For Us The One Thing That Is Essential Out Here,

is our stepthrough motorcycle,

 with its carrier on the front and luggage hoops, shopping and parking is a breeze, but it could do with a bit more umph, well it was not designed with people of my weight in mind,

 so here is the answer, Malaysia’s FNGWorks,

 they’ve crammed a 600cc Honda thumper engine into a diminutive Honda C70 and somehow done it cleanly enough that it looks perfectly stock,

 and kept the front shopping basket!

the motorcycle was the brainchild of  Irwann Cheng, head of FNG Works Speedshop, which is a retail store that sells riding apparel and builds custom motorcycles, for the motorcycle new, wider tyres and rims were propped against the rolling frame and an engine from a Honda XR600R placed in front, then Irwann stood back. “From there I could see the proportion of the bike and decide on the position of the engine, stance, absorber length and swingarm length,” Irwann says. “I didn’t want to change the geometry too much and wanted it to look stock”,

 it will be a tight squeeze with Diana on the back, but if it were ours I am sure we would fit, somehow!

the hardest part of the build? Well, according to Irwann the answer is simple. “Fitting the 600 engine to the frame without modifying the frame geometry. The proportion, fork rake and position had to be in the same (or similar) position as a stock bike. I didn’t want it to look weird if sitting next to a stock C70. The space was tight and a lot of reinforcements had to be made and hidden from view”, 

but what a job he’s done! Cramming an engine into an existing frame is one thing, but making it look as coherent and ‘correct’ as this is incredibly difficult to do, and Irwann is understandably delighted with the result. “I like that the seat and swingarm are horizontal and so much of the bike has lines that are parallel to each other. The front basket makes it look soft. But when it starts and the sound roars through the stainless exhaust it spits fire. It’s like having two different personalities”, would I like one? of course! and no I am not on commission, I just think it is a great practical, but ludicrously fast run around, to follow FNG here is their Facebook page, photography by @kaptenohdeer.