From the moment that 2LOUD Custom burst onto the scene, we knew they’d be a custom shop to watch. Based in Taipei, the dream team of Ma ‘Max’ Yicheng and Lu Yongyu has the ability to customize motorcycles of all shapes and sizes, while still imbuing each one with their signature style. It’s little wonder that 2LOUD Custom has established itself as one of the shining stars of Taiwan’s blossoming custom scene.
Our selection of 2LOUD’s best builds covers a full spectrum of engine sizes and build styles. From a chopped Cub to a burly Honda CB1100, it shows the shop’s versatility and dedication to building tasteful custom motorcycles.
Kawasaki W800 The Kawasaki W800 has a lot going for it if you’re building a custom bobber, but even more so when left to the talented hands of 2LOUD. Accentuating all the Kawasaki’s best qualities, while slimming things down dramatically, this W800 bobber is a functional work of art with just enough panache.
The build started with a 2016 model W800, which Max tore down to the bare bones to de-tab the frame and fabricate a shorter rear subframe. New Öhlins shocks add attitude in the rear, and Max fabricated a brilliant twin exhaust with handmade mounts and turned end caps.
Contributing most significantly to the Kawasaki’s visual transformation is the handmade fuel tank—executed in the style of ’70s enduros. It’s much slimmer than the W800’s factory equipment, and Max installed an external fuel pump and a Rapid Bike EVO management system to keep the fuel injection system happy.
There are loads of details you might miss at an initial glance that add depth to this W800’s persona. The chrome was stripped from the parallel twin’s side covers, the black paint was stripped from the front forks and rear brake drum, and a new Brembo caliper was fitted up front. Controls, instruments and lighting were all swapped or modified.
One thing that’s sure to be noticed is the paintwork—a stellar combination of pink and warm gray with a silver foil stripe. Paired with a quirky suede and leather saddle and Adlert Classic tires, this W800 is a feast for the eyes with everyday functionality. [More]
SYM Cub Clone “Cub plus chopper plus love,” now that’s a tough concept to master considering the Cub’s swept lines and humble commuter ergos. But with a little vision and skillful adaptation of traditional chopper principles, this Cub clone has to be one of the most grin-inducing scoots we’ve ever posted.
Max and Lu got started with an SYM Honda Cub clone and ditched the original 90 cc engine and three-speed, in favor of a Zongshen 190 cc and five-speed. With nearly all of the Cub’s plastic stripped, the 190 cc mill hangs out in the wind, and 2LOUD dressed it up a bit with a new air filter and custom stainless exhaust.
A chopper needs the right stance, and 2LOUD tossed out the stock Cub fork in favor of a cleaned-up front end from a Hartford HD200—talk about an altitude adjustment. The wheels were built in-house by lacing 18F/17R aluminum rims to the stock hubs with stainless steel spokes.
Finishing off the Cub’s new laid-back stance, Max and Lu fabricated a set of stainless ‘bunny-ear’ handlebars and trimmed what was left of the bodywork for a caramel leather saddle and backrest. After a smattering of custom brackets, gussets, and lighting, and a little love in the form of several heart-shaped covers, the Cub’s chopper transformation was complete. [More]
Honda CB1100 EX The Honda CB1100 EX is a fine-looking, semi-retro bike, but a far cry from this balanced, lean machine crafted by 2LOUD. Packed with intricate details and one-off parts, it’s hard to fathom this was the shop’s first four-cylinder build.
Once stripped of its bodywork and excess bracketry, the 2014 CB1000 EX donor has great bones for a retro build. The rear subframe was completely reworked with a new, shortened hoop to accommodate a custom leather saddle and chopped rear fender. Max then set to work modifying the rear swingarm for the wider Adlert Classic rubber and installed Gears Racing shocks with Hyperpro springs.
Max and Lu left the CB’s powertrain mostly stock, adding K&N induction, a Dynojet Power Commander V and concealing all sensors and modern electronics. Much of the modern gadgetry is hidden by a pair of handmade side panels under the seat, and all of the CB’s wiring is now routed through the handlebars and the frame.
As we’ve come to expect from 2LOUD, the fuel tank on the CB is a completely custom piece, handcrafted by Max. Its shape leaves plenty of the 1,140 cc engine exposed, and Max incorporated a small pocket forward of the fuel cap for the Motogadget instrumentation. A whole slew of custom parts keeps us coming back for more, including CNC-cut triple clamps, an intricate chainguard and an Active oil cooler with polished connectors. [More]
Kawasaki W650 It’s easy to get too involved when you’re bankrolling a custom build, and sometimes it’s best to let the experts do their thing. In the case of this Kawasaki W650, though, the buyer’s directive was simple: make it “cool enough,” and have it done in time for his birthday.
Max and Lu got started with a 2006 Kawasaki W650, and set about changing almost everything. The engine was polished and overhauled with an 803 cc kit from POSH Japan, and now inhales through a pair of Keihin FCR37 carburetors. The exhaust is a standout, even for 2LOUD, with twin headers that snake through the frame into a pair of shotgun cone mufflers.
Before receiving a slick coat of high-temp silver, the Kawi’s frame was reworked throughout, and rebuilt all together in some places. The stainless steel swingarm was fabricated in-house, along with the rear brake strut, and the whole thing is suspended by a pair of Öhlins shocks.
Max relates that the owner was thrilled with every custom detail the duo cooked up for the bike, so they kept going. The triple clamp is a one-off CNC’d part, the handlebars are a unique stainless bend and the chainguard is custom, as are the foot pegs with integrated indicators. So numerous are the finishing details, that it’s easy to bypass the big items, like the ribbed peanut tank with an integrated Motogadget speedometer. [More]
BMW R NineT Sporting a retro vibe and simplified unit construction, it’s no surprise that the BMW R NineT has been sliced and diced in just about every conceivable manner. Even so, there’s something unique and unmatched in 2LOUD’s rendition—unsurprising considering Max aimed to completely bust convention with the build.
At a glance, there are a ton of visual cues that make this R NineT fit 2LOUD’s profile. The de-tabbed chassis sports reworked brackets and gussets, a shortened subframe hoop and silver paint. The stellar handcrafted fuel tank with integrated instrumentation is also a 2LOUD signature, and the paintwork is a subtle nod to BMW Motorrad history.
“I wanted to break free from the orthodox café racer style, downsize the fuel tank, and find a balance between aggressiveness and harmony,” says Max, which likely explains this BMW’s scrambler influences. The bars are taller, the seating position more relaxed and the bike sports Pirelli’s MT60RS rubber—common on many OEM scramblers.
Equipped with a single-sided swingarm, an inverted fork and a blacked-out powerplant, this R NineT is not only too unique to classify, but also unique among 2LOUD’s portfolio. It’s as fresh today as when we first profiled it back in 2017, and if that’s not the mark of a top-echelon builder, then what is? [More]
2LOUD Facebook | Instagram | 2LOUD parts store
