Ek Chalermphol’s Instagram bio lists his interests as ?cars, trucks, bikes, bicycles, and taking photos.? But he neglects to mention his unwavering love for retro rally racers.
We’ve featured two of Ek’s custom motorcycles before (a BMW R nineT Urban G/S and a Honda XR600R), and both were heavily inspired by classic Dakar Rally bikes. The man has a taste for 80s and 90s off-roaders, and he knows how to capture that vibe. This time, he’s done it with an unlikely donor?a Honda Monkey.

The modern-day Honda Monkey is as cute as a button in stock trim, but Ek’s version of it is on another level. He describes the overarching philosophy behind the project as ?Turn Monkey into Mighty!?
?My idea was to make this Monkey like a mini rally raid bike,? he continues. ?Inspiration came from the 1980s Honda XR and XL series; the Paris Dakar look, with a big tank and that Honda ‘Flash Red’ color with the orange tone that I’m in love with.?
Most of the heavy lifting was handled by Wicham Pikutong at Dirtshop Thailand in Bangkok, which Ek founded over three decades ago. But before Wicham could swing his spanners, Ek had to find a suitable fuel tank for his project.
In an inspired move, he chose the tank from a Honda XR125R Paris Dakar?a limited edition rally-inspired model that came out in 1983. It took a few mods to the Monkey’s frame to accommodate the new unit, but the juice was worth the squeeze. The bubbly tank atop the pint-siz...