It’s always more exciting when custom motorcycles come from unexpected sources. Although these four Honda-based customs are more fun than mind-boggling, they all are worth a look, and maybe a smile. If that’s not a great outcome of a build, then nothing is. They made their debut at the recent 2019 SEMA Show, and here’s a closer look at the builds.
City Slicker Super Cub by Steady Garage. The Honda Super Cub C125 is both utilitarian and purely recreational. Steady Garage, out of the San Gabriel Valley industrial town of Irwindale, Calif., focuses on customizing small-displacement motorcycles. The City Slicker Super Cub is a tough-guy interpretation of the step-through icon, with drilled disc wheels shod with rubber by Dunlop (rear) and IRC (front), a Yoshimura Magnum GP exhaust, modified aftermarket Ruckus suspension, bobbed fenders, some fresh chrome, custom Rogelio’s Auto Upholstery seat, plus an striking dark-green and off-white paint job by Midnight Garage/Advance Auto Group in San Gabriel, Calif.
Saru With Love Monkey by Arthur Yang. There is a strong international flavor to this Honda Monkey built by Arthur Yang, a dedicated Monkey fan, and Steady Garage. Over Racing in New Delhi provided the forged aluminum wheel, aluminum swingarm, side-plate covers, and handlebar system to Saru With Love. Extra motor performance comes from an Over Racing titanium exhaust system, bolstered by a Chimera Engineering ram intake. Kitaco did the seat, and the lighting is from the Asian edition of the Monkey. Oh, and by the way, Saru is Japanese for Monkey.
Grey Area CRF450L by Cole Seely and Bleach Design Werks. Recently retired Team Honda HRC supercross and motocross racer Cole Seely worked with Bleach Design Werks quite publicly on this extensively vlogged Honda CRF450L build. You don’t see custom dual-sport motorcycles often, though this is more of a performance build. It more closely resembles the Honda CRF450R that Seely used to campaign on, with a Yoshimura exhaust, Hinson Racing clutch, and Dubya wheels.
