By the mid 1970s, the Big Four Japanese motorcycle manufacturers had already seen the end looming for the two-stroke street bike. Emissions laws, noise regulations, and a new emphasis on fuel economy were ringing the […]
Tag: Brats
Bavarian Blackout: BMW R80 by Burn Up Company
BUC It: Burn Up Company’s burly BMW, built for sidecar adventures… In the mid-1980s, BMW replaced the twin-shock rear suspension on their airhead models with a monolever (single-shock) system, whose asymmetric design was meant to […]
Full Metal Brat: Suzuki GS850 by Basan Metalworks
The Suzuki GS850, introduced in 1979, sported a bored-out two-valve GS750 engine mated to a shaft drive, offering 77 horsepower and a top speed of 119 mph — a heavyweight brute designed for the touring […]
For Sale: Yamaha TX650 Brat by Kuna Customs
The bike we know as the Yamaha XS650 actually started life as the 1970 XS-1. For the 1973-74 model years, it was re-badged as the TX650 to match the TX500 and TX750. When these bikes […]
Yamaha XS650 Brat Tracker from Kuna Customs
The Yamaha XS650 (1970-1983) is one of our favorite vintage Japanese motorcycles, styled after the British twins of the 1960s. The engine/gearbox had unit construction and a horizontally-split crankcase, making it one of the most […]
Kawasaki KZ400 “MoneyPenny” by WKND Customs
Built for a female air force officer… The original Kawasaki KZ400 twin, introduced during the oil crisis in 1974, was billed as a middleweight commuter, featured in magazine advertisements alongside a VW Beetle with the […]
BMW R100 “ØD1” by ØNIX Design
A one-owner airhead, rebuilt and handed-down from father to sons… The BMW R100 is a storied classic of the motorcycling world. The last of the airheads, the 980cc Bavarian boxer remains popular among riders, restorers, […]
Cult of Personality: Honda GL1000 Custom
Not your granddaddy’s Goldwing! The original Honda GL1000 Goldwing debuted in 1974 with a 999cc liquid-cooled flat-four and a number of interesting design features, including a contra-rotating generator to counteract the engine’s torque, a below-seat […]
BMW R100RS “D’Artagnan” by Unik Edition
The BMW R100 was the last of the legendary airheads, a 980cc air-cooled boxer twin that’s been known to do 200,000 miles and more. The RS was the sport touring version, sporting aerodynamic bodywork by […]
Faro Way: Triumph Bonneville Brat
Last year, we had the pleasure of road-tripping across Portugal — a nation where custom motorcycle culture is truly taking flight. Given the stunning riding roads along the coast and in the hills, it’s no […]
