The Suzuki DR 800 S Big is the sort of bike no one would design today. It was the thumper to rule all thumpers, with a whopping 779 cc single-cylinder motor, long-travel suspension, a big front wheel and rally styling. That meant it was a little ridiculous, but sort of cool at the same time. Depending…
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We’re all for elegant, understated customs—but sometimes nothing beats the sheer visual impact of a heavily modified sportbike. And this 80s Gixxer is as subtle as a brick through a window. The builder is Michel Szozda of Cool Kid Customs, who caught our eye with a slick Kawasaki ZZR600 a few months ago. He’s based…
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If the next wave of custom motorcycling is focused on retro sportbikes, we’d be okay with that. The 90s are stacked with potent four-cylinder donors, hidden under massive fairings with loud graphics. So there’s potential there—if you know how to liberate it. Named ‘Bushido’ after the ancient Samurai code of honor, this stripped-down Suzuki GSX-R1100…
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We’re always curious to see what bikes the world’s top custom builders choose to ride themselves. Because more often than not, they’re very different from the machines that make headlines and win awards. Kengo Kimura and his shop, Heiwa Motorcycle, need little introduction. Kimura-san’s builds regularly leave our jaws on the floor, and he has…
Read more »Time is the enemy if you’re a one-man-band working in the custom scene. Builds can drag on and on, especially if you’re…
Read more »A decade ago, the Californian outfit RYCA Motors cracked an almost impossible code: they figured out how to turn the Suzuki Savage…
Read more »The streetfighter scene is marked by outrageous performance and unapologetic aesthetics. In the battle of function and form, fast wins pretty much…
Read more »If you like to play Gran Turismo or Forza Motorsport, you’ll know the Tsukuba circuit. It’s hugely popular with the street tuner…
Read more »Kengo Kimura is one of the world’s most versatile bike builders. He can create high-end customs that win ‘Best In Show’ prizes…
Read more »Arno Overweel builds pretty wild custom motorcycles. He’s not afraid of bolting a turbo onto a Honda CBX1000, for example. But he…
Read more »It’s not often the ICON crew gets fresh meat. “Our usual meals consist of antiquated metal, served with a healthy dose of…
Read more »It’s not unusual for car guys to transition to motorcycle customization: after all, the skills required are similar. Johnny Nguyen proves that…
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