Photo: Bueno Co.
Operating out of Fredericksburg, Virginia, Bueno Co. is the brainchild of one Nick Ghobashi – a freelance photographer turned custom bike builder. Apparently, the man is just as proficient with a wrench as he is with a camera, and the nifty scrambler we’ll be looking at today provides a great demonstration of what he can achieve. In its former incarnation, it used to be a stock Honda XL350R from the model-year 1984.
The transformation took place back in 2021, but Nick had a lot of refurbishing to do before the real customization could begin. He took the old XL350R apart and got straight to work on revamping or replacing whatever was necessary. The wheels and steering head received new bearings in the process, while the front and rear suspension units have all been rebuilt and stiffened up.
After he’d overhauled the stock wheels, Nick cloaked their rims in dual-purpose Scorpion rubber from Pirelli. Each and every unnecessary frame tab has been removed, while the rear subframe got shortened and looped to tighten up the bike’s proportions at the back. The entire skeleton was then wrapped in a stealthy layer of satin-black powder coating.
Bueno Co. gave the scrambled Honda a complete engine overhaul, as well, putting it back together with stainless-steel fasteners all-round. The 339cc single-cylinder mill was painted black just like the frame, and the exhaust headers were heat-wrapped before getting topped with an aftermarket muffler made of stainless-steel. The mods we’ve talked about thus far are pretty cool, for sure, but what really makes this XL350R stand out is the new bodywork.
Center-stage, you will now find a stylish aftermarket fuel tank replacing the OEM part. Nick adapted it to fit on its new host like it was always meant to be there, and he then shaped the rest of the outfit around it. On the flanks, we find a pair of angular side covers that appear to have been built from scratch, but were actually shaped out of the original units.
Right above these panels, Bueno Co. installed a fiberglass seat pan, had it topped with just enough padding for comfort, and wrapped everything in handsome brown leather. An aluminum rear fender emerges into view behind the saddle, wearing a Bates-style LED taillight on a custom bracket. There is a second, high-mounted fender fitted up north, along with an LED headlamp and discreet turn signals.
All the electronics were hooked up to a fresh wiring harness, while the cockpit area gained an off-the-shelf handlebar sporting underslung bar-end mirrors and brown Biltwell grips matching the seat upholstery. Last but not least, there’s the gorgeous British Racing Green paintwork covering the creature’s fuel tank and side covers. Done in a satin finish, it’s the perfect match for the brown leather used on the saddle.
After he’d overhauled the stock wheels, Nick cloaked their rims in dual-purpose Scorpion rubber from Pirelli. Each and every unnecessary frame tab has been removed, while the rear subframe got shortened and looped to tighten up the bike’s proportions at the back. The entire skeleton was then wrapped in a stealthy layer of satin-black powder coating.
Bueno Co. gave the scrambled Honda a complete engine overhaul, as well, putting it back together with stainless-steel fasteners all-round. The 339cc single-cylinder mill was painted black just like the frame, and the exhaust headers were heat-wrapped before getting topped with an aftermarket muffler made of stainless-steel. The mods we’ve talked about thus far are pretty cool, for sure, but what really makes this XL350R stand out is the new bodywork.
Center-stage, you will now find a stylish aftermarket fuel tank replacing the OEM part. Nick adapted it to fit on its new host like it was always meant to be there, and he then shaped the rest of the outfit around it. On the flanks, we find a pair of angular side covers that appear to have been built from scratch, but were actually shaped out of the original units.
Right above these panels, Bueno Co. installed a fiberglass seat pan, had it topped with just enough padding for comfort, and wrapped everything in handsome brown leather. An aluminum rear fender emerges into view behind the saddle, wearing a Bates-style LED taillight on a custom bracket. There is a second, high-mounted fender fitted up north, along with an LED headlamp and discreet turn signals.
All the electronics were hooked up to a fresh wiring harness, while the cockpit area gained an off-the-shelf handlebar sporting underslung bar-end mirrors and brown Biltwell grips matching the seat upholstery. Last but not least, there’s the gorgeous British Racing Green paintwork covering the creature’s fuel tank and side covers. Done in a satin finish, it’s the perfect match for the brown leather used on the saddle.
Google News