Royal Enfield is making a big play for the US market. They?ve just set up their headquarters in Milwaukee, down the road from that other maker of vintage-themed motorcycles.
They?re also giving bikes to a few select builders to customize. And wisely, they?ve put Tony Prust of Analog Motorcycles on the list. (?Probably because I am pretty close to Milwaukee,? says Tony drily.)

A 2014-spec Continental GT duly rolled up to Tony?s workshop. There were no constraints on the build, except time: it had to be finished within six weeks for the Mama Tried show.
?It had the already stylish ?cafe racer? look to it,? says Tony. ?And I wasn?t sure what I wanted to do. So I took it for a spin.?

Despite the racy looks, the Continental GT is not a quick bike. ?It?d be great in the city, or for a newer rider, but I?m not a new rider,? says Tony. ?I was impressed with the torque though, as one should be with a half-liter single. I also assumed there might be a little more hiding in there somewhere?? Tony decided to play to the Continental GT?s strengths, rather than concern himself with outright speed. He flirted with the idea of a dirt bike or scrambler, and then remembered that there?s an ice-riding event at the Mama Tried show.

?I decided to build a scrambler-style bike, but lace up another set of wheels and mount studded tires for the ice.? Boom?the plan was set.
The lines of the stock tank are good, so Tony left it alone and started on the geometry. ?I lifted up the front end...