In the world of custom motorcycles, May 2024 was a month defined by extreme engineering. We saw builders moving away from simple aesthetic swaps and leaning into complex mechanical transformations. From the rural workshops of Northern Germany to the high-tech garages of Jakarta and Moscow, the common thread was a refusal to accept factory limitations.
This month’s lineup featured a staggering diversity of powerplants, ranging from an electric suitcase-moped to a five-cylinder two-stroke insanity. Whether it was the pursuit of weight reduction through carbon fiber or the quest for the perfect flat-track stance, these were the top 10 Bikes from May 2024.
The Five-Cylinder Puch Maxi by Uwe Oltmanns
Uwe Oltmanns is a professional toolmaker from Northern Germany with a background at Airbus, and that precision is terrifyingly evident here. Starting with a humble 1976 Puch Maxi S, a bike originally designed to sip fuel at a snail's pace, Uwe decided that the only logical upgrade was a 500% increase in cylinder count. The result is a five-cylinder, 350cc two-stroke moped that produces a staggering 127.5 decibels, roughly the same volume as a military jet taking off.
The engineering required to link five independent engines is a marvel in machining. Uwe built a central shaft to synchronize the bottom three motors, while separate belt drives bring engines four and five into the symphony. Each engine has been bored to 70cc and fitted with upgraded carbs and fly clutches. To start the beast, Uwe spins the rear wheel to fire the first motor, then engages the subsequent engines one by one with a wrench. It is a mechanical ritual that borders on performance art.
The chassis is no less impressive, utilizing a prototype single-sided swingarm developed for Ralf Waldmann’s 1993 Aprilia GP racer. Uwe CNC-machined his own yokes to fit rare race-spec WP forks and added a hidden mountain bike shock to manage the rear. The bike is finished in a textured silver-and-gold livery, featuring a custom headlight designed by Uwe during a 5:00 AM burst of inspiration. It is a loud, hot, and beautiful monument to the "because I can" spirit of customizing. [MORE]
Solace Motorcycle’s 'Project7' Sportster
Kevan Cahyadi of Jakarta-based Solace Motorcycle set out to solve the "Sportster Paradox": how to make a cruiser-shaped V-twin sit with the aggressive, level bone-line of a café racer. Using 3D design software to map out his plans, Kevan reworked the entire mid- to rear frame of this 1994 Harley-Davidson. The goal was to align the subframe perfectly with the gas tank, creating a silhouette that is long, low, and devoid of the typical Sportster 'slouch.'
The rolling stock is what gives Project7 its muscular personality. Kevan opted for an 18-inch front wheel paired with a 17-inch rear, the latter wrapped in a massive, flat-profile Hoosier drag tire. To achieve the predatory stance, the front forks were slammed and clamped by a custom in-house-designed top yoke. Clip-on bars and highly modified rear-sets force the rider into a committed tuck, signaling that this bike is meant for sprints, not Sunday cruising.
Performance was given an equal boost, with the 883cc engine punched out to 1,200cc. The original belt drive was replaced with a classic chain conversion, allowing for more aggressive gearing. An intake velocity stack and a straight-through stainless steel exhaust system ensure that the bike sounds as mean as it looks. Collaborating with local artisans at Brilliant Motorcycle for the hand-shaped bodywork, Kevan has created a V-twin café racer that feels entirely cohesive. [MORE]
Purpose Built Moto’s Yamaha XT500 Scrambler
Tom Gilroy and the Purpose Built Moto (PBM) team in Australia are the masters of the modern-classic scrambler, and this 1976 Yamaha XT500 was no exception. Inherited as a stalled project from another shop, PBM treated the thumper to a full-throttle resurrection. The front end was modernized with a set of shortened, revalved forks from a Kawasaki KX450F, while the rear was supported by a pair of lengthened YSS shocks, giving the bike a tall, dirt-ready posture.
The engine received the full Purpose Built Performance treatment, including a high-compression big bore kit, a hot cam, and oversized valves. To make the 500cc beast livable, they installed an electric start kit from France, though they kept the kickstarter for "pub bravado." A Mikuni pumper carb and a custom exhaust featuring an FMF Powerbomb ensure that the bike has the "grunt" to match its aggressive aesthetics.
Visually, the XT500 is a love letter to 1970s motocross. Tom chose a classic yellow speed block design inspired by the YZ400, applied flawlessly over the original, modified fuel tank. Handmade alloy fork shrouds, a beaded-edge front fender, and a slim ‘bread loaf’ seat wrapped in gripper fabric complete the package. It is a bike that bridges the gap between a vintage desert sled and a modern performance enduro, executed with PBM's signature attention to detail. [MORE]
Jerem Motorcycles’ GoldenEye' BMW R100
Jérémie Duchampt of Jerem Motorcycles in France was commissioned by a boutique race car manufacturer to build this BMW R100, and the result is pure haute couture. Nicknamed "GoldenEye," this 1982 airhead has been stripped of its touring baggage and rebuilt with a heavy emphasis on carbon fiber and modern racing tech. The boxer motor was refurbished and fitted with carbon cylinder head covers and a custom Yoshimura exhaust that exits neatly under the tail.
The chassis is where the build goes from custom to futuristic. Jérémie transplanted the entire front and rear ends from a modern BMW R nineT, including the inverted forks, the Paralever swingarm, and the 17-inch wheels. However, the standout feature is the rear suspension: a springless damper system with carbon fiber leaf springs mounted under the bike, a design borrowed from race car engineering.
The bodywork is made of carbon fiber. Jérémie wrapped the original fuel tank in carbon fiber and fabricated a sleek front fairing featuring aerodynamic wings from a Ducati Panigale V4. The livery is a sophisticated mix of exposed carbon weave, gold pinstriping, and a metallic gray epoxy finish on the frame. It is a high-tech, lightweight reimagining of the classic BMW boxer that pushes the boundaries of what an Airhead can be. [MORE]
The Mule Motorcycles Hooligan Racer
Richard "Mule" Pollock has been building flat trackers since before the internet was a thing, and this Hooligan class racer is the culmination of decades of dirt-track intuition. Built on a Buell X-1 Lightning frame, chosen for being 10 lbs lighter than a Sportster unit, the bike was stripped down to a minimalist 370 lbs. Mule fabricated a chromoly swingarm and subframe, incorporating 3D-printed titanium shock mounts to ensure race-perfect geometry.
The 1,200cc engine was built for pulling power rather than peaky top-end speed. The crankcases were sent to Dark Horse Crankworks for heavy-duty rods and balancing, while the heads were worked by Branch & O'Keefe. To save even more weight, Mule installed a custom two-speed transmission and a Barnett Scorpion clutch. A rotated primary cover keeps the clutch cable safe from lowside damage, showing the level of practical racing experience baked into this build.
The bodywork is the most minimalist we’ve ever seen on a Mule build. A tiny 1.3-gallon aluminum fuel tank, incorporating sections from a vintage Husqvarna, sits atop the frame. There is no clutter, no show parts, only a two-into-one exhaust, a fiberglass tail, and a pair of Yamaha R6 forks gripped by Mule’s own yokes. It is a machine designed for a singular purpose: turning left on a dirt oval, and it looks absolutely spectacular doing it. [MORE]
Unikat Motorworks’ Triumph Speed Twin 1200
Based in Poland, Unikat Motorworks took a 2019 Triumph Speed Twin 1200 and dialed the brawler factor up to eleven. The client wanted an "aggressive bastard" for city riding, so Unikat focused on sharpening the bike's handling and stance. They installed a full Bitubo suspension kit, which included new fork internals and high-spec rear shocks, to provide the adjustability and feedback required for spirited urban sprints.
The most striking upgrade is the wheelset: a pair of 17-inch Kineo laced wheels with gold rims and hubs, wrapped in chunky Heidenau K73 supermoto tires. This choice gives the Speed Twin a supermotard attitude while retaining its classic British silhouette. The engine was left largely stock internally, but it now breathes through aggressive, handmade reverse-cone mufflers that deliver a visceral twin-cylinder bark.
The aesthetic is a practice in Black and Gold. Every component, from the ceramic-coated exhaust to the swingarm and throttle body covers, has been finished in deep gloss black. Gold accents are used sparingly but effectively, on the chain, the fasteners, and the knurled gas cap. With a new steel tail bump and geometric-stitched leather seat, this Speed Twin is a refined, high-performance take on the modern classic roadster. [MORE]
Vlad Aysin’s Ducati Monster 900S Restomod
Vlad Aysin’s 1999 Ducati Monster 900S was a slow-burn project seven years in the making. Working out of friends' garages in Moscow, Vlad meticulously upgraded every nut and bolt of the original 900S without violating Miguel Galluzzi’s legendary naked design concept. The air-cooled engine was blueprinted and fitted with high-compression Fast by Ferracci pistons, a lightened flywheel, and an upgraded oil cooler to handle the extra heat.
The chassis received a massive infusion of high-end parts. Vlad scalped the Öhlins forks from an Aprilia RSV and fitted a burly Metmachex Engineering alloy swingarm with an eccentric rear axle mount. The braking system is a greatest hits of Brembo components: calipers from a Ducati 999, discs from a 996, and a KTM motocross master cylinder that was chosen specifically for its compact, integrated reservoir.
Visually, the bike remains a Monster, but a much leaner and more aggressive one. The carbon fiber-wrapped SilMotor exhaust exits under the seat, preserving the 90s streetfighter look. The paint is a deep black with a subtle flake, matched by powder-coated wheels and frame. It is a bike that looks factory-fresh but performs with a level of precision that the original 1999 model could only dream of. [MORE]
The 46Works BMW R80 Roadster
Shiro Nakajima of 46Works is a master of the ‘subtle restomod,’ and this 1986 BMW R80 is a perfect example of his craft. Built in collaboration with racing suit legend Kushitani, the R80 was designed to be a nimble roadster equally at home on the track as on the street. Shiro opted to keep the engine at its original 800cc capacity but overhauled it to factory-fresh specs, swapping the Bing carbs for superior Keihin FCR units.
Weight reduction was the primary goal, and Shiro achieved it through extensive aluminum fabrication. He hand-formed the teardrop fuel tank, the front fender, and the tail section, creating a silhouette that looks like a single, fluid monocoque. The frame was lightened with a custom subframe and fitted with Shiro’s signature sand-bent titanium exhaust, which exits via two stainless steel mufflers.
Handling was modernized with Ceriani replica forks up front and an Öhlins shock out back. The front brakes were upgraded to Brembo calipers on custom mounts, while the rear brakes retain their classic drum brakes for a vintage touch. Finished in an elegant blue hue by Drops Design Works, this R80 is a sophisticated, rider's bike that values balance and tactile feedback over raw horsepower. [MORE]
Corban Gallagher’s Sportster 'GP' Racer
Nuclear chemist Corban Gallagher has a knack for building high-concept bikes on a salvage-yard budget. His Sportster 'GP' Racer was built for the Handbuilt Show in Austin, intended to capture the spirit of MotoGP using mostly junked parts. The build features a 1996 Sportster frame mated to a 1,275cc Thunderstorm engine, incorporating a mono-shock rear end utilizing a swingarm and shock from a 1998 Ducati 900SS.
The rolling gear is a clever mix of parts, featuring wheels and the perimeter front brake rotor from a 2003 Buell XB9R. To achieve the GP look, Corban massaged a 1970s Airtech fairing originally meant for a BSA onto the Harley frame. He positioned it low and aggressive, housing a Robocop-style LED light bar in the original oil cooler cutout.
The fuel and oil are housed in a 1950s Norton Manx split tank, a classic solution that cleared space for the modern rear shock. Corban handled the paint himself, choosing a Spy vs Spy palette of flat gray, black, and white. It is a cartoonishly absurd machine that somehow feels incredibly elegant, a testament to Corban’s eye for proportions and his ability to see potential in a junkyard pile. [MORE]
Steady Garage’s 'Moto Distracto'
Steady Garage in California is the authority on 'mini-moto' culture, and their take on the electric Honda Motocompacto is a delightful distraction. Named "Moto Distracto" because it caused the entire shop to drop their serious projects, the build brings a nostalgic fun first vibe to Honda’s new foldable electric appliance. The centerpiece is a custom-machined swingarm and hub that allows for a wide, magnesium go-kart rear wheel.
Beyond the fat tire, Steady added a layer of military-inspired utility. They fabricated new side panels featuring MOLLE webbing, allowing riders to strap gear to the bike for their 12-mile commute. The stock headlight was replaced by an ultra-bright Baja Designs LED unit, housed in a custom-made nacelle that gives the front end a much bolder presence.
Finishing touches include hand-trimmed leather for the seat and grips, as well as a motorsports-inspired graphics kit. While the Motocompacto’s 15 mph top speed remains the same, the Moto Distracto proves that no bike is too small or too "sensible" for a custom makeover. It’s a playful, creative project that shows the custom scene still knows how to have a laugh. [MORE]
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