Dark Science: Honda NX650 “Petrology Tracker”

Petrology builds a sleek, dark tracker…

When you look past the plastic bikini fairing and street-oriented tires of the stock Honda NX650 Dominator, you’ll find it’s a very close cousin to the venerable XR650L — Honda’s big 650cc air-cooled dual-sport, which has remained in production for nearly 30 years. Born from the legendary XR600R, these street-legal Honda thumpers with their twin-carb 44-hp RFVC engines and oil-bearing frames have developed a reputation for ruggedness, versatility, and fun — and they lend themselves to customization.

Recently, we heard from our friends María and Jona from Spain’s Petrology, who’ve turned their passion for vintage cars and automobiles into a way of life:

“Here’s to a life well driven. A life where we just don’t get from point A to point B, we get there in style and grace and turn a few heads along the way.”

Previously, we showcased their “Urban Cross” NX650, and now the duo is back with this Honda Petrology Tracker — a ’92 NX650 Dominator street tracker inspired by American flat trackers, particularly those of American Flat Track’s AFT Singles class, which offers some of the closest, most exciting racing of any two-wheeled discipline.

This Dominator was restored and customized from the ground up, including an engine rebuild, a set of 19-inch wheels with flat track rubber, handmade exhaust, custom tail section and saddle, custom number plates, low-profile scratch-built headlight, and more. The bike remains street-legal, though the LED lighting is subtle enough the bike appears to be a track-only machine.

Below, we get the full story on this NX650 street tracker.

Honda 650 Street Tracker: Builder Interview

• Please tell us a bit about yourself, your history with motorcycles, and your workshop.

Petrology was made for those of us who let our passion do the driving. We search, collect, and restore rare and vintage cars and motos for everyone who has a love for motors, no matter the budget. And we celebrate this culture of petrol, power, and good design with our brand. Because vintage cars and motos are not just cool, they define our past and pave the way for our future. So take a ride with us, let’s see what the open road has to offer.

Founders:

Petrology was created in 2015 by Maria Arellano an Jona Gimenez. The passion for design, motor and fashion united them to create a unique project, a challenge inside the world of motors. What for years was a hobby for the founders of Petrology, now it had become a lifestyle.

María and Jona always felt admiration for classic machines, especially those of European brands — models that during the decades of 70s and 80s broke molds. Cars with lines that were innovative and would shortly become global icons.

Together they have given shape to the brand that unites their passions, wanting to pass on to their millennial generation the meaning of driving a car from those times.

• What’s the make, model, and year of the bike?

1992 Honda NX650 Dominator.

• Why was this bike built?

Company promotion.

• What was the design concept and what influenced the build?

American Trackers.

• What custom work was done to the bike?

The whole bike was done from the bottom up, restoring the engine and adding personalized parts.

• Does the bike have a nickname?

Honda Petrology Tracker.

• Can you tell us what it’s like to ride this bike?

It’s like riding a tracker in an urban environment. The position is like a dirt bike, and the handling is just amazing. It’s the closest feeling to the machine.

• Was there anything done during this build that you are particularly proud of?

The headlight was built from scratch and we’ve never seen one like it before. The exhaust is extremely beautiful, and the sitting position is outstanding. The gas tank combines an outstanding paint job and a bare metal finish. Something we haven’t seen on bikes either.

Follow the Builder

Web: www.petrology.co
Instagram: @petrology.co
Photo Credits: Petrology