Wen it comes to Brat-style customs, the Wrench Monkees are the undisputed kings of the genre, perfecting the lean & low, frame-hugging rear seat, with Firestone-hugging stubby fenders and low bars & clocks, keeping it all flat and fat. We don't often feature these builds on The Bike Shed, simply because by the time we get to see them, everyone else has had them plastered all over the interweb, so we're never gonna be breaking news, but the big Z1000 is one of our favourite platforms and this bike is just perfect, so here she is. Based on a Kawasaki Z 1000 ST, she's been given the moniker; Black Tuft - although we have no idea why, considering that she's green and far from tufty or cute, but who's to argue with the primate kings of the tarmac jungle when it comes to naming their own hard work. The bike retains the standard frame, swingarm and front fork, although there will have been some chopping at the rear to accommodate that fat seat, and some de-lugging to lose the sidepanel fixings and electrical gubbins that has been tucked away elsewhere. The front fork have been shortened, to keep her her low and mean, and a more curvy Kawasaki Z1000A tank has replaced the ST item. A VN1500 donated the rear hub, machined to fit a one-off rear brake disc adapter and laced to new alu black-powder coated rims wearing far Firestones. A KLR650 donated the rear brake caliper, which almost certainly adds some bite to the original disc setup. The Wrench Monkees now have their own "monkeefied" aftermarket products, and the bike has plenty of these installed, including WM Turn signals, WM Headlight, WM alu headlight brackets, WM Rear shocks, WM front fender, WM rear loop, while the one-off items include the rear fender, plate mount, LED rear light and battery box. A lithium battery keeps things small, neat and lightweight high up in the cleaned-up rear subframe.

The rear seat is humped for a slightly more 'cafe' vibe, but looks like it leaves room for a long-legged European nymph on the back. A Kawasaki Z900A provide the front hub (purists, don't sweat, I'm sure the donor is in a class case somewhere being polished), while a Kawasaki Z750B donated the front discs using the standard ST calipers. Footrests are Tarozzi, low race handlebars are fitted with Kung Fu grips, and a Motogadget speedo takes care of the "how fast does it go mista?" questions from street urchins. The engine has also been rebuilt at the top end with new pistons while Keihin CR 29 carbs provide air & fuel and standard Z1000ST exhaust headers handle gases on the way out via Megatron mufflers. Ultimately, this bike is the mutts nuts and shows why the Wrench Monkees continue to have the reputation that they do. Read more and see more pics on the Wrench Monkees own website.