style tracker honda CRF by marcus moto design celebrates scandinavian minimalism

marcus moto design is a custom motorcycle workshop located outside stockholm, sweden. its most recent addition, ‘style tracker’, often raises the question whether it should be tearing through dirt tracks, or encased behind glass in a design exhibition. the bike, honda ‘CRF450’ from 2006 was bought by owner, marcus carlsson, from a friend outside hasselstad, the small town in sweden where he grew up. the bike was kept totally original for his forest and road riding pursuits. during this time he envisioned what could be the ‘ultimate’ street tracker.

original honda ‘CRF’ fused with an aluminum MX frame

it meant a motorcycle with minimal bodywork, centralized weight distribution, lightweight carbon fibre features, all with a concept motorcycle feel to it. when he finally got around to it he fused the honda ‘CRF’ with a modern aluminium MX frame, a powerful four stroke 450 thumper engine and a lightweight base. the ‘HRC concept’ features by marcus moto design were added to it afterwards.

bodywork features centralized weight distribution for enhanced handling

every modification on the ‘style tracker’ is done by marcus’s hands — even paint. welding and modifying of the FMF exhaust plus aluminum sub frame, shaping the fine bodyworks mold base in foam. manufacturing the gas tank, handlaying the carbon fiber belly pan and bodywork, lowering front forks. the sprocket covers, axle covers and light brackets are drawn in CAD, before manufacturing using 3D printing techniques. the focus on the bodywork has been to make it as minimal as possible while improving the handling with the centralized weight of the gas tank and exhaust. riders can actually peer straight down the valve cover through a hole.

the riders minimalist seat is taken from a touring bike

the frame and swing arm remain from the honda, but everything else is either modified or removed. the aluminum sub frame both bears the load of the rider and acts as the mounting piece for the carbon fiber gas tank. every surface of the elegant, carbon fiber veneer of body work has been questioned to reduce the overall weight, and exhibit the true, lightweight appearance. it has been stripped back to such a level that it is barely street legal — the seat is for a touring bike. the japanese registration plate was sourced many years ago at a tokyo moped market.

several components of the style tracker are manufactured with 3D printing techniques

the engine is modified with a one-off FMF exhaust system featuring a shortened silencer tucked underneath the engine. performance enhancing features include both boyesen factory racing clutch covers and a supercooler water pump cover, robust and stylish red silicone samco hoses matched to modified, eye-catching, aluminum aftermarket radiators, goldentyre 19 inch flat track tyres and a fasst co brake spring kit for the rear brake.