Photo: Kerkus Cycles
In recent years, the custom motorcycle scene over in Southeast Asia has been growing even faster than before. We’ve thus far witnessed an abundance of remarkable builds coming from places like Thailand and Indonesia, but Malaysians aren’t playing around, either. Among the nation’s most prolific shops (of which there are quite a few), you will find Kerkus Cycles operating in the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.
That name may sound familiar to the seasoned custom bike aficionados among you, because the firm has drawn plenty of attention ever since its founding. Showcasing the crew’s world-class workmanship, motorcycles like this sinister Honda CB400 cafe racer are honestly worth admiring many times over. To be exact, the starting point for this build was a 1994 model from Honda’s lineup.
Kerkus Cycles’ bike-modding connoisseurs kicked things off by adjusting the position of the stock fuel, so as to somewhat level out the donor's bone line. Once they were fully satisfied with the result, the team proceeded to tweak and shorten the bike’s subframe, with the intent of tightening up its rear-end proportions. Atop the modified tubing lies a cafe racer tail unit fabricated in-house, fronted by a stylish solo seat.
The handmade saddle is topped with black leather upholstery and diamond pattern stitching, seamlessly bridging the gap between the tank and tail. Moving over to the front end, Kerkus decided to remove the creature’s chunky instrumentation altogether. in addition, the CB400 Super Four’s cockpit was outfitted with a pair of clip-on handlebars, thus altering the ergonomic package considerably.
In terms of lighting, the stock headlamp was deleted to make room for a classy aftermarket alternative. This replacement module is flanked by compact LED turn signals from Bratz Style’s catalog, removing tons of visual heft for a clutter-free aesthetic. To give this caffeinated CB an even tougher posture, the top triple clamp has been lowered by about an inch (25 mm).
All the electronic bits were stashed inside the new tail section, with enough room left over to also store the battery. Some external powertrain upgrades also make an appearance, in the form of a bespoke four-into-one exhaust system that ends in a reverse megaphone muffler. On the other hand, a quartet of premium aftermarket air filters were mated to the OEM carbs.
Besides looking rad, these changes should also unlock a tiny bit of extra grunt from the bike’s 399cc inline-four mill. Other additions worth mentioning are the retro-looking tires, circular LED taillight, and swingarm-mounted license plate holder. Last but not least, Kerkus Cycles chose a somewhat muted color scheme to adorn their creation. That’s not to say it isn’t appropriate, though, and we’re particularly keen on the carbon fiber detailing worn by the bodywork.
Kerkus Cycles’ bike-modding connoisseurs kicked things off by adjusting the position of the stock fuel, so as to somewhat level out the donor's bone line. Once they were fully satisfied with the result, the team proceeded to tweak and shorten the bike’s subframe, with the intent of tightening up its rear-end proportions. Atop the modified tubing lies a cafe racer tail unit fabricated in-house, fronted by a stylish solo seat.
The handmade saddle is topped with black leather upholstery and diamond pattern stitching, seamlessly bridging the gap between the tank and tail. Moving over to the front end, Kerkus decided to remove the creature’s chunky instrumentation altogether. in addition, the CB400 Super Four’s cockpit was outfitted with a pair of clip-on handlebars, thus altering the ergonomic package considerably.
In terms of lighting, the stock headlamp was deleted to make room for a classy aftermarket alternative. This replacement module is flanked by compact LED turn signals from Bratz Style’s catalog, removing tons of visual heft for a clutter-free aesthetic. To give this caffeinated CB an even tougher posture, the top triple clamp has been lowered by about an inch (25 mm).
All the electronic bits were stashed inside the new tail section, with enough room left over to also store the battery. Some external powertrain upgrades also make an appearance, in the form of a bespoke four-into-one exhaust system that ends in a reverse megaphone muffler. On the other hand, a quartet of premium aftermarket air filters were mated to the OEM carbs.
Besides looking rad, these changes should also unlock a tiny bit of extra grunt from the bike’s 399cc inline-four mill. Other additions worth mentioning are the retro-looking tires, circular LED taillight, and swingarm-mounted license plate holder. Last but not least, Kerkus Cycles chose a somewhat muted color scheme to adorn their creation. That’s not to say it isn’t appropriate, though, and we’re particularly keen on the carbon fiber detailing worn by the bodywork.
Google News