Written by Marlon Slack
California?s Kott Motorcycles mostly do one thing – build exceptional cafe racers based around late 1970?s Hondas. They?ve wrenched on a few side projects, a few Triumph?s and BMW?s, but the best work Dustin and his team produce is a steady flow of wonderfully perfect Hondas. So, sit down kids and oogle at the Kott ?18, a 1975 Honda CB550 that?s a masterclass of proportion, colour and stance.
Green or blue" You be the judge
So how did it al start" The customer for the build initially approached Kott Motorcycles with a picture of an old BMW custom, painted in a striking green. ?That photo was used as the cornerstone of the bike,? Dustin says. ?We wanted to create a simple, understated build with a timeless colour scheme including brown leather upholstery and restrained chrome plating?.
On first glance the most striking element of the ?18 is the fuel tank taken from a CB750. It is, in Dustin?s opinion, one of the most important parts of a build. ?Every chance I get I snatch up old 750 Super Sport tanks,? he says, ?They are arguably one of the best looking tanks that Honda designed?.

Aside from the tank there?s a host of great little features about the bike. The frame has been shortened and had all the tabs shaved off, the suspension and stance are just right but the best part of this cafe build is the proportions. It?s the 36-24-36 of the motorcycle world. It?s a signature of Kott?s builds and something the team pride themselves on.
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