Many would scoff at the idea of customizing a small commuter motorcycle. But in countries like Taiwan, where 150 cc bikes like the Kymco KTR 150 are prolific, it makes a lot of sense. These utilitarian machines not only qualify for cheaper licensing fees, but they’re also easy to acquire and even easier to work on.
This particular Kymco KTR 150 almost didn’t make the cut though. First bought in 2004, it was ridden for a decade before it gave up the ghost—and then stashed away for another decade. When it landed at 2LOUD Custom’s workshop in Taipei, it was so rusted that the wheels wouldn’t even turn.
“After checking out the bike, we suggested that it would be better to look for another one to save some money,” says the shop’s founder, Ma ‘Max’ Yicheng.…