What 'custom' would you build ?

[Gimlet]

There's a massive hipster scene into older air-cooled boxer cafe racers. Stacks of off the shelf parts and very simple engines. Early high mileage GS's might make a good donor bike. Pre-90's boxer roadsters are all nearing classic money now.
I was following an R100 cafe racer on the Weymouth Bridport coast road a couple of years ago. It was making very respectable progress and cornering very sweetly. It was one of the more serious builds with sensible wheel rims and proper sticky tyres instead of those ridiculous retro cross-ply like things and it clearly handled very well. Admittedly I left it for dead but I was on an 1190 KTM so that's hardly surprising and no disgrace. Nevertheless it was no slouch and probably on a par with a modern Japanese 650 twin but with infinitely more cool. So they can work if done right. Go for it.

[KungFooBob]

Not a custom, but I was once very surprised by a bloke on a R1100S, turned out he was a police instructor, but boy was he making it shift.

[Gimlet]

I've said it many times and it remains the case. If you want to be a fast smooth road rider, police riders not track riders are the ones to learn from. Aside from long straights, it's the road with it's restrictions and everyday hazards that holds you back rather than the bike, and in the right hands almost anything half handy over 500cc is capable of going much faster than the road its being ridden on will allow. Getting the most out of it is down to advanced road craft and police riders are the masters of it.

[Mr. Dazzle]

I love the flying brick "flat 4" (not actually a flat 4 ) engine, shame BMW don't do it any more.

[KungFooBob]

There's a number of 'innovations' BMW don't use anymore.

Like those fucking stupid indicators.

They even make bikes with telescopic forks and drive chains these days.

[Gregor]

There's a number of 'innovations' BMW don't use anymore.

Like those fucking stupid indicators.

They even make bikes with telescopic forks and drive chains these days.

Unbeliever

Give it a couple of years.

The clutch lever retracting side stand is another wonder of BMW design.

[Gregor]

Love this Goldwing custom.

[demographic]

P.S. I really hate those exhausts made up of loads of little bits welded together.

Exhaust wrap on random unneeded sections is my pet hate.

[Gimlet]

I love the flying brick "flat 4" (not actually a flat 4 ) engine, shame BMW don't do it any more.

Just an I/L four tipped over. I quite like them too. You get all the induction plumbing on show on top of the engine. Even better if the airbox has been replaced with a cone filter.
There also seems to be masses of performance and tuning parts available for flying bricks.

I think my front runner would still be a Pan European V4 though.

[Gregor]

This is the best k bike custom I’ve seen.

Apart from the tyres off the Walton’s model T ford.

[Gimlet]

Or go big...

20_01_2017_Mean_Machines_Triumph_Rocket_cafe_racer_sydney_australia_Wenley_Andrews_03.jpg (75.28 KiB) Viewed 1142 times

[derek badger]

A flat track/street scrambler of some description. This CR500 looks fun...

[Noggin]

I saw a custom Blackbird on a BB forum years ago. Similar (sort of) to the one below. But, this one had a Spondon frame, single exhaust but pretty sure it was under seat and I don't think the top was quite as short - or the Spondon frame made things 'join together' better.

The one below is a similar idea, shape wise, but the one from the BB forum was just GORGEOUS!!!!

[DefTrap]

Quite like that. Hard to make a custom with a beam frame look good.

[Noggin]

Quite like that. Hard to make a custom with a beam frame look good.

I think that was why the guy had a Spondon frame built for it - it looked gorgeous!!! I will see if I can still get onto the forum and find pics, but not sure it's even running anymore!

[A_morti]

Quite like that. Hard to make a custom with a beam frame look good.

I think that was why the guy had a Spondon frame built for it - it looked gorgeous!!! I will see if I can still get onto the forum and find pics, but not sure it's even running anymore!

There's a few very proficient builders who put Blackbird engines in Fireblade frames. I doubt Spondon made a Blackbird frame, but I imagine they made a Fireblade one you could adapt to a Blackbird engine.

In case it helps with searching?

[Taipan]

Love to be putting this into some sort of togetherness...



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NORTON-Domin ... 0148.m2813

[Yorick]

Love to be putting this into some sort of togetherness...



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NORTON-Domin ... 0148.m2813

[Mr. Dazzle]

Love to be putting this into some sort of togetherness...



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NORTON-Domin ... 0148.m2813

Pretty sure that should say "putting these together"

[Noggin]

Quite like that. Hard to make a custom with a beam frame look good.

I think that was why the guy had a Spondon frame built for it - it looked gorgeous!!! I will see if I can still get onto the forum and find pics, but not sure it's even running anymore!

There's a few very proficient builders who put Blackbird engines in Fireblade frames. I doubt Spondon made a Blackbird frame, but I imagine they made a Fireblade one you could adapt to a Blackbird engine.

In case it helps with searching?

Possibly. He used the front of the BB and carved up the back. Asked a friend to see if he can find it as he's still on the forum and has a way better memory than me!! LOL