A boxed aluminum frame, round headlights, three-spoke wheels and and bold graphics; nothing epitomizes the dawn of the 90s like the 1990 Suzuki GSX-R750. The 115 hp Slingshot was the first GSX-R with upside down forks, and the last one to put its twin lights on full display. It demands attention, even today?so if you’re going to customize one, you’d better make it unmissable.
That’s Michel Szozda’s theory, at least. He customizes motorcycles as Cool Kid Customs, working out of a space that he shares with other creative friends in Haarlem, near Amsterdam. His style is anything but conventional, and his bikes are typically wrapped in eye-popping liveries.

This project ended up in the Cool Kid workshop almost by accident. Michel’s client had booked in his Yamaha Ténéré for a makeover, and had picked up the GSX-R to act as a daily runner while the Yamaha was being worked on. But once Michel saw the Suzuki, he suggested that it’d be a better option for a custom build. The client agreed, and the ‘Rad Racer’ project was underway. But Michel had more work ahead of him than he’d expected. ?The Suzuki looked clean when he came to drop the bike off,? he tells us, ?but on further inspection, it had damage on almost every part.?

Some of the bodywork was beyond repair?so Michel ordered a full race replica body kit with a solo seat. But there’s no way it was going to go on without at least some modification. For starters...