October custom roundup: A Bear, a Pig, and Darth Vader

Leading the way is a Royal Enfield Bear 650 build by Australia's Black Cycles that blurs the line between form and function. Second, German builder Rind Performance creates a pork-themed BMW R80RT homage to one of Porsche's most iconic Le Mans race cars. And last, but certainly not least, is a Kawasaki ZRX1200 built for the galaxy's most infamous Dark Lord by French builder Jerem Motorcycles.

Black Cycles "MEGA" Royal Enfield Bear 650

Calling a custom motorcycle a rolling work of art might sound like a cliché, but in the case of this Bear 650-powered creation, it's hard to argue otherwise.

Project MEGA began with a conversation. Noel Muller of Black Cycles, Royal Enfield Australia, and the crew from Pipeburn, were keen to explore just how far a Bear 650 could be taken. The goal was to build something to compete in Enfield's ongoing Custom World Challenge, and Noel gladly took up the challenge. The only problem was, at that time there was not a single Bear 650 on Australian shores.

Rather than wait, Noel searched for an engine he could use as a placeholder and came across a seized Interceptor 650 motor. With the engine up on his workbench, he wasted no time coming up with a concept for what his Custom World entry would look like.

"I pretty much had a complete vision for the build," he says, "and I definitely wanted a couple of features that hadn't been seen before."

With complete creative freedom on the project, Noel approached the build more like a sculpture, figuring out the proportions and major forms first, then engineering the mechanical details to fit within them.

The first task Noel undertook was pulling together the wheels and suspension. But rather than settle for an off-the-shelf solution, he opted to take a much more unique and vastly more complicated approach.

MEGA's wheels were once 17x8.5-inch beadlock 4WD rims. These, of course, wouldn't fit a motorcycle in their stock form, but Noel soon remedied that. The process involved having them cut in half, removing three inches from the center and welding them back together to make them 5.5 inches wide. Since car wheels are only designed to be seen from one side, he also added beadlocks to the other side.

For the suspension, he sourced an upside-down fork, which is mounted in a specially made, wide triple tree. The rear end utilizes a Triumph 955i single-sided swingarm with a purpose-built YSS monoshock by XXX Rated Suspension.

With the dummy engine, suspension and wheels laid out, Noel began constructing the rest of the motorcycle around them.

MEGA's chassis is a bespoke design built from scratch. The 32 mm tubular alloy construction uses the engine as a stressed member to keep weight and visual bulk to a bare minimum. Subtle curves rolled into the frame tubes soften the overall look and the Triumph swingarm has been smoothed to achieve the same goal.

Maintaining aesthetic lightness played a major role in this motorcycle's design and Noel had to come up with some clever solutions to keep things looking clean. These included storing the battery, starter solenoid, horn, and a regulator/rectifier in a specially designed housing on the underside of the swingarm. The svelte fuel tank started its life on a Harley-Davidson X500. Noel chopped it in half, narrowed it and split it into two compartments. One houses around nine liters (2.4 gallons) of fuel while the other holds most of the electrics and an ATV-style front brake master cylinder. That, in turn, allowed him to keep the handlebar as uncluttered as possible.

Made from the same aluminum pipe as the frame, the handlebar features an internal throttle, integrated lever perches, and concealed buttons for the starter, horn, and turn signals. A Motogadget Motoscope Mini digital speedometer sits neatly between the handlebar and front fairing, and there's no need for an ignition barrel, thanks to a Mo.lock keyless ignition. Tiny Motogadget turn signals are concealed in the bodywork and even the license plate can be folded out of sight electronically when the bike's at a standstill.

When the genuine Bear 650 engine finally arrived, Noel removed unsightly factory finishes from the cases, deleted the lower-front engine mount and installed an Interceptor right-side cover because he preferred the execution of the Royal Enfield logo. The changes didn't stop there, though. For old school's sake, he's done away with the electronic fuel injection and fitted a Mikuni flat-slide TM40 carburetor using a custom manifold. At the exhaust end of the engine is his custom "X-it" exhaust. The crossed pipes are made from stainless steel and feature internal baffles in an attempt to keep noise levels within legal limits.

Despite all the impressive work already mentioned, the standout of this build is the web-like front fairing, fender, tail unit, and tank covers. It would be easy to assume these are 3D-printed parts but they were, in fact, all made by hand. Each part was first made from four-millimeter aluminum plate. Noel then cut out each hole using a drill and air hacksaw before smoothing the edges with a sander and die grinder. A final sandblast and clear coat completed the look.

Wrapping up this extensive build is a beautifully understated paint scheme. The bodywork and frame feature a custom color derived from the Toyota Land Cruiser catalog while the wheels and engine are finished in tones matched to raw aluminum.

All up, Black Cycles Project MEGA took more than 600 hours and five months to execute. It's as technically impressive as it is artistically and when the time comes to pick a winner of this year's Custom World challenge, this one's going to be hard to beat.

Rind Performance BMW R80RT "Sau"

In 1971, Porsche unveiled one of the most iconic and unusual race cars in its history. The Porsche 917/20, affectionately dubbed "Die Sau," or otherwise known as the Pink Pig, was a one-off experimental racer built to compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Famously the car was originally destined to wear Martini livery, but after seeing its rather portly proportions, Martini owner Count Rossi refused to let that happen. With time running out, Porsche designer Anatole Lapine came up with a tongue-in-cheek alternative: paint the 917/20 pink and cover it with butcher-style dotted lines and cuts of pork labels.

Although the Pink Pig may not have delivered the podium finish Porsche was hoping for, its outrageous livery ensured the 917/20 would become one of the most memorable cars to ever compete at Le Mans.

German custom bike builder Robin Ludwig, better known as Rind Performance, has a soft spot for classic race cars and their iconic liveries. So when he picked up a 1990 BMW R80RT for his latest personal project, basing the build on the legendary German racer seemed the obvious choice.

Similar to the Porsche 917/20, the BMW R80RT was notable for its distinctive bodywork. The bike's wind-tunnel-tested fairing has been credited with helping shape the touring bike segment, but for Robin's project, its angular proportions were too far removed from the rounded silhouette of the Pink Pig. To remedy that, he ditched the stock bodywork in favor of a rounder, 1970s-style fairing. To complement the new front end, he fabricated a custom subframe and fitted it with a wasp-tail rear cowl. The fuel tank is the original unit, but it now wears a custom Porsche GT-style filler cap just like those on the 917/20.

In keeping with the Rind Performance name, this build isn't just a styling exercise. To ensure his race-inspired R80RT's performance was a cut above the rest, Robin overhauled the engine, too. Using a Siebenrock Power Kit, the Boxer's capacity has been increased to 1,000 cc. The plug-and-play conversion bumps the power up from around 49 horsepower to a touch over 60, while torque increases from 57 Newton-meters up to 72 Nm. The kit also reduces the engine's weight and improves low- and mid-range torque delivery, so it also improves the bike's everyday rideability. To make the most of the upgrade, Robin also fitted free-flowing air filters, retuned the carbs, and built a custom exhaust system for the bike.

The finishing touch on this outlandish build is, of course, the Pink Pig-inspired livery. Executed in a similar fashion to the scheme on the legendary Porsche, dotted lines and pork-cut labels divide the BMW into tasty portions. A red Alcantara seat completes the look, which by all accounts is every bit as flamboyant as its four-wheeled inspiration.

Jerem Motorcycles ZRX1200 Vader Edition

In a galaxy not at all far away (this one), French workshop Jerem Motorcycles (Instagram) has created a two-wheeled vehicle befitting of the dark side's most infamous bad guy.

This Star Wars-inspired build began when Jerem Motorcycles founder Jérémie Duchampt got his hands on a rather special 2001 Kawasaki ZRX1200. Prior to Duchampt taking ownership of the Kawasaki, it had been featured on the French program AutoMoto, where it was rebuilt by performance workshop Thorn Bike.

After previously completing a Mandalorian theme on a Ducati Streetfighter 1098, Duchampt received feedback from his online followers asking for him to make a Darth Vader motorcycle and the ZRX seemed the perfect opportunity.

During its time with Thorn Bikes, the ZRX engine underwent several impressive modifications, including the fitment of a six-speed gearbox and the conversion from carburetors to a fuel-injected system. Although the bike's engine had been completely rebuilt, the rest of the bike was essentially stock, but once it was in Duchampt's possession, it wouldn't stay that way for long.

Things kicked off with a complete nut-and-bolt rebuild of the ZRX. To return them to new, the frame and swingarm have undergone a complete overhaul and respray. The front end hails from a Ducati Streetfighter 1098 which has been rebuilt, anodized black, and fit to the chassis with gold triple clamps. Blacked-out YSS shocks support the rear end and the bike rolls on new gold wheels wrapped in Dunlop Mutant rubber.

Additional tweaks to the ZRX during the rebuild include the conversion to Brembo calipers, Accossato master cylinders, and Exact braided lines. A lithium battery sheds a few pounds while adjustable clip-on bars and rear-set foot controls set up a more aggressive, café-racer-styled riding position. A custom exhaust was also specially made for the bike featuring IXRACE mufflers and a ceramic coating by AC Motorsports. Then, since the Dark Lord doesn't accept failure, Duchampt has replaced every seal, bearing, nut, and bolt with new ones.

In the Star Wars films, Darth Vader piloted a TIE Advanced x1 fighter to eliminate rebel fighters as they attempted to take down the Death Star. It was that ship that inspired the next stage of the build. The most recognizable connection between the Imperial fighter and the ZRX is the headlight arrangement. The 3D-printed headlight cowl and cover are a direct translation of Vader's TIE fighter. At the rear is a custom-made cowl shaped to complement the silhouette of the ZRX tank with BMW S1000RR-style lights integrated into it.

Other Star Wars-themed touches come in the form of laser-cut aluminum side panels featuring Jedi Order emblems, a replica of Darth's light saber mounted to the right of the engine, and red UFO accent lighting on the engine inspired by the TIE Advanced x1's own internal lighting.

With any themed build, it's a fine line between being cool or ridiculous. Thankfully, in this instance, Duchampt has managed to maintain the ZRX's cool status. And as Lord Vader promised, "He will not be permanently damaged," since all of the dark-side theming can be reversed to return the legendary muscle bike back to its original state.