Stand for large bicycles this edition of Speed Read. We start with a 1700cc single-cylinder chopper and end with BMW R18 by CW Zon. In the center is a stylish Honda CB200 cafe racer from Indonesia and a K-Speed kit for the Honda Dax.
Al Hackel's 1700cc Single Cylinder Chopper What do the Beechcraft Staggerwing and Ford Trimotor airplanes, the M18 Hellcat and M4 Sherman tanks, and the HUP Retriever helicopter all have in common? They're all powered by the same 975-cubic-inch Wright R-975 Whirlwind nine-cylinder radial engine — as is the motorcycle you see here, in a sense.
This custom chopper was built by a guy named Al Hackelwho originally intended to build a Harley Knucklehead. After realizing that even the dubious Knuckles in the basket were selling for exorbitant prices, he decided to do something much wilder.
That's when Al came across a Wright R-975 cylinder head for sale on eBay. The 1700cc cylinder was in good shape, so he brought it into his backyard farm equipment repair shop, closed the doors, and turned up the music.
With a 1700cc single in hand, Al set about turning it into the heart of his creation. Using the equipment in his shop and his lifelong fabrication skills, Al designed, modeled and built the entire bottom end from scratch.
A fully stock R-975 cylinder sits atop a custom engine case and spins a custom connecting rod and five-piece crankshaft. Al's buddy Justin Leineweber grinds the custom cam, and power is sent through a 1947 Harley-Davidson transmission.
The rigid frame was built around the engine and suspended by a set of custom Vincent Girdraulic-style forks that Al built from scratch. The rear wheel is fitted with a nine-inch drum brake from a Toyota Matrix, and the headlight was hand-fabricated by Jesse Briggs at Maritimer Glassworks.
Jesse also built a custom glass shift knob, taillight, and speed stacks that sit atop a side-draft carburetor. Narrow bars and a sprung seat frame the custom fuel tank, which has asymmetrical cutouts to accommodate the cylinder head on one side and the manual shifter on the other.
Al says the vibrations loosen the mounts, but it rides well on the road, even if it's a little scary to ride. On paper, this bike shouldn't work, but thanks to Al's incredible craftsmanship and skill, it looks amazing. [Source]
Honda CB200 from Batakastem Garage Abraham Simatupang and his shop Batakastem Garage are known for building wild, unique motorcycles. But their latest offering is more subdued — and that’s not a bad thing. They took a Honda CB200 and turned it into a lithe classic. cafe racer.
Bikes like the CB200 are hard to find in Southeast Asia, making Abraham’s find a rare gem. After a successful search, Batakastem found a suitable donor and dismantled it. The fifty-year-old steel frame was stripped, shot-blasted, and a new subframe was welded onto it.
A set of fenders was made from scratch, and the wheels were beefed up with new spokes, 16-inch rims, and thick, chunky Shinko tires. A new LED headlight shines brightly in front of the new clip-on handlebars, new shifter, and updated cockpit. The brakes were also upgraded with a larger caliper, new front rotor, and stainless steel braided lines.
The build is where the Batakastem gang really shines, and the CB200 is no exception, even if it is softer than their usual products. The fuel tank, side covers and seat are all handcrafted from 1.2mm galvanized steel, and the tank design is based on the Honda GL100, but modified to fit the CB200’s larger engine.
The bodywork looks almost OEM, staying true to the iconic CB silhouette while giving it a fresh, aggressive look. Burgundy leather has been used to trim the new single seat, and the entire bike has been given a beautiful 70s-inspired paint job.
The engine has been completely rebuilt with new gaskets and seals, and the carbs have been fitted with new pod filters and re-tuned to suit. Batakastem also fabricated a custom exhaust with minimal baffles and bronze pipe tips. Electrons flow freely through a custom wiring harness and brand new electronics.
Another amazing build from Batakastem Garage that is perfect for driving on the streets of Indonesia. [Source]
Honda Dax by K-Speed Oh K-speedHow we love you. One of Thailand's best custom motorcycle shops is back in business, and this time they have a new line of parts for the Honda ST125 Dax.
K-Speed's head honcho, Mr. Icke, has had a special love for Dax since he was a kid. His shop has built a bunch of tasty Dax customs to date and has designed countless bolt-on parts for Honda's retro mini-bike under their Diablo brand. This culminated in the “1978 Limited Series” kit; a collection of parts that ooze retro scrambler style, and can be mixed with regular Dax in half a day and a six-pack of beer.
The Honda Dax is cute enough on its own, but we love how the K-Speed kit beefs it up. The stock wheels get tough covers that can be wrapped in whatever rubber you find to fit the small wheels. The high front fender matches the rear fender cover, and the new horn cover proudly wears the K-Speed name.
Taller handlebars feature new grips, bar-end weights, and clutch and brake controls. The factory instrument cluster remains in place, now tucked behind an enduro-style headlight. Diablo mirrors offer a stylish upgrade over the original parts.
The black laser-cut steel backbone cover makes a statement with its miniature styling between the headstock and K-Speed seat. The engine sports a variety of custom covers, all available in the scrambler kit, along with a high-output Diablo exhaust system.
The swingarm is fitted with a Diablo extension to better accommodate the massive tires, and the rear brakes have been upgraded with a new disc and longer brake line. And because this is a Scrambler, it also gets longer Diablo rear shocks.
Finally, the rack adds a little more practicality to the Dax, as does the canvas bag that attaches to the left side of the bike.
Even if minibikes aren't your thing, it's hard to resist K-Speed's 1978 Dax, especially with its retro Honda graphics. [K-Speed]
BMW R18 by CW Zon Late last year, Yuichi Yoshizawa of Japan Custom Works Zone had the honor of being a judge at a customization competition sponsored by BMW Motorrad dedicated to the BMW R18. The event was held as part of BMW's 100th anniversary celebrations, attracting customizers from all over the world.
There was just one problem – as a judge, Yoshizawa-san couldn't compete. So he left, eager to get to his workshop.
It so happened that after the competition, CW Zon was approached by BMW’s design department with an intriguing challenge: to create a custom vehicle that would embody the spirit of the next 100 years of BMW Motorrad. This opportunity led to the creation of “Ground Zero,” a futuristic concept bike inspired by visions of how transportation might evolve over the next century.
Yuichi and his partner in crime, Yoshikazu Ueda, started by creating a new body shape using steel wire, which became the basis for the bike’s smooth, futuristic lines. From there, aluminum sheets were painstakingly hand-forged to form the front fairing, tank panel, rear fairing, and other exterior components. We love the bold, streamlined look — and we love how CW Zon combined elements of dragsters and salt lake racers with the R18’s cruiser underpinnings.
The tinted plexiglass on the front of the Ground Zero houses a sophisticated headlight system that is seamlessly integrated into the carbon fiber and aluminum hood. The BMW instrument cluster is mounted in the tank using a custom aluminum housing.
One of the bike’s smartest features is the clean, minimalist design around the custom handlebars. CW Zon moved the factory shifters (which are impossible to remove from the equation without tipping the bike over) to the center of the bars, creating a neat, organized cockpit.
Another great custom touch is the cable-operated remote reservoir system for the hydraulic clutch and front brake. The master cylinders, hidden in the front fairing, are mounted out of sight, with the cables running from the controls; a super-sleek setup.
While the BMW R18 isn't to everyone's taste, it's a joy to ride. It's long, heavy, and wide, but the 1,802cc flat-twin is a torque monster with plenty of character. Now, thanks to CW Zon, it has a show to match the ride. [Custom Works Zon]
