bikerMetric custom metric bobbers, choppers, and cafe racers by honda, yamaha, kawaski, and suzuki
bryan from joker machine emailed some slick pix of their latest custom build, a 1972 honda cb750k.
having had no idea joker was making metric parts, as i always knew them as creators of parts and accessories for harleys, i asked bryan why they started to hit the metric market and he replied that richard, one of the owners, actually started riding on a honda when he was young and “kind of got more in to harley’s as he got older.”
but the economy soured and everybody who bought a $60,000 “custom” with a 120″ s&s motor couldn’t ebay them off for a third of that price fast enough to pay their mortgages. it took a toll on joker machine, and wasting no time, they bought this bike in 2008 from a basement in new york where it had been resting for 25 years.
some of the changes and additions on this bike start with completely re-building the engine to original factory specifications. the guys then added a kerker four-into-one exhaust with ceramic headers, an airtech “flip-up” seat cowl which was strengthened with an aluminum plate underneath, biltwell clubman bars, excell 18″ rims which were laced to stock hubs with buchanan stainless spokes, and finally the bike was given a ducati red paint job by classic cycle restoration.
as you can plainly see, the bike was the guinea pig of prototype parts which are now part of joker machine’s current cb750 product line.
smart play, gentlemen.
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trying to turn the metric modification market into the same as the HD one, I’ll pass thanks
interesting comment, wokka. if you only knew what those guys turned out to be like after this post (one in particular). he wanted me to post for them every 2-3 weeks, asit seems that is how long it takes them to crank out a new ride, while they ignored my email about “why don’t you advertise with me?”
they’re a huge company. i promote the little guy who needs it, not the corporate man. corporate men pay me money and get lucky when i post nice things for them.
i’ll pass, too. blocked them from emailing me after one guy sent three drunken and angry messages in one night after i told him i’d probably not post so soon and it would be another month or two before i did at best.
props for them branching into another market as all the other hd parts manufacturers held on by their fingernails and many bit the dust.
besides that, you won’t be seeing another joker bike on bM again.