We’ve rounded up a trio of handsome custom motorcycles to end the weekend in style. Our list includes a Moto Guzzi V7 scrambler by Australia’s Black Cycles, a single-cylinder Kawasaki by Heiwa MC, and an aggressive BMW R nineT from Spain.
Moto Guzzi V7 by Black Cycles
The Moto Guzzi V7 has been the bike of choice for a couple of Bike EXIF writers over the years. It’s simple, reliable, and looks fantastic—and while it’s not exactly a fire-breathing hellhound, after a few easy modifications, it’ll tour just as well as it commutes.
The owner of this Moto Guzzi V7 III Stone, Toby, lives and works in coastal New South Wales in Australia. The V7 was his daily commuter until it was stolen from right outside his cafe. It’s not all bad news—the cretin was apprehended a week later by the police after a 45-minute chase, and Toby got his bike back.
The V7 was already looking a little tired before the theft, due to the salty coastal conditions it lived in. So the small amount of damage caused by the thief was enough to motivate Toby to show the V7 some love. He sent the bike to Noel Muller at Black Cycles and tasked him with adding a little more attitude and color to the bike.
The engine and frame were hit hardest by the salty air, so they were stripped to bare metal and painted black for a factory-fresh look. The rocker covers were also stripped, and Noel made a slick modification to the spark plug covers that only V7 owners might notice. The large-bore stainless steel exhaust is another custom item, which must sound incredible at full tilt.
The factory wheels were blasted and clear-coated, with the front forks receiving a similar treatment, this time with a Cerakote finish. The high-mount aluminum fender is custom, as is the headlight, which Noel adapted from a Harley-Davidson Street 500. A Motogadget Motoscope Tony speedometer was wired in and tucked away behind a slick windshield, while new Renthal bars were adorned with switches from NWT Cycletronic.
The seat was re-shaped at the rear to account for a custom aluminum fender, before being upholstered with a chocolate-colored fabric to match the Biltwell Kung Fu grips. The side covers are handmade aluminum items, and the rear shocks are fresh YSS parts.
The flawless green, silver, and brown color scheme looks like a modern interpretation of the classic Moto Guzzi racing liveries. A chunky set of Continental TKC80 tires rounds out the modifications, adding to the aggressive aesthetic that the guys were going for. Noel has done another fantastic job, evidenced by the fact that we’re quite envious of Toby—and we’re not just saying that as heavily-biased Moto Guzzi V7 fans. [Source]
Kawasaki 250TR by Heiwa Motorcycle
The man behind Hiroshima’s Heiwa MC, Kengo Kimura, has released some of the best custom bikes we’ve ever seen. But not all of his builds are high-profile, Mooneyes-award-winning creations. There are a slew of Heiwa builds in existence based on small-displacement bikes that fly under the radar.
Built mainly for the Japanese market, the Kawasaki 250TR scrambler was designed to go head-to-head with the Yamaha 250SR and other bikes of that ilk. It’s simple, attractive, and cheap to run, making it the perfect bike for ripping around busy Japanese cities or heading into the countryside on day trips.
To start, a set of Dunlop D603 dual-sport tires was spooned onto the wheels, before a steel front fender and a custom bracket were fitted. A 4.5” Bates-style headlight sits in front of a simple speedometer and a set of wide, high bars. There are new grips and a single mirror, and the ignition barrel was tucked under the left-hand side of the tank.
The tank itself was painted a beautiful shade of ochre by Devil’s Luck, a friend of Heiwa’s. The frame and swingarm were painted to match, giving the bike a more premium feel. The rear subframe was trimmed and looped, and the custom seat was covered in synthetic leather.
A Heiwa taillight sits on top of a short rear fender, with tiny LED turn signals at each corner of the bike to round out the lighting. The battery and electrics are housed in a custom enclosure in place of the factory airbox, and the carburetor wears a new pod filter.
A heel/toe shifter was fitted along with a new set of black rear shocks. Kengo made the exhaust himself, and we love how it snakes its way through the frame to exit next to the rear wheel. In typical Heiwa style, the chrome exhaust hanger is simple and elegant.
And that’s just the thing—Kimura-san’s creations are so painstakingly simple that they make us believe we could build them ourselves. That is, until we realize that he has more talent in one finger than we do in our entire bodies. [Source]
BMW R nineT by Lord Drake Kustoms
Fran Manen, founder of Lord Drake Kustoms in Malaga, Spain, once caught himself wondering what a supermoto version of the BMW R nineT could look like. Being a man of means and verve, he decided to find out. A BMW R nineT Pure was wheeled into his workshop.
As the Pure variant of the R nineT came with a set of 17” wheels from the factory, it was easy for a set of super sticky Pirelli Supercorsa tires to be slipped on. This provided the base for the ‘hypermotard’ build to start.
A high front fender was fabricated and fitted below a curved steel bikini fairing, with a pair of stacked LED projectors to light the way forward. The handlebars, risers, and fork clamps were all painted black for a more aggressive vibe.
The aluminum-backed carbon fiber hand guards are from Barkbusters, and the grips are Biltwell Thrusters. An aluminum radiator guard was fitted too, along with an exceptionally nice custom carbon fiber belly pan.
The single seat was upholstered in Alcantara, complete with contrast orange stitching that perfectly matches the striking orange, white, and black livery. The side covers and boxy rear fender were custom-made from aluminum, and the footpegs and levers were powder-coated black.
Fran removed the passenger footpeg brackets too, allowing a clear view of the bike’s new Öhlins rear shock. The motor was livened up with a pair of K&N pod filters, with gasses exiting through an upswept Supertrapp muffler.
“We wanted to demonstrate that the BMW R NineT could also be transformed into a hypermotard without losing its original essence,” says Fran. “The result has been spectacular, and we believe it will set a trend.”
Given how steadily Lord Drake Kustoms pumps out their bikes, we’re sure we’ll see many more supermoto-inspired R nineTs yet. [Lord Drake Kustoms]
