In the competitive world of high-performance motorcycling, few manufacturers embody the spirit of “Ready to Race” quite like KTM. Founded in Mattighofen, Austria, in 1934 (though motorcycle production began in the early 1950s), the company built its reputation in the dirt. From gruelling Dakar rallies to dominating global motocross circuits, KTM established itself as the builder of the most aggressive, powerful, and technologically advanced off-road machines on the planet.
While they were initially celebrated for their prowess in the mud and sand, their focus on engineering excellence and minimal weight translated powerfully into the road bike arena. Over the last two decades, KTM’s street presence exploded with hyper-naked bikes (the Duke line) and plastic-clad superbikes (the RC series). KTM bikes are instantly recognizable by their distinct sharp lines, raw power, and, of course, the signature orange livery. This uncompromising, performance-first approach makes them a challenging but rewarding canvas for custom builders looking to retain track-readiness while adding street style.
Here are seven of our favorite custom KTM builds that have transcended the “Ready to Race” mantra to become works of art.
Hazan Motorworks Supercharged KTM
In a custom world increasingly dominated by CAD and 3D printers, Max Hazan stands in the top echelon of builders who rely on lathes, the English wheel, and artistic vision. His creation, built around a KTM engine, is intentionally impractical—it’s “just something that has two wheels and was fun to make.” The idea was to create something akin to the first motorized bicycles: light, cheap, and fast. For the engine, Max chose the KTM 520 RFS (Racing Four Stroke) motor for its clean shape and reliability.
Hazan found a clean KTM 520 donor bike and immediately pulled the engine, but to ensure the build wasn’t too straightforward, he plumbed in an AMR350 supercharger. This obscure Roots-type blower, similar to those fitted to Japanese subcompacts, displaces 300cc of air per revolution. Max machined the blower-drive/stator cover and aluminum snout entirely by hand from 6061 aluminum. Running on 110 octane race fuel with stock compression, the engine now produces a ferocious 85 hp at the crank.
Despite using some heavy components, the finished bike clocks in at a mere 111 kg wet (245 lbs), thanks in part to a minimal chromoly frame and unique suspension. Much effort went into the rear hub setup, which uses an asymmetrical lacing pattern with spokes that lace directly through the aluminum sprocket itself. The tank is hand-fashioned from aluminum, finished in a delicate ‘Black Nickel’ plating. The result is a bike that is “Amazing and terrifying at the same time”, complete with a foot clutch and a tank shift that will happily lift the front wheel through the first four gears. [MORE]
46Works KTM RC8
The Yokohama Hot Rod Custom Show is legendary, attracting the best builders from Japan. A major standout from the 2015 show was this KTM RC8, re-imagined by master builder Shiro Nakajima of 46Works. Nakajima-san, known for his classy BMW and Guzzi resto-mods, took the 173 hp plastic-clad superbike and gave it a neo-café aesthetic without compromising its track performance or ergonomics.
Pleased with how the RC8 performed during test laps at the Tsukuba circuit, Shiro decided his work should maintain its rideability while shedding weight. The first, and most meticulous, job was fabricating a new aluminum fuel tank designed to wrap perfectly around the KTM’s stock air box. This was paired with a hand-made aluminum subframe supporting a minimalist tail unit. Ditching the massive fairing meant Shiro also had to fabricate serpentine radiator shrouds to protect the exposed core.
Shiro’s commitment to detail and weight savings is everywhere. The cockpit was upgraded with Battle Factory clip-ons and Motogadget instruments. The bespoke titanium exhaust system weighs a mere 3.5kg. Combined with the other modifications, the bike’s overall weight was reduced by an impressive 20kg.
The paint job by Stupid Crown, with just the right amount of bare metal and a hint of orange, successfully transitions this brutal superbike into a sophisticated street machine. [MORE]
KTM RC8 Streetfighter
The streetfighter genre, born from sportbikes with ditched broken plastics, has evolved into something radical. This savage KTM RC8 belongs to Ģirts Ozoliņš of Riga, Latvia, and pushes the genre into uncharted territory. Ģirts, the founder of the synthesizer manufacturer Erica Synths, transformed his 2010-model KTM 1190 RC8 R—a 155 hp twin into a fierce, low-profile machine with help from his friend, the skilled fabricator Andis Zeps.
The front end was completely modernized with a billet aluminum girder fork, custom-made by FGirdex in Italy, which uses a piggyback shock from Maselli Suspension. The most visually striking change at the rear is the fitment of a curvaceous single-sided swingarm and WP Suspension shock taken from a 2016-spec KTM Super Duke R.
The bodywork emphasizes the bike’s aggression. Handmade aluminum side fairings flank the trellis frame, while a bespoke subframe supports a fiberglass tail section. The bike earns its nickname, “General Grievous,” from its handmade headlight nacelle, which houses Highsider LED lighting. Ģirts, who had to create a workaround for the KTM’s CAN bus system and low-voltage turn signals, managed to get the drastically-altered machine road-registered in Latvia—despite having some of the strictest vehicle customization regulations in Europe.
If you are feeling particularly drawn to this motorcycle, Girts has it for sale. It can be found on the Bike EXIF Classifieds. [MORE]
Hombrese KTM Supermoto Flat Tracker
Customizing your own bike is a deep rabbit hole, and for the owner of this KTM 950 Supermoto, a simple wheel and suspension swap quickly snowballed into a full-blown hooligan flat tracker conversion. After getting the dirt track bug, Patrick chose the 98 hp KTM 950 Supermoto for his track bike. Initial work involved installing KTM Super Duke forks and fitting a pair of 19” rims shod with Dunlop DT3 dirt track rubber.
After achieving a second-place finish in the Hooligan class at the Punk’s Peak hill climb, the owner handed the big twin over to his friend, builder Uwe Kostrewa at Hombrese Bikes, for a full makeover. Uwe’s most challenging task was reworking the rear end while maintaining the 950 Supermoto’s unique under-tank fuel setup. This involved fabricating an all-new subframe with an aluminum fuel cell, along with a custom oil tank. Up top, a flat track tail section from Survivor Customs was fitted, and the front received a reshaped fiberglass tank cover from a Sunday Motors mini-tracker.
Uwe relocated the ignition and installed ProTaper dirt track bars. An interesting performance choice was replacing the rear foot brake with a one-finger lever above the clutch control.
The LC8 motor’s headers were worked into a low-slung two-into-one arrangement, resulting in a significant weight drop from the original 210 kg to 167 kg wet. Finished in a brilliant red—the same shade Honda used on the CR500 in the late 80s—this flat tracker is pure, unadulterated hooliganism. [MORE]
Machine 1867 KTM 620 Bobber
Working as Machine 1867, engineer Edi Buffon’s creations are always incredible, ground-up builds. This one was inspired by the 1920s American-made Ace motorcycle. Edi sourced the heart of the machine—a low-mileage KTM 620 LC4 enduro engine—and immediately began fabricating. He pulled the powerful single-cylinder motor, machined a steering stem, and welded up a rigid steel frame with a 35-degree rake.
Edi stayed true to his inspiration, creating a rigid front end built from round bar stock. The bike retains the KTM’s original wheels, which were powder-coated black. The original Brembo brake system was retained on the front wheel for stopping power. The handlebars are a custom-built single radius design, keeping the cockpit minimal—there are no lights or electric starter on the bike.
Venturing beyond his usual medium of steel, Edi shaped twin aluminum ‘tanks’. The left side holds fuel, while the right side houses the bike’s electrical components. Aesthetically, Edi chose to lean into a glaringly modern component of the water-cooled engine’s radiators, mounting a new pair of aluminum radiators.
The final touch was the seat, which uses custom-machined parts, springs sourced from a water pump, and aged brown leather, perfectly completing the vintage, yet powerful, throwback vibe. [MORE]
Gasoline’s Gnarly KTM 1290 Super Adventure R
The mid-aughts rivalry between KTM and BMW resulted in the short-lived, but immensely powerful, twin-cylinder enduro bikes. Australia’s Gasoline Motor Co. scratched the itch for a monstrous roost-kicking machine by transforming a bone stock KTM 1290 Super Adventure R into a contemporary take on the legendary Super Enduro R. Founder Jason Leppa acknowledged the stock bike’s capability but called it “pretty ugly as an OEM machine,” leading to a complete bodywork redesign.
The team tore the bike down, even removing the subframe and the under-plastic fuel tank. They built a new carbon fiber fuel tank from scratch, using clay modeling and 3D scanning to create a master mold, ensuring it works with the original pump and fittings. The rear received an all-new chromoly subframe with a trellis layout. The stock seat was reshaped and upholstered in a carbon-look fabric.
The front end was scalped from other KTMs, using the headlight cowling and fender from the EXC range, fitted with a high-powered LED headlight from Enduro-Tech. The suspension, brakes, and wheels remain stock but refinished in gloss black. Additional features include a custom-made airbox and two LED spotlights mounted to custom crash bars. The resulting machine is an aggressive, mental re-interpretation of the 1290 that sounds “like a Dakar bike on steroids.” [MORE]
PiperMoto J Series Super Scooter
At first glance, the PiperMoto J Series looks like a stylish scooter. But pop the hood, and you’ll discover a KTM 690 Duke engine hosted in a bespoke chromoly chassis. PiperMoto’s founder, John Piper, an engineer with a pedigree that includes F1, Le Mans, and the diesel World Land Speed record, calls it a “super scooter.” This is a ground-up machine that pushes the limits of the maxi-scooter category.
At the core of the J Series sits a TIG-welded chromoly space frame. The 67 hp KTM LC4 engine is housed toward the back, linked to the custom rear suspension system via a push rod and rocker, featuring an ExeTC remote reservoir shock. The front uses traditional KTM upside-down forks. The 17” wheels are wrapped in Bridgestone Battlax BT090 tires, stopped by Brembo brakes.
The engine is fitted with pod filters and exhales through a stainless steel exhaust system that terminates in a box muffler seamlessly integrated into the bodywork. The six-speed transmission shifts gears via an electronic system, triggered by paddles on the switchgear. The elegant bodywork is made from a woven carbon composite material, designed to be incredibly cohesive with lockable twin storage compartments and a rear shell that flips up for engine access. The J Series boasts a dry weight of 160 kg (353 lbs), and can hit a top speed of 120 mph. [MORE]
