The donor bikes for this week’s selection of tasty customs couldn’t be more diverse. First, XTR Pepo offers up a custom Ducati Scrambler. Then we feature a Royal Enfield Bullet 500 from Indonesia, a vintage Triumph TR6 Trophy from Down Under, and a Cyberpunk-inspired Kawasaki ER-6N.
Ducati Scrambler by XTR Pepo Pepo Rosell is no stranger to the Ducati brand. Not only did he work for a few Ducati importers, but he also started the Spanish workshop Radical Ducati, which pumped out scores of lithe, fast, Italian twins from his Spanish workshop. These days he runs under the XTR Pepo banner, and this custom Ducati Scrambler is his latest build.
XTR Pepo bikes have a distinct, performance-first style, which tends to dictate their final aesthetic. It’s a fantastic approach to building bikes that are stripped of anything unnecessary which almost guarantees a wonderful ride. The 2017-model Scrambler is no different, with Pepo upgrading the suspension, ergonomics, and engine.
To kick things off, Continental Conti Sport Attack 4 tires were spooned on and the front wheel was covered by a fender from a Scrambler Classic. The Kayaba forks were left alone, but the rear shock was upgraded to a YSS unit. Now sporting a custom spring rate, remote reservoir, and adjustability for rebound, compression (high and low speed), and preload, the back end is well planted.
Rizoma bars, Domino grips, a quick-action throttle, and XTR levers take care of the cockpit. Ducabike rear-set footpegs and an XTR flat track-style seat round out the rider triangle.
The engine was treated to a DNA filter and XTR-branded muffler, built to spec by Sparks. The engine breathes easier now, with a healthy 80-plus horsepower on tap. A 900SS master cylinder and Fren Tubo brake line feed the single radial-mounted Brembo front caliper. Lighting was kept simple, with a single round headlight and LED turn signals.
The custom paint was inspired by a Spanish comic book called ‘Makoki.’ The splashes of red, yellow, and green are taken straight from the cover of Makoki and suit the bike to a tee.
The stock tank was spruced up with silver metal flake paint and gold pinstriping, and carbon fiber side covers were added, complete with a cutout to access the rear shock.
It’s another form following function build from XTR Pepo—and another XTR Pepo special that we desperately want to ride. [Source]
Royal Enfield Bullet 500 by Frontwheel Motors Kustomfest is not only Indonesia’s biggest custom bike show, but it’s also one of the most interesting events on the international circuit. The variety of build styles is staggering—and the fact that each bike needs to complete a basic gymkhana course to prove that it’s rideable adds extra depth to the event.
The show also attracts myriad international guests and judges. Among those in attendance at this year’s event were Winston Yeh of Rough Crafts, Toshiyuki Osawa of Cheetah, and Masse Jacop of Fat Boy Design and Mooneyes Bangkok. All three agreed; this was their favorite bike among the scores of entries.
Based on a humble Royal Enfield Bullet 500, this sharp bobber was built by Frontwheel Motors in collaboration with the auto racing team, Rea Racing. The idea was to build a low and lean performance bobber with shades of classic hot rod design.
The single-cylinder Royal Enfield Bullet 500 hardly screams ‘performance,’ so the team bumped the the engine capacity to 535 cc, increased the sizes of the intake and exhaust valves, and installed a new FCR carb. A single conical muffler handles the soundtrack, adorned with a custom-made heat shield.
Moving to the wheels, the crew laced up a new set of wide 16” rims, wrapping them in new rubber from Allstate. Small details abound—like the Harley Panhead-style risers that clamp the new bars, and the CNC-machined levers that are bolted to them. Other touches include a burly sump guard and a drilled fork brace.
All of the Bullet’s bodywork is new—from its teardrop fuel tank to its stepped and tapered tail section. There’s a lot of detail work here too, like the chromed bracket that secures the front of the seat, and the quirky taillight design. Look closely, and you’ll spot the speedo; a tiny digital Motogadget unit that’s been Frenched into the top of the tank.
Finished in mostly silver with a brushed texture, the Bullet has earned the nickname ‘Eleanor.’ Although that seems like an obvious reference to the film Gone in 60 Seconds, the name was in fact picked because it means ‘shining light.’
Eleanor not only won the favor of those three international judges, but it also bagged the overall trophy for the best European chopper or bobber in the show. And it’s easy to see why. [Images by Suseno Adhi P.]
Triumph TR6 Trophy by Greasy Knuckles Believe it or not, this 1967 Triumph TR6 Trophy was rescued from underneath a tarp in some guy’s back yard in New South Wales, Australia. Its second lease on life is thanks to Steve Wong (A.K.A. Greasy Knuckles), who converted the pretty piece of British engineering into a beautiful desert sled.
Steve started by stripping down the bike to see what was worth saving, and what was not. He got rid of the stock fenders, bars, switchgear, lights and exhaust. With just a frame, engine, tank, and seat, he got to work.
The tank was in pretty good condition, so after he resealed the inside it was cleaned and adorned with a hand-painted racing number. There was a small luggage rack on top of the tank, which Steve replaced with a throttle cable strap. It’s a mod that old-school desert racers did to run the throttle cable over the tank, making swapping broken ones quick and easy.
The suspension was rebuilt, with the rear end getting raised by 30 mm—another common desert sled trait. The engine was in good nick, but Steve still replaced a bunch of oil seals and overhauled the clutch with new parts.
The TR6 featured a single carb, which Steve prefers for tuning and looks. It was given a relaxing ultrasonic bath before it was reconstructed and slapped back on. In keeping with the scrambler theme, a set of high-mount pipes was fitted.
The wheels were too far gone, so the hubs were blasted, painted, and laced to new rims with stainless spokes. Fitted with Shinko trials-style rubber, they look amazing under the new fenders. New bars (with a distinctive curved crossbar) were installed, along with new switches that necessitated a full rewire of the bike.
If you’re drooling over this bike as much as we are, you’ll be pleased to know that it’s currently being offered for sale on the Collecting Cars website. Go on, who doesn’t love a good desert sled [Source]
Kawasaki ER-6N by Treasure Garage The Kawasaki ER-6N has always struck us as a bit vanilla—aesthetically, at least. We’re sure it’s a perfectly capable and easy-riding bike, but the looks are rather off-putting.
It also doesn’t strike us as a bike that’s easy to customize. But thanks to the crew at Treasure Garage in Bali, Indonesia, our opinion of the Kawasaki ER-6N is about to change. They’ve just taken a bone stock ER-6N and transformed it into a futuristic street tracker. And it’s incredible.
Inspired by the video game Cyberpunk 2077, the Kawasaki wears all-new bodywork, painstakingly beaten from aluminum sheeting. The front end features custom front fork guards and a MotoGP-style wheel cover, sitting beneath a blacked-out nacelle with a new projector LED headlight. The red ring around the headlight is a nice touch and gives us flashbacks to our days playing Portal.
The tank is another custom item, as are the radiator shrouds—which also house the front turn signals. A matching radiator guard and belly pan was fabricated too, for both aesthetic and functional reasons. The swingarm, hilariously, has an under-mounted wing; another MotoGP-inspired touch that we can’t get enough of.
Treasure Garage wanted a single-seater design for the back end, so the neo-retro tail unit sits atop a custom subframe. This was easier said than done, because the ER-6N features a side-mounted rear shock, which had to be relocated to get the seat to work with the custom stainless steel twin exhaust. The mufflers are tucked beneath the seat, terminating just below a custom LED tail light.
We could pore over this bike for days and bet it’s brilliant for ripping through the crowded streets of Bali. By itself, each piece on this motorcycle is a work of art. Together, it’s a masterpiece. [Source]
