Every now and then a bike comes out of left field, and this one was spotted by designer Luca Bar. When I saw the images, I immediately tagged it as the product of one of the big Japanese workshops, but no—it’s a backyard build from a US enthusiast. This machine is a 1971 CB450 that gained a new lease of life when current owner Scott Halbleib got his hands on it. He stripped it down to the frame and motor, and turned it into a bobber-style custom. Scott was inspired by the Japanese Gravel Crew style, and used a tank and exhaust system from Benjie’s Café Racer to get the aesthetics right. According to Scott, “The project took ten months and quite a bit of $$$. It was done the night before the Mods vs. Rockers show—it won Best Rocker and Best in Show—and took home the Best Jap Bike from the Beatersville show the following day.”
