Flashback Friday: Top 10 Motorcycles of April '25

April 2025 was a month that reminded us why the custom motorcycle scene remains a hotbed of limitless creativity. From the workshops of Taiwan to the engineering hubs of Germany and the storied garages of England, the diversity on display was staggering. We saw the rise of the "super-kit" alongside one-off rotary-powered anomalies and post-apocalyptic Italian icons. Join us as we look back at your Top Ten favorite custom motorcycles from April 2025.

Harley-Davidson Street Bob by Rough Crafts

Winston Yeh has built a global empire on black-on-black Harleys, but for 'Gilded Spear,' a 2022 Street Bob, the client requested a touch of luxury. The build maintains the signature Rough Crafts silhouette but trades total darkness for a ‘bling’ factor, specifically, sophisticated silver-leaf striping and visible carbon fiber overlays. Because Taiwan’s strict regulations forbid frame modifications, Winston focused on stance and texture to create an imposing road presence.

The chassis was lowered using Progressive Suspension components and fitted with 18-inch front and 16-inch rear Roland Sands Design wheels wrapped in Duro sawtooth rubber. The bodywork is an exercise in subtlety: a slim, scalloped fuel tank with a central rib that carries through to the bobbed rear fender. The electronics are tucked away beneath a neat blank-off plate, while the cockpit features a finned riser set designed to house the stock digital gauge.

Performance touches include Beringer calipers on custom carriers and a two-into-one exhaust that ends in a signature stubby muffler. With engine covers from the Rough Crafts x Arlen Ness catalog and intricate tank badges by 2 Abnormal Sides, this Street Bob proves that "minimal fuss" can still result in a world-class custom. [MORE]

Triumph Scrambler 1200 ‘Alps Edition’ by Crooked Motorcycles

As the custom scene shifts toward high-quality bolt-on solutions, Germany’s Crooked Motorcycles has set a new benchmark with their 'Alps Edition' kit for the Triumph Scrambler 1200. The goal was simple: create a plug-and-play transformation that requires zero permanent modifications. The centerpiece is a fiberglass headlight nacelle, born from a clay model and refined via 3D scanning, that adds a neo-retro rally aesthetic while reusing the OEM LED headlight and dashboard.

The kit’s most ingenious feature is the modular seat unit. 3D-printed from a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer, the pillion pad can be clipped off to reveal an aluminum luggage rack, mimicking the look of vintage Dakar racers. The rear is cleaned up with a slim fender and integrated LED lighting, while the front end gains an enduro-style high fender with integrated cooling channels for the radiator.

Crooked left the excellent Marzocchi suspension and Brembo brakes untouched, ensuring the bike’s factory performance remains intact. Finished in a crisp white livery with a topographic map motif, the Alps Edition is a sophisticated "IKEA-style" system for riders who want a bespoke look without the workshop headaches. [MORE]

Norton Rotary ‘The Comet’ by Lamb Engineering

Larry Houghton of Lamb Engineering spent 15 years dreaming of building a rotary-powered special, and 'The Comet' is the spectacular result. Built around a factory-overhauled 1988 Interpol 2 Wankel engine, the bike abandons the traditional Norton frame for a bespoke CAD-designed chassis. Larry utilized induction tubes to support the engine’s weight, which simultaneously serve as pathways for the ram-air cooling system essential for the twin-rotor 588cc mill.

The running gear is a mix of Italian exotica: the front end and wheels were lifted from a Ducati 999, while the swingarm came from an Aprilia RSV 1000. Larry converted the bike from shaft to chain drive using a Norton Commando gearbox, an invisible bit of engineering that required a custom hydraulic clutch assembly. Twin SU carburetors feed the engine through polished plenum assemblies, creating a mechanical profile that looks more like a spacecraft than a motorcycle.

The bodywork, crafted by Tony Taysom, features aerodynamic "winglets" and a tail section that echoes modern MotoGP trends. On the road, Larry describes the experience as vibration-free with a linear power curve and a sound comparable to a Led Zeppelin concert. It is a brilliant, space-age study in non-piston combustion. [MORE]

Moto Guzzi SP3 1000 ‘Hokuto’ by Ruote Fiere

The 1985 Moto Guzzi SP3 1000 was a capable tourer trapped in an aesthetic faux pas of jagged 80s bodywork. Davide Caforio of Ruote Fiere stripped it back to its legendary Tonti frame to create 'Hokuto,' a post-apocalyptic café racer inspired by the anime Fist of the North Star. The engine was modernized with dual plug heads, enlarged ports, a hot cam, and Mikuni TMR40 carbs, all managed by a re-mappable electronic ignition and a Motogadget mo.unit.

The bodywork is a layered affair: a hidden aluminum fuel tank and electronics box are covered by a deeply sculpted fiberglass shell. The front fairing stacks an oil cooler and an LED headlight in a nacelle flanked by aerodynamic winglets, giving the bike an aggressive, front-heavy stance. The rear is equally sharp, with integrated side covers and a three-piece seat pad.

For the chassis, Davide opted for adjustable 43mm KYB forks and YSS rear shocks, with the stock split-spoke wheels painted black and wrapped in Continental rubber. The petrol blue and yellow livery provides a striking contrast to the blacked-out mechanicals, transforming a clunky 80s tourer into a futuristic brawler. [MORE]

KTM 525 EXC Street Tracker by Mule Motorcycles

Richard Pollock, the man behind Mule Motorcycles, took a "worn-out rag" of a KTM trail bike and turned it into a street-legal fire-breather. The project began as a supermoto before the client requested a redo as a street tracker. Mule didn't just swap parts; he performed a surgical rebuild, bumping the displacement to 566cc using a 1390 Super Duke R-derived crankshaft and a 41mm Keihin FCR carburetor.

The aesthetics follow a ‘form-follows-function’ philosophy. Mule ditched the stock subframe for a scratch-built aluminum unit and tossed the factory bodywork for a mix of replacement plastics and a new fuel tank. The bike features a custom wiring loom with a high-output stator to power the LED lighting, including a Bates-style headlight. The cockpit is minimalist, centered around a Trail Tech digital dash and Brembo master cylinders.

The bike sits on Warp 9 hubs and 19-inch rims laced with Buchanan spokes, shod in Dunlop DT flat track tires. With every seal, bearing, and gasket replaced, and the suspension lowered and overhauled, this KTM is now a lightweight arm-pulling monster with the reliability of a factory machine. [MORE]

Yamaha XV1000 ‘Perseus’ by CW Zon

Yuichi Yoshizawa of CW Zon is a master of seeing the ‘angel in the marble,’ and his take on the Yamaha XV1000 Virago is proof. He combined handcrafted, Norton Manx-inspired aluminum bodywork with a radical overhaul of the running gear. The most striking update is the trellised single-sided swingarm from a Ducati Monster S4R, which CW Zon modified to fit the Yamaha’s 75-degree V-twin.

The bike rolls on 17-inch laced wheels from a BMW R nineT, stopped by Brembo calipers. The front end was also donated by a Ducati Monster, featuring upside-down forks and a V-Rod-style LED headlight. To ensure perfect chain alignment for the single-sided swap, Yoshizawa-san had to fabricate a custom front sprocket spacer, a testament to the workshop's engineering depth.

There is no paint on 'Perseus'; instead, polished aluminum finishes highlight the raw fabrication. The twin exhausts snake around the frame like Medusa’s hair, and a Motogadget dashboard is integrated directly into the top yoke. It is a bike that manages to look both ancient and futuristic at the same time. [MORE]

Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 by Motocrew

After a client’s Honda CX650 was stolen, Chris Scholtka of Motocrew pivoted to a Royal Enfield Continental GT 650 to build a reliable, fuel-injected everyday café racer. The all-black brief was executed with Motocrew's signature hot-rod flair. Chris 3D-printed fork shrouds to beef up the front end and installed a Koso LED headlight on a custom bracket that integrates seamlessly with the bottom yoke.

The bike's stance was radically altered by lowering the front by 20mm and installing YSS rear shocks that are 20mm longer than stock. To achieve a chunky tire look, Chris re-laced the front hub to a wider 18-inch rear rim, allowing for matching Shinko E270 tires. The subframe was cut and looped to accommodate a new rear cowl with 3D-printed carbon mounts for the Motogadget lighting.

The cockpit was decluttered by shaving the ignition barrel in favor of an NFC keyless setup and a Motogadget speedo kit. Burly custom exhausts from Mass, which retain the catalytic converter for German street-legality, ensure the bike sounds as aggressive as it looks. [MORE]

Triumph Bonneville ‘Bull Ring’ by Tamarit Motorcycles

Tamarit Motorcycles’ 142nd build, 'Bull Ring,' is a one-off scrambler that pushes the Spanish shop's design language into the “taurine" territory. The centerpiece is a monocoque fiberglass body that integrates the fuel tank, side covers, and tail section into a single piece. A unique ridge on the tank houses a tiny Motogadget speedo, while the solo seat features a kinetic stitching pattern.

The chassis was converted to a mono-shock arrangement using Tamarit’s signature braced-triangle swingarm and a Hagon shock. It rolls on Sulby Star wheels from Canyon Motorcycles, 18-inch front and 17-inch rear, wrapped in Pirelli MT60RS rubber. The oil cooler was replaced by finned tubes that blend into the frame downtubes, cleaning up the front profile of the engine.

The livery is a bold, metal-flake explosion of blue, red, gold, and white, applied by Tamarit’s in-house painter. Dual shotgun mufflers exit high under the tail, completing an aggressive silhouette that Tamarit refuses to replicate in kit form, keeping 'Bull Ring' a true one-of-a-kind special. [MORE]

BMW R12 nineT Street Tracker by Unikat Motorworks

Built for a BMW Poland custom contest, Unikat Motorworks’ R12 nineT is a hooligan-style tracker that refuses to sacrifice practicality. The workshop unbolted the stock subframe to fit a bespoke unit that supports a Saddlemen flat track tailpiece. Remarkably, the tail includes a quick-release system for SW-Motech luggage racks, allowing the bike to swap from ‘race mode’ to ‘touring mode’ in seconds.

The front end features a stacked Highsider LED headlight arrangement tucked behind a handmade nacelle. Unikat also fabricated aluminum radiator guards with integrated winglets for an aerodynamic touch. The stock airbox was deleted in favor of a belligerent stubby muffler, and the wheels were shod in Pirelli MT60 tires for a dirt-track aesthetic.

The color choice is the height of elegance: Burgund Red Pearl Metallic from the BMW Individual car palette, accented with gold. Most of the plastic components were replaced with powder-coated or ceramic-coated metal, ensuring this competition build feels as premium as a factory-special edition. [MORE]

1955 BSA Gold Star by Reinhard Neumair

The final bike in our roundup is a piece of living history. Reinhard Neumair, a legendary figure in the European classic racing scene, turned this 1955 Gold Star into a track weapon in the 1980s and raced it at Hockenheim, Monza, and the Isle of Man. Decades later, a new owner requested that Reinhard make the bike street-legal while preserving its racing patina.

The 350cc single was long ago bumped to 500cc with a handmade crankshaft, BMW valves, and a five-speed racing gearbox. The bike features a mix of historic racing parts: Ceriani forks, BSA A65 hubs, and an oil tank from a Gold Star Cross. The frame remains largely stock, but the swingarm is a bespoke racing unit.

True to its roots, the bike has no electric starter or kick-starter; it must be bump-started just as it was in the paddock at Daytona in 1990. It’s a raw, visceral machine that serves as a bridge between the Golden Era of British singles and the modern custom world. [MORE]

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