This monochrome recreation of a Honda CB500 has all the hallmarks of stripped back Scandinavian design. But it’s much more than that. Swedish design studio PAAL Motorcycles, based in Malmo, were on the verge of shutting up shop when the commission for this cafe racer came in. This is, literally, the motorcycle that saved the studio.
"Design, craftsmanship, quality and performance," is how PAAL proprietor Fredrik Pål Persson summarises his life-changing creation. The starting point was a partly-converted 1976 CB 500. That bike was entirely stripped down for a nut and bolt rebuild.
A custom-built hand stitched saddle sits on a custom built rear subframe. The fuel tank is also a one-off and exquisite detailing includes leather straps to the tank and to the tailpiece.
This is way more than just a superficial rebuild. The 500cc engine has new valves and cylinders. All cables and ancillaries were replaced. New wiring is Bluetooth enabled, while the tiny speedometer is by Motogadget and there’s an equally small LED tail light.
The future for PAAL is now bright. New projects are on the books and new investors have come in. This cafe racer has achieved something very special.
Images by Yannick Wolff
Stay up to date with all of PAAL Motorcycles custom builds by heading to their website and following them on Instagram.
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