There’s no denying that Japanese manufacturers have produced heaps of extraordinary motorcycles over the years. However, their early attempts at breaking into the cruiser segment often led to some questionable results, never quite managing to exude the same charm as American V-twins. Japan’s offerings were mechanically sound, though, which made them quite popular with custom bike builders much later on.
Modded Yamaha Viragos are particularly common in our day and age, but the project we’ll be looking at today started with a Suzuki GS650 GL. Whereas the standard GS650 was a quintessential UJM loved by many, the GL variant added a pinch of chopper styling to the whole equation. It came across as bizarre back when it was first released, and time really hasn’t been very kind to the GL model, either.
Despite this, a talented craftsman from Anaheim, California saw some potential in Suzuki’s quirky cruiser, that being none other than Johnny Nguyen. His roots are entrenched in custom cars, but he’d moved on to motorcycles a few years ago and never looked back. Operating solo as Upcycle Motor Garage, Johnny can work wonders on just about any two-wheeler that crosses his doorstep, and this restyled GS650 GL is an excellent case in point!
The build started with a well-kept 1981 model, showing just 1,100 miles (1,800 km) on the odometer. Its pristine condition hasn’t stopped Johnny from bringing out the big guns, mind you, so his GS650 bears little resemblance to its former self. As this was a personal endeavor rather than a client commission, our protagonist was free to do whatever he pleased in order to bring his vision to life.
First things first, the old Suzuki had to adopt a more aggressive posture. Its forks were therefore rebuilt and lowered by about three inches (76 mm), but the rear end is where the real party is at. There, you will come across the repurposed piggyback shock absorber of a 2003 Yamaha YZF-R6, which required some serious structural changes before it could fit.
Photo: Ryan D. Cheng
On the one hand, the swingarm was heavily tweaked to accept the new arrangement, while also gaining some additional bracing for rigidity. Up top, the adjustable R6 monoshock connects to the neatest custom-made subframe we’ve seen as of late. It comprises two simple tubes to support the seat pan, with twin LED lighting modules embedded into their rearmost tips for taillight and turn signal duties.
Above the bobber-style seat pan, we notice a bespoke saddle with premium leather upholstery and white stitching done in a quilted pattern. The bike’s rear fender looks like a custom part, but it was actually shaped out of the original front unit and placed on bespoke struts. Although the stock GS650 GL fuel tank was retained, it’s been cleverly repositioned in order to suit the stance that Johnny was going for.
He installed an array of electronic upgrades, too, including an Antigravity lithium-ion battery, fresh wiring, and a Motogadget control unit with Bluetooth connectivity. All these goodies are hidden well out of sight beneath the gas tank, without a single loose wire left visible. Cleanliness is the name of the game in the cockpit area, as well, with aftermarket clip-ons replacing the standard handlebar.
Photo: Ryan D. Cheng
They wear CNC Racing control levers, Motogadget bar-end blinkers, and some stylish grips from Biltwell’s catalog. As for the instrumentation, it’s been placed on the left side of the fuel tank to further minimize the clutter in the motorcycle’s cockpit. Things remain largely unchanged in the footwear department, where we still find the factory wheels and brakes. However, the rims have been enveloped in dual-purpose Bridgestone Trail Wing rubber fore and aft.
Rounding out the specimen’s lighting package is a modern headlight complete with a grilled lens cover, all held in place by tailor-made mounting hardware. Given the donor’s low mileage, Johnny saw no need to fiddle with its engine’s internal workings, but he did throw some youthful breathing equipment into the mix. Where the stock airbox had once been, we now see a quartet of mesh-covered velocity stacks.
The exhaust side of things is even more intriguing, as the standard pipework got swapped with a handmade stainless-steel substitute built in-house. It features pie-cut headers running a four-two-one configuration, which eventually ends in a compact silencer on the right-hand side. What’s more, the OEM clutch setup was discarded in favor of a hydraulic replacement.
With all these bits and pieces in place, it was time for Upcycle Motor Garage to take care of the paint job. Johnny used a glossy, faded blue colorway on the fuel tank and rear fender, along with white pinstripes to add a bit of visual depth. The wheels have also been painted matte-white, but items like the frame, swingarm, and fork lowers are all finished in black. Lastly, the engine covers got polished to a mirror finish while the inline-four was being reassembled.
A bit of an artist himself, Silvian sees two- and four-wheeled machines as a form of art, especially restomods and custom rides. Oh, and if you come across a cafe racer article on our website, it’s most likely his doing. Full profile
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