While September had you pining for café racers, a lot can change in 30 days. We threw a healthy variety at you in October, and so it comes as no surprise that our top performers all come from different corners of the two-wheeled world; from trackers and choppers to retrocrossers and cafés.
As diverse as the creative hands that formed them, our top 5 most-viewed motorcycles of October include familiar names and a few new faces for good measure. So join us, if you will, in a quick victory-lap recap for these captivating builds.
Moto Guzzi Le Mans III by Foundry Motorcycle
When a long-forgotten Moto Guzzi Le Mans III emerged from nearly four decades in pieces, Tom Simpson of Foundry Motorcycle saw more than a restoration project—he saw a canvas for craft. Briefly assembled and ridden before life got in the way, the bike returned to the workshop after a customer requested a Tonti-framed café racer. What began as a personal machine became an opportunity for Tom to showcase his signature blend of industrial elegance and blacksmith precision.
The Le Mans III is packed with bespoke details, from sand-cast aluminum engine covers to a custom two-into-one exhaust that terminates in geometric louvered end caps. The intake setup is equally clever, wedged neatly between a handmade battery tray and a custom manifold. Every component aligns like a Tetris puzzle, balancing function with artistry in a way that rewards close inspection.
Tom’s attention extends to the tank and tail, where Testarossa-inspired fins echo the engine’s horizontal cooling fins. Machined aluminum badges, a Monza-style filler cap and a decorative plate frame the design, while the tail section houses a discreet taillight and license plate bracket. The seat, hand-foamed and upholstered by Trim Deluxe, also conceals modern electronics like a Motogadget mo.unit and an Elektronik Sachse ignition module.
Underneath the artistry lies a fully refreshed machine. OEM running gear, including brakes, forks and wheels, was rebuilt; Quantum shocks and Cerakote finishes provide performance and polish. The gearbox received extra attention to smooth shifts, and a vintage Maserati-inspired paint palette ties the entire build together. Tom’s Le Mans III proves that rugged craftsmanship and refined aesthetics can coexist beautifully. [More]
Yamaha XT500 by Purpose Built Moto
Few bikes have the nostalgic pull of Yamaha’s XT500, a single-cylinder classic renowned for reliability and timeless style. Purpose Built Moto tapped into that legend, creating a retrocross restomod for a client in Florida that merges modern performance with vintage appeal. With a mix of factory parts and handmade upgrades, the XT500 feels both familiar and boldly refreshed.
The chassis received a complete overhaul, starting with modern motocross forks from Costanza Racing Tuned and custom YSS rear shocks. Excel rims laced to Haan hubs, paired with Dunlop 606 tires, give the bike an aggressive stance, while a rear disc brake conversion with a Brembo caliper adds contemporary stopping power. PBM’s formula raises the ground clearance and sharpens handling, making the bike as capable on dirt tracks as it is on city streets.
Engine work was equally thorough. A big-bore kit, high-compression piston, ported head and upgraded oiling system deliver more punch, while a Mikuni pumper carb and electric start system modernize the thumper. The custom exhaust, combining an FMF PowerBomb header with a DG muffler, snakes perfectly behind the side cover and hangs proudly next to the fender.
Visually, PBM flipped the script on Yamaha’s iconic speedblock livery. Deep blacks are offset by yellow and white detailing, highlighting the angular bodywork and polished aluminum swingarm. Every line, every finish and every visual detail blends vintage charm with contemporary flair, creating a retrocrosser that honors the XT500’s enduring appeal while carving out its own identity. [More]
Sunbeam S8 by Stuart Bruton
Sometimes, the magic of a motorcycle lies in the personality of its builder—and Stuart Bruton’s Sunbeam S8 is a perfect example. Discovered on eBay in a rough state, the 1957 twin had already been modified and was in need of careful attention. Stuart stripped the bike to its bones and set about a meticulous restoration that combines traditional techniques with ingenious improvisation.
He began with the battered bodywork, restoring the tool, electrical and battery boxes while he replaced the rear fender with something more form-fitting. A custom stainless-steel sissy bar became a project in itself, requiring homemade bending fixtures and hours of trial-and-error to achieve the ideal form. Even small touches, like a brass fire extinguisher repurposed as a taillight, highlight Stuart’s enterprising approach.
Further ingenuity extends to the tank and seat. A modified Harley Sportster 883 fuel tank replaces the original Sunbeam unit, while a hand-shaped steel pan was upholstered with leather and foam using Stuart’s vintage Singer sewing machine.
Other details, including a polished headlight bucket, springer fork modifications, Borrani rims and a tulip silencer, ensure the S8 rides as beautifully as it looks. Painstakingly applied rattle-can paint matched the original Sunbeam green, demonstrating that while this S8 isn’t in Kansas anymore, it hasn’t forgotten its roots either. [More]
1977 Harley-Davidson Shovelhead by Hannah Meakin
Pink, long, and low, Hannah Meakin’s 1977 Harley Shovelhead is a celebration of ’70s chopper culture. Inspired by her first visit to The Hook Up show in South Wales, Hannah and her partner James went on the hunt for a suitable donor machine and turned up a rider-quality machine—tangerine in color. She rode it as is for a couple of years, until the chopping itch returned, and the bike was stripped down to bare bones.
The frame features a weld-on hardtail kit from Craig House in the UK, while 35 mm fork extensions give the front end the stretched look. Wheels, brakes and controls were carefully chosen: a 21” front drum wheel, 18” rear disc and the right nostalgic rubber—Avon Speedmaster (front) and an Avon Safety Mileage (rear). Mini-ape bars, Anderson foot pegs on custom risers and simplified wiring complete the cockpit.
Essential elements in the chopper formula, Hannah and James devoted countless hours in the design and fabrication of the sissy bar and seat. They doodled designs before settling on the final product, and the crowning jewel is a handmade mace secured by a length of barley twist metal. With the sissy bar off for chrome, Hannah templated out the king and queen saddle in cardboard before hammering out the pan over a wooden buck.
For the final paintwork, Hannah knew she didn’t want black and was inspired by the unlikely combination of pink and red. She and James painted it themselves in a local spray booth, highlighting the red flames with silver accents. From mind-bending paint and lavish upholstery, to lighthearted details like the valve stem caps and pushrod collars, Hannah’s Shovel is a bike that’s unapologetically hers, and built to make miles. [More]
Harley-Davidson Sportster by Motonaut
Michael Middeldorff’s ‘Iron Maiden’ is a study in parts-bin creativity, blending a 1966 XLCH Ironhead engine with a 1979 XLS 1000 Roadster frame and a curated mix of Harley, KTM and Ducati components. Built in Munich under the Motonaut banner, the bike is both a tribute to the legendary XR750 flat track racer and a showcase for Michael’s inventive engineering. Despite its minimalist, race-inspired look, the Sportster is brimming with thoughtful details.
The frame was truncated at the rear, reinforced with a new backbone and neck and paired with 35 mm Ceriani GP replica forks up front. YSS shocks handle the rear suspension, while wheels, brakes and controls are a carefully assembled mix of old and new: Hydra-Glide and V-Rod rims, Brembo and Ducati calipers and master cylinders sourced from Harley and KTM. Every component was adapted to fit seamlessly, and it takes a trained eye to detect his artistic liberties.
The XLCH engine was lightly upgraded for reliability, featuring electronic ignition, a Lithium battery and a NOS Screamin’ Eagle carb. Ceramic-coated covers and drag pipes complete the powertrain, keeping everything honest and effective.
Iron Maiden’s bodywork builds on its flat track spirit with a fiberglass tank and tail section in classic orange, a hand-fabricated oil tank and a cockpit outfitted with LSL bars, H-D grips and Motogadget instruments. Removable LED lights and street-legal components make it fully rideable when Michael isn’t hanging it out on the dirt oval, and the bike made its debut at the 10th Flat Track Invitational at Valentino Rossi’s VR46 Motor Ranch in Tavullia, Italy.
“It was a short premiere, because I lost spark after just a couple of laps,” he recalls, “but it was the best possible way to ride the bike for the first time.”
