Bali is one of the most famous islands in Indonesia. Famous for it's amazing surf breaks, tough drug laws and strict low displacement bike laws. So when we recently received some photos from the guys at Deus Bali, we just guessed it would be another sweet little Yamaha Scorpio they do so well. But when we opened up the photos of their latest project we were pleasantly surprised to see a completely unrecognizable Honda NX650 Dominator. To say this size bike is rare in Bali would be a huge understatement — there's only one other 650cc bike and it also happens to be a NX650. So someone at some stage has paid 'the right people' to get it on the island and on the road. Anyway, this is not a story about how it got there, we're just glad it did. To tell us the tale of how this Dominator transformed into the 'Dominari', I'll pass you over to Tom from Deus...

Every time we post a bike, Scott and I sweat over a good "angle" to open the piece with. Something unique about the bike that will grab a reader's attention and help them get into the story. Sometimes it's to do with the owner's job or a neat little ditty about the bike itself; where it was found or maybe something to do with a tasteless mod a previous owner had done. Most of the time it's pretty slim pickings, whether it's lack of time on our behalf or stories that just aren't that wacky we often end up pulling stuff out of some pretty damn thin air. Then there's bikes like Tyler Mill's Honda VTR. This bike has more angles than a cubist painting; it killed its first owner when only a few days old. Then it was repaired and ridden by Honda salesmen. Then it was customised in what I can only describe as a "zombie killer" style. Then it was plumbed with nitrous. If you told us aliens had done a burnout on it while riding it across Roswell with a young JFK looking on in a giant octopus costume, we'd just about believe you. Hello Christine you strange, strange woman.

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It's funny how some types of bikes just get under your skin. And I know I speak for both Scott and myself when I say that Honda Goldwings are definitely one of them. Along with the CX500s, Goldwings seem to be dripping with that inexplicable coolness that gives any custom build a killer cool factor even before the first spanner has even touched the WD-40 drenched rusty bolt. But what exactly is it? I'm not really sure - but Jah knows the flat four, solid silhouette and chunky build don't hurt. And the in-tank beer storage compartment? Japanese genius. I can see Honda-san sinking a few tininess with the designers after hours and giving them a well earnt slap on the back in between burn-outs and practical jokes involving no-pants-sushi-balancing races. Richard "Sunnbobb" Matrass is similarly down with this whole Goldwing thing. Despite a bad first date, it was still love at first sight. And the marriage? Well just look at these shots and take a read of what Richard has to say...

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CR750 HONDA RACING ENGINE

• Engine built by M3 Racing (92-93 HP @ 9800 RPM)
• Nova Close Ratio gear box (newest updated version)
• Lightened/balanced/micro polished crank with oil hole mods.
• Carrillo connecting rods with Kelmet racing bearings.
• Special M3 slipper type cam chain tensioner/Tsubaki racing chain.
• Special M3 racing pistons/rings, set at zero deck height.
• Special M3 racing grind camshaft by Web Cam.
• Lightened/polished rocker arms with special M3 adjusting lock nuts.
• KPMI springs/Ti retainers and Black Diamond valves.
• Cylinder head Ported/flowed by “Berreth Heads” to M3 specs.
• Special primary drive hub with M3 modifications.
• Dyna ingnition with OEM advancer.
• Special top cover with top engine mount by M3 Racing.
• CR special 31mm carbs.
• Heavy duty racing clutch.
• Heavy duty primary chains.
• OEM oil pump modified to M3 Racing specs.

In the early eighties I had a series of t-shirts that featured vinyl, metal flake prints. They varied in subject matter from Spider man through to Moto cross themed designs and I wore them till they pretty much disintegrated. Since then I have kept my obsession with sparkly things a secret but today I'm coming out and saying it...I love metal flake paint.




And apparently so do the guys at Old School Engineering. Their 73 Honda CB750 K2 is an all black beast with a splash of 70's "old school" cool.


Very little lustre remains on the once chrome covered CB. After a full tear down all of the bikes engine casings and covers received a concealing coat of gloss black. The chrome of the four header pipes has also been hidden with graphite heat wrap before they converge in to the one single muffler. Lower profile lights have been used to reduce bulk and the indicators and tail light all have smoked lenses. The front fender has been done away with and the rear chopped giving the always stylish Firestone rubber the exposure it deserves.



Other items on the Honda that received the black treatment include the velocity stacks and carbs, the wheel rims, forks, fuel tank and clip on bars. To counter act the sheer amount of black there is on this custom motorbike that lovely metal flake paint was applied along with a set of striking blue Beston grips. While the modifications to this Honda aren't as extreme as some of the other Cafe Racers we feature, a good eye for design has ensured that this ride oozes old school cool.