Written by Tim Huber.
Last time we checked in with Scotland?s JM Customs, James Moir and his team had just completed a gorgeous V65 Moto Guzzi scrambler. Turns out, the customer that commissioned the Guzzi was so taken with the build, that he called on JMC to turn out another smaller, yet similar build as a surprise birthday present for his wife. ?We started with a completely stock 1992 Honda CB450 DX that we had in stock as a potential donor bike. We wanted to create a stripped-back scrambler that had a vintage/military influence, blending modern components in with period parts in our usual style,? says Moir. 

Starting with the engine, the low-mile mill underwent a complete servicing, before being stripped down and repainted in matte black. The fins on the sides of the cylinder head were also polished for a little extra flair, and the carbs were vapor blasted, rebuilt, re-jetted, and given a pair of oval DNA filters. For the exhaust, the Scottish shop tweaked the CB?s stock headers and replaced the original muffler with an aftermarket megaphone. The new system was also covered in titanium heat wrap. 
Protecting the six-valve motor and bespoke exhaust is a custom set of steel crash bars, encompassing the headers, while a bespoke Swiss-cheesed aluminum skid-plate further fortifies the 43hp twin. ?We haven’t seen anyone do that with one of these bikes before so we really wanted to create something different,? James tells us. 

The boxy, stock tank was less-than-...