Written by Martin Hodgson.
On the port of Hiroshima, in a nondescript two-story building with rust marks staining the roller doors, you’ll find the headquarters of Heiwa Motorcycles. Here amongst the crowded chaos of vintage motorcycles and associated parts you’ll find the team building some of Japan’s best classic customs. For fortunate Western Australian Tony Wong, a friendship with the company’s head honcho, Kengo Kimura, has resulted in a brilliant road going revival called ‘Chilli Mussel’. From the bare bones of a 1963 Triumph T100SS comes this gorgeous classic that’s full of subtle flavours.

?I?ve always loved the Heiwa Motorcycle builds and style and became friends with Kengo when we met at the 2015 Mooneyes Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show. We?ve become really good friends since then and have met up at the Yokohama Show every year since,? Tony tells us. ?I help organise the motorcycles for the annual WA Hot Rod and Street Machine Spectacular. Last year was the first time in its 22 year history that we had motorcycles represented in a more prominent way, so we brought Kengo over with his show winning ‘Master Peace’.?
Throughout their friendship, Tony has visited Heiwa HQ a number of times, and the pair have discussed a custom that Kengo could build his friend and ship back to Australia. Sitting down one day the builder extraordinaire told Tony about the ’63 T100 that he picked up on a trip to the USA and said...