There’s no shortage of whiz-bang bikes from the ‘80s, but even the most purist aficionado can agree that most rides out of that era looked modular, heavy-handed, if also a little too on the nose.
That’s not to say they looked horrible. Quite the contract, actually — the anti-sleek gave those vehicles a brutalist, sharpened look and feel. In the era of disco balls, rubber-burners made do with large, angular fairings, durable metalwork, and bizarre color combo.
In the midst of this visual chaos, the Thumper came to save the day. Following the runaway success of some of that era’s thumper platforms, Honda went to make one, the Ascot.
The Honda Ascot isn’t new to custom jobs. In fact, it’s made a number of appearances at various shops. This time, it’s MotoRelic’s turn to spin it into something anew. The Hamilton, Virginia-based bike builder turned the formidable road rager into what appears to be a race-ready ride.
Removing was their first order of business. The shop took out the bike’s distinctive battery mount, bulky rear frame adornments, and the electrical components. In replacement, MotoRelic chucked in its custom TS250 tank and plastered minimalist aluminum body panels all over the thing. They chose Shinko tires to round out the entire look, which come mounted on the bike’s stock wheels. There’s also a Shorai battery, to boot. Presented in a delicate pearl, red, yellow, and blue paint, the build combines flair and utility flawlessly. Maybe favoring flair a bit, though, although a little lean-in to style isn’t so bad, right?
Photos courtesy of MotoRelic
