Category: Honda cafe racer

British motocross champion Billy MacKenzie builds an incredible CBX750. Royal Enfield reveals a +100 hp Continental GT dragster. And Rua Machines turn the Moto Guzzi Nevada into a thing of beauty. It’s been a week of surprises.

Royal Enfield LockStock We were all pretty excited when Royal Enfield pulled the wraps off their new line of parallel twin motorcycles. Not only did it mean there’d be another couple of classically styled bikes on our roads, but also two new bases from which builders could choose.

This custom is LockStock, a bottle-fed dragster based on the Continental GT. Outside of the new engine and some bits of the Conti’s cradle frame, little remains of the stock bike. The subframe has been re-engineered in-house for quarter-mile attack, and the lengthened swingarm no longer swings—it just keeps the bike planted.

A steering damper has been installed to reduce straightline chatter at speed and the ergonomics dictated by those U-shaped bars should keep the rider from attempting any drastic changes in direction.

In stock form, the 648cc twin musters up 47 hp of puff, but LockStock can take a hit from a little blue bottle for extra oomph. S&S Cycle helped bump power to over 100 hp with bored-out barrels, a competition camshaft and high-comp pistons, taking capacity to 865 cc. Make this available as a kit please, Enfield. [More]

Honda CBX750 by X-Axis We should have known when we sussed out X-Axis’ CX500 that the New South Wales shop has a knack for transforming quirky Hondas into rolling works of art. This time around, a 1984 CBX750 found its way onto their bench—and the results hit that mix of neo and retro in all the right places.

I’m probably showing my age, but a set of twin rectangular sealed beams will pique my interest every time. And despite my hatred of the 80s when I lived through them, the nostalgia is all so very real nowadays. According to shop leader (and former British MX-1 champ) Billy Mackenzie, the styling was influenced by the iconic Ferrari GTO of that era, hence the swooping lines on the tank, the Rosso Corsa colorway, and the aforementioned front end.

Nothing came easy on this build. To create a retro ride that would outperform today’s showroom sitters, Mackenzie and his crew fabricated quite a few special bits. To fit the new CBR600 front end, the CBX’s original wheel needed some serious work to mount up with the twin discs. And a new stem needed machining to have everything come together.

There are plenty more details that are worth your time and effort, so it’s a good idea to click on over to Return of the Cafe Racers for the full report.

BMW K100 by Les Ateliers du Dr Joë When Pyrenees-based tattoo artist Joël Alba found himself looking for a new mechanical project, his mind wandered to the BMW K-series. More specifically, Dr. Joë wanted to turn a flying brick into something that would resemble a race-bred, factory machine.

The K100 he sourced was promptly disassembled, and the transverse mounted engine was treated to a full teardown and rebuild. While the internals were being buttoned up, the Beemer’s frame had all of the tabs ground down, smoothed out and the whole kit was given a fresh coat of black lacquer.

But it’s the bodywork that steals the show here. Dr. Joë fabricated the new front fairing, windshield, tank, tank housing, seat and cowl in house. And, in our eyes, he’s done some splendid work. The way that front fairing finishes where the roundel would normally appear on the tank makes me smile. The fact that those roundels were swiped from a BMW Z4 and function as side markers is a crowning stroke.

It shows some serious dedication to getting proportions just right, adding depth to the visuals and a flair for the original. Which shouldn’t surprise, since Dr. Joë is also pretty handy with the hot needle too. [More]

Yamaha Virago by Jody Milhouse Whenever we run across a custom Virago, Greg Hageman’s name is typically on the build sheet. But the Yamaha V-Twin machine is starting to find favor amongst others as well. This one comes from 22-year old Jody Milhouse of Thornton Hundred Motorcycles, who some of you may remember from the CR500 we featured last year. And he’s done another cracking job.

If you were at this year’s Bike Shed show, you undoubtedly drooled over the Speed block liveried, monocoque tank and tail that Jody created for this tracker build. The lines are spot on and give this ‘83 Virago a muscular appearance it never had in stock form. More impressively, the sheet metal work is Jody’s first attempt to shape the stuff on a professional build.

Of course there’s more than just fancy bodywork going on here. The frame has been treated to a full bout of detabbing and a new subframe was put together too. The front end from a Monster 821 was fitted up front, and a conversion was made to a Magura hydraulic clutch. The 750 V-twin now inhales through a single Mikuni TM40 carb and exhales via a trick, custom exhaust setup that Jody capped with a handmade silencer. [More]

Moto Guzzi Nevada by Rua Machines When it was introduced, the Nevada 750 was applauded for its light, agile and quick handling. However, the cruiser stance didn’t advertise that fact—and it wasn’t exactly what we’d call a looker, either. On the other hand, this honey of a cafe’d version by Portugal’s Rua Machines looks ready to connect the dirty dozen apexes at Estoril and drop jaws along the pit lane.

Much of Mandello del Lario’s original handiwork has been cast aside. The bodywork is long gone, and the frame has been tweaked to give a flattened, racer stance. Armando Fontes and Victor Rocha looked to Guzzi’s Le Mans for inspiration and did an absolute stellar job on the new subframe, seat and tail section.

The tank is actually from Bologna, once laying atop a Ducati 350 GT, and the roots of the Verde Boreale paint can be traced back to Milan and Alfa Romeo. Set against the deep mahogany of the seat and grips, it’s a knockout combination.

Longer travel Bitubo shocks were hitched up to the rear, and the front forks have been rebuilt and renewed for a more sporting ride. This is helped with the more aggressive ergos delivered by the clip-ons and rearsets. Performance has been addressed by that gorgeous under-mount exhaust and a free breathing K&N air filter. [More]