This Honda CB650R Custom Is Ready For A Rally Raid

Honda Motor Europe Iberia’s Garage Dreams customization contest may only be two years old, but any excuse to take a showroom-fresh bike and make it unique is a good one. For 2020, the design brief for contest entrants was simple: Take a shiny new CB650R and make of it what you will. Entries opened on November 18, 2019, which honestly seems like so long ago. Due to the state of the world, online voting is still open as of June 17, 2020, and a winner has not yet been chosen. 

Scrolling through the 36 entrants for this year’s contest, one clearly stands out from the pack. While that distinctive exhaust header configuration clues you in to what you’re looking at, the Dakar and Team HRC-inspired build by Lisbon, Portugal-based Honda Wingmotor packs an immediate visual impact.  

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It literally stands head and shoulders above the pack, in part because of that tall rally windscreen. The Givi handguards, Continental TKC80 tires, and upswept Arrow exhaust canister definitely add to its overall presence. The smaller but likely stronger LED headlight is all serious business, and gives the impression this bike is ready to leap into action at any moment. While the stock CB650R is relaxed and happy to wait, this build looks like it just wants to go NOW.  

Gallery: Honda CB650R Rally Custom by Honda Wingmotor

Sure enough, there’s a handily mounted roadbook holder mounted exactly where you’d want it on the dash. There’s also a touching tribute to veteran Portuguese rally rider and Dakar competitor Paulo Gonçalves, who died in January, 2020. It’s a decal on the tank, just below the gas cap, where the rider can look down, see it, and draw inspiration from Gonçalves’ legacy and competitive spirit.  

We don’t know for sure that the custom saddle is suede, but it’s clearly a suede-looking material that looks pretty grippy if you’re wearing the right pants. We love it when something looks both good and practical at the same time. If you want to see the other entrants and possibly vote yourself, you can do so here. Voting ends on June 21, 2020. 

Sources: Honda Garage Dreams, Facebook