For Krish Rajan, motorcycling has been a lifelong passion that only grew stronger with the passing of time. He spent a few years studying in North America before returning home to India, where he went on to work for an IT company. The employer eventually relocated him to Chennai, the same city where Royal Enfield is headquartered. Not long after, Krish decided to start trying his hand at customization in his spare time.
That’s how KR Customs emerged as a side gig some time ago, and the founder was quickly joined by a father-and-son duo with decades of experience as mechanics. Once the shop had been equipped with a few essentials, Krish and his accomplices dove head-first into the custom bike realm without hesitation. What you’re seeing here is the fourth project they ever worked on together.
It attained its current form back in 2018, but that’s not to say it isn’t worth looking at today. The build was commissioned by a guy named Vikas, who called in requesting a vintage-style bobber with modern bits and pieces. After a quick search for a suitable donor, KR found a Royal Enfield Classic 500 in great condition, and Vikas immediately gave them the green light to make the purchase.
Of course, the Classic 500 is far from the most powerful thing out there, but it does have a lot going for it in terms of visual appeal. It also offered just enough grunt to suit the future owner’s urban riding needs, so choosing it as the project’s starting point was a bit of a no-brainer. With the Enfield delivered to their shop and fully dismantled, KR's first port of call was the rear suspension.
They did away with the twin shock absorbers that came from the factory, and the Classic 500’s stock swingarm followed suit. Next, Krish and his teammates busied themselves with an intricate monoshock conversion, making all the necessary adjustments to piece everything together seamlessly. A bespoke swingarm replaces the OEM unit, built to accommodate a single aftermarket shock absorber.
Photo: Reuben Jacob
It’s approximately four inches (100 mm) longer than stock, radically altering the motorcycle’s rear-end proportions in conjunction with the new saddle. The latter is supported by a cantilevered leaf spring setup and stitched together with red thread color-matched to the monoshock. Right above the swingarm pivot, we see a tailor-made metal box home to a lithium-ion battery from Antigravity’s range.
Unsprung territory is now occupied by a pair of laced aftermarket hoops, with diameters measuring 18 inches up north and 16 inches down south. The rims are enveloped in retro-looking Firestone Deluxe Champion rubber fore and aft. KR Customs went down an unexpected route when it came to the brakes, retaining the rear disc but replacing the front item with a traditional drum unit from an antique Royal Enfield.
As you would expect, the repurposed drum brake got treated to an invigorating overhaul prior to installation. Moving on to the bodywork, the project’s authors had each and every piece of factory Hardware taken out of the equation altogether. You will now see a Triumph Street Twin’s fuel tank placed center-stage, along with handmade fenders and accompanying struts at both ends. Fitting the new tank was no walk in the park, though.
Photo: Reuben Jacob
The crew had to completely revise its underside, so as to make it work with the original Classic 500 fuel pump. In addition, we’re greeted by a circular LED taillight atop the rear fender, mounted right above a minimalistic license plate holder. In terms of powertrain-related mods, KR installed a premium air filter and had the exhaust muffler trimmed up into a slash-cut affair.
A Bates-style headlight keeps the party going after sundown, placed on bespoke brackets and flanked by a pair of LED turn signals from Posh. The bike’s standard forks are still present, but they’re now held in place by a Honda CX500’s triple clamps. Up in the cockpit area, there is a low-profile handlebar originally designed for drag racers, sporting Biltwell grips and plain switches in billet aluminum housings.
Moreover, a single rear-view mirror has been fitted on the right-hand side. The closing act for this rad bobber conversion had to do with the paintwork, and KR’s artisans chose a relatively simple black-and-white livery to wrap things up. This monochromatic color scheme is only interrupted by the red shock spring and seat stitching, drawing one’s attention to the most impressive parts of this build.
Vikas was over the moon upon seeing the completed motorcycle, because the KR Customs trio exceeded all expectations once again. Their Classic 500 bobber is sure to turn heads and drop jaws wherever it rides, needing no crazy power output digits or state-of-the-art running gear to do so. Now, it’s safe to say that Krish Rajan made the right choice when he decided to get into customization several years ago.
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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