Back in the late 80s, Japanese manufacturers started dabbling with cruiser-style motorcycles in a bid to corner the US market. The result was a generation of cruisers that combined Japanese engineering and reliability with American style?like the charming Honda Shadow.
Known as the Honda Steed in Asia, the Shadow came in various sizes over the years?from as small as 125 cc to as big as 1,100 cc. The relatively affordable Honda Shadow VT600C hit the scene in 1988, with a 583 cc V-twin motor that made 41 hp and 51 Nm. It came with raked forks, backswept bars, and a rear swingarm layout that aped the classic Harley Softail aesthetic, but used a traditional mono-shock arrangement under the hood.

While the Shadow is cuter than most classic Japanese-made cruisers, this neatly bobbed Shadow from Indonesia proves that it has oodles of untapped potential. Based on a 1990-model Honda Steed VLX600 (as it was officially designated in the East), it’s the work of Frontwheel Motors in West Java. And despite its humble stature, it looks like a million bucks. The inspiration for Frontwheel’s Honda Shadow bobber came from the iconic 1949 Indian Model 249 Scout. With the original bodywork stripped off, the crew figured they could turn the cushy cruiser into something barebones and vintage-looking. And they were right.

Before Frontwheel could get stuck into customizing the Shadow in earnest, they first had to bring it back to life. The bike had been standing for six years and...