Joey Subrizi’s roadgoing YZF 426

I have to admit that I’m immune to the charms of modern-day motocross bikes. I have a soft spot for the old Husky 400s and Honda Elsinores, but the garish, logo-emblazoned machines of today leave me cold.
There’s no question about their performance, though. And there’s something magical about riding a bike that weighs less than 250 pounds. So I like the idea of taking a dirtbike, stripping off the plastic and stickers, and turning it into a classy roadburner.

I’m guessing Joey Subrizi was thinking along the same lines when he built this amazing Yamaha YZF 426-based custom. The early 2000s YZF was a perky four-stroke single with nondescript styling, but had around 45 hp pushing only 230 lbs around. So Joey has kept the bike’s strengths but given it an amazing dose of style.
The frame is all-new from the tank backwards. And that tank is an inspired choice: It’s from a 1976 Yamaha XS360, and matched to a tiny, waspish tail unit. The frame, swingarm and part of the tank have been powdercoated in shades of grey and black, with gold trim providing subtle highlights.

Joey works for Öhlins USA, so there’s a trick gold shock out back. The original swingarm linkage is gone, and the shock is now a direct mount—“I don’t need eight inches of travel,” Joey notes.
The forks have been lowered a little from the typical skyscraper heights of motocross bikes, and compact raw metal guards add a touch of steampunk—along with the peak over the headlight. The engine is now blacked-out, and the brightest element of the whole bike is the hand-made exhaust system.

So it looks sharp, goes fast, and doesn’t cost a bomb to run. What’s not to like?
Images © Frank Bott. Check out his website and Facebook page for more fine motorcycle photography.

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Top 5 Triumph vintage hardtails

If there’s one style of custom motorcycle that’s always been popular, it’s the mighty hardtail. Reminiscent of the board and dirt trackers of old, the distinct profile of a hardtail, coupled with the simplicity (or impracticality) that comes with a lack of rear suspension, holds a certain charm for many.
While we’ve seen fantastic examples spanning many makes and models, few evoke as much emotion as those built around British engines of the 1960s and 1970s. So, for today’s selection, we’ve decided to focus our attention on vintage Triumphs.
These are our five favorite vintage Triumph hardtails—a rather eclectic mix of styles, so let us know if you agree with our choices.
Falcon Motorcycles Kestrel This was the second motorcycle in builder Ian Barry‘s ‘Concept 10′ series. At its heart is a 1970 Bonneville engine, which originally came with a damaged gearbox. Ian cut the unit-engine in half, ripped out the damaged transmission and installed the gearbox from a BSA A10. He then re-shaped the engine’s contours by aluminum welding new pieces and fitting them using a jig, and CNC machined new 750cc cylinders out of aircraft-grade aluminum.
Only ten inches of the original frame remains; the rest was fabricated from high-tensile steel tubing and set in a custom-made aluminum jig, to ensure accurate geometry and flawless alignment. In fact, most of the Kestrel was created in-house from scratch—from the girder forks right down to the gas and oil tanks, exhausts, handlebars, seat, levers and fender.
The Kestrel made its début at the 2010 Quail Motorcycle Gathering in Carmel, California, in racing trim—the lights and license plate removed in preparation for racing at El Mirage. It promptly won the award for ‘Best Custom Motorcycle.’ [More about this bike | Falcon Motorcycles]
Analog Motorcycles T120 ‘El Matador’ This T120 Bonneville is what happens when a respected builder creates a bike for himself. ‘El Matador’ was a two-year labor of love for its owner—Tony Prust of Analog Motorcycles.
The basis of the build is a 1968 Triumph frame with a Dave Bird bolt-on hardtail. It’s powered by a 1972-spec 650cc T120 motor, rebuilt by Ed Zender of Triumph specialists Morrie’s Place and powder coated wrinkle black. Mods include Maund velocity stacks, pipes from Lowbrow Customs and a belt drive primary from Bob Newby Racing, with an open cover designed by Tony and Ed. The forks are from a late ’60s BSA, hooked up to a twin leading shoe hub laced to a 19” rim. The rear rim is a 16” Harley unit on a conical hub, and the tyres are dual-sport Kenda K761s. A full rewire was done on the bike, with a new Joe Hunt magneto installed as well.
It’s an elegant build, with a hint of steampunk via tasteful brass touches—including the oil plumbing, tank badges, grips, lights and a brass rear fender from 7 Metal West. The final finish is raw metal adorned with gold leaf, pinstriping and a luscious clear coat, done by Brando Custom Paint. [More about this bike | Analog Motorcycles]
Image by Biker Pros.
David Borras’ T120R Before David Borras established El Solitario, he commissioned this cheeky hardtail for himself from Californian shop Hell on Wheels. Despite preceding any of El Solitario’s own builds by about three years, it’s just as kooky and audacious as what we’ve come to expect from the Galician outfit.
The starting point was a matching numbers T120R Bonneville. Hell on Wheels completely rebuilt the engine and fitted it to a hardtail frame, with Amal monobloc carbs, a QPD open belt drive and a Boyer Bransden ignition. The rims are from Borrani—21” front and 19” rear—with Avon race tires and a ’71 Triumph twin leading shoe drum brake up front. The tank and rear fender are classic Wassell items.
El Solitario has since given the T120 another facelift, with mostly cosmetic changes that include a removable nose cone, and artwork by Ornamental Conifer and Corpses from Hell. [More about this bike | El Solitario]
Image by Vincent Prat/Southsiders MC.
Untitled Motorcycles T100 SS This board-track inspired hardtail is something of a departure for London’s Untitled Motorcycles—but there’s plenty to love. Its owner, who had been looking for a board-tracker, found it as a partially completed project at the Veterama Oldtimer Autojumble in Mannheim, Germany. The frame had already been modified and the basic stance sorted—including original Harley ’45 springer forks, Avon tyres and an Indian board track tank—but a lot of work still had to be done. It had no foot pegs for one, and most of the brackets were only tack-welded.
A deal was made and the Triumph delivered to Untitled’s premises. The team set about stripping the bike down and refreshing the motor, before prepping the frame for powder coating in gunmetal grey. The tank was left with just grey primer on it, and the wheels were coated off-white to add some contrast. Brasswork was added to finish the bike off, including a carb intake made from an old car horn. That lovely rear fender is made from Peruvian Walnut, and comes from Woody’s Fenders in California. [More about this bike | Untitled Motorcycles]
Image courtesy of Andre Silva.
Eastside Bobber I’m a sucker for any bike that looks single-minded—and this dirt-tracker from the French outfit Eastside nails it. Its owner is a BMX rider who runs a surf-and-moto shop in Toulouse; he wanted a hardtail Triumph bobber and would originally have sent the project to the USA, until Vincent Prat of Southsiders MC convinced him that it could be done in France.
The motor, forks and hubs were sourced from a T120, before the motor was completely rebuilt by engine guru Henri Lao Martinez. Factory Metal Works in the USA supplied the frame, and local custom builder Momo took care of installing the motor. The bike was then stripped to the bare basics and fitted with 19” (front) and 18” (rear) rims, shod with Dunlop K70s. As a nod to the owner’s lifestyle, a beat-up Shimano BMX pedal has been installed on the kick start lever and the chain now rolls on a Powell-Peralta skateboard wheel.
The bike is a daily runner—but has been known to get sideways and throw out the odd rooster tail—as our opening shot shows. [More about this bike | Southsiders MC]
Image by Vincent Prat/Southsiders MC.
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Top 5 Kawasaki KZ750

I’ll admit it, I didn’t know that Kawasaki made a twin-cylinder ‘Z’ until I came across the bikes we’ve selected below. It seems illogical that Kawasaki would release a twin when they had a great four-cylinder engine in their line-up, but they wanted a piece of the vertical twin pie. It meant going up against Triumph’s Bonneville and Yamaha’s XS650—so the Kawasaki KZ750 was born.
Produced from 1976 to 1983, the KZ750 was (at the time) a fairly modern motorcycle. At its heart was a 745cc vertical twin motor, with double overhead cams and chain-driven counter balancers, good for 55hp, and twin disk brakes. Testers reportedly loved the KZ750—and it was known for being extremely reliable.
These days it’s hard to find a decent condition KZ750 (or Z750B, as it was known in some countries). But, if you do manage to find one, there’s ample potential for using the ‘Z’ as a platform for a show-stopping custom—as proven by the five builders we’ve selected below. Wouldn’t you agree?
Valtorón ‘Vintage scrambler’ isn’t a style you’d normally see applied to the KZ750, but brothers Carlos and Pablo have pulled it off brilliantly. Together they run Valtorón, a foundry based in the Spanish village of Valdetorres del Jarama. Their passion for traditional metalwork is evident: all of the KZ750′s new bodywork was cast in aluminum in the foundry, including the fenders, side covers and tank, with a few bronze pieces acting as accents. The brothers also reinforced the frame, and grafted on a bunch of upgraded components from other bikes. These include 41mm Husqvarna forks, Suzuki triple trees, Betor shocks (from an Ossa Desert Fuego), vintage KTM GS 250 foot pegs, Bultaco Pursang handlebars and a Yamaha SR250 front brake. Valtoron’s unique take on the KZ750 oozes charm and screams fun. [More about this bike | Valtorón]
Photo (and header image) by Kristina Fender.
Chad Hodge’s KZ750 Chad Hodge is an industrial designer by trade, and it shows. This ’78 KZ750B (his first custom build) is loaded with clever features and tasteful design touches, exactly what you’d expect from the man who penned the Bell Bullitt. It’s also the first motorcycle Chad ever owned—he initially bought it when he was 18, couldn’t get it running properly, sold it, then bought it back and began customizing it.
After an engine rebuild, rewire and frame cleanup, Chad upgraded the suspension—with YSS shocks at the rear, and progressive springs and a fork brace up front. The stock tail unit was shortened and sent to New Church Moto for upholstery, and now houses the battery and tail lights behind a hand-made mesh cover. Reverse megaphone mufflers were fitted to the re-routed headers and wrapped in custom heat shields, with a lick of pipewrap for good measure. Chad had a color scheme in mind, but settled on black-and-metal when he stripped the tank’s paint off and saw how good it looked. [More about this bike | Chad Hodge]
Photo by Blaine Davis.
Wrenchmonkees This stunning Z750B was the pet project of Wrenchmonkees founder Per Nielsen, who set out to build “the perfect City-Dirt tracker.” In my opinion, he nailed it. It’s a bit more colorful than most bikes from the Danish workshop, but it still has that unmistakable Wrenchmonkees vibe. Most of the work happened under the hood though: the engine’s been bored out to 970cc, using mostly bespoke parts (aftermarket Z750B tuning parts are non-existent) including 89mm pistons made by Wössner in Germany.
Per also installed SR/XT Mikuni TM36 flatslide carbs and large K&N filters. The exhaust pipes, connected to SuperTrapp mufflers, have been rerouted through the frame to the left of the bike. 19” wheels wrapped in Maxxis dirt track rubber match the rest of the bike perfectly, and the orange, brown and green color scheme is simply inspired. [More about this bike | Wrenchmonkees]
HB Custom You wouldn’t say it looking at this über-clean 1983-model Z750B, but Holger Breuer has a day job—and it’s not building café racers. He’s been doing that in his spare time, racking up a rather decent catalog in the process, including a few Z750Bs—one of which even won a competition run by Kawasaki Germany.
This particular ‘Z’ was built on commission, and had been standing for ten years when Holger got it. So he overhauled the engine, fitting an electronic ignition and Mikuni TM34 carbs. He also fabricated new exhaust headers—adapting aftermarket Triumph mufflers from Classicbike Raisch to fit—shortened the subframe, and fabricated an alloy tail unit. Holger’s aforementioned day job is as an electrician, so he reworked the bike’s wiring, with a Lithium-ion battery hidden inside the tail, and installed Motogadget‘s Motoscope Tiny speedo and m-Switch controls. Other mods included upgraded suspension, plus Tarozzi rear sets and Tomaselli clip-ons for a sportier riding position. The Z750B’s classic lines are complimented by a classy black and brown color scheme. [More about this bike | HB Custom]
Photo by Timo Meinking.
CRD #28 There’s not a lot to say about this KZ750—other than that it’s an archetypal Café Racer Dreams build. And that, in itself, is a huge compliment. The traditional CRD signature touches abound: Renthal’s Ultra-Low bars, lights and fenders from CRD’s own catalog, and an under-seat area devoid of any clutter. The subframe’s been shortened to accommodate a custom bench, and the exhaust headers have been rerouted to the same side with twin, blacked-out reverse cone mufflers.
Two-tone paint on the tank keeps things simple and monochromatic, and the vintage Kawasaki badges are a nice touch. Despite all the work involved (I’ve seen a photo of the donor bike and it’s a far cry from the finished product) the overall effect is understated and sublime, making this one of my all-time favorite KZ750s. [More about this bike]

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BMW R100/7 by Boyle Custom Moto

Kim Boyle has lived a life on two wheels. He started out in BMX, working for GT Bicycles, Airwalk, Vans and DC Shoes—and then got hooked on motorcycles. Over the past six years he’s made a name for himself with a series of super-clean builds, ranging from an SR500 wheelie machine to vintage Harleys and a Norton café racer.
Kim’s latest creation is this sweet 1978 BMW R100/7, which was one of the stars of the recent Handbuilt Motorcycle Show in Texas. Despite being a “zero to no budget project,” it’s a stunning result.

It sounds like Kim is a pretty straight-up kinda guy, and he admits that a classic BMW would not be his first choice of donor vehicle. “I’m not a big fan of the size or shape of the airhead motor,” he says. “But a ton of people love these bikes, including a good friend of mine.” So Kim got to work, and got the result. “It turned out to be exactly what my friend envisioned, and that’s the best thing I could ask for.”

Kim started by shaving, polishing and lowering the forks by 4½ inches. Then he rebuilt both wheels, adding black powder coat to the stock rims. He swapped out the original tank for a sleeker R90 item with a flip-clip gas cap, painted by Shawn Long at Imperial House.
“The shocks sat too vertical for my taste, so I moved the top mounts forward a bit and went with half-inch taller Progressive Suspension shocks to get the stance I wanted.” To keep within the budget, Kim welded up a 2-into-1 exhaust using no less than 32 pieces of pipe, with a chunk of heat shield from a Sportster to protect the short muffler. Chrome is expensive, so Kim resorted to black ceramic coating.

The shape of the modified rear sub frame came from a Ducati Monster seat that Kim had the shop. So he shortened and reshaped the seat loop, and made up an aluminum seat pan to fit it all together. The seat was refinished by Haifley Brothers and it’s a perfect match.
Look closely and you’ll also see a vestigial rear fender. “I put way too many hours into carving a taillight out of stainless steel, and felt it needed to be seen. So I ended up welding a chunk of an old fender onto the sub frame, so I could center-mount the light.”

During the final assembly, Kim wasn’t 100% happy with the R100. So he changed all the exposed fasteners to stainless, domed each nut and bolt, and turned down the washers to more discreet sizes. “I tried to find the right mix of polished, tumbled and brushed finishes for all the exposed aluminum. It ties in with the black powder coat on the frame and the vintage white tank.”
Like all BCM builds, this BMW is understated and classy. The BMX world’s loss is most definitely our gain.
Images by Jose Gallina. Follow Kim Boyle’s adventures in custom building via the BCM website and Facebook page.

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Renard T100 Scrambler

 Every person who makes a living using their creative skills loves an open brief. The opportunity to do what ever you want thanks to someone's trust in your ability. It's not something many people experience all that often and usually comes after first proving yourself. No brief is entirely without rules though and this one had 2. Make it a Scrambler and paint it so it won't stand out. Both of these requests where honoured but despite the muted colour there's no way this custom Triumph Bonneville Scrambler will go anywhere unnoticed.

Looking back at the Renard Motorcycles build portfolio it's easy to see why someone would want workshop owners Kaarel and Andres to build them a bike. The Estonian based companies background in industrial design and custom bike building has lead them produce the incredible $100,000 carbon fibre monocoque Renard Grand Tourer, but you wouldn't think they'd be interested in getting their hands dirty with a run of the mill Triumph Bonneville. Lucky for this bikes owner though, the boys were very interested to explore what could be done with Triumph's modern classic and they went to town on it.

 "For us, it meant we had free hands and could change almost everything. So we did."

To begin the build the Bonneville's stock rims where swapped for a set of light weight Kineo units with Karoo 3 Metzler enduro rubber. Upgraded stopping power comes from Beringer 6 piston radial calipers mounted to ISR rotors and custom made hubs. The front forks were customised to maximise responsiveness on all terrains and Free Spirits provided a set of custom triple trees. In the rear ultra cool black anodised Öhlins gas shocks provide further suspension improvements and slight performance enhancements come from hi-flow filters, a custom 2-into-1 exhaust with Laser muffler and reprogrammed fuel map.

To further improve this Bonneville's driving experience the bike was kept as narrow as possible. Modifications to the front of the frame and rear suspension mounting points have slimmed the frame down by 70mm and the custom tank is 80mm skinnier than the stock one. "It looks like a proper scrambler now and also acts accordingly".

Now that they had the Bonneville performing how a scrambler should the aesthetic modifications began. Along with the custom tank a new seat and hand made side panels were added. Kellermann bar end turn signals a Motogadget m-unit and motoscope classic gauge replaced the bulky stock units. To tick the second request on the basic brief the bike was finished in matte grey with carbon fibre highlights. The engine was also given the stealth treatment with hi-temp black paint and all of the bikes fasteners were replaced with stainless steel bolts.

"So all together it is a fully custom made bike with unique qualities added to it, so that it would catch every bodies attention."

First appeared in www.returnofthecaferacers.com

RENARD MOTORCYCLES

 

Mokka Puch

Like many of us here in the shed, my first venture onto UK roads was on a moped, in my case it was a Honda MBX50. The day I turned 17 I swapped the hairdryer for the giddy power of a 125, and promised myself there and then that I would never ride a moped ever again.  Now, far too many years later, Mokka’s Puch may just have changed my mind.

The donor ‘bike’ for this build was a Puch x40 from the late 70′s.  It features a proper moped shape with mini wheels, and weighs just under 80lbs. The vision was to build a cafe racer style bike with a nod to vintage bicycles, hence the handlebars and Brooks leather grips.

It might be just a moped, but any build takes time and costs money,  so what was it that made the guys want to take it on?  Quite simply it was the challenge of embracing the unique, odd looking main frame  that looks like a big letter ‘C’ or half a hula hoop. It really is a striking feature.  Of course the other thing was the appeal of the utterly simple, utterly reliable engine, and the fact that the Puch brand is iconic in the moped scene.

As far as modifications go, the main one was of course the extension of the frame, putting a cross bar between the front end and the subframe.   But as well as that, a very rare puch monza tank was sourced on ebay and a cafe seat was custom made from scratch.  The engine was rebuilt with a new crankshaft, cylinder and cylinder head, and a Dellorto carb was fitted along with custom made stainless steel manifolds and seals.  The electrics were simplified so much, that the number of switches now comes to a grand total of one.

One of the areas of the bike that was singled out for particular attention was the lighting. The headlight is from a vintage soviet moped called a Riga, but was extended with a Mokka designed, CNC milled aluminium rim for a totally unique look. The taillight was a similar story, it features a CNC milled aluminium housing and has been relocated neatly on the shortened frame end.

One of the best things about this build is the eye catching colour scheme.  The burgundy goes brilliantly with the grey, and in another nod to the custom bicycle world, the lower forks are painted the same colour as the seat.

Our thanks go to Mokka for sharing such a gorgeous and unique build.  It’s taken us right back to our 16 year old days when we were screaming around provincial town centres pretending we were Kevin Shwantz.  It’s also opened our minds to moped ownership again.  You can see more projects on Mokka Cycles Facebook page.  https://www.facebook.com/MokkaCycles

Our thanks also to Peter Mosoni for the great photos. Peter-Mosoni-Photography

First appeared in http://thebikeshed.cc

Top 5 Harley Panheads

Is Harley-Davidson’s venerable Panhead the best looking motorcycle engine of all time? It’s certainly up there with the Triumph and Moto Guzzi twins. It’s nearly half a century since the last Panhead rolled off the production line, but its appeal has never waned. It’s a hit with both customizers and restorers, so we’re spoilt for choice with this Top 5.
The ‘Pan’ was the mainstay of Milwaukee’s production from 1948 until the mid 60s. It fixed many of the problems that afflicted its predecessor, the Knuckle, with oil-tight aluminum heads and chrome-plated rocker covers.
For some folks, the Pan has never been bettered. You can even buy a lookalike motor from S&S: It’s designed to slot into a post-1970 Harley chassis and will cost you a cool $8,000.
For this round-up, though, we’re focusing on custom Panheads that keep the retro vibe but crank up the style. The kind of bike you might want to take out early on a Sunday morning for a leisurely ride, letting the torque do the talking.
WRECKED METALS Matt Whitlock builds hot rods as well as motorcycles. An eye for a line seems to come with that territory, and Matt’s 1959 Panhead is super-clean. It’s running a rebuilt motor boosted to 93 ci and a 4-speed ‘box with suicide shift. The heavy-set looks of a stock Pan have gone, thanks to a rigid frame, a Springer front end and straight-shootin’ custom pipes. Matt fabricated the narrow bars, foot controls and rear fender himself, giving the Harley a timeless, classic look. [More about this bike | Wrecked Metals]
Image (and top image] by Dylan and Sara.
MATT MACHINE Australian Matt Darwon has a double life. By day he’s an award-winning architect, and by night (okay, by weekend) he’s a world-class bike builder. He focuses on twins, whether Moto Guzzi, Ducati or Harley, and rides his bikes hard along the highways and backroads of New South Wales. He built this 1950 Pan for a friend, meticulously re-welding the frame and then grafting on a Kawasaki tank and Yamaha rear fender. An S&S Super E carb gives the engine a useful power boost and Matt made the pipes himself. Believe it or not, he also applied the intricate paint job. Is there no end to this guy’s talents? [More about this bike | Matt Machine]
NOISE CYCLES Scott Jones is a true original, and this is one of the most original custom Panheads out there. It’s an 88ci 1952 EL model that won ‘Best In Show’ at Born Free, thanks to offbeat styling and remarkable craftsmanship. Jones cut his teeth working for Jesse James and then Ian Barry of Falcon Motorcycles, so he knows his stuff. In this case, that stuff includes a hand-fabricated aluminum tank, a drum brake from a Yamaha racebike, and a smattering of custom-machined components, including the triple trees. Fine work from a builder at the top of his game. [More about this bike | Noise Cycles]
Image by Jose Gallina.
CUSTOMS FROM JAMESVILLE There’s more to the Danish custom scene than the Wrenchmonkees. Denmark is also home to James Roper-Caldbeck, an Englishman who specializes in rebuilding vintage Harleys. In Europe, word has spread far and wide about his skills, and this 1948 Pan was commissioned by a Romanian enthusiast living in Germany. The need to pass strict German legislation resulted in a low-key build, but it still oozes style—from the Springer front end to the rear fender, which was crafted from a 1930 Ford spare wheel carrier. In between is a thoroughly overhauled and reconfigured machine, with neat touches like cloth-covered wiring and a subtly cut-and-shut tank. [More about this bike | Customs From Jamesville]
LOWBROW CUSTOMS Tyler Malinky of Lowbrow Customs is usually associated with the Brit chopper scene, but he can turn out a killer Harley when he wants to. This ‘garage-built’ Panhead caught the attention of virtually every custom magazine in the States last year; it’s not a radical build, but it’s beautifully proportioned and finished. Tyler cleaned up the frame, TIG welded any blemishes, and fitted a rigid rear section, a stretched neck and Triumph forks. After installing Amal carbs (yes, really), Malinky used a modified Bates taillight to supply the finishing touch. This Panhead is one of those bikes that just looks ‘right.’ [More about this bike on Hot Bike | Lowbrow Customs]
Reckon we’ve missed out a contender? Let us know in the comments.

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Honda CB400N ‘Brigante’ by Emporio Elaborazioni Meccaniche

If your life ever takes a turn for the worst and you decide to fund your insatiable thirst for custom motorcycles by joining a gang that pillages and plunders, there’s a few things you should remember. Firstly, you’ll need to be nimble and light on your feet lest you be caught in the act. Next, you’ll need a nice little secret compartment to stash your ill-gotten gains should the law come a-knocking at a bad time. And finally, you’d best arm yourself with a gun or pistol should the worst come to the worst. Which brings us to today’s build, a bike that fits this bill perfectly and not by coincidence, either. Introducing the latest build from Emporio Elaborazioni Meccaniche with their very aptly named ‘Brigante’ or ‘Bandit’.

“The Bandit follows our philosophy perfectly: to build a special bike re-using other old bike pieces to give them new life and a new dignity”, explains Leo, Dopz and Schizzo from EEM. “The donor bike was a Honda CB400N. We worked on the idea of doing a very short bike, not really a bobber but something shorter and a little different. The real key to the whole build was our decision to use an old Piaggio ‘Ciao’ moped seat.”

“Next we shortened, reinforced and cleaned up the rear frame, changed the rear shocks and mounted two reworked blinkers inside the rear frame to make them seem fully integrated and to leave the seat as clean as possible.”

“We definitely do not like the trend of leaving the space under the seat empty, so we had some fun reworking an old Kawasaki filter to hide the battery and fuses… and fill the space, too. Naturally, we simplified the wires while we were at it and hid them inside the frame.”

“On the opposite side to the battery we mounted and old flask. It has a clip on the bike-side that allows you to open it up and use it for storage. Tools, keys, loot – whatever you want.
The tank is from an old Gilera, which we reworked to fit the frame. The ‘machine gun’ muffler is from a Triumph scrambler which we then cut, built a 2-into-2 under the brake pedal and left its nice internal metal padding visible.”

“We reworked the Piaggio Ciao seat and covered it with leather; the same leather we used to hold down the tank.”




“The colour scheme was mainly influenced by our decision to follow the original gold rim colour and the old colours on the Gilera tank. There’s a small yellow LED headlight that’s been installed upside down, new brake reservoirs, navy brake cables, bespoke EEM aluminium footplates, flat ‘bars like a bobber, a handmade bronzed mudguard, new shock absorber… and that’s just the big things.”

First appeared in pipeburn.com