There’s just something about well-put-together Royal Enfield custom builds. Ever since the Indian bikemaker released its 650 platform, it opened a portal to some of the most iconic custom designs I’ve seen. This one comes courtesy of the Australian custom shop, Purpose Built Moto.
Built in collaboration with Royal Enfield itself, the bike used for the build is the Super Meteor 650 – and if we weren’t told, it would be hard to tell. Titled “Project Delta” the custom is a vintage throwback to the golden era of motorcycling.
Royal Enfield’s build commission was pretty clear: a timeless build that celebrates the company’s rich heritage. The Super Meteor 700 and the fabled Flying Flea from World War II are major inspirations for the design. And the end product is a bike that looks the part and is claimed to ride like one too.
Royal Enfield Custom World – Project Delta
“We only gave ourselves a few minutes to soak in the stock form: a 240-kilogram [529-lb] cruiser with comfortable ergonomics, forward controls, and a laid-back vibe. Then the tools came out. Seats, fenders, side panels, the heavy twin-shock mounts – anything that wouldn’t serve our vintage-bobber direction was unbolted or cut away,” reads PBM’s Project Delta page.
In addition to adding contemporary features like an in-frame oil cooler, the motorcycle’s frame underwent major alterations to mimic vintage hardtail design. Its period-appropriate appearance is enhanced by the spoked wheels, 23-inch front and 19-inch rear, as well as the handcrafted girder fork.
The bike’s twin-shock tail end is changed to a mono-shock by fabricating a unique swingarm out of chromoly tubing and custom-machined axle plates. There’s also a specially designed Nitron shock tucked away beneath the seat without any linkages.
Purpose Built Moto
The modified chassis is complemented by a slim peanut tank that was modeled by the 1952 Super Meteor 700. A slim bobbed saddle covered in opulent antique cherry red leather sits between the tank and the fender.
What I particularly love about the custom are its bars – the inspiration for which comes from a 1951 Royal Enfield Bullet. It has a reverse front brake lever, special switches, and leather grips that match the seat. The speedo, which has an integrated row of warning lights, is tucked away beneath the bars.
PBM created the entire front end digitally prior to 3D printing a 1:1 scale model. The design is finished with era-appropriate tail lights and rear fenders.
“A lot of manufacturers have stopped making their engines beautiful, instead covering them in plastic fairings, and hiding them away,” said shop boss Tom Gilroy. “Classic motorcycles always made the engine the star, and that’s why I love the Royal Enfield 650 Twin engines.”
Purpose Built Moto
It has the same air- and oil-cooled 648cc parallel twin motor that produces 47 horsepower and 38.3 lb-ft (52 Nm) of torque. But with all of the custom chops, the ride is immersive, unadulterated, and unquestionably antique, according to Gilroy, who claims to have clocked speeds of up to 100 mph (160 km/h).
He says that the solid-mounted bar and girder fork guarantee that you feel every inch of the road beneath you, while the hand-shifted gears call for rider participation. The handcrafted lines of this unique machine are emphasized by the Art Nouveau-inspired paintwork, which is drenched in black, gold, and cherry red.
This Project Delta custom motorcycle is a two-wheeled time machine that will take you back to a time when motorbikes were unadulterated, wild, and soulful. And although it may as well make for a beautiful collectible, it is only a prototype and sadly will never enter production.
Purpose Built Moto
Source: Purpose Built Moto
