Photo: Nitrocycles
Run by the Testillano brothers, Nitrocycles has been out there killing the custom motorcycle game since 2014. The shop operates out of Madrid, Spain, but their projects made waves far beyond the borders of their home country over the years. That should come as no surprise given how well they are all put together, and the retro-style cafe racer shown in these photos is no exception.
Nitrocycles used a Suzuki GS850 as the starting point for this build, and they wasted no time taking it apart as soon as it arrived at their workshop in the Spanish capital. While the Testillanos were at it, they did away with all the factory bodywork originally worn by the old GS. Items such as the OEM subframe, shock absorbers, and exhaust quickly followed suit, leaving our protagonists with a blank canvas ready for customization.
First things first, the guys busied themselves with building a new subframe, which creates the perfectly level bone line you’d expect to see on a cafe racer. Supporting the updated tubing are twin Nitro shocks from Hagon’s range, but the GS850’s original forks are still in play. Back at the rear end, we come across a simple tail section that’s been manufactured from scratch.
Minute LED turn signals are attached to its flanks, and a custom-made license plate holder can be spotted further back. Right in front of the tail unit, the Nitrocycles duo added a gorgeous leather saddle that’s been fabricated in-house. They left the subframe triangle empty and refrained from installing any fenders, seeking to keep the modded GS as clean as possible.
Where the stock fuel tank had once been, you will now see the repurposed item of a Honda CB750F. Its underside was heavily reworked to play nice with the GS850’s frame, and the fitment is absolutely seamless as if the part was always meant to be there. Further ahead in the cockpit area, we’re greeted by a pair of clip-on handlebars with minimalistic controls.
They’re mounted nice and low to achieve the desired riding stance without shortening the forks. In between these clip-ons, there is a single aftermarket dial acting as the motorcycle’s only instrumentation. In addition, a new headlamp is attached to the forks via tailor-made mounting hardware, and the whole front-end setup is as clean as a whistle.
After performing a full rebuild of the creature’s inline-four motor, Nitrocycles also tinkered with the intake and exhaust. The former is now equipped with a quartet of premium air filters, while a custom four-into-two exhaust system can be found at the other end of the combustion cycle. Lastly, the color scheme was inspired by the John Player Special F1 livery, blending black and gold in seamless fashion.
First things first, the guys busied themselves with building a new subframe, which creates the perfectly level bone line you’d expect to see on a cafe racer. Supporting the updated tubing are twin Nitro shocks from Hagon’s range, but the GS850’s original forks are still in play. Back at the rear end, we come across a simple tail section that’s been manufactured from scratch.
Minute LED turn signals are attached to its flanks, and a custom-made license plate holder can be spotted further back. Right in front of the tail unit, the Nitrocycles duo added a gorgeous leather saddle that’s been fabricated in-house. They left the subframe triangle empty and refrained from installing any fenders, seeking to keep the modded GS as clean as possible.
Where the stock fuel tank had once been, you will now see the repurposed item of a Honda CB750F. Its underside was heavily reworked to play nice with the GS850’s frame, and the fitment is absolutely seamless as if the part was always meant to be there. Further ahead in the cockpit area, we’re greeted by a pair of clip-on handlebars with minimalistic controls.
They’re mounted nice and low to achieve the desired riding stance without shortening the forks. In between these clip-ons, there is a single aftermarket dial acting as the motorcycle’s only instrumentation. In addition, a new headlamp is attached to the forks via tailor-made mounting hardware, and the whole front-end setup is as clean as a whistle.
After performing a full rebuild of the creature’s inline-four motor, Nitrocycles also tinkered with the intake and exhaust. The former is now equipped with a quartet of premium air filters, while a custom four-into-two exhaust system can be found at the other end of the combustion cycle. Lastly, the color scheme was inspired by the John Player Special F1 livery, blending black and gold in seamless fashion.
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