We started this week is a roundup with a Honda Dominator from Australia and ends it with two electric motorcycles from Indonesia. Wedge in the middle is a confusing Japanese-style BMW, a two-stroke Yamaha bobber, and a divine combination of a Buell engine and a Voxan frame.
Honda NX650 Dominator by Gasoline Motor Co. This black beauty comes from Oil company in Sydney, Australia. Built for a client in Melbourne, Gasoline offers a pair of Honda Dominators from a farm in Albury Wodonga. It’s five and a half hours from Sydney — but on the surface, it’s a worthwhile trip.
Using the best of both bikes to make a good starting point, the team got to work. Up front is the original Yamaha R6 fork, bolted to the frame with special parts from Cognito Moto in the US. There are also new rims, spokes, and fancy twin disc brakes.
The engine has been treated to a full rebuild, complete with an oversized piston. Painted black with RFVC fins and lettering skimmed over for contrast, it looks brand new.
Boosting the 644 cc block is a new flat slide FCS carb with DNA filter. All hot air escapes from a new stainless steel exhaust manifold, complete with Arrow mufflers.
Electricity has also received a major upgrade. There are LED lights all around with the new headlights mounted on a custom bracket. One Motogadget the controls take care of all the thinking, with the bike completely rewound from scratch. Kellermann indicators and tail lights are barely visible.
The fuel tank is donated by a Honda CG125, and after the fuel tank cap is finished in black with a beautiful gold stripe. There’s a new chocolate brown leather seat that sits on a custom subframe.
Fans of the old red big clutch will also notice that the monoshock is gone; Gasoline replaces it with a more traditional twin-damping setup.
From farm hacks to cities rival, all of Gaso’s hard work paid off. It’s 1/5 on this week’s Speed Reading list, but I give it 5/5. [Gasoline Motor Co. | Images by Adrian Veale]
1965 Marusho ST 500 You’d be forgiven for thinking this is a classic BMW, but take a closer look and you’ll see that this isn’t a German machine. This is a Marusho ST 500, built in 1965 in Hamamatsu, Japan.
After an apprenticeship at Soichiro Honda, Masashi Itō left Honda and founded the company Marusho. This is a rather short-lived motorcycle manufacturer that started in 1948 and closed in 1967. But they did make some notable models – like the directional opposite 500 cc touring bike. this horizontal.
Looking like part Honda Dream, part BMW R50, the Marusho 500 ST is certainly a handsome machine. The tall, wide handlebars and long saddle make it perfect for big days on the road with the 500 cc flat twin engine running alongside you.
The engine bears a striking resemblance to an old BMW boxcar. Not much is known about these bikes, but I can only assume the BMW-based design is for good reason. The beautiful peanut-shaped muffler can be easily removed to adjust the valve, and in fact, it doesn’t seem like a single body part needs to be removed for servicing.
Burn Up Company Vintage Motorcycles in Florida is now offering this original model for sale. Complete with original key, toolbox and even exhaust, this would be a great addition to any garage or vintage collection.
Please wait while I rush out and buy this. [More]
Yamaha Y15ZR by Nasir Morni The Yamaha Y15ZR did not get much attention in the West. However, in other parts of the world, the line of ‘underbone’ motorcycles is huge. Not that the bike you’re looking at here resembles a factory Y15ZR in any respect, shape or form.
This is a custom creation by Nasir Morni, from Borneo, Malaysia. Inspired by Harley-Davidson beach makeovers and boardwalkers in the early 1930s, Nasir did almost everything on this bike. bobber by hand.
Brand new frame, based on classic Harley VL models. The tank was raised from a Dyna and was originally one piece, but Nasir split it in half and narrowed it down to look slimmer. The split bin serves two purposes: one half holds fuel and the other holds the bike’s electronics.
Along with the split barrel is another very unique feature: that of the brake system. Or, lack any visible brakes. So how does it stop?
If you look closely to the left, you’ll notice an extra sprocket behind the engine, linked to a cleverly designed brake system that Nasir made from a small drum brake shaft. Inspired by Max Hazan’s KTM fabrication a few years ago, the shoe brake applies braking force to the drum, which is linked to the sprocket. Although it messes with my mind, I love it — and Nasir reports it works great.
There are so many factors involved, it’s hard to touch everything with so few words. Taking five months to build everything around the Y15ZR’s engine and radiator, the bike was on display at Art of Speed 2022 — Malaysia’s premier custom culture show.
Competing in the Invitation Bicycle category, Nasir and his team won the prize. Can’t say it’s hard to understand why. [Nasir Morni Instagram | Images by Amin H.]
Buell ‘SR1’ by RD Kustom Sometimes you set a goal to complete a task just because things don’t go according to plan. This 1200 cc Buell CNC machined masterpiece has such a story. What started as a father and son project has turned into a one-of-a-kind machine, which was awarded Best in Show at the AMD 2022 Championship in Italy last month.
Built by Michael Messina and his son Jimmy, this is the first to be built from the French RD Kustom — the ‘SR1’ The original plan was to take the Buell S1 engine and combine it with a Voxan chassis.
If you are not familiar with Voxan, they are a French motorcycle manufacturer that was acquired by Monaco-based company Venturi in 2010. Currently, they only produce electric motorcycles, but before the purchase. In return, they’ve produced some pretty cool gas-powered bicycles. Notable features on Voxan motorcycles are the circular cross section, dual frame and V-twin engine acting as a load-bearing unit.
With all their similarities, replacing the Voxan engine with a Buell mill would be simple, wouldn’t it? It should have been, but after Jimmy was diagnosed with lung cancer, the whole plan was turned upside down. Jimmy is a mechanical engineer and an experienced racing mechanic, but due to chemotherapy he had to leave his job. So the weekend project becomes the project of life.
Starting with just a 3D scan of the engine, Jimmy digitally modeled the entire bike in Solidworks. What he did next was nothing short of amazing – he CNC machined every part he needed from aluminum, then assembled it like a Meccano set around a Voxan frame.
The front “block” is where the front mount is located and houses the air intakes. The back block acts as the oil tank, engine, swingarm and mount. Everything, including the single-sided swingarm, triple clamp, frame tubes and bodywork, is made from scratch.
If you like the look of it (and honestly, who won’t?), Michael and Jimmy plan to do a little race with these bikes and live their own American Dream. Where do I sign? [RD Kustom Facebook]
NIU Gova by Smoked Garage Electric motorcycles are going strong, but at current prices, I can’t afford to spend my hard earned money. Electric motorcycles soften the blow somewhat.
Significantly cheaper than complete electric motorcycles, electric motorcycles make a lot of sense. While the bodywork and design allow for ample space for the battery and electric motor, range worries shouldn’t be an issue. After all, if you’re looking at an electric scooter, it’s the urban adventures you’ve come to mind.
Research team at Smoked garage in Indonesia feel the same way about personal electric mobility, so they have partnered with NIU to produce some pretty smooth scooters. NIU is a Chinese company that produces sleek scooters that are also present in Europe and North America.
Based on the NIU Gova model, Smoked came up with two designs: one to run around downtown and one to continue the adventures when the sidewalk ends.
The Gova ‘Adventure’ model boasts new grips, hand guards and a crash bar to protect the bike (and your limbs) from stray foliage. All have powerful LED lights, including some very ADV-looking fog lights up front.
There is also a new paint job and brown leather seats. Solid tires, new footrests, and a skateboard/surf stand complete the adventure package.
Gova ‘C.Racer’ is a perfect love affair, ready on the street. The matte green paintwork with yellow accents is particularly nice, combined with the new piggyback shock absorbers at the rear. It’s a neater package than the Adventure model, with the only overhang being the small, end-bar mirror.
The seat is black and simulated in cafe racer The style we all know and love. I’m not sure if the Pirelli Diablo Superbike cracks are a meme, but I still love the way they look.
Limited to just 100 units each, if you can see yourself slithering silently through the streets (or woods) on one of them, give Smoked a shout. [Smoked Garage]
