A beautifully modified Honda Dominator from Spain, a CB1000R commissioned by Honda Italia, a $58,000 Laverda SFC, and news of a collaboration between Zero and Filson.
Honda NX650 Dominator by KoolT Creations The evergreen Dominator is a simple but utterly brilliant bike, easy to locate secondhand, and deservedly popular with bike builders. Unfortunately that means there are quite a few botched custom jobs out there: Dommies that have traded most of their practicality for dubious aesthetics.
This sharp-looking build from Barcelona-based videographer Stefan Lantschner hits the sweet spot, though. No stone has been left unturned: the engine was removed from the frame, which was cleaned up, and fitted with a new back end and new mounts to take a Honda CG125 gas tank.
Since his lovely Yamaha XT600 tracker build, Stefan has taught himself to use an English wheel. So he made a set of new side panels, and while everything was sent off for the luscious paint, his friend Salva upgraded and repositioned the electrical system. Stefan’s also completely revitalized the cockpit area with a mix of ProTaper and Renthal parts.
The engine keeps its airbox to maintain rideability, but there are new header pipes now hooked up to a CRF muffler. With refurbished suspension to match the slick work elsewhere, this NX650 finally has the looks to match its potential. [More]
Honda CB1000R by Imbarcadero 14 Venice The Honda CB1000R previously looked like a dozen other sports/nakeds, but on the latest model, hectic angles have given way to tasteful contours. It’s a goer too—with 143 hp and 104 Nm on tap, backed by electronic rider aids and decent handling.
So when Honda Italia commissioned a custom CB1000R from the Italian custom shop Imbarcadero 14 Venice, there was one big caveat: don’t mess with its bones.
Imbarcadero 14 is a crew of three, and they’ve called the CB ‘Reversa’—because all the new bodywork can be removed via a handful of fasteners. “The project was really challenging,” says shop boss Maurizio Carraro, “because of the limits required by Honda. But these limits were also an incentive to build an avant-garde motorcycle that you can ride daily on public roads.”
The new body kit takes inspiration from 1980s Lamborghinis. All the pieces you see here were shaped and welded by hand, without any bucks, wireframes or 3D printed molds. The main aluminum monocoque that incorporates the original taillight and the new fairing is fabricated from titanium—which is why it bears ‘Ti22’ graphics on the sides.
This CB’s kitted with a few smaller custom parts too. It now wears a new top triple clamp, custom-machined clip-ons and foot controls, and an exhaust from Nano-Tech S.p.a.—a company more used to building carbon components for a major Italian sports car factory. [Imbarcadero 14 Venice | Images by Giovanni Federici]
The $58,000 Laverda SFC We’ve always had a crush on classic Laverdas and this bright orange SFC is one of the best we’ve seen. It was recently listed by renowned classic Italian specialist Peter Boggia of Moto Borgotaro for a heady $58,000 on eBay.
Boggia knows his stuff, and says, “To me the SFC is the pinnacle of 70s Italian sport bikes—it hits all the marks and it’s built like a tank. This is the closest bike in feel to a Lamborghini Miura.”
Super Freni Competizione translates to ‘super competition brakes’ and the SFC was basically a race bike for the road. Early machines had substantial magnesium brake drums, and the component selection is top-notch—from the Borrani wheels to the Ceriani forks and Nippon Denso electrics.
This 1974 SFC has a great provenance, with one careful owner over the past ten years and a lot of work done by another Laverda specialist, Scott Potter. Boggia himself has fettled the bike into tip-top condition: “I decided to give her a once over, and clean and replace the jets, and set the points. After putting in some fresh fuel, this beast roared back to life.” Definite dream garage material. [Via]
Zero DSR x Filson collaboration Electric bikes tend to be associated with short-range commuting duties. So it’s significant that Seattle-based outdoor gear maker Filson has chosen to work with Zero to launch its new ‘Alcan’ moto gear range.
Zero have done a light mod job on this DSR, adding auxiliary lights, new crash bars, a rear luggage rack and knobby tires—plus side brackets to hold Filson luggage. The same luggage material is also used as a seat cover and there’s a subtle but very smart custom paint job.
Zero quotes a city range of 204 miles (328 km) for the DSR, which should be enough for a day of moderate trail riding with a loop back home, or even a jaunt out to a tranquil spot for an overnight camp. And the thought of being able to do this in virtual silence is very appealing.
Might be a bit of noise from that petrol-powered Stihl chainsaw, though …
