The Kawasaki KZ400 was an air-cooled twin built from 1974-1980 out of plants in Akashi, Japan and Lincoln, Nebraska — the first foreign motorcycle factory on U.S. soil. In 1974, it was marketed alongside the […]
Tag: Brats
Flat-Six Brat: Honda Valkyrie by Basan Metalworks
The Honda Valkyrie, first introduced in 1996, was intended to be the world’s ultimate cruiser, a six-cylinder brute that was bigger, badder, and more powerful than traditional V-twins. Said one Honda VP: “The [flat-six] motor […]
The Bullfighter: Honda XL200 Tracker by Matador Motor Co.
Built to rip through Istanbul traffic and escape to the woods… The Honda XL200 is a modern incarnation of the legendary XL/XR series, a 20-hp air-cooled dual-sport with modern upgrades such as electric start and […]
Honda CB125 Bobber / Tracker by David Zobouyan
If someone put together a Venn diagram of the world’s motorcycle and car enthusiasts, there would be some serious overlap between the two worlds. In fact, some of our favorite builders, such as Bryan Fuller […]
Budget-Built: $1250 Honda CB650 by Redeemed Cycles
A $1250 (!) brat / cafe racer from North Carolina… While we love to drool over high-dollar bike builds as much as anyone, we’ve always been drawn to bikes built within a reasonable budget, and […]
BMW R80 Brat by Unik Edition
The BMW R80RT, which debuted in 1982, was designed as a streamlined, lighter-weight tourer to complement the company’s larger, more heavily-equipped machines. Power came from an 800cc, 50-horsepower version of the beloved Type 247 boxer […]
300cc Suzuki GN250 Brat Tracker
“Looks like a brat, goes like a flat!” For years, the Suzuki GN250 served as a capable 250cc runabout. The air-cooled, SOHC single cylinder engine offered some 22 horsepower and the bike was fairly lightweight […]
BMW K100 “Shahin” by Mehdi Barakchian
An ’87 Flying Brick dragged “kicking and screaming” into 2019… The BMW K100, introduced in 1982, benefited from the company’s many years of experience building liquid-cooled, overhead cam, inline automobile engines. The fuel-injected, 95-hp engine was […]
Honda CL350 Brat-Scrambler by Offset Moto
Going Equilateral: Long-Armed CL350 from San Francisco… The Honda CL350 was the scrambler version of the beloved CB350 twin, featuring a high-mount exhaust and 19-inch front wheel. While the 346 curb weight and 33 horsepower […]
Paris Muscle: Yamaha XJR1300 Custom by Modification Motorcycles
Paris-made Muscle: Air-cooled Big Block from the 15th Arrondissement The Yamaha XJR1300 was a throwback, an air-cooled “big block” machine that recalled the naked superbikes of yesteryear. The massive 1251cc engine offered substantial thrust — […]
