Vesta, the Interceptor 650 Custom Cafe Twin at Wheels&Waves 2023 for Busted Knuckles
We went to Wheels&Waves 2023, but not just as ordinary visitors! In Biarritz, we presented an official custom build and now we're telling you all about it!
The Mecca of custom bikes. This sums up the bond between the motorcycle Custom Culture and the city of Biarritz, known for the waves that attract surfers from all over the world and for Wheels & Waves, the world's most famous event when it comes to one-off motorcycles.
Born in 2012 from the passion for custom bikes of a group of friends, Wheels & Waves quickly became a benchmark in the global scene, attracting the most famous customizers in the world and even hosting editions in California and, since last year, in Italy.
Over the years, the beaches of this French city have hosted the works of custom legends such as Roland Sands, Go Takamine (Brat Style), Ola Stengard, and El Solitario, making them true stars of the custom culture. Now, we too can join the list of customizers who have received an invitation to this major event!
Taking part in Wheels and Waves 2023 is another milestone in our journey, especially because we were invited by Royal Enfield, who commissioned us to build a special bike to be unveiled for the first time during the event in France.
The only rule was to impress, and Vesta – the name given to the scrambler based on the Royal Enfield Interceptor – certainly did: once the work was finished, we received an invitation from India for the Busted Knuckles Build-Off, the expo dedicated to the 6 best Royal Enfield-based specials in the world, held at Wheels & Waves 2023 within the Artride event.
The motorcycle
There are many ways to achieve such a result: some create extreme dragsters, some completely revolutionise the bike compared to its stock version, and others focus entirely on technical aspects. We have stayed true to the path we've followed for years and bet everything on style: the result is Vesta, a scrambler with timeless appeal, yet unique in its kind. We took inspiration from 1970s enduro bikes, but added that touch of elegance that, we like to think, now sets us apart.
The lines are exceptionally clean, thanks above all to two elements: the custom-made fibreglass tail unit with a white leather seat, and the choice of a 2-in-1 high exhaust, the result of a collaboration between Cafe Twin and aftermarket manufacturer Mass Exhaust, which accentuates the lines of this one-off.
Heidenau Ranger knobby tyres, Biltwell Cross handlebar, Bates headlight assembly and chrome mudguards – “borrowed” from one of the many Triumphs coming and going from the workshop – complete the vintage enduro look, which still maintains a strong Italian identity thanks to the choice of colours. The base is in fact a teal inspired by Italian cars from the 1960s-1970s, highlighting the two-tone yellow and red details, a tribute to the Eternal City and the Roman god of fire who lent his name to this special.
Craftsmanship is an important element in this special: in addition to the tail and seat, even the pedal levers were made specifically for Vesta, as were the side panels – one in hand-worked aluminium, the other with the bag from the Cafe Twin X Trip Machine collection – and the intake trumpets machined from solid. And, to add a touch of romance, there’s a real piece of the workshop on this special: a bolt from the shop sign was sacrificed to finish off Vesta’s lever knob. A truly poetic way to tie this bike to its birthplace.
This scrambler isn’t just about looks: the exhaust-intake combination actually delivers around a dozen extra horsepower to the Royal Enfield Twin, the chassis has been significantly improved thanks to the adoption of YSS fork cartridges and Bitubo rear shocks, and the original front wheel has been replaced with a 19” unit, providing greater agility off-road.
A radical, but not irreversible transformation for our Royal Enfield Interceptor: all components are plug & play and the bike could be returned to its original state with a few hours in the workshop.
Want to come and see it for yourself and maybe find out how to turn your bike into a special? Visit us at Via Mesula, 12 in Rome. We’re waiting for you!
