If you like If you’re a romantic yourself, consider this: have you ever built a custom motorcycle for your lover? Uwe Kostrewa has, and it’s an absolute peach.
We all know Uwe is behind Hombrese bicycle in Cologne, Germany. His style is different; If it was a flat tracker or scrambler with a vintage charm, Uwe probably built it. This time, he applied that formula to a humble 1979 Honda XL500S that turned into a stylish racing bike for his girlfriend.
“I need one flat tracker for my love, Steffi, because she wanted to start riding and racing flat roads,” Uwe told us. “I am a huge fan of flat bikes and their design. This isn’t my first build, so the idea of a design often pops into my head. “
“But in this case, Steffi also had a lot of ideas that I worked on. It was supposed to be her bike after all. “
Main reason to choose XL500 as a sponsor, except that Honda’s clutches are notoriously bulletproof, is its size. Steffi has no flat track experience, so she needed something light and manageable. A stock XL500S weighs about 135 kg [297 lbs] dry — this is now down to 114 kg [251 lbs].
The pair have found a donor who is, according to Uwe, “in normal condition for an enduro bike of that age.” The engine was good enough that it didn’t need to be rebuilt, so he just repainted it and traded the airbox for a K&N filter. (A carb upgrade is on the cards for next season.)
The XL500S comes from the factory with a funny 23-inch front wheel and an 18-inch rear ring. It’s a unique combination, but it’s not good for flat line usage. So Uwe mounted a pair of 19-inch wheels, using a BMW F 650 GS axle at the front.
Since this car will not be running on the street, there is no front brake. The original Honda drum brake is back in action, with a new set of stainless steel sprockets sending power to the wheels. The tire is Dunlop’s popular DT3 type.
Uwe also swapped out the suspension components of the old Honda bike. It now wears a right fork from a pre-2005 Yamaha R6 up front, and a new YSS fork at the back. The XL’s OEM shocks were unusually long, so Uwe relocated the shock mounts on the swingarm to run shorter units.
The whole bike is now lower and classier. Going higher, the subframe was cut and repeated, and the main frame was freed from any unnecessary tabs.
Moving on to the bodywork, Uwe tweaked the late ’70s Honda XL125 fuel tank to fit the 500. A slim custom seat sits right in the back, upholstered with materials from the Volkswagen Beetle. The rear end is finished with a unique fender, trimmed to fit.
Without lights, speed, start button or front brake lever, the cockpit is quite simple. Uwe installed a Tomaselli handlebar set, with a new trip, throttle and grip switch.
Because this is a freestyle racing bike, a number plate is required. Uwe cut a set of Dibond — an aluminum composite commonly used for signage.
Lower down, a handcrafted stainless steel exhaust system wraps around the engine, exiting through a cutout in the right number plate. It’s adorned with a well-placed heat shield and a chunky Ixil muffler.
Uwe does his own paint job — and he has a knack for creating luxurious, vibrant pieces. The white, black and yellow color scheme on Steffi’s Honda is also cool, complete with Honda’s standard ‘dresses’ on the fuel tank. We have also illustrated the number tables by hand.
As for the rest of the bike, the frame, swingarm, wheels and shock absorbers are all powder coated like chrome. It adds a classic touch to the structure, a bit reminiscent of the nickel-plated frames on classic dirt bikes.
When the romantic gestures are in play, building a cute custom race bike like this one has to be right up there. If you ask us, Uwe is a goalkeeper.
Hombrese bicycle | Facebook | Instagram | Photo of Rick Parker
