Tom Gilroy of Purpose Built Moto is steadily turning out a whole stable’s worth of custom bikes on Australia’s Gold Coast, along with a staggering array of custom parts: LED Lights, Headlights, CNC triple clamps, stainless steel mufflers, and more.
Recently, he built a very sweet Triumph scrambler / desert sled, and now he’s back with a 1992 Honda Nighthawk brat/cafe/streetfighter hybrid, built for Mitch Saunders. Below we get the full story on this build.
Honda Nighthawk Brat Cafe: Builder Interview
• Please tell us a bit about yourself, your history with motorcycles, and your workshop.
Purpose Built Moto: Parts Manufacturer of LED Lights, Headlights, CNC triple clamps, Stainless steel mufflers, and Customs Garage in Gold Coast Australia.
• What’s the make, model, and year of the bike?
1992 CB750
• Why was this bike built?
This bike was passed between two of my good friends, one of them fell on hard times and had to sell his unfinished project. While the new owner Mitch wanted to put his own spin on the build I made sure that we also kept true to seeing the original owners vision be brought to life.
• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?
The CB750 is an iconic bike, the 1992 model is not…it’s an ugly duckling. I wanted to put my own touch on this bike with a look back on the Great 1970’s model bikes that made Honda famous. The colour scheme utilizes the vintage Honda Orange while the rest of the bike reflects more of a modern, aggressive and almost street fighter style.
• What custom work was done to the bike?
The frame was shortened and hooped with a handmade seat and burnt orange stitching. The forks were rebuilt and a custom CNC Triple clamp was made to suit the new clip on bars. Under that is a Dual LED light-bar headlight set up with matching mounts.
Under the seat is a floating battery box and electrics tray covered in by some hand beaten aluminium side covers that have been detailed with stainless steel mesh.
• How would you classify this bike?
This is a tough one to put in a box, while it has the spirit of a brat being stripped bare with a short seat and no chrome. The CNC triple clamp, Clip ons and Street fighter style headlight tell a different story.
• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?
This bike features the first CNC triple clamp I’ve ever designed, so the whole front end of this bike I just love. Looking from the back with the seat going up into the wide shoulder section of the tank flowing with the lines of the paint details, I think it all just works.
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Hi, I’m looking into LED bars to replace my front headlight and I was wondering what LED bars have you chose for the Honda Nighthawk Brat Cafe bike and how did you fix it exactly?
Thanks a lot in advance
Yeah ditto, please let us know about those headlights! Awesome job.