This custom build project entitled “Lady O.” may appear to be just one more drop in the cafe racer bucket but upon closer inspection this one-off Suzuki is all kinds of unique. Beginning with the fact this bike started its life as a XF650 Freewind from 2002 which was the last year it saw production. The Freewind was essentially a Japanese bike masquerading as a Euro offering which makes sense as this model was Suzuki’s answer to BMW’s F650. (The powerplant was borrowed from their DR650).
This custom is still powered by the DR’s 650cc single but was completely disassembled and overhauled which included the addition of a CNC flushing cylinder head by MaxMotors, forged aluminum levers and master cylinder (courtesy of KustomTech) and redone original disk brakes (front and rear). To make a long story short, every part on this bike was either overhauled or replaced by a new component when overhaul was not an option like in the case of the chain and sprocket.
On top of all the overhauling, a great deal of attention was paid to Lady O’s surfaces, everything on the build was either sand-blasted, powder-coated, re-anodized or at the very least brushed and/or polished. The handmade aluminum bodywork on the bike was done by Metal Bike Garage and includes the fuel tank, side plates, tail, front light cover, and ignition-guard (key cover), though the fenders are simply aftermarket. The fender struts and license plate holder, anti-twist plate, sprocket cover, headlight-support, indicators, under tail, battery case and cover lateral-stand are all handmade aluminum and/or stainless steel by VENCE, the shop that put the whole build together.
Those behind this project didn’t skimp on the bells and whistles either, decking this machine out with some subtle but nonetheless trick doodads including a Tiny Speedster speedo (from Motogadget), flat track LSL bars, and custom handlebar controls (which don’t come cheap). I think the most interesting aspect of this build is its ability to be either a Scrambler or a Cafe Racer. By removing just four screws the seat can be swapped out with ease. The taillight and signals (and their wiring) were considered so there’s no wiring headache involved in the swap. Whether this was a result of a “too many cooks in the kitchen” scenario, or if this was the plan from the start I couldn’t tell you but either way the final product isn’t something you often see.
Despite the fact this is yet another cafe-build, the thoroughness and attention to detail on this machine separate it from the crowd. The unusual choice to start with the Freewind is just an added bonus, not to mention a classic single-cylinder Scrambler just makes sense. You can find this notable 2002 Suzuki XF650 “Lady O.” build for sale here on The Bike Shed for $17,295.