Visit the post for more.
November 5, 2014 - Before I start, I know it's the motorcycling equivalent of fat bikes or enduro, but humour me if you will. With my current projects coming to a close
The Honda CB750 is the inline-four that changed the game for both riders and custom builders. Since 1969, it's been bent into every style you can imagine. Here's our pick of the best cafe racers and bobbers based on the iconic CB750 platform.
It’s getting harder and harder to impress with a CB750 cafe. But this machine, stripped back to bare finishes and muted colors, works a treat. 'The Natural' is a collaboration between two Portland, Oregon builders with complementary skills: Crowe Customs and The Tarantulas. “Scott of The Tarantulas wanted a clean and simple bike, with a vintage feel and raw finishes,” says James Crowe. “Scott’s built several bikes himself, so he was able to handle the mechanical aspects.” Crowe focused on the bodywork, and had an open brief. After he sorted the stance of the bike, he made foam mockups of
CB 750 - Cafe Racer - Wrenchmonkees designed by Daniel Herron. Connect with them on Dribbble; the global community for designers and creative professionals.
They have a new website and it looks great. Nice pics all over the place Check it here
Building custom motorcycles sounds like a dream job, but the reality can be harsh. Builders who can actually make a living from the art are worthy of respect and admiration. The Wrenchmonkees are celebrating a decade in business this year, which is an incredible achievement in the new wave custom scene. And the Danish twosome don’t just have staying power: their influence has been incalculable. Per Nielsen and Nicholas Bech are nothing short of pioneers, forging a path ahead when the scene was just starting to bloom. Even if you don't recognize their faces, you've seen their work—or you've seen
Last time (Part 1) we looked at what not to do when photographing your motorbike and covered off the five
It looks like brown is a trending color in the custom motorcycle world. First the Wrenchmonkees CX500, and now this latest bike, 'Cíclope', from Spain’s Café Racer Dreams. CRD #5 is a 1980 Honda CB750 cafe—a KZ model—and the glossy brown-and-black color scheme works brilliantly. The bike was built over three months and the overhaul includes a slight power boost, thanks to new Keihin carburetion, free-flowing air filters and a Megatron muffler. More importantly, weight will be lower too, thanks to the stripped down bodywork, miniaturized instrumentation and headlight, and compact battery (which is now concealed in an aluminum box
The trend for customising 1970s and 1980s motorcycles continues apace. The blinged-out chopper with raked forks and shiny paint is officially dead: today, customers are demanding sleek, minimal café racers. The shift was inspired a few years ago by workshops such as Denmark's Wrenchmonkees. Today, builders like Café Racer Dreams (Spain) are buying up and stripping down old Hondas and BMWs. Like the CRD machine we're looking at here. Called 'Brownie', it's a 1980 Honda CB750 on a diet. It's also a textbook example of the mods that custom bike fans are looking for in 2012. The electrics are hidden—even the battery—to throw focus on the mechanical components. The brown, gold and black colour scheme is low-key but luxurious, like a fine piece of leatherwork. Unlike many builders, Pedro Garcia of CRD is not a one-trick-pony. His latest creation is a 1971 BMW R75/5 (above) converted for dual sport use. When not being ridden around the streets of Paris by its new owner, it's blasting down fire trails and kicking up dust. And the Wrenchmonkees, who kick started it all? Things are good in the state of Denmark. There's a clothing line in the works and they're collaborating with major brands such as Levi's. They're even getting commissions from switched-on nightcubs, with the 'Club Black' series of display bikes (above). - Chris Hunter, editor of Bike EXIF
