Deus ex Machina back to the roots with a simple Kawasaki W650. We also profiled a Honda CB550 cafe racer, a custom Kawasaki KZ400, and RGNT’s all-electric ice speed record-breaker.
Deus ex Machina’s Kawasaki W650 Looks like we don’t see much KAWASAKI W650 customs around as we used to be, and more is a pity. Lucky twins are a joy to ride; easily go with one of the nicest engines around. And it’s fun to customize.
Deus Ex Machina has been building custom W650s since the early days of setting up shop in Australia. So it’s refreshing to see head-scratching miner Jeremy Tagand return to the platform, with a neater custom W650 nicknamed ‘Goldy’.
If you’ve been following Deus’ work for a while, you’ll recognize some of Jeremy’s signature W650 mods. The banana saddle is a popular aftermarket piece, while the handcrafted side covers recall Deus’ early W650 builds. The aluminum TT-style fuel tank sits above, with a cutout forming a line on the top of the engine.
The original 19F/18R wheels are wrapped in dual sport rubber from Pirelli, with stainless steel fenders floating above them. Jeremy saw the W650’s biggest weakness—the rear shock absorber—with a pair of custom-built Icon units.
Other upgrades include a pair of DNA pod filters and a two-in-one exhaust from Project SC in Italy. The LED headlights are part of the Highsider, the turn signals and the rear three-in-one LED are from Purpose Built Moto and a product of speedo’s Daytona. New steering wheel with Vans handle and Rizoma rearview mirror.
Compact and minimal, the Goldy is the perfect blueprint for anyone looking to modify their W650 without sacrificing any of its accessible nature. Please add these, Jeremy. [Deus ex Machina]
Skog Motorcycles Honda CB550 It’s hard to imagine a better sponsor for a prototype cafe racer compared to Honda CB. You could argue that the new wave cafe racer style is built on the Honda CB750, CB550 and CB450.
this neat Honda CB550 from Dave Skogerson in Seattle, Washington. It’s the quintessential coffee fare; stripped of the bare essentials and “built to drive”, as he put it.
Logically, Dave kicked off the project by rebuilding the engine. The front end was redone and polished, the clutch was rebuilt with a Barnett kit and anything that was out of date was replaced. Dave ditched the airbox in favor of a row of velocity stacks and fitted four-in-one headers from MotoGP Werks, then tweaked the refueling system for maximum performance from the four inline headers.
The Honda has also reworked the wiring and upgraded it with Motogadget controls, a modern ignition system and a small Lithium-ion battery. The suspension has been overhauled, with Hagon springs inside the OEM forks and new Hagon shocks at the rear, and reworked the wheels. They wear modern Continental ContiGo outfits! steps, while some adjustments to the brakes help slow them down.
Reducing weight was also on Dave’s agenda, so he removed the frame and fitted lightweight aluminum yokes up front. The fuel tank of the CB550 is the only original body part left. The rear end is an aluminum part from Bedlam Werks, the side fenders and fenders are now in the barrel.
The entire bike is delightfully minimalist, equipped with only what it needs and nothing else. Woodcraft grips, a pair of aftermarket gauges and vintage 5 3/4” headlights adorn the front, with tiny Motogadget turn signals fitted at both ends. The Tarozzi rear set completes the kit.
Paint work is equally limited. The CB is predominantly black, with a brown accent on the saddle and an elegant Honda ‘wings’ logo on the fuel tank. [Via]
Andy Greaser’s Kawasaki KZ400 This 1978 Kawasaki KZ400 restoration belongs to longtime RevZilla Common Tread writer Andy Greaser. Andy’s name has appeared in Common Tread bylines for about six years now, but he recently left the team to pursue new opportunities. And he’s making a big splash—using his last post to showcase his own bike.
For fairness, Andy’s post It’s not really about his bike. It’s about something else we’re passionate about; photography. Working with RevZilla staff photographer Luke Darigan, Andy explores what it takes to commission a professional photographer to photograph your bike, with the express goal of making it stand out. on sites like Bike EXIF.
Using Andy’s KZ400 as a model, Luke provides a set of textbook glamor worthy of any website or magazine. Building on that process, Andy offers helpful advice for anyone who loves building custom motorcycles—but isn’t sure how to present his work to a wider audience. Whether you’re a builder or a photographer, this is a must-read.
As for the bike itself, it’s modest but also very charming. It carries the fuel tank from an older KZ400, with the natural rust intact, with a ‘bread loaf’ saddle using recycled material from the soft top of an old heating rod. The fiberglass fenders are Triumph parts, and the rear shocks are aftermarket, from a Sportster.
The engine was rebuilt to the highest level, with a new clutch and a row of Mikuni VM carburetors, tuned for mid-range power. Other changes include new wiring, Renthal bars, vintage oil temperature gauges, oversized exhaust flanges, and Peterson Air Force Base (now Space Force Base) parking stickers ) from the bike’s previous life.
It’s not a wild custom — but Andy knows it. “I would say this KZ400 is a perfect example of a custom vehicle that anyone can build at home with a MIG welder, some basic tools and a little know-how,” he says. speak. “I took my time and tried all kinds of ideas before finding a solution that I liked.”
“You can avoid a lot of frustration by being honest about your motorcycle. Don’t waste time, don’t waste money and don’t waste potential.” [Andy Greaser | Images by Luke Darigan]
RGNT sets new electric land speed record Swedish electric motorcycle RGNT company has just set a new land speed record for an electric motorcycle on ice. And they did it with a classic cafe racer style motorcycle.
RGNT kicked off project ‘Aurora’ with model RGNT No. 1 Classic SE of their own. It’s truly an electric-powered classic, with sleek styling that doesn’t look out of place in a Triumph or Royal Enfield showroom. Working after work, and on the weekends, they reworked it into a cafe racer more like a racer than a coffee.
No. 1 Classic SE has removed the original saddle and fenders but kept the ‘fuel tank’. RGNT’s in-house team built a lightweight apron to cut through the air, equipping it with an HMI racing monitor. With studded tires, grips to grip the rider and a hack to unlock the extra 9 kW from the engine, the team is ready to race.
RGNT heads to Svenska Motorsport Alliansen-licensed and licensed Speed Weekend in Årsunda, Sweden this weekend to put Aurora on ice. With RGNT engineer Timmy Eriksson behind bars, RGNT set three new records with this bike and an RGNT No. 1 Scrambler SE in bone.
Those records are the fastest electric motorcycle on ice (155.14 km/h), fastest A1 electric motorcycle (135.03 km/h) and fastest electric motorcycle model (114.3 km/h). .
RGNT didn’t have to make their bike look this good to set those records, but they did it anyway, because the aesthetic is ingrained in the company’s DNA. As their company motto reads; “Ride clean. Ride in style. 100% electricity.” [RGNT Motorcycles]
