Bike exif

Most guys can't think beyond a box of chocolates or a bunch of flowers as a gift for their significant other. But Uwe Kostrewa is a true romantic. He's just built this peachy Yamaha SR500 flat tracker for his girlfriend, Steffi—and it's not the first custom bike he's built for her either. Uwe works as Hombrese Bikes out of his workshop in Cologne, Germany, and regularly races and builds custom flat track motorcycles. He has a knack for creating machines that are low-key handsome, trading…

Twenty years ago, street-legal supermotos weren’t really ‘a thing.’ But in Europe, change was in the air—and the KTM Duke II was one of the catalysts. The rough-and-ready 625 cc single was huge fun on short trips, and helped set the template for future supermotos. Over the past couple of years, custom supermotos have become more common, delivered by builders who value performance as much as aesthetics. And one of those builders is Garett Wilson of Dubstyle Designs in Colorado, USA. “These…

Krzysztof Szews is a designer for a major German car manufacturer. His official job title is 'Head of Exterior Geometry'—but when he's on holiday, he dreams up custom motorcycles like this KTM. Kris’ fascination with bikes began when he was 16 and a motocross bike pulled a massive wheelie in front of him, away from the lights and all the way down the street. Kris was instantly hooked on the idea (and sound) of a big four-stroke thumper. While on holiday in the Canary Islands two years ago…

This week's selection of custom bikes is all about the finishes. We have a Yamaha WR155 scrambler with a classic 'speed block' livery, a Honda CRF450 with art by a four-year-old, and a Hero Honda Hunk café racer with a livery inspired by single malt whiskey. Pier City Cycles brings it home, delivering a BMW R nineT with a paint job you could drown in. Yamaha WR155 by Katros Garage With the enduring popularity of scramblers and trackers, it’s a wonder we haven’t seen more manufacturers…

As Taiwan's relatively young custom scene continues to flourish, we have the privilege of watching plucky startups become established players. Take Twentytwo Custom; this custom Suzuki TU250 Grasstracker is only their seventh build, but it perfectly showcases their skill at turning lightweight commuters into spicy little scramblers. Twentytwo is the custom arm of the Taiwanese moto culture and apparel brand, Persist Motorcycle Company. Working in collaboration with the custom workshop Tough…

Even if you don't know Chiel Nipius' name, you've probably seen his work. He was part of the team at Ironwood Custom Motorcycles for a while, but he's now branched out on his own as Nius Moto. And judging by these two Honda CB550 customs, he has the skills to pay the bills. Using the knowledge he acquired under the mentorship of Ironwood shop boss, Arjan van den Boom, 23-year-old Chiel juggles custom bike building with other interests. He also has a part-time job as a metal fabricator at an…

Ducati dropped the dubiously-named draXter concept on us eight years ago. An audacious design based on the popular Ducati XDiavel, it took cues from drag racers, sportbikes, and muscle cars. And although it never made it to market, it did manage to inspire one Ducatista in particular. When the owner of this 2016-model Ducati XDiavel S dropped his bike off at MFix Workshop, the draXter was foremost in his mind. He wanted the Vietnamese custom shop to imbue his XDiavel with a similar…

Very few people would pick a mid-90s BMW F650 Funduro as a donor for a flat track-style custom build, but Georg Godde reckons the idea has merit. He runs the BMW specialist workshop Cafemoto in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, with his partner-in-crime, Holger Maninger. And even though the Cafemoto portfolio mostly features BMW boxers and K-series bikes, Georg has a soft spot for older BMW singles. Cafemoto's last single-cylinder build was a BMW G650 Xcountry street tracker, and Georg was keen to…

Work on motorcycles long enough, and you'll amass two things: a pile of leftover parts, and the wisdom to know which of those parts go best together. Hayden Roberts has hit that level, and this candy-coated vintage Triumph dirt tracker is the result. Hayden restores and repairs vintage British machines under the moniker 'Hello Engine.' Originally from Birmingham, England, he escaped to the Californian coast in the early 2000s; “about 40 years too late,” he says. “I quit my real job to start…