The Dark Wolf: Honda CB550 “Lobo Oscuro”

Less is More: Four-Cylinder Screamer from Nius Moto…

Chiel Nipius of Nius Moto is one of those born builders who spent hours with LEGO bricks and building blocks before he got his first motorcycle at 15, a 50cc Honda Benly. After that, there was no looking back. He went to work with none other than Arjan van den Boom of Ironwood Custom Motorcycles:

“He really gave me the chance to develop my knowledge and skill with the bikes. I did a lot of electrics there…. After a year and a half I think, I started working at a steel interior company. Here I got the chance to really develop my metal working skills.”

Chiel’s first full-size motorcycle, bought when he turned 18, was a Honda CB550K, which he later rebuilt into a gorgeous custom we featured in 2022.

Nius Moto: Honda CB550K Roadster

Chiel has an affinity for these four-cylinder Hondas. He develops and sells custom-machined parts for the CB500, CB550, and CB750 through his website, www.niusmoto.com, and he’s just finished up this gorgeous new CB550 build.

“It’s been branded ‘EL LOBO OSCURO’ (the dark wolf in Spanish). Overall the keypoint for me is ‘less is more’ so here we go.”

Chiel gives us an extensive rundown of the build below. The bike is loaded with his custom-machined and hand-fabricated parts. Highlights include hand-rolled aluminum fenders, billet speedometer spacer for running a Motogadget motoscope mini (or any digital speedo), custom mounts for the Koso headlight, and in-house designed billet aluminium caps to replace the OEM valve covers.

The tank is a gorgeous Jaguar green with silver striping, and Jowi Paulissen stitched up the custom saddle. The CB now breathes through Delkevic 4 into 1 headers, a custom collector, and an SC-Project muffler. The result is one hellion of a middleweight.

“This proper raw 4-cylinder screamer makes me feel like I’m on the track every time.”

Below you’ll find Chiel’s full breakdown of the build, with many more details, and more photos from Paul van Mondfrans Linden (@bttrcallpaul).

In the Builder’s Words…

I’ll tell you a bit about the bike. It’s been branded “EL LOBO OSCURO” (the dark wolf in Spanish). Overall the keypoint for me is “less is more” so here we go.

I started chopping off the subframe to weld up a custom hoop and finished up the open spaces to have it look like factory finish. From there I took down almost all the parts and started making my own.

Covering the Avon road rider tires are my hand-rolled aluminium fenders painted high gloss black. The wheels are coated satin black. On the front wheel I fitted a NIUS MOTO in-house designed speedo spacer which replaces the original speedometer pick up. It’s CNC lathed billet aluminium. Perfect for running a digital speedo to clean up the front. Forks have been serviced to a new state and I made custom headlight mounts to slide over the forktubes. Really unites the whole front and jams the Koso headlight right in there.

The engine has been painted with slightly brushed side covers to keep it a bit vintage/original. The valve covers are replaced with more in-house designed billet aluminium caps. In addition to the speedo spacer the tachometer drive is replaced with an aluminium plug.

For breathing purposes and noise making for the engine are the Delkevic 4 into 1 headers running down to a custom collector to fit the SC-Project muffler. This proper raw 4-cylinder screamer makes me feel like I’m on the track every time.

The original gas tank was painted in Jaguar’s Sherwood Green with custom-mixed silver brushed striping. The tank cap cover key lock is replaced with an old-school press button. Flowing backwards a custom leather seat by Jowi Paulissen.

Underneath you’ll find the brain of the wiring loom: Motogadget’s M-unit Blue. Connected to it are the mo.switches, motoscope mini, Koso Thunderbolt headlight, Motogadget’s mo.blaze tens and a bullet rear light.

The frame is coated in a sand texture matte black. It rests on fresh YSS shocks. These are longer than the original 550 ones so the bike get a more aggressive but appropriate line. Making it more of a scrambler.

The aluminum CNC-created parts are inspired by Justin Webster. I’d seen his 550 years ago on Bike EXIF and I was honestly the best one I’ve seen ever. He created some CNC parts for it but they are nowhere to be found. So I can’t take all the credit.

Honda CB550 “City Scrambler” by J.Webster Designs

Important note is that the shots are from Paul van Mondfrans Linden (@bttrcallpaul). One of the best and a good friend.

Keypoints:
– Handmade custom steel and aluminium parts.
– Custom machined parts (for sale online for the 500/550 and 750 models).
– Cleaned up design. Everything has purpose. (Less is more).
– Aftermarket new high quality parts.