California Dreaming: Wedge Bikes Continental GT650 Roadster

Alongside Triumph’s water-cooled Bonneville vary the Royal Enfield 650 twins are among the most authentic-looking fashionable retro bikes available on the market. Royal Enfield has efficiently recreated the quintessential basic bike aesthetic with their Continental GT650 and 650 Interceptor fashions. So basic trying are these bikes that it’s exhausting to consider they might look any higher. But when writing in regards to the {custom} bike scene for nearly 2 many years has taught me something, it’s that there’s at all times room for enchancment.

Unsurprisingly the most recent workshop to take an Enfield 650 to the next degree of aesthetic excellence hails from the house of insanely good {custom} bike builders, aka Japan. And the person chargeable for this spectacular feat is Takashi Nihira of Tokyo’s Wedge Bike.

Takashi-san has been working Wedge Bike for the previous 13 years. Throughout that point he’s bagged his justifiable share of trophies at esteemed Japanese {custom} occasions just like the Mooneyes Sizzling Rod and Customized Present. His workshop’s main focus is customising bikes which might be home to Japan, however he’s by no means been one to show down a possibility to strive one thing new. Previously, Wedge has teamed up with BMW Japan to construct a one-of-a-kind G310 R primarily based Tracker that made huge waves within the {custom} scene. So when the chance got here to reimagine an Enfield twin for an influential native publication, he gladly accepted the problem.

The Wedge Bike {custom} 2020 Royal Enfield Continental GT650 was commissioned by the Japanese musician, presenter, author, photographer, actor, and inventor, George Tokoro. Mr Tokoro is the creator of Daytona Journal, a Japanese moto/way of life publication. He’s additionally an avid motorcyclist who has amassed an enviable assortment of {custom} and classic bikes at his well-known “secret location” residence, Setagaya Base.

Taking 4 months to finish the venture started with a easy sketch primarily based on Tokoro-san’s temporary. “The idea of the venture was to create an extension of the real product,” says Takashi-san. “I made use of the standard of the real product and completed it utilizing a less complicated and funky type.”

Sitting facet by facet the variations between the Wedge 650 and a inventory Continental GT650 seem dramatic. Surprisingly, the bike nonetheless wears the inventory gas tank however Takashi-san has subtly tweaked it to enhance its look. He’s completed so by trimming the ugly seam off the underside of the tank, welding it shut and smoothing the welds. He then repositioned the mounting brackets to place the tank decrease and degree on the body. Though technically tough to undertake the result’s refined but an plain enchancment.

A way more noticeable change to this GT650 is the bike’s tighter proportions. To realize the brand new look Takashi-san has modified the Enfield’s subframe, chopping away the manufacturing unit tail mild meeting and fender mount and changing them together with his personal hoop. The brand new ribbed seat has been completed utilizing a leather-based and suede combine. It removes the flexibility to hold a passenger however helps to visually pull the rear finish which in flip tightens the looks of the entire bundle.

One other key element of this Enfield’s new look is the brand new lighting association. Utilizing appropriately styled equipment from Japanese producer Posh, Wedge has fitted the GT650 with a Bates-style headlamp, classic spherical tail mild and retro bullet flip indicators. To assist to maintain the entrance finish clear the entrance indicators have been relocated to below the entrance of the gas tank, whereas the rears grasp off {custom} brackets welded to the subframe.

Changing the dual gauges discovered on the Royal Enfield Continental GT650 is a single Motogadget Chronoclassic Speedometer. For a extra relaxed using place, Takashi-san opted for a set of tracker-style bars over the GT’s semi-clip-on bars. Sitting in a pair of aftermarket risers the bars have been saved clutter-free with using aftermarket switches, a single cable throttle and {custom} grips.

Mr Tokoro didn’t request any main efficiency mods as a part of this venture. The bike does breathe extra freely now although due to the removing of the air field and fitment of pod filters. Sitting the place the airbox beforehand lived is a {custom} battery field. Painted to match the gas tank the field follows the road of the rear of the tank and prevents street grime from the rear wheel from reaching the filters. The parallel-twin additionally exhales freely due to a one-off exhaust which Wedge fabricated from chrome steel.

Love ’em or hate ’em, there’s no denying a set of chunky retro tyres can work wonders for a {custom} construct. Takashi-san has demonstrated this completely together with his Wedge GT650. He’s match the bike with Shinko 270 Tremendous Basic Cruiser rubber. The 4.0 x 18 profile rubber provides the Enfield the looks of a California seashore cruiser and a single, custom-made high-mount fender on the rear completes the look. The icing on the cake with this construct is Takashi-san’s alternative of color palette. The muted inexperienced tones work wonders with the Royal Enfield’s chrome-laden 650 twin, uncooked aluminium wheels and naked fork tubes.

The shortage of mirrors and a entrance fender on this bike are certain to lift some folks’s eyebrows, but when Royal Enfield launched a 650 twin with these proportions I’d be throwing my cash their means quicker than you possibly can say Watashi no okane o toru.

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