A fire-breathing BMW R1200 R cafe racer, a Honda CB from Hollywood favorite Dustin Kott, and a Ducati Monster ‘Diesel’ special edition given a further layer of custom magic. Meet the bikes that buttered our toast this week.
Honda CB550 by Kott Motorcycles A few weeks ago, the internet went agog over a video of Ryan Reynolds waxing poetic about his Kott Triumph. As gorgeous as Deadpool’s ride is, we’d seen it before and wanted something new. Thankfully, Kott Motorcycles isn’t keen on disappointment.
The idea behind Falcon 550 happened when a 1964 Ford Falcon, finished in a period correct baby blue, rolled by Dustin Kott. With the color scheme sorted from the start, Kott’s team went to work tearing down, overhauling and rebuilding. A CB750 Super Sport fuel cell was modified and fitted to the Honda’s arrow-straight spine, and a custom seat sits on top of the battery and redesigned charging system. Custom rearsets allow an aggressive angle for the exhaust.
The overall package is an exercise in simplicity. [More]
BMW R1200R cafe racer by VTR Customs It’s hard to believe that anyone would prefer not to work on a BMW R nineT. But VTR Customs, the styling department of a Swiss BMW dealership, figured they had a better base bike up their sleeve.
With 125 horizontally opposed horses at the ready, the BMW R1200R Roadster is a ferocious ride—and one that VTR’s team figured was just begging for a makeover. They were right. Featuring levels of aggression not usually associated with the Swiss, ‘Goodwood 12’ looks ballistic standing still. That’s helped by the in-house brushed and raw finishes on the cowl, tank, tail and exhaust—as well as those deep-dish Kineo wheels. The wide shoulders and hunkered-down headstock don’t hurt either.
The British Racing Green paint was chosen in homage to the race-winning ‘blower Bentleys’ of the 1930s, which VTR hope to emulate in trouncing the competition at this year’s Glemseck sprints. [More]
Ducati Monster Diesel custom by Hong Seungpyo The Ducati Monster has always had something over me: The iconic Italian standard has always nailed the essence of motorcycling’s absolute form. You’d almost expect that custom builds stemming from the Italian naked would rival Honda CBs and yet, they don’t. Those that do pop up, however, are worth a second look.
Take this Diesel Cafe Racer, from Korea’s Hong Seungpyo. It’s based on a 2013 Ducati Monster Diesel, a factory special Monster with added oomph and lighter components. The man behind ‘HSP.69’ began by replacing the Diesel’s front cowl with a custom bikini fairing, to deliver a heftier stance without sacrificing rider comfort.
Rizoma and Motogadget accessories clean up the front end, and an Öhlins monoshock keeps the rear end planted. New Pirelli MT60RS shoes were slipped on: the perfect rubber for a futuristic take on a Ducati cafe racer. [More]
Honda CX500 cafe racer by Wena Customs Honda’s CX500 is quickly becoming the darling of the custom world. Its transverse mounted V-Twin is a focal point, adding character and attitude. And that’s why Poland’s Wena Customs used one as a base for this tidy little cafe racer, Twister.
Wena’s team knew that hand made touches would truly set their build off—so they plied their craft to just about everything. The polished top yoke on is a work of pure art. The swingarm was modded to accommodate the monoshock set up, before meeting a custom tail that seamlessly melds into the fuel cell. The frame and wheels were both sandblasted and the engine soda blasted before everything was treated to paint and a lustrous polish. Most impressive is the intricate routing of the two-into-one exhaust that finishes with a slick grafting at the rearmost point of the bike.
It’s fine work, and took home top honors at the 2016 Polish Championship of Custom Motorcycles. [Wena Customs]
Custom BMW R75 by Blitz Motorcycles We often applaud a custom creation that comes together in no time at all. But we scrutinize those that have lingered in the shop. Expectations hit new highs, and every nit of a build is picked.
Blitz Motorcycles of Paris have a reputation for building polarizing rides. So when we heard they’d been working on this BMW R75/5 for almost two years, we didn’t know what to expect. But after laying eyes on it, we’ve got to say, it was worth the wait. Commissioned by a British architect, the design hinged on a technology that just didn’t exist—so Hugo and Fred sat in wait. The offending part was a Lithium-Ion battery powerful enough to get the boxer engine fighting, but small enough to hide under the tank. Go ahead, take a second look—we can barely make it out either.
Everything else on ‘Sroul,’ which means Black Magic in Arabic, has been rebuilt—including the engine itself—and upgraded for its new life in Olde Blighty. [More]