First reading speed 2023 begins with a number of identical twins. Unit Garage launches custom kit for Yamaha’s successful Ténéré 700 adventure bike, Wedge Motorcycles makes magic on the Royal Enfield Continental GT650 and JSL launches the sunny yellow Kawasaki W800. Finally, the story of Malle Mile 2022 comes to us in the form of the brand’s latest short, which tells the carnival of speed in a fun and exciting way.
Yamaha Ténéré 700 kit by Unit Garage Unit Garage is known for their well designed custom bike kit. Their kit can turn an antique bike into cafe racer, car shuffle or classic inspired build, with a much smaller budget and shorter lead time than a full one-off custom. It’s a relatively easy way to add function and style to today’s range of motorcycles.
The latest custom kit from Unit Garage brings classic Ténéré style back to Yamaha’s current mid-size adventure platform. And what better way to demonstrate this toolkit than to build a maximalism classic Ténéré?
Unit Garage’s Ténéré 700 ‘Classic’ uses the brand’s full range of accessories, available in iconic Blue, Midnight Black or unpainted. The kit includes all the graphics seen here, tall fenders, vintage side panels, plus LED headlights and a vintage hood that fits around it.
There’s also support for the bike’s original gear, aluminum radiator guards, MotoGadget front turn signals, and all the hardware needed to put it together. Replacement of original parts removes approximately 4.5 kg [9.9 lbs] weight.
This demonstration model also features a number of other modifications, such as the Unit Garage silencer, rear luggage rack, license plate locator and more. This set is available now on Website of the Unit Garageso pick them up if you’re looking for a little vintage style for your T7.
Royal Enfield Continental GT650 by Wedge Motorcycle Our next non-British parallel comes from wedge motorcycle In Japan. For the past 13 years, Takashi Nihira has built perfectly classic looking motorcycles. The bikes are finished with such cleanliness and attention to detail that they look like they could have been rolled out of the manufacturer’s factory.
Such is the case with this latest build from his Tokyo workshop—a classic built around the 2020 model year. Royal Enfield Continental GT650.
Enfield’s GT650 started life as a factory cafe racer with attractive lines and classic styling, which Nihira-san sought to expand on. Most of the custom work here is done in a way that accentuates the original style, subtly enhancing the aesthetic without compromising the design language established by Royal Enfield. To this end, the bottom seam of the fuel tank was eliminated and new mounting points were fabricated, allowing the tank to sit lower on the frame with a cleaner bottom border.
The long tail of the GT650 subframe has been removed and replaced with a smaller, cleaner ring. The original cafe-style saddle was later replaced with a slim solo saddle, matching the new contours of the rear end. A smaller fender is attached to the rear, fitted with a new license plate holder and smaller, colored taillights and turn signals.
The stock has been swapped for smaller group filters and a custom-built battery box in the center of the chassis. An in-house custom, pea-fired exhaust system is similar to the original, but more compact and free-flowing.
The original wheel size remains the same—18” front and rear—but is now raw, brushed to match the bike’s engine, exhaust, and fork. Shinko 270 Super Classic Cruiser chunky tires balance the proportions wonderfully. [Via]
JSL Moto’s Kawasaki W800 Some bikes are made for climbing. Others are made to win the race. However, for many of us, the bike we might find most enjoyable is one built simply to go out for a cup of coffee. Our next build is just that—one KAWASAKI W800 from JSL Moto in Germany, built for pure enjoyment, simplicity, classic style and casual everyday use.
Jochen Schmitz-Linkweiler is the founder of the LSL motorcycle division in Germany and the builder of the custom shop that bears his initials: JSL Moto. Although JSL has built around Triumphs, Yamahas, and other twins, he still defines the W800 as “without a doubt, the most iconic twin of our time”.
Modifications to the Kawasaki platform focus on perfecting rider ergonomics and enhancing rider comfort—without changing the classic styling too much.
The classic reverse-swivel handlebars and LSL center-mounted foot controller keep the rider upright and comfortable. The universal Daytona Velona W tachometer tackles instrumentation tasks, blending analog style with modern functionality. Custom headlight brackets hold the new 110mm LED headlights, while 18-inch spoke wheels run at both ends, with new shock absorbers at the rear.
Finally, the car is aptly named ‘Coffee Bob’, featuring a two-tone sunny yellow and coffee brown color scheme, with subtle red pinstripes. As the humble coffee jumpers go, this one is hard to beat. [JSL Moto]
Short film Malle Mile in 2022 The smell of burning gas, loud music, splashing mud—the Malle miles The festival gets pretty wild this summer. Whether you can attend or not, you can now experience The Mile in this short film by Malle. Featuring a vibrant soundtrack from Public Service Broadcasting, the film covers all the wild action that takes place on the beautiful grounds of Grimsthorpe Castle.
For newcomers to the UK’s ‘most unfit’ motor racing, The Malle Mile features over 1,000 motor races (no real winners, mind you), bands and DJs, brand exhibitions, art, photography, beer tents, wild swimming, trial courses, 10km off-road scrambles and lots of custom and vintage motorcycles on the track .
We were there to curate the best custom motorcycles from the UK and Europe during the ‘Art of the Machine’ exhibition, held in the large tent at the center of the festival . But here’s the thing… in this exclusive invite-only exhibit, if you’re invited to show your work, you’ll also have to race in ‘The Art of Sprint’ ‘ on Saturday night.
It’s a head-to-head drag race on the castle’s royal entrance. There are no rickshaw queens here, just custom bikes built to inspire and built to go fast!
Race bikes are always a hit, from fully-custom racing machines to pristine vintage bikes taken from private collections. Some of our favorites include the first Triumph Bonneville ever made, the SN:001, raced by Dimitri Coste, and the Bad Winners nitrogen-powered Royal Enfield drag bike.
Tickets have recently gone on sale for this summer’s festival, and at the time of this writing, there are still a few race spots left. See you in the dust or on the dance floor! [The Malle Mile]
