Mix-and-match makes for a cool Honda CB650R custom

Honda’s wrapping up its European in-house custom build-off competition once again; this year, it’s a Portuguese dealer taking the win, with an interesting take on the CB650R naked bike.

This build-off is something Honda does every year. Big Red’s participating dealers in Europe take a CB650R and make it in their own image. Sometimes the modifications are pretty mild, sometimes they’re wild, but usually you see similar themes: Mad Max bike, scrambler, cafe racer, etc.

This year’s winner (Mototrofa—see the dealer site here) went beyond the usual limits, and actually integrated Honda history into its bike. This CB650R gets a front wheel off a CBR900RR and a single-sided swingarm and rear wheel from a VFR750F. Very cool indeed, and when you add the custom seat and rear cowling, and the paint job that commemorates Honda’s Spanish roadracing star Marc Marquez (#93) as well as the year the dealership was founded (1993), you’ve got a pretty clever custom that’s visually appealing, and technically interesting. Win-win-win!

Mototrofa calls the bike “Fenix,” to commemorate the dealer’s own revival. Honda’s press release says “Fenix is a special symbol of renewal for the entire Mototrofa team, whose dealership has risen again from the ashes of a devastating fire.”

A couple of French dealers saw their customs come in second and third, separated by only 12 votes.

The CB650R BMX by the Nice-based Werther Honda came in second, closely followed in third by the CB650R Four Limited Edition by Espace Motos, with only 12 votes separating the French pair. Werther Honda built CB650R BMX, a custom that was inspired from BMX bicycles. Espace Motos built CB650R Limited Edition, with lines and colours ripped off from the CB750 Four. See photos of both below!

The “BMX” custom took second. Photo: Honda

This CB650R, styled to recall a classic CB750 Four, took third. Photo: Honda