The Prototype: Zife Design Honda Neo-Sports activities CB650R

Incomes a buyer’s belief is price extra to a {custom} workshop than merely getting clients within the door. With out belief, they received’t be given artistic freedom or the possibility to indicate the world what they’re actually able to.

It takes a particular type of belief at hand somebody the keys to your brand-new bike. Not to mention belief them with tearing it aside and rebuilding it. However that’s precisely what Zife Design’s newest buyer did. With little greater than a short consisting of a primary fashion information the Zife staff discovered themselves in possession of a model new Honda CB650R and free rein to translate their shopper’s requests nonetheless they noticed match.

The Zife Design workshop is predicated in Hanoi, Vietnam. They’ve been constructing {custom} bikes since 2010 and have clearly fashioned a robust rapport with the native motorcycling group. Their ethos is to by no means construct the identical bike twice and to date they’ve executed a great job sticking to that plan with a various portfolio of {custom} creations. That is the second late mannequin Honda CB to obtain the Zife therapy, however simply as they promise, this one is nothing just like the final. Primarily based on a 2021 model of the CB650R Zife name this bike ‘The Prototype”.

“The proprietor needed a one-of-a-kind model of the CB650R that’s retro in addition to futuristic,” says Zife supervisor Tuan Ngoc. “Our design idea was influenced by cafe racers with a modernised fairing design that enhances the futuristic strains and chassis of Honda’s neo-sports CB650R.”

Realising their shopper’s transient took the Zife staff a mere 5 months. The undertaking started with a digital sketch in Procreate that was laid instantly onto a photograph of a inventory CB650R. Together with giving their shopper one thing to log out this fashioned a strong place to begin for the construct. Throughout this stage, most of the part’s dimensions and relative positions have been fine-tuned on display previous to any work commencing.

Regardless of the Prototype’s advanced types and natural strains, the bodywork isn’t made out of fibre composites. As a substitute, for his or her initiatives, Zife depends on their metallic shaping abilities to understand their ideas. This Honda’s new all-metal apparel consists of a {custom} entrance fender, distinctive entrance fairing that wraps again over the gas tank, a fake gas tank that sits over the inventory gas cell and bespoke aspect panels that cover any unpleasant engine or electrical parts. The entire tail meeting is new too and includes a detachable cowl for 2-up driving.

One further request of the bike’s proprietor was to make the CB650R extra appropriate for his stature. Being a smaller rider he needed to have the ability to simply get a foot down in Hanoi’s busy begin/cease site visitors. To make this doable Zife has slimmed down the seat design and added increased handlebars that place the rider extra upright and within the lowest a part of the saddle. Displaying off their skill to plan a undertaking effectively, all the new bodywork is held in place by present fixing factors on the CB650R chassis so there was no want for any reducing or welding of the body.

This CB650R wears a spattering of {custom} equipment too. Amongst them is a Denali M7 LED headlight that’s seamlessly built-in into the {custom} entrance fairing. Rear-end lighting duties are managed by a multi-function LED mild strip. There are custom-made Zife badges on the tank covers and a custom-made gas cap. Highway particles is saved in examine due to a machined radiator guard and a taller set of motocross-style handlebars full the revised driving place.

Efficiency upgrades weren’t a part of the transient with this undertaking, however that didn’t cease Zife from making just a few modifications to unlock the circulate of gas and air into and out of the engine.

Together with fabricating a one-of-a-kind gas tank cowl, the Zife staff checked out methods of bettering the Honda’s consumption system with a {custom} air field. “The ratio of the air field was probably the most difficult components of the undertaking,” says Tuan. “We needed to remake it twice to get the specified look and performance.” The results of Zife’s arduous work is a hanging new setup for the neo-sports Honda that together with boosting efficiency helps to maintain working temperatures down throughout Hanoi’s stifling moist season.

As for the exhaust finish of the combustion cycle, it’s arduous to disregard the bike’s new stomach pan and muffler association. Sitting beneath the radiator is a large mesh panel that permits ample airflow whereas defending the system from injury. Flanking the decrease half of the engine are chunky panels that type the muffler housings on the rear. The entire setup provides some severe visible heft to the decrease half of the inline-four and in flip, makes this CB650R seem rather more planted and muscular.

In our opinion, Honda’s Neo-Sports activities Cafe sequence is likely one of the least classic-looking trendy retros in the marketplace. Regardless of the Prototype’s unmistakably futuristic styling Zife has managed to present the CB650R a way more traditional really feel. By changing arduous strains with flowing curves and a balanced bone line they’ve created one of many best-looking modified Neo-Sport fashions we’ve seen to date. With first-rate work like this rolling out of the Zife workshop, it’s no surprise they’ve earned the belief of their clients.

ZIFE Design