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OUTSIDE THE BOX: BMW R75 ‘The Shark’ by Titan Motorcycle Co.
Written by Martin Hodgson
WEAPON OF MASS SEDUCTION: MV Agusta ‘La Rouge’ by Tricana Motorcycles
Written by Tim Huber.
MV Agusta has a rich and lengthy race history as one of the winningest motorcycle marques of all time with the Varese firm having nabbed more than 75 world titles between ’52 and ’74. The company’s also had the honor of seeing a slew of motorcycling legends pass through its ranks and pilot its bikes with racers like Phil Read and Giacomo Agostini famously at the helm. So, it’s frankly unsurprising that when looking to build an MV Agusta-based cafe racer, that Switzerland’s Tricana Motorcycle’s would draw inspiration from the Italian brand’s illustrious race machines from around half-a-century-ago.
DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL: Yamaha XV750 by Purpose Built Moto
Written by Martin Hodgson
They say the devil is in the detail, and it is this aspect that separates the best from the rest amongst the thousands of custom bikes built every year. The ability to incorporate form and function into every aspect of a bike and yet still stay true to a cohesive design is rare. It’s here that Tom Gilroy shines and combined with his customer friendly approach has lifted him to the upper echelons of Australian bike building. Now the Purpose Built Moto head honcho is leaving 2019 the way he started, with a flurry of exceptional builds rolling out of his workshop, and his latest is this stunning Yamaha XV750.
SHAPE SHIFTER: BMW R90 by Catskill Mountain Customs Inc.
Written by Martin Hodgson
ROUGH DIAMOND: BMW R100GS by Diamond Atelier
Written by Tim Huber.
When Diamond Atelier first burst onto the scene in 2013 with its inaugural BMW R80 project, it was abundantly clear that the two 20-something-year-old German builders possessed a near-prodigious level of talent and skill when it came to customizing motorcycles. And while the world-renowned shop has stepped out of the limelight for the majority of 2019, that doesn’t mean major moves weren’t happening behind closed doors.
LICENCE TO THRILL: Honda FT500 by Hombrese Bikes
Written by Martin Hodgson
THE BIKES THAT GOT US MOVING: EICMA 2019
Honda CB4X Concept
Designed by Honda’s European R&D team lead by Valerio Aiello, the CB4X is Big Red’s latest CBR650F-based concept bike. The 4X boasts a sharp futuristic design with a one-piece tank and front-fairing unit with wing-esque protrusions just above the radiator, and a host of LED lights tucked beneath the nose, resulting in a smooth form somewhat reminiscent of race bodywork. The front of the bike also sports aggressive looking hand guards, an adjustable windscreen, Ohlins forks, and a dual disc Brembo brake setup.
GENTLEMAN RACER: Honda CB350F Board Tracker by Smith Brother’s
Written by Martin Hodgson
MAGNIFICENT MAGGOT: Honda CX500 ‘Mustang’ by Underground Custom Cycles
Written by Martin Hodgson
When you’re a Ford Mustang owner but all you want to do is ride around, what better way to do it than to have a matching motorcycle parked in the garage. Living in the beautiful seaside city of Limassol, Cyprus, there is no shortage of spectacular roads to enjoy and vistas to appreciate when parked up. So to make the dream a reality the original importer of the bike, Petros Louca of Underground Custom Cycles was tracked down to carry out the build. With the Mustang as his muse he emerged from his workshop with the perfect CX500 cafe racer, a Cypriot chariot to carve up the coastline.
KREATIVE EXPRESSION: BMW K75C by JAX Garage
Written by Tim Huber.
Building custom bikes means different things to different people. For some it’s a way to make a living, while for others it’s a means of blowing off steam and getting to unleash a little creativity upon the world. For Australia’s Jas Babalija, it’s very much the latter. The Melbourne-based bike enthusiast holds a number of largely clinical positions by day, leaving little to no room in his work life for any form of real self expression.
