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This month, the custom roundup goes from mild-mannered to outright wild with three vastly different bespoke bikes. First, we check out a build based on a motorcycle that's manufactured solely for the Asian market. Then we head to Taiwan and delve into Rough Crafts' latest sinisterly styled café racer project. And lastly, Fast By Me Turbo Systems in the UK shows us the proper way to boost a classic bike.
Katros Garage Kawasaki W175 Scrambler
In Asia, small-capacity motorcycles rule the streets. As a result, manufacturers offer models there that we don't get in the West. One such bike is the Kawasaki W175, which is an offshoot of the brand's long-running W series. First launched in Indonesia, the retro-styled W175 quickly became a hit with custom builders. This Kawasaki W175 Scrambler is the work of the Jakarta-based workshop, Katros Garage (Instagram).
Led by workshop founder and frontman Andi "Atenx" Akbar, Katros Garage is one of the most prolific custom workshops in Indonesia. So prolific that Katros has even built a W175-based chopper for the country's president (yes, you read that right). This bike was built in collaboration with apparel company Speed Rebel, and although their profile isn't quite as high as el presidente's, the end result is no less impressive.
Katros kick-started things by reworking the W175's chassis and suspension to set up a more traditional Scrambler stance. From the center post back, the frame is all new and includes mounting points for a monoshock conversion. The revised rear suspension uses components from another Asian market motorcycle in the form of a Yamaha Scorpio swingarm and shock. These changes raise the rear end and extend the bike's footprint, so to balance things out the front end uses a taller fork from another Asian oddity, the Yamaha Bison.
The W175's stock headlight is gone and in its place is a racing plate fairing sporting a modest LED headlight. Behind it sit a Bison handlebar wearing Katros retro grips and bar-end mirrors. An aftermarket speedo is nestled in the hollow at the front of the fuel tank. The turquoise fuel tank was handmade in-house and it wears a cast Duralium Speed Rebel filler cap and badges. There are new side covers, too, which conceal the electrics box that's stashed beneath the seat. As for the black leather seat, it's a one-off and has been finished in classic diamond stitching. Rounding things out are custom fenders and a three-in-one LED tail light which has been recessed into the frame.
When it comes to performance, the Kawasaki's 175cc engine isn't going to break any records so Katros focused its efforts on handling. To make sure the bike could live up to its all-terrain aesthetic, it rolls on wider alloy rims wrapped in Shinko E705 Dual Sport rubber. Improved stopping power comes courtesy of a rear disc brake conversion and a larger front brake. The finishing touch came in the form of a pod filter for the intake and a custom high-mount stainless exhaust that artfully weaves through the frame.
As the saying goes, "It's more fun to ride a slow motorcycle fast," and this little Scrambler looks eager to prove it.
Rough Crafts Ducati Monster 821 "Bologna Dogfight"
If you're into the color black, the undisputed king of black motorcycles is the Taiwanese workshop Rough Crafts (Instagram). We're not talking about a bit of rattle can matte black, though. Rough Crafts bikes feature a mix of satin, gloss, and matte black finishes, dark carbon fiber bodywork, and special-edition black components from premium aftermarket brands. To top it off, Rough Crafts founder Winston Yeh's concepts are strikingly unique and he applies a Rolls Royce level of fit and finish to each bike he builds.
The Bologna Dogfight is a custom 2019 Ducati Monster 821 and it's a motorcycle Yeh has enjoyed modifying before.
"When Ducati came up with the 1200/821 platform, the minimal, dual-section tubular frame makes it very easy to modify," he says. "Even though there's the more powerful V4 Streetfighter, the simplicity of the L-twin engine still provides a much better platform for customization."
The owner of this Monster 821 came to Rough Crafts seeking a café racer with classic lines. For the concept, rather than looking for inspiration from other people's work, Yeh pawed through his own portfolio. Picking out highlights from his previous works, he cohesively melded them together to form a one-of-a-kind Monster that is beyond doubt a Rough Crafts creation.
"I used the same billet CNC subframe developed for our Apex Assault project to have a very compact rear," Yeh explains. "The fairing and tail section were both 3D printed and a handmade aluminum fuel tank tie them together."
For the exhaust, Yeh retained the Monster's stock two-into-one headers and blended them into a pair of modified SC-Project Conic '70s mufflers. From that point on, it was all about fitting the right recipe of aftermarket parts from Rough Crafts' collaborators.
Starting with the suspension, the 821 fork has been kitted out with an Andreani cartridge kit. They sit in a race-spec CNC bottom tree and a Rough Crafts top clamp that features integrated clip-on bars and a gauge mount for the stock dash. In the rear, he's installed a blacked-out Monster 1200S Öhlins shock. For pinpoint accurate handling, unsprung weight is kept to a minimum, courtesy of 17-inch BST carbon fiber wheels. Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV Corsa rubber shrouds each rim and stopping power is handled by Beringer calipers and MotoMaster discs. The hand controls are Beringer, too, while the foot controls are by Sato Racing.
Content with the Monster’s performance after the fitment of the exhaust, a Sprint filter and the significant weight reduction, Yeh left the engine untouched. The lighting, however, is a mix of aftermarket parts from the Koso catalog, including the stacked projector-style headlamps. Yeh's go-to upholsterer, Chirui Leather Custom, put together the diamond-stitched seat and Motogadget supplied the grips. The finishing touches came in the form of Rough Crafts cast badges by 2 Abnormal sides and a gas cap from Rough Crafts' own parts range.
Lastly, Bologna Dogfight was painted by Rover Works using the customary Rough Crafts murdered-out style guide. The finished look is sleek and sinister with matte carbon fiber played off against gloss black paint. Fine gold and silver leaf pinstripes on the bodywork separate the contrasting tones of black and the engine, swingarm, and frame all follow suit.
Fast By Me Turbo Systems "Bullet" Suzuki Katana
Throughout history, there have been a mere handful of forced induction production motorcycles. Lemmy explained why this is in his excellent article on forced induction. But hopefully, this may soon change with the release of models like the supercharged Kawasaki H2R and the pressures of ever stricter emission laws. But until that happens, your best shot of experiencing a boosted bike is to build it yourself… or with the help of an expert.
Dave Dunlop in the UK specializes in building turbocharging kits "for the masses." What started out as a hobby in the 1980s led to Dave opening his Fast By Me Turbo Systems (Instagram) workshop. Along with building bikes for customers, Dave sells affordably priced bespoke turbo kits to suit each customer's specific needs.
As you'd expect, Dave builds his own turbo'd motorcycles, too, and his latest shop bike is this boosted Suzuki Katana. The Fast By Me Katana started life as an 1982 GSX1100 producing around 111 horsepower. At the time of its release, it was the pinnacle of Japanese performance, but this Katana is an altogether different beast.
The Katana's inline four now boasts a capacity of 1,325 cc. Inside the cases, you'll find a straight-cut welded cam, MTC performance pistons, and an MTC lock-up clutch. The heads have been extensively ported and flowed and the stock primary gears replaced using straight-cut alternatives. To fit the bigger clutch, Dave added one of his Fast By Me extended covers and the engine is managed by a Full Dyna 400SP ignition system. While all of this promises solid performance gains, the real grunt comes from the turbo.
This bike's low-slung Garret GTX37 hybrid turbo is plumbed in using bespoke pipework that Dave builds himself. The specially tuned system includes a Tial blow-off valve and wastegate to help manage boost. A purpose-built curved intercooler sits snugly between the front wheel and frame. And, at the noisy end of the combustion cycle, Dave installed a custom three-inch stainless exhaust and twin four-inch Fast By Me mufflers.
With all the extra power on tap, the Katana has also received a serious handling overhaul. The front end now sports a tuned Kawasaki ZX-10RR Showa gas fork held by machined triple clamps. Racetek piggyback shocks support the rear end, and in a feeble attempt to keep the front end down, they're mated to a longer JMC alloy swingarm. When it's time to slow things down, Brembo calipers bite down on bespoke discs built by the DiskDoctor.
Rounding out the Katana's modifications are practical additions like a Racetec 2 digital dash, custom windscreen and clip-on handlebars. The new Alcantara seat is a custom piece that mimics the shape of the original and to make this Katana truly one of a kind, Dave had the crew at Havoc Paint spray the bike in Nardo gray.
Perhaps one of the most surprising details of this build is that it's built for the street, not the dragstrip. Dave estimates the engine will pull 400-plus horsepower on the dyno so I think it's fair to say he won't be making any friends at his local police station.
