Building Excellence
These are the builders whose work has stopped us scrolling, the projects that have made us breathe a little faster.
Here’s to the builders.
From first time shed builds to professional garages there are those who stand out. They stand out for their attention to detail, for their ability to translate a vision into reality, their ability to overcome or their incredible generosity.
You’ll find builders on this list that you’ve heard of before. Workshops and individuals pushing out multiple builds a month but you’ll also find others that are hopefully new to you. People who are working away for the joy of the process as much as the end result.
Putting this list together has been a joy. Building our own bikes means that we know exactly how much effort goes into the process. Most of us only see the end result, the beautifully shot bike on a pedestal - and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. But there’s also huge value that comes from sharing the process, including all the ups and the downs. None of us are immune to them but it’s clear from the bikes on this list that the custom bike scene is choc full of talent and tenacity.
Most if not all of these builders have social media accounts that I’ve linked to. If you see something you like, please get in touch and let them know!
Fredrik Pål Persson • PAAL Motorcycles // Sweden
PAAL Motorcycles • PAAL XXVIII
PAAL (pronounced ‘Paul’ in English) began in 2013, in Malmö when Fredrik, a former chef, hung up his apron to build custom motorcycles. What began as a one man operation has grown into a design studio transforming vintage motorcycles in both Malmö and LA. The results speak for themselves.
Pablo Pérez González • Dragon’s Motorcycles // Spain
Dragon’s Motorcycles • 1977 Honda Goldwing
Turn a Goldwing into a café racer? Surely not. In theory, it shouldn’t work and in most cases it wouldn’t. But the team at Dragon’s have created their own signature style and the attention to detail is simply incredible. It’s still the size and weight of a bus of course but it’s absolutely stunning.
Jas Babalija • JAX Garage // Melbourne, Australia
JAX Garage • 1986 BMW K75
Established in 2019, JAX is new to the scene. Not that you’d guess it from their work. Jas’s background as a Mechanical Engineer, Dom Scapari’s 30 years of experience as a motor mechanic and Christina Scapari’s abilities as a Creative Director mean the builds are not only expertly built but beautifully presented. You only need a second to see the quality of the craftsmanship in their 1986 BMW K75.
Struan Urquhart • re[motor]cycled //Scotland
![re[motor]cycled • 1989 Yamaha TT600 “Scrambles”](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5f4fac823f43494474407346/1616654615005-YFWHN958XYCOFG30XAN0/1_F-lpnsh3ae0lYnw0jNi63w.jpeg)
re[motor]cycled • 1989 Yamaha TT600 “Scrambles”
Before Struan had finished a single bike, he entered into the Bike Shed show. An engineer confined to a desk, he wanted a creative outlet he could get stuck into. He’s been documenting his journey on his website and with in depth vlogs on YouTube creating an invaluable resource for first time builders worldwide.
“My goal is to turn a tired old motorbike, destined for the scrapheap, into an individual creation with a second lease of life. The machines will be crafted on a budget, with skills learned throughout the build.”
Old Empire Motorcycles • 2018 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650
You only need to watch OEM’s videos to know the guys aren’t messing around. The high production quality is more than matched by the machines they build. Bikes that are designed and crafted, wherever possible, entirely in Britain.
“We realise with a little foresight and selflessness that doing this may inspire others to and will eventually be of great benefit to us all as we can begin building a better future for everybody.”
Trevor Ditson • BMW K100 “Anarchy”
Scroll through the hashtag #k100 on Instagram and 9/10 accounts building BMW K100’s at home will have posted thanking Trevor for his help. An encyclopaedia of K100 knowledge combined with a genuine desire to help means that Trevor’s influence can been seen on bikes from Arizona to Australia.
Ziggy • Ziggy Moto // UK
Ziggy Moto • Yamaha XV750
In our age of social media and internet invasion, it’s surprising to find a builder who’s known only by a single name. A creative director by trade, Ziggy creates incredible renders that are tough to tell from reality. The same goes for his builds.
Incerum Customs // Croatia
Incerum Customs • BMW K100
The 80s have a huge amount to answer for but it’s tough not to feel a real sense of nostalgia for what seems like a simpler time. The crew at Incerum have gone full-tilt with their latest K100.
Arjan van den Boom • Ironwood Moto // Netherlands
Ironwood Motos • BMW R1250 GS “The Dominator”
“Redefine, reimagine, reinvent, reshape” Ironwood’s bikes live up to their motto each and every time but none more so than their Tron meets BMW R1250 GS pictured below. A mechanical engineer by trade, Arjan has all the skills necessary to create his builds himself but he also knows that working with specialists means that the end results are exponentially better.
Samuel Aguiar • Shiny Motors // France
Shiny Hammer • Moto Guzzi 1000 SP
Shiny by name, shiny by nature. Samuel’s incredible Moto Guzzi 1000 SP has transformed a written off donor bike into a unique and personal exploration of what it means to be a café racer.
Tomas Sedlickas • Benzin Café Racers // Lithuania
Benzin Café Racer • Honda CG125
Practice makes perfect. And with more than 30 Honda CG’s under his belt, we’d challenge anyone to find a better looking 125 than any of Tomas’s bobbers.
Ian Ketterer • Black Silver Customs // South Africa
Black Silver Customs • Yamaha XJR 1300
You know you’ve built it right when you set out to build and sell but once finished, you just couldn’t let it go. Ian invested countless hours of workshop time to bring his Yamaha XJR 1300 from the edge of landfill to pride of place.
Jonathan Hull • Jonathan Hull & Son // England
Jonathan Hull & Son • Honda CG125
Clean, simple, modern and classic. Jonathan fully rebuilt, remodelled and repurposed his CG125 using a mixture of high quality components and bespoke fabrications. If you were at the Malle Mile in 2020, you might well recognise Jonathan’s bike where it was set up right next to their sign.
Adrián Campos • Bolt Motor Company // Valencia
Bolt Motor Company • BMW R100RT
Vagabund Moto • BMW VnineT
This list wouldn’t be complete without an entry from Vagabund Moto. Not that it’s really possible to chose just one. Their clean, minimalist design language is consistent from their bikes through to their photography and makes them stand out in any crowd. Their BMW VnineT is based on the popular RnineT. It’s modified with custom in-house body parts and upgraded with Rizoma, Motogadget, Remus & Koso goodies.
Jens vom Brauck • JVB Moto // Germany
JVB Moto • Yamaha XSR 900 CP3
JVB’s distinctive style shines through on all their builds and has been distilled perfectly in their Yamaha XSR 900 CP3.
“The biggest retro influence is on the lines and proportions. I am a big fan of 70s and 80s concept cars and got a lot of inspiration for this build there. The bike has an understated, clean look and has more of a concept bike ‘feel’ than a typical custom bike.”
Those lines and proportions won the bike the ´Best of Show´ prize at the 2019 Café Racer Festival.
Nasir Morni // Malaysia
Nasir Morni • Honda CG110 Chopper “Melati”
Ever heard of the CG110? We certainly hadn’t. Not until we came across Nasir Morni’s 1977 Honda CG110 Chopper. It may be small but its laid back styling, bespoke framework and functional skateboard holder have completely charmed us.
Tossa R // Bulgaria
Tossa R • Honda CX500
From motorsports to bespoke motorcycle craftsmanship. We’re so glad the team at Tossa R made the switch.
Max Hazan • Hazan Motorworks // Los Angeles
Max Hazan • Musket II
Desirable is an understatement. Unique is an understatement. Quality is an understatement. Actually, we don’t have the words to describe Max Hazan’s creations. You’ll have to find them yourselves.
Bandit9 // Vietnam
Bandit9 • Jaeger
Bandit9’s Jaeger is a reimagined custom Royal Enfield GT 650. Although the Jaeger is limited to just 9 units, you can pick up a kit so you can get your hands dirty and customise your own. We’ve also seen some early renders for their next project, the Supermarine. Excited is an understatement.
Michael “Woollie” Woolaway • Zero Motorcycles x Deus Customs SR/S // USA
Zero Motorcycles x Deus Ex Machina • Zero SR/S
When we started Barnfield, the plan was to build our own electric café racer. I’m not too proud to say the process was beyond us. Trying to create something that didn’t look like two wheels with a mid-90’s PC tower strapped under the petrol tank was next to impossible. Not so for Zero and their collaboration with Deus combines the best of two worlds.
Jody Millhouse • Thornton Hundred Motorcycles // UK
Thornton Hundred Motorcycles • Triumph Bonneville
From reverse engineering factory components by 3D scanning, using CAD software to design bespoke elements to prototyping by 3D printing and testing parts under FEA stress analysis, Thornton aren’t messing around.
Worawit Rungjana Tanukul & Vudanan Pakawet • Zeus Custom // Thailand
ZEUS Customs • Triumph Thruxton R1200
A graphic designer and a banker walk in to a café…and walk out with a custom motorcycle business. ZEUS’s Triumph Thruxton R1200 is just one of a portfolio of beautiful bikes.
Hugo Eccles • Untitled Motorcycles // London
Untitled Motorcycles • XP Zero
Hugo is the co-founder and Design Director of Untitled Motorcycles based in London. He’s also an award-winning creative director…and it shows. The design of UMC’s XP Zero blurs the lines between reality and render but its 82kW motor, capable of accelerating the XP to 124mph/200kph is anything but virtual.
Juha // Sweden
Juha • Honda CB750
One of the most shared bikes on Instagram and yet one of the most under-the-radar individuals. Juha’s Instagram bio says he’s “Creative with cameras and bikes.” We couldn’t agree more.
