no question that the Japanese custom scene is rife with creativity. Even so, there are some Japanese builders whose style is so recognizable, that they try to stand out in a scene known for its uniqueness. Koichi Fujita is one of them.
Fujita-san is the man behind AN-BU Custom Motors. You know his job; His style relies heavily on traditional sports car aesthetics and his custom builds give off a mechanical and punk rock feel. His signature suits of armor show only the tiniest bit of Bōsōzoku’s influence, but don’t cross the line into caricature territory.
Is it a style suitable for a bicycle such as Royal Enfield Continental GT650? Koichi didn’t think so when RE first approached him to customize one for their ‘Custom World’ initiative. Then it clicks…
He told us, “I don’t know what kind of custom bike I should build as the AN-BU. “I thought about that for a while, then realized that people from Custom World had seen AN-BU’s previous works and approached me. So I decided to build a custom bike just like the AN-BU without changing my style.”
“They said my custom bike would be shown at motorcycle shows in Osaka, Tokyo and Nagoya. However, I don’t think a bike built for a show is great. A very important concept for me was creating a custom bike that looks cool on the street when driven by a rider.”
“That’s why, for this project, I decided to build a bike that I think is great to ride, even though it will be unveiled and shown at a motor show. I put everything I could into this bike and in the end this is something I created with my passion.”
The key to AN-BU’s signature style lies in Koichi’s background. When he was 18, he raced (and won a championship) at Japan’s famous Suzuka circuit. He later worked in an auto tuning shop, where he learned how to build and tune racing cars. Later, his father taught him the art of forming and painting sheet metal.
Koichi has nicknamed this building ‘Kai’, which stands for ‘Kaizo’. A nod to his heritage, it’s the word he used when customizing bikes as a child and it means ‘modified’.
“What I wanted to show with Royal Enfield ‘Kai’ was a sense of speed,” he added. “To show this, I wanted to create a form that resembles a racing car. However, what I envision is not a racer running on the track but a racer running on the street.”
“I imagined a racing machine that was used on the track in the 1970s to 1980s, but modified to be able to run on open roads.”
To convey this concept, Koichi built a completely new bodywork for the 2021 Continental GT650. The aluminum fuel tank and tail fins recall the aggressive feel of an older endurance racing machine, but offer a lithe feel. more fluid and natural. But for Koichi, just modifying the bodywork is not enough.
Compare this bike with an original Enfield and you’ll notice that their frame lines are different. That’s because Koichi modified the top of the bike frame to accommodate the fuel tank and tweaked the subframe, all to reinforce the styling of the 1970s and 1980s racing bikes he pursued.
Next, he built a new front fender out of carbon fiber. The headlights are off to the side—another reminiscent of 1980s endurance racers and another AN-BU signature. It is mounted in an aluminum dome.
Also worth noting is the custom exhaust system. It wriggled around Enfield’s twin tandem engines, getting in and out of sections of the apron that had been modified to fit it, before exiting through a single silencer on the right.
Behind the bib you’ll find a hand-made gripper, a Motogadget speedometer, and a large durable stylish gas cap. You’ll also find a custom yoke on the top, designed to grip a set of 38 mm Kayaba forks, with slight offset to make the Enfield’s handling even sportier. A longer, fully adjustable YSS shock absorber takes over the rear duties.
Koichi also replaced the spokes wheels of the GT650 with 18-inch alloy wheels. They are wrapped in Pirelli Phantom Sportcomps tires—specifically designed for a modern classic, combining a classic tread pattern with modern grip. The brake system is a combination of parts of Nissin (front) and Brembo (rear).
More subtle details include a custom rear-foot control unit, flanked by perforated aluminum heel plates. Small LED turn signals and taillights from Kellermann.
Paint work is quintessential AN-Bu. Koichi paints the sash black, but does it in such a way that the carbon fiber shows up in the harsh sunlight. The aluminum details deliberately show off their imperfections, interspersed nicely with the leather seats.
“The bikes I build are designed to fit the city and look good on the street,” explains Koichi. “But of course, I am also interested in the latest racing machines. Especially their technology, which is always evolving, and their mechanics.”
“A fun bike to ride. This is at the core of all AN-BU custom bikes and will never go away.”
AN-BU Custom Motors Instagram | Image of Keigo Yamamoto | Information provided by tadashi kono
