This Zany Custom Honda Ruckus Is Stretched, Slammed, and Adorably Impractical

Jono, one of Ellaspede’s latest customers, certainly didn’t. Many of his friends already had a modded Ruckus of their own, and he was understandably eager to join their group rides. Commissioning the build to Ellaspede of Brisbane, Queensland was a bit of a no-brainer, as they’d already built a similar machine for a buddy of his a few months prior.

Impressed with the result, he knew these guys would be more than capable of bringing his own vision to life. The project’s basis was a 2006 variant of the Ruckus lineup, which is actually known as the Zoomer down in Australia. Regardless of how you want to call it, Ellaspede’s second take on this humble little scooter is absolutely bonkers, even more so than their first.

With the donor on their workbench and a desert camo theme in mind, the crew dug straight in. They eliminated just about every OEM part aside from the framework, fuel tank, and boxy front fairing, even going as far as performing an engine swap. Gone is the measly 49cc single-cylinder once used to propel the teeny commuter, making room for a much larger GY6 powerplant developed by Rolling Wrench.

This new engine displaces 171cc, and it’s said to give the Ruckus a top speed of around 62 mph (100 kph). Of course, that doesn’t sound like very much, but it’s considerably faster than what the original motor could muster. The Ruckus would hit just north of 35 mph (56 kph) with its previous 49cc powerhouse, so the GY6 mill really takes it to new heights from a performance standpoint.

Using bespoke mounting hardware made of billet aluminum, Ellaspede fitted the engine a lot further back than it was originally meant to go. In doing so, they stretched the scooter’s wheelbase all the way into drag bike territory, which is just as rad as it is goofy. The rear suspension was completely reworked to suit this new arrangement and give the bite-sized Honda a slammed posture.

At the front end, these mods are complemented by aftermarket forks paired with CNC-machined clip-on handlebars up top. The footwear department is home to a mesmerizing pair of aftermarket wheels, measuring 12 inches up north and 13 inches down south. They’ve been painted gloss-black and wrapped in City Grip rubber from Michelin, but improved stopping power was also on the menu.

It comes as a result of premium Brembo brake calipers, which bite 220 mm (8.7-inch) rotors fore and aft. Teflon-coated brake hoses and billet master cylinders are present, too, making this surreal Ruckus perfectly capable of keeping its newly-found grunt in check. As you might’ve already noticed, the motorcycle (yes, it now has the right to be named as such) also gained some top-shelf breathing equipment for its engine.

The exhaust system came courtesy of Brocks Performance, and it’s accompanied by a sizeable pod filter on the intake side of things. Clearly needing to stiffen up the bike’s anatomy, Ellaspede’s artisans built an adjustable brace that runs diagonally from the subframe to the steering neck. Speaking of the subframe, the guys kept the stock part but had it lowered to suit the updated proportions, ultimately topping it off with a custom seat.

High-density foam was used to shape the latter, and it’s enveloped in a desert camo seat cover made of military-grade Cordura nylon. The license plate bracket is attached nice and low right next to the rear brake caliper, bearing a Koso taillight and LED turn signals from Motogadget. All the lighting hardware at twelve o’clock has also been converted to aftermarket LEDs, comprising dual headlamps, an auxiliary lighting bar, and discreet blinkers.

These bad boys, along with a multi-function digital dial from Koso, are connected to a replacement wiring harness. Other accessories installed throughout this build include forward-mounted foot rests, a CNC-milled filler cap, and a fresh fuel tank cover. With these goodies in place, it was time for Ellaspede to handle the paint job while staying true to the desert theme.

Jono is a big fan of the Sandy Taupe colorway from Toyota, and the hue was a perfect match for the camo seat upholstery on his custom Ruckus. As such, the rear frame and front fairing were cloaked in Toyota’s beige finish, while various other components have been powder-coated black for contrast. Once the paint job was out of the way, the bike was handed back to its lucky owner, who is sure to have a blast riding it for a long time to come.