Honda CB250 “Little Blue” Ditches the Retro Nighthawk Outfit in Favor of Custom Apparel

After reading Marijn Kuijken’s biography on his firm’s official website, you’ll be tempted to think this guy is living the dream. His father was an architect with vast experience in metal fabrication and woodworking, which helped cultivate Marijn’s interest in the workshop at a very early age. When Kuijken was a teenager, he and a few of his buddies started fiddling with scooters and mopeds for hours on end.

They would tweak their two-wheelers' engines, chop the frames and even build complete exhaust systems from scratch. Later on, this whole ordeal led the Flemish craftsman and his brothers to launch ARC Exclusief – a Hasselt-based enterprise specializing in metalwork. Although this endeavor became his primary occupation, Marijn was still very much involved with bikes in his spare time.

Following a relocation to the other side of the globe in 2014, a deep connection to the Australian custom motorcycle culture began to form. As you can probably imagine, the Aussies had a fair bit of trouble pronouncing the Belgian expat’s name, so they found it easier – in a very Australian way – to just call him Billy. Over the years, he was a part of some truly remarkable projects, but the best was yet to come!

With the help of his beloved fiancée, Billy went on to establish Rogue Motorcycles in Perth, Western Australia. A little while back, we had a look at one of the juiciest exploits born on this firm’s premises, namely a bespoke Suzuki DR-Z400E that’s been dubbed the “Hooligun.” Since you folks seemed to be rather fond of this delightful creature, we’re inclined to think that you won’t mind us featuring yet another masterpiece from Rogue’s portfolio.

In its previous life, the head-turner in question was a factory-spec Honda CB250 Nighthawk, which served as the client’s daily commuter. Originally, he tasked Kuijken with performing some modest adjustments, but things were bound to escalate to a full-blown custom undertaking. This, ladies and gents, is how “Little Blue” came into being.

To kick things off, the moto doctor busied himself with manufacturing a new fuel chamber and a loop-style subframe, on top of which you’ll spot a classy leather saddle. After powder-coating the Nighthawk’s framework and forks, Billy proceeded to outsource a tasty selection of aftermarket accessories as per his customer’s request. At the front end, we notice a pair of rubber gaiters embracing the fork legs, along with a tiny fender and a state-of-the-art LED headlight.

The cockpit is adorned with underslung mirrors and a healthy bit of Motogadget componentry, such as fresh grips, bar-end turn signals, and a digital Motoscope Mini speedometer. Down south, Marijn went about installing a unique license plate holder, and a round LED taillight that hails from Purpose Built Moto’s range. While Rogue’s mastermind was doing his thing, Ben Weekes (the bike’s owner) took care of the powertrain modifications.

For starters, he undertook the laborious task of manufacturing a two-into-one exhaust system, which is complemented by a single velocity stack on the intake end of the combustion cycle. A one-off wiring harness links Little Blue’s electrical goodies to a Motogadget m-Unit control module. Back at Rogue’s headquarters, it was time to address the footwear.

Thus, the original wheels have been deleted, making room for laced aluminum boots with a diameter of 17 inches on both ends. Moreover, their rims sport a snazzy pair of Shinko tires for ample grip on the tarmac. Thanks to youthful brake rotors, top-grade Brembo calipers, and upgraded brake lines, additional stopping power is made possible. To round it all out, Weekes and Kuijken tasked a local expert with enveloping the gas tank in a handsome color scheme that keeps things looking sexy.