Nothing beats a quick early morning blast through the hills above my house. The air is fresh, the sun is usually shining and I don?t have to share the road with many other motorized vehicles. I do have to share it with bicycles though?and I’m always amazed by how many people choose pedals over a throttle.
This Honda CB450 café racer, however, was built for someone who likes both. It’s the seventh commissioned bike from Bruno Costa, of Caffeine Custom in Brazil. And it’s affectionately referred to as the ‘White Shark,’ thanks to its slim, pearl-white monocoque.

?The owner is a cycling enthusiast who wanted a low and narrow motorcycle for short, fun rides around the Gaucho Highlands? curvy roads,? says Bruno. ?Mixing a classic café racer with modern touches, we built it narrow to highlight the engine and make it look bigger.? With the project brief finalized, Bruno selected a 1987-model Honda CB450 TR as the donor bike. A stock CB450 would make for a great commuter, but it doesn?t set the world on fire in terms of styling. Bruno and his customer felt the same way, so very little of the original bike now remains.

The first thing to go were the snowflake-style cast wheels. In their place are the five-spoke alloy units from a later model Honda, which also lent its front fork assembly. Finished in dark grey and wrapped in fresh Pirelli rubber, the new hoops look decidedly more modern.
The custom front fender is made of steel, and does double ...