A slinky Honda CBR250RR from a builder called Lunatic, a BMW R nineT tribute to the Dakar crushing R/80 GS, a 280-pound fun machine from JSK Moto and a gorgeous Moto Guzzi Le Mans from Officine Rossopuro. Scroll down for eye candy of the highest order.
BMW R nineT by XTR Pepo We’re big fans of BMW’s R nineT. In stock form, each variant of their modernen Klassiker offers a different take on the trends we follow around here. And in the hands of a pro, the R nineT can be turned into something truly magical.
When Pepo Rosell got his hands on one, our eyes were glued on the outcome. Built as a tribute to Hubert Auriol’s Dakar crushing R/80 GS, ‘Raid’ is exactly what we wanted the Urban G/S to be. Because, in typical XTR Pepo fashion, performance never takes a back seat to style.
The gold forks are the first clue. Instead of reworking the Bavarian’s lesser-equipped Urban G/S platform, Rosell opted to start with the full-fat R nineT Roadster. Once stripped down, the work began on fitting a 26-litre R/80 tank to deliver plenty of dune cruising capacity. Up front, a Bultaco light and fairing was fitted and the Luis Moto catalogue was consulted. The front and rear mudguards and the seat were ordered up and then expertly re-worked before fitment. To help the boxer breathe, the airbox was removed—which paved the way for routing the requisite, custom, high-mount exhaust. [More]
Honda CBR250RR by Lunatic Custom Motorcycles In Indonesia, Honda has started to encourage local customizers to hone their craft. Similar to Yamaha’s Yard Built program, the Honda Dream Ride Project provides chosen builders with a base bike. But then it goes a touch further by also giving those builders access to top-level advice from individuals like Kaichiro Kurosu of Cherry’s Company, Hiroyuki Miyazaki from Honda’s Motorcycle Research and Development Centre, and Andhika Arthawijaya of Motor Plus Tabloid in Indonesia.
Working from a parallel twin CBR250RR, with a limited budget and three-month timeframe, Yuwono Jati of Lunatic Custom Motorcycles created this hot take. The neo-retro design was hashed out over collaborations between Yuwono and Myazaki-san, to ensure everything would work. And then the spanners came out.
The bodywork is absolutely stunning and features a mix of 1.2mm galvanized plate steel and polished aluminum. The rear swingarm is an all-new, tube steel unit that mimics the lines on the exposed frame perfectly. The niceties abound on this build, but my favorite touch is the use of ventilated disc hubs, from a CBX550F no less, to disguise the modern binders as a set of drums. The rest of the story is great little read and the other bikes aren’t too shabby either.
Kasinski Comet by Lucca Customs If you haven’t yet been able to walk hand in hand, with the tall and tan Girl from Ipanema, the name Kasinski probably won’t ring a bell. Originally built in Brazil, Kasinski Motorcycles offer a line of small displacement machines suited for dodging footballers amongst the crowded and narrow streets of Rio. The only issue is they look pretty generic.
At least in stock form. This cafe racer conversion however, from Florianópolis’ Lucca Customs, is a fresh take on a common theme. Much of that credit goes to the deft handiwork involved with creating the all-new frame for ‘Catharina II.’ Yes, you read that correctly. Instead of deburring and hooping portions of factory steel—like most of us would—the lads from Lucca designed and built their own frame. And we’d say they’ve done a bang-up job of it.
There’s a flowing, organic vibe that stems from their downtube-less creation and pervades the entire build. The custom tail is balanced perfectly and the new saddle expertly echoes the lines of the bike. A genuinely tidy package. [More]
Honda Rebel 250 by JSK Moto There’s just something about small bikes that screams ‘fun.’ Their diminutive dimensions, inherent agility and the fact you can ring their necks without eclipsing the law (most of the time) make them instant smile-makers. Which is why I’m grinning like a Cheshire cat, ogling this Honda Rebel 250 from California’s JSK Moto Co.
Dubbed ‘Project Argent Corundum,’ this scrambled Rebel has an interesting backstory. The man behind JSK is Samuel Kao, a California transplant who spent his formative years growing up in Taiwan. Those Taiwanese roots influenced Samuel’s decision to build Argent Corundum with as many parts sourced from the small island nation as possible, which Samuel figures amounted to about 80%, minus the stock frame and engine.
The tank however, came from India. Lifted from a Royal Enfield, it hit the boxy sweet spot that Samuel was aiming for—and also delivers an all-day rideable 17-litre capacity. Custom triple trees lie beneath a set of carbon fiber bars originally intended for a BMX bike. And the 17-inch Maxxis flat track wheels are shod with TKC80s, so you can bomb the beach with reckless abandon on this 260-pound fun machine. [More]
Moto Guzzi Le Mans by Officine Rossopuro It would be near impossible to discuss custom Guzzis without bringing up Officine Rossopuro. The quality and craftsmanship exuded by Filippo Barbacane occupies its own server in the Bike EXIF archives.
We’re pretty chuffed to be able to add this one, Moto Vitalis, to that body of work. With free reign to do whatever he felt proper, Filippo looked to a Le Mans III as the base for this commissioned build—and let performance drive his design.
That meant shedding weight. The iconic transverse twin is a known performer, so giving it less lump to shove around can go a long way. Filippo chopped, cut and redesigned the Guzzi’s frame to deliver a lighter, leaner cradle. Next, the CNC machine was fired up to churn out some strengthening bits that wouldn’t add any burden. The subframe gussets, engine mounts, rearsets, triple trees, fenders and fender mounts are all newly milled bits. Suspension up front is a set of 45mm Paioli racing forks while Öhlins piggyback units are mounted in the rear. The swingarm is an all new unit too—wider than stock to accommodate the 160-series rubber.
The minimalist bodywork is truly stunning and again, all hand crafted. The front fairing actually attaches at the tank for added stability at speed, and the tail was crafted to expose as much of the rear wheel as possible. Grazie, Filippo! Bel lavoro, come sempre.
