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Motorcycles

Limited edition futuristic custom moto has its roots in the past

By Aaron Heinrich
September 15, 2016
Limited edition futuristic custom moto has its roots in the past
The Bandit9 Eve MK II is nearly unrecognizable as a previous Honda Supersport
The Bandit9 Eve MK II is nearly unrecognizable as a previous Honda Supersport
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The unibody of the Eve MK II is gas tank, seat and rear cowl all in one
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The unibody of the Eve MK II is gas tank, seat and rear cowl all in one
The Bandit9 Eve MK II is nearly unrecognizable as a previous Honda Supersport
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The Bandit9 Eve MK II is nearly unrecognizable as a previous Honda Supersport
The Eve MK II custom leather seat is fully integrated into the unibody of the bike
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The Eve MK II custom leather seat is fully integrated into the unibody of the bike
The Eve MK II has a small gas tank that won't take you far, but this is more art than transportation
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The Eve MK II has a small gas tank that won't take you far, but this is more art than transportation
The Bandit9 Eve MK II appears to have been dropped to Earth from another planet
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The Bandit9 Eve MK II appears to have been dropped to Earth from another planet
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Bandit9, a Saigon-based custom builder known for creating futuristic looking designs from a variety of donor bikes, has knocked it out of the immediate solar system with its latest design. Originally a 1967 Honda Supersport, the Eve MK II now bears no resemblance whatsoever to its predecessor. And that's a good thing.

Starting with the handcrafted unibody tank, this single piece of polished steel has been molded into a form that is not only beautiful to look at but is completely functional as a combined gas tank, seat and rear cowl. Considering so many of today's builders are going for the rough and tumble scrambler look, the polished and elegant design of the Eve Mk II is a breath of fresh air.

One doesn't have to be a designer or fabricator to also appreciate the skill it took to create that front X-cowl. It resembles something that could be equally at home on the front end of a new X-wing fighter on Star Wars. Though, as a working piece of art and not a race bike, expecting too much in the way of performance may be cause for disappointment.

The engine is an air-cooled, single cylinder 125 cc linked to a 4-speed transmission with the ability to hit all of 8 kW (11 hp) and produce 12.7 Nm (9.4 lb ft) of torque. Those numbers won't win you any races but the Bandit9 can reach a claimed and respectable top speed of 110 km/h (68 mph). Though, the gas tank portion of that unibody only holds 4 L (1 gallon) of fuel, so riders won't get too far before needing to find a gas station.

The unibody of the Eve MK II is gas tank, seat and rear cowl all in one
The unibody of the Eve MK II is gas tank, seat and rear cowl all in one

Completing the custom look and design is a simple cowhide leather seat, custom exhaust, exposed front and rear suspension, and an electric starter.

Bandit9 has produced a limited run of nine Eve MK II bikes specifically for MAD Gallery, where they're being offered for sale at CHF 14,500 (about US$15,000), plus taxes and shipping.

Take a look at the video to get a sense for what inspires Daryl Villanueva and the Bandit9 design and build philosophy.

Sources: Bandit9, MAD Gallery

Bandit9 Motorcycles HD

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MotorcyclesHondaCustomsMotorcycle
6 comments
Aaron Heinrich
Aaron first knew he wanted to be a writer when he was in grade school and the local paper printed his editorial on environmental issues. Since then he’s written screenplays, white papers, speeches, and articles on everything from baby diapers to nanotech. When he’s not behind a computer keyboard, he’s grabbing the handlebars on his motorcycle and riding around California and beyond.

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6 comments
Dan Parker
This is fine if you want to purchase it as a work of art and park it in your living room or hang it on a wall. The problem comes with trying to use it on public roads in the US. Will Bandit9 guarantee that it will pass DOT regulations and that you'll be able to license it for use on public roads? The short answer is "no". The long answer is... "no". If you buy this thing, you are on your own and don't expect to use it for any purpose other than off-road if you can even get it off the dock it's shipped to. It is shiny and avant garde, no doubt, but if you're thinking of dropping 15 grand on a bike, there are a host of better options out there that you can actually ride on America's roads. Really folks, the name of the company should be your first clue when making a decision to buy one of these bikes.
gep
Dan - I'm not sure what you are talking about, it looks like the bike has pretty much everything it needs to meet DOT regulations. Horn, DOT tires, high/low head light, taillight, brake light, permanently attached seat and minimum DB rating. Maybe its your location in the states that makes it more difficult. Also, of course there are "better" bikes, but to each their own. I myself have a unique and beautiful wife who cost more than an ugly wife who I'm sure can do the same or better job, but some of us like style and the beauty of a exceptional machine. I'd like a bigger motor myself but I can appreciate this bike for what it is.
Dan Parker
gep- Where in the article does it state that any of the equipment on this bike is DOT certified? Do you really think that headlight clipped on the fork tube is going to pass a DOT inspection? I don't see any brake or tail lights and turn signals & lighted license plate bracket are non-existent. If you already own a bike and want to modify it by excluding safety equipment, that's your choice. But, if you run a business building bikes and try to sell one without the requisite safety equipment it just won't fly; anywhere. Add to that the fact that you have to import this bike and the title has to be transferred which can be difficult even between two neighboring states. There are too many stumbling blocks in the way of owning one of these. I can state this for a fact as a workmate of one of my best friends tried to purchase a bike from Bandit9 earlier this year; a several month process. He loved the look and exclusivity of the vehicle, but ended up ditching the idea when any of his concerns about licensing and riding it on public roads were met with evasive answers or crickets. The proprietor of Bandit9 admits that he is an artist first and a builder second. That's not good news if you plan to ride any of his creations. Check out the rear suspension and swing arm. The geometry is wrong and the swing arm would flex like a drinking straw in anything but straight-line riding. My buddy and I restore vintage and not so vintage motorcycles as a hobby. At last count we’ve completed eight bikes that were beautiful, basically stock and rebuilt according to specs set forth in their respective factory service manuals. My buddy is a certified Kawasaki tech and built race bikes and rode for Kawasaki back in the ‘80s. I won’t bore you with any more background, but I will leave you with a big “caveat emptor” when considering a Bandit9 product. They’re based on 1960s Hondas. Where are you going to get parts when you need them, (and believe me, you will need them)? CMSNL is about the only company that comes to mind, but even they won’t stock everything you need. These creations are for people who have money to burn and are buying them because they are unique. I’d like to hear from anybody who has purchased a Bandit9 bike and has managed to get it any farther than its port of entry.
Martin Hone
Without mudguards it won't get registered here in Oz, but I do like the styling. A great blend of retro donor bike and cool seat/tank combo. I doubt I'd ride it anywhere, just hang it above the mantle piece........
gep
Dan, I guess it just didn't occur to me that somebody would look at this bike and pick on it for not being roadworthy. It's obviously more form over function, in almost every way. Anybody who had the cash and wanted to buy it I'm sure never planned on riding it much, but it would be possible. 15k is probably a bargain for how many man hours it would take to build something like this; out of my budget and not my style, but who am I to find fault in it. I bet it wouldn't take much to make street legal, but that's not the point of a bike like this. It really just seems like you want to bash the builder, and that's fine. I just appreciate all bikes for what they are; fast, tough, workers, art projects, or whatever and I felt like making a point. Ride on brother.
KeithPhillips
It's just a rich man's toy. Wouldn't mind one sitting in the front room though!