We toil every day here at Bike EXIF to bring you the best custom motorcycles worldwide, and our web stats give us an inside look at what really resonates with our readers. It’s with a sly smirk that I’ll reveal a secret; it’s not the fastest or most outlandish bikes that regularly dominate our airwaves, it’s bikes that toe the line between ground-up custom creations and genuinely usable motorcycles.
The big hitters from August are no different, and whether it’s scramblers, café racers or classic motocrossers that trip your trigger, you’ll find plenty in terms of form and function on our August highlight reel.
#5: Triumph Scrambler by Frontwheel Motors
Some custom projects aim to reinvent a motorcycle from the ground up, but this Triumph Scrambler build from Indonesia shows the power of subtle restraint. Commissioned by a local DJ with a taste for classics, the brief was clear: preserve the Scrambler’s inherent charm while dialing in the stance, suspension and finishing details. The result is a machine that channels Triumph’s off-road heritage without getting lost in unnecessary theatrics.
Rather than clutter the build with unnecessary flair, Frontwheel went for subtle yet meaningful tweaks. The stance got sorted with new wheels—19-inch up front, 18-inch at the rear, wrapped in Shinko E805 adventure rubber—while Öhlins FG 621 43 mm forks brought modern damping courtesy of custom yokes and gaiters. Out back, the subframe got trimmed with a fresh rear loop and Öhlins Blackline piggy-back shocks replaced the squishy stockers—raising both height and handling credibility.
Details make the desert sled come alive: handmade braces cradle the aluminum trials-style fenders, a tucked LED taillight from Kuryakyn keeps lines slick and the stock fuel tank remains untouched—but is now paired with a bespoke Bates-style seat with contemporary stitching. Left side panels gain an integrated number oval, while a neat aluminum sump guard and streamlined sprocket and chain guards honor form and function.
Out front, a 5.75-inch headlight with Lucas throwback cover and skinny LED signals respect the bike’s DNA. The control cluster features chromed bars, new grips and a carefully relocated tach with a Joker Machine bracket. Tank badges are straight from the 1950s, and a twin-shotgun stainless exhaust with aluminum shields gives the bike voice and polish. The red-and-white paint with gold pinstripe keeps things minimal and classy, while raw aluminum parts let the mechanical artistry take up the visual space. The result? A scrambler sled that wears its restraint like armor—perfect vision-board material for anyone dreaming of their own build. [More]
#4: BMW R12 nineT by WalzWerk
No one does BMW customs quite like Germany’s WalzWerk. Cranking out as many as 100 custom bikes per year (80 of which are typically airheads), Marcus Walz has built well over 1,000 custom bikes, and he’s now turned his attention to the new R 12 nineT.
WalzWerk didn’t just re-style; they engineered. They spec’d the donor bike with laced tubeless wheels—ditching the stock alloys—and swapped the bulky twin clocks for a tucked-in digital dash. With those housekeeping details sorted, they focused on stance: the forks were lowered, fitted with progressive springs and treated to a black anodized finish, while the rear got a ride-height-adjustable Touratech Black-T shock.
The subframe got the Schizzo treatment too—WalzWerk fabricated a new stepped unit that bolts in like it came from BMW. Two versions are available—one that respects the stock airbox, and another that waves it goodbye, complete with matching seat options. The build features a perforated leather saddle with grommets, reminiscent of an OG Ford GT, and don’t miss the Porsche-grey tank, adorned with Chikos pinstriping and monochrome roundels to keep things elegant and understated.
Up front, WalzWerk reshaped an off-the-shelf BMW fairing and added custom Wunderkind clip-ons and slim LED signals. For a final touch, WalzWerk installed a prototype Dr. Jekill & Mr. Hyde exhaust with an internal baffle for nuanced noise control. Wrapped in Metzeler Racetec tires and available through annual pre-orders limited to 12 builds, this R 12 café racer is as functional as it is formidable. [More]
#3: Kawasaki W800 by 2LOUD Custom
In an era where motorcycles come bristling with screens and electronics, the Kawasaki W800 stands apart—a modern machine that feels wonderfully analog. Breathing life into that classic vibe, Taiwan’s 2LOUD Custom took on the W800 with a mission: amplify its British-era charm while preserving the ride’s easy-going spirit. And yes, the result is as graceful as it is grounded.
Ma ‘Max’ Yicheng, the craftsman behind 2LOUD, stripped the bike down to its frame and went to work. He de-tabbed, smoothed welds, and drilled gussets in signature style, and also looped and trimmed the subframe before refinishing the lot in an understated silver. Fork lowers and brake calipers were polished to echo the shiny rims, with Dunlop K70 tires keeping the stock 19-inch front and 18-inch rear setup—perfect for a street tracker.
Up top, Max installed a smaller W650 tank, and since the 650 is carbureted, Max relocated the W800’s fuel pump into a custom under-seat housing, hidden by clean handmade side covers. He smoothed out knee pads and brackets, added stainless steel side strips and finished it all with a decorative fuel cap from AFS. A solo seat with textured upholstery, gentle aluminum fenders held by stainless stays and bolt-on parts from 2LOUD’s own catalog add old-school charm without overstatement.
The cockpit is a study in thoughtful simplicity: stainless 2LOUD bars, micro-switches, a Kustom Tech brake lever and fresh grips. The dash is Motogadget—analog tach with digital speed—tucked neatly on a custom mount. A refined black paint job and handmade stainless exhaust—with sharply defined headers fading into cocktail mufflers—round things out. As whispers of the W800’s demise go quiet, 2LOUD’s build is a timely reminder that sometimes, the most elegant builds say the most with the least. [More]
#2: Honda-Powered Custom MX by Frontwheel Motors
A tasteful nod to motocross’s past never feels forced—just ask Frontwheel Motors, the Indonesian outfit that turned a jumble of donor parts into a charming vintage MX throwback. The build is a quiet homage to a golden era when off-road bikes were road bikes doing a job, and workshops like Rickman paved the way for bespoke competition steeds. The result is a bike you’d want to ride to the woods, not just gawk at.
The starting point is a humble 150 cc Honda MegaPro engine, which Frontwheel selected to prove the versatility of this humble air-cooled single. That engine sits in a Yamaha Scorpio frame, shortened up with a custom rear loop, twin-shock conversion and reworked steering neck. Frontwheel grabbed parts from a Kawasaki KLX—forks, brakes, hubs, swingarm—and laced them onto Excel rims wrapped in Shinko tires.
Slap on a period-correct tank, hand-formed fenders, number boards and a three-quarter seat, and you get a bike that rides the line between a classic scrambler and a restoration with purpose. The bodywork and graphics nod to Rickman’s Metisse legend—green paint, silver highlights, chrome, and fine gold pinstriping that tie the whole package together with an under-the-radar elegance.
Finishing touches include minimalist brass MG-style lighting, a Keihin carb for throttle fine-tuning and a sparkling stainless exhaust. It’s clear: this isn’t a flashy showroom star—it’s built to be purist fun, off-road or on, and Frontwheel plans a tiny production run of five units. If that’s not homage, I don’t know what is. [More]
#1: Yamaha XJ650 by José Montes
They say good things come to those who wait—and José Montes’s custom Yamaha XJ650 is proof positive. A computer engineer by day and a garage apprentice by night, José spent four years coaxing beauty from a rusty 1984 XJ650 in his Salamanca home. Never a professional mechanic, he approached the build with passion, patience, and meticulous attention—right down to every nut, bolt, spring and gasket.
Where others saw an eyesore, José saw potential. He stripped away all the dated bodywork and gave the frame new purpose, topped with a vintage Kawasaki KZ fuel tank mounted on custom brackets. Painted in Yamaha FJR1300-inspired livery and branded with crisp Yamaha badges, the repurposed tanks could easily pass for Yamaha’s own.
The subframe received the same loving treatment—handmade, slimming, and crowned with a slim red leather seat. Instead of a bulky rear fender, José added an elegant aluminum cowl that stretches the tail’s line and conceals a Highsider taillight, LED turn indicators and a smart license plate bracket. Down low, a custom electronics tray houses a Motogadget brain and wiring that runs cleanly through the frame and bars.
Up front, a tasteful Motogadget setup blends analog and digital cues; the Motogadget RFID ignition takes the place of a key, and tidy switchgear cleans up the cockpit. Suspension upgrades—longer shocks and fork tweaks—enhance ride quality, while Bridgestone Battlax rubber grips the road without drama. The stainless Marving exhaust rounds things out with a refined growl after José modified it to meet Spain’s street requirements. It’s a bike born of weekends and heart, not flash—and exactly why José launched Kernel Motor Company: to show the world what a determined first-time builder can really do. [More]
