Okay-Velocity is kind of probably the world’s most prolific {custom} bike workshop. The Thai outfit builds bikes at a blistering fee—and whereas they cowl most bike makes, fashions, and types, they’re finest identified for his or her outrageous {custom} minibikes. Working example, this sassy Honda Monkey sidecar rig.
Okay-Velocity can also be fast to make clear that they didn’t fabricate the sidecar that runs adjoining to this Honda Monkey bobber. However they did work their magic on the Monkey itself—after which handled the sidecar to an array of {custom} particulars to match.
The fee got here from a gentleman who had seen Okay-Velocity’s ‘Monkey Bomber’ construct and needed one thing related—however with a novel twist. He requested that the store customise a 2023-model Honda Monkey 125, which he would then take supply of and have a sidecar fitted to by a 3rd get together. Given Okay-Velocity’s stacked order e book, the shopper referred to as them each month for 4 months earlier than the store’s enigmatic proprietor, Eak, agreed to take the job.
With Monkey Bomber as a blueprint, and Okay-Velocity’s in depth elements catalog to faucet into, Eak and his staff might have met the shopper’s request with their eyes closed. However the place Monkey Bomber had raked forks, a stretched swingarm, and a large open exhaust, this Honda Monkey wanted a extra sensible vibe. So refinements needed to be made.
Eak began by grabbing a set of forks and rear shocks from Okay-Velocity’s Diabolus assortment of Honda minibike-specific elements. However this time, the forks had been fitted to clamps with a extra cheap steering head angle. A custom-made swingarm does responsibility out again.
The OEM 12” wheels had been retained and shod with a set of bulbous knobbly tires. In addition they put on a set of bespoke wheel covers so as to add extra visible heft to the construct. (Okay-Velocity is planning so as to add them to the catalog quickly.)
Okay-Velocity stored the Monkey’s authentic gasoline tank however ditched the inventory seat and fenders. A brand new subframe was fabricated, matched to a barely café racer-esque saddle. Virtually-minded readers will certainly bemoan the shortage of fenders, however we love the uncooked vibe that their absence creates.
On the reverse finish of the bike, the crew put in a set of mini-apes with new grips, bar-end mirrors, and vintage-style switches. The Monkey nonetheless makes use of its manufacturing facility speedo, however it now sits to the left of the gasoline tank by means of a custom-made bracket.
Different accouterments embody an LED headlight on {custom} mounts, Diabolus flip indicators, and a swingarm-mounted license plate bracket. The high-mounted exhaust is one other one-off half that may doubtless make it into manufacturing. It’s a good-looking unit too; a modernized tackle the basic Monkey design.
Eak opted for a easy and impactful paint job—a timeless mash-up of gloss black with brown trim. As soon as that was ticked off the listing, the Monkey went off to its proprietor to be outfitted with its sidecar.
The sidecar alone is nearly larger than the bike that drags it round—however it’s an enthralling unit nonetheless. The rig features a 12” wheel that sports activities the one fender on the entire construct, a baggage rack out again, and a side-mounted LED highlight.
As soon as the sidecar was connected to the Monkey, the undertaking quickly discovered its method again into Okay-Velocity’s workshop. This time, they had been charged with touching up the sidecar to enrich among the Monkey’s finer particulars. The crew put in the identical tire and wheel cowl to the rig’s hoop, and re-upholstered the inside to match the bike.
It’s truthful to query the sanity of anybody counting on a Honda Monkey to haul round a sidecar and a passenger—particularly when you think about that its 125 cc motor pushes out not more than 9.2 hp, with a prime velocity of 56 mph. But when we had been rolling round in a rig this trendy, we certain as heck wouldn’t be in a rush.
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