Speed Read, September 5, 2021
This week we’ve got a pair of very different classic Hondas: a CB550 rebuilt in lockdown, and a feisty lil’ NSR50 pocket…
Read more »Honda has always been a popular choice for cafe racer builders, given the solid engineering and easy availability of parts. The CB series is especially common, from the smaller twins and 1970s inline-fours, to the mighty six-cylinder CBX.
Let’s not forget the CX500 though: the liquid cooled V-twin was a departure for the Honda engineering department, but has proven to be a godsend for builders smart enough to make the ugly frame look good.
The pinnacle is undoubtedly the classic CB750 cafe racer, using the original superbike as the donor.
But rising prices in the used market mean that more recent Honda cafe racer builds are just as likely to be based on bigger, newer motorcycles—like the CBX1100 or the recently discontinued CB1100.
This week we’ve got a pair of very different classic Hondas: a CB550 rebuilt in lockdown, and a feisty lil’ NSR50 pocket…
Read more »There’s never a quiet moment for Tom Gilroy and the team at Purpose Built Moto in Queensland, Australia. Tom started his career…
Read more »Something for everyone this week: The classic perfection of a Moto Guzzi café racer, a stealthy R18 commissioned by BMW, and a…
Read more »When this sleek Honda popped up on our email, it stopped us in our tracks. And then we got an extra surprise—it’s…
Read more »Anyone who’s been doing a job long enough has probably made a few rookie mistakes. For Tiago Gonçalves and Luis Gonçalves at…
Read more »For custom motorcycle builders that skew towards older bikes, nothing satisfies quite like finding a clean, low-mileage donor. But finding a motor…
Read more »We’re suckers for retro sportbike style. And if it’s married to classic Honda build quality and engineering, you’ve got an intoxicating mix.…
Read more »In stock form, the Honda CL350 is a mild-mannered street scrambler with 33 horsepower and oodles of vintage charm. The kind of…
Read more »Against all odds, the eternally goofy Honda CX500 has become a popular choice for custom projects. But it’s hard to get ‘right,’…
Read more »Nostalgia is a powerful emotion. After all, it’s the foundation of business for brands such as Harley-Davidson and Indian, and model lines…
Read more »The early 80s Honda CB900C is one of the most unusual bikes Honda ever made. It has a ten-speed gearbox: five ‘normal’…
Read more »Fredrik Pål Persson has faced a few challenges in his time. First, he switched careers from chef to bike builder. Then he…
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