Royal Enfield has a nose for talent. The Indian marque regularly sniffs out the world’s best workshops, farming bikes out to them as part of their in-house custom build program. This time, the baton was passed to Frontwheel Motors—an Indonesian outfit whose star is rising fast.
With a brand new Royal Enfield Guerilla 450 in hand and instructions to go wild, Frontwheel immediately saw potential for a svelte flat tracker. The idea was to combine unique handmade parts with top-shelf components to create a single-cylinder ripper that would run as good as it looks. There was just one caveat—they had two months to complete it.
Undeterred, Frontwheel got to work. The Guerrilla 450 was stripped down to its nuts and bolts so that the crew could trade the frame’s black finish for silver. Everything went back together with a smorgasbord of tasty chassis upgrades.
The front end now sports blacked-out Öhlins forks, held by CNC-machined yokes. A matching Öhlins shock does duty out back, linked to a custom swingarm.
The Guerrilla 450 rolls on 19” flat track wheels from Lowery Racing, shod with Shinko rubber. Frontwheel axed the front brake and upgraded the rear with a Brembo caliper and disc. It’s attached to a CNC-machined bracket, with a couple of custom brake hose guides mounted along the swingarm.
With a hair under 40 hp on tap and a dry weight of 174 kilos [383,6 pounds], the Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450 has some pep in its step, but Frontwheel wanted more. They swapped the ECU for a race-spec unit, revised the ignition system, installed a 44 mm billet aluminum throttle body, and upgraded the injector. The bike also weighs 15 kg [33 lbs] less than before—thanks, in part, to its new bodywork.
Not wanting to hack up the Royal Enfield’s frame, Frontwheel unbolted the OEM subframe and fabricated a slimmer unit. A monocoque body sits up top, handmade out of 3 mm aluminum sheets and incorporating the fuel tank, tail, and side boards. It’s adorned with a slim seat pad and a sporty gas cap from WR3 Performance.
Stunning one-off parts are sprinkled all over this razor-sharp flat tracker. The foot pegs, controls, and mounts are all Frontwheel’s handiwork, as is the new radiator overflow bottle. The low-slung exhaust system is worth a second look, too.
Since this motorcycle was destined for track use, Frontwheel ditched the lights, along with the rest of the roadworthy bits and pieces. A traditional flat track number board is attached to the fork uppers, with a set of Renthal 843 bars mounted to angled risers further back. The bars wear an Acerbis throttle, ProTaper grips, basic switches, and a discreet lap timer.
Despite the short timeline, Frontwheel managed to pay attention to every last detail. Drawing inspiration from NASCAR racing cars, they wrapped the bodywork in a luxe blue and gold livery, with a ghosted checkerboard pattern set against the bare aluminum bits.
From the striking red tank badges and engine logos, to the myriad Frontwheel-branded parts and stickers, no stone was left unturned.
Dubbed ‘Groove FT450,’ Frontwheel’s feisty flat tracker is not only a testament to the Royal Enfield Guerrilla 450’s potential, but also to the workshop’s immense talent and tireless dedication. “The name signifies the continuous and indefinite movement of a wheel, mirroring the development of the project’s story from its inception to its culmination,” says shop boss Chandra Gunawan.
“It also symbolizes the ongoing journey of the Frontwheel team, consistently building custom bikes and achieving global project successes—a long-held dream brought to fruition.”
Frontwheel Motors Instagram | With thanks to Royal Enfield
