As my first *official* motorcycle, I cherish some great moments with the Suzuki SV650. I really loved that punchy V-twin engine, and when you come from an underpowered riding-lesson machine, the 650cc twin is a big relieve and makes you think you’re on a rocket. Unless the fact that this SV650 or Gladius is a very accessible machine, we don’t see them too often being used as a base bike for custom projects. Though, we had a few: here and here.
Luckily we have the dream custom-bike-building-duo Max and Erica of Droog Moto. Regular readers know that they aren’t afraid to think outside the box when it comes to selecting a base bike. Also, many followers can point out a Droog Moto bike out of a thousand with their recognizable post-apocalyptic design. Words by Max.
We set out to build an “urban assault” vehicle to start the new year off right and chose a Suzuki SV650 as our build platform. We wanted to take the torquey SV and turn it into a raw, mean machine. The bike was transformed top to bottom from chassis to suspension and given a true Droog Moto look.
To start things off, we swapped out the front end from a Hayabusa to give the bike a more aggressive look but yet add to the handling department. The rider now has full adjustability at their disposal. Along with the fork swap we built a raw steel tracker plate that houses 9 LED lights that are housed in a burly steel cage. New 1 1/8″ handlebars, Biltwell grips and a small digital speedo give the bike the aggressive look we were after.
The fuel tank was stripped down and given our authentic raw look and to add to the bikes appeal. We wanted to make it look weathered and with a story to tell. To flow with the bikes main frame we ditched the stock subframe and made a new one from steel. We wanted it sleek but extremely sturdy. This along with the main frame are given a weathered, war-beaten look. The wheels received handmade aluminum wheel inserts and then wrapped in Metzler Karoo tires that are killer for blasting across open terrain and general city riding. A new exhaust was fabricated and then heat wrapped along with burly aluminum guards for much-needed protection. A new larger aluminum radiator was put in place with a handmade guard that is well ventilated. New CRG levers and braided brake lines give this bike an awesome feel.
Suzuki SV650 Brat (7)
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As my first *official* motorcycle, I cherish some great moments with the Suzuki SV650. I really loved that punchy V-twin engine, and when you come from an underpowered riding-lesson machine, the 650cc twin is a big relieve and makes you think you’re on a rocket. Unless the fact that this SV650 or Gladius is a very accessible machine, we don’t see them too often being used as a base bike for custom projects. Though, we had a few: here and here.
Luckily we have the dream custom-bike-building-duo Max and Erica of Droog Moto. Regular readers know that they aren’t afraid to think outside the box when it comes to selecting a base bike. Also, many followers can point out a Droog Moto bike out of a thousand with their recognizable post-apocalyptic design. Words by Max.
We set out to build an “urban assault” vehicle to start the new year off right and chose a Suzuki SV650 as our build platform. We wanted to take the torquey SV and turn it into a raw, mean machine. The bike was transformed top to bottom from chassis to suspension and given a true Droog Moto look.
To start things off, we swapped out the front end from a Hayabusa to give the bike a more aggressive look but yet add to the handling department. The rider now has full adjustability at their disposal. Along with the fork swap we built a raw steel tracker plate that houses 9 LED lights that are housed in a burly steel cage. New 1 1/8″ handlebars, Biltwell grips and a small digital speedo give the bike the aggressive look we were after.
The fuel tank was stripped down and given our authentic raw look and to add to the bikes appeal. We wanted to make it look weathered and with a story to tell. To flow with the bikes main frame we ditched the stock subframe and made a new one from steel. We wanted it sleek but extremely sturdy. This along with the main frame are given a weathered, war-beaten look. The wheels received handmade aluminum wheel inserts and then wrapped in Metzler Karoo tires that are killer for blasting across open terrain and general city riding. A new exhaust was fabricated and then heat wrapped along with burly aluminum guards for much-needed protection. A new larger aluminum radiator was put in place with a handmade guard that is well ventilated. New CRG levers and braided brake lines give this bike an awesome feel.
Suzuki SV650 Brat (7)
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About the Author: Ron Betist
