Twinning: A pair of Royal Enfield Continental GT café racers from Mexico

The first Royal Enfield Continental GT came out way back in the early 60s; a 250 cc café racer that couldn’t do the ton, but looked as cute as a button. Royal Enfield then put the Continental GT name on ice for half a century, before reviving it just as the modern café racer craze was reaching fever pitch. The ‘new’ Continental GT was a handsome nod to the past, but its 535 cc single-cylinder mill was hardly exciting.

It was only when Royal Enfield released their modern 648 cc parallel-twin platform that the Continental GT really came into its own. The current Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 has all the style of a tasteful modern classic, with an updated engine that’s peppy, torquey, and easy to get along with. But if you ask the crew at Hardheads Motostudio, they’ll tell you that there’s still room for improvement.

Based in the heart of Mexico City, Hardheads specializes in creating custom fairings and seats, developing accessories, and restoring classic bikes. Naturally, they also find time to build custom bikes—like these twin 2022-model Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 café racers.

Dubbed simply ‘HH5’ and ‘HH6,’ these Continental GTs hark back to the era of the original Continental GT. But there’s a lot more going on here than just a pair of stunning vintage racing-style fairings. The real genius is in all the stuff that you can’t see; Hardheads put 200 hours of work into each machine to make it look as pared-down as possible.

In stock form, the Continental GT comes with a good-looking solo seat that includes a neat tail bump. But that’s perched on top of a full-length frame, with passenger pegs lower down in case you want to swap out the original saddle and bring a friend along on a ride.

Since the Hardheads bikes are purpose-built, the need for passenger accommodations is moot. So the crew shortened each bike’s subframe, welded in a loop to perfectly match the length of the seat, and axed the passenger peg mounts. They very wisely kept the OEM bum stops, but embedded an LED taillight in the back of each and re-upholstered the saddles in leather for a more luxurious finish.

A handmade electronics tray sits under each seat, painted black to help it fade from view. Hardheads rewired the bikes and swapped their batteries for smaller Lithium-ion items. They also swapped the bikes’ airboxes for pod filters, leaving the area under each one’s seat super sparse.

The abbreviated and lithe rear half of each Continental GT is juxtaposed by its voluptuous full fairing. Hardheads shaped the matching fairings out of fiberglass, finishing them off with thermoformed acrylic windshields. They’re mounted on steel subframes via stainless steel fasteners.

Another part that the stock Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 gets right is its fuel tank. The sharp knee indents are a strong nod to the Enfields of the 60s, and the chrome paint job and striping you see on these two bikes are a factory option. So Hardheads left them alone, finishing the rest of the bodywork off in silver to accent the chromed tanks.

Yellow ovals on the fairings add an extra dose of vintage style while hosting each bike’s number; ‘5’ for HH5 and ’71’ for HH6. But it’s the tastefully finished metallic red frame that sets each bike off.

Moving to the cockpit layout, Hardheads swapped out the raised Royal Enfield clip-ons for custom-made units that sit much lower. Other shared details include trimmed front fenders and Shinko tires… but the specs diverge from there.

HH5 gets black grips and swaps its OEM clocks for a Motogadget speedo. It’s also had its rims and front fender blacked out, and its rear shocks upgraded. HH6 wears leather-wrapped grips and the original dials, with raw rims and a silver front fender. The bikes are also set apart with different treatments for the Royal Enfield logos and fairing numbers.

The bikes are finished off with a sprinkling of parts, including bar-end mirrors, upgraded controls, and handmade brake levers. Each also gets one distinctly modern touch; a burly two-into-one exhaust system from S&S Cycle in the US.

There’s no denying that the Royal Enfield Continental GT is a handsome machine out of the box, but Hardheads Motostudio’s judicious changes have elevated it. If we could make one request, it would be for them to build more of these.

Hardheads Motostudio | Instagram

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Super-tracker: A custom Sportster 1200 with supermoto steeze

The traditional definition of a street tracker is a motorcycle that has all the trappings of a flat tracker, with the addition of lights, street-biased tires, and a front brake. But what if you took the concept a step further, and sprinkled some supermoto ingredients into the mix? You’d probably end up with something like this spicy custom Sportster 1200.

The bike belongs to and was built by Xavi Garcia—a Barcelona-based enthusiast who loves café racers, streetfighters, and supermotos in equal measure. With a couple of custom builds already under his belt and a KTM 990 SMR in the garage, the desire to create a street tracker with supermoto underpinnings began to buzz around in Xavi’s head. So when he stumbled across a 2003-model Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 in good nick, he figured that it would be the perfect bike to do it with.

“When I bought my first big bike, a BMW R65, I customized it into a café racer,” Xavi tells us, “but deep down I wanted to do it with a Sportster, to replicate the Harley-Davidson XLCR 1000. Since then, I’ve always had a certain love for the Sportster.”

With help from his good friend, Franc, Xavi tore into his recently-acquired Sportster 1200 until all that remained was its rigid-mount engine, frame, and swingarm. The guys then built it back up with a laundry list of well-judged mods and parts.

Getting the bike’s stance right was paramount. Xavi searched for forks and shocks that would not only raise the overall ride height, but also create a visual balance between the front and back. In the end, parts from two unlikely (and very different) sources ended up fitting the bill.

The forks come from a 2001-model Harley-Davidson Softail Night Train, while the piggyback shocks are Showa units lifted off a Suzuki ATV. Xavi swapped the stock 19F/16R wheels for a pair of 17” laced hoops, fitted with a 120-wide Bridgestone Battlax tire up front and 160-wide Dunlop Sportmax rubber out back. A chain drive conversion and a Tokico front brake caliper round out the running gear.

Next, it was time to finesse the Sportster 1200’s bodywork. Xavi replaced the fuel tank with a slimmer aftermarket unit that he describes as “less Harley,” then hunted down a classic Harley XR750-style tail section. A custom-made seat pad sits up top.

The Sportster has been liberated of its rear fender struts, and the tailpiece is mounted on a bespoke subframe. Xavi blocked the area around the shock mounts off to keep things tidy, and added a handmade inner fender. Further back, an OEM-style bracket holds the taillight, rear turn signals, and license plate.

Xavi outfitted the Sportster with number boards too, attaching the front plate to the forks via a set of easily removable clamps. A small headlight pokes out lower down. Xavi also fitted fork guards, a neat front fender, and an aftermarket belly spoiler.

Moving to the motor, Xavi and co. swapped the stock air filter out for an oversized forward-facing setup. A handmade two-into-one exhaust system snakes its way around the engine, before terminating in a rowdy Arrow muffler.

The cockpit wears a set of LSL enduro bars, with LSL rear-set controls doing duty lower down. Xavi kept the Sportster’s original switchgear, controls, and speedo, but swapped the grips for Sparkly blue items from Dock66.

Manu Martin handled the slick paint job, wrapping Xavi’s custom Sportster 1200 in gloss black with white accents and delicious throwback AMF Harley Davidson graphics. Various hard parts, like the forks and yokes, were finished in shades of black.

It’s a crying shame that we don’t see more Sportsters get the street tracker-slash-supermoto treatment. Xavi’s custom Sportster 1200 is proof that the concept works—and it reportedly rides as good as it looks, too.

More of this, please.

Xavi Garcia Instagram

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Going Once, Going Twice: The best bikes from the Bonhams February sale

The Bonhams February sale is about to wrap up, so we’re taking a break from our regular scheduled programming to pick our favorite motorcycles from the auction. From an Ariel Square Four and a 1989 Kawasaki ZX-10, to Hans-Otto Butenuth’s BMW 500 Rennsport [above], here are seven classic motorcycles that we’d love to park in the Bike EXIF garage.

1907 Quadrant In the early 1880s, two blokes by the names of Walter and William Lloyd patented a pedal tricycle steering mechanism, which they (very confusingly) called the ‘Quadrant.’ Anyway, Quadrant went on to make bicycles, tricycles, and motorcycles, and, by 1901, had emerged as one of Britain’s earliest motorcycle manufacturers.

This 453 cc Quadrant was originally built in Coventry and was meticulously restored by a previous owner. It showcases its history through hand-written notes, technical drawings, old registrations, marque-related literature, and an SMCC Pioneer Certificate.

The notes detail an engine swap, with the current engine outlined as not original, but period correct. This is backed up by copious notes and with the original engine cases (serial numbered 3432) included in the spare parts list.

The previous owner fitted a centrifugal clutch and a later-model carburetor, with Bonhams describing the modifications as “practical for riding.” Which we guess is true, if you’re used to riding an extremely heavy, but pretty, bicycle. [More]

1950 Ariel Square Four 4G Mark I Of all the incredible motorcycles that were built in the 40s and 50s, the Ariel Square Four ranks high on our list. Designed by British motorcycle engineer Edward Turner, it was named for its engine, which consisted of two parallel twin mills sandwiched together, with the four pistons arranged in a square layout. Turner originally pitched the idea to BSA—but BSA knocked him back, so he took the drawings to Ariel, and the rest is history.

Built at Ariel’s base in Birmingham, England, production of the Square Four started in 1931 with the 4F. Early 4F models had an initial displacement of 500 cc, a chain-driven overhead camshaft, and a four-speed Burman gearbox operated by a hand shift. Later 4F models grew to 601 cc for those who wanted to haul a sidecar.

The next model in the Square Four’s evolution was the 4G. The engine in the 4G had been completely redesigned to combat issues with the rear cylinders getting too hot. The changes saw its displacement upped to 995 cc, and it now sported overhead valves.

Next up was the Mark I, which is the bike you see here. Production started in 1949, with a large emphasis on weight saving. The old cast iron cylinder heads were replaced with alloy components, the girder forks were upgraded to telescopic units, and the plunger rear suspension was now a standard item.

This bike in particular was built in 1950 and has been in dry storage for the last 20 years. Little is known about its previous life, so we can’t say for sure whether it was restored some time ago. We do love the patina, and we bet discerning buyers will be willing to pay a premium for all that lovely dust. [More]

Ex-Hans-Otto Butenuth BMW RS 500 Something about purpose-built racing machines always catches our eye, and this machine is no exception. It also has quite the story to go with it.

This is a late-50s BMW 500 Rennsport owned by the late, great Hans-Otto Butenuth. Nicknamed ‘The Little One,’ Hans-Otto raced this very bike while he was both a works rider and privateer for over 40 years. Catching the racing bug on a BMW R51, Hans rode everything from NSUs and Nortons to Japanese bikes on circuits and the Isle of Man TT. But Hans loved BMW’s motorcycles and couldn’t stay away from them.

Hans-Otto campaigned three different BMW Rennsport machines in his life, but this one is quite special. Not only did he buy this bike brand new from the BMW factory, but this is the very bike he used to win the 1971 German 500 cc Championship. Incredibly, the bike was 15 years old at the time.

Hans-Otto had three racing boxers in his stable and he went on to achieve a long list of successes on all of them in mainland Europe and beyond. Interestingly, he still holds the 500 cc lap record at the old Avus circuit in Berlin; a record he holds in perpetuity.

Upon Hans-Otto’s passing in 1997, the RS 500 was given to his friend Larry Devlin. As a fellow motorcycle racer and a staunch believer in using race bikes for their intended purpose, Larry campaigned the RS 500 up until 2011—only retiring because his new knee joints wouldn’t flex enough to continue racing.

Larry himself passed in 2021 and the RS 500 has been in storage since. The bike is being sold by the Devlin family and we hope to see the RS 500 back where it belongs—the race track. (Or in our garage.) [More]

1961 BMW R27 We love the early BMW boxers—from the angular R42 and R52 up to the curvaceous R69. But this gorgeous machine proves that a vintage BMW looks just as good with half an engine. This is a 1961 BMW R27, and what it lacks in cylinders, it makes up for in beauty.

The first single-cylinder bike BMW released after WWII was the 247 cc R24, which was a more basic version of the R27. Being the final model of the Bavarian thumper, the R27 was upgraded from previous models over time. Through the years it gained plunger rear suspension, Earles-type leading link front forks, and a rubber-mounted engine.

This particular R27 was delivered new to US importers Butler & Smith Inc. of New York in 1961 and was bought by a lady named Anita Caveluzzi. From the 80s until 2008, the machine was owned in the State of Maine by the late Richard C. Paine Jr, a well-known motorcycle collector. The R27 was then bought at a previous Bonhams auction in September 2008 and sent to the UK, where it was registered for road use in 2013.

It was after it arrived in England that it was subsequently restored, as evidenced by the large wad of invoices included with the bike’s documentation. [More]

1974 John Player Norton Commando This right here was Norton-Villiers’ ingenious way of wrangling their old parallel twin into modernity (or trying to, at least). Launched back in 1967, the Commando was an instant hit—landing the coveted ‘Machine of the Year’ award five years in a row. It was down on power compared to flashy rivals from BSA, Triumph, and Honda, but who needs speed when you’ve got useable mid-range torque and steady handling?

As a nod to Norton’s racing sponsorship by the folks peddling John Player tobacco, Norton birthed a new baby into the aging Commando lineup; the John Player Norton. Called the JPN for short, it was decked out in a slick half fairing and a matching John Player tank and seat combo. Customers could choose between the standard 829 cc Commando parallel twin of the time or a short-stroke 749 cc racing engine.

The JPN wasn’t just any ol’ Commando—it became a top-shelf, limited-edition masterpiece, and, in our opinion, is the best-looking Commando ever made. Originally slated for 1,000 units, Norton only churned out about 200 JPNs, making them even more special.

Sold in an ‘as-is’ condition, this bike was stored in a collection for some time, which is probably where the white paint got its distinctive discoloration. The large Smiths speedometer shows a mere 6,907 miles of use, but being an old Commando, it means that the new owner will have a bit of work to do before hitting the road. [More]

1975 Honda TL125 The Honda TL125 is a legendary trials motorcycle that Honda designed in collaboration with Sammy Miller—a multiple trials champion and off-road guru. The slim softly sprung single gained popularity for its lightweight design, agility, and exceptional performance in off-road trials competitions.

Trials riding is not for the faint-hearted, requiring riders to throw themselves and their motorcycles into increasingly difficult obstacles. Rather than overall power, lightness, suspension, and agility are the name of the game. And that’s exactly what Honda had in mind with the TL125.

Lighter than a willie wagtail on a diet, it featured ergonomic adjustments specifically created for trials riding. Riders could put plenty of force into the tall bars, and shift their weight back and forward with ease thanks to the low, skinny fuel tank. The narrow frame put the rider’s legs closer together, and the low seat was so small that it all but encouraged you to spend more time standing on the pegs for better control.

The Honda TL125’s long-travel suspension soaked up the bumps, as did the tubular steel cradle frame. The 125 cc four-stroke engine didn’t exactly have earth-shattering power, but it delivered what power it had smoothly, and the torque from down low was predictable and useable.

This particular TL125 has been in storage for the last 30 years, and nothing is known about its history before that. But the best part is that it should qualify for the vintage class at most trials competitions. [More]

1989 Kawasaki ZX-10 After the huge success of the original Kawasaki Ninja, the Japanese firm came up with the ZX-10 as a follow-up act. Produced for just a few years (from 1988 until 1990), it had a top speed of 165 miles per hour, which made it the fastest production motorcycle when it came out.

It was the flagship sportbike for Kawasaki at the time and featured (for the first time in Kawasaki’s history) an aluminum perimeter frame. The 997 cc 16-valve DOHC inline-four was liquid-cooled, fed by 36 mm semi-downdraft CV carbs, and pumped out 135 muscular horses.

It was long and completely covered in plastic fairings, with very little mechanical componentry on display. The large square headlight, cast wheels, and flashy paint job scream 90s cool. We don’t remember the ZX-10 looking this good ten years ago (evidently, time has done strange things to us).

This Kawasaki ZX-10 is presented in stunning original condition and has lived a very pampered life. That said, it has been well enjoyed too, as evidenced by the 19,827 miles on the odometer. Those are the kind of numbers we like to see on a classic sport bike—high enough that it hasn’t been babied, but low enough that it has a whole lifetime of enjoyment left in it. [More]

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Road tested: TFX Suspension Xtreme adjustable rear shocks

I got lucky when I bought my 2012-model Triumph Bonneville SE last year. A single-owner bike with less than 1,500 miles on the dial, it had spent most of its life trickle-charging in a garage. What’s more, the previous owner had thrown a handful of tasteful factory accessories at it (and a few that were less well-judged).

There was one key ingredient missing though; good suspension. Most modern classics roll out of the factory with suspension components that are adequate at best, but the older air-cooled Bonneville’s setup is downright poor. Small LED turn signals and a fancy sprocket cover might make your bike look prettier, but new shocks—like the fully adjustable TFX Suspension Xtreme units now gracing the tail end of my Triumph—will make it ride better.

Based in The Netherlands, TFX Suspension is run by a small and passionate team, led by founders Hans-Dieter Fischer and Alex Meijs. The two of them formed TFX fourteen years ago when the suspension company that they were working for folded. Now they produce components on their terms, with the sort of hands-on approach that’s often missing from larger companies.

Their catalog includes various mono- and twin-shock items, suitable for a wide range of on- and off-road applications, plus a handful of front suspension upgrades. (We’ve seen their parts on custom bikes from Bottpower, Powerbrick, CNCPT Moto, and more.) They sent me a set of their Xtreme shocks to test out on my Triumph Bonneville; fully-adjustable units that retail for €1,399 [$1516].

Full disclosure As is the norm with our riding gear reviews, TFX Suspension sent these shocks free of charge. They haven’t paid us for this review, nor do they expect me to only say wonderful things about their product. As always, our opinions are unbiased and our own.

The TFX Xtreme shocks feature an oversized 16 mm shaft, and a 46 mm high-flow piston with a low-friction seal. The shock body is made of 6082 aluminum, with the entire top section (including the mounting eye and the connection to the remote reservoir) machined from a solid block of 7075 aluminum. They are stunning in the flesh, featuring mostly black anodized finishes that are punctuated only by heavy-duty TFX decals and a couple of blue anodized parts. And if blue isn’t your color, TFX can customize these bits to suit your bike’s palette (for an additional fee).

TFX uses a modular construction for their shocks, enabling them to assemble each unit by hand while tailoring it to their customer’s needs (and making each unit fully serviceable). Before Hans-Dieter built and sent my shocks, he quizzed me on everything from the make and model of my motorcycle to my weight and riding style. He then built the shocks accordingly, with springs suited to my weight and custom valving.

The Bonneville SE is hampered by rear shocks that are shorter than those on other Bonneville models from the same era, resulting in handling that’s best described as lazy. Hans-Dieter honored my request for shocks that were an inch or so longer than stock. Then he made me measure the shock mount diameter on my bike, to make sure that he would send me the right size bushings.

Installing new rear shocks is a fairly simple procedure, but without a lift, a torque wrench, or sufficient space in my home garage, I had my friends at Triumph Cape Town bolt the TFX units to my Bonneville, rather than doing it myself. (Dean is likely very ashamed of me right now.)

There was only one hiccup during installation; the supplied bushings were marginally too tight. It could have been that the powder coating on the bushings was a little thick, or that the factory tolerances were off. Either way, a few minutes of light filing solved the problem.

The difference between the OEM and TFX shocks was tangible from the first ride; borderline ridiculous, even. Granted, the stock Bonneville shocks don’t set too much of a benchmark, and the slight geometry tweak from the longer TFX shocks will go a long way to improving the ride. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that the ride quality offered by the TFX units is exponentially better than before.

It’s not just the length, spring rate, and valving that’s custom. The TFX team also set up the shocks according to my preferences before boxing them—and then recorded those settings in the manual. The Xtremes feature adjustable preload, rebound, and low- and high-speed compression adjustment, and each one of those was tweaked according to the information I had sent.

Suspension adjustment can seem like a dark art if you’ve never done it, but it needn’t be. The TFX manual is extremely helpful, outlining what each setting does, how to adjust it, and how to troubleshoot a variety of unwanted ride characteristics. Not only are the shipped settings recorded here by the engineer who built each shock, but there’s a section set aside for you to record your own tweaks and note the results.

Rebound is adjusted by turning the blue hand wheel at the bottom of each shock, while low- and high-speed compression are each tuned with an Allen key at the top of the shock. Adjusting preload takes a little more work; you need to use the included C spanner to disengage the locking ring, and then set the preload according to your preference.

Some of TFX’s shocks ship with a remote hand-wheel preload adjuster, and some can be fitted with an add-on preload adjustment hand-wheel. The shocks on my bike also have a limited range of height adjustment, although I opted to leave that setting alone. If you’re on a budget, the brand’s more entry-level Traveler model ditches the remote reservoir, and pares the adjustments down to just preload and rebound.

Having two hand-wheel preload adjusters on a neo-retro bike with twin shocks just isn’t viable, but using the C spanner to set preload is hardly a chore, so it’s a non-issue. The rebound adjustment hand wheel is dead easy to dial in—there’s a laser-engraved graphic on it that shows you which way is more or less, and each level of adjustment is marked by a tangible click.

The compression knobs, on the other hand, don’t click into place as much as they cycle through what feels like notches. These adjustment stops are noticeably less solid-feeling than the rebound adjuster’s, so you need to pay attention to feel them out.

For all of the options available to me, I found myself falling back onto the settings that TFX had calculated for me. Most people don’t realize how much the older Bonneville SE can hustle when it’s set up right, and the base settings of my new shocks ended up being the biggest piece of that puzzle. The baseline settings had the bike feeling firm and planted, and while I could still feel shittier road bumps beneath my wheels, the bike would recompose itself quickly and smoothly.

I fiddled around, accidentally over-cooking the rebound and low-speed compression settings to the point that the bike felt jittery, then dialing them back too far. I ping-ponged back and forth for a bit, recording each setting and the consequent ride feel, before finding myself back at the baseline again. With a couple of extra clicks of rebound damping from there, the Bonneville was exactly where I wanted it; responsive, a little stiff but not harsh, and planted in corners.

There’s also the benefit of having a pair of shocks sprung specifically for my (not unsubstantial) heft. The rear fender of my Bonneville SE now floats above my back wheel, rather than hovering millimeters away from my rear tire.

Although I promised myself (and my significant other) that I wouldn’t turn my Bonneville into a project bike, the opportunity to upgrade its rear shocks was a no-brainer. It feels like a new motorcycle—which is not only a testament to TFX’s product, but also a strong argument for the benefits of upgrading your running gear before you fuss with making your bike look pretty.

All I need to do now is upgrade the front suspension to match.

TFX Suspension | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Wes Reyneke and Devin Paisley

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