A millimeter-perfect W650 from Wreckless, a barnstorming Kawasaki Zephyr from Australia, a Triumph Thruxton with the Barbour touch, and a killer Ducati Sport 1000 from WalzWerk. It’s all about craft and style this week.
Kawasaki Zephyr by DNA and RB Racing It’s pretty amazing what can happen on a project once the ball begins rolling. Bryan had originally turned his 500-buck Zephyr into a Wrenchmonkees inspired brat cafe, but when it needed mechanical TLC, an overhaul of epic proportions began.
Bryan wanted his Z(ephyr) to pay homage to the Z1 racers of yore: like those tuned by Mamoru Moriwaki, but with a bit of Bol d’Or sprinkled in for good measure. A project manager by trade, he also knew he’d need to outsource some of the trickier bits. So to get things just right, he tapped the lads at DNA Custom Cycles and a friend at RB Racing.
DNA tackled the bodywork and many of the more intricate details on the build, with Bryan researching and sourcing the parts and pieces he wanted. The headlights alone became a topic of obsession, but we’d say the stress was worth it.
The engine was completely rebuilt and overbored, and cranks out 90 healthy ponies. Much of the running gear arrived via cannibalization: the rear end, including the wheel, brake and swingarm are from a ZRX1200, the forks were poached from a ZXR750, and the front twin discs used to clamp down on a Gixxer. We figure the package would have Mamoru-san smiling—and apparently it’s a riot to ride too. [More]
Kawasaki W650 by Wreckless Carving out a niche in the custom world is no easy feat. Especially when you’d rather stand out than merely blend in. That was the drive that fueled Rick Geal and his spanner-spinning partner when they snagged a Kwaka W650 out of a friend’s nearby shop to begin their first build.
Rather than go off-the-wall, the lads from Wreckless decided to focus on fit, finish and quality details, which is never a bad idea in our books. The engine has been torn down, cleaned up and buttoned up tighter than ever before. The finish on the casing is clean enough to eat off, thanks to a vapor blast and fresh lacquer. And behind the slatted side pods, the refreshed motor now breathes through a set of rebuilt CV carbs and howls into the custom 2-into-1 exhaust.
The braking has been upgraded in the front with a Beringer Aerotec caliper, while the rear drum has had a thorough rebuild. The stock forks have been rebuilt too, and the factory shocks have been replaced with a set of Öhlins’ Black Series. Continental TKC 80 rubber has been fitted to new wheels and, in revelatory fashion, a proper set of fenders has been fabricated to keep the mud from flinging all over that impeccable paint. [More]
Honda TLR200 Reflex by Ask If your eyes are growing weary of tried-and-tested, old school lines this weekend, then this Honda TLR from Rad Yamamoto of Ask Motorcycle should dilate pupils. One of two bikes that Rad prepared for the 2017 Mooneyes show in Tokyo, this former trials bike showcases expert levels of fabrication and craftsmanship.
Barely 40% of the Reflex’s original frame remains. The single tube spine is gone, because Rad has welded up a twin flanked unit that now holds a custom fuel cell. The rear subframe is new as well, but is much, much more than your standard chop-and-hoop job. The rear suspension has been swapped over to a monoshock set-up and the front end is a road-ready kit that’s also leveled the bike’s stance.
The party-piece here is the flowing, hinged bodywork. It’s a raw alloy unibody unit that lifts to expose the reworked frame, and Rad undoubtedly pinched a finger or two while rolling the aluminum for hours on his English wheel. The futuristic vibe may not be for everyone, but you cannot deny the skill required for such a flawless finished.
Triumph Thruxton R by Untitled Chances are, if you have a Triumph in your garage there’s a Barbour jacket in your closet. The two British marques are so intertwined, it made perfect sense to combine them on a cafe racer build. Dubbed ‘the ultimate gentleman’s motorcycle,’ this reworked Thruxton R was commissioned by GQ in the UK to win the ‘Best Custom Motorbike We Built Ourselves’ prize at the 2018 GQ Car Awards.
Self-congratulatory humor aside, there’s a lot to like about this mash up of heritage and speed. Taking just over a month to build, Adam Kay and his team at Untitled created plenty of tasteful details. Take the top yoke, for instance. The one that Hinckley built was already a stunner, but this newly machined unit with integrated tach is even prettier. And the rider will no doubt get up close and personal with it, as the new clip-ons sit extra low. They’re adorned with a fresh set of grips and bar-end signals from Motogadget.
On the performance side, there’s little to improve upon with the 1200cc twin. Except, of course, creating a more raucous exhaust. To that end a custom set of drag pipes now heats the rear rubber and announces arrival. On the Barbour side of things, no gentleman racer would be complete without a set of bespoke, leather saddlebags: the ones attached to this Thruxton double as briefcases and detach in a pinch, when you roll up to the office. [More]
Nolan Ducati Sport 1000 by WalzWerk Although not usually his go-to donor marque, Marcus Walz is no stranger to having a Ducati on his bench. And let’s face it, the man is an icon in this community, with enough skill and vision to make anything work. Which is exactly why helmet makers Nolan dialed Herr Walz’s number when they were looking for a showpiece build.
A Ducati Sport 1000 is the base for this tasteful British Racing Green cafe racer, but much of the Bologna-built original is long gone. The suspension is now top shelf stuff from Öhlins, both front and back, and the rear subframe has been reworked—not only to look good, but also to function with the single piggyback shock.
The rearsets are from Ducati specialists Ducabike, and LSL bits now feature prominently at the controls. The exhaust is a completely handmade unit from the experts at SC Project, and super sticky Pirelli Supercorsa rubber glues the racer to the road.
But the real showpiece is the bodywork. Hand beaten two-millimeter sheets of aluminum received the loving touch from Mr. Walz, who delivered a beautiful, flowing, go-fast aesthetic. Everything, from the height of the humped tail to the deeply scalloped tank and the tiny flares that give the seat extra girth, is spot on. [More]