A new Kawasaki Zed from the Japanese restomod kings AC Sanctuary, a retro-futuristic BMW R80 from Holland, and a $30,000 Yamaha WR450F supermoto from Slovenia.
BMW R80 by Moto Adonis The concept of the ‘cafe racer’ is being stretched in so many directions at the moment, the term has almost become meaningless. We’ve seen more styling developments in the last five years than the previous half century, but if this R80 RT from Holland is a precursor of things to come, we’re all for it.
The BMW was commissioned by the owner of a building restoration company, a keen rider who wanted a bike that reflected the aesthetic of his construction work—a blend of old and new.
Daan Borsje of Moto Adonis has absolutely nailed the vibe, veering away from the cookie-cutter style of most airhead customs. He’s infused this build with a retro-futuristic style, using a modified Honda CB500 tank, Suzuki GSX-R forks, a new rear frame and a full complement of electronics and switchgear from Motogadget and Motone.
The matte black aluminum wheel discs are a neat touch—and seriously attention-grabbing too. More of this style, please. [Via]
Kawasaki Z1000 Z1-R by AC Sanctuary If you’ve been following EXIF over the years, you’ll know that we’re absolute suckers for AC Sanctuary. They’re mostly associated with curvy Zeds from the first half of the 70s, but occasionally dip their toes into the murkier waters of the late 70s and the squared-off Z1-R.
The styling was a shock to buyers, but the ‘coffin’ tank and angular side panels swooping into the tail unit proved to be a hit in the US—and everyone loved the icy, pastel blue metallic paint.
In contemporary road tests, the Z1-R trailed the Honda CBX, Suzuki GS1000S and Yamaha XS1100, but this restomod tips the balance back big time. The Japanese workshop has gone to town on the blueprinted engine, installing Wossner pistons and Mikuni TMR carbs. They’ve also strengthened the frame, fitted Öhlins suspension and OZ Racing wheels, and a Brembo/Sunstar brake system. If you can read Japanese, the spec sheet is mouthwatering.
Kawasaki Z1000 scrambler by Droog Moto Fast-forward 30 years, and Kawasaki had adopted the streetfighter style for its inline-four literbikes. These machines have yet to develop the cachet of their predecessors, and they’re plentiful on the secondhand market—which means a freer hand for custom shops to rework them.
Arizona-based Droog Moto specializes in a hardcore industrial style, stripping the plastics off donor bikes and giving them an aggressive, ‘urban fighter’ look. It’s probably not to everyone’s taste, but the rough-and-ready apocalyptic look is also a refreshing antidote to the norm.
This Z1000 is Droog’s 14th build, with all-new metal bodywork, a new rear frame, upgraded suspension, a hand-built exhaust system and LED lighting all round. If the subtlety and expense of an AC Sanctuary Kawasaki is not for you, you can get something like Droog’s Z1000 for around half the price. And it’ll probably draw even more onlookers when parked up, too. [Via]
Ducati 400SS cafe racer by Pip Davidson We all love looking at the mega-budget builds, but it’s often the low budget bikes that show the most creativity. Brit Pip Davidson is a man who knows how to eke out the pennies, and never spends more than £5,000 on his bikes.
Ducafe Crème is a most excellent example of making a little go a long way. It started out as a 400SS, a baby version of the 750SS created to circumnavigate Japan’s crippling licensing laws.
Pip has slotted in a 900SS motor, a Kawasaki ZXR400 front end, Suzuki Hayabusa brakes, and a Leo Vince muffler originally designed for the 916. The dinky 400SS frame has been powdercoated in a creamy, caffè latte shade, and there’s a new tail section that better matches the tank than the stock item. Ingenious. [Via]
Yamaha WR450F supermoto by Rotobox Companies that specialize in eking out the last drop of performance from motorcycle parts tend to build rather interesting customs. Like this absolute weapon from the Slovenian firm Rotobox, which makes featherweight carbon fiber wheels.
It’s called ‘Splice,’ and it’s probably one of the fastest ways to get from A to B on a bumpy, twisting country road. It’s based on Yamaha’s WR450F offroader, upgraded with a dizzying array of go-fast parts and a slick new paint job. (Which, dare we say it, looks a damn sight better than the usual plasticky blue WR color scheme.)
Aside from the obvious new 17-inch wheels, this WR is now sporting FG 461 forks and a TTX shock from Öhlins, a modified YZF-R6 swingarm, Rotobox’s own supermoto triple clamps, and a top-of-the-line Brembo brake system.
Custom parts include a new ceramic-coated exhaust system, seat, front fender and fairing, and instrument holder. And best of all, it weighs just 119 kilos (262 pounds) with a full tank of fuel.
It’s a special kind of crazy, but there’s probably a market out there. Rotobox will deliver one of these to you for 29,830 euros, which is about US$33,800. Sounds like a lot for a supermoto, but on the other hand, there aren’t many bikes that will keep up with this WR around a tight track or along a switchback road. [More]
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