On the primary weekend of December every year, the Pacifico Yokohama conference middle is stuffed to the brim with extremely imaginative machines for the Yokohama Scorching Rod Customized Present. There’s an entire lot happening—from loopy engineering to retina-searing paint jobs. However one Japanese {custom} builder stands out for solely totally different causes.
Shiro Nakajima, in any other case often called 46Works, wows yr after yr along with his tastefully restrained racing-inspired customs. A educated engineer and former boss of the Japanese restomod powerhouse Ritmo Sereno, Nakajima-san has a knack for combining Japanese craftsmanship with European model. That philosophy is on full show on this fashionable Ducati Monster M900 racer.
Shiro constructed the Ducati on fee, with an open temporary that left each determination as much as him—together with the selection of donor bike. So he picked a 1994 Ducati Monster M900 and remodeled it right into a B-road weapon in his signature model.
Like most artisans, Shiro is closely influenced by his environment. He lives and works in a surprising picket constructing, set in opposition to the foothills of the Yatsugatake Mountains, the place he builds all the things from furnishings to bikes and vehicles. His weekends are spent on the myriad winding roads that encompass his house, or on the Tsukuba racing circuit a couple of hours away—so good dealing with ranks excessive on his listing of must-haves.
“The Ducati M900 is a normal bare bike with the body from a liquid-cooled supersport,” says Shiro. “Due to its excessive stiffness and geometry, it might probably really feel unwieldy when driving at sensible speeds on public mountain roads. So I made a decision to change the body.”
Shiro is, in fact, being modest; his work on the Ducati’s trellis body is much less modification and extra reengineering. The middle part is usually unique, however the entrance finish has been rebuilt to scale back lateral rigidity. It now incorporates a central spine, with the steering head moved ahead by 10 mm and adjusted by one diploma.
A set of Ceriani GP duplicate forks adorn the entrance of the Monster, tuned to go well with the bike’s supposed utilization. Shiro mounted them with a Kawasaki decrease yoke, earlier than machining a {custom} prime yoke.
Aiming for a 70s race bike really feel, Shiro ditched the Monster’s 17” alloy hoops for a pair of 18” laced wheels, constructed utilizing off-the-shelf rims and modified Yamaha hubs. The OEM Brembo calipers had been refurbished, repainted, and mounted on handmade brackets. Out again, Shiro modified the unique swingarm to accommodate the larger wheel and added an Öhlins shock.
Tucked up tightly in opposition to the brand new prime yoke is a neatly built-in Motogadget speedo. A Bates-style headlight sits slightly below it, held up by a custom-made help. Customized clip-ons sport a Tomaselli throttle, Brembo controls, and Motogadget bar-end flip indicators.
The mirrors are the results of a collaboration between 46Works and the Japanese elements model Tanax, whereas the left-hand aspect switchgear is a {custom} half. Shiro additionally fabricated the bike’s fenders, chain guard, and rear-set assemblies.
The Monster’s revised body structure gave Shiro the liberty to reimagine its silhouette with handmade aluminum bodywork. “Many Ducati-based {custom} bikes with trellis frames have the tank and seat mounted too excessive to realize the perfect visible steadiness,” he explains. “I designed the M900 from the body as much as keep a low, horizontal line—with out reducing the suspension.”
“The truth that the seating place is nearly the identical as that of the inventory M900 is a results of an emphasis on rideability.”
For the Monster’s livery, Shiro took inspiration from the Nineteen Seventies Ducati 750 Sport. However moderately than portray the bike silver, he let the aluminum surfaces shine. “Bringing the aluminum pores and skin to the floor meant that no putty might be used,” he provides. “So I spent a whole lot of time (and nerves) on the sheet metallic work.”
Drops Design Works added the period-correct Ducati emblem, graphics, and clear coat, whereas Razzle Dazzle lined the seat in an identical blue materials.
Shiro didn’t neglect the air-cooled Ducati L-twin motor both. The entire energy plant was stripped, cleaned, overhauled, and put again along with contemporary sundries. The outside was blasted earlier than sure elements had been polished or Cerakoted.
Hiding underneath the gasoline tank are a pair of Keihin FCR carbs with pod filters. The rear cylinder is connected to a daily ‘horizontal’ carb, whereas the rear cylinder makes use of a downdraught model. The oil cooler is from Setrab, and the beautiful cutaway belt covers are handmade aluminum gadgets.
This beautiful Ducati Monster racer is completed off with one other signature 46Works contact—a sand-bent two-into-one titanium exhaust system, terminating in a hand-crafted titanium muffler. “The inventory exhaust headers aren’t equal in size,” explains Shiro, “however I wished to route the 2 headers in order that they might be as equal in size as attainable.”
“I additionally used a structure that may enable me to vary the oil filter and oil with out having to take away the exhaust. It was tough to get the hand-bent pipe by the slim areas.”
Shiro concludes by admitting {that a} 90s Ducati Monster M900 is hardly a uncommon or costly donor bike, however that he’s proud of the outcome he’s achieved. And so he needs to be… this handcrafted racer has transcended its humble beginnings with a glance that harks again to the 70s, and a construct that’ll fulfill essentially the most discerning of backroad weekend warriors.
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