Most customs There’s nothing quite like a factory bike, with impeccable styling and, let’s face it, legality often unclear. But sometimes we see a machine that can roll straight off the production line.
Customize this Sym Wolf looks like this could be a ‘retro’ bike made by a Japanese factory in the 1980s – with a similar vibe to bikes like the Honda GB500. But it’s the work of student Charlie Huang, who also gives us an interesting insight into Taiwanese culture and customs.
Charlie lives in Taichung, but also spends time in California, where he attended the famous ArtCenter School of Design.
His bike is a 1994 Sym Wolf 125, which began life as a somewhat lightweight commuter tool. “It belongs to my uncle, until he passes it on to me in 2020,” Charlie told us. “It’s been my dream bike since I was a kid, so I wanted to honor it — by elevating it and bringing it back to life.” He starts with a sketch.
Motorcycle riding is very popular in Taiwan: young people often ride a bicycle used by their grandfather or father, and the Wolf has long been the most popular type of motorcycle in the country.
Customization is less common. Charlie explains: “Due to the ban on the import of large displacement motorcycles in the late 60s, there was a huge gap in our motorcycle culture. “This is why our custom bike culture started so late and small motor motorcycles are the main theme.”
Charlie’s goal was not only to rebuild the Wolf 125, but also to enhance its styling and performance without resorting to the fat-tired mini-bobber styling that has so much to do with local custom.
“The biggest modifications here include rebuilding the entire engine and transmission. I upgraded the original four-speed transmission to a more efficient six-speed, while also increasing the engine from 125 to 164 cc”.
To stay within the law, Charlie had to keep the powertrain boxes, along with their stamped numbers. That helped the Wolf 125 use an evolution of the Honda CB/CG powertrain, and some of the engine internals on this machine are now spare parts for the Honda CB125S.
The valves have also been enlarged and polished to accommodate the larger displacement, and a Keihin PE26 cabin improves fuel delivery.
The gearbox uses a Chinese-made interior, and there’s also a new high-spec FCC clutch disc. For the exhaust, Charlie took a handcrafted stainless steel exhaust from a Taiwanese craftsman to give it a nice curve, and added a SuperTrapp silencer.
Next to it is a modified swingarm using Kymco KTR parts, hooked up to a pair of adjustable RPM RR shock absorbers. It doesn’t stretch: “A longer swingarm with big tires has a huge impact on small displacement motorcycles,” notes Charlie. “It makes handling worse, and because of small horsepower, large tires also reduce acceleration.”
The front fork has been refurbished and shortened a bit to improve the stance. “As there was no ideal trident on the market, I 3D modeled it and commissioned a CNC manufacturer to create a fully custom trident.” 
As for the tank, Charlie wanted to return the Wolf 125 to the perfect proportions inherent from the Honda CB125S. So he searched for a CB100 K3 tank in Indonesia – which visually resembles the CB125S – and changed the mounting points so it would fit the frame.
The wheel is a classic Shanghai Unison style aluminum rim, belonging to the F18/R17 series. The bodywork is Dunlop’s durable TT900GP compound, with intentionally thin constructions to keep handling smooth. Charlie’s kept the original rear drum brake, but opted for Brembo brake calipers for the front – painted black to match the tone.
The cafe racer-style tailgate was handcrafted by a Taiwanese sheet metal shop, SanHe Garage, and Charlie modified the subframe to fit the new rear fender.
The seat is upholstered in cowhide, dyed by Charlie himself. A Taipei expert helped with foam shaping and stitching.
Jeffrey Chang treated to a lavish blue paint job. “He is a master painter in Taiwan and has worked with many famous custom bike builders,” says Charlie. “The color of this bike is specially ordered — it’s not a color currently on the market. I wanted a light color that contrasted with the gray Taiwanese architecture. ”
Almost every smaller part on this Sym Wolf has been replaced or upgraded, even the lights, grips and revs, which are a fake CB100.
It’s an exercise in improving aesthetics without sacrificing performance, and it all ties together beautifully.
Charlie’s goal was to demonstrate that smaller bikes don’t have to copy the styling of heavy machinery — and also to influence the local custom bike culture along the way. A commendable goal and we hope he succeeds.
Charlie Huang Design Facebook Group | Youtube Channel | Photography by Johnny Ho
