Minibikes styled by young artists
Honda surfs into Wheels and Waves 2023 with seven custom minibikes.
Honda have invited seven young artists to collaborate with bike builders to both inspire a younger generation of riders and spark interest in the joys of two wheelers among new audiences.
If any manufacturer has bikes to do that, it’s Honda – with the 125cc Dax, Monkey and MSX125 Grom.
Each are icons in their own right, meaning different things to different riders.
The retro Dax and funky Monkey both inspire thoughts of the 1970s; the Grom is a rolling, contemporary style statement even before it gets any special treatment.
Hooking up some very creative minds with some equally talented bike creators and letting their imaginations run wild on this trio has produced some very interesting results – the basis for Honda’s presence at Wheels and Waves 2023.
This is another of many projects highlighting Honda’s commitment to encourage new riders to the market.
One key activation in the UK is the Ride Free which allows participants to try a Honda motorcycle under the guidance of a Honda Approved Motorcycle Training Instructor.
Attendees are taken through the first stages of motorcycling in a safe off-road area with an instructor alongside all the way. Clothing and safety equipment is all provided.
The Ride Free Experience events are taking place across the country throughout the year and will be held either at our Honda Approved Training Dealerships or at their partner training schools.
THE PEOPLE AND THE BIKES
Bike 1 (UK) Hold On!
Aptly named, as the Grom by Matt B and renowned builder Guy Willison is not only stretched and slammed like a Pro-Street drag bike, it’s also sporting a turbocharger.
With nitrous oxide injection for good measure. Why not?
The Artist: Matt B Customs (UK) @mattbcustoms
Bike 2 (Spain) Driving Me Mad
How do you make the adorable even more cute? Simple. Take one Dax and – where you can – add bold splashes of primary colour.
Influenced by her young self, Coco and builder UFO Garage (@ufo.garage) have created a two-wheeled visual pop of joy, with chunky block tyres thrown in for good measure.
The Artist: Coco Dávez (Spain) @cocodavez
Bike 3 (Austria) Monkey X Business
Austrian artist Boicut and collaborator Titan Motorcycles (@titanmotorcycles) have certainly pushed the boundaries with their creation.
It’s an eyeball-popping take on a 1970s chopper with radically raked front end, mini-ape ‘bars, chromed grabrail and upswept exhaust with fishtail-style end cap.
The Artist: BOICUT (Austria) @boicut
Bike 4 (Portugal) Furiosa
An awful lot of work between Tamara Alves and her builder, Art On Wheels Garage (@artonwheelsgarage) has turned a stock Dax into a toasted post-apocalyptic roadrunner.
Details abound: Block tyres, a wolf motif, graffiti signatures, bespoke exhaust with wire mesh cage, and glimpses of tartan peeping out of the scorched seat cover.
The Artist: Tamara Alves (Portugal) @tamara_aalves
Bike 5 (France) Tokyo
An absolute riot of colour assembled between French artist Grems and builder George Woodman (@georgewoodman64).
Pop-art visuals are pumped with vibrant colour in abstract – and subtly meshed – patterns on every square centimetre of Monkey available.
The Artist: GREMS (France) @insta_grems
Bike 6 (Italy) Let’s Grom
Franceso Marchesani’s Grom has been produced together with Alex Polita (@alexpolita53) an ex-IDM championship Fireblade-riding front runner.
Let’s Grom spreads its graffiti wings artfully on the fuel tank, drawing an observer into the world of possibilities that two wheels present. As for the bike itself – and as an ex-racer would want – it’s even more compact than it started out.
Tiny LED indicators, lever-protecting knuckle guards, no mirrors. If you don’t need it, lose it!
The Artist: Franceso Marchesani (Italy) @francesco_onem
Bike 7 (Germany) Manjushage
A subtle café racer drawn from a Monkey base by @lanaarts23, and built by Maximilian Zech – a Honda technician based at the flagship Honda Centre dealer in Frankfurt – with a real flair for creativity (@hondamotorrad_de).
The Yoshimura end-can and aftermarket remote reservoir rear shocks boost performance and handling, while Lena has crafted the fuel tank and fender white with spider lily motifs (Manjushage in Japanese).
Note the tiny monkey on the downpipe heat shield…
The Artist: @lanaarts23
Picture: Honda Motor Europe Ltd