In 2021, Yamaha ended the incredible 43-year production run of the SR400 — a bike that’s remained remarkably unchanged through those four decades of production. Introduced to the Japanese Domestic Market (JDM) back in 1978, […]
Tag: Japan
Déjà Vroom: Kawasaki “KZ1165” Restomod
RCM-554: 1165cc Zed from AC Sanctuary… The Kawasaki KZ900 was the direct successor of the mighty Z1. At the time of its introduction in 1972, the original 903cc Zed was the largest, most powerful four-cylinder […]
Resto-Monster: Honda CB1100F Restomod
1123cc Honda Restomod from AC Sanctuary… In 1983, the Honda CB1100F arrived as the company’s king sport bike, designed to battle head-on with the 1100-class superbikes from Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha — bikes that were […]
Monster Zed: Kawasaki Z1-R Restomod
AC Sanctuary’s “Radical Construction Manufacture” Z1-R… In the world of high-powered Japanese restomods, one name has long stood apart: AC Sanctuary. Founder Hiroyuki Nakamura opened his shop in the 1990s. Since then, they’ve built a […]
Black Bird: ’56 Triumph Thunderbird Desert Sled
A Triumph 6T Thunderbird desert sled from Japan! On one of his trips to oversee Triumph operations in the States, Edward Turner — the legendary designer and director of Triumph Motorcycles — had the idea […]
Trophy Bird: 1956 Triumph TR6 Scrambler
Heiwa Motorcycle’s Triumph TR6… In 1956, Triumph launched the TR6 Trophy, a lean and mean street-legal scrambler developed with an eye toward a US market hot for desert racers. The 42-hp 650cc parallel-twin featured Triumph’s […]
Second Life: Hot-Dock HR4V Street Tracker
A Buell-powered 8V street tracker from Hot-Dock Custom Cycles… The Buell XB12R Firebolt appeared in 2004, combining American V-twin muscle with track-inspired chassis geometry to make one monster of a production streetfighter. The 1203cc Thunderstorm […]
Report from Japan: Custom World Scrambler
12 Custom Scramblers from Heiwa Motorcycle! Words and photos by Kazuo “Kaz” Matsumoto (@steeldog_photo)… From July 16th to August 28th, “Custom World Scrambler” was held at the large commercial facility “Pacela” in Hiroshima, Japan, for […]
Indigo Racer: Suzuki GS750 by Crows Performance
“Don’t Postpone Joy…Ride an Iron Horse!” This is the motto of Crows Performance, a workshop in Nasukarasuyama City, Japan, run by our new friend Yoshiki Sawamura. Though they offer a wide range of services — […]
“Helter Skelter” Street Tracker
A Harley XR750-inspired “XL1220R” Street Tracker from Japan… Even as Harley-Davidson unveils their completely redesigned Sportster S, featuring a liquid-cooled engine for the first time in the model’s history, the Evolution-powered Sportster is experiencing a […]
