Wrench Kings Mash CafeScram
By Ross Sharp - 13 Jan 17
As is often the case in the current custom scene, the grind of grown-up day jobs wears down the creative spirit of those lucky enough to have been blessed with that gene in the first place. Wrench Kings from the Netherlands cut their teeth in the corporate business world, based in Dubai, but returned to their homeland to pursue the far more rewarding task of customising motorcycles. They not only have a flair for design but their approach is slick and as you would expect, businesslike.
Motomondo are one company who appreciate the Wrench King's professional approach and last year commissioned this Mash 400 to be built, in just four weeks, for the BigTwin Bikeshow 2016. Mash is one of the better known brands offering small capacity motorcycles produced utilising the cost savings of Far Eastern manufacturing. Motomondo import and distribute the French Mash bikes to the Netherlands and wanted to make a noise about the range-topping 400cc Scrambler and supplied a brand new donor.
Wrench Kings work closely with parts distributor Motorcycles United so a supply of decent components was guaranteed. But what wasn't obvious at the project's inception was the mixed genres that would make up the final look. The café bikini fairing juxtaposed with an XR style flattrack seat actually makes for a good looking silhouette, especially when painted in this lurid shade of green, with big metallic flakes.
Despite the Mash being a brand new bike built to meet the demands of today's super critical custom punters there's still plenty of work to do to the frame to achieve this clean aesthetic. Tabs and brackets securing the air and battery boxes became surpless to requirements and were therefore ground-off and the tubing smoothed before laying down a coat of pearlescent white paint, making the green pop even more.
The motor is stock but now breathes through a pod filter and stainless steel silencer. The finned oil tank required for the dry sump doesn't look bad for a stock item and its position down low and out of the way helped to keep the rear triangle completely clear. A lithium battery now lives beneath the Toni’s Custom Works seat.
The stock hubs have been relaced to 16" black powder coated rims with stainless spokes before fitment of the obligatory Firestone tyres. We might be over a decade into the New Wave Custom Scene but there still isn't rubber available that quite trumps the pure and simple look of a pair of Deluxe Champions.
The extensive skill set of the Wrench Kings hasn't been stretched with this build but it highlights that with a limited budget and timescale they're able to turn-out a really smart motorcycle. But they're certainly not some faceless bolt-on part fitters, every Wednesday they host a ride-in evening at their Bilthoven workshop where everyone is welcome to hangout, drink a beer, checkout the latest projects, seek advice and even borrow tools to work on their own bikes. We're definitely adding this pin to our European road trip Google Map.
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