Photo: Purpose Built Moto
The neo-retro aesthetic is something a lot of manufacturers dip their toes in nowadays, aiming to capitalize on the trend before it eventually wears off. However, you'll be hard-pressed to find an OEM brand that does as good a job as the custom bike wizards at Purpose Built Moto. What you see below is their take on a sharp VFR with old-school endurance racing vibes – a project completed in 2020 but still worth talking about today.
With Tom Gilroy at its helm, the Australian bike-modding mecca that is Purpose Built Moto (PBM) grew into a genuine phenomenon over the years. You'll normally see them coming up with classy scramblers and cafe racers, but the stylish beast we're about to look at doesn't really fit into either of these genres. Dubbed Retro Racer, this thing was influenced by sport bikes and endurance racers from the late eighties and early nineties instead.
PBM started with a Honda VFR750 from the model-year 1994, which was a little damaged on the outside but mechanically sound. To get the ball rolling, Tom browsed the web in search of some aftermarket garments that would suit his vision, eventually settling on a sleek front fairing and a boxy tail section from Airtech.
As the parts were being shipped, the Aussies busied themselves with fabricating a custom subframe out of aluminum. New exhaust headers have also been installed around the same time, and the VFR's rear wheel was swapped with the eight-spoke module of a Honda RC30. Once the Airtech goodies were delivered, the Purpose Built squad took measurements and proceeded to craft a set of stainless-steel brackets.
Besides securing that sporty fiberglass fairing in place, the mounting hardware up front also holds vertically stacked Daytona dials and twin 4.5-inch LED headlights. The Retro Racer's cockpit equipment is completed by Tarozzi clip-ons, fresh switchgear, and refurbished Nissin control levers. Shifting their focus back to the exhaust plumbing, Tom's specialists capped off the headers with dual reverse megaphone silencers.
Moreover, they outfitted the tail with a full suite of LED lighting components, including tiny, yet bright turn signals and twin taillights. The next stage of the build was by far the most complex, as it demanded the fabrication of two side fairings that would tie the motorcycle's lines together. Starting with foam molds, PBM fashioned a couple of mock-ups before shaping the final aluminum parts from scratch.
The fruit of their labor is our favorite aspect of this entire project, seamlessly blending a collection of sexy curves and sharp lines. After vapor-blasting the machine's hoops and adding some youthful rubber, it came time for Sir Gilroy's artisans to settle on a color scheme. They decided that a purple base with silver and gunmetal details was the way to go, and the paint job came courtesy of StickIt Wraps.
Lastly, the final touch comes in the form of a two-piece solo seat, featuring color-matched stitching and perforated leather up top. The upholstery was executed by Timeless Auto Trim, and there's a Black Box control unit from PBM's aftermarket catalog hiding beneath the seat padding. In terms of performance, the Retro Racer is said to weigh just 386 pounds (175 kg) wet while making 86 hp at the wheel, which sounds like a tantalizing mixture to say the least! Add the groovy looks, and you've got one hell of a package from Australia's finest.
PBM started with a Honda VFR750 from the model-year 1994, which was a little damaged on the outside but mechanically sound. To get the ball rolling, Tom browsed the web in search of some aftermarket garments that would suit his vision, eventually settling on a sleek front fairing and a boxy tail section from Airtech.
As the parts were being shipped, the Aussies busied themselves with fabricating a custom subframe out of aluminum. New exhaust headers have also been installed around the same time, and the VFR's rear wheel was swapped with the eight-spoke module of a Honda RC30. Once the Airtech goodies were delivered, the Purpose Built squad took measurements and proceeded to craft a set of stainless-steel brackets.
Besides securing that sporty fiberglass fairing in place, the mounting hardware up front also holds vertically stacked Daytona dials and twin 4.5-inch LED headlights. The Retro Racer's cockpit equipment is completed by Tarozzi clip-ons, fresh switchgear, and refurbished Nissin control levers. Shifting their focus back to the exhaust plumbing, Tom's specialists capped off the headers with dual reverse megaphone silencers.
Moreover, they outfitted the tail with a full suite of LED lighting components, including tiny, yet bright turn signals and twin taillights. The next stage of the build was by far the most complex, as it demanded the fabrication of two side fairings that would tie the motorcycle's lines together. Starting with foam molds, PBM fashioned a couple of mock-ups before shaping the final aluminum parts from scratch.
The fruit of their labor is our favorite aspect of this entire project, seamlessly blending a collection of sexy curves and sharp lines. After vapor-blasting the machine's hoops and adding some youthful rubber, it came time for Sir Gilroy's artisans to settle on a color scheme. They decided that a purple base with silver and gunmetal details was the way to go, and the paint job came courtesy of StickIt Wraps.
Lastly, the final touch comes in the form of a two-piece solo seat, featuring color-matched stitching and perforated leather up top. The upholstery was executed by Timeless Auto Trim, and there's a Black Box control unit from PBM's aftermarket catalog hiding beneath the seat padding. In terms of performance, the Retro Racer is said to weigh just 386 pounds (175 kg) wet while making 86 hp at the wheel, which sounds like a tantalizing mixture to say the least! Add the groovy looks, and you've got one hell of a package from Australia's finest.
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