If you happen to fancy your self a romantic, take into account this: have you ever ever constructed a {custom} motorbike on your vital different? Uwe Kostrewa has, and it’s an absolute peach.
Everyone knows Uwe because the man behind Hombrese Bikes in Cologne, Germany. His type is distinct; if it’s a flat tracker or scrambler with a captivating retro vibe, Uwe most likely constructed it. This time he’s utilized that recipe to a humble 1979 Honda XL500S, turning right into a zesty race bike for his girlfriend.
“I wanted a flat tracker for my love, Steffi, as a result of she wished to begin driving and racing flat monitor,” Uwe tells us. “I’m a giant fan of flat monitor bikes and their design. This isn’t my first construct, so the concept for a design usually pops into my head routinely.”
“However on this case, Steffi additionally had a variety of concepts that I applied. It was presupposed to be her bike, in any case.”
The principle motive for selecting the XL500 as a donor, aside from the truth that Honda thumpers are notoriously bulletproof, was its dimension. Steffi has zero flat monitor expertise, so she wanted one thing mild and manageable. A inventory XL500S weighs round 135 kilos [297 lbs] dry—this one’s now all the way down to 114 kg [251 lbs].
The couple tracked down a donor that was, in accordance with Uwe, “in a standard situation for an enduro bike of that age.” The engine was ok to not want a rebuild, so he merely repainted it and swapped the air field for a Ok&N filter. (A carb improve is on the playing cards for subsequent season.)
The XL500S got here from the manufacturing unit with a comically giant 23” entrance wheel, and an 18” hoop out again. It’s a singular mixture, nevertheless it’s no good for flat monitor use. So Uwe laced up a pair of 19” rims, utilizing a BMW F 650 GS hub up entrance.
Since this bike received’t run on the road, there’s no entrance brake. The inventory Honda drum brake does obligation out again, with a contemporary set of stainless-steel sprockets sending energy to the wheel. The tires are Dunlop’s well-liked DT3s.
Uwe swapped out the previous Honda grime bike’s suspension elements too. It now wears a set of right-side-up forks from a pre-2005 Yamaha R6 up entrance, and new YSS shocks out again. The XL’s OEM shocks are unusually lengthy, so Uwe relocated the shock mounts on the swingarm so as to run shorter models.
The entire bike sits decrease and extra stage now. Greater up, the subframe was cut-and-looped, and the primary body was liberated of any pointless tabs.
Shifting to the bodywork, Uwe tailored a late-70s Honda XL125 gasoline tank to suit the five hundred. A slim custom-made seat sits simply behind it, upholstered in materials salvaged from a Volkswagen Beetle. The rear finish’s completed off with an off-the-shelf fender, trimmed to suit.
With no lights, speedo, starter button or entrance brake lever, the cockpit is uber-basic. Uwe put in a set of Tomaselli handlebars, with a brand new kill change, throttle and grips.
As a result of this can be a bonafide race bike, quantity boards have been obligatory. Uwe minimize a set out of Dibond—an aluminum composite materials, sometimes used for signage.
Decrease down, a hand-crafted stainless-steel exhaust system snakes its manner across the engine, exiting via a cutout on the fitting aspect quantity board. It’s adorned with a well-placed warmth protect, and a stubby Ixil muffler.
Uwe does his personal paint work—and he has a knack for developing with stylish liveries. The white, black and yellow scheme on Steffi’s Honda is as cool because it will get, full with period-correct Honda ‘wings’ on the tank. Uwe illustrated the quantity boards by hand too.
As for the remainder of the bike, the body, swingarm, wheels and fork lowers have been all powder-coated in a chrome-like end. It provides an additional basic contact to the construct, faintly paying homage to the nickel-plated frames on classic grime racers.
As romantic gestures go, constructing a {custom} race bike as cute as this one needs to be proper up there. If you happen to ask us, Uwe’s a keeper.
Hombrese Bikes | Fb | Instagram | Photographs by Rick Parker
