Modern inline quadriceps the bikes from Japan caught my attention on the practical side — they’re big, comfortable, reliable, and powerful. My only concern is that they can look a bit bland, visually. You can go very, very fast, but some of them look like big sewing machines.
The owner of this 2008 Suzuki GSX1400, Luke, has no tailor. But he is a custom motorcycle enthusiast. This is the second bike he has built by Tom Gilroy and his team at Motos are built with purpose on the Gold Coast of Australia.
The first was a Honda CBX1000 cafe racer, and Luke loved it so much that he decided to give it a well-deserved stable friend. He mainly uses his Suzuki for touring missions, and thinks it deserves a full PBM regime as well. So with the CBX for comparison, what does Luke want for his GSX?
“Our first conversation was mostly about cosmetic upgrades, some light engine performance mods to match, and better handling to boot,” Tom told us. “It’s hard not to improve a motorcycle when you’re cutting weight and letting the monster breathe. Our plan was: rebuild the angular subframe to create a shorter, sharper style and pick up the design from where the CBX1000 left off. “
To kick things off, the bike was ripped apart. Most of the factory body parts were removed, except for the fuel tank. It was decided early on that the wheels should be white – so with the palette taking shape, they were taken to paint while work began on the subframe.
The rear end is trimmed down and a custom Alcantara seat with generous cushions has been ordered from Timeless Auto Trim. The longer YSS shock absorbers are fitted with a new shock mount, which elevates the rear of the bike and increases the steering angle for a more powerful (and looking) steering stroke.
The front end is just as wild as the back. The white wheels and uniquely designed lower fork legs compare to the custom front fenders that were brought together using one of Purpose Built’s own set of fenders.
The headlight panel covers a 4.5-inch PBM LED headlight, which acts as a high beam. The low beam setting is accomplished by a pair of small spotlights mounted on top of the oil cooler — a highlight of the CBX1000 construction. The low beams also have their own shrouds, which have been repainted to match.
The headlights, rear bumper and low-body guard are all handcrafted from a single sheet of aluminum. This is a skill that Tom and the team have been working on for a while, and it’s great to see them constantly developing and perfecting their repertoire.
With a front light assembly taking up the space of the instrument panel, a Daytona gauge is attached to the clamp bars. The stock bars have been swapped for a black ProTaper Contour unit set, a decorated ProTaper grip, PBM’s own 3-button switch, and a pair of 3″ mirrors. The hydraulic clutch and brake master cylinder have been upgraded to the Brembo kit, for more stopping power and feel.
You may know that before Tom got into bike building, he specialized in custom motorcycle electronics. PBM still offers all of their own products for sale and all the extras have been used on this bike. From the switches up front, to the lighting and the Black Box control module under the saddle, everything comes from the store’s own inventory.
Tom wanted to do something special with the exhaust, so he left the stock headers intact, then built a connector that could thread through the subframe. A custom-built silencer ends below the rear cover, made from a 3-inch perforated tube with a two-stage silencer inside. And yes – this thing howls like a banshee.
Regarding the engine modifications, there is not much to report. PBM has fitted a new DNA shell filter and treats the large Zook to a dyno tune. It now shows 107 hp at the rear wheel, with 130 Nm of torque. Not bad for a touring bike, hey?
“The only thing better than looking at a bike is riding it,” explained Tom quite proudly. “The 1400 four is an absolute monster and delivers a small amount of torque no matter where you are in the rev range.”
That’s not hard to believe. The power of the inline quartet, coupled with the massive suspension and weight loss improvements make Luke grin every time he drives it. And it’s also sleeker, with a paint job inspired by older Suzuki MotoGP bikes, which Justin ordered at Pop Bang Classics.
“We had another great experience working with Luke, which turned out to be this impressive custom,” says Tom. “He picked it up from our shop and drove it for seven straight hours, traveling the long way home to his location on the New South Wales coast. I can’t think of a more deserving vehicle than this custom GSX1400. “
We couldn’t have written a better ending than that.
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