Practicality is a hot topic around here—so much so that we’ve added the word ‘fenders’ to our comment moderation watch list.
But our own tastes are eclectic, and we can appreciate everything from finely tuned race machines to bobbers with wafer-thin saddles. And we love the machines that roll out of K-Speed.
We’ve seen them subtly tweak modern Triumphs to perfection—and then build dark and scruffy BMWs that arrest our attention every time.
This one is called Diablo and it has no fenders, a dubious seat and trials tires—but it’s just so damn cool. And no, it’s not another BMW; it’s an early-80s 750cc Ural boxer knockoff.
K-Speed’s primary business is parts and accessories. They’re based in Bangkok, but have branches all over Thailand. With their ears close to the ground, they spotted this Ural in a junkyard in the northern eastern region—incomplete, but still plated.
“We wanted to buy it because of the boxer engine,” they tell us. “We tried to start the engine—and luckily it worked! But at that time our garage had a lot of jobs to do, so we left the Ural for three months.”
“We got the bike very cheap, and we set the budget for customizing at 50,000 Baht (about $1,400). That made it very challenging for us.”
K-Speed started at the back, lopping off the subframe in favor of a gusseted, single tube support to hold the solo perch. An off-the-shelf taillight is neatly tucked into the end.
The fuel tank’s an old Kawasaki TL unit, found at a second hand market. And the handlebars are second-hand too—fitted with Biltwell Inc. grips, and new controls and switches.
This particular Ural came with an Earle’s-style leading link front end—a rare feature that K-Speed wanted to keep. So they simply upgraded the suspension, fitting shorter YSS shocks at both ends to lower the bike.
While the bike’s lacking in gauges or turn signals, it does have a headlight: a modded spotlight retrieved from the garden of K-Speed’s boss, Eak…
The engine, carbs and airbox have mostly been left stock, but K-Speed have added a new set of mufflers. And they’ve refinished everything in black, with select fins polished to add some contrast.
Even the wheels received the two-tone treatment, before they were wrapped in vintage 19” trials tires.
You might think the fuel tank is too small, the seat is too thin, the bike is too low or the tires are too silly. But we think K-Speed’s Ural is pure punk rock—and a reminder of why we got into custom bikes in the first place.
K-Speed website | Images by OverRide Photo
