With a healthy 26hp and top speed of around 90mph, Honda’s CB250 Nighthawk is a solid utilitarian 250, though the parallel twin’s chopper-inspired aesthetic hasn’t aged particularly well since its release in the early 1980s. Recognizing the merits of the quarter-liter Honda, Jakarta-based custom moto builders, Thrive Motorcycle has opted to give the Nighthawk a thorough visual redesign, treating the ’80s twin to a futuristic take on the bobber genre, resulting in the “T 09 Prototype.”
Completely adorned in a blacked-out livery, the stripped-back custom now sports new bodywork in the form of a bespoke pair of fenders, a small headlight shroud capping off the build’s stacked projector headlight setup, mesh inlays tacked onto custom framework, and a one-off belly-pan. The pilot is now perched on a stubby ribbed leather seat supported by a minimalistic custom subframe that’s finished off with a rectangular LED taillight, while a one-off tank takes its cues from vintage endurance race bikes, with a quick-fill dual-cap setup, while the side of the tank sports a clear line that reveals the bespoke cell’s fuel level. Other upgrades include a custom dual single-pipe exhaust system, custom rear-sets, clip-ons, folding levers, and a round vintage speedo set in bespoke housing.
