For the reason that daybreak of Grand Prix bike racing, the 125 cc class has served as a proving floor for factories and riders alike, producing frenetic racing and memorable machines. The 250 cc Moto3 class changed the traditional 125 cc class twelve years in the past, however Grand Prix racing’s ‘starter’ collection continues to supply thrills—and glimpses of future MotoGP superstars.
This SYM Wolf 125 pays homage to the golden age of 125 cc GP racing. It’s the work of Eric Ku—a Taiwanese {custom} bike builder who works beneath the moniker of FirstRider Customized and loves classic race bikes.
“I’ve a powerful ardour for Nineteen Sixties racing, significantly as a Honda fanatic,” he tells us. “I aspired to create my very own classic racing bike, visualizing myself rushing down the monitor. I additionally fantasized about what designs I’d have carried out as a designer again then to assist racers win championships.”
In inventory type, the SYM Wolf 125 is a humble commuter—albeit an immensely well-liked one in its residence nation. However Eric’s Wolf is unrecognizable. Endeavor each process himself, save for the paint job, he went to nice lengths to rework the bike into a contemporary tackle iconic classics just like the Honda RC143.
“The general design takes cues from Honda’s RC collection,” Eric confirms. “I adjusted the physique proportions to suit my physique, together with legroom and chin clearance. The tail part incorporates some fashionable components much like the fixed-wing buildings seen in at this time’s MotoGP bikes, mixing classic and fashionable aesthetics.”
Working from the within out, Eric bored the Wolf’s 56.5mm cylinder out to 67 mm, caught an even bigger piston in there, and fabricated a {custom} crankshaft with an extended stroke. That took the motor as much as roughly 247 cc, with a five-speed transmission changing the OEM four-speed field. A strengthened clutch and an upgraded oil cooler had been added to take care of efficiency and reliability.
Eric additionally changed the cylinder head with a modified unit that has two exhaust ports. It now makes use of larger consumption and exhaust valves, with a Keihin PWK36 carb mounted on a custom-made alloy consumption that orientates it sideways, since that’s the one manner it will match. “I crafted a direct-intake port, which not solely enhanced efficiency, but additionally created a visually placing affect on the general look,” Eric provides.
The carb sucks air by a chunky velocity stack that pokes by the bike’s fairing. Gasses exit by way of an asymmetrical twin exhaust system. One of many mufflers emerges from the bodywork up excessive on the left, whereas the opposite runs alongside the underside of the bike on the proper.
The SYM’s fairing and gasoline tank are unfastened recreations of the Honda RC143’s bodywork. Eric not solely formed the fiberglass fairing by hand, however even went so far as creating his personal acrylic windscreen—a difficult course of with a number of failed makes an attempt. A easy rectangular headlight sits behind a protecting grill up entrance.
Low-slung clip-ons sit behind the fairing, fitted with pared-down controls and white vintage-style grips. One significantly neat contact is how the {custom} fairing stays are built-in with the speedo housing.
The metal tail part follows a much less conventional design. That includes a scalloped design with deep grooves, it flows tightly right into a finned 3D-printed taillight. Decrease down, an open battery tray presents a rough-hewn race bike vibe, whereas nonetheless conserving every little thing tidy.
Beneath the bodywork, Eric liberated the body of all superfluous mounting tabs, earlier than welding in extensions to put the footpegs in an optimum place. The bike now rolls on 18” DID rims, with a modified Yamaha SR150 drum brake hub on the entrance. (Eric’s handmade entrance brake air scoop is yet one more enticing element.)
Eric selected blue and white for his SYM Wolf racer’s livery, not due to any explicit historic bike, however as a result of these are his favourite colours. The combo fits this bike completely, with white finishes on the body and forks to set it off.
However maybe this mission’s greatest success is how nicely it encapsulates the period that impressed it. If we didn’t know any higher, we’d assume that the photographs of Eric using his Wolf on the monitor had been taken within the 60s.
FirstRider Customized Instagram
