There’s a 295-pound Honda XR600R hanging on the wall at Dirtshop Thailand, in Bangkok. Made in 1990, it’s the actual motorcycle that introduced shop owner Ek Chalermphol to dirt biking.
It’s also the bike that prompted him to open his workshop with a friend, 30 years ago. So Ek has now honored this inspirational machine, and Honda’s desert racing legacy, with a stunning throwback build—an XR600R restomod.
Ek has a deep love for historic off-road racing and a sharp eye, as proved by the R nineT Urban G/S he built last year. This latest project pays homage to Honda’s XR and XL models of the 1980s, and its Dakar race bikes…with inspiration coming from custom builder on the other side of the planet.…