Category: Honda motorcycles

Spanish Flyer: A Honda CB1000R tweaked for the track

Post author By Chris Hunter
Post date March 23, 2019

For power junkies, the Honda CB1000R is one of the best roadsters on the market today. The build quality is superlative, the Fireblade-derived inline four pumps out a stonking 143 hp, and the Showa suspension is top-notch.

We’re on the fence when it comes to the ‘neo sports café’ styling though. So news of a custom competition to revamp the CB1000R piqued our interest at EXIF HQ. Dealer competitions are usually a bit hit-and-miss, but the standard is remarkably high in this one.

It’s run by Honda Iberia, and open to dealers in Spain, Portugal, and the Balearic Islands. Thirteen shops took up the challenge, and our favorite build is this flat track-inspired machine from Comercial Impala of Barcelona.

Impala is a ‘HondaONE’ dealer, a badge reserved for the very best concesionarios, and this custom will certainly bolster the reputation of their workshop.

“When they proposed that we customize a CB1000R, we had a lot of ideas immediately,” says Enric Ferreres, Impala’s commercial manager. “The bike is an incredible base. But we also had a limited budget. So we decided to build a motorcycle with only a few extras added. A flat track race bike was perfect.”

The budget for custom work was just €3,000—around $3,400. So a little ingenuity was required.

The Impala mechanics dismantled the original rear subframe and replaced it with a new one—designed in SolidWorks and made out of aluminum. “It’s shorter, lighter and more minimal than the original.”

All the subframe pieces were laser-cut and screwed together, with no welding required. Then, after checking that there was enough room for some of the CB1000R’s essential electrics, Impala crafted a tail and seat unit out of fiberglass.

The fiberglass tail was made to measure, respecting the original proportions of a typical flat tracker, and is a surprisingly good visual fit to the angular CB1000R tank. The one-piece unit screws directly to the new subframe.

The next job was to trim the wiring loom and remove any systems not required for the track. So it was goodbye to the traction control and ABS, the lights, the blinkers and the digital display.

The original bars were replaced by an oversized aluminum Jared Mees replica bend manufactured by the French specialist Neken. The left control buttons were binned, leaving only the start button on the right side of the bar.

The brakes had to stay, but the master cylinders (and hand levers) have been upgraded to Brembo components. In place of the headlight is a classic number plate, with laser-cut mounts again designed in SolidWorks for a factory-level fit.

Given the output of the stock engine, no substantial mods were necessary. But Impala have installed pod filters on custom mounts and an IXRACE exhaust system, deleting the catalytic converter. Interestingly, the CB1000R electronics handled the changes without any hiccups.

Impala have also swapped out the original Bridgestone S21 tires for more dirt-oriented Pirelli MT60s, and added custom fork protectors too—with brackets designed in CAD and using the mounting points of the original fender.

The icing on this particular cake is lustrous gold paint—a nod to the famous ‘Candy Gold’ seen fifty years ago on the grandfather of the CB series, the 1969 CB750.

But what we really want to know is: what’s it like to ride? “It’s awesome,” says Enric. “150 hp on the dirt track is crazy—and for expert riders only, jajaja!”

The good news is that Impala are probably going to produce a street version of this CB1000R, with all the legal niceties left intact. Now that could tip us over the edge to put the big inline-four in the EXIF garage.

Who else is feeling the vibe?

Honda Garage Dreams | Instagram | Honda Impala | Instagram | Images by Diego Bemúdez

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Soichiro’s finest: the Honda RC30

Post author By Chris Hunter
Post date February 28, 2019

Soichiro’s finest: A Honda RC30 VFR750R owned by the Italian motorcycle photographer Alessio Barbanti
Motorcyclists are a well-read bunch. Despite the well-publicized travails of some mainstream magazine publishers, the niche market is booming. Every country with a reasonably large population seems to have an independent magazine devoted to custom or ‘alt.moto’ culture.

The latest entrant to this pleasingly busy market is Retro-RR from England. It’s a high-quality quarterly with 132 pages, celebrating bikes that were ridden or raced in the 80s and 90s.

We were so impressed with the launch edition, we asked if we could reproduce an abridged version of our favorite article—covering the mighty Honda RC30. Enjoy.

Soichiro’s finest: A Honda RC30 VFR750R owned by the Italian motorcycle photographer Alessio Barbanti
In an age of prosperity, huge tobacco sponsorship and an impending inaugural World Superbike championship, building a winner was the only thing that mattered to the mighty Honda Racing Corporation.

In the late eighties the VFR750R—better known as the RC30—was a dream for engineers and designers. With all emphasis on creating a race-winning production machine with very little regard for the budget, the bike that spawned the term ‘homologation special’ was generously bestowed with magnesium and titanium.

Soichiro’s finest: A Honda RC30 VFR750R owned by the Italian motorcycle photographer Alessio Barbanti
Honda’s engineers already knew how to make a reliable V4 motor and, externally at least, the RC30 motor closely resembled the unit used in the road-going VFR750F. But now they had the opportunity to refine it further, make it lighter and increase the power — to produce the ultimate four-stroke racing engine.

Based on the RVF endurance racer (not to be confused with the later RVF750 RC45) the RC30 used titanium con rods and forged two-ring pistons with skirts so short they weren’t allowed to leave the house.

Soichiro’s finest: A Honda RC30 VFR750R owned by the Italian motorcycle photographer Alessio Barbanti
The firing order was changed to a big-bang configuration with a totally new crank; new, hardened valves were used; the lubrication system was uprated and the gear-drive for the camshafts was revised.

Casings were machined differently for the new oil galleries and the rev ceiling was raised from 11,000 to 12,500rpm. It even had a slipper clutch, long before they became the norm. Only the V4 architecture truly remained.

Soichiro’s finest: A Honda RC30 VFR750R owned by the Italian motorcycle photographer Alessio Barbanti
Each of the 3,000 RC30s produced were hand-built in the racing division of the Hamamatsu plant alongside the factory racers. The geometry was sharp and short and the twin-spar aluminum frame was pared down to save weight but was still stiff where it mattered.

Fully adjustable Showa suspension graced both ends with the front forks designed for speedy front wheel changes. The single-sided swinging arm made for similarly rapid rear wheel swaps; this was a bike that had all the ingredients, both mechanically and aesthetically.

Soichiro’s finest: A Honda RC30 VFR750R owned by the Italian motorcycle photographer Alessio Barbanti
While super-exotic, on paper the numbers didn’t really stack up. In unrestricted form, the bike was claimed to produce 118bhp and 51ft-lb of torque. Hardly staggering performance figures, even with a best-in-class dry weight of 180kg.

But on the racetrack that sublime chassis and motor with its flat, almost totally linear, torque curve added up to a fast lap time. It was easy on the tyres and more importantly, easy on the rider. Never before had the term ‘racer on the road’ been more apt.

Soichiro’s finest: A Honda RC30 VFR750R owned by the Italian motorcycle photographer Alessio Barbanti
The RC30 soon proved to be the bike to be on. The insanely talented Fred Merkel took the inaugural World Superbike title in 1988 and the American confirmed it was no fluke by repeating the feat the following year.

It won domestic championships the world over and tamed the toughest racetrack of them all, the Mountain Course on the Isle of Man. Legendary riders such as Steve Hislop, Joey Dunlop, Phillip McCallen and Nick Jefferies all took TT victories aboard the RC30. It wasn’t long before pretty much every privateer racer wanted one.

Soichiro’s finest: A Honda RC30 VFR750R owned by the Italian motorcycle photographer Alessio Barbanti
More than 30 years on, finding a mint example of one of Soichiro Honda’s most memorable motorcycles before his passing in 1991 isn’t easy. Most have been either raced or crashed. Or both.

But every once in a while, an opportunity presents itself. This is exactly what happened to our friend, Alessio Barbanti [below]. He’s one of the most respected photographers in motorcycling and a thoroughly Italian man who knows style when he sees it.

Soichiro’s finest: A Honda RC30 VFR750R owned by the Italian motorcycle photographer Alessio Barbanti
“I wanted an RC30 for a very long time,” says Alessio. “It was always the dream bike, the one on top of my list. To find one in good condition is very hard.”

“About two years ago a friend called me and said to come over for coffee. Nothing unusual about that, so I strolled over to his workshop and there it was, my dream machine.”

Soichiro’s finest: A Honda RC30 VFR750R owned by the Italian motorcycle photographer Alessio Barbanti
“It belonged to an old Italian guy who’d been living in the USA for about 30 years and had retired to his homeland. The bike was an American-spec bike but not restricted — I spent so much time researching to make sure it was full power and that it wasn’t going to give me problems.”

“I was very lucky. You might say ‘in the right place at the right time’. The bike is in almost perfect condition, everything is genuine Honda and I have the original exhaust too.”

Soichiro’s finest: A Honda RC30 VFR750R owned by the Italian motorcycle photographer Alessio Barbanti
“The one is fitted with the HRC race kit exhaust, which I’ve since found out is incredibly rare. It runs perfectly too. I think the former owner really loved this bike which explains why he was so emotional when he sold it.”

We’re still waiting for an invite to the Italian Alps to find out for ourselves just how good Alessio’s bike is. Though I have a feeling we might be waiting some time.

Retro-RR | Facebook | Instagram | Original words: Rob Hoyles | Images: Matteo Cavadini, Alessio Barbanti

Soichiro’s finest: A Honda RC30 VFR750R owned by the Italian motorcycle photographer Alessio Barbanti

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RC Dept’s Honda Dominator: Big style from a tiny country

Post author By Chris Hunter
Post date February 26, 2019

The modern custom scene has infiltrated the most distant corners of the world. This very slick custom Honda Dominator comes from the tiny European principality of Andorra—the 16th smallest country in the world. (At 181 square miles, it’s about an eighth of the size of Rhode Island.)

Despite its compact dimensions, Andorra is now home its first fully-equipped custom workshop: RC Dept, run by Roberto Conde. And he’s not alone in his passion for bikes.

“Andorra is full of motorcycle enthusiasts and collectors,” he reveals. “There are many big private collections—some exceeding 200 bikes. You can find amazing bikes from Vincent, Matchless and Norton. And Triumph prototypes, official MotoGP bikes from the 60s and 70s, vintage off-road racers and much more.”

Roberto’s Dominator could hold its own against many of those bikes. And as you’d expect from a former Dakar factory team mechanic, the build quality is tremendous.

Roberto says the budget was ‘comfortable but defined’ when this 1990-spec Dommie arrived in his workshop. He’s based in the mountain village of Santa Coloma, some 3,700 feet above sea level, and shares the space with second mechanic Pierre Carcouet and company manager Marc Casadevall.

Since the engine was almost thirty years old, RC Dept stripped it down and gave it a thorough overhaul, including a new camshaft. It’s also been treated to a coat of black paint on the cases, to balance the black bodywork.

The frame was heavily reworked too, with a new rear section designed to take a waspish tail unit. Motocross pegs have been added on, and even the side-stand has been repositioned.

With the engine shoehorned back into the frame, it was time to craft an exhaust system. Roberto and his crew built a completely custom system from scratch using stainless steel, with multiple bends snaking around the cylinder head and the frame tubes. It’s terminated with a stubby SuperTrapp muffler.

The 41mm forks have been overhauled and lowered, and the rear monoshock has been upgraded to a YSS unit, adjustable for both length and rebound. The stance is now spot on.

As a true dual sport, the NX650 originally had a 21-inch front wheel and a 17-inch rear, hooked up to the famous Pro-Link suspension.

RC Dept have evened things out with new 19-inch rims front and rear for a hint of a tracker vibe, painted black, and added street legal Mitas H-18 flat track rubber. (There’s a new front sprocket to keep the gearing within range.)

Sharp eyes will recognize the Honda CG125 fuel tank, an inspired choice that’s matched to a flat track tail unit. Side plates and a curved front plate with a built-in LED light complete the look—all subtly shaped for maximum impact.

New bars are fitted with a Motogadget Motoscope Mini digital speedometer,  and a fresh set of controls and push-button switches. They’re hooked up to a new, stripped-down wiring loom.

Like everything else on this Dominator, the effect is ultra-minimalist. That’s unusual for a tracker-style bike, but it works perfectly here—right down to the satin black paint with white and gold striping.

We rarely feature custom Dominators because most look slightly awkward after they’ve gone under the grinder—especially if they’ve been given the short-seat treatment.

But this one ticks all the boxes, and suggests that the tracker style is a great match for the Dommie frame. And despite Andorra’s tiny population, we don’t think RC Dept are going to be short of work.

RC Dept | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Sam Decout

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A Honda CB350 restomod built by a jet aircraft mechanic

Post author By Chris Hunter
Post date February 19, 2019

1972 Honda CB350 restomod built by Merlin Cycleworks
It’s quite rare for a CB cafe racer to land in the Bike EXIF inbox these days. And we politely turn down most that do.

But this CB350 from New Jersey went straight to the top of the pile: it’s an absolutely state of the art restomod, and so beautifully finished we’d almost be scared to ride it.

1972 Honda CB350 restomod built by Merlin Cycleworks

It comes from Merlin Cycleworks, which is run by 56-year-old Mark Kouri. Mark’s been an aircraft mechanic for over 30 years—repairing jets for United Airlines—and you can see his attention to detail in this amazing build.

When he’s not repairing or replacing jet engines or fixing autopilots, he builds customs in his two-car garage at home. “I’m a one-man shop,” he tells us. “I started the business a few years ago, after finding a 1974 CB450 parked in my neighbor’s back yard.”

1972 Honda CB350 restomod built by Merlin Cycleworks
“He parked it in 1983, and it sat there until I purchased it for $100 and brought it back to life as a brat style/café-type bike. The bike took first place in five out of the six shows I entered it in.” Not surprisingly, word got around and business boomed.

Mark happened across this 1972 CB350 in a Texas barn last year, bought it for $600, and promptly broke it down to the frame. “I like to think of it as a more modern, upgraded version of a 1970s factory racing bike,” he says.

1972 Honda CB350 restomod built by Merlin Cycleworks
“The goal was increased power, better handling, and more reliability. I think we checked every box.”

There’s something reassuring about knowing an aircraft mechanic built a bike, and Mark has done an extremely thorough job. He’s detabbed the frame, heavily reinforced it, and even re-engineered the back half—eliminating the factory pressed steel frame.

1972 Honda CB350 restomod built by Merlin Cycleworks
Slotted into the upgraded frame is a comprehensively rebuilt engine—although it only had 7,000 miles on the clock. It’s now sporting Wiseco oversized 10.5:1 pistons, a custom-ground Megacycle race cam, and Kibblewhite ‘Black Diamond’ valves.

Helping to dial in the race cam was ex-factory racer Frank Giannini of Giannini Racing—a multiple USCRA class champion. Spark comes from a Charlie’s Place ignition, along with a Rick’s Hotshot high output rotor and stator. And there’s an Antigravity 8-cell battery hidden in the rear cowl.

1972 Honda CB350 restomod built by Merlin Cycleworks
Mark’s had the engine cases powdercoated, along with most of the other mechanical parts. The tank, forks and fairings are painted in high-end BASF Glasurit paint, with ceramic coatings and XPEL protective film applied on top.

Mark made the exhaust himself, using back-purged TIG welded steel, and 1.25″ diameter tubing to maintain torque. It’s .060 wall 304 stainless, with a Cone Engineering muffler, and Mark also fabricated the inlets at the head on his lathe.

1972 Honda CB350 restomod built by Merlin Cycleworks
The chunky front end is a rebuilt 2005-spec Suzuki GSX-R750 fitment, held in place by custom triple trees from Cognito Moto, with high performance Gazi shocks bringing up the rear. (The color-coding on the forks is a nod to the Honda practice of painting the fork uppers the same color as the tank.)

To reduce unsprung weight, Mark has installed Excel Takasago aluminum rims, powdercoated black. They’re laced with Buchanan’s stainless steel spokes to rebuilt hubs—a Cognito Moto at the front and a Honda OEM at the rear. The rubber is a mix of Continental’s Road Attack and Classic Attack.

1972 Honda CB350 restomod built by Merlin Cycleworks
The brakes have been rebuilt and powdered, and hooked up to Brembo masters via braided steel lines.

The clip-on bars are Vortex, the levers are from ASV, there’s a Domino quick-action race throttle, and the classy billet switchgear is from our friends at Renard Speed Shop in Estonia. The instrument is a combined GPS speedo/tach from Speedhut.

1972 Honda CB350 restomod built by Merlin Cycleworks
Everything’s hooked up via a new wiring loom, using aircraft-grade connectors—as you might expect, given Mark’s day job. It’s all routed into a Motogadget m.unit, which is hidden under the seat along with the starter solenoid and a central ground bus.

There’s a custom belly pan to shield the exhaust: Mark fabricated this in-house using .060 aluminum, teaching himself how to use an English wheel as he went along.

1972 Honda CB350 restomod built by Merlin Cycleworks
He also built and fabricated the seat unit, which is covered in Alcantara with stitching to match the blue in the gorgeous two-tone paint.

We’re spoilt for choice when it comes to custom Hondas, but this one goes straight into our all-time Top Ten CBs.

Love your work, Mark.

Merlin Cycleworks Instagram | Images by Charles Thorpe

1972 Honda CB350 restomod built by Merlin Cycleworks

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This CB750 cafe racer roams the capital of Pakistan

Post author By Chris Hunter
Post date January 30, 2019

1977 Honda CB750 Super Sport cafe racer
There are around 2.5 million motorcycles on the road in Pakistan. Which sounds impressive until you learn that the population is over 210 million—and most of those bikes are tiny Chinese- and Japanese-made commuters.

The custom scene is virtually non-existent, because the import duty on motorcycles is a whopping 50%, and there are sales taxes on top. Which also explains why there are only about a dozen Honda CB750s in the whole country.

1977 Honda CB750 Super Sport cafe racer
This is one of those CB750s: a 1977 Super Sport owned by reader Haris Aziz of Islamabad. And it’s the first bike we’ve featured from the world’s sixth most populous country.

“I had no plans to make a cafe racer: I just loved the model as it is,” Haris tells us. “This Super Sport was a runner, but in poor condition. Most of the fittings were either broken or covered in surface rust.”

1977 Honda CB750 Super Sport cafe racer
Haris rode the CB750 for a year and resisted the temptation to mess with it. “I absolutely adore the cafe racer look, but with imports banned, the remaining CB750s are the last of the breed.”

But when he couldn’t delay the repairs any longer, Haris found out that a stock restoration would cost too much—due to the poor rupee-dollar exchange rate. He decided to have it custom built.

1977 Honda CB750 Super Sport cafe racer
“I chose Zeeshan Motorsports in Karachi to do the job,” he says. “They have exquisite attention to detail and experience with big Japanese bikes.” Karachi, by the way, is a 20-hour, 900-mile drive from Haris’ home city.

Haris designed the bodywork (“using my horrible Photoshop skills”) and ZMS beat it out to the exact same proportions. Interestingly, the guys used the Golden Ratio to achieve the perfect balance of tank, seat and cowl.

1977 Honda CB750 Super Sport cafe racer
“A Bike EXIF how-to-article also inspired me: I made sure the angles were all perfect, such as the angle of the headers to the frame, the muffler to the seat, and so on.”

The subframe is actually unmodified, and retains the original seat hoop— although it’s been detabbed to give it that smooth and sleek look.

1977 Honda CB750 Super Sport cafe racer
While the new bodywork was being hammered out, ZMS also carried out a complete engine overhaul and fitted a Barnett racing clutch.

The ‘sidewinder’ exhaust was custom-made in Pakistan with a stainless steel muffler. “Tuning the carburetors was a challenge,” Haris reveals. “So we built a custom airbox, mounted a single pod filter, and switched to a Suzuki GS1000 CDI ignition to make starting and riding more reliable.”

1977 Honda CB750 Super Sport cafe racer
There’s a new headlight—which at 4400 lumens is a huge improvement on the original—and an aftermarket taillight and blinker set.

There’s also new wiring throughout, and an interesting starting mechanism: an aircraft-style toggle for the kill switch, and a starter button right on top of the triple tree. (“It makes starting her a joy every time!”)

1977 Honda CB750 Super Sport cafe racer
“The Honda was built on a budget, so unfortunately we couldn’t fit high-end gear such as the Motogadget m.unit,” says Haris. “But that doesn’t rule out future upgrades!”

There were no corners cut on the paint scheme, though. It accentuates the flat, free-flowing bodywork, with coach lines hand painted by an expert local craftsman. The frame and (original) wheels were painted black, and the deep blue tank and cowl make the raw metal of the engine pop.

1977 Honda CB750 Super Sport cafe racer
“We’re all extremely proud of the way she turned out,” says Haris. “Especially given the limited knowledge and budget we had.”

“The cafe racer culture is just starting here in Pakistan, but most bikes are single cylinders and no one is venturing into the complicated world of big four-cylinders.”

1977 Honda CB750 Super Sport cafe racer
We reckon it’s an amazing result. And proof that sometimes, constraints can force you to be more creative.

Images by Saad Zia Photography.

1977 Honda CB750 Super Sport cafe racer

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Deus builds a wild street tracker for Dani Pedrosa

Post author By Wesley Reyneke
Post date January 24, 2019

Dani Pedrosa's Honda CR500 street tracker motorcycle
Building a custom bike for a motorcycle racer is a tall order. And the stakes are even higher when your customer is one of the fastest riders in the world.

Dani Pedrosa hung up his MotoGP leathers at the end of last year, with 54 wins to his name. That makes him the seventh winningest racer in GP history, tied with Mick Doohan.

Deus builds a street tracker for Dani Pedrosa
This mental Honda street tracker is Dani’s retirement present, built by Michael Woolaway in collaboration with Red Bull.

Woolie is the head wrench at Deus in the USA, and he’s big on machines that go fast: He’s currently a prepping a Ducati Hypermotard for his second entry into the Pikes Peak hill climb.

Dani Pedrosa and Michael Woolaway of Deus Ex Machina USA
Dani spent every single one of his 13 years in MotoGP with Honda, so picking a suitable donor was a no-brainer. Woolie settled on one of the most ballistic machines Big Red ever made—the CR500.

He didn’t want the whole bike though: he was just after its monstrous single-cylinder, two-stroke power plant. So the team sourced a complete 1985-model CR500, and yanked out the motor. It’s now housed inside a completely bespoke chromoly frame, built by master frame builder Jeff Cole.

Deus builds a street tracker for Dani Pedrosa
The CR500 wasn’t just known for being crazy powerful—it was also near impossible to kick start. Woolie did some research, and then decided to raise the port timing.

“The porting was done by Jim Wood,” he tells us. “Jim’s an old-school motor builder, and still has his notes from the days when he did more than two hundred porting jobs of this type.”

Deus builds a street tracker for Dani Pedrosa
Woolie then moved the kickstand mount nearer to the left foot peg, to give 5’ 2” Dani a solid platform to stand on when kicking it. But after bruising his left foot arch (right through his trials boots), Woolie started searching for a better solution.

In the end, he added an automatic compression release to the cylinder head to solve the problem.

Deus builds a street tracker for Dani Pedrosa
The engine rebuild also included the addition of coils, so that Dani can run lighting. Woolie also fitted a set of old hand-sandcast HRC engine side covers, and installed a hand-made radiator from Jeff Johnson.

Lectron came to the party too, with a special custom-built carb “that laughed at the idea of being affected by altitude.”

Deus builds a street tracker for Dani Pedrosa
The chassis spec is equally impressive. It includes Öhlins forks, held by adjustable triple clamps from Davie Durelle. Jimmy Wood rebuilt the forks, and built a custom Race Tech shock according to data Woolie supplied. The wheels are 19” laced units, built by Dubya in California and wrapped in street legal dirt track rubber.

Deus builds a street tracker for Dani Pedrosa
Next up, Woolie hand-shaped the Honda’s new tracker-style bodywork from aluminum. The number board, tank and tail section are all his work, and take inspiration from classic American flat track race bikes. The seat pad’s a custom job from Saddlemen, and has The Slide King’s number stitched into it.

It’s a good look, and if you’re digging it, Deus have just released a poster to celebrate.

Deus builds a street tracker for Dani Pedrosa
Every last part on Dani’s new runabout is top shelf, from the custom exhaust system, down to smaller parts like the handlebars, controls and brakes. And since the project started with a fresh frame and motor, all the bits and pieces in between (like the brake mounts) are hand made.

Deus builds a street tracker for Dani Pedrosa
The level of finish is high and the livery is beautifully subtle. All the right elements are present: Dani’s number up front, Red Bull’s logo ghosted onto the tank, and Honda’s wings on the tail section.

Deus builds a street tracker for Dani Pedrosa
But it’s the combination of that beastly motor and a competition-spec chassis that has us impressed…and a little terrified.

“This bike is a bad little bike,” Woolie agrees. “It’s not intended for the average rider, as she is a bit of a weapon.”

“But when you’re building a bike for Dani Pedrosa…”

Deus Customs | Facebook | Instagram | Michael Woolaway Instagram | Studio photos by Scott G Toepfer, outdoor shots by Red Bull

Deus builds a street tracker for Dani Pedrosa

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Honda’s 2019 CB650R Pricing and Details

Post author By Wade Thiel
Post date January 14, 2019

The Middle-Weight Neo Sports Cafe

Honda’s dedication to its Neo Sports Cafe like of motorcycles is something you should definitely take note of. The new 2019 CB650R recently got its price of $8,899, which seems very reasonable to me. The bike looks great with a modern, naked bike appeal.

The bike gets a 649cc liquid-cooled in-line four-cylinder engine. It’s mated to a six-speed transmission and supposed to produce five percent more horsepower than the cb650f, according to RideApart.

The bike has a diamond steel frame, a Showa inverted front fork, and an aluminum diecast swingarm with a seven-stage adjustable rear shock.

The riding position is upright but more aggressive than other Neo Sports Cafes from the company. Overall, the bike looks more aggressive and should appeal to a wide variety of riders. The slipper clutch makes shifting smoothly easy, and the ABS version of the CB650R comes with torque control.

The CB650R should be a heck of a nice middle-weight bike. It’s a sporty choice for someone who wants a naked street bike with plenty of style, what I expect to be good power, and excellent dynamics on the road. Its 4.1-gallon gas tank means you’ll be able to ride for quite some time without filing up, too.

While the CB650R certainly isn’t some game-changing machine, it’s one I like and am looking forward to learning more about. It appears to be a very well-rounded street bike, and I really like what Honda is doing with its Neo Sports Cafe bikes.

The post Honda’s 2019 CB650R Pricing and Details appeared first on Web Bike World.

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Kalahari: A custom Africa Twin from Maria Motorcycles

Post author By Wesley Reyneke
Post date January 11, 2019

Africa Twin adventure sports custom by Maria Motorcycles
The Honda XRV750 Africa Twin is almost thirty years old, and fast approaching legend status. So most Honda fanatics will probably baulk at the thought of customizing one.

Luis Correia and his crew at Maria Motorcycles weren’t keen to cut into their client’s 1992 Africa Twin either. But it wasn’t just down to reverence for the adventure sports icon.

Africa Twin adventure sports custom by Maria Motorcycles
“We accepted reluctantly,” Luis explains, “because a bike like this is not a walk in the park to make. There are lots of limitations when dealing with liquid-cooled bikes: we usually have a lot of parts to hide and to get off the bike.”

Plus, the recently acquired Africa Twin was in a pretty terrible condition. So the Portuguese crew stripped it down without too much remorse, and set about transforming it. “The idea was to make an old Dakar dirt bike,” says Luis.

Africa Twin adventure sports custom by Maria Motorcycles
But first, the Maria team had to bring the V-twin motor back up to scratch. So they cracked it open, checked it thoroughly, and replaced everything that wasn’t in good condition. They stripped off the ageing engine paint too—and left it as a mix of raw and polished finishes.

“With this touch,” says Luis, “the engine looks like it’s from a classic bike from the 70s.”

Africa Twin adventure sports custom by Maria Motorcycles
Maria also refurbished the 43mm front forks, and stiffened and lowered them. The Pro-Link rear suspension was upgraded with a new shock. Then the wheels were rebuilt with stainless steel spokes and nipples, and a new 19” front rim installed—two sizes down from the 21” stocker.

Just about all the Africa Twin’s bodywork is gone now, save for its fuel tank. Maria kept it, but modified it extensively—removing the original fairing mounts, and reshaping it.

Africa Twin adventure sports custom by Maria Motorcycles
Behind the tank is a custom-built seat, covered in brown leather. It’s sitting on an equally custom new subframe, with an aluminum electronics tray sitting underneath.

Maria also built a pair of aluminum fenders, and a set of crash bars—to protect the tank and motor when things get awkward in the dirt.

Africa Twin adventure sports custom by Maria Motorcycles
Despite the robust aesthetic, there’s some really neat packaging going on. The rear fender tucks up perfectly against the battery box, and there’s an additional fender lower down to keep things properly clean. (The passenger footrests have even been re-mounted on one-off removable brackets.)

The taillight is tucked away underneath the upper fender, and there are discreet LED turn signals all round. The license plate’s mounted on a hand-made bracket behind the wheel, and features its own plate light, to keep the law at bay.

Africa Twin adventure sports custom by Maria Motorcycles
Maria also tweaked the wiring, installed a Lithium-ion battery, and fitted a new ignition under the seat. The airbox is gone, and the Honda now breathes through a pair of pod filters.

At their client’s request, they also built a set of stainless steel exhaust headers to the exact same design as the OEM numbers, flowing into a Danmoto muffler.

Africa Twin adventure sports custom by Maria Motorcycles
In the cockpit, Maria have installed new handlebars from Renthal, along with new switches, grips and mirrors. There’s also a new headlight and speedo.

Every last inch of the Africa Twin’s been cleaned up, replaced or refreshed. There are new radiator hoses, brake discs and Hel brake lines. And any part that needed it was either powder coated, or zinc plated.

Africa Twin adventure sports custom by Maria Motorcycles
It’s now wrapped in a typically tasteful color scheme; something we’ve come to expect from Maria. This once-hefty dual-sport is now a stripped back scrambler—an oversized, street-ready enduro of sorts. What’s more, it’s also in a much better state than it was…

“The bike runs perfect,” says Luis, “like it was when new!”

Africa Twin adventure sports custom by Maria Motorcycles
“It starts always and doesn’t have any problems of any kind—proving that this was always a bike with lots of reliability. It’s fun to drive, even off road, and the stiffer suspension and smaller wheel at the front make it even better for city driving.”

Maria have called the Africa Twin ‘Kalahari,’ as a tribute to one of the continent’s driest deserts.

Which is exactly where we’d love to take it, given half a chance.

Maria Motorcycles website | Facebook | Instagram

Africa Twin adventure sports custom by Maria Motorcycles

BikeExif cafe racer Custom Motorcycles Honda cafe racer Honda motorcycles K-Speed Other Motorcycle Blogs

Little Ripper! K-Speed’s Honda Monkey cafe racer

Post author By Chris Hunter
Post date January 4, 2019

2019 Honda Monkey cafe racer by K-Speed
K-Speed is one of the greatest success stories of the modern custom scene. Like a hit factory from the golden era of pop, the Thai company churns out hit after hit.

We’ve seen what they can do with BMWs, Triumphs and Honda Cubs—and now it’s the turn of the funky little Honda Monkey 125, launched less than a year ago.

2019 Honda Monkey cafe racer by K-Speed
With eleven branches spread throughout Thailand, K-Speed is a major industry player in its local market. But even more incredibly, they built over 40 customs last year—releasing a bike every 6.3 working days.

Despite this, there are no formulas or corner cutting, and no subtle variations on a signature style. Each build is started with fresh eyes, and is invariably a knockout.

2019 Honda Monkey cafe racer by K-Speed
‘Monkey Racer’ is based on the new Honda Monkey, which comes with a 125cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine, a four-speed ‘box, and 12-inch wheels. Plus styling that harks back to the Z50A released in the late 1960s.

The short wheelbase gives the stock Monkey 125 a somewhat cartoonish look, but K-Speed have managed to add a dash of sophistication and a classic cafe racer vibe.

2019 Honda Monkey cafe racer by K-Speed
There’s obviously a lot of careful thinking going on here—probably because K-Speed founder Eak is a big fan of the platform. He has a couple of the original 50cc Z-series Monkeys in his personal garage, and started riding them as a child.

The biggest change is a switch to 14-inch wheels. They’re aftermarket rims originally designed for the Grom, modified to fit, and with solid covers to make them stand out even more.

2019 Honda Monkey cafe racer by K-Speed
The tank, surprisingly, is the stock 5.6L item—but chromed to accentuate the distinctive trapezoidal shape. Right behind is a completely redesigned seat, upholstered with black leather, finished with subtle stitching, and much shallower than the original.

That slim and stubby new subframe is now supported via short YSS shock absorbers. At the front, the forks have been clipped by three inches to match.

2019 Honda Monkey cafe racer by K-Speed
The bulky plastic airbox is gone, replaced by a neat velocity stack. And the hefty, high-riding standard exhaust system has also been ditched, in favor of a slender pipe terminating in a low-set SuperTrapp-style muffler.

Black high-temperature paint helps the shiny new breathing equipment stand out, and there’s a drilled clutch cover to match.

2019 Honda Monkey cafe racer by K-Speed
The cockpit is much cleaner too. The bars and risers are gone, the top yoke is blacked out, and clip-ons lower the riding position to a café racer crouch.

The circular speedo and switchgear are much simpler than the originals, and the stock LED headlight—which jars a little against the classic vibe of the Monkey—has been swapped out for a black bucket with a slim grille.

2019 Honda Monkey cafe racer by K-Speed
Despite their track record with Cub conversions and the fame it has brought them outside Thailand, K-Speed rarely work on smaller bikes. They’re willing to make an exception for the Monkey though, describing it as a ‘special’ case.

They also mentioned that they have another new Monkey 125 in the garage, as yet unmolested. Who’s looking forward to seeing what they do with that one?

K-Speed website | Instagram | Images by Hipmotography

2019 Honda Monkey cafe racer by K-Speed

BikeExif Custom Motorcycles Honda CB250 Honda motorcycles Honda scrambler Other Motorcycle Blogs scrambler

Turning the CB250 RS into a vintage-style Honda trail bike

Post author By Chris Hunter
Post date January 2, 2019

Turning the CB250 RS into a vintage-style Honda trail bike
We love seeing ugly ducklings turned into graceful swans. After all, anyone can make a Ducati SportClassic look good—but a cheap 1980s commuter bike is a completely different ball game.

This ice-cool little scrambler started life as a Honda CB250 RS, a plasticky but well-made runabout that was popular in the UK and Europe. You can still find them on the secondhand market, and they’re a bargain at about US$1,500.

Turning the CB250 RS into a vintage-style Honda trail bike

That makes the air-cooled single perfect for a low-cost, big-value custom job—and Mokka Cycles have taken the bait.

Mokka is the nom de plume of Árpi Bozi, a young programmer from Hungary. For the past five years, he’s sought refuge from the digital world by building beautifully finished customs.

Turning the CB250 RS into a vintage-style Honda trail bike
“It’s a cheap but quite ugly bike,” says Árpi. “So the idea was to turn it into a vintage-looking trail bike.”

A CB250RS only weighs around 148 kg wet (326 pounds), and the suspension and brakes are excellent. So it’s nimble enough for trails and green lanes.

Turning the CB250 RS into a vintage-style Honda trail bike
The cosmetic surgery has been drastic, though. Árpi started by binning all the plastics, and then positioning a 1970s-era Suzuki TS185 gas tank on the frame. It’s been tunneled to make it fit neatly.

Then Árpi replaced the entire rear frame with new tubing, and topped it off with a plush black leather seat with plenty enough room to move around on.

Turning the CB250 RS into a vintage-style Honda trail bike
The engine is a ripe 37 years old, so Árpi has rebuilt it back to factory specs using genuine Honda parts. (It’s essentially the same engine as found in the XL250.) The twin exhaust outlets are now hooked up to a new stainless steel exhaust system with beautifully curved headers that remind us of Auto Fabrica’s work.

The pipes are terminated with a simple reverse cone muffler and at the intake end, there’s a K&N filter to free up the breathing even more.

Turning the CB250 RS into a vintage-style Honda trail bike
The suspension and brakes have been rebuilt too, with new seals, caliper pistons, pads, and braided brake hose. The brake master cylinder is from a Honda CB600 Hornet, and the shocks are brand new British-made Hagons.

Árpi has made the fenders from scratch using aluminum cut and shaped to size, and fitted using custom stainless steel brackets. (“Every project is partly about losing weight,” he says, “so there are lots of aluminum parts.”) There’s also a custom chain guard to keep things even cleaner.

Turning the CB250 RS into a vintage-style Honda trail bike
The cockpit is equally meticulous, with neatly routed cables and simple custom switchgear designed in-house, attached to LSL flat track style bars.

The grips and throttle pull are from Accossato, and the clutch lever is a Domino part. “It’s used on many Moto Guzzis,” says Árpi. “I’ve used it for some time on my builds because it has a built-in choke lever that’s really comfortable to use.”

Turning the CB250 RS into a vintage-style Honda trail bike
The speedo is a simple Daytona Velona unit, and the headlight is a classic Bates reproduction. Árpi’s even added a custom-made stoplight, with a cast and polished aluminum shell housing an LED bulb.

A lithium battery provides the juice and the little Honda has been completely rewired for reliability.

Turning the CB250 RS into a vintage-style Honda trail bike
With a fresh set of Heidenau K60 tires installed, the CB250 RS was ready for delivery to its new owner in Denmark, some 1,300 kilometers north of Mokka’s Budapest workshop.

What a perfect Christmas present.

Mokka Cycles | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Peter Mosoni Photography

Turning the CB250 RS into a vintage-style Honda trail bike