While Royal Enfield’s newer 650 twins have been in the limelight lately, the company’s 500 series still continues to have quite a fan following. They may never have been known for performance, however, the venerable 499cc singles have lured riders in with their simplicity, affordability and vintage looks. Custom bike builders have been much intrigued by the Classic 500. This one comes from FrontWheel Motors—a workshop in Bogor, Jakarta in Indonesia’s West Java province. (Source: Bikeexif)
They named the project ‘Raijin,’ after the Japanese god of thunder. The Raijin is longer and lower, for which FrontWheel altered the bike’s steering angle and extended the swingarm. Then they added a set of custom yokes, to push the OEM forks wider and make room for chunkier wheels. With that sorted, the team could ditch the stock 19F/18R hoops for a pair of 16” items, wrapped in 5” wide Coker tyres. (Source: Bikeexif)
The bodywork had a major overhaul too. FrontWheel massaged a pair of deep knee indents into the fuel tank, then added a Monza-style gas cap. Behind it is a slim, sprung bobber seat, followed by a stunning custom ducktail fender to finish off the tail end. FrontWheel also installed a smaller headlight up front, and made a custom mount for a Motogadget speedo. Also present are new handlebars and grips, a new throttle, an upgraded brake fluid reservoir, and micro switches. And the ignition’s been relocated to the left of the bike, just below the tank. (Source: Bikeexif)
Lighting at the back is handled by tiny LED turn signals attached to the shock mounts, and a side-mounted taillight. FrontWheel also treated the Enfield to a custom skid plate, and new foot pegs. Raijin’s finishes are deliberately monochromatic. Silver paint on the tank and rear fender is complemented by a host of black parts, giving this compact bobber an unassuming vibe. (Source: Bikeexif)
Royal Enfield might not be making the Classic 500 any more, but secondhand examples will be kicking around for years to come still. So there’s plenty of time to snatch one up, and build a tidy little café hopper like this. (Source: Bikeexif)
