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Lately we have been seeing a trend in the café racer scene. More and more builders are starting to look at the venerable Honda CB 750 to use as a base bike. We think that this could be the revival of the Honda café racers and we are digging it! Don’t get me wrong, we love seeing Triumphs, BMW’s and Moto Guzzi’s being chopped and rebuilt into tasty café racers and scramblers. But there is something about the shape and style of a JDM inline-four that catches our interest. After all, they did deliver super-bike performance for moped prices back in the day.

You may remember the name Jeremy Duchampt from some time ago. The Frenchman is responsible for two Ducati’s and a Yamaha TR-1 that we featured here on BikeBrewers not so long ago. When we received a message from the main man behind Jerem Motorcycles that he had built a Honda CB 750 Rothmans café racer, we got warm and fuzzy feelings in our bellies; we knew it had to be good! Oh boy were we in for a treat. This Honda is so elegant, the proportions are so well-balanced, it looks like the CB is doing 100 mph at stand still!

The foundation of this project is a Honda CB 750 F2, as it is officially called. A model which was produced by Honda from 1992 all the way up to 2007(!). Honda’s R&D department must have been very pleased with this, no doubt. On paper, the CB 750 produced around 75 hp and 65 Nm of torque, with a claimed weight of around 210 kg. No mind boggling specs, but there is more to it. The Seven Fifty stands out in it’s a simplicity, reliability, and overall reputation of being bulletproof.

What Jeremy did to this bike is extraordinary. The list of modifications is long, so here’s a brief summary.

• Custom front fender
• Modified subframe
• Custom café racer leather and Alcantara seat with stitching (Irina: Point saddler 34)
• Custom made cowl with integrated LED taillight (FFPro Design)
• LED bar-end indicators
• Bar-end mirrors
• LED vintage-style, round yellow headlight with custom brackets
• Keyless ignition (KAIROS RFID)
• Vintage speedo (FIVEACES)
• Laser-cut top triple clamp yoke (USVracing)
• Clip-ons with brown handlebar grips
• BREMBO brake master cylinder and levers
• Powder coated rims
• Modified rear shock absorber
• Air box removed to with DNA pod filters
• Blacked out engine, frame and swingarm
• Custom 4-in-1 exhaust
• Carb tuning
• Custom painting Rothmans Style (FFPro Design)

The way this café racer turned out is mesmerising. Growing up in the 1980s and 1990s, cigarette companies often sponsored race teams, one of which was Honda. Who remembers the NSR250, NSR500 or RC30? This Rothmans inspired design brings back memories of those days, where small displacement, high revving engines dominated the tracks and the streets. It’s not a secret that we would love to get our hands on this Honda. For now, we have to do with the pictures.

Builder details:
Jerem Motorcycles
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1. BMW R nineT Café Racer by K-Speed
In 2018 K-Speed broke the internet with their incredibly elegant yet mean looking BMW R nineT Café Racer. It is safe to say that since then the Thailand based outfit K-Speed has grown out to be one of the industry top-tier bike builders.

The BMW R nineT is one of those machines that can be put under the famous words “Veni, Vidi, Vici”. Right from the introduction back in 2014, it was clear that BMW aimed at a big piece of the retro bike scene as we know it today. Next to an impressive catalog of custom parts, big brands started created complete lines of parts, especially for the R nineT. And BMW bootstrapped different editions of the Beemer, like the Racer and Scrambler. Nevertheless, I think we’ll be stuck to this popular boxer the next couple of years (probably decades). But is that a problem? Of course not! It’s a very good bike and I love to see them getting customized.

2. BMW K100 Cafe Racer by Retrorides
Another oldie but goldie: a BMW K100 Café Racer by Retrorides. With this bike, the Brazilian brothers Gustavo and Rodrigo Lourenço showed what they are capable of and that they were able to redefine the standards for building cafe racer, still the #1 bike for cafe racer projects. With so many unique creations it’s hard to stand out, but the K100 simply hit a sweet spot. While Gustavo and Rodrigo have a long-time history in building hot rods, they sure know how to make something special out of a two-wheeled machine.

3. YAMAHA TRX850 Café Racer by Seb Hipperson
It was no secret that the Yamaha TRX850 was meant as a direct competitor of the Ducati 900SS. Just like the Duc, the TRX850 had a 2 cylinder engine in a tube frame, a sporty riding position and a bikini fairing. The most exciting about the TRX was its engine. It was based on the Yamaha TDM850 and had 5 valves per cylinder (3 in and 2 out) but the TRX was the first production motorcycle with a 270°  crank (or 90° if you prefer) with the so called “crossplane” technology. With this the parallel twin produced sound and feeling of a V-twin. A technology Yamaha also used for the Yamaha XSR700 which results in a great power band. The 80hp and 85Nm are available at very low RPM’s.

Unlike the 900SS, the TRX was not a big sales hit, but amongst motorcycle lovers the bike is called one of the “best kept secrets” and a “forgotten gem”. Bespoke furniture maker Seb Hipperson from Londen had that same love for the TRX and decided to build his own TRX850 Cafe Racer. Watch and enjoy! The bike was showed to the public at the Bike Shed London back in 2015.

4. Honda CB250 Café Racer by Black Bean Motorcycles
The Honda CB is and always will be a great base bike for a café racer. Especially the 4 cylinder bikes with the CB750 and CB550 being dominant. Pretty obvious, since these were real sales canons in the 70s, 80s and even 90s. But Honda also produced CB’s with a parallel twin cylinder like the CB500(t), CB400 and CB360. The small Honda CB250G, which you see below, was mainly produced for the European market and is only produced between 1974 and 1976. This little machine puts out 30hp and had a six-speed gearbox, which was pretty odd those days. Honda claimed it to be “one of the finest sport-touring motorcycles available”. 

The Honda CB250 Cafe Racer you see here is built by Blackbean Motorcycles, a German workshop in the heart of Munich.

5. Moto Guzzi California Café Racer by Radical Guzzi
Born on the drawing table of Sylvain Berneron, better known as the Holographic Hammer and executed by Radical Guzzi from Germany: a real muscle bike café racer based on the extremely bulky Moto Guzzi California 1400 8v.The plan was to create a high torque café racer, so the idea was to use the massive 1400cc engine of the California. But to lose the bulky character, they had to strip down the weight of this machine, which originally is 322kg (dry). They’ve managed to reduce that fat to 195kg! A lot of high end parts and custom parts where uses like: seat and frame, wheel hubs, triple clamps for the 58mm Marzocchi front suspension, Brembo brakes, Öhlins rear shocks, custom exhaust etc. The standard power outpot and torque of 96hp and 120Nm were tuned to 105hp and 138Nm, thanks to Keihin FCR 41 carbs and custom exhaust system.

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When you think the Ducati Monster 1200R is extreme, then take a look at the latest creation by our friend XTR Pepo. He took brand new 1200R and created a distinctive XTR-version out of it. Nice! This one is, by a good tradition of XTR, named “Il Padrino”.

Ducati Monster 1200R Mods:

• XTR subframe.
• XTR Licence plate support.
• XTR led rear light.
• XTR led blinkers.
• Carbon fiber front mudguard.
• Ohlins fork.
• Ohlins steering damper.
• Ducati Desert Sled handlebar.
• XTR aluminum hand guard.
• XTR foldable and regulable levers.
• Ducati Scrambler front light.
• XTR light grid.
• XTR gas tank.
• XTR dirt track seat.
• XTR upholstery.
• Ducabikealuminumm CNC machined footrest and footrest support.
• Ducabike clutch cover kit.
• RC Racing wáter radiator.
• Wolfman 2 in 1 exhaust system.
• Spark Silencers.
• Ducabike alluminium wáter pump cover.
• Ducabike rear sprocket carrier.
• Regina gold chain.
• XTR carbón fiber swingarm cover.
• XTR carbón fiber chain cover.
• XTR alumium sprocket cover.
• XTR number plate.
• PINTUMOTO painting.
• Pictures : Cesar Godoy.

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Just like the electric car, the electric motorcycle is becoming more and more common. We’ve featured several cool EV-projects that are close to production and more people see the benefits of the electric motorcycle. But an electric cafe racer? WTF? Of course, it was just a matter of time. But to be honest, I think that it’s going really quick now.

This machine right here, the “D-EV Project” is initiated by the owner of Ducati Thailand “Natapichat“. He’s an early adopter when it comes to EV vehicles and he is a fanatic EV-user since 2011. In this project he took a Ducati Scrambler as a base bike and put in a 33Kw engine in it with a 5.6kWh battery. This machine puts out an impressive 107Nm (right away!) and makes a top speed of 160km/h possible. The machine weighs just 165kg and has a range of over 100km. Pretty cool… for an electric motorcycle…!

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Oh, and we didn’t number them from 1 to 21, this was totally impossible for us and kept us arguing. And next to that: we didn’t want to place one custom bike above the other. So if you don’t mind: find the best one for yourself!

BMW R168 by Kacerwagen

[more info]

BMW “Alpha” by Mark Atkinson and Mehmet Doruk Erdem.

[more info]

Honda Rebel 300 by Zeus Custom

[more info]

BMW K100 by Retrorides

[more info]

Ducati 848 Evo Racer by NCT

[more info]

Moto Guzzi “Dustbin” by Craigh Rodsmith

[more info]

Yamaha XSR700 by Ironwood

[more info]

Yamaha XV920 by Ugly Motors

[more info]

Ducati 900SS by Deep Creek

[more info]

Yamaha TR1 by Moto Adonis

[more info]

Honda CR500 by C’s Garage

[more info]

“Fusqvarna” FX650 by Le Garage Felix

[more info]

Honda CB750 by Ace Custom Shop

[more info]

Moto Guzzi 950 by Stile Italiano

[more info]

Honda CBX1000 by Michael Kopec

[more info]

Yamaha XSR700 by Motomax Metz

[more info]

Honda CB750 by Wrench Kings

[more info]

Yamaha DT125 Scrambler by Ranger Korat

[more info]

Honda GL500 Silverwing by Motoism

[more info]

Yamaha WR400 by Meccanica Serrao d’Aquino

[more info]

Kawasaki Ninja 250 by Mr. Ride

[more info]

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The apple does not fall far from the tree

We recently came across 29-year-old Anton Knutsson From Sweden on Instagram. This being his primary communication channel for the bikes he produces under his company name ‘Injustice Customs’. The bike that caught our attention was quite a stunner and within the hour we were online with our new friend from Stockholm. This son of a former European motocross champion was born with petrol in his veins and literally grew up riding bikes, the first one being a Yamaha P50 which he got for his second birthday (..). It has been bikes ever since, although he took a year off in 2008 after a bad motocross accident, which left him with a broken hip and two broken arms simultaneously. It already hurts just writing about it.

Riding & designing

But, with a 24/7 focus on bikes, it is no wonder he bounced back after seeing all his friends starting to ride street bikes.  He started off on a Ducati 1200 Monster, but it was not entirely to his liking. Anton was convinced he could improve on the looks as well on-road handling and got to work on the Italian. The bike attracted attention and was soon sold to a guy who came up to our rider and said he wanted to buy the Ducati. Having tasted the thrill of customizing, the designer had a mind full of ideas what to do with his next project and now had the cash to start his next project. The sale really jumpstarted his hobby and the rider turned wrencher.

Turning pro

It took a few years for him to grow it from hobby to business, but our man from Stockholm has been a pro builder since 2016. When asked about his preference, he demurely responded ‘wrenching’ being his favorite. He would have loved to say ‘riding’, but the weather up North often is not very inviting to take the bike out to ride in the rain and/or cold.

A few things he shared with us about riding are his antics when the weather permits him to ride. Signalling where is about to go is not one of his strong points, although it irritates him when others show similar behavior. Speeding is another, which could be hazardous to your wallet as fines in Sweden are notoriously high. The best, however, originates from his background in motocross. He recently jumped a brand new Harley Davidson Roadster. We would have loved to witness that!

His best ride so far? From Vancouver (Canada) down south to San Francisco. As the Swede describes it “the sceneries make you feel you are riding in a car commercial”.  Dreaming about great rides he muses that riding in Australia or South America would be kind of cool too. His reaction to a curvy road? “Fun”!

Using technology

When our bearded friends decide it is time to take things seriously, all other things become side-issues. As a result of Anton already has a full order book for the first part of 2018 not even having celebrated his first anniversary as a pro-builder. Quite a feat. Building iconic bikes with an instantly recognizable signature is what he wants to achieve. When you see an ‘Injustice’ bike on the road there will be no mistaking it for another brand.

Being a ‘Millennial’ means using technology as a base. At ‘Injustice’ our designer uses CAD-programs to get started. A CNC tops his wish list, with Anton looking forward to being able to manufacture parts straight from the computer. By doing so, he would also go straight for the title “Master of exhaust manufacturing”.

We asked Anton how he managed to get a full order book. His response is simple: “Stockholm is not exactly a gigantic city. People come up to me in the street and word gets around quickly. To generate international  attention I use Instagram.” As far as he is concerned the customer is not always King. When someone comes up with suggestions for a build that the Swede does not agree with, he will certainly try to convince them to choose an alternative. Thus making sure the end product deserves the Injustice branding.

Inspiring heroes

When we ask builders about their source of inspiration they often come up with intriguing names. Anton’s hero Alec Monopoly is no exception. This contemporary artist is known for his provocative designs and we can’t wait for an Injustice bike based on his art.

As a matter of fact, this Stockholm wrencher would love to sink his teeth into a custom build for Alec himself. Would be interesting to see what happens when these two creative minds get together. Closer to home, there is London based Charlie Stockwell, the “Mastermind of custom and design at  Warr’s Harley Davidson” whose influence has also permeated the Scandinavian. “This guy never misses a detail in his designs” Anton explains. “He has the highest quality in the business which sets a great example for me. I have my own creative views on where to take a project and my background in motocross gives me a very good feeling when it comes to minute changes in settings which make a major difference in the riding experience also.”

2014 Triumph Scrambler

The featured bike in this article is based on a 2014 Triumph Scrambler. “The bike is a great base for custom projects. It has a great classic look, is modern, reliable and does not have tremendously complicated systems” the builder shares. Its owner is a fast-paced big city tech entrepreneur during weekdays. Over the weekend this guy turns into a wild adrenalin pumping junkie and Anton wanted to reflect this in the design of the bike. BikeBrewers agree he has managed to do just that.

While the Stockholmer concentrated on designing the Triumph, he got help from outside with some of the specialist’s jobs. With clear instructions what to do, the painter delivered an outstanding job doing justice to the overall composition. With some assistance from the UK, the ECU was reset to maximize the results of the changes made to the bike’s inner being.

A very nice color scheme completes the picture. Not too flashy (except for the lightning – joke) and tasteful. The choice for the handlebars and the simple Motogadget clockwork give the Scrambler a beautiful very clean look.

We love what this Scandinavian magician has done to the bike. Currently, he is riding a HD Sportster which will make a transformation to ‘tracker’ this winter. We already look forward to seeing this project when completed and promise to share this with our fans.

Modifications and new parts:

• Motogadget Speedometer
• JVB front and rear fender, seat and headlight
• Renthal handlebar and handlebar mounts
• LSL brake and clutch grip
• Tech rear shocks
• Progressive front springs
• LED indicators
• K&N air and oil filter
• TriumphTwinPower breather and ECU-mapping
• Continental TK8 Tires
• SC-Project exhaust

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I think no motorcyclist could have missed that Milan was the center of the motorcycling world with the EICMA the past few days. There is a lot of cool stuff happening and we can expect a wide range of fresh retro-machines like the Honda CB4 and the CB4 Interceptor, the Kawasaki Z900Rs, the Husqvarna 701 and 401, the new 1100cc version of Ducati’s Scrambler and the all-new Royal Enfield Twins. But yes, these are bikes that belong in this overview. Of course, they’re also a great base for customization, they’re still bikes that you can actually buy. So at the EICMA, we’ve also put a keen eye on the real custom bikes that were out there, just like this beautiful Suzuki GSX750 by Officine GP Design.

The challenge for Officine GP was difficult since the Suzuki asked them to build a custom bike on the latest GSX750, which tells the story of Suzuki’s #1 selling model over the last few decades. It should be clear that it tells the story of the past, present and future of Suzuki.

Luca Pozatto, CEO of Officine GP Design: “the challenge was difficult, almost impossible. Telling the story of this bike from his beginning in 1985 until today is a firm task. All the different stylistic elements that were used the last three decades are endless: from square lines to bold round lines and everything in between”.

The starting point is a modern day motorcycle with spot-on specs and a very powerful engine. The history kicks in with the headlight, which looks like a vintage “bubble visor” racing helmet. It’s equipped with an integrated LED halo light and contains a full-digital instrument system. The bodywork is created out of aluminum and is completely handmade. The color palette is a sparkle to the dominant Suzuki colors, white, blue and black, but then a bit “vintage” looking.

The cast wheels are 17″ OZ Gas Titanium with Michelin Power RS tires: 120/70 in front and 200/55 (!) in the rear, which makes it clear that Suzuki is all about racing. The titanium exhaust is a one-off project from SC Project, a well-known MotoGP supplier. A cool gimick is the use of a double fuel cap, recalling Suzuki’s victories in the endurance races. Other GP characteristics are the massive swing arm and the levers, mirrors, rearsets, and protectors, provided by Lightec.

All and all, the impossible is made possible with this beautiful Suzuki GSX750 that truly tells the story of a very successful motorcycle brand.

Also, check out the video of the project:

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