1985 Suzuki VL750 Steampunk Custom Chopper

UK Registration: C488 VFR

Lockdown 2020 was certainly a strange time for everybody. Some people sat in their gardens and drank copious amounts of gin whilst others started exercising with Joe Wicks on Youtube. Brent from Preston however spent his time creating this absolutely stunning and one of a kind Steampunk Custom Chopper.

If you like quirky and unique then keep reading as this bike is up there with one of the coolest bikes we have seen produced in this country.

Having walked down the main strip in Daytona at the heart of bike week a few times, this custom here would even have the Americans talking.

To put it bluntly, this bike is an out and out show winner and will turn heads wherever it goes.

Brent started this journey with a frame and an engine from a 1985 Suzuki VL750, it was a project that had been started but never finished.

In order to give the bike its super low and American chopper style stance the rear suspension has been removed and the frame adjusted accordingly. Most hardtail choppers can be a bit bumpy to say the least but amazingly the ride is actually really good due to the air ride seat cushion, which by the way can be fully adjustable to whatever psi is needed for the rider via a valve underneath it.

All of the tins and metal work are completely custom and the tank has been cleaned and resealed after a chemical dip.

The paint work is a forced rust technique with brass accents and guilders wax style verdigris effects. Twice sealed with everbrite metal Sealant after neutralising the rusting. This was not a 5 minute job! About 40 hours work and the rust technique is not on the metal it’s on a two part special primer.

Cad cam designed the brass plates that you can see in the middle of the tank and the rear fender. They were laser cut twice (originally stainless) then each one hand shaped to the bike and secured with copper Marine grade rivets. The Copper pipe was also shaped to the rear profile.

Extended single damper front suspension which has been fabricated from scratch and yes it does have the turning circle of a small village! The whole structure has been rebuilt with all new components and the paint work is hours of brass style and polishing.

The bolt covers at the top of the rakes are made from 10 gauge shotgun shells with quite a few brass d clips to hold the cables!

The fuel tap is brass, air intakes are restored and converted pirex fire extinguishers from the 1920’s with secondary K&N air filters inside that has been secured with Rolls Royce replicated hose clamps.

The fuel filter was machined brass with a window and based on an old ford ‘Pop’ fuel filter.

The exhaust is fully custom and has been heatwrapped throughout including rain stoppers at the tips!

Brass foot pegs, the brake and gear foot lever is from a toilet cistern mechanism and machined to fit.

On the left hand side of the engine you will notice the 1900’s Rotax british oil pressure gauge, this takes the feed from the engine directly.

Just above the custom radiator cover you will notice the marine eyelets with brass pipe brackets to feed the Braided brass line to the air horn from the compressor.

Both wheels have been powdercoated and have been fitted with tarnished walls that really does pull the bike together.

The Motogadget Mo-Unit Blue Digital with Bluetooth connectivity runs all of the electrics on this bike and can be used straight through an app on your phone. It Replaces the motorbikes fuse box allowing for full custom wiring looms and controls which of course this bike benefits from.

Fitted with a Daytona Digital Speedo, RPM display and also in KPH or MPH display depending on where you are riding

The ignition is a Brass multipoint barrel that allows you to have the key in or out and has the power to support the proximity alarm even when the bike is fully powered down.

The 2 vintage toggle switches you can see are to power the converted analogue brass gauges that display water temperature and battery voltage.

The Lucas acetylene lamp from the early 1900’s has been restored and converted to a headlight, it also means it is super easy to replace the bulb too!

On the handlebars you will see the custom brass controls and multifunction one click buttons. Kustom tech brass levers (Clutch and Brake and reservoir covers), the brass mirrors were from India and reworked to fit on the bars, Kustom tech brass throttle cable assembly and Brass handle bar grips.

Mechanically the bike has been inspected from front to rear.

The forks have been fully rebuilt, new top and bottom head stop bearings, new wheel bearings, 2 new coil packs with ht leads, caliper rebuilt along with new pads, rebuilt carbs fitted with new floats/needle/gaskets/seals, new gaskets and seals through the engine, new starter motor, fuel pump and regulator/rectifier.

To put it quite simply the bike is a ridable work of art and has had an unthinkable amount of hours spent getting it to this level.

Whether you want it as a livingroom talking piece or a weekend showgoer, this bike is now on the market and ready to ride!