The custom motorcycle world moves at a breakneck pace, so sometimes it's nice to take a second look. In this edition of Flashback Friday, we’re digging into the archives to revisit nine machines that broke the internet and redefined their respective platforms. Whether it’s a rally-raid legend turned retro-futurist art piece or a humble Italian supermoto shed of its plastic skin, these builds represent the pinnacle of the craft. Here we look back at The Top 9 Customs of June 2024.
1. Harley-Davidson Pan America by Powerbrick
Big-bore adventure bikes usually look like two-wheeled Swiss Army knives, but the Dutch specialists at Powerbrick saw a streetfighter lurking beneath the Harley Pan America’s rugged exterior. Head honcho Tim Somers set out to build “the streetfighter Harley never released," stripping away the adventure bulk while miraculously retaining the OEM fuel tank and the lower half of the 'shark nose fairing.
Powerbrick relocated the TFT dashboard and associated electronics to sit flush below the revised bodywork and replaced the chunky plastic tank cover with a sleek billet aluminum filler. The rear end is entirely custom, featuring a 3D-printed carbon compound tail section that houses the stock LED lighting and ABS pump, all mounted on a custom subframe fabricated by Nius Moto.
Performance was sharpened with a set of spoked wheels from the Pan Am Special, shod in Pirelli Angel GT II rubber and brought to a halt by Venhill hoses. A full stainless steel exhaust system terminates in a rowdy Powerbrick RE-02 muffler, while the Spirit Silver paint, borrowed from the Aston Martin catalog, gives the Revolution Max engine a sophisticated, high-velocity aesthetic. [MORE]
2. Honda Africa Twin ‘Type 22’ by Auto Fabrica
Bujar and Gaz Muharemi of Auto Fabrica are known for designs that feel like factory prototypes, but with a more stylish twist. Their 'Type 22' Africa Twin is a retro-futuristic homage to 1980s Paris-Dakar legends, built on the reliability of a modern CRF1100. The plastic bodywork was ditched for hand-formed aluminum covers that shroud a custom fuel reservoir, holding more petrol than the original while looking infinitely cooler.
The challenge of modern electronics, where unplugging a headlight can brick the entire bike, forced the brothers to reverse-engineer the standard LED internals into custom shells to keep the CAN bus system happy. They relocated the TFT screen to the top of the fuel tank and tucked the speedo behind a 3D-printed dual-headlight nacelle, allowing for a 'naked front fork arrangement.
Type 22 isn't just a styling exercise; it features a full Öhlins suspension suite and Brembo calipers. The exhaust is a full titanium masterpiece, and the solo saddle mimics the tall, chunky perches of vintage rally bikes. Finished in a crisp white and red racing livery, it remains one of the most cohesive modern-retro adventure builds we’ve ever featured. [MORE]
3. Harley-Davidson Sportster by Mule Motorcycles
Richard Pollock of Mule Motorcycles has built more street trackers than most of us have had hot dinners, and this 1993 Sportster 1200 is a standout for its high-gloss execution. Built around a chromoly twin-shock frame from C&J Racing, the bike features hand-formed aluminum bodywork modeled after the early Sportster 'turtle tank.' It’s a quintessential tracker silhouette, but with a level of finish usually reserved for show bikes.
The spec sheet reads like a performance catalog: BST carbon fiber wheels, Öhlins Blackline forks, and adjustable rear shocks with the brand’s signature yellow springs. The motor is a work of art, featuring machined cooling fins, a request by the customer that Mule eventually grew to love, and a burly two-into-one exhaust with a Cone Engineering muffler.
Stopping power comes from Brembo calipers gripping wavy EBC discs, while a Mikuni HSR45 flat-slide carb ensures the V-twin has the 'go' to match the 'show.' Painted in classic Harley orange and black by David Tovar at SBK Paint, this machine proves why Mule remains the gold standard for the street tracker genre. [MORE]
4. Ducati XDiavel S ‘Duca-Rod’ by MFix Workshop
When a Vietnamese client asked MFix Workshop to turn his 2016 Ducati XDiavel S into something that looked like a Harley-Davidson V-Rod, the shop had a choice: laugh or get to work. They chose the latter, embarking on a four-month odyssey of prototyping and CNC-machining. The most radical change is the footpeg relocation, moving them from the cruiser-standard forward position to the rear wheel hugger.
The 'Duca-Rod' features a custom titanium exhaust that snakes through the frame and a set of custom engine covers that mimic the Harley V-twin’s muscle. To handle the new aggressive ergonomics, MFix installed an Öhlins rear shock from a Kawasaki ZX-10R and low-slung clip-ons mounted to a beefy billet top yoke.
The bike is dripping in carbon fiber and titanium fasteners, but the ultimate irony is the V-Rod headlight from HogLights and the owner’s hand-scribed "no fake sh*t" on the engine covers. It is a bizarre, high-performance hybrid that somehow works against all odds. [MORE]
5. Ducati 750 SS by Nius Moto
Chiel Nipius, the creative force behind Nius Moto, is a protege of Ironwood Custom Motorcycles, and his 2002 Ducati 750 SS build shows he learned his lessons well. Chiel wanted to create a naked race bike that highlighted the beauty of the Italian trellis frame. He binned the podgy 90s fairings but kept the fuel tank, stripping it of its rubber pads to reveal its aggressive lines.
The fabrication highlight is the pie-cut stainless steel exhaust that snakes around the engine and exits through the skeletal, trellis-patterned subframe. Chiel repackaged the entire wiring loom, hiding it behind custom steel covers painted in black to keep the focus on the bronze metal-flake powder-coated frame.
Refurbished Marzocchi forks, a Sachs shock, and Brembo brakes were refinished in dark anthracite, while the bodywork was sprayed in a Porsche grey. It’s a svelte, savage machine that proves the underrated 750 SS is a prime candidate for a streetfighter makeover. [MORE]
6. BMW R80 ‘Midnight Racer’ by Foundry Motorcycle
Tom Simpson of Foundry Motorcycle spent eight years chipping away at 'Midnight Racer,' a 1979 BMW R80 that survived a workshop relocation after an overnight 30% rent hike. The centerpiece is a heavily reshaped fuel tank from a Moto Guzzi 1100 Sport, which sits perfectly atop the Bavarian frame.
The engine is an exercise in Art Deco detailing, featuring bronze Cerakote and custom-machined rocker covers with geometric lines. Tom, a former blacksmith, forged the headlight assembly himself and fabricated the jet turbine inspired exhaust. The wiring is virtually invisible, with the coils hidden inside the timing chest and the regulators moved to the frame spine.
The bike sits on 19-inch Morad rims laced to hubs with machined-out triangles, a nod to Lucky Cat sprint bikes. With its signature midnight blue paint and a finned battery box inspired by race car diffusers, the R80 is a testament to Tom’s style of mid-century elegance and retro-futurism. [MORE]
7. Beta M4 Supermoto by Emporio Elaborazioni Meccaniche
The Beta M4 is a frugal, Suzuki-powered commuter, but Emporio Elaborazioni Meccaniche (EEM) saw it as the perfect lightweight donor for an urban scrambler. They stripped 25 kilos (55 lbs) off the bike, replacing the plastic bodywork with handmade aluminum parts. The fuel tank draws from 70s enduro bikes but adds modern Italian ‘folds’ to hide the wiring.
EEM converted the cable clutch to a Messner Moto hydraulic setup and relocated the digital dash to the top of the tank. The headlight nacelle features twin LED projectors and a polycarb shroud with a central aluminum rib, a detail repeated on the swingarm.
The monochromatic grey livery highlights the raw aluminum finishes, making for a bike that is as maneuverable as it is stylish. It’s the ultimate city-slicker: nimble, unique, and vastly lighter than anything coming off a showroom floor. [MORE]
8. Ducati 900 SS ‘Arfa’ by Sticky’s Speed Shop
Matt Coulter of Sticky’s Speed Shop took a ‘bitsa’ approach to this Ducati 900 SS, resulting in a machine nicknamed "Arfa." The standout feature is the composite frame, the front half is the original steel trellis, while the rear is a custom-engineered aluminum subframe and tubular swingarm by Steelheart Engineering.
The bike features a titanium under-seat exhaust by Hitchcox, that snakes through the frame. The bodywork is a mash-up of a Suzuki RG500 top fairing and a Yamaha TZ tail unit, while the wheels are magnesium Dymags from a retired R1 racer.
But it’s the paint that stops traffic: a graffiti-inspired lightning bolt design that uses neon splats and precision-masked metallic black. It is an extroverted, high-speed collage of the best components the custom scene has to offer. [MORE]
9. Yamaha TRX850 by HB-Custom
The Yamaha TRX850 was Japan’s answer to the Ducati 900 SS in the 90s, and Holger Breuer of HB-Custom treated this restomod with extreme restraint. The owner wanted a refresh rather than a radical change, so Holger focused on tightening the proportions. He fabricated an aluminum café-racer tailpiece that flows seamlessly into the stock fuel tank.
The motor, a 28-year-old parallel twin, only needed a service, a testament to Yamaha’s engineering. Holger added a pair of shorter, lighter Storm mufflers and tuned the carbs to match. The suspension was upgraded with a YSS rear shock, and the brakes received braided stainless hoses for a modern feel.
The livery is a period-correct concoction inspired by classic Yamaha FZR race bikes. It’s a practice in the ‘less is more’ philosophy, proving that a well-designed 90s sportbike doesn't need to be cut to pieces to look modern. [MORE]
While June 2024 gave us the Duca-Rod and the Powerbrick Pan Am, it also reminded us that the custom scene is global. From Vietnam to the Netherlands, builders are using high-tech tools like 3D printing and CNC machining to push the boundaries of what a motorcycle can be.
As we look back at these nine builds, the common thread isn't just the parts, it’s the passion. Each of these machines started as a compromise on a showroom floor and ended as a pure expression of its builder's intent. June 2024 was a banner month for the Revolution Max motor and the L-Twin, and we can't wait to see what the next flashback reveals.
Comments