Deus Ex Machina is a global lifestyle brand founded in 2006 in Australia, combining a love for motorcycles, surfing, skateboarding and outdoor culture into a unique ethos. The brand is characterized by a free-spirited, inclusive attitude that celebrates creativity and individuality, blending vintage aesthetics with modern craftsmanship.
The name “Deus Ex Machina” (Latin for “God from the Machine”) is a nod to its roots in motorcycle culture and its broader philosophy of embracing craftsmanship and passion across various creative pursuits. Today, Deus operates stores, cafés, and cultural hubs worldwide, cultivating a community of enthusiasts who appreciate its distinctive mix of style and substance.
Deus states that doing something is more fun than just owning something, emphasizing the difference between those who buy a piece of machinery and those who immerse themselves in it. This theme is common across all Deus customs, as you’ll find all their projects are built for the ride.
In the world of classic thumpers, the Yamaha XT500 reigns supreme. It pioneered the concept of four-stroke dual-sport bikes, won the first two Paris Dakar rallies, and garnered legions of fans along the way. It’s hard to meet someone who hasn’t owned an XT500, known someone who’s owned one, or dreamt of owning one. Given…
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We kick things off with a feel-good story of a botched Ducati 996 custom job, rescued by a talented garage builder. Then we look at a dazzling Yamaha SR500 flat tracker from 20-year-old Moritz Bree, a dustbin-faired Honda Dax from K-Speed, and a BMW CE 04 scooter from Deus ex Machina.
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In Jeremy Tagand’s early days as the resident wrench at Deus ex Machina Australia, the Kawasaki W650 was his bread and butter. Deus was one of the first shops to popularize the W650 as a custom project donor, demonstrating its versatility by customizing it repeatedly across a broad spectrum of styles. This particular Kawasaki W650…
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Held on Mexico’s Baja California Peninsula since 1962, the Baja 1000 is a desert race like no other. As mythical as it is grueling, finishing it requires skill, willpower, and a little luck; finishing on the podium, even more so. You’re looking at the motorcycle that took second place in last year’s running of the…
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Deus ex Machina leads this week’s round-up, with a Fantic Caballero scrambler that tips its hat to the Fantic enduros of the…
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Our first Speed Read of the year has something for everyone. We kick off with news of the new Triumph Daytona 660,…
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In our quest to pack Speed Read with every style of motorcycle imaginable, we’re kicking things off with a groovy 70s-style Royal…
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Two Yamaha singles book-end our selection this week. We kick off with a sharp custom Yamaha XT600 street tracker, then profile a…
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This week’s list starts with the first custom Honda Gyro X we’ve ever featured, courtesy of Deus ex Machina’s Japanese outpost. We…
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As custom BMW boxers go, the BMW R100R doesn’t get nearly as much love as its older siblings—but it should. BMW released…
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When I was a kid, my skateboard took me everywhere. It was a chunky Variflex (that’s all I could get in our…
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Deus ex Machina returns to their roots with a no-nonsense Kawasaki W650. We also profile a Honda CB550 café racer, a Kawasaki…
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