Turbochargers are common on cars—but pretty rare on motorcycles. Space is at a premium, the plumbing is difficult to install, and power delivery can be a handful.
But that hasn’t stopped clever custom builders from adding forced induction. Tiny Garrett or Aisin turbochargers are popular, and powerful enough to make a big difference to performance.
There are a few Japanese factory bikes with turbos too: Yamaha tried it with the XJ650, Honda with the CX500 and CX650, and Kawasaki with the GPz750. You’ll find the odd custom version of these too.
Any conversation about the good old days of motorcycling will eventually include the words “they don’t build ’em like they used to.” And then someone will mention the Yamaha RD350. The fiery two-stroke was loved when it was released, got even wilder as it evolved, and has been missed ever since it was discontinued. Given…
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Building a decent custom motorcycle on a slim budget is a tall order. But you know what’s even harder? Doing it with no budget at all—unless your name is Edi Buffon. Operating as Machine 1867 out of Sydney, Edi’s known for his wildly imaginative machines. This Suzuki GS650 bobber is a typical Machine 1867 build;…
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Four years ago, Christian Newman turned up at the Born Free show with a Knucklehead chopper, and left with the People’s Choice award. He’s had an open invitation to the show ever since, but he hasn’t accepted it—until now. Born Free 12 kicks off tomorrow, and Christian’s pulled out all the stops with his latest…
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Many of us in the motorcycling world have a male relative to thank for getting us hooked on two wheels. It’s often a father who offered pillion rides, or a grandfather with a workshop full of tools. But in the case of esteemed bike builder Max Hazan, it’s female relatives who must take the blame.…
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Royal Enfield have made a habit of commissioning customs from top workshops. But they’ve got a big range of skills lurking in-house—and…
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We love the big, bruising superbikes of the late 70s and early 80s. They were fast, brash and good-looking—and their riders often…
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There are many gems buried in our Bikes of the Week column, but occasionally a machine pops up that deserves a fully-fledged…
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A peek at the turbo’d Yamaha that took top honors at the Forged Invitational show, a wild FZ-09 by Droog Moto, Chris…
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The Persian Gulf custom scene is small, but outposts like Bikers Cafe are working hard to change that. Every year, the Dubai…
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We’ve been covering the modern custom scene for eight years now, extending feelers into nearly every country in the world, from Andorra…
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The client roster at DP Customs is slammed. So there’s precious little time to admire a finished project before it goes to…
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The top European builders may be deadly serious about their craft, but they also have a sense of humor. Right now, 18…
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