Sticking to a tight customer’s budget I’ve built this bike for £5k in parts.
Donor bike was provide by the customer, a very tired ’87 Suzuki GS450.
Bike was completely torn down to component parts before the rebuild and customisation.
Frame has been shaved of any un-necessary lugs/brackets etc. opening up the section behind the carbs to give that classic lightened café racer look.
Keeping in the spirit of the builders that started the scene back in the 60’s I wanted to utilise used parts for other bikes, all sourced cheaply from breakers, online auction sites and contacts.
Refurbishing and customising before fitting to the build.
This bike has parts from bikes spanning over 4 decades!
At the rear the original swingarm has been reused, adding a top brace for styling.
Aftermarket piggy back reservoir shocks, custom painted to tie in the copper accent.
Converted to rear disc brake by the means of a custom 3D machined brake caliper hanger and a Brembo caliper from a ’94 Cagiva Mito and custom machined wave disc.
Up front sit ’99 Yamaha R6 forks and calipers sitting in a custom CNC’d top yolk with flush fitted Digi-dash and clip-ons.
Foot controls are taken care of via custom CNC’d rearsets.
Echoing the 70’s styling theme ’79 GS750 wheels were adapted to fit. The snowflake mag pattern tying in perfectly, with the added bonus of twin discs up front biting down Galfer wave discs.
The engine has been completely stripped down and refreshed, cases vapour blasted and left bare. Cylinders painted black with the edges exposed for a little extra flavour.
Adding custom 3D CNC’d SMD logo’d cam caps, ignition and stator covers.
Standard headers mate with a custom fabricated 2-1 link pipe exiting into a GPR tailpipe sourced 2nd hand originally designed for a BMW R1100GS.
The iconic ‘ducktail’ XR11 seat unit was a must on this build, I used a repro fibreglass seat unit, adding additional strengthening returns underneath, extending the front to follow the bikes lines and flow into the tank. Frenched in a tail light from a Ducati 916, the twin square lenses just look ‘right’!
Tank is ’82 GSX250 with the original locking fuel filler replaced by a Monza style quick release.
All electrics have been relocated within the ducktail void, power taken care of by a tiny Li-io battery, feeding the various components through the frame on a custom made loom.
Colour scheme is Audi Nardo grey with custom mixed metallic, pearl flip copper accent strip.
