Takuya Aikawa of the Japanese workshop SURESHOT has transformed his personal 1998 Buell S1W into a high-performance masterpiece named “Magami” (the Japanese White Wolf).
After the bike’s engine detonated eight years ago during a high-speed highway run, it sat dormant until Aikawa decided to resurrect it for the Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show and future track duty. The build focuses on extreme weight reduction and engineering out the inherent weaknesses of the original 90s-era chassis.
This Custom Buell S1W By SURESHOT Is Gorgeous
The most significant engineering feat is the total redesign of the rear suspension. Buells traditionally use an under-engine “pull-shock” that stresses the crankcases, and Aikawa eliminated this by creating a custom linkage system on the left side of the frame to house a Racing Bros shock.
He also swapped the stock swingarm for an extended, single-sided unit inspired by the Ducati S4R. The engine, while retaining its original displacement, was balanced and blueprinted with high-lift cams and ported heads, now producing 90 horsepower and 102 Nm of torque, exhaling through a handcrafted equal-length titanium exhaust system.
The “flat and skinny” silhouette is achieved through a hand-formed aluminum fuel tank and a minimalist 7N01 aluminum alloy subframe. High-end racing components round out the build, including Marchesini forged wheels, Brembo GP4-MS monoblock calipers, and Racing Bros USD forks held by one-off triple clamps.
Magami is designed to be a true “show-and-go” machine, possessing the mirror-finish quality of a custom show-stopper while being fully engineered to survive endless hot laps on the racetrack.
