163 ft-lbs [221 Nm] of torque. Zon’s build takes this Rocket, and covers it in hand-formed and hand-engraved aluminum, with bronze detailing. The result is an amalgam of the Rocket 3’s original roadster style, a futuristic café racer, and a steampunk locomotive.

As always with Yoshizawa-san, all fabrication was done at the highest level. And since the Rocket’s original geometry was not altered in any way, we know this bike will ride just as Triumph’s engineers intended.

CW Zon showed this Triumph off at the Mooneyes Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show recently—but it wasn’t the shops only entry into the show. Yuichi took top honors with a Harley Shovelhead muscle bike that we will be featuring soon. Stay tuned. [Custom Works Zon | Images by Hiromitsu Yasui]

Malle Mountain Rally film Hosted by our friends at Malle London, the Mountain Rally is a six-day event that takes riders over 1,500 miles, through six countries, and through passes as high as 2,770 meters [9,088 ft]. The Mountain Rally is now the longest motorcycle rally ever completed, covering the entirety of the Alps Mountain Range, passing through all of the highest passes and wildest country before dropping back down to sea level at the finish line.

While the 2022 rally has now come and gone, a new film was just released to help bring you in and share the experience. Riders from all around the world meet in Austria. As we expect from an event hosted by Malle London, the same team that brings you the Malle Mile, there is an emphasis on style and many of the bikes are heavily customized.

Clocking in at over seven minutes and 40 seconds, the Mountain Rally short film tells the stories of riders exploring new roads, overcoming the challenges of a long and grueling journey, and bonding through the experience. Catch it below. [Malle London | Images by Shane Benson]

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[DaveM]

Distilled boxer: A BMW R nineT café racer by Deus

Dieter Rams said that good design “involves as little design as possible.” Colin Chapman said “simplify, then add lightness.” Both principles are at work in this ultra-crisp BMW R nineT café racer, brought to you by Deus Ex Machina Australia.

It’s certainly not the first café racer that Deus’ head wrench, Jeremy Tagand, has built. But the brief—to turn a stock 2014-model R nineT into a trimmed-down custom with classic style and modern tech—felt like a fresh challenge. The job called for a radical reworking of the BMW’s silhouette, plus a smattering of upgraded parts.

A tank swap was on the cards—but that’s no mean feat with the BMW R nineT. It’s a modern motorcycle with a fuel pump and a number of electronic components in play, plus the OEM tank fits its trellis frame like a glove. Jeremy had to find a donor that would nail the look, while striking a visual balance with the nineT’s wide boxer motor.

In the end, Jeremy chose a 1980s Suzuki GS1100 reservoir for its muscular, angled style. Deus handed it over to fabricator Jonathan Okada at Kansai Giant Design Factory, to modify it accordingly. Jonathan massaged it to sit lower on the BMW frame, and made space for the stock fuel pump, ABS module and ECU.

Next up, Deus fabricated a new subframe to create a clean line from the bottom of the tank through to the seat. Terminating in line with the rear axle, it’s neatly integrated with a custom seat pan that also hides the nineT’s remaining electronic bits. Dave at Bad Arse Trim Co. handled the tidy upholstery on the generously padded seat.

To keep the tail end clean, Deus relocated the license plate to a swingarm-mounted bracket from Wünderlich. A pair of Kellermann LEDs act as turn signals and taillights.

Moving to the nineT’s running gear, Deus disassembled the stock suspension, anodized the parts, and sent everything to Shock Treatment for a service. The 17” rims were swapped out for a set of 18” hoops, laced to the stock hubs by Ash’s Spoked Wheelz. A full Beringer brake set was installed for extra stopping power.

Jeremy’s relentless pursuit of minimalism is most evident from the rider’s point of view. The BMW’s new cockpit is as purist as it gets, built around a CNC-machined top clamp from Ricci Engineering that also houses a digital Motogadget speedo. Adjustable ABM clip-ons wear the Beringer controls, a KTM RC8 throttle, and Motogadget mirrors and bar-end turn signals.

If you’re looking for the switchgear, you’ll have to hunker down to find it. Integrated into the bottom of the CNC-machined grip on the clutch side, is a set of small push buttons from Grip Ace. The bike’s key ignition now lives just below the fuel tank on the left hand side.

Other changes include a classic 5.75” Bates-style headlight and a gorgeous flush-mounted gas cap. Deus also installed Sato Racing rear-sets, and a small Honda oil cooler, tucked up behind the bottom yoke on a custom-made bracket. It’s hooked up via custom-braided oil lines.

The engine’s dressed up with valve covers from Roland Sands Design, and a front belt cover from Rizoma. Both were modified with sand cast Deus badges.

With 109 hp on tap in stock form, the BMW R nineT’s boxer motor has more than enough grunt for most riders. So Deus left it alone on the inside, choosing to fettle the intake and exhaust instead.

The air box was swapped out for a stage three filter kit from DNA, then RB Racing tuned the bike via a Dynojet Power Commander unit. The twin drag pipes are full custom items, and even include hidden baffles to keep the neighbors happy.

Finally, Deus dressed the distilled boxer’s tank and front fender in a coat of Nardo Grey paint. Subtle pinstripes, powder coated parts and color-matched panels on the new engine covers tie everything together. With some subtle discoloration already coming through on the exhaust headers, the overall vibe is as stylish as it gets.

In a sea of BMW café racers, this one stands out for its raw simplicity. Deus describes it as “a wink to the past, a nod to the present and a helmet full of smiles per hour.”

We’ll buy that.

Deus Customs | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Kenyon Batterson

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[DaveM]

Here comes trouble: A Triumph TR6 with a Matchless frame

Kids are impressionable, especially when motorcycles are involved. That magical combination of sound, smell and danger has a way of imprinting itself on young minds. But Kyle Harvey didn’t just dream of bikes as a child—he practically grew up with them.

Kyle’s trade is tool and die making, but his passion is building bikes. His father, Garth Harvey, got Kyle and his brother into bikes at a young age; as soon as they could start their old man’s vintage motorcycles, they were riding them. Living in Edenvale in South Africa’s Gauteng province, the boys also had direct access to the local Classic Motorcycle Club.

The folks at the CMC made quite an impression on young Kyle—and taught him everything he knows about vintage bikes. After helping numerous friends work on their bikes, he went on to open his own shop, named simply ‘The Workshop.’ Kyle has been building and restoring classic motorcycles for over a decade now.

This cheeky bobber is his latest build, and it’s immensely fascinating. The engine’s from a Triumph TR6 Trophy, the frame is from a Matchless, and the quirky handmade details on it are endless.

Kyle’s imagination was sparked when he stumbled across a 1946 Matchless G80 frame around five years ago. He wanted to build a bobber that shied away from the stretched-out hardtail look, and the short Matchless frame was exactly what he needed.

To prep the frame for the 1971 Triumph TR6 Trophy engine chosen for the build, the backbone was cut out and replaced with an oil-bearing one. After that, the engine went in smoothly, with the bottom part of the frame matching up perfectly.

The motor itself needed a full rebuild. Earlier model rocker covers were modified to fit it, then polished, while the head and barrel were painted black as a nod to older Triumphs. The ignition was replaced with a self-generating unit, fitted where the alternator used to be.

The engine sucks fuel and air through a new 32 mm Amal carb with a pancake filter, and makes noise through a pair of slash-cut pipes. For an ultra-clean look, it runs without a battery.

The wheels feature Triumph and BSA conical hubs, which were blasted to get another 50 years of use out of them. Kyle cut down the scoop on the front drum and polished what was left. The brass details are a particularly nice touch—as are the smiley face valve caps.

“I tried to use as much as I could from my shed full of spares and old scrap,” says Kyle. “The head steady and brake stay are made from old spanners. The brake rod I made from stainless steel rod, and then welded a shackle from my sailing toolbox on the other end.”

Covering the frame’s backbone is an American-spec 1969 Triumph Bonneville tank. The American Bonnie had a skinnier tank than its British counterparts, and it looks perfect on the stripped-back bobber.

To soften the ride out the back, Kyle made a saddle that pivots at the front and is sprung at the back. Expertly diamond-stitched in leather by Wynberg Auto Trimmers, it looks like a nice enough place to sit—especially behind those wide, relaxed bars.

The dashboard is painfully simple; there’s barely anything there. The bars wear Lowbrow Customs grips, replica Amal levers and little else, save for a basic kill switch.

“The kill switch is fitted with a surf leash,” Kyle points out. “This way, I can take the bike down to the beach, go for a swim and not lose the key! It also reminds me of a speedway bike my brother once owned.”

Mounted to a set of Triumph forks is a unique headlight nacelle, fabricated by Kyle. The lights are LEDs, and the ’69’ decal was made by a local shop, Print Design Studio. There are no turn signals, but there is a taillight—it was made from an old Amal carb housing, and bolted to the rear foot peg mount.

The bike was an all-hands-on-deck kind of build. All the mudguard stays and brackets were made in-house, and Kyle’s dad laid down the pearl white and candy red paint himself. The rear mudguard was lifted from a BSA and painted to match, giving the bike an old-school hot rod vibe.

Finally, Kyle’s sister-in-law drew the “Trouble” logos on the fuel tank, by hand.

“The name comes from helping my brother build his first bike—a 1962 Triumph Tiger 110,” explains Kyle. “It was built from scratch and we really battled with it. Fortunately, my dad taught us to never give up, and we finally got it right. Since then, all Triumphs are considered trouble.”

Incredibly, even though Kyle had been collecting parts for years, this bike was built in only four months. If having a child and moving house weren’t enough pressure, Kyle learnt that Africa’s premier custom motorcycle show, The Lightning Bolt, was returning to Cape Town. So he pushed on and debuted the bike at the show.

“I would like to thank everyone who helped me with the bike,” he adds. “Special thanks to my friend Tristan for all the help with little bits in the workshop, and Greg and Jimmy from the Edenvale Classic Motorcycle Club for the chroming.”

If Kyle’s Triumph and Matchless hybrid proves one thing, it’s that the next generation of bike builders is in good hands.

The Workshop Instagram | Images by Wes Reyneke [above] and Andy Lund [below]

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[DaveM]

Country Cub: A DIY Honda CT125 kit from K-Speed

It’s just a couple of days to Christmas—and if you still don’t know what to get yourself, maybe a kit to transform your Honda CT125 is the answer. After all, it’s been a long 365 days, and to be honest, you deserve it.

The Honda CT125 Hunter Cub is cute AF out the box, but if anyone knows how to mod the absolute daylights out of it, it’s K-Speed. This time around, they’ve used the CT125 as a test bed to develop a set of bolt-on parts, so that you can do it yourself. The only thing K-Speed doesn’t supply, are a few festive bevande to consume while you assemble your steezy steed.

The transformation starts up front, with a K-Speed-designed fender and fender lift kit. This provides the necessary clearance for all the mud-slinging you’re definitely going to be doing with this thing. The fenders are available in different colors to match the CT125’s OEM colorways, and the lift kit can work with the stock fender too.

The headlight cover is included in the kit, as is the metal luggage carrier that sits above it. It’s the perfect place to stack firewood or a bag of ice for overnight camping trips. The original speedo has been relocated to the side to make room for the rack.

The turn signals wear grills too, disguising them as auxiliary lights. The bars now sport a new master cylinder, grips and aluminum mirrors, all from Diablo (K-Speed’s in-house parts brand).

To keep things simple, the engine remains stock—but K-Speed provides a full high-mount exhaust system. Finished in matte black, it looks great and should be super easy to keep clean. It likely also sounds much better than the stock pipe.

The literal centerpiece of the bike is the new ‘tank,’ which is actually just a fiberglass cover that sits where a traditional fuel tank would. In the Cub’s case, it’s all empty space—so K-Speed decided to take advantage of this. Hiding underneath it is a small luggage rack, adding to the CT125’s utilitarian vibe.

K-Speed admits that the cover is mostly there to change the look of the bike—and that the storage is just a bonus feature. But the design has been popular with customers so far, and we love it.

Behind the ‘tank’ is a new Diablo seat that’s slimmer than stock, with upholstery that puts a fresh spin on classic diamond stitching patterns. The side cover and air filter cover are also new, as is the alloy chain guard.

To help the bike stay upright on soft surfaces, the kickstand foot has a CNC extension bolted on. It’s one of the easiest and cheapest mods to make to any adventure bike, so it’s great that the team at K-Speed has an eye for little details like this.

Finally, a new luggage rack sits out back. Painted black and made of tubular steel, it not only looks better than the pressed-steel original, but would likely be more sturdy too. So it’s perfect for hauling all kinds of inappropriately large items from Home Depot.

The tail light and rear turn signals also get their own covers to match the front lighting. And a new pair of rear shock absorbers, complete with preload, length and rebound adjustment, offer a substantial upgrade over the original suspension.

The crash bars, skid plate and engine side cases are also included, painted black to match the other Diablo parts. And if you’re a bit shy on the tools, K-Speed have you covered here as well. This kit is completely plug-and-play, with no cutting, welding or frame modifications required.

K-Speed lists the 18-piece kit for 47,379 Thai Baht, which converts to $1,362, excluding shipping. That’s a lot of boom for your moose. And if you don’t want to go all-in, you can buy the individual parts separately too.

With the Country Cub you’re not going to go fast, and you can’t really go that far. But wherever you do go, you know you’ll look damn good.

Go ahead… treat yourself.

K-Speed | Instagram | Images by Hipmotography

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[DaveM]

TOP TEN MOTORCYCLES OF THE YEAR.

The year has flown by with the world back in full swing and around the globe the custom motorcycle community was back together, with events like the Bike Shed Show in London and the Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show absolutely packed with big crowds and endless incredible creations. It was a year where no single style stood out, instead, the artist inside us all came out to play and builders turned up...

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[DaveM]

SuperScram: Crooked’s Royal Enfield Scram supermoto

While many motorcycle brands are still struggling to meet manufacturing demands, Royal Enfield is flourishing. Not only have they been consistently releasing new models, but they’ve been commissioning some amazing custom builds as well. The latest is brought to us by Crooked Motorcycles in Germany; a Royal Enfield Scram 411 turned supermoto, with some impressive details.

Since the build was commissioned by Royal Enfield, the the project essentially had two goals. It had to express the creative drive of the builders behind Crooked, and it had to highlight the Scram 411 as a platform. This meant getting the most visual impact out of the design without really altering the stock bike’s geometry; a challenging feat.

Royal Enfield’s 2022 Scram 411 is a variation of the brand’s popular light adventure bike, the Himalayan. The Scram essentially uses the same chassis, with some pieces like the crash bar removed, and a smaller 19” front wheel compared to the Himalayan’s 21”. So it’s lighter, more nimble, and less cluttered than its stablemate, straight out the box.

The Scram 411 was delivered to Crooked Moto’s shop only three weeks before the bike was to break cover at the popular Glemseck 101 race meet. With this incredibly short timeline, the team immediately got to work on the largest and most impactful part of the project—the monocoque body.

The supermoto aesthetic is largely defined by dirt bike-style bodywork, which Crooked sought to recreate in aluminum, but with a few stylish twists. To achieve this new style, the subframe was removed and replaced with a custom piece that the new bodywork could mount to.

The lines of the newly-fabricated aluminum bodywork left little room for a fuel tank, so Crooked built a new reservoir to sit under the seat. Fitted with a pop-up filler cap, it both lower’s the Scram’s center of gravity—and helps the build better fit the supermoto vibe. A set of aluminum ‘wings’ sit up front, adding some bulk back to where the tank used to be.

Out front, an aluminum number plate was fabricated around a bright Supernova LED headlight. In the tail section, LED strips were built into the lower part of the rear fender, visible above the wheel. As this machine was made to be displayed more than used on public roads, there is no accommodation for a license plate—nor a speedo or turn signals.

A supermoto will traditionally have 17” wheels front and rear, but the team at Crooked wanted to retain some of the fun and adventurous look of the Scram. So the original 17” rear wheel and 19” front were fitted with Metzeler Sportec M9 tires. A Husqvarna enduro bike fender replaced the Scram’s low-mounted original.

Braking and suspension components remain unchanged, though new Probrake levers and LSL handlebars add a sportier feel to the rider’s view. A short-stroke throttle was installed to increase sensitivity, and the bars were wrapped in Biltwell Inc. grips. The wiring was made to work without switches, with a CNC-machined start button crafted into the bodywork—leaving the whole deal radically uncluttered.

Supermoto is more than a style of bike—it’s a riding style too, marked by tracks that are partly paved and part dirt, requiring the rider to move all over the bike to shift their weight. So a custom Alcantara seat was made, extending all the way from the rear fender to just behind the Scram’s steering head.

A custom exhaust system was made, integrating the lambda sensor and tucked beneath a protective grid, which also hides a heat shield. Finally, Crooked wrapped the ‘SuperScram’ in black, with yellow highlights and subtle branding.

While the operational geometry and engine remain essentially unchanged, Crooked has completely altered the way a rider will interact with this machine. From the hidden start button and ultra-clean handlebar assembly, to the new seating position and lighting, the modifications certainly highlight what you can do with the Scram.

Mission accomplished.

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