Bike exif

Most guys can't think beyond a box of chocolates or a bunch of flowers as a gift for their significant other. But Uwe Kostrewa is a true romantic. He's just built this peachy Yamaha SR500 flat tracker for his girlfriend, Steffi—and it's not the first custom bike he's built for her either. Uwe works as Hombrese Bikes out of his workshop in Cologne, Germany, and regularly races and builds custom flat track motorcycles. He has a knack for creating machines that are low-key handsome, trading…

Ducati dropped the dubiously-named draXter concept on us eight years ago. An audacious design based on the popular Ducati XDiavel, it took cues from drag racers, sportbikes, and muscle cars. And although it never made it to market, it did manage to inspire one Ducatista in particular. When the owner of this 2016-model Ducati XDiavel S dropped his bike off at MFix Workshop, the draXter was foremost in his mind. He wanted the Vietnamese custom shop to imbue his XDiavel with a similar…

As Taiwan's relatively young custom scene continues to flourish, we have the privilege of watching plucky startups become established players. Take Twentytwo Custom; this custom Suzuki TU250 Grasstracker is only their seventh build, but it perfectly showcases their skill at turning lightweight commuters into spicy little scramblers. Twentytwo is the custom arm of the Taiwanese moto culture and apparel brand, Persist Motorcycle Company. Working in collaboration with the custom workshop Tough…

Ironwood says goodbye to older bikes with their last carb'd custom. We've also rounded up another fresh Triumph from Tamarit, a Zero with handcrafted bodywork, KTM's new 450 Rally Replica, and a modern homage to the Ducati 750 Sport. Honda GL500 by Ironwood Custom Motorcycles Arjan van den Boom is no stranger to these pages. He’s been making custom bikes since 2012 and has been rather prolific, to say the least. What might come as a surprise, is that you're looking at the last carbureted…

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is madness of the highest order. Racers blast through the 12-mile course at breakneck speed—climbing 4,720 feet and navigating 156 turns, right on the edge of disaster. Tackling it on two wheels takes tons of skill, massive cojones and a few loose screws. And a motorcycle that can go really, really fast. Today we're profiling one such bike: the Bottpower BOTT XR1R, which Travis Newbold recently piloted to a win in the Exhibition Powersport class. You…

Murdered-out customs used to be all the rage. But lately, builders have been favoring more diverse color palettes. Which is a real pity: done right, black-on-black can be downright beautiful. Clockwork Motorcycles' Samuel Guertin proves it with his latest offering: a 1978 Honda CB750 with a brawny stance and subdued finishes. “It needs to be all-black” was his client's primary request—and the helicopter-mechanic-turned-bike-builder was more than happy to comply. But first, he had to get the…

Twenty years ago, street-legal supermotos weren’t really ‘a thing.’ But in Europe, change was in the air—and the KTM Duke II was one of the catalysts. The rough-and-ready 625 cc single was huge fun on short trips, and helped set the template for future supermotos. Over the past couple of years, custom supermotos have become more common, delivered by builders who value performance as much as aesthetics. And one of those builders is Garett Wilson of Dubstyle Designs in Colorado, USA. “These…

Even if you don't know Chiel Nipius' name, you've probably seen his work. He was part of the team at Ironwood Custom Motorcycles for a while, but he's now branched out on his own as Nius Moto. And judging by these two Honda CB550 customs, he has the skills to pay the bills. Using the knowledge he acquired under the mentorship of Ironwood shop boss, Arjan van den Boom, 23-year-old Chiel juggles custom bike building with other interests. He also has a part-time job as a metal fabricator at an…

Flat trackers make for a compelling argument as practical, everyday street bikes. They're lightweight with comfortable ergonomics, but don’t tower seven feet off the ground like dirt bikes. So it's a mystery why more manufacturers don't make factory-issue street trackers. Someone else keen on the flat track style is Irwann Cheng, of the Malaysian custom bike outfit FNG Works. He's just worked his magic on a customer's bone stock MLE XTM 200; a Chinese-made supermotard sold in Malaysia. The…

Walt Siegl's work has graced the pages of Bike EXIF since the publication's early days. Based in New Hampshire, USA, the Austrian-born designer and custom motorcycle builder specializes in high-end Ducati customs that exemplify good taste and expert craftsmanship. With over a decade of Walt Siegl Motorcycles content to sift through, narrowing his portfolio down to just five motorcycles is no easy task. We could fill a book with our favorite WSM bikes—and we could wax lyrical for hours about…