Mokka Cycles' CB500 France Express
By Ross Sharp - 13 Dec 18
Mokka Cycles have been making the long trip to our shows from Budapest for a few years now, and we're really glad. Their eclectic taste has resulted in some really interesting builds, sometimes polarising but always exquisitely put together.
This 1994 Honda CB500 was exhibited at Bike Shed London 2018 in May and it demonstrated that Mokka's founder Arpi Bozi has been pushing his ingenuity and craftsmanship with each project.
The most striking element is the sculptured fuel tank which is Arpi's handiwork, the lower scoop being a visual statement which provides the re-jetted carbs with plenty of cool air and the rider with a satisfying induction roar. The vibrant teal paint is the corporate colour for France Express, a logistics and transport company. Their liveried Fiat Ducato vans stand out from the crowd, so it seemed a fitting choice for the CB to pull this hue from the Fiat paint chart. And there you have it, the Mokka Cycles 'France Express'.
The bombproof Honda parallel twin remains standard internally but externally it's box-fresh. A TiG welded and linished stainless exhaust system is also Arpi's work and should release a few extra ponies. And those little twins sound feral when uncorked.
The subframe is all new and a much simpler design than the original. Adjustable YSS shocks look the part and without piggyback reservoirs make for a cleaner rear end. The remains of a stripped-out wiring loom and lithium battery live in a slim battery box beneath the beautifully upholstered Alcantara saddle.
Renthal bars house internal wiring for the Mokka Cycles switchgear, a product Arpi developed a couple of years ago and sells via his webstore. The LED headlight surround and radiator guard were laser cut, bent, welded and linished to perfection.
And if you're not a tread geek and don't recognise the rubber..... they're Heidenau's K73 Super Rain supermoto tyre. France Express is sold but Arpi is working on projects for next year's show, drop him a line if you'd like one of them to be yours.
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Images by Peter Mosoni