The Honda CB900F, a successor to the venerable CB750, was introduced to European markets in 1979. Later named the Honda Bol d’Or after the French endurance race–a nod to the machine’s racing heritage–the bike was designed to compete against the advanced DOHC fours from Kawasaki, Yamaha, and Suzuki.
In 1981, Motorcyclist magazine clocked a low quarter mile time of 11.84 seconds, and the 95-horsepower, air-cooled straight four was praised for its midrange punch. The bike came standard with dual front disc brakes, as well as a rear disc, and the air-assisted fork featured Honda’s anti-dive control (TRAC).
Despite a habit of dropping out of gear and breaking con-rods, the bike was praised by many journalists of the period. Kevin Cameron of Cycle World has called the bike:
“The ultimate statement of the old air-cooled technology Honda had done so much to create.”
Known colloquially as the “Honda Boldor,” the CB900F often gets overlooked in custom circles in favor of its predecessor, the CB750. For this reason, we were especially excited to come across this custom CB900F scrambler by Vonsmotz of The Netherlands.
About Vonsmotz
Partners Richard and Lex share a common passions for making things, and their creative pursuits have included painting, industrial lamps, photography, graffiti, and later their own motorcycles. Both have day jobs, but hope to make Vonsmotz something more in the future. They have several projects in the works.
Honda “Boldor” Scrambler: Build Info
The base bike is a 1982 CB900F, known in the Euro market as a Honda Bol d’Or or Boldor. The crew from Vonsmotz operates under the mantra: less is less!
The bike was completely rebuilt from the frame up. The wheels were powder-coated, and the brown seat is made of nubuck leather. The dual headlights–one of our favorite aspects of the build–are Hella models from the 1970s. The rear shocks are custom-make Hagons. As for the exhaust, Richard says:
“It’s a loud modern ghettoblaster that makes your neighbours your best friends!”
We will soon be featuring another of vonsmotz’s builds, a Ducati 900SS scrambler. In the meantime, follow the builder on Instagram: @vonsmotz
