Forget the clichés of the commuter hack or the pizza delivery drone. When a talented builder gets their hands on a scooter like a Vespa, a Lambretta, or even a humble Honda Cub, the results can be just as breathtaking, challenging, and technically brilliant as any large-capacity custom motorcycle. There’s a quiet, utterly addictive charm to a truly inspired custom scooter; a canvas for compact, clever engineering and unrestrained artistic vision. They force builders to work within severe spatial constraints, leading to innovations that you simply wouldn’t see on a bigger machine. A custom scooter, in the right hands, becomes a distillation of pure style and focused performance.
Over the years, we have been graced by some mind-bending scooter customs—machines that defy expectation and rewrite the rulebook. They’ve proven that displacement is irrelevant when imagination is the driving force. Here are six of our favourite custom scooters that have rolled through the Bike EXIF workshop, proving that sometimes, the coolest rides come in the smallest packages.
AFS Custom Bikes’ SYM Hot Rod
Few bikes possess the cult reverence of the Honda Cub. A machine of simple purpose and phenomenal endurance, the scooter has clocked over 100 million, becoming the very definition of reliable, accessible transport. This custom from Taiwan, while rooted in Cub DNA (specifically, a clone engine from SYM), is a radical departure from its utilitarian origins.
AFS Custom’s aimed to preserve the classic Cub silhouette but inject a thoroughly modern, almost alternate-universe vibe. The concept quickly spiralled, driven by the customer’s passion for hot rods, resulting in a machine that is slammed, stretched, and uncompromisingly rigid. Style was the clear mandate here, obliterating any pretence of road legality or practical comfort.
The heart of this radical look is the stunning, handmade steel tubing chassis. The main backbone is cleverly integrated to serve as the fuel tank, complete with a makeshift sight-glass fuel gauge and a tidy knurled aluminium gas cap. The design is remarkably fluid and cohesive, particularly the single-sided fork and rigid rear end, which curve tightly around the 17-inch Bridgestone-slick-wrapped wheels. These wheels weren’t built from scratch but ingeniously re-engineered from a pair of car spare wheels.
The 90 cc SYM motor runs three gears and no clutch, allowing AFS to further simplify the cockpit, which features nothing more than grips, an internal throttle, and a hand shifter low down on the left. Finished in black with gold wheels and a bobber-inspired aluminium seat, this AFS creation perfectly channels the pure, harsh aesthetic of a drag-strip hot rod. [MORE]
ANX’s Piaggio NRG 50 Drag Racer
The combination of ‘drag racing’ and ‘scooter’ sounds like a punchline, but Nick Xiromeritis of ANX Prototypes and Mirko Toth of Scooter Centre turned it into a deadly serious—and utterly thrilling—endeavour. This plucky little sprinter began life as a mid-2000s Piaggio NRG 50 cc scooter, but now boasts nearly 20 hp (and the potential for more with a shot of nitrous) while weighing a feathery 56 kg (124 lbs).
The story started with a fateful eBay transaction between automotive designer Nick and engine guru Mirko. The Piaggio that Mirko acquired was a crude conversion. A hardtail frame thanks to a steel table leg that replaced the rear shock. Nick and Mirko quickly mapped out a complete overhaul, repurposing a Kawasaki AR50-adapted tank and a custom carbon fiber tail from Nick’s other projects. The frame received major surgery: the crude hardtail was tossed, and the entire new back section was fabricated. The whole chassis was stretched and reinforced. Aprilia forks were installed and shortened to just 80 mm of travel, while the bars are inverted ape hangers from a Honda V30 Magna, mounted on a mountain bike stem.
Mirko went to town on the motor, installing a Polini Evolution 70 cc kit, a stage six crankshaft, and a Metrakit Prorace exhaust. After extensive porting and flowing, the original NRG motor now kicks out almost 20 hp, launching the featherweight machine. The ace up its sleeve is the Dynotune NOS system, which is solenoid-activated and tuned separately from the motor to prevent running lean, promising another eight to 10 hp. Dressed in a two-layer purple candy paint over a chrome base—with custom hand-laid pinstriping by Von Maze, this Piaggio is a violent, vivid pocket rocket poised for the quarter mile. [MORE]
MAAN Motocicli Audaci’s Honda Helix Beach Cruiser
Sardinia is a paradise of sun-drenched beaches and challenging twisty roads, and it’s the perfect home for this quirky, surfboard-carrying custom. Built by Nicola Manca of MAAN Motocicli Audaci, this machine is a radical transformation of a 1980s Honda CN250—better known in the USA as the Honda Helix. Nicola, an aerospace business advisor and keen motorcyclist, took a shot motor for €300, stripped it bare, and sold the original plastics for more than he paid for the bike.
The COVID-19 lockdown gave Nicola ample time for a patient, detail-oriented build. The original frame required extensive work, with a completely new rear section and rebuilt shock and radiator mounts. The aesthetic inspiration came from the stunning wooden Riva boats: the custom floorboards and dashboard panels feature teak inlays, handcrafted by Nicola from broken garden chairs destined for firewood. The chair frames were also repurposed to fashion the practical, seaside-ready surfboard rack.
The cockpit exemplifies cleanliness, featuring 18-inch ape hangers with absolutely no visible cables or levers. The throttle is internal, the ignition and switches are tucked into a lower teak panel, and the front brake lever is gone, replaced by a custom-built linked foot brake system that operates a cable-operated hydraulic pump.
Rolling on original wheels, the Helix now sports a full chrome suspension setup using a mix of Suzuki and Yamaha parts. Finished with decorative paint and upholstery by Matteo, Nicola’s Helix has successfully shed its 80s jet ski persona for a carefree, vintage beach cruiser vibe, fulfilling Nicola’s goal of creating a vehicle that embodies freedom. [MORE]
Man and the Machines’ NSU Prima Drag Scooter
In the burgeoning world of 1/8th-mile sprint racing, anything with wheels is a potential contender, but few are as rare as this hopped-up scooter from a defunct manufacturer. This machine is a 1959 NSU Prima 3, which was built by Krzysztof Szews of Man and the Machines and Renstall Moto, and co-founder of the Rocket Race Club. After seeing the reaction of crowds to the new scooter class at Glemseck 101, Kris—who’s been tuning vintage scoots since he was 16—decided to enter the fray with his own, unique creation.
The NSU Prima 3 was originally built after NSU’s license to build Lambretta scooters ran out. Kris loved the shape and the sheer rarity of customising one. The build involved ditching the stock 7 hp engine for an all-new mill built by a friend. It features a Casa Performance billet aluminium engine casing, prototype cylinder, and performance crankshaft, delivers a shocking 56 hp. To manage this insane power-to-weight ratio, Kris prioritised stability: he extended the wheelbase by 210 mm by trimming the original frame and building a new engine subframe, and moved the 2.5-litre stainless steel fuel tank forward between his legs to keep the front end planted.
The NSU forks were replaced with a modified Lambretta Series 3 setup running shortened springs and adjustable preload. Braking is handled by a Magura HC3 master cylinder operating a disc brake up front, while the 10-inch wheels are wrapped in PMT racing slicks.
Kris preserved the 65-year-old red patina, adding only sponsor decals and a special touch: a WWII airplane nose art-inspired dragon painted on the fender by his 11-year-old daughter, Ava. Though a rookie in the class, Kris’s wildly powerful, wonderfully styled machine walked away with the ‘Best Style’ trophy at Glemseck 101, proving that the old NSU has plenty of speed and character left in it. [MORE]
Python Lair Designs’ Vespa GT 200 Turbo
The modern Vespa GT 200 is cute, iconic, and generally considered ripe for light accessorizing rather than heavy modification. It takes a bold imagination to look past the curves and envision a radical transformation. Luckily, Adam Eldridge of Python Lair Designs in Austin, Texas, is blessed with an imagination that operates on a different frequency. Commissioned by Guido DeVita for his business, ilGaragista, Adam had total creative freedom to tear down the 2003 Vespa.
Adam took the Vespa down to its engine housing, front fork, and wheels, using 3D design software to plan a completely new chassis. He then shaped the new bodywork, an elaborate shell comprising four interior and five exterior pieces, by hand from sheets of aluminium using traditional metalworking tools. The resulting aesthetic is a delightful blend of influences: part Art Deco, part retro sci-fi, with nods to Piaggio’s legacy as an aeroplane maker and the aggressive look of mid-90s PTG Racing BMW E36 M3 race cars. The clean, flowing lines on the outside hide a massive surprise between the rider’s feet: a bespoke turbo setup.
Engineering the turbo mounting and piping was a monumental challenge, requiring aircraft hoses to account for the drive unit’s vertical movement. Adam also integrated a low-PSI regulator, a lift pump, a new ECU, and extensively modified the liquid cooling system.
To handle the increased output, the scooter received Frando brake calipers, Bitubo shocks, and Pirelli Diablo Scooter tyres. The cockpit features heavily modified vintage Piaggio handlebars with Motogadget switches and a sleek speedo, with the brakes linked and operated via a custom foot pedal, eliminating the need for any levers on the bars. Adam’s rework of the modern Vespa is a staggering blend of art and engineering, proving that even a commuter scoot can be transformed into a rolling piece of conceptual design. [MORE]
Butcher Garage’s Vespa PX 150 ‘Escape’ Scrambler
Saint Petersburg’s Butcher Garage—run by Alex, Mitya, and Miha—are specialists in extreme custom scooters, and their Vespa PX 150, dubbed ‘Escape’, is an example of their imagination and technical skill. Collaborating with the German parts specialists SIP Scootershop, Butcher Garage set out to combine the ubiquitous two-stroke Vespa 150 with the era’s hottest trend: the scrambler. Their goal was a bike that combined off-road capability with sharp urban design, a machine truly built to escape the city.
The transformation starts with the fuel tank—a 1970s Husqvarna unit that miraculously wedged into the Vespa’s chassis with minimal fuss. This is followed by a custom seat designed to evoke the classic BSA perches. The chassis required massive intervention from specialists Metal DIY, involving a re-worked monocoque body and a new head tube. This was necessary to accommodate a long-travel pit bike fork and a 12-inch front wheel. The rear suspension was completely re-engineered, with a pair of SIP shocks running through the middle of the scooter on a custom mount, offering twice the travel of stock and balancing the visual space for the wide 130/90-10 rear wheel.
The PX 150’s traditional hand-operated twist shift was ditched in favor of a foot control and a sequential gearbox developed in-house by Butcher. This change freed up the cockpit for a more traditional setup, including Fat Bars with a Domino quick-action throttle and a folding clutch lever.
The power plant is heavily hopped up with SIP-supplied parts, including a Parmakit water-cooling system (radiator hidden in the body), a Pinasco crankcase, and a 177 cc Parmakit cylinder. The standout feature is the ‘curly’ SIP race exhaust, which loops dramatically to increase the ride height and visually balance the right and left sides of the bike. Finished in an aged livery combining SIP’s corporate colours, ‘Escape’ is a cracking little machine that makes a compelling case for a dedicated Scooter EXIF. [MORE]
