Big bikes bookend this edition of Speed Read. We start with a 1,700 cc single-cylinder chopper and finish with a BMW R18 from CW Zon. Sitting in the middle are a classy Honda CB200 café racer from Indonesia and a K-Speed kit for the Honda Dax.
1,700 cc single-cylinder chopper by Al Hackel What do the Beechcraft Staggerwing and Ford Trimotor aircraft, M18 Hellcat and M4 Sherman tanks, and HUP Retriever helicopter all have in common? They’re all powered by the same 975-cubic-inch Wright R-975 Whirlwind nine-cylinder radial engine—as is the motorcycle you see here, in a way.
This custom chopper was built by a guy named Al Hackel, who had originally set out to build a Harley Knucklehead. After realizing that even dodgy basket-case Knuckles sell for exorbitant amounts of money, he pivoted to something much more wild.
It was then that Al stumbled across a Wright R-975 cylinder head for sale on eBay. The 1,700 cc cylinder was in good knick, so he brought it into his backyard agricultural equipment repair shop, closed the doors, and queued the music.
With the 1,700 cc single in hand, Al set about turning it into the heart of his creation. Using the equipment in his workshop and his lifetime of fabrication skills, Al designed, prototyped, and built the whole bottom end from scratch.
Fully complete, the R-975 cylinder is perched upon a custom engine case and drives a custom conrod and five-piece crankshaft. Al’s mate Justin Leineweber ground the custom cam, and the power is transferred via a 1947 Harley-Davidson transmission.
A rigid frame was knocked up around the engine and suspended with a set of custom Vincent Girdraulic-style forks that Al built from scratch. The rear wheel sports a nine-inch drum brake from a Toyota Matrix, and the headlight was hand-made by Jesse Briggs at Maritimer Glassworks.
Jesse also built the custom glass shift knob, taillight, and velocity stacks which are mounted on a side-draft carburetor. Narrow bars and a sprung seat frame the custom fuel tank, which features asymmetrical cutouts to accommodate the cylinder head on one side and the hand-shifter on the other.
Al says that the vibrations shake the fittings loose, but that it goes down the road nicely, even if it is a bit terrifying to ride. On paper, this bike shouldn’t work—but thanks to Al’s incredible workmanship and skill, it looks amazing. [Source]
Honda CB200 by Batakastem Garage Abraham Simatupang and his workshop, Batakastem Garage, are known for building wild, one-off bikes. But their latest offering is more subdued—and that’s not a bad thing. They’ve taken a Honda CB200 and turned it into a lithe classic café racer.
Bikes like the CB200 are hard to come by in Southeast Asia, making Abraham’s find a rare gem. After a good hunt, Batakastem found a suitable donor and stripped it down. The fifty-year-old steel frame was stripped, blasted, and had a fresh subframe welded on.
A set of fenders was made from scratch, and the wheels were beefed up with new spokes, 16-inch rims, and fat, chunky Shinko tires. A new LED headlight shines bright in front of new clip-on handlebars, new switchgear, and a revamped cockpit. The brakes were also upgraded with a larger caliper, a new front disc, and stainless steel braided lines.
Fabrication is where the Batakastem gang truly shines, and the CB200 is no exception—even if it is milder than their usual fare. The fuel tank, side covers, and seat are all hand-made from 1.2 mm galvanized steel, with the tank design based on the Honda GL100, but modified to complement the CB200’s larger engine.
The bodywork looks almost OEM, staying true to the CB’s iconic silhouette while giving it a fresh, aggressive stance. Burgundy leather was used to trim the new single seat and the entire bike received a beautiful 70s-inspired paint job.
The engine was treated to a full rebuild with new gaskets and seals, while the carbs were kitted with new pod filters and re-jetted to suit. Batakastem also crafted a custom exhaust with minimal baffling and bronze-tipped pipes. Electrons flow freely through a custom wiring loom and all-new electronics.
Perfect for tearing up the streets of Indonesia, it’s another stunning build from Batakastem Garage. [Source]
Honda Dax by K-Speed Ahh K-Speed, how we love you. One of Thailand’s finest custom motorcycle shops is at it again, and this time they’ve got a new line of parts for the Honda ST125 Dax.
K-Speed’s head honcho, Mr. Eak, has a special love for the Dax from his childhood days. His shop has built a bunch of tasty Dax customs to date and developed countless bolt-on bits for Honda’s throwback mini-bike under their Diablo brand. This has culminated in the ‘1978 Limited Series’ kit; a collection of parts that ooze retro scrambler style, and can be slapped onto a stock Dax over an afternoon and a six-pack.
The Honda Dax is cute enough as it comes, but we love how the K-Speed kit beefs it up. Solid covers are laid over the stock wheels, which can be wrapped in whatever rubber you can find to fit the tiny wheels. A high front fender is paired with a rear fender cover, while a new horn cover proudly bears the K-Speed name.
Taller crossbeam handlebars are fitted with new grips, bar-end weights, and clutch and brake controls. The factory dashboard stays in place, now tucked behind an enduro-style headlight cowl. Diablo mirrors offer a stylish upgrade over the OEM items.
A black backbone cover made from laser-cut steel defiantly displays its diminutive style betwixt the headstock and K-Speed seat. The engine sports myriad custom covers that are all available in the scrambler kit, along with the high-exit Diablo exhaust system.
The swingarm is fitted with a Diablo extension to better accommodate the chunky tires, and the rear brakes are upgraded with a new disc and a longer brake line. And since this is a ‘scrambler,’ it also sports longer Diablo rear shocks.
Finally, a luggage rack adds a little more utility to the Dax, as does the canvas pannier fitted to the left-hand side of the bike.
Even if mini-bikes aren’t your cup of tea, it’s hard to resist K-Speed’s 1978 Dax—especially with its retro Honda graphics. [K-Speed]
BMW R18 by CW Zon Late last year, Yuichi Yoshizawa of Japan’s Custom Works Zon had the honor of serving as a judge for a BMW Motorrad-sponsored customization competition, centered around the BMW R18. The event was held as part of BMW’s 100th-anniversary celebrations, attracting custom builders from around the world.
There was just one problem—as a judge, Yoshizawa-san couldn’t compete. So he went away itching to get into his workshop.
As it happened, following the competition, CW Zon was approached by BMW’s design headquarters with an intriguing challenge; create a custom vehicle that embodied the spirit of the next 100 years of BMW Motorrad. This opportunity led to the creation of ‘Ground Zero,’ a futuristic concept bike inspired by visions of how vehicles might evolve over the next century.
Yuichi and his partner in crime, Yoshikazu Ueda, began by crafting the shape of the new bodywork using steel wires, which provided the foundation for the bike’s fluid, futuristic lines. From there, aluminum sheets were meticulously hand-hammered to form the front cowl, tank panel, rear cowl, and the other exterior components. We adore the striking, streamlined appearance—and love how CW Zon has combined elements of dragsters and salt lake racers with the R18’s cruiser base.
Tinted perspex at the front of Ground Zero houses a sophisticated headlight system, seamlessly integrated into the carbon fiber and aluminum cowl. The BMW dashboard is set into the tank by way of a custom aluminum housing.
One of the bike’s cleverest features is the clean, minimalist design around the custom handlebars. CW Zon relocated the factory switches (which are impossible to remove from the equation without bricking the bike) to the center of the handlebars, creating a tidy, organized cockpit.
Another great custom touch is the cable-operated remote reservoir system for the hydraulic clutch and front brake. Concealed within the front cowling, the master cylinders are mounted out of sight with the cables running from the controls; an uber-slick setup.
While it’s not to everyone’s taste, the BMW R18 is a hoot to ride. It’s long, heavy, and wide—but the 1,802 cc boxer twin is a torque monster with plenty of character. Now, thanks to CW Zon, it has the show to match the go. [Custom Works Zon]
