Kawasaki S3 El Citron Looks More Refreshing Than Lemonade on a Hot Summer Day

Brian went on to establish Motobrix in 2014, thus taking his newly found hobby onto professional territory. It was a daring move, mind you, because the man quit his very respectable and high-paying job as a biomedical device researcher to make Motobrix his full-time occupation. The whole affair worked out rather nicely in the end, though, and our protagonist continued to hone his skillset as time went by.

Completed back in 2019, the motorcycle we’re about to inspect goes by the name of El Citron. It started out as a Kawasaki S3 400 from the model-year 1974, whose two-stroke three-cylinder mill had certainly seen better days. Besides refurbishing the 399cc triple and freshening up the Kawi’s aesthetic, Brian also went to town with the structural mods and chassis-related upgrades.

There is, in fact, a hell of a lot for us to talk about here, so let’s dive straight in without further ado. First things first, the two-stroke Kawi got placed on the workbench and stripped of its stock wheels, brakes, and suspension. Items like the subframe and exhaust system followed suit, leaving the project’s author with a blank canvas ripe for customization.

Motobrix kicked off the transformation at the S3’s front end, where you will now see the inverted Showa forks and Tokico brake calipers of a Suzuki GSX-R600. The new suspension goodies are held in place by an aftermarket steering stem and upper triple clamp from Cognito Moto. Besides the modern forks and brakes, the aforementioned Gixxer also donated its three-spoke alloy wheels to Brian’s cause.

Their 17-inch rims were shod in grippy Bridgestone Battlax rubber prior to installation. El Citron’s updated front-end equipment is a huge improvement over the factory parts, but things get even more intricate at the back. Whereas the standard S3 came with twin shock absorbers, this particular specimen features a neat monoshock arrangement that’s been put together with hardware from two other Suzuki bikes – a Bandit 600 and a GSX-R1000.

Sir Kates sourced a replacement swingarm from the former, then he paired it with the GSX-R's piggyback shock absorber. Of course, this whole process was far from plug-and-play, requiring the fabrication of custom mounting points and spacers to bring everything together. Offset sprockets were used for a proper chain alignment, which provided just enough clearance between the final drive and the beefy rear tire.

Up top, we’re greeted by an all-new subframe built from scratch, and it supports a bespoke saddle with black leather upholstery and contrasting yellow stitching done in a diamond pattern. Brian fitted a full suite of LED lighting goodies beneath the subframe tubing, but you will also see a chopper-style oil tank a bit further ahead. Additionally, the rear brake master cylinder and ignition module are placed on custom brackets nearby.

Tailor-made mounting paraphernalia was once again used to install a Suzuki SV650’s rearsets lower down on the flanks. In the cockpit area, the rear-mounted foot pegs are complemented by clip-on handlebars, giving El Citron the distinct ergonomics of a cafe racer. A multi-function Koso dial acts as the motorcycle’s only instrumentation, placed just above the headlamp and slightly toward to right.

As for the headlight itself, it is a potent aftermarket LED part held in place by a circular bracket, the latter of which came courtesy of Clare Scott-Taggart over at Rusty Girl. When it came to the S3’s bodywork, the name of the game was subtraction rather than addition. Brian kept the OEM gas tank while ditching everything else, and he decided that El Citron would not get a front or rear fender.

Given the awful state of the Kawi’s two-stroke powerhouse when the project began, a full engine rebuild was mandatory. With the help of multiple collaborators from both Canada and the United States, the classic triple got treated to a revitalizing overhaul inside out. Toronto-based Gord Bush Performance bored the cylinders and added forged Wossner pistons, while Triple Cranks of Jarrettsville, Maryland rebuilt and rebalanced the crankshaft.

Moreover, the oil pump was thoroughly revamped by Jeff Derstine over in Pennsylvania. There are three individual pod filters replacing the stock airbox, and a premium Higgspeed exhaust system can be found at the other end of the combustion cycle. Lastly, the bike’s colorway is what inspired its nickname, executed by Amanda of Black Widow Custom Paint. She wrapped the fuel tank in bright yellow, while finishing bits like the frame, wheels, and swingarm in black.