Is ‘scrambler‘ the most overused description in the custom scene vernacular" Probably. It’s been allocated to everything from street bikes with upright ergonomics and knobby tires to true do-it-all machines.
We dig them all, but we’re suckers for the real deal. So this machine from Federal Moto has us giddy?a fully-functional dual sport given a classic scrambler vibe.

Randy Venhuis of Federal?s Canadian outpost in Edmonton, Alberta put it together. Federal now has a second branch in Chicago?but since the client for this project was based in Canada, Randy got the call.
The build was commissioned by Kenny Dodd of Over Time Beer Works in Kimberley, British Columbia. Kenny wanted something stripped-down with classic appeal, which he could use to rip around the forests and tear up the streets with equal enthusiasm.
?Kimberley is a small, beautiful city, nestled amongst the Rocky Mountains,? says Federal’s design director, Shaun Brandt. ?So we gravitated towards a reliable dual sport that could fit the bill on both terrains.?
Honda’s XR650L ticked all the boxes: ?The XR650L has the power, suspension and durability for great dirt road riding,? explains Shaun, ?and the electric starter, fuel economy, and light weight make it the perfect commuter for bombing around town.?

A 2006 model XR650L was sourced and handed over to Randy. His mandate: strip off all unnecessary clutter, add some nods to the past, and mix in some modern featur...