For a world-class workshop like Purpose Built Moto (PBM), even a relatively simple project can snowball into something extraordinary. We’ve seen it happen on several occasions in the past, and such builds are living proof that a few thoughtful mods can make a huge difference. Tom Gilroy and his team were recently at it once again, approached by a client named Matt with a few clear requests.
As a professional photographer and passionate rider, Matt needed a two-wheeled companion with the ability to carry all his camera equipment. Some serious luggage storage solutions were thus required here, but PBM’s customer didn’t want an overly cluttered machine. With this in mind, Tom’s bike-modding connoisseurs had to get pretty creative in order to make everything come together.
Their schedule is constantly packed to the brim, though, so Matt was first put on a waiting list for some time. He already had the project’s donor in his possession – a fresh Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 with all its enamoring retro charm. Having no option but to play the waiting game, he eventually decided to tackle a few of the simpler modifications himself in the meantime. This would make his relationship with the bike even more personal.
Firing up his browser, Matt went straight to the Purpose Built Moto website and began assessing their aftermarket catalog. He added a few bits and pieces to the shopping cart, including a seven-inch Flashpoint headlight and LED front turn signals, as well as a pair of round rear-view mirrors. With these goodies delivered, the Aussie was ready to tackle some DIY tweaks in his home garage.
Slowly but surely, the parts made their way onto the INT650, and the owner was pretty satisfied with the results. Then, it came time for the experts over at PBM to take over, so the motorcycle was shipped to their workshop in the city of Gold Coast, Queensland. To get the ball rolling, Sir Gilroy and his accomplices first busied themselves with remodeling the Enfield’s rear anatomy.
Photo: Purpose Built Moto
They did away with its stock seat and shortened the subframe by 30 mm (1.2 inches). The looped rear section of the tubing has been retained and welded back on, complete with a few accessories that keep the bike’s rear end as clean as possible. A compact license plate bracket is one of the additions we’re referring to, flanked by a pair of multi-function LEDs acting as both taillights and turn signals.
Atop the modded rear framework lies a flat, scrambler-style bench seat, neatly wrapped in black leather by the upholstery experts over at Timeless Auto Trim. Even though it’s not pictured here, the most intricate custom work in that area is a removable luggage rack manufactured from scratch. It can be installed in just five minutes, giving Matt plenty of room to store his photo gear and a few other bits.
The passenger foot peg brackets were cleverly converted into mounting points for this tailor-made rack, and it’s a real shame that we don’t get to see how it all comes together. What we do come across is a pair of aluminum Excel rims down in the unsprung sector, both embraced by dual-purpose Scorpion Rally STR rubber from Pirelli. Oh, and the finished bike does come with a front fender, but it wasn’t done in time for the photoshoot.
Photo: Purpose Built Moto
On the other hand, you will still see the original fuel tank and side covers on this machine. They were, however, repainted by one of Matt’s trusted collaborators, with the base color being a vibrant shade of orange done in a glossy finish. It's joined by black detailing on the fuel tank, in the form of stylish Royal Enfield graphics and rounded patches for the knee indentations.
A ProTaper handlebar takes pride of place up in the cockpit area, but PBM chose to retain the factory dials and controls. Their closing act took place in the powertrain department, with some fresh breathing paraphernalia replacing the standard hardware. On the intake side of the equation, there is DNA air filtration technology providing ample airflow.
As for the exhaust, the guys kept the Interceptor’s original headers while taking its chunky mufflers out of the equation. The stock silencers made room for much smaller reverse megaphone substitutes fashioned out of stainless-steel. It was around this time that the photoshoot took place, and the INT650 got handed back to its owner as soon as the front fender was delivered and installed.
Now, this sort of project would be considered a fully-fledged custom build by many craftsmen out there, yet Purpose Built Moto simply refers to it as a Quick Fix. If you’ve read any of our past articles covering their work, it should be pretty clear why that’s so. In any case, Matt is sure to have an absolute blast on this thing for years to come!
A bit of an artist himself, Silvian sees two- and four-wheeled machines as a form of art, especially restomods and custom rides. Oh, and if you come across a cafe racer article on our website, it’s most likely his doing. Full profile
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