Named after the famed International Six Days Enduro, the KTM 500 EXC Six Days is one of the best enduro race bikes money can buy. Highlights include a 510cc single-cylinder motor, a featherlight chromoly frame, WP Suspension parts, and a ludicrous dry weight of 246 lbs.
It looks the business too?if modern off-road bikes are your thing, of course. Most people probably wouldn’t pick it as a donor for a retro-styled custom scrambler. But Aussie Dan Mickan did, and ended up with this spicy take on the KTM 500.

Brisbane-based Dan has been obsessed with motorcycles since he started riding at the age of 10. He’s also a fan of custom bikes, thanks to Australian workshops like Deus ex Machina and Ellaspede. So it was only a matter of time before he took a crack at building his own. The idea to customize the KTM popped up a few years ago, while Dan was attempting to scratch a very specific itch. ?I was looking to buy an old Honda XR600R,? he tells us, ?because I wanted a vintage motocross or enduro-type bike to ride at events like Ellaspede’s Dust Hustle, or some local ‘vinduro’ events.?

?At the same time I also had this 2015 KTM 500 Six Days edition sitting in my garage. I thought that if I bought an old XR, then all I would do is ride it, throw money at it to improve suspension and engine performance, and never ride my KTM 500.?
?I was really blown away by the Roland Sands ?Kurt Caselli? build, which basically introduced me to the idea that you c...