Tag: Motorcycle

Whether you build one yourself or commission a top-tier workshop to do it for you, a good custom motorcycle isn’t cheap. Antonio Rodriguez, founder of 72 Performance USA in Texas, realizes this, so he’s launched a sub-brand to cater to customers who want something special without going the whole hog. It’s called Anonymous Motorcycles—and this BMW K75 scrambler is its first offering. “We want to cater to those motorcycle enthusiasts who desire the exclusivity of a custom-built bike, without necessarily requiring the high-end, premium equipment featured on our sig

It’s easy to imagine any motorcyclist growing up in the 70s fixating on Yamaha RDs. The bikes were fast and ferocious smokers. And their reputation was only enhanced by their close ties to Yamaha’s production racers. The culmination of that history was the 1976 release of the air-cooled, two-stroke twin, the RD350’s bigger brother, the RD400.

Our weekly offering of custom motorcycle news features three modern classics from different parts of the world. Japan’s Heiwa MC delivers a handsome Triumph Bonneville bobber, Ireland’s Medaza Cycles customizes the Royal Enfield Shotgun 650, and Germany’s Woidwerk serves up a pair of modern BMW boxer customs.

I’d call myself a multi-discipline rider if anyone ever asked, and that’s not to say that I’ve mastered multiple forms of competition (I haven’t), but instead, that no two days in the saddle are ever quite the same. While I invest the majority of my disposable income in one type of riding, I keep an older machine or two around for when I feel like cosplaying as a canyon carver or a bagger guy. I think it’s the attainable version of the different bike for every day of the week sort of dream, but you’d go broke keeping enough gear on the shelf to look the part every time. Or would you?

The color black has been a staple of motorcycle customization for as long as the art form has existed, but it’s often overused. While it’s tempting to murder a bike out from head to toe, the results can look cheap and nasty. The trick is to add some contrast—like Reier Motors has done with this Honda CB350 café racer. Based in Salzburg, Austria, Reier Motors is a full-service workshop that handles everything from maintenance to full-on custom builds. The

Taiwan’s blossoming custom motorcycle scene regularly introduces us to domestic-market bikes that would be considered obscure almost anywhere else. The Kymco KTR 150 is a firm favorite among local workshops, as are the humble commuter machines from Hartford. Another nimble runabout has just emerged from under the radar: the Suzuki BS125. Manufactured in Taiwan during the 1980s and sold exclusively on the local market, the Suzuki BS125 was a single-cylinder, two-stroke motorcycle that quickly gained popularity among delivery riders. This 1985-model BS

From coveted Knuckleheads to iconic Pans and Shovels, the history of Harley-Davidson has, and will always, be a tale of storied engines. All lore aside, it’s the middle-age Evolution engine that’s credited with saving the brand, and while the Evo’s time has come and gone, there’s no denying that it continues to be a staple of the custom scene, especially in the Sportster platform.

Niche as it is, the performance bagger scene is having its moment in the spotlight—thanks largely to the wildly entertaining King of the Baggers racing series. Baggers are fast evolving from grandad tourers into adrenaline-fueled machines with miles of attitude. The whole concept is slightly unhinged, but we’re here for it. Indian Motorcycle’s latest custom build initiative is a full-throttle tribute to performance bagger culture. As part of the American marque’s ‘Forged’ series, three Indian Chieftain

Clean. That’s the word the Del Prado brothers hear most often. Clean. Standing in their shop in New River, AZ, where everything has its place, it’s clear this is no coincidence. The safety goggles sit folded next to the electric tape atop a bright red tool cabinet, the tools tucked quietly inside. There’s a shelf for paint, a desk for business, and a work bench divides the room into halves, a side for each brother. But this isn’t the pretty face of some bought-and-paid-for shop.

In a break from their usual programming, Germany’s WalzWerk delivers a BMW R80 with an intriguing mash-up of styles. Over in the USA, SMCO modifies the LiveWire S2 Del Mar electric street tracker, while Moto Borgotaro unearths an almost-zero-mile Ducati 900 SS.