Japanese customizers just have a different style, there’s just no other way to put it.
Custom bikes created in Europe or in the United States are cool and all, but they can rarely capture the kind of vibe that only certain Japanese masters can gift their special bikes with.
Let’s take this “Avanzare” for instance, the latest creation from Asterisk Custom Cycles: that was a very American Harley Davidson Sportster at birth – as you can tell straightaway from that bare twin – but the three guys from the Japanese workshop managed to turn it into something unique: the aluminum swingarm is inspired by the one of the mighty Honda NSR500 racer, with Öhlins that provided for the damper and the upside-down fork (with triple-clamp).
The rake angle went from the original 29 degrees down to a much more sporty 24 for greater handling and maneuverability.
The main oil supply is hidden in that massive aluminum chin spoiler, a choice that allowed the guys from Asterisk to provide the bike with its slender and fascinating figure, which is made even sexier by that brilliant 2-into-1 stainless-steel exhaust system.
We don’t know why they gave it a foreign name (’Avanzare’ meaning ‘to go forward’ in Italian), but we just cannot stop looking at this gorgeous machine.
That’s how a modern Café Racer should look like, and in case you are wondering there are no less than 100 hp in that body.