Custom Works Zon have a stellar reputation in their home country of Japan, but are only just becoming known outside. Six months ago, BMW propelled Zon into the limelight when they revealed the R18 ?Departed? collaboration at the Mooneyes show?and now Zon are back with an equally amazing Buell S1 Lightning custom.
It?s called ?Zonkern??which means ?core of the sun.? And almost everything on this V-twin, aside from the engine, has been fabricated by hand.

It?s an extreme build, but by Zon?s standards, it?s fairly practical. In Japan, builders Yuichi Yoshizawa and Yoshikazu Ueda are known for their outrageous show bikes?including one with a hub steering system built for a Michael Lichter show?and others with unfeasibly large wheels.
This time, Yuichi and Yoshikazu have toned things down a little. ?We wanted to make a bike that satisfies basic performance duties, such as turning and stopping, while being enjoyable to ride,? Yuichi tells us.
Zon considered using a Japanese bike as a base, but decided to stick with the Harley-Davidson engine that they?re most familiar with: ?If you?re speaking about a sporty engine with good response, there?s only Buell.?
They located a 1998 S1 Lightning. Or rather, parts of one: the engine and frame.

The engine, quite frankly, is the best part of the S1. The 1200cc Sportster unit used in the Lightning only delivers 86 hp at 6,000 rpm, but offers a meaty 78 lbs ft of torque a few hundred rpms lower down the range. Zon have plumbed in a pa...