Once I’ve completed the arduous task of poring over our statistics to compile our list of the year’s most popular custom motorcycles, I have the even more onerous task of selecting my personal favorites. Given the caliber of the custom builders that grace these pages, it’s a tall order.
Each year’s routine is the same, starting with a ‘short’ list of 30-plus bikes. Once that’s trimmed down to a more palatable size, I eliminate any bikes that have already placed in our ranked Top 10, in the interest of fairness. The remaining candidates are sifted to compile my final selection—which is listed alphabetically, by the builder or workshop’s name.
All of the bikes on this list share one trait: they’ve been stuck in my head all year, playing on repeat like mechanical earworms. Enjoy, and be sure to set me straight in the comments if this selection isn’t to your taste.
Triumph T140 by 46Works As a beaming owner of a modern Triumph Bonneville, I have a weakness for vintage Triumphs done up the right way. And it doesn’t get much better than this 1976 Triumph T140 from the king of Euro-style restomods, Shiro Nakajima at 46Works.
A big part of this bike’s allure comes from the unique brief that Nakajima-san was given. His customer wanted a bike that could compete in the Japanese Legend of Classic track racing series, but with visual inspiration from Steve McQueen’s iconic ‘955’ TR6 desert racer. Building a track bike with desert sled chops sounds like sticking a square peg in a round hole—but Shiro pulled it off spectacularly.
Starting with nothing more than a frame, swingarm, and engine, Shiro tapped into his considerable experience racing and building classic bikes to bring the T140 up to spec. The engine was rebuilt by Gladstone in Shizuoka, with upgrades to the pistons, camshafts, and head, a belt drive conversion, a new transmission, and fresh Keihin CR carbs. Meanwhile, Shiro reinforced the frame, adding Yamaha forks, a custom steering stem and yokes, new shocks, better brakes, and 18” wheels.
Up top you’ll find a reproduction Triumph fuel tank, a handmade Bates-style three-quarter seat, and a kinked subframe. The one-off parts are too numerous to list, but there is one notable highlight; a sand-bent titanium exhaust system, which has become a hallmark of Shiro’s work. [More]
Honda Africa Twin by Auto Fabrica Adventure bike design is going through an interesting phase. Some brands are content to stick to their tried and true formulas, some are desperately trying to reinvent the wheel, some pull influence from the rally racing scene, and others look to the past to create dirt-worthy modern classics. But this custom Honda Africa Twin from the Muharemi brothers at Auto Fabrica cuts its own path.
It’s based on a thoroughly modern Honda CRF1100 Africa Twin, stacked with all the elec-trickery you can imagine. Auto Fabrica left the Africa Twin’s gizmos intact, but there’s little semblance of the original design left.
The bike now wears custom-made aluminum tank covers over a hidden reservoir, adding a half-liter to the overall capacity. Combined with a chunky saddle, aluminum side panels, and an aluminum rear fender that captures the look of classic enduro plastics, the Africa Twin sports a chunky silhouette that’s reminiscent of 80s off-road competition bikes. Closer inspection reveals a handful of trick details—like the way Auto Fabrica relocated the OEM TFT display to a housing atop the tank.
Taking things a step further, the guys upgraded the suspension with Öhlins parts, installed Brembo brake calipers at both ends, and added a full titanium exhaust system. A crisp white and red livery gives the whole thing a factory prototype feel. [More]
Twin-engine Yamaha RXZ by FNG Works Two Yamaha RXZ 135 engines melded into one, a bespoke chassis, and a commitment to visual balance that borders on neurotic are just some of the reasons that Irwann Cheng deserves a spot on this list. The fact that he created this highly imaginative machine on a shoestring budget makes it that much more impressive.
The build was conceived years ago when Irwann visited the fabled Mooneyes show for the first time. The opportunity finally arose when the Malaysian Art of Speed show hosted a build-off with a killer prize: a ticket to Mooneyes. Irwann went all-in.
Working under the banner of FNG Works, Irwann built his ‘Twinboss’ Yamaha by splitting the cases of two RXZ motors and welding them together. On the inside, the two crankshafts were modified and then coupled. Most of the engine internals are new.
On the outside, Irwann built a monocoque body and a tubular frame, and drilled mounting plates that cradle the engine while acting as a swingarm. Parallel lines and Fibonacci-inspired ratios abound, and while the Twinboss features polished sections and a deep paint job, it still has a distinctly handmade aesthetic. And yes, Irwann made it to Mooneyes with the bike—and bagged a couple of awards in the process. [More]
Suzuki GSX-R1100 by HAXCH Moto The custom retro sportbike scene is still fairly niche, but it consistently produces bikes that wow us. Leading the charge are builders like Marc Bell—better known as HAXCH Moto. Marc not only loves 80s sportbikes, but he knows just how to tweak ’em too.
This restomodded 1988 Suzuki GSX-R1100 Slabside is one of Marc’s best builds yet. Its running gear has been upgraded with GSX-R750 SRAD forks with Maxton internals, a Maxton rear shock, Dymag wheels, and Brembo M4 front brake calipers. Its rebuilt engine utilizes a Dynatek Dyna 2000 ignition, Mikuni RS38 flatslide carbs, and a Yoshimura exhaust.
The bodywork has a period-correct feel to it, but it’s mostly custom stuff. Marc started with an aftermarket fiberglass fairing, which he modified to house a pair of LED headlights. A handmade aluminum tailpiece adorns the rear, mounted on a custom-made subframe.
As we’ve come to expect from HAXCH, the Slabside’s livery is to die for. It uses the Gixxer’s original color palette, but remixes it to create a contemporary vibe that still looks like it could have jumped off the pages of a late-80s Suzuki brochure. [More]
Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 by ICON Motosports Portland’s finest treated us to a couple of mean custom machines this year, but it was this unapologetic Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 that demanded the most attention. It was commissioned by Royal Enfield’s head office—who had to have known that ICON Motosports would promptly ditch the Shotgun 650’s bobber styling for something rowdier.
Part café racer, part drag bike, ICON’s custom Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 showcases the shop’s unhinged imagination. They redesigned the rear half of the frame, massaged two Kawasaki Ninja 650 swingarms into one unit, and propped it up on Twin Nitron shocks. The forks are from a Ninja ZX-10R, and the wheels are vintage 16” Astralite race numbers.
The front fairing is an Air Tech Yamaha FZ750 part and the rear hump came from a Buell S2 Thunderbolt; both underwent extensive surgery. The crew also added a Yamaha RD400 fuel tank, retrofitted with an endurance-style filler neck and an in-board fuel pump. Other tweaks include custom fork guards, a new belly pan, 3D-printed aero wings, and fairing scoops that were grafted on from another donor fairing.
The bodywork is finished in an all-American color scheme, complete with sponsor graphics and prominent Royal Enfield branding. From the square headlight to the under-seat exhaust system and mesh-covered muffler, this maniacal ICON special is dripping with awesome details. [More]
Harley-Davidson Shovelhead by Infinity Inc. This lithe Harley Shovelhead from Masumi Tsuchino at Infinity Inc. is impressive enough from a distance. But closer inspection reveals a smorgasbord of unique details, all packed together with the sort of precision that would make a seasoned Tetris player blush.
What sets Tsuchino-san’s Shovelhead apart is the way he’s focused on the left-hand side of the bike. There, you’ll find the bike’s open primary, hand-shifter, custom oil tank, and even its bespoke twin exhaust system. Switch to the right, and all that’s left is the bike’s distinctive Shovelhead motor and its kick-start lever.
As you’d expect, very little of this otherworldly Harley is stock Shovelhead fare. The front end is a replica Harley VL springer setup, but it’s been narrowed to suit the build’s 21F/19R wheelset. As for the actual frame, that’s from a vintage Panhead.
Perched atop it is a handmade aluminum fuel tank, with a modern Motogadget speedo embedded just aft of the fuel cap. It’s matched to a Messinger bobber seat and a repurposed Sportster rear fender. Masumi’s craftsmanship is matched by a subtle board track-inspired livery, complemented by parts that have either been polished, or anodized and sand-blasted to create a special matte finish. [More]
BMW K100 by Motocrew For someone who only customizes bikes as a part-time gig, Chris Scholtka is pretty damn good at it. The man behind the Motocrew moniker has a knack for building razor-sharp café racers—even when he’s working with a donor as awkward as the venerable 1984 BMW K100.
Chris already had a few custom K-series builds under his belt when the commission for this one rolled in, so he decided to build on his experience and kick things up a notch. This K rolls on a Ducati Panigale front end, a 1990s BMW K1100 swingarm, and a 2000s K1200S rear wheel, giving it a thoroughly modern feel. A fully adjustable rear shock from Touratech props up the rear.
Moving to the bodywork, Chris matched the K100’s OEM fuel tank to a pair of handmade PVC plastic fairings, creating a sharp line and covering up the ugly indentations that typically hide behind the stock fairings. A custom tail hump sits out back, supported by a custom subframe and finished off with an integrated taillight.
Standout pieces include a repurposed Husqvarna headlight, a cockpit loaded with high-end Motogadget goodies, and a rowdy four-into-one exhaust system. The livery is an effortlessly cool play on the iconic John Player Special colors. Everything just fits—right down to the Heidenau K73 tires, which Chris picked because they remind him of F1 rain tires. [More]
Buell X-1 Lightning by Mule Motorcycles It’s no accident that Richard ‘Mule‘ Pollock has blasted onto both of our annual Top 10 lists this year. Like the Sportster flat tracker that made our initial Top 10, this bike was built to abide by the rules of the American Grand National Hooligan Championship. But this time around, Mule pushed the regulatory envelope as far as humanly possible.
Based on a Buell X-1 Lightning, this purposeful flat tracker employs every trick the American bike builder knows. The mods include a rubber- to rigid-mount engine conversion with full adjustability of the motor placement, a chromoly swingarm, and a bolt-on titanium upper shock mount that connects to a Penske shock.
The forks are Yamaha R6 units, and the 19” wheels are a combination of Durelle Racing hubs, Sun rims, and stainless steel spokes. The rear wheel wears a Beringer brake and employs an internal spud, that lets Mule flip the wheel between races to ensure even tire wear. A whole bunch of engine upgrades lurk behind the cases, while on the outside, a very trick mod has moved the clutch cable attachment higher up, to preserve it in case of a crash.
The bodywork is as skinny as it gets, with a handmade aluminum fuel tank up front and a fiberglass tail section at the back. Everything that could be tweaked has been—right down to the ignition timing cover, which sports a special Mule modification for more accurate adjustments. [More]
Yamaha XS650 by Purpose Built Moto The Yamaha XS650 remains a darling of the custom scene, but this XS from The Gold Coast’s Purpose Built Moto is a cut above. Shop boss Tom Gilroy’s goal was perfection—which is why it took PBM 18 months to complete the project.
Once the bike was stripped, PBM’s first job was to tweak the steering neck angle and fabricate a rigid rear section. A classic banana tank was sourced for the Yamaha, but it didn’t play nicely with the frame’s backbone—so that was modified too. 39 mm Sportster forks were added up front, with 21F/19R wheels from Jonich creating the perfect stance.
The real mastery here lies in the XS650’s subtler details. A lot went into keeping the wheels as narrow as possible—like convincing Jonich to build custom-width hubs, and piecing together a bespoke braking system. Peak under the saddle, and you’ll also spot a highly artistic seat ‘spring.’
Thanks to a hydraulic foot clutch and a jockey shifter, there’s very little to clutter the repurposed mountain bike bars (and bar clamp). Finishing touches include suitably long exhausts, an elegant sissy bar, and tidy LED lighting from PBM’s own parts catalog. Wrapped in a timeless blue and silver color scheme, this XS650 chopper is flawless. [More]
Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 by Sureshot The fact that two Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 customs have landed on this list is either a testament to the bike’s versatility—or to the zeal with which Royal Enfield has been pushing bikes into the custom scene. Either way, this jaw-dropping Shotgun 650 from Sureshot’s Takuya Aikawa proves how much can be achieved with Royal Enfield’s mild-mannered 650 twin.
As implied by his shop’s name, Aikawa-san never misses. He calls this build a ‘compact performance chopper,’ but there’s so much custom work packed into it, that it’s impossible to classify.
The frame is mostly new, with a gnarly aluminum swingarm connected to a RacingBros shock via a complex set of linkages. The shock sticks out through a cutout in the seat, disappearing into a channel integrated into the primary fuel tank. The cockpit wears custom-made handlebars that mount to aluminum clamps in front of the top yoke, fitted with the bare minimum controls.
A big-bore kit from S&S Cycle bumps the Shotgun 650’s twin-cylinder motor up to 865 cubic centimeters, while twin S&S mufflers on custom headers add an appropriate soundtrack. From the one-off wheels and inboard front brake to the judicious color scheme and purposeful stance, Sureshot’s Royal Enfield is pixel-perfect.
If we did rank the bikes on this list, this one would take the gold. [More]
EDITOR’S NOTE Sadly, but inevitably, a handful of top-notch custom builds narrowly miss the cut each year. The runners-up include BCR’s reimagined Ducati MHR Mille [above], Dubstyle’s root beer-colored Yamaha RD400, Powerbrick’s futuristic BMW K1100RS café racer, and MotoRRetro’s Franken-Beemer [below]. Lucas Worthing’s Ducati 1198 SportClassic hybrid [bottom] was right up there too.
Builds that made the list, but had already ranked in our primary Top 10, include Cherry’s Company’s sidecar-equipped Royal Enfield, Frontwheel’s charming Honda Shadow, MotoRelic’s manic mini-bike, and our bike of the year, Powerbrick’s Harley-Davidson Pan America.
My deepest gratitude goes out to everyone who makes Bike EXIF tick; custom builders, photographers, writers, advertisers, our hard-working crew, and you, our readers. Happy New Year, and see you again in a few days, when we kick 2025 off with a fresh machine from our friend Winston Yeh at Rough Crafts.
