Big bike this version of Speed Read. We started with a 1,700 cc single-cylinder helicopter and ended with a BMWR18 from CW Zon. In the middle is a classy Honda CB200 cafe racer from Indonesia and a K-Speed kit for the Honda Dax.
Al Hackel’s 1,700cc Single-Cylinder Cutaway Motorcycle What do the Beechcraft Staggerwing and Ford Trimotor, the M18 Hellcat and M4 Sherman tanks, and the HUP Retriever helicopter have in common? They’re all powered by the same 975-cubic-inch nine-cylinder Wright R-975 Whirlwind radial engine—kind of like the motorcycle you see here, in a way.
This custom cutting machine built by a guy named Al Hackelwho originally set out to build a Harley Knucklehead. After realizing that even crappy Knuckles were selling for exorbitant prices, he moved on to something much wilder.
At that time, Al came across a Wright R-975 cylinder head for sale on eBay. The 1,700cc cylinder was in good condition, so he took it into his backyard farm equipment repair shop, closed the door, and turned on the music.
With the 1,700cc single in hand, Al set about turning it into the heart of his creation. Using his workshop equipment and a lifetime of fabrication skills, Al designed, prototyped and built the entire undercarriage from scratch.
Completely finished, the R-975 cylinder sits on a custom engine case and drives a custom conrod and five-piece crankshaft. Al’s friend Justin Leineweber milled a custom camshaft and the power is sent through a 1947 Harley-Davidson transmission.
A rigid frame was built around the engine and suspended by a set of custom Vincent Girdraulic-style forks that Al built from scratch. The rear wheel has a nine-inch drum brake from a Toyota Matrix, and the headlight was handcrafted by Jesse Briggs at Maritimer Glassworks.
Jesse also fabricated a custom glass shift knob, taillight, and fuel filler tube that’s mounted on the side of the carburetor. Narrow bars and spring seats frame the custom fuel tank, which has asymmetrical cutouts to accommodate the cylinder head on one side and the manual shifter on the other.
Al says the vibrations loosened the fittings, but it rides great on the road, even if it’s a little scary to ride. On paper, this bike shouldn’t be able to run—but thanks to Al’s incredible craftsmanship and skill, it looks fantastic. [Source]
Honda CB200 by Batakastem Garage Abraham Simatupang and his workshop, Batakastem Garage, are known for building wild, one-of-a-kind motorcycles. But their latest creation is a little more subdued—and that’s not a bad thing. They took a Honda CB200 and turned it into a lithe classic. coffee racing car.
Bikes like the CB200 are hard to come by in Southeast Asia, making Abraham’s find a rare gem. After some hunting, Batakastem found a suitable bike and tore it apart. The fifty-year-old steel frame was disassembled, sandblasted, and a new subframe welded in.
A set of fenders was built from scratch, and the wheels were reinforced with new spokes, 16-inch rims and fat, chunky Shinko tires. A new LED headlight shines ahead of new clip-on handlebars, new switchgear and an updated cockpit. The brakes were also upgraded with larger calipers, new front brake discs and stainless steel braided lines.
Fabrication is where the Batakastem team really shines, and the CB200 is no exception—though it’s lighter than their usual fare. The tank, side panels, and seat are all handcrafted from 1.2mm galvanized steel, with the tank design based on the Honda GL100, but modified to accommodate the CB200’s larger engine.
The bodywork looks close to OEM, retaining the CB’s iconic shape while giving it a fresh, aggressive look. Burgundy leather is used to decorate the new solo seat, and the whole bike is painted in a gorgeous 70s-inspired paint scheme.
The engine was treated to a complete rebuild with new gaskets and seals, while the carburetor was fitted with a new filter housing and re-jetted to match. Batakastem also fabricated a custom exhaust with minimal baffles and brass headers. Electrons flow freely through a custom wiring harness and all-new electronics.
Perfect for hitting the streets of Indonesia, this is another stunning creation from Batakastem Garage. [Source]
Honda Dax by K-Speed Ah K speedwe love you so much. One of Thailand’s best motorcycle tuning shops is back in business and this time they have a new line of parts for the Honda ST125 Dax.
K-Speed boss Eak has had a special love for the Dax since his childhood. His shop has built a number of delicious custom Dax models to date and has developed countless bolt-on parts for Honda’s retro minibikes under the Diablo brand. This has culminated in the ‘1978 Limited Series’; a collection of parts that exudes nostalgia. mixer stylish, and can be slapped onto a Dax in an afternoon and a six-pack.
The Honda Dax is cute enough, but we like how the K-Speed kit makes it tougher. Solid covers are placed over the stock wheels, which can be wrapped in whatever rubber you can find to fit the small wheels. A tall front fender is paired with a rear mudguard, while a new horn guard proudly bears the K-Speed name.
The taller handlebars feature new grips, a weighted steering head, and clutch and brake controls. The factory instrument panel remains, now tucked behind an enduro-style headlight housing. The Diablo mirrors offer a stylish upgrade over the OEM items.
A black laser-cut steel backbone cover shows off its small form between the headstock and the K-Speed seat. The engine has a plethora of custom covers, all of which are scrambler-style, along with a high-flow Diablo exhaust system.
The swingarm gets a Diablo extension to better accommodate the chunky tyres, and the rear brakes get an upgrade with a new disc and longer brake lines. And since this is a ‘scrambler’, it also gets longer Diablo shocks at the back.
Finally, the luggage rack adds a bit of utility to the Dax, as does the canvas pannier bag that mounts to the left side of the bike.
Even if you’re not into minibikes, it’s hard to resist K-Speed’s 1978 Dax, especially with its classic Honda graphics. [K-Speed]
BMW R18 by CW Zon Late last year, Japan’s Yuichi Yoshizawa Custom Work Area had the honor of being a judge for the BMW Motorrad-sponsored customization competition focusing on the BMW R18. The event, held as part of BMW’s 100th anniversary celebrations, attracted custom bike builders from all over the world.
There was just one problem—as a judge, Yoshizawa-san couldn’t participate. So he left with the desire to enter his workshop.
By chance, after the competition, CW Zon was approached by BMW’s design headquarters with an intriguing challenge; to create a custom bike that embodied the spirit of the next 100 years of BMW Motorrad. This opportunity led to the creation of ‘Ground Zero’, a futuristic concept bike inspired by a vision of how vehicles could evolve in the next century.
Yuichi and his collaborator, Yoshikazu Ueda, started by shaping the new bodywork out of wire, which laid the foundation for the bike’s flowing, futuristic lines. From there, aluminum panels were meticulously hand-hammered to form the front cowl, tank shroud, tail section, and other exterior components. We love the bold, streamlined look—and the way CW Zon combined elements of dragsters and salt lake racers with the R18’s cruiser base.
The Ground Zero coloured perspex panel at the front houses a sophisticated headlight system, seamlessly integrated into the carbon fibre and aluminium housing. The BMW instrument panel is housed in the fuel tank via a custom aluminium cover.
One of the smartest features of this bike is the clean, minimalist design surrounding the custom handlebars. CW Zon has relocated the stock switches (which can’t be removed without damaging the bike) to the center of the handlebars, creating a clean, uncluttered cockpit.
Another great custom touch is the cable-operated remote reservoir system for the hydraulic clutch and front brakes. Hidden inside the front engine cover, the master cylinders are mounted out of sight with cables running from the controls; a very slick setup.
While it won’t be to everyone’s taste, the BMW R18 is a fun bike to ride. It’s long, heavy, and wide—but its 1,802cc boxer twin is a torque monster with plenty of character. Now, thanks to CW Zon, it has the performance to match on the track. [Custom Works Zon]
