One-Off Honda CB250 Velos Fuses Nighthawk DNA With Retro Scrambler Looks

Dubbed Velos, the specimen we’re about to look at started out as a regular Honda CB250 Nighthawk. It was reshaped into its current form by Mike and Tom of Urban Mechanics (UM), a lesser-known but highly ambitious customization outfit from Greece. There may not be that many entries in this firm’s project archive, but each and every one of them (including Velos) is a thrilling sight to behold.

Now, there’s no available information concerning this scrambled CB250’s backstory or its owner, so we’ll focus strictly on the transformation process itself. Pieced together in 2020, the bike is a radical cosmetic departure from the standard Nighthawk, with its updated appearance being the most notable aspect of UM’s work. As we’ve got a fair bit to talk about here, let's dive straight in without further ado.

Once they’d taken delivery of the old-school Honda, Mike and his teammate proceeded to dismantle it while ditching all the factory bodywork. The Nighthawk’s wheels and rear shock absorbers followed suit, then the real fun was ready to get underway. It did so in the suspension department, where the Urban duo performed some purposeful adjustments to upgrade the motorcycle’s handling.

Its original forks are still present, but they’ve been thoroughly refurbished and stiffened up with modified internals. On the other hand, the OEM shock absorbers were deleted altogether, making room for a modern pair of adjustable units from K-Shock. The guys also went to town in the unsprung sector, transplanting the laced hoops and accompanying brakes of a Suzuki TU onto their CB250 scrambler, while also adding fresh stainless-steel spokes in the process.

Moreover, the rims gained a layer of silver powder coating and were subsequently wrapped in Continental’s acclaimed TKC 80 Twinduro knobbies. At the front end, the braking system has been upgraded with a drilled aftermarket rotor and a Nissin caliper. With the creature’s running gear taken care of, the Greek specialists turned their attention to the bodywork department, sparing no expense while they were at it.

Where the standard fuel tank had once been, we now see a much classier replacement taken from an older Honda. It was cleverly adapted for the CB250 and embellished with aluminum UM badges on the sides, but the custom wizardry continues toward the back. Right behind the retrofitted gas tank lies a flat bench seat that’s been fabricated from scratch, sporting marine-grade brown leather upholstery resistant to salt and UV light.

It’s flanked by laser-cut aluminum side covers with small circular openings, which hide the airbox and battery well out of sight. Urban Mechanics came up with some snazzy high-mounted fenders, as well, topping the front unit off with the workshop’s emblem. The rear mudguard is even more interesting, though, as its southernmost tip is home to twin plexiglass taillight assemblies with LED internals.

These bad boys do double duty as both taillights and turn signals, gracefully complementing the overall look of the rear fender. As for the license plate, it will henceforth live nice and low on the left-hand side, supported by a swingarm-mounted bracket. UM turned to aftermarket solutions to finish off Velos’ front end, ordering a new headlight nacelle with street tracker vibes from C-Racer.

Encircling a bright LED headlamp, this item was also modified to house warning lights, a toggle switch, and digital Motogadget Motoscope Mini instrumentation up top. A bit further back, you’ll find a cross-braced handlebar perched on new risers, wearing modern switches and brown grips color-matched to the saddle upholstery. There are no rear-view mirrors to speak of, and the front turn signals dwell right above the lower triple clamp.

Tom and Mike saw no need to fiddle with the engine’s internal workings, but some bespoke exhaust plumbing was in order. The stainless-steel pipework runs a two-into-one configuration, ultimately ending in a SuperTrapp muffler on the right. In keeping with the scrambler theme, Velos received a pair of billet aluminum enduro-style foot pegs to round out the ergonomics. Finally, Urban Mechanics turned to the paint job.

A stunning coat of dark turquoise made its way onto the fuel tank, while the fenders and side covers got powder-coated silver just like the rims. We notice contrasting yellow highlights on the side panels’ lower portions and around the headlight, but items such as the frame, swingarm and fork lowers were all finished in black. Along with the brown leather seat, the whole color scheme is absolutely delicious!