Motocrew leads the charge this week, with a custom Triumph Bobber inspired by their client’s hopped-up Porsche 911. We also throw the spotlight on a Suzuki DRZ400 supermoto, the new Kawasaki W230 modern classic, and a fully original Yamaha BW350 that just sold for a cheeky amount of money.
Triumph Bobber by Motocrew The story of this slick-looking custom Triumph Bobber began with a call from a good friend of the German custom bike workshop, Motocrew. He had just finished customizing his Porsche 911, and it looked lonely in the garage. The hunt for a stablemate was on—and that’s where Motocrew came in.
The bike needed to be long, low, and lithe, just like the Porsche, so Motocrew’s Chris Scholtka chose a 2019-model Triumph Bobber as a donor.
A custom wheel setup from Haan Wheels was bolted on to nail the stance. The matching 17-inch Excel rims allowed the fitment of wider Shinko tires, with a 120/70R17 up front and a chunky 180/55R17 at the rear. Together with the lowered front suspension, new Touratech rear shock, and lack of fenders, they give the bike an aggressive aesthetic.
The LED headlight is from KOSO, and is nestled between 3D-printed upper fork covers from Motoism that also house a set of tiny indicators. A Motogadget Motoscope Pro dashboard is mounted down low on the headlight to keep the bars clutter-free. (Motogadget’s Berlin workshop used the bike to develop a plug-and-play kit for other Bobber customers too.)
The tank was painted silver by the German car brand Holyhall. The design includes Motocrew logos and subtle stripes of matte and gloss clear coats to add detail without breaking up the classic lines.
The rear subframe is new, as is the custom upholstered seat. The taillight is originally from a Yamaha but is contained inside a custom 3D-printed housing, and flanked by a pair of Motogadget turn signals. A side-mounted number plate system was fabricated and bolted on to keep things legal.
Not visible is the Classicbike Raisch Stage Five performance kit that includes racing air filters, a new intake, and a generous ECU tune. Together with the custom exhaust, the 1200 cc twin pumps out an extra 28.5 horsepower and 30 Nm of torque. That’s not normal pipe wrap either—it’s high-performance sports car stuff from the experts at Thermotech.
It’s unlikely that Motocrew’s client will choose the Porsche over the Triumph on any given day—provided the sun is shining and there are no groceries to pick up.
Motocrew Instagram | Images by kylefx
Suzuki DRZ400 by Parr Motorcycles Suzuki’s venerable DRZ400 line has been a steady seller worldwide since its inception. The single-cylinder, liquid-cooled trail bike is undeniably better off-road than its big brother, the DR650, and a total hoot on the street in supermoto guise.
The bike you see here began life as a 2007 Suzuki DRZ400S in enduro trim, but that was before Spencer Parr of Parr Motorcycles got his hands on it. Spencer has been building bikes in his garage for a few years now, and this supermoto-ed Suzuki, nicknamed the ‘DRZ Scorpion 434,’ is the last one he wrapped up before moving into his new workshop.
Starting up front, Spencer grafted on a set of Suzuki RM forks and new yokes. The 17” Excel supermoto rims came from Dubya USA, and the front fender was lifted from a classic Honda SL.
A new LED headlight was mounted to the RM forks with custom brackets, and a Motogadget Motoscope Mini was cleverly adapted to new tapered handlebars. A Scotts steering damper and some sneaky push buttons were also added to the cockpit.
Our favorite part of the bike is the Suzuki SP370 fuel tank, which Spencer modified to fit the DRZ tank mounts. Below the tank is a pair of custom radiator covers that house the cooling fans and double up as small side covers. LED strip indicators are mounted to the leading edges, while the trailing edges house the taillights.
The seat is another custom item, as is the scratch-built subframe. A custom stainless steel exhaust peeks out from under a bespoke aluminum rear fender.
Spencer and his wife are both fans of the video game Mortal Kombat, so the choice of a livery came down to blue and white (Sub-Zero) or yellow and black (Scorpio). Scorpio won out in the end, with Hired Guns Paint laying down the paint job.
Spencer confirms there might be a Sub-Zero-themed DRZ to follow, and we’re here for it. [Source]
2025 Kawasaki W230 Kawasaki has just added a new bike to its 2025 lineup, and, to our surprise, it’s a small modern retro. Joining the W800 in the classic Kawasaki line is the new 2025 Kawasaki W230.
Powered by a raucous, barely tamed 233 cc air-cooled single, it has all the classic Kawasaki W lines that we’ve come to know and love. Kawasaki says the original 650-W1 inspires the new W230, and it shows.
The 18F/17R spoked wheels are backed up by classic 37 mm right-side-up forks, disc brakes, and a lovely-looking pair of fenders. The classically shaped tank, generous seat, and pea-shooter muffler are all reminiscent of the British bikes Kawasaki set out to emulate back when they first released the W1.
Besides fuel injection and ABS, this bike is wonderfully tech-free. There’s LED lighting and a small LCD section on the speedometer, but even that blends in well with the twin round gauges. The riding position is upright and comfortable, with a low seat height and a dry weight of just 143 kg [315.3 lbs], making this one of the lightest bikes in the 250 cc retro class.
Freeway riding shouldn’t be an issue in most countries thanks to the six-speed transmission. Tuned for torque over outright power, the 233 cc single should bop through traffic with ease. (Speaking of power, the engine must produce so much of it that Kawasaki humbly forgot to list the output for fear of legal and societal retribution.)
Matching the W230’s simplicity are its options and price. There is only one color to choose from, with a price tag of $5,599 in the US. No doubt there’s a little style tax worked into that number, but it still feels reasonable. And even though you won’t break any land speed records on the W230, you’ll look extremely cool cruising the streets. [More]
Sold: 1987 Yamaha BW350 Through the 1970s and 80s, the recipe for a fun bike was simple; a low seat height, an air-cooled single-cylinder engine, and big, cartoon-like tires. And the Yamaha BW350 epitomized that vibe.
The BW350’s 348 cc single-cylinder engine came from the Yamaha TT350, which was a full-sized road and trail bike. The single overhead cam, two-valve engine was simple, reliable, and a ton of fun. Pumping out 32 horsepower through a five-speed transmission was plenty of poke, especially in a small frame with a manageable seat height.
The BW had an electric- and kick-starter, a telescopic front end, and a Yamaha Monocross swingarm and rear suspension setup. The wheels measured 12” and 9”, front and rear, with the Dunlop tires being pulled up by tiny little drum brakes. It was so popular, that it inspired Honda to come to the big-tire party with the TR200 Fat Cat.
This particular BW350 was bought new in 1987 and was owned by one family, until they sold the bike back to the original dealer in 2024. It’s a proper time machine—presented in a completely original and unrestored condition. Besides some peeling paint on the engine and the discolored Big Wheel logos on the tank, it’s in remarkable condition.
It was recently sold on Bring A Trailer for a (somewhat crazy) premium of $12,000. To put that into perspective, you can buy a brand new 2024 Yamaha TW200 (a distant cousin of the BW) for $4,999.
In an age when off-road three-wheelers existed, the Yamaha BW350 and its smaller siblings, the BW80 and BW200, were a cheap, fun way into the world of off-road motorcycling. Who else thinks we should bring them back? [Source]
