Triumph Scrambler 'A.R.D' - Anvil Motociclette

There's nothing quite like a motorbike that has been painted matte black. Sure, these days you see the use of matte black on everything, hell, I've even seen a 'murdered out' Rolls Royce recently. But nothing beats a blacked out motorcycle, they just look tough. Add a good set of knobby tires and it instantly turns the look of the bike into something Steve McQueen would outrun Nazi's on, or you'd find in a vintage motocross race. And that's exactly the look these Italian brothers from Anvil Motociclette were going for. The latest bike to roll out of their Milan based shop is this rugged looking Triumph Scrambler, and they've done more than just add some knobby tires.

Click to read more ...

Honda CB360 – 'Doris'

Written by Ian Lee.

Simple and aggressive. This was the build brief for today's feature bike, a bare bones scrambler Honda CB360. Built by Brandon Nelson, who up until two years ago had no real interest in motorbikes, let alone custom ones, but this is definitely a kick ass start to his bike building portfolio. Starting with a non runner CB he picked up off the internet, Brandon has created his first frame off rebuild – and we think he has created a truly unique little stripped back and minimalist mono motorbike.

Click to read more ...

Royal Enfield Bullet 500 - Hazan Motorworks

Craftsmanship is a word that gets thrown around a lot in relation to custom bikes. And fair enough, really. Unless you can create something purely by removing parts from a factory bike, you'll probably get to the point where you have to fashion, fold, or file something sooner or later. But as any of us who have actually worked with metal in anger will know, there's a world of difference between one man's ‘that'll do’ an another's. Meet Max Hazan and the latest build out of his Hazan Motorworks shop in Brooklyn, New York. It's pretty obvious to us that Max's ‘that'll do’ is, well... let's just say that Max doesn't do ‘that'll do’. Not at all.

Click to read more ...

Ducati 1098S - Shed X ‘Malizia’

Written by Phil Guy.

The genesis for the latest to roll out of Sydney’s Shed-X came almost a year ago, when their first build, a wicked café/street hybrid dubbed ‘Bastardo’, caught the eye of a potential buyer. The buyer had a problem, though. To free up some cash for ‘Bastardo’ he needed first to sell his mint 1098S, but in a flooded market he was getting little joy. At about this juncture we can assume the term ‘trade-in’ was uttered. And thus ‘Malizia’ was born. "As soon as I test rode the 1098S," Neil from Shed-X explains, "I knew we could do something with it to make it more enjoyable around the streets".

Click to read more ...

Honda FT500 - Lorenzo Buratti

Written by Ian Lee.

Big 500cc thumper engine. Good ground clearance. Hell, the FT in FT500 stands for flat tracker. It’s a good start for a custom build, that is if you are able to see past the 80s plastic fantastic styling, and even more unique if you keep the Comstar styled wheels, even though they aren’t the most popular option. Lorenzo Buratti could see past all that, his latest build a 1982 Honda FT500 named ‘Metropolitan’. Here is the build concept in his words: ‘it’s all about a city playbike, light and manoeuvrable in traffic, low seat, something different to the hundreds of café racer styled bikes’. Café racer it ain’t, but it would sure cut a mean image tearing down city streets, and the sound would definitely match the imagery.

Click to read more ...

Ducati Monster - Rive Gauche Kustoms

Written by Phil Guy.

Not all builds need be the equivalent of a heart transplant. Some are constrained by time, others by budget, and then there are those bikes that simply don’t need a complete overhaul to begin with. The team at Rive Gauche Kustoms faced a combination of the latter two recently when their web designer, Marco, handed them the keys to his perfectly serviceable Ducati Monster 600, and not a whole lot of cash. 

The Parisian crew have a fine record of street trackers, but this time the remit called for something different, a skate-influenced, pure streeter. So, with modest mechanical work and a slew of custom touches, a motorcycle facelift if you will, they turned out this ‘street trasher’. 

Click to read more ...

Kawasaki GT550 - Auto Fabrica

Less is more. It's a phrase that's tossed around with more reckless abandon than an SUV being driven by a texting teenager. Most builders think that stripping the indicators and mirrors off of their latest project bike gives them a ‘clean and minimal’ look. But we're here to tell you that as far as minimal goes, that's just the tip of the iceberg. Want to see the other 90% beneath the surface? Look no further than the inaugural build from London's Auto Fabrica - their ‘Type One’.

Click to read more ...

BMW R65 - Hook Motors & Totti Motori

Written by Ian Lee.

Solid. If I was going to use one word to describe the BMW R series bikes built in the 80’s, that is the word I would use. From all angles you can see it’s packing some bulk, even from the rear, with it’s horizontal heads sticking out wide. As today’s feature bike from Hook Motors shows, they also make a solid base for a scrambler type build, it’s aesthetic giving the idea that if you can’t find a way around, you could just wind on the throttle and punch your way through. Fat offroad tyres, exhaust & handlebars all give the effect of something you could take to the trails on a Sunday, and be able to ride it home afterwards with little issue. Or in the words of Hook Motors "Designed for hill or dirt roads alike, this special motorcycle feels light and manageable. This bike is meant to be ridden hard". Amen to that.

Click to read more ...

Montessa Enduro 75L - Macco Motors

Written by Ian Lee.

Sometimes when it comes to customisation, less is more. Small touches can make for better build ideas than large sweeping changes in the course of a build. This can help to keep the original spirit of an already cool bike, whilst making the machine unique in own right, something not all builders are capable of. It’s definitely something that Macco Motors has now shown they can accomplish, in only the second build released from their workshop in the south of Spain. After being brought a barn find 1976 Montesa Enduro 75L, the two brothers have added the Macco Motors touch, while following the owners words: "I want people to put their touch on it, but I want people to say that’s a Montesa Enduro…" and isn't she gorgeous?

Click to read more ...