For the sixth consecutive year, Honda is showcasing an eclectic mix of customised, tuned, and modified motorcycles as part of its pan European Hondacustoms competition at the Wheels and Waves festival in Biarritz, France. In 2020, the Africa Four CRF1000R version of the CB1000R from Swiss Honda dealer Brivemo Motos was crowned the inaugural www.hondacustoms.com victor.

2021 saw Mototrofa’s Fenix interpretation of the CB650R win for Portugal. 2022 saw the CMX500 Rebel go under the knife, with Maanboard from Sardinia-based customisers Motocicli Audaci taking the honours.

2023 saw the competition shrink with the Dax and Monkey minibikes exploding into Biarritz in a cloud of colour and craziness, only for the post-apocalyptic Furiosa from Art of Wheels Garage and Tamara Alves. Last year saw the CL250 and CL500 take centre stage, with Turkey’s Bunker Garage emerging as champion with the sublime Bunker Imprint retro café racer.

For 2025, the all-new to Europe GB350S has been offered up for reinterpretation. The single-cylinder retro bike is the ideal basis for customisation thanks to its perfectly judged blend of old and new and has been offered up to a unique mixture of eleven dealer and specialist custom bike builders from around Europe. Compact, versatile and huge fun to ride, the GB350S is a bike whose ‘Ride with Life, Live with Passion’ tagline and simple, retro style are very much of the moment giving the perfect base for the talented customisers to work their magic on.

The customisation contest has become an annual event – working in parallel in reality and online – that’s growing in popularity as imaginations run riot, and hondacustoms.com received over 25,500 voting visitors throughout summer 2024 for its range of Honda minibikes, an increase of 18% on the previous year.

The bikes can be seen in person at the annual Wheels and Waves festival in Biarritz from Wednesday 11th to Sunday 15th June 2025, and on-line throughout the summer at hondacustoms.com, where visitors can vote for their favourite customisation and download wallpapers for their phone or desktop.

THE 2025 LINE-UP

The Rocket Lion – Honda Motor Center León: Spain

A love letter from the Honda Motor Center Leon dealership to the classic Café Racers of a time gone by, The Rocket Lion embodies Honda’s renowned build quality, attention to detail and smart touches from our long and illustrious past. The Rocket Lion utilises a modified RC181 fairing and screen up front, paired with a custom rear cowling for unique side profile and silhouette. The cowling works in conjunction with a custom seat, itself shaped to give the bike the riding position of an old school GP bike. Michelin Road Classic tyres, titanium hardware throughout, and an official Honda colour paired with a patina-riddled oversize logo all form part of extensive specification list.

Clubman TT – Mallorca Motos: Spain

Taking inspiration from a later period of competitive motorsport is the Clubman TT from Mallorca Motos. The Spanish dealer has leaned into the GB350S’s 1960s/1970s aesthetic and taken inspiration from the 70’s street racing movement with its stubby clip-on handlebars, and short seat unit with integrated rear hump lowering the bike’s silhouette. A blacked-out shotgun style exhaust amplifies the single cylinder’s sonorous beat and turns up the style. As do the three-spoke front, and solid rear wheel – used to offset the unique paintwork – a colour that cycles through multiple blues and greens, emulating the sea and trees of the Isle of Man.

Miranda – Honda Motorsport Las Rozas: Spain

Paying tribute to the rebellious and free spirit of vintage motorcycles, Miranda (named after the seven-year daughter of the project leader) is a classy, effortlessly cool balance of aesthetics, functionality and personality. Designed by the all-female team at Honda Motorsport Las Rozas, Miranda has a few touches that enhance the original silhouette – such as the new headlight cowl with integrated screen – and revised seat, all finished in a retro-rich mixture of crisp white and candy pink paint. But the revisions aren’t just aesthetic - a free-breathing Arrow Exhausts system liberates the GB350S’s voice whilst YSS rear suspension units beef up the GB350S dynamic attributes.

MBX350 – Servihonda Málaga: Spain

Cutting a unique shape in the competition is Servihonda Málaga’s MBX350. Focusing on a completely different decade, the MBX350’s look is defined by its squared off styling, and an iconic paint job evoking memories of the Spanish made two-stroke MBX80 of the 80’s. To ensure a near perfect facsimile of the MBX80, historical parts have been adapted and modified to fit the new frame and deliver an almost factory level of fit and finish. Refinished wheels, forks and swingarm in bright silver (plus evocative Pro-Link decal in red) further differentiates the MBX350 from its rival builds, while period correct square mirrors and a stubby Tavi exhaust system round out the modifications.

Mia – TubaisMoto: Portugal

Portuguese dealer TubaisMoto’s Mia is a café racer inspired entry to Hondacustoms 2025. The upright frontal fairing and old school screen are pure 1960’s racer and the blacked-out chassis offsets the fairing’s riff on the classic HRC colour combo of red, white and blue. The complementing stripe that runs from nose to tail, is subtly graduated out over the rear cowl making the whole colour scheme pop. Further adding to the retro aesthetic is the low-slung blacked-out exhaust and wire-spoked wheels. A new tail unit – with subtly integrated compact LED light unit – ensures modernity.

Okira Okira – Ruleshaker: France

What if forgotten pieces from the past could inspire tomorrow’s style? Designed and styled by Freaky Debbie (Déborah Amaral, a Paris-based fashion designer specialising in upcycling) and prepared by Ruleshaker, the idea behind Okira is to create a one-of-a-kind motorcycle and matching outfit using unsold apparel and gear or pieces from past racing events. The result is rideable artwork, dressed by a fashion designer and presented as a manifesto of style and intelligent recycling. There’s so much to see – with a riot of leather everywhere – plus a glorious patchwork of HRC-inspired Red, White and Blue paint.

Silver Bullet – Farnham Honda: UK

Silver Bullet is without doubt a classic take on true British café racer style and from the swoop of the nose-cone fairing, aluminium-finish fuel tank and svelte single seat unit it drips style and intent. Sharply raked clip-on handlebars sit well below the top yoke and match rear set footpegs mounted on beautifully machined hangers. Braided hoses hint at impressive braking power as does a wave-style front disc. And, just to cement its performance potential, the bike rolls on full racing slick tyres.

FTR 350 - Vertu Honda: UK

FTR350 takes inspiration from Flat Track racing, with a minimalist aesthetic and a focus on performance, handling and noise. A new, upswept seat section continues the soft curvature of the fuel tank, with the headlight replaced by a number board. Finished in custom red paint offset by White, Black and Blue graphics, the bodywork screams classic racer as does the blacked-out frame and wire wheels. Braking performance is bolstered through the addition of braided brake lines front and rear; an open cone air-filter and custom high-level exhaust (finished with a CR Racefit can) liberate the single-cylinder engine.

Swiss Wing – Pellicari Design: Switzerland

Swiss Wing is a unique creation born from collaboration between Honda Moto Switzerland and Pellicari Design and inspired by aeronautics. The modifications include unique full wheels, louvers, rivets, hoses and screws – the large Honda Wing on the fuel tank is beautifully marked out – all borrowed from the world of aviation. The engine breathes through a compact, forward-facing air filter, the sprung seat sits atop dual exhaust mufflers, and the design also incorporates retro whitewall tires, blacked-out rear shocks and candy red paint that evokes the Swiss flag.

Hachimaan – MAAN Motocicli Audaci: Italy

2022 winners, the Sardinia-based MAAN Motocicil, are back once again with a truly unique take on the GB350S. Named after the Shinto God of War, Hachimaan represents that fighting spirit and adopts a Japanese-Bobber style for an exercise in complex simplicity. Beneath the glistening blue paint, a number of custom components such as a bespoke hardtail frame section, low capacity ‘peanut’ fuel tank, and handlebars that are devoid of clutch and brake levers that create a clean, uncluttered look. The ghosted flame paint work, with detailed knurled flames on the forks, suicide shifter with foot clutch, and stubby exhaust exude custom style. With a nice touch of irony the owner’s handbook is zip-tied to the handlebars.

GRAND (B)RIX – Sporty Bike: Germany

A stealthy entry inspired by road and cafe racers GRAND (B)RIX is finished in a classic Black/Gold colour combination. Subtly modified, the bike features yokes dropped through the forks, lowering the front end, giving a more purposeful, sporty stance. Completing the chassis modifications are new handlebars with more aggressive angle, bar end mirrors, and grips for a harmonious, cafe racer look. A blacked out exhaust system, with colour coded heat wrap, adds both style and tone, while the new rear shocks add to the gold accents, and work with the tidied rear end. A custom-stitched seat completes the build.