VIVIANA GOMEZ MORALES
It’s no secret that we’re big fans of small engine rippers at VC. Believe us, contrary to popular belief small bikes are some of the most fun bikes you’ll ever ride. We’ve made some of our best road trips around the UK on our first lil’ 125cc bikes - always taking the scenic route (no motorways for CBT holders) and having some of the best adventures we’ve ever had on two wheels.
So we thought we’d put together a list of some of our fave ever small custom bike builds to prove getting your first bike doesn’t mean you can’t have a ride with stacks of personality and a mountain of fun with it.
Brap brapppppppp !
CUSTOM HONDA XR75 RACER
by Mike Davis
@mikedavis70
This little one started life as a mini 75cc dirt bike but has had a ton of work done to it including an extended swingarm, 16” wheels with dirt track tyres, British bars, quick throttle, big carb and intake, DG down pipe, a newly chromed frame, and that killer old flame paint. Yowch!
@mikedavis70
HONDA DAX MINI RACER (160cc)
by Cheetah Custom Cycles - Tokyo, Japan
Who doesn’t love a DAX?! But when you can flat track it ????? Hubba hubba. This lil ripper is the brainchild of Cheeta custom cycles based in Tokyo, Japan and is part of a slew of two wheeled mini flat track machines of dreams that they’ve put out over the last couple of years…. That paint job tho? <3
Check out a few more awesome builds from Cheetah Customs below:
HONDA CG125
owned by Mai Storni
ALEX GRANT
Ok ok, we’re a bit biased, we admit it, but Mai’s little Honda CG is still one of our fave 125cc bikes around. With its cafe racer stance, lil’ custom exhaust and custom made brown leather seat, its a testament to the fact that a little work can go a long way!
YAMAHA SR250
by Auto Fabrica
Auto Fabrica are one of the leading names in the custom bike scene but even they like a small engined brapper! This bike is Auto Fabrica’s second SR250 build - the type 3 - and so they wanted to up their game with a brief of ‘light, fun and fast’ .
“We really wanted to achieve a small, fat-tyred, street-machine that could be chucked around the streets of London or hit some-off road turf on occasion”
They upped the game by 1000% by creating a custom hand built tank, upping the engine capacity, custom seat, wheels, upgraded suspension and a custom made straight through exhaust system. Yikes!
“The stainless steel pipe is starting to become a signature touch in our builds, we really wanted the pipe to be a bit different to using 90 degree pre cut sections, this meant the pipe had to have double curvature in order to clear sections of the frame and engine yet give the intended design. The pipe was finished off with another small addition we keep using which is the 3 pie cut sections right at the tip of the pipe to add a bit of interest and direct exhaust gas which ever direction required.”
“The type 4 is another step in which we see ourselves going, producing truly unique parts and pushing a design”
See more of their bikes on the Auto Fabrica Instagram and their Facebook.
Yamaha SR125
By Gemma Harrison
Ahh the bike that launched a few hundred riders! It’s the VC learner bike!!
What started life as a stock Yamaha SR125 has had a full rebuild from the ground up. Starting with stripping the bike right back to the frame, we detabbed the frame and had a respray, removed out the air box and replaced with a custom air filter and threw away those old plastics. This was then followed by everything from new wheels and tyres, new headlight and indicators front and back, a new custom seat, Renthal bars, new clocks from Posh Japan, posh switches on the bars and all finished off with a new tank (from a Honda XR) custom painted by our own fair hand (it basically looks like shit up close- lolz). She’s currently in for a rebuild and a little switch up of style so watch this space as we tear her up for 2020!
GRASS TRACKER
By RedMax and Brink66
Built by the wizards at RedMax speed shop, UK, this awesome grass tracker/speedway Frankenstein is road legal and rips! One problem… You don’t get far on that lil’ tank but for field rips with your buds this one IS IT! Built for his daughter Marnie’s first ride, Adam Brinkworth (owner of a multitude of the world’s most awesome bikes) worked with Redmax to get an old school grass tracker look that was legal for the road but also retained all the rip it needs for the dirt. However impractical it may be, it’s still one of our fave bikes ever.
Yamaha SR125
Built by Hot Dog Customs / Owned by Jessie Watts
Originally built by HotDawg customs in the UK this Sr125 has spent a little bit of time teaching women to ride at our VC beginner days and is now the beloved bike of Jessie Watts who came along to one of our beginner days and fell in love with it!
The bike has a custom headlight, tank, seat, indicators, clocks and a custom rear mudguard that we loveeee!!! A beginner’s dream big if we do say so ourselves.
p// @sarahemmasmith
‘DEVIL’S PUMPKIN’ - Honda CB125
By Manon Hache
There will always be a place in our hearts for this awesome lil chop. Built and owned by Manon Hache, whose family are a staple on the chopper scene, this bike has had the works! And that custom seat and exhaust?! Yikes!
Looking to get your first set of small wheels? Check out our blog HERE about what to look out for for your first ride and stay tuned for more news on all the small bike stuffz we’ve got coming up soon! See yaaaaaa!