Something I’ve been asked more than once is, “what are the best classic motorcycles to customize?”
I usually tell people the first thing they need to do if they have a classic motorcycle is to learn how to maintain it in its stock form. Then they can think about customization.
There’s nothing wrong with having a stock motorcycle. However, I completely get the appeal of a customized motorcycle. It allows you to put a personalized touch on your own machine and is quite clearly an art form. If you’re looking for a good bike, I have the list for you.
If you want to get a vintage or classic motorcycle to customize , then I suggest you take a look at this list. These are the best models to do that with. These bikes can be turned into cafe racers, scramblers, bobbers, choppers, and more. If you have a vision, these bikes can satisfy it.
1. Honda CB (Any Year or Displacement)
Probably the most often customized bike is the Honda CB. Honda sold various displacements of this bike and sold CBs for many years. The company still sells CB motorcycles today—the modern equivalent of these bikes. You’ll find these turned into everything from cafe racers and bobbers to scramblers and choppers. The CB makes for a good platform for any project. There are tons of great examples of what this motorcycle can become, but I particularly like this one from Kaspeed Moto. That said, there are many others that I have covered.
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2. Kawasaki KZ (Any Year or Displacement)
I once owned a customized Kawasaki KZ. It was a KZ550, and is as good as any UJM motorcycle you can buy to modify. The KZ was sold in a wide variety of displacements. Any of them make for good cafe racers and bobbers. The KZ1000 models are well-known and loved, but I don’t think the lower displacement bikes get enough love. This cafe racer built by Nova Motorcycles, is a perfect example of what a KZ can become.
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3. Yamaha XS (Any Year or Displacement)
Yamaha sold many XS models over the years. The most popular models you’ll see will be the XS400 and XS650, but there are certainly others out there. No matter what you choose, you’ll have a good bike for customization. I regularly see some of the best bobber builds use the XS650 as the base. There are numerous examples of good bikes out there. This example by Eastern Spirit Garage is perhaps one of the best out there.
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4. Suzuki GS (Any Year or Displacement)
The Suzuki GS line of motorcycles is another good option. Suzuki eventually evolved these bikes into its GSX sportbike lineup, but if you go back to the 1970s and 1980s, you’ll find some fantastic UJM motorcycles, that make for a perfect platform for customization that’s on par with the bikes above. Suzuki GS motorcycles aren’t quite as prevalent as Honda CB and Yamaha XS custom motorcycles, but they make for equally as good cafe racer and bobber builds. Check out this custom cafe racer to see what I mean.
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5. Harley-Davidson Sportster (Any Year or Displacement)
Okay, I know the image above is of the 2019 Harley-Davidson Iron 883 Sportster I reviewed last year, but here’s the thing, Harley has been making Sportster models since the 1950s. And, you can do pretty much anything with them. I’ve showcased a couple of them, like this one built by Mainhattan Choppers. I don’t love these bikes stock, but then they’re not meant to ridden stock.
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