The brainchild of Rough Crafts frontman Winston Yeh, the Velocity and Crafts customized bike present ran for the second time earlier this month. Showcasing the most effective that Taiwan has to supply, the occasion introduced collectively a slew of native and worldwide judges to preside over the 47 customized bikes current.
Supported by Shoei, Alpinestars, Harley-Davidson, Breitling Taiwan, SYM, and Insanity, Velocity and Crafts is as a lot a customized motorbike championship as it’s a bike present. As one of many main lights of the Taiwanese customized scene, the person has a ardour for elevating the tradition and spurring his friends on.
Whereas roughly 5,000 guests crammed via the doorways of the SongShan Cultural and Inventive Park in Taipei’s Xinyi District, Winston and his group of judges had the arduous job of selecting the most effective bikes. Builders had been judged by their friends too—a carry-over from the AMD Championship.
Though a complete of 36 awards got out on the day, the primary competitors was break up over three courses—Modified Harley, Freestyle, and Efficiency. We’ve rounded up the highest three finishers within the Modified Harley and Efficiency courses, and the highest 5 within the Freestyle class.
Modified Harley, third: Harley-Davidson Dyna Tremendous Glide by AX Studio Third place within the Modified Harley class went to AX Studio for this brilliantly old-school Harley-Davidson Dyna Tremendous Glide. The AX Studio group got down to pair romantic classical particulars with bobber fashion, and we expect they’ve nailed it.
A Sportster tank was mounted on customized brackets to the Dyna body, with a handcrafted leather-based seat made by Hoffman. The rear fender is customized and bobbed to go well with, with loads of clearance to cruise with the Bitubo rear shocks.
The springer entrance finish is bejeweled with a forged aluminum headlight, Efficiency Machine calipers, and customized caliper mounts. Kustom Tech levers had been bolted to either side of the bars, which sit proudly in entrance of the Motogadget motoscope mini embedded within the tank. A customized inner throttle system retains the bars tremendous clear.
The ahead controls had been made by hand and have an ingeniously hidden pair of Motogadget mo.blaze indicators. The air filter and the stainless-steel exhaust are customized, as is the paint which was laid down by Goblin Paint. It’s a curious mish-mash of kinds, however AX Studio has one way or the other made it work—and we dig it.
Modified Harley, 2nd: Harley-Davidson Softail Breakout by Fangster And now for one thing you don’t typically see on Bike EXIF—a raked-out customized Harley-Davidson Softail Breakout, modified by Fangster and solely that includes bolt-on parts.
Beginning with a 2016 Softail Breakout, Fangster began by bolting on entrance fork covers, to which they mounted Highsider flip alerts. An LED headlight peeks out from beneath a small cowl, which matches the big muscular tank.
An Alcantara seat with blue distinction stitching matches the paint, which extends down the swingarm. The large rear tire is roofed with a rear fender with a match so tight we don’t even suppose a bank card might slip in there. The bike wears a brief, slash-cut exhaust (it’s a Harley Breakout, in any case).
Modified Harley, 1st: Harley-Davidson Sportster XR1200 by SMF Customized As with most motorbike reveals, the modified Harley-Davidson class is huge and fierce. The Velocity and Crafts present is not any totally different, with this beautiful Harley Sportster XR1200 by SMF Custom occupying the highest step of the rostrum.
Impressed by Pikes Peak hill climb and flat monitor race bikes, SMF Customized injected some racing fashion into this street-legal motorbike.
Upside-down forks and a rear shock from Gears Racing, plus alloy Ducati Scrambler wheels, set the stance. The bike wears a customized entrance numberplate and low-rise bars, whereas the motoscope professional sprint and push buttons come from Motogadget.
The aluminum tank, stomach pan, and seat had been all crafted by hand. The body escaped severe modification, however a bolstered swingarm and customized five-spoke belt pulley had been fitted out again.
The footpegs are customized, as are the large 360 mm entrance brake discs, squeezed tight by Brembo calipers. The fuel-injected Sporty was handled to a hand-crafted titanium exhaust to unleash just a few extra ponies.
All that was wanted in the best way of paint was a easy handpainted white stripe on the alloy tank and seat—the proper of entirety.
Freestyle, fifth: BMW R80 by SMF Customized The BMW R80 remains to be a well-liked selection amongst customized builders—and SMF Customized reveals us why. Their minimalist R80 café racer made the highest 5 in Velocity and Crafts’ Freestyle class, leaving the store with two awards from the present.
The cumbersome inventory rear finish is gone, with a customized cantilevered subframe and seat instead. The inventory wheels had been painted gloss black and distinction minimize, with the rear wheel transformed from drum to disc brake. The peerlessly proportioned entrance and rear fenders are customized.
The entrance finish was donated by a Ducati Monster, then lowered. Customized CNC yokes maintain the forks in place, whereas a easy spherical LED headlight is nestled betwixt them. Clip-on bars are adorned with Motogadget bar finish flip alerts and grips, and Brembo levers. Different Motogadget elements embody a mo.unit mind and a motoscope mini speedometer.
The inventory tank has been massaged right into a extra aggressive place and the black paint has been damaged up with lovely gold pin-striping. Rear-sets and a customized stainless-steel exhaust spherical out this basic, tasteful construct from SMF Customized.
Freestyle, 4th: Suzuki BS125 by ZeroVector Fourth place within the Freestyle Class was awarded to ZeroVector for this tradition Suzuki BS125. There isn’t an entire lot of the unique BS125 left although, save for its engine—which has been rebuilt, and repackaged in a customized body.
A bespoke swingarm sits out again, with an identical set of 17” Unison wheels wrapped in Dunlop Sportmax Q-Lite tires. The bodywork, which was fabricated in a joint effort with Conceal Work, was impressed by the wings and physique of a manta ray.
Kymco forks do responsibility up entrance, with a customized cowl that homes the headlight. The seat is built-in into the tank part, and completed with Alcantara upholstery by ChiRui Leather-based Customized. Trendy handlebars are outfitted with Rizoma flip alerts, Motogadget switches, and ZeroVector’s personal grips and risers.
The brake discs are customized elements, whereas the calipers come from Hartford. The rear-set foot pegs and twin exhausts are, once more, from ZeroVector’s catalog. The ultimate result’s a surprisingly delicate customized that lends a way of velocity, even whereas standing nonetheless.
Freestyle, third: Yamaha Ténéré 700 by Faber Studio x Tough Crafts Third place within the Freestyle Class was awarded to Faber Studio and Tough Crafts for a motorbike that’s lacking from the Yamaha manufacturing facility lineup—a Ténéré 700 flat tracker. Yamaha’s CP2 engine is an actual peach, and the crew needed to showcase this in a lighter, extra flickable package deal.
The curler was fitted with a pair of 19” wheels from Roland Sands Design, a set of Öhlins forks, and an Öhlins rear shock, all of which lowered the bike. The bodywork is generally tailored Yamaha YZ450 stuff, with a hand-crafted gasoline tank sitting entrance and heart. The whole lot is low and thin, permitting loads of motion back and front.
The Tenere 700 electronics and ignition stay, with all the pieces hidden below the brand new bodywork. A set of Renthal Fatbars and Beringer controls are mounted on CNC-machined fork clamps, with the lighting equipped by a pair of LED projectors hidden neatly below the radiator.
The fellows couldn’t determine whether or not to mount the exhaust excessive like a mud bike or low like a flat tracker, so that they selected each. The massive-bore customized stainless-steel headers are capped with Tough Crafts-branded mufflers, which should sound unbelievable at full tilt.
Faber Studio and Tough Crafts’ Yamaha Ténéré 700 flat tracker is lengthy, low, and oh-so imply. (If you happen to like to seek out out extra about it, we featured it beforehand here.)
Freestyle, 2nd: Honda DAX125 by Nemoto and JZO Crafts This pint-sized murals was constructed as a collaboration between Nemoto’s Kunimoto Hidetoshi and JZO Crafts. The group took a Honda DAX125 and turned it as much as eleven—after which took dwelling second place within the Freestyle Class.
Sat atop the Dax’s fuselage is a customized aluminum seat unit, topped with leather-based upholstery from Qi Rui. It lifts as much as reveal an aluminum gasoline tank. A titanium exhaust snakes its method via the DAX bodywork, exiting out the again via a hand-crafted ducktail muffler.
An Over Racing swingarm is suspended by a customized multi-link suspension system. The bike makes use of Racing Bros air suspension at each ends—so it sits decrease when parked than it does when driving.
The Nemoto CNC machine acquired a exercise, because it pumped out the rear-set foot pegs, entrance fork covers, entrance fork decrease brackets, and the rear sprocket holder. A customized entrance fairing homes a single Baja LED headlight. Hidden behind it are CNC fork clamps from GTR and a digital instrument panel.
The customized paint was laid down by OneWay; one other element that makes this diminutive customized bigger than life. (If you happen to’d prefer to see extra, we’ll have a full work-up on this Honda Dax within the coming week.)
Freestyle, 1st: Harley-Davidson Sportster by GD Customized This unbelievable Harley-Davidson Sportster was constructed by GD Custom—and even when it’s not one thing you’d sometimes go for, the ability and craftsmanship required to construct such a machine are otherworldly. We might stare at this wild creation for hours.
The group at GD Customized needed to mix brass, leather-based, forged alloys, and timber particulars, as a throwback to classic industrial kinds the place kind adopted operate.
The hardtail Sporty rides on a basic set of spoked wheels with a 21” wheel up entrance, bouncing away contained in the customized girder fork. Forged housings had been made for the dual headlights, which sit in entrance of the customized handlebars.
The gasoline tank, rear fender, and myriad brackets all look like some form of forged alloy and are expertly made. The Sportster engine sits proudly contained in the body, with neat brass particulars just like the pushrod tubes and air consumption.
The customized leather-based seat options an fascinating break up design the place the within part is sprung however the outdoors is fastened to the inflexible body—a element you don’t see too typically. The oil tank is ingeniously built-in into the entrance of the body, with copper strains working rearward to feed the engine.
Each element on the GD Customized Sportster seems handmade and well-considered. The quantity of effort and time that went into the construct should be astronomical, so it’s simple to see why it took dwelling the gold.
Efficiency, third: BMW RnineT by Kuo CNC Design Kuo CNC Design took dwelling the bronze trophy within the Efficiency class with this wild custom BMW R nineT. As their title suggests, they concentrate on CNC design—they usually’re clearly bloody good at it. Designed across the idea of ‘mechanical soul,’ the Kuo CNC Design R nineT combines mechanical aesthetics with components of steampunk and anime.
Clip-on handlebars, a set of customized fork clamps, and a slew of Motogadget and Magura elements make up the brand new cockpit space. The bike rolls on a stunning set of customized alloy wheels, which look so good you’d suppose they had been real BMW equipment. Rear set pegs and a shortened subframe push the rider into an aggressive place, however a brand new Öhlins rear shock retains it snug.
The consumption contains a pair of forward-facing pod filters, with the engine sucking air via customized titanium intakes and ejecting it through a titanium exhaust with Akrapovič muffler. The rocker covers characteristic customized engraving, impressed by the crew’s love of anime.
The bodywork was painted by hand and is the standout characteristic of the bike. It’s loud, however it nonetheless ties into the opposite black and purple parts of the bike in a refined method. We wager it seems to be even higher driving down a sunny nation lane.
Efficiency, 2nd: Ducati Monster 937 by Chun Hsiung Bike The runner-up of the Efficiency class at Velocity and Crafts was this Ducati Monster 937, modified by Chun Hsiung Motorbike. The inspiration behind the modifications was the 2022 Lamborghini Huracan STO, a VW Group stablemate of Ducati. The Huracan’s child blue paint was splashed over the Monster—however Chun selected Ducati purple as an alternative of orange for the highlights.
A tiny bikini fairing with a Puig windscreen was bolted on above a brand new set of Öhlins FGRT301 entrance forks. A set of magnesium M10RS Corse wheels from Marchesini had been fitted, whereas a single-sided swingarm was magically bolted onto the again finish, to point out off the rear Marchesini hoop in all its glory. Low bars had been added, together with some top-shelf Brembo goodies.
Chun put in a Spark titanium exhaust too, which ties into the blue bodywork fairly nicely. A dry slipper clutch from STM was additionally fitted, as a result of it’s a Ducati, in any case. The upholstery matches the hexagonal sample discovered within the Huracan, with a small stomach pan fitted down low to tie issues collectively.
With all of the top-shelf elements and high-performance Ducati vibe (notice the sneaky winglets hanging off the bodywork), Chun has injected a wholesome dose of Panigale fashion into the Monster.
Efficiency, 1st: Triumph Velocity Triple 1200RR by Eric The winner of the Efficiency Class class was a proficient gentleman named Eric, who modified his private Triumph Speed Triple 1200 RR for the present. Eric needed to retain a totally compliant street license for his Velocity Triple, so he selected evolution over revolution.
The important thing focus was eradicating the entrance fairing to make the bike seem visually lighter, with a single spherical LED headlight mounted instead. The headlight sits on a customized bracket and is adorned with a Triumph headlight protector. A pair of Kineo tubeless spoked wheels had been fitted, and Eric retained the tasteful smattering of Triumph carbon fiber items.
Nearly hidden from view is the beautiful customized exhaust system. The pie-cut titanium headers snake their method below the bike and terminate in a single Zard muffler. The exhaust runs low, so the passenger pegs had been deleted.
The rear finish was simplified with a tail tidy and the seat was upholstered to Eric’s exemplary style (kudos for the flash of houndstooth cloth). The bike was then completed in a Triumph Bobber TFC paint scheme, which fits the Velocity Triple 1200 RR fairly properly. Generally it’s the straightforward modifications that make the most important distinction.
Speed and Crafts | Photographs by Kazuo Matsumoto (venue) and Weeber Photography (particular person bikes)
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