In this edition of Flashback Friday, we’re revisiting ten machines that proved craftsmanship isn’t just about turning wrenches, it’s about re-engineering the impossible. Whether it was a S&S café racer or a bolt-on kit that saved the BMW R18’s reputation, these are the builds that made us stop scrolling and start dreaming. Here are The Top 10 Custom Motorcycles of July 2023.
1. Unik Edition Benelli 900 Sei
If you’ve never heard a six-cylinder motorcycle at full tilt, you’re missing out on a mechanical symphony. Lisbon’s Unik Edition took a rare 1979 Benelli 900 Sei, one of only 2,000 produced, and transformed it into ‘Sinfonia.’ The goal was to create a six-exhaust masterpiece that was actually easy to ride, bridging the gap between vintage excess and modern handling.
The transformation is radical, centered around a single-sided swingarm swap from a Ducati Monster S4R. This required a complete redesign of the rear end to accommodate a mono-shock setup and a beefy 190-section rear tire. Up front, inverted sportbike forks and Kineo wire-spoke wheels complete a rolling chassis that looks as fast as it sounds.
The bodywork is a 3D-designed carbon fiber monocoque that flows from the tank to the tail. Underneath, aluminum fuel and oil tanks were fabricated to accommodate a Motogadget-based electronics suite. Finished in white and green with gold pinstripes and a six-into-six stainless steel exhaust, it is a staggering tribute to the first production six-cylinder engine. [MORE]
2. Kingston Custom BMW R18 ‘The Crown’
Dirk Oehlerking of Kingston Custom has a knack for making the BMW R18 look like a relic from a high-speed future. To celebrate BMW Motorrad’s 100th anniversary, he created ‘The Crown,’ a machine that leans heavily into art deco and aeronautical design. Dirk’s process remains refreshingly analog; he stripped the R18 and sculpted the body using foam and cardboard before hand-forming the final fuselage from 2 mm aluminum.
The bike features a unique cable-operated steering system and a custom front swingarm to accommodate the dramatic, low-slung bodywork. The silhouette is massive, yet the bike actually weighs 40 kg (88 lbs) less than the stock cruiser. Dirk cleverly repurposed the R18’s LED headlight, reverse gear lever, and speedo, integrating them into a design that feels entirely cohesive.
The livery is the definition of class, utilizing champagne and mother-of-pearl tones that play off raw aluminum and chrome. With its slash-cut exhausts and pinstriped panels that recall vintage BMW tanks, The Crown is a regal reinterpretation of the boxer platform that defies conventional motorcycle architecture. [MORE]
3. Sutton & Marsden S&S Cycle Café Racer
Andrew Marsden and Pete Sutton of Bristol, England, spent years testing the limits of what a home-built special could be. Inspired by the Manx Norton and the Isle of Man, they built a bespoke frame around a massive 1,600 cc S&S V-twin. The frame geometry was modeled after a Ducati 916, resulting in a heavyweight American engine inside a nimble, British-styled chassis.
The engineering hurdles were significant, particularly preventing the primary belt from jumping under the massive torque of the S&S engine. Pete Sutton fabricated a custom system to maintain optimum tension regardless of temperature. The bikes feature Ducati 916 single-sided swingarms and magnesium Marchesini wheels, creating a high-spec racer aesthetic that stands in stark contrast to the traditional cruiser engines.
While the prototype (V1.0) features a lived-in, race-ready look, the V2.0 build serves as a template for a limited run of made-to-order machines. With Manx-style alloy tanks and K-Tech internals, these builds are a testament to what happens when short-circuit racing experience meets obsessive fabrication. [MORE]
4. Seb Hipperson’s Yamaha R9 Custom Concept
While the world waited for Yamaha to put its CP3 engine into a sportbike chassis, London fabricator Seb Hipperson got tired of waiting and built his own. His R9 concept uses the 889 cc triple from an MT-09 but ditches the plastic street-bike vibe for a chassis inspired by 90s GP two-strokes and modern Moto2 bikes.
Seb TIG-welded a custom steel trellis frame, utilizing the cradle from a Yamaha TRX850. He then added a Ducati 749 swingarm and Panigale forks upgraded with Bitubo internals. The bodywork was hand-shaped from fiberglass, featuring a muscle-car-inspired airbox vent that actually directs air into the intake to maximize the triple’s 110+ hp output.
The finish is a nod to Yamaha’s legendary speedblock racing heritage. With a raw aluminum fuel reservoir and a track-focused setup, including a thumb brake and a GPS speedo, Seb’s prototype is the R9 that Yamaha should have put into production years ago. [MORE]
5. Purpose Built Moto Ducati GT1000
The Ducati SportClassic GT1000 is often seen as the practical sibling in the family, but Tom Gilroy of Purpose Built Moto turned it into a high-performance café racer. The key requests were an under-tail exhaust and upgraded handling. PBM delivered by fitting Öhlins suspension from a Monster 1200R and ultra-light Jonich M9 carbon-wrapped wheels.
The fabrication work is the star here. Tom designed a two-into-one-into-two exhaust system that passes through the swingarm and exits via two mufflers tucked under a bespoke sheet-metal tail cowl. The cowl was designed to mirror the tank’s lines, including the specific knee indents, resulting in a silhouette that is much tighter and more aggressive than the original.
A sharp chin spoiler was added to hide the fuel pump and provide access to the battery, while the front end was cleaned up with a PBM LED headlight. The black-and-yellow livery, executed by PopBang Classics, gives the bike a modern edge that perfectly matches its significantly improved power-to-weight ratio. [MORE]
6. Horizontal Moto ‘723’ Moto Guzzi
Paul Führmann of Vienna-based Horizontal Moto is an engineer who obsesses over horizontal lines and Lino Tonti’s legendary frame design. His ‘Horizontal 723’ build is a sleeper café racer that stuffs a 1,064 cc Moto Guzzi V11 engine into a 1978 Le Mans Mk II frame. It is a masterful blend of vintage aesthetics and modern big block Guzzi performance.
The engine was heavily tuned with a lightened flywheel, high-torque cams, and 41 mm Dell’Orto carbs, delivering 90 hp. The chassis was sharpened with Bitubo fork internals and YSS shocks, while the wiring was completely modernized with Motogadget components and a keyless ignition. Every part was assessed and refurbished under the guidance of Guzzi tuning legend Peter Horvath.
Visually, the bike is a triumph of polished aluminum and monochrome tones. The tank from Tab Classics and the fairing, fabricated by metal shaper Carl Auböck, create a sleek, aerodynamic profile. At just 419 lbs, the 723 is a lightweight brawler that remains fully street-legal in strict Austria. [MORE]
7. Deus Ex Machina BMW R100R
Deus Ex Machina needs no introduction, but their take on the BMW R100R in July 2023 was a return to form. This build focused on the restomod philosophy, taking the best of the late-model airheads and stripping them back to their fundamental, air-cooled essence. The result is a bike that looks like it could have come from the factory in the late 70s, but rides with 90s reliability.
The team replaced the stock Paralever rear end with a more traditional setup to improve the bike’s proportions. The tank was sourced from an earlier R-series bike to restore the iconic boxer silhouette, while the engine received a full overhaul and a blacked-out finish. High-end suspension components and a minimalist subframe ensure the bike handles as well as it looks.
What makes this Deus build stand out is its ride-anywhere practicality. It doesn’t rely on wild fabrication but rather on the perfect selection of parts, classic leather upholstery, high-mounted scrambler-style pipes, and a stance that screams weekend freedom. It’s a masterclass in the “less is more” approach. [MORE]
8. ‘M’ Racing BMW R nineT
July 2023 also saw a high-performance take on the BMW R nineT, inspired by BMW’s ‘M’ division racing colors. This build sought to push the R nineT into the realm of modern superbikes. The traditional telelever front end was swapped for a set of high-spec Öhlins gold forks, held in place by CNC-machined yokes that drastically sharpened the steering.
The bodywork was updated with carbon-fiber components, reducing weight and enhancing the aggressive, track-ready aesthetic. The exhaust system was upgraded to a full titanium Akrapovič unit, allowing the 1,170 cc boxer engine to breathe more freely. Every touchpoint, from the rear-sets to the clip-ons, was replaced with racing-grade hardware.
It’s a bike that bridges the gap between the R nineT’s heritage roots and BMW’s modern racing dominance, proving the boxer engine still has plenty of fight left in it. [MORE]
9. TwentyTwo Custom Kymco KTR 150
Using a commuter bike as a platform for a flat tracker is a genius move, and Taiwan’s TwentyTwo Custom proved it with their ‘Urban Drifter Flat Track Edition.’ Based on the humble Kymco KTR 150, they collaborated with Tough Tracker to build a bike that works in the dirt but remains street-legal with a few quick swaps.
The team fixed the stance by lacing up 19-inch front and 18-inch rear wheels with Dunlop K180 rubber. A longer swingarm from 2LOUD Custom was added to improve stability, paired with MJP shocks. Interestingly, the front brake mounts were left on the stock forks, allowing a front brake to be reinstalled in minutes for street duty.
The bodywork features a Honda CB100 fuel tank and a fiberglass tail unit from Twist Co., topped with a luxurious elk leather seat. With a Supertrapp muffler and a hidden license plate bracket, this 150 cc single is a playful, compact reminder that you don’t need a massive engine to have a wild custom motorcycle. [MORE]
10. MOTOISM x Ironwood BMW R18
The BMW R18 is a massive piece of mechanical art, but it can be intimidating to customize. To solve this, MOTOISM teamed up with Arjan van den Boom of Ironwood Motorcycles to create a high-end bolt-on kit. The goal was to sharpen the R18 without any hacking, welding, or permanent modifications.
The kit includes 3D-printed and carbon-reinforced polymer (CFRP) parts, such as a sculpted headlight surround, a belly pan, and a sportier tail unit. These pieces give the R18 a modern, ‘urban performance’ vibe. High-end parts like Rotobox carbon wheels, an Öhlins rear shock, and an electronically controlled Jekill & Hyde exhaust ensure the bike’s performance matches its new look.
Finishing details include 3D-printed spacers that offset the tank badges for a layered look and a blacked-out finish for the massive cylinder heads. This project proves that with the right kit, the R18 can transform from a classic cruiser into a sharp, monochromatic street-fighter. [MORE]
Looking back at July 2023, it’s clear that a ‘standard’ approach to customization was nowhere to be found. We saw a focus on high-spec engineering, where 3D printing, carbon fiber, and bespoke trellis frames are no longer the exception, but the new baseline. If these ten builds are any indication, the custom scene is no longer just about looking back at the golden era; it’s about using modern technology to build the bikes we wish the manufacturers had the guts to put into production. Which of these icons would you have in your dream garage?
