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It is common for us to write about a motorcycle with a special story, and in a way, they are all very personal. Still, this might be the most special motorcycle we have covered to date. This is a story about a man that does not compromise.

Controversial Design

Let’s start with the bike we have at hand. It started out its life as a Ducati 999; a controversial motorcycle designed by the famous Pierre Terblanche and produced in the Ducati factory from 2003 till 2006. Why was it controversial? Well, first off, Terblanche superseded Massimo Tamburini, the man that designed the magnificent Ducati 916, among others. Tamburini designed motorcycles for Cagiva, Ducati, MV Agusta and even founded Bimota. All of his designs were basically iconic. Does are some pretty big shoes to fill for Terblanche.

Terblanche had his own style, which wasn’t always liked by everyone. Despite the odd looking double stacked headlight, and sharp lines of the original 999 and its smaller displaced 749 sibling, Terblanche’s design grew a cult following. Also because the 999 was an incredibly capable sport bike, with various victories in the Superbike World Championship. Compared to today’s figures one might not be impressed with the specs. However, nearly 20 years ago, it was a totally different story. So far the history lesson.

A man from Twello

So how did this Ducati 999 end up in the workshop of the dynamic Dutch duo Moto Adonis? Well, THAT’S an interesting story! This may sound like a story you would hear in a bar. Maybe one to take with a pinch of salt. Not this one. So here goes.

A few years ago, a man from Twello, a small town in the Eastern part of the Netherlands, had a traumatic accident. As a matter of fact, it was so bad, that he lost his left lower leg. Since then, he learned how to use a prosthetic leg and moved on with his life. This man had a vivid dream. He dreamt that one day he would be able to ride a sports bike. Not any sports bike, but a Ducati 999 nonetheless. He was so focused on achieving his dream, that he purchased a 999, bought a retro styled fairing kit, and tried to build the bike he had dreamt of. There was one major issue though: his leg. No matter how you look at it, a left leg and foot is needed to control the gearbox. Despite this setback, he kept moving forward, and found the boys of Moto Adonis. Together they came up with a plan.

Shifting Gears

We’ll cut straight to the chase. To deal with the gear shifting challenge, a pneumatically actuated manual shifter was created, which allows the rider to shift gears with the push of 2 buttons on the left clip-on. To give the prosthetic leg a safe place to rest, and to keep the motorcycle in balance, a modified floorboard was created from scratch. This is what engineering is about! To make the 999 look like a million bucks, the fairing kit got customized to suit and the side panels were ditched. The tank got modified to flow with the rest of the design, which as you can see, is heavily inspired by 1970’s race bikes. The subframe had to be modified and now houses the battery.

The seat was custom made and designed to look like a horse saddle; courtesy of Miller Kustom Upholstery. Looking closer and you will see an LED taillight, which is actually of a Yamaha XSR700. A round 7” headlight adds to the classic look, as well as the round Motogadget speedo. To custom paint job really pops when you see the Ducati, with a Moto Adonis unique twist to the Italian Tri-Colori. Not red, white and green, but red, gold and blue. Ohlins suspension ensure proper tractability, and the SC Project silencers add to the audible character of the liquid cooled L-twin from Bologna. Combined with the unique, classic Ducati logo on the tank, we think this is the best looking 999 in the world!

There’s more…

There is a little bit more to this story that we would like to share with you. The original prosthetic leg had to get irreversibly modified to allow the owner to sit properly on the motorcycle. This was a bit of a problem because he only had 1 prosthetic leg, and another one would cost a fortune. Also, not one single prosthetists was willing to modify a leg for motorcycle riding. Fortunately, the guys from Moto Adonis were willing to do the modification, provided a leg was available. When word got around, another motorcycle rider with a modified motorcycle and a prosthetic leg offered a spare prosthetic leg. Legend has it that both are now riding buddies and have become close friends. Now that is a story worth telling.

Builder details:
Moto Adonis
Website
Instagram
Facebook

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The Monkey and the Ape

By now you should have a pretty good idea about who Rusty Stitches are and what they are all about. They are the David to the motorcycle riding gear industry’s Goliath. And they’ve been growing recently…fast! Although their mascot is a big hairy ape, the Rusty Stitches management team thought it would be a good idea if the giant ape had its own ride. And what better bike to start with than a Honda Monkey!

If you want to get technical about the difference between a monkey and an ape; a monkey has a tail and is relatively small by size, and an ape has no tail and can grow much larger than a monkey. This is the story of the ape and the monkey!

The Honda Monkey was first introduced to the public in 1961, after increasing popularity as a children’s ride at a Japanese amusements park. Originally it was a 100cc minibike called the Z100 but quickly gained popularity amongst people in its 50cc trim as the Z50 a.k.a. “the Monkey”. Not a bad name considering it is one of Honda’s longest produced models in the company’s history. We’re not going to bore you with performance specs. What we can say is that people who owned them, loved them! It was an ideal vehicle to take on a trailer or on a camper. It’s lightweight, small, frugal with fuel, and easy to work on.

Cult status

The Honda Monkey has gained something of a cult status. In 2018 the late Beatles singer John Lennon’s old Honda Monkey Z50 was auction for a whopping $80,000! Not bad for a bike that initially cost about $250. What also increased the popularity of the Monkey is the availability of aftermarket parts. You can turn a standard 50cc Monkey into a fire-breathing, tire smoking, little ripper, capable of serious speeds.

Moto Adonis

This is where part 2 of the story begins. Enter: Moto Adonis. The Dutch based team consisting of Arthur Renkema and Job Leussink have been dabbling in the world of customization for some time now. As far as Rusty Stitches were concerned, Moto Adonis the go-to guys to get their custom Honda Monkey built. It was clear from the beginning which direction they wanted to go with this little bike. It had to look a lot meaner than the original Monkey, and they knew exactly how they were going to do that.

The little Honda got stripped of all its parts and received a complete rebuild from the ground up. One thing that wasn’t changed was the engine displacement. The reason for this was that the Honda will serve a promotional purpose only, travelling around to various Rusty Stitches dealerships and motorcycle shows. Besides, increasing the displacement would also mean going through a series of mandatory tests and complete re-registration; quite pointless for what is intended. What the engine did receive was a dry-ice vapor blast treatment, and a complete respray in black and white. Other than that, very little was kept of the original Monkey.

The original wheels were removed and saved for later. Instead, a pair of 12” oversized wheels were added with Maxxis NSR knobbly tires. To accommodate for the wheels, the front shocks were replaced as well as the triple clamps for wider units. Both front and rear shocks now have an increased travel. A round LED headlight was mounted using a unique set of custom brackets. Using an LED light was made possible by upgrading the original 6 Volts system to a more modern 12V power supply. A black aluminium handlebar is now in place, coupled with a beautiful set of white Biltwell grips to stay with the black & white theme. The front brake has been beefed up with a 2-piston caliper and bigger disk brake.

More than just a few parts…

Moving to the rear we can see an extended and widened aluminium swing arm. The little drum brake from the rear has also been replaced with a 2-piston disk brake conversion kit. The final drive was changed to a bigger rear sprocket. The subframe has been custom built and houses a café racer style hump seat. The seat has been custom made by Miller Kustom Upholstery. Look closely and you will notice the white stitching and lettering. We love such craftsmanship! It is worth mentioning that the entire rear seat was built from scratch.

There are 2 other real eye-catchers on this little Monkey: the tank and the exhaust. Let’s start with the tank. It is the original Honda tank but it received a fresh coat of black paint. What makes it special though, is the pin-striping that was applied by hand; an art form we don’t see much anymore. It was done by Huid & Staal’s very own Frank Bouwmeester. The other eye-catcher is the exhaust system, which was built from the ground up by MAD Exhausts. We have heard this Monkey in real life, and it sounds more like a Gorilla than a Monkey!

Trailer

That’s it then, right? Wrong. Remember the original wheels that were saved for later? They were repurposed to be used on a custom-made trailer. Built to resemble a giant banana box, the trailer was completely built from nothing to serve as a prop. That also means that the Monkey has a trailer hitch, and we think that it’s the cutest thing we have ever seen. The little engine that could…

Photo credits: Rob Willemsen

Builder details:
Moto Adonis
Website
Instagram
Facebook

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Luckily for us, the standard is pretty high when it comes to their custom built motorcycles, and the BMW you see here today is no exception. Built on behalf of Bartek Prokopowicz, a Polish movie director and lifelong petrolhead, Grzegorz Korczak decided to do something different this time. What started out as a standard BMW R80 police style motorcycle, has been transformed into a cafe racer styled tracker. What makes this 1978 BMW even more special is the treatment all surface areas were given to get a very distinct look. Take a closer look and you’ll see what we mean. Some parts look a bit rusty, and maybe even a bit rough and dirty. Make no mistake, this was done on purpose, through a series of rigorous processes, to achieve this unique, patina look. As if this BMW was built a long time ago. Very cheeky!

It’s clear that this BMW R80 is meant to look a bit rough and used, but that’s just one part of the story. Underneath the surface, everything was redesigned. Let’s start with the most notable changes, like the rear subframe. Or rather, the lack thereof. We see that on top of the minimalistic subframe a beautifully stitches single seat is resting. It almost looks as if it is floating. Some of the worlds’ smallest LED brake and indicator lights can be found underneath the seat.

To keep a clean look, the battery had to be relocated somewhere less obvious; underneath the bike. A custom battery bracket was fabricated to allow for the relocation. This gives the BMW a clean look. The engine and air intake has been kept stock for a change, and we love that! Everything was done to ensure the 800cc boxer is up to snuff, thanks to a thorough inspection and service. At the front the suspension was upgraded to YSS springs and received a pair of fork gaiters. A set of YSS fully adjustable twin shocks take care of business at the rear.

But there is more! Although the rest of the front looks stock, most isn’t. First there is the Motogadget speedo, that looks a lot smaller than the factory cockpit. A black aluminium handlebar replaced the stock steel unit. The handlebar grips have been wrapped with leather, and at the end of them, a pair of Motogadget bar-end indicators have been mounted. A classic oversize black round headlight adds to the distinguished look. The custom short fenders, the blacked out exhaust headers, and the twin brushed end cans all add to the classiness of this R80. No wonder it took almost a year to complete this project!

In the end, UNIKAT managed to create yet another timeless looking custom motorcycle. It’s hard to imagine that they built another bike simultaneous to this project. And yet, they did just that! Stay tuned for more, here on BikeBrewers.

Photo credit: UNIKAT

Builder details:
UNIKAT Motorworks
Website
Instagram
Facebook
YouTube

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A Different Kind of Build
The 30-year-old Maarten Bressers has amazed us before with some beautiful custom BMW motorcycles. Although his preference usually went to boxer twins, the man behind Moto Rebuild decided to take a walk on the wild side, and to venture into the world of BMW inline engine motorcycles

Realistically, we have seen countless of gorgeous builds that were based around the R-series Bavarian pride. A K-series BMW however, is something completely different. When you think about it, where the R-series were meant as no-nonsense motorcycles, using the simplest of technologies, the K-series was nothing short of high tech when it first came out. No round, organic shapes on the K-series, but hard straight lines and a boxy design.

Fallen like a Brick
So why a K-series then? Maarten and his father, who is his partner in crime at Moto Rebuild, wanted to do something different this time. Were a boxer engine BMW allows for easy work, the K-series bikes require a lot more thorough thinking. Modifying a K75 or K100 and making it look balanced is not an easy job. But when Maarten saw a modified K100 on Instagram, the seed was planted and he wanted to have a go at one for himself.

Once the craftsman had made up his mind, a BMW K100 from 1987 was quickly sourced. He didn’t know exactly what the end result was going to look like, but he knew that the strength of this particular model lays in its angular design, so a robust front was a must. The biggest challenge was going to be to get the rear subframe to look nice and to allow the lines of the fuel tank to match with his design.

Community United
Maarten made a number of molds to create a custom set of fairings for his K100 project. We know firsthand that he regularly asked his followers on Instagram for their opinion. In a way, this has helped him to shape his project into what it is now. One could argue that this has been a collaboration between Moto Rebuild and his followers, which makes it quite unique!

Premium Parts
At the front we see a custom set of triple clamps, with LSL mirrors and a KOSO speedometer. The wide handlebar is also courtesy of LSL, as are the indicators and rear taillight. The side panels of the fuel tank are custom made by Maarten himself. The same goes for the custom subframe that now has a seat-pan from Cafe4Racer and a custom-made seat from Miller Kustom Upholstery. The LED headlight and handlebar grips are from the catalogue of Max Inc. A unique mounting system is used at the rear, which allows the shock absorber to sit almost horizontal, clearing the view to that beautiful rear wheel. The rear shock is from YSS, and ensures proper traction, as do the Michelin Anakee dual-sport tires.

When you look closely, you will see that this BMW has a ton of small details, like the 3D printed injection cover, ignition cover, and even rear wheel hub, courtesy of Motoism Custom and Raw Metal Racers. If you look closely you will spot built-in indicators on the front fork cover, built to spec by Motoism. All of this combined with the matt red/orange color, we think this is one of the best looking custom K100 we have seen passing the revue here on BikeBrewers. What sets this build apart from all other K100’s is that this scrambler looks very sporty, almost aggressive. Although a boxer twin has more “character” to its rumble, the K100 shines in smoothness.

FOR SALE!
And if you’re thinking “Hey this bike looks amazing, I want to own it!” then you’re in for a treat! Moto Rebuild is selling this BMW as well as another custom BMW R80. Send Maarten a DM on Instagram for more details.

Photo Credits: Maarten Bressers

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The BikeBrewers editorial team are motorcycle enthusiasts pur sang. We ride our bikes every day of the week, come rain come shine. These aren’t just a hollow statement; these are facts. We pride ourselves with the fact that we are die-hard riders. That also means that we really do use the gear we receive for testing on a long-term basis. The same applies to the gear we received from Rusty Stitches, trusting us to give an honest and unbiased opinion not only as editors, but also as users. We’ve been using the Rusty Stitches gear extensively the past couple of months, and now it is time to share our experiences with you.

The package we received consisted out of:

• Jari Leather Jacket
• Chase Leather Jacket
• Fonzie Helmets
• Johnny Gloves
• Gordon Leg Bags
• Rusty Stitches T-shirts

We had some fun unboxing the package! Make sure to check out the video below:

Leather Jackets
We received a pair of leather jackets in the sized M and XXL. The black Jari Jacket and yellow Chase Jacket are very similar in many ways. They both are made from the same thick but supple leather. What makes the Chase stand out is, without a doubt, the bright colour. It is available in black, red and yellow, with yellow being their number 1 seller since the very beginning. The black Jari jacket looks more subtle and less in-your-face than the Chase. Both have the same specifications and come with 2 faux chest pockets that actually contain vents. They come with removable shoulder and elbow protectors, but a back protector is missing. This can easily be added since a protector pocket is provided.

These two jackets fit perfectly and have adjustable waist and wrist bands. They’ve proven to be incredibly comfortable, and the comments people gave us was always positive. They look like they come from a different era, which fits the retro and classic bikes we ride perfectly. Adnane wore the Jari jacket one a 4-day, 2000 km trip to the Vosges in France. The Jari jacket held itself incredibly well. However, what really got the mouths talking was the yellow Chase jacket. Everybody mentions Kill Bill or Bruce Lee when they see the jacket! We think it’s one of the best looking jackets out there. Made from the same quality leather as the Jari, the Chase is really for those that don’t mind the extra attention. Did we mention that it looks so damn good?!

Fonzie helmets
There are cool helmets, and then there are cool helmets if you know what I mean. We got our hands on 2 different colour Fonzie helmets: black & white, and black & yellow. Both are technically identical and consist out of a matt coloured outer shell, with a leather and suede interior. Lush! The first thing that we noticed was how lightweight the helmet felt in our hands. The second thing that we noticed was just how snug of a fit the helmet had. No surprise there since Rusty Stitches offers the helmet in 5 different shell sizes. Despite the good fit, on a hot day the Fonzie helmet never felt uncomfortable. This is mostly thanks to the Silvercool liner. Aside from all the technicalities, it is one seriously good looking helmet, that fits really well around most people’s heads due to the wide range of sizes available (XS-4XL). For those that want to, there is a detachable peak available, as well as a 5-steps adjustable visor. We just wore ours with goggles or sunglasses, making it the perfect modern retro helmet at an incredibly affordable price point.

Johnny Gloves
We don’t understand how Rusty Stitches pulled this one off. The Johnny gloves look so incredibly good, surely everybody with a retro or classic styled motorcycle should have one by now. If you’re reading this and you don’t know what we are talking about; the Johnny gloves are some of the most comfortable leather riding gloves we have ever had wrapped around our hands. It looks like a workers glove, designed to do a tough job all day long without getting uncomfortable. It has that worn-look that makes it incredibly desirable. These gloves were also worn during Adnane’s 2000 km trip. Like most leather gloves, it takes a moment for the leather to stretch around your knuckles, but once it’s set, you never want to take them off again. An interesting fact is that although these are designed as summer gloves, the can handle cold temperatures pretty decently. We love that these gloves are available in different colours such as yellow and red, just like the Chase jacket.

Gordon bag
This item has a somewhat debatable reputation. Some people love it for its practicality, others think it looks bulky. However, after using the Gordon bag for some time now, we have come to the conclusion that its looks aren’t as disruptive as one would think. Also, having a bag on your hip/thigh is a lot more comfortable than on your back, or putting all your stuff in your jacket pockets. It definitely has proven its value on a long trip. The Gordon bag is just big enough to fit your wallet, phone, and other small items such as keys. Attaching the bag to your leg is super simple with to adjustable straps that use a clicking system.

Rusty Stitches T-Shirt
The Rusty Stitches T-shirts must be our most favourite and most worn items we had received. Not just because of the beautiful original prints, but also because you don’t have to be a biker to wear one. They look cool as hell, and are incredibly comfortable. After more than 5 washes the colour and printing still looks like new, which is a testament to the high quality material that is being used by Rusty Stitches. They have a normal fit, and are made out of 100% cotton. Rusty Stitches offers over 14 designs, some of them are long sleeved, and other are short sleeved. It’s hard not to like one of their designs!

Verdict
Overall we think that Rusty Stitches is doing a great job at offering high quality urban and retro motorcycle gear, at an astonishing price point. I remember when I first got my motorcycle license and I wanted a cool jacket, helmet and gloves, and I couldn’t afford any because it was so incredibly expensive. Thanks to new players like Rusty Stitches, everyone can look cool while being safe on their classy motorcycle. By the way, all their motorcycle gear is CE-approved, meaning that it meets European requirements for road-safety. We wouldn’t want it any other way. And remember: Don’t feed the monkey!

Photo Credits: Dan Sugrue & Ron Betist

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