DCC Customer Builds

The builder was told that he would never find one of these – well, he did. The final product represents two and a half years of sheer dedication and attention to detail.

This month's customer build belongs to Mike Mitchum (Cincinnatti, OH) and his 1977 Suzuki GS550. "This a custom, cafe racer bike that I built in my garage. The bike was purchased as a non-running disaster (for $250) and was transformed over the course of just under 3 years.

The CMX450 "Rebel" was a short-lived endeavor for Honda, only being produced for two years (1986 through 1987). Honda marketed this 450cc to the younger generation, stating in a 1985 issue of Motorcyclist magazine that "by targeting the bike to a young audience, such as those who watch MTV, Honda hopes to attract newcomers and expand the motorcycle market...". Fast-forwarding to the 21st century, DCC customer Sam Edwards (Golden, CO) put his own spin on the classic "Rebel" and it is truly one-of-a-kind!

In 1980, Kawasaki introduced the in-line four KZ550, an excitable motorcycle that became a fan-favorite among Kawasaki riders, almost instantly. Engine-wise, the KZ550s were nearly identical, with minor improvements realized over their production lifespan. A shaft-driven version was produced in 1983, known as the KZ550M. The 'Spectre' version used the CV carbs and a different cylinder head for enlarged porting. The 'GPz' models used the CV carbs, as well. The most noticeable differences between the 550 models were aesthetics.

DCC customer Matt Anderson, from Lancaster, MA, put his personal touch on his '83 KZ550 and we are rolling with the changes!

In 1977, Yamaha introduced the 391cc air-cooled, SOHC parallel twin known as the XS400. Sandwiched in between its predecessors, the XS360 and XS650, the XS400 models shared many of the same characteristics as their XS brethren. It experienced some aesthetic and mechanical changes through its lifespan and eventually phased out for the Seca 400.

Dime City Cycles customer Bill Watson (Toronto, Canada) certainly put his own spin on this classic '79 Yam, and, man, is it nice!

I have always been fascinated by motorcycles my whole life but didn’t dive headfirst into them until I got my license in 2005. That was when I first heard the term “Café Racer”. When I read about the history of café racers, and what they were all about, I fell in love with them. I just felt like, “This is me; this is who I am.” From that moment, I knew I was going to have to build one someday soon. I could already picture it in my head, down to every detail.