Photo: Emayat Wahab
We’re suckers for the bespoke marvels built by Holger Breuer, who operates as HB-Custom in the picturesque town of Husum, Germany. What you’re looking at here is Herr Breuer’s latest project at the time of this article, and it’s just as tantalizing as the ones we’ve seen before!
His starting point for this undertaking was a Suzuki DR650 from the model-year 1994, which became a bare-bones scrambler suitable for both city streets and unpaved roads. Getting the DR650 to this stage took a significant bit of elbow grease, though, because Holger left absolutely no stone unturned. Following a customary teardown, he started by giving the motorcycle’s 640cc single-cylinder engine a much-needed overhaul.
The thumper is now equipped with fresh seals and gaskets, inhaling via a Mikuni TM40 carburetor and a premium pod filter from K&N. On the exhaust side of things, there’s a custom high-mounted header running into an aftermarket Shark muffler, which is held in place via a handmade bracket. In turn, the said bracket is attached to a new, loop-style subframe that’s been fabricated from scratch, and it’s joined by a bespoke rear fender complete with a license plate holder.
Atop the DR650’s subframe lies an elegant two-up saddle wrapped in a mixture of standard and perforated leather. Most of the electrical goodies are stored inside a discreet tray beneath the seat pan, with aluminum side panels hiding it out of sight. The original fuel tank got ditched to make room for the slimmer module of a Yamaha XT500, which was cleverly tweaked to fit on the Suzuki’s frame.
You’ll notice a second steel fender at the front, sitting nice and high right below an LED headlamp from Koso’s inventory. The bike’s forks have been retained but treated to an all-inclusive makeover, as were its brakes and wheels. Speaking of the hoops, they now feature stainless-steel spokes and dual-purpose E-09 knobbies supplied by Mitas. HB-Custom got rid of the standard monoshock, installing a brand-new YSS part in its stead.
There’s a drilled skid plate protecting the engine’s underside, but no expense was spared in the DR650’s cockpit, either. Holger swapped the factory instrumentation with a minimalistic digital unit from Motogadget, while an aftermarket handlebar replaces the original module. It’s been outsourced from Magura’s range, along with those youthful rubber grips, control levers, and handlebar risers.
Last but not least, the project’s author took inspiration from Suzuki’s old-school racing hues when it came to painting the gas tank, and the result is seriously delicious. Black powder coating predominates elsewhere, with a pinch of red paint on the shock spring to echo the color of the Suzuki tank logo. Then you’ve got the gold drive chain and rear sprocket providing continuity for the finish on the exhaust header – everything's there with a well-defined purpose!
The thumper is now equipped with fresh seals and gaskets, inhaling via a Mikuni TM40 carburetor and a premium pod filter from K&N. On the exhaust side of things, there’s a custom high-mounted header running into an aftermarket Shark muffler, which is held in place via a handmade bracket. In turn, the said bracket is attached to a new, loop-style subframe that’s been fabricated from scratch, and it’s joined by a bespoke rear fender complete with a license plate holder.
Atop the DR650’s subframe lies an elegant two-up saddle wrapped in a mixture of standard and perforated leather. Most of the electrical goodies are stored inside a discreet tray beneath the seat pan, with aluminum side panels hiding it out of sight. The original fuel tank got ditched to make room for the slimmer module of a Yamaha XT500, which was cleverly tweaked to fit on the Suzuki’s frame.
You’ll notice a second steel fender at the front, sitting nice and high right below an LED headlamp from Koso’s inventory. The bike’s forks have been retained but treated to an all-inclusive makeover, as were its brakes and wheels. Speaking of the hoops, they now feature stainless-steel spokes and dual-purpose E-09 knobbies supplied by Mitas. HB-Custom got rid of the standard monoshock, installing a brand-new YSS part in its stead.
There’s a drilled skid plate protecting the engine’s underside, but no expense was spared in the DR650’s cockpit, either. Holger swapped the factory instrumentation with a minimalistic digital unit from Motogadget, while an aftermarket handlebar replaces the original module. It’s been outsourced from Magura’s range, along with those youthful rubber grips, control levers, and handlebar risers.
Last but not least, the project’s author took inspiration from Suzuki’s old-school racing hues when it came to painting the gas tank, and the result is seriously delicious. Black powder coating predominates elsewhere, with a pinch of red paint on the shock spring to echo the color of the Suzuki tank logo. Then you’ve got the gold drive chain and rear sprocket providing continuity for the finish on the exhaust header – everything's there with a well-defined purpose!
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