Only a handful of the world’s builders have an unmistakable style, allowing you to identify one of their builds at a glance. Droog Moto Concepts, run by the husband/wife team of Max and Erica Droog, is quickly establishing that signature style. Their builds are gritty, muscular, and desert-ready–perhaps an outgrowth of their location in Phoenix, Arizona.
We recently featured a pair of KTM Duke scramblers they built–a huge hit among our readership, selected as Custom Bikes of the Week by Bike EXIF. Now Droog Moto is back with an ’81 Kawasaki KZ750 nicknamed “Beef the Bratster”–and what a beast he is!
There were a few different models of the KZ750, known as the Z750 in some markets. Many were 55-horsepower parallel twin built to battle the Triumph Bonneville and Yamaha XS650–which it did admirably well, in performance and reliability if not outright sales. However, what we have here is a Z750LTD H2. Says Max:
There are a few different models of the KZ. You have the Parallel twin, which is what you typically see guys building. Then there are these guys like what my wife and I did. Ours is a 750LTD H2. There are like 5 different variations of it I think. There is shaft drive, chain, belt, and then off of that there are different sub-models. It took me a while to figure out what we had when we got it as it was just a frame/motor and some ratty wiring. It is similar to the GPZ 4 cyl. model. It is a big dude, even heavier than my FZ09.
To us, one thing that’s most special about “Beef the Bratster” is that it’s truly a husband/wife build. Says Max:
My wife has always been a huge part of Droog Moto from day one and is one of the main reasons the company started. Couldn’t do it without her.
If that doesn’t warm your piston-pumping hearts, not a damn thing will. Okay, enough mush. On to the details of the build!
Beef the Bratster: In the Builder’s Words
(Words by Max and Erica Droog.)
My wife and I just completed Concept 5, a 1981 KZ750 we named Beef the Bratster. He’s a good mix of Bratstyle meets Tracker.
We bulked him up a bit in the suspension department. Gave him an overall lift of about 3 inches from stock. We did a custom subframe and rear shock mounts.
Stripped the gas tank and did what we like best of making the tank a raw patinaed look. We swapped out the 7/8″ bars with some 1 1/8″ fat bars. Wrapped them in Biltwell Grips, flush style buttons and an ignition relocate to the frame.
We wanted to keep the tracker appeal so we did a custom tracker plate with a 6 pod LED headlight tucked in-between the forks.
Custom exhaust to accommodate the changes along with a new set of Kenda Challengers for our tire choice! Beef’s a big heavy dude with a serious attitude ready to rip the streets.
-Max & Erica Droog
Follow the Builder
Droog Moto Concepts: Email | Instagram | Web
Did you have to make a extra support for the carburetors? I’m thinking of putting k&n filter pods on mine.