Richard Pollock has been building motorcycles since before Bike EXIF existed. With such a tenure comes a measure of consistency; the man behind the Mule Motorcycles moniker never disappoints. Although Mule is best known for his impeccable Harley flat trackers, he does just as well with other marques too. His latest project is a 2005 KTM 525 EXC with an erratic backstory and one heck of an attitude. “It started out as a 'well used' trail bike that was street plated,” Mule explains. “I bo...| Bike EXIF
Some motorcycle manufacturers have dipped their toes in the custom scene, but few have dived in head first like Royal Enfield. The Indian marque has made motorcycle customization a core component of its marketing strategy. That’s a bone-dry way of saying they sponsor events, fund custom builds all over the world, and then tell people about them. I’ve been watching Royal Enfield's Custom and Motorsport department grow for the past few years and wanted a piece of the action. My magazine, Si...| Bike EXIF
The Royal Enfield FT450 slides onto our screens in style this week, followed by a spicy BMW K100RS scrambler from Australia. Lastly, the special edition Vespa Officina 8 offers up oodles of Italian flavor. Royal Enfield FT450 Hosted by professional flat track racer Gary Birtwistle at his UK-based training facility, Dirt Craft, the Royal Enfield Slide School is a way for riders to level up their skills and boost their confidence. No prior flat track experience is necessary, so it doesn’t mat...| Bike EXIF
Taking on someone else’s motorcycle project is a gamble. Low prices can lull you into a false sense of security, especially when you’re motivated and capable—two qualities that Gas & Oil Bespoke Motorcycles have in abundance. Polished, high-end custom motorcycles are Gas & Oil's usual fare, so this fantastically filthy Honda XL500 flat tracker is a little left field for them. It was originally delivered to their Prague workshop in numerous boxes, but because it was an XL500 and the pric...| Bike EXIF
If you've ever fantasized about building a Harley-Davidson Sportster flat tracker, there's a good chance that you've pinned a couple of Richard Pollock's bikes to your mood board. Better known as Mule Motorcycles, Richard has been building flat trackers since day dot and has mastered the art. He can make a Sportster go fast, turn left and look spectacular. His latest custom Harley Sportster is pure fire. Built for a friend who races in the Hooligan flat track series on the US West Coast, it h...| Bike EXIF
If you live outside of Taiwan, you're probably not familiar with the Yamaha SR150. It was exclusively made and sold locally, and eventually discontinued. But the flourishing Taiwanese custom scene has given it a second lease on life—and thrust it into the international spotlight. This is the third custom Yamaha SR150 we've featured recently, and each has come from a different workshop. This one's the work of Huang Wen Chi of Hide Work Custom, based in Taoyuan City. He goes by 'Achi,' and he...| Bike EXIF
This week's compilation is jam-packed with new releases from major OEMs. We take a look at the new KTM 390 SMC R and 125 SMC R, the updated Yamaha XMAX sport scooter, and the LiveWire S2 Alpinista electric sport standard. A plucky Yamaha SR500 flat tracker lurks in their midst, flying the flag for custom motorcycles. 2025 KTM 390 SMC R and 125 SMC R We’re only three weeks into 2025 and, to our shock, KTM has actually produced a good-looking motorcycle—two of them, in fact. Despite the com...| Bike EXIF
You can often tell when a custom motorcycle has been built merely to gawk at, and when it's been built to be ridden. This rowdy Harley Sportster flat tracker leaves little room for doubt. Inspired by the iconic Harley XR750, it hits all the right aesthetic notes, with a build spec tailored to daily abuse. It belongs to Romain Leclerc—a filmmaker based near Toulon on the French Riviera. As a teen, Romain rode BMX with a group of friends who called themselves 'Les Pirates.' Years later, the g...| Bike EXIF
The most unlikely custom motorcycle tops this week's assortment of machines; a Ducati Indiana flat tracker. We also profile a Honda Transalp from Bolt Motor Co., a cheeky Yamaha XSR155 scrambler, and an ex-Barry Sheene Suzuki TR750 that's up for auction at Bonhams. Ducati Indiana 'Von Tracker' by Francis Von Tuto History may have forgotten the Ducati Indiana, but those who lived it aren’t so lucky. There was a time when all the Italian marques all wanted a piece of America's 'factory choppe...| Bike EXIF
If there's one man who knows how to eke every last bit of performance out of a flat tracker, it's Richard Pollock. The man known as Mule has been building (and racing) them since long before Bike EXIF was even conceived, and has built some of the most lust-worthy trackers to ever grace these pages. So it's little wonder that his latest creation—a full-throttle Hooligan flat track racer—is such a tour de force. If you're not familiar with the American Grand National Hooligan Championship, ...| Bike EXIF
Even though the Harley-Davidson Evolution Sportster is no longer in production, it's eons away from going extinct. There are plenty of second-hand Evo Sportsters kicking around, and no shortage of aftermarket parts for them. And as long as the Sporty is still in play, masters like Richard 'Mule' Pollock will be on hand to extract the maximum potential from it. Most of the Sportsters that roll out of the Mule Motorcycles workshop are either bona fide flat track race bikes, or street trackers t...| Bike EXIF
Ever since Harley-Davidson went quiet on the future of the seemingly ill-fated Bronx streetfighter, we've been waiting for The Motor Co. to build something truly spicy with their 150-horsepower Revolution Max engine. The new Sportster S is a step in the right direction, but it's held back by confused styling, a hefty visual weight, and cruiser-like ergonomics. Perhaps the answer lies within the Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 instead. The Harley Pan America made waves in the adventure motorc...| Bike EXIF
Toshiyuki 'Cheetah' Osawa has had a busy year. Hot on the heels of a collaboration with Indian Motorcycle and Sideburn Magazine that debuted at the Bike Shed Show, he already had another deadline looming; Born Free 14. Osawa-san was on the prestigious invited builders list for the fourth time, and wanted to bring a bike worthy of the accolade. Even though he's a regular on the show circuit, Cheetah's bikes aren't trailer queens. With a background in flat track racing, he builds custom motorcy...| Bike EXIF
The new BMW F900GS has only just hit the scene, and VTR Customs has already got their grubby paws on it. Other highlights this week include a Rotax framer from the UK, a BMW R100GS rally replica from the US, and a look at Biltwell Inc.'s new collaboration with Santa Cruz Skateboards. BMW F900GS by VTR Customs If you've ridden the new BMW F900GS, you'll know it's a marked improvement over its predecessor. Gunning for rivals like the Yamaha T7 and Triumph Tiger 900, BMW has not only given their...| Bike EXIF
Richard Pollock has an enviable problem: a full order book. Just last week, we featured a stunning Harley Sportster street tracker in his signature Mule Motorcycles style. It turns out that he churned out a second Sportster around the same time, and it's just as wild. The project was conceived when Mule's client brought him a very unique Harley-Davidson motorcycle—an early 'iron' XR750 flat tracker that had previously been owned by the late Allan Girdler. A lifelong racer, journalist, and f...| Bike EXIF
Like most skilled craftsmen, Richard 'Mule' Pollock can turn his hand to myriad custom motorcycle build styles. But there's one particular type of bike that sits closest to the center of his wheelhouse; the street tracker. Mule has extensive experience building and racing flat track bikes, and he knows just how to repackage them for street use. So if you're looking for a Harley Sportster street tracker with a nostalgic American flat track racing vibe, specced for spirited road use, he'll deli...| Bike EXIF
In the world of classic thumpers, the Yamaha XT500 reigns supreme. It pioneered the concept of four-stroke dual-sport bikes, won the first two Paris Dakar rallies, and garnered legions of fans along the way. It's hard to meet someone who hasn't owned an XT500, known someone who's owned one, or dreamt of owning one. Given its legendary status, the Yamaha thumper begs to be subtly and judiciously tweaked, rather than drastically modified. If you can crank up the elements that made it iconic in ...| Bike EXIF