Triumph’s current modern classics are wonderfully designed machines that recall the marque’s history, while offering contemporary performance. But their complex electronics and liquid-cooled, fuel injected motors make them notoriously hard to customize. Superficial changes are a walk in the park, but going deep requires a master’s degree in engineering. The thing is, Triumph’s retro range…
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There are bikes that look ‘busy,’ full of angles and ancillaries, pumped up like a bodybuilder on show day. Then there are those with a few deft lines, a little empty space here and there, as if a thumbnail sketch has been transformed into metal. Auto Fabrica’s bikes fall into the second category. As the…
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The 21st century ‘alt moto’ custom scene was built on a love for classic style. But lately we’ve seen a trend towards futurism, and we’re digging it. Auto Fabrica have played on both sides of the fence, always with arresting results. Their latest project, ‘Type 18,’ is a BMW R nineT that sits unapologetically at…
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Some builders pick a formula and repeat it. Others reinvent the wheel every time and stick to one-offs. Auto Fabrica‘s methodology lands somewhere in the middle, and it’s consistently produced spectacular results. The British shop will typically pick a readily available donor bike, completely transform it, and then produce a few variations on the design,…
Read more »Put together a top ten list of the world’s best custom bike builders, and Auto Fabrica would have to be in there.…
Read more »In the custom world, stagnation is terminal. Which is why top outfits like Auto Fabrica are constantly evolving. And their new Yamaha…
Read more »Fulfilling a childhood dream as a grown-up is a rare treat. But doing it while you’re still a kid is priceless. That’s…
Read more »The Yamaha SR series is the two-wheeled equivalent of modeling clay. For decades, bike builders have been pushing and pulling the SR…
Read more »You can judge a builder’s skills by the raw materials they work with. After all, it’s not too hard to make a…
Read more »Not long ago, you couldn’t open your browser without stumbling across another Honda CB custom. But these days, that honor belongs to…
Read more »When faced with a Honda CX500 in the shop, the first thing most builders do is ‘fix’ the frame. It looks awkward…
Read more »A radical Le Mans from Auto Fabrica, the most stylish Yamaha XT660r we’ve ever seen, and an Indian Scout ready to race…
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