Photo: Batakastem Workshop via Pipeburn
We never run out of reasons to praise Indonesia’s booming custom motorcycle scene, and Batakastem Workshop over in Jakarta is one of them. Abraham Simatupang and his team have stunned the public with their incredible builds time and time again, never afraid to challenge themselves or tackle different genres. In fact, it hasn’t been long since we’ve featured one of their bespoke gems here on autoevolution.
The said project was a scrambled Kawasaki ER-6N with futuristic looks, which is basically the polar opposite of what we’ll be looking at today. Pictured above is a Yamaha XS650 bobber whose visual presence is distinctly cartoonish, yet incredibly enticing all at once. After sourcing the donor and taking it back to the shop, the guys had it dismantled and began throwing around ideas for what was to come.
Ultimately, the bike’s rear end was subjected to a comprehensive rebuild, so as to bring its anatomy closer to bobber territory. With that out of the way, the experts at Batakastem turned their attention to the front end of the chassis, creating a pair of bespoke triple clamps fit for the replacement forks they had prepared. The front suspension hardware was transplanted from a Suzuki and given a layer of chrome plating prior to installation.
Turning back to the rear end for a minute, we find aftermarket shock absorbers handling suspension duties. They’re shorter than the stock items but provide just enough travel to keep the ride nice and smooth, making use of the standard mounting points up high and custom ones down low. Batakastem retained the OEM drum brakes and wheel hubs, giving them a comprehensive overhaul inside out.
All this hardware was then chromed and laced up to aftermarket rims via stainless-steel spokes. The new hoops measure 21 inches at the front and 16 inches at the rear, both sporting retro-style Avon rubber and more chrome plating. On the bodywork front, we come across a custom peanut-style fuel tank placed center-stage, right in front of a bespoke saddle upholstered in black leather.
Below the seat lies a faux oil tank acting as a storage compartment for the electronics, and there is an aluminum bobber-style fender placed further back. Supporting a small Bates-style taillight, the mudguard is joined by a short sissy bar to really bring out that chopper flavor. The front fender can hardly be called that at all, because its dimensions make it more of a fork brace.
Higher up, there is a snazzy yellow-tinted headlamp, and the cockpit is home to a tailor-made handlebar wrapped in Emgo grips. A single rear-view mirror is mounted on the right-hand side of the fuel tank, which is wrapped in groovy cartoonish graphics just like the other bodywork components. The specimen also carries some fresh breathing equipment, in the form of TK Racing carbs topped with velocity stacks and a gorgeous pie-cut exhaust made of stainless-steel.
Ultimately, the bike’s rear end was subjected to a comprehensive rebuild, so as to bring its anatomy closer to bobber territory. With that out of the way, the experts at Batakastem turned their attention to the front end of the chassis, creating a pair of bespoke triple clamps fit for the replacement forks they had prepared. The front suspension hardware was transplanted from a Suzuki and given a layer of chrome plating prior to installation.
Turning back to the rear end for a minute, we find aftermarket shock absorbers handling suspension duties. They’re shorter than the stock items but provide just enough travel to keep the ride nice and smooth, making use of the standard mounting points up high and custom ones down low. Batakastem retained the OEM drum brakes and wheel hubs, giving them a comprehensive overhaul inside out.
All this hardware was then chromed and laced up to aftermarket rims via stainless-steel spokes. The new hoops measure 21 inches at the front and 16 inches at the rear, both sporting retro-style Avon rubber and more chrome plating. On the bodywork front, we come across a custom peanut-style fuel tank placed center-stage, right in front of a bespoke saddle upholstered in black leather.
Below the seat lies a faux oil tank acting as a storage compartment for the electronics, and there is an aluminum bobber-style fender placed further back. Supporting a small Bates-style taillight, the mudguard is joined by a short sissy bar to really bring out that chopper flavor. The front fender can hardly be called that at all, because its dimensions make it more of a fork brace.
Higher up, there is a snazzy yellow-tinted headlamp, and the cockpit is home to a tailor-made handlebar wrapped in Emgo grips. A single rear-view mirror is mounted on the right-hand side of the fuel tank, which is wrapped in groovy cartoonish graphics just like the other bodywork components. The specimen also carries some fresh breathing equipment, in the form of TK Racing carbs topped with velocity stacks and a gorgeous pie-cut exhaust made of stainless-steel.
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