Black Magic: A stealthy Honda NX650 from the Baltics
It?s always good to discover a new name on the custom scene, and this week we happened across Differs?a garage from the Baltic state of Lithuania. It?s headquartered in the capital of Vilnius, a beautiful city that can trace its history back to the 13th century.
There?s absolutely nothing old fashioned about Differs? custom builds, though: they like to keep their style fresh and modern. ?We prefer the present day over the past,? says founder Povilas Vaisiauskas. And this crisp, sharp-edged Honda NX650 is proof that his philosophy works.
The NX650 is the first time Differs has tackled a dual sport bike, even though they?ve been operating for four years now. Also known as the Dominator, the air-cooled single was Honda?s first foray into a market blown wide open by BMW?s R80 G/S in the 1980s. The NX was always more of an urban-friendly trail bike though, and that?s the aspect of its personality that Differs have chosen to amplify. Povilas and his right-hand man, engineer Paulius Tara?kevi?ius, wanted to build ?a beautiful off-road style motorcycle with an urban twist on its looks.?
They started by dismantling and completely rebuilding the tough four-valve motor, and added a custom-built exhaust system with two header pipes and an aftermarket SuperTrapp-style muffler.
After cleaning up and refinishing the frame, the suspension was next to get a refurb. The stock setup is pretty good: despite having non-adjustable forks, the stanchions are a sizeable 41mm and give plenty o...
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Backcountry Discovery Routes | Ep. 70 Rider Magazine Insider Podcast
27-04-2024 08:34 - (
motorcycle )