Harley-Davidson FXRs, BBQ, Stunts… What else do you need for an epic day with your motorcycle? Throw in a somewhat-organized […]
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Firefighter-turned-custom bike builder Chris Scholtka has a knack for building slick, and somewhat hot-rodded, café racers. This Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 café racer epitomizes his style well—but it was almost built using a very different donor bike.
“It started two years ago when an old friend called me,” Chris tells us. “She had received a big birthday gift from her family—a Honda CX650—and wanted to have it customized by me. We had a plan, but sadly the bike was stolen and we had to start from zero.”
Chris operates under the moniker Motocrew from his workshop in Cottbus, Germany. And considering the slick custom bikes he typically creates, he was secretly relieved that the CX650 and its gawky frame were no longer part of the project. So he got together with his friend to brainstorm potential replacements.
“She wanted an old school-looking café racer and a reliable everyday bike. Because she didn’t have a garage in her hometown, Berlin, and didn’t have the knowledge to get a carburetor bike ready for riding season, it had to be a newer fuel-injected bike.”
Triumph’s modern classics quickly rose to the top of the list—until Chris spotted a Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 on eBay. “The RE shape is so clean, and building on it is simply fun. Everything is simple and reliable, and the aftermarket is better than I thought.”
“She set the color scheme on day one—as much black as possible. But a ‘lil Motocrew design should be worked into it too, of course.”
Chris started up front, where he replaced the Continental GT 650’s headlight with an ultra-modern LED unit from Koso. It’s mounted on a custom-made bracket that bolts to the bottom yoke. Flanking the headlight are neat fork shrouds that Chris 3D-printed to buff up the front end, visually.
Since the Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 comes with clip-on bars out of the box, its top yoke is already devoid of riser mounts. That made Chris’ job easier. With new, more aggressive clip-ons in place, he simply shaved the original ignition barrel mount to accommodate a Motogadget speedo, which came from Crooked Motorcycles as part of a plug-and-play kit.
Rather than relocate the ignition, Chris binned it in favor of a keyless setup. The NFC ignition, plus the bar-end turn signals and glassless mirrors, all came from Motogadget.
Moving to the bodywork, Chris opted to retain the Continental GT 650’s OEM fuel tank—which isn’t surprising, considering how good it looks. The gas cap was swapped out for a flush-mounted pop-up item.
Despite sporting a solo seat and tail bump in stock form, the Enfield didn’t quite have the compact proportions that Chris envisioned. So he removed the original parts, cut and looped the subframe, and fabricated a new rear cowl. A pair of Motogadget LEDs, perched on 3D-printed carbon mounts, act as taillights and turn signals, while the license plate sits lower down.
One of the hallmarks of a Motocrew café racer is its stance—and this one’s as purposeful as it gets. Chris lowered the front end by around 200 mm, before swapping the shocks out for custom-built YSS items that are 200 mm longer than stock. He also re-laced the front hub to a second 18” rear rim, so that he could fit tires with matching widths.
The Enfield now rolls on 3.5×18” Shinko E270 tires, with a handful of judicious braking upgrades offering improved performance. The chunky vibe of the wheels and slammed forks is echoed in the burly exhausts custom units from Mass that include dB killers and retain the bike’s catalytic convertor.
“The most important thing,” Chris adds, “is that it’s all street-legal in Germany!”
Finished off in a mix of matte and gloss black (which extends to the engine covers), this Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 café racer continues the Motocrew’s fine tradition of building razor-sharp machines that ooze style. We’ve no doubt that it will help its owner get over the loss of her CX650.
Motocrew Instagram | Images by kylefx
Editor’s note Regular Speed Read programming will return next week.
When it comes to customizing a Harley-Davidson Milwaukee-Eight Softail, control and comfort are non-negotiable. The Kraus SX3 Softail Foot Controls […]
The post New SX3 Softail Foot Controls from Kraus appeared first on Hot Bike Magazine.
When it comes to high-performance, custom V-Twin motorcycles, the Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide is already a great place to start […]
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For Harley-Davidson owners and V-twin enthusiasts, garage space is always at a premium. Whether you own a Street Glide, Road […]
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As a photographer, I’m always looking for strange and obscure things to shoot. I’d heard about this place in Brooklyn called Jane – a shop that had custom motorcycles, specialty coffee, and apparel – and as a moto enthusiast, I had to check it out. What I found inside was one of the most interesting incarnations of a Ducati I’d ever seen.
It looked like a WWII-era P-51 Mustang fighter plane on two wheels. Bright blocks of colored paint made up the bodywork while it was adorned with intricate details of gold. It was bold, brash, and sexy.
Adam and Alex, the owners of Jane, didn’t have much information beyond the fact that the bike was on consignment for the current owner, who wanted to remain anonymous.
As I spent more time there, I finally convinced them to let me take her out. I wanted to shoot some impromptu lifestyle photos, and Alex was kind enough to ride the Ducati for the photos you see here. But the images begged more questions than answers. I sent a few comps out to magazines and blogs curious to see if anyone had any info. No one had seen it before or knew any builders familiar with it. Without any details, publications were also hesitant to do anything with the bike. I was at a dead end.
I knew I had something exquisite, but I couldn’t understand it. It was like wandering through the woods and happening upon an Andy Goldsworthy sculpture. How did this thing end up in Brooklyn?
No less than three months later, a young kid came into the shop for a cup of coffee and found himself drawn to the mystery Ducati as I was, but for a completely different reason.
“My dad built that bike!”
Alex called me immediately with the kid’s contact information. After reaching out several times to get a lead on where it came from, I received no response. My encouragement dissipated to disappointment and frustration.
Another month passed until the kid came in again for coffee. Alex obtained his email once more and realized the address was off by one letter.
I finally reached Henry – the builder’s son – and he gave me the email address for his father’s wife Laura. She then connected me with her husband, and within a few days, he emailed me back confirming that he was indeed the builder of the bike in the photos. His name was Jon Aesoph. His nickname was “Einstein.”
When we were finally able to talk, Einstein was matter-of-fact, though he never came off as pretentious. Instead, he was almost aloof to his own abilities. I came to appreciate that he was just a tinkerer in the woods making weird stuff. Motorcycles just happened to be one of them.
“I am an artist, who works mainly in drawing and painting. I love machines and try to get them to love me. As much as I appreciate what the manufacturers offer us, I really need to make it my own. I don’t consider myself to be a ‘builder,’ but have always re-imagined any bike I’ve owned, and tried to make it unique for myself.”
The mystery Ducati was a SportClassic “S” that Einstein purchased new in the fall of 2009 from Skagit Motor Sports in Mount Vernon, Washington. The “S” meant it came with the front fairing, unlike others in the SportClassic line.
Einstein, a retired art teacher living on Whidbey Island off the coast of Washington state, says he only rode it stock for a few months.
“I like to get to know a bike pretty well on a daily basis; it helps me choose a direction. I wanted something a bit different, as is my usual modus operandi, and decided to change the tail to a ‘Don Vesco Big Butt’ from Airtech Bodywork. This immediately took the bike back in time. The ‘Big Butt’ suggested a race bike from the ‘50s or ‘60s. The new bodywork was painted the dark Ducati Green, and the stock white racing stripes were continued over the top of it. During this time, I did all the sexy motor things that I could afford, such as open Desmodromic belts, gold anodized grips and clutch/brake controls.
“Though the overall seat and tail combination came from Airtech, I needed to re-fabricate portions of it to fit. I lengthened it almost three inches and molded it to fit the tank shape at the forward end. All this consequently required my moving the taillight, which was a quite acceptable round piece, and I put in flexible LED turn signals, which were molded into the sides of the tail. It looked pretty cool to me, and I rode it in that guise for quite a while.
“Some months later I was sitting in the shop staring at it (this is an activity that provides endless mirth and confusion for my lovely wife). I decided the large open space at the rear would look better if I moved the exhaust pipes from low on the side to up under the seat, culminating by appearing from out of the box seat. That proved to be a good move; she looked like a piece of history but with an attitude.”
In 2011, Einstein’s eyes shifted towards another bike – the BMW S1000RR – prompting the need to move the Ducati from his shop to make room. In order to sell the bike, he needed to make some changes that would appeal to more buyers.
“We’ve all seen the stir that café racers have made on our contemporary motorcycling scene, even to the point of manufacturers producing them, lifeless as they are. I decided to again change the tail/seating area on the bike, and chose a Ducati race seat intended for the Ducati MH900e. While I was at it, I decided to do the Italian flag colors on her, with silver being the main accent. Again, pining for the past, I sat down and in one session drew my spraying plan, not following any vintage bike in particular, but desiring a result that would make people want to hug her. There’s something that happens when you decide to spray a separate color around the headlamp. Don’t ask me why, but to me, it makes the bike more accessible, more human. While I was prepping for the spray, and had all the bodywork off, I decided to lengthen the pipes out the rear a full three inches. That move really brought on that badly serious attitude she began to take on.”
“I have always loved Ducati’s propensity for drilling holes wherever they can fit them in. They call this ‘lightening,’ but let’s admit it: this is also another great design tactic. I drilled the hell out of everything. Where I could add a hole, I did. Another design tactic I have is to use Caterpillar Yellow a lot. I was on a UH1B in Vietnam, and I loved the markings that usually designated danger in that same yellow. Once I was finished, I put her up for sale, and it sold in two days, to a gentleman in Texas. That was the last I saw of her until my son let me know she had shown up in Brooklyn. Amazing…”
Despite a missing block of time in the lifespan of this Ducati, the mystery of its birth was solved. While all of this could live on a spec sheet about upgrades, performance stats, and mechanical specifications, it is really about a photographer, two shop owners, a son, a patient wife, an eccentric builder, and finally, a publisher willing to tell the story. The tale of this single machine – chased from NYC to Whidbey Island through a tangled and intertwined circle – is unraveled, and finally complete.
This article first appeared in issue 20 of Iron & Air Magazine, and is reproduced here under license | Words and Images by Stan Evans | stanevansphoto.com | janemotorcycles.com
We often ruminate on the pros and cons of restoring vintage bikes rather than customizing them. Whichever path you choose, there’s another question worth considering; how do you treat patina? Must every last nut and bolt shine, or must the machine wear its history with pride?
“I personally live on both sides of the restored versus patina conversation,” says Mike Watanabe, co-founder of Union Motorcycle Classics. “I have pristine bikes and patina bikes that I relate to regularly. I also have a nice Porsche 912 and a Patina 356. I find a place for both philosophies—on two wheels or four.”
Mike runs Union Motorcycle Classics together with Luke Ransom, out of an old barn in Nampa, Idaho, USA. True to his word, the shop produces bikes on both sides of the equation—from polished restomods to classics that are dripping with patina. But they put considerable effort into ensuring that their latest project, a vintage Ducati 250, would fall into the latter camp.
The project kicked off when a client brought 1965-model Ducati 250, and commissioned a restomod similar to another Ducati 250 that Union had completed a few years ago. Drawing inspiration from the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, Mike had a clear plan for the build.
The petite Ducati single was rolled into Union’s workshop and stripped down to a rolling chassis. Luke started poring through the engine and original Dell’Orto carb to bring everything up to par. A new electronic ignition system was installed too.
Meanwhile, Mike had a challenge ahead of him. The brief called for a handful of changes to the stock Ducati, but he didn’t want to risk putting new parts on the well-worn donor bike. So he tapped every resource he could to find parts with their own patina.
“I found an original paint Ducati Diana tank that had some work done around the fuel taps,” Mike recalls. “That red tank set the tone for the rest of the bodywork. EBay provided a modified Ducati front fender in red.”
The front number plate, clip-ons, and top yoke are all parts that were factory options on the Ducati 250 in the 1960s. Mike also managed to track down a set of 18” Ducati wheels, plus a center stand, chain guard, and rear-set pegs from the Bologna factory. The exhaust header and muffler are also up-cycled parts.
Mike’s next task was to finish off the bodywork with new parts, without ruining the bike’s aesthetic. He started by ordering a new fiberglass rear fender from Glass From the Past, before aging it to match the rest of the bike. The seat is completely bespoke, with upholstery by Interior Revolutions over a fiberglass base.
The Ducati’s subframe was tweaked to support (and raise) the new seat, before being finished off with a pair of side covers that Union had made for a different build, many years ago. Mike also welded on new mounting points for the bike’s rear-set foot pegs. The only brand-new parts on the bike are a replica tacho drive, the chain, and a reproduction tachometer from Veglia.
As we’ve come to expect from Union Motorcycle Classics, this Ducati 250 is as adorable as it is alluring. According to Mike, who has affectionately named the bike Dirty Diana, it’s also “a riot to ride.”
There’s a twist in this tale though. Although the bike was originally ordered by a client, it’s now being given away in a sweepstakes to benefit a charity that helps underprivileged children in Thailand and Cambodia. You can enter here for as little as $25, with all funds raised going towards food, shelter, education, and medical care for these kids.
“The person who commissioned the build is a regular customer with a stable of Italian singles,” Mike explains. “He decided to pare down his collection and wanted help selling some of his bikes. I wanted to purchase this little wabi-sabi gem for myself—then I thought about the need for a fundraiser bike.”
“I struck a deal with the owner to purchase the bike at a price well below market value, with the condition that it be used for the sweepstakes. In its own way, this little red wabi-sabi Ducati 250 is doubling down to do good.”
Union Motorcycle Classics | Facebook | Instagram
The value of an object isn’t always measured in monetary terms, as Arnaud Cailly learned when his workshop was broken into—and his beloved Kawasaki KLX300 stolen. “That Kawa wasn’t worth much, but it meant a lot to me,” he recalls. “I kept it in good shape for the occasional ride with my dad.”
Arnaud runs Le Cent Vingt Cinq out of Thoiry, a town just west of Versailles, France. He started the workshop during the COVID-19 pandemic, when France’s lockdown prevented him from working as a physiotherapist (his main source of income).
Le Cent Vingt Cinq has grown to a three-man team over the last few years. And although they’ll customize just about anything, they have a particular proclivity for pre-2000s Japanese motorcycles.
Although the workshop’s tools were also stolen during the robbery, the loss of the KLX400 left a small adventure bike-sized hole in Arnaud’s heart. “A few months later, I stumbled upon a super clean 1993 Suzuki DR350 online and snapped it up right away,” he tells us.
“Around the same time, Fuel Motorcycles announced Scram, a 10-day off-road adventure in Morocco. No stock bikes allowed—every motorcycle has to be custom-built. I pitched the idea to my dad and brother and, before we knew it, we were all in.”
In no time, the Suzuki DR350 had gone from being a replacement for Arnaud’s lost KLX400 to a full-blown custom scrambler project. First, he turned to 2R14 Design to help him turn his vision into a digital render. Then he began sourcing the parts needed to bring it to life.
First to go was the DR350’s OEM fuel tank. The Le Cent Vingt Cinq modified a 1974 Husqvarna CR250 tank to replace it, topping it off with a knurled filler cap. The intricate paint job was handled by Rob Art-Custom, with inspiration taken from the North African Berber culture.
Next, the crew fabricated new fenders for the front and rear, plus a new subframe to accommodate the Suzuki’s new bench seat. They made the crash bars too—but retained the original side covers, which were painted to match the tank.
The DR350’s big hoops were swapped out for a set of 18” Excel rims, finished in a champagne gold hue. They’re wrapped in chunky 120-section Maxxis tires. Arnaud admits that the smaller hoops might not be ideal for off-roading, but he’s happy with the compromise—and besides, there are plenty of off-road-focused mods elsewhere.
The crash bars bear a pair of LED spotlights, while a burly sump guard protects the belly of the beautifully refinished engine. Le Cent Vingt Cinq also specced it with gigantic foot pegs and a rear brake caliper protector.
Up top you’ll find a set of customized enduro bars with a welded-in cross brace, wearing new grips, pared-down switches, and Beringer controls. The twin headlights were lifted from a Honda Zoomer (the Japanese version of the Ruckus), before being retrofitted with a guard and a luggage rack. “It gives me that Baja racing vibe,” says Arnaud, “but it also has space for a blanket, made by my friend Camille at The Wild Whispers.”
Other mods include a Motogadget speedo and neatly integrated Highsider LEDs for the turn signals and taillight. The exhaust uses a custom-made header with a Triumph-specific Ironhead muffler, and the suspension has been overhauled with new springs and oil. Then there’s the leopard-print suede seat cover, and the subtle gold details that echo the rims.
Nicknamed ‘Dune,’ Arnaud’s Suzuki DR350 scrambler ticks two major boxes; it’s fun and it’s capable. “Dune isn’t just a show bike—it’s built to ride,” he adds. “Now, I just can’t wait to take it to Morocco.”
Le Cent Vingt Cinq | Facebook | Instagram | Images by Julien T. Diaz
A good exhaust note is one of your motorcycle’s most visceral aspects. The connection from your ear drums to your right wrist plays an undeniable part in raising your pulse, making aftermarket exhausts one of the most common mods on a new motorcycle. But if you’re going down that road, just know there’s a lot more to think about than amplified acoustics.
A good aftermarket motorcycle exhaust will enhance performance and cosmetics, while a bad one may leave you with a deafening drone and a fix-it ticket. We’ve just added a line of killer stainless steel exhaust systems from Stealth Pipes Inc. to the Bike EXIF Store, ranging from the Honda Monkey to the new M8 Softail. To celebrate the occasion, we’re highlighting five key points to consider when selecting an aftermarket exhaust, and encourage you to consider handmade stainless offerings from Stealth.
Know Your Goals There are loads of advantages to be had by upgrading your exhaust system, including weight savings, performance increases and the all-important exhaust note, but it’s awfully hard to pick the right exhaust system if you can’t definitively say what you’re trying to accomplish.
It sounds incredibly obvious, but many riders fail to consider this simple question before buying the cheapest exhaust that’ll fit their bike. And sure, that slip-on might cost as little as $50 on Amazon, but if the manufacturer can’t guarantee its results, what do you think yours will be?
Ultimately, the goals of your modification program should be reflected in the exhaust you choose, whether it’s lighter weight, a bump in performance or simply a more pleasing soundtrack.
Types of Exhaust Systems Now that you know what you’re trying to achieve, it’s time to see what it’ll cost. The two most common motorcycle exhausts you’ll find are slip-ons and full systems, with each bringing their own blend of pros and cons to the table.
Slip-ons The most simple and cost-effective way to modify your motorcycle’s exhaust system is with a slip-on. Named for the slip joint between the muffler and header pipe, slip-ons usually require only a couple of bolts for installation and work with factory header and mid pipes. Since mufflers are responsible for the majority of sound and weight of an exhaust system, slip-ons may be enough to satisfy your requirements, and quality offerings can be had for 75% less than a full system.
While a slip-on is certainly the best bang for your buck, it’s worth mentioning that its primary advantages are sound and weight. You may free up a little extra power, but if you’re really looking to add horses to the stable, you’ll have to pony up for a full system.
Full Exhaust Systems A full system includes the rest of the pieces to complete your exhaust upgrade, including header pipes, mid pipes and a catalytic converter (if so equipped). Often made from lighter materials and larger-diameter pipes, the complete system is engineered by the manufacturer to provide a more substantial upgrade in flow, torque, and horsepower.
Other than a more complex installation, the biggest downside to a full exhaust system is the cost. Expect to spend north of $1,000 for a good system from a reputable manufacturer, and unfortunately, that’s without taking supporting mods into account. While you’ll have to pay to play, a quality exhaust system can transform the look and feel of your motorcycle by freeing up weight, adding power and providing some stellar TIG welds to gawk at.
Supporting Modifications Modern motorcycle exhaust systems are tightly regulated in the emissions and decibels they produce. A bike like my Honda CRF450RL runs very lean straight off the showroom floor to meet emissions, so imagine the consequences of installing a freer-flowing exhaust system without adding more fuel.
This situation is hardly unique, and anytime you’re modifying your exhaust, you’ll want to research if more fuel will be required through an aftermarket fuel management device. If your bike’s a little older, a slip-on may pass with factory fuel mapping, but it always pays to do your research.
Complete exhaust systems may also require further modifications to the airbox or other systems to achieve full advertised performance.
Materials OEM and aftermarket motorcycle exhausts are available in a range of materials, most commonly steel, stainless steel and titanium. For aesthetic purposes and lighter weight, carbon fiber may also be used on motorcycle mufflers.
Steel Regular old steel has long been the standard for OE exhaust systems since it’s durable and cheap to push out by the thousands, but it is heavy and susceptible to corrosion. Steel exhaust systems will go the distance if you keep up with them, but that could mean restoring your exhaust pipes multiple times during ownership. If pitting from corrosion becomes an eye sore, or you’re ready to push your bike to the next level, upgrading to a lighter, freer-flowing system is one of the best upgrades you can make.
Stainless Steel The OEMs have been gradually turning to stainless steel as the new go-to material for exhaust, and if your bike was manufactured within the last decade, there’s a good chance you’re already equipped. Stainless is made by combining iron with chromium to create a strong and corrosion-resistant alloy, and it can always be restored to its original finish if it tarnishes. Stainless is also quite strong, meaning headers and mid pipes can be made from thin-wall tubing for additional weight savings.
With strength and corrosion resistance to its credit, stainless steel is an ideal choice for aftermarket exhausts, offering significant cost savings over titanium and carbon fiber. Full stainless systems don’t come cheap (expect to pay $1,000 and up), but quality stainless always looks good and develops heat coloring from blue to bronze.
Titanium If you’re chasing ounces, instead of pounds, or simply need the highest end material available for your build, titanium is the answer. The bad news is that it’s expensive, due to the extensive processing needed to take it from rutile or ilmenite ore to titanium tetrachloride, and finally, pure titanium. That means that a full system for a single-cylinder bike can cost $2,000, and a whole lot more for a multi-cylinder engine.
What you’re paying for is a system that weighs 50 to 70% less than stock, has excellent corrosion resistance and develops that beautiful blue, purple and orange coloring with heat. While titanium is quite strong, be aware that the thin-wall tubes are more susceptible to impact and far more difficult to repair.
Carbon Fiber Everyone loves the intricate weave and strength of carbon fiber, and the lightweight material has proven adept for use on aftermarket mufflers from companies like Akrapovič, FMF and Yoshimura. While carbon fiber demonstrates weight savings over titanium in silencers, and will stay cooler than steel, there are several downsides to be aware of.
Beyond the high price tag, carbon fiber is only strong in the direction of the weave, meaning a direct impact may cause it to crack. Carbon will also deteriorate if it spends enough time in direct sunlight.
Street Legality Sure, the legality of aftermarket motorcycle exhaust is a bit of a buzzkill, but probably not as much as getting a fix-it ticket from your local PD. Since the specifics vary based on where you ride, we’ll cover a few points in broad strokes.
At the national level, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Transportation (DOT) set emissions and noise standards for motorcycles. Aftermarket systems that remove or alter the factory-installed catalytic converter or exceed noise limits typically violate EPA regulations, making them illegal for street use. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) enforces even stricter emissions rules in California, requiring exhaust systems to be CARB-certified to be street-legal.
Beyond emissions laws, noise ordinances vary by state and municipality. The Federal Noise Control Act established a nationwide standard, but enforcement is largely left to local governments. Many states use the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) J2825 standard for motorcycle exhaust noise, while others impose decibel limits ranging from 80 to 100 dB at certain RPMs. Some areas allow law enforcement to issue citations based on subjective noise judgment, leading to inconsistent enforcement.
For riders, the key takeaway is that not all aftermarket exhausts are illegal, but they must meet federal, state and local requirements to be used on public roads. Many manufacturers offer EPA-compliant or CARB-approved systems, and some states allow non-compliant exhausts if the bike is registered for off-road or closed-course use only. Before swapping out an exhaust, it’s best to check the specific regulations in your state to avoid fines, equipment violations or trouble at annual inspections.
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